Category: Colorado

14 Must See Spots on Your Road Trip to Yellowstone!

Posted in arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, National Parks, New Mexico, Road Trip Guides, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, YellowstoneTagged , , , , , Leave a comment

Last year we took an epic road trip from Texas to Montana, and then back home! Below, I’m including 14 must see spots on your road trip to Yellowstone! This road trip adventure will take you through Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado.

Our entire road trip route!

Texas

Erwin Widmer / Shutterstock

Cadillac Ranch

We are notorious for driving through Texas as quick as we can and not making too many stops in our home state. But, if you’re looking for a quick, fun, colorful stop, then check our Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, TX. Don’t forget to bring along a can of spray paint!

Address: 13651 I-40 Frontage Road, Amarillo, TX

New Mexico

Amarillo, TX to Farmington, NM

If you’re coming in from Texas, New Mexico is a great place to stop for the night! We stayed in Farmington, NM and that was about a twelve hour drive for us from home. We typically don’t like to drive that far in one day, but we wanted to knock out a big chunk early on to have more days for exploring. And Texas is a huge state to drive through!

Aztec Ruins National Monument

The boys at Aztec Ruins

The Aztec Ruins are a fun and educational stop in Farmington, NM. We spent about an hour here, exploring the different areas of the ruins. The boys loved all of the prairie dogs!

Address: 725 Ruins Rd, Aztec, NM 87410

Shiprock

Family photo with Shiprock Peak behind us!

Shiprock is an iconic sight, rising 1,583 feet tall, about 30 minutes from Farmington! Be aware, it’s considered a sacred place to the Navajo tribe and is not open to the public. We just made a quick stop for a photo on the side of the road!

Directions from Farmington: Take US 64 west to Shiprock and make a left at the intersection with US 491. Continue 7.1 miles on US 64 and 491, and turn right (west) onto the paved Indian Service Route 13. Continue 7.6 miles on IR 13 and turn right (north) onto IR 5010, which is a dirt road. Follow IR 5010 north to Shiprock, which is about 3.5 miles away.

Arizona

Farmington, NM to Monument Valley

Monument Valley

Forest Gump Point

I have always wanted to see Monument Valley, so we made sure to add this route to our road trip itinerary! I am hoping to explore more of this area on a future trip out west. We just drove through, and stopped for a quick photo at Forest Gump Point. I typed that in on my GPS and it led us there! The landscape here was impressive and I am so happy we added this quick detour to our route!

Monument Valley is located on US Highway 163.

Utah

Monument Valley to Moab, UT

Utah is one of the coolest states we’ve ever visited! On this trip, we drove through Moab on our journey to Yellowstone. Of course, we had to stop for some hiking! There are so many amazing spots in Moab to explore. If you’re short on time, I recommend hiking up to Wilson Arch. If you have more time on your road trip, you can stay in Moab for a few days to explore the two National Parks here!

Wilson Arch

The boys under Wilson Arch

Wilson Arch is a quick, five minute hike from the side of highway 191, about 20 minutes south of Moab. It’s mostly uphill, but we were able to hike up and back down without any issues. You can find the pull out to park right alongside the highway, and even though it’s not very crowded, you’ll see other cars along the road. We like this hike because you don’t have to pay to explore here!

Arches National Park

Delicate Arch trail

Arches National Park is the site of over 2,000 natural sandstone arches. It’s one of those places that you just have to see to believe! My boys loved exploring this park and keep asking to go back. There are so many areas to explore, if you’re short on time you can even just drive through and stop at different overlooks to take in the different arches. If you have time for a hike, I recommend the three mile hike to the iconic Delicate Arch! Keep in mind, you do need a timed-entry permit to enter Arches National Park from April 1st-October 31st.

Directions to Arches: From Moab, drive north on US 191 for five miles. You will see the sign for the entrance!

Dead Horse Point State Park

The vista at Dead Horse Point

I think I prefer Dead Horse Point State Park over the Grand Canyon, it’s that scenic! You don’t need a ton of time here, we just parked and walked along the overlook trail. The views are absolutely breathtaking!

Directions to Dead Horse Point: Drive nine miles northwest of Moab on US 191 and then 23 miles southwest on Utah 313 to the end of the highway. You will see signs for Dead Horse Point along the drive!

Canyonlands National Park

Mesa Arch trail

Another amazing National Park in Moab is Canyonlands! The area called Island in the Sky is right next to Dead Horse Point State Park, so you can knock these two places out at one time! The overlooks are truly amazing. If you don’t have much time, I recommend checking out Mesa Arch!

Directions to Canyonlands: From US 191 north of Moab, UT 313 leads to Island in the Sky district. You will keep driving past Arches NP and will see signs for Canyonlands National Park.

Idaho

Moab, UT to Twin Falls, ID

Idaho has to be the most underrated state we’ve ever visited! We were blown away with the views, the waterfalls, the hiking trails, the mountains, and more! On our road trip, we decided to stay in Twin Falls for a few nights to explore the area and spend some time outside of the car. This ended up being a great choice and one of my favorite destinations of the entire trip!

Perrine Coulee Falls

Can you see the people on the trail behind the waterfall?

Did you know that you can hike behind one of the tallest waterfalls in Twin Falls? I had no clue until I began researching stops along our route. The 200 foot waterfall is quite impressive by itself, but having the opportunity to walk behind it was really special!

Directions to Perrine Coulee Falls: This waterfall is just outside of Centennial Waterfront Park. You’ll see cars parked along the street next to the falls. You won’t miss this one, it’s close to the road that leads through the park!

Shoshone Falls Park

Shoshone Falls Park

Shoshone Falls is also known as The Niagara of the West! If you’re in Twin Falls, you have to visit this park! There are several different paved trails with different views of the falls. And, you don’t need a lot of time here to experience the magic!

Shoshone Falls Park Address: 4155 Shoshone Falls Grade, Twin Falls, ID 83301. There is a $5 entrance fee per vehicle.

Upper Mesa Falls

Upper Mesa Falls

If you’re driving from Twin Falls, you should make the stop to hike around Upper Mesa Falls near the Idaho, Montana border! I really had no clue that Idaho was full of so many amazing waterfalls. This is a very short hike to a 114 feet high, 200 feet wide roaring curtain of water!

Directions to Mesa Falls: You’ll find Upper Mesa Falls in Ashton, Idaho off of Hwy 20 via Scenic Byway 47. I used the Alltrails app for directions and we had no issues finding it. There were also signs along the drive.

Montana

Twin Falls, ID to West Yellowstone, MT

Up to this point, our trip was fantastic, but then we arrived in West Yellowstone, MT and found out that Yellowstone National Park was closed. Yes, we are some of the unfortunate people that made the trip only to learn that other areas of the park had encountered historic flooding. So, we never actually got to enter Yellowstone. We were so sad, but found other things to do in the area.

Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone

The boys with our favorite bear!

We had been so excited to see wild animals in Yellowstone, so it made sense to visit the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. Plus, it was directly across the street from our lodging. It is a fantastic facility! We loved seeing the bears and were so excited when the wolves woke up and began moving around. We spent several hours here viewing the animals, hearing their stories, and exploring the museum inside.

Address: 201 S Canyon St, West Yellowstone, MT 59758. It costs $16.50 for adults, $11.50 for kids.

Wyoming

West Yellowstone, MT to Jackson, WY

Our trip was completely redeemed once we made it to Jackson, WY! The Grand Tetons are absolutely gorgeous. And, the best part is that we got to encounter a real bear in the wild!

Grand Teton National Park

Jenny Lake

One can easily spend weeks here and not see everything that this National Park has to offer. We had the chance to spend a couple of nights here, and we were able to spend two full days hiking in the park. If I had one place to recommend, I’d suggest the Jenny Lake area! If you want to see wildlife, hike on the Phelps Lake Overlook trail, that’s where we saw the bear!

Visitor Center Address: 100 Discovery Way, Moose, WY 83012

Colorado

Jackson, WY to Colorado Springs, CO

By the time we made it to Colorado Springs for the night, before journeying back home, we were exhausted! This is such a neat destination, you can easily spend a week vacationing here alone. So, even though there are tons of activities and attractions to explore here, we opted for a quick visit to Garden of the Gods.

Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid! I knew I wanted to bring my boys here. They’ve actually visited this place on several different occasions, it makes for a great stop! My boys love the easy walk around the different rock formations. And the climbing is their favorite part! Plus, it’s always a good idea to get the kids tired before beginning a long trip back home! Don’t miss out on the museum inside the Visitor Center.

Address: 1805 N. 30th Street Colorado Springs, CO 80904

We spent two weeks adventuring through the desert and over mountains on this road trip! Even though we didn’t get to see the main attraction on this trip, we still had a wonderful time and made tons of memories! This road trip did involve a lot of planning, especially for the weather! It was warm in some places, but snowed in others, all within just a few days.

Road Trip Tips

  • Have a plan! Make sure to know your route and where you plan to stop and stay each night!
  • Get your vehicle checked before your road trip!
  • Make sure you have a first aid kit in your vehicle.
  • Bring plenty of snacks and drinks for the drive!
  • Create a playlist. If you have kids, have them help you!
  • Stop often for breaks.
  • Don’t try to drive too long each day unless you know you and your kiddos can handle it.
  • Prepare for the weather at each destination on your adventure!
  • Be patient, expect traffic and weather delays from time to time.
  • Don’t try to pack in too much each day!
  • Have fun!

I’m sure we missed a ton of awesome places on this road trip! We do have plans to one day return to Yellowstone, taking a different route. Be sure to check out more of my blog posts for complete travel guides and itineraries! Good luck on your next road trip, I know it’s going to be amazing!

The BEST Hiking Trails in Rocky Mountain National Park for Kids

Posted in Colorado, Hiking, National Parks, Rocky Mountain National Park, Tips & RecommendationsTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of my favorite Parks in the whole country! There’s just something about Colorado that fills my soul with peace. So, taking my boys to Rocky Mountain National Park was very high on my adventure list.

Before we visited RMNP, my boys had only done a few hikes here and there. This Park actually created a new love of hiking for our entire family. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I wanted to see picturesque scenery and I wanted some beautiful family photos of our adventures! We got all of that and more, so keep reading below to learn about the best hiking trails in Rocky Mountain National Park for kids!

Click here for my best tips for hiking for kids!

The Best Hiking Trails in RMNP

Most of our favorite trails are in the Bear Lake Corridor, I’ll touch on this more below.

If I only had one day in the Park, the next three hikes would be on my list!

Nymph Lake

Nymph Lake – To access this hike, the trailhead starts at Bear Lake. This trail is only about a one mile out & back hike and is generally considered a fairly easy route. The Lilly pads were our favorite feature at this lake! If you keep going along this trail around the lake, you will end up at Dream Lake, which is my next favorite stop in RMNP!

Dream Lake

Dream Lake – Dream Lake truly is a dream! It’s close to a mile past Nymph Lake, so a total of 1.9 miles out & back from the trailhead at Bear Lake. There are a lot of flat rocks around the lake, so we found a spot and had some snacks and a quick rest before venturing on to Emerald Lake, which is breathtaking!

The trail to Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake – This trail is the absolute best! It’s about three miles out & back from the trailhead at Bear Lake. If you plan to make this hike, you will see Nymph Lake and Dream Lake along the way! We actually combined all three of these trails into one day of hiking and it only took us about 3.5 hours to complete! I would rate this entire three mile trail as moderate, but it was definitely easy enough for my boys to hike without complaining! The views along the entire way are absolutely amazing!

Emerald Lake

Alberta Falls

Alberta Falls – Alberta Falls is a beautiful hike to a beautiful waterfall! You definitely don’t want to miss this one. The trail to the falls is 1.6 miles out & back and only takes about an hour or so. It’s a little harder on the way back in than on the way out. My boys not only loved the waterfall, but they loved all the chipmunks in the area around the falls. This one also starts in the Bear Lake Corridor. We hiked the first three trails (Nymph, Dream, and Emerald Lakes) on our first day in the Park and then hiked Alberta Falls on the second day. I’m not sure my boys could’ve combined all four trails into one day but it is an option if you have limited time here!

This is a great place to stop, rest, take in the falls, & have a picnic!

Lake Haiyaha – This is probably the most gorgeous lake I’ve ever seen in person, but the trail to get to it is super tough. It’s about two miles of walking up a mountain and then scrambling over large boulders to reach the water. The total trail is about 4 miles out & back and is considered a challenging hike. Currently, the water is this amazing shade of blue caused by a recent rock slide last summer! If your kids can handle getting to the top and like climbing on rocks, then you should go for it! The hike back down is very easy since it’s all downhill!

Lake Haiyaha

Easier Trails in RNMP

Sprague Lake around 4:45 pm in July

Sprague Lake Loop – If you want the chance to see a moose, then be sure to add a visit to Sprague Lake to your day! This is the easiest trail, it’s more of a loop around the lake. It’s on flat ground and is less than a mile. There’s even benches and different areas to sit down and take in the landscape! We arrived right around 4:30 and saw a moose and her baby within fifteen minutes! It was the highlight of the trip for sure! We hiked to Alberta Falls first and then ended our day at Sprague Lake. This area is also a great place to watch the sunrise or sunset!

Bear Lake

Bear Lake – This is the first lake you will encounter on the trails at Bear Lake. It’s also an easy loop around the lake and is less than a mile around. We only spent about fifteen minutes here before hiking on to Emerald Lake. If you want to see beautiful scenery without much hiking, then this is the place to be!

Colorado River Trail

Colorado River Trail – This is one of the only trails that we hiked that wasn’t in the Bear Lake Corridor. We definitely prefer the Bear Lake area, but if you’re unable to get a permit to enter (more info. below), then I suggest driving along Trail Ridge Road and then hiking this trail! The entire loop is about 4.2 miles, but we only hiked about half of that before turning around. The part we did was very easy and flat. The boys liked walking across the river on downed trees and we saw a lot of cool animal tracks in the mud here!

General Information About RMNP

Timed-Entry Permit Details

Rocky Mountain National Park now requires a timed-entry permit to enter the Park from May 26, 2023 through October 22, 2023. Always check out the NPS websites, which include valuable information, closures, webcams, etc. There are two separate areas of the Park, Bear Lake Corridor and “the rest of the Park”. Kind of confusing right, especially for first-timers! So, hopefully I can break this down for you in an easier way. Timed-entry permits are available on the first of the month for the following month, so I got our permits on June 1st for our July trip. They are $2 for each day that you want to enter, plus you have to pay the park entrance fee once at the gate & I believe this is $35 for the week. The Park only releases a certain amount of permits each day and hold a couple hundred that go live at 5:00 pm for the following day. So, for example, if I wanted tickets for July 15th I could go online (on the Park’s website) on July 14th at 5:00 pm and TRY to get tickets for the following day. But these tickets go fast, so you need to be online and logged in to your account for a quick purchase. Click here for the website to get your timed-entry permit! Bear Lake Corridor is the area of the Park that we enjoyed the most. I highly suggest getting your timed-entry reservations for this area as soon as they are released!

There are a couple of different entrances to get into the Park, we always used the Beaver Meadows entrance coming in from Estes Park, it is very close to the Bear Lake Corridor Entrance. You will need timed-entry permits for all entrances. When you enter here, you can drive along Trail Ridge Road from one end of the park to another, roughly 45 miles I believe. The views are stunning and there are several different areas to pull over and park to check out views or hike trails. You can get a Park map at the entrance and everything is nicely marked off with signs. I highly recommend driving this road at least once on your visit! We found so many neat places to stop for photos and some really great trails with short hikes! Make sure you have a full tank of gas if you plan to drive this road!

If you have any questions about visiting RMNP, please don’t hesitate to reach out! I am happy to help you plan an epic adventure, just leave a comment and I will get back to you!

Happy Trails, my friends!

The Ultimate Guide to Planning an Unforgettable Girls Trip

Posted in California, Colorado, Destinations, Illinois, Michigan, UtahTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I like to think of a girls trip like a little recharge button. The trips I’ve gotten to take with my girlfriends have been so good for my soul! I cannot recommend getting away with the girls enough, even if it’s only for a night. In this post you’ll find ideas about planning the perfect trip, activities, destinations, and more!

Steps for Planning the Perfect Girls Trip

Choose Your Destination – This is the part that I love! It’s so fun to find out where your girlfriends want to explore and to bounce ideas back and forth. Plus, you can use trip planning as an excuse to get together for brunch or a girls night. Start with the destination, then it will be easier to figure out the rest!

Pick a Date – Often times, planning a girls trip can be tough! With so many different work schedules, kid schedules, etc. it can be hard to find the time. I suggest choosing your dates after deciding on the destination. My girlfriends and I usually go for a long weekend. But if you’re a mom, you know that there are so many moving pieces that follow. Do you have childcare while you’re gone? Do your kids have events that they will need to get to? Can you take the time off work? This is always the hardest part, so get that out of the way quick!

Budget – Next, set a budget, respect where everyone is financially, and stick to it! This doesn’t mean you have to share your financials with your girlfriends, but be mindful that everyone might not be in the same position as you. Don’t feel bad to speak up if you just simply can’t afford what others are suggesting. There are so many budget friendly options out there!

Think About the Activities – Once you have picked your dates and set the budget, then it’s time for the fun part! Create a wish list of activities that you would like to do at your chosen destination. My girlfriends and I usually always have something outdoorsy, some kind of pampering, and something relaxing on our lists. And these ideas might change, based on the time of year you’re able to travel together. Be open minded and brave enough to try out some new activities that might not be on your list.

Girls Trip Activities:

  • Spa treatments & pampering
  • Get outdoors and take a hike
  • Hit up a beauty bar for a makeover
  • Go wine tasting
  • Go for a bike ride
  • Relax on the beach
  • Take a road trip
  • Explore a new city
  • Go dancing or sing karaoke
  • Watch a sunrise or sunset
  • Visit a quaint town
  • Take a yoga class
  • See a show or concert
  • Go on a ghost tour
  • Have a quiet wine & movie night
  • Go to a fancy restaurant

Designate a Leader – If someone in your group has more of a take charge personality, designate them as the group leader! We all need someone to keep us on track with our schedule and reservations, especially when we get together with our best friends!  

5 Epic Destinations for Your Next Girls Trip

These are some of the girls trip destinations I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of! I can’t recommend these locations enough!

Estes Park, Colorado

Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park

My most recent girls trip was to Estes Park this past October. It was such a wonderful fall weekend, spent hiking in the mountains during the day and relaxing in the evenings! I will always suggest traveling to the mountains when you need a little reset.

Mimosas are always a good idea!
Fall in Colorado is simply stunning!

Estes Park Highlights:

Click here for my full Colorado Girls Trip guide!

Snowbird, Utah

Sunrise hike to Cecret Lake

One of my most memorable girls trips was to Snowbird, Utah. My best friend and I did some intense hiking, but also made time to relax at the spa and take a yoga class. But, what I enjoyed the absolute most was the day we ordered room service for every single meal and watched true crime documentaries the whole day!

Thelma and Louis photoshoot!
Fall meets winter!

Snowbird Highlights:

Click here for my full Utah Girls Trip guide!

San Francisco, California

You gotta get that iconic Golden Gate Bridge pic!

San Francisco is always a good time, especially so when you’re with your girls! There are so many different options to explore when you’re visiting this city. But my favorite activity is probably eating, the more fresh seafood the better!

Hiking Lands End Trail
China Town!

San Francisco Highlights:

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago!

My first ever trip to Chicago was several years ago on a girls trip! I didn’t really know what to expect here, but we ended up having an absolute blast! I tried some new foods that I wouldn’t normally pick, took in all the sights, danced the night away, and have returned to Chicago several times since. It’s a really great girls trip option, there are so many things to do and see! Late spring, early summer is a wonderful time to visit, the city is bursting with flowers!

Love these girls and that Chicago skyline!
Loved all the tulips, too!

Chicago Highlights:

New Buffalo, Michigan

St. Joseph Lighthouse

Fall in Michigan is breathtaking! This Texas girl was thrilled to see what fall is actually like in other parts of the country! I can still envision walking along the quaint waterfront towns and wanting nothing more than to move there. Even though it was a quick weekend getaway, it was so memorable. Grab your girlfriends and your cutest sweaters and booties and make the trip this fall!

These quaint waterfront towns are to die for!
Girls trip are good for the soul!

New Buffalo Highlights:

Click here for my full Michigan Girls Trip guide!

Destinations and Activities on My Girls Trip Bucket List

More Tips for an Unforgettable Girls Trip

  • Don’t try to pack too many activities into one trip.
  • Rent a cool car, I suggest a convertible!
  • Use the Splitwise app to split the cost of the trip/activities.
  • Don’t spend the whole time talking about your kids or your job or your hubby!
  • It’s perfectly okay to order room service for every meal & watch true crime tv all day!
  • Plan a Staycation in your nearest city if you’re on a budget and tight schedule!

Just remember, it’s not always about the destination, but rather the people that you’re with! Chances are, no matter where you end up, you’re going to have an amazing time with your best girlfriends! I do hope that you find this information helpful. I’d love to hear your favorite girls trip destinations and activities, so leave me a comment. Happy travels, my friends!

How to Plan a Memorable Romantic Getaway

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Day to day life is just flat out hard these days, so making the time to get away with your significant other is highly recommended! Jereme and I try to get away together once a year, but it can be hard to find the time with our busy schedules. I thought I would share some helpful tips for planning a memorable getaway with the one you love the most. After all, it is the season of love!

Planning Activities

For starters, I recommend creating a list of activities that you’ll both be interested in trying. Before I plan a destination, I usually think about what it is I’m craving in the moment. Some days I want to relax on the beach, while other days I want to climb a mountaintop! Once I’ve figured out just what we want to do the most, I start researching destinations that offer those activities. Jereme can be a little more adventurous than me, so I try to include things that we’ll both enjoy! For example, I might prefer cozying up in a cabin surrounded by snow, but I know Jereme is going to want to snowboard. If we decide to head to the mountains together, we’ll go boarding a few days and then hang around the cabin together the other days. It’s a win-win!  

Romantic Vacation Activities You’ll Both Enjoy:

  • Spa treatments
  • Take a hike
  • Go snowboarding or skiing
  • Wine Tasting
  • Go for a bike ride
  • Relax on the beach
  • Take a hot air balloon ride
  • Go camping
  • Take a road trip
  • Go kayaking or canoeing
  • Explore a new city
  • Watch a sunrise or sunset
  • Go snorkeling
  • Take a cooking class
  • See a show or concert
  • Go to a fancy restaurant
  • Go sailing
  • Visit a National Park

This is a fairly small list of activities for a romantic getaway. I’ve spent many hours researching ideas for us, and there are some lists that go on and on. Ultimately, you know yourself and your significant other best. I absolutely know that Jereme would never want to take a dance class together, so I would never plan for that on one of our trips. I am all about trying new experiences, but know your interests and your limits. After all, this is supposed to be a fun getaway!

Amazing Destinations for Couples

Who even are these babies? Photo circa 1998.

You might not know that Jereme and I are high school sweethearts! I love sharing our story. We started dating at fifteen years old and now have spent more of our lives together than apart. Traveling is something that we started doing together over twenty years ago. We were married for six years before we even thought about having kids, so we’ve had countless trips together! The following destinations are some of our favorite places that we’ve visited fairly recently together.

South Lake Tahoe, California

Secret Cove Beach

Lake Tahoe is an amazing destination for a memorable romantic getaway! The location itself is absolutely stunning and there are so many outdoor adventures and places to explore. I have honestly never seen a lake so beautiful in my entire life!

Secret Cove Beach view from the hiking trails
Kayaking at Emerald Lake State Park

South Lake Tahoe Highlights:

  • Hiking to Secret Cove Beach
  • Kayaking at Emerald Lake State Park
  • Exploring Heavenly Mountain Resort

Click here to for our entire South Lake Tahoe guide!

We had such an amazing weekend away!

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

The Arch!

Our first trip out of the country without kids was to Cabo San Lucas for our anniversary. I cannot recommend this place enough! We stayed at an amazing All-Inclusive resort that I never wanted to leave. The food, the drinks, the views were unforgettable! So much so, we ended up returning to the exact same resort the next summer!

We had the best time at the beach!
This resort is amazing!
And the food was the best part!

Cabo San Lucas Highlights:

Full disclosure – I spent a lot of time puking on this boat ride, I was so seasick. Jereme had fun LOL!

Winter Park, Colorado

The views here are gorgeous!

The truth is, we haven’t gone on a ski trip together without our kids in a quite some time. We used to go every winter together before we had them. It was the one trip a year that I knew we would make sure to plan for and we just continued that tradition once we had our boys. We have taken grandpa on several of our recent trips, which gives us some alone time to spend together on the mountain! This is such a great destination for couples that are adventurous. And it doesn’t get more romantic than being tucked away in a cozy ski lodge together!

Finally boarding together by ourselves!
I still got it!

Our Winter Park Highlights:

  • Snowboarding
  • Hot tubbing
  • Ice skating
  • Tubing
  • Snowshoeing on the Frasier River Trail
Can you tell the mountains are our happy place?

Washington, DC

I went to the White House on my birthday!

Remember when I mentioned to find activities and destinations that everyone will enjoy? Well, Jereme totally took one for the team when we visited DC a few years ago for my birthday! He knows that history is totally my thing, even though it’s not really his. But, we both ended up having a wonderful time! It was so much fun exploring a new city together for the first time. And we really both enjoyed the historical sites around DC and the museums and monuments are amazing!

This bike tour was so much fun!
I highly recommend seeing the monuments and memorials at night

Our Washington DC Highlights:

  • Eating all the lobster rolls & clam chowder
  • Nighttime bike ride tour of the monuments
  • Seeing the White House for the first time
  • Smithsonian Museums
  • Massages
We really enjoyed this trip!

Romantic Destinations and Activities on Our Bucket List

We have so many trip ideas on our bucket list! Here are a few destinations and activities that I hope we get to do together, just us!

More Tips for a Memorable Couples Trip

  • Go in the slow season
  • Book a room with a view
  • Splurge on a nice meal
  • Get room service
  • Take a nap
  • Do lots of day drinking
  • Plan a Staycation
  • Unplug from social media

I hope you find these ideas and recommendations helpful for planning the most memorable romantic getaway! Check back soon to see where Jereme and I end up exploring this year. If you have a destination that we should add to our list, I’d love for you to leave a comment! Happy travels, my friends!

5 Budget Friendly Destinations

Posted in Alabama, arizona, Colorado, Destinations, grand canyon national park, National Parks, New Mexico, OklahomaTagged , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Plus Tips for Saving Money While Traveling

It’s no secret that I love to travel as much as I possibly can. Traveling can be a pricey hobby, but not if you plan your trips around budget friendly destinations! I’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite budget friendly vacations and have included some tips on saving money while traveling that I hope you find helpful!

Top 5 Budget Friendly Destinations

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

The Grand Canyon – it truly is grand!

We visited The Grand Canyon for the first time a few years ago and I was utterly shocked at how little this trip cost us! Some might think that visiting one of the true wonders of the world would be expensive, but it was quite the opposite for us. National Parks are excellent destinations for budget-minded travelers since most Parks only charge a $35 entrance fee that’s good for seven days!  

South Rim Entrance

So, are you wondering how we saved money on this trip? To start, we traveled over Thanksgiving break in November. The months between November and February are considered the low season, and flights and lodging prices are typically much cheaper this time of year. We also stayed outside of the Park in the fantastic little town of Tusayan, which is also a much cheaper option. To our delight, the entire town was already decorated for Christmas which we absolutely loved!

Tusayan decorated for Christmas!

We stayed at the hotel at the Red Feather Lodge and really enjoyed this place. Since we were visiting in the low season, we paid under $100 per night for our room. Summer rates are a little higher, around $235 per night. From the hotel, it was less than a mile to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim entrance. The rooms at the hotel have refrigerators and microwaves, so we took advantage of this. We shopped at the grocery store in town and bought things for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. We are notorious for packing a picnic lunch to take with us on our hiking adventures and only spending money on dinners at night.

Views for days!

We spent two days at the Grand Canyon, which consisted of hiking, checking out the different look-outs and observation points, and exploring the Yavapai Geology Museum. Once we paid our entrance fee, we didn’t spend any money on any of the activities in the Park!

The hike back up from Ooh-Aah Point

Entrance Fee-Free Days at the Grand Canyon for 2023

  • Monday, January 16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
  • Saturday, April 22: First day of National Park Week.
  • Friday, August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act.
  • Saturday, September 23: National Public Lands Day.
  • Saturday, November 11: Veterans Day.

We did choose to fly on this trip instead of road tripping. We actually had Spirit Airline credits that we HAD to use before the end of the year. While this is not my favorite airline, we actually had no issues flying out or returning home. We found that flights to Las Vegas were cheaper than flights into any of the airports in Arizona. So, this too helped us save money and we added a new state to our growing list!

Overall, we had a fantastic trip that didn’t break the bank! Click here to read more about our trip to the Grand Canyon!

We loved our visit!

Robbers Cave State Park, Oklahoma

Inside the cave at Robbers Cave

Robbers Cave State Park in Wilburton, OK is one of our favorite summer destinations! This little gem isn’t necessarily a place we go to beat the heat, but we always have a great time here. This state park is only about 2.5 hours from us in Texas, so it doesn’t even take a full tank of gas to get there! This is a fun destination that never costs our family too much!

It’s almost like Oklahoma has its own slot canyons!

This state park offers several activities from hiking, swimming, camping, horseback riding, ATVing, canoeing, fishing, rock climbing, and more! We like to load up our bikes, pack a cooler of food for the weekend, and hit the road! Once here, we always take the hike to the infamous cave that outlaws like Jesse James hid out in, hence the name Robbers Cave! Since we mostly explore and bring our bikes, we actually aren’t spending any money on these activities.

The hike to the caves is so fun, especially for kids!

You really can’t visit Oklahoma in the summer without spending time at the lake! Right across the street from the entrance to Robbers Cave State Park is the lake which has an area designated for swimming, canoe/kayak rentals, a playground, and small museum. There’s also a swimming pool that costs $5 per person for the day. We have never purchased tickets to swim at the pool, but we have paid about $20 to rent kayaks and then we swim at the lake. The kids loved this adventure!

Kayaking fun!
These boys love the lake!

We always stay at one of the 26 cabins in the park, but these are really just a step above camping. The cabins are small, but they include a living room, bathroom, 1-2 bedrooms, and a full kitchen. Very little time is spent inside the cabin, we mainly use it for cooking and sleeping. Other than that, you’ll find us outdoors exploring, grilling, or hanging out around the fire pit! Cabin reservations cost about $88 per night, which is what we spend the most on this entire weekend.

This was the cabin we stayed in!
We loved having a kitchen and an ac!

This is a great destination for just a weekend or a couple of nights. Our boys love exploring and climbing all the rocks behind the cabins! The caves in the area are pretty cool, too. Click here to read more about our last visit to Robbers Cave!

Even the parents had fun on this adventure!

Colorado Springs, Colorado

I will never get tired of this view!

Colorado Springs is one of those places that we find ourselves visiting again and again. There are so many things to do in this area and we will never tire of the mountains. I will admit that even though we’ve been to Colorado Springs a countless number of times, I have never actually based an entire trip around this destination. In writing this post, I have realized that I need to change that!

Garden of the Gods Park

So, we typically stop and stay in Colorado Springs on our drive to other places. It’s always a great location because it’s easy for us to get to or home from in one day of driving. We like to stay at the My Place Hotel due to the hospitality we received there a few years ago when our Yukon broke down right near this place. They were truly life savers in this unfortunate turn of events and have our loyalty! Plus it has a full kitchen, so that makes it nice to cook breakfast in the morning.

If you have kids, they will never get tired of exploring this place!

We love the many attractions that Colorado Springs has to offer, as well. Two of our favorites besides driving up Pikes Peak is Garden of the Gods Park and the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. I could spend the entire day at Garden of the Gods and we’ve visited in several different seasons. The Manitou Cliff Dwellings only require a couple of hours! Garden of the Gods is FREE, so you definitely need to take advantage of this and add this park and visitor center to your itinerary! It costs $12 for adults and $7.50 for kids to enter the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. This allows you to explore both the dwellings and the museum.

Manitou Cliff Dwellings
The dwellings are the best part of this place!

Colorado Springs is a nice getaway and has lodging and attractions for just about any budget! It’s an ideal location to visit for the day, but I can see how we could spend an entire week here, too!

Even we enjoyed seeing and learning the history here!

Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

The Big Room in Carlsbad Caverns National Park

We recently visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park this past winter and my mind is still blown away at the sheer size and beauty of the caverns. This was just flat out an epic adventure for our family! It’s also now one of my favorite destinations because of how little we had to spend for this adventure and how short the drive was from home.

The Chihuahuan Desert is fantastic!

We spent two nights in Carlsbad, NM and only needed one day at the caverns. I had been given some Christmas money and gift cards and decided to put it all together for a quick weekend trip. Since Carlsbad is only a seven hour drive, I knew this would be the perfect getaway over the long MLK weekend. The caverns are truly stunning and since we visited in the off season, it felt like we had them all to ourselves! All of us were mesmerized and the boys said it was one of their favorite weekend trips to date. We didn’t have to pay to enter Carlsbad Caverns National Park because my America the Beautiful pass is still valid for one more month.

Stalagmites and Stalactites galore!

We stayed at the Holiday Inn in Carlsbad, the rates were under $100 per night. And we definitely took advantage of the free breakfast each morning. We actually had lunch at the nearby Subway and got extra sandwiches to eat the next day on the drive home. We did splurge a little on dinner one night and had steak and seafood at YellowBrix in town. Totally worth it, the food was amazing!

We added a fun stop on the drive to New Mexico at Monahans Sandhills State Park in west Texas. This stop was super fun for the boys and only cost us $8 for the day! All in all, it was a wonderful weekend and I cannot recommend this National Park enough. Click here for information about our recent trip!

Monahans Sandhills State Park in TX

Orange Beach, Alabama

The beach is my happy place!

Orange Beach in the off season is truly a dream come true! This is one of those destinations that I’ve debated even sharing and letting the secret out. If you can visit in the spring, I think you will love it during this season just as much as we do!

No crowds in April!

This destination is awesome for families, friends, couples, etc.! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Hampton Inn right on the beach. Overall, we saved about $400 visiting in the spring verses paying the summer rates the hotel charges. We loved those beach views and that free breakfast each morning! Usually when we travel to the beach, we spend most of our time at the beach /pool all day every day – which is always FREE. In the spring, the temperatures are not too hot and muggy to enjoy being outdoors and the water is just warm enough to keep the kiddos entertained!

I love a free breakfast that’s actually edible!

The difference in this location during the spring verses the summer is not only the price, but also the amount of tourists. Before my last visit in April, I had only traveled to Orange Beach in the summers. Don’t get me wrong, I still love it then, too! But it is really crowded, both on the beach and at restaurants and other attractions. In the spring, there’s no issues finding a great place to set up for the day at the beach. And there’s basically no wait at any of the restaurants.

Again, no crowds!
Only epic waves!

Orange Beach is a gorgeous beach destination, no matter what time of the year you choose to visit. Click here to check out more about our spring getaway to Orange Beach.

Yep, we all got sunburned!

More Tips for Traveling on a Budget

Driving vs. Flying – For us, driving is always the cheaper option when we travel. We don’t use credit cards, so this might not be the case for you if you like to use those points to book flights. But, we prefer to drive when we can. It’s much more budget friendly than paying for a flight, paying for seats & luggage, and then having to rent a car. Driving also allows us to bring more things with us, like food and snacks which also helps us save money!

I can even travel with just a shoe bag when we drive ha!

Food Options – When I look at our travel budget, it seems like the majority of our funds go to feeding our family of four. I have found that if we book a hotel that includes free breakfast, this saves us about $30+ per day. This is a savings of at least $150 if we stay for a week! I also prefer to book rooms that have a refrigerator and microwave. This allows us to grab items to make sandwiches for lunches, especially if our trip involves hiking or other outdoor adventures.

Picnic lunches are amazing when the landscape looks like this!

Off Season Travel – Traveling in the off season is my favorite time to travel! The prices are always cheaper and the crowds can be nonexistent. If you can handle cooler weather, since the off season is usually in the winter, then I highly recommend giving this a try! You might just find that the off season is your favorite time to travel, too.

If you prepare for the weather, off season travel can be a blast!

Staycation/CityPASSes – My boys and I just recently did a staycation in Dallas, TX and had the most fantastic time! We basically had a 45 minute drive to our hotel and saved a total of $115 by using the Dallas CityPASS to visit four popular attractions in the area. I cannot recommend traveling to your nearest city and spending a couple days exploring all that it has to offer. Several locations have a CityPASS or something very similar. We look forward to visiting different cities in Texas in the future!

We enjoyed our Dallas staycation this past summer!

Weekend/Day Trips – Not every trip has to be something grand! Weekend trips and day trips are a fun way to get out there and make memories with your family. You can still have a wonderful trip, even if you only have a couple days available in your budget. Day trips are also a great way to explore a local area or attraction without breaking the bank. For us, we have driven 2-3 hours to a location and just spent the day there and then drove back home. When you don’t have to pay for lodging, this can save you hundreds of dollars!

This was a fun day trip to Glen Rose, which is about 2 hours away!

National & State Park Trips – National Parks are great places to visit because the most you will pay is typically $35 for your entrance fee and this is usually good for seven days. There are also several different passes available that might offer you even more savings. We have visited several Parks for free using the Every Kid Outdoors Pass when our oldest was in fourth grade. We also saved about $75 this past year using my America the Beautiful Pass. This pass costs $80, but once you visit two Parks, it’s paid for itself! State Parks cost even less to enter. We just recently visited a State Park in TX and it only cost my whole family a total of $8 for the day.

The Every Kid Outdoors Pass got us into so many Parks for FREE!

National Park Entrance Fee-Free Days for 2023

  • Monday, January 16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
  • Saturday, April 22: First day of National Park Week.
  • Friday, August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act.
  • Saturday, September 23: National Public Lands Day.
  • Saturday, November 11: Veterans Day.  

Travel Buddy – Finding a travel buddy is another fun way to save money! I love traveling with my best friend and her two boys. It’s so nice to split the cost of gas, lodging, parking, and more. If you have a friend that also loves to travel, you should plan a trip together! Girls/guys trips are also a way to travel together and split costs.

My best friend is my favorite travel buddy!

Rewards Programs – If you travel a lot, you should look into different rewards programs. Most of the time when I book a hotel, I use Expedia. Since I have attained Gold Status, I get really nice hotel discounts. These discounts have saved us a lot of money over the years. For instance, I once paid $20 per night for a room at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. I really like booking our hotel stays through Expedia because there’s an option to reserve now/pay later and you can usually cancel most hotel bookings 24 hours before your check in date. This has been extremely helpful in the past few years with the changing health protocols and travel restrictions.

It’s only January and I already have over $100 in credits to use!

I hope you have found these destinations and travel tips helpful! It truly is my passion to share all things travel with you. I haven’t done it all, but we sure have had a lot of fun over the years! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need any help planning your next adventure! I’d also love for you to share any of your favorite budget friendly destinations. Leave a comment if you have a place that we need to add to our list!

Best Destinations for Every Month of the Year

Posted in Alabama, arizona, California, Colorado, Destinations, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, United States, Utah, Washington DCTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

If your New Year’s Resolution is to be more adventurous, but you’re not sure where to start, then you’ve come to the right place! In our family, we truly believe in experiences over things and travel ranks very high on my list of priorities. If I could, I would travel somewhere every month. Now that the boys are older and involved in little league sports, it’s harder and harder for us to get away as much as we used to. Nonetheless, I’ve compiled a list with our tried and true travel recommendations for every month of the year that I hope inspires you to get out there and explore a little more of this amazing country!

January: Winter Park, Colorado

We took family photos on our last trip to Winter Park!

What better way to ring in the New Year than a trip to the snowy mountains? This is usually our go to winter adventure destination and I am here to tell you that there is something in Winter Park for everyone! Maybe you’re an adventure seeker and snowboarding or skiing is the thing for you.

My youngest and me snowboarding together!

Maybe you want a more restful start to the New Year and would love to cozy up in a cabin and watch the snow fall out the window while sipping hot chocolate! Either way, Winter Park is one of my most favorite winter destinations in Colorado! If you get the chance to go, make sure to check out the tubing hill and you have to eat at Hernando’s Pizza Pub!

We love all the ski lodges in Winter Park!

Click here for more details and our full Winter Park itinerary!

February: San Antonio, Texas

Winter at The Alamo!

Texas is a great state to visit in the winter months if you’re looking for something a little milder than cold, snowy mountains! The best times to visit San Antonio fall between November and April due to milder temps and less crowds. We enjoyed strolling along the River Walk, without needing bulky jackets, and touring The Alamo without the summer crowds!

The River Walk

The average daytime temperature in February is around 65 degrees and only 5 days of rain are expected this month. Even though it’s typically mild during the day, be sure to pack for chilly nighttime temperatures. You’ll never regret visiting this destination. The food is outstanding, the history and missions are incredible, and everyone is friendly down in Texas! Be sure to reserve your tickets in advance to visit The Alamo and add Natural Bridge Caverns to your itinerary!

Another view of the River Walk

Click here for more information on visiting San Antonio!

March: Moab, Utah

Dead Horse Point State Park in Moab, UT

Our first trip to Utah was in early March a few years ago. To date, this trip has been one of my all-time favorites and I really credit the two National Parks here for inspiring us to visit more throughout the years. We initially traveled to Moab to visit Arches National Park and ended up riding UTVs on some intense trails, seeing petroglyphs, canyons, wildlife, and even some snow!

An amazing excursion, we all highly recommend!

This is a fantastic spring break destination, the crowds are much smaller than those in the summer. It will still be chilly here in early March, but it is warming up. You can expect temps to range from 30-60 degrees, so bring layers. Like I mentioned before, it snowed on us one day during our visit so be prepared for unpredictable weather! Check out Wilson Arch on your way in to Moab! It’s a short walk to a stunning arch outside of the National Parks, right off the highway!

Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park!

Click here for our full Moab itinerary!

April: Orange Beach, Alabama

Orange Beach sunset

I have found that I prefer to visit the beach in the spring when it’s not so hot, humid, and crowded! Orange Beach was the perfect spring destination for us! It was still warm enough to play in the ocean and the restaurant waits were non-existent. We didn’t have many plans for this trip, besides relaxing on the beach and eating as much seafood as possible!

These boys were all smiles our whole visit!

The average April temps here fall between 60-70 degrees. But don’t let that fool you, we all got super sunburned! Be sure to grab dinner or lunch at The Hangout, kids will love the hourly foam party! If you’re looking for a relaxing getaway surrounded by emerald water and white sand beaches, then you’ve got to visit Orange Beach, AL!

Sunny and hot in April!

Click here for more information about visiting Orange Beach, AL!

May: Sedona, Arizona

Munds Wagon Trail to Bell Rock

Sedona has been on my bucket list forever and my boys finally decided to take me over Mother’s Day weekend last May. It was such a special trip! My main goal in visiting was to hike around those stunning red rock formations and my dream came true. Sedona is such a mystical place, it was truly an epic adventure.

Cathedral Rock trail

May is a very popular time to visit because the temps are ideal for getting outdoors. The average high this month is around 82 degrees and the lows are around 50 degrees. This makes for the best hiking conditions as it’s not too hot in this desert climate. The trails are also popping with wildflowers galore, adding to the picturesque scenery! I cannot recommend this destination enough!

We made it to Bell Rock!

Click here for more details and our Sedona, AZ itinerary!

June: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

We walked along the bridge from New Jersey to Philadelphia!

Our very first visit to Philadelphia was in June a couple of summers ago. The weather was absolutely perfect the entire time we were there, which was great since we walked everywhere! I always love walkable cities, especially since I live in a more rural area in Texas. And while we were savoring our week in Philly with 80 degree days, the temps were in the upper 90s at home!

The boys loved playing in this fountain right in the middle of Philly!

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and all of the early-American history this city proudly showcases. Even the boys really enjoyed all the history and seeing the places they’ve learned about in person! There is so much to do in Philadelphia, we weren’t able to do it all in one visit. I’d love to take another trip here and would likely visit again in early summer! Take the double decker bus tour when you first arrive to map out all of the places to explore on foot later!

Independence Hall behind the boys!

Click here for our full Philadelphia itinerary!

July: Rapid City, South Dakota

Mount Rushmore

Another wonderful summer vacation was spent in Rapid City, South Dakota. Who knew this entire area was so rugged and beautiful! We hiked, we caved, we explored, all the while enjoying the most pleasant summer weather! And I still remember how amazing this little town smelled, too!

Custer State Park

While we didn’t visit Mount Rushmore on July 4th, I think it would be a really cool experience to be there for the firework celebration! There truly is a lot to do in the area, the landscape is stunning, and it remains one of my favorite road trips to date! If you are in decent shape, hike the Sunday Gulch Trail in Custer State Park. It’s a challenge, but the trail is awesome!

Sunday Gulch Trail in Custer State Park

Click here for our full itinerary on visiting South Dakota!

August: South Lake Tahoe, California

Secret Cove Beach

If you’re looking for a dreamy destination, you should head to South Lake Tahoe! Most kids are headed back to school this month, so I am recommending this destination as an adult getaway! Jereme and I celebrated our anniversary here right before I went back to school last August. It was pretty hot, but the good thing is, there’s plenty of water to cool off in!

Emerald Lake

We spent our time here around the picturesque beaches and on the water as much as we could. It was a quick trip for us, but we really, really enjoyed this getaway. I have never seen lake water so clear in all my life! We felt like we were in Mexico looking at the Caribbean. There’s nothing better than some nice quality time with the one you love in a gorgeous location! If you’re craving something peaceful and serene, then head to Lake Tahoe! Rent kayaks at Emerald Lake State Park and take a leisurely trip out to the island to hike around ruins on top!

Trail to Secret Cove Beach

Click here for more details and information about our trip to South Lake Tahoe!

September: St. Louis, Missouri

Gateway Arch National Park

September to October is considered the best time to visit St. Louis, MO and I couldn’t agree more! Our trip to Missouri was taken in very early Oct. several years ago. We were originally scheduled to visit in mid-September, but unfortunately we all got Covid and felt awful and had to push our trip back about a month. The average daily temps are typically in the lower 80s and can be quiet chilly at night! I recommend packing layers!

We stayed at the Hyatt to the left in this photo.

St. Louis is a very dog friendly location, so we brought our pup with us! She enjoyed the outdoor sites, just like we all did. I had no idea how much Lewis & Clark history there is in St. Louis! We did a ghost tour, visited Gateway Arch National Park, and you have got to check out the City Museum. It is the coolest museum we’ve ever visited!

View from the hotel room!

Click here to see more about our trip to St. Louis, MO!

October: Saugatuck, Michigan

There is something truly special about those Michigan beaches!

Cool, crisp weather and ideal leaf peeping is what you’ll find if you travel to Saugatuck, Michigan in the fall! I had the opportunity to visit Michigan for the first time ever and I am ready to go back. I had no idea how stunning and picturesque these quaint waterfront towns could be.

I still cannot get over the colors!

The weather in Saugatuck is in the 60s, the perfect temps for cute sweaters and booties! If you can, take a road trip along the Michigan coast and check out towns like St. Joseph and New Buffalo! We actually stayed in New Buffalo and I highly recommend lodging at The Marina Grand Resort!  Saugatuck is the most adorable waterfront town and the Wicks Park Bar & Grille serves delicious food and provides cozy flannel blankets for outdoor dining!

Wicks Bar & Grille

Click here for more information about my visit to Michigan!

November: Washington D.C.

The boys playing football in front of the Washington Monument.

I have had several trips added to my favorites list, but this one is hands down my most favorite family trip of all time! I wanted to visit DC with my boys and decided to look into this location for a possible trip during our Thanksgiving break. It was highly recommended as a great time to go, because everyone leaves the city that’s there for business. The weather was stunning, we dressed in layers and only needed our jackets early in the morning.

The view from the top of the Washington Monument.

We enjoyed the cooler weather as we ventured along the streets and sidewalks taking in all of the historical sights! It was so neat to watch the boys’ excitement as they got to see things from their textbooks in real life! The only downside is that the White House is closed for tours because it’s undergoing Christmas decorating this week. We ventured to George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon, we explored all of the monuments and memorials at both day and nighttime, we ice skated outdoors, we ate delicious food, and made memories to last a lifetime!

Lincoln Memorial

Click here to learn more about why DC is my favorite trip & to grab our full itinerary!

December: New York, New York

Christmas decorating in New York is next level!

I had to include the Big Apple, even though I technically visited the city the last week of November and not actually in December. But there is something truly magical about NYC at Christmastime. It’s cold, it’s crowded, it feels grimy, it smells bad BUT it is still so beautiful! I absolutely love New York, no matter what time of the year. I’ve been six times, still have tons of things on my list I haven’t seen or done, and I cannot wait to plan another visit! I just adore how festive NYC feels around the holidays. If you get the chance to travel in December, I cannot recommend a trip to New York enough!

Radio City Music Hall

It was pretty chilly the week were here and we needed coats and hats and gloves. But with the right attire, we had a wonderful time! I recommend doing all of the normal touristy things, while enjoying the holiday decorations. Watch the Saks Fifth Avenue storefront at night, the lightshow is amazing! Venture down by Radio City Music Hall for a show and to see the décor in the area. It will not disappoint. Christmastime in New York should be on everyone’s bucket list!

We loved visiting at Christmastime!

Click here to see how we spent our week in NYC!

I hope you found these travel recommendations helpful! Be sure to check back soon to see what we’re up to this year. Happy Travels!

Top 10 Hikes Across the US

Posted in arizona, California, Colorado, Destinations, grand canyon national park, Grand Teton National Park, Iowa, South Dakota, United States, Utah, WyomingTagged , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

It’s no secret that a lot of our road trip adventures have led to some pretty epic hiking destinations! I am sharing my top 10 favorite trails that we have hiked so far. These trails are all suitable for my boys that are under the age of 12!

10. South Kaibab Trail to Ooh-Aah Point at Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

We visited the Grand Canyon in November over Thanksgiving Break. I really wanted to hike down into the canyon, so we decided we would take the rim walk from Mather Point to the Kaibab Trail and hike down to Ooh-Aah Point. If I am being honest, I would have really liked to hiked rim to rim. But that just wasn’t an option with our boys. I also looked into mule rides to the bottom, but you have to be 9 and older and Jake was only 7 at the time. So, we did the hike and trail that we thought the boys would be able to handle the best. We ended up hiking 8 total miles because we went past Ooh-Aah Point. The views were truly stunning the father down into the canyon we hiked. The switchbacks on the start of the trail were really cool, until the hike back up! Just remember that however far you hike down, you must hike back up. And while we didn’t go that many miles down, it was very hard for me to get back up and I am in pretty decent shape. I am thankful that the weather was cooler, I cannot imagine doing that hike in the summer temps. The photos will never do it justice!

Click here for our Grand Canyon Trip Itinerary!

9. Hidden Falls Trail in Grand Teton National Park, WY

We were able to spend a couple days hiking in the Grand Tetons this past June on our Yellowstone Road Trip. I really enjoyed every hike, but this one was so peaceful and beautiful! This hike starts at the Jenny Lake area, so we decided to head that way and grab lunch at the store right at the trailhead. From here, we followed the trail around Jenny Lake. If you don’t want to hike, you can purchase tickets for a boat ride across the lake that drops you off about a mile from Hidden Falls. We decided to take the hike since we had been riding in the car so much on this trip! The views are fantastic around the lake and we even saw a deer along the trail. Before getting all the way to Hidden Falls you will eventually see a bridge with a raging river running under it. This is a great place to stop for photos! We stopped in this area and had a picnic snack on the rocks and just watched the river roar by underneath us. From this spot, it’s about a mile or less to the Hidden Falls. This waterfall is majestic and another great location for photos!

  • Hidden Falls Trail Information:
  • Distance: 4.9 mile out & back
  • Time: 2.5 hours
  • Location: Grand Teton NP, Jenny Lake area, Jackson, WY
  • Rating: Easy/Moderate
  • Grand Teton National Park website

Click here for our Grand Teton National Park Itinerary!

8. Lake Haiyaha Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

The hike to Lake Haiyaha was one of the toughest I have ever done. But I am beyond thankful that we persevered and made it to the lake because it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen! I visited Rocky Mountain National Park this past October for a long weekend of hiking. RMNP is one of my favorite places on earth, but this was the first time I have ever hiked to Lake Haiyaha. The majority of the hike is up a steep incline and there were several times I wanted to give up and turn around. When you finally even out on the incline, you are then faced with several yards of boulders that you must scramble over to get to the lake. Once you do, the sight is amazing! Especially right now since a rockslide over the summer turned the lake a unique shade of blue! This is one hike that you don’t want to miss! And this is one of two listed hikes that I didn’t take my boys on, but I know that they would have loved the rock scramble. Please keep in mind that you do need timed-entry reservations for Rocky Mountain National Park from early spring through the fall.

  • Lake Haiyaha Trail Information:
  • Distance: 4.0 miles out & back
  • Time: 2 hours+
  • Location: Rocky Mountain National Park, Bear Lake area, Estes Park, CO
  • Rating: Hard
  • Rocky Mountain National Park website

Click here for my Fall in Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary!

7. Munds Wagon Trail to Merry Go Round Rock in Sedona, AZ

We traveled to Sedona over Mother’s Day weekend in May last year. Our first hike of the trip was on Munds Wagon Trail, which is about 8 miles out and back. AllTrails had the hike at 6.4 miles, but I clocked us at 8.1 miles with all of the extra exploring and climbing we did along the trail. I would rate this trail as moderate, especially if you’re hiking with kids. We needed to stop for food quite a bit. Luckily the majority of the hike is uphill on the way to Merry Go Round Rock, which makes the hike to the car mostly downhill. The views are stunning and the trail was very well marked. We really enjoyed all of the hikes we did in Sedona, but this one had those infamous Sedona red rock views the entire way and that’s why I picked this one as my favorite!

  • Munds Wagon Trail Information:
  • Distance: 6.4 miles out & back
  • Time: 3 hours+
  • Location: Coconino National Forest, Sedona, AZ
  • Rating: Moderate

Click here to for our Sedona Itinerary!

6. Delicate Arch Trail in Arches National Park, UT

We visited Moab over our Spring Break in March. On our first day in Moab we decided to spend the day hiking at Arches National Park. I had to see Delicate Arch, so that was our first hike for the day. I kept a close watch on the live webcam at the ticket area, and never saw long lines to get into the park. We arrived around 10 am. I am sure it’s much busier during the summer. This was our first visit to Utah, so I didn’t really know what to expect at the Park. But it ended up being super easy! Take the map that is offered to you at the ticket area. The park has signs along the way and we were able to find the Delicate Arch hike fairly easy and we enjoyed the sights along the drive. What I love about this Park is that even people that can’t hike can enjoy almost everything! There are places to pull over and view the famous landmarks or you can park and hike to them. We knew that the hike to Delicate Arch would be the longest and hardest of the trip so we started there first. I am not going to lie, it was pretty hard in one part that is a very steep incline. The rest is fairly easy and the walk back down was no trouble at all. The kids did great and we saw people of all ages and ability levels able to do this one. And I promise that the view at the end is amazing! I also loved that everyone waited turns to take photos under the arch and we all offered to take photos of each other. Please keep in mind that you need timed-entry reservations for Arches National Park starting in early spring through the fall.

  • Delicate Arch Trail Information:
  • Distance: 3.2 miles out & back
  • Time: 1.5 hrs
  • Location: Arches NP in Moab, UT
  • Rating: Moderate
  • Arches National Park website

Click here for our entire Moab, UT Itinerary!

5. Stout Memorial Grove Trail in Redwood National & State Parks, CA

There are several different parks that make up the Redwood National and State Parks, so I had a hard time deciding which area to visit. We settled on Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park and the Stout Memorial Grove Trail to hike. I am so happy with this decision, we had the most amazing day in the Redwoods and ended our hike with a beach walk that was absolutely stunning! We encountered maybe 4 people on this day, at both the Redwoods and the beach! So, I highly recommend a visit if you want to experience a National Park with no crowds. The road to this trail does turn into a packed dirt road, but our 2 wheel drive rental car had no issues making the trip! Our boys loved climbing all the fallen trees, especially after being in the car for so long the day before. The pictures don’t really do it any justice, I have NEVER seen trees so big and tall in my life.

  • Stout Memorial Grove Trail Information:
  • Distance: 0.7 mile loop
  • Time: 30 min+
  • Location: Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park in Crescent City, CA
  • Rating: Easy
  • Redwood National & State Parks website

Click here for our entire Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary!

4. Sunday Gulch Trail in Custer State Park, SD

My favorite day in South Dakota was hiking in Custer State Park! I can’t even begin to describe the trail we hiked. I came across images of the Sunday Gulch Trail and knew we had to do it. I am not going to lie, there were tears shed around the 2.5 mile mark from my oldest kiddo. (We didn’t know he was actually getting sick with a fever/cold at the time). This hike is 3.9 miles long, it’s labeled as a HARD trail with a lot of uphill and downhill hiking, trekking through water, over rapids and streams using rocks or tree logs to get across. It was so much fun, but so much work. I can’t even describe how beautiful the sights were and my pictures just don’t do it justice. We could’ve explored this park for 3-4 days! I didn’t get many shots of us on the crazier parts of the trail because I had to help pass our little one off to Jereme and didn’t want to drop my phone in the water. But trust me, it was so cool! We packed a picnic lunch and found a nice, shady area to eat and then took off. It cost us $20 to get into the park, but that includes a 5 day pass to return. There are bathrooms, a store/souvenir shop, canoe rentals, and probably more than I even saw. After the hike, the kiddos and Jereme jumped into the lake for a freezing cold swim!

Sunday Gulch Trail Information:

Click here for our Texas to South Dakota Road Trip Itinerary!

3. Secret Cove Beach Trail in South Lake Tahoe, CA

Secret Cove Beach was one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever visited. The hike is not very long, roughly a mile from the parking lot. There are not a lot of signs marking the trail, but we still had no trouble finding the secret cove. It is a clothing optional beach, I would never go nude, but didn’t mind if others did. However, we didn’t see anyone else without swimsuits on. We were there pretty early and it felt like we had the entire cove to ourselves. We explored the trails above the cove and just took in the sights, then hiked down to the beach and relaxed on the shore and took a few swims.

  • Secret Cove Beach Trail Information:
  • Distance: 0.9  mile loop
  • Time: 30 minutes+
  • Location: Carson City, NV
  • Rating: Easy

Click here for our South Lake Tahoe Itinerary!

2. Emerald Lake Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

We visited Rocky Mountain National Park in July a couple of summers ago. On our first day here, we were so excited and decide to head to the Park right before 4:00 pm, and didn’t wait in line for more than 5 minutes to enter. We drove right to the Bear Lake parking lot, used the restrooms at the trailhead, and began the hike to Emerald Lake. It was AMAZING!!!! The signs along the trail were easy to follow and take you around two other lakes, Nymph Lake and Dream Lake, before getting to Emerald Lake. Our boys, ages 10 and 7 at the time, did great on this one. I absolutely love this hike and this National Park! Please keep in mind that you need timed-entry reservations to Rocky Mountain National Park from early spring through the fall.

  • Emerald Lake Trail Information:
  • Distance: 3.2 mile out & back
  • Time: 2 hrs
  • Location: Rocky Mountain National Park, Bear Lake area, Estes Park, CO
  • Rating: Easy/Moderate
  • Rocky Mountain National Park website

Click here for our entire Rocky Mountain National Park & Beyond Itinerary!

1. Lower Caves Trail in Maquoketa Caves State Park, IA

If you are craving a unique travel adventure, then look no further! What makes this State Park so incredible is that it has 6 miles of hiking trails and 13 caves to explore, completely on your own. My family loves visiting caves, but usually that comes with a guided tour and a time limit on your caving experience. Not this place! You park your car and your adventure begins! There are no guides, no time limits, just a nicely marked trail system to venture at your own pace. My boys loved this adventure just as much as I did! We started with the lower caves, so that involved walking down wooden stairs to get inside the caves. There were different places for the boys to climb and explore, and if you have kids, you know that they love to climb and explore! I could not get over all of the geological features and was just in awe the whole time! We will definitely venture back to Iowa just to hike these caves again!

  • Maquoketa Caves Trail Information:
  • Distance: 1.7 mile loop
  • Time: 1 hour+
  • Location: Maquoketa Caves State Park in Maquoketa, IA
  • Rating: Easy
  • Maquoketa Caves State Park website

Click here for more information and photos of Maquoketa Caves State Park!

Helpful Hiking Tips: Bring plenty of food and water for the day, wear sunscreen and reapply often, use bug repellent, bring a first aid kit, take a swimsuit or change of clothes/shoes, expect to get wet, and have a blast!

Budget Friendly Hiking Gear Recommendations

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase any items using the links provided at no extra charge to you.

I would love to hear what your favorite trails are! If you have a favorite trail or a recommendation, leave me a comment. And as always, thanks for following along on our adventures!

Favorite Unique Travel Destinations

Posted in Colorado, Destinations, Home Alone House Dallas, TX, New York, TexasTagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

If you are anything like me, you might spend your free time searching for unique experiences for your family across the US. I have compiled a list of our favorite unique destinations and experiences for all of your planning purposes!

Ruins of Presidents Park in Williamsburg, Virginia

Have you ever seen a photo of a place so unique that you knew you had to visit? That was my reaction the first time I saw a photo of the Ruins of Presidents Park. The image I saw was so eerie and creepy, I just had to add it to my bucket list. Plus, I have a new love of all things historical, so this was a destination I knew I needed to explore.

There are 43 President Sculptures, from George Washington to George W. Bush. They range in height from 18-20 feet. Most are in terrible shape with crumbling features and water discoloration. This only adds to the character and eeriness of the site!

To visit these ruins, you must purchase a ticket through eventbrite with John Plashal Photo. He is a photographer that has some kind of connection to the family that owns these sculptures and is allowed to host events every few months. Once tickets are purchased, you will get more detailed instructions via email about the location, where to park, what to bring, etc. Upon arrival, you will meet John Plashal and he’ll give out instructions, get you checked in, and then you pretty much have free range to explore during your ticketed hours!

Click here for tickets!

The Elephant Preserve in Fredericksburg, Texas

Do you love up close and personal animal encounters? Have you ever wanted to visit an elephant sanctuary? Then let me tell you about The Preserve in Fredericksburg, TX!

This experience was so amazing, I was literally brought to tears twice. We listened to some information about The Preserve, the back story and how the elephants came to be here. Then we all watched in complete awe as 4 Asian elephants began to head towards us, trunk to tail in a line. Cue the first set of tears I cried. We were able to spend about 2 hours here with the elephants and even participated in giving one a bath! Such a fun experience and the staff is awesome! They were all willing to give each guest an epic experience and wanted to help photograph our time with the elephants.

Overall, without giving too much away in case you want to visit on your own, I will say that this has been one of my favorite family getaways of all time! I am a life-long learner, an animal lover, and adventure seeker. This hit all of those areas for me. But my favorite part about it was seeing the pure joy and excitement from my boys. They loved the experience and want to go back!

Walking Behind a Waterfall in Twin Falls, Idaho

What a fun surprise Twin Falls was! Idaho as a whole is a beautiful and underrated state that I hope we can venture back to explore soon. We didn’t spend a lot of time in Twin Falls, it was more of a resting point for us on our drive from Texas to Yellowstone, but it was a fantastic stop that really made me appreciate the area!

Our first stop of the evening was to see the Perrine Coulee Falls, within Centennial Waterfront Park. It is the coolest waterfall that has a trail that allows you to walk right behind it! This was one of our favorite adventures on our entire road trip! We used AllTrails for directions to the waterfall trailhead. It said that it’s a 2 mile out & back trail, but if you park along the road next to the falls it’s less than 0.5 miles of walking. There are several spots right along the road that offer parking and there is a bigger parking lot farther away that you can use if there aren’t spots available next to the trail, but we had no problem finding a spot. We did go later in the day, around 6:30 pm as soon as we arrived and it wasn’t very crowded at all. The hike also isn’t very long and took less than 5 minutes from our parked car. You can hear the waterfall as soon as you exit your car, before you see the falls. It was so impressive and really flowing! The falls drop almost 200 feet and flow year-round, but summer flows are stronger. We spent at least an hour just taking it all in from different angles.

Home Alone Airbnb in Dallas, Texas

I might have a small obsession with the movie Home Alone. I’ve visited the house in Chicago where the movie was filmed two times now and it’s on my bucket list to go back and see it during Christmastime. So, when I heard that there was a Home Alone Airbnb in Dallas (just 45 minutes from my house), I knew I had to see it! This movie is definitely a family favorite of ours and I cannot even tell you the total amount of times I’ve seen it. I still remember my mom taking my little sister and I to the movies when it released back in 1990, I was 8 years old. I’m not sure a year has gone by that I haven’t watched it during the holidays. And thankfully my boys love it just as much as I do!

I’m happy to say that our stay was everything I hoped it would be! I don’t think we stopped smiling all night. The thoughts and details that went into planning this themed getaway are top notch and I cannot believe some of the memorable in this place! AND, it even came with a FREE large cheese pizza.

I think one night is all you need to experience the magic of this place, especially if you are local. It felt like the most epic sleepover ever and my boys were thrilled we didn’t have to leave once we arrived. If you are traveling from a long distance, you will be right outside of downtown Dallas and have tons of touristy locations and amazing restaurants right at your fingertips!

And my favorite part of all, watching both Home Alone and Home Alone Lost in New York on VHS tape! We taught the kids how to rewind a video and all about Blockbuster and how exciting it was to go rent movies on Friday nights! I’m totally an 80s kid and this just took me back to my childhood!

Click here to book your stay at The Kevin!

Dogsledding at Monarch Mountain, Colorado

We decided to road trip across Colorado up to Monarch Mountain to go dog sledding with Monarch Dog Sled Rides. My littlest son is obsessed with wolves & huskies, so we knew he’d love this animal adventure! And I think it’s safe to say that we ALL loved dog sledding.

The tour started with an introduction and background story about every dog on the tour. Then we learned about the history of dog sledding and the kids were so engaged. From there we learned how to harness a dog and anyone has the opportunity to try it out themselves. Then it was time to start the ride! I have never seen dogs so excited to work! You can totally tell that these dogs are treated very well and are truly born to pull sleds! The kids and I bundled up together in the sled and Jereme got to stand at the back with our guide and drive the sled. The sights were incredible, the guides were so knowledgeable and we enjoyed chatting with them during our tour. The few stops we made were fun, we especially loved getting to play with the dogs and watch them roll around in the snow to cool down. I would highly, highly, highly recommend this company and this adventure for anyone wanting to add some fun to their ski or snowboarding trip to Colorado!

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Inflation in New York City

When I was looking for fun things to do in New York, I stumbled across information about walking around the parade balloons while they are being inflated the day before the big event. I knew that this was a must for us! So, obviously you will need to be in NYC the week of Thanksgiving to experience the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon inflation. The cool thing about being in NYC, is that the local news stations detailed exactly what we needed to do to see this in person and we followed the directions and had no issues getting to experience this. We took a subway ride to Central Park and the boys played a little and we walked around the lake for a bit. We had some hot dogs and some pretzels from a street vendor in the Park and then walked back over to Columbus and 72nd Street. There was a line forming, so we got in it and waited less than 5 minutes before we started moving into the blocked off areas around the balloons. You do have to go through a security area and if you have a bag, it will be searched. Once you pass this, you follow the crowd to the streets that they have set up the balloons and the floats on, and you get an up close view of it all! The parade staff even told us this is the best way to experience the balloons and we were even told to just watch the parade from TV! This event is free and you do not need reservations at this time!

The week of Thanksgiving is such a fun time to visit New York! Not only can you experience the Thanksgiving Parade, the city is also decorated for Christmas and just truly magical this time of year.

Click here for more information about the Parade and balloon inflation!

I cannot wait to add more unique adventures to our travel list! If you have a favorite unique experience or destination, please share in the comments! Follow me on Instagram to see more photos and videos of our unique travels.

Colorado Girls Trip

Posted in Colorado, National ParksTagged , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

I just got back from an epic girls trip and I am so excited to share all the details with you! Take notes, you’re going to want to visit this mountain town stat!

I have known my best friend, Amy, for decades. Three decades to be exact. We both hit the big 4-0, her in August and me in September. Those months are pretty busy for us being educators. So, we pushed back our celebrations until October, grabbed another girlfriend, and took advantage of a long weekend and hit the mountains.

Lodging:

So excited to stay at the Stanley Hotel!

We decided that we would venture to Colorado and picked Estes Park for our lodging. We both love hiking, so it made sense to be close to Rocky Mountain National Park. I have always dreamed of staying in the historic Stanley Hotel, so that’s what we did! I loved that we were staying in this haunted hotel… in October. I love all of the creepy things, so you know we booked the Haunted Shining Tour. This hotel has it all including amazing views, tours, restaurants/bars, and a spa. If you wanted to be spoiled with good food, drinks, and pampering then look no further!

Inside the hotel

The Shining memorabilia

Scene from The Shining

Rocky Mountain National Park:

This National Park is one of my favorites and each season here is incredible. Fall is probably my favorite, though. The weather was absolutely perfect for us and we enjoyed over 10 miles of breathtaking hikes! The elk are rutting during the fall and I heard my very first elk bugle! I loved seeing all of the animals out enjoying the weather, too.  

Hiking Info:

These trails are stunning in the fall!

On our first day of hiking we headed to Bear Lake and started there. We decided to hike to Emerald Lake, which is about 3 miles out & back. What I love most about this trail besides the views are the lakes you see along this hike. You can start with Bear Lake, which is a short walk from the parking lot. Then you venture on to Nymph Lake, then Dream Lake, then end at Emerald Lake. The trail can be tough at times, but there are several places to stop and rest and take in the views.

  • Bear Lake:
  • Easy 0.7 mile loop
  • Best time to visit is March-November
Bear Lake Loop

  • Nymph Lake:
  • Easy 1.2 mile out & back trail
  • Best time to visit is March-November
Nymph Lake

  • Dream Lake:
  • Easy/Moderate 2.0 mile out & back trail
  • Best time to visit is April-November
Dream Lake

  • Emerald Lake:
  • Easy/moderate 3.2 mile out & back trail
  • Best time to visit is June-October
Emerald Lake

Our second day of hiking started with a sunrise hike around Sprague Lake. I was a little disappointed that we didn’t see a moose time, but the sunrise was gorgeous. Then we decided to head back to Bear Lake and hike to Alberta Falls and then Lake Haiyaha. This was a little tougher day of hiking, we were already sore from the day before. And the hike to Lake Haiyaha was one of the toughest I have ever done. But I am beyond thankful that we persevered and made it to the lake because it is one of the most beautiful places I ever seen!

  • Sprague Lake:
  • Easy 0.8 mile loop
  • Popular year-round
Sunrise at Sprague Lake

  • Alberta Falls:
  • Easy 1.6 mile out & back trail
  • Best time to visit is May-October
Alberta Falls

  • Lake Haiyaha:
  • Moderate/hard 4.0 mile out & back trail
  • Best time to visit is June-October
Lake Haiyaha

Estes Park:

Estes Park is a fun little mountain town with lots of great shopping and restaurants along the main street. I can’t believe that we didn’t do more shopping, but we really focused our time in the National Park and then at our hotel. To be honest, the town was pretty crowded and there were long wait times for dining. I recommend eating off the main street. We loved having brunch at MollyB’s before starting our first day of hiking and ending the night with Mexican food and margaritas at Case Grande!

Hiking Gear:

If you follow along on our travels, then you know that we spend a lot our time outdoors and hiking! I am an educator, so I don’t have a ton of money to spend on hiking gear. I am always shopping on a budget and I have been so pleased with the gear I have. I love the hiking pants I wear, they don’t slide down or sag and are quiet comfy. I have had my high-top hiking boots for several years and they have held up so well! My backpack is the perfect size for me, my husband usually carries one that is larger and holds more. I do have hiking poles, but honestly I didn’t use them. My boys and husband love using theirs, but I feel like they just get in the way for me. But that might be because I am the one taking all of the photos and videos! Below are my top hiking recommendations! (The links included are affiliate links and I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

As always, thanks so much for following along! For more videos of our travels, check out my posts on Instagram (linked on the main page). I have some videos of my favorite hikes there!

Winter Park, Colorado

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Have you been considering a trip to a winter destination this year? Look no further, Winter Park is the place to go! If you follow along on our adventures, you might already know that Colorado is one of our favorite places to visit, regardless of the season. What you might not know is that we’ve been to Colorado more times in the winter than we have in any other season! We are a family that loves to snowboard, but there are so many other things that you can do if skiing or snowboarding isn’t something that you want to try.

Exploring the base of Winter Park (there’s even a playground for kiddos right in front of this place)!
These boys from Texas LOVE snow!

What to Pack

First things first, what should you pack for a winter trip to Colorado? I get asked this question all the time and my first response is everything waterproof, especially if you have kiddos. There is nothing worse than kids that have wet feet and hands that are also cold. So, be sure to pack waterproof gloves, thick socks, and waterproof or snow boots. My second reply is always layers and more layers. I usually wear 2 layers under my ski gear and I even layer my gloves with a thin glove worn under my waterproof gloves. Here is a short list of things that I always bring on our trips:

  • Waterproof pants and jacket (search ski gear)
  • Waterproof gloves
  • Snow boots or waterproof hiking boots
  • Thick socks
  • Long johns or long underwear
  • Sweatpants and sweatshirts
  • Hats, scarves, neck warmers

I have been successful in ordering all of these items on Amazon. This year, all of my kiddos boarding gear, from head to toe, was ordered off of Amazon!

All the boys gear in this photo came from Amazon.

In regards to skiing or snowboarding, you can rent boots, helmets, and skis or snowboards from the mountain base area and usually there are several rental places in town. I would recommend checking online and reserving your gear early, especially if you will be visiting during a holiday, like Christmas or Spring break.

Getting There

We love to drive… mostly so I can pack more!

Obviously, we are a road tripping family, so we like to drive to Colorado. I have also flown, but I prefer to drive so that I can bring all the things. We have our own snowboards and usually pack several suitcases because winter gear and sweaters take up so much room. I also like to bring a cooler with food so that we can cook in the condo or cabin we are staying in. For us in Texas, the drive is about 12-13 hours. No matter what mountain we are visiting, we always make the drive to Trinidad, CO and stop for the night. There are several hotels to choose from right off highway 25 and that puts us about 9 hours from home. So the drive the following day is only about 4 hours. Plus, we love to eat at the Mexican restaurant, Tequilas, and this has become a little tradition for our family.

We also like this routine because it allows us a little time to do something fun in Colorado Springs before we can check in to our lodging. This is one of our favorite places to stop along the route. We’ve stopped at Garden of the Gods several times and this year we visited the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. CO Springs is about 2 hours or so from Trinidad, so it’s the perfect place to stop for an activity and grab lunch before the next 2 hours of driving.

Jereme and me in front of the cliff dwellings!
Such a cool experience!

Where to Stay

This year we decided to stay in Winter Park. We were so excited to get back to the mountain again. Jereme and I haven’t missed a ski trip since our first year of marriage 17 years ago, until covid hit. It’s been two long years since we’ve snowboarded, so we were all anxious to head back to the mountain and do what we love! Every time we’ve visited Winter Park, we’ve stayed at Frasier Crossing Founders Pointe. From this condo, we can walk right to base of the mountain and onto the lifts. We love this location because it’s quiet, great for families, doesn’t break the budget, has heated indoor parking, and its location to the base is amazing.

View from our condo looking at Zephyr Mountain Lodge, which is another great option!

Snowboarding

Our first time on a lift together as a family!

The whole reason we visit Colorado in the winter is to snowboard! This year we even got our youngest to the top of the mountain with us. Jereme and I taught ourselves how to board when we were in our early 20s. I would recommend taking lessons if you’ve never been before. We did put our boys in ski school when they were four and five, but then we taught them how to snowboard ourselves. For me, snowboarding is easier than skiing because ski boots seriously hurt my legs and knees. I consider us to be in decent shape, but a day on the mountain feels like a full body workout! We like to board for 2-3 days, but definitely need to take a break in between to rest and regroup. If you’ve never been, you can rent gear and sign up for skiing or snowboarding lessons right at the base of the mountain. In Winter Park, they have people stationed all around to offer assistance and point you in the right direction for all of your needs!

Jett at the top!
These brothers loved boarding together!
Finally boarding with my baby!!

The Town of Winter Park

The base of the mountain has several places to eat, shop, get groceries, and rent gear. So, once you arrive, there really is no reason to leave. But don’t let that stop you from visiting the town of Winter Park, because it’s really neat, too! We love to eat at Hernando’s Pizza Pub and we found a fun hiking trail this year and enjoyed exploring out in the snow away from the crowds on the mountain. Make dining reservations if you can or opt for take-out like we did this year. Please note that some of the restaurants in town do not offer take-out dining during the peak seasons (winter break over Christmas/New Year’s weekend).

I also found this website for a list of fun activities and dining options in town!

Frasier River trail (found on the AllTrails app)
Our view on the trail!

We were even able to squeeze in family photos this year. Be sure to check out Lisa M. Hall Photography if you’re in the area.

Outfit Details:

What if You Don’t Ski or Snowboard?

We really had a wonderful time in the mountains this year. It’s so fun to ring in the New Year doing something that you love with your family. If you are not into skiing or snowboarding, don’t let that deter you from visiting the mountains in the winter! There are other activities that anyone can enjoy. My Dad often joins us on our trip and he doesn’t ski or snowboard, but he still loves to spend time with us in a cozy cabin or condo and watch the snow fall! Most places have hot tubs and there is nothing more relaxing than looking at the snowy mountains from the warmth of one. Winter Park offers snowmobiling, snowshoeing, dog sledding, sleigh rides, and tubing. Just be sure to pick your activity and book early. This website includes all of the winter activities that are offered in Winter Park! We wanted to tube on our visit, but when I went online to make reservations, there were none left for the entire month. If you are not visiting during a holiday, you will likely have an easier time with reservations.

We went dog sledding two years ago and loved every second of it!

Helpful Driving Tips

This was our drive once we got to the mountain pass, it’s not for the faint of heart…

My husband said that I should include this information in our blog, probably because he is the one that does most of the driving on our winter travels. Be sure to look ahead at travel conditions and make arrangements if winter advisories are in place. Besides having a car accident, I cannot think of anything worse than being stranded on the highway for hours due to winter weather. We were lucky that we didn’t encounter much snow on our drive to Winter Park, but there were several snowstorms that occurred while we were there and the Denver area received their first snow of the winter during our stay. Our drive home looked a lot different than our drive in.

It’s also important to make sure that you have windshield wiper fluid, the roads are super nasty with sand and salt treatments and at one time our windshield fluid froze up on the drive and the windshield was covered in dirt and Jereme had a small, fist sized spot to look out of until we were able to pull over and clean the whole windshield off. Be sure to have blankets, water, and food as a precaution for any winter weather delays.

We spent New Year’s Day doing what we love!

As always, I hope this information is helpful for all of your winter travel planning! I am available to help with any questions you may have and have tons of recommendations for amazing locations around Colorado. We’ve visited several mountain towns and have loved them all! Winter Park is becoming one of our favorites, closely behind Crested Butte!

Be sure to follow me on Instagram at road_trip_queen to see more photos and videos! And stay tuned, we have a lot of awesome travel plans for 2022 which include Ruidoso, NM later this month, Redwood National Park in the spring, and Yellowstone & Grand Tetons National Parks this summer!

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