When people ask why Joseph & I decided to drop everything & fly out to Bozeman, MT for an 12-day road trip, there are many different responses I have used to explain. The first & most practical – we had flight credits that were going to expire this September, so we had to go somewhere. The most exciting – Joseph offically graduated from Messiah University as a Clinical Mental Health Therapist last week, & we wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate. One of my personal favorites – we are going to commemorate our one-year wedding anniversary. But the truth is, we just couldn’t resist – it had been too long since we had breathed in the fresh mountain air, & we simply couldn’t survive any longer without going out west.
It was an early start to our day of flying. My alarm went off at 1:30am, far earlier than I am accustomed to waking. I dragged myself out of bed, slipped on my running clothes, and went for a very humid jog in the early morning Maryland air. How was it already 75 degrees? The whole run, I kept thinking about how wonderful it would feel to run without humidity in a few days.
Joseph’s good friend, Matthew, picked us up to go to the airport. We drove through the empty streets to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Joseph & Matthew talking in the front seat, me relaxing in the back of the car. When we arrived, we grabbed our luggage, thanked Matthew for driving us, & officially began our adventure.
Our first challenge came from our luggage. When we were packing, we thought only about keeping our luggage under the weight requirement for Southwest to fly free. What we didn’t think about was how heavy 50 pounds actually is, especially when your bags don’t have wheels to roll them. Panting and sweating from the exertion, we trekked the 30 feet into the airport. Luckily, the bags were dropped off quickly, security went smoothly, & soon we were excitedly seated on our plane, waiting to take off into the sky.
During the first flight, we tried & failed to get some rest after what had already seemed like a long morning of traveling. We arrived at Dallas Love Field Airport bleary-eyed & hungry. We ordered some coffee from Starbucks & then went on the hunt for food, finally settling on sandwiches from Jason’s Deli. We then walked through the airport, trying to find something to occupy our time for the four-and-a-half hours we had to wait for our next flight.
Our second went by faster than the first. We talked with fellow passenger, Joe, who was traveling to Yellowstone National Park with his family. Joe is an accountant who homeschools his three children, & we enjoyed talking to him about he & his family balance homeschooling with their careers, travel & relationships outside the family.
When we arrived at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, it was clear from the moment we stepped off the plane that we were in Montana. The airport was full of rustic wood & tall windows that gave a beautiful view of the mountain range that surrounded us.
We picked up our rental vehicle & then drove to Chipotle for some much-needed sustenance. On our way out of Bozeman, we stopped by a Safeway to buy champagne to celebrate. We also picked up our Montana Starbucks mug.
On all of our travels, Joseph & I have a list of things we must accomplish in order to earn our souvenir, a Been There Series Starbucks mug. We must walk a main street, hike in a national park, visit a tourist attraction, & eat or drink something local. Normally, we wait until we have completed all of these tasks before picking up our mug, but there has been such a shortage of Starbucks mugs lately that we wanted to make sure to snag our souvenir the moment we saw it, trusting my thoughtfully planned itinerary that we would still check off all that we had to do before the trip was over.
Our final destination for the day was our Airbnb in Driggs, ID, which is only a short distance from the Wyoming state line. On this trip, we will start at the Grand Teton National Park, & then work our way north, hiking in Yellowstone National Park & finishing in Glacier National Park. It’s going to be full of hiking, but today, we were just happy to drink in the sights of Big Sky Country on our drive. The setting sun cast a warm glow on the tall mountains covered in dark green pine & fir trees. We wound up the sides of mountains & drove past fields of cattle & horses. All the while, we listened to music & made silly jokes to keep ourselves awake. By now, we had been awake nearly 24 hours after only three hours of sleep, & the exhaustion was kicking in.
For our Airbnb, we chose a quaint, German-style inn. Our host, Nancy, greeted us at the door & showed us our room. With thick quilts & old paintings & photos of the surrounding areas, the Airbnb has a homey feel, much like visiting grandmother’s house. Joseph poured two glasses of champagne in the disposable water cups at the sink, & we toasted the beginning of our latest adventure & the many, many reasons we have to celebrate this month.
I don’t know yet what this adventure will bring, but after a year since being out west, getting married to the love of my life, & road tripping across the country, I am as grateful & excited as always to be traveling with Joseph by my side.
Every year since we began dating, I have gifted Joseph an experience for his birthday. I try to always give him a tangible gift as well, but I feel gifting him something that he loves or has always wanted to do, & especially something we can do together, is good for our relationship & more unique than the average birthday gift that fits inside a cardboard box.
The first birthday was only two days after we started dating. I fretted over what to get him. What do you get someone you have only been dating for two days? We weren’t even “official” yet. I didn’t want him to think I ignored his birthday, but I also didn’t want to get something over-the-top & scare him away. I settled for a $10 Dunkin‘ gift card because our first date was at a Dunkin’. He loved it, & we spent our next date getting coffee once again & driving around in his car. It happened to be that date that I fell in love with him, so I’m still pretty proud of that birthday gift, despite its small size.
For Joseph’s next birthday, we were in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. I gifted him a five senses gift, which included something fun for each of his senses: A candle for scent, a sweet treat for taste, a soft blanket for touch, a book for sight, & a playlist for hear. The playlist included a song for every month we had been dating, & we spent the evening driving around in his car once again, listening to the music.
The following year, the COVID-19 pandemic had lessened its hold on our lives, & we were finally able to go out again. This time, I gifted him concert tickets to his favorite band, The Avett Brothers. We spent a night in Philadelphia & made a little trip out of the event. After that, I didn’t know how I would top my last gift. Seeing The Avett Brothers had been a bucket list item for Joseph, which meant the next gift would have to be quite good to even measure up to the last.
When we had planned our trip to Delaware last year, I had noticed that there was a zip lining place close to where we were visiting. Neither of us had ever been zip lining & both wanted to go, so I excitedly researched the spot. Disappointed, I realized that the place had already been booked up for the dates we were visiting. I made a mental note to remember this place, & should we have a chance to return to Delaware, I would make reservations for us.
As Joseph’s birthday neared, I remembered this & found the website of the zip lining place once again. The dates were available, but the thought occurred to me that if this was going to be the best birthday gift yet, it would have to be more than your average zip lining course. I researched some of the best places to zip line in the United States, & I found one in North Carolina that looked promising. As we are also trying to visit all 50 states together, I decided to make it a weekend getaway, including hiking, visiting a main street, & eating a local restaurant (the other requirements we must cross off in order to officially say we “visited” a state).
On Friday, April 29, Joseph’s birthday, we got in the car together & drove the eight hours to North Carolina. At the time of planning, I hadn’t really considered just how long eight hours in the car really is. In the past, Joseph & I divided up the states together in lists that said how long of trips to each one would have to be to make it worth it: a day trip, weekend trip, week-long road trips, & states we have to fly to. North Carolina was on our Day Trip list, so I had thought it would be a quick trip. I realized now that we may have been a little ambitious when making that list. I was beginning to worry that spending just one full day in North Carolina would not be enough time, & that my birthday gift would be a flop.
Despite the length of the car ride, Joseph & I had a good time driving down. We listened to music & the podcast Stuff You Should Know. We talked about our plans for the weekend, the shows we have been bingeing together, & events in the coming months. Around five hours into the drive, we stopped at Mt. Airy, North Carolina for a bite to eat & to walk the main street.
Mt. Airy is one of my favorite main streets that we have been to. The buildings were all different colors, & different artwork, including murals, statues made of brick, & painted instruments, lined the streets. Mt. Airy is where The Andy Griffith Show was filmed, & although we arrived too late to visit the museum, we still got our fill of memorabilia & souvenirs on display. My favorite was the old squad car parked on the street that had a photo of The Andy Griffith Show characters in the windshield.
We stopped for dinner at Mi Casa on Main, a Mexican & Californian cuisine restaurant on the main street. The ambience was an interesting mix of Mexican & American, with candy skull painted skeleton figurines & early 2000s music playing on the radio. We started with chips & homemade salsa to share. Then, for dinner, I ordered the taco salad with shrimp & Joseph ordered the BBQ Pulled Pork Primo Tacos. To say the food was delicious would be an understatement. The portions were huge & we had more than enough food. Everything had the perfect level of spice, building a slow burn in the back of our throats as we ate. The taco salad was piled so high with ingredients, I could barely mix in the dressing. Topped with black beans, grilled corn, fresh tomatoes, shredded cheese, crispy tortilla chips, & a creamy salsa dressing, every bite was bursting with a fresh blend of flavors. Joseph’s tacos did not disappoint either. The BBQ was the perfect, North Carolina BBQ you would hope to get in a Mt. Airy restaurant, nestled into a tortilla with a creamy coleslaw, friend onion strings, & sweet & hot candied jalapeños. I don’t think I could dream up a more iconic yet inventive blend of American & Mexican flavors.
When Joseph went to the restroom, I secretly told the waitress that it was his birthday, & near the end of our meal, she brought out freshly fried churros covered in cinnamon sugar & drizzled with a raspberry sauce that soaked into the hot dough. It was the perfect blend of sweet & sour, & we ate it with gusto.
After dinner, we returned to the car to drive the remaining three hours to our Airbnb. I had reserved us a spot in the Bearwallow Highlands mountain range. It was a windy drive up in the dark, but we made it safely to our cabin-style Airbnb. Exhausted from the long day, we dropped our things, toasted to Joseph’s birthday with a glass of wine, & climbed into bed.
The next day, we got an early start, wanting to beat the heat & get in as much hiking as we could before our zip lining reservations at 2:00. We got in the car & headed to Chimney Rock State Park. As we drove up the windy, mountain road, I could just make out the American flag perched at the top of Chimney Rock. It was so much higher than I thought it would be! Chimney rock, I learned, has an elevation of over 2,000 feet! The hike from the Four Seasons Trail, however, was only 1,000 feet of elevation, which was still a rather strenuous hike. For the first half mile, we had a slow incline, but the last half mile consisted solely of stairs that seemed like they would never stop going up. Legs burning & panting, we climbed slowly up the face of the rock.
It was a glorious moment when we finally stepped out onto level ground & found we were over 2,000 feet up in the air, looking down at the lush, tree-filled valley & the windy, blue water of Lake Lure. The wind whipped the American flag above our heads, & it was at this moment that I took a step back & realized just how beautiful our country is. I never knew that North Carolina had mountain ranges like this. Whenever I thought about the state, the image of sandy beaches came to mind. But this state, like so many others we have visited, is nuanced in all of the best ways, & it has some truly stunning views, if you’re willing to do a little hiking to get there.
We still had some time to spare, so we decided to pull our tired legs up another 200 feet to Exclamation Point. Once we got there, we still had another 25 minutes left to hike out, so we hiked & ran just over a mile to the top of Hickory Nut Falls, a waterfall that drops an impressive 404 feet! The rushing water & cool breeze greeted us, & we spent a few minutes enjoying the serenity before jogging back to Exclamation Point & beginning our descent back to the parking lot.
We had just enough time when we finished our hike to grab a quick bite to eat before our zip lining trip. We left Chimney Rock & found that the park is situated directly next to a main street that we had somehow overlooked on our way in. Chimney Rock Village is a quaint street filled with local shops & restaurants. We decided to visit Broad River Inn, which features a restaurant that serves rustic pizzas, artisan sandwiches, & more!
To start, we ordered the Chef’s Bruschetta to share. As someone who comes from an Italian family, I have had my share of bruschetta, so when I say that this was the best version of the dish that I have ever had, I don’t take that phrase lightly. The tomatoes were chopped finely & mixed with fresh red onion & feta, piled high on thick, artisan bread that had been slathered in olive oil & toasted, topped with a large basil leaf & drizzled with a tangy but sweet balsamic glaze. I nearly ordered another plate to have it all to myself.
Our lunch was just as impressive. I ordered the Salad of the Day, which was a bed of greens topped with sliced pear, candied walnuts, blue cheese, & a balsamic vinaigrette. Every bite was a new medley of delicious flavors. Joseph ordered the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich, which was laden with North Carolina BBQ sauce, topped with a tangy, homemade coleslaw, & served alongside homemade potato chips. Satisfied from our meal, we walked down to the street to get coffees from Coffee on the Rocks & then headed to Canopy Ridge Farm for zip lining.
At this point, I was starting to get nervous. My lunch, which had settled so nicely in my stomach before, was now bubbling angrily with anticipation. I have a fear of heights, & the idea of hanging precariously so high in the sky was beginning to terrify me. When we arrived at the adventure park, we were walked through the safety measures & put in our harnesses. Together, we rode in a jeep up a tall hill to the first platform.
I shifted uneasily as we received our instructions, & I watched the others go before me. As each member of our group took off, I felt the anxiety build. When it was finally my turn, I stepped up shakily.
One of the guides connected my harness to the zip line. He could tell I was nervous, & joked about how it had been revealed that I had been the one to book us this trip.
“It was for his birthday,” I laughed. “I didn’t really think about the fact that I would have to do it, too.” I looked out at the zip line, & was surprised to not see much of a drop. With a deep breath, I took a step off of the platform, leaned back into my harness, & flew off into the treetops.
The ground quickly disappeared beneath me, dropping 100 feet down. I screamed with excitement. I loved the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair as I raced down the line. I felt like I was flying, & it was exhilarating.
All too soon, the ride ended, & I waited eagerly for my next turn. The tour consisted of six zip lines in total, some of which we had to hike to. Our guides were funny & entertaining, & throughout the course, they give us different challenges to complete. Twisting & turning down the lines, falling back into trust falls off of the platforms, & learning to flip upside down as we soared were just a few of the tricks we learned. The tour ended far too quickly. By the end, I was already talking about when & where I would want to go zip lining next.
We finished earlier than expected, so once we were out of our harnesses, Joseph & I shared some Dippin’ Dots from the store & then made an impromptu drive to Asheville. The streets were busy & packed with people. It was a beautiful night, perfect for walking the city streets & getting a bite to eat at a rooftop bar. Joseph & I got onto a waitlist for a restaurant & then perused the shops while we waited. We popped into one traveling trunk show where a henna artist was doing tattoos, & we each got a bear paw on our left arms (a tattoo we have been wanting to get for a while).
When our table was ready, we headed back up the street to Strada Italiano. We sat at the bar in the sister restaurant, Social Lounge, which was decorated to look like a speakeasy. Despite the busyness of the restaurant, our bartender was attentive & entertaining. To start, we ordered the Arancini & a drink each: The Botanical Bliss for me (a blend of Ketel One grapefruit & rose vodka, peach syrup made in house, fresh lemon, & prosecco) & the Plums & Roses Old Fashioned for Joseph (plum-infused Four Roses bourbon blended with homemade basil stem syrup & Peychaud’s & Angostura bitters). The drinks were perfectly mixed & went down far too easy. The Arancini was served in a sherry tomato cream sauce with pecorino romano & a balsamic reduction. The balls themselves were fried to perfection – when we cut inside, steam rose from the delicious blend of creamy mozzarella cheese & soft risotto.
For dinner, Joseph ordered a Meat Toppings Pizza with spicy & sweet sausage, & I have to say, as much as I don’t enjoy meat pizzas (I like vegetables better), it was one of the best pizzas I have ever tasted. The crust was crunchy on the outside & soft in the center, the sauce was balanced to not be too acidic (as so many tomato sauces can be), & the meat & cheese blended beautifully in every bite. I ordered the Salmon del Giardino, a grilled salmon served on top of a bed of arugula, topped with bruschetta & preserved lemon & scallions, & served with a delicious, creamy risotto del giorno. For the first time ever, Joseph took a bite of my food & said he liked what I had ordered more than he liked his own dish. The salmon was cooked so perfectly it tasted buttery. The risotto was soft & dense, & the tomatoes & arugula gave a refreshing pop in every bite. I was full halfway through, but the dish was too good not to finish.
We went for a relaxed walk through the streets lit up by streetlights before finally returning to our car & driving back to our Airbnb. At this point, we had been active for almost 12 full hours, & we were exhausted.
The following morning, we woke up early, eager to get in a little activity before our long drive home. We packed up our belongings & headed to the Bearwallow Mountain Trail, which was only a few minutes away from our Airbnb. The trail led us through the forest & up the mountainside to a field where cows grazed. It was there that we saw the most amazing view from our trip. Impossible to capture on camera, it was one of those breathtaking views you have to drink in, knowing you’ll never get to see it again. A haze hung low & had settled just above the miles & miles of forested mountains that rolled into the distance. The wind whipped at our clothes, chilling us to the bone as we stared out at the picturesque view. It was the perfect way to end our brief but packed trip to North Carolina.
Standing there with Joseph, I smiled to myself. At this moment, I knew I had succeeded in giving him the best birthday gift yet. The fact that I had succeeded in not just topping the prior year’s gift, but that I had shown him just how loved he is, made me the happiest I had been all weekend.
I just don’t know how I am going to top this gift next year.
In 2020, my husband, Joseph, & I made the pact that we would visit all 50 states in the United States together. We still have long to go, but since our first road trip to Colorado up to now planning trips to North Carolina, Montana, Wyoming, Vermont & New York for this year, we have learned a lot about how see the most of these amazing & diverse states without breaking the bank.
If you have the same daunting goal as we do, or if you are just planning a trip for this upcoming summer, read on for my top nine travel tips that will give you a budget-friendly trip that is fun & full of adventures.
Whenever I start planning a trip, the first thing I do is search online for the best places to go & things to do in that state. You can find so many great ideas online, sometimes including full itineraries! I always cross reference these to other sources to make sure I am getting everything I want on my personal itinerary. However, if you find one you like online, there is no harm in following it! This is especially convenient for places you are not familiar with, or if you are not conformable making your own itinerary.
As a side note, I recommend staying away from the official tourist sites & instead reading blogs of fellow travelers. Tourist sites sometimes recommend places that make them the most money or places that have paid for advertisement, rather than the best spots. Travel bloggers (like myself) can also recommend secret hidden spots they stumbled across, places they heard about from locals, & other unique spots to eat, rest, etc. that you wouldn’t normally find on a tourist website.
Based on the information I find online, I next head to Google maps to plan out my itinerary. I have my top destination points, & based on where those are, I add other items based on what’s nearby or what is close to our road trip route.
2. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone
This tip goes along with the last one, but it’s important enough to get its own spot on my list. When you are picking activities for your trip, don’t be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone. Often when planning budget-friendly trips, it’s easy to just pick a few things that you are familiar with & then base the trip around those activities. But we have all been to the beach a million times, & while it’s fun, I find it much more interesting & rewarding to try new things that are unique to each place we visit.
When Joseph & I plan a trip, we have four categories of activities we have to complete in order to say that we really visited the state & can cross it off our list. First, we have to hike at a national park (this is our favorite activity, & if we didn’t have this list, it is probably the only thing we would do). This is a wonderful opportunity to really see & experience the place you are visiting. Plus, it’s a great way to stretch your legs & get in some fresh air after a long flight or car ride.
Second, we have to walk a main street. This is a great way to get a feel for the culture of the place you are visiting & an opportunity to talk to locals to find out what they like to do & where they like to go if you have some extra time in your itinerary.
Third, we have to eat at a local restaurant. This usually goes along with our main street visit, & we will often ask locals where they love to eat. We try to find something that is also a local cuisine (i.e. Mexican food in San Diego, or pretzels & cheesesteaks in Philadelphia) so we can get a real taste for where we are staying.
Last, we have to do a tourist attraction. This is always our least favorite & most expensive part of our trip, but sometimes we end up having a great time. It’s a fun way to experience the place we are visiting, & a great way to find out what unique activities each place we visit has to offer.
3. Always add a time buffer into your itinerary for each activity
When planning activities, always account for an extra hour than the time actually needed. When I am planning my itinerary, I always search online for the average amount of time it takes to complete each activity. How long does it take to explore the Monterey Bay Aquarium, or how long does it take to drive from San Diego to the Redwood National Forest, or even how long does it take to hike Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park? Once I have my average answer, I always add an hour on top it. This gives time for us to relax, take photos, & enjoy conversation, & it keeps us from worrying about what is coming next & whether or not we will be on time.
I have learned this one from experience. I used to plan my itineraries based exactly on the average time, & then I was stressed any time we spent too long on the top of a mountain enjoying the view or we got stuck in traffic. But these things are part of the adventure! Allot for extra time in your itinerary, & if you find you have too much time on your hands, you can always slip enjoying a cup of coffee at a local cafe.
4. Be flexible about your flight times
The view out my window during my flight to Arizona
Now that you know what you are doing on your trip, it’s time to decide when you will be going. If you can, be flexible about the actual dates you are traveling. This will allow you to find the cheapest flights within the time frame you wish to take your trip.
Whether or not you can be flexible with the dates, my next recommendation is to be flexible with the flight times. I personally recommend booking an early flight out & a late flight back. Early morning & late evening flights are often the cheapest, & flying in early allows you to get an early start to your trip (you can always take a nap when you arrive at your destination or even on the plane), & leaving late allows you to get the most out of your vacation. As long as you don’t have anything planned for the day after your trip, you will have plenty of time to rest & recover.
Airbnbs are a great alternative to traditional lodging. They range in cost, but you can almost always find a more affordable option than a hotel room. And, you have the opportunity to stay somewhere that gives a local cultural feel, or somewhere that is super unique! Do you want to stay in a log cabin in the mountains, a camper in the forest, or even a treehouse – Airbnb has a unique stay just for you!
When choosing your Airbnb, make sure you click the Superhost option. Superhosts are verified by Airbnb & have tons of reviews to be excellent hosts, which means a much less stressful vacation. It’s no fun getting to your Airbnb late at night, only to find that it is not what you were expecting.
Now that you know when you are going & where you are staying, the next step for many trips is to rent a vehicle for transportation. Despite the prevalence of Uber & Lyft, we have found that renting a car is still often more cost effective, especially for trips that involve lots of traveling (which ours often do).
When choosing a rental car company, I highly recommend going with a larger, more reputable company, rather than a smaller company that seems cheaper. Many smaller rental companies have hidden fees that add up fast. When you rent the car, call first to speak with a representative & ask up front if there will be any surprise fees & what they may be. For most larger companies, there will be minimal if any fees, but asking ahead of time gives you the advantage of knowing what to expect & the opportunity to compare companies to find what’s best for you.
Also, do not let the rental company talk you into buying rental insurance for your vehicle. Check your car insurance plan to be sure, but most people have car insurance that covers damage to a rental vehicle. This is one of the unnecessary costs of renting a car that you do not have to be tricked by.
No matter where you are visiting, the locals have to get there food somehow, & it’s not all from restaurants. Getting food from a grocery store is an underrated way to fuel while you travel. It’s cheaper than anything you will find in a restaurant, & you can even get local fruits, cheeses or meats or try local food brands.
For most of our trips, Joseph & I bring a small cooler that we can fold up into our suitcase for easy portability. We stop at gas stations along the way to refill it with ice, & we keep it stocked the whole time with fixings for sandwiches, protein-rich snacks like cheese sticks & hummus, & veggies & fruits for snacking. We try to eat breakfast & lunch from our little cooler while on the road, & then we treat ourselves to a restaurant for dinner. It’s an easy way to save money while on the road, & it saves you time in your itinerary. Eating on the road or even stopping for a picnic is much faster than any rest stop.
This isn’t really a budget-friendly tip, but I thought I would remiss not to share it. If you are going to be hiking in the wilderness, always bring some emergency supplies & more food & water than you think you need. Before you go, give a copy of your itinerary to someone you trust. A lot of national parks do not have wifi service, so it’s a good idea to also bring downloaded maps.
Even if the hike seems simple, accidents happen, so it’s good to always be prepared & have someone else know where you are in case something does happen. Other than rolling my ankle, I have never been injured on a hike, but I have been lost plenty of times, & the extra food & water really made a difference in keeping my energy up & getting me back home safely.
9. Pick a fun souvenir that you can find almost anywhere
It’s always fun to bring home a memento from your travels. But, if you have ever gone shopping for souvenirs, you know how over-priced they can be. When you’re in the moment, you may be more apt to buy multiple souvenirs on your trip, & before you know it, you can spend your entire budget on these items. And let’s be honest, did you really need another T-shirt?
Think of a type of souvenir that you love & that can be found almost anywhere, & then collect only that. It could be a magnet, coffee mug, shot glass, baseball cap, book, snow globe, keychain, or so much more! When you walk into a souvenir shop, resist buying the first thing that catches your eye. Instead, look for the special item that you are collecting. It’s a guaranteed way to make sure you save money on your trip, & you will start to have a very cool collection of special memories on your bookshelf at home.
Joseph & I personally collect the Starbucks Been There… series mugs. There is a unique mug for every place, & we love looking at the designs on the mug & pointing out the places we went to & things we saw. I also have been personally collecting snow globes since I was a little girl, & I often pick up one of these, if I think I can keep it safe for the entire plane ride home.
Most importantly, enjoy your trip & travel safe!
If you want to share your favorite travel tips with me, or share about your latest adventure, leave me a comment below!
Arizona is known for its hot, desert climate; its red canyons; & its tall, saguaro cacti. When I think of Arizona, I think of old western movies – men in tall hats riding horseback through the desert. So, it was fitting that we ended our Arizona journey riding on the backs of horses ourselves, looking out at the sunset.
Most of our day was relaxed & lazy. We went to visit my great uncle & aunt, & we spent a few hours in their living room reminiscing about days long past. As the afternoon began to draw to a close, we drove to Estrella Mountain Regional Park, where Corral West Adventures was tucked away.
Corral West Adventures is a nonprofit organization that rescues horses. They offer horse rides through the Sonoran Desert, & we chose to do their famous sunset ride.
Our instructor was informative & friendly, & soon we were clip clopping over the rocks into the desert. It reminded me of those old western movies, where the cowboys ride off into the sunset. The setting sun bathed the desert in orange light. On every side, mountains grew up around us, & above our heads, the sky was painted in purple & pink stripes. From our slow, relaxed ride, we were able to observe sights of the desert we may have missed before: The saguaro filled with holes from owls who had made their homes inside, & a prickly tree whose leaves smelled like soap when you rubbed them between your fingers.
Joseph & me horseback riding in Estrella Mountain Regional Park with Corral West Adventures
As the light faded & we returned our horses to their home, we said a final goodbye to Arizona. We would not be leaving for a few more days, but this time would be dedicated entirely to family whom we so rarely get to see.
I took one last look at the desert landscape, & despite my love for forested mountains & cooler weather, I felt a small twinge of sadness to be leaving so soon. The desert has an unexpected beauty of its own. In this place that seems inhospitable to all, life somehow still flourishes. At first glance, the landscape is brown with just a little muddy orange & red to accent, but when you take a closer look, you see colors you never imagined – bright blues, greens, pinks and oranges paint the trees, flowers & desert fruits. There is such beauty & mystery to this place, & so much more to explore.
As the sun set, I bid the desert farewell, with a quiet promise that we would return again soon, hungry for more adventures.
In 2003, USA Today named Sedona “the most beautiful place on earth,” & after visiting, I have to say it is definitely one of the most striking landscapes I have ever seen. The color of the mint green & teal trees pop against the brick red & burnt orange rock Sedona is known for. Spiky agave plants in the color of cyan dot the landscape of loose, faded orange sand, & all around the town, the tall mountains that stretch up towards the sky have been painted red halfway up, as if God took a step back from his art project halfway through said, “It is finished.”
We left early for Sedona. The world was still dark as we drove through the desert landscape. We watched with tired eyes as the sun rose up behind the purple mountains into the pink & orange striped sky.
Our first stop in Sedona was the trailhead of Devil’s Bridge. I stand corrected about the weather in Arizona in December. It does, in fact, get cold. When we began our hike, the weather was in the 40s, & we were all a little chilly in our hiking clothes as we began the trek towards the bridge.
For over a mile, the hike was mostly flat in soft dirt. We chatted as we walked & admired the scenery – the red canyons & bright green & blue of the trees. I have never seen plants of such a beautiful color, & the red of the rock really made them stand out. When we got to the last half mile, the trail turned to stairs formed from the rock, & then just large rocks that we had to climb to the top.
Devil’s Bridge is a natural sandstone arch in the Coconino National Forest. It was formed from years of wind & weather erosion that only left the top of the structure. From the top, it’s a 54 foot drop, which, despite the bridge being five feet across, still feels daunting when you look over the side.
One by one, we stepped out onto the bridge to get our picture taken by those back on the trail. Standing on the bridge, looking over the desert, was both exhilarating & terrifying. The desert was strikingly beautiful – I could have stayed on that bridge gazing at it for hours. But only one person was allowed on the bridge at once & there was a line of people waiting to get their picture taken in the same iconic spot where the bridge thins ever so slightly & looks even more terrifying.
We headed back to the car to return to town, where we stopped at Berry Divine for a post-hike treat. Berry Divine serves delicious açai bowls topped with multiple combinations of fruit, granola, nuts, coconut oil, chocolate, & more! I have never had a smoothie bowl like it. The açai was the consistency of thick ice cream, & it was both tart & sweet, a delightful contrast on the tongue. I ordered the Red Rock Bowl, which was topped with tart raspberries, goji berry & raspberry puree balanced with sweet banana & crunchy granola. The result was satisfying & surprisingly filling.
At this point, our group split up. We dropped Jake & Jess off to go on a Pink Jeep tour in the desert, & then we picked up Starbucks & went to the trailhead once again, where Mom & Dad dropped us off & then went back to Sedona to walk the town. Coffee in hand, Joseph & I went back on the trails.
We took the Brins Mesa Loop which took us into the mountains & Coconino National Forest. I was stunned to see so much life growing in a desert! All around us, trees grew thick, at some points blocking the red rock from view. We traveled up, covering over 1,000 feet of elevation, all the while stopping to turn on the spot & gaze in wonder at our surroundings.
At the top of our hike, Joseph led us on an impromptu detour. We left the trail to climb up to the top of an outlook point. From our perch, we could see the buildings of Sedona against the backdrop of indigo mountains, the tops of which were hidden by thick, gray clouds. We sat for a moment, looking down over the valley below, before finally scrambling back down the rock face & continuing down the trail.
Climbing up to Soldier’s Pass was no easy feat. The elevation spiked quickly, & we were both out of breath as we climbed up to the cave. To enter, fallen rocks had formed a natural set of stairs. The cave itself was lit by multiple openings that gave gorgeous views of the mountains & trees. We sat in one of the holes to rest & take in the arresting view. Sedona truly is magnificent.
We were running late to meet up with our companions, so we ran the next half mile to the Seven Sacred Pools. Each pool almost perfectly circular, & they stepped down a slope, each holding still water that reflected the sky above. In the desert landscape, they, like the trees, looked out of place, & I was left wondering how such perfect little pools, all lined in a row, had been made in the rock.
We ran the last mile back to the car, & arrived at the trailhead just minutes after our family had arrived to pick us up. Once there, we all agreed to go to Old town Cottonwood for dinner. It’s a small town in the heart of wine country, filled with locally owned shops & charm.
We chose Colt 804 Grill for dinner, & we were not disappointed. The barbecued & smoked meat are cooked to succulent perfection, & each of the homemade sauces offered are unique & mouth-watering. I ordered a cobb salad with smoked bacon & beef brisket, & despite the enormous portion, it was so good I nearly finished the entire bowl.
It was getting dark & cold, but we decided to walk the streets for just a few minutes to take in the sights. Christmas lights lit our way down the busy, small town road. Most of the shops were closed, but we did dip into Verde Valley Olive Oil Traders, attracted less by the little bottles of oils & more by the friendly looking dog inside. After getting our fill of pets & cuddles, we did end up buying a delicious package of peppermint bark fudge for dessert.
The drive home was quiet. We were all tired from our long day. But it was a good tired – one I feel after many of my adventures with Joseph after our full days of hiking & traveling. It was so exciting to be able to experience that with my family as well, & I am looking forward to many more adventures with this awesome group of people. I loved that we started the day together, a few of us stepping a little out of our comfort zones for the hike but enjoying the time with one another. And then I even enjoyed splitting up for the afternoon, each doing the activities that we most love, & then we met up once again to enjoy a meal & share about our days. All during dinner, we were passing around phones, sharing photos as we described in rich detail all of the amazing things we had experienced.
Me at the impromptu outlook point Joseph took us to off the trail
If you have the chance to visit Sedona, I highly recommend it. There is definitely something for everyone there. Whether you want to go out on the trails, window shop in town, or on an adventure in a bubblegum pink jeep, everyone in your group is bound to have fun.
And just once, while you are there, take a step back & just soak in the view. Notice the vibrance of the colors, the sound of the wind in the leaves of trees in what should be a barren landscape, & the smell of sweet desert flowers & fruit. I would go so far to say that visiting Sedona is a spiritual experience. It’s a reminder of just how beautiful life is, & how even in the most challenging & dismaying circumstances, there is always a way to, not just survive, but to flourish & grow into something beautiful.
When you are traveling with a group, it is inevitable you will run into different opinions about what to do. And when you only have one vehicle, things can get even more complicated.
On the first morning with no plans for our trip, everyone had different ideas of what to do. My brother, Jake, & his fiancé, Jess, wanted to go horseback riding or rock climbing. Joseph & I wanted to go hiking. And my mother, the practical one, wanted to go grocery shopping.
Because my mother’s activity of choice was the most essential, she won the use of our sole vehicle. The rest of us waited at the Airbnb, talking about what to do next. We looked up horseback riding & decided a sunset ride a few days from then would be best, so that left a decision between hiking & rock climbing. Jake & Jess decided to drive with us to our hiking spot of choice, where there were plenty of small mountains to climb.
We left after 10am, far later than I had wanted. The sun was high in the sky by this point & beat down on our heads as we set off on the trail. Within minutes, I could feel my skin starting to burn & regretted not bringing sunscreen.
Joseph on the Verrado Petroglyphs trail
Despite the late hour, the trail was a lot of fun. My dad accompanied Joseph & I on our hike, & we passed the two hours chatting & pointing at sightings of wildlife as we trekked up the trail. We spotted a family of deer stepping lightly around the cacti that littered the ground, & my dad pointed to an empty spot of trail at one point that, a moment before, a road runner had scuttled across.
We climbed up a few rocks of our own to see the view, which, while brown & tawny, was spectacular. Now a few miles into our hike, we were completely surrounded by mountains & tall saguaros that showed us just how magnificent you can grow to be when you are willing to adapt to your environment.
We had chosen the Verrado Petroglyphs trail to see the ancient cave drawings carved into the rock. Unfortunately, all we caught was a small glimpse of this ancient art form. The one large boulder that contained the drawings had been blocked off with a chain link fence topped with barbed wire loop. We peered in to look at what appeared to be ancient stick figures & squiggles, & I was met with a moment of glee at thinking that people so many thousands of years ago drew pictures much like the ones we draw today.
Jake & Jess met up with us in the parking lot, & after getting coffee, we drove back to our Airbnb where Mom was waiting for us. We decided to spend the night in & got some snack food & drinks from the grocery store. Joseph turned on some music, & he, Jake, Jess, & Dad jumped into the pool while Mom & I sat out & just enjoyed the ambience.
When we grew hungry for dinner, we decided to continue our quest to find the best tacos in the area. Yesterday, we visited Baja Tacos for dinner, & the delicious food inspired us to try other local Mexican restaurants & decide which was the best. This time, we tried Oscar’s Taco Shop. The food was incredible, full of bold flavors that both contrasted & complimented one another. Salty cheese, creamy sour cream, earthy avocado, & spicy sauces made each dish a plate of perfection. I ordered the taco salad with shrimp in a fried tortilla bowl, which, while it was not quite the warm & comforting tacos I had tried the day before, it was still utterly satisfying. The tortilla was fried until crispy but it still tore softly & melted on the tongue, & the salad was fresh but still filling.
Compared to Baja Tacos, Oscar’s Taco Shop had more variety & included vegetables in their dishes, which is a huge win for me, but Baja Tacos’ homemade sauces & small business charm that could somehow be tasted in its food still made it a tough competitor. All in all, I think we will have to try another Mexican restaurant before we make our final pick.
We ended the evening resting our full tummies while playing a new card game, Uno Flip, which my mom had bought that day while running errands. Laughing around the table, I was struck by just how happy I was in how the day had turned out. We all have our different interests that pull us in differing directions, both in our daily lives & on vacation. But I love it when we all have the chance to come together & spend time with one another. There is nothing sweeter than that time spent around the table, laughing, talking & enjoying each other’s company.
When we return home, we will once again separate to our different lives, but I have hope that we will continue to seek special moments like these, where we can set any differences aside & enjoy the time spent with one another.
I love our meticulously planned travels, when we know where we are going & where we will be sleeping every night, but there is nothing more exciting than the spontaneity of a road trip.
For months, Joseph & I were planning to go up to New York for a few days for a wedding. However, it was not until a few days ago that we decided to leave a day early & make an impromptu trip to Delaware.
The day before we left, I did a little research to find a few places where we would want to stop. We packed our bags late Monday night, & then on Tuesday, with bathing suits on underneath our clothes, we headed out in our van to Rehoboth Beach.
We were lucky to have gone on one of the last warm days of the season. The ocean was cool but not unbearably so. We played in the waves with youthful exuberance, remembering the carefree days of our childhoods spent jumping through the waves. When the sun disappeared behind the clouds & goosebumps arose on our arms, we retired from our game & laid on the beach, toes dug into the warm sand, to dry off.
In our hurry to leave our home, we had not eaten much, so we decided to walk along the boardwalk to find some food. Our first stop was Thrasher‘s, a renowned french fry stand. We ordered a small container of fries to share. Immediately upon receiving our food, cawing seagulls began to swoop down over our heads, getting far too close for my comfort. We walked quickly, shielding our fries from their talons, until we were out of their reach. Then we walked while we munched, searching for our next stop among the many shops & restaurants.
Most of the businesses were closed for the season, but we finally settled on Blackwall at the Beach because it served crab cakes, which we both had a hankering for. We ordered the Trident Broiler to share, which came with a fillet of salmon, a large lump meat crab cake, & two small shrimps, served with a zesty roasted corn salsa & a roasted red pepper slice topped with melted Parmesan cheese. The plate had both our mouths watering as soon as it was set before us, & we finished it within minutes. All of the seafood was cooked to perfection, & each part of the dish paired beautifully with the subtly spicy aioli & refreshing basil pesto that were served alongside.
Our stomachs were full, but we thought we would be remiss to leave the boardwalk we both remembered from our childhood without a reminiscent scoop of ice cream. We perused the shops a little longer, dipped into a bookstore to find a few new interesting titles, & then finally settling on Kilwins for our special icy treat.
The locally owned confectionary did not disappoint. I ordered a scoop of the lemon sorbetto, which was thick & creamy, with just the perfect amount of sweet & sour. Joseph ordered a blended scoop of bitter yet sweet cappuccino chip & Kilwins tracks, which was reminiscent of the chocolate-studded favorite, Moose Tracks. We sat on a bench in the fading sunlight to savor our treats before finally heading back to the van.
We bought the van used from my mom months ago with the idea that it would make a great travel vehicle. It’s not yet as decked out in travel comforts as we would like, but it’s still a large enough space for the two of us to fit comfortably to sleep. Joseph found a local beach that allowed overnight parking, & we drove thirty minutes to the serene spot. In the darkness, we walked up to the sand, gazing up in awe of the stars above our head & watching lightning crackling in distance. In the darkness, we couldn’t see the waves, but the sound of the water crashing on the shore was deafening yet pleasant, like listening to a favorite song turned up all the way on headphones.
The only discomfort were the biting flies that would not cease feasting on any exposed skin they could find. When we couldn’t take the nuisances any longer, we returned to the van, moved all of our bags to the front, & laid out our sleeping bag & pillows in the back of the van.
The distant storm had created a humidity in the air that left water dripping down the windows. Our skin sweaty & hot, we debated whether or not to open the windows & invite the flies to join us. Joseph found a way to secure our beach towels overtop open windows, which may have let in a bit of cool air, but mostly the towels just clogged up the gap & left us just as hot as ever. Uncomfortable but exhausted, we both fell into an uneasy sleep.
The night continued to be one of the longest of my life. First & foremost, even with a sleeping bag, the floor of a van does not make a comfortable mattress. Tossing & turning, I felt like I awoke every 20 minutes to reposition my body in an attempt to find a comfortable spot. Meanwhile, the air, which had been unbearably hot to start, chilled as the night went on. By the middle of the night, we had both covered ourselves with blankets & winter jackets to try to stay warm.
When my alarm finally sounded, I awoke feeling tired but resigned to the knowledge that there was no way I was going to get any more rest anyway. We packed up the van & began the bleary-eyed drive to Lums Pond State Park.
The trail was just shy of seven miles around a peaceful, blue lake. The hike had little elevation, so despite the distance, it was not challenging. We spent the time chatting with ease. Most of the hike was the same view of the lake obscured partly by the trees we were trekking through. However, we did finally reach the swamp that the Swamp Forest Trail earned its name from.
When I heard the hike featured a swamp, I was not expecting much, but I was actually pleasantly surprised. The view was stunning. The green water actually looked clean & inviting. Ripples ran along the surface without a sound, blurring the mirrored images of the trees angled overtop its surface. We stood for a moment, soaking in the view before finally turning to walk the few miles back to the van.
For lunch, we decided to go to Market Street in Wilmington, a bustling street with a main-city feel despite being located in the middle of a city. Part of the street had been closed to allow vendors & food trucks to sell their goods. Despite there being a number of restaurants we had heard about, we decided the best taste of local food would be from these brightly colored trucks, so we perused the selection before finally settling on our favorites. Joseph ordered a surf & turf sandwich, a sub roll stuffed with smoked chicken & shrimp smothered in chipotle sauce & sprinkled with bacon, with a side of creamy bacon mac & cheese from a green food truck down the line. Meanwhile, I visited Zaikka, an Indian food truck, & ordered a pita wrap slathered with creamy hummus & topped with lightly fried falafel, lettuce & peppers. We ate at a picnic table, listening to the music blaring from a nearby tent that obliterated any chance for conversation.
The hour was getting late & we still had a long drive to New York, so we decided to find a coffee shop for a little caffeine kick before bidding Delaware farewell. We stopped at Brew HaHa!, a famous Delaware coffee shop serving up some of the best coffee in the state. I never order my coffee with sweetener of any kind, but despite this, the cold latte with almond milk was smooth & light. Brew HaHa! definitely goes on my list of one of the best coffee shops I have been to.
Our time in Delaware was short, but no less special than all of our travels. In fact, I think the short amount of time, & the amount activities we stuffed into it, made it even more exciting. The lack of sleep, scenic views, & unending search for delicious food & coffee are what road trips are made of. It’s a little taste of adventure in what otherwise would have been a day like any other.
However, I am a strong believer that adventures can be found even in the seemingly mundane moments of life. We are all the writers of our own stories, & we can choose the directions they go, what details we choose to focus on, what plot points & characters we choose to pursue. Any day can become an unexpected adventure if you’re willing to think of it that way, & perhaps venture a little outside of your comfort zone. Perhaps it means doing something spontaneous, like a road trip, or just something uncomfortable, like sleeping on the floor of a van. Or maybe it’s just taking note to & giving a little extra appreciation to the moments you don’t normally pay attention to, like the bittersweet taste of coffee. The morning caffeine run or the new restaurant chosen for after-work drinks can be relished for the little joys they are. Life, & all the moments within it, whether they be full of exciting new adventures or comfortable routines, is meant to be fully noticed, experienced & savored.
