Welcome to the first installment of our Best of State Parks Adventure Travel Guide Series! We love traveling to and adventuring in state parks so this series is definitely a labor of love. If you have dogs and travel in a van or RV, this is the guide for you! Even if you’re just starting out, you’ll get plenty of ideas for your own adventure travel in state parks. Today we’re diving into how to find state parks and what…
What comes to mind when you hear, “Kansas?” You might think of the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy tells Toto, “…I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” Or maybe you think of tornados, boring, flat terrain, or BBQ. Most people don’t think about camping in Kansas. But we recently discovered a beautiful state park that will change your mind. Wilson State Park If you love boating, swimming, fishing, hiking, or mountain biking, this state park is for you! We…
One of the fun things about road tripping, or traveling in general, is finding cool spots to stay along the way. Our cross country trip this year was no different. It can be a bit more challenging to find places that are open or accessible during the colder months of the year but you also have the benefit of being able to find spots without reservations when you otherwise wouldn’t be able to. We were fortunate enough to snag prime…
Planning to visit Arches National Park, or any popular national park for that matter, can be fun and overwhelming at the same time. You want to see so many popular sites but worry about dealing with all the crowds, figuring out where to park, how long you might need to wait in line for pictures (unfortunately this can happen), and potentially not getting to have the experience you were hoping to. Don’t worry! With a little bit of planning, you…
There are many benefits of spending time outside, including improvements to your mental wellbeing. There’s just something about feeling the sun on your face and watching trees, grasses, and flowers gently sway in the breeze while listening to the sounds of birds or squirrels chatter around you that can bring a sense of calm or peace to your day. Sitting still and allowing yourself to be present even for a moment can have a restorative impact on you. We have…
Have you ever felt the pressure to “see it all” when on vacation? We have definitely fallen into this trap – me (Melissia) more so than Alex. It’s hard not to especially when you read about other people’s adventures….I want to experience all the things! But that isn’t always realistic. Utah’s Mighty Five Earlier this year we traveled to southern Utah to explore the Mighty Five national parks. We had two weeks which included travel time in Vannah. Because we…
Did you know there are seven national forests in Idaho and that they cover nearly 40% of this beautiful state? We’ve explored 6 of these areas but nowhere near everything in each one. In other words, there is plenty of adventuring and discoveries to make for many years to come! According to the forest service website (fs.usda.gov), there are almost 400 campgrounds (with many more boondocking areas) and 250 trailheads. Do you enjoy exploring on ATVs or other motorized vehicles?…
Dark sky areas are special. There’s something about getting away from all the light pollution and looking up at the sheer number of stars in the night sky. I don’t know about you but we love looking up at the sky at night and picking out constellations and specific stars or planets. It’s all part of the outdoor experience for us. What Are They? While researching the route for our upcoming road trip, I discovered there are specific areas where…
Visiting Puerto Rico recently was a fun adventure. We explored, relaxed, and ate a lot of good food. We highly recommend booking a trip and staying in and around San Juan. Here are some things we learned and places we recommend you visit. The Beach We stayed in the Ocean Park area so spent several days at the beach there, which was walking distance from our Airbnb. It is a popular location and you’ll see a lot of wind and…
Picture this: Sitting on the private deck of a cute cabin looking out over the Middle Fork of the Boise River. You start to get a little chilly so decide to warm up by climbing down into the hot tub that is fed from a natural hot springs source. Sounds like a pretty ideal spot doesn’t it? Well this is what you get when you enjoy a stay at the Twin Springs resort! Alex and I recently had the pleasure…