Key West is the southernmost tip of Florida, but feels like the Caribbean with a laid back style all its own. There are so many activities here for families and couples. It’s also an easy days drive from a cruise port making it a perfect add-on to your cruise vacation. If you’re not doing a cruise; Miami is the closest major airport and rental cars abound.
You’ll have your choice of places to sleep here. Whether you prefer to to be lulled to sleep on your boat hotel, take drinks poolside at a resort, you prefer the ease of an Airbnb, or you’re parking your RV; there are endless options in Key West. Since we’re a military family I booked a townhome at a local Navy base that was mere minutes from downtown.
The first thing we did was take an old town trolley tour to get a lay of the land. These are always a wonderful way to get a high level overview of each town along with information on places you’d like to explore further. Since it’s a hop in/ off tour you can go explore then pick up right where you left off.
One of the things the kids wanted to stop for was one of the world famous dessert… key lime pie. This was a frozen chocolate covered slice on a stick.
There are many places to find this treat within Key West, but for the best mile high merengue topped slice head over to Blue Heaven.
While you’re on the trolley make time to see Flagler’s Casa Marina hotel or the Harry S Truman Little White House. One of our favorite museums is the Mel Fisher maritime heritage museum. Here you can feel the weight of a bar of gold in your hands and explore the riches that were found in a shipwreck. While you’re here head outside to take a photo with a massive Banyan tree!
While you’re taking photos go a few blocks further to the cruise port and recreate the famous sailor kissing statue with your special someone.
Mallory square after dark is a must. The carnival like atmosphere in comfortable temperatures is fun for kids and adults alike.
Here you can snap a photo with your kids favorite characters, take part in a juggling show, or do some souvenir shopping.
A don’t miss tourist spot is the Southernmost point buoy. Get there early, it’s always warm and there’s always a line. While waiting in line you may spy roadside vendors hawking coconut drinks. It’s a fun treat on a warm day and so unique for kids to try.
After a good nights sleep Mathers beach was calling our name. The name may not come to mind, but the famous crooked palm tree on the beach is famous.
After a few hours of sun soaked fun we showered up and went for an awesome seafood dinner followed by some Tarpon feeding.
For our last morning of the trip we spent the day trying something new to us. We rented stand up paddle boards and beach chairs and made a day of it at the base marina.
The kids loved splashing in the water, strolling the beach and a break for burgers at lunch. Many applications of sunscreen later we headed home to grill a few steaks and get some sleep.
Since we live in Florida we simply opted to drive the length of Florida to get back home. There are several tourist attractions along the way including History of Diving Museum and the large key lobster.
One last meal at Jimmy Johnson’s Big Chill in Key Largo was burgers for the kids and tuna nachos for me and the hubby.
All in all we had so much fun making family memories. Key West is a major tourist draw and best if planned well in advanced especially for the most popular times of the year including spring break, Christmas holidays and lobster season; August through March.
I took a leap of faith. I quit my full time job to pursue traveling. I love what I do as a medical imaging professional and I feel that caring for others is a path I’ve had a calling to do, but I love travel. From the time I was a child my military father would move us around the country and my mother would take me as her travel buddy exploring each new city as well as far flung places. The seed was planted and staying in any one place too long just didn’t sit right. I always thought the only traveling professionals were nurses until 8 years ago when I met another allied health traveler. The timing wasn’t right, but it allowed me to dream of a future where I could combine my career of choice and my passion for travel. Being paid to intensively explore a new area of America every 3 months with as much time as I wanted to take off between assignments was a dream. And thus, I accepted a contract position in southern Oregon. Just about as far as one can get from Florida. I opted to take a weeklong solo road trip across America to get there.
Starting at home we took some time to play to tourist in St. Augustine, Fl. We camped at Anastasia state park, walked the beach, enjoyed some donuts, visited the Alligator Farm, Ripley’s believe it or not, the oldest school house, the old jail and the oldest store, and a few other things. I’ll save that for another blog post.
Early Sunday morning I did the last minute packing and set out for St. Louis. A nearly 13 hour drive along a route I had done many times before. I saw deer grazing along the interstate, watched the sun rise over a Coca Cola factory in Tifton and stopped at a Buc-ees in Macon.
I arrived to my friends house in time for a lovely walk around her neighborhood and then we set of for dinner at a 1920s era restored soda fountain aptly named Fountain on Locust. We’ve been here for dessert before, but I’d never tried their food. I ordered the two cups of soup and side salad special. That nights soup of the day was an amazing curry mulligatawny and my other choice was a white chicken chili with the Stutz special salad. Everything here is made in house and I don’t think you could be disappointed by any of it.
The atmosphere here feels indulgent. Old varnished wooden booths, richly colored walls, ornate lighting and era style music piped in just add to the experience.
Unquestionably, you need to order dessert here. Whether that dessert is alcoholic in the form of a multi-page choice of cocktails or ice cream you can’t go wrong. They are, however, famous for their late night delight. A fantastical sundae meant for sharing. A house made slice of pineapple upside down cake topped with butter pecan, coconut and butter pecan ice creams, drizzled with a bourbon sauce, whipped cream and brûléed bananas.
If you just can’t decide… well, I don’t blame you, but you can order the gambler. They make sure there isn’t anything you’ll either hate or be allergic to and the bartender whips you up a surprise sundae.
I was exhausted and passed out despite the sugar rush. Luckily for me, my friends are also early risers and we set off across town to The Shake for a few laughs over the menu, a chance to scribble on the walls and eat some gut bustlingly, filling breakfast choices.
I had “Ma, the meatloaf “ a bacon wrapped chunk of meatloaf atop crispy hash browns topped with two sunny side up eggs and gravy. It was spicy, savory and a delight. My friends ordered the “make your own dang quesadilla” (a breakfast version they do, in fact, make for you), as well as “why the French hate us”; a sausage hot dog placed in a croissant and topped with scrambled eggs, cheese and sausage gravy. We split the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Belgian waffle.
Fully satisfied I hugged my friends goodbye and drove to my next destination to see another friend. My goal was an easy 7 hour drive to Lincoln, Nebraska home of the Cornhuskers. Since I didn’t want to arrive before they finished work I built in a pit stop in Kansas City, Mo.
Here, I was able to take in the WWI memorial and the money museum. The museum is located at the federal reserve. It requires reservations, but it is free and includes parking. It’s a short walk from the memorial. It was a cute little space that had displays of old coins and cash and gives you the chance to watch employees of the reserve count and pack thousands of dollars in cash at a time. You even get to walk out with a bag of (shredded) money for free.
As it was lunch time I followed a few great reviews and drove to Joe’s Kansas City BBQ for a meal. You can’t stop in a city at lunch and not grab a bite of an iconic cuisine.
I wasn’t altogether hungry so I ordered a brisket sandwich with a side of mac ‘n cheese. Everything was delicious! I waited in line for nearly an hour on a weekday at noon, but I’d do it again. The bread for the sandwich was very fresh, the sauce was tasty and the smell of smoked meats filled the air. While the Mac ‘n cheese side was expensive it was one of the best, creamiest Mac ‘n cheese dishes I’ve ever had. If I ever stop by again I would prioritize this dish. If you come here get yourself some.
As I was leaving I saw the local farmers market arena and stopped to take a photo of the murals.
On the road once again, I had a few hours until my next destination. It went relatively quickly listening to podcasts. I arrived late in the afternoon and caught up with my friends. They took me to the old rail yard area that has been converted to bars, restaurants and shops all centrally located near the college football stadium. I’d begged my friends to take me for a steak dinner which they obliged, but first took me on a lovely tour showing off their great city.
While I’m sure my experience was not typical, I was extremely disappointed by the service and quality of our steak dinner. I feel terrible my friends had to experience such a poor meal when we’d all had such high hopes. Once I’d finally gotten the steak properly cooked, and had a steak knife brought out it was ok. I don’t think I’d go back unless it was for whisky. They have a stellar selection.
After dinner we drove to the campus for dessert at the Dairy Store. An ice cream parlor run by college students. He showed off the building he went to school and they pointed out where they’d taken their daughter for a photo shoot as an infant. By the way, the tractor test toffee was pretty darn tasty. If I ever went back earlier in the day, they also sell coffee and they’re missing a chance to sell affogato, but I’m sure they’d be willing to make one if requested.
Early the next morning, I took a walk in the neighborhood full of charming homes with beautiful lawns. When everyone was up and ready to go we headed to breakfast.
Good Evans is adorable. It’s an insta-worthy breakfast and lunch place for sure. The decision was a tough one, but I was in need of something erring in the side of healthy so I went for the steel cut oats and sourdough bread.
Once again I was packed into my car and on the road with miles of corn fields and rolling hills between me and my next destination. This time I was planning to spend two nights with my brother in Estes Park, Co. my parents drove down to see me as well. We cooked dinner at home and my mom made cannolis for desert. You couldn’t beat the view!
Waking in the morning we savored a cup of coffee on the back porch wrapped up in sweats. 44 degrees in the summer is pretty chilly for me.
Once the sun came out I changed to shorts and we went into town to enjoy a canoe ride on Lake Estes.
My niece works at the Marina so she was able to join me on the canoe. My parents opted to go shopping for that nights dinner instead.
We had a make your own fajita bar and I went for a bowl. My sister in law is from Texas so when she does Mexican food she does all the fixings and some adult lemonade to savor right along with it.
I hugged out my goodbyes and took off down the road just after sunrise. I had a long day ahead but wanted to drive with the sun as there are so many animals that an accident is much likelier in the dark. In fact, big horn sheep were grazing on the side of the road as I made my way down.
Driving west across Wyoming I came across various snow fences and it made me remember my high school years in North Dakota. I realized how removed I am from a way of life where I worry about blowing winds closing the interstate with drifts of snow.
I drove past buttes at the Flaming River gorge as I made my way into Utah.
The scenery began to change from white and green plains to red rocks as I crawled ever closer to the border.
About an hour and half west of Salt Lake City lie the Bonneville Salt Flats. Here you can surround yourself with miles and miles of salt caked to the ground. Not only does the dazzling white crust feel like another planet, the mountains in the background add to the atmosphere. It’s wild driving on a pure white salt road for miles. Arriving a day before the annual speedway races, there were quite a few racers already setting up camp, yet I was able to find a place all to myself.
In photographs the mountains seem so minute. There really is no way to give scale to this much salt. My car was crusted, my feet were caked and the black carpets of my car were all covered in salt. It was 104 degrees in the desert even with rain clouds starting to move in. I’d definitely need a car wash now.
My final destination for the evening was Elko, NV. You could see the silhouette of mountains looming but the smoke from forest fires hundreds of miles away kept them from being defined shapes. I checked into my room and walked down the street to Wingers and ordered a half Cobb salad and ate about half of that. This thing was loaded to the brim with goodies! A quarter of an avocado, half a grilled chicken breast, a whole egg, loads of bacon bits and cheese. It was amazing. I was more tired than hungry and didn’t manage a photo. I gulped a bunch of water and headed to bed.
My original plan had me waking early as usual with a several hour pit stop in Lassen Volcanic national park, but the park was closed due to the Dixie wildfire so I relaxed in bed for a bit longer. Breakfast was included at my hotel so I ate a decent enough meal to ensure I wouldn’t have a need to stop for lunch if that became iffy. Who knows what is closed when wildfires abound.
I started seeing sides of the road all the way up the nearby hills with charred trees and scorched grasses. These were old, but the smell of fires clung to the air.
Further up near the top of the hill passing through the Lassen national forest the smoke got intense blotting out the sun and firefighters had roads roped off.
It felt truly eerie. I said a silent prayer for all those affected by the fires and the people fighting them. I can’t imagine what they’re feeling. As I came off of the mountain the sky had regained some of its blue color and the sun started to shine again. Dropping into Redding, Ca the smoke is still around, but it’s comparatively less intense. I happened to drive right past a wonderful $10 car wash with attendants that use brushes to hand scrub your car before sending it through the wash and finish by hand drying it with a chamois. I didn’t even have to wait in line, although, there was one when I finished. I unloaded my things at the hotel and stopped at Trader Joe’s for some frozen Indian food I could microwave back at the room. If you haven’t tried it, the channa masala is wonderful with their fresh naan. One thing did catch my eye and I had to grab it.
A very tangy, sweet crunch of popcorn. I’m a sucker for key lime and this version is so good.
Redwood national park
After spending the evening stretching out in my hotel room I fell asleep early and woke up to the last leg of my trip. A drive through Northern California up I-5 through Ashford, Oregon; a town known for their Shakespearean festival, and Medford on my way to the coast. My final destination was a small coastal town a few miles from the California border. I took in as many sites of this gorgeous coastline as time allowed, but I had to meet my landlord and take care of a few items to be ready to start my new contract here in southern Oregon.
I’ll have plenty of time to explore the beaches and river in my new “home”. I hope you’ll join me on some more adventures in the PNW.
Salt Lake City is an easy to navigate airport with flights coming in from all over. It makes for a simple starting point to any vacation out west. We arrived late in the evening and picked up our rental car then drove up the mountains to our Airbnb.
We stayed at the Silver king resort. A ski resort that backs right up to the parking lot of one of the local ski resorts. It’s a perfect location for skiing in the winter and trail running in the summer. In the off season it’s supremely affordable with 2 large rooms, 2 bathrooms, a full kitchen, living room and in unit washer and dryer. It also includes underground parking and an indoor/outdoor pool (as well as hot tub) for year round fun. With a 7 year old we got daily use of this awesome pool.
I woke up at sunrise and was happy to find the weather in the low 60s and the sun just starting to come up as I made my way out for a short run around the town and golf course.
The beautiful downtown is in full bloom with each storefront having their own brilliant display of floral arrangements.
The Phoenix theater was worthy of a stop. The Egyptian details are colorful and abundant.
If you’re from a flat state this quaint town will give you a run for your money. Even my daughter had a tough time just walking. Between elevation and decent hills, it’s a good workout.
In town there’s a lovely bike bath, sound garden, skating park, restaurants and lots of stores. There is also a local distillery if you’re a whisky fan it’s a great place to check out. There are lots of photo worthy stops to take in. We enjoyed the art galleries and sculptures around town.
We opted to pick on activity for each day so we had something to look forward to, but also allowing us some downtime since we were on vacation after all. The first day was horseback riding at Deer Valley. I had to do some research to find a place that allowed younger children and 7 was the minimum age for this 1 hour tour. At first, my daughter was scared but after 5 min she asked if we could buy our own horse. Now it’s an activity she requests on every vacation.
For dinner we had a quick pizza on a balcony at Red Banjo pizza parlor in a restaurant that had been established in 1962, but the building has around since the late 1880s. The view of Main Street from the balcony as the sun set was better than the pizza.
The next morning started with a trail run. The first mile or two was tough, choosing to go straight up the slope instead of the switchbacks in order to hit the best parts quickly. There was more walking than running but it was still exhilarating. Taking in the elk, the wild flowers and aspen trees was literally a breath of fresh air from the swampy heat of summer in florida.
This morning instead of eating in the info we visited Riverhorse provisions for a light breakfast. It’s an old fashioned grocer style. You can buy items to go or order at the counter and have them brought to your table. The breakfast burrito was a big hit and the m&m cannoli was impossible to resist with my latte.
Today’s activity was river rafting on the Weber river. It involves a decent drive out of town so we threw on our swimsuit, packed the sunscreen and water shoes and took off for an afternoon of fun. The rafting ride includes a drink and even younger children can enjoy themselves on this quiet part of the river. There is one very small section with milk currents they can enjoy, but this is not whitewater. Our guide was a knowledgeable college student who pointed out all of the formations, encouraged us to hop out when it was safe and led us crouching under a very low bridge. It was an adventure we all enjoyed.
As we were close to town I had been eyeballing some milkshakes at Burley burger in south weber and it was a perfect dinner stop. If you’re really hungry then have a massive burger, fries and shake food challenge. I don’t think we could’ve finished it between the three of us!
We spent the remainder of the day splashing at the pool and then had an early bedtime.
This morning we, again, drove up to Deer Valley for paddle boarding around the lake. We opted not to go further out as a small pond allowed my daughter to captain a board all by herself. It was a fun way to enjoy a few hours on a lake that doesn’t have waves or gators. Both of which I’m thankful to enjoy.
After getting cleaned up we headed out for a hike. Donut falls was calling our names! This is a very easy hike through some great forest areas with an end at a waterfall that flows through a donut shaped rock formation. It was a very popular spot for both family hikes and family photo sessions.
We finished the hike later in the evening and we’re stunned by a beautiful sunset yet again.
Our last day in Park city. I went for another, longer trail run. 9 miles just flew by and I wished I’d had all day to explore.
Today’s fun activities were all located at the Olympic village; host of the 2002 Winter Olympics. We enjoyed the museum and watched people do the ski jumps. All of the fun stuff here is included with a wristband for limitless fun during a 2 hour session. We tried tubing, the ropes course, the alpine sled and that was about it, but is a bit more to see if you don’t spend too much time in any one place.
We had an early dinner at an Bartolo’s; it’s only a few miles from the village in the little shopping area.
Goodbye Park City! We loaded the rental car and drove out of the mountains into Salt Lake City. We would’ve had more fun exploring downtown, but everything of interest was closed due to Covid. I was glad we didn’t book a full day there. We did enjoy a great brunch at Sweetlake biscuits & limeade.
While downtown we did get some pictures in front of the spectacular Mormon church and around the square despite it being under construction. The flowers here were so plentiful it scented the entire square.
We then drove to the airport for our next adventure with plans to return to see more of Utah.
I’ll be honest. Living in Florida, Tucson was never on my radar. There are a few Arizona cities I’d go out of my way to see, but this just wasn’t one of them. Thanks to a snowstorm derailing our trip to Colorado we added Tucson to our itinerary instead. I didn’t think there was much to do. Now I can’t imagine not adding this city to a must see list of Arizona places. It’s beautiful, diverse and family friendly.
We picked up our car in Phoenix and headed to Tombstone for a few hours. This historic 1870s silver mining town is infamous for shootouts in the street and a general lawlessness that was par for the course in the old west and it plays that part up for visitors from around the world. Go ahead and park your car and spend the next few hours walking… it’s all very close. Start with Boothill Graveyard which is the only thing you’ll need to hit before parking for the day. It sits at the entrance to town. You’ll pay a small fee in cash at the entrance and will be given an information booklet to use for your self guided tour.
Even with a child in tow we spent a solid 45 min wandering through the rows reading off the guidebook imaging what life must have been like back then. Here you can see what must’ve surely been an inspiration to the tombstones at Disney’s Haunted Mansion.
There’s a pretty fantastic view of the Sierra and Dragoon mountain ranges from the hill.
A few miles down the road you’ll find the city center. You can’t miss it. Just listen for the sounds of gunfire. Yes, gunfire! There are several re-enactments of shootouts down the Main Street each day. Each skit is different so watch them all. From the smell of gunpowder in the air to the sight of men dressed in cowboy garb playing cards you’ll get a real sense of being transported back in time.
Here you can souvenir shop to your heart’s delight, you can take a tour of the most haunted building in town , the Bird Cage Theatre, visit a real silver mine, see the OK corral, or have lunch in Big Nose Kate’s saloon.
But wait, there’s more. Have you ever wanted to ride an old horse drawn carriage down a dirt road or see the real house of Wyatt Earp? You can do that here too. If you can swing it, go see the old courthouse as well.
We headed down the road for our final stop of the night in Bisbee, Az; a small copper mining town from the same era that is a quaint town with less drama. They do hold a race each year that involves a whole lot of stairs if you’re so inclined. You will get a workout walking this very hilly town. I’d suggest starting at the visitors center and walking immediately to Bisbee’s table for an astounding bbq bacon cheeseburger. They even offer a chicken tender kids meal that was 100% kid approved. If you’re not looking for lunch or dinner they do have a coffee shop in the same plaza, as well as a handful of shopping stalls.
Now that our bellies were very full we had some energy to tackle the hills looking at the various architectural gems and peeking in a few stores. The old Copper Queen Hotel is beautiful, in fact, everything here harkens to a more genteel time. Do yourself a favor and make reservations ahead of time to do the copper mine tour. We were disappointed to not be able to get in, but as we drove to the other side of town to our Airbnb we caught a glimpse of the massive crater from the mine.
As the sun was waning we found our 1906 Callumet & Arizona guest house we found on Airbnb. This was an extremely last minute find, but if I’m ever in the area again I’ll definitely book again. The owner, Joy, is very personable, the home has more character and detail than nearly any other place I’ve stayed and the breakfast in the morning was delicious and filling. It was fun to wander the rooms checking out every detail from the copper plated fireplace, to the tin roof ceilings, to a phone from the 1800s. Even the outdoor gardens with koi fish and tucked away patio areas were fun to explore. Our room was the entire top floor with a king sized bed and Murphy bed. It was not lacking in the same charm found throughout the home. There is a link to the Airbnb in Courtyard image.
After our home cooked breakfast we packed our suitcases and drove back towards Tucson proper for our next few nights. I had booked a very special treat, but first, donuts! I have a thing for trying to find a great donut place wherever I visit and it was on this fateful day I realized the problem with this. If it’s somewhere far away you could have a donut you’ll dream about for ages and never be able to have it again. And such is the case with this nondescript pink donut shop Benson Donuts, in the town of the same name. These things were so fresh they tasted perfect even by the next morning. The twist was so tender it nearly fell apart when I held it up like a trophy fish for a photo, the fritter was the size my daughters face, and the coconut buttermilk donut that I have only ever had in Arizona was crispy and perfect. My daughter loved her filled donuts as well. Yes, we saved some for another day. No, I didn’t want to be a responsible adult. The whole box cost us a whopping $9. If you’re prone to drooling scroll quickly past these next photos. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Arriving to our next stay at Rincon Creek Ranch we checked in at the main desk and were driven out to our casita for the next few days. That’s right. We had our very own casita that backed up to Saguaro National park. In fact, it had its own private entrance to the park. We spent a few hours on the patio using the provided binoculars birdwatching over the fields of cacti.
The real star of the show here is the ENORMOUS copper bathtub. I had to fight my daughter for a turn to soak in a bubble bath that fully encompassed my entire 6’ tall frame. Finally, I had found a real soaking tub and the copper held heat for hours!!!
This fully furnished casita had a fireplace with provided firewood, a Dutch door so we could open the top and watch the sun set from our dining table, a full kitchen including a basket of eggs from the owners chickens, as well as a washer and dryer. There is a community center that has a shuffleboard table, bigger TVs, a bar set up as well as movies and games to take back to your casita. We woke in the morning and drove into Saguaro National Park.
I adore the National Parks. I have been to so many and all of them are so different. When someone asks my favorite it’s like choosing which of my children I like best. It is not possible to choose. Saguaro is different than most parks since it is divided in and east and a west side by the town of Tucson. The found the east side is more amenable to a driving tour and the west side is better for hiking. Both are breathtaking taking and both have some opportunities to get out of the car and gawk wide eyed at a forest is cacti. We explored the East side the first day enjoying a stop at the visitors center which is not open everyday, so check hours first. At the end of the loop is Javelina rocks, perfect for a short easy hike with a nice view.
After a few hours in the park we had to drive just a few miles down the road to our reservation at Colossal Caves mountain park. We went into the cave as a small group of six. Our guide showed us many formations and at one point allowed my daughter to use a black light to watch how it retained the light. We were also shown how scorpions glow blue in black lights. This cave has been dry since the ice ages and due to early practices there has been irreversible damage, but it is still beautiful.
When we emerged from our cave tour we were able to catch a glimpse of the local coati family. There are also hiking trails to indulge your inner hiker within the park so if you have time before or after the cave tour go ahead and plan to do a short hike here as well.
Moving from here to the west side of the park we were able to hike to the petroglyphs where we posed with some really old, tall saguaro cacti, some cute little button cacti and got an expansive view of the rolling desert terrain.
On our last full day in Tucson we woke to snow. Yes. My daughter was so excited she threw on her shoes and ran out the door to chase snowflakes with her tongue.
We let the snow ease off and we drove up to Mt. Lemmon to get some real snow. In the Coronado national forest there are several hikes and multiple jaw dropping vistas along the drive to the top.
The tippy top of Mt. Lemmon is 9,159 feet elevation. Plan to take your time getting there. You will want to stop many, many times along the way to explore, play in snow or take a quick snapshot. This day we had plenty of snow on the ground and due to fog the views were hidden until our drive back down.
All that driving left us ready for lunch. When in Arizona, Mexican food is a must. We decided to eat lunch at a place that known for creating the infamous chimichanga. El Charro Cafe has been run by the same family for over 100 years. I had the mini chimichanga appetizer as my meal so I could enjoy birria, chicken, cheese and beef flavors. We ordered flan for dessert. I had to wrestle the flan away from my daughter. It was that good. The kids meal was a nice quesadilla and a few sides. The chicken had a good wood fired grill flavor.
After lunch we had our reservations at the American Sonoran Desert Museum. I wasn’t sure this would be that interesting, but figured it was something to do and why not? Wrong again. And thank goodness because it was a solid hour drive from lunch. Luckily, the running theme of this trip has been my underestimation of how awesome Tucson really is.
This place is part zoo, part botanical garden, part zoo, part geology museum. Really. It is HOURS worth of entertainment. We started off looking at different rocks, even being able to pick one to take home.
Then we moved on the see coyotes, beavers, bighorn sheep, hummingbirds, stingrays and several other animals. The snakes are kept in a different area.
I never knew there were so many varieties of cacti or that they could be so beautiful.
Well, that’s it. A whirlwind 4 days in the southern part of Arizona did not disappoint. As we made our way north for the other half of our vacation we left Tucson behind with some pretty great memories. While there is still more to discover I think we did a pretty good job of filling our vacation days.
If you’d like to see more photos from our trip (oh I know I spammed this blog with a ton anyway) feel free to follow me on Instagram at @jtofjax
Are you limited on time, but long to find a perfect getaway? RMNP is a great fit. Denver international is a 90 min drive from Estes Park, the gateway to this magnificent national park and it has flights routinely coming in from all over the country. As a Floridian I long for cool weather and mountains when I vacation. I was able to snag a 4 hour direct flight after work Friday from MCO to DEN. A quick drive to Estes Park and off to bed. Breakfast was at the Donut Haus located inside the Sinclair station. It’s a do-nut miss stop for these lovely fried pieces of dough! With an early wake up time we wandered around the cutest little downtown shops picking up the collectible pins we’ve come to love and indulging in the best huckleberry waffle cone I’ve ever tasted. I got to enjoy said cone on a picnic table by the babbling river with the scent of lilacs filling the air. Our next stop was the Mustang alpine coaster. 10 min wait and it provides a breathtaking view of the town. We waited until after 3pm to enter the park because we didn’t purchase timed entry tickets and wanted the best chance to view animals. We drove past amazing mountain vistas, 8 foot walls of snow (yes in June!) and numerous hiking paths. We encountered moose, elk and deer all along the drive. We spent a glorious 5 hours in the park taking it all in. Dinner was back in Estes Park at the Burger & gyros on Morraine. I ordered the gyro which was absolutely PACKED with meat, we shared a few orders of seasoned fries and everyone else got some pretty amazing burgers. We hit up Safeway for a variety of dessert options. The next morning we had a splurge reservation at Dunraven. This fabulous restaurant serves epic Italian dinners and a variety of brunch items. I chose the blackberry mimosa and breakfast burrito complete with chili verde, my sister in law enjoyed the French toast, while my brother got the denver omelette. Everything was enjoyed on the fresh air deck overlooking the lake. We had plenty of time to make our way back to Denver to catch a 4pm flight back home. How much can YOU pack into a weekend?
Eating Around 