Travel by Dinah

04/25/2021

Don’t get caught waiting in line as the National parks open up this summer. It’s time to get out and see this beautiful country, like Bryce Canyon in Utah. I would love to help you get the most out of your trip—and I have lots of tips for your next national park trip. Contact me today to set up your next amazing journey!

04/22/2021

Happy National Park Week! It’s time to get out and see this beautiful country, like Arches National Park in Utah. There is a ton of things to experience in Utah. I would love to help you get the most out of your trip—and I have lots of tips for your next National park trip. Contact me today to set up your next amazing journey!

09/28/2020

Tourism Day, September 27, 2020
It's time to start thinking about your next trip. Whether it is domestic or international, it's never too early to start planning. I can navigate this new world of travel for you. Let's explore the options for 2021!

08/29/2020

Cave Falls - Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone is full of amazing falls but I’m singling out Cave Falls because of its uniqueness.
1) Cave Falls is the widest waterfall in Yellowstone at a little over 250’ wide.
2) The only way to access the falls is via Idaho. It is not accessible via the main loop inside Yellowstone Park.
3) The road leading to the falls is roughly 18 miles of gravel road with 2-3 miles of it being questionable for 2WD.
I read about the falls as a hidden gem, that is a must see and well worth the 18 miles of gravel road leading to it. I would seriously question that opinion. The falls were amazing but the road leading to it was a little hazardous. We tackled it in a 2016 Jetta but I would only recommend a high clearance, preferably 4WD vehicle. It started out OK, simple gravel road, nice and wide. Then about 14 miles in it becomes this cratered treacherous mess. It took us at least an hour to go those 2-3 miles. Some loggers we stopped to talk to along the way called it Wyoming pavement. Then about the time we thought we couldn’t torture our car one more minute, the last 2 miles were a nice little asphalt drive-we could only laugh at the development. Once we arrived, parking was limited & the area was pretty full. Families were swimming & picnicing. It seemed to be a favorite spot for locals.
Is this a must see? I don’t think so. But if you have a high clearance vehicle and a couple of hours to burn, it might be a fun adventure.

08/29/2020

Mesa Falls - Idaho
This trip was well worth the time. These falls were beautiful. There is an upper and lower falls. Take the time to do both. The upper falls has a nicely done wood walkway. There are steps involved but nothing too difficult. It takes you right up to the falls brink. The lower falls trail/lookout is not close but still a view worth taking in.

08/29/2020

Royal Gorge-Cañon City, CO
It has been over 40 years since I’ve visited the highest suspension bridge in North America & it has really changed. It’s unbelievably commercialized now. There is this gondola (pictured), zip lines across the gorge, bungee jumping, rock climbing, roller coaster & kids section with a petting zoo. It was like a mini six flags. To me it took away from the reason I was there - the amazing suspension bridge. The admission includes the gondola, the bridge, the kids world & the theater shows they have throughout the day. Masks are required in lines & indoors. The gondola is wiped down after each ride & only your party is put in a gondola car.

08/22/2020

Want to see more amazing pics and funny anecdotes of our excellent adventure exploring the USA. Check out our website

08/22/2020

Pikes Peak - America's Mountain
Loved this experience. I drove to the top while my husband was snapping photos. It's only 19 miles to the summit but it takes about an hour. It was a beautiful and terrifying experience, but so worth it.
Tips for driving to the top of Pikes Peak
1) Have plenty of gas
2) Make sure your car is in excellent condition
3) Take your time and don't worry about the cars behind you
4) Pull off several times on the way up and down. That allows the cars behind to pass & you can soak in some amazing scenery.
5) Know how to use the lower gears in your car-do not rely on your brakes to get down the mountain. They will probably catch fire.
6) There is much less oxygen at the top, so be prepared for possible dizziness and shortness of breath.

There are other ways to experience Pikes Peak if you do not feel you want to make that drive yourself.
1) Tour buses run daily and have made accommodations for COVID and social distancing.
2) Drive part of the way up and park. There are free shuttles that run every day that will take you up the rest of the way. The shuttles run about every 20-30 minutes and have made accommodations for COVID and social distancing. You will need a mask for the shuttle and to enter the gift shop/cafe on the top.

The peak is under construction right now so parking at the top is premium. If you want to drive all the way to the top, you will need to plan it during off peak hours. We went at 5pm and it was no problem.

The cog train is usually a popular option to get to the top of Pikes Peak but it closed this season due to the construction.

The cafe with the famous Pikes Peak donuts and other snack type treats along with the gift shop and restrooms are open. The peak closes at 7pm, so plan accordingly.

After an amazing afternoon exploring Pike's Peak, we found a fabulous place for dinner right after exiting the park.
The Wines of Colorado 8045 West Highway 24 in Cascade.
The ambiance was perfect. There was creek side dining. There was an abundance of specialty wines from the region and the food was excellent. I had a lightly breaded trout and my husband had a prime rib sandwich. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area.

08/21/2020

Garden of the Gods - Colorado
This beautiful city park is open from 5am-10pm. Visitor center has reduced hours due to COVID (varies by day). There is a paved trail that covers all the high points and much more that go off the beaten path. For the even more adventurous outdoors explorer, grab a permit to rock climb. We saw several climbers while we were there. If you don't feel like hiking, the drive through the park is pretty spectacular too. It's located in the city of Colorado Springs and is a must see. COVID did not seem to be keeping anyone away. We went in the middle of the week around 4pm and it had steady stream of visitors. Some were wearing masks but the majority were not since it was an outside venue. There was a large and clean restroom onsite.

08/18/2020

Hello all my wanderlust friends. International travel is not coming back fast enough for most of us. That leaves exploring our beautiful country as the best option for those of us who need travel in our lives. My husband and I have embarked on an extended US trip in our RV named "Sherlock". We are calling it "Louis and Dinah's Excellent Adventure". We will be targeting our beautiful national parks and lots of other "must sees" along the way.
I will be posting information about the sites and if there are any additional restrictions due to COVID.

05/26/2020

The Vatican will open back to the public June 1. In the meantime, a virtual tour of the Vatican museum will have to do. These virtual tours are rated among the best. Hmmm.....I can taste the cappuccino now.

Welcome to the Museums, which conserve the immense collection of art amassed by the popes from the seventeenth century onwards