Amber and I took a long weekend to Chattanooga. It's a place that can sneak up on you, it's close enough for an easy drive, but has enough character that you feel like you've actually gone somewhere. When we got into town we checked into the Residence Inn by Marriott Chattanooga Downtown, which turned out to be the perfect home base. First stop, the Incline Railroad at the St. Elmo station. It's one of those classic Chattanooga experiences. It is a steep ride and at the top you land right at Point Park, which is part of the National Park Service. The views stretch forever, and it's one of those spots where you automatically slow down and just take it in. Dinner that night was at Community Pie for some wood fired pizza and a cold beer. The next morning we went to Ruby Falls. We have never been there before and It's amazing to think something that dramatic is hiding under Lookout Mountain. From there, we made a quick detour to Sunset Rock, the short hike version from 405 West Brow Road. It's the perfect in-between stop, just enough of a walk to feel like you earned the view. The overlook was beautiful. Rock City was next, and it's exactly what you expect quirky, scenic and nostalgic, full of those "I remember this from childhood" moments. All in all another great trip planned by Amber!
Belize March 2024 - Slide Show
Next, on to Belize for for Zack's spring break where we are going to spend time in both the jungle and at the coast as well. While in the Jungle, we're staying at the Mariposa Jungle Lodge where we went on a short hike in the jungle and spent some time hanging around the pool with a beverage. While at the pool we had a visitor that is about a three-foot-long green iguana! Our first excursion was to Actun Tunichil Muknal, this is the big one. We went trekking through the jungle and swimming into the cave and it was incredible to see the Mayan artifacts and the stunning, 1,100 year old crystallized Mayan skeletal remains of the Crystal Maiden. There are no cameras allowed so we will have to just keep this one in our memories. The following day, we took a guided tour of the Xunantunich ruins. It's right near the Guatemala border and we had to take a hand-cranked ferry to get across the river. While there we saw another massive iguana that had to be over four feet long. The view from the top of "El Castillo" was truly amazing! After checking out of Mariposa Jungle Lodge we started heading to The Lodge at Jaguar Reef on the coast, but Amber made sure we made the most of the drive. In route to Hopkins we made a stop to go cave tubing. Floating through the limestone caverns was a great way to break up the travel day. Our first full day on the coast we took a boat ride where we went snorkeling on the barrier reef, hand fishing where we all caught fish and I caught a grouper and then to South Water Caye where we got to eat fresh caught fish! For our last adventure, we went to tour a bioluminescent lagoon It started with a river cruise down the Sittee River to spot some nocturnal wildlife keeping an eye out for crocs and iguanas before hitting the lagoon to see the water glow. It was by far better than the one we saw while in Puerto Rico! So many beautiful places in this world to see, thanks Amber for planning another amazing adventure!!
Alaska June 2024 -
Slide Show
Our Alaska Road Trip: Glaciers, Grizzlies, and Good Eats. We finally made it to the Last Frontier! Alaska has been on the bucket list for a while, and we just wrapped up an incredible week of driving, hiking, and exploring. We touched down in Anchorage on Saturday and checked into the Marriott Downtown. We didn't waste any time and headed straight to 49th State Brewing for dinner which had a great atmosphere and even better beer to start the trip. Sunday was a big travel day, but in Alaska, the drive is the destination right! We grabbed breakfast at Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop which had the BEST pastries and hit the road toward Seward. We took our time along Turnagain Arm and made plenty of stops. Potter Marsh & McHugh Creek was the perfect stop to stretch our legs. Next on to Beluga Point and Windy Corner. After that we headed to Girdwood where we hiked the short but beautiful trail to Virgin Creek Falls and grabbed a quick pint at Girdwood Brewery. Before hitting Seward, we stopped in Moose Pass at the Moose Drop-in Trading Post. We finished the day hiking around Exit Glacier. Seeing the ice spill down from the Harding Icefield is something else. We crashed at the Gateway Hotel and had amazing meals at The Cookery and Seward Brewing Co. Monday was all about the water. We took a boat tour with Major Marine Tours out of Resurrection Bay over to Aialik Bay. If you want to see glaciers calving and spot sea lions, whales, otters and other marine life, this is the way to do it. On Tuesday, we drove over to Homer and checked into Ocean Shores. We did a walk-in tasting at Bear Creek Winery, then headed down to the famous Homer Spit. You can't go to Homer without grabbing a drink at the Salty Dawg Saloon where the walls are covered in dollar bills! Finished the night with a fantastic dinner at AJ's Steakhouse. Wednesday was easily one of the coolest days of the trip (and likely my favorite excursion ever)!!! We drove to Lake Clark and took a boat ride across Cook Inlet to Chinitna Bay for a bear adventure with Capt. Mel Erickson. Seeing those bears in their natural habitat was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. To be up that close and personal to such an amazing animal is something I will never forget. We spent the night at the Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge, which felt like the classic Alaska cabin experience. Thursday, we headed toward Palmer. Along the way, we did the moose encounter at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) and hiked the Byron Glacier Trail. After lunch at the famous Moose's Tooth in Anchorage, we hiked Thunderbird Falls. On Friday, we got to hike on the ice at the Matanuska Glacier. Our guide was fantastic and we got to drink water from the glacier too. We timed it perfectly to catch the Palmer Street Festival that evening and ate at the Palmer Ale House where ordering the Black and Blue fries is a must. We spent Saturday in Talkeetna, where we did a rugged ATV tour through Hatcher Pass (which I highly recommend) and explored the downtown area. Dinner was pizza at Mountain High Pizza. We spent the night at the Talkeetna Villas. We made friends with the locals there, spent the evening hanging out with them and it was the best time! Before heading back to Anchorage on Sunday, we stopped at Alaskan Husky Adventures to meet the dogs. It was the perfect way to end the trip. We grabbed one last treat at Wild Scoops ice cream in Anchorage before heading to the airport. Alaska, you were incredible. We're tired, our boots are muddy, and our hearts are full. Until next time!
Virgin Creek Falls
Salmon Farm
Exit Glacier
Otter - Resurrection Bay
Humpback Whale
Grizzly Bear
Moose Feeding
Husky Adventure
Utah September 2024 - Slide Show
This Utah trip was a truly unbelievable adventure! A mix of beautiful drives, amazing views, good food, and the kind of places that make you stop just to take it all in. On our first day, we flew into Las Vegas and checked into the Luxor, which was a fun way to start off the trip. We grabbed lunch at Slice of Vegas Pizza Kitchen and Bar and it really hit the spot. That night we went to the Mike Hammer Comedy Magic Show, which ended up being a fun, easy way to kick off the trip, then wrapped up the evening with dinner at Carson's Kitchen. The next morning, we hit the road toward the Grand Canyon North Rim. We stopped at Bishops for lunch along the way. The North Rim is quieter and feels more remote, and that's part of what makes it special. We stayed at the Historic Grand Canyon Lodge and had dinner there too. Watching the light change over the canyon from there was a beautiful experience. Next up was Bryce Canyon. We checked into The Lodge at Bryce Canyon, which ended up being the perfect "home base". The big highlight was the horseback ride on the Peek-a-Boo Loop trail. Riding down into the canyon and seeing all those hoodoos felt like stepping into another world. The following day was our full Bryce Canyon day. We drove the Park Road and stopped at many of the overlooks - Bryce Point, Inspiration Point, all the classics. Bristlecone Loop gave us those high?elevation views and quiet forest stretches, and Mossy Cave was a short, fun walk with a totally different feel from the rest of the park. Bryce is one of those places where every stop looks like a painting. Day five we made our way to Zion and stayed at the Zion Canyon Campground. On the drive in, we stopped to hike the Canyon Overlook Trail. It was a short, steady climb with a huge payoff at the top. Once we got settled, we rented e-bikes from Zion Adventures, which is hands-down the best way to move through the canyon. Dinner that night was at the Brew Pub. The next day was a BIG day - Angels Landing. It's one of those hikes you hear about long before you ever get to Zion, and it really does live up to its reputation. The first part is steady climbing, switchbacks and views that get better the higher you go. But once you hit the chains, it all changes! The trail narrows, the drop offs get real, and you're suddenly very aware of every step you take. It's not something you do casually - you're holding onto those chains, taking your time, letting people pass, and working your way across the ridge. It's exposed, it's challenging, and it's definitely not for anyone who doesn't like heights. But the payoff at the top is unreal. You're standing on this spine of rock with the whole canyon opening up around you, and it feels like you earned every bit of that view. We spent our last full day in Zion hiking the Narrows from the bottom up. The "trail" is basically the river itself, so from the moment you step in, you're wading through cold water with the most amazing canyon walls rising straight up on both sides for what feels like forever. Some spots are easy, some spots make you slow down and really watch your footing, but that's part of the fun. There's something peaceful about it, you're not rushing, you're just moving with the river. You feel tucked away from the world, walking through this giant stone hallway carved by the Good Lord Himself! By the time we made our way back out, we were tired, soaked, and ready to eat. Dinner at Pizza Noodle was nothing fancy, just easy and good after a long day in the water. Day eight, we drove back to Las Vegas and flew home. Utah has a way of making you feel small with its big skies, big cliffs, and big memories. Thanks again Amber for planning another amazing adventure!
