Often called one of the most dangerous hikes in the U.S., Angels Landing is not for the faint of heart, nor for those with a fear of heights. I’m not usually much of a thrill seeker, but guess what I did today? Read on to learn about what is probably my most adventurous vacation experience to date.
Where can you visit a ghost town, hike to a secluded waterfall, and drive through a mile long tunnel carved through sandstone, all within a few miles of each other? Zion National Park, of course! And that’s exactly what I spent my day doing.
6:00AM. Flashlight? Check. Warm layers? Check. Camera? Check. While I’m always an early-riser, it’s not usually to tie on my hiking shoes and hit the trails in the dark. But that’s exactly what I did this morning as I headed out to witness the sunrise over Zion Canyon from the Canyon Overlook Trail.
I’ve visited Zion National Park twice before, but my last visit was well over 10 years ago. My best memories of my previous visits were the oasis of green in the middle of a desert landscape and the soaring rock walls overlooking Zion Canyon. I spent several years’ worth of vacations exploring the American southwest in the early 2000s, then started focusing my travel on Europe. The pandemic has helped to renew my interest in visiting the U.S. National Parks.
I arrived on Amelia Island rather blindly, without having done much research and having only a vague agenda for my visit. I chose Amelia Island for a short post-Christmas trip since it is only a couple of hours’ drive from my parents in Central Florida (where I spent Christmas) and is close to the airport in Jacksonville for my flight home.
Continue readingSo, just what can you accomplish with a mere 48 hours (or less) in the Big Apple? As it turns out, quite a lot. You can enjoy an indulgent Italian dinner, have a leisurely breakfast/brunch, tour the largest art museum in the United States, visit an iconic holiday market, eat a Neapolitan pizza, have another leisurely breakfast/brunch, and wander aimlessly through Central Park.
Driving above the clouds with the windows down. Hiking to a 360 degree view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Eating apple pie à la mode at a historic apple orchard for lunch… Day 2 in Asheville was completely different from Day 1, but no less enjoyable, and was spent on the Blue Ridge Parkway north of Asheville.
Where can you tour the largest home in the United States, visit lavish formal gardens, hike miles of forested trails, do a wine tasting, and choose from more than a dozen restaurants, all on the same property? Of course, it’s none other than George Washington Vanderbilt II’s Biltmore Estate, where I spent the entire day today.
My “nothing planned” day turned into a pretty great day. I did a lot of walking (again) but also made a few fun stops along the way. Had I chosen a different dinner restaurant, the day would have been even better.
I walked forever today. Or at least it felt like it. It was really about 7 or 8 miles. The only two places I went were the Lincoln Park Conservatory and Zoo. The rest of the day was spent walking/wandering. I avoided the foot of my bed at all costs last night, so no stubbed toes affected my ability to walk today.
Traveling with Laura 