Tag: national parks

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Welcome to the Dakotas (both North and South)

This year, the bug struck again, and the Igoes set off in an RV across the great, wide North. If you’ve been following along, I broke our trip into a few different posts for the sake of readability but wanted to recap here and speak more to the trip itself than to the finer details.

We picked up our rig, a 24-foot Winnebago, in Rapid City, SD. If you are flying here, keep in mind that Uber XLs can be hard to get, so it was actually faster to get two separate Ubers. The owner the RV was not present when we arrived but left a key and texted several instructions. This actually does make things a bit more difficult. If you don’t RV all the time, you don’t know the basics of things like black valve then grey valve, how to prime the generator, etc. Our owner was quite helpful via phone call and text but getting a walk through is usually better.

The RV had one small slide out for the table bed, a nice bed in the back and the typical loft. We basically wedged Clara in her car seat next to the table, and she spent most nights with JR in the loft, the largest of the sleeping areas. I strongly recommend walking around the outside of the RV and walking through with your camera on so that you can document anything that existed prior to your trip, damage-wise. It was not an issue this time around, but our last trip involved a dispute that was resolved in our favor due to our foresight.

In terms of lodging, we try to stay at KOAs when possible; we have never had a bad experience. That said, there isn’t always one close by, so you have to do some digging. Be sure to read what exactly each site offers. For us, we need full hook-ups and a comfort center (which just means bathrooms and showers). We use the restroom in the RV when necessary but try to minimize it when possible.

This year, thankfully, I hit neither a gas station nor a Dairy Queen, so that’s a plus. The thing one must take into account with every turn of an RV is that the radius is far different than a regular car. You’ve got to give yourself a wide berth and have to be quite careful whilst changing lanes.

All told, if you are willing to take the plunge, I think you’ll love it. Driving an RV is great, and if your kids are the right ages (and constitutions), it makes memories that will last forever.

Our Itinerary

Day 1: We left the Rapid City airport, picked up the RV, drove through Wal-Mart and stayed the night at the Fall River Ranch RV resort, just south of Wind Cave NP.

Day 2: We got up early and spent a few hours at Wind Cave. The cave itself was closed, but I have been before, and it shouldn’t be missed. Above ground, there’s a nice hike called Rankin Ridge, which was definitely worth our time. From there, we went to Jewel Cave and took a short but fascinating tour. We drove back around to the other side of Custer State Park and went to the Cosmos Mystery Area. It’s cool, it’s kitschy, and it’s a good way to kill an hour. We finished the day with a Buffalo Jeep Safari out of the south end of Custer, which was pretty spectacular.

Day 3: We stayed that night at the Mount Rushmore KOA, got up early and went to Mount Rushmore. This is a place that should be visited by every American. Following that, we took a short drive to Crazy Horse Memorial, which while currently unfinished, is still really impressive. We hiked the Cathedral Spires trail that afternoon and spent the rest of the day at Rushmore Tramway Adventures. A note, if you’re driving an RV, you cannot make it through the Needles or Iron Mountain highways.

Day 4: We woke again at the Rushmore KOA and took the kids rock climbing with Sylvan Rock. This took a solid 4 hours, and afterwards, we tried to hike Hippie Hole, but it was inaccessible. Instead, we drove to Deadwood, watched a wild west show and had a nice dinner. We spent that evening at the Spearfish KOA.

Day 5: This was one of my favorite days. We drove into the Spearfish Canyon area and visited Bridal Veil Falls, Roughlock Falls and Spearfish Falls. All three are great and shouldn’t be missed. We hiked Devil’s Bathtub that afternoon. It’s a cool trail but was very crowded. From there, we drove to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. It’s pretty amazing, but there’s not much to do other than take a nice, long look. Following DT, we took our first long drive into North Dakota, to Theodore Roosevelt NP and stayed at the Boots Campground.

Day 6: We spent this whole day exploring TRNP. We started out with a 1 hour horse back ride from Medora Stables, which was a lovely introduction. We spent the majority of the rest of our time in the North Unit, in particular the Caprock Coulee trail. This park is incredible; it was definitely a high point for me. We changed campgrounds that night, due to a mistake on my end, and moved to the Red Trail Campground.

Day 7: This day included our second long drive, from TRNP down to the Badlands. It’s about a five hour drive, and while it’s scenic, there’s nowhere to stop in between. Our first stop was at Minuteman Missile NHS. It’s pretty cool, especially if you’re game for a Cold War history lesson. We spent the rest of this day in and out of the Badlands, including a hike along the Notch Trail and a sunset at Bigfoot Pass. We stayed that night at the Badlands KOA, which was more than adequate.

Day 8: Our last full day on the road, and we spent it all in the Badlands. We hiked the Saddle Pass, Medicine Root and Castle Trails, all very impressive and can be put together to make a nice loop. We also visited the White River Visitors Center at the far end of the park. Unless you’ve got literally nothing else to do, you can skip this stop. We at that night in Interior, SD, a town of 91, at a great little dive call the Wagon Wheel.

Day 9: We stayed that last night in the same KOA and headed back to Rapid City. On our way out, we stopped at Wall Drugs for breakfast, and the experience. If you’re in the area, you shouldn’t miss it.

This was a great trip, and while it might be a bit before we rent another rig, I cannot wait to do it again.

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Sugar, We’re Going Down (to Jacksonville)

The morning after the Bananas’ game, JR and I woke early and jetted off to Florida to see his favorite band, Fall Out Boy, perform in Jacksonville. Again, this post will be somewhat of a diversion from our normal travel posts, but if you’re spending some time in Jacksonville, or with Patrick Stump or Pete Wentz, this installment is for you.

What We Did:

Fort Caroline: This is a National Park Service site within the city of Jacksonville. To be honest, it is a bit of a disappointment. The ‘fort’ has existed since the 1500s, and it is admitted by the people who run the site that no one really knows what exactly it was or what exactly happened there. It would be a cool place to take your dog for a walk if you lived nearby, but there is not actually a lot to see or do. We got a passport stamp, and that was about it.

Safe Harbor Seafood Market and Restaurant: This restaurant, right one the water, was awesome. You walk in, order at the counter, and they bring your food within a few minutes. JR and I sat outside, had a great food and enjoyed a perfect atmosphere.

St. Augustine, FL: The oldest town in the United States is less than an hour south of Jacksonville. In retrospect, I wish we’d gone right away, but since the concert didn’t start until 6:30 pm, and FOB wasn’t likely to go on until 9, we had plenty of time. There is a much better National Park site here (Castillo de San Marcos), and while the whole town is a bit touristy, it’s a lot of fun. We found a bar with a balcony overlooking the water, a place called Ben’s that sells pretzels, and all sorts of other things to do. It actually reminded me a lot of the French Quarter, sans the strip clubs and t-shirt shop.s

Fall Out Boy

What an amazing show!!! I couldn’t have asked for more for JR’s first concert. We arrived at about 7:30, but still saw two openers, including Jimmy Eat World, who were pretty good. Fall Out Boy went on at around 9 and played for almost two hours.

The show was amazing. A lot of their music is very interactive, and the audience was great. The band played every song we wanted to hear, plus a few more that we didn’t expect. By the end, the boy was exhausted, and I was happy. I sent the band an FB message thanking them for making his first concert so memorable, and Patrick Stump (the lead singer) actually responded.

We both look forward to the next new album from Fall Out Boy (named for a Simpsons’ character, if you didn’t know) so that the go on another tour.

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Mainlining it to Maine

After our exhausting trip with Alyson’s family to four fabulous Hawai’ian islands, which we thankfully left prior to the wildfires, you might think that we’d be ready to relax, and you would be right. It was not to be, for less than a month later, we set off with the extended side of my family for a trip to another of the country’s least visited states, Maine.

Getting to and from Maine is no easy task, especially the part to which we were headed, Acadia. We actually ended up flying in and out of Providence late on a Saturday, where we spent the night. We woke early the next morning, and added about an hours drive to our trips by driving into Putnam, CT, where we got breakfast The Painted Baker.

You might ask yourself, was this detour really worth it, considering one could just fly into Portland, ME? Well, much like Obi-wan’s explanation for the existence of Luke’s father, it depends on your point of view. Certainly this took us longer, although it was cheaper, but it also allowed us to visit Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. While I had already been through all of the Northeast, not everyone else in my family was in the same boat, and checking off New England is no easy task. Not for nothing, the breakfast at the Painted Baker was pretty fantastic.

The rest of the day found us in the car making our way to Acadia National Park, and our VRBO in Northeast Harbor. The house we got was perfectly acceptable, aside from the live mouse we found in a mousetrap, but I should warn that recently, almost every house we’ve gotten hasn’t quite lived up to the pictures on the internet. Be sure to read the comments thoroughly and temper your expectations.

My entire immediate family was presents, so our plans had to be catered to many different age and ability levels. We have come to the conclusion that on these types of vacations, the thing to do is make your own plans for the day, and then all get together for dinner at night. Everything we did, we invited whomever was interested, and sometimes we have company, sometimes we didn’t. This way, we didn’t miss out on anything we wanted to do, and weren’t always on our own, but had plenty of time to hit all of our highlights.

For the purposes of this blog and readability, I am going to try a different format, listing the things we did, the places we went, and how we felt about them, instead of going in a more narrate format. Let’s see how it goes:

Hikes:

Great Head Trail: This 1.4 mile loop, I believe, was my favorite of the trip. There are two different trail heads, one with a parking lot and another at the Sand Beach. Frankly, it was not all that easy to find, but once we found it, it was worthwhile. I recommend going clockwise from the beach, and about halfway through, making your way down to a large stone outcropping at the beach. We were completely alone for about half an hour watch the waves crash in. You have to figure this part out for yourself, as it is slightly off trail, but it is very much worth it.

Duck Harbor Trail: This trail is on Isle au Haut, a much less visited portion of the park. I suggest you make time to get over there. We took the ferry and exited at the Town Landing, where there is a ranger station and shop. The whole family made this trek, about 4 miles in all, down to Duck Harbor, where the ferry picked us back up. Be sure you come prepared with water and food, as there is little development here. And be sure to plan it for a whole day, as getting back and forth is reliant upon the boat schedule. This hike is not super strenuous in terms of elevation, but it is a solid trek, so be prepared with older or younger participants.

Beehive Trail: Certainly, when researching Acadia, you will come across this trail, as well as the Precipice Trail (which was closed during our visit due to falcon nesting). This is a can’t miss, but definitely requires some level of physical fitness. It includes a lot of climbing and rock scrambling. We left the younger kids with the grandparents, none of whom would have done too well. We went early, as this trail gets crowded, and their was still a back-up a the top, primarily due to an overweight, older human overestimating his abilities. This is an incredible hike, a ton of fun, and must do. Our 11 year old had no difficulty.

Ship Harbor Trail: This trail, on the west side of the park, in Southwest Harbor, was a lot of fun. It was a little rocky, but flat throughout. My 70 year old parents joined us on this hike, and while they were a bit slower, they managed without difficulty. This is less than 2 miles round trip, offers great rocky ocean expanses and plenty of opportunities to explore multiple, colorful tide pools. The kids also discovered several inland areas perfect for skipping rocks, something that has evidently become one of their favorite past times.

The Bubble: The North and South Bubbles trails overlook Acadia and Jordan Pond, and are definitely worth your time. Both Bubbles can be approached from the same trailhead, and if you go left to being with, you will summit the South Bubble and end at Bubble Rock, which is pretty impressive. Do not fear, an entire football team tried to push this rock over, but it won’t budge. If you don’t mind back tracking, you can then find the approach up the North Bubble, which leads to a beautiful view of the park. We stopped at the peak, which made the trail about 1.5 miles, but it goes on for quite some time.

Raven’s Nest: This is one of the hidden gems in Acadia, and hard to even find information about online. It’s a great stop along the road around the Schoodic Peninsula. In order to find it, you have to park in the third pull off on the left, once you’ve started the drive. To be clear, it is not the third pull off overall, but the third one on the left side of this one way road. Once you park, take the unmarked trail across the road down to the coast, where you’ll find incredible views and amazing sites. It’s hard to find, but don’t skip this.

Restaurants:

Side Street Cafe: This adorable, quintessential Maine cafe is, as you would expect, off the beaten path in Bar Harbor. We sat outside, with a nice view of the area, and had a terrific meal. There was something for everyone, including a lobster roll, a lobster mac and a lobster melt. Prepare yourself that everything in Maine is expensive, but this was a great option and very kid friendly. The waiter was also very helpful in providing us with several viable hiking options.

Bar Harbor Beer Works: This was actually a harbor of last resort for us. We were wandering around Bar Harbor on a Friday, and the city was packed. Every place we checked out had an hour+ wait, but the Beer Works didn’t open until noon, and as we were the first ones in, there was no wait. The fare was classic beer/bar food, with a pretzel for JR, fish and chips for me, etc. We ate there with my parents, and while it wasn’t the best meal I had on vacation, it was a great stop for what we were doing.

Colonel’s Restaurant and Bakery: Some member of my family ate at this establishment at least once/day. It was within walking distance to our VRBO and serves all four meals, plus a bar. The breakfast is great; bagel sandwiches, donuts, etc. They have wonderful pizzas, salads and sandwiches, and the full bar was a lot of fun on Friday night.

Bunker’s Seafood and Spirits: Bunker’s (who doesn’t have a website) is a nice little waterfront restaurant at the end of the Schoodic Island road. This little visited part of the park is beautiful and remote, and this restaurant with standard (expensive) fare, is a perfect way to cap off your trip.

Fish Net: This adorable little lobster pound really hit the spot on our way back from Isle Haut. For those not familiar, the term ‘pound’ simply means shack or shop or house; basically, a place to get lobsters. There was plenty of outdoor seating, and plenty of good food. I recommend hitting as many pounds, and adding as many pounds, as you can.

Excursions:

Bar Harbor: No trip to Acadia would be complete without a visit to Bar Harbor. On the Northeast side of the main island, this area is touristy, but offers a lot. There are many interesting looking restausrants, shops and tour groups. It is definitely worth your time, but for me, not that much of it.

Sea Prince Boat Tour: There are multiple different boat tour options around Acadia that offer varying experiences. You should definitely do some research beforehand to find the one that best serves your group. We found one that left near our house, and that was less than two hours, which was perfect for the kids. It took us out on the water where got to see porpoises and seals, and learn a lot about the history, and the present, of the area.

Carriages of Acadia: There is a stable within the park that offers carriage rides along the carriage roads. This honestly wasn’t the most exciting part of our trip, but it is a fun way to see the interior of the park and learn a lot about its history.

Cadillac Mountain: You can hike this mountain, if you like, or drive to the summit. Driving requires reservations during peak season, which can only be obtained at certain times in advance on reservations.gov. We got a pass for a sunrise drive, which required getting up at about 4 am. Eileen loves a sunrise though, so we couldn’t miss it. Cadillac Mountain’s claim to fame is that it’s the first sunrise in the continental US, which is pretty cool. Unfortunately, it was super overcast during our visit, so the sunrise wasn’t all that spectacular, but I am still glad that we went.

Thunder Hole: This is an interesting and always crowded part of Acadia NP. It’s basically a narrow inlet into which the tide crashes in, creating a thunderous sound. The best time to visit is 2 hours prior to high tide, but it is always pretty cool. When we were there, we never heard anything that I would equate to thunder, but the spray from the surf was pretty epic at times. It is very crowded, and along a path that leads to other interesting areas, but it’s also basically just a sidewalk. I recommend trying for a spot in the parking lot, as the rest of it might not be super worth it.

Jordan Pool House: It was hard to decide whether this is a trail, a restaurant or an excursion, but it is worth your time. I suggest calling ahead and making a reservation for early afternoon. We arrived at around 2 pm and walked the loop around Jordan Pond, about 3 miles. While there are few elevation changes, this trail is still strenuous, but very rewarding. Afterwards, we grabbed our table at the Pool House for popovers (the kids’ were covered with ice cream) and a few beers. It was a great way to spend an afternoon.

Our trip, which last most of a week, was a lot of fun. We could have filled two or three more days without repeating anything. The few must do’s are the Beehive and a boat tour. If at all possible, I strongly recommend getting to both Isle au Haut and Schoodic, which are far less crowded as the main island a quite beautiful. Next up for us, as far as I know, is our yearly Labor Day trip to Gulf Shores.

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Hawai’i and The Pride of America

Our last day was spent in Honolulu, a place that I hope to never visit again. Our hotel, the Hilton Hawai’ian Garden was great, but it could have been anywhere. We did drive to the Northshore, which was pretty, but this was mostly throw away time.

I just want to leave our four loyal readers with a few afterthoughts based upon our trip in general. Given the opportunity, I would take this cruise again, and given the opportunity, I would visit Hawai’i again. That said, I do not think either are trips that I would plan myself. We all had great experiences, but it wasn’t amazing to the point that I am jonesing to go back.

If you are taking this boat specifically, I would recommend not spending the extra money on the upgraded dining experiences. The food was good, but not that much better than the free options. I would recommend upgrading to include the alcohol package. You have to drink a lot each day to make it worthwhile, but it was so much easier to not have to worry about how much we were spending. And, the package included gratuity.

If possible, I would recommend not staying on the 8th floor. There was nothing wrong with our rooms, but the view is obscured a bit by the emergency rafts. I would also recommend bringing magnetic hooks. The bathrooms have very few, but these hooks will stick to the door and make it a lot easier to dry your towels and swimming suits.

I think my single biggest take away would be to recommend skipping any of the included excursions, if at all possible. The much better option for us was renting a car at each port and creating the experiences for yourself. Every rental car pick-up spot was less than a 20 dollar cab ride from the port, and if there are several of you, this is a far more affordable option. We had much more fun driving around ourselves than we did on any of the planned trips.

If you’re on the fence about to see Hawai’i, this cruise is a great option. It certainly isn’t perfect, but there aren’t many better ways to get to all four islands. Everyone was very friendly, everything was very clean and everyone in our group had a great time.

Next up, we have a very brief break before heading up to Maine and Acadia.

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The Dry Tortugas

This year, we decided to use our Mardi Gras break for a slightly more relaxing experience than an RV trip across the Southwest. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like an RV trip is in our cards for 2023, but we will make the best of what is available to us.

After spending the week prior watching parades and Mardi Gras day in the quarter, we jumped on a plane late Tuesday evening and flew to Fort Lauderdale. We picked up our rental car, a sweet minivan that reminded me of my formative driving years, and stayed at a nearby Hilton Garden.

This ended up being a mistake for two reasons. First, this hotel was garbage. I travel a lot for work, and always stay at one of the Hilton brands, and this was by far the worst at which I have stayed. The room was small, with double beds instead of queens, the parking lot was gated, but the gates didn’t work, and the unintelligent set of nincompoops working the front desk refused us a pack ‘n play. Thankfully, it was just one night of sleeping with my wife and Clara in a double bed, but it was a rough night.

Second, we should have driven further south when we arrived. Heading from FLL to the Keys includes passing through both Fort Lauderdale and Miami, and we failed to take into account the morning traffic. If we were doing the same trip again in the future, I would certainly drive an hour or so further south instead of staying so close to the airport.

Now with that behind us, we headed south to make our first stop at Key Largo. We had originally intended to snorkel with a local company, but got a message the night before that due to high seas, they could not take us out. Instead, we booked a glass bottom boat tour aboard the Key Largo Princess.

This was about a two hour out and back tour to a nearby reef, and was actually a lot of fun. I would say the activity is geared more towards younger kids, but the whole family enjoyed it, and we were able to see a lot of interesting things beneath the boat. That said, if you are a diver, this type of excursion is no substitute for actually being under the water.

We ate lunch that day at the Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe. This is a great local fish market with a restaurant attached to the back of it, so all the food is incredibly fresh. It is a bit pricey, as is everything in the Keys, but sitting by the water, eating something that was caught less than 24 hours prior was quite pleasant.

From there, we drove deeper into the Keys to the Islander Resort on Islamorada. Islamorada is the second of the major Keys, and is relatively centrally located, so where we decided to stay. The Islander Resort was great. The room was clean with a great screened-in porch, and the amenities were wonderful. The resort has a great pool and bar, and private beach access, and contracts with a local company to offer all sorts of excursion. One thing to remember about any beachfront resort is that due to the salt and humidity, nothing stays in mint condition for long, but when it comes to our stay, I have no complaints

We spent that afternoon hanging out in the pool, and hopped two blocks over to the Islamorada Brewery for dinner. This was by far my favorite meal of the trip. The brewery itself offers about 15 different beers for all tastes, and the permanent food truck has a great menu. We spent about two hours hanging out, eating, drinking, playing the bar games and listening to a talented local musician who, evidently, specializes in Bob Seger covers.

The next morning, we had to get up quite early to make the almost two hour drive from Islamorada to Key West in order to catch the boat to the Dry Tortugas. Mostly due to its proximity, Dry Tortugas is one of the country’s least visited National Parks, but also one of the most awe-inspiring.

This island sits right along the jet stream, so was frequented by sailors during the time of colonial expansion. It was so named due to the large number of turtles found, as well as a lack of fresh water. In the mid-1800s, the US began construction of Fort Jefferson as part of a vast coastal defense network. The fort was never completed, however, due to advances in sea warfare technology that made it obsolete.

While it is difficult to get to, it is worth the trek. Aside from seaplane, the only way to get to the island park is by taking the Yankee Freedom Ferry out of Key West. This 2+ hour ferry ride provided us with a bagel and a lot of information about Dry Tortugas along the way. The views throughout the journey are pretty majestic, but it is not for the faint of stomach.

For me, the best part of the whole trip was the arrival at Fort Jefferson. The pictures online don’t do it justice. This stone fortress stuck on top of this tropic paradise is pretty breathtaking. The contrast between the red bricks, the green grass and the jewel-tones of the water is something to behold.

Once we reached the Park, we listened to a ranger-led history, and then set off on our own to explore. There are no hand-rails or banisters to keep one from falling over the edge, so care is needed with little ones, but the view from the top level of the Fort is worth it.

After eating the provided Jersey Mike’s sandwiches from the ferry, we grabbed the provided snorkeling gear and set off to the South Beach. The Dry Tortugas offer several unique snorkeling opportunities, with a myriad of fishes and multiple areas where corals have developed.

Alyson and Clara stayed on the beach while Eileen, JR and I optimistically attempted to snorkel around the Fort from the South Beach to the North Beach. This is an extremely labor-intensive task, and we made it, but it was no small feet, and not for those who don’t consider themselves strong swimmers.

As we primarily stayed along the outer moat wall of the Fort, we were never in any real peril, but at one point, Alyson came along the wall and threw a PFD to JR, which made it a lot less nerve racking. If you have the ability, I strongly recommend this snorkel, and recommend taking special care around the breach in the wall, as this area is really impressive.

Beyond snorkeling and touring Fort Jefferson, there isn’t a ton to do at Dry Tortugas. If you are a camper, you can spend the night, and the starscape appears incredible, but for the average NP-goer, this is a one-day experience. We reloaded the ferry and made the 2+ hour trek back to Key West. Thankfully, starting at 1:30 pm, the ferry bar opens, so the trip back was rather pleasant.

We landed back in Key West and searched around for a place to eat. Some strangers at an airport bar in Indianapolis suggested we try Blue Heaven, and since we had not other options, we figured why not?

When we arrived, we were told it would be a 45 minute wait (actually over an hour), so after putting our name on the list, we walked to down to the Southernmost Point of the continental US for the obligatory picture.

We made our way back to Blue Heaven for dinner, and much of the family really enjoyed it. Personally, I thought the menu was too limited and significantly overpriced, but in the Keys, you don’t have many choices. If we were to ever visit Key West again, I would look for another option.

The next morning, Friday, we grabbed breakfast at Midway Cafe. This is one of the musts on Islamorada. When you go, don’t be daunted by the long line; it moves quite briskly, and they offer a menu full of great options.

After breakfast, we went down to Robbie’s, which is sort of a one-stop shop for everything Keys related. It has souvenirs, a restaurant and bar, you can rent kayaks, jet skis, snorkel, pretty much whatever you are looking for. At this exact moment, we didn’t really know what we were looking for, so we payed a few dollars for a bucket of fish and went to feed the tarpons.

Feed the tarpons? What the hell are you talking about? you may ask. Well, allow me to enlighten you. Somehow, Robbie’s has managed to attract a large school of tarpons that feed at the docks. You can dangle a fish over several dozen of them, and they will jump and take the fish directly from your hand. You have to be sure, however, not to feed the pelicans or manatees, as they will become dependent. Why this doesn’t apply to the tarpons is still unclear to me. If you’re looking for a few minutes of excitement, this is a way to go. It is fun and a little heart-pounding all at the same time.

After this bit of excitement, we decided that renting kayaks was the way to go. We headed back to the Islander and let the kids eat and play in the pools, while I booked a guided eco tour with Key Kayak. This group offers several guided kayak tour options throughout the Keys, including one out of Marathon. We had yet done anything off of this Key, so decided it was the way to go.

We rented two kayaks and stuck Clara in between Eileen and I. The trip was great, and going through the mangrove tunnels was one of my favorite parts of our vacation. That said, I always forget how physically demanding is kayaking until I am about two minutes in. It is a lot of fun, but it sure is a lot of work.

That night, we grabbed dinner at a place on the water in Islamorada called Lazy Days. It is a really cool location, and the food is solid, albeit overpriced of course, but it does have the feeling of an old-person’s restaurant. I’m not sure if it was the old school menu books or all the mounted fish on the wall, but something made Alyson and I both think of place that gets busy at around 4:30 pm. Nonetheless, we enjoyed it, and I would gladly eat there again, especially during sunset.

The next morning, on our way back to Fort Lauderdale, we stopped at a Cuban restaurant called Padrino’s. We were looking for a place with authentic south Florida food, and while the Cubano sandwich I got was fine, it was nothing special. I actually think I have gotten a better Cuban in New Orleans, but we had to eat somewhere.

This was a great, albeit short trip, and Dry Tortugas was awesome. I can’t say that I have any desire to visit the Keys again. If someone else wanted to go, I would, but I do not think

we will ever plan a trip to the southernmost point in the continental US again. Next up, we are still trying to decide if we are going somewhere for Easter. Probably, but if not, our next big adventure will be to Hawaii in June. Talk to y’all then…

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Welcome to the Yellowstone

My great love for visiting this country’s national parks is based upon two trips that I took with my family as a youth, a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park and a trip to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Since we have started these journeys, I have wanted to recreate those experiences for my children. We visited the Rockies last year, although minus our eldest, so this year, the plan was to hit the two great parks of Wyoming.

The planning of this trip proved more difficult than I had anticipated, as the Jackson Hole airport was closed for renovations. Instead of flying into Wyoming, we were able to find a direct flight from New Orleans to Salt Lake City, where we rented a car and drove to Logan, UT.

We woke early the next morning, and made our way into the Grand Tetons, the further south of the two parks. Our first stop was at Jenny Lake, one of the most popular locales in the park. We got out passport books stamped and made our way down to the lake and purchased tickets for the Jenny Lake shuttle.

The shuttle is a short trip across a beautiful lake to one of the most commonly frequented trails in the Tetons. Once we disembarked, we strapped on the baby and started uphill towards Hidden Falls. This part of the trail is only half a mile, and while it is not overly strenuous, it is not just a walk in the park.

The payoff is fantastic, and Hidden Falls is an inspirational sights. And speaking of inspiration, we decided to continue on for another half mile, to the top of the mountain, to Inspiration Point. Again, this is not the easiest trek, especially with 30 pounds of baby strapped to you, but it is totally worth it.

The view from Inspiration Point across Jenny Lake is breathtaking, and 100% worth the long flights, drives and hikes in and of itself. As I mentioned, this is a very popular trail, so getting there early is your best bet, but there is a reason for that. The falls and sights are nothing short of spectacular.

We took the boat back across Jenny Lake and drove deeper into the park and checked in at our lodging, the Signal Mountain Lodge. This might be the single place that I have enjoyed staying the most, across all of our trips. Our cabin was rustic, but not without amenities. It had showers, air conditioning and wi-fi, not to mention a beautiful view.

Since we had a few hours remaining, we drove down to the Antelope Flats Road and Mormon Row, where we visited the remnants of an old Mormon settlement that dates back to the 1800s. This was interesting, although not all that well-developed. I understand that a recent grant has been given to further develop this area, so perhaps if we come back again in a few years, it’ll be a bit more worthwhile.

That night, we ate at the Signal Mountain Lodge. It was nothing special, but for a restaurant in a remote area such as this, it really hit the spot.

The next morning, we woke early and drove into Jackson Hole, where JR, Eileen and I met up with a group called Teton Whitewater for a rafting trip. You might be asking how plausible it is to raft when it is only 50 degrees outside, but this outfitter was well-prepared with wet suits and booties.

Our trip down the Snake River was amazing. Our guide, Carson, was great, and we hit 8 miles of fabulous rapids. Our son was a little nervous at first, but once we got going, he really got into it. There are several outfitters in this area that offer rafting trips, and it seems likely that all of them offer great experiences, and ours did not disappoint.

While we were rafting, Alyson strapped on Clara and took her on the Lake Creek-Woodland Trail loop. This trek through the Rockefeller Preserve was just the right amount of time and and distance for the girls on their own, and Alyson said that it was beautiful.

That afternoon, we got lunch at the Roadhouse Brewery. Jackson Hole is filled with all sorts of tourist amenities, and there is not lack for quality restaurants. You definitely pay tourist prices, but the food was decent, and the beer was good.

Following lunch, we took advantage of another of these amenities, and Snow King Mountain. This is a ski lodge that offers off season activities like a bungee trampoline and alpine slide. We bought tickets to take the gondola ride up to the top of the mountain, only to realize that all the activities are actually on the ground.

When we realized, we found the right location, and the kids went on an alpine sled ride that they both thought was better than the rides they took in Gatlinburg. This resort is certainly a tourist trap, but it was a nice break for the kids from all the more outdoor-specific exercises.

We headed back into the National Park proper and tried to find a way to kill about an hour before dinner. There are some limitations to Grand Tetons, and this, perhaps, is one of them. The scenery is amazing, the views are unparalleled, but the park-specific activities are limited, and the major attractions of the park can all be hit in just one day.

At Eileen’s suggestion, we decided to drive up Signal Mountain itself. The entrance was very near our lodge, and we had heard that it was very scenic. Don’t think that I am exaggerating when I say that this part of our Grand Teton trip, and maybe the entire trip, turned out to be my favorite.

The approach up the mountain is absolutely beautiful, completely secluded and perfectly scenic. Once you reach the top, there is a parking lot with access to a mountain top that offers 360 degree views of the entire park.

While this, in and of itself was amazing, I couldn’t help but thinking that if I was an animal, like a bear, this is the type of place that I would want to live, and what do you know, halfway down the mountain, a small, stunning black bear wandered right out in front of us.

I had seen several bears in the wild in the past, but this was a first for my wife and kids, and frankly, really took a lot of the pressure off of the whole trip. The wildlife in Tetons isn’t quite as robust as it is in Yellowstone, but we saw a bear, three foxes and several bison.

That night, we ate at the Leeks Marina and Pizzeria. Again, this is nothing overwhelming, but the food was good and the beer was cold. Being that it is a restaurant within the park itself, it was exactly what we needed at the time.

We spent one last night in Tetons, packed up and left early for the granddaddy of them all, Yellowstone.

Our first stop was at Grant Village, the southernmost stopping point on the Grand Loop. This locale has a Visitor Center, restaurant and several lodging options, and is actually where we ended up staying. That said, if the option to stay at one of the other in-park facilities had been available, we would have taken it, but I will address that more later on.

After we got our books stamped, we realized that Old Faithful was scheduled to erupt soon, so we made our way west in plenty of time to see the eruption. The Old Faithful area is really well-developed, almost over-developed. It has two restaurants, multiple lodging options, stores, gas and a Visitor Center. The nice thing is that there is ample parking, and since this is the most popular stop in the park, the parking is a must.

We made it enough time to walk around the boardwalk to an area Geyser Hill, where you can you dozens of other geysers, as well as get a good view of the eruption of Old Faithful. The eruption is pretty cool, but don’t go in with incredibly high expectations. It is impressive, but it is not like the first time you see the Grand Canyon.

After the eruption, we traversed much of the boardwalk system, which I highly recommend. The other geysers, mud pots and hot springs are really what make Yellowstone so special.

We made our way back to rental car and made the short drive to an area called West Thumb Geyser Basin. This is an area of geothermal activity located along the shores of Yellowstone Lake, and is pretty impressive. When you step out of the car, your senses are immediately assaulted by smell of sulfur and by the sight of steam rising from countless points along the horizon.

This is a great area in the southern part of the park to start to experience the geothermal activity that Yellowstone has to offer, and was also the first place where we saw Elk, about a dozen of them.

Following this, we headed north along the Grand Loop to my favorite part of Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon. Yes, it has the same name as the one in Arizona, but is wholly unique. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is a massive gorge featuring two amazing, massing waterfalls.

There is both a north and south rim drive, and each offers its own unique perspectives of both falls, both from near and far, and including the ability to get to what the park refers to as the brink of the falls. If I had to pick just one thing to see in all of Yellowstone, without a doubt, it would be this canyon and the Upper and Lower Falls.

Prior to our arrival, we had made dinner plans for that evening with a company call Xanterra that runs several experiences and excursion within the park. This one was a covered wagon trip and fireside dinner. I should point out that it was little corny, but it was also a lot of fun, and the kids really liked it.

Our family, along with about a dozen others, piled into one of 12 horse-drawn wagons and rode out into the park. Along the way, the guides regaled us with tales of the genesis of the park and pointed out all sorts of wildlife along the way.

When we arrived, the crew was already almost finished cooking, and we feasted on steaks, cornbread, baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad and apple cobbler, along with what they call cowboy coffee, which is just really strong, really unpleasant tasting brown water. The food was what you would expect; not amazing and unsurprisingly under-seasoned, but the experience was a lot of fun, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

We drove the two hours back to Grant Village and bedded down for the night. That is an important thing to remember when you are visiting Yellowstone, that parts of the park are three hours away from others. A lot of the time spent on any Yellowstone trip will be spent in the car, so please be prepared.

This also brings me to why I was a bit disappointed with Grant Village. There are several stopping points along the Grand Loop, Grant Village being one of them, and at all of them, save Grant, there is effective cellular service. This may seem trivial, since we were in one of the most spectacular places Mother Nature has ever conjured, but frankly, being able to crash in your hotel room, check your e-mail, fiddle around on the internet, etc., is really a nice way to end the day.

It wouldn’t have been all that frustrating except that every other lodging location in the park had adequate service. It wasn’t our ideal situation, especially with a 15 year old and 10 year old, but oh well.

The next morning, we woke early and drove out of the west entrance of the park to the moderately well developed city of West Yellowstone, Montana. Early in the planning phases, we booked a horseback riding tour with a group call Yellowstone Mountain Guides. The plan was for me to stay with the baby while Alyson went riding with the big kids. It was a nice plan, but this ended up being the most frustrating part of the entire trip.

The day prior was relatively rainy, and the guide called and said we might have to reschedule if weather was bad, and that he would let me know early in the morning. When we awoke, we had heard nothing, and the weather was nice, so we headed out. The issue was that West Yellowstone was about an hour and half from where we were staying, and right when we arrived, the guide said he thought it better to reschedule, even though the weather was fine.

After explaining our situation, he agreed to do the tour, but because he had planned to reschedule, it took an extra hour and half to get set up. Instead of starting at 9 am, our family didn’t hit the trail until closer to 11.

We spend the interim in West Yellowstone, where there is a pretty cool mini-zoo called the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center. This establishment with no more than a dozen enclosures is actually pretty cool, and has very active bears, a few packs of wolves and some very playful otters. Most visitors to Yellowstone do not actually see wolves in the wild, so if that’s what you came for, you can at least see some in captivity here.

When the trail ride finally started, my wife was very impressed. She said the scenery was as impressive as any ride she had been on, except for perhaps Monuments Valley. Unfortunately, just before they broke a camp, a calm, but intimidating herd of about 40 bison rolled through the ear, more or less spooking all of the horses.

Despite this, my family and the two guides went out but were back in less than an hour and half. My son’s horse almost backed off the side of a mountain, causing him to scream and scream (according to my daughter), and even the guides’ horse kept getting spooked.

After about an hour of this, they decided to head back in, which actually worked out better for us, as it left us the rest of the day to continue exploring the park. In retrospect, I should not have booked an excursion outside of the park, but at the time, I couldn’t find much else for us to do. As the trip neared, more excursion became available due to warmer weather and less COVID, so in the future, I would hold off.

We made our way back into the park and stopped at several of the geyser basins along the Grand Loop. I should note that at this point, we had seen several hundred bison, multiple antelope and elk, and we had even run across a grizzly on the move. You might be worried that you’ll miss the wildlife, but usually, especially when a bear is present, there will be a line of thirty or forty cars going both directions on these two lane roads, all stopped to take a look and multiple pictures that people will probably never look at again, but I digress.

As I mentioned, we stopped at multiple geyser basins this afternoon, including the one that is home to Grand Prismatic Springs, which is the sapphire blue spring so frequently featured in pictures of Yellowstone. My daughter, however, referred to it as Grand Prismatic Let-Down. The weather was mediocre and sprinkle-y, and there was so much steam from this spring and all those surrounding it that we could see almost nothing.

We spent the rest of that day traversing the lower half of the Grand Loop stopping at various springs and geysers, all very unique, all things you really can’t find anywhere else. The last stop we made before dinner was at Leek Falls on the road to the South Entrance. This small (comparatively) fall is right off the road, but there is a fun hike that gets you right to the brink. At this time of year, early June, most of the trail was still covered with snow, so it was a lot of fun to little kids from Louisiana.

We at that night at the Grant Village Lodge, where we all got bison burgers. My son asked from where did the meat come, since it is against the law to kill an animal in the park, and frankly, I still don’t know. That said, the food was good, the beer was cold and the service was serviceable. We went down for the night in preparation for another early day and lots of time in the car.

That night, the entire lower half of the park was covered with a fresh dusting of snow, making it seem like we awoke in a winter wonderland. Out first stop on the drive was at a small village called Fishing Bridge. If I could redo things, this is where I wish we would have stayed. It was a bit more centrally located, and the feel of town out of a Bing Crosby movie. Really cute, great amenities and oh, wifi that worked.

From there, we drove up into Hayden Valley, a great place to see wildlife at the dawn and dusk hours. On this ride, we stopped to see the Mud Volcano and Dragon’s Breath. I thought Dragon’s Breath might have been the coolest geothermal site we visited, so don’t miss this.

Next, we stopped in Canyon Village to hit up the gift shop, and drove from there to the Norris Geyser Basin. There is a great series of boardwalks here that crisscross the grounds, letting you experience all the really amazing features.

We then backtracked up the east part of the upper loop and stopped at Tower Fall, a cool, very easily accessible waterfall. We went from there to trailhead that Eileen found called Hellroaring Creek. This is a relatively strenuous hike down a mountain to a suspension bridge high above a roaring creek. The way mile down was pretty easy, but the way back to car was no picnic.

That said, this was my favorite hike in Yellowstone. The trail actually goes for several miles, but there is a great stopping point at a really cool river crossing a mile in. Unlike the rest of the park which is relatively flooded with visitors, we saw only one or two other people the entire time. It was really nice to get off the beaten path a soak in the tranquility.

We did a short drive towards the Eastern Entrance into Lamar Valley, probably the best place to see large herds of bison, and then backtracked to stop at Wraith Falls, which includes a short, fun hike. Next, we stopped at Undine Falls, another easily doable, cool trail with a cool payoff.

Our last stop on the journey was Mammoth Springs, the most residentially developed area of the park. This was the location where the army stayed at one point in time, and many of the structures they built are still intact and still in use.

Unique to this area is a set of hot springs that rise out of the ground in towers and tiers. Much like the rest of the park, a series of boardwalks have been constructed that allow visitors to adequately tour the entire area. We ate dinner at the grill, Mammoth Terrace, and headed back towards Grant Village.

On the way, we decided to give Grand Prismatic Springs one more chance, but it was no batter. Perhaps this time, it was the location of the sun, and the glare off the water made it too hard to see the true beauty of the region, but whatever it was, we never really go the Grand Prismatic experience that we wanted.

We did however take the Firehole Canyon Drive, an offshoot of the Grand Loop, and this 6 mile journey was totally worth it. It got us one last great look at one last great waterfall. We made it back to Grant Village, packed up and spent one last, wifi-free night in Yellowstone.

In order to make our flight back out of Salt Lake City, we had to leave at 6 am, and wouldn’t you know, on the way out, not only was our path crossed by a black bear, but we saw a wolf out for an early morning stroll.

All told, we saw hundreds of bison, scores of elk and antelope, about a dozen bears, including two grizzly cubs, three foxes and one wolf. We never saw a moose, but beggars can’t be choosers. I am thrilled that we were able to take out kids on such an amazing trip. If I had to say, I might have actually enjoyed out time more in Grand Teton, but after having visited Yellowstone, I think it is safe to say that there is no other place on Earth that can compare.

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New Mexico for Mardi Gras

Living in New Orleans, there are few things that we look forward to more than Mardi Gras, and in 2022, the anticipation was greater than ever. Since COVID shut everything down in 2021, 2022 was poised to deliver something special, and it did not disappoint.

For two weeks, the Igoes camped out on the parade route, catching beads, eating, drinking and spending much needed and much missed time with friends and family. For those of you who have never experienced it, Mardi Gras for locals is not what you see on TV, it is not what you see on Bourbon Street.

Certainly, that exists, but where we watch the parades, towards the beginning, things are very family-oriented, and it is a one of a kind time in this city. In addition to the parades and parties, it is also worth noting that schools in the New Orleans area have the Mardi Gras week off, something not common across the country. This makes Mardi Gras a great time to travel, and this year, we took advantage.

Since our initial RV trip in 2018, I have been jonesing to get back to the Southwest, and it just so happens that three of America’s great National Parks are within an hour (or so’s) drive of El Paso. My wife and I did the research, booked an RV on Outdoorsy, packed up the kids, jumped on an airplane and headed out West.

I will say, first impressions of the area differ slightly from places like California or Minnesota. Frankly, when you arrive in east Texas, things are kind of reminiscent of the movie Traffic. Lots of small, crowded structures, dust and not a lot of green stuff. That’s alright, though; what doesn’t float my boat is a wonderful home for others, and we didn’t come for El Paso, we came due to the proximity.

We picked up a 32 foot RV, loaded up on groceries and drove an hour+ east to Guadalupe Mountains National Park. On the list of most frequently visited National Parks, Guadalupe is towards the south end; even most Texans I know haven’t been there. That said, it is certainly worth the trip (which National Park isn’t?)

We arrived late and spent the night in the Pine Springs Campground. This campground is RV friendly, although it has no hook ups of any kind. Frankly, it is simply a parking lot with RV-sized spots, but this worked for our purposes. It is also a few feet from one of the most popular trailheads, so it was a good place to start.

I want to mention at this point that if you are a stargazer, Guadalupe is a great place to be. When we shut everything down, we couldn’t see a light for miles that didn’t come from the heavens. The elevation, the distance from ambient light and the clear skies made for an amazing light show.

When we awoke the next morning, we gathered our things a headed up the Devil’s Hall Trail. This is one of the more popular trails in the park, and is also deceivingly strenuous. The first mile or so is a gradual incline up into the mountains, until a sharp downhill leads you into a wash that is only wet during the brief rainy season. We then spent the next three quarters of a mile jumping, crawling and climbing from boulder to boulder until we reached the end.

There were several times along the way when we (specifically the kids) wanted to give up and turn back, as it seems to be just the same thing over and over, but when you actually reach the end of the trail, you’ll understand why you came. The wash comes to a halt in what can only be described as a natural stairwell that leads up the side of the mountain. The picture does it more justice than do my words, but I strongly suggest you stick this one out until.

When we finally made it back, we ate and asked a park ranger how he thought we should kill the afternoon. He was not super helpful, but suggested the Smith Springs Trail, which also goes by Manzanita Springs. It was only a 2.3 mile loop, so we decided to give it a go.

The first spring, Manzanita, is only about half a mile in, and is about as impressive as a new pair of socks. Certainly better than an old pair, but not really worth going out of your way to see. The next mile was rough; uphill, in the sun, with nothing more than relatively barren landscape.

Again, we thought it might be time to turn back until we started to hear that wonderful sound, the trickle of water. When we reached Smith Springs, it all became worthwhile. The apex of this loop is a beautiful, hidden, shaded spring that brought us back to life just in time. The water was so cool and clear that I legitimately considered drinking it. It is funny how one great moment can make 2.3 miles totally worth it, and make the walk back down fly by.

There was one other trail in the park that looked interesting, the McKittrick Canyon Trail, but it was longer than we could manage, and we had only allotted one day to Guadalupe. We packed up Tess (the RV) and head northwest for Carlsbad Caverns.

One of the reasons we chose this trip was the proximity of the three parks to each other. The Caverns are less than an hour drive from Guadalupe Mountains, and that night, we stayed in an RV park in Whites City, Whites City RV Park.

If you search up this campground, you won’t find a website, only a phone number and only 2.5 stars in reviews. I found this place perfectly acceptable. When we arrived, it turned out that I had made the reservations for the wrong day, but they shifted things around and got us two nights with full hook ups. The site has few amenities and is pretty bare bones, but those of you who have traveled by recreational vehicle before know there are worse things. We grilled cheese pizzas that night (Ash Wednesday for you Catholics out there), got another wonderful view of the stars and hit the hay.

We got up early on Thursday and made our way into the park. We got our second passport stamp of the trip and headed into the cave. We had to book a reservation at Carlsbad prior to arrival on recreation.gov, but it was not difficult to get. This cave is a really cool experience, and definitely different from a cave like Mammoth.

One can take an elevator down into the heart of the cave, but you miss out on the really cool experience of the long trek into the darkness. We decided to take the one mile hike down into the cave, and then do the additional 1.2 mile stroll through the Big Room. It is hard to really describe this cave, other than to say it is awesome.

Carlsbad has every type of cave feature you might want: stalagmites, stalactites, popcorn, ledges, bottomless pits and on and on and on. I love caves, so this was one of my favorite parts of the trip, but I am not so sure about the rest of the family. While everyone thought it was really impressive, the cave’s accessibility was significantly limited by COVID. Carlsbad normally offers a dozen or more different guided tours, but because of the virus, all that was available was the self-guided tour of the Big Room. For me, it was totally worth it, but I wouldn’t hesitate to go back again if anyone else was interested.

We did not have definite plans for the afternoon, but felt like we had exhausted what was available with half a day in Carlsbad. We had planned to spend another night in Whites City and visit Sitting Bull Falls the following day, but we decided to maximize our time and head into Lincoln National Forest.

The drive to Sitting Bull Falls is beautiful and desolate. It took over an hour to get there from Carlsbad, and for the majority of it, there was not another car in sight. When we arrived at the recreation area, I was shocked to find a pretty well developed site and several other visitors.

If you are in this area, Sitting Bull Falls is can’t-miss. It is a hidden oasis in an arid environment where you can hike, picnic and even swim. The hike to the top of the falls is strenuous, but only about a quarter of a mile, and I strongly recommend it. The top of the falls is amazing, and you can wade in and out of the pools and climb on the rocks that define this wonderful area.

At the bottom of the falls, there is a well-developed viewing area that leads to the base, where you can swim and explore all the way to fall itself. It was too cold for us to do more than wade, but even so, this was an unexpected and fantastic addition to our adventure.

Because we had just a bit of extra time, we decided to make the long drive to the northwest and visit the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. I have always been fascinated by cliff dwellings but never gotten to visit one before. It was about a five hour drive, and actually took us past our next destination, but we figured it was better to use the time, rather than hang out in an RV park.

Side note, the drive to Gila (pronounced Heela) took us through Cloudcroft, NM. I only mention this because it was one of the most unusual and beautiful parts of our trip. When we drove through Cloudcroft, it felt like we were entering Brigadoon; it felt like we’d arrived in a ski resort pulled from a Bing Crosby movie. Keep in mind this was March, there was snow on the ground everywhere. There were adorable shops, restaurants, a brewery. I wished that we had the time to stop and explore, but I got the impression that if we had, we would never leave. Who knew such a place existed in southwest New Mexico.

After we escaped the lure, we finished the long drive at a KOA just outside Silver City (birthplace of Billy the Kid). Whenever we RV, the kids are always thrilled when we can stay at a KOA. They usually have the best amenities, this one did not disappoint (hook ups, arcade, shop, showers). We woke early the next day and finished the treacherous drive up to Gila, and were thrilled with what we found.

These well-preserved dwellings date back to the 1200s and while only occupied for a short period of time, are really impressive. The hike up is beautiful, and the views from the outside are really inspiring. That said, and Alyson agreed, actually being inside the dwellings is just sort of ‘meh’. The coolest part is viewing the homes set into the side of a mountain from the outside, but when you are actually in them, it just feels like any other old hut. I am really happy we added this excursion though, an 800 year old mountain retreat is really something to behold.

Our turn around was quick and abrupt, and we headed back southwest towards White Sands National Park. Just outside of Alomogordo, NM, this is one of the countries newest National Parks, and it is legitimately like no place I have ever seen before. We spent that night in, you guessed it, a KOA and made our way to the park early the next day.

We stopped at the Visitors Center, got our passports stamped and bought two saucers and some wax. I suppose I should elaborate. One of the main activities in White Sands is dune sledding, and the facilities are more than happy to provide the supplies.

An interesting thing about this gypsum covered wonderland, the park is hundreds upon hundreds of acres, surrounded by a government missile testing site, but visitors have access to only about 0.4%. In that 0.4%, you’ll get to see a world unlike any other. It almost feels like you’ve stepped onto another planet, until your one year old steals your sled and zips down a dune when you’re not paying attention.

My eldest daughter was super excited about sledding, but when you first start, you need to be sure that your expectations are tempered. The first time down the hill is slow and plodding, but the more you go down, the more the sand gets packed and the faster you’ll get.

Sledding is the primary activity in this area, and beyond that, there is actually not a ton to do. There are several trails, but none of them are long, and evidently, multiple people get lost and actually die every year, as everything looks the same. We found White Sands to be a great place to sled, to picnic and just experience something few people ever see.

At this point, we decided that the kids needed a break from the outdoors, and took them to Rocket City. This is a combination bowling alley, laser tag, arcade, oh, and it has a bar. It was nice to give the kids a break, bowl a few frames (my high was 143) and let them play a few video games. This trip was a very outdoors-heavy trip, and giving them a break really added to all of our enjoyments.

Aside from the sledding, the one thing that you shouldn’t miss at White Sands is the sunset. Every night, visibility-allowing, the park puts on a sunset stroll where a ranger (or in this case, an intern) leads a group out into the dunes, discusses the park and watches the sun drop. I have seen a lot of sunsets in 40 years (believe it or not), I am not sure any can compare to this. All I can do is ask you to look at that picture up top, and tell me if I’m wrong.

We spent that night in the KOA and woke up with the baby the next morning. Before leaving the White Sands area, we had breakfast at a classic diner called the Waffle and Pancake Shoppe. Food wasn’t a major part of our itinerary this trip, but this restaurant was awesome. Very old-school, mom and pop, there was already a wait when we arrived at 8 am on a Sunday. The staff moves people in and out so well, whilst still providing really high quality food, that we were out by 9. It was by far the best meal we had all week.

From there, we drove back into El Paso and stopped at the Chamizal National Memorial. This site had little to do with our travel intentions, but it does have a spot in the passport books, and since we had time before our flight, we figured why not?

This site commemorates an agreement between the United States and Mexico over a disputed area along the border. It is kind of cool, and the grounds would make for a nice event venue, but frankly, of all the National Park Service sites we have visited, this one may have been the most ‘blah’.

We dropped off the RV, hopped on board a plane and headed back to New Orleans. It is nice to get away from the city after Mardi Gras, but it was far from a relaxing trip. This was the type of vacation that it feels like requires a follow up vacation. If you are big on National Parks, heading out to El Paso is a great option, and these three parks are ones best visited during the colder times of the year. While I cannot give you a lot of recommendations for El Paso itself, I definitely recommend visiting Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands.

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Escaping Texas for the Glades, Bays and Big Cypress

It is a well-known fact that New Orleans is a hot-bed for Mardi Gras activity. Every year prior Lent, the city ramps up with balls, parades and parties. Unfortunately, almost all of this was cancelled in 2021 due to COVID, but it didn’t put a damper on the cities lesser-known holiday celebration. Almost every school in the city has the entire week off, so for New Orleanians, this is a great time to travel.

Since the rest of the world is at work and school, places like Disney World and Vale are far less crowded than usual. This year, we decided to join in the fun, and head to a state that has instituted very few COVID restrictions, Florida.

Since I was young, I have been fascinated by the Everglades. The endless rivers of grass, the crocodiles and the manatees have always seemed really unique, and when the opportunity arose, we decided to pull the trigger.

Alyson and I set to planning, and as I have said before, I find planning to be almost, but not quite, as much fun as the actual trip. We decided to leave on Ash Wednesday, and spend three full days in south Florida. In addition to the Everglades, Biscayne National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve are in the area. In terms of hitting National Parks, south Florida was a great option. We are still dying to get to places like Acadia and Isle Royale, but February is not really the right time to go so far north. It is also worth mentioning that the Dry Tortugas is in the same area, but that requires an extensive amount of planning that we did not have time to pull off.

So the plan was to leave, as a family, on Wednesday, but mother nature threw us a nasty curve ball. Alyson and Clara went to San Antonio the weekend prior to visit Alyson’s mom, just in time for a freak winter storm that shut down most of Texas for almost an entire week. They were supposed to fly home on Sunday, but the flight got cancelled. The same continued for the next several days, constantly scheduling and rescheduling flights.

As Wednesday approached, we had to decide how to move forward. Instead of flying back to New Orleans, Alyson and Clara got flights into Miami. Unfortunately, they could not get there until Friday, but we decided that the rest of us should go and move forward with what we had planned.

Eileen, Jonathan and I landed on Wednesday night, picked up our rental car and drove to a Hampton Inn in Homestead, Florida, just outside of the Everglades. There are not a lot of places to stay within the park, but Homestead is really close by. On Wednesday morning, we got up early and headed into the park. The Everglades has multiple visitors centers, and our first stop was the Flamingo.

From here, we set out on a back country boat tour hosted by Flaming Adventures. This took us into the interior of the Everglades water ways, where we saw lots of birds, fish and a few crocodiles. It is worth noting that the Everglades is the only place on Earth where you can find both alligators and crocodiles.

That said, of all the things we did, I think we all agreed this was our least favorite. It was fun, but the way out and way back took the same route, and it got a little boring. However, once we got back to the visitors’ center, a ranger took us out to a spot in the marina where an 11 foot crocodile lives. Then he took us around the dock, where a mother and baby manatee were swimming. This is pretty much what we came for, so getting to see these rare American animals on Day 1 was fantastic.

That afternoon, we drove from the southern tip of the park all the way to the northern end, to Shark Valley. If you are wondering why it is called Shark Valley, as there are no sharks there, so is everyone else. Evidently, this watershed feeds into the Shark River, thus named by a Spanish conquistador due to all the bull sharks present at the time of arrival. It would far more aptly be named Gator Valley.

At the Shark Valley Visitors’ Center, the kids stamped their passports, and we hopped aboard the Shark Valley Tram Tour. This is a ranger led tour that goes along a 15 mile paved road deep into the heart of the Everglades. On the way out, the ranger assured us that we would see more gators on the way back, so there was no reason to stop for everyone.

She was spot on. On the way out, we probably saw half a dozen alligators, but we also spotted birds of probably thirty different species, and the ranger was able to educate us on all different aspects of the park.

At the half way point, there is an old tower that you can climb which offers a 360 degree view of the park. From this view, you cannot see a single building, just a see of grass as far as the eye can see. Out of everything we did, this moment was the most breath-taking.

On the back half of the loop, we probably spotted another thirty alligators, including a group of at least a dozen babies. You might not think it possible, but even alligator babies are cute.

That evening, the kids swam in the pool at our Hampton Inn, and we ate at a Chili’s. For this, I blame my wife. Had she not been stuck in Texas, she would have found a better option. I have discovered that I make the mistake of eating a Chili’s about every three years, and every three years, I remember why it has been so long.

On Day 2, we awoke early and headed for the western edge of the park, which borders the Gulf of Mexico. At this stage, my wife’s next flight, supposed to arrive that noon, had gotten cancelled, but the good news was that she was on a flight to Baltimore. From there, she was set to join us at about 10 pm in Miami.

In the meantime, we took another boat excursion called the Ten Thousand Island Tour. This adventure explored a vast set of islands, some that can be camped upon, off the west coast of Florida. The tour was far more quite exciting than that of the previous day. The guide was able to locate several dolphins, and after a few tries, succeeded in getting them to trail and flip in the wake of the boat. We also saw countless birds, including several Magnificent Frigatebirds and one Bald Eagle.

We ate lunch at the Island Cafe in Everglades City, which, to be frank, is nothing special. It was a Friday in Lent, and they had fried seafood, so it is hard to be too critical. From there, we drove back the way we came to one of the two Big Cypress Visitors’ Centers to get our passport stamps, and headed into the preserve.

It is hard to really mark a difference between the Everglades and Big Cypress, but I guess I can say that Big Cypress was less water and more passable land. That said, the are is quite swampy, and definitely distinct from the Glades in its own way.

In the early afternoon, we met a guide from Big Cypress Swamp Tours, who took us on a buggy tour through the park. This was the tour that I was looking forward to the most. We boarded a very unique, six-wheeled, two-story vehicle that rolled through the soggy, bumpy ‘paths’ checking out the local wildlife.

In addition to the guide being great, filled with great information and local color, we were able to see gators, birds, snakes and the ever-so-rare white-tailed deer. The guide also noted that he saw a black bear a few days prior, and in his six years, had seen a panther seven times. Having done a good bit of research, I cannot think of a better way to have experienced Big Cypress than this type of tour.

That night, we swam again and ate at Mamma Mia’s Pizza in Homestead. It wasn’t the greatest pizza I have ever had, but I have no complaints. And again, mozzarella sticks and cheese pizza hit the spot on a Friday night in Lent.

From there, we crossed our fingers and headed for the Miami airport. Lo and behold, only 45 minutes late, my wife and my 7 month old emerged from the baggage claim, and our family was together again. While Eileen, JR and I had been having fun, there was definitely something missing, and it was very gratifying to have our family made whole again.

We had one more day to make the most of our trip, and primarily, to give Alyson and Clara a good experience, one great day. After getting breakfast at the hotel, we headed for another of south Florida’s National Parks, Biscayne. This park is over 90% water, so we booked another boat tour, this one provided by the Biscayne National Park Institute. We took the Heritage of Biscayne Cruise, which took us to several different islands.

At the furthest end of the tour, we disembarked and toured an island with an old lighthouse, an old church, and a really cool, almost hidden trail. The island is called Boca Chita Key, and if you leave the recreation area and go behind the old garage, there is a semi-enchanted entrance to a really cool trail. Less than a 20 minute loop, there is a tiny, hidden beach that would be a great place for a picnic. As you progress, there’s a place where you have to cross an old, broken down bridge. You do have to get wet here, but it was fun, and an adventure that the big kids thought was really exciting.

From there, we headed back to the Everglades. This was not the initial plan, but since Clara and Alyson had not been to the park yet, we did not want to leave without giving them the experience. It was a bit of drive, but we decided to head back to the Flamingo Visitors’ Center to try to see the wildlife. We were lucky enough to see the big crock again, and this time, a whole herd of manatees.

Following that, we drove to the east end of the park to the two best walking trails available. We combined the Anhinga and Gumbo Limbo Trails, for about a total of 1.5 miles. These two trails were great, and really provide unique, well-rounded cross-sections of the Everglades.

On the way back to the hotel, we found the Miami Brewing Company. The beer was typical, and the food was nothing to go into detail about, but it was a great, relaxing way to end our vacation. We flew home the next day, and the long saga of getting my wife and infant out of Texas had finally come to an end.

For the National Park lovers our there, I highly recommend this trip, and if you have time, to add the Dry Tortugas. We plan to get there someday soon, it simply wasn’t in the cards for this trip. That aside, getting the full experience of the Everglades was great. This is a truly unique park that offers so multiple, startling ecosystems. I will say that it is not quite as awe-inspiring as the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone, but it is a piece of Americana that everyone should experience.

I also learned that a family vacation is not the same without the entire family. Eileen, JR and I were all just a little heartbroken that we were experiencing these parks without Alyson and Clara. I am really not sure what we can do differently in the future to keep this from happening, but hopefully, none of us will ever miss out on our family adventures again.