Venture into the center of Utah and you enter mining country. This area of Utah has a diverse ecosystem from the forest with lakes, wild flowers, flowing rivers to the painted desert. Central Utah is often overlooked as a vacation destination and this would be a mistake.

Take Spanish Fork Canyon to Price and you have made it to central Utah. Price is the largest town in the area so if you need supplies stock up here. Nine Mile Canyon has been recently purchased by the State. It is an archeological treasure trove. There is painted Indian art rocks and the land was held in private ownership until about two years ago.

After a visit to Nine Mile Canyon you will want to head south towards Huntington. The two lane highway here is very deceiving it looks desolate no trees. Travel to Huntington and follow the road sign to Huntington Canyon. After reaching the power plant the terrain will change and you won’t believe your eyes. Traveling into the Manti La Sal forest you will discover pristine streams, hiking trails through abundant wild flowers, ferns, aspen and a variety of trees. It is a great place to camp for the night and see the stars and smell the fresh air.

After visiting Huntington Canyon you will want to return to the desolate highway. If you want to visit a dig for dinosaur bones the town of Cleveland offers a look into the pit where archeologists will be working for a hundred years.

There are many options in the area to choose an adventure in the mountains here. Traveling on that same desolate highway through Orangeville you will discover orange sandstone as you travel up to Joe’s Valley. The crystal blue water, orange sandstone and ponderosa pine are a perfect place to have lunch.

When you reach the town of Castledale you will see a dirt road turn off towards the San Rafael Swell. The swell has been a favorite of the locals for years. If you hike off the dirt road you will find some of the most undisturbed Utah desert I know of. You will find Indian rock art in many unmarked places, see food storage on the cliffs, hear the meadowlarks off in the distance and feel like no one else is on the planet.

Traveling further south on that same desolate highway you will come to the town of Ferron. You will see a sign to the east take it to Ferron Canyon. Here you can visit small natural lakes, see a wide variety of wild life and enjoy scenic beauty that is rare these days.

Follow the same desolate highway to the I-70 interchange and catch highway 89 and take a scenic journey to Moab. Here is one of the most beautiful areas in Utah. Take a wild white water rafting trip, visit Arches National Park stay at a hotel after all the outdoors you will enjoy a bed.

The Big Island of Hawaii is the largest and youngest island of the chain. Because it has an active volcano, this island is still growing. There are five volcanoes on the island. Kilauea, the shortest volcano of the group is the most active volcano in the world. It has been erupting almost continuously since 1983. Watching Kilauea erupt is one of the most exciting scenes you will ever witness. You can literally see the earth being born! The island’s terrain offers barren lava fields, black beaches, tropical jungles, and snowcapped mountains. The summit of Mauna Kea offers the most beautiful views from the world’s clearest skies.

Hilo Bay is home to more then 100,000 people. This city is located on the Eastern side of the island. Hilo is known as the rainy side of the island. They get around 130 inches of rain annually. The terrain is like a lush rain forest. Hilo has had two documented tsunamis and many earthquakes. You can see cruise ships docked in the harbors of Hilo Bay. Hilo has mind-blowing waterfalls.

Heading south takes you to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. This is a sight not to be missed. Watch Kilauea erupt, walk through the lava tubes, see the lava hitting the ocean in big waves of steam. This is an incredible experience!

Head south of the park and enjoy the black beaches of Hawaii, such as Punalu’u Black Sand Beach. At the most southern part of the island is Green Sand Beach. Continue driving around the southern point and drive to the Western side of the island, or the “sunny side” of the island. Kona has the most sunshine on the island. The beaches are tamer and better for swimming. Most of the island’s resorts are on this side. The Kona side gets less rain and is therefore not as lush.

At the very northern point of this road lies the picturesque town of Hawi. There are many art shops here to enjoy. Heading north to the end of the road is the Pololu Lookout. You can hike down to the Pololu Beach by a trail. At the bottom, you will find black sand dunes.

If you want a “cowboy” experience, head to Parker Ranch. Parker Ranch is known for their long-horned cattle. Hawaiian cowboys are called Paniolo. You can take a 45 minute wagon tour of a section of the range. You can also visit the Parker Ranch Historic Homes in Waimea. At the Parker Range Visitors Center, you can see videos of the ranch’s history and cruise the museum.

Enjoy your visit to the Big Island!

Adventures in Virginia

Virginia has everything an Adventure Traveler desires. This place has the Atlantic Ocean where you can watch the dolphins play. When you are ready for some dry land you can hike the gorgeous woods with stands of hardwood trees and beautiful flowering wild flowers. You can visit historic places, relax and enjoy a ride on one of the many scenic roads that will restore your spirit and will make your vacation go by in a heartbeat.

Want to walk along the ocean and hike along the dunes and view wildlife in the ocean and on land visit First Landing State Park. This place will have looking at bald eagles, sea turtles, dolphins and you will know your in the south with moss hanging from the trees. The wild roses and the sea breeze is a smell that will imprint on your memory and have you coming back for more.

Virginia Beach is famous for relaxing in the sun and enjoying the ocean. Adventure Travel in a Kayak into one of the largest salt water marshes on the east coast. Your reward will be getting away from the crowds, closer to the wildlife and making yourself one with nature. You can rent a kayak in the area and enjoy a different perspective from many who visit this area.

When you ready to take a scenic drive adventure in Virginia you will want to travel along on the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. The road will take along the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains and give you access along the way to over five hundred miles of hiking trails. You will find that one third of these will take you into wilderness areas, some of the trails are handicapped accessible. Hiking on any of the trails you will be exposed to the wilds of Virginia. The wildlife, the hardwood trees, wildflowers and the babbling of many a stream.

When your ready to enjoy some history with scenic stops along the way travel along the George Washington Parkway. It will take you all along the Potomac River. You can stop at Mount Vernon and see where Washington made his home for over forty five years. Take a look at the gardens and wetlands that will inspire you to plant some heritage seeds in your garden next year.

While on the parkway you will want to stop at Great Falls State Park enjoy the falls and hike into the woods.

Virginia is a place that Washington held dear to his heart. Adventure Travel in the area and it will remain in yours, hopefully for the rest of your life.

If you’re smart enough to be living on a budget you are probably saving for a family vacation. You can save less and take a short trip close to home, or save more and take a big trip. Obviously with shorter trips you can do them more often, but the tradeoff is not getting to see the world farther from your front door.

Depending on where you live the cost of a big vacation often includes hotel rooms, airfare, cruise tickets, food, tips, and miscellaneous transportation costs. Once you add in souvenirs and pictures you’re often looking at several thousand dollars. For many this seems like too much money. But think about this. We get one life to live. There’s a higher number of unique places on the planet to see than you have time for. It’s healthy to break out of the rut and do something spectacular once in a while. Life is about the experiences and if you have saved up the money then you should spend it on more experiences.

It’s been 6 years since we’ve had a big cruise vacation. We’ve had several smaller trips in between, but nothing that took us off the grid, out of the country. For our upcoming trip we’re debating about another theme park experience or taking the plunge and getting on a big ship for a week. As we’re deciding I’ve attended Relay for Life events which have reminded me about how precious life is. Life is important. It’s also not guaranteed. If you’re healthy and able, get out and enjoy what the world has to offer while you can. Yes, it costs more, but in the end you have a wonderful experience to remember and hopefully lots of pictures.