50 highlight photos from our three weeks in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, Canada. 2,530 miles of driving, 56 miles of hiking, a 100-mile ferry crossing and 9 Parks Canada sites.
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Neil & Nick’s Best of 2024
Time to look back at our 24 favorites from 2024. Fashionably late of course.
24 dishes, 24 drinks, plus restaurants, bars and lodging options we thought were particularly noteworthy. Interestingly, total “bests” score is Canada 25, US 21, France 6.
Best Food (Ordered chronologically)
1. Roasted Cauliflower – Lucille’s : Mont Tremblant, QC
2. Gros Jambon Crêpe – Le Maison de la Crêpe : Mont Tremblant, QC
3. Île Flottante – L’Express : Montréal, QC
4. Panais Rôtis (roasted parsnips) – Foxy : Montréal, QC
5. Braised Short Ribs – The Nash : Calgary, AB
6. Smoked Mushroom Perogis – Deane House : Calgary, AB
7. Pineapple Stirfry – Paper Lantern : Calgary, AB
8. Mushroom Pizza – Three Bears Brewing : Banff, AB
9. Fennel and Apple Salad – Where the Buffalo Roam Saloon : Canmore, AB
10. Caramelized Onion and Apple Quesadilla – Love Apple : Taos, NM
11. Chicken Mango Enchiladas – Antonio’s : Taos, NM
12. Schiaffoni Pasta with Mushroom Ragout – Medley : Taos, NM
13. Signature Burger – James Ranch Grill : Durango, CO
14. Lamb Tenderloin – Bin707 Foodbar : Grand Junction, CO
15. Gratin de Tomates Vertes – Bistro Vendôme : Denver, CO
16. Green Gâteau – The Green Gâteau : Lincoln, NE
17. Finnish Pasty – Suomi : Houghton, MI
18. Chocolate Cake and Homemade Ice Cream – Keweenaw Mountain Lodge : Copper Harbor, MI
19. Wild Boar Cavatelli – Antler : Toronto, ON
20. Gochujang Chicken & Waffles – Sisters & Co. : Toronto, ON
21. La Croziflette – Le Refuge 1110 : Les Carroz d’Arâches, France
22. Chocolate & Orange Bûche de Noël – Au Puits Savoyard : Annecy, France
23. Pâtes flambées dan la meule de parmesan – La Table Des Bros : Voiron, France
24. Paris-Bresse – Brasserie Dubillot : Paris, France
Best Overall Meal:
Bin707 Foodbar : Grand Junction, CO
Other Exceptional Dining:
L’Express : Montréal, QC
Foxy : Montréal, QC
Paper Lantern : Calgary, AB
Medley : El Prado, NM
Antler : Toronto, ON
Best Drinks (Ordered chronologically)
1. Riz-Waka rice lager – Réservoir Brasseur : Montréal, QC
2. Mamie Taylor – Foxy : Montréal, QC
3. Cold Black IPA – Cold Garden : Calgary, AB
4. Buckskin Sour – The Nash : Calgary, AB
5. Cocktail #41 – Major Tom : Calgary, AB
6. Midori Garden – Paper Lantern : Calgary, AB
7. Gunfighter – Park Distillery : Banff, AB
8. Sweet Sass – Hello Sunshine : Banff, AB
9. Peat and Passion – Where the Buffalo Roam Saloon : Canmore, AB
10. Great Scot Scottish – Taos Mesa Brewing : Taos, NM
11. Desert Pear Lemonade / Mint Lemonade – Gutiz : Taos, NM
12. Cumpá y Cuate – The Oxford : Durango, CO
13. Hogsback Black – Animas Brewing : Durango, CO
14. Green Iced Tea – Chang Thai : Durango, CO
15. Tyrannosaurus Red – Carlson Vineyards : Palisade, CO
16. Kick Push – Bin707 Foodbar : Grand Junction, CO
17. Black Lager – Long Table Brewing : Denver, CO
18. Sesame State of Mind – Deviation Distilling : Denver, CO
19. New Escape or Golden Lion – The Other Room : Lincoln, NE
20. Brettal Head, Foeder Aged Plae Ale – Bellwoods Brewing : Toronto, ON
21. Psychic Sonya – Cry Baby Gallery : Toronto, ON
22. Japanese Burnt Martini – Prequel & Co. Apothecary : Toronto, ON
23. Genepi Blonde – Brasseurs Savoyards : Haute Savoie, France
24. Sauvage – Caves de la Chartreuse : Voiron, France
Best Bar:
Prequel & Co. Apothecary : Toronto, ON
Other Outstanding Imbibing:
El Pequeño Bar : Montreal, QC
Major Tom : Calgary, AB
The Oxford : Durango, CO
The Other Room : Lincoln, NE
Cry Baby Gallery : Toronto, ON
Favorite Lodging:
1. Keweenaw Mountain Lodge : Copper Harbor, MI
Other outstanding stays:
2. Brewster Mountain Lodge : Banff, AB
3. Ambleside Lodge B&B : Canmore, AB
4. Stonehouse Loft (Vrbo) : Durango, CO
5. Casa Nina (Airbnb) : Palisade, CO
Neil & Nick’s 23 Best of 2023
Time to look back at our favorites from 2023.
23 dishes, 23 drinks and a few lodging options we thought were awesome, check it out.
Best Food (Ordered chronologically)
1. Braised Bison Enchiladas – Hatch Taqueria : Jackson, WY
2. Mama’s Ramen – Teton Tiger : Jackson, WY
3. Fusilli Gigante – Glorieta : Jackson, WY
4. Orecchiette with Chicken – Braise : Milwaukee, WI
5. Capricciosa Pizza – Santino’s Little Italy : Milwaukee, WI
6. Deviled Eggs – Margaret’s: Marfa, TX
7. Brisket – Convenience West : Marfa, TX
8. The Coyote – Long Draw Pizza : Lajitas, TX
9. Roasted Pea Salad – All Saints : Minneapolis, MN
10. Ham and Gruyère Croissant – Wild Crumb : Bozeman, MT
11. S’mores Panna Cotta – The Fireside : Portland, OR
12. Omurice – Toki : Portland, OR
13. Honey Lavender Ice Cream – Salt & Straw : Portland, OR
14. Brussels Sprouts – Scotch Lodge : Portland, OR
15. Chicken and Waffle Sandro – Besaw’s : Portland, OR
16. Double R Ranch Teres Major Steak – 900 Wall : Bend, OR
17. Roast Chicken – The Modern : Boise, ID
18. Duck Breast – Stockman’s Saloon : Pinedale, WY
19. Mini Waffles – Pine Coffee Supply : Pinedale, WY
20. Filet Mignon & Lobster – Sally’s wedding reception, Barringer’s : Fish Creek, WI
21. Butternut & Mascarpone Agnolotti – Pepp & Dolores : Cincinnati, OH
22. Mille Feulle vegetables and Roasted Carrots – Nolia : Cincinnati, OH
23. Funghi Saltimbocca – Stellina : Montréal, QC
Best Overall Meal:
All Saints : Minneapolis, MN
Other Outstanding Dining:
Glorieta : Jackson, WY
Margaret’s: Marfa, TX
Scotch Lodge : Portland, OR
Best Drinks (Ordered chronologically)
1. Fuyu – Teton Tiger : Jackson, WY
2. Black Spruce Tip IPA – Indeed Brewing : Milwaukee, WI
3. The Arborist – Braise : Milwaukee, WI
4. Tamarind Gin Mule – Marfa Spirit Co : Marfa, TX
5. Cosmic Cowgirl Margarita – Starlight Theater : Terlingua, TX
6. House Margarita – Joe T. Garcia’s : Fort Worth, TX
7. Saturnalia – All Saints : Minneapolis, MN
8. Peaks to Prairie IPA – Bitter Root Brewing : Hamilton, MT
9. Tikvah Latte (white chocolate and strawberry) – Ahava Coffee : Stevensville, MT
10. Montana Haze IPA – Higherground Brewing : Hamilton, MT
11. Thunderskunk 2023 Hazy IPA – Lumberbeard Brewing : Spokane, WA
12. Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica – Hogwash : Spokane, WA
13. Flamingo Planet Guava Blonde Ale – Ecliptic Brewing : Portland, OR
14. Green Fairy – Pilot House Distilling : Astoria, OR
15. Marine Haze – Pelican Brewing : Cannon Beach, OR
16. Black Mamba – 900 Wall : Bend, OR
17. Salted Watermelon Wheat – Barbadian Brewing : Boise, ID
18. The Big Pickle Cream Ale – Pals Brewing : North Platte, NE
19. Prairie Nectar Farmhouse Ale – Jubeck Brewing : Dubuque, IA
20. Slim Pickins – Longfellow: Cincinnati, OH
21. Lawnchair Hotrod – Rheingeist Brewing : Cincinnati, OH
22. Be Handy – Sundry & Vice : Cincinnati, OH
23. Cépage Blanc – Brewskey : Montréal, QC
Favorite Lodging:
1. Jackalope Motor Lodge, Pinedale, WY
Other outstanding stays:
2. Parkway Inn, Jackson, WY
3. Almo Inn, Almo, ID
4. Fossil Knob Ridge, Terlingua, TX
5. Laurie & Doug’s Place (airbnb), Stevensville, MT
Photo Gallery: Oregon Trails 2023
Some photos of our longest road trip to date, 5,952 miles from Chicago to the Oregon coast and back.
Click for large slideshow view and captions.
Neil & Nick’s Best of 2022
It might be nearly six months since 2022 ended, but it’s never too late to share our favorite food, drinks and lodging experiences from the previous year.
Best Food (Ordered chronologically)
1. Fish Fry – Roxey’s : Ontonagon, MI
2. Brisket Ragu & Pappardelle – Officers Club : Denver, CO
3. Shrimp and Grits with Catfish – Denver Biscuit Co : Aurora, CO
4. Cheddar/Pancetta/Apple/Arugula Flatbread – Adventures Decanted : Winter Park, CO
5. Fish Tacos – The Ditch : Winter Park, CO
6. Wild Turkey Sandwich – New Moon Bakery and Cafe : Nederland, CO
7. Portobello Fries – Bird & Jim : Estes Park, CO
8. Serrano Ham – Le Bouillon : Omaha, NE
9. Sweet Potato Fries – Old Man River : McGregor, IA
10. Drunken Pork Belly Shots – Bob’s BBQ Emporium : Beer Bacon Cheese Fest, New Glarus, WI
11. Miso Cod – Mute Swan : Hampton Court, England
12. Chole Puri – Dishoom : London, England
13. Thyme Roasted Venison – Glaschu : Glasgow, Scotland
14. Scallops – Red Skye : Breakish, Isle of Skye, Scotland
15. Berry Tart – Dulse and Brose : Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland
16. Smoked Mackerel Dip – Hebridean Inn : Broadford, Isle of Skye, Scotland
17. Steak and Ale Pie – The WaterFront : Inverness, Scotland
18. Pork Ribs – The White House : Inverness, Scotland
19. Fried Brussels Sprouts & Cauliflower – Amphora Wine Bar : Green Bay, WI
20. Bison Oxtail Sugo – Trio : Jackson, WY
Best Overall Meal:
Glaschu : Glasgow, Scotland
Other Outstanding Dining:
Bird & Jim : Estes Park, CO
Le Bouillon : Omaha, NE
Red Skye : Breakish, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Best Drinks (Ordered chronologically)
1. Burnt & Smoked – Officers Club : Denver, CO
2. Recreational Therapy Hazy IPA – Hideaway Park Brewing : Winter Park, CO
3. Mighty Madison IPA – Big Trout Brewing : Winter Park, CO
4. Tyndall Porter – Rock Cut Brewing : Estes Park, CO
5. Bird & Gin – Bird & Jim : Estes Park, CO
6. Smokey Bear Latte – Kind Coffee : Estes Park, CO
7. Root Beer Chai – Hardy Coffee : Omaha, NE
8. Pine Negroni – The Chelsea Pig : London, UK
9. Barrowlands – Glaschu : Glasgow, Scotland
10. Scotch Ale – Black Isle Brewing : Fort William, Scotland
11. Allt Gleann Single Malt Scotch – Torabhaig : Teangue, Isle of Skye, Scotland
12. Tarasgeir Smoked Beer – Isle of Skye Brewing : Uig, Scotland
13. Summer Spritz – Hebridean Inn : Broadford, Isle of Skye, Scotland
14. Highlander Scottish Amber – Fyne Ales : Inverness, Scotland
15. Islay Cask Red Ale – Innis & Gunn Brewing : Edinburgh, Scotland
16. Pint – Dragonfly : Edinburgh, Scotland
17. Pickolas Cage Dill Pickle Gose – Three Bridges Brewing : Menominee, MI
Best Lodging:
1. Triangle X Ranch : Moose, WY
Other outstanding stays:
2. Upper High Drive (Airbnb) – Estes Park, CO
3. Sunroom Annexe (Airbnb) – Breakish, Isle of Skye
4. Superior Shores Resort, Cottage 11– Ontonagon, MI
Marfa & Big Bend Photo Gallery
In late March and early April, we made a visit to far West Texas, our first since 2016. We were eager to return to both the artistic destination town of Marfa and Big Bend National Park, and covered some new territory in between as well. The key to exploring Big Bend further turned out to be our rental pickup truck. It allowed us access to parts of the park that weren’t reachable with our regular rental sedan last time. Following are some photo highlights.
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London/Scotland 2022 Photo Gallery
In July we spent two weeks in the UK, visiting London and Scotland. Our time in London coincided with the heat wave that saw the highest temperature ever recorded in the country. It made for some interesting travel experiences. Scotland was much more temperate but also much wetter. We took in tons of history and some great food and drink. Here are the highlights. Click on a photo to view full size as slideshow.
Colorado April 2022 Gallery
Images from the April 7-17 road trip to Denver, Winter Park and Estes Park, Colorado.
(Click on an image for larger view and captions)
2021 Year in Review
Last year felt mostly back to normal in the travel department. We did a freshly-vaccinated spring road trip to Moab, UT and then returned to the skies for our big 3-week summer trip and our December trek through Yellowstone. We rounded out the travel year with a couple long weekends to visit a friend in Kentucky and to test out a new tent in Ohio’s Hocking Hills. Check out our routes, statistics and an illustration of the most memorable moments from 2021. (Click for larger view)
Yellowstone Winter Gallery
We dreamed of visiting Yellowstone National Park in winter for years, and in 2021 we finally took the plunge. Visiting in winter is a such a different experience from summer that it’s practically a different park. Yellowstone receives about the same number of visitors in the entire month of December that it sees in a single day in July. Let that statistic sink in…
Park access by car is limited to Mammoth Hot Springs/Lamar Valley in the north, and West Yellowstone, Montana in the west. All other access is by large-wheeled snow coach or snowmobile, as roads are snow-covered and groomed, but not plowed. In a departure from our normal style of do-it-ourselves trip planning, we bought a five-night, six-day “Winter Couples Adventure” package through Xanterra Lodges. It included bus transportation from the Bozeman Airport, two nights in Mammoth Hot Springs, three nights in the Old Faithful Snow Lodge, our amazing guide Kristi, snowshoe rental, and all meals. There were also little bonuses like a gift basket in the room (post-hike champagne!) and $50 to spend in the gift shop. Group size is limited to 10. We would definitely recommend it as the best way to see the park in winter.
We flew from Chicago to Bozeman, Montana a couple nights early in hopes of skiing at Bridger Bowl, but drought conditions meant not enough snow for the resort to open in time, so we settled for a day of hiking, breweries and museums in town.
Here’s the trip gallery:
Posted in Destinations, High Kick Photos, Travel Tips, Travelogues
Tagged bozeman montana, geysers, geysers winter, Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful, Old Faithful Snow Lodge, Xanterratravel, Yellowstone geothermal features, Yellowstone Ice Skating, Yellowstone National Park, Yellowstone River, Yellowstone Snow Coach, Yellowstone Snow Shoeing, Yellowstone Wildlife, yellowstone winter
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