Tag Archives: national parks

National Park Kick: Zion

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Neil

Our favorites: Stay: Zion Park Motel (family-owned, centrally located) Eat: Breakfast – Mean Bean Coffee House Do: Angels Landing Trail (5 strenuous miles, with spectacular 360 deg. views of Zion Canyon at trail end – last half-mile not for anyone … Continue reading →

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National Park Kick: Bryce Canyon

Posted on April 7, 2012 by Neil

Our favorites: Do: Figure-Eight Trail (6 miles – a combination of Navajo, Peekaboo and Queen’s Garden trails). A great way to explore and see Bryce Amphitheater from all angles. Do: Bristlecone Loop Trail – easy mile-long trail at Rainbow Point … Continue reading →

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Hoodoo -noun- a pillar of rock, usually of fantastic shape, left by erosion

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Neil

After the uncomprehensible scale of everything at the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon offers a nice change. Hoodoos are the tall, skinny rock formations that make the park famous. They stand below the edge of the canyon from end to end. … Continue reading →

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National Park Kick: Grand Canyon

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Neil

Our favorites: Do: Bright Angel Trail to Plateau Point (12 miles; 3,000′ elevation change – very strenuous and worth every bit!) Eat: Dinner – El Tovar Dining Room

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You find the coolest people in the most remote places.

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Neil

The craziness of the Grand Canyon can’t really be described in words so I won’t bother trying. You have to go there yourself. I’ve noticed a phenomenon common to almost all national parks: the more difficult the place is to … Continue reading →

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Virgin America. Two Thumbs Up.

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Neil

  Virgin America may have surpassed JetBlue as my favorite American airline. Our flight was delayed 75 minutes because of storms 12 hours earlier in the day … way to go O’Hare! When we arrived at our gate, the staff … Continue reading →

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“Passport to your National Parks” App

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Nick

Since 1986, bearers of a National Park Passport have been able to get their passport books stamped at park visitor centers and ranger stations. These cancellation stamps are a great way for NPS enthusiasts to chronicle their experiences…unless you’ve only recently found … Continue reading →

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Grand Ambitions

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Neil

A couple months ago, we thought it might be a great idea to spend the night at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. You typically have to plan 13 months ahead to stay in the hotel lodge at Phantom Ranch, … Continue reading →

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Kick of the Week: New Orleans

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Neil

Our favorites: Do: Voodoo/Cemetery walking tour (ask for Creole Gwen, and beware of Priestess Miriam!) Do: Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve Drink: Cure See: Louisiana State Museum  – Katrina and Beyond exhibit Eat: Brunch – The Lucky Ladle Eat: Dinner – Sylvain

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America The Beautiful Pass

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Neil

In preparation for visiting four National Parks on our upcoming trip, we purchased an America The Beautiful pass good for one year’s worth of entrance fees. The parks generally cost between $5 and $25 per car to enter, so if … Continue reading →

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