Joshua Tree National Park is worth visiting. It is a unique and beautiful landscape that offers a range of outdoor activities and scenic views. The park is known for its distinctive Joshua trees, as well as its unique rock formations, scenic hiking trails, and abundant wildlife.
Whether you’re a nature lover, a hiker, a rock climber, or just looking for a peaceful escape from the city, Joshua Tree National Park is a great destination. With over 800,000 acres of protected land, there’s plenty to see and do, from exploring the park’s many hiking trails and scenic drives to camping and stargazing under the clear desert skies.
Overall, a visit to Joshua Tree National Park is worth considering if you’re in the area or are interested in exploring one of California’s most unique.
Here are a few popular places to enjoy breakfast near Joshua Tree National Park:
Crossroads Cafe – a cozy, local cafe with a menu of classic breakfast dishes and creative specials
Joshua Tree Coffee Company – a coffee shop with a range of breakfast options, including pastries, breakfast burritos, and more
The Natural Sisters Cafe – a vegetarian-friendly cafe with a menu of organic, locally-sourced breakfast and lunch options
The Parker Palm Springs – a luxury hotel with a popular restaurant and brunch menu
Country Kitchen – a classic, homestyle diner with a menu of hearty breakfast dishes and classic American fare
These are just a few dining options near Joshua Tree National Park, so be sure to explore the area and try different restaurants to find the ones that best fit your taste and budget.
The Mirror House
The Mirror House is a unique architectural structure in Joshua Tree, California. It is a private residence known for its mirrored exterior, which reflects the surrounding desert landscape and creates an optical illusion of being surrounded by nature. The house was designed by architect Lance Wright and has become a popular destination for architecture and design enthusiasts, as well as for photo shoots and events.
Please note that the Mirror House is a private residence and not open to the public for tours or visits. However, it can be viewed from a distance and is often used as a photo backdrop.
For those planning your post-pandemic vacation, also being described as the revenge vacation, I have a simple hack that will make it easier for you to narrow it down. If you’re anything like me, the multitude of social media images and blog posts has scrambled my brain and made my ability to decide on only one travel destination a challenging feat.
When it comes to vacation planning, I needed to create something to stop me from getting overwhelmed, so I constructed a spreadsheet that lined up my values and interests, which was the fastest way for me to put a bullseye on where to buy my next ticket. Some of you may have different values or factors to consider (ie, children, distance, and duration) that you may add to your count.
For myself, the following elements to consider are essential:
How much to spend on a vacation is a personal choice, lifestyle factors like home ownership, debt, or children can deter you from staying at t Ritz and flying first class, but even on a lower budget, traveling can be affordable. Knowing I will always want to plan another vacation when I get home, I tend to spend less on accommodations and splurge on activities.
What do you want to do when you get to your destination? For me, swimming is number one on a summer vacation list. Getting into a refreshing body of water feels amazing, and bonus points if I can rent a nearby paddleboard.
Sometimes I want to escape with no make-up, do strenuous physical activity, and hang out with a book at my hotel. However, when I’m on a long flight, I want to transpose myself into a much more unique world than I’m currently in. Less time at the hotel, more time out and about. Seeing and being seen, I want to hear other languages, see people dressed in fabulous clothing, and taste delicious food.
Lately, my trips have consisted of me packing sandwiches, beef jerky, and baked goods. When traveling abroad, I love hunting down must-try restaurants. I like to experience the variety of new flavors a country offers and adopt a “see food” diet; I eat anything I see that looks good. Then, back home, I can go back to more short staples. Cities with food I wouldn’t typically see in restaurants in Edmonton, Canada, must be explored!
When I travel, I want to have as stress-free a trip as possible; this means the place I’m visiting has a robust transportation system. Renting a car in an unknown city is far from ideal—driving on the left-hand side of the road, or a stand, and traffic, no thanks. If I can take a train, uber, bus, or use the “heel, toe” express to get around, it makes the destination much more favorable.
Put all these factors together, and this is what my sheet looks like:
I used this spreadsheet to help me narrow my decision down to Spain. As a solo traveler, it seems like an accessible country to navigate for a shorter time frame. I can’t wait to see how much fun traveling in Spain will be! I hope you can use this as a template when you are scratching your head for your next getaway.
The juxtaposition of the view is remarkable. First, you may feel the melancholy, fires destroyed approximately 30,000 hectares of land in 2017, but now there is an influx of fresh greenery popping throughout; hope sprouts post-tragedy.
The small town is charming with souvenir shops and restaurants that only span two blocks of the street and a beautiful lake on the other to enjoy pre or post-meal stroll. For me, walkable destinations on vacation are favorable. One, I’m lazy, and two, I want to drink a beer and not worry about the stress of driving, traffic, parking, etc. From the center of Waterton, you can walk to beaches, restaurants, hikes, or rent bicycles to cruise around with.
Bear’s Hump Hike
Crypt Lake Hike
Our first hike was to the famous Crypt lake. This trail is only accessible by boat, and can often be fully booked, so plan ahead. It’s a long hike that requires a lot of water and sunscreen as we attempted it in the middle of summer. Crypt is the Greek word for “secret” as the hike reaches its end, the secret is revealed beyond a tunnel and steep hill. This last part terrified my mother, so this “secret” lake remains as such for me. Oh well, perhaps just an incentive to return and do it again? Book the shuttle here:
Bertha Lake is an excellent medium-intensity 8 km hike; you walk from town to the base near the campground.
Bertha Lake
Red Rock Canyon
Red Rock Canyon
Paddleboard or kayak: I brought an inflatable paddle board that was the perfect break from sweaty days of hiking. A lot of people out on kayaks too. (You can easily rent these in town if you don’t have your own). The water was on the cooler side but still suitable for a quick swim.
Bike- rent or BYOB 😊
Eats
Pearls is my favorite breakfast food; this café had terrific coffee and delicious food. Pearls
After two canceled trips to Mexico, I racked my brain for places to recharge that would be adventurous and relaxing for a family vacation with my parents. However, horror stories of stranded travelers and increased costs prompted me to consider a local trip instead. Having driven to Vancouver Island from Edmonton, I knew the distance and rise in gas prices couldn’t compete with Flair’s $100 flight to the island.
While Victoria, British Columbia’s capital city, is most often sought out with direct flights or ferries and shuttles. However, I decided to take advantage of the lesser-known Comox, which offered a cheaper & less busy flight and a rental car; book one in advance; the checkout counter had a sign that said they were sold out! I spent a few days exploring Qualicum Beach, Parksville, Nanoose Bay, Coombs, Ucluelet, and Tofino. It sounds like many destinations, but these are quieter, smaller towns with most people found content on a beach with a picnic.
Qualicum Beach
Qualicum Beach
We chose the longer ocean route to get to our hotel and stopped to have lunch on the beach. My mother packed us an entire lunch of sandwiches and fruit, which I swore we would have to throw away at security, but we were able to keep to our luck! This town has a Saturday market to check out if you fly on this day, but we were eager to check in to our resort and enjoy a drink in the sun.
Qualicum Beach
Parksville
Rathtrevor Provincial Park
We stopped at a grocery store to pick up more snacks, smoked salmon, cheeses, and fruit. We then headed to Rathtrevor Provincial Park, a lovely park with a nice beach full of kites and picnic tables. We came here once for a walk and then the following day for a 5km run through the park before heading for lunch.
Rathtrevor Beach
Nanoose Bay
View from the Pacific Shores Resort
We stayed at the Pacific Shores Resort, which was great. It has an indoor pool, hot tub, and sauna, which we enjoyed each night. My dad and I also borrowed ping pong paddles and played a few games to give my mother a break from us for an hour! There were the most beautiful sunsets in the evenings, and with outdoor propane firepits, it was a charming way to end the evening. Several families brought smore kits and roasted marshmallows with their kids. We snacked on the meat, cheese, and beer we bought in Parksville.
Sunset at the Pacific Shore ResortNotch Hill Loop
Activities:
Rathover Park- 5km loop to run or walk
Nanoose Loop – 2.9Km loop that we choose to run, nice gravel trail.
Notch Hill Loop Trail- 5 km loop with a view of the bay and a swing!
Coombs
Coombs
A quick stop, most people come to see the goats that walk on the roof of the building; however, there is much more to discover at this stop. This pit stop was the liveliest place we found on our trip. We enjoyed a fabulous lunch at an Italian restaurant, Cuckoo. I bought some fresh doughnuts from Billy G’s doughnut shop and more snacks from the market, which was quite ample. There, were picked up heart-shaped truffle cheese, the tastiest sausages, and an apple galette. I would also recommend the cheese bread and pies if we had time and more real estate in our stomachs!
Cuckoo Restaurant Coombs
Ucluelet
Wild Pacific Trail
We stayed at the Blackrock Resort. It is a picturesque place on the ocean, with an outdoor hot tub, and is steps away from the West Pacific trail. There is also a beach where some people had made fires and cozily eaten near- something to plan for the next time we go! We opted for a room with a kitchenette to cook breakfast in (eating out every day isn’t ideal for us); the room had high ceilings, a nice balcony to sit out and listen to the ocean on, and a large soaker tub. It is also dog friendly if you planning to bring a furry family member.
Wild Pacific Trail
Tofino
Long Beach
We went to Tofino to do a bear tour via boat. Unfortunately, the covered boat was not available, so we ended up with these bright red spacesuit-looking overalls in an open boat. We have several bears in Alberta, so the sightings weren’t too eventful. But my mother wearing the red get-up was priceless. If I went again, I would do a seaplane tour, as it would be cool to see the beaches from that unique vantage point. We stopped at Shelter for lunch, which had a lovely, heated patio with a fireplace and a great view.
Tofino Eats
The catch of the day, cooked over an open fire at the Zedd hotel was our best meal of the trip!
At the Zedd Hotel & Shelter
Activities:
Atelo– recommended by our guide for seaplane tours
Chesterman Beach-Nice beach for walking and watching surfers
Wild Pacific Trail
Chasing Waterfalls
Qualicum Falls
Road Trip Pit Stops
To break up our drive, we visited Cathedral Grove and Qualicum Falls, and they were the perfect easy hiking spots! Hope you enjoyed this post and are inspired to take your own trip to the majestic Vancouver Island!
This year my family and I escaped the cold and commercialism of Christmas and fled to Playa Del Carmen for 2017. My mother was thrilled to avoid spending hours waiting in line-ups and traffic for Christmas presents, ingredients for indulgent meals and unpacking boxes of Christmas decorations.
Playa Del Carmen
We stayed at a beautiful Airbnb just a few blocks walking to the beach and right behind the Mexican version of Walmart, Mega, which my father adored since his favorite tequila was a third of the price there! My favorite restaurant was Nativo; you can get a liter smoothie for under $2.00, I got one stuffed with celery, parsley, and fresh orange juice. Also, a great place to eat local food for cheap.
Tours:
One day was spent on a tour we booked through our Airbnb to take a catamaran trip to Isla Mujeres.
Isla Mujeres
We planned another small daytrip, for $10, we took a taxi to go to the day club, Grande Coral Beach. The beach was clean and beautiful, and you get a change of scenery from the busy, crowded beach near 5th ave.
Grande Coral Beach Club
A bit of a further trek, but well worth it, we took the ADO bus to Tulum, this was a neat jungle-like an oasis. If you are the adventurous type, book a kitesurfing lesson. We stayed for drinks and breakfast at La Zebra, a posh boutique hotel on the beach. It costs $25/per person for food or beverages to park here for the day, but well worth it, as to stay in this boutique hotel is $700/night! There was a mixologist from New York making the drinks.
Tulum
Getting from -30 C to +30 C was the best present this year. You just can’t get a bow-tie around the sun! Anyone else have any interesting destination for the holidays? I need help planning next years escape!
The idea may scare you! Thoughts of your parents taking the wheel, following the speed limits, playing terrible music, and nagging you all day, did you use bug spray, is your seat belt fastened, are you hungry, do you need to pee yet? Sitting in the back of a car, getting to crack into a new book takes me back to my childhood. The idea for this Jasper trip was a present to my father for his 58 birthday. I booked an inexpensive motel in Hinton and a day tour of the Columbia Icefields and Skywalk. Here are a few images from our weekend away.
After the hike, we ended up at the Miette Hot Springs. We ended up waiting about 10 minutes in line, and it was well worth it. We spend about 2 hours here, dipping from hot to cold pools to stimulate our mitochondria and revive our stimulated muscles. Upon our drive down, we had to slow the car to let none other than a black bear pass.
The ice fields were spectacular, be sure to take an empty water bottle to gather a bottle of cold glacier water. What surprised me the most was all the cotton-topped (white-haired tourists). It makes me realize not to wait until you get old to travel; start doing it now; there are plenty more places to visit. At the end of the trip, I discovered that my Father’s best part was reaching the top of the mountain, and my mother’s was getting an up-close view of Mr. Grizzly. Mine was that I had a great vacation with my parents, and I was happy to have planned it. There were no fancy restaurants with our heads down scrolling through cell phones; my parents still don’t have phones with data on them; bless their souls!
After the hike, we ended up at the Miette Hot Springs. We waited about 10 minutes in line, and it was well worth it. We spend about 2 hours here, dipping from hot to cold pools to stimulate our mitochondria and revive our stimulated muscles. Unfortunately, upon our drive down, we had to slow the car to let none other than a black bear pass.
The ice fields were spectacular, be sure to take an empty water bottle to gather a bottle of cold glacier water. What surprised me the most was all the cotton-topped (white-haired tourists). It makes me realize not to wait until you get old to travel; start doing it now; there are plenty more places to visit. At the end of the trip, I discovered that my Father’s best part was reaching the top of the mountain, and my mother’s was getting an up-close view of Mr. Grizzly. Mine was that I had a great vacation with my parents, and I was happy to have planned it. There were no fancy restaurants with our heads down scrolling through cell phones; my parents still don’t have phones with data on them; bless their souls!
While it can be fun to visit tourist attractions during a vacation, at times this can mean waiting in long line ups, crowds and expensive tourist packages. One of my favorite ways to explore a new city is to meet a local and hire them as my guide. While hanging out a rooftop bar in the center square of Hvar, I was fortunate enough to meet a local, Ivo, who was kind enough to take his day off and show me some hidden gems of Hvar. If you can’t befriend a local then be sure to rent a car! Here are some highlights from our day.
The Lavender Fields
A great souvenir to pick up from Croatia. Lavender oil is good to use on mosquito bites, for stress relief and it said to help put you to sleep when used on the bottoms of your feet.
Farm Life
The old stone houses in Hvar were built for farmers, called kazun. Farmers carefully placed layers of stones stacked to build a small hut; the top of the conical roof had a hole so that smoke can come out.
Reaching New Heights
The highest point in Hvar: Sveti Nikola. This was a truly magical moment, I love reaching new highs, if only I was a bird!
UNANCHORED EVE 