What to do when the wife is in a conference in Santa Fe? Abscond with the rental car and take a little trip around northern New Mexico, that’s what!
It was sort of a last minute idea, so I looked at a map to see what I could do in a day. Two towns, and a national monument sounded feasible, so I dropped her off and I headed out.
Almost 1,000 years ago, a volcano spewed hot magma – gases and rock – across the landscape in what would become Northern Arizona. What resulted is now called Sunset Crater National Monument.
Traveling to Sunset Crater is an easy drive from modern-day Flagstaff, Arizona. In some areas of the park, though, it feels as though you might be on the moon. (more…)
By Guest Author Peggy Bradshaw
Upon first seeing Mt. Rushmore, the first thing that goes through your mind is the enormity of it. The second thing is “Wow! How did they do that!” (more…)
Long before there were high rises in Manhattan, ancient people built tall buildings in the cliffs. At Montezuma Castle, a US National Parks Service National Monument, you can see, from a distance, the handiwork of “Sinagua” dwellers from the 12th century. The Park is north of Flagstaff, Arizona near Interstate 17 and is normally $5 per person for those 16 and older.
Montezuma Castle National Monument
This is the last weekend (August 15-16) that the US National Park Service is allowing free entry to over 100 national parks. Montezuma Castle is one of the free locations during this special promotion. See the following list to see what is available to visit for free. (more…)
Everyone loves a day at the zoo! And one of the best zoos is the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Get on your comfortable walking shoes and plan to spend a day visiting the animals with your human animal family, because the zoo is even more fun with kids.
There is often a newborn – animal, that is – that creates quite a stir.
The pandas are one of the prime attractions at the zoo. With everyone jockeying for position, it may be hard to get some great photos. It was fun watching the pandas, though, as they ate their bamboo and lumbered about. They are so big and fluffy that you have to remind yourself that they are bears, so I was glad of the separation from them.
There are three pandas to view these days and they are playful and fun to watch, but sometimes, not totally active. Hey, you wouldn’t want to move around a lot in the DC heat and humidity, either!
Playful Panda with Bamboo
What better way to celebrate USA’S birthday than a visit to Washington, DC!
Imagine standing in bone-chillingly freezing weather near a large, manmade lake (The famous Tidal Pool) with two impressive monuments across from you, just waiting for sunrise. That was the scenario for me several years ago in Washington, DC during the spring cherry blossom season.
Almost on a dare, I decided to try photography at sunrise since I’d always heard it was the best. Well, it was, but the cold was so numbing that I almost couldn’t get my fingers to push the camera shutter.
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Jefferson Memorial at Sunrise
When a group of upstart colonists decided they wanted self-governance back in the 1770s, there was a hotbed of activity in Boston, Massachusetts.
Names familiar to many American schoolchildren – Paul Revere, John Adams and others – resided in Boston or the nearby area.
Paul Revere statue
If you’re looking for a challenging hiking experience that promises – and delivers on – scenery, a visit to Chiricahua National Monument is in order.
Entering Chiricahua after driving through miles of open and desolate desert (about an hour south of Willcox, Arizona), you arrive at the visitors center. After all of that driving, you begin to wonder why you made the drive…and then you get into the park a bit and it’s like you’re in another world! (more…)
When you travel to the National Parks in the Southwest and start with Zion, as we did, you find yourself overwhelmed and feeling very small. The cliffs tower over you and you can get lost on the trails.
Part of the “Grand Circle” of National Parks, we really enjoyed the diversity of the trails. One moment, walking along a nice level path, you might see a deer grazing not too far away.
Red cliffs of Zion National Park
Landscape Arch
From Moab, Utah, it is a fairly easy drive to the Park’s visitor center. Allow a very full morning or afternoon or even a day to visit the evocatively named formations. See “Courthouse Towers,” “ Parade of Elephants,” “Three Gossips” and the famous “Landscape Arch.” Landscape Arch looks likes it will fall down any time now, but it might take thousands of years. As recently as 1991, a large segment fell from Landscape Arch and the section left looks very close to fragmenting entirely.
Parade of Elephants
