Travel Tips & Adventures

Real People. Real Travel.

Posts Tagged ‘Travel’

Travel – Walking the Boardwalk in Wilmington

Monday, March 7th, 2011

There must be something magical about boardwalks, since so many cities have them. People stroll, check out the scenery and window shop.

On a recent trip to Wilmington, North Carolina, we took our time exploring the sites from the boardwalk that looked out over the Intracoastal Waterway.  Putting one foot in front of the other, we received the benefits of an energetic walk as we saw the USS North Carolina, numerous boats, and many shops and restaurants. (more…)

Travel to Heavenly Weather in…Arizona

Monday, January 24th, 2011

Unless you really like winter sports, this time of year the greatest place to be is Arizona.  I know Arizona’s been taking a lot of hits lately, but the weather In January and February is why Arizona has a major tourism influx.

Daytime temperatures get into the 70ºs (Fahrenheit) and the sun is shining. Soon, we’ll have a profusion of flowers – yes, it really can flower in the desert! (more…)

Travel to a View from the Rocks

Monday, January 17th, 2011

A few weeks ago, I promised to tell about the images on my new web site, Hiking.fortheCouchPotato.com That’s – Hiking for the Couch Potato – -http://hiking.forthecouchpotato.com

Head over there now!  (I’ll wait!) http://hiking.forthecouchpotato.com

Take a quick look at image number 4 at the top of the page (just scroll over) and you’ll see a reddish, sandstone rock that seems to have some people tucked in an opening.

Okay, now that you’ve seen that truly unusual natural development, wouldn’t you like to know where it is?

That image is the closest of the four to my home in Arizona.

It’s – Papago Park in the Phoenix, Arizona area.  Of the many natural formations in the central Arizona area, Papago Park allows visitors to come and hike up (from the area behind the photo you’re seeing) and look out at the world.  The walk is not too challenging, but since it’s terraced with some built in “stairs,” it would be tough for someone in a wheelchair.  However, most other people would be able to walk up to see the view.

Papago Park also is well-located, as it is near both the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden.  Plan a day seeing all of those sights if you’re planning to come to Arizona.

And, despite the bad press Arizona is getting these days about guns, most of us are not gun-toting, wild west types spoiling for a fight.   You can expect to be treated well here as some of the most luxurious hotels and exotic scenery of the US southwest is right here in the Phoenix area.  And, the majority of people are well- behaved, law-abiding citizens.

Happy New Year!

Monday, January 3rd, 2011

Again, I wish all of my readers a happy new year!

I’ve been offline for a bit because I’ve been concentrating on getting Hiking for the Couch Potato out to the world!  If you take a look at http://hiking.forthecouchpotato.com, then come back for details, I’ll explain what image number 3 at the top of my new blog is about.

Okay, so  - did you go look at the other web site?

If you did, then let me share with you that the image is from Hawaii, Wailoa River State Park, a park on the Big Island.  This is a gorgeous place to meander that provides many vantage points for photography. A local park, there is no admission fee.  You can climb down to be near the water or see the falls from higher up.

It’s peaceful and we had almost no one else to bother us, unlike many more known sites in Hawaii, where everyone seems to be jockeying for a place to take photos.

Travel to Hiking at Granite Dells

Monday, November 29th, 2010

I promised to tell you about the images on my new Website, Hiking for the Couch Potato – http://hiking.forthecouchpotato.com.

So, take a peek at the site and look at the second image near the top.  When you do, you’ll see an almost other-worldly location where the rocks have encircled a watery, breathtakingly beautiful lake.  If you look really carefully, you’ll even see a mountain with snow on it off in the distance.

Where is it?

The shot is of Granite Dells, just north of Prescott, Arizona at Watson Lake.  It’s a park, a picnic place and a fabulous place to hike.  There is a small entrance fee, but just sharing the view is worth it!

Take a look at our previous blog on this site that tells you more.  http://traveltipsandadventures.com/?p=1687

Enjoy!  We certainly have and we’ve been back several times.

Travel to Couch Potato Locations

Sunday, November 21st, 2010

If you’ve seen the new Hiking for the Couch Potato website – http://hiking.forthecouchpotato.com – you’ve seen some images at the top of the page.

I promised to identify the images at the top of our new website.

Image number 1 is:  ta – dah  – drum roll -

Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, Oregon.

A monolith that juts 235 feet high above the long stretch of beach in Cannon Beach, Oregon, Haystack Rock seems to follow you in any direction wherever you are on the beach.  Birds and other creatures – especially humans – find it almost magnetic, but it is a protected site.  See our longer blog for more information – http://traveltipsandadventures.com/?p=1134

Return next week and we’ll identify our #2 image.

We hope you’ll visit our Hiking for the Couch Potato website – and maybe even consider buying a book!  Especially for those of you who know someone who really needs to get off the couch and get some activity in their life.

Have a great week, everyone!

Travel to Payson AZ

Monday, September 20th, 2010

Until we spent part of a day in Payson after visiting Tonto Natural Bridge (see previous blog  two weeks ago), we had just been through Payson on our way to other places.  It is the junction for Arizona State Routes 87 and 160, and about equidistant between Flagstaff and Phoenix, so it was just a place to fuel our car and keep going.  We’re glad we stopped by this time, though!

With a population (at last count) of over 13,000, they are a giant metropolis in comparison to Strawberry and Pine, the neighbor burgs we visited the same day.  There is more of everything, but the scenic backdrop of the mountains gives everything the “aah” factor.  You can relax in Payson.  It’s that kind of place.

There is shopping along the main street, including the Swiss Village shops which a resident we met at the Natural Bridge told us not to miss. We missed it, because we weren’t there for shopping. We just wanted to see what it was like for someone visiting and looking for scenery. (more…)

Travel to Rim Country

Monday, September 13th, 2010

When Arizonans try to escape the heat, they change climates and altitudes by heading up north to Rim Country.   Barely two hours from Phoenix, Arizona are some towns terraced into the mountains.  Payson, up the circuitous State Route 87, is the largest town with other towns clustered a few miles away.

Strawberry

Strawberry, charmingly named, has a much smaller population (in 2007 – only 1,000-plus!) and has a few amenities.  According to http://www.city-data.com/city/Strawberry-Arizona.html, Strawberry residents are older, richer and have more expensive homes than the median Arizona population.

One tourist magnet with some charm is the Strawberry School, the “oldest standing school in Arizona.”  According to a representative of the Pine/Strawberry Archeological and Historical Society, the school was almost razed when a developer bought a large tract in the area.  A local informed the crew that was about to raze the school as they were removing the roof, that the building was the old school house.  The developer decided to spare the school and the roof was rebuilt.

Strawberry School - the "Oldest Standing School in Arizona "

The original building’s walls were constructed in 1885 with logs that surround a one-room area dominated with a wood-burning stove.  The historical society rep commented that the old wooden desks were not the original furnishings.  Instead, tables were used.

Closed in 1916, the school is a reminder of what schools were like a century ago.  However, the furnishings were considered more opulent than was normal with wainscoting, wallpaper, slate on the wall as a blackboard, a world globe, an organ, a dictionary and a clock.  The school was also a meeting location and social center.

Interior of the one-room Strawberry School

For many in the area, the school was part of their heritage, so residents were integral in having it declared a Historical Monument in 1981.

There is no charge to view the school, but a donation is requested.

Pine

Another small town with a lot of activity the weekend we visited is Pine.  Again, as in Strawberry, the median age and income levels are higher than the median for Arizona.  The population tallies just under 2,000. Can we say, “retirement community”?

An arts and crafts fair was sprawled out along the road as well as in a community hall.  The variety seemed to be strongly focused on food.  However, we enjoyed the crafts and most especially our chat with Bob Gleason, a basket weaver, who was weaving as we spoke.

Bob Gleason weaves baskets right in front of your eyes.

Bob is from Phoenix, but enjoys demonstrating his craft, which he finds relaxing and has recently begun more elaborate baskets.  The colors and craftsmanship are top notch.  The materials are rattan and can be extremely light, but sturdy.  Bob’s business, with the URL of bobsbasketcase.intuitwebsites.com, (602-317-0644), shows he has a sense of humor.  He has to with some of the dumb questions that people ask – “Who makes the baskets? –He does – “I’m making one now!” (I’m sure he’d like to tell people to pay attention.)

Another crafter, Ron Lepore with Melted Bottles (928-443-8865), uses recycled bottles to make very attractive serving pieces with knives attached.  Great for serving cheese, crackers, fruit and other edibles, the pieces show the whimsy of the bottles he recovers from peoples’ discards.

Ron Lepore exhibited his recycled "Melted Bottles" - great for serving and gifts

Other items sold included emu meat, quilts, and other attractive art.

When we finished, we stopped at the Gingerbread House for some ice cream.  At the old-fashioned style soda fountain, the flavors were great (I had black cherry cordial and my husband had cookies and cream).

Gingerbread House - ice cream treats and collectibles

After we ate every bite of the ice cream and waffle cone, we headed to Payson.

Next week… We’ll give you a short tour of Payson, home of rodeos and other pastimes.

Coming soon!   We will be launching a new site for all of  you Couch Potatoes out there – who want to get up and get going!  More soon…

Travel to …a big hole in the ground

Monday, August 30th, 2010

Well, really, that’s what the Grand Canyon is: It is a one-mile hole in the ground that is over a mile above sea level that stretches for nearly 300 miles.  But it is vast and a testament to what nature can do over the eons of time that the earth has evolved.

Grand Canyon - just a very small part of the vast view

A trip to the Grand Canyon is a “must see” when you travel out West in the USA.  Arizona recognizes it as one of its finest attractions by designating itself the “Grand Canyon State” on license plates. (more…)

Traveling the “Loops” in Phoenix

Monday, August 16th, 2010

The first time I flew into Phoenix, I was amazed at how spread out the metropolitan area is.   From west to east, Buckeye to Apache Junction, the metropolitan area of Phoenix, with all its suburbs, easily reaches 70 miles.

In some giant US cities, they build up with multi-storied skyscrapers. But, with the vast spaces available in Arizona, they have built out and even have had height restrictions on how high buildings can be built.

So, welcome to Phoenix.  Spread out and still in the desert.

Saguaro cacti and mountains are a short ride from the hustle and bustle

(more…)