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We couldn’t go to New Mexico without visiting Roswell. Roswell is Earth’s most famous UFO crash site. The International UFO Museum is also located there. The town is full of UFO-themed restaurants and shops.
There are plenty of opportunities to take photos in front of out of this world murals and fun props. Some of the scenes were so beautiful that I decided to turn them into backgrounds for our travel scrapbook. See the before and after images below.
BEFOREAFTER
BEFOREAFTER
International UFO Museum and Research Center
The International UFO Museum and Research Center was the highlight of our day in Roswell. This museum has wonderful exhibits dedicated to the 1947 Roswell Incident, and it also has information on other unexplained UFO-related phenomena around the world.
Display made for TV Show Making Monsterson Travel Channel
We spent about two hours at the museum before shopping for gifts. We were delighted to learn that the museum had a pressed penny machine. My daughter had fun choosing her design and cranking the machine to get another beautiful pressed penny to add to her collection.
Pressed Penny MachineInternational UFO Museum and Research Center Pressed Penny
The gift shop is stocked full of UFO-related items. Some of our favorite finds were alien-shaped coffee mugs, astronaut shaped-coffee mugs, alien stuffed animals and alien-themed socks.
Roswell UFO Spacewalk
The Roswell UFO Spacewalk was a quick, but fun stop. It took about five to ten minutes to complete this UFO-themed black light adventure. We were given space guns (i.e., toy guns that lit up and made sounds) to take out aliens as we made our way through the attraction. Although it was dark, the photos turned out surprisingly well. You can revisit the adventure multiple times as long as you keep your wrist band. They also have a good selection of alien-themed souvenirs.
Peppers Grill & Bar
We had dinner at Peppers Grill & Bar. This Southwestern menu had something to accommodate everyone in our party. The best part of our meal was the margaritas. I had the Mango Margarita, which is Peppers Frozen Margarita (Sauza Gold Tequila, triple sec, splash of lime juice and sweet and sour) blended with puree mango.
I am proud to present My Travel Journal: Trip Planner and Memory Keepsake. This travel journal is primarily a trip planner that also serves as a memory keepsake. Planning a trip no longer has to be stressful. This book includes everything you will need to plan a successful vacation, and a place to record your experiences.
Although this is a two week trip planner, I like providing this blank calendar so that you can cover events a week in advance and a week after the trip so that there is a seamless transition from everyday life to vacation life.
Pre-Trip Checklist
The Pre-Trip Checklist is one of the most valuable sections in this book. By completing these suggested tasks, you can have things done in a timely manner and avoid certain disappointments. For example, a friend of mine had her heart set on attending one of the best luaus in Maui only to learn that the luau was already sold out for her trip dates. It was a hard lesson that could have ben avoided if she had followed this pre-trip checklist.
Budgeting and Spending
The Budgeting and Spending section gives you tools to budget your trip and stay on track financially.
The Vacation Goals page keeps you focused and inspired.
The Vacation Savings Tracker gives you a fun way to track your vacation savings progress.
Budget page helps you create a budget for your trip and to track your actual spending.
The Spending Log allows you to keep a detailed record of what you have spent.
The Shopping page keeps track of who you are shopping for and what you have bought them.
Transportation and Lodging
The Flight Information section has fun boarding passes where you can record your flights.
The Car Rental & Transfers page allows you to record your car rental information and any type of transfers (e.g., hotel transfers, activity shuttles, etc.).
The Lodging section allows you to record and review the places you stay at. This is very useful. My husband and I are big on comfort, and when we find a wonderful place we make note of what room we were in so that we can book that same exact room again. If we stayed at a place that was less than desirable, we also make note of that so we can avoid that place in the future.
Dining
I am a foodie and I do extensive research of the restaurants I want to try before a trip. I list what foods or drinks a restaurant is famous for and what I would like to try. Then I record my review of the restaurant. I always get asked recommendations on where to eat, and this is an easy way for me to pass on that information.
Entertainment
There are so many activities to choose from and so little time so I like to do the research in advance and make the most of my vacation. This section allows me to also review each activity, write down who participated that day and make additional notes. For example, if an activity requires closed-toed shoes to participate, I make note of that. If I had an outstanding tour guide, I make note of their name and contact information so that I can use them again or refer friends to them.
Packing Checklist
The Packing Checklist is my favorite part of this book. I love this section because it has everything that I would consider bringing on a trip. It is a huge time saver and also gives me peace of mind that I am not missing anything. There is additional space to write down other items.
Itinerary
This section gives a snapshot of the activities that you will do each day.
Schedule
This Schedule section is for you Super Planners. I plan out each activity in detail and take in consideration the estimated length of the activity, how much time it will take to get from one activity to the other and so forth.
Travel Diary
Most of your thoughts on experiences, lodging and dining have already been recorded in previous sections. This space is for you write additional thoughts on each day. Each day has a temperature and weather icons, a mood tracker and a space to add a 2 x 3 inch photo. You can write down the best part of your day, the worst part of your day, the funniest thing that happened to you that day, something that you have learned, etc.
Important Contacts
Write down important contacts in this section in case your phone breaks on your trip.
Insurance
Record your health insurance, travel insurance and car insurance.
Doctors
Record your doctors contact information in case you need to get in touch with them during your trip.
Nearest Medical
Research the nearest hospitals, clinics and pharmacies. Specify whether these are in-network facilities and out-of-network facilities because in-network facilities will cost less than an out-of-network facilities.
Medication
Write down your prescription medication, dosage, frequency, etc.
Embassy and Consulate
Write down the Embassy and Consulate information in case you need passport replacements or need other emergency assistance while abroad.
Common Travel Phrases
If you are traveling to a place that speaks a different language, translate these common travel phrases in advance.
Point Reyes National Seashore is the perfect place to spend a romantic weekend. It is a gorgeous place filled with natural beauty. We love disconnecting from the busy city life, and enjoying the peace and quiet here. Below is our itinerary for a perfect romantic weekend getaway at Point Reyes National Seashore.
Tomales Bay Resort is less than 15 minutes away from the Point Reyes National Seashore visitor center. Choose a Bayview room, which is located right above the water. No children are allowed in these rooms and this section of the property remains pretty quiet. These rooms feature a pillow-top King bed, leather sofa, desk, wet bar with refrigerator and microwave, fireplace, and granite bathroom with shower. The beds are very comfortable!
Day 1
Point Reyes Station
Stop by Point Reyes Station on your way to Tomales Bay Resort, and explore this cute town. You will find great places to eat and shop here. We always stop by Cowgirl Creamery Barn Shop & Cantina, and pick up some delicious, organic cheeses, smoked meats and a bottle of Stubbs Pinot Noir for a simple picnic at the beach. They also have a kitchen where you can order food.
If you are taking a kayaking tour the next morning, you will want to buy additional food and drinks for tomorrow’s breakfast and lunch.
Romantic Picnic at the Beach
Point Reyes National Seashore has beautiful, clean beaches to have a picnic. These are our top two favorite beaches to have a romantic picnic:
South Beach
South Beach is very easy to get to. The beach parking lot is located right next to the beach, and bathrooms are also in the parking lot. This beach has never been packed when we visited and there is plenty of space to spread out so we could still have an intimate picnic.
McClures Beach
McClures Beach is a beautiful secluded beach. During low tide, you can explore the tidepools and a hidden beach south of the beach (left side). You do have to hike a little over a mile to get to this beach, but it is an easy hike. We often had the beach to ourselves or saw only a couple of people there. [For more information about this hike, read this separate post…]
Driving Tour & Couple Photos
Take a leisurely drive around Point Reyes, and see the historic ranches, wildlife and enjoy the beautiful scenic views. Bring your selfie stick and take couple photos. I love this selfie stick because it has a tripod that is compatible with cell phones, iPads or Tablets. It also comes with a camera remote for remote shooting. The bottom of the tripod is not weighted and Point Reyes tends to be windy so you will want to wrap a jacket around the base to prevent the wind from knocking over the tripod.
Cafe Reyes, 11101 CA-1, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956. Try Cafe Reyes wood-fired pizzas of fresh oysters for dinner. Pair it with some wine or craft beers.
Couple Time by the Fire
Light a fire, put away your electronics and just enjoy being with each other. If you are staying in a Bayview room, make sure you enjoy the view of the water from your balcony. On a moonlit night, you may even see silvery fish jumping out of the water.
Night Life
If you want to grab a drink and play some pool, visit Old Western Saloon, 11201 CA-1, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956. This dive bar has live music on the weekends.
Day 2
Breakfast
If you are taking a kayaking tour this morning, fix yourself a simple breakfast in the room and make sure you pack snacks for the tour.
If you are not taking the kayaking tour, head over to Station House Cafe, 11180 CA-1,Point Reyes Station, CA 94956, for a hearty organic breakfast. Their food is locally sourced (Farm-to-table), and has been around since 1964!
Kayaking Tour
For the adventurous couple, take a kayaking tour of Point Reyes or Tomales Bay! We enjoyed our tour with Blue Waters Kayaking. They offer half day or full day tours, but we took the half day tour. They even offer a bioluminescence kayaking tour! We have not been on this tour yet, but on dark, moonless nights you can see dinoflagellates (tiny creatures that glow when they are disturbed) light up the water as you paddle through them. Although we have not experienced the bioluminescence tour at Tomales Bay yet, I did get to swim in bioluminescent water in Thailand and it was an amazing experience!
You will have an opportunity to see wildlife on your kayaking tour. We saw all different types of birds, river otters and sea lions, but you may also see Tule elk, bat-rays and leopard sharks. There is a cash-only parking fee at the boat launch, but make sure you check their website for updated information.
Point Reyes Lighthouse
Hike down to Point Reyes Lighthouse and possibly see some whales! Make sure you bring your binoculars.
The best time to see them is January through March. The hike itself is beautiful. You will have sweeping coastal views and see some interesting shaped leaning trees. There is also a Lighthouse Visitor Center.
Watch the Elephant Seals
The Elephant Seal Overlook is very close to Point Reyes Lighthouse. It is a short, easy walk from the parking lot. Make sure you bring your binoculars.
Other Hikes
Point Reyes has several trails that have unique features. You can hike to Alameres Falls and observe a rare coastal waterfall. You can watch birds at Abbotts Lagoon or observe Tule Elk and breath-taking ocean views at Tomales Point.
We ended our National Parks Trip with an exciting hike through the Zion Narrows! We arrived at Zion National Park at 6:30 am and were able to park at the visitor center for FREE! This was the first day we arrived early enough to receive free parking at the Zion National Park Visitor Center so we were excited. We hopped on our private shuttle to head over to the Narrows.
We did not have to show our pass because the park rangers were not at the toll booth. We were thankful we arrived so early because we learned that Zion National Park had closed down the toll booths from about 8am to 1pm. They denied access during that period because they wanted to reduce the number of people at the park on that busy holiday weekend. So make sure you get to the park early enough to avoid being turned away, especially on holiday weekends.
We passed by Angel’s Landing on our way to the Narrows and saw that there was a line forming for the people who wanted to hike Angel’s Landing. The park rangers were limiting the number of people to reduce crowding on the chains section.
There was no such line at the Temple of Sinawava (i.e., the Riverside Walk and The Narrows trailhead).
Tip: Get there early! Guarantee your admission, park for free and avoid the heat.
Use the Riverside Walk Restrooms Before Hiking
There are no bathrooms on the Narrows hike so use the Riverside Walk Restrooms before you hike. The Riverside Walk Restrooms are located next to the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop (Shuttle Stop #9 on Zion Canyon Line).
If you have to relieve yourself, your only options are to urinate in the water or on dry land. Neither of these options are ideal. This is a very popular hike and there are loads of people around so you will not get much privacy. Urinating on dry land also leaves an unpleasant odor.
If you have to go #2, you will need to defecate in a bag, carry it with you and throw it in the trash bin upon your return. You can bring some toilet paper and some environmentally friendly human waste disposal bags like the one below for emergencies.
Tip: Use the bathrooms before you hike, and avoid eating or drinking anything that can cause you to have an upset stomach or give you the urge to urinate frequently.
Check the Weather at the Narrows Before You Hike
Hiking the Narrows, Zion National Park, USA
Check the weather in Zion National Park before you hike. If there is any chance of rain, please do not hike the Narrows. A couple of inches of rain can bring about dangerous flash floods. Flash floods occur when the ground is not able to absorb the water fast enough, creating a dangerous, destructive wall of rushing water and debris.
To escape a flash flood, you need to get to high ground. This is difficult to do in the Narrows because the canyon walls are very steep.
If you do notice the water rising quickly and turning muddy, try and get to high ground anyways because this may be a sign of a flash flood coming your way. Sometimes people get caught off guard because it may not be raining where they are.1
Tip: I recommend planning on hiking the Narrows earlier in your trip. That way if there is a forecast for rain, you have time to try and hike another day. You will also want to avoid visiting the Narrows during Zion’s monsoon season which is from mid-July to September because that increases the likelihood of flash floods. 2 The park also closes the Narrows when the Virgin River’s flow rate is over 150 cubic feet per second or during spring snowmelt so check the NPS notices on current Zion National Park condition.
Mystery Falls, Zion National Park, Utah, USA
Dress in Layers and Bring the Right Hiking Gear
We visited the Narrows at the end of May. Expect it to be cold in the morning because the sun is low and the tall canyon walls block direct sunlight. Thankfully, we were wearing layers, had our neoprene socks and waterproof hiking boots.
If you have children, you should bring a warm jacket, an extra set of clothing (in case they get wet) and even a pair of waterproof glovesto keep their hands dry and warm. We also saw some children wearing fishing bibs which would give them additional protection.
The most difficult part of the Narrows was navigating the areas of the river that had strong currents. You really need at least one hiking stick! We each had our own portable walking stick. We used the hiking stick as a third leg. We planted our pole into the river bed to secure our position before moving our legs to the next position. This will give your upper body a good workout.
If you decide to hike the Narrows in the fall through mid/late-spring, you will need to wear wetsuits or drysuits. The water will be colder and higher because of the snowmelt. If you do not want to purchase your own suit, you can rent them at Zion Outfitter along with other useful gear.
How long does it take to hike the Narrows?
The wonderful thing about the Narrows hike is that you can hike as long as you want, and then turn right back around. Most people hike up to Wall Street and then turn around. The length of time you spend will depend on your health, level of personal fitness, the water levels and the weather.
We hiked on a chilly morning, but the water levels were low in most areas. My preteen daughter, my mother, husband and I hiked about 7 hours, which included time to stop and take pictures, eat snacks, and explore the side canyon.
Tip: If you hike early in the morning, the Narrows will be less crowded and you will have a better chance getting photos without a slew of people in them. For this reason, I would recommend taking photos while you walk upstream instead of waiting to take them on the way back.
Orderville Canyon
Orderville Canyon, Zion National Park, USA
We hiked into Orderville Canyon because we wanted to see Veiled Falls. We scrambled over the first set of boulders without issue, but we stopped at the second set of boulders. Another set of hikers were returning from that direction, and said there was an even larger set of rocks blocking the path ahead that they were unable to climb over.
2nd set of boulders blocking the trail at Orderville Canyon
We decided to turn around at that point. The boulders were wet and slippery, and we were concerned about climbing back down safely. We did not want to land incorrectly and sprain an ankle or worse slip and hit our head.
Safety First
Keep in mind, if you do get injured in the Narrows, it may take hours before help arrives. Recently, a woman who was canyoneering at the Narrows (i.e., Mystery Canyon) fell 50 to 80 feet.3 The narrow canyon walls prevented a rescue helicopter from reaching her. Sadly, she passed away from her injuries before park medics were able to reach her.
Tip: Pack a travel first aid kit for minor scrapes and injuries. Consider also packing an ankle brace and a knee brace. These items are light and will not take up a lot of space in your hiking bag.
We could not have asked for a better day. No one was injured, and the Narrows surpassed our expectations. This place is more beautiful than any of the photos I have seen!
After a long day in Bryce Canyon National Park, we wanted a nice and relaxing introduction to Zion National Park.
We had a nice breakfast at the airbnb and drove over to the park. We arrived around 10am, and the Zion parking lot at the visitor center was already full so we parked at the public parking lot on Lion Blvd. $10 (cash only) will get you all day parking in this dirt parking lot. The parking lot is close to Springdale-Zion shuttle stop #3, but we just walked about 13 minutes to Zion Outfitter to hop on our private shuttle.
Tip: This is the cheapest paid parking lot we found. However, if you make a purchase of at least $20 at Hoodoos General Store (across the street), you can park in the Hoodoos General Store parking lot for free all day.
Google Maps: Zion Economy Public Parking Lot
Zion National Park Shuttles
Zion National Park does not allow private cars past a certain point when shuttles are in operation.
When we went, Zion National Park was operating on a shuttle ticket reservation system. It was madness. Tickets were sold two weeks in advance, and would sell out in a matter of minutes. Tickets were also made available the day before, but that left a lot of uncertainty. We decided to play it safe and book shuttle tickets with Red Rock Shuttle.
We loved Red Rock Shuttle company! They are a private shuttle company that normally shuttles people for Zion backcountry hiking, but when we went they were also shuttling people into the canyon. We paid $40 per person for a round trip shuttle ride. It is pricey compared to the $2 that the Zion National Park shuttles charged, but I did appreciate that we never waited more than a few minutes to hop on a shuttle. That might not seem like a big deal, but after you have hiked several hours the last thing you want to do is wait in a long line in the hot sun for a ride back to the visitor center. The Red Rock Shuttle drivers were all friendly, told us interesting facts about Zion, and the shuttles had good A/C.
Unfortunately, private shuttle companies can no longer shuttle people into the canyon because Zion National Park Shuttle system is resuming full capacity. See National Park System for latest updates. However, when we return to Zion, I will definitely use Red Rock Shuttle for some backcountry hiking.
Emerald Pools
Our family loves waterfalls so we were excited to explore Zion’s Emerald Pools. The Emerald Pools trailhead is across the street from Zion Lodge. We walked across a bridge and took an easy walk to Lower Emerald Pools.
We saw some wildlife (e.g., tadpoles, snakes, squirrels). This was the one and only snake we came across on our trip.
Snake at Zion Emerald Pools
Lower Emerald Pools
The Lower Emerald Pools were beautiful. It was by far the most beautiful of the three areas.
Zion Lower Emerald Fall
Middle Emerald Pools
We continued on to the Middle Emerald Pools, which was a more strenuous hike up hill.
Zion Middle Emerald Pools
At this point, the sun was beating down on us and there was little shade. The water levels were so low at the middle pools that we were hesitant to continue on our hike, but fellow hikers assured us that the hike was worth the additional trek to the upper pools.
We were so thankful we brought plenty of water, snacks and our cooling towel. This cooling towel has saved us more than a few times on this trip. All you have to do is wet your towel, and place it on your body. We placed it on the back of our necks to help cool our bodies down.
Tip: Wear sunscreen, a hat, and bring plenty of drinking water and acooling towel.
Upper Emerald Pools
Zion Upper Emerald Pools
The upper pools was my least favorite of the three pools, but to be fair I believe this could be gorgeous when there are higher water levels.
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