Tag: hipmunk

Hipmunk Hotels: Outdoor Adventures in Santa Fe, Flagstaff, Henderson, Laughlin and Boise

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle5 Comments

I spent a lot of time in the Southwest; Las Vegas, Phoenix, Lake Tahoe, but there are so many little towns near these big cities that are filled with adventure. And, if you know me, you know I love new adventures. Whether in the mountains, lakes, or rivers, these cities offer the best of outdoor activity all year long.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Everyone in Santa Fe, New Mexico hikes; or at least is seems like it. One look at the scenery, you’ll see why. The red dirt mountains and valleys behind the blue sky make for an incredible backdrop. Near every hotel, you’ll find trails for hikers of all skill levels. And, if you dare, you can try rock climbing at Camel Rock. I’m not that adventurous, but the rock formations are something to behold.

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Image provided by Rj Faust via Trover.com

Flagstaff, Arizona

Located in the northern part of Arizona, on the Colorado Plateau, sits Flagstaff, Arizona. This laid back town in the forest is far from lazy. In fact, the city has an extreme adventure streak, where people come from all around to push their limits. In the mountain and forest landscape, they have zip lining and rope courses. I can spend the day swinging from tree to tree like Tarzan.

Henderson, Nevada

For my water adventure, a stop at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada is next on the list. The area has some amazing resort hotels, as it was a planned community deep in the desert. The artificial lake offers fantastic scenery and the water is beautiful. You can take a boat trip to check out the houses of the famous residents like Celine Dion, Chris Tucker, and Natalie Gulbis (she’s a golfer). The lake offers all sorts of water sports such as paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and skiing. Just outside of Henderson is the Hoover Dam.

NevadaImage provided by Luis Torres via Trover.com

Laughlin, Nevada

Ninety miles south of Las Vegas is Laughlin, Nevada. It sits on the Colorado River where you can partake in more water activities, but I want to check out Laughlin’s nine casinos. Where the Las Vegas casinos are, in two words, enormous and crowded, the casinos in Laughlin remind me how the casinos used to be in the heyday of Vegas. For my adventure, I want to rent an ATV and take a tour of the Black Hills or watch a reenactment of the Old West in nearby Oatman, Arizona.

Boise, Idaho

Boise, Idaho is known as the City of Trees, which probably means a lot of people outside enjoying them. For a small town, you might not think of action and adventure, but you’d be wrong. The city has great outdoor activities such as hiking and biking, and the weather is great in the spring and summer. One of the most popular locations for hiking is Camel’s Back Park. The park has trails that wind through the small hills and offer a spectacular view of the capital city below.

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Image provided by Cody Lee via Trover.com

Hipmunk Hotels: Strange sites in San Luis Obispo, Carlsbad, Marina Del Ray, Monterey and Costa Mesa

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle1 Comment

I stumbled upon some interesting, strange, and weird sites in my bucket list research, all in California. I haven’t ventured into California a lot, but with finding these crazy things, I have to move this state back to the top.

San Luis Obispo, California

San Luis Obispo, California is a small town, halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Spanish Missionaries founded the city in 1772, making it one of America’s oldest communities. I want to check out the eccentric Madonna Inn, a stop on Season 14’s The Bachelor. Bubble Gum Alley is another strange spot. Since 1960, people have stuck their used chewing gum to the walls of the alley. Locals have made several attempts to clean it up, but people continue to visit and contribute to the collection.

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Image provided by Sean66 via Trover.com

Carlsbad, California

Situated between Los Angeles and San Diego, Carlsbad, California is a quaint, but active seaside town. It’s home to the world famous La Costa Golf Resort and is the headquarters for several golf club manufactures such as Calloway and TaylorMade. If golf isn’t your thing, maybe Lego is. For the Star Wars geek in me, I have to check out the Star Wars Miniland at Legoland California with replicas of ships, figures, and people from the famous science fiction franchise.

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Image provided by Jesse I. via Trover.com

Marina Del Ray, California

Marina Del Ray, California is a unique attraction in itself. The unincorporated community houses the largest man-made marina in the world. It took from 1887 to 1965 to complete the construction of Marina Del Rey. A vision of real estate developer M.C. Wicks, he wanted the Marina to be a viable commercial harbor. With millions of visitors per year, many hotels, from budget to resorts, sprung up to support the thriving business.

Monterey, California

In Monterey, California, you’re just as likely to see a sea lion, harbor seal, and bat ray, as you’re to see people. I’m hoping to see one of the city’s famous residents, such as Clint Eastwood or Herman Edwards, a former NLF coach and player. It was also the home of John Steinbeck, who based his famous novel Cannery Row on the Cannery Row area in Monterey. I can’t wait to walk in his footsteps and absorb the city he loved. The many seaside hotels make it easy to enjoy the sites of Monterey.

Costa Mesa, California

Every year in the spring, Costa Mesa hosts the Orange County Fair, which started in 1890. Many hotels have cropped up in Costa Mesa to accommodate the millions of visitors each year. The fair has evolved over the years from a three-day festival with races and livestock exhibitions to a twenty-three day festival with big name performances, competitions, exhibits and rides. The bizarre culinary offerings are one of the most unique features of the fair. No where else could you get a Krispy Kreme Doughnut Sloppy Joe. I can’t wait to sample the offerings from the many food trucks that make Costa Mesa their home for the twenty-three day festival.

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Image provided by Terry Fletcher via Trover.com

Bucket List Trips – Exploring Zola Predosa, Italy

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle1 Comment

Creating a travel bucket list isn’t like planning a vacation. After you figure out how to get there, where to stay (Amati Design Hotel is a nice place), and how to get home, you have to plan your experience. The sites, the sounds, the tastes, and the memories will last a lifetime. Zola Predosa is a municipality in the Province of Bologna. The commune is located in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, located seven miles west of the center of Bologna.

Taste

It would be easy to talk about the food here, but no. If you truly want to taste this part of Italy, you have to experience the wine of the region. Zola Predosa is the City of Wine. The oldest winery is the Manaresi Vineyard. This ancient, family-owned winery was renovated into a modern facility. The art on the label pays tribute to the winery’s namesake. A tour of the vineyard includes the history of the label and tasting sessions. Take home a bottle of their award-winning Merlot or impress your friends back home with a bottle of their Pignoletto Frizzante.

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Photo by Jacob Koepke via Trover.com

Feel

This is where we get to the food. This region of Italy is known as the Food Capital of the World. Zola Predosa is a municipality of Bologna, the birthplace of bologna and tortellini pasta. You can learn how to cook the famous pasta at Cucina Di Luciana or tour the many factories that create the famous sausage. If you can plan your trip in September, join in on the parties during the Mortadella, Please Festival.

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Photo by Fascias via Trover.com

Sights

Now that you are stuffed and happy, it’s time to see some sights. Zola Perdosa and the surrounding countryside has a lot to experience. When you think of Italy, you don’t typically think of palaces. One of the grandest in Europe is located in Zola Predosa: Palazzo Albergati. Constructed in 1540, the simple and elegant exterior is a direct contrast to the Baroque-style, ornate spatial effect of its interior. It is a sight to be seen, Italian opulence at its finest. You can walk the grounds and fantasize about what your life would have been like in the sixteenth century.

Sounds

After all the opulence, exquisiteness, and indulgence, it might be time for some quiet reflection. Zola Perdosa is home to several museums. The Cultural Center and Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Ca ‘la Ghironda is the most unique. As you walk through the 24-acre grounds, discover over 200 statues and sculptures in various materials. After your walk, relax in the Petite and the Grande Promenade or stroll through the botanical gardens with flora indigenous to this region of Italy. That will fulfill your smell sense as well.

While most trips to Italy focus on the big cities like Rome or the sexy cities like Tuscany, the Bologna region offers a unique experience with a good mix of ancient and modern Italy. Planning a trip to Zola Predosa, Italy will fullfill all your senses and more. It’s a bucket-list-worthy trip for the senses.