Adventure-Us! Summary

I have enjoyed writing about my travel experiences for our COMP111 class.  Even though writing every week sometimes seemed daunting, I enjoyed sharing with others my love for travel.  I hope I have inspired others to take the vacation they've always wanted.  I know that sometimes people don't have $2.500 to spend on an all-inclusive vacation (neither do we, really... haha) but there is adventure awaiting all over your state and country that won't cost you an arm, leg, or your first-born child. 

Yellowstone National Park

The cheapest way to travel is to do it in the off season.  Yes, Las Vegas was so hot in June that I literally felt like every piece of my body was dried up and starving for a drop of water.  But you know what?  It was cheap.  Like, reallllly cheap.  Any now we can say we've been there.  So, do your research, make informed travel decisions, and most importantly, follow your instincts when you're away from home.

I will most likely continue to update this blog beyond what is required for this class but I will be taking a small break. 

 Comment on here with any questions you have and have a great Thanksgiving!

Antelope Island State Park

When visiting Salt Lake City, our favorite day trip is heading up to Antelope Island State Park!  My cousins took me there on my first trip out to SLC, and I fell in love.  I had never seen such a sight.  We were in the middle of the desert, but there were snow capped mountains on the other side of a beautiful reflective lake.  And not just any lake!  The Great Salt Lake isn't the type of lake that you can go catch your dinner in, but it's truly amazing.

My husband and I have made a point to go there the last two summers together (2015 & 2016) and enjoyed seeing some familiar sights but also exploring more.  This past summer we had the chance to see the Fielding Garr Ranch.  It was only open for about 20 minutes more when we arrived, so we kind of breezed through it, but plan on spending more time there next time we go.  If you're into history, you should really enjoy it there.  There's a self-guided tour and a large collection of old tools and memorabilia.  You do not have to pay a separate fee to access the ranch.

One of the best parts about Antelope Island is the Wildlife.  There are tons of bison (literally) and they roam freely.  We have also seen prong horn antelope, jack rabbits, a coyote, pheasant, various cool-looking birds and little lizards.  The best view is from the top of Buffalo Point Trail.  It's a pretty steep hike but the path is well marked and there are a few benches and places to rest on the way up.  From here you can get a great view of the lake and the Wasatch Mountains.

Antelope Island is a great place for anyone looking for a fun day.  This is a great trip for small children and people with mobility issues.  If swimming in the Great Salt Lake interests you (YUCK.... but you may like it, who knows?), Antelope Island is a good place to get in because there are showers and restrooms available.  I'm pretty confident that you're going to want to rinse yourself off.  There's a great little restaurant called The Island Buffalo Grill that serves bison burgers as well as other options.  You can see the menu here.  

Park entrance fees for 2016 are $10 per car (up to 8 people in a car).  For Utah residents over the age of 62, the entrance fee is only $5 per car.  This outstanding state park is definitely worth it!!


Words of the Wise(ish):



*There is very little shade anywhere on the island. Wear a hat and sunscreen.  

*Even though you're surrounded by water, it's SALT water.  You're in the desert.  Pack a bunch of drinkable water.
*Watch out for Bison and other wildlife.  They live there, you don't.  
*I hate that I feel like I need to say this.... but DON'T APPROACH THE BISON!  They aren't as fuzzy and sweet as you may think.

*Take a look around the information center and gift shop.  All of the employees are super nice and helpful and are more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
*Beware of the little biting gnats (some people call them No see-ums). They can get really thick and can kind of be a buzz kill. They are the worst from April-June.  A mesh hat that covers your face and neck wouldn't be a bad idea.

Life Elevated- Salt Lake City

For three years in a row (two for my husband), we've visited our home away from home in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Why Utah, you ask?  First, it's so amazingly beautiful.  Second, a bunch of my family lives there so it's a great time to catch up with everyone.

For a lot of people, mentioning Utah automatically leads them to think of the Mormon religion.  Yes, there are lots of Mormons and yes, there's a temple on every corner.  However, Utah is so much more than church.  Between the mountains, lakes, and deserts, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

My absolute favorite thing about Salt Lake City is the view.  It doesn't matter where you are in the valley.  You could be in the worst neighborhood in the city.  But you can look up and see the towering Wasatch Mountain Range to the east and the red Oquirrh Mountains to the west.  You can stand in a Wal-Mart parking lot and get a breathtaking panoramic view.  As a girl from flat central Indiana, I had a hard time taking it all in at first!

A great day trip is to go up in the mountains by way of Big Cottonwood Canyon.  If you take the road all the way to the top, you will find Silver Lake.  This loop trail is less than 1 mile around and is great for anyone, including small children and those with disabilities.  There are restrooms and picnic tables, as well as a building with information pertaining to the park.  There are no domestic pets allowed in this park due to it being park of the Salt Lake City Watershed (This means that the people living in the valley get their water from this area, so they don't want your dog to poop in it).

I can't recommend any hotels in the area because we always stay with my family.  However, I can tell you that there seems to be some really pretty places downtown.  If you are staying in SLC, I definitely recommend staying downtown or at least visiting it.  City Creek is an outdoor, two level urban mall with cool stores and some restaurants.  If you travel all the way through City Creek, it will lead you to the main event: The Salt Lake Temple.  This place is gorgeous.  We've never been inside the main temple, but just walking around outside it great.  The flowers and landscaping are immaculate and the people are so friendly.  This is a good place to park yourself on a bench and just enjoy the atmosphere.  Depending on where you stay, you may be able to easily catch the train that will drop you off right in the middle of it all.

I could go on forever, but the best part about visiting Salt Lake City is learning for yourself.  Spend the day downtown or head up into the mountains.  Either way, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Words of the Wise(ish)

*Drink plenty of water.  I know it doesn't seem like it when you're in the city surrounded by mountains, but you're in the desert.  It's extremely dry.  Drink lots of water before you start your day, and if possible, carry some water with you.

*Take chapstick for the same reason as above.  It's dry!

*I recommend deciding whether you're a BYU or Utah fan before you go.  There's no in between. 

Viva Las Vegas

 Everyone's heard of Sin City and it seemed like everyone but me had been there.  So in June of 2015, my husband and I finally made it to Las Vegas, Nevada!  This trip was a part of a two week adventure between Vegas and Salt Lake City, UT.  I'll review Salt Lake in a separate post. 

I was pretty amped up about Vegas.  I had the fantasy of winning a million dollars and meeting up with famous celebrities who would join us for a dinner prepared by Emeril.  That's not quite how it went.  I'm not saying it was a bad experience because it wasn't.  We had a ton of fun!

Our first night in Vegas was kind of a blur.  We arrived so late and we were absolutely worn out.  Once we finally got our rental car and found the hotel (what would have been about 6:00 AM Indiana time), we literally took off our clothes and fell asleep in 5 seconds. 

We stayed at The D in the old part of Las Vegas.  When we finally woke up, we had a good breakfast at one of the restaurants in the casino.  We walked around to a couple of the nearby casinos and took in the atmosphere.  As far as I can tell, The D was really nice.  The room was suuuuper cheap.  I would recommend this hotel due to its convenient downtown location.

After our first day, we left Vegas and returned about 10 days later.  This time we stayed on the Las Vegas Strip at The Luxor.  This was whole different experience.  

The Luxor is massive, and it connects to Excalibur and Mandalay Bay without ever having to go outside.  There is an indoor mall and several dining choices.  My favorite thing about The Luxor, you ask?  THE SMELL!  It smells so good in there.  They obviously put a type of air freshener in their air purification system, and it's awesome.  People can smoke in all of the casinos, but you can't really smell it at The Luxor, which is nice.  We lost all of our allotted gambling money, but we still had a fun time.  The room prices are very inexpensive, so it didn't hurt so bad to lose a little money to Roulette. 

To summarize, we had fun.  Will we be heading back soon? Probably not.  It was a place that we were excited to discover but... well, we saw it.  It's checked off the ol' bucket list.

Words of the Wise(ish)

*Take a pre-determined amount of money for gambling and don't spend any more.  Remember, if you can't afford to lose, you can't afford to play!

*Alcohol is free if you're playing.  Don't go sit at one of the many bars and drink because you'll have to pay for your drinks.  The cocktail servers will eventually come around and bring you whatever alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks you want.  But don't forget to tip!

*Don't go in June.  Or probably in the summer in general.  It's so freaking hot.  I mean, I can't even describe the heat.  Yes it's a dry heat, but 115 degrees is still misery.  We didn't get to explore much outside of the hotel just because it was too hot to function.

*Let your hair down!  It's Vegas, baby!

Hola, Cancun!

In February of 2014, my husband and I traveled to the beautiful Yucatan Peninsula and stayed in  Cancun, Mexico. This was my second trip to Cancun. The first time I went was in September of 2013 with one of my girlfriends.  I'll mix in a little info from that trip as well, in order to give you a more well-rounded view of what you can expect.

We stayed at a pretty crappy adults-only resort called the Grand Oasis Viva.  This hotel ceases to exist anymore, so I'll leave out my review of the actual hotel.  No use boring you with the details if it isn't even around anymore to defend itself!






You can find great recommendations on hotels and things to do on the Cancun Care website. 

One of the nice things about Cancun is that even though there is a lot to do inside the resort, there is a lot to see outside of it, too!  There are many day trip options, such as going on Mayan ruins tours or deep sea fishing.  If you're in the Hotel Zone, there is a mall and some touristy restaurants like Senor Frogs.  There is a huge market in the main part of the Hotel Zone where you can buy blankets, shirts, jewelry, and any souvenir you can think of.  If you're super uncomfortable with confrontation, you might stay away.  The local shop owners and their employees can be pretty aggressive when trying to get you to pick their shop.  If you're good at haggling prices, though, you're gonna LOVE IT!  They expect that you're going to haggle, so you're always going to get a higher price at the beginning.  If you're patient and good at negotiating, you can get a killer deal on things!

Here are some day trips I recommend:

Chichen Itza
This ancient Mayan city is absolutely incredible.  It is pretty far away from Cancun, so when the tour reps tell you it's going to be a half day or so, they are lying.  This is an all day trip and it is SO worth it.  Hopefully you have a tour guide as amazing as ours, and you will learn a lot.  

Tips:
*Wear a hat. There is virtually no shade at all and the sun can be very intense.  It may even be a good idea to take a little umbrella.  You will need sunscreen and a bunch of water.  Most likely, your tour company will provide you with some water, but grab some from your resort before you head out.  You're gonna need it.
*Do some research before you go.  There is a lot of information to take in once you're there, so getting ahead of the game may help you soak all of it in once you're looking at it.

Tulum
These Mayan ruins are not as sprawling as those at Chichen Itza.  But what Tulum lacks in buildings, it gains in sheer beauty.  This was by far the most beautiful place I have ever been.  The ruins sit right on the coast.  The ocean was bright teal and the surrounding rocks and vegetation were so lush.  It's paradise. Tulum is not as far away as Chichen Itza, and a little easier to get to. If you thought about renting a car during your trip, this would be a good place to go!

Tips:
*See above: There isn't much shade here, either. 
*Take your swimsuit: There's a beautiful beach and you can swim here. 
















Words of the Wise(ish)
* Read lots of reviews before you book a Cancun vacation.  The resorts range from kid-focused to nudist resorts, and absolutely everything in between.  
*Don't get sucked in to tourist traps.  Cancun is full of all kinds of entertainment, but pretty much everything has a price.  Watch out for cartoon characters, etc outside of the restaurants and shops in the hotel zone.  They expect to be paid if you take a picture with them.
*WEAR SUNSCREEN.  Just do it.
*If you forgot toiletries or want to buy some pool toys or something, you can take the bus to Wal-Mart and you won't be price gauged.  Just make sure you talk to the resort's concierge about which bus to take and how to get back.  We ended up in a kind of sketchy situation trying to get back to our resort because we didn't listen to directions.  

How to Book a Great Vacation

One of my favorite things about traveling is planning for it.  I know that sounds kind of nerdy, but I love the thrill of getting the most bang for my buck.  I also like to be pretty informed about where I'm going before we take off.  When I was younger and single, it didn't really bother me to not do much planning.  The older I get, though, the more I like to know what to expect.  

I spend a lot of time browsing different hotel sites and looking through reviews on TripAdvisor.  If you aren't active on TripAdvisor, you should be.  Giving reviews of the places you go is helpful to other travelers and it also helps you remember key points about your trip.  (Like, "Hey, Martha!  What's the name of that place with the owls and wings and pretty girls?"   "It was Hooters, Jim.")

This was a day that we spent driving through the different
 covered bridges in Parke County, Indiana.

Several friends and family members have asked my advice about booking their vacation.  My best advice is to just do your research.  You really need to figure out what exactly you want out of your vacation.  Total relaxation?  Thrills and adventures?  A thriving nightlife?  Access to scuba diving?  You need to get this figured out before you really start looking because it can be very overwhelming.

 One of our preferences is adults-only all-inclusive resorts.  These tend to be more expensive than resorts that allow children, so you need to figure out whether a few splashing kids in the pool annoys you enough to fork over extra moolah.  (Hint:   It's worth it.)

My preferred site to book our vacations on is Expedia.  If you use your account every time, you gain rewards and discounts on hotel stays, so that comes in handy.  I like it because it displays the total price per person, not the "price" that doesn't include taxes, resort fees, etc.  I want to browse through and know exactly what the price would be if I booked right then.

Words of the Wise(ish):
*Plan to fly out on a Tuesday.  That seems to be the least expensive day.

*Book your flight roughly 54 days in advance.  Too soon or too late can be detrimental to your wallet.  

*Always book your flight and hotel together, you will definitely save money this way.

*If you are somewhat close to more than one airport, make sure you check what the prices and flight times are from each one.  We live pretty close to Indianapolis, but sometimes it's a whole lot cheaper to fly out of Cincinnati so we do that.

*Book your airport transfers at the time of booking your flight.  That way you know it's taken care of and your whole itinerary is able to be accessed together.

*I do not recommend pre-booking excursions when going to places like Cancun or the Dominican Republic.  You can get these at really good prices at the hotel or outside of the resorts.  You can even barter the price!

Wisconsin Dells

In June of 2013, we traveled north in search of fun times, family, and cheese.  Yes, that's right folks, cheese!  I ate my first cheese curd ever in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin!

This trip all started because we went to Bass Pro Shop one afternoon.  Bluegreen Vacations is a timeshare company that does a lot of their selling and promotions out of Bass Pro.  We were convinced that we needed to spend (only!) $100 and we could stay two nights at any of their resorts, plus get a bunch of Bass Pro gift cards.  Sounds like a steal, right?  Well, let's just say we won't make that mistake again.




We decided to use our two nights in conjunction with a trip to visit my husband's family for his cousin's high school graduation, so Wisconsin Dells it was!  We wanted a little bit longer of a trip than just 2 days, so we booked our first night at the Black Hawk Motel.  This place was absolutely amazing, and in hindsight we wished we would have stayed there all three nights we were in the area.  It was conveniently located, the rooms were clean, the staff and owners were super friendly, and it just had this cozy, community like feel to it.  I would HIGHLY recommend staying at this hotel if you're planning a Wisconsin Dells trip.


Cashing in our two nights from Bluegreen, we stayed at Chula Vista Resort.  There was poop on the walls of the first room they tried to give us.  Literally poop.  So we got upgraded to a suite, with a beautiful fireplace and balcony overlooking the river.  We appreciated the upgrade, but were pretty grossed out and not very impressed with Bluegreen and the Chula Vista Resort in general. so we only stayed one night.  Unfortunately, we were obligated to attend their timeshare pitch the next day and it was TERRIBLE.  It took several hours and was very high pressure.  At the end, we had to sit one on one with a guy who ended up practically begging for us to buy a timeshare.  It was mortifying and absolute torture.


We had pretty high expectations for Wisconsin Dells, but our time there didn't really live up to the hype.  As a couple in our mid 20s with no children, it wasn't really the type of place we are interested in.  It's a very tourist trap-y kind of place and their target demographic seems to be families with young children or people over the age of 75.  There are many activities for families, including a large choice of water parks, and it's definitely worth checking out if that's your kind of fun.


After our time in Wisconsin Dells, we traveled further north to Rice Lake, Wisconsin.  We really enjoyed that little town but we mainly spent our time visiting family.  I still think this would be a nice destination for people interested in fishing and lake activities. We stayed at the Super 8 Rice Lake and it was about what you would expect from a Super 8.  Mostly clean, somewhat outdated but in pretty decent shape.


If you're into cheesy, forced fun kind of places, Wisconsin Dells should be on the top of your list.  In my opinion, it's not the type of place you would go without kids and I'll probably never be back.

Below the Surface- Mammoth Cave National Park

For my 20-somethingth birthday in September of 2012, we decided to take a little weekend trip down to Cave City, KY.  The main thing on our agenda was visiting Mammoth Cave National Park.  I've come to discover that we didn't take any pictures while we were there, so all I have is my poor memory.

We stayed for two nights at the Baymont Inn & Suites Cave City.  The room was very inexpensive and it was clean, conveniently located, and the staff was friendly.  Other than sleeping and eating the free breakfast, we didn't spend much time at the hotel.  I would recommend the Baymont Inn mainly due to how close it is to the interstate.  

The beginning of September is not a very popular time to visit Cave City, so this may be either a plus or a minus for you, depending how much you like other people.  The bad part is that it seems like most things are kind of shut down and deserted, so it doesn't have the energy that it would in the summer when kids are out of school and families are traveling.  

Barren County (where Cave City is located) is a DRY COUNTY.  This means there are NO BARS (sad face).  Certain areas are considered "Moist," which means you can head on down to the local Applebee's and get a Margarita, but this isn't exactly a thrilling night for most people.  So if you enjoy traveling to places with any type of night life at all, you need to avoid this place like the plague.  Or buy a case of beer and a bottle of whisky before you get there and drink it quietly in your hotel room.

Entrance to the Park
(Photo Courtesy of National Park Service)

Let's get to the best part:  Mammoth Cave National Park.  

Frozen Niagra
(Photo Courtesy of National Park Service)

If you've never been there before, it's a beautiful park with a... well, mammoth-sized cave and a bunch of other decent-sized caves.  We didn't do too much exploration of the park other than going to the cave.  We pre-ordered tickets to go on the Lantern Tour through Mammoth Cave.

If you're really into history and want to experience things like they did long ago, before electricity and the conveniences of modern man, this is the tour for you.  Once you descend the steps and get past the main entrance, the lights go out and you take a walking tour through the cave with only the light from lanterns that the guests carry.  You will learn about early explorations and the weird things that have happened in Mammoth Cave.  

We had a good time, but I would rather go back and take a tour when the lights are on.  It's hard to grasp how large and complicated the cave system is when you're basically in the dark.  There are several different tour options, so if you're going to be in the area for a couple of days, take more than one tour.  

Learn more about the different tours available on Mammoth Cave's Website.

Words of the Wise(ish)
*Take a jacket.  The cave stays at a constant 54 degrees Fahrenheit.
*Wear good walking shoes.  (You're walking quite a distance, and conditions can be slippery or wet depending on which tour you're on.)
*Unfortunately, the America The Beautiful yearly pass for the National Park Service does not cover the fees to take tours.  There are no gates, though, so admission to the park is free and you can enjoy the beauty of the park and take advantage of hiking trails, etc with no charge.
*Be respectful of the park's guidelines regarding white nose syndrome in bats.  They have rules to prevent the spread of this disease, so please pay attention.

The Honeymooners- Dominican Republic

We were married on a super hot and sunny day in May of 2012.  We said our "I do's," shoved cake in each other's faces, and danced the night away.  Immediately after the reception, my niece drove us to the airport where we eventually boarded a 6:00 AM flight heading to our dream honeymoon.

After much deliberation, we decided on staying at the Catalonia Royal Bavaro in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.  The main thing that attracted us to this particular resort was that it was adults-only.  Actually, half the resort is adults-only and the other half is for all ages.  When staying at the adults-only side, you have access to BOTH sides, so double the food, double the pools, double the bars!  This was our very first time staying at an all-inclusive resort and we weren't quite sure what we were getting ourselves into at first, but we ended up absolutely loving staying at an all-inclusive.

The Cat Royal had a good variety of food choices and strong drinks.  I didn't know it at the time, but this isn't as common as you would think. The beaches in Punta Cana are really big with lots of palm trees, so if your favorite part of vacation is the beach, this might be the place for you!  A small word of caution, though:  watch for coconuts.  They fall often and could bonk you on the head.

Visit The Catalonia Royal Bavaro website for tons more information and how to book.

There's one major thing that people may love or hate about Punta Cana.  This is the fact that really there's no town or anything around the resorts other than immediately by the airport.  If you're the type of person that likes to get away from the resort to explore and learn about local culture and food, this might not be the destination for you.

However, there are plenty of day trips that you can choose from.  During our stay, we went on the Canopy Adventure Zip Line Tour as well as Adventure Boogies.

This was immediately after we arrived at the resort.
 I still hadn't taken my hair down from the wedding. It was so, so hot that day!  The hairspray mixed negatively with all the sweat and it wasn't sexy.

Canopy Adventure Zip Line Tour
(I don't have any pictures of this activity, unfortunately)

PROS:
*The drivers and staff are so awesome and they make it fun
*I felt like everything was safe and wasn't concerned about things being half-assed
*The jungle was beautiful and the ride there and back was informative and fun

CONS:
*If you're super fit and love exercising on vacation, stop reading here
*I honestly couldn't even enjoy the zip lines themselves because I was so freaking tired from climbing.
*You basically climb a mountain, zip line down a mountain. Climb a mountain, zip line down a mountain. Keep repeating that about 15 times.
*If you are not in great shape, and try to do this after drinking 15 rum punches a day and sitting your butt on a seat in the swim-up bar, YOU WILL NEARLY DIE.  Die, I tell you.


Adventure Boogies

PROS:
*Driving the buggies to Macao Beach (it was SO beautiful).
*They took us down into a cave with this really awesome natural pool that was really deep.  We jumped in and swam for a little bit and it was freezing cold but it felt nice since it was so hot outside.

CONS:
*The buggies go suuuuper slow and you have to stay in a line.  :(
*They will try to sell you a really expensive DVD of pictures they took during the day. We bought this, but you should avoid it. Take your own pictures.

**I would recommend finding a way to skip the buggy tour and just get to Macao Beach.




All in all, I recommend Punta Cana if you're seeking a fun and laid-back all-inclusive destination. 

The Travel Bug

Hey! My name is Tara and I'm addicted to getting away.  When my husband Jay and I started dating back in 2010, he was quickly advised that I need as many adventures and vacations as possible.  Like most people, we have jobs, bills, and obligations, so unfortunately we can't be on a permanent vacation.  So when we get the opportunity, we like to take full advantage of our time away.

I will be sharing with you some of our adventures.  I want to give you honest, first-hand accounts of the good, the bad (can a vacation really be all that bad?), and the breathtaking.  I'll let you in on some advice for traveling to different places and how to get the most fun for the least amount of money.

I had many bodacious adventures when I was single, but everything I'm going to share with you occurred as a couple traveling together, which is vastly different than traveling alone.  You can read more about this difference at The Happy Passport.


 

I hope to keep you informed and at least mildly entertained.   :)