Also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, Waimea Canyon is 14 miles long, 1 mile wide, and greater than 3,600 feet deep. The panoramic views are jaw dropping!
In addition to the scenic overlooks stops, we did a couple of hikes while in the park. The best was our 3 mile hike starting on the Canyon Trail and ending at Waipo’o Falls. FYI the Canyon Trail is a 12.9-mile out-and-back trail—we only walked a small part of it.
Kaua’i in October is as beautiful as it gets. Who needs changing leaves and pumpkin spice when you have swaying palm trees, tropical sunsets, and Lava Flows?
Hawaii is a special place for me. I grew up going to the islands from about the age of 13. My heart has been broken for the people of Maui with the Lahaina fire and I continue to pray for healing, strength, hope, and love (please join me in continuing to support the various local community organizations on the island)
To kick off our 30 year wedding anniversary vacation, my husband, Mike, and I splurged and did a bucket list item by spending 5 nights at the Grand Hyatt in Poipu, Kaua’i. Talk about a resort for memory making! We were greeted with orchid leis, informative bellmen, front desk staff with the Aloha spirit, and the most amazing lobby view of the ocean. There wasn’t one thing about this hotel I didn’t love, and I have been wanting to stay here for years so the hype kept building! In fact, we had plans to visit in September 2020 but Covid cancelled them.
Some will say it’s a ton of walking within the lush landscaped property (over 1000 steps from the pool to our room) but if you like to get in your steps, it’s the place for you. There’s the 2 mile Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail that starts right at the hotel and goes along the coast if you want more exercise. They have a phenomenal spa and fitness center (which you pay for in your resort fee) and I did some type of class each morning—HIIT, yoga, etc. I had a wonderful massage with Deanna. We drank $18 foo foo drinks at the pool (ouch! But try the lilikoi margarita—it’s worth it once). We bought a room package where the yummy breakfast buffet at Ilima Terrace was included (otherwise it’s $100 for two people without the tip), and found that would tide us over until dinner.
The room was spacious with plenty of drawers, a mini refrigerator, and their own coconut mango bath products, which smell like paradise. Hyatt is reducing plastic pollution so they give their guests an aluminum water bottle upon check in and had plenty of filtered water stations to refill on the property. One evening we ate at Tide Pools—a tropical oasis in the middle of a koi pond. Very romantic! 🥰
The pools were abundant, with an adults only pool, a lazy river, a sandy beach lagoon pool, a slide, hot tubs, and plenty of nooks and crannies to hang out in the water. We always found chairs with an umbrella, although they do have more exclusive chairs/tents to rent. We were fine in the “free seats”.
This summer my son, Logan (https://instagram.com/pilot_logan?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==), became a private pilot. I was the lucky mom that got the opportunity to fly with him on Friday evening, August 18th. I crossed my fingers and did a little bit of meditation to calm the nerves while he was doing his pre flight checklist, but then I enjoyed every minute of our one hour and 15 minute flight: 3 take offs; 3 landings; and a tour over the St. Louis, Missouri area that concluded with an amazing sunset! It was surreal to sit beside the kid that was once afraid of heights, and watch him pilot a four passenger Cessna 172s. I have taken some pretty cool trips—this was, by far, the coolest! ✈️
This was the best week with my youngest son, Logan, exploring two national parks, hiking, and spending time together before he heads off for his senior year of college in August. Today is Memorial Day and I am not only reflecting on the trip but also on the sacrifices made by our service men and women — sacrifices that allow us the privilege of spending time freely in this beautiful country.
Location: Springdale, UT is the perfect base camp. It’s right outside Zion and it has everything you could possibly want—small town feel, really yummy restaurants, convenience / grocery stores, gear stores, ice cream (who doesn’t like ice cream every night on vacation??), and even spas. I walked into one of those spas yesterday after hiking and was able to get a massage. The Spa at Cable Mountain Lodge is fantastic—jacuzzi, steam room, and a relaxing massage (thanks, Scott!). Highly recommend this place to soothe those tired hiking muscles. I feel like a new person today!
Also, fellow Birkenstock fans—Simply Birkenstocks has Birks I didn’t even know existed and they ship too (don’t ask me how I know that). Also, they carry other shoe brands (Teva, Chacos, Naot, etc) and gear/clothing that you may have forgotten to pack—like Vuori and Kuhl.
We stayed at the Desert Pearl Inn. I will write a Trip Advisor review shortly and link it here. It was everything we thought it would be and more. The pool and hot tub were nice after a long day of hiking. Our room was clean and modern. We backed to the Virgin River—the river was right out our back door. It was so darned relaxing to sit on the patio (we were ground level) and watch/listen to the water every morning/evening. That river moves fast! We had one small issue with a smell in the bathroom but they were quick to fix it for us.
The weather couldn’t have been better—sunny, 70s/80s and no humidity. In the morning it was actually chilly and when the sun sets, it’s extremely pleasant. I could get used to weather like this!
Yesterday was another full day of hiking. During this trip we did every major hike in Zion we could, other than 3 that were closed due to rock slides/high water. Unfortunately, The Narrows was the one closed due to high water. Oh well…gives us another reason to come back! We enjoyed the Riverside Walk Trail that follows the Virgin River and took us to the start of The Narrows. We also hiked the Pa’rus and Weeping Rock Trails. We walked from Canyon Junction to the Court of the Patriarchs where we took the shuttle to the Zion Lodge and ate lunch. Good lunch but not as good as the Lodge at Bryce Canyon.
Last evening I had THE BEST spaghetti squash enchiladas at Whiptale Grill. In fact, it’s the only time I have ever had spaghetti squash enchiladas but I know I will crave them from here on out. Logan and I agreed that this restaurant and Oscar’s Cafe were our favorites. Check out Oscar’s Pork Chili Verde Tamales and the Salmon Filet.
We struggled with making a decision. Do we drive two hours to go to Bryce Canyon National Park today or do we stay in Zion? We had many recommendations to go and so we thought, let’s do it! BEST DECISION!! Bryce Canyon, or BC (which I will affectionally call it), was beyond our wildest imagination. It’s something right out of fantasyland. They even have a Canyon named Fairyland! Whether you see chess pieces ♟️ or other mythical creatures, BC was like a sugar craving. You know when you open a candy bar and say, “I am just going to have 1 square and save the rest for later”? Then next thing you know, the entire bar is gone. That was how we felt about these rocks. We couldn’t just see 1 — we wanted to see them all! I have over 500 pictures and videos from today…I know, it’s over the top but so worth it.
The “rocks” are actually called Hoodoos and BC has the greatest Hoodoo collection in the world. And, the perfect climate, too, with the right balance of freezing and thawing to create them.
We started our drive through Zion National Park (Hwy 9) at 6:30 am, going through the historic 1.1 mile long Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel, which provides direct access for travel between Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, and Zion National Parks. In about 1 hour 50 minutes, we arrived at BC and started hiking at the Bryce Point trailhead (Elevation 8,300). We walked the Rim Trail, stopping at various points, including Inspiration Point, Sunset Point, and Sunrise Point. This led us to the Navajo Loop, taking us down to the Amphitheater (the floor) where we could hike amongst the Hoodoos. We joined up with the Queen’s Garden Trail, which brought us back to the top. I find it much more difficult to hike canyons—what goes down, has to come back up! I’d rather do the hardest part first.
We then ate a really delicious lunch at the rustic Bryce Canyon Lodge. It’s been in operation since 1925 and designed by the famous architect, Gilbert Stanley Underwood. I had a Reuben on a GF bun—one of the best Reubens! We shared some garlic parmesan fries, which were also yummy. Maybe I was just really hungry from the hikes?
After lunch we hiked back along the Rim Trail, saw some deer that didn’t seem fazed by us, and made a quick stop by Fairyland Canyon on our way out.
Next time I would add another day for BC. Night time star gazing is supposed to be amazing. Also, there are a couple of other hikes we didn’t have time for in one day. I would love to see the shifting colors of the Hoodoos with sunrise and sunset.
Let’s talk a little more about the Hoodoos, because they are fascinating. They don’t grow out of the ground. Rather, they are eroded out of cliffs. Rows of narrow walls form calls fins. Then cracks occur and holes appear. The fins now have windows. As the windows get bigger, the tops eventually collapse and ta da—a baby hoodoo is born. Rain/snow act like a sculptors and make the hoodoo look like you see in the pictures—a bulbous spire. They have their lifespan and eventually break down into lumps of clay while new Hoodoos are born.
We did it! Well…I did it. Not sure there was ever any question my son couldn’t do it🤣
“It” means hiking Angels Landing, a 1,488-foot tall rock formation in Zion National Park. It stands 5,790 feet tall and provides the most amazing, surreal views of the canyon. It literally took my breath away!
This was by far the HARDEST 4 hour hike (5 miles out and back) I have ever done. 21 switch backs called Walter’s Wiggles, 1,500 foot elevation gain, and then we got on (what I call) “the chains course” for the longest last 1/2 mile of my life. You now need a permit to hike Angels Landing and we were the lucky lottery winners for today. I highly recommend this hike for adventure seekers but not for anyone fearful of heights or with two left feet! You can hear my out-of-breathe narration below if you want to add to your hiking bucket list.
We found out it’s called Angel’s Landing because a Methodist minister, Frederick Vining Fisher, once said that because it’s so massive that only angels might land on it. It’s indeed tall at 5,770 feet with rock from the Jurassic period. The trail is rated as one of the most dangerous hikes in the USA. There are no guard rails and 14 people have died due to falls. We played it safe in all ways – sunscreen + light weight clothing, plenty of water and snacks, took our time, used the chains, stayed away from the edges, and followed the rules of the park. Also, I didn’t take any photos/videos unless I was on a plateau or at a safe stopping point. Call me cautious but I wanted to write this post!
Angels Landing used to be a very congested trail, thus the reason for the lottery, which designated our date and start time. Make sure you check the park’s website for details – they have a season lottery (which we did) or a day before lottery.
As I write this I can barely stand. That’s what happens when I try to keep up with my athlete son who is 23! Almost 12 miles. Almost 28,000 steps. 60 flights climbed. My legs are screaming!
We started our day at about 8:00 am with the Watchman Trail. Elevation gain was around 650 feet and the sun wasn’t too bad since it was early and partly shaded. The wildflowers were abundant and added that little something extra to the hike.
Right now you cannot drive your car into Zion National Park. They have a well-oiled bus system that makes 9 stops throughout the park, starting at the visitors center and ending at the Temple of Sinowava (The Narrows, Riverside Walk). And there’s another bus line that makes 9 steps in Springdale, UT and takes you into the park at Zion Canyon Village so that you don’t have to drive at all. It’s an outstanding free perk! Stop 4 is right outside our hotel. That said, it’s only .9 miles to the visitor’s center so we walked there this morning, and then walked home.
After completing the Watchman Trail, we hopped on the bus and then took The Grotto to Kayenta Trail and then on to the Emerald Pools Trails (lower, middle and upper). Another elevation gain of about 650 feet. Gorgeous waterfalls and hanging gardens. And the rocks! I said to my son, “gosh, these rocks never get old” and that smartie says “But they are old, Mom—they’re 270 million years old!” Ba-dum-bump.
We ate lunch after hiking at Cafe Soleil, a cute little breakfast, lunch and coffee shop that caters to hikers with smoothies and fresh food. Lots of gluten free options, including bread. For gluten free folks, it’s always a nice surprise when we can have a sandwich! Dinner was MeMe’s Cafe where we sat outside and enjoyed delicious homemade crepes (also had gluten free batter for the crepes).
Now it’s time for bed because tomorrow is a hike we’re been waiting to do for years!
After landing in Las Vegas, we rented a car for the 3 hour drive to Southwest Utah. We arrived at a breathtaking place called Zion National Park, found at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert regions. We’ve here for the long Memorial Day weekend, filled with hiking, hiking, and more hiking. Oh and lots of people. Last year during this same weekend Zion saw 82,000 people! I guess you can say it’s the calm before the swarm (of people).
Let the hiking begin!
First time in New Orleans last week and what a beautiful city. Here are a few pictures from a quick afternoon walk. I will need to return as there is so much to see! The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is this weekend so I’m sure the city isn’t sleeping🎉
Instagram Reel with some of our favorites from our 10 day adventure to the land of Fire 🔥 and Ice 🧊
Yesterday we had an unbelievable experience at Sky Lagoon—a 7 step ritual that soothed tired muscles and left us feeling 10 years younger! Why can’t we have one of these in St. Louis??
A hodgepodge of photos from the last couple of days.
Outside Tapas Barinn getting ready to moooove inside! 🐄 🇪🇸
Cheers to us and beautiful Iceland 🇮🇸
We tried to see Northern Lights today but they were shy! Therefore, we had some hot chocolate and did some stargazing. That was Mike and my 3rd attempt this trip. Next time!💚
Gullfoss – Golden Falls
This multi tiered waterfall is in the canyon of the Hvita River and it’s overwhelming! We viewed it from above and then walked down to view it from the top. 💦
Then we headed to the Geysir Hot Spring in the Haukadalur Valley and saw the ground steam and boil! I also captured the Strokkur Geyser blowing boiling water 30 meters high (98 feet). The Great Geysir is here, too, but it lays dormant these days (after blowing up to 558 feet high at one point). The Great Geysir is what all other hot springs are named after (such as the Old Faithful Geyser) as it was the first to be described in a printed source. It’s like the Kleenex of geysers!
Then we headed for an afternoon treat at a 7 generation dairy farm, Efstidalur, complete with ice cream and farm animals.
First day of Icelandic Summer🌼
First stop: The Lava Tunnel, also known as The Raufarhólshellir Lava Tube. Wow wow wow wow wow! Like I mentioned in a prior post, this lava tube sits on private property and they only give guided tours. Many years ago there was an incident where 3 girls got trapped. They were hiking to the end of the tunnel when their cell phone batteries wore out. You see, light is critical because once you get deep within the cave, it’s pitch black. Any extended amount of time in pitch blackness can cause Cave Blindness! These girls forgot an extra light source and had to be rescued. During the tour, the guide turned off all the lights and it was indeed dark! Other senses were heightened and we could hear the drip drip drip of the melting ice.
The tunnel is 4,500 feet long (900 meters) and up to 30 meters wide. We did the walking tour but you can also do the more strenuous tour where you go beyond where we stopped, and climb your way to the end.
The day started off with some whale watching and we saw a few humpbacks off Reykjavik. We were on a larger boat so I feel like the sound probably frightened them off, although humpbacks are curious.
Then we went to The Blue Lagoon for dinner and a dip in the pool! A-Maze-ing! There has been a lot written about why you should go and why you should not. I say definitely GO! It was quite the experience and I would go again.
The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa outside of Reykjavik. It’s in a lava field in front of Mount Þorbjörn where the water comes from the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power station. The water is high in minerals and white silica mud. Both are said to have healing properties. In fact, a guide told us that people with psoriasis are healed with repeated use. It tends to leave your hair stiff and dry so we ensured not to get that wet! (And I lathered on hair conditioner as a preventive measure).
While it’s technically man-made, the Blue Lagoon was formed from the runoff water of the nearby geothermal power plant. That said, the water is as natural as can be as it comes from deep underground where it is heated by geothermal energy. Speaking of water, we DO NOT need to buy bottled water in Iceland. I saw something funny about how to drink the water—1. Turn on the faucet; 2. Put your cup under to fill it; 3. Drink it. It’s as cold and fresh as can be!
Want to go? Book your experience here, stay overnight if you wish, and eat at their gourmet restaurant: https://www.bluelagoon.com
The last couple of days have been about exploring Reykjavík. Here are some of my favorites!
Famous Icelandic Hotdogs from the hot dog stand called Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur. I had the Bill Clinton (mustard only) and Mike had the Kardashian (ketchup only). Yes, these people actually had hot dogs here!
We have switched to The Edition. Both hotels are comfortable, conveniently located, and have unique amenities.
Today we’re in the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Game of Thrones fans – does it look familiar?
We made it back to the hotel last night (early morn) about 2:00 am. No Northern Lights so we will try again tomorrow night as it’s supposed to be clearer.
Up early and ready for the Snaefellsnes Peninsula tour, which started at 8:30 am. The weather isn’t so great—rain and wind. By the way, it’s not Snuffaluffagus, rather it’s pronounced sni (as in snider) fells – ness.
Where: The Snaefellsnes Peninsula is located northwest of Reykjavik in what’s considered Western Iceland. Get ready for some breathtaking scenery!
What: there was so much we saw today. I will break it down in chronological order.
How: We went with Julian from EastWest – a small group tour. There were only 7 of us. Julian is from France and loved Iceland so much that he stayed! He deserves so much credit for our safety today. At one point when we were driving, I thought the wind would blow us right off the road!
1. Gas Station – don’t laugh. We have stopped at a lot of gas stations on these tours. They are like QT at home with food, groceries, drinks and clean restrooms. Oh and gas. I had a skyr parfait at the one this morning—I have become a huge Skyr fan! Take a look at this big map on the gas station wall—you’ll see the Snaefellsnes Peninsula on the part that jets out to the left. That’s where we explored today!
2. Seal stop – that’s right, we went to Ytri-Tunga beach to watch the Harbour and Grey Seals. We watched 3 of them—two were casually relaxing on a rock and the third was keeping watch in the water.
3. Gotta eat…And that we did! Lunch was at a beautiful countryside home — they rent a couple of rooms and have a horse farm.
4. Another picturesque church! One of my favorites called Búðakirkja (Búðir is the hamlet; Kirkja = church) that dates back to 1703, although it’s been reconstructed many times since.
5. The Peninsula is named after Bárður Snæfellsás, 1/2 man and 1/2 troll. He sailed from Norway with his men in the 9th century and came ashore, built his farm a little further east on the peninsula, and became well known. Wait until you see what’s right down the path…
6. Continue the path you reach the sea cliffs at the village of Arnarstapi. The power of the waves smashing on the rocks was awe inspiring!
7. Gatklettur, or Hellnar Arch, is a natural rock formation on the peninsula in the village of Arnarstapi
8. Djúpalónssandur Beach is a beautiful black lava sand and pebble beach with an even prettier pathway to get there. But it’s more than just black sand. It’s situated in an arch-shaped bay where strong waves beat against it with a force that mesmerizes!
Today we really stepped out of our comfort zone and into 35 degree Fahrenheit glacial water!
We snorkeled Iceland’s Silfa Fissure, located within Thingvellir National Park (Þingvellir) where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates can be found. They have been moving apart about 2 centimeters per year.
How did Silfa happen? Earthquake! In 1789 Thingvellir experienced a major earthquake and this opened up several fissures. Silfa Fissure collected the glacial meltwater from the Langjokull glacier and thus the name, Silfa, which means silvery.
Mike and I doned our dry suits (not for the claustrophobic) and explored the amazing rock formations in the deep Silfa crack, Silfra Hall, Silfra Cathedral and Silfra Lagoon. Visibility was unbelievable (up to 300 feet) and parts were up to 60 meters deep.
Now you may ask, were we cold? The only exposed parts were the face that wasn’t covered by the mask and then when water seeped in the gloves and a bit around my face. For some people it may be a shock but I thought it was quite refreshing. And we were moving so it warmed up quickly. We were in the water, traveling the outlined path, for about 30-45 minutes. No hypothermia!
After a quick dinner at Rossopomodoro (with really delicious gluten free pizza for me), ice cream at Valdis, and some shopping in the city center, we’re off to chase the Northern Lights!💚💚💚
We then headed to Reynisdrangar to see the basalt sea stacks. The black sand on Reynisfjara Beach is almost always wet. This is one of the rainiest parts of Iceland but not today. The weather was perfect, the beach stunning, and the water = menacing! Be careful of sneaker waves. We experienced how sudden they can be! 🌊 ⚠️
Northern Lights from the city (rooftop at the Canopy by Hilton) – not as good as what you’d see in the countryside.
This was, and will always be, one of my favorite days ever ☀️🩵🌟
Note – lots of people speak English here. In fact, when I said Tak Tak (thank you), the reply is usually You’re welcome (in English). Here are a few useful phrases I have been using: Hello = Hallo; Goodbye = Bless (or Bless Bless); Thank you = Takk (or Takk Takk); Good Morning = Góðan daginn (go-thah-n die-in)
Christina’s Journey Journal 