Vacations Blog

Beyond the neon and glitz of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip lie numerous opportunities for families to discover Southern Nevada’s colorful and often overlooked natural landscape. From flourishing desert meadows to red, rusty cliffs to pine tree-covered mountain peaks, just a short drive from The Strip visitors can experience hours of exploration and fun.

Located in the middle of the city and built on the site of the birthplace of Las Vegas, visitors can start their adventures at the 180-acre Springs Preserve, offering a glimpse at the region’s geology, desert plant-life and numerous animal species that call Southern Nevada home. Children are amazed by the wild jackrabbits, lizards, insects and desert tortoises on display at the Origen Experience. For those not afraid of getting a little wet, a popular exhibit is the flash flood simulator where visitors experience the exhilarating rush of water that results from the summer rains in the area deserts, canyons and mountains. 

The Springs Preserve also features nearly two miles of picturesque walking trails and lush gardens. Bottled water is recommended for exploration during the hot summer months. A visit to the Springs Preserve is also not complete without lunch at the Café by Wolfgang Puck. Pick a spot on the terrace and enjoy a view of the gardens and the nearby Las Vegas Strip. General Admission prices range from $6.95 to $18.95 and annual family passes are a great bargain for frequent visits.

A 25-minute drive west from the Las Vegas Strip is the 197,000-acre Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Once the bottom of a vast ocean, millions of years of exposure and oxidation have created a breath-taking canyon of red and orange. A 13-mile, one-way scenic drive through the canyon provides many picture-taking opportunities. For adventurous families, nearly 20 trails offer easy, moderate or strenuous hikes into the canyon where wild burros and other animals roam and ancient petroglyphs await discovery. Designated picnic and camping areas are also available.  Maps and information on seasonal trail conditions can be found at the Visitor’s Center near the entrance to the canyon. Like the Springs Preserve, bottled water is recommended for exploration during the hot summer months. Entry into Red Rock Canyon is $5.00 per vehicle with annual passes available for purchase.

Rising high above the Las Vegas Valley to the northwest, Mt. Charleston offers visitors a dramatic change in climate and scenery. The highest peak of the Spring Mountains Range in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Mt. Charleston’s temperatures are typically 20 to 30 °F lower than in Las Vegas, making it a popular place for visitors to escape the heat of the desert floor. Mountain biking, hiking, picnicking and camping are popular summertime activities atop the mountain, as is enjoying the spectacular views. Winter transforms the mountain into a snow-covered playground for sledding and snow play. The Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort features 11 trails for beginners, intermediate and skilled winter sports enthusiasts. Ski and snowboarding lessons are available for both adults and children. Equipment rental, restaurants and bars are all onsite.

For accommodations on the mountain, the Mt. Charleston Lodge features 23 comfortably furnished log cabins nestled along a mountain ridge. The Mt. Charleston Hotel features 62 charming bedrooms, with a choice of mini-suites, king suites and a Presidential suite. Early booking is recommended for the holiday season.

Photos: Red Rock Canyon by Superfish/Springs Preserve by Jason Roth

Fall is here! There are few places in the United States where this is not a glorious time to be outside. Summer’s lazy warmness is slowly fading and being replaced by cool crisp days that energize the soul. Hues of scarlet, gold and deep fiery orange abound. Do you really want to spend this magical time of year indoors? Get outside and stretch your legs!

In my hometown of Austin, I like to do a lot of ’city hiking’. The neighborhoods in town have many more kinds of deciduous trees planted than out in the countryside. They may not all be native to the area, but, they sure put on a pretty show! I love to spend an afternoon, wrapped in a warm scarf and walking the streets and neighborhoods of downtown. The best part is that I can window shop along the way. When, my feet get tired, I just stop in a cozy cafe, like Swedish Hill Bakery, and order a latte or a mug of tea.

If I’d rather be immersed in the great outdoors, I’ll drive out west of town to Pedernales State Park. It is only 30 minutes out and has miles of trails. The cooling weather this time of year makes it possible to hike without going into heat exhaustion. You can hike the canyons and up the rolling hills as well as stroll along the clear rocky Pedernales river.

 These are just some of the options near my hometown. What are some outdoor walks or hiking that you love to do?

Thanks to Mandj98 for the lovely fall photos!

Hiking is one of my favorite recreational activities. It isn’t just about great exercise, either. Hiking provides an opportunity to clear your head and enjoy a great conversation. You can marvel at the natural world and retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. What’s more, you can find something “walkable” almost anywhere you go and it’s absolutely free!

My favorite spot to hike in central Texas is outside the small town of Fredericksburg. As you drive through the rolling hillsides, dotted with oak and cedar, you will see a giant “bald” rock rising out of the landscape. This mountain is made of ancient pink granite and looks magnificent as well as out of place….standing sentry over the soft green landscape.

The park has many trails, but, you have to start with the climb to the top of Enchanted Rock. It is a short steep scramble up the granite. Once you reach the top and catch your breath, the view is inspiring. Gaze at the endless landscape of rolling hills and embrace the fierce wind that whips around you, carrying with it the scent of cedar and wildflowers .

Once you are done hiking, head back into the picturesque old German settlement of Fredericksburg.  Visit some tasting rooms (this is Texas’s wine country region), do some shopping in the many boutiques and antique stores that are on Main street and then indulge in some tasty German fare.

Food and wine never taste sweeter than after a hard day’s hike!

Where is your favorite place to hike?

Thanks to Krikit for the beautiful Enchanted Rock photo.

If you are visiting San Francisco for a few days, you may want to take a break from the city center and take a hike on the west side of the city.  I always take my out of town guests on this hike, no matter their age, thye just have to be able to manage a nicely paced walk. This hike combines breathtaking views of San Francisco, the architecturally awe inspiring Sea Cliff neighborhood and vistas of the Pacific Ocean. Combine it with a tour of Golden Gate Park, lunch at  the Cliff House and a short tour of the Legion of Honor.  It is a a full day showing the best sites San Francisco has to offer and minus that ‘tourist’ feeling.

How to get there

I usually drive to the trail head because parking is easy and free. Otherwise take a bus to the Legion of Honor and walk down Lincoln Boulevard to the trail head.  You should see the bay on your left. Tip:  you may want to look up and to your right for the memorial to the holocaust. Few people see it because it is not part of the museum indoor complex.

Land’s End trail

The coastal trail is an easy to moderate hike (my six year old can do it with ease) and is approximately three miles each way.  The single track trail meanders along the golf course, turns into the forest and then follows a single track bordering the cliffs along the blue Pacific. The trail meanders a bit due to the heavy use it receives, but if you keep the ocean on your right you will be fine.  After about 30 minutes you will arrive at the  Sutro Baths, Sutro Bath Park and the Cliff House restaurant.  You can stop at the renovated Cliff House for lunch or continue to  Ocean Beach.  If you wish you can continue up through Golden Gate Park or  you can double back on the trail to the Legion of Honor, by following Camino Del Mar.

Hopefully, the weather will be sunny and warm for the outing.  I always bring a sweatshirt for the hike since the fog likes to linger out this neighborhood.

Photo by Ingrid Taylar

You don’t have to be a mountain goat or buy a truckload of mountain climbing gear to take a hiking day trip out of New York City. And you won’t be needing maps, or have to spend half a day traveling to the Adirondacks, and neither will you have to pay for one of those fancy upstate New York vacations. The only thing you have to do is get a Metrocard and optionally, join the NY-NoJ Chapter of the AMC.

The AMC does more than 2000 trips each year, and most are for beginners, are free and can be reached from NYC by public transport (so your Metrocard is sufficient). Plus they give you a monthly magazine listing hikes and instructions for newbies, and the hikes are led by volunteers. All said and done, its well worth the annual membership fee ($25 to $40, depending on your age), but if you don’t want to join, you are allowed to join in as a guest to try out how it works. You just need to be there at the starting point of the hike. Be that as it may, listed below are some of the hikes which you can take on your own.

Palisades Interstate Park, NJ - The trails are easily accessible by public transport from New York City. If you’re taking the subway, take the A express subway line to 181st Street, and walk across the George Washington Bridge. And then you have to hike.  More details about the trails, directions and maps available here.

Cold Spring, NY – Its a quaint and beautiful place on the banks of the Hudson River with breathtaking river views and a lot of historical things to see. Best thing to do is to take the Metro North from Grand Central to Cold Spring, and from there its a 7.5 mile round trip hike to and from Mt Taurus. A bit strenuous, and occasionally hair-raising, but if you’re upto it, then the view along the way, with abandoned estates dotting the Hudson River Valley… Let’s just say it’s worth the sweat. Ask around in Cold Spring for directions to Mt Taurus, maps, and any other help you might need.

Then there’s Anthony’s Nose, which offers one of the most spectacular trail views you’ll ever see. Its a 900 ft mountain on the eastern side of the Hudson. From the top, you can see the entire Bear Mountain Bridge (see pic above) exactly below you spanning across the river, which stretches left and right as far as you can see. Again a bit strenuous, but you’ll remember the view for a long time to come. You might also want to make note of Cold Spring as a cozy weekend getaway.

Photo by jothenomad via flickr (creative commons)

1. The wind-we get high winds in my little town, sometimes it drives me crazy, but most to the time it feels strangely cleansing, it means home in a chilling kind of way. Great place to be during a heat wave.

2. The salt marsh-I never really knew much about  saltwater marshes, now I can see it change with the seasons and find it a place of peace especially at dusk on a calm evening.  Lots of hiking trails through the marsh even if the shopping mall is just across the street.

3.  Flower power-along time ago, an environmentalist found a flower that can only grow on the hill behind my house, it is called the Tiburon Lily.  This little flower stopped the developer dead in their tracks and now we have a fabulous set of trails to hike and grassy fields to gaze upon all day long.  It is officially found only on Ring Mountain from March to June.  You can find me on the mountain almost daily.

4.  San Francisco Bay-laps at the town’s borders. I love its icy water, the beaches, kayaking, the way the water reflects the sky.

5.  Richmond-San Rafael Bridge-definitely the forgotten bridge of the bay area, but I can see it from my home and I love the graceful curve rising above the water.  Plus, Berkeley is just across the bridge and you can spend a day there.

6.  Ships-as they pass under the bridge.

7.  Twin Cities Little League Park-it looks exactly like a major league park in miniature. Toss a baseball here and feel like a major league player.

8.  Picco’s Restaurant-technically this is not in my town, just across the border, but to get food this sublime in a little town, fabulous.

9.  Two malls-only five minutes away, it can’t all be about ships passing and hills for hiking, a girls’ gotta have shoes.

10.  Bike paths-the bike paths that go through and along the marsh and then along an old railroad that are great for family biking trips.  Nice and flat…

11.  Rick’s Wine Shop-tiny little storefront with delicious wines and service with genuine warmth. Great for adults.

12.  Paradise Beach-this secluded bay beach offers a peaceful setting, grassy lawns, a rocky shore and a fishing pier and it is only a ten minute drive from my house.  Great for kids.

13.  My neighbors-after college I lived in two large metropolitan areas, Seattle and San Francisco, I met only three neighbors in 15 years that I consider friends (and I am not shy).  I moved to the ‘burbs.  Now I know everyone on my street-it is so wonderful to drive up our little street and know the names of the people who live in each house and what they are doing for vacation, their dog’s name.  It feels safe to me. So not a reason to visit, but a reason to stay.