Month: February 2023

The Best Weekend Getaways to Take This Year

Think about this – as of February 1, summer is still roughly 140 days away. Spring break is closer but it seems like everyone is traveling at the same during spring break getaways so fighting crowds could be a downside there. Ok…so what do you do? Enjoy the weekend getaway, as often as you like! These quick trip options may just be the travel fix you need after a long work week and before you can take a long extended getaway that, as we figure, is still about 20-plus weeks away!

Pacific City RV & Camping Resort Yurt
Thousand Trails Pacific City RV & Camping Resort

Leave the city behind and head to the beach with a quick getaway from Portland to Thousand Trails Pacific City RV & Camping Resort. Glamp in a relaxing yurt accommodation here and plan to commune with the nature found in this great Oregon Coast setting. Wanna whale watch? Mark your calendar for the week of March 24 which is when Whale Watching Week 2023 begins along the coast. Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge is a great spot for birding, wildlife watching and hiking as several trails here are open year-round. Take a drive to the Tillamook Cheese Factory and enjoy ice cream or that big wheel of cheese you’ve been dreaming of! Or, just walk the beach and watch the waves crash against the rocks! Pretty neat weekend getaway for sure.

Natchez Trace Tiny House Village
Natchez Trace Tiny House Village

The Natchez Trace Tiny House Village is about a five-hour drive from major cities like Cincinnati and Indianapolis. That’s not a bad little road trip to find the relaxation of these southern charming glamping accommodations and the southern hospitality found in all the nearby attractions. With Natchez Trace as your home base, you can do big city fun in Nashville or enjoy small town charmers like Leiper’s Fork and Franklin. Nashville highlights include the Country Music Hall of Fame, the classic Ryman Auditorium and the great honky-tonks and eateries found in the city’s Broadway Historic District. Leiper’s Fork has don’t-miss barbeque and biscuits at Fox & Locke and an eclectic assortment of shops, plus the Leiper’s Fork Distillery, featuring Tennessee spirits. Franklin offers a Saturday Farmer’s Market, the Franklin on Foot walking tour, which is a great way to the town’s historical sites and plenty of shopping and eating options.

If you’re lucky enough to call any of the major cities in the Sunshine State home, you are at least blessed with plenty of regular sunshine. But all sun and no play, can make for some dull weekends, so we suggest a getaway to a colorful cottage at Encore Tropical Palms Resort in Kissimmee (conveniently located only a mini-road trip away from points like Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa/St. Pete and Sarasota.) Because the weather cooperates most days, outdoor fun is definitely doable here. Paddle Shingle Creek in a kayak, swim with the manatees on a guided tour of the Crystal River, or bike the many trails in the area. Shingle Creek in fact has a great trail for pedestrians and cyclists – the Shingle Creek Regional Trail. If kitsch is on the menu – consider visiting Gatorland or Eli’s Orange World, both of which are worthy of some great shots to share on all things social media! Of course, there are the major theme parks if you want to feel like a kid again and upcoming local festivals include EPCOT’s International Flower and Garden Festival (begins March 1) and the Orlando Wine Festival is set for March 24-26.

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Visit These Spots for Love Your Pet Day

While National Love Your Pet Day, celebrated on February 20, is relatively new (dating to the early 2000s), humans’ love of pets goes back thousand and thousands of years, with evidence of humans, dogs, and cats co-existing from more than 12,000 years ago. So, if you have furry friends, the best thing you can do on February 20, or any day for that matter, is to do something special for them.

How about taking them glamping to enjoy the outdoors and see the pet-friendly sights of several cities that are considered some of the best for traveling with pets?  And, while birds, fish, and cats fall among the most popular pets along with dogs, we’ll focus on the canine kind for this feature.

Rent a pet-friendly cabin, cottage, or yurt at Thousand Trails Bend-Sunriver RV Campground and get ready to explore Bend, Oregon, one of the Ten Best Outdoor Towns, according to thediscoverer.com. Fun on this paws-itively great getaway can include shopping (dogs are welcome at the local Patagonia store); cider and brewery visits (Tumalo Cider Company and 10 Barrel Brewing Company Eastside welcomes furry friends) and outdoor adventure on the Deschutes River (Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe offer dog-friendly rentals); hiking trails at Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort and several pet-friendly trails in the Deschutes National Forest. For a bit of nostalgia, browse the selection of videos available at the last Blockbuster store in North America, which is located in Bend and is pet-friendly.

Vacation Camper at Encore Sunshine Key RV Resort & Marina

A Florida getaway for Fido is a good idea considering not only is the weather going to cooperate, but there are plenty of hiking trails, parks, and attractions that allow dogs. The Key West Tropical Forest and Botanic Garden welcomes leashed dogs to walk the 15-plus-acre native garden and forest. If a walk on the beach is on your pup’s agenda, check out Anne’s Beach in Islamorada and Key West’s Dog Beach. And should your Key West beach outing last toward evening, head over to Island Dogs, a pet friendly bar that features live music. Other dog-friendly attractions in the Florida Keys include the Key West Aquarium; Key Largo’s John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (trails only; no dogs allowed on the beach); and National Deer Refuge on Big Pine Key. Rent a fun (and pet-friendly) vacation camper at Encore Sunshine Key RV Resort & Marina for this dog-gone great getaway.

Cabin at Medina Lake RV Campground
Cabin at Medina Lake RV Campground

A pet-friendly cabin at Thousand Trails Medina Lake RV Campground, scenic countryside, and plenty of things to do combine to make a glamping trip with your pet one you’ll both remember fur-ever! Take a history lesson and visit the home of our 36th President and Texas native, Lyndon B. Johnson. Johnson’s birthplace can be seen at the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site and leashed dogs and their humans can enjoy a 1.2-mile trail with glimpses of other historic buildings on site. A scenic trip while riding in the car is an option if you choose to take the 13-mile loop drive, known as the Windy City Loop, or the 85-mile Swiss Alps of Texas, to view some gorgeous Hill Country scenery. Take to the water with the pet-friendly outfitter Whitewater Sports (floattheguadalupe.com) and enjoy water fun on the Guadalupe River. If it’s patio weather, consider a meal true to the German roots of the area at The Auslander in Fredericksburg which has a pet-friendly outdoor patio and some tasty schnitzel.

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5 Things to Do in Sedona

There are all kinds of words used to describe Sedona, Arizona: magical, stunning, scenic, peaceful. And every single one of these descriptors is spot on. Sedona is, all at once, all of these things and more. Plan a visit to this Arizona gem and see what words come to mind to describe your perfect Sedona glamping getaway.

First off, book a stay Thousand Trails Verde Valley RV & Camping Resort choosing glamping accommodations that range from two adorable tiny houses to comfy cabins and cottages. Then, check out the five things we found to do and get started on finding out just what Sedona has in store for you!

  1. Blaze the Trails: There are all kinds of hiking trails in and around Sedona. Options can include Broken Arrow Trail, a 2.8 mile trail with beautiful wildflowers; Oak Creek Canyon’s West Fork Trail, which is considered one of the best hikes in the area, with a moderate 3.1-mile trek crossing 13 creeks; Devil’s Bridge Trail with the reward being the view of Devil’s Bridge, the largest sandstone arch in Sedona; and Boynton Canyon Trail, with views of the canyon floor and plenty of desert landscape.

  2. Shopping: Plenty of interesting items to be found in this area, rich in Native American history and culture. Kachina House is the largest distributor of Native American art and artifacts in Arizona. Visitors here can find carvings, pottery, jewelry as well as Zuni Fetishes and Navajo Kachina dolls. Son Silver West Gallery is considered “eclectic” which means there is something of interest here. Art, jewelry, antiques, garden décor, and handmade soaps are just some of the things to find here. Talquepaque Arts & Shopping Village is a lovely outdoor market with plenty of art galleries and craft shops.

  3. Animal Antics: Bearizona Wildlife Park is a 160-acre, drive-through, wildlife park in nearby Williams where visitors can see bears, bison, and wolves in their natural habitat. There are also education programs offered and the park can be seen via car, on foot or on a shuttle (bearizona.com). Out of Africa is another unique up-close animal experience offered in Camp Verde, Arizona. Visitors can take a “safari,” feed predators, see a snake show, and check out the wide variety of animals, which include a two-toed sloth named Bart, a Southern White Rhinoceros, a Black Leopard, camels, and bears (outofafricapark.com).

Pictograph rock art at the Palatki Heritage Site
    1. Palatki Ruins: Head to the Coconino National Forest to check out the largest cliff dwellings found in the area that date back 3000-6000 years. The Palatki Heritage Site (and sister site, Honanki Heritage Site) offer the amazing cliff dwellings plus rock art (pictographs and petroglyphs). They are accessible via three trails, one of which is wheelchair accessible. Dwelling and grotto tours are available, but reservations must be made in advance. For more details on visiting, check out fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recarea/?recid=55368.

    2. Festivals: Maybe it’s the year-round moderate climate, maybe it’s the super cool vibe but it seems like there is always a fun festival to check out when visiting in Sedona. For starters there’s the Sedona International Film Festival, scheduled this year for February 18-26. This event features some of the best independent films from around the world. March has the Sedona Mountain Bike Festival and April is time for the Yoga Festival. Fall brings the Sedona Winefest (September 23-24), the Sedona Arts Festival (October 8-9), a Food Truck Festival (first weekend of November) and winter has all kinds of holiday festivals including the Festival of Lights (December 3). For more information, go to visitsedona.com.

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