Month: March 2023

Sporty Spring Break Ideas

The nice thing about a spring break getaway is that the option to enjoy hot or cold weather sports still exists. Skiing is a very real possibility as is snorkeling and surfing. Wanna try a sporty spring break this year? Consider these options.

Cabin at Tahoe Valley Campground
Cabin at Tahoe Valley Campground

Skiing/Snowboarding: If you want to hit the slopes alongside all the rest of the spring breakers, there are plenty of options. From a glamping standpoint, the places to head would include Washington’s Leavenworth Tiny House Village; Oregon’s Mt. Hood Tiny House Village or Thousand Trails Bend-Sunriver for cabins and yurts; California’s Tahoe Valley cabins or Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes’ cabins and yurts. Nearby ski areas include Tahoe’s Heavenly Ski Resort, the Leavenworth Ski Hill, Mt. Bachelor near Bend-Sunriver, the Mt. Hood Ski Bowl near Mt. Hood Tiny House Village, and Badger Pass Ski Area in Yosemite.

Cabin at Thousand Trails Pio Pico RV Campground
Cabin at Thousand Trails Pio Pico RV Campground

Surfing: While surfing is possible in Florida year-round, the surf season in the Sunshine State is considered to be from late November through March. If you’re glamping in Florida for Spring Break 2023 and surfing is on the agenda, consider a stay at Encore Miami-Everglades to be near South Beach for great surfing or Encore Bulow to be near surfing opportunities at Flagler Beach. On the Pacific Coast, glamp at Thousand Trails Pio Pico for San Diego surfing fun or Thousand Trails Soledad Canyon for good March surfing at Zuma Beach in Malibu.

Hiking: March is a great season to enjoy hikes in California’s Joshua Tree National Park and Sedona, Arizona’s Red Rock Country, with glamping stays at Thousand Trails Palm Springs and Thousand Trails Verde Valley, respectively. Both areas enjoy a more moderate temperature this time of year so it’s not too hot to trek around and explore. Of course, springtime in Yosemite National Park promises wildflowers, waterfalls, and plenty of great hiking – check out Mist Trail or the Bridalveil Fall Trail. You can do a different day hike every day if you book a yurt or cabin stay at Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes which is five minutes from the Park’s entrance!

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5 Things to Do in Los Angeles

Whether you go for the glitz and glamour vibe of Hollywood, the laid-back beach scene, or the varied attractions of LA, a visit to this southern California destination is a good choice if you want a mix of everything. Instead of highlighting 5 things to do, we’ll highlight five ways to visit to get that perfect mix. First stop, a glamping accommodation at Thousand Trails Soledad Canyon, which is less than 60 miles from LA proper and full of beautiful views. Choose a glamping cabin or cottage at this great resort set in the high desert and get set for an LA Adventure, par excellence.

  1. Hollywood: Highlights include the Hollywood Walk of Fame which encompasses 15 city blocks and displays over 2700 stars honoring some of the greatest of all time, including newcomers Michael B. Jordan and Courteney Cox. Start your self-guided walking tour at Grauman’s Chinese Theater and check out the celebrity handprints and footprints in front of the theater. The Hollywood Theater, located in the historic Max Factor Building has the most extensive collection of Hollywood memorabilia in the world! From costumes to cars to props and personal artifacts, it’s all here. For movie-themed fun, visit Universal Studios Hollywood and take a tour to get a glimpse of what it’s like behind the scenes. And, of course, the not-to-miss is the newly opened Academy Museum of Motion Pictures dedicated to the history, science, and cultural impact of the film industry.

  2. LA Highlights: LA proper has a tremendous amount of offerings when it comes to attractions – from museums to the famed Griffith Observatory to the Angels Flight® Railway. Open seven days a week, the Original Farmers Market has been selling fresh produce since 1934 but that’s not all visitors can find here. There are all kinds of food offerings from baked goods to meat, seafood, and poultry. How about a walk on the prehistoric side? Visit the La Brea Tar Pits, a sticky, tarry urban paleontological site that has fossilized bones of Ice Age animals preserved in the tar as well as prehistoric plants. Right next door is the LA County Museum of Art, worth a visit even if you just stop by to see the outdoor public art installation, Urban Light. Want to ride a funicular? Check out the Angels Flight® Railway – a 118-year-old funicular, or cable railway, that treats passengers to a ride up, or down, one of the city’s steepest streets. For some of the best views of the city and the famed Hollywood sign, visit Griffith Park Observatory which has, in addition to the planetarium, daily shows and exhibits.

  3. Beach Life: There are several “beach” towns to be found here which makes perfect sense since the Pacific Ocean is the backdrop to fun in the sun. Consider visiting as many as you can including Malibu, Venice, Santa Monica, and Laguna Beach; each offer their own vibe. From a Malibu perspective, there are several beaches to enjoy: Zuma Beach which is great for walking in the surf; North Beach at Leo Carrillo State Park is dog-friendly and if you walk the beach toward the park’s South Beach you can see some interesting caves and tide pools; for stargazing of the Hollywood kind and checking out the cool beach homes, visit either Broach Beach or Malibu Colony Beach; and for surfing or just watching the surfers, head to Malibu Surfrider Beach. Venice Beach has a boardwalk where artists sell their works as well as shops and eateries to enjoy while Santa Monica Beach has three miles of beach plus the iconic Santa Monica Pier with shops and restaurants, plus a Ferris wheel and roller coaster!
Marina Del Rey, California
Marina Del Rey, California
  1. Outdoor Life: Thanks to the sunny California weather, there’s a lot of fun stuff to do outdoors. You can stand-up paddleboard with the sea lions at Marina Del Rey; bike along Venice Beach; hike with scenic views (consider the Charlie Turner Trail in Griffith Park or Runyon Canyon, which is popular with the stars who love to hike); enjoy a private boat tour or rent your own canoe or kayak for a leisurely water ride along the canals of Venice; or stroll through the many public gardens which include Descanso Gardens featuring more than 600 varieties of camelias or the Storrier Stearns Japanese Gardens which features a Japanese tea house set among the traditional Japanese gardens.

  2. The Wild Side: Hollywood Forever Cemetery is the final resting place of stars from all ages, including Dee Dee and Johnny Ramone of The Ramones and Rudolph Valentino, America’s first movie heartthrob and mobster Bugsy Siegel. Guided tours are available for $25. Fans of storybook architecture will enjoy a ride past the Spadina House in Beverly Hills or the cluster of “Snow White Cottages” in Los Feliz to view these very unique homes. There’s also the giant Chicken Boy statue on Figueroa Street and the giant donut atop Randy’s Donuts in Inglewood for some great Instagram shots. For something different, take in one of the shows at The Bob Baker Marionette Theater, which is one of the longest running puppetry theaters in the U.S. All the marionettes are hand crafted and there are a variety of shows on the schedule.

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We Found 11 of the Best Hiking Trails

If you’re a fan of college basketball then you know terms like Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight apply to bracket rounds when it comes to March Madness – the all-encompassing single-elimination tournament that brings the college basketball season to an end. But have you heard of the Elite 11?

The Elite 11 are 11 scenic trails found across the United States. The 1968 National Trails System Act designated these 11 trails for “the conservation and enjoyment of the nationally significant, historic, natural, or cultural qualities. The Elite 11 include the New England National Scenic Trail, the Natchez Trace Trail, the Potomac Heritage Trail, the Arizona Trail, the Ice Age Trail, the Florida Trail, the Pacific Northwest Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and the North Country Trail. Let’s check out the ones that are close to our fabulous glamping accommodations.

Sawyer Tiny House at Natchez Trace Tiny House Villiage
Sawyer Tiny House at Natchez Trace Tiny House Villiage

Natchez Trace: The trail runs for over 60 miles from Tennessee down through Mississippi and runs parallel to the Natchez Trace Parkway. If you book a stay at Natchez Trace Tiny House Village, you are close to the northern-most portion of the trail, known as the Highland Rim Section. This portion of the trail stretches for 20 miles, is dog friendly, and can be done via hiking or biking. The War of 1812 Memorial can be found at Milepost 426.3 and honors those who marched on the Natchez Trace during the war, which was an important route for moving soldiers to defend the area.

Yurt at Tranquil Timbers Campground
Yurt at Tranquil Timbers Campground

Ice Age Trail: Located entirely in the state of Wisconsin, the 1000-mile footpath is the result of a retreating glacier from over 10,000 years ago. There are several access points to the trail located near our Wisconsin glamping accommodations. Stay in an ultra-cool yurt at Tranquil Timbers and hike the portion of the trail in Sturgeon Bay that takes you through Potawatomi State Park. Rent a cottage or cabin at Lakeland in Milton and you can access the Milton Segment of the trail which runs 4.3 miles through historic Milton or the Storrs Lake Segment which runs 1.8 miles through wetlands. If you’re glamping in a cabin or cottage at Arrowhead, near the Wisconsin Dells, the Devil’s Lake State Park portion of the Ice Age trails is less than 15 miles from camp.

Pacific Crest Trail: This is the mother of all trails running 2,653 miles from Washington State to the U.S.-Mexico Border. Certainly adventurous hikers have taken on the task of hiking the whole trail, but luckily it can also be done in sections. Suggestions for day trips in each state can be found at the Pacific Crest Trail Association website, pcta.org. Highlights of the trail include Desolation Wilderness in El Dorado National Forest (stay at Tahoe Valley); Jefferson Park in Central Oregon (about 80 miles from Thousand Trails Bend-Sunriver); and Goat Rock’s Wilderness (about an hour from Thousand Trails Chehalis).

Cabins at Encore Miami Everglades
Cabins at Miami Everglades RV Resort

Florida Trail: Divided into geographic regions, the Florida Trail runs about 1500 miles from north to south in the Sunshine State, starting north near Pensacola on the Panhandle, and heading down south to the Miami area. Access to the trail while glamping with Petite Retreats, can include a stay at a colorful cottage at Encore Tropical Palms in Kissimmee or lodge, bunkhouse, or cabin glamping rentals at Encore Miami-Everglades. There are plenty more access points and plenty more places to glamp with us in Florida, so check out floridatrail.org and petiteretreats.com to see what suits your Florida Trail agenda.

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