Italian Seasides

You have probably noticed that it is not a holiday that I have planned unless there is a hike involved - and off the Italian coast offers the one of the most rewarding hikes we have done. 

If you choose to hike or not, while you are in Italy you will need to make time to stop for the night in Cinque Terre to experience this magical place in person.

A national park of Italy, there are five picturesque towns that make up Cinque Terre: Monterosso, Vernazaa, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.  Each village is quite different and should be experienced as a separate locale - so bring a bathing suit, water bottle, and an appetite to enjoy every bit of the Ligurian coast.

Starting in the south, closest to Pisa, you will arrive in Riomaggiore. The largest of the towns we will visit, this will serve as the entrance into Cinque Terre and offers the most options for hotels during your stay. For lunch or cocktails, A Pie’ de Ma’ will reward with perfect views, free WIFI, and great drink deals. It is steps above the train station so no worries on getting lost on your walk or train home after endless sunsets and too many sundowners. 

From Riomaggiore take to the seaside hiking path that connects the five towns and has been used by locals for centuries.

Walking through terraced vineyards, gardens, and olive groves,

 that end with dramatic cliffs housing Italian culture jutting into the brilliant sea below.

This trail is narrow and will not be an easy hike - much of the path has been washed away by rains and I may have slipped once (definitely twice) - but remember to look up and see what you are missing!

You will arrive next in Corniglia, the only town of the five that does not have a harbor but instead sits high in the hills allowing dramatic views to the Mediterranean sea below along with beautiful homes that cluster the cliffs.

We stopped here for lunch with delicious pasta and freshly caught seafood to feed our bellies. Served with wine that was light and refreshing but it was the water break we needed after the seaside trail.

Continuing on to Manarola, this is the stop to see in real life the picturesque views of colorful homes that reside on the marina that Cinque Terre is renown for.

Peruse the markets here for wines and olive oils, fruits, and pestos to take home.

If they last that long - ours did not!

To my heart, Vernazza is a place of worship. Blessed with protected harbor, it is equally adored by tourists and Italians alike.

 We laid our towels along the sea wall and watching Italian swimmers jumped into the raging waters.

It was heart pounding to see the ocean swell with them along, but each time the waves lightly placed them on the dock as if their protector.

From here we took a ship to Monterosso al Mare, the last of the five towns of Cinque Terre. If you are searching for a beach trip, Monterosso is the perfect location with rocky beaches and a  perfect blue sea.

The streets are wide and made for tourists, selling gelatos and beach floats to the Italian families that come to the shore for their summer vacations.

But just like every popular beach by your home, this beach gets crowded as the day lingers in the heat. It is like making it to Panama City in Florida during high school Spring Break.

Take your little space in life and enjoy this amazing place.

Or take the train back to your favorite city of Cinque Terre and begin again. 

Hiking the Narrows

Hiking the Narrows in Zion National Park through the Virgin River has been on my bucketlist. for as long as I can remember. I have always been drawn to this hike but it's not hard to see why.

This is one of the best hikes in the world complete with fighting your way upstream, hiking through the canyon walls, and being westbound.

I have been putting off this post for months because I have been trying to find a way to describe the Narrows that does it a ounce of justice but it seems impossible to do.


So instead I am here to suggest how to complete this hike because I have already spent enough hours online searching for both of us to make sure we took the right bus and stayed at the best location.

The Narrows are located in Springdale, Utah. A one street town built along side breathtaking views. If you have the time, we met many families completing the "Grand Circle Road Trip"  that will allow you to hit each National Park in the Arizona and Utah area. This includes Zion, Bryce Canyon, The Arches, Canyonlands, and the Grand Canyon - and it sounds INCREDIBLE. But, I'm not here to add anything to my #bucketlist, because it is time for ZNP to be OFF!

For a quick trip to the Narrows, fly into Las Vegas and rent a car to drive the 3 hours to Zion National Park. Once to Springdale, there is no traffic allowed in the park so drop your car at the hotel and grab the free shuttle bus that runs through town. If you keep straight through Springdale (remember it's a one street town) you will dead end into the Visitor's Center where you can pick up the shuttle and continue stopping at each of the trail heads. If you want to take a break and grab some views from the road, the round-trip shuttle trip takes about 1 hour.

P.S. - The visitor center does fill up quickly but do check for a spot before waiting for a bus in town. They don't come as often in Springdale and you want to spend as much time on the trails as possible!

Ride the shuttle until the last stop called "Temple of Sinawava" and walk a mile on the paved pathway until you reach the river's edge. We hike the BOTTOM-UP Day hike and fought the river the whole way up. Everyone congregates at the bank to play in the sand and to work up their courage but it starts off rather shallow depending on the time of year, rain, and run-off.

There is a possibility of flash flooding that can occur on this hike. Updated information can be found throughout town and I was so worried about the need to judge water speed before we arrived - insert your laughing here - but the trail will close if the threat is too great and the shuttle will not let you off. So, off you go!

But just in case, look for big boulders to save you!

Since we hiked in late October, I recommend waders or dri-fit pants to keep out the cold on the length of the hike. It will be at least 3 hours before you reach "The End of Wall Street" - a section of the hike that day trippers will turn back, which means you will have 3 hours hiking back with a strong possibility of the sun going down and intimidating canyon walls that cover must of the river with shadows anyways.

Other helpful items were protein bars, walking sticks, and canyon boots. None are necessary for the day but were helpful when you are forging the river up to your waist and higher. So be careful with little ones -  and your cell phone.

This is an incredible hike and I have now added the THRU- HIKE to my #bucketlist - seriously there is no hope of getting it off. When you arrive in Springdale, there are several outfitters that are friendly and more than willing to help to answer any (and ALL) questions you have. 

Getting an early morning start isn't necessary but it allows for a nice opportunity to experience the river to yourself and a lack of eyes for those initial slippery falls! 

Thank God for walking sticks.

And, remember that West bound trips are a necessity if you are not blessed with living here. Growing up in Montana is not something that leaves you easily and my heart aches until that moment I fly West. It is my home and my heart swells under the weight of my happiness.

But until then, we hike.

Frolicking with manatees

On the trek down to Jacksonville, Florida to cheer on the Georgia Bulldawgs we made a quick stop for a Thursday adventure.

Three Sisters Springs is located in Crystal River, Florida. A lagoon of crystal blue water, clear to the depths and surrounded by low lying trees.

 

We stopped by on a beautiful October week day and had the entire springs to ourselves.

Well, all to ourselves except for these big ol' guys! 

Three Sisters Springs is a sanctuary for a local group of manatees that lazily swim up to you and want a gentle pet. Those ready for a close encounter can enter the water and swim with them.

I stayed firmly on my board but it did not stop them from nudging me as we went along. 

We rented paddleboards (3 hours/$20) from River Ventures and met them at the boat ramp to set off. Paddling through the bay and marina, the trip to Three Sisters Springs takes about 30 minutes, depending on your level/experience in SUP.

Getting there is a fun experience, you will travel through the wetlands, paddling in front of waterfront homes, and with wild life grazing by with you. If SUP isn't your thing, sightseeing boats will take you close and kayaks can also be rented but only swimmers, SUPs, and kayaks can enter the spring.

It is a wobbly start so wear a bathing suit or fast drying clothes if this is your first go - but you'll get the hang of it fast and reflection resting breaks are encouraged.

If you head to Florida, try to make a stop by Crystal River, located about an hour west of Gainesville. It is a cheap and fun activity  - and an even better workout!

It's Britney B*tch

We missed our flight to Park City, Utah because we meandered too long in the Narrows. But really, it is a place to spend every last moment. Instead we drove back to Vegas - and only could find a hotel room at Circus Circus. Yes, really.

We have both been to Vegas multiple times and have our favorite spots.

1. Drais - always Drai's. This place is my heartbeat.

If you ever ask me where you should go in Vegas, know that this is my answer. When I first started coming to Vegas, this place was in a dark, old basement - oh, how things have changed. But even then you should still always end every evening (and begin every morning) dancing at Drais... and with any handsome young men you bring along.

2. The Chandelier bar at the Cosmopolitan.

The Cosmopolitan is quickly becoming my new favorite hotel in Vegas. Marquee is the in house club and there is nothing that makes more sense in life than champagne inside a chandelier.

Chandelier beads cascade to the floor from three stories up and once inside plush couches beckon you for cocktails before the night's adventures.

 Which are perfect when the adventure of the evening is Britney. 

Three words will sum up this experience - Britney is awesome. And Britney with your best friend is even better.

Do not skip this show at the Hard Rock even though she will barely dance and lip-sync the entire night because you will not sit down even when she is pouring her heart out during "Lucky".

This show is jam-packed with incredible dancers, lighting displays, set designs, and I would tell you to go for the theatrics alone. 

But the girl slays and when you leave, no one will question that Britney is back and better than ever.

How to spend a night on the Rockaways

You have reached your destination just before the end of the line when the train pulls into Playland. This should be your first sign you are about to begin a magical journey.

Rockaway does not disappoint in its ability to play. You can find it all here. Perfect small town love, amazing beach vibes, sand, surf, and great night life. When you are living out on the Rockaways, the days easily blend into nights and as much as I love the beach and surfing, the night life almost has it beat. 

There are a few great bars within walking distance from the beach and each night is a bar hop, meeting up with friends or making new ones as you go. Start your evening at  Rockaway Beach Surf Club, an outside space under the tracks of the A train that will serve as the meeting place after the beach. 

Go in your bathing suit and store your board in their lockers in the back. When the train passes above, it is the perfect juxtaposition of surf and city that perfect describes life in the Rockaways and it is easy to see how my best friend got stuck here. 

If you are needing a dinner break, their food truck, "The Cookout" is new this season and parked in the surf shack's backyard. They serve incredible seafood - try the Shrimp Po' Boy and thank me later.  

In the backyard you can sip cocktails on the family style benches with friends and watch old surf movies playing on the screen outside. I want this place to be my home bar - I wish I could start every night here under the A train with tan skin and surf scars. I even saw Nolan Funk here of Awkward. fame. And yes, I am too old to know MTV actors anymore.


The crowds will begin here and dwindle as the sun sets and the nightly bar crawl begins. There are a few stops along the way but the only other you must not miss is the Playland Motel. The only place you can rent a room on the Rockaways, this stop has a full sand, beach backyard and a ground level bar where you go to late night and be seen.

The vibe here is perfection, dancing is non-stop, and this is the happy smile you will leave with.

Andrew VanWyngarden, the lead vocalist of MGMT is known to frequent the bar when local. He currently purchased a home in the area, packed it with his friends, and heads to Playland in the evenings to DJ - for fun. 

It is incredible but that is how night's happen in Playland.

P.S. Andrew, you're dreamy.

In a place called "Playland" my dreams of being a wannabe beach bum seem plausible. I want to ride my bike on the sandy streets with no shoes on my feet and a deep crisp tan on my Native American skin. I want to surf all day and play all night. I want out of the grind, and it probably wasn't the best idea for my current mindset to visit my best friend in a place called Playland. It is perfection and exactly what your soul needs.

This is what I have been missing. Can I come back yet?