White Water Rafting the Killer Kern River
The Killer Kern. That’s what they call it. The Kern River has claimed over 280 lives since 1968 and another 8 this summer alone. After learning that less than 2% of accidents occur on commercial rafting trips and being reassured that we would not only be rafting with Ed, but he would take along his best guides for the trip, I began to feel better about the idea.
Extreme Cave Kayaking in Pismo Beach California
Pismo Beach, California offers some of the best cave kayaking in the world at Dinosaur Caves. As someone who’s afraid of everything, cave kayaking really pushed me to my limits and was worth every awesome risk!
Hanging Bridges, Horseback Riding, and Zorbing in Arenal Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a country full of adventures. In one day at Mistico Park, we go to do the Arenal Hanging Bridges, Horseback Riding, and Zorbing. If you’re looking for a Costa Rican adventure, look no further!
The Springs Resort & Spa - Costa Rica
The Springs Resort and Spa in Costa Rica is one of the most luxurious hotels in the world. With room views overlooking Arenal Volcano, a swim up bar, and an animal sanctuary on site, this resort has something for everyone.
Costa Rica Travel Guide - What To Do, Where To Stay, How to Experience Pura Vida
The first thing I learned in Costa Rica is “Pura Vida” which means pure life and that became the theme of our trip. From our driver picking us up at the airport and telling us all about the culture and people of Costa Rica, to exploring the countryside on our way to the resort, I did my best to sit back and take it all in. We showed up at The Springs Resort and Spa and between the stunning view of Arenal Volcano, the luxurious accommodations, and the swim up bar I knew this was the perfect place for me to be at this time in my life.
Horseback Riding to the Hollywood Sign
Mighty Mongoose features some amazing adventures in some of America’s biggest cities. And they take things one step further and create entire packages like Catalina Island and Zipline excursions, airplane tours over Malibu Canyon, sunrise Hot Air Balloon rides, 2-day Niagara Falls tour from NYC, and more! So when I was coming up with unique things to do in L.A., a horseback ride to the hollywood sign seemed like a pretty epic adventure!
Kayaking and Whale Watching in Newport Beach
Looking for an epic day of adventures in Southern California? Head to Newport Beach and spend the day on the water. I spent the morning kayaking and then we did a whale watching tour in the afternoon. Here’s what it was like!
Airboat Tour on the Louisiana Bayou
One thing I try to do no matter where I go, is find a unique adventure; and if I can, something outdoors. For my trip to New Orleans, I had one goal: go on an airboat ride!
California Oktoberfest at Alpine Village
Alpine Village, in Torrance, California, is about 20 minutes south of Los Angeles. The Steinhaus Tavern at the village was built by European immigrants over 50 years ago and serves craft beers and homemade sausages year-round. There is also a German Market that is open year-round with a butcher, bakery, and other imported items. They have special festivals at Easter and Christmas as well as different beer festivals. But it's their Oktoberfest that won me over! 50 people ban together to build the 32,000 sq.ft. tent in the parking lot of Alpine Village to accommodate the 60,000+ people that come to Oktoberfest each year.
Ziplining Near Yosemite National Park
Yosemite Ziplines and Adventures is a family-owned and operated ziplining ranch and is about 1 hour away from the east entrance of Yosemite off Highway 140 near the town of Mariposa. It was a perfect way to escape the busy summer Saturday Yosemite crowd.
Hiking to Half Dome in Yosemite National Park
The Half Dome hike has amazing scenery with up close views of Vernal and Nevada Fall. Whatever your level or desire, there are multiple hikes and stopping points along the Mist Trail and you can turn around at any time. So here is a breakdown of the hike up to Half Dome and some facts you'll need if you're lucky enough to get to the summit!
Bridge to Nowhere Hike
The Bridge to Nowhere hike was one of those mysterious, must-do hikes that I seemed to hear about as soon as I moved to Los Angeles. This hike is epic for a reason! It's beautiful, rugged, filled with river crossings, bungee jumpers, a beautiful bridge and even some waterfalls and swimming holes! I never thought I could find this type of terrain so close to LA!
Trying the Flying Trapeze in Santa Monica
I am afraid of heights, always have been, always will be. Yet, it's never stopped me from attempting to conquer them. From jumping off buildings in stunt shows to hiking to the top of Angels Landing, I've managed to drag my jello legs to staggering heights and do my best to not to look down. So why not try the flying trapeze?
Hidden Valley Hike - Joshua Tree National Park
The next stop was the popular Hidden Valley Trail. This hike is a popular one for many reasons, it's surrounded by picnic areas and a nearby campground, it's right off the main road, it's only a one mile loop, and it's a gorgeous nature walk that is well maintained and easy for all levels.
49 Palms Oasis Hike at Joshua Tree National Park
49 Palms Oasis is a 3-mile roundtrip hike to a fan palm oasis and takes between 2-3 hours to complete. It's considered moderately strenuous and ascends 300 feet each way. This hike has it's own access road off Park Boulevard and therefore does not require an entrance fee.
Emerald Pools Hike- Zion National Park
The Emerald Pools hike is an easy and quick hike that is great for all ages and hiking abilities. There are three stops along the way; the lower, middle, and upper pools so you can plan your hike accordingly or hit all three for a 3 mile roundtrip hike. This is one of the parks most popular hikes so it gets very crowded on the narrow parts of the trail, but it is worth every busy step.
Hiking The Narrows - Zion National Park
The Narrows is one of the most unique and beautiful hikes in America. It was ranked #5 in National Geographic's America's Best 100 Adventures. This gorge runs along the Virgin River in Zion National Park. The entire trail is 16 miles in length and goes from the Temple of Sinawava to Chamberlains Ranch where there is a campground for two-day hikers.
Angels Landing Hike, or the SCARIEST HIKE EVER!
I knew the Angels Landing hike was going to test me. Zion National Park is a part of the Mighty 5 parks in Utah (Arches, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Canyonlands, and Capital Reef). Located about 3 hours from Las Vegas, we were able to get there, park, take the shuttle to the visitor center, and then shuttle to The Grotto (the start point for Angles Landing) by noon.
Big Bear California Winter Travel Guide
For being so close to Los Angeles, this recreational town was the perfect weekend getaway. Big Bear Lake has a little bit of everything from sports and adventure, to shopping and relaxing, to great food and cabins. In the summertime, the lake is used for jet-skiing, water skiing, fishing, and other water sports.
The Pacific Crest Trail and the Wild Effect
With award season in full gear and Oscar buzz for the movie Wild, I began wondering what effect this will have on the Pacific Crest Trail next year. Will the serene woods be filled with new hikers who became inspired to look beyond the world they know? Or will there be an epic number of inexperienced hikers all trying to escape their painful pasts. Instead of the usual bearded and dirty thru-hikers will it be crying, divorcee's carrying condoms?