Preparing for an Adventure Vacation

Adventure!! Just the sound of it makes me always giddy like a child! An adventure vacation is something I look forward to as a prize of hard work. 

Exploring Antelope Canyon, Page, Arizona

Why do I love adventure vacation? 

Adventure a lot of the times gives us "ohhh-ahhh"- when we connect what we had learned previously from reading or from school to what we see and experience. But what is more fascinating for me is the, "hmmmm, why is that????????" part of adventure, where so much questions are framed in our minds. We talked about it, we discoursed about it, and we would go back home searching for answers to our queries. If we could not find answers, it's time to set up an EXPERIMENT about it, if doable. An adventure in nature brings "WONDER". 

Now, how do we make most of our adventure vacation so that we go home inspired, stronger, and maybe wanting more?

I know, some of us pride about "little planning" vacation, or "spur of the moment" vacation, or being spontaneous. Somehow, I was kind of like that also before, when our vacations were still more about city and resorts. It's easier to play it by ear when you are going to a place with almost everything in it. Until...... the great outdoors lured us into "adventure vacation". 

When we slowly transitioned into adventure vacation 2007, I must admit we were so much a newbie that we made a lot of mistakes. Thankfully, those mistakes were not bigger than our love for wandering that they did not stop us from exploring our natural world. Instead, they were mistakes that made us learn and made us more equipped for the next one, giving us more fun.

Here are some of the adventure vacation preparation tips that we have learned through the years.

1. Research for the best hikes that cater more to your interest.

Do you prefer challenging hikes? Or do you prefer easy hikes? Or do you have no preference whether it is easy or challenging as long as it is super awesome and scenic? Know which kind you would enjoy more. When you know your limits and interests, it is easy to search and prepare for it.

For us, it is about the scenic wonders. 

South Kaibab Trail, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

We do not look down on easy hikes. 

We do not coward away from challenging hikes either because we know we could prepare for it.

It's about, "I really want to experience grandeur of nature there!" How do we know we wanted to experience the place?  Haha, by reading and watching featured places in National Geographic and other Outdoor magazines/channels.

Once we have found out the places we wanted to explore, we search for more detailed description, such as: mileage, change in elevation, type of terrain, weather, environment conditions, challenges, etc. Knowing a little bit some possibilities of what we will be into, we prepare for them. We prepare physically ( if it is challenging), mentally and emotionally ( if it is VERY CHALLENGING, as there are some hikes which are more mentally and emotionally challenging than physically challenging), spiritually ( praying for safety ), and materially ( appropriate clothing and gears). 

2. Plan your itinerary.

Planning for your itinerary will prepare you for full fun exploration of the place. That is when you will know the gears to bring, such as ice trekkers if trail is hard and icy, waterproof hiking shoes if hiking on watery or snowy conditions, what layered clothing are necessary and much more. Adventure is so much fun, only if you come prepared for the elements. 

Harding Icefield Trail, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

3. Choose the right car and car rental company.

Once you have prepared for an itinerary and have done research on the kind of road conditions and terrain, it is best to choose the right car to rent and car rental company. Does the terrain need high clearance vehicle? Does it need 4-wheel drive? Does the car rental company allows unpaved road driving?  Does the car rental company allows for drop-off at a different airport if flying out airport is different? Are you a big family, maybe you need a rental caravan? There are many factors to consider,  and only you will know these factors from advance research and careful planning. There are many car rental companies, but there may only be a few that would serve your needs. Click here to check some of the options that may fit your self-drive holiday needs.

4. Check for more interesting places that could be your scenic stop-over on your way to your major activities.

If you love scenic wonders and is into taking pictures like us, this is a must! :) You simply do not want to miss scenic wonders that though may not be part of your major adventure activities, but is perfect for a place to get awe and wonder.

Mono Lake South Tufa State Reserve, Lee Vining, California

Fun in The Great Outdoors

US Having Fun Hiking and Photographing @ Harding Icefield, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

Outdoor activities always become more fun with family and friends. Make this year one of your bests ever by taking some outdoor adventures with your family and friends. There are various activities you can do with a group that are fun, enjoyable, and most of all, good for people of all skill levels.

Me with Family and Friends, and The Milky Way @ Mono Lake South Tufa State Reserve, California

One of the most interesting and versatile outdoor activities is hiking. If you have little kids and older people in the company, you can always find easier hikes with minimal slopes. Hiking does not always have to be as strenuous as climbing Mt. Everest.

Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

( probably the easiest hike we ever did, and who says easy hikes do not give beautiful rewards? )

 Hiking Lady with a baby stroller 

( who says that nature exploring stops when you have a baby?)

If the little child in your company will learn to love hiking, they become more caring of their environment, more motivated to keep a healthier lifestyle, become more physically active so that they are in better shape always to explore the world. It also is fun and very inspiring to see little kids think out loud like scientists because the nature they experience around them stirs their curiosity seeking for a better understanding of their world. 

Father and Son Exploring Nature Together

Hiking enables you to spend time with your family and friends in a relaxing, stress-free environment. The activity also offers great opportunity to learn about outdoor safety and wilderness survival.

Got some sands? Aside from hiking, another fun activity you can do with your family and friends is to have fun in the sand.

 Leaving My Shoes Behind for More Fun in the Sand

One way to enjoy the sand is by riding a UTV. Check out UTV news at SideBySideAccessories.com for the most up to date and important UTV riding information.

Death Valley National Park to Los Angeles (part 1 of 2)

This is day 3 of the 6-days Las Vegas - Los Angeles - San Diego - Las Vegas Road Trip via Death Valley National Park and Palm Springs. You can see day 1, which is flying to Las Vegas, and then, day 2- leaving Las Vegas for Death Valley National Park in my introductory post of the 6-days Las Vegas - Los Angeles - San Diego road trip.

Las Vegas and Death Valley National Park

Brief summary of itinerary:

Day 1- arrival at Las Vegas ( arrival airport)

Day 2- Las Vegas to Death Valley National Park

Day 3- Death Valley National Park to Los Angeles

Day 4- Los Angeles to San Diego

Day 5- San Diego to Palm Springs

Day 6- Palm Springs to Las Vegas ( depart later of the day, or extend one night and depart Las Vegas next day)

Here's first part of Day 3: 

From the heart of Death Valley, you will start driving West towards Los Angeles on road that is surrounded by stark mountains of different colors due to the varying composition of minerals in it. Death Valley strongly sends the message that Earth does not always have to be fully clothed with lush green vegetation to be beautiful. In its starkness and nakedness, one will see the contours of the Earth that though may be shaped by harshest conditions, but ended up so masterfully carved and uniquely painted. The awe and wonder, serenity and peacefulness that sets in me in seeing the out of this world beauty of Death Valley National Park, is beyond words for me to describe.  Death Valley is such a huge National Park, that after one hour of driving from Furnace Creek Inn, you still are in Death Valley National Park, at Panamint Springs. West of Hwy 190, there is one beautiful view point you should not miss, Father Crowley  Point.

 view from Father Crowley Point, Death Valley National Park

Father Crowley Point is one of the must see non-hiking stops in Death Valley. It is named in memory of Father Crowley, a Catholic priest who ministered in the area in the 1930s, and who was said to make frequent stops at this overlook. It encompasses views of the Panamint Valley, Rainbow Canyon, the Panamint Mountain Range, and Telescope Peak. This view, aside from inspiring reverence in an important religious leader, also demonstrates the beautiful complexity and rugged balance of this surreal desert landscape.

views from Father Crowley Point

( what the plaque at top left of the photo says: "Father Crowley Point, in Memory of the Priest of the Desert, 1891-1940. From the snowy heights of the Sierras to the deep shadows of Death Valley, beloved and trusted by people of all faiths. He led them towards life's wider horizons. ")

Las Vegas - Los Angeles - San Diego - Las Vegas Road Trip via Death Valley National Park and Palm Springs (part 1)

Las Vegas-Death Valley-Los Angeles-San Diego-Palm Springs

I had several queries lately about a trip flying to and out of Las Vegas, then, taking a road trip to Los Angeles and San Diego via Death Valley National Park and Palm Springs, for about 6 days or less, without the hikes. This post assumes that the airport destination is Las Vegas. The challenge is 6 days or less, let us see what I can come up with, since I have not done this road trip at all. Although I've been to all these places, but not in one road trip. I understand however, that most tourists, make Las Vegas their airport destination, then, they take the Grand Circle road trip, where the start and end of the trip is Las Vegas. Maybe after a few days of rest at Las Vegas, they would do another Circle, the Southern California road trip such as in this post, and then Pacific Northwest Circle. Some tourists spend a month or more to explore the West which really explodes with National Parks and nature's wonders. I don't know if I could find another place on Earth having as diverse landscape and geology as the West, where mind boggling desert landscapes, glacially curved mountain peaks, and ocean waves beating the mountains could all be experienced. Maybe, for 90% of tourists to Las Vegas, it's all about the strip, but for other tourists, there is so much to see after Las Vegas. And they wanted to make the most of their expensive airfare by taking road trips and seeing more wonders of nature.

Anyway, let me go back to the Southern California Circle from Las Vegas by starting with the map of this road trip.

( you can click to enlarge the itinerary )

Notice that this road trip forms a loop, so any of the three cities, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, or San Diego can be the airport of choice, depending on where the air fare would give the best deal. The itinerary here serves to provide information only for those who are planning for this kind of road trip. Though I will start here from Las Vegas then going in the counterclockwise direction, anyone can start from any of the three cities, going in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. 

BEST TIME TO DO THIS ROAD TRIP: late fall- early spring, because Death Valley and Palm Springs may get too hot at other times of the year.

Death Valley ( top 2 pictures ) and Palm Springs area ( bottom 2 pictures )