roadtrip

Monument Valley in 48 hours

shaunaaguirre — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 18:41:49 +0000

Our 48 Hour adventure in Monument valley. It’s iconic landscape of sandstone towers, buttes, mesas and dunes provide a view that is unparalleled. You could easily just spend a few hours here and see the landmark sites but there is so much to do and see here that you should spend at least 48 hours in Monument Valley. History of Monument Valley Diné – The People This land is the land of the Diné. They believe that their people journeyed through three worlds in various forms before emerging from Mother Earth into this word, the Sparkling World. Anthropologists hypothesize that the Diné Split off from the Southern Athabaskan and began migrating into the Southwest around 200AD. They developed a rich and complex culture that still survives today. For more info on the Navajo Nation and Dine people visit www.navajopeople.com Modern History Prior to the 1920´s this valley was virtually unknown except by the Native Americans who migrated thru here. In the early 1920´s Harry and Leone Goulding bought a substantial piece of land near the monuments and set up a camp ground & trading post. During the Great Depression which hit this tribal community hard, the Gouldings, looking for a way to help bolster the local economy reached out to director John Ford to pitch the idea of making movies in The Valley. The idea stuck and production came quickly. Over the years, this valley has become the backdrop for dozens of movies. For more of this history visit www.Goulding’s.com Room with a view We stayed at The View which has a hotel, cabins and camping/Rv (dry) hook ups. The first night we stayed at the hotel. Every guest room has a balcony facing The Valley. The top floor has a recessed roof for star gazing. At night they project some of the old movies that were made in the area on the side of the restaurant with seating on the terrace. Sitting amongst the monuments and watching them on the huge screen simultaneously was a unique experience. We stumbled upon it and thought it was pretty cool (BYOB.) The second night we stayed in a cabin, and the view from there was even better. These cabins are small but have everything you need. We loved the feeling of seclusion they had and loved experiencing both places in our 48 hours in Monument Valley. Best ways to experience the Valley We have never been much for organized or guided tours but in the case of this site it is a necessity. Monument Valley is within the Navajo Nations Reservation so any exploration of the geological, historical and cultural landmarks must be done with a Navajo guide. Rest assured this experience is going to blow away your expectations and be far more fulfilling on so many levels, than you could have ever imagined. These tours made sure we got the most out of our 48 hours in Monument Valley. Explore the Valley floor by Horseback Our first morning there we took a 2 hour guided horse ride with “Sacred Monument Tours. Our guide Lauren was born, raised and lives in The Valley. He left for a few years to attend college and learn a trade and then returned. This is his home. The Diné guides have an intimate relationship with this land. They were very generous in sharing all of their stories with us. He told us that his Auntie lives under the 3 sisters butte and many of his relatives live within and under the buttes and mesas. He took the time to stop at picturesque locations to take our photos! They have riding tours for all experience levels and are a short walk from The View. Check them out at www.sacredmonumenttours.com Driving Tour In the evening we did a 3 hour sunset tour. We had driven the 17 mile loop the day before to check it out but doing it with a guide was a completely different experience. Our guíde Sharon took us to sites like the Sun’s Eye arch and ancient petroglyphs (rock art), the Ear of the Wind arch, the famous Totem Pole and Yei bi chei rock formations, John Fords Point and many more. We visited a traditional Navajo Hogan. A Diné woman demonstrated how they make yarn out of the sheep wool and told us beautiful stories about their culture. After talking to her more we discovered she was Loreńs (our horse ride guide) Auntie. She was so excited when we told her we had ridden with him in the morning. The tour wrapped with precise timing at a lookout spot just as the sun was setting. https://www.monumentvalleytribaltours.com A couple things to bring: Insider tips: Check out our other blogs on Arizona, New Mexico and more at https://48houradventures.com/category/arizona-southwest/

The post Monument Valley in 48 hours appeared first on 48 Hour Adventures.

San Felipe, Baja Ca Sur, Mexico ~ a fishing village on the Sea of Cortez

shaunaaguirre — Sun, 21 Jul 2019 20:33:00 +0000

San Felipe has been a vacation destination for our family since we were children. This seaside fishing village sits on the north west side of the Sea of Cortez. From San Diego it is about a 4 hour drive and about a 6 hour drive from Phoenix or Los Angeles. This is our go-to spot whenever we are craving a quick Mexican get-away. Activities in San Felipe range from swimming, paddle boarding, snorkeling and fishing to just relaxing. The beaches in the center of town offer an abundance of rentals that include banana boats, sport fishing trips and kayaks. Because of it’s proximity to the desert, there are ample places to rent ATV’s to explore the off-road areas. There are a great deal of beaches to explore however, San Felipe experiences a huge tidal flow. At low tide the water can recede to over a mile out. Be sure to check your tide charts when planning your beach visits. South beach is one of our favorites. It’s just south of town and offers swimming with waves, snorkeling with lots of fish to see and shelling. However, if you head south on route 5 there are many more beaches that are less populated. Did someone say fish tacos? San Felipe is the birthplace of the fish taco. It is said that Ralph Rubio of Rubios restaurants got his original recipe from the fishermen in San Felipe. All along the Malecón are a series of open air taco shops that feature shrimp and fish tacos and other seafood selections. This is where we eat 90% of our meals when in San Felipe. We don’t specifically recommend one, just pop into the one that looks fun and enjoy some of the yummy fresh seafood. Our favorite places to stay Stella del Mar is about a mile south of town and has small single unit bungalows. There are 14 beachfront units that feature individual palapas that will provide shade during the day and a quiet place to watch the waves at night. The feature bar service to the palapas and the beach vendors pass by regularly selling palettes and souvenirs. The restaurant here is excellent and the machaca breakfast here is some of the best we’ve ever had. You can walk to town via the beach or taxi service is easily available. The El Cortez is a half a mile south of town and has charming rooms and easy access to a beautiful beach. There’s also a nice pool and a fun restaurant and bar with epic margaritas. Additionally, they have a rental service for everything you need. If you are looking for more upscale accommodations, you can find some out of town luxury condo rentals on VRBO. If you’re looking for Camping in San Felipe, there are many campgrounds and beaches that allow camping with beachfront views. On weekend nights, the Malecón erupts with activity. Families line the walkway and the parade of cars “cruising” the strip is nonstop. Street vendors are plentiful selling elotes, fresh churros and more. The music from the bands of mariachis cascades out over the crowd into the air. There is an overabundance of bars along the street where you can grab a beer and enjoy the spectacle. Valle de los gigantes (Valley of the giants) One of the more spectacular sites in San Felipe is about 20 minutes south of town on route 5 at Rancho Punto Estrella called the Valle de los gigantes (Valley of the giants.) This forest of Sahuaro cacti is a true gift of nature. Some of them reach as high as 50 feet into the sky. You can tour them from the car but you’ll definitely want to get out and walk around these magnificent species. Back in town there is some fantastic shopping. Here you can purchase everything from souvenirs to tapestries, textiles and hand-blown glass. San Felipe is charming town to get away to and relax, enjoy some remarkable food and make some great memories. Be sure to check out our blogs of La Paz and Puerto Peñasco for other Baja, Ca. Sur road-trips!

The post San Felipe, Baja Ca Sur, Mexico ~ a fishing village on the Sea of Cortez appeared first on 48 Hour Adventures.

Puerto Peñasco, Baja Ca Sur, Mexico ~ 48 hours in a sleepy Mexican town

shaunaaguirre — Sun, 19 May 2019 03:44:42 +0000

One of our favorite Mexican weekend getaways is Puerto Peñasco. It’s about a 5 hour drive from San Diego and 4 hours from Phoenix or Tuscon. It sits on the Northeast corner of the Sea of Cortez directly across from San Felipe as a crow flies. Puerto Peñasco (or Rocky Point) was a town my father spent a lot of time in when he was young so it is really special to us. There are a dozen or so high-rise hotel/resorts to the north of the main town that are pretty much all the same place. They are all high-rise buildings with patios and ocean views. They have full amenities, restaurants, large pools, rental offices. You can book boat trips and rent beach gear at most of them. They all sit on a beautiful beach that goes for miles. There is snorkeling, swimming, shelling, and fishing. If you’re here for a beach vacation, they are perfect. The Dream Weaver Casitas Our favorite place to stay in Puerto Peñasco is the charming Dream Weaver Palapa Casitas. Their casitas sleep from 2-9 people. This little piece of paradise is located on of a small hill on the south side of Old Port and a block from the Malecón. Two of the casitas have a private balcony with a magnificent view of the Sea of Cortez. The location of the Dream Weaver puts you walking distance from restaurants, bars and shopping. The party on the Malecón at night emits the classic feeling of Old Mexico. Families line the walkway, mariachis play, street vendors with everything from souvenirs to elotes hawk their wares and the vibe is bewitching. Our favorite restaurants in Puerto Peñasco Max’s is on the Malecón and breakfast on the patio is a perfect way to start the day. The Point sits on stilts over the water. The fresh seafood is heavenly. Choices range from whole fish to shrimp stuffed avocado salad. The view is serene and it is a great spot to enjoy a delicious meal and a sunset. Pedros is a little hidden gem just off the Malecón. The quaint restaurant features fresh local seafood, great margaritas and excellent service. The Tekila bar is a tiki themed restaurants. There are a few tables on the back deck. Another great spot for a cocktail and sunset. We have two main things we love about Puerto Peñasco. Firstly, the fresh seafood. Secondly is the beaches. There are miles of them with easy access. There are many places to snorkel, swim and fish. Our 3 favorite beaches in Puerto Peñasco Sandy beach ~ There are a lot of activities available at this beautiful beach area, including swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, water skiing, parasailing, jet skiing, surfing, fishing and more. Tucson Beach ~ Located in Cholla Bay this small stretch of beach is perfect for wading and swimming due to its very calm waters when the tide is in. When the tide is down it will reveal its rocky landscape where it’s common to see families of sea lions relaxing on these rock. Playa La Joya/Playa Encanto ~ These two beaches lie next to each other and are about 12 miles from Puerto Peñasco. Both of them offer beautiful scenery and serenity. They are the perfect beaches to go for a walk, swimming, shelling and relaxing in the sun. These two beaches are less inhabited than the others therefore, they are much more peaceful. When you visit Puerto Peñasco, be sure to bring a cooler. You’ll want to take home some of the fresh Mexican prawns that are available at the outdoor fish market in the middle of Old Puerto. Dozens of stalls line this street and the local fisherman have seafood fresh every morning. They’ll pack it in a double bag and give you some ice to keep it fresh for the ride home. Be sure to check out our other blogs of places to visit in Baja, Ca. Sur.

The post Puerto Peñasco, Baja Ca Sur, Mexico ~ 48 hours in a sleepy Mexican town appeared first on 48 Hour Adventures.

Borrego Springs, Ca ~ Desert Wild flowers, camping & hiking

shaunaaguirre — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 07:00:00 +0000

Borrego Springs, Ca is one of our favorite places to go for a day trip or a couple of nights. This desert town is a 2 hour drive from San Diego, Los Angeles and Palm Springs. It’s easy to get there and worth the journey. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest state park in California. Five hundred miles of dirt roads, twelve wilderness areas, and miles of hiking trails provide visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to experience the wonders of the California desert. The park is named after Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish name borrego or bighorn sheep. Everything from outback camping and off road trails to 4 star resorts, with luscious swimming pools, it’s all here! Our favorite places to stay in Borrego Springs There are some great hotels here. Depending on your budget, they range from motels to 4 star accommodations. Some of our favorites are: Palm Canyon hotel and RV Resort which has the feeling of an old western town. If you aren’t planning on being in the room much, it’s perfect, casual and has a cute bar/restaurant. The Borrego Valley Inn is lovely and each room has a patio/courtyard. This hotel is adults only so, very serene and picturesque. Our all-time favorite though is La Casa del Zorro. The accommodations here range from 1-3 bedroom casitas, many with their own pool to beautifully appointed deluxe suites with fireplaces. The restaurant and bar offer breakfast, lunch and dinner and sometimes live music. If camping is your vibe, Palm Canyon Campground has tent and RV camping. There is drinkable water, restrooms and coin operated showers. It sits at the entrance to Palm Canyon and the trailhead for one of our favorite hikes. This hike is 4 miles r/t and is easy for all ages. If you’re not into the campground scene, you can camp anywhere in the park. The best Wild flower viewing areas The peak season in Borrego early February thru late April when the desert wildflowers bloom. This is one of our favorite annual trips. The best flower viewing is usually in Henderson Canyon but it varies year to year and a quick stop at the visitors center in town will get you to the best bloom areas. Our favorite places to visit in Borrego Springs Some of our favorite places to go in Borrego Springs are Font’s Point, Slot Canyon, Coyote Canyon and the Pumpkin Patch, but you’ll need 4wd to get to them. If you don’t have 4wd, check out Palm Canyon, Henderson Canyon and all of the metal statues on DiGorgio road. As you drive around Borrego, you can’t miss the giant metal sculptures by artist Ricardo Breceda that are everywhere and have become a tourist destination on their own. We hope you get a chance to visit this special town.

The post Borrego Springs, Ca ~ Desert Wild flowers, camping & hiking appeared first on 48 Hour Adventures.

Taos, NM #1 ~ A Native American Pueblo & Sacred Church

shaunaaguirre — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 07:00:35 +0000

On our way to Taos, we planned to stop at El Sanctuario de Chimayo We left Santa Fe early in the morning in order to get to the church before it was too busy. My mother spent much of her life in this area and was an avid photographer. She loved to photograph Northern New Mexico. Even though I hadn’t visited these places before, the minute we arrived, I felt like I’d found a long lost friend. The first thing you notice when entering this area is the fence filled with crosses. It’s very moving. There are several places of worship in the Courtyard. Just off to the East, there is a beautiful stream. We picked up a few branches and some debris and a made a cross to leave. The Sanctuary is one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage centers in the US. Over 300k visitors come each year and every Good Friday, tens of thousands of people make the pilgrimage here. This church is known for it’s “El Pocito” a small hole of Holy Dirt in the ground in the side chapel. Many people claim it has remarkable curing powers. As you exit the room with the hole, there are rows of crutches left by people allegedly healed here. You can spend several hours here with plenty to see. Check out the second part of our Taos Trip. Tip: If you see a roadside stand, STOP! The sell all kinds of red and green chili spices and more that you can’t get anywhere else in the world!

The post Taos, NM #1 ~ A Native American Pueblo & Sacred Church appeared first on 48 Hour Adventures.

The Grand Canyon South Rim ~ Snowed in!

shaunaaguirre — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 07:00:30 +0000

We headed out of Sedona for the next leg of our road-trip ~ a night at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Although heading up the 89A to Flagstaff is the slow route, it is also far more scenic. You are able to take full advantage of the pullouts along the bank of Oak Creek. We took our time and while I explored the creek Bryan was able to do some fishing. Arriving at the Grand Canyon South Rim Due to the recent government shutdown, the ranger station was closed and so there was no entry fee to get into the park. Usually it is $35 per car. We took our time getting to the Canyon as is typical of us, pulling over at some of the sightseeing spots and lookouts along the way. We arrived at the park in time to take a drive around the South Rim which allowed us to check out some amazing views and get in a short hike. There are an abundance of pullouts and viewpoints along the route to the west of the village. In addition, the Canyon-view information plaza has hiking and driving maps and they are able to provide plenty of informational resources. In the summer months, you can rent mules to ride to the floor of the canyon. For hiking, the South Kaibib trail is one of the most famous hikes in the US. The trail begins on the South Rim near Yaki Point, and descends to the Colorado River. Elevation change from rim to river is 4860 ft (1480 m), along a 6.3 mile (10.1 km) trail. Because of the unavailability of water and steepness of the South Kaibab Trail, rangers recommend hiking down this trail only. It is recommended that you use the Bright Angel Trail for the hike out. For more information on hiking the Grand Canyon, click here. Bright Angel Lodge ~ Grand Canyon South rim The minute you step into the lobby of the Bright Angel Lodge, you can feel the energy; in fact, it’s palpable. The rooms of the lobby are buzzing. You can watch an incredible variety of people. While some are there to hike the canyon, many were sitting by the fire and enjoying the view, children were running around in a wonderful state of pure joy. Everyone seemed to be elated to be here. There is also an awesome gift shop off the lobby with souvenirs and great historical reference guides. We checked into our adorable historic cabin and headed out on our walk to the El Tovar Lodge for dinner. It started snowing while we were walking, just enough to make the walk magical. The huge fireplace in the lobby of Bright Angel Lodge Our Cabin @ Bright Angel Lodge The El Tovar Dinner at the El Tovar is a must. This is one of the original buildings in the village. Their website states: This celebrated historic hotel which is located directly on the rim of the Grand Canyon first opened its doors in 1905. The hotel was designed by Charles Whittlesey, Chief Architect for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. The Chicago architect envisioned the hotel as a cross between a Swiss chalet and a Norwegian Villa. This was done in an effort to appeal to the tastes of the elite from that era. Back then, many considered European culture the epitome of refinement. El Tovar was one of a chain of hotels and restaurants owned and operated by the Fred Harvey Company in conjunction with the Santa Fe Railway. The hotel was built from local limestone and Oregon pine. It cost $250,000 to build. During that time, many considered it to be the most elegant hotel west of the Mississippi River. In 1987 the Hotel was designated a National Historic Landmark. Overtime it has hosted awesome people like Theodore Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Western author Zane Grey, President Bill Clinton, Sir Paul McCartney, Oprah Winfrey, and countless others. Two things happen when you enter the lodge building. First, you can feel the energy of the history of this building and second, you will encounter a rush of gratitude for your good fortune that has brought you here. After our long day of exploring and travel, we headed back to our cabin. It was still snowing and so walking along the canyon rim with the lights reflecting off the snow was mesmerizing. It is such a strange feeling to have this huge canyon on the right that you couldn’t see but you certainly could feel it’s energy. Snowed in This was the view in the morning ~ over 8” of snow had fallen. We were both due back at work on Monday morning, and so we had an early breakfast in the Fred Harvey room. There was so much snow on the road. I told the waiter we were headed out; he said “good luck with that”. Now I know if anyone ever says that to me again, I need to seriously reconsider whatever’s next. We checked out and headed out of the park. The snow continued to fall and because of the government shut-down, snowplows were far and few between. It took us about an hour to go 10 miles and cars were skidding off the road. An hour into it we realized we were risking too much and this was definitely a blessing in disguise therefore we turned the truck around and headed back. I called ahead and fortunately they said we could check back in, so back to the canyon we went. A day of exploring the Village Officially snowed in and stoked! The snow was swirling, the wind was blowing. The Grand Canyon Rail Train was parked at it’s stop by the lodge and made for some amazing pictures! The Grand Canyon Railway The Grand Canyon Railway, is a heritage railroad and makes regular daily trips between Williams, Arizona, and the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. The 64-mile (103-kilometer) railroad, built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, was completed on September 17, 1901. The arrival of trains led increased tourism to the area. This made the railway company instrumental in the creation of the Grand Canyon Village to serve guests. Exploring the village We hopped on one of the village shuttles that circulate about every 20 minutes. There are two reasons, we recommend that you do this. First, when you arrive in the park it is a great way to see everything and helpful in getting an overall view of the park. Second, this is a convenient way to get supplies. We rode the shuttle down to the Canyon Village Market , this is a great place to get supplies and souvenirs. While we were on the shuttle, we had the chance to chat with a couple locals of who work and live in the park. It was interesting to hear what their life is like living inside a national park. Since the snow had stopped, we decided to walk the couple miles back to the lodge. The paths were plowed and created a great way to stretch our legs. Bryan threw snowballs at me most of the way back. After a short time on the trail, we stumbled upon a herd of deer so we hung out with them for a little while. There’s usually some huge Elk in the park but we didn’t see them on this trip. When we got back to the village, the sun had just begun to set and the resulting view of the rim of the canyon was spectacular. Exploring the rim is made easy by all of the wonderful look out spots. The contrast of the colors from the sun and the snow and the clouds was incredibly dramatic. This park is such a blessing and we are so fortunate to be able to experience this incredible beauty. Bryan threw a couple snow balls into the canyon that fell for hundreds of feet (that might be illegal!) Sunset on the rim Afterwards, we walked back to the El Tovar lodge and grabbed a booth in the bar, watched some football and had some amazing chili. This is a great place for a light lunch. The view is beautiful and they have plenty of TV’s if you want to watch some sports. Normally we would be out exploring but in light of the snow, this made a great option. Following our meal we discovered there was a guy playing acoustic guitar in the lobby. There is a giant fireplace so we lingered and listened. When we woke on Monday morning, the sun was out, the snow was melting, and thus the roads were clearing. We got an early start so we were able to take the scenic route home. This route not only takes you into the super cute town of Prescott, Az, you also get to drive through some beautiful mountains. As luck would have it, we found an awesome Mexican restaurant, Maya Mexican restaurant so we picked up some green chile burritos and sopapillas for the road home (seriously can’t ever get enough green chile.) Check out our other blogs of Northern Arizona

The post The Grand Canyon South Rim ~ Snowed in! appeared first on 48 Hour Adventures.