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Colorado Roadside Attraction: Denver’s Big Blue Bear
I’ve gotta say – I have a real love/hate relationship with Denver, Colorado. On one hand, it’s undeniable that Denver has the worst traffic in the entire state…period. On the other hand – well who cares about the other hand because the traffic is going to be horrible to get to whatever it is! Seriously though, this is the reason I’ve lived in Colorado Springs for three years and can count on one hand the number of times I’ve gone to hang out in Denver. Now to be fair, Denver has a lot of cool things to do. It has Museums, Street Art, The Rockies stadium, the State Capitol, the flagship REI store…
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New Mexico’s Roadside Attractions: Santa Fe’s Cross of the Martyrs
I’m gonna be Captain Obvious right now and say what everyone has surely been thinking…Sara, you need to get a wide angle lens. Period!! I’m glad we can be honest with each other. Now back to work! My Roadside Attraction & Oddity today is the Cross of the Martyrs in Santa Fe, NM. Have I ever told you guys I have a real love/hate thing going on with Santa Fe? Most of the time I feel like it’s more hate than love…but that’s another blog post for another time. I feel like maybe my attention span is a little short today. One thing I’ll give Santa Fe is that it’s…
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New Mexico’s Roadside Attractions: Smokey the Bear
As my husband and I were driving, quite literally, in the middle of nowhere, we happened upon a curious scene. You may wonder at what a random (but sturdy) cut out of Smokey the Bear is doing on the side of the road near Lincoln, NM. I wondered too…until I discovered the most amazing random fact! The mountains behind this cut-out is where the real Smokey the Bear was found over 50 years ago!! I’m sure many of you historically savvy people out there who read my blog already know all about the story of the real Smokey the Bear… but for those of you who don’t, below is a…
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Arkansas’s Serene Thorncrown Chapel – A Eureka Springs Must See!
Today’s post is going to be short and sweet! This attraction is a little different, because it’s a place that’s more than a roadside attraction, but not a full blown let’s-spend-hours-here kind of attraction either. Whatever it is, it’s definitely worth stopping at if you are near Eureka Springs, AR! Thorncrown Chapel is a beautiful little church located off Highway 62, the same highway as Inspiration Point, which I have previously posted about. It’s made out of wood and glass and settled in the midst of a beautiful wooded area. I’ve seen other churches that have glassed walls like this, but this one is unique because of the surrounding forest. When I first sat in…
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New Mexico’s Roadside Attractions: Cloudcroft’s Mexican Trestle
If you are driving from Alamogordo to Cloudcroft any time soon then you are sure to pass my Roadside attraction: The Cloudcroft Mexican Trestle! The Mexican trestle is a large part of Cloudcroft’s history. Every time I pass through here (and it’s actually pretty often) I always see people stopping to take their pics with the trestle in the background. After reading this article, YOU could be one of those people!! (To see what else there is to do in Cloudcroft, click here!) Directions: The trestle is located off HWY 82, right outside of Cloudcroft. It’s accessible going toward Cloudcroft. If you are coming from Cloudcroft, then drive slow and be prepared to make…
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Oregon’s McKenzie Pass: Dee Wright Observatory
As many of you know, I was lucky enough to go on a truly epic trip through Oregon a while ago. On the second leg of our trip, we cut east across the state to Sisters, OR. Along the way, we decided to take the McKenzie Scenic Highway instead of the traditional road to Sisters – and we did not regret it! The scenic highway has so much to offer – Proxy Falls, lakes, trails, McKenzie Pass, and the Dee Wright Observatory! I love how sometimes the best part of a trip is from chance! We were spending our last night on the Oregon Coast, and as I was googling directions to…
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Arkansas Roadside Attractions: Inspiration Point
Have you ever been to Arkansas? It’s doesn’t seem to be a top travel destination for most, but it’s definitely a place that I love visiting! I wouldn’t say I’ve “seen it” when it comes to this state. All my travels have been laser-focused on the Northwest corner, and always in May. The Ozark Mountains, Beaver Lake, Eureka Springs, Canoeing the Buffalo River; these are the things I’m familiar with! When I return, (and I will return!), it will most likely be to these same spots! (For those of you wondering, the ‘s in Arkansas’s is grammatically correct! To read a ridiculous article on the subject, click here) Just 5 miles east…
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Arizona’s “Route 66” Roadside Attraction: Standin’ On the Corner
There are few things in life better than a road trip to a place you’ve never been before – driving on the highway with the windows rolled down, the music turned up, and singing a song at the top of your lungs! Of course, as I drove through Winslow AZ today, I thought it was only fitting that the song I’d be singing would be “Take it Easy”, by the Eagles! (And for those of you wondering, yes, I am cheesy enough to actually play “Take it Easy” while driving around Winslow…it was definitely a highlight of my trip!!) We were on our way to Flagstaff (a place that I also suggest…
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Cloudcroft’s Bluff Springs Waterfall
Cloudcroft, NM is located at almost 9000 ft in the Sacramento Mountains of southern New Mexico – and it’s a must-see destination if you are traveling through the area! I suggest pulling off whatever route you’re on and spending the afternoon here if at all possible. When you do come, you gotta stop at Bluff Springs Waterfall! Cloudcroft is a place that I will always think of fondly, having spent many weekends here in the past 3 years! One of the things that I love about Cloudcroft is that you get all the beautiful trees and scenery that you find at 9000ft without the horrible weather! Trust me, Cloudcroft’s 9000ft and Colorado’s…
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New Mexico Roadside Attraction: Albuquerque’s Rattlesnake
Imagine with me, if you will, that you are visiting a foreign city. As you visit all the “it” places that are “must-see’s”, you think to yourself, “Man, I sure would like to see something random and off the beaten path!” Friends, if this is you, and if you are in Albuquerque, NM, than I have just the thing! Now let’s not get all excited before I give you a little info. Our rattlesnake friend (we’ll call him Timmy) lives on a median of a deserted road in the middle of a random area of town – an area that my friend who was a local assured me was the…
