All our visits have coincided with work projects, but we’ve been able to plan a couple of extra days in the park to explore on our own, as well. During our visits to Acadia National Park, we stopped at the Jordan Pond House for popovers, visited Jordan Pond, hiked the Bubble Trails, relaxed at the beach, watched the sunrise and sunset from the top of Cadillac Mountain, drove the Park Loop Road, checked out a lighthouse, and walked along some of the Old Carriage Roads. Read on for more details on our Adventures in Acadia National Park!

Eat Popovers at Jordan Pond House

Our first stop in Acadia National Park was the Jordan Pond House. Since the late 1800’s, Jordan Pond House has had the tradition of serving afternoon tea and popovers on the lawn. What a historic tradition! We arrived at the restaurant around 2:30 p.m. and hoped there wouldn’t be a long wait to get seated. Lucky for us, the wait ended up being only 5 minutes, and we were quickly assigned a table.

The picnic tables outside on the lawn looked adorable, but our table was located inside the restaurant, which was cute, as well. We each ordered a set of two popovers with jam and coffee. The popovers seemed huge when they were placed in front of us, Thankfully, they are hollow in the middle, so they weren’t quite as filling as we thought they’d be. The strawberry jam on the warm popover was delicious and the perfect pick me up before our hike that evening.

In addition to afternoon tea, Jordan Pond House is also open for breakfast and lunch. It is located right next to Jordan Pond and provides great views of the surrounding landscape.

Check Out the Iconic Jordan Pond

Jordan Pond is one of the most popular spots in Acadia National Park. If you’ve ever seen a photo of a lake with two bubble mountains in the background, that’s Jordan Pond! There are several trails to hike around the lake and surrounding mountains, or you can just take a short walk from the parking lot to see the lake’s most recognizable vantage point. The Jordan Pond Path is a trail that runs along the lakeshore, and it’s a little over 3 miles long. We’ve never had enough time to hike this trail, but we have stopped at the lake a few different times during our visits to the park. It’s a sight worth seeing for sure!

Go for a Hike on a Trail Like the Bubbles Trails

There are many hiking trails throughout Acadia National Park, and many that we want to explore someday. One of the hikes we managed to fit into our short visits to the park were the Bubbles Trails. Originally, I had intended for us to hike both the Bubbles and Nubble Trails. But because of timing and an early wakeup call the next morning, we decided to cut the hike short and just hike the North Bubble Trail and the South Bubble Trail. These trails were a great choice though, as they definitely pack a punch!

We started out from the Bubbles Divide parking lot and made our way up the South Bubble Trail first. The views from the top were fantastic—we could see a small corner of Jordan Pond, a different lake in the distance, and mountains and forests all around us. We checked out the bubble rock which looks like it is about to roll off the mountain, as well as the elevation sign before continuing on our way.

After heading back down the same trail, we made our way over to the diversion for the North Bubble Trail. And much to our surprise, the views were even better from this summit. We had clear views of Jordan Pond, the mountains surrounding us, and we even spotted the Jordan Pond Restaurant across the lake.

In total the hike was short and sweet at 1.5 miles roundtrip. Hiking up both of the Bubbles Trails involved some scrambling over rocks, and it was a steady uphill climb to each of the summits. Other than that, we felt the trail was easy, and it was definitely worth the hike. We loved this route and had a blast!

Relax at Sand Beach

Beaches are always hard to resist, and the beach at Acadia was no exception. It was a 90-degree day during our stop at Sand Beach, and it was packed. We were surprised how tropical the scene looked on such a sunny day. It was almost hard to believe we were standing on a beach in Maine!

We didn’t end up swimming in the ocean, but we did dip our feet in the water, walked along the shoreline, crawled up on the boulders, and snapped a few photos. We also enjoyed looking at all the creatures and plants that we spotted in the tidepools near the boulders. It’s always nice to spend a bit of time soaking up the sun, and this stop was no exception.

Watch the Sunrise or Sunset at Cadillac Mountain

One of the most iconic sights in Acadia National Park is Cadillac Mountain, especially at sunrise. This vantage point gives you the first peek of the sunrise in the United States due to its elevation and eastern location.

Wake up calls for the sunrise here are quite early—in June, by 3 a.m., you can already start to see light glowing from the horizon. During our visit, there was a reservation system in place to drive the summit road, and we lucked out when our friend on the shoot snagged the earliest entry time of the day. This meant that we could start the 3-mile scenic drive up the mountain at 3:00 a.m. to catch the sunrise just before 5:00 a.m. When we arrived at the top, the sun was already casting a glow on the horizon. We found a spot to sit and watch the show, and as the skies started to glow with morning light, silhouettes emerged all around us.

By the time the sun fully peeked over the horizon, we were surprised how many others were on the mountain with us. I can definitely see why this is a must do experience in the park—it was quite a show of beauty. We were on the mountain from 3:15 a.m. to roughly 5:00 a.m. and then we went for breakfast at the only place we could find open in Bar Harbor. Thankfully, it happened to be delicious—more on that below!

Currently, in 2022, between the dates of May 25 and October 22, a reservation is required if you plan to drive the 3-mile scenic road up to Cadillac Mountain. A batch of tickets (30% of the total) are released 90 days in advance of the reservation date, and the remaining 70% of tickets are released two days prior to the reservation date. Tickets go very fast and cost $6.00 per car. You can also keep checking the reservation site to see if you can catch any cancellations leading up to your arrival date. Be sure to check the national park website for current permit updates and rules.

You can also hike all the way up Cadillac Mountain and/or visit at a time other than sunrise! We have yet to do the hike, but we did drive up for sunset during our first visit to the park. While sunrise was an absolutely gorgeous experience, sunset was pretty beautiful, too! It really is worth the trek to the top no matter how you get there or what time of day it is.

Drive the Park Loop Road

The Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park is a great way to see a variety of sights throughout the park. The loop is 27-miles and circles the east side of Mount Desert Island. During the drive, you will find access to trailheads, beaches, beautiful scenery and so much more. Some of the notable pull offs are Cadillac Mountain, Sand Beach, and Jordan Pond.

When we were driving the loop during our last morning at the park, we stopped several times to check out the scenery and stretch our legs. We pulled over at the beach and Jordan Pond, as well as multiple scenic stops along the way. It was the perfect end to our time at Acadia National Park!

One day on a future visit, we want to hike the Jordan Cliffs Loop, Beehive Loop Trail, Precipice Trail, and the entire Bubbles Nubble Loop. There are so many fantastic spots to explore in Acadia and we can’t wait until the next time we can visit.

Go Stargazing

Acadia National Park has very dark skies that are perfect for stargazing. Mount Desert Island has low levels of light pollution, especially if you venture into the park and away from Bar Harbor. During our first visit, we made our way to Jordan Pond to get a glimpse of the night sky. We lucked out with clear skies and the stars were shining so bright! The view of Jordan Pond at night was spectacular, and there are plenty of other areas where you can get a great view of the stars. And if you are especially lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the northern lights!

Hiking Along the Old Carriage Roads

We also walked along some of the Old Carriage Roads during our first time at Acadia. This trail system used to be, you guessed it…Carriage Roads! The carriage roads were built between 1913 and 1940 and gave visitors the ability to see Mount Desert Island via horse drawn carriages on auto free roads. Now there are 45 miles of trails that are accessible for hiking, biking, and horse drawn carriage rides in the summer, as well as snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in the winter. We enjoyed walking along the roads and seeing the stone bridges, dense trees, and rivers along the way.

See a Lighthouse

It isn’t a visit to Maine without a glimpse of a lighthouse! There are a few lighthouses within the borders of Acadia National Park, as well as others nearby. A couple of the lighthouses are located on islands, and they can mainly be seen by boat. The third lighthouse, Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, is located on Mount Desert Island and it can be reached by foot, so this is the one we visited. There are two trails that will give you a view of the lighthouse. One of the trails (the trail to the right) leads down a short staircase that goes directly to the base of the lighthouse, where you will find a plaque with information and history. Even though you can’t go inside, it’s still fun to see and to learn more about.

The other trail to the left runs through the trees before reaching a larger staircase down to the rocky coastline. From here you can see the nearby islands, the lighthouse, and maybe even wildlife playing in the water.

Watch the Spray at Thunder Hole

Another fun spot in Acadia to stop is Thunder Hole. The rocky coastline here is an iconic Maine sight, and if you time it right, you might even spot a natural phenomenon. There is a small inlet in the rocks near the shoreline, and when the waves come rolling in, water can spray up to 40 feet high!

We haven’t been able to visit Thunder Hole at the right time to see a big spray, but we did catch a small spray during our first visit to the park. We heard the best time to get to the site is 1-2 hours before high tide, and if you are lucky, you can catch the show! But regardless of if you time your visit right or not, it is still a beautiful spot for views of the coastline.

Other Things to Do

There are plenty of other adventures in Acadia National Park that are still on our to-do list. We’d love to hike a variety of different trails, such as the Hike Beehive Loop, Jordan Cliffs Loop, Gorge Path, Precipice Trail, and Beehive Loop Trail, to name a few.  In addition to hiking, visitors to the park can go swimming, rock climbing, camping, biking, tide pooling, and more. You can even take a boat tour out to an island within the park. Acadia National Park is a beautiful place with such a wide range of adventures, and it’s a must stop park when traveling around the east coast!

Have you ever had any adventures in Acadia National Park?

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We had one day on the front end of our trip and one and a half days on the back end of our trip to explore both Portland and Bar Harbor. It wasn’t much time, but we sure packed in a bunch of fun adventures.  During our free time we ate lobster rolls, explored Acadia National Park, wandered around Bar Harbor, and spent a night in downtown Portland. Read on to find out what adventures we had at Acadia, things to do in Bar Harbor, what our favorite restaurants were, and where we stayed during our road trip through Maine.

Adventures at Acadia National Park:

We didn’t have a ton of time to spend in Acadia National Park, but we did manage to explore quite a bit during our visit. We have a full post about all our adventures in the park coming up, so stay tuned! Our favorite adventure during this visit to the park was Hiking the Bubbles Trails. This trail consists of two shorter trails that connect, and the trails are around 1.5 miles round trip. It’s short but sweet and the views from both the North Bubble summit and the South Bubble summit are fantastic!

Another stop that we enjoyed was catching the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain. To catch the sunrise, we had to make an advanced reservation to drive to the summit, and our 3-mile drive up the mountain started at 3:00 a.m. It was an early morning, but the sunrise was spectacular.  When you watch the sunrise from the top of Cadillac Mountain (during the summer season), you will be the first in the continental USA to see the sunrise. We spent a couple of hours at the top of the mountain watching the sky change from black, to orange, to blue. Eventually, we made our way to town for a 5:15 a.m. breakfast at the only place in town that was open—Jordan Restaurant. Thankfully, it was tasty because we had a full day of work ahead of us!

Some of the other stops we made in Acadia National Park were Jordan Pond to see the pretty water and landscape, as well as Jordan Pond Restaurant to taste test their famous popovers.

We also drove the 27-mile Park Loop Road, and we made plenty of stops along the way. One of our favorite spots was the almost tropical looking Sand Beach with soft sand, boulders, and lots of sun.

Downtown Bar Harbor:

Bar Harbor is an adorable seaside town filled with great restaurants, shops, parks, and more. We spent some time shopping in the various boutiques and bookstores and found plenty of items we wanted to take home with us. There are a couple of breweries in town and plenty of spots for coffee and specialty snacks such as ice cream, popcorn, whoopie pies, and baked goods. History lovers can tour a historic mansion, join a historic walk, or go on a ghost tour.

If you want a nature fix, you can hop on a whale watching tour, a sunset cruise, a puffin trip, a lighthouse cruise, a fishing charter, a sailboat, or even a scenic flight tour to scope out the area from above. Biking and paddling are great options to see the area, as well. Plus, Acadia National Park is so close that it’s practically right in town. The town of Bar Harbor may be quaint, but it is packed with fun things to do!

Downtown Portland:

Portland is much larger than Bar Harbor and feels more like a city, but it is still an adorable and historic town. We didn’t have too much time to explore Portland, but we did get to pop into a few shops, walk along the historic harbor, and have a couple of meals in town. Our hotel was located right in town, so it was easy walking distance to many of the sights downtown.

Portland has many of the same types of activities that you can find in Bar Harbor but just on a larger scale. You can go on boat tours, fishing or lobstering charters, explore museums and historic sites, tour breweries and distilleries, join a walking tour, catch a show at the theater, shop, dine, bike, kayak, golf, see lighthouses, wander around botanical gardens, relax at a spa, and so much more. One night in town isn’t enough to see all the sights. We definitely want to head back again soon!

Our Favorite Restaurants and Food:

Eating All the Lobster Rolls

On our way from Portland to Bar Harbor, we took the scenic route and stopped for a lobster roll along the way. There are plenty of popular lobster shacks throughout Maine, and one that I kept reading about was the hugely popular Red’s Eats in Wiscasset, ME. Several of the reviews about Red’s Eats also mentioned Sprague’s Lobster located directly across the street. We decided to head to Wiscasset and see what the lines looked like as we were on a bit of a time crunch. Well, we arrived around 11:00 a.m., and the line for Red’s Eats was down the block and around the corner while the line at Sprague’s Lobster was only a few people deep. We heard that the lobster rolls were just as good at Sprague’s Lobster, so we took our chances and hopped in line. Luckily, we timed it just right because the line quickly grew behind us. I’m not sure how the two rolls compare, but mine was absolutely delicious! It was definitely the best out of the three lobster rolls I had on this trip.

Another spot I ordered a lobster roll from was Stewman’s Lobster Pound in Downtown Bar Harbor. This roll ranked as number two on the list. And last (but still great!) was the lobster roll at The Chart Room. Yum to all!

Side Street Café

Side Street Café is such a great little spot in Bar Harbor. We actually had dinner here on our first trip to the area years ago, and we went there two more times on this most recent trip! The funny thing is that Side Street Café was the one restaurant that kept getting recommended to us over and over again.

I tried the lobster roll here years ago, and it was very good. This time around, I ordered the BBQ Chicken Salad and Jena’s Jam…which literally was my jam, aka a rice bowl with cauliflower, sweet potatoes, black beans, and so much more. Micah got the create your own mac and cheese twice and a burger once. We really enjoyed the variety of options on the menu, and all our meals were delicious. We will definitely head back here for another visit again someday!

Two Cats Restaurant

Another restaurant we kept hearing as a recommendation was Two Cats Restaurant in Bar Harbor, so we had to check it out! Two Cats Restaurant is only open for breakfast, and it sure gets busy. We had a 45 minute wait when we arrived at about 9:00 a.m., but it was well worth the wait. Micah ordered the French toast and I had an omelette filled with avocado, cheddar, spicy potatoes, and topped with salsa. The omelette came with spicy potatoes, a homemade biscuit, and strawberry butter on the side. It was all fantastic!

Jordan Pond House

Our first stop in Acadia National Park was the Jordan Pond House, which is a restaurant located right along the shore of Jordan Pond. Since the late 1800’s, Jordan Pond House has had the tradition of serving afternoon tea and popovers on the lawn.

The picnic tables outside on the lawn looked adorable, but our table was located inside the restaurant, which was cute, as well. We each ordered a set of two popovers with jam and coffee. The popovers seemed huge when there were placed in front of us, Thankfully, they are hollow in the middle, so they weren’t quite as filling as we thought they’d be. The strawberry jam on the warm popover was delicious and the perfect pick me up. In addition to afternoon tea, Jordan Pond House is also open for breakfast and lunch. It is located right next to Jordan Pond and provides great views of the surrounding landscape.

Jordan’s Restaurant

Jordan’s Restaurant is another cafe we visited twice. Our first stop was after the early morning sunrise on Cadillac Mountain. Jordan’s Restaurant was the only restaurant open in town, and we were there so early we were done eating at 6 a.m. It felt as though we had already had a full day under our belts! We went again on our last day in town, as well. Some of our favorite dishes here were the ham and cheese omelet and the blueberry pancakes with the blueberry sauce.

Mount Desert Bakery

We stopped at Mount Desert Bakery in Bar Harbor to grab a quick lunch before heading back to Acadia National Park on our last day in town. This cute bakery serves both breakfast and lunch with a menu full of sandwiches, soups, salads, bagels, baked goods, coffee, tea and more. We both ordered a sandwich and couldn’t resist getting a whoopie pie to share. The whoopie pie was giant and oh so delicious! They have several tables inside if you’d like to dine in, but it would also be a great spot if you are looking to grab a to-go lunch for a picnic in the park.

Mt. Desert Island Ice Cream

One afternoon while we were taking a break in Bar Harbor, we stopped at Mt. Desert Island Ice Cream for a snack. The ice cream is handmade in small batches with real ingredients, and I loved the variety of flavor options available. Some of the flavors that intrigued me were Maine Sea Salt Caramel, Bay of Figs, Blueberry Basil Sorbet, and Cinnamon Cardamom. In the end, I went with the Sweet & Salty Peanut Butter, and Micah ordered the Cookies & Sweet Cream. Both were delicious, and I’d love to head back to test out more of their ice cream!

Duck Fat

There weren’t many restaurants open on the Monday night that we were in downtown Portland. Most of the restaurants in town were still under restricted hours, and there was no indoor seating due to the pandemic (Bar Harbor on the other hand was fully open at the time). Anyways, we lucked out and Duck Fat, one of the restaurants I really wanted to try, was actually open. Plus, it happened to be right around the corner from our hotel. We tried our luck with a walk-up table and had to wait about an hour, but the wait was well worth it! We dined on poutine, French fries with a flight of dipping sauces, cauliflower salad, and milkshakes. It was an interesting combination all together, but overall, each dish was deliciously fantastic!

Hi-Fi Donuts

We decided to pop into Hi-Fi Donuts for a quick breakfast before our flight home, and we are happy to report that it did not disappoint. Our order consisted of a breakfast sandwich, hash browns, donuts, and coffees. We split everything to get a mix of salty and sweet, and it was the perfect combo to start our morning. We enjoyed the nice 20-minute walk to and from our hotel and then made our way to the airport for our flight home. I may have even stashed one of the donuts in my carry on for a snack later in the day! My future-self (and Micah) definitely thanked me for that one.

Where we stayed:

We stayed at four different hotels throughout our road trip through Maine. Three of the hotels were one-night stays and the other accommodation was for the remaining five nights. We started off with one night at the Hilton Garden Inn Portland Airport, which was a short walk from the airport terminal. Because we arrived around midnight, we couldn’t pick up our rental car until the next morning. The hotel was clean and a very convenient option, but not much else to write home about.

Holiday Inn Resort Bar Harbor

The next night, we made our way to Bar Harbor and used points at the Holiday Inn Resort Bar Harbor. We had a partial ocean view room, and the hotel was way nicer than we had expected. It was clean, too!

The pool area was beautiful and overlooked the ocean, and we spent some time wandering the paths along the shoreline during sunset. We also had a pizza for dinner at La Bella Vita, and it was quite tasty.

Terrramor Outdoor Resort

For the bulk of our trip, five nights, we stayed at Terramor Outdoor Resort. We were filming a video project at Terramor and doing a photoshoot at the nearby KOA, so the resort was our home base, complements of the resort. Terramor is a new branch owned by KOA, and it is a luxury glamping resort. We absolutely fell in love with the resort during our stay even though we were running around and working the entire time we were there.

The tents come complete with king size beds, rainfall showerheads, pour over coffee, cozy robes, Pendleton blankets, coolers, screened-in patios, bonfire pits, and so much attention to detail. Plus, the smell inside our tent was divine—it was a mixture of the wood walls and Teakwood and Tobacco scented diffusers, which I ended up purchasing when I got home. I love the scent so much!

There are several different types of tents with different features. Some of the tents sleep five, others sleep two, and several tents even have an outdoor shower in addition to the indoor one! You check in for your stay at the gorgeous lodge, and the lodge is home to a restaurant, bar, cozy couches, fireplaces, a store, and a gear outfitter. There are also walking trails throughout the property, as well as a pool, hot tub, lawn games, a pavilion, and more. Staying at this resort is a splurge, but I loved it so much that I’m trying to find time to take my mom there on my own dime.

AC Hotel Portland Downtown/Waterfront

For our last night in town, we made our home base at AC Portland hotel right downtown. We loved this spot—the design of both our room and the rest of the hotel was beautiful. Plus, it was walking distance from many sights and restaurants in the downtown area.

We walked to both dinner and breakfast, and we had fun exploring Portland on our way to and from the hotel. Spending our last night here was a great way to cap off our road trip through Maine!

Have you ever been on a road trip through Maine? Which stop would you like to explore most?

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During our time in Lake of the Ozarks, we went hiking, paddling, explored a cave, ate at some fantastic restaurants, visited a couple of wineries, played on a ropes course, and saw some gorgeous castle ruins. Our home base for the trip was the Margaritaville Lake Resort, and we had a wonderful time throughout our entire visit. Read on to learn more about some great adventures in Lake of the Ozarks!

Paddling on Lake of the Ozarks

Exploring Lake of the Ozarks via the water is a must, and we explored our favorite way, paddling! There are many marinas in the area that rent out kayaks, and we ended up renting them from Ha Ha Tonka State Park. When we were ready to paddle, we made our way to the park’s office and filled out some quick paperwork. Then we were handed the keys and told where and how to pick up our kayaks for our two-hour rental. The kayaks are stored right by the water near the docks. All of our supplies (kayak, paddle, and PFD) were easy to unlock, gather, and get into the water.

We spent the next 1.5 hours paddling around the calm waters under a bright blue sky—we made our way along the cliffs by the park’s castle ruins, next to tree covered shores, and near the spring. The scenery was gorgeous, and it was a perfect adventure out on the water.

Spelunking at Bridal Cave

There are several caves in the area surrounding Lake of the Ozarks, and we ended up visiting Bridal Cave.

From the moment we walked inside, we were blown away. The stalactites looked as though they were dripping from the ceiling all the way to the floor creating mesmerizing columns and towers along the way. As we made our way through the cave, we had to duck under some short ceilings and squeeze through some tight passages, but the path was mostly easy to navigate with a few stairs here and there.

At one point during the tour, our guide turned off all the lights and we stood in complete darkness. The darkness was both eerie and mesmerizing; it’s crazy how dark it was deep inside the cave. Another fun fact about this cave is that there have been a bunch of weddings held there, hence the name, Bridal Cave! We loved walking through the cave and learning all about its history—exploring this cave is definitely a fun adventure to have when visiting Lake of the Ozarks!

Hiking at Lake of the Ozarks State Park

Lake of the Ozarks State Park has 89 miles of shoreline and a lot to offer visitors. We visited the park on the first day of our trip and our first stop was the beach. With so much lakeshore, there are plenty of spots to enjoy the water, and we ended up at one of the park’s beaches. We spent time relaxing by the water and soaking up the sunshine.

We also went on a sunset hike in the park along the Rocky Top Trail. This trail is essentially two connected loops, and it is 2.2 miles long. The path runs through the forest and along the lakeshore with lots of beautiful views along the way. We stopped at an overlook on the lake right at sunset, and the pink sky was stunning. We even spotted an armadillo scurrying about in the woods and on the trail. It was so neat to see one in the wild—we don’t have armadillos running around at home in Minnesota!

Exploring Ha Ha Tonka State Park and the Castle Ruins

Ha Ha Tonka State Park is another fantastic state park located right on the shores of Lake of the Ozarks. We woke up bright and early to start exploring, and we are glad we did because we spent the better part of our day there! We needed all the time we could get to see this beautiful park. Our first stop of the day was the Ha Ha Tonka Castle Ruins. The castle was originally completed in the 1920’s and in the 1940’s it burned down in a fire when the castle was being used as a hotel. Now, the ruins are part of the state park, and while it’s sad to think about how the castle met its demise, it’s still a gorgeous structure to see. We wandered around the castle ruins, marveled at the plentiful birds flying around, and soaked up the views overlooking the lake.

Then it was time to hit the trails. We started off with a short walk to the natural bridge, which is a giant rock that has formed itself into a bridge over the years. The bridge is 70 feet wide, and you can walk right underneath it. We were shocked how large the bridge was and how tiny we felt standing under it—nature is certainly spectacular.

We made our way over to the Spring Trail next. The path to the spring is about 0.4 miles long and it is a nice, paved trail. Once you reach the spring, the trail turns into a boardwalk with some steps, as well as tight maneuvering around large rocks. The spring water was so clear and vivid; it looked like we were staring into another world!

The entire Spring Trail is a loop that is 1.4 miles long, and not long after you pass the end of the spring, you are greeted with more than 300 stairs. This portion of the hike starts to get more strenuous as it sends you right up the giant staircase. Talk about a workout!

Before leaving the park, we also rented kayaks and spent two hours paddling around the lake, which I mentioned above. The paddle was the perfect way to cap off our long morning at Ha Ha Tonka State Park. We loved the variety of adventures we were able to have at this park, and the beautiful scenery was a wonderful backdrop for it all to take place!

Dining at Lakefront Restaurants and Bars

Lakefront dining is certainly a thing in Lake of the Ozarks. There are an abundance of fantastic eateries with views overlooking the lake, and many of the restaurants also have lakeside pool bars. We ate at several great spots that were located right on the lake: Shorty Pants Lounge, LandShark Bar and Grill, and Redhead Lakeside Grill and Yacht Club. All of the restaurants served good food in a fun atmosphere. While the weather and timing didn’t quite cooperate for us to enjoy the pool bars, they looked like a good time!

Of course, there are plenty of fantastic non-lakeside restaurants in the area, as well. Some other spots we went to and enjoyed were Malted Monkey (see more below), Great Stone Coffee, Paint Box Café, and Sip Coffee House.

Relaxing at Wineries

There are plenty of wineries around Lake of the Ozarks, and we had the pleasure to stop at two of them: Seven Springs Winery & Shawnee Bluff Winery. We started out at Seven Springs Winery and ordered a couple glasses of red wine to enjoy on the patio. The patio at this winery was fantastic—there were several levels cascading down the side of a hill, and many of the tables were secluded next to trees, flowers, and a flowing water feature. To top it off, all the tables overlooked the vineyard. We enjoyed both the wine and the atmosphere and could have spent a couple of hours relaxing at our private, cozy table. But the sun was starting to go down, so we had to make our way to the next stop on the list.

The second winery we visited was Shawnee Bluff Winery. We were welcomed with another amazing view, and this time the view on the patio was overlooking the expansive waters of Lake of the Ozarks. As we were perusing the wine list, the bartender mentioned their current wine slushie flavor was watermelon, and it sounded so refreshing that I couldn’t pass it up. Micah ordered another glass of red, and we made our way out to the patio situated between the pool and lake. As we enjoyed our refreshing sips, we watched the sun set on another fantastic day in Lake of the Ozarks.

Playing on the Ropes Course and Drinking Malts at Malted Monkey

The ropes course at Malted Monkey rises to dizzying heights of up to 55 feet, and it’s a great way to channel your inner child. We had so much fun climbing around the course and playing on the obstacles! Once you are strapped into a harness and connected to the course, you are free to explore. Most of the obstacles require you to gather all the balance you can muster, and several require clever maneuvering to make it to the other side. One of our favorite sections of the course was the zipline that sends you around a giant curve and right over Bagnell Dam Strip.

When you are done playing on the course, you can either take the stairs back down to the ground or jump straight down off a platform from the very top of the course. We couldn’t resist the thrill of a freefall, so we had to give that option a go. It was all so much fun!

Once we returned safely with two feet on the ground, we had to reward ourselves with lunch and gigantic milkshakes from the onsite restaurant. The burgers and mac & cheese were tasty, but the milkshakes definitely stole the show! We were planning on sharing one, but Micah wanted Oreo and I wanted Reese’s. So, we each ended up ordering our own, and let’s just say it was a good idea because they were amazing and gone before we knew it!

Where We Stayed

Lake of the Ozarks is a massive lake, so there are plenty of accommodations to pick from when visiting the area. We ended up staying at the Margaritaville Lake Resort, which is located right on the edge of the lake. The property has a lot to offer guests with multiple pools, mini golf, waterparks, pool bars, several restaurants, and more. Our room was spacious and came with two king beds, and one of our favorite parts of the resort was the lakefront pool.

The pool had a beachy, tropical vibe with rock waterfalls and a tiki hut bar. It’s the perfect place to relax on a hot, sunny afternoon! We also had dinner at Landsharks, one of the onsite lakefront restaurants. And of course, when you visit Margaritaville, you must have a Margarita…or two!

We visited Lake of the Ozarks, as part of a content creation project. Special thanks to Lake of the Ozarks Tri-County Lodging Association and Madden Media for hosting us on our adventures at Lake of the Ozarks. As always, all opinions are our own.

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The second time we went stand up paddleboarding in Slovenia was on the clear, aqua waters of Lake Bohinj. Both paddle boarding experiences were so different—one was in a bustling city and the other was in serene nature. But one thing’s for sure, they were both so much fun and a wonderful way to see Slovenia.

River Paddling Through the Heart of Ljubljana

Any time we are in a city, we look for a way to explore that’s a bit unexpected. Taking a SUP tour on the Ljubljanica River through the heart of Ljubljana’s Old Town definitely fit that bill. We signed up for a 10 a.m. tour with Bananaway, and when we arrived, we were greeted warmly by our guide Amand. First up was an introductory lesson to paddle boarding for those that had never been on a SUP before. Micah and I had both been paddle boarding prior to this excursion, but I still learned some fantastic tips and tricks from our lesson. It made my paddling much more efficient and that was definitely a nice surprise!

After our lesson, it was time to get on the water. Some of the sights we spotted along the way were the famous Three Bridges, Dragon Bridge, adorable cafes lining the riverbanks, historic buildings, parks, and even the Ljubljana Castle in the distance. As we made our way down the river, we learned about the culture of Slovenia, the sights we were passing, recommendations on restaurants, and tips on what to do in Slovenia. We also had a great time chatting about everyone’s travels and learning a bit about our other tour mates.

Once we made it to our turn around point, we stopped to do a bit of relaxing and also to play some balance games on our boards. Amand led us in jumps, yoga moves, and more, and most of us actually stayed on our boards and out of the water!

Eventually, it was time to head back to the starting point. In total, the tour was around two hours long. Also, all of the necessary gear is included, and you even get a link to download photos that your guide takes during the tour. It was a wonderful workout at a relaxed and comfortable pace, and we loved seeing Ljubljana from such a unique perspective.

After our tour, we grabbed coffee at the Spica Cafe along the riverfront with Amand to chat a little bit more. It was such a great way to end our morning on the water. We also talked about the other tours Amand and other Bananaway guides offer. There are day tours in places like Lake Bled, the Soca Valley, Piran, and Cerknica Lake, and they also offer multi-day trips in Slovenia and destinations like Thailand and Croatia. Bananaway also offer SUP rentals if you want to get out and explore on your own.

Exploring Lake Bohinj on a SUP

After leaving the city, we spent the next nine days road tripping around Slovenia. We based ourselves in Lake Bled for four of those nights, and we spent our days exploring the entire region, which included a SUP session on Lake Bohinj about an hour away.

Lake Bohinj is a glacial lake located in the Bohinj Valley of the Julian Alps, and it is part of Triglav National Park. It is the largest lake in Slovenia, and its deepest point is 148 ft (45 m). It’s hard to pick a favorite place from our trip, but we’d both have to say, Lake Bohinj was certainly near the top!

This time around, we decided to rent boards instead of paddling on a guided tour. We rented boards from a small shop on the edge of Lake Bohinj. The shop is located just out of town off of Ribcev Laz, but somehow, we didn’t catch the name of it. It’s hard to miss though, as there is a parking lot across the street and boats in the water. They offer a wide range of rentals, such as kayaks, paddleboards, and canoes, so you can explore any way that you’d like. We rented two paddleboards for a two-hour window, and it ended up being the perfect amount of time on the water.

It was a warm, sunny afternoon unlike the few days prior. We were excited to feel the sun on our faces and the warm water below our boards. We certainly lucked out with gorgeous weather, and the water was so clear we couldn’t believe it.

Plus, the scenery surrounding the lake was top notch—the Julian Alps definitely did not disappoint! During our paddle, we explored the lake, took some photos, and even had some time to just relax on our boards. We thoroughly enjoyed our simple afternoon out on the water!

On our way back to Bled, we were driving along the tiny mountain roads and stopped at a cozy looking restaurant with outdoor tables. We both ordered our own meals—pizza for Micah and chicken schnitzel for me—and when our food arrived, we laughed so hard we almost cried. Both meals were HUGE! The schnitzel was bigger than my head and the pizza would barely fit on the table. Thankfully, the size didn’t deter from the taste and we enjoyed a tasty meal at an adorable restaurant. It was a wonderful end to our afternoon on the waters of Lake Bohinj.

No matter which body of water you decide to explore, paddleboarding in Slovenia is a wonderful adventure. You can head out on lakes, rivers, or even the Gulf of Trieste. And one thing is for sure, the scenery in each and every spot is going to be spectacular!

Have you ever been stand up paddleboarding in Slovenia?

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Contrary to what we have always imagined, Taiwan is filled with countless scenes of natural beauty. The more I researched this small island nation, the more of its nature I wanted to explore. During our visit to Taiwan, we based ourselves in Taipei with the intention of taking several day trips to natural sights nearby. Well, unfortunately the weather wasn’t on our side and we fought cloudy, rainy days throughout the majority of our trip. We didn’t manage to squeeze in many day trips as we had hoped because of the weather. Instead, we ended up focusing our exploration in the city. One of the few exceptions to this was our day trip to Yehliu Geopark. We also made our way to the Beitou area for hot springs and the Maokong area for tea and a glass bottom gondola ride.

When we decided to venture to Yehliu Geopark, we read that we would likely encounter giant crowds of people. Because of our aversion to crowds, we decided against taking a guided tour to the site. We figured we might find a little bit of solace if we were able to explore on our own. Thankfully, we were right. Throughout our visit, we noticed giant swarms of people come and go coinciding with tour bus schedules. There were several moments of peacefulness between the arrival of each bus and accompanying wave of visitors, and for that we were truly grateful.

To get to Yehliu Geopark, we hopped on the 1815/1815A bus which dropped us off just a short walk away from the park. It took us around 90 minutes to get to the park from Terminal A at the Taipei West Bus Station, which is located at Taipei Main Station. The bus was comfortable, convenient, and affordable. When we bought our bus tickets, they cost a little less than $10 roundtrip per person.

We disembarked the bus at Yeliu Station, and the park was roughly a five-minute walk from the bus stop. Along the way, we passed elaborate temples, ships, seafood shops, and gift shops. Once we reached the park, we were welcomed with an entrance gate where we could purchase tickets.

When we entered through the admission gate, we were amazed at the strange sight in front of us. The smooth ground created a stark contrast with the mushroom-like rocks popping up all over the landscape. Wandering around gave us a close up look at the evolution and erosion of the rocks. Some of the different kinds of rocks that can be found in the park are mushroom rocks, candle rocks, honeycombed rocks, potholes, sea-eroded caves, and fossils.

Most of the rocks in the park are called “hoodoo rocks.” These types of rocks can be found throughout the world (think the Badlands in South Dakota), but the rocks at Yehliu Geopark are some of the few in the world to be found near the sea. There is one other main difference between most hoodoo rocks and the ones found at Yehliu Geopark. Most typical hoodoo rocks are formed when softer rock gets eroded underneath the harder rock above, whereas the Yehliu Geopark rocks are made up of the same type of rock throughout. The erosion here happened strictly from constant exposure of the sea and wind.

There are many iconic rock formations throughout the park, many of which have been given a nickname. Some of these names are Ice Cream Rock, Fairy’s Shoe, Gorilla Rock, Candle Rock, and Marine Bird Rock, to name a few. Many of these formations had long lines for photo opportunities, most of them too long for us to consider waiting.

One of the rock formations with the longest line was the Queen’s Head, as it is the most popular rock in the park. It really was a fascinating rock to see, but we were happy with a view from the side. The “neck” of this rock is quite thin compared to the “head” on the top. It’s amazing that it is still standing, especially with a crack at the base, and it provides a great reminder to not touch the rocks in the park. Hopefully the Queen’s Head stays put for many years to come.

It seemed as though most visitors stuck to taking photos of the more popular rock formations, and any time you ventured a bit farther away, the crowds dispersed. We enjoyed checking out some of the less famous rocks just as much as the famous ones.

We enjoyed exploring all of the quirky rock formations throughout the park. Witnessing the power of nature is always fascinating. I do have to say though, my favorite part of the trip was the hike we took on the trail that looped around to the end of the 1,700-meter-long cape.

This trail wound along the shoreline and we climbed several sets of stairs along the way. As I mentioned before, the weather during our trip wasn’t the best. Well, during the hike, we were practically blown away by the wind! It was intense! But it also meant that we were some of the only people out on the trail, which was a welcome break from the tour bus crowds.

We absolutely loved the wide variety of landscape that we found on this small cape. From rocks, to hills, to lush forests filled with birds, we found plenty to keep us entertained for the afternoon. Taking a day trip to Yehliu Geopark is a great way to escape the busy city for a dose of nature, and we had a wonderful time!

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When a work trip sent us to Wyoming this past winter, we were excited to extend the trip to venture over to Yellowstone for a couple of days. We had never been to the park, and we are always up for an off-season adventure, especially during the winter season. During our visit, we set out on several activities without booking a tour, and we had a great time finding fun DIY winter adventures in Yellowstone National Park.

Winter brings plenty of changes to Yellowstone. For one, the only road open in the park during the winter is the road at the North Entrance from Gardiner, MT, to Cooke City, MT. This road takes you to the Mammoth Hot Springs area and through Lamar Valley. In the winter, most other locations in Yellowstone can only be accessed via snow roads on a tour. Sometimes the park has several feet of snow on the ground (the park averages over 12 feet of snow per year), and sometimes there is less than a foot like there was during our visit. Another change is that dining and lodging are limited as many of the restaurants and hotels close for the winter season. But due to these changes and the challenging winter weather, the park sees fewer visitors. To us, this was a welcome treat!

Our visit to Yellowstone National Park was in January of 2021, so we also had the additional limitations of the pandemic in place. This meant even fewer resorts and hotels open, fewer tours offered, some amenities closed, social distancing measures in place, and mask requirements. None of these regulations negatively affected our trip though, and we felt comfortable with how the park was adhering to pandemic regulations and protocols.

Read on to hear all of the fun DIY adventures we had during our visit to Yellowstone National Park in the winter. And if you travel there yourself, be sure to check the park’s website for current park conditions, openings, closures, and updated information.

Where we Stayed: Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel

When we found ourselves booking a short, last minute trip to Yellowstone National Park, we had to figure out where to stay. In the summer, lodging can book up almost a year in advance. Thankfully, the winter season often offers more flexibility and options for last minute bookings. Since our trip was so short, we wanted to stay in the park to maximize our time. After I noticed a 30% off promotion for winter stays, our decision was made. We were staying at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel for two nights.

The hotel’s recent renovation was completed in 2019, and it felt both new and historic at the same time. Our room was quite large with two queen beds (the only option available when we booked two days in advance!), a small sitting area, and a large bathroom. We enjoyed the historic nods throughout the hotel, such as the bellhop calls in our room and the giant wooden map in the Map Room. Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel was a cozy place to stay, and the location really can’t be beat!

During the winter of 2020-2021, the only hotel open inside the park was the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. The other hotel that is typically open in the winter is Old Faithful Snow Lodge & Cabins, but it was closed this year due to the pandemic. Park visitors can also camp in the park or stay at lodging in nearby towns.

If you want to drive into the park yourself during the winter season, the closest town to stay in would be Gardiner, Montana. The North Entrance of the park is located in Gardiner and it is the only park entrance open to individual passenger vehicles during the winter. The other towns that are gateways to Yellowstone National Park are Cody, WY; West Yellowstone, MT; and Jackson, WY. If you decide to stay in any of these locations during the winter, you can access the park through a guided tour as the park entrances are closed for the season.

Explore the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces

The Mammoth Hot Springs are hydrothermal features that some people say look like an inside-out cave. And that description is pretty accurate! Hydrothermal features always fascinate us, and the Mammoth Hot Springs were no exception. Observing the multicolored terraces steam, hiss, and spurt, almost made us feel like we were on another planet.

A boardwalk was built around the springs to create a trail that is roughly 1.75 miles long. You can explore both the Upper and Lower Terraces on the boardwalks via foot. If you want to cross country ski or snowshoe around the area, the Upper Terrace Loop Ski Trail is a groomed 1.5-mile-long trail. We wanted to snowshoe this trail, but unfortunately, we ran out of time. However, we did manage to walk around the Upper and Lower Terrace boardwalks to explore.

We wandered along the boardwalks and caught a fantastic sunset from the upper terraces. The skies turned cotton candy pink and were reflected in the glass like surface of the hot springs.

We even bundled up and made our way back to the springs at night for some star photos. Micah was dragging his feet and wanted to stay in for the night, but I convinced him to come with me to check on the skies. Well, we were both so glad we ventured out. There were some clouds in the sky, but the stars were still so bright and beautiful!

Search for Wildlife in the Lamar Valley

Most of the roads in the park are closed to regular passenger vehicles during the winter season, but as we mentioned, one road remains open for visitors to explore on their own. It starts in Gardiner, MT, at the Yellowstone Park North Entrance gate, and runs through the north portion of the park all the way to Cooke City, MT. The road that goes beyond Cooke City (Beartooth Path) is closed for the winter season, so you’ll have to head back through the park to continue exploring.

The open park road runs through the Lamar Valley, which as luck would have it, happens to be a great spot for viewing wildlife. As we drove through the park, we spotted more bison than we could count, deer, elk, and even a few wolves.

We stopped for deer as they grazed the hills and crossed the roads, and we pulled over and observed bison in the snowfields. When bison were walking along the side of the road, drenched in heavy snow, we stopped to wait for them to pass.

We laughed as we watched a giant elk hang out in front of the Mammoth General Store. And, when we pulled over in the Tower Fall parking lot, our car neighbors shared their binoculars with us so we could see the tree wolves in the nearby field. The wildlife sightings were fantastic and pretty constant, too!

Throughout our time driving around the Lamar Valley, we encountered both clear roads and icy/snowy roads. The first afternoon that we ventured out we lucked out with blue skies and dry roads. The next day was a different story. We started with partially snow-covered roads and took care to drive slowly. As the day progressed, the roads improved, but just as we got close to Cooke City, the snow started to fall. We stopped in town for a coffee and were told to be careful out on the roads because a tow from the ditch is $500! Thankfully, we are used to snowy roads and have a larger vehicle with good snow tires, so we were fine as long as we drove with caution. The roads did get icy as we made our way back through the park, though, and we did get stuck behind a car getting towed out of the ditch. The weather changes fast in Yellowstone National Park, so be sure you are ready for all conditions if you head out on your own. There are plenty of lookouts and spots to pull over, so take your time and keep an eye out for wildlife when you stop!

Snowshoeing the Tower Fall Trail

We knew we wanted to get out and explore Yellowstone on foot, so we packed our snowshoes for the trip. When we arrived, we stopped in the Bear Den Ski Shop at our hotel to ask about the current trail conditions and for any recommendations. The Tower Fall Trail was their suggestion, and after learning a bit more about it, we were excited to give it a go.

The trail starts near the parking lot at Tower Junction, and it follows a road that is closed during the winter months. In the summer and less snowy parts of the year, guests can drive the loop to reach the waterfall via car. But winter tells another story when the road is off limits to cars and transforms into a cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking trail. The trail to Tower Fall is 2.5 miles each way, and you can continue on along the Chittenden Loop Trail for an additional 5.3 miles if you really want to get away from it all.

To start, we strapped on our snowshoes and made our way along the trail. Snowshoers and hikers have to stay on the left side of trail and off of the groomed cross country ski trail. The trail starts out relatively flat, but it continues with a pretty steady incline the majority of the way. In no way was the trail steep, but after the continuous incline, our legs were sure feeling it! Around a mile into the hike, we decided the snow wasn’t deep enough for snowshoes, so we slipped them off, strapped them to the backpack and continued by hiking the rest of the trail.

About 2 miles into the hike, there is a viewing platform at Calcite Springs Overlook that provides views of the Yellowstone River, as well as the narrowest part of Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon. The views from here were spectacular and you could even see steam that was created by hydrothermal vents rising from the river.

The overlook was definitely worth a stop…the actual waterfall, Tower Fall, not so much. It’s not that the waterfall isn’t scenic, it’s just a bit of a letdown after the Calcite Springs Overlook. The waterfall was frozen over, and the ice was so thick that it was hard to tell there was even a waterfall in front of us. If we had not heard the water rushing behind the ice, we might have actually missed it!

The basalt columns and rocks that you pass along the trail were very impressive though, so we were still glad we completed the entire hike to the waterfall and back.

The views along the trail were beautiful, and we almost felt like we had the park all to ourselves. We hiked for roughly 3-3.5 hours and around 6 miles in total, and we only ran into a handful of other hikers, snowshoers, and skiers. We heard some days you can do the hike and hardly cross anyone’s path and other days it gets busy, so it’s hard to say what’s most common.

Bison and elk are commonly spotted in this area, but we didn’t run into any during our hike. We did see plenty of fresh prints in the snow though! We noticed some on the way back that definitely weren’t there on our way up the trail. Just remember, if you do run into any wildlife, keep the recommended distance away and always be aware of your surroundings.

Other DIY Winter Adventures

There are plenty of winter adventures in Yellowstone National Park that you can do on your own without taking a tour. We easily filled our two days in the park with adventures on our own, and we still didn’t have time to see and do everything that we wanted.

Some winter activities you can do on your own include checking out the “Old Entrance Gate”, going ice skating, stopping in one of the visitor’s centers, soaking in the Boiling River, and heading out on the trails to hike, snowshoe, or cross-country ski. A quick note: during our visit in early 2021, the Boiling River and visitor’s centers in the park were closed due to public health concerns with the pandemic. If you want to visit these spots, be sure to check out their current opening status.

The main park road open during the winter runs from Gardiner, MT, to Cooke City, MT, and there are many ski, snowshoe, and hiking trails that you can visit along this road. Some of these trails are Lost Lake Trail, Tower Fall Trail, Yancey’s Hole Trail, Upper Terrace Loop Trail, Bighorn Loop, Snow Pass Trail, Barronette Ski Trail, and Pebble Creek Trail. There is also a shuttle for cross country skiers that you can take to explore the trails further afield at the Indian Creek Cross Country Ski Area. The shuttle picks up skiers at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and it departs three times a day, and there are two pick up times to return back to the hotel.

Another DIY adventure that sounds exciting is snowmobiling through the park. If you can snag one of the permits through the park’s Non-commercially Guided Snowmobile Access Program, you can either rent or bring your own snowmobile to explore on your own. It would be wonderful to have access to a large portion of the park that is otherwise closed to individuals exploring on their own.

Guided Winter Tours

Even though exploring on your own can be an exciting adventure, if you want to see some of the park’s iconic sights in the winter, you will have to join a tour. Tours are also a great option if you don’t want to drive through the park yourself.

There are a wide range of tours to book directly with Yellowstone National Park Lodges, but there are several outside tour companies that have permits to operate within the park, as well. For a full list of approved tour companies, click here.

Some of the tours and activities that you can book with Yellowstone National Park Lodges consist of cross-country ski lessons and rentals, Grand Canyon Day Tour, Tower Ski Tour, Madison Wildlife Excursion, Old Faithful Area Snowshoe Tour, Winter Photo Tour, and more. There are also several snowmobile tours that you can book with operators outside of the park.

During our visit, the tour options were limited due to the pandemic. That mixed with the fact that we had such a short time in the park, we decided to forego the tours this time around and explore on our own. We would have loved to join a cross country ski tour and see Old Faithful during the winter, but the timing just didn’t allow for it. Hopefully we can explore more of the park on a future winter trip to Yellowstone.

Where to Eat

There aren’t many restaurants open in the park during the winter. The restaurants that are typically open during the winter are the Mammoth Hot Springs Dining Room, Mammoth Map Room Espresso Bar, Old Faithful Snow Lodge Obsidian Dining Room, and Old Faithful Snow Lodge Geyser Grill. I believe the Mammoth General Store also offers some grab and go food items.

When we visited the park in January of 2021, all of the Mammoth dining options were open, as was the Old Faithful Snow Lodge Geyser Grill. The Mammoth Hot Springs Dining Room was open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and takeout. Breakfast and lunch were first come first serve, but reservations were required to dine-in. Guests of the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel also had access to an in-room pizza delivery option from the restaurant. Another food offering was a pre-ordered box lunch or box breakfast that you could pick up in the morning to take with while you explore the park.

During our visit, we mostly had food from the Mammoth Hot Springs Dining Room. We learned that this restaurant is the “First 4-Star Certified Green Restaurant in the National Parks,” which we thought was pretty neat. We ate breakfast at the restaurant one morning, we got take-out for one dinner and one breakfast, and we also had pizza delivered to our hotel room. We also stopped at the espresso bar for a coffee fix. Everything we ordered was good and on par with or a little better than your typical national park dining options. One of my favorite dishes that we had was the Montana Cream of the West Seven Grain Pancakes with blueberries, but a word to the wise: the short stack is huge!

We had so much fun putting together our own adventures during our winter visit to the park. Creating a DIY winter itinerary of Yellowstone National Park gave us flexibility, social distance from others, and still so much to see. It was a wonderful first visit to the first national park in the USA!

Have you ever been to Yellowstone National Park? What winter adventures in Yellowstone National Park would you like to do?

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Last summer we went on a North Dakota road trip and stopped in Garrison and Minot for lots of summer adventures. This time around, we went to the Rendezvous Region, Bottineau, Washburn, and Fargo, with pit stops in Minot and Bismarck along the way. We soaked up winter adventures like cross country skiing, hiking, kicksledding, snowshoeing, and curling. We stayed in adorable cabins and yurts, and we managed to do a bit of cooking. But we also stopped at some fantastic restaurants and even a brewery along the way!

The only thing that put a crimp in our step was the weather during our visit. We happened to visit during the coldest week of the year. Our downhill skiing day got cancelled, the Frostival events in Fargo were postponed, and we had a hard time staying outside for an extended period of time…but we still didn’t let that deter us from having fun. With wind chill temperatures consistently between -50°F and -30°F and actual temps below -25°F the entire week, we made sure to bundle up well when we went outside. And even though we weren’t always outside as long as we would have liked, we still had so much fun exploring all the fantastic winter adventures in North Dakota.

Read on to learn all about our weeklong road trip and winter adventures in North Dakota!

Rendezvous Region:

The Rendezvous Region is located in the northeast portion of North Dakota, and one of the areas unique features is the Pembina Gorge. This region was also our first stop on our North Dakota road trip! We spent time exploring Grafton, Cavalier, Langdon, and Mountain.

Some of the adventures we had consisted of curling, hiking, and kicksledding, and we spent a couple of nights in a beautiful cabin. We also had plans to go downhill skiing at Frost Fire in Walhalla, but unfortunately, the cold temperatures closed the hill during our visit. We did swing by for a look at the ski area, and it definitely made us want to plan a return trip to hit the slopes!

Curling at the Grafton Curling Club

Our first stop in North Dakota was in Grafton at the Grafton Curling Club. It’s funny because I was literally saying a week prior that I wanted to try curling. Lo and behold, it pops up on our itinerary as a last-minute addition! How fun is that?! Anyways, we brought our clean shoes and got ready to learn. Wade and Billy were our gracious teachers and we learned all about curling, the ice, scoring, the shoes and brooms, different curling techniques, and more. We even got to throw a few rocks ourselves. After watching the pros give us a demonstration, it was our turn to hit the ice.

Micah gave it a try first and wasn’t too shabby—his second throw even made it to the blue circle. I was a little less graceful and ended up sprawled out on the ice when I let go of my rock. It was hilarious and oh so much fun. We could definitely see ourselves getting addicted to the sport!

After spending the morning curling, we made our way to Sporty’s Bar and Grill in Langdon for some delicious pizza.

Hiking and Kicksledding at Icelandic State Park

Icelandic State Park is located in Cavalier, ND, and it is home to both outdoor recreation, beautiful nature, and a range of interesting history. Some of the historic sights you can find at the park include buildings like the Akra Community Hall and the Hallson Curch, as well as the Pioneer Heritage Center. We briefly checked out some of these spots, and then it was time to get outside and explore nature.

First up, we set out on a hike along the Hillman Trail, which is a 0.75-mile loop trail. Since most of the path runs through a grove of evergreen trees, it was a great trail to stay protected from the wind. We enjoyed the snowy scenery and plentiful animal tracks that we spotted on and around the trail.

We then made our way back to the visitor’s center, where we had the opportunity to try out the parks new kicksleds. What is a kicksled you might be wondering? Well, it’s basically a chair that is mounted on a pair of metal runners, and you propel the sled by kicking and standing on the runners. We took the kicksleds out on the Wildwood Trail and the Shady Springs Trail. It was so much fun to give the sleds a try, especially when we built up some speed going down the hills!

Following our afternoon outside, we ventured into town to warm up with a cup of coffee. We stopped at Blue Fox Coffeehouse and stocked up on some delicious baked goods for snacks and breakfast the next morning.

Where We Stayed: One Majestic Place

Our lodging for the first two nights of the trip was a cabin called “One Majestic Place”, and wow, that name could not be more accurate! We absolutely loved this adorable cabin in Mountain, ND. It came with two bedrooms (one in the loft), bathroom, full kitchen, a cozy fireplace in the living room, lots of board games, and perhaps the best part…a hot tub with gorgeous views overlooking the property.

Our mornings started the same way they ended: with a long soak in the hot tub to relax. It was the perfect way to stay warm after spending time adventuring outdoors. And, the full kitchen made it super convenient to cook several meals during our stay.

Bottineau:

Next up, we made our way west to Bottineau, which is located in north central North Dakota, just south of the Canadian border. While we were in the area, we spent most of our time at Lake Metigoshe State Park. Our adventures here consisted of cross-country skiing and sleeping in a cozy yurt, but we also made our way to a couple of fantastic restaurants, too.

Cross Country Skiing at Lake Metigoshe State Park

Neither Micah nor I had been cross country skiing since we were kids, so it was so much fun to give it another go! We checked out skis from the warming house at Lake Metigoshe State Park and set out on the trails nearby. There hadn’t been enough snow for the trails to be groomed, so we were able to set out and make our own path instead. Lake Metigoshe State Park offers about 6.5 miles of groomed cross-country trails, and many more miles of interpretive trails, snowmobile trails, and other multi-use trails.

We loved giving cross country skiing another try and had only one fall the entire time. Not long after we started, Micah had an epic fall that we both couldn’t stop laughing about. After the fall was out of the way, we continued on with our skiing, even if our form left a little to be desired!

Restaurants

Marie’s: Located right on Main Street in Bottineau, Marie’s is a fantastic spot to stop for lunch. They also serve coffee and baked goods, as well as dinner and cocktails. We enjoyed our giant burgers with sweet potato fries and tater tots, and the rest of the menu included items like sandwiches, salads, and lavosh.

A Frame Bar and Grill: The A Frame Bar and Grill is just the cutest restaurant ever. We showed up around sunset and loved seeing the lights all lit up on the outside façade, while the inside was very cozy with a log cabin vibe.

The menu consists of sandwiches, salads, pastas, steaks, shrimp, chicken, and more. Micah ordered the cajun Alfredo pasta with chicken, and when I heard the special was a hot beef (a roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy), I couldn’t resist—they are my favorite! The A Frame Bar and Grill was a great way to wind down our evening before retreating to our yurt for the night.

Where We Stayed: Blue Heron Yurt

Our first yurt stay of the trip was the Blue Heron Yurt at Lake Metigoshe State Park. We checked in and walked into the yurt to find the fireplace roaring inside. Our home for the night was nice and toasty, and came with a futon couch, cozy chairs, a bunk bed, a table with chairs, and a small fridge. The vault toilet was located a short walk from the yurt, and outside we had a patio with chairs and beautiful lake views, a grill, firepit, and picnic table. It was too chilly to utilize any of the outdoor amenities, but we definitely envisioned ourselves relaxing on the patio on a warm summer morning!

Washburn and Cross Ranch State Park:

Next up on our North Dakota winter road trip, was a couple of nights at Cross Ranch State Park. The park is located just south of Washburn, so we had a few adventures in town before soaking up the nature of the park. We explored the area’s history through the Washburn Discovery Trail and the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center. While we were at Cross Ranch State Park, we spent a couple of nights in another yurt, went hiking and fat tire biking on the trails, and ate dinners at nearby restaurants, Crossroads Bar & Grill and Captain’s Cabin Bar and Grill.

Pit Stop in Minot at With Room Coffee

We passed through Minot on our way from Bottineau to Washburn just in time for breakfast. Last time we were in Minot, we really wanted to stop at With Room Coffee, but it was closed for a break during our whole visit. So, this time around, we couldn’t drive through Minot without giving it another try. The inside of the plant filled coffee shop was closed for remodeling, but we were still able to enjoy our coffee and breakfast to go. Both the coffee and the bagel sandwiches were delicious, and we couldn’t resist getting a couple baked goods for the road, too. We are so glad we were able to stop here on our way through town—hopefully next time we can actually make it inside!

History in Washburn

When we made it to Washburn, it was time to learn about the history of the area, and the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center was a great place to start. This museum brings the Lewis & Clark expedition to life in a vibrant way, and we loved browsing the colorful and informative exhibits. We also learned about the history of farming in the area, as well as what life was like in the region over the years.

Once we had walked through the entire museum, it was time to head back outside. We made our way to the Washburn Discovery Trail for a walk with more history and interpretive signs to go along with it. The multi-use trail is 2.2 miles long (one way) and it connects Harmony Park at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center with Washburn’s Riverside Park. We also popped over to the historic recreation of Fort Mandan. Even though it was closed for the winter, we were able to see the outside, and we took a nice walk along the riverside trail.

Fat Tire Biking and Hiking at Cross Ranch State Park

We had a couple of adventures on the docket for our time in Cross Ranch State Park: fat tire biking and hiking. There are roughly 17 miles of trails to explore within the park, and we set off on foot to see some of the Matah Trail. We loved the tall trees we spotted and the steam rising off the Missouri River during our morning hike.

Then, we got a couple of fat tire bikes from the ranger station and set off to ride part of the Ma-ak-oti Trail. The Lower Loop of the Ma-ak-oti Trail runs right along banks of the Missouri River, and the embankment on the other side of the trail kept us sheltered from the frigid winds. Even with such cold temperatures, I actually started to get hot! Riding fat tire bikes is a wonderful way to explore Cross Ranch State Park in the winter—we had a blast.

Where We Stayed: Bagnell Yurt

We stayed in another yurt at Cross Ranch State Park, and this time around it was for two nights. The Bagnell Yurt was pretty similar to our yurt at Lake Metigoshe State Park and equally as cozy. Once again, the morning views outside our door were gorgeous. I loved watching the steam slowly rise off the waters of the Missouri River. It was so peaceful, relaxing, and beautiful.

Our yurt had a bunk bed, futon, table and chairs, small fridge, a gas fireplace to keep us warm, and a nearby vault toilet. The park also offers 24-hour bathrooms with showers at the Ranger’s Station, and we are happy to report we found the bathrooms nice and clean during our stay.

Another cool accommodation feature at Cross Ranch State Park is the full-service cabin (York Cabin) and full-service yurt (Pretty Point Yurt) that offer full bathrooms, full kitchens, air-conditioning, heat, and a gas fireplace.

Fargo:

Micah and I both grew up about 45 minutes from Fargo, so it’s a town we know well. But even though we’ve visited more times than we can count it’s usually to run errands and shop at the mall. We never seem to get the chance to explore the city like a traveler, but this time around that’s exactly what we did.

Our plan for this leg of the trip was to enjoy the Frostival events in downtown Fargo, specifically the Coffee and Cocoa Crawl and the Winter Trails Day. Unfortunately, all of the Frostival events that weekend were postponed due to the weather. It was -35˚F after all! We were bummed that we couldn’t partake in the events, but we still had a great time exploring and couldn’t resist one more winter adventure regardless of the weather. Our revised schedule saw us dining at fantastic restaurants and coffee shops, checking out street art, snowshoeing, and visiting a brewery. All of these adventures in Fargo were a great way to wrap up our winter road trip through North Dakota!

Brunch and Street Art in Bismarck

On our way to Fargo, we made a pit stop in Bismarck for brunch at Terra Nomad and a walk along the nearby Bismarck Art Alley. Terra Nomad has a bright and airy atmosphere, and we loved the aesthetic. They offer a wide range of drinks, from specialty coffees, to teas, and even mimosas and a couple wines. The food menu is built with fresh ingredients and creative combinations for both breakfast and lunch. Some of the items on the menu are smoothie bowls, yogurt & granola, egg sandwiches, salads and wraps.

Before leaving town, we popped over to check out the Bismark Art Alley around the corner from our brunch spot. The alley is located between Broadway Avenue and Main Avenue, and it is filled with beautiful murals and works of art. We loved wandering through the alley while marveling at the paintings. One of my favorite pieces was the mural showcasing a colorful map of North Dakota complete with a bison in the middle.

Street Art, Shops, and Coffee in Fargo

When we got to Fargo, we decided to wander around downtown and explore more street art and a couple of cute boutiques. We first walked through Fargo’s art alley before heading over to the Mario Wall for a bit of nostalgic fun.

Then it was time to browse some goods at a few shops nearby. We ducked into Kindred People, Proper, O’Day Cache, and Stabo Scandinavian Imports Inc. to name a few. I always love the adorable clothes, jewelry, and home décor that I find in downtown Fargo shops.

Before heading back to the hotel for a break, we had one last stop to make. We needed a cup of coffee so we made our way to Atomic Coffee. We may have also snagged a giant, delicious cookie, too!

Snowshoeing at Lindenwood Park

Our last outdoor adventure during our North Dakota road trip was snowshoeing along the Red River in Fargo’s Lindenwood Park.

The park offers 9.8K of trails (going out and back), and they can be used for cross country skiing, hiking, and snowshoeing. We always love finding nature in a city, and this park was no exception! As we were snowshoeing along, we felt as though we were far outside of town. But really, we were only a couple of miles from our hotel in downtown Fargo. It was so fun hitting the trails one last time and soaking up one last adventure for North Dakota’s Winter Recreation Month!

Brewery Tour at Drekker Brewing Company

It was high time that we visited a brewery in Fargo, and Drekker Brewing Company was the perfect one to start with. When we arrived, Mark, one of the owners, gave us a peek behind the scenes of the brewery. We learned about how the brewery was started, their brewing process and philosophies, the different types of beer they produce, and all about their gorgeous taproom and brewery which is located in a renovated railroad shop that was built in the late 1800’s.

After all that learning, we were getting thirsty, so it was time for a tasting flight. Drekker Brewing Company brews a wide variety of truly unique beers with fun names to match like Tickle Monster and People Eater! They are always changing up their offerings, and the taps are filled with a rotation of sours, IPAs, ales, Hefeweizen, stouts, and more. One of the most unique beers we tried was the Raspberry Cheesecake beer from the Slang Du Jour series…it may sound strange but it was insanely amazing. The beer was made with raspberries, granola crust, lactose, vanilla, and actual cream cheese. It was thick, creamy, and oh so delicious. We’ve never tasted anything like it!

Restaurants

46 North Pints and Provisions: One of the newer restaurant additions to downtown Fargo is 46 North Pints and Provisions. This gastropub features fantastic artisan food, craft beers, and creative cocktails. There were so many tempting options on the menu that I had a hard time deciding what to get. Ultimately, I ended up with the Fish and Chips, and Micah had the Mac & Cheese with Pulled Pork. Other items that make up the menu include burgers, sandwiches, salads, salmon, steaks and much more. We thoroughly enjoyed 46 North Pints and Provisions and will definitely be back!

Youngblood Coffee Roasters: Before heading out to snowshoe on our last day in North Dakota, we fueled up with coffee and specialty toast from the adorable pickup window at Youngblood Coffee Roasters. Micah ordered the strawberry jam and cream cheese toast, and I had the avocado toast. Both were piled high with toppings and were absolutely delicious!

The Boiler Room: The Boiler Room serves “upscale tavern fare”, and the restaurant is located in the basement of the Loretta Building located along Robert’s Alley. Brunch, lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks, The Boiler Room has it all. Micah’s breakfast casserole was divine and super indulgent—it came with cheesy tater tots, eggs, sausage gravy, bacon, cheese, and spicy maple aioli. I may have snuck more than a few bites to balance out my meal of salad and Knoephla Soup. I had never tried Knoephla Soup—a soup that can be found all over North Dakota—so I figured it was high time! We enjoyed all of our dishes and would love to try more from their large and creative menu again sometime.

Where We Stayed: Radisson Blu Fargo

We stayed overnight at the Radisson Blu in downtown Fargo. The hotel was in a perfect location and a quick walk away from most everything on our itinerary. We loved our modern, spacious room, and the views overlooking downtown Fargo were beautiful, especially at sunset. After a week on the road and a ton of time outdoors, ending the trip at the Radisson Blu Fargo was absolutely wonderful!

Have you ever had any winter adventures in North Dakota?

We visited North Dakota as part of a paid content creation project. Special thanks to North Dakota Tourism, Rendezvous Region, Bottineau EDC, Fargo-Moorhead CVB, and their partners for hosting us on this road trip adventure. As always, all opinions are our own.

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The MacRitchie Nature Trail & Reservoir Park is home to an 11 km nature trail loop. Even though all of the trails and landscape at the park are beautiful, the star of the show is the TreeTop Walk. The walk is a suspension bridge that spans 250 meters to connect the highest points inside the park. This bridge gives visitors a unique vantage point of the forest canopy as well as views of the reservoir below.

We woke up early in a futile attempt to beat the heat of the day, arriving at the park around 8:30 a.m. While we did luck out with cloud coverage throughout the morning, we were still dripping in sweat almost the entire hike. Singapore heat is no joke!

To reach the park, we jumped on the 167 bus near our hotel and rode straight to the Opp Flame Tree Pk bus stop. This stop situated us close to the MacRitchie TreeTop Carpark at Venus Drive, which is where we planned to start our hike. The public transportation system is pretty great in Singapore, so we were happy to have an easy 45-minute ride there.

Once we made it to MacRitchie, we followed the directions on the map from Singapore’s National Parks. In addition to directions, this map has great information on the plants and wildlife you might see along the hike. There are also directions and signs at the park, and we found that Google Maps was surprisingly helpful, too. Depending on where you enter the park and how far you want to walk, there are many routes to pick from.

We started the hike at the Venus Loop and were happy to have fairly empty trails on a Sunday morning. The paths we took were a mix of boardwalks and packed dirt, which were easy to traverse. We decided to take one route there and then on the way back we veered off on a slightly different path to vary up the scenery a bit.

We stopped several times throughout the hike to marvel how amazing it was that we were on a very developed and very small island. Somehow, it felt like we were in the middle of a jungle far from any civilization (minus the other hikers, of course). The lush greenery, fresh air and wildlife in the park are quite magical.

After around an hour of hiking at a leisurely pace, we arrived at the suspension bridge. The bridge is one-way and is only open certain times throughout the day, so be sure to double check opening hours and maintenance schedules before you head out on your hike. It can also get quite busy, so be prepared to wait. We lucked out and only had a short line ahead of us before we had access to the bridge.

While we waited for our turn to cross the TreeTop Walk, we were captivated by the monkeys playing in the forest. We spotted well over 50 monkeys during our visit, and it was hard to pull ourselves away from their silly antics! As we waited, we watched them swing from the trees, chill on tree trunks, egg each other on, and hang out on the bridge. But, be warned…monkeys are smart, so don’t snack while you wait for your turn on the bridge. They WILL steal your food and will likely snatch any grocery bags that you happen to be carrying, too.

I don’t know if we will ever have our fill of watching monkeys, but eventually it was time to keep moving on and cross the bridge. From the bridge, you can see the tops of the forest canopy, the clear waters of the reservoir, and maybe even some wildlife if you get lucky. We enjoyed seeing the forest from this perspective and being immersed in the trees. It was definitely a sight to see and hard to leave.

After crossing the bridge and soaking up the views as long as possible, we began the hike back to the starting point. On the rest of the walk, we took more time to enjoy the landscape and scenery in front of us.

Once we finished the hike, it was time to hop on the bus again and ride all the way back to our hotel. In total we walked roughly 7-8 kilometers (4-5 miles), and we spent around 3.5-4 hours at the park. We walked at a leisurely pace and took frequent stops for photos.

When it was all said and done, we were glad we were able to fit the hike in on our last morning in town. Plus, we were so grateful that we still had our hotel room—a shower was definitely needed before our long journey home later that evening. We even had time to sneak another museum visit in that afternoon before heading to the airport. A hike and museum visit were such a fun way to cap off the trip. We couldn’t have asked for a better day to end our time in Singapore!

Have you ever been to the TreeTop Walk in Singapore?

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I had the opportunity to explore Latvia through conference excursions and also on my own. I spent time exploring Riga, Sigulda and Gauja National Park. During my visit, I went on a food tour, a city tour, a beer tour, hiking through a national park, bobsledding, to a couple museums, to a traditional Latvian sauna, and more. Here are some of my favorite adventures in Latvia!

Join a Beer Tour of the Riga Beer District

I was surprised to learn about all of the craft breweries in Riga. Beer has been brewed in Latvia since the Middle Ages, and Riga offers a rich brewing history and many craft breweries to explore. The Riga Beer District is a 30-minute walk from Old Town. The district is home to a 2.5 km route that travels past 10 stops, giving you the opportunity to taste a wide range of Latvian craft beer.

The Riga Beer District offers guided tours, and I jumped on one of their tours in conjunction with the conference. Throughout the tour, our group visited a combination of four breweries and brewpubs: Valmiermuiža Beer Embassy, Labietis, Ziemeļu Enkurs and Alķīmiķis. We tasted 12 local beers and sampled a variety of snacks along the way, all while learning about the history and current traditions revolving around beer in Riga. My favorite snack was definitely the crispy garlic toast at the Valmiermuiža Beer Embassy. By the way it was gobbled up, it appeared to be everyone else’s favorite, too!

Take a Walking City Tour of Riga

One way to get an overview of Riga and its history is to take a walking city tour. Riga is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, and after taking a city tour, I could definitely see why it achieved this status. The tour I went on was a custom tour offered by Live Riga for the WITS conference, but there are plenty of similar city tours offered by a variety of operators throughout Riga. Most of the tours will take you through Old Town, the Central Market, and the Art Nouveau District, as well as a few other stops.

To start off, my group walked by some of the finest Art Nouveau architecture in the city. The buildings in this area were grand, colorful, and imposing, and we learned about the history of this architecture in Riga. I loved imagining what was inside each one we passed.

Next up was Old Town, where we made several stops including one to listen to a spritely gentleman play a song on his accordion. Some of the other locations we visited included the House of the Blackheads and the Bremen Musicians Statue before making our way to the Central Market for a look inside.

Our last stop was the Latvian Academy of Sciences Observation Deck. The views from the 17^th floor outdoor viewing platform gave a fantastic overview of the city. I loved tracing our steps to see where we had walked during the past couple of hours. Throughout the tour, we learned about Riga’s history, we listened to tales about the struggle Riga went through to gain independence, and what life is like in Riga today. It was a great way to get a feel for the city while also putting on some miles!

Explore a Museum or Two

I always try to explore at least one museum in every city I visit, and there were many interesting options to pick from in Riga. I would have loved to explore the Latvian National Museum of Art, Musee Art Nouveau, Riga Ghetto and Latvian Holocaust Museum, Laima Chocolate Museum, and take a tour of the Latvian National Opera. But, in the end, I only had time for one, so I picked The KGB Building: The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia. The “Corner House”, as it is called, is conveniently located a few blocks from the Radisson Blu where I was staying. I wandered to the museum on a dreary morning full of dark, cloudy skies. The weather definitely set the mood for the fascinating but horrifying content of the tour.

The only way to visit this museum is to join a guided tour, and it really is necessary to absorb the context and nuances of the construction. Over the course of its history, this building was used for a wide range of purposes. It started out as apartments, shops, a library, a music school, and more. The building has also been used for official government operations. And more disturbingly, it was used in WWII for a group created by the Nazis, as well as by the KGB and Soviet Red Army. The tour focuses mainly on the timeframe during the occupation of the KGB and the Soviet regime. We learned about the history of the KGB activities and what they were doing to control people in Latvia. One aspect of the tour that hit close to home was seeing the phone tap machines, one of which was found (many moons ago) in the very hotel I was staying at for the week.

During the tour, we were able to see the interrogation rooms, the kitchen, the exercise area, the execution area, and the prison cells located in the basement. The tour was heavy and certainly hard to digest, but I believe it’s important to remember history so we can learn from it. The museum is well put together and definitely worth the visit.

Take a Day Trip to Sigulda

The adorable town of Sigulda makes for a wonderful day trip from Riga, even though there is enough to do in the area to keep you occupied for days (as my 2 days of adventure in the area can attest to). Sigulda is roughly an hour from Riga, so a day gives you plenty of time to explore some fun sites. If you are looking to fit several activities into a one-day trip, these are great ones to start with: a ride on the cable car, a visit to Gutmanis Cave, a tour at the Turaida Museum Reserve and Castle, and a stop at the Sigulda Castle. For lunch, head to the modern food hall, Jāņa Tirgus, which is the perfect stop for a variety of food options all under one roof.

If you have time or are looking for something a bit different on your trip to Sigulda, you could switch things up and rent e-bikes, or you could even throw in a bobsled ride, a hike or two at Gauja National Park, or a wine tasting at the Krimulda Manor (all of which I go into more detail on below). And there are still more options if you are looking to get your adrenaline pumping—you could try one of the many activities offered by Sigulda Adventures such as bungee jumping from the cable car or ziplining over the valley.

Fly Down an Ice Track on a Bob Sled Ride

If you’ve ever watched Cool Runnings and thought to yourself, “I need to give that a try!”, your dreams can be realized in Latvia, just as mine were. Make your way to Sigulda to hurl yourself across the ice at the Latvian Bobsleigh, Luge and Skeleton Track. International competitions and Olympic trainings are held regularly on this track, and we were able to see a few teams in training during our visit, which was fascinating to watch.

There are a few different options for making your way down the track depending on the season. The main options are the soft bob and the Olympic bob, and the difference in these rides is the type of sled you ride in. The Olympic bobsled is what you would picture as a traditional bobsled, and from what I could gather, a trained driver will accompany you on the ride. The other option (the one I did) was the soft bob, which was essentially a padded sled that you ride in all the way down. My group and I crawled into the bob, got pushed across the starting line, and were then left to our own devices. I rode in front (I think it’s because I was the shortest!) and was told to pull down on the rope the entire time.

We flew down the tracks twists and turns at a what felt like breakneck speeds. In reality, it was closer to 45-50 mph, but wow, what a rush! I laughed and screamed the entire way down and was ready to head back and do it all again immediately after. It looks like I’ll have to head back and give the real bobsled a try next time! Even though the experience was super short, it was definitely a blast.

Hike in Gauja National Park

Gauja Natioanal Park is located an hour from Riga, and it’s a wonderful place to go for a hike or two! You can explore the largest national park in Latvia on your own or with a guide. The park is over 220,000 acres in size and home to more than 500 historical and cultural monuments…in other words, there’s a ton to see. I visited the park on my two-day trip to Silguda, and our group went on a day of guided hikes with Sigita from Cesis Inside.

The morning started out with a hike on the Cecili Nature Trail, and our second hike was on the Amata Hiking Trail. It was wet and misty outside, so the trails were a bit muddy, but the rainy haze really brought out the vibrance of the greenery throughout the forest. The trails sent us along riverbanks, next to towering cliffs, over wooden bridges, and through the woods. We even spotted several adorable huts, saunas, and picnic sites along the way.

Then after we were done with our hikes, it was time to feast. We were supposed to have a picnic outside, but the rain had different plans for us. Instead, we ate inside the cozy visitor center cabin. Our lunch consisted of soup, potatoes, breads, salad, pork, dessert, and more. It was so good, and I left stuffed to the brim. During our meal, we chatted about Latvia, nature, the park, and the history of the region. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end an active morning!

Join a Wine Tasting at the Krimulda Manor

The Krimulda Manor is a historic house that was built in the mid 19^th century, and the property is currently open for tours. Visitors can see the medieval castle ruins, the manor’s park, the Swiss house, the garden, and more. One of the other historic buildings on the property happens to be a winery, and I was able to stop in for a tour while on my trip to Sigulda. The wine tasting at Krimulda Manor was a fun way to try some very different varieties of wines. When our group arrived, we made our way to the basement of the winery where we were given a brief history of the property and the wine that is made on site.

Then it was time to embark on a tasting. We tasted close to 10 different wines made from plants such as dandelions, lilacs, black currants, cranberries, gooseberries, and raspberries. We snacked on local cheese and bread as we sipped the wine samples and learned about the winemaking process on site and in Latvia as a whole. I’d have to say the dandelion wine was my favorite of the bunch, just because it was so different than anything I’ve ever tried before. This stop was a treat for the tastebuds!

Get Whipped at a Traditional Latvian Sauna

One of the most interesting evenings during my trip to Latvia was definitely the night I participated in the traditional Latvian sauna ritual. The sauna experience differs based on where you go, but they all entail somewhat the same process of being whacked with a leaf brush, salt scrubs, cold immersions, and sweating it out in a sauna.

My sauna experience took place in Sigulda during my two-day trip to the region. After a day of hiking, my group and I made our way to the two cabins on the far end of our hotel’s property. We had to shower and then meet our sauna masters in the sauna building next door. What came next was a rotation of hot and cold cycles wearing nothing but a pointy little hat on our heads. The first round had us sweat it out in the sauna, head outside to get a cold bucket of water poured over our heads, then relax with a cup of tea and fruit for a snack. Then it was back to the sauna for a full body salt scrub before running outside to jump in the freezing cold pond, and then another round of tea and snacks. Last but not least, it was time to head back to the sauna to get whacked by a bundle of branches, another dip in the cold pond, and this time a rest on a sack filled with hay. It was…interesting to say the least! It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone, but it ended up being amazing and oh so relaxing. So much so that I would have to say I’d do it all again someday.

There are many places to try out the traditional Latvian sauna experience throughout Latvia, if you dare! There are even a couple of options right in the city of Riga. No matter where you go, it’s sure to be an experience you won’t forget!

Take a Food Tour in Riga

Learning about a city through its food is always a wonderful experience, so I always try to jump on a food tour when exploring a new city. That’s exactly what I did when I was in Riga, and I signed up for the Riga Foodie Tour in conjunction with WITS and Live Riga.

My food tour started with a tour of the Central Market. The Central Market is huge—it is made up of five pavilions and is one of the largest markets in Europe. As we wandered through the giant buildings, we heard details of the market’s history and stories about the various vendors and the food they offer. Then it was time to taste some treats both at the market and at a nearby restaurant. We were able to try a variety of breads, sauces, cheeses, pickled vegetables, and meats.

I believe the tour I went on was a custom one for the conference, but there are plenty of other fantastic food tours offered in Riga. With the wide range of delicious food that I encountered in Riga, I can’t imagine that any tour would steer you wrong!

Eat a Traditional Meal at LIDO

LIDO is a restaurant that serves traditional Latvian food in a homey, cafeteria-like setting. When you arrive at the restaurant, grab a tray and browse the vast array of local dishes. You can find everything from salads, soups, entrees, meats, sauces, desserts, and so much more. Load up your tray with any assortment of food that you’d like, and then head to the checkout counter before grabbing a table to enjoy your very budget friendly meal. One meal that I ate at a LIDO consisted of soup and some sort of crispy, hash brown potatoes—it was simple, but oh so delicious.

There are several different locations of LIDO restaurants in Latvia. I went to both the Old Town branch and the Vērmanītis restaurant, and I much preferred the Vērmanītis restaurant due to the larger selection of cuisine to pick from. The evening atmosphere and the live music at the Old Town branch was quite endearing, though, and I had a great time there, as well. Stopping at a LIDO for a meal is definitely a must do activity when you are in Latvia!

Enjoy the Spa at ESPA Riga

The last adventure I had in Latvia was relaxing at the ESPA Riga, the 5-star day spa connected to my hotel, the Radisson Blu. While I didn’t have enough time to enjoy a spa treatment and the thermal suite, I did spend the last evening of my trip enjoying the spa’s “Active Leisure Area”. This area of the spa is home to multiple pools and saunas which makes it a wonderful treat to rejuvenate both your body and mind.

For 2.5 hours, I rotated between taking laps in the swimming pool, soaking in the warm vitality pool, standing in the cold mist of the showers, resting on warm benches, and getting toasty in the steam rooms and saunas. I couldn’t have asked for a more relaxing evening before a long day of travel back home. ESPA Riga was a wonderful way to end the trip and cap off a fantastic adventure!

Bonus: Experience Lāčplēsis Day

If you happen to be in Riga on November, 11th, make sure to head out in the evening to see the Lāčplēsis Day festivities. I didn’t plan for it or know it was happening, but I lucked out and was able to witness the beautiful candlelight procession and candle displays on my second to last day in town. The day is set to honor and commemorate the fallen soldiers who fought for Latvia’s independence.

I was in Old Town and on my way to dinner with a couple of friends when we came across the torchlight procession near the Freedom Monument. We couldn’t help but stop in our tracks to watch part of this mesmerizing sight. There were hundreds of people walking through the streets with their torches lit and held high.

After dinner, we made our way towards the Daugava River and Riga Castle to take a peek at the festivities. The scene that unfolded in front of us was stunning. Red and white candles flickered in the dark, sprawled out in all directions. Some were set along the riverbank, some were lining the castle walls, and others were arranged in elaborate patterns and displays on the grass. People were holding hands and singing songs of remembrance around the candles. It was a very moving experience, and I’m glad I was able to take a small peek into the Lāčplēsis Day festivities.

Where to Stay

Radisson Blu Latvija Conference & Spa Hotel:

When I was in Riga, I stayed at the Radisson Blu Latvija Conference & Spa Hotel as it was the conference hotel, and I’m so glad I decided to stay there. The location of the hotel is fantastic—it’s walking distance to the heart of Old Town and a short ride to many neighborhoods in the city.

There are lots of great restaurants, coffee shops, museums, and places to shop nearby, as well. Plus, the onsite spa is a real treat! My room wasn’t very spacious,, but it was cozy, clean, and had fantastic views overlooking the shimmering gold dome on the Riga Nativity of Christ Cathedral. The breakfast buffet was a bit pricy but there was a wide selection to pick from. I’m not sure I would have paid for the breakfast on my own, but since it was included in my room rate for the conference, I enjoyed it.

Spa Hotel Ezeri:

During my trip to Gauja National Park, I stayed at the Spa Hotel Ezeri in Sigulda. The hotel is small, with only 30 rooms, and it is a peaceful, calming escape. My large, king room was located on the 3^rd floor and came with a balcony. This hotel offers a variety of spa facilities. I didn’t have a chance to try the spa on the lower level of the hotel, but this is where I experienced the traditional Latvian sauna ritual.

The onsite restaurant was delicious. I was able to enjoy both a continental breakfast and a three-course dinner from a menu that changes with the seasons. The Spa Hotel Ezeri is a great place to base yourself if you spend more than a day exploring Sigulda!

Special thanks to Magnetic Latvia, LIVE Riga, Sigulda Aizrauj, Enter Gauja,Women in Travel Summit, and their partners for hosting me on many of these adventures in Latvia. As always, all opinions are my own. 

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“Hey you, in the black…come over here, you’re first.” the paragliding guide instructed as she pointed right at me.

I followed my orders, and nervously made my way over to the parachute that was sprawled out on the grass. I suited up in the harness, and the safety equipment was checked.  Then it was time to pay attention and listen. I was slated to be the first in our group to jump off the mountain and would have no opportunity to learn by example.

We were on an excursion to go paragliding in Slovenia, an adventure we’ve wanted to try for years.  We were about to jump off Mt. Vogar, a mountain located in the Julian Alps, from an elevation of 990 meters (approximately 3,248 feet).  Mt. Vogar is located right next to the turquoise waters of Lake Bohinj, the largest lake in Slovenia. The views that sprawled out in front of us were mesmerizing.

After an early morning pick up by 3Glav Adventures at our hotel in Lake Bled, we drove about 30 minutes to Lake Bohinj where we met our paragliding pilots. Then, we had to ride up the mountain on twisty roads before hiking along a 15-minute-long trail to reach the launch point. The hike sent us past tiny cabins, farms, and fields, before opening to a clearing in the trees.

Once we were at the launch point and ready to go, we had to wait for the winds to cooperate. As I stood in my gear waiting for the conditions to turn, my heart did little jumps inside my chest. I was unsure of what to expect. I was extra nervous because the tour had already been postponed by a day due to inclement weather, and the anticipation was killing me. We had originally planned on flinging ourselves off the higher mountain, Mt. Vogel, but the conditions just didn’t agree with our plans. Thankfully, the weather on Mt. Vogar was better on day two, so we suited up and were grateful we could even go at all!

My launch instructions were to keep running even when my feet were in the air—I could only stop when my instructor told me it was ok. When the winds picked up, I channeled my inner Dori and kept chanting in my head “just keep running, just keep running” while overenthusiastically kicking my short legs through the air.

And just like that, we were airborne! I now was able to stop running and enjoy our successful takeoff. One thing I noticed right away was how calm and relaxing the experience was so far. We literally soared through the clouds that sporadically crossed our path as I gaped at the mountainous scenery surrounding me. My skilled and friendly guide made me feel completely comfortable so high up off the ground.

About halfway through the peaceful ride, my guide asked if I wanted to do some spins. I couldn’t yelp “yes!” quick enough, and in no time, we were dropping straight down through the air in tiny little spinning circles. It was exhilarating, quick, and stomach lurching all in one—I loved it!

The flight was almost over, but the fun wasn’t done yet. We had a goofy landing still ahead of us. With my legs straddled out and up over my head, I came to a halt by skidding along on my behind. It wasn’t graceful, but we made it. I was smiles from ear to ear.

Rides can last anywhere from 7 to 15 minutes and my flight took about 12 minutes in total. Short, but oh so sweet.

After I landed it was time to observe Micah and our 5 fellow tour mates on their descents. As little parachutes started to come into view, I tried to decipher which one might be Micah. Watching everyone else fly through the sky made me realize just how high our takeoff point actually was.

The tiny dots whizzed through the sky, growing larger in view every minute. Micah ended up being the last one to parachute down, and from his expressions, I could tell he had just as much fun as I did.

Once our entire group was safely on the ground, we had time to kill while our guides packed up the parachutes and picked up the van from the top of the mountain. Micah and I made our way to Restavracija Kramar, a nearby lakeside café, for a cup of coffee. We sat and reflected on our morning while taking in the views before us. Towering mountains framed the shimmering aqua blue waters of Lake Bohinj. Laughter rang out as people jumped from docks with trampolines on the end. And quiet music hummed throughout the café. For one serene moment, all was right in the world.

We booked our adventure through 3glav Adventures, but it seemed as though all the tour operators combined their tours and used one group of guides. 3glav Adventures kept us up to date with current weather conditions and when we had to shift our tour to the smaller mountain, we were promptly refunded the price difference between the tours. Our tour included roundtrip transfers to and from our hotel, all park entry fees and tandem paragliding flights. All we had to pack was sporty shoes, warm clothes (it can get cold so high up in the air!), and an optional camera with a neck/wrist strap.

Paragliding in Slovenia was such an amazing adventure—it was somehow both peaceful and adrenaline packed. Plus, we could not have asked for better scenery!

Have you ever been paragliding? Would you go paragliding in Slovenia?

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We weren’t sure what travel in the summer of 2020 would really look like, but we were happy to find that Marquette did a great job with encouraging responsible behavior from both visitors and locals alike. Masks were required when inside, indoor dining was very limited, and social distancing was advised. We were happy to see everyone we encountered following the rules, which allowed us to feel safe while exploring the area.

We spent four days in town and managed to fit many activities into such a short timeframe. Our days were spent hiking to waterfalls, checking out views from lookouts, paddling on Lake Superior, stopping at a couple lighthouses, exploring art, shopping at boutiques, stargazing, visiting breweries, and eating at some fantastic restaurants. Read on to learn about our favorite adventures in Marquette, Michigan.

Soaking Up the Views from Lookouts

Mount Marquette

While we were in town, one of the overlooks we visited was Mount Marquette. To reach the overlook, you can either drive or hike. We ended up driving to the top and then hiking around some of the trails near the peak to take in a variety of landscapes. We loved the views from the rocky outcrops at the top of the Mount Marquette.  The overlooks showcase expansive views of Lake Superior, downtown Marquette, and the deep green forests below.

Thomas Rock Scenic Overlook

Thomas Rock Scenic Overlook is located roughly 30 minutes north of Marquette near Big Bay. The loop trail at the overlook is about one-mile roundtrip, and it is made up of a combination of maintained packed gravel and boardwalks. Along the trail, you will find interactive signs that teach you about the wildlife and landscapes in the region. The overlook showcases views of the forest, an inland lake called Lake Independence, and Lake Superior. At the top of the overlook, you will also find picnic tables and more informative signs that provide details on the area wildlife and beautiful lands in your view.

Hiking to an Abundance of Waterfalls

There are an abundance of waterfalls within a short drive from Marquette, MI. We were excited to hit the trails and explore as many waterfalls as possible. Even though we woke up to rainy skies on our hiking day, we figured we might as well head out anyways. We had a lot to see after all! Throughout our visit, we hiked our way to five different waterfalls: Yellow Dog Falls, Big Pup Creek Falls, Alder Falls, Wright Street Falls, and Morgan Creek Falls.

Yellow Dog Falls:

The first waterfall of the day was Yellow Dog Falls, which was a 30-minute drive from Marquette. To reach this waterfall, we had to hike a trail that is less than 1 mile in length each way. Yellow Dog Falls was the perfect waterfall to get us going for the day, and it ended up being one of our favorites.  The path sent us through dense trees, over log bridges, and along the river before opening up to the roaring waterfall.

Pinnacle Falls:

Next up on our list was Pinnacle Falls which is located a short drive down the road from the Yellow Dog Falls trailhead. This waterfall is a quick walk from the road. There is a break in the trees that marks the start of the trail and after walking a short distance you will come to a clearing with a sign that states this waterfall is Pinnacle Falls. Well, apparently, we were fooled as we thought this was the actual waterfall we set out to see. But alas, it wasn’t, and we didn’t find out until it was too late. The actual Pinnacle Falls is further downriver, but nonetheless, the small waterfall we spotted was still beautiful and worth the stop if you are short on time.

Alder Falls:

For our next waterfall adventure, we stopped at Alder Falls. This waterfall is a bit harder to find as there are no signs for the road or the river, but if you put the falls into Google Maps, it should direct you to the Alder Creek Truck Trail which you will drive for about 0.6 miles to get to the falls trailhead. There’s a small parking area near the falls and the hike is short but steep with lots of tree roots spanning the path. Make sure you have sturdy shoes for this hike! Alder Falls is around 30 feet tall and one of the highest waterfalls we visited.

Morgan Falls:

Morgan Falls is located about 10 minutes outside of Marquette and it’s an easy one to reach. To get to this waterfall, drive towards Marquette Mountain on M-553, and just before you reach the ski hill, there will be a parking area and pull off on the right. During certain times of the year, you can drive down the gravel road here to get very close to the falls. But when we were in town, this road was closed to vehicles and we had to walk 1.5 miles to the waterfall. It was a beautiful tree covered trail though, so we didn’t mind the walk! As we walked along the road to the falls, we marveled at the mountain bike trails that we saw heading into the woods. There were plank bridges, jumps, ramps, and all sorts of features to ride. Micah would have loved to explore the bike trails if it wasn’t so rainy during our visit.

Anyways, we eventually made it to the official trailhead to Morgan Falls, and from there it was a super short walk to the falls. This waterfall was another cascading beauty!

Wright Street Falls:

One of the closest waterfalls to town (that we visited), was Wright Street Falls. The falls are located off of Wright Street just a few minutes from downtown Marquette. It took us just a couple of minutes to reach the falls. We crossed the bridge with the signs telling us to stay away, and then we followed the trail to the left. The falls are located under a giant aqueduct and there is graffiti all around. It’s an interesting waterfall and really makes you feel like you are in the city!

Paddling at Wetmore Landing

We had rainy weather and wavy shores on Lake Superior for our first couple days in Marquette. Eventually our luck would change though, and on our third day in town we woke up to bright sunshine, blue skies, and calm waters. We didn’t want to waste any time, so we beelined it to Wetmore Landing and set up our paddling gear, an Oru Kayak and an Isle Surf and SUP Paddleboard.

The hike from the parking lot to the beach is short so we set up our gear and carried it to the water. As we launched our kayak and SUP into Lake Superior, we couldn’t contain our excitement. The water was crystal clear, and the shoreline was dotted with giant boulders, secluded sandy beaches, and forests. We spent the better part of the morning exploring the waters of Lake Superior and the beaches we encountered along the way. The fact that the previous days were spent waterlogged made this sunny morning even more special and appreciated.

We also spent some time relaxing on the beach and exploring the nearby trails. Wetmore Landing has so much to offer!

Exploring Lighthouses

There are several lighthouses in the Marquette area, and we stopped by two of them. Unfortunately, due to the current conditions of the world, the lighthouses weren’t open for tours, but we did get to see the grounds and the crashing waves on nearby rocky coasts. One windy morning we stopped at the Big Bay Point Lighthouse, which is also an adorable bed and breakfast. We loved watching the power of the crashing waters of Lake Superior.

Then, before we made our way out of town, we made a quick stop by the Marquette Harbor Lighthouse to get a view with our drone. This time around, the sun was shining, the water was calm, and the skies were blue. It’s amazing to see what a difference the weather can make.

Hopefully, we can take actual tours of both lighthouses on our next visit to Marquette!

Soaking up Art

Sculptures at Lakenenland

Lakenenland is a whimsical land filled with “Junkyard Art”, located less than 20 minutes from downtown Marquette. When you arrive, you will find a path that takes you through the trees filled with scrap metal sculptures. Some of the sculptures were giant, detailed pieces of art, some were comedic, and others provided thought provoking messages. But one thing’s for sure, all of the sculptures were fantastic.

We enjoyed walking the path and getting a close up look at the art, but you can also drive the path if you don’t feel like walking. Lakenenland is open 24/7 and is free to enter, so it’s definitely worth a stop when you are in the area!

Shops, Galleries, and Art in Downtown Marquette

Downtown Marquette offers plenty of shops and galleries to peruse. We spent a sunny afternoon browsing the creative boutiques and a few of our favorites were Upper Peninsula Supply Co., Chickadees, Revisions, and Yooper Casual. The stores and galleries were filled with art and locally produced goods, and we had a great time checking them all out.

There were also several sculptures throughout town and a beautiful mural that we found while walking around, too.

Stargazing Over Lake Superior

The UP is a stargazing paradise—we’ve never seen such fantastic dark skies. We had an evening with clear skies during our visit, and we were excited to see the stars.  The timing also happened to coincide with the NEOWISE comet, so we couldn’t resist trying to scope it out. We weren’t sure where to go, so we found a pull off near our hotel with views overlooking Lake Superior. The only issue with our spot was that traffic was heavy on the highway behind us and in the pullout with people coming and going. This meant that the headlights messed with our images and tested our patience. But, as luck (and a bit of determination) would have it, we managed to snap a few usable images between the headlights. And in person, regardless of the cars, the views were absolutely incredible.

Sipping Beers at Breweries

There are several breweries in Marquette, and we had the chance to stop by two of them. We visited Barrel + Beam and Blackrocks Brewery and we’re surprised to find how unique each location was.

Blackrocks Brewery

When we noticed a break in the rain on our first full day in town, we made our way to Blackrocks Brewery, a.k.a. the old yellow house on the corner. Only outdoor seating was available during our visit, but there were ample tables under a covered tent (perfect for when the weather isn’t cooperating) as well as tables and firepits on the back patio. We snagged a seat near one of the fireplaces and were happy to find the sun peeking through the clouds. With around 10 beers on tap, there were plenty of unique options to pick from. We especially love the creative names for the brews, such as Fizzy Biscuits, Business Chicken, and Hansy Weizen. It couldn’t have been a better afternoon!

Barrel + Beam

Barrel + Beam is located a short drive from the heart of downtown Marquette, but it’s definitely worth a visit. We showed up for a quick drink about a half hour prior to closing, and we were welcomed with samples and friendly faces. This brewery focuses on bottle-conditioned farmhouse ales made from Michigan sourced ingredients. Many of the brews are aged in oak barrels and then finished off with bottle conditioning which gives the beers carbonation in a Champagne-like fashion. We also enjoyed the décor of this spot—it felt like we were cozied up on a couch in a toasty warm cabin.

Patio Dining at Restaurants and Cafes

Marquette has plenty of great dining options, and it’s even better that there are so many fantastic patios to enjoy throughout town! We wanted to keep social distancing measures top of mind, so we ate almost every meal outdoors. Here’s a recap of all the restaurants we visited and enjoyed during our time in Marquette:

Sol Azteca

The sun was shining, and our bellies were hungry when we pulled into Marquette. Thankfully, an outdoor lunch was on deck for our first stop in town. We can’t resist a good patio, so the 2^nd story deck at Sol Azteca caught our eyes immediately and our decision was made. Our table had a great view of Lake Superior and we ate a delicious lunch of fantastic Mexican food.

Iron Bay Restaurant and Drinkery

Iron Bay Restaurant and Drinkery  is another great restaurant in Marquette. Plus, it happens to be located right below Sol Azteca, which means that it also has a great patio with views of Lake Superior. Their menu consists of burgers, sandwiches, fresh fish, salads, and more. They also have a bakery onsite that serves fantastic baked goods and coffee.

The Delft Bistro

A sunny afternoon lunch under the old marquee at The Delft Bistro made for the start of a great afternoon. We really enjoyed the vibe of the small patio here, and happily ordered from a menu filled with “New American Fare”. I ordered the Falafel with a side of brussel sprouts, and Micah went for the poutine. We really enjoyed this spot—both the food and the atmosphere were wonderful!

DIGS Gastropub

Once the weather turned favorable for the summer, the back patio at DIGS Gastropub was turned into a secret beach hideaway, called DIGS City Beach. The patio is decorated with beachy, tropical décor, and burgers, sandwiches, and wings, dominate the food menu, and the bar is known for their crafted cocktails. If you are looking for a fun, laid-back spot, this is your place.

Rice Paddy

With the rain keeping the patio’s closed on the front end of our trip, and limited indoor seating available, we decided to order Thai takeout from Rice Paddy for dinner one evening. This small joint does not offer indoor seating but  it came highly recommended from several locals. We tried turning our dinner into a picnic, but right when we sat down at a picnic table, another wave of rain started. We dashed to the car and really enjoyed our meal even if it wasn’t in the most scenic of locations!

231 West Patisserie

While the patio at 231 West Patisserie is on the small side, it’s still a great spot to relax with a coffee and treat. We stopped in for a breakfast of croissants and coffee one morning, and we couldn’t resist picking up a macaroon or two, as well. If the back patio is full, there is plenty of space inside to enjoy, as well, so either way, you can’t go wrong.

Third Street Bagel

Third Street Bagel is another great spot we stopped for breakfast. There are tables out on the sidewalk, but we opted for the drive through so we could take our bagels on the road with us for our day of hiking. We enjoyed the fresh baked bagels, and we may have even visited this spot more than once during our time in Marquette…it was that good!

Contrast Coffee Co.

Getting our coffee fix is always a must, so we were happy to find several coffee shops open during our visit, even if they were all operating with limited hours. Because of the hours of all the shops, we ended up at Contrast Coffee Co. twice during our visit. We tried seasonal lattes and black coffee—both of which were quite tasty and kept us coming back for more!

Babycakes Muffin Company

Another great stop for coffee, muffins, and a wide array of baked goods is Babycakes Muffin Company. They also offer a selection of sandwiches, salads, and other savory options. We stopped in for a coffee and baked goods one afternoon and were very impressed with the delicious raspberry cream cheese bar we ordered.

Cafe Bodega

On our last morning in town, we stopped at Cafe Bodega for breakfast. While they don’t currently have a patio, there is a lot of space to spread out in the dining room. The menu is made up of “from scratch” foods that are locally sourced when possible. There were so many dishes on the menu that looked fantastic, but I decided on the breakfast quesadilla and it was definitely the right choice!

Even though we spent only four days in Marquette, we sure fit a ton of adventures into our visit! We had a blast exploring all the nature, art, food, and drinks that this area has to offer. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is definitely a special place, and we are so glad we were able to get away and spend a bit of time in Marquette this summer. 

Have you ever been to Marquette, Michigan? What adventures in Marquette would you like to do most?

We visited Marquette, Michigan, as part of a paid content creation project. Special thanks to Travel Marquette for hosting us on this road trip adventure. As always, all opinions are our own.

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The first few days of our trip were spent camping, hiking, paddling, and golfing in Garrison, North Dakota. Read more about our adventures in Garrison in our previous post.

For the second leg of our North Dakota road trip, we spent three nights in Minot. We immediately connected with Minot and loved our time exploring the “Magic City”. Minot is a smaller city but still large enough to have a wide range of creative restaurants, a large art culture, museums, and plenty of outdoor adventures nearby. Here’s a roundup of all of our favorite activities during our stop in Minot during our road trip through North Dakota.

Where to Stay in Minot, ND:

Hampton Inn and Suites Minot Airport

We spent three nights at the Hampton Inn and Suites and were impressed with the cleanliness and health standards set in place. Our room was a king suite and came with a king bed, living room area, kitchenette, and large bathroom. And, even though this is technically an airport location, it is right in town and super close to all the places we had plans to visit. Our room was nice, our stay was very comfortable, and we were grateful that the hotel was located in a convenient location, as well!

Adventures in Minot, ND:

Paddling the Beaver Lodge Canoe Trail

To start off our first full day in Minot, we made our way to the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge for some paddling. We set up our SUP and kayak and got ready to explore the Beaver Lodge Canoe Trail. The launch point for this trail is located near the Outlet Fishing Area, and it was about a 30-minute drive from our hotel.

The entire trail is roughly six miles roundtrip—when you reach the dam that blocks the river downstream, you need to turn around and return to the starting point. Along the way, we paddled through small ponds and cattail pathways before reaching the Souris River. Unfortunately, we didn’t have quite enough time to paddle the entire length of the trail, but we estimated that we paddled about two-thirds of the way. We had so much fun paddling the river and soaking up the area’s peace and quiet—I’m not sure if this was the case, but it felt as though we were the only ones for miles!

Explore the Street Art in Downtown

There are over 18 murals located in downtown Minot, and many of the murals are within walking distance of one another. We spent an entire morning wandering the streets and alleys of Minot with our convenient street art map in hand.

Our first stop was an alleyway just off of Central Avenue where we found more than eight murals. Each piece of art had its own style and the bright colors seemed to burst out of every corner. After exploring the alley, we ventured to the art located along the surrounding streets. We always love it when a town embraces art, and we certainly found an abundance of art in Minot!

Learn about Culture and History at the Scandinavian Heritage Park

The Scandinavian Heritage Park is located in a park right in the middle of Minot. The park features all five of the Nordic countries and showcases elements of each culture. When visiting the park, you will find a Finnish sauna, a stave church, a 240-year-old Norwegian log house, a Swedish Dala horse that stands over 25 feet tall, and a Danish windmill.

Micah and I both have Scandinavian heritage, so it was interesting to learn more about that. The center made me think a lot about my grandpa with his Norwegian sayings and my great grandpa as he used to carve Dala Horses in his wood shop. Walking around the grounds was an excellent way to spend a sunny morning!

Listen to Music at Arts in the Parks

We noticed that there were several art and cultural events going on during our time in Minot. One of those events was the Arts in the Parks, which we made it to just in the nick of time. When we arrived in Minot, we unloaded our luggage in the hotel room, and beelined it to Oaks Park to take in all the summer fun. We watched the band, Soulshine, play a fun lineup of music as people relaxed in the park.

Take a Brewery Tour and Try a Flight of Beer

Atypical Brewery and Barrelworks: We started our afternoon at Atypical Brewery and Barrelworks for a tasting of their wide variety of beers. We sat outside on the patio under the shade of an oversized umbrella, as we sampled beer and chatted with the owners. I lost track of how many brews we tasted, but we tried barrel-aged sour ales and a variety of other unique beers. One of our favorites was the London Fog Cream Ale, which had an Earl Grey tea twist to it. We also got to take a peek at the inside of the facility—it was one of the coolest breweries we’ve been to in a long time!

Souris River Brewing Company: After the first brewery stop, we ventured over to Souris River Brewing Company for dinner, another tasting, and a tour of the facility. We ordered burgers for dinner and then the owner came over and brought us a flight with nine different beers to try…whew!

Souris River Brewing has created more than 70 different beers since they first started, and they typically have nine beers on tap at a time. Once we finished our dinner and tasting, we went on a quick tour of the facility. It was neat to see the similarities and differences between the two breweries—each of them had their own advantages, and we are glad we were able to experience them both!

Visit a Winery for a Wine Tasting

Pointe of View Winery: One of the wineries we visited in Minot was the Pointe of View Winery. This was the first winery to open in North Dakota. During our visit, we spent time tasting a few different wines in the shop before heading to the outside patio to relax with a glass of wine. The views overlooking the rolling hills were top notch.

Once we finished our glass of wine, we took a walk through the vineyards before making our way to the hiking trail that winds its way through the property. What a way to spend an afternoon!

Dakota Sun Gardens and Winery: The Dakota Sun Gardens and Winery isn’t actually located in Minot, but we made a stop there on our way home, so we figured we’d still include it in this roundup. The winery is located in Carrington about two hours southeast of Minot, and if you are nearby, it is well worth the stop.

The winery offers a wide range of grape and fruit wines to taste and purchase, as well as a beautiful garden to tour. We tasted wines made from pomegranate, rhubarb, blueberry, black currant, and more. They were all so different that it made it hard to pick a favorite! After our tasting, we toured the garden and relaxed in the sun. It was the perfect stop to break up our drive back home!

Find Your Way into Saul’s Speakeasy

And last but not least, we couldn’t resist making our way over to Saul’s, Minot’s speakeasy! It took a bit of sleuthing to find the location and figure out how to get inside. Basically, you have to text their phone number and you will receive hints as to the location, plus a riddle to solve for your entrance password. We came up with an answer and crossed our fingers that we were right…and we were!

Once we were inside, we took a seat at the bar and spent some time chatting with the bartender and other guests. The speakeasy has a long list of cocktails to pick from, and they also serve a variety of beer and wine. If you are feeling daring, you can also have the talented mixologist create something special just for you.

Where to Eat in Minot, ND:

Broadway Bean & Bagel

We are always suckers for a good bagel, so we were excited to visit Broadway Bean & Bagel. We ended up stopping here a couple of times during our visit for a quick and delicious breakfast with house roasted coffee. Their popular Eggel, which is an egg sandwich on a bagel with a variety of topping choices, was delicious. We also enjoyed the variety of bagels and flavored cream cheese—the chocolate chip and the peanut butter cream cheeses were both fantastic.

Prairie Sky Breads

We popped into Prairie Sky Breads one morning before heading around town to check out street art. This coffee shop and bakery offers a variety of baked goods, sandwiches, specialty toasts, pizzas, and more. Some of the options are only available later in the day, but we were happy as could be with our coffee and scones—all made to perfection!

With Room Coffee

Ok, so we didn’t actually get to dine at With Room Coffee, but I’m including it on my list because I know we would have loved it. We were super excited to grab breakfast here; however, when we arrived, we found a note on the door stating that they were closed on a “coffee break” for what happened to be the duration of our time in Minot. I snuck a photo of the gorgeous plants through the window and made a mental note to return next time we are in town. Their menu is filled with tasty treats like pastries, sandwiches, specialty toasts, yogurt cups, coffees, teas, and kombucha.

The Starving Rooster

The Starving Rooster was one of our favorite restaurants from the entire road trip! We enjoyed the historic, industrial atmosphere of the restaurant. The building was originally built for a tractor company in 1919, and most of the materials inside were repurposed into tables and other design elements that can still be seen in the restaurant today. We both had sandwiches during our lunch visit, and we loved our spacious booth by the giant garage door windows.

Souris River Brewing Company

I mentioned Souris River Brewing Company above with the brewery tour, but they don’t just serve beer, they also have a food menu filled with locally sourced ingredients! The menu consists of burgers, sliders, sandwiches, steaks, and more. Before we took a tour of the brewery, we ordered burgers to go along with our brews, and I have to say, the poutine burger was heavy, but amazing!

Spicy Pie Pizza

If you are looking for a tasty slice of pizza, Spicy Pie Pizza is the place to go. They serve New York style pizza with a wide range of specialty toppings such as the Rueben, the PBR (pickle, bacon, ranch), and the Smorgasbord Pie, just to name a few. You can order by the slice or grab an entire pie, and they also serve grinders, Mexican food, and a variety of sides. Micah ordered the Carnivore slice and I couldn’t resist trying a slice of the Bacon Mac & Cheese!

Elevation Minot

Located at the Minot Country Club, Elevation Minot offers views of the golf course along with a unique dining experience. We lucked out and nabbed a seat on the patio –it was a perfect evening to dine outside. The menu at Elevation Minot is filled with salads, sandwiches, pastas, and surf & turf. We tried the bacon wrapped chicken cordon blue and the pecan crusted walleye and were both happy with our choices. It was our last dinner in town, and a wonderful way to close out the trip. 

One Last Stop on our North Dakota Road Trip:

 World’s Largest Buffalo

On the way home to Minnesota, we had one more stop to say a final farewell to North Dakota. We couldn’t resist stopping at the World’s Largest Buffalo in Jamestown. The Statue was created in 1959—it stands at 26 feet tall, 40 feet wide, and weighs 60 tons…so in other words, it’s huge! In addition to the towering sculpture, you can also find the National Buffalo Museum, a live herd of Buffalo, and the Frontier Village on site. We didn’t have time to explore all the sights, so it will have to wait until our next visit to North Dakota!

Have you ever been on a North Dakota road trip? What would you want to do in Minot?

We visited North Dakota as part of a paid content creation project. Special thanks to North Dakota Tourism, Visit Minot, and their partners for hosting us on this road trip adventure. As always, all opinions are our own.

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