Category Archives: Vacation

Minnesota’s North Shore Scenic Drive

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Minnesota’s North Shore Scenic Drive

In my last post I mentioned Minnesota’s North Shore Scenic Dr.  I am still sorting out my new life in retirement but I am sure I won’t be able to keep my time share. It is just too far outside the budget. With that in mind I need to re-think how I approach my travels and explorations. 

One of the options that caught my eye was Minnesota’s North Shore Drive.  Once I heard about it I wanted to know what it was. I see Scenic drives on almost all of my trips but they are not always that scenic. This one does sound worthwhile. It runs 154 miles along Lake Superior to the Canadian Border.  I learned that it is also called North Shore All-American Scenic Dr. 

And We Begin in Duluth

The Scenic Drive starts in Cabal Park, Duluth where you can watch the huge ore boats and ocean bound ships enter the harbor by passing under the Aerial Lift Bridge.  I thought the bridge looked familiar.

Historic Bridges - Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge (Bridge L6116)

We have one too. Ours crosses the Cape Cod canal and is now the second longest lift bridge in the United States, the longest being the Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Bridge between New Jersey and Staten Island, New York.

Cape Cod Lift Bridge- Photo credit Deb Neumann

The Pink Beach

Have you ever seen a pink beach? I saw one in Hawaii but they sure aren’t common. I would hate to have to search for it like we did the green sand beach in Hawaii but according to the guide books you can drive right up to this one. The beach is bordered by cliffs of rhyolite which breaks off and crumbles when Nor’easters sweep through. The rhyolite gives Iona’s Beach  it’s unusual pink color. 

iona's cobblestone beach lake superior

Split Rock Lighthouse

Are you a light house fan? Located on a 130-foot cliff on the rocky coast of Lake Superior, Split Rock Lighthouse is an intact 1910 light station that guided ships across the often stormy waters of western Lake Superior. You may have heard of the Edmund Fitzgerald .  Each year the light house is lit to commemorate the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald and all the lives lost to the Great Lakes shipwrecks. 

Waterfalls and Hikes

Roadside waterfalls and trailheads abound along the drive. The guidebooks suggest allowing time for multiple side trips to enjoy these wonders of nature. And you don’t have to go to Hawaii to experience a black sand beach.  It’s easy to remember it’s name. They call it Black Beach! 

Grand Portage

You’ve made it. Grand Portage is almost the end of the drive. A mile down the road you’ll reach the Canadian Border. But getting back to Grand Portage,  Grand Portage National Monument tells the story of the North West Company fur trade. The monument includes a reconstructed depot and 8.5 mile portage (hiking trail) to Fort Charlotte that bypasses waterfalls and rapids on the Pigeon River. To see High Falls, make sure to visit Grand Portage State Park six miles north on Highway 61.

 

High Falls - Grand Portage State Park, MN | turn off your computer and go outside | Flickr

Maybe New Mexico?

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Santa Fe, New Mexico

I haven’t ignored my vacation planning completely while I’ve been being domestic. I’ve been considering New Mexico. My time share has a resort in Santa Fe called, what else, Villa de Santa Fe. The Web site says “ Take a colorful journey to the base of the breathtaking Sangre de Cristo Mountains at Villas de Santa Fe. Discover Indian pueblos, historic sites, Spanish colonial art or stunning adobe churches and architecture”.
More searching indicates that the best time of year to visit is September to November.  That fits with the Big Balloon Festival in Albuquerque.

Villas de Santa Fe

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

In 2023 the Balloon Fiesta is scheduled for Oct 7 -15. so it falls right in the sweet spot for visiting Santa Fe. According to google maps the drive is 62 miles and should take about an hour of actual drive time. There are a lot of stops you can make along the way so I would need to try not to get side tracked or distracted.  The balloons fly in the early morning or the late afternoon/evening so lots of time during the day for exploring.

Photographers — Albuquerque Balloon Fest Insider Tours

Loretto Chapel

Located in Santa Fe, Loretto Chapel was built around 1873 by the Sisters of Loretto. I remember visiting the Spanish Missions when I visited San Antonio, TX and really enjoyed them.  Loretto Chapel has a so called miraculous staircase. Its a 20-foot-high circular stairway to the choir loft built by a wandering carpenter after the chapel itself was completed in 1878. The carpenter used wooden pegs (not nails) and the staircase itself has no visible means of support. They say it is hard to get pictures of the staircase as there are always so many tourists admiring it but I’d love to try.

Bandelier National Monument

I’m not sure if I am up to the physical part of this but I sure want to try. At the base of Frijoles Canyon are a collection of ancient cave dwellings and other stone structures belonging to ancestors of the Pueblo tribe. Explore the settlement by following the paved trail through the village and climbing the wooden ladders into the caves themselves.

Visit Bandelier National Monument for History and Hummingbirds - Birds and Blooms

Roswell

It seems like a trip to New Mexico wouldn’t be complete without a stop in Roswell where the modern UFO era began. Unfortunately Roswell isn’t just around the corner. It’s almost 200 miles and a 3 hour drive and that’s without stops along the way. I guess that is one that would have to be “played by ear”. 

Indiana Wants Me

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Indiana Wants Me

I couldn’t help it. When I hear “Indiana” I always think of that R Dean Taylor Song. I think it came out around 1970. 

Of course I haven’t killed anyone so Indiana doesn’t want me like the man in the song.

Mishawaka, Indiana

Mishawaka Indiana, have you ever hear of it? It must be known for something because my Timeshare has a resort there. The only resort in the state, Varsity Clubs of America. Mishawaka is a city on the St. Joseph River, in Penn Township, St. Joseph County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. Mishawaka is a principal city of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI. The area became known as the “Peppermint Capital of the World“, since the area’s rich black loam produced great quantities of mint.

Varsity Club-South Bend

My Time share web site describes the Varsity Club:
Varsity Clubs of America – South Bend is an all-suite hotel offering unique and inviting accommodations. Conveniently located for easy access to the University of Notre Dame and all its excitement, the hotel features stylish, sports-themed décor and well-appointed kitchen amenities. Fire up the outdoor grill for a game-day barbeque, or entertain the family at the indoor swimming pool and billiards parlor.

 

VARSITY CLUBS OF AMERICA - SOUTH BEND $83 ($̶1̶2̶3̶) - Updated 2022 Prices & Hotel Reviews - Mishawaka, IN

 

In poking around for things to do the most interesting suggestion was the “River Walk“. The Riverwalk – officially named the “River St. Joseph of the Miamis Trail” is a circular system of pedestrian/bicycle trails on both banks of the St. Joseph River. Pedestrian bridges connect the Riverwalk at strategic points such as Central Park, Kamm Island, and the new Robert C. Beutter Riverfront Park. A footbridge connects Beutter Park on the south shore to Battell Park on the north.  All told it’s about 2.5 miles long.

Mishawaka River Walk In Indiana Has The Best Scenic Views Of The St. Joseph River

Things to do

Trip advisor had some suggestions but they didn’t really excite me. Mostly sports stadiums, The Studebaker Car Museum, galleries and so on. There is a zoo. That might be fun.

Maybe Indiana would be more interesting if I don’t use the timeshare option. Find some things that interest me and then find a location.  Moving this to the 2nd tier of vacations. 

 

Idaho – The Gem State

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Idaho

Surprise! Idaho seems to be a popular vacation state. Who knew? Idaho is a northwestern U.S. state known for mountainous landscapes, and vast swaths of protected wilderness and outdoor recreation areas. 

 I think we’ve all seen the commercials for the Idaho Potato truck 

But Idaho is also know for gemstones. The mountains contain veins of gold, silver, lead, zinc, cobalt, copper, and many other rare minerals. Some of these rare minerals are gems like star garnets (the state gem), jasper, opal, jade, topaz, zircon, and tourmaline.

Places To Stay

So now that I know what Idaho is known for lets see what resorts  my timeshare has to offer.

The first resort to pop up is Elkhorn Inn located in Sun Valley. I’ve heard of Sun Valley but primarily for skiing in winter but the internet write ups seem to make summer a good time to visit too.

Elkhorn Resort | Idaho | Diamond Resorts

Summer in Sun Valley!

The City of Sun Valley sits at the edge of the Sawtooth and Challis National Forests; with the Big Wood River, a fisherman’s dream, running through the Wood River Valley.

Sun Valley enjoys a pleasant mountain desert climate.  With an average humidity of only 30%, and 15 inches of precipitation per year, the northern latitude creates long days, with 15 hours of sunshine in the summer, giving the resort community its well-deserved name.  Average summer temperature is 78 degrees.

Located in Central Idaho is Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. I’ve wanted to visit Craters of the Moon and it looks like it’s about 1.5 hours from Sun Valley. Point for Elkhorn Resort.

How to get to Sun Valley

By Air:

The most convenient way to access Sun Valley by air is through the Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN) in Hailey, a short 20-minute drive south of Sun Valley.  During peak season months, there are daily non-stop flights from Seattle, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City.  Please access Fly Sun Valley Alliance for flight schedules and ground transportation options to Sun Valley.

Other nearby airports include Twin Falls (90-mile south) and Boise (150-mile southwest).

By Ground:

Mountain Rides Transportation Authority runs public transportation for the Sun Valley area. Mountain Rides, a free town bus service, serves Warm Springs, Ketchum, Elkhorn, Dollar and River Run areas. In addition, to enable residents and visitors to get around the Wood River Valley in an economical and environmental friendly way, Mountain Rides operates the Valley Bus, serving Bellevue, Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley.

The 2nd Choice

Timbers at Island Park . This condominium style resort is located 22 miles from the West entrance of Yellowstone National Park.

The Timbers Condominiums At Island Park Village | Armed Forces Vacation Club

I’ve actually been trying to get a reservation here for a couple of years so I think I’ll keep this near the top of the list and keep trying.  I want to explore Yellowstone from the West Entrance. My previous visit was from Wyoming which brought me into the park from the south. Yes, I got to see Old Faithful 

Old Faithful Erupts

Old Faithful Erupts- 2017

Getting There

The nearest commercial airports are 85 miles away in Idaho Falls, Idaho and 110 miles away in Bozeman, Montana. The resort is 22 miles south of West Yellowstone, Montana. From there is a car rental for the drive.

What about Arkansas?

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What About Arkansas?

Next on the list is Arkansas. It’s on my primary list because we have a timeshare resort. We’ve got 1 choice here, Los Lagos at Hot Springs Village. Los Lagos is a four-season resort, nestled in the Ouachita Mountains, just 20 miles from Hot Springs National Park.

Obviously I’ll need to visit Hot Springs National Park. 

The Wild- New York 2020

Hot Springs National Park

Hot Springs National Park has a rich cultural past. The grand architecture of our historic bathhouses is equally matched by the natural curiosities that have been drawing people here for hundreds of years. Ancient thermal springs, mountain views, incredible geology, forested hikes, and abundant creeks – all in the middle of town – make Hot Springs National Park a unique and beautiful destination.

What about Arkansas?

 

Arkansas Alligator Farm

I’ll have to visit the Alligator Farm. I love going to Gatorland in Florida so I will want to compare this Alligator farm with what I’ve experienced in Florida. Baby alligators are so cute. I remember seeing them in the wild in Everglades National Park. I’ve also had the opportunity to hold them at Gatorland so although it won’t be a new experience I still want to do it. I can imagine all the photo ops here!

Make Way For Ducklings – Public Gardens Boston 2017

 

Hot Springs Mountain Tower

Situated at the pinnacle of Hot Springs Mountain overlooking the town, the tower was built in the early ‘80s. A view from the top will give guests an unobstructed view of the countryside. On a clear day, it’s possible to see more than 100 miles away according to locals.

Reachable by stairs and an elevator, there are observation scopes at the top if your eyes need a bit of help.

If you’re up for a physical challenge, it’s more than 300 steps to the top, but your effort will be rewarded with burned calories and breathtaking vistas. I think I’ll take the elevator please!

Covered Bridge Vermont 2017