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Salt Lake City’s Natural History Museum is a Gem

Salt Lake City reminds me a lot of Calgary, especially the way skiers scurry out of town upon arrival to hit Park City, Snowbasin, Alta, and Solitude, all within an hour drive. After spending three days solely in Salt Lake City, I would highly suggest making time to check out the city. There’s a lot happening in town, from the revitalization of Main Street thanks to the year-old shopping center, City Creek, to emergence of neighborhoods with an indie vibe, like 9th and 9th. The food was exceptional. Highlights include the crab and corn bisque at Bambara, kumamoto oysters at Naked Fish, turkey mole at the authentic Mexican joint, Red Iguana, sturgeon fish and chips at the Copper Onion, and the kale caesar salad at Pago. 

 
My favorite stop in town was the year old Natural History Museum of Utah next to Red Butte botanical garden in the foothills of the Wasatch Range. When you think of it, what better place than Utah to have a natural history museum? Rich in Native American culture, geological wonders like the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon and the stone arches at Arches, and still very active with dinosaur digs around the state, Salt Lake City should have one of the finest natural history museums in the country. Displaying vibrant Navajo baskets, intricate Paiute beadwork, dinosaurs, a working paleontologist on site, and stunning views of the valley below, this site alone would inspire me to return to Salt Lake. 
 

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Faith-Based Travel Story in Crux

Earlier this month, my family was in Cappadocia, Turkey, visiting the fascinating underground cities Christians built in the 2nd century to avoid persecution from the Romans. Tunnels were carved into the soft volcanic rock that venture a mind-boggling 7 and 8 levels underground. They lead to rooms that were used to sleep, eat, pray, along with advanced ventilation systems and a well to retrieve water. Cappadocia is one of the many inspirational locales I mentioned in a recent article for Crux, a special publication the Boston Globe publishes. I also included the rock churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia; the island of Patmos, Greece where St. John the Divine was banished; the Tuscan hill town of Assisi, best known as the home of St. Francis and the Franciscan monks; and the legendary Spanish hiking route known as the Way of St. James.

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Miami Curated, Mandatory Reading for Those Headed to Miami

If you’re headed to Miami for Art Basel this December or maybe some much needed R&R on Key Biscayne or South Beach, do yourself a favor and check out the new blog by longtime travel PR maven, Karen Weiner Escalera, MiamiCurated. Known for her impeccable taste in food, fashion, and culture when she lived in Manhattan, Escalera has now set her sites on her new home base, Miami. A recent blog divulges top 5 new restaurant openings this fall. District Miami in the Design District, offering Pan-American fare. “Think creative ceviches, lobster malanga tacos, Vermont brie and chipotle burger and pastelitos with guava and goat cheese,” says Escalera. I’m sold!

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See Mount Rushmore in Winter and Then Ski Terry Peak

I’ll be devoting all next week to visiting America’s National Parks in winter, my favorite time of year to go since traffic is at a minimum. But to get us in the right frame of mind, I’m going to start with that iconic granite sculpture, Mount Rushmore. Approximately 3 million people a year visit the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Honest Abe. Come winter, visitation drops from highs of 5,000 a day in summer to less than 100 people daily. That’s a lot more wiggle room. And just like Yellowstone is an hour away from the ski area, Big Sky, the Black Hills of South Dakota is home to Terry Peak. With a vertical rise of 1,100 feet and an elevation over 7,000 feet, more snow falls on Terry Peak than anywhere else in the region. New this winter is the Gold Corp Express, Terry Peak’s third high-speed quad chairlift. 

 
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Savoring the Great Outdoors in the June ActiveTravels Newsletter

It’s the beginning of the big family travel season. If you want to keep your kids happy with as much activity as possible, in some of the most spectacular settings in the world, then try one of the tried and true trips in the latest ActiveTravels newsletter. They all received rave reviews from members or from our own firsthand experience. Also in this month’s issue, we offer you a Quick Escape to Provincetown, Massachusetts, and a wonderful deal in Napa Valley. Please check it out! 

 
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Camp Sarika to Debut at Amangiri Spring 2020

Those of you who like your adventure lathered in luxury most likely know about Amangiri, the 34-suite lodge unveiled by exclusive Singapore-based hotelier Amanresorts. Amangiri is located near Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument in Utah’s canyon country, surrounded by stunning mesas and remote desert. Now you can get a little closer to nature thanks to ten luxury all-weather tents that are set to debut next spring. Evenly divided between one and two-bedrooms, the 10 units are equipped with a living area, dining area, as well as private bathrooms with a bathtub, and indoor and outdoor showers. The one-bedroom tents are approximately 1,900 square feet, while the two-bedroom tents offer over 2,800 square feet of canvas-covered comfort. Wake up with morning yoga, then spend the day hiking in the canyons with a naturalist, boating on Lake Powell, or staring in awe at the Vermillion Cliffs. Afterwards, reward yourself with an outdoor spa treatment. 

 
 
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Beach, Kilimanjaro Climb, and Gorilla Add-On to Tanzanian Safari

Realize that you have options when booking a safari in Tanzania. You can combine a safari with a climb up Kilimanjaro, a beach vacation on the coast, or continuing on to Rwanda or Uganda to see the gorillas. Guides will take you up Kilimanjaro in six days, but it’s best to give yourself at least 7 nights to acclimate to the altitude. Recommended ways up the impressive snowcapped peak include both the Machame or Lemosho Routes. I wouldn’t call a week on safari a relaxing vacation. You’re waking up as early as 5:30 am to catch the morning game drive and then spending a good portion of the day bouncing around on the back of a jeep on rutted roads to get those close-up shots of wildlife. Lying on the beach is an ideal way to end your trip. Also, going to Zanzibar at the end of the trip will greatly reduce price of a safari package since lodging averages $250 a night, not $1300 a night or much more on safari. A good alternative to the hustle and bustle of Zanzibar is Mafia Island Lodge, on the southernmost Tanzanian island, close to the wildlife at Selous National Park. Another real find for a beach vacation is Chole Mjini, an eco-resort on a private island across from Mafia Island that Tanzanians I met raved about. 

 

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