In this post, I review our visit to the home of my childhood hero!
When the Tranquil Trekker was a little girl, I LOVED the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder! (We watched the TV show some too, but I always liked the books better.) I read the entire series numerous times and had half the story memorized!
If you had told the Little Trekker that in 30 years I would be living in the SAME STATE as Laura I would have freaked! 😂
For the last decade that we’ve lived in South Dakota, whenever we drive down I-90 through the eastern part of the state and see the sign for the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Homes, I would say, “We really need to visit there sometime!”
Well, we had plans to travel for a conference for Mr. Trekker’s work one fall, and he suggested we leave a few days early and stop at “Laura’s House” on the way. I readily agreed!–The eight-year-old Tranquil Trekker was fangirling hard that day!
We knew I had surgery (and a lengthy recovery) looming in the next several months, so after our visit, Mr. Trekker got me several of my favorite Little House books for Christmas that year. I LOVED rereading them again during my convalescence!
Laura and her husband Almanzo, later in their marriage
Where are the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Homes?
The Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Homes museum is located in the tiny town of De Smet, in eastern South Dakota. The main museum and visitor center is found right off of US 14, almost downtown.
There are a few other sites related to Laura’s life scattered around the local area, as well. These include a marker to her husband, Almanzo, on Route 25 North and the Ingalls’ Homestead, an open-air museum, located off of 25 South.
You can also do a driving or walking tour through town and see where many of the buildings are (or used to be) from some of her later books. (If you stop at the main museum first, they have maps that show you all the other locations.)
For more information on visiting the museum, click here.
This rock was inscribed with a quote of Laura’s, “The true way to live is to enjoy every moment as it passes. It is in the everyday things around us that the beauty of life lies”–she was mindful! No wonder I liked her! 😁
What you will see at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Homes
At the main, museum site you can tour the Surveyor’s House, where the family actually lived their first winter in De Smet. There are several other structures located on-site, as well that are available to tour, including a schoolhouse and a mock-up of a covered wagon.
While many of the structures are original this was not their original location. Some have been moved from their true location to the museum site to make touring easier. Others are re-creations and some are from a similar period even if they weren’t the actual buildings Laura and her friends used.
The Surveyor’s House:
The Surveyor’s House is the actual home Laura and her family lived in their first winter in De Smet. This story is portrayed in the book By the Shores of Silver Lake.
Photos of the Ingalls on a wall of the Surveyor’s House (Baby Grace is on the left, Pa and Ma are in the middle and Carrie, Mary, and Laura are in the 3rd picture–Laura is standing, Mary is sitting)
The Final, Ingalls Home
In town, a few blocks from the main museum is the final home the Ingalls all lived in as a family. The house still contains furniture, mementos, and pictures from when the family lived there.
The final home the Ingalls lived in together in De Smet
Ma’s kitchen where Pa built the cabinets by hand!
The Ingalls Homestead:
South of town, south of Big Slough, is the actual Ingalls’ homestead!
The actual, five cottonwood trees Pa planted for “his girls” in the book “On the Shores of Silver Lake” are all still standing!
There is a mockup of a barn, a church, and a one-room schoolhouse, among other sites you can tour.
A model of the type of schoolhouse Laura would have attended and taught at
There is also a mockup of the shanty the Ingalls lived in on the prairie as well as an earthen dugout that some people used then (similar to what the Ingalls family lived in, in the book, On the Banks of Plum Creek.)
This is a model of the shanty houses used during the time of Laura’s booksA model of the type of dugout home Laura and her family lived in, in the book “On the Banks of Plum Creek”
There is a wagon ride that runs at certain times throughout the year that will take you to these sites.
This is also a decent walk/hike if you’re able and interested–this is a great way to release some energy for the two–and four-legged–“kids” in the family (just remember the four-legged kids have to stay outside the buildings).
This site is a great historical place to visit that is educational but fun too. I’ve talked to several parents who said their children still love the Little House books (boys and girls). While they are definitely “stories about girls” they are much more “pioneer stories” than they are “girl stories”.
So if you’re looking for something educational and active to do in eastern South Dakota, check out the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Homes!
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Have you visited the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Homes in De Smet, South Dakota? Did the site bring back fond memories of the Little House books from your childhood? Tell me what you thought in the comments!
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In this post, I detail our 40th birthday trip to Las Vegas and the Hoover Dam!
Mr. Trekker and I enjoyed an epic Spring Break trip to Las Vegas and the surrounding area to usher in both of us turning 40! We drove 3270 miles that week!
We had to take the LONG way to Vegas to avoid snowstorms on both I-80 through Wyoming and I-70 through Colorado. So, we drove south through Nebraska and the Colorado plains all the way to Trinidad, CO. Then we picked up I-25 to Albuquerque, New Mexico where we joined up with I-40, and took that to US 93, then the Hoover Dam, and Vegas!
This was not a typical vacation for us. The Trekkers are probably some of the worst people to visit Vegas. We barely drink or gamble (we only played–and lost–$5 on this trip! 🤑) and there weren’t any shows we were really interested in. 😂 When we go on trips we spend most of our time in the woods, not showering and using holes in the ground for toilets. 😯 Yet, we still had a pretty good time!
Las Vegas Casinos
We checked out most of the well-known casinos along the Vegas Strip. I was impressed that you can go into all the casinos/enjoy all the entertainment they offer regardless of where you are actually staying. You may have to pay an additional fee of course, but everything is accessible to everyone. Even places like the Bellagio Conservatory were free to everyone! It felt very egalitarian there…
–We liked Treasure Island, it looked like a pirate ship inside. I also liked the pirate ship in the pool out front!
—The Mirage was cool. I especially enjoyed the Volcano show set to music! We LOVED the fountain show and the incredible conservatory at Bellagio!
The fountain show at the pool in front of the Bellagio!
—Caesar’s Palace was very fancy but I found it felt somewhat confining with all the heavy wood and dark carpet/chair coverings.
—The Pariswas our favorite, if we ever go back again we’d like to stay there. The actual atmosphere inside was almost calming. The ceiling looked like blue sky with white, fluffy clouds. It was set up like you’re walking through the streets of Paris along shops and restaurants. They even had a city-like walking bridge in the center of the main room!
Flamingo Hotel
We actually stayed at the Flamingo. First, the bad news…
Customer Service was difficult to navigate…
The Ceasar’s online/phone customer service that I tried to use before we arrived was TERRIBLE! The woman on the phone could barely give me any helpful information regarding parking. I’d ask her things like where to park and she’d say, “talk to the front desk”. Then I asked her for that number or if she could transfer me and she said “Well, I really don’t know that.” Then she’d follow up with, “Is there anything else I can help you with today?” My literal response was, “Well you haven’t really helped me at all so far!” 😝
To be clear, I ALWAYS strive to treat customer service workers, housekeeping staff, waiters, etc. with the UTMOST respect and politeness. They work hard for little money and they put up with A LOT of crap! (I’ve done LOTS of customer service work.) But it was obvious this woman was just reading from a canned script and didn’t really care if I got the info I needed or not, she just wanted me off the phone as soon as possible. THAT does NOT sit well with me! 😤
Then I did some searching on Ceasar’s website and found a little more info. They even had a phone number for Ceasar’s Parking Customer Service! Of course, when you called that number, it rang a few times and then informed you it was a Ceasar’s nonworking number! 😝
Check-in was difficult to complete
Check-in also SUCKED! When we arrived on-site it took almost an hour to get through the line. We couldn’t get the online check-in to work using our phones. Then they had mostly kiosks available with very few actual humans working. Hardly anyone in line could get the kiosks to work so they had to resort to the humans anyway.
Though I will say, the Customer Service lady we dealt with was WONDERFUL. She was incredibly polite, helpful, and fast. I felt really bad for her. There were A LOT of irritated people and she was doing a great job of helping them. So KUDOS to her. And Ceasar’s, you should be paying her more! Whatever she is making, it isn’t enough!
Real flamingoes at our hotel!
The Flamingo was a good, lower-cost hotel option in Vegas!
Now for the good news! Once we finally survived check-in, the remainder of our stay was wonderful! The hotel itself was clean, it provided perfect access to the rest of The Strip, our room was nice and it was relatively quiet (other than our neighbors who seemed to enjoy coming home arguing at 3 in the morning for several nights straight! 😝We considered yelling outside their door when we left at 8 am but thought better of it. 😇 ).
I was actually impressed with the room. The Flamingo is kind of a “budget hotel” on The Strip. I was worried it would feel more like a Super 8 or Motel 6. This felt more like a Hampton Inn. Also, “budget” is relative. We still spent more than $500 for our stay there (three nights, Sunday through Wednesday) but that’s comparable to one night at many of the other hotels.
We used this website to easily check hotel availability in Vegas!
The accommodations at the other hotels are swankier but concerning location, Ceasar’s and Bellagio were literally right across the street from our room (also we paid extra for a room with a LARGE window and a Strip View.)
We spent more than an hour one night just staring out the window in awe, watching the well-oiled machine that is the Ceasar’s Palace limo system parade before us (we were getting Vegas-ed out by that point. 😂–it was impressive though!)
The view from our room!
The Flamingo offers EASY access to EVERYTHING not to mention GREAT views. You could literally park your car once and not have to move it again till you leave. You can walk most places but for things that are further away the Vegas Monorail stops right by the hotel.
My final verdict is that the Flamingo is a good place to stay, especially for first-timers or “normal” people who are trying to stick to a budget. Aside from check-in, I would even consider staying there again.
Tips for Visiting Las Vegas
Author’s Note: This was our first time in Vegas so these tips are intended for first-time visitors. Some of this info may seem rather “duh!” to people who frequent Vegas.
I was a little anxious about this trip. I’ve always wanted to visit Vegas but the Trekkers don’t usually do big cities so I worried we might be biting off more than we could chew. I was actually much more impressed by Vegas than I thought I would be. I could never live there (it’s still a big city). I would also hate the heat and I’d REALLY miss the color green.
On that front, I was very impressed that even in the very nice neighborhoods people didn’t really bother trying to keep grass growing. Obviously, it’s the desert, so they seemed to use desert-friendly plants, rock gardens, patios, turf, etc. I was very impressed that they weren’t wasting such a precious, natural resource (water) on such a futile fight (keeping grass alive where it usually doesn’t grow.)–So good on you Vegas!
The iconic, Vegas sign!
–Everyone was VERY friendly. I think I was a little intimidated to go to Vegas with the whole idea of rich, High Rollers walking around. I know they’re around and I’m sure there are places you can go that cater to those types of people (note: the Trekkers ARE NOT those types of people! 🤣) but everyone we encountered from fellow tourists to Locals, hotel staff, and servers were all very friendly! It felt like a city in the Midwest–which, shouldn’t really be surprising as Westerners tend to be pretty friendly too.
–It was pretty casual. We didn’t feel out of place at all in our hiking pants when we arrived. 😊 I expected to see lots of dressed-up people so I was pleasantly surprised to see so many people dressed comfortably like we were. I was a little surprised to see the “Sturgis Wear”, as I called them. 😂
So the standing rule in the Black Hills, during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, is you have to wear at least “pasties or paint”–mind you, this is in reference to what women wear to cover up their “upper halves.” 🤭
–Depending on what you want to do (and how much you can afford 😇) 2-3 days is a good amount of time to plan to spend in Vegas.
–I would definitely advise you to stay on The Strip if you can. It’s beautiful, you have the iconic, “Strip views” and it gives you easy access to everything available there (food, shows, casinos, people watching.)
Panoramic view of The Strip from the pool at the Bellagio
–Bring comfy shoes! We walked SO MUCH! We were EXHAUSTED every night! It felt like it took 20 minutes just to walk to the car, in the parking garage, that was attached to our hotel! We both lost weight on this trip and it DEFINITELY wasn’t from eating healthy. 😂
–Whoever invented the raised walkways was a GENIUS! People/cars hardly intersect except for the driveways leading into the casinos.
Strip view from one of the raised walkways
A few negatives to be aware of:
It stunk like Pot…EVERYWHERE! 🤥 (All of my 40 years may be showing with this comment but I was a DARE child of the 90s so, deal. 😉) It was kinda weird because we never saw anyone smoking. I lean Libertarian so I’m not looking to impede people doing what they want but holy smokes (no pun intended!) does that stuff STINK! After smelling that for three days, when we actually smelled skunk later in the trip it almost smelled good! 😝–that’s saying something! I will say though, it seems to bother my asthma much less than cigarette smoke, interestingly enough.
–It was PRICEY! I mean, I get that we were on “The Strip” but the thought used to be you could get things like food and hotels cheap in Vegas because they wanted you to spend your money on gambling…NOT SO ANYMORE! $75 for a couple of burgers, some fries, and two milkshakes?! We spent $60+ one morning for Dunkin’ Donuts! I mean COME ON! (To be fair, you go off The Strip just a couple of blocks and prices return to normal.)
“Affordable” Vegas Restaurants
We definitely didn’t need to gamble to lose all our money on The Strip! That being said, below are a few food suggestions that shouldn’t break the bank:
Blueberry Hill: this restaurant has multiple locations around town (all off The Strip.). It was your basic, DELICIOUS, home-cooked meal. I especially recommend them for breakfast. (If it helps, the parking lot was full of local cars–on a Monday morning–which is ALWAYS a good sign!)
Bobby V’s Ristorante: This place was VERY good. I had some of the best cheese ravioli I’ve ever had!
Apparently, this is owned by Chef Buddy Valastro from Cake Boss–and that’s literally the extent of my knowledge on that subject. 😂
Bobby V’s is right on The Strip and not “cheap” but definitely a more “budget-friendly”, option, at least by Vegas standards. (It also offered some great views out the windows!)
Hoover Dam!
The Hoover Dam is a fun, interesting side trip when you’re visiting Vegas!
The Hoover Dam was built in the 1930s to help control the unpredictable floods of the Colorado River. The dam is used for hydroelectric power. There are a variety of tours of the dam offered at various times and days (unfortunately none were being offered while we were there as the elevators were being worked on.)
You can check out the dam’s website for info on tour times, days, and prices (which range from $15 – $30. Typical cost to view the Visitor Center and see the short documentary on the building of the dam is $10).
The dam was cool! We did feel a bit like cattle being herded through a pen as they guided us into the movie theater for the short info movie; then guided us upstairs to the Visitor Muesum portion and viewing decks. 😂 The sites and info were pretty cool though!
The Hoover Dam!
Where is Hoover Dam?
Hoover Dam is located off of US 93, right on the Nevada/Arizona border, about 40 miles east of Las Vegas. It spans the Colorado River in this area.
Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge
Lake Meade
As the Hoover Dam slows the mighty Colorado River, it forms Lake Meade, the largest reservoir in the US. The lake has been incredibly low for the last several years due to drought (like 20 to 30 feet low).
A VERY low Lake Meade!
Watching Fighter Jets at Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base sits just outside of town and Mr. Trekker was very excited to find out some military exercises were being held while we were in Vegas (yep, I married a nerd! 😉) So we spent a sunny, 70-degree afternoon sunning ourselves next to the Vegas Speedway (which sits just across the road from the Nellis runway).
For some insider info on when you can catch planes flying at Nellis, click here!
WORD OF WARNING! You will be perfectly fine if you sit and watch planes on the roadside next to the Speedway. DO NOT sit across the road next to the Base fence! Technically both are portions of a public road, but the Base Police are known to get cranky if you sit on their side. (Just a tip to help your trip stay fun and uneventful. 😇)
So, take a trip to check out the Vegas Strip, the Hoover Dam, and maybe watch some fighter jets roar through the skies above you!
Have you been to Vegas or the Hoover Dam? Tell me what tips you would have for first-time visitors in the comments!
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In this post, I highlight our visit to Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak and other locations around Colorado Springs!
The Trekkers’ enjoyed another lovely, anniversary trip to Colorado! This time we visited the Front Range, the one part of the state we haven’t spent much time in. We also knocked several long-held items off our bucket list: the National Museum of World War II Aviation, Garden of the Gods, and Pikes Peak!
I find I have a love-hate relationship with Colorado. I LOVE visiting there! If I had to pick one state in the entire nation to vacation the rest of my life it would be Colorado, hand’s down. It’s just SO beautiful and there are so many things to do!
That being said though, to actually live in Colorado, you have to either choose a crowded big city or live isolated, in the middle of nowhere, with weather that can be incredibly harsh for much of the year. *sigh*
We’ve spent extensive time in the northern, western, southwestern, and southeastern portions of this awesome state. The only place we hadn’t really visited was the Front Range. So, as Mr. Trekker had a work meeting there on our anniversary weekend we thought we’d make use of the opportunity! (I’m very blessed that, as long as I have internet access, my flexible job allows me to work from hotel rooms in random states. 😉)
On the drive down to Colorado Springs we opted for the “Nebraska Route” from the Black Hills. This is a great drive to avoid traffic but it includes a unique trip through the nuclear missile fields of far southwest Nebraska and far northeast Colorado. The dichotomy between these weapons of death and destruction that sit just off the road and the relatively benign, green energy, wind turbines that watch over them from the nearby hills is enough to leave a chill down your spine. 😮
The Colorado Front Range
For those who don’t know, the Front Range is essentially a conglomeration of cities and towns that run for almost 200 miles, north-to-south, along I-25 and the “front range”–hence the name–or eastern border, of the Colorado Rockies. This region basically runs from Fort Collins to Pueblo and includes the other highly populated areas of Boulder, Colorado Springs, and, of course, Denver.
I get why people like to live on the Front Range. It’s got many cultural opportunities, easy access to shopping (basically anything you could want), and easy access to incredible sites and all the outdoor activities you can think of at any time of the year.
Now for the bad news…THERE ARE SO MANY DAMN PEOPLE!!! 😝 This region is one of the fastest-growing areas of the country (not to mention one of the most expensive places to live) and it keeps expanding! This equates to it being incredibly busy and hectic. 🤯 Sorry kids, there is nothing tranquil about the Front Range. 😂 The Trekkers have spent too much time living in small-town America to handle all that craziness. Plus, you’re talking to the girl who grew up in rural Indiana and liked it! FAR too many curses emit from my lips when trying to navigate Front Range traffic! 😂
So, Colorado, while I love you and will forever enjoy vacationing there, I don’t EVER see myself living there! 😇
Pikes Peak
The summit of Pikes Peak sits at over 14,000 feet of elevation. This is VERY high! The air is much thinner up here and the oxygen level is much lower. Do not be surprised if you feel short of breath, dizzy, and lightheaded with even the most minimal exertion. Also, if it is summertime know that you can get sunburned FAST at this altitude.
Altitude sickness can occur at this height (though it is rare if you are only visiting for a short time and is a larger concern if you are heavily exerting yourself.) Symptoms to watch for include nausea, dizziness, and shortness of breath. In most cases, these will subside once you return to a lower elevation.
How do I visit Pikes Peak?
There are multiple ways to visit Pikes Peak! You can drive your car, ride a shuttle bus, hike up or take a train! Details on each option are below:
Drive the Pikes Peak Toll Road
You will find the entrance to the Pikes Peak Toll Road off of US 24, about 10 miles west of Colorado Springs. There is a fee to reach Pikes Peak using this route. Please note: this mountain is VERY popular. So much so that during the summer season (Memorial Day through the end of September) you must have a reservation to drive all the way to the summit. (You can purchase tickets online here.) There are also guided tours during the summer months that allow you to let someone else drive.
This picture speaks for itself 😁
Click here for a video of our drive UP Pikes Peak and here for a video of our drive down the mountain (complete with police escort! 😮
Ride Bikes up Pikes Peak Highway
You can also ride a bike to the top of the mountain via the Pikes Peak Highway. Fees and reservations still apply.
This wouldn’t be my preferred method as you’re sharing this winding, narrow road with about a million of your closest friends (mostly tourists who are trying to navigate large machines that could easily kill you while they’re looking around at the amazing views)…but you do you. 😉
A panorama, 14,000 feet up from the top of Pikes Peak!
Hike Pikes Peak
If you’re the ambitious type, you can hike the Barr Trail up Pikes Peak. This would be an incredibly scenic way to see the mountain although I’ve heard the hike is not for the faint of heart. We didn’t do it but I know some people who have, successfully. For a first-hand account of the hike up Pikes Peak please see the blog of a friend of mine!
This hike is no joke! The trail is 13.5 miles long (one-way) and gains more than 7000 feet in elevation! It also reaches heights of over 14,000 feet and much of it is incredibly exposed both to sun and thunderstorms that can easily pop up.
Many people like to hike up the mountain and then take the Pikes Peak Cog Railway on the return trip (see below)!
Garden of the Gods as seen from Pikes Peak!
Pikes Peak Cog Railway
One of the more popular ways to reach the summit is via the cog railway. This way someone else gets to “drive” (while you enjoy the views!) and you don’t have to deal with the crowded roadway on the way up! Click here for information on getting tickets for the cog railway!
This hazy pic is of the east side of the Sangre de Cristos mountains as seen from Pikes Peak. We visited the west side for the Festival of the Cranes earlier in the year!
Police escort off Pikes Peak (not a joke!)
We had quite the adventure as we left the summit of Pikes Peak. The story starts when we initially arrived at the gated entrance to the attraction around 2 in the afternoon. (That gave us a good four hours to enjoy the views and get down before dark.) When we paid our entrance fee the “gatekeeper” told us THE MOST IMPORTANT THING to know is to keep the vehicle in low gear on the return trip to save the car’s breaks. Note: he stressed the importance of this tip and this is the ONLY THING he told us.
We reached the summit and went to check out the summit building when I realized this was the place that had the awesome donuts I had heard so much about! (They ran out WHILE we were standing in line! 😝) We also saw some signs that said the summit building closes at 4:00 pm.
That’s fine, we’re used to buildings in our local national parks closing around that time, it just means you need to find an outhouse if you need a bathroom after that time…or so we thought. Note again, this is the ONLY thing the signs or the brochure said–stay with me, this is important for later in the story…
A short while after leaving the summit we stopped at a pull-off where a number of people had stopped and were hiking around. We wandered down the trail and around the corner of some rocks for about 20 minutes. We were upwards of 14,000 feet in altitude so we weren’t moving very fast 😇 but it was a nice day and we were enjoying our walk.
As we were returning to the car we noted the pull-off was now completely devoid of other vehicles save the ranger truck with flashing lights sitting next to our car (and another police truck sitting on the road just before the pull-off.) We talked to a VERY friendly, older-gentlemen ranger who said they close the summit at 4 in hopes everyone will be off the mountain by 5-ish–ok, we were heading down anyway. Note: Again, this is ALL he said…
So we left the pull-off and got back onto the road with a friendly wave to the police truck who then…basically escorted us, with flashing lights, off the mountain. We thought, “wow, they aren’t kidding about closing the summit!” (That’s way more intense than we’re used to but whatever, we were on our way down anyway.)
I wasn’t kidding about the police! 😂
About halfway down the mountain, we came to another pull-off where several vehicles and people were still milling about. As we slowed down for the curve we were finally able to make out the muffled noise coming from the police truck behind us…”I told you all once before, if you’re not off the mountain by 5 pm it’s a $1000 fine!” (For the record, he was talking to the people still parked, not us.)
I should also note, it was currently about 4:55 and there was NO WAY we were going to make it off the mountain in the next five minutes! Fortunately, he was busy with those people and ignored us and we merrily continued our way down the mountain with no further problems.
Really…not kidding! 😂
With the rise in van life and “stealth camping,” not to mention the winding road, steep dropoffs, and large wildlife (and close proximity to a large, metro area) I can understand their desire to keep people off the mountain in the dark. However a few suggestions come to mind…
–Maybe…when a park gate employee tells you “THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER…” three hours from park closing time, he should actually mention that there is a closing time? (Especially if there is a monetary fine involved?…)
–Maybe…on the brochures for the park (not to mention the signs on actual park buildings) they note this closing time as well?…
…these are just suggestions, of course. 😝
***I should also note we visited the park in mid-October, during the summer I believe it closes at 8…JUST MAKE SURE YOU’RE OFF THE ROAD BY THEN! 😝***
Garden of the Gods
Garden of the Gods has to be one of the more famous “city parks” in the country! The main entrance is off 30th street on the west side of Colorado Springs (though there is another entrance on the south side from US 24.) Also of note, this park is open till around 9 each night, and there were signs ALL OVER clearly stating this…*ahem* 😝
Garden of the Gods with Pikes Peak looming overhead (to the right)
This is a great attraction! It’s found right in town so it’s easy to access for Out-of-Towners or Locals wanting a nice place to exercise or walk the dog. Rock climbing is also available at certain places within the park. Another cool thing about Garden of the Gods…admission is completely FREE!
Sign at the front of the park
This locale is characterized by a number of red rock formations rising from the dry, green scrubland that is common in this part of Colorado.
This formation is called the “kissing camels” (though from this distance it looks more like a sea turtle. 😝)Up-close view of the “kissing camels”. We thought they looked more like a calf laying down, kissing a vulture with its wings folded…but whatever. 😝
The Twins!
View from “the window” between the Twins!
National Museum of World War II Aviation
While in Colorado Springs we also checked out the National Museum of World War II Aviation which is located just north of the Colorado Springs Airport, just off Aviation Way (which you can reach from US 24). This was a nice museum! As Mr. Trekker is a history nerd with a special fondness for WWII airplanes, he especially enjoyed it. 😉We had enjoyed the Pikes Peak Regional Air Show earlier that fall and many of the warbirds from the museum were featured there.
Places to Eat near Colorado Springs
As usual, we found MANY good places to eat on our trip:
Paninos Restaurant–this is a cute, casual, family-owned, Italian restaurant. We enjoyed a lovely anniversary dinner there!
Louies Pizza –a tasty, casual place for pizza in a convenient, downtown location
Sandy’s restaurant –Sandy’s has one of the best breakfasts in Colorado Springs! This place has HUGE portions! (I’m not kidding. However much you think you should order…halve that!) You usually need reservations on weekends but the hostess liked us when she found out we were from South Dakota (a certain blogger may have noticed her Mt. Rushmore shirt and casually mentioned we live near there. 😇) She convinced some friendly locals to let us sit with them at their long table.
This is one thing I LOVE about traveling, road trips, and taking the scenic route. It often means you get the privilege of visiting local places. You never know when an opportunity will arise to get to know a complete stranger in a comfortable environment. I LOVE interacting with Locals like this! You never know what you’ll learn from their experiences!
Josh & Johns –this was a yummy place for a sweet, ice cream treat
Uncle Sam’s Pancake House, Manitou Springs —nothing fancy here but the staff were friendly and attentive and the breakfast was DELICIOUS!
Hoosier Pass, Colorado
After our weekend in Colorado Springs, we needed to get to Boulder as Mr. Trekker had some work meetings there. Normal people would have driven straight up I-25 from “the Springs” to Boulder…but who wants to be normal?!
Instead, the Trekkers opted for the VERY scenic route! We took US 24 west to Hartsel, then took Route 9 across one of our favorite parts of Colorado, South Park (click here for a video of another drive through South Park!) We even got to check out the ghost town of Alma and the skiing area of Breckenridge on this jaunt!
Leave it to the Trekkers to willfully and eagerly turn what could have been a simple, 90-minute drive into an incredibly beautiful, 8-HOUR tour of central Colorado on a GORGEOUS fall day…ALWAYS take the scenic route!
As part of our scenic drive, we randomly stumbled upon a place I’ve had on my list to visit…that’s right, the Hoosier finally found Hoosier Pass! 😁 😁 😁 (Not sure why the two signs differ by three feet in their claim of how high it is? 😮)
This is a great little park situated in north-central Colorado, around 15 miles west of Golden and about 17 miles north of I-70. It’s got a number of trailheads that can be accessed from various areas, but the main entrance/ Visitor Center can be found on Route 46 about five miles east of the t-intersection with Route 119.
Golden Gate Canyon State Park offers around 35 miles of trails in addition to other activities (like camping) and it’s dog friendly! If you want to know how the park gets its name, visit in late September/early October, it was beautiful!
Can you see why they call it “Golden Gate”?
There are places in the park that also offer incredible views of the surrounding Rockies, including some of Rocky Mountain National Park’s most notable peaks (the national park sits only about 60 miles to the north).
The tall peak to the right is the infamous Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park!
Places to Eat in Boulder
We were only in Boulder a few days but we enjoyed a few yummy places to eat there, as well!
Sweet Cow –another yummy place for a sweet, ice cream treat!
Chez Thuy–this is a great, Vietnamese restaurant. I highly recommend their Pad Thai!
So if you’re visiting the Colorado Front Range, be sure to check out Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, Golden Gate Canyon State Park, and the National Museum for World War II Aviation! You’ll be glad you did!
Have you visited any of these locales? What did you enjoy most? Tell me about it in the comments.
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A post about a nifty museum we visited in south-central Pennsylvania.
If you’re in south-central Pennsylvania and you enjoy military museums, check out the US Army Museum (also called the Army Heritage and Education Center) in Carlisle!
To be honest, this type of attraction is much more up Mr. Trekker’s alley than mine. I’m not really into war/military stuff all that much. However, he enjoys learning about history and going to these types of museums so as the sweet, dutiful wife, I happily tag along. 😉I will say, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with how much I enjoyed this locale.
Where is the US Army Heritage and Education Center?
This US Army Museum is located at 950 Soldiers Dr., in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. I will warn you, it isn’t super easy to find. The museum sits right along I-81 but there isn’t a good exit for it off that highway so, don’t rely on that landmark to find the attraction. 😝 There are a number of signs around town pointing to the Carlisle Army Barracks…but these are on an active Army base and aren’t where you want to go.
You can reach the museum off of Army Heritage Drive which is located off of East North Street/Claremont Road in town (which you can reach from Route 11). My advice would be to ignore the blue signs around town (until you are almost to Army Heritage Road) or else they will just confuse you.
The good news is if you take a wrong turn and end up on base–which is surprisingly easy to do–the soldiers at the guard house are very friendly and willing to direct you where you need to go (I can speak from experience 😇). You get the impression they’ve done this before. 😝
Note to the US Army: maybe make your awesome museum less confusing to find?
Signed: a US taxpayer 😝
Outdoor Exhibits at the US Army Museum in Carlisle, PA
The outdoor exhibits at the museum are pretty cool! We didn’t have time for the “Global War on Terror” portion before the rain arrived, but the rest of the outdoor displays were great! They include a walking path for the family to enjoy and you can even bring your furry friend along for this section of the museum.
Photo credit: Rik Schots
Two of the exhibits allow you to walk through both an American and German version of trenches from World War I.
I found myself feeling claustrophobic and panicky in these close quarters and we only had to worry about noise from I-81 nearby. I can’t imagine what it was like with bombs exploding around you while standing knee-deep in unnamable slop with death all around. 😮
We also got to see a Vietnam-era “hooch” and climb a tower camouflaged in the jungle foliage, then we were off to explore some Civil War and World War II-era cabins.
The outdoor portion of the museum is great, our only criticism of it was the order of exhibits was a little convoluted. They start with the modern-day War on Terror, then jump to World War I trenches, then to Vietnam, then to the French and Indian War, then to the American Revolution, then to the Civil War, and then finally end with World War II. 😝
Indoor Exhibits at the US Army Heritage and Education Center
I was also impressed with the museum’s indoor exhibits. This included a picture gallery of Army history from the early 1900s to the Present.
Many of the exhibits were hands-on and quite fun! In one you get to experience a nighttime parachute jump into an enemy jungle. In another you’re sitting in a Korean War-era “hooch” at night, hearing bullets whiz by outside. There is another where you get to experience riding in a “Huey” helicopter.
There is also an exhibit where you are given dog tags for people who were actually in various wars (World War II, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, etc.) You then “follow” them through the course of the exhibit. This reminded us of the experience at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., where you “follow” a person throughout the whole experience.
These are just some of the hands-on exhibits available at the museum. I thought they all offered something interesting that even kids can enjoy!
Want more information on the US Army Museum in Carlisle, PA?
See below for more info on the US Army Heritage and Education Center:
You can check out the main website for the museum here.
This website gives information on theArmy Heritage Trail–this is all the outdoor exhibits at the US Army Museum.
If you’re in south-central Pennsylvania and you’re looking for a fun activity the whole family can enjoy, check out the US Army Heritage and Education Center!
Have you ever been to this museum? If so, what did you think? Let me know in the comments!
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