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| Somewhere in Kansas |
I know it’s a little late, but I thought I’d write a post
about the wonderful cross-country road trip my mother and I took from Columbia,
Missouri to Montecito, California a couple weeks ago. It was a fun four days
filled with scenic drives, long conversations and singing along to country
tunes.
Vail, Colorado
We arrived in this idyllic mountain town at around 1pm. First thing on the agenda – checking into the ultra modern boutique hotel
The Sebastian. Right in the heart of Vail Village, this hip and happening spot
was a great jumping off point for us. We walked the town for over an hour,
popping into stores and stopping to gaze at the stream that winds its way
through the mountain escape.
Later that afternoon we purchased a bottle of K. Furtado’s Sauvignon Blanc at Grappa Fine Wines and had our own little happy
hour in our spectacular room that had a view of the peaks. Following our sips,
we needed some bites, so we headed downstairs to the lobby bar and ordered some
delicious small plates that we ate fireside. A seriously relaxing evening.
The
next morning we awoke early and we headed to St. George, Utah.
Utah
On our drive to St. George, we stopped at Arches National Park in Moab. With over 2000 sandstone arches, this desert landscape almost
seems other-worldly. Definitely worth a stop. When we arrived in St. George, we
checked into Red Mountain Resort and Spa. This healthy hotel has all sorts of
fitness classes and hikes plus organic dining options. That night we opted for
room service and American Idol. The great news is that the room service menu is
the same as their super-healthful restaurant, so we ate very well that evening.
The next morning we woke up with the sun and headed to the nearby Zion National Park. Wow, what a treat! This place is a must-see in my book. I seriously cannot
wait to go back and dedicate more time for river rafting, hiking and overall
sight-seeing.
After that, we were headed to Las Vegas.
Las Vegas, Nevada
The short two-hour drive from Zion National Park to Las
Vegas is not scenic at all. In fact, it is down right boring. But then out of
nowhere, the strip rises up from the desert floor. It’s quite a sight to see. We
got an early check-in at the newest hotel on the strip, The Cosmopolitan, and
we were upgraded to a Terrace Suite. We then cleaned up and dressed for Sin City’s
heat! Later that day, my father arrived at the close-by McCarran airport.
After
dropping his bags in our room, we headed to the Chandelier bar for some
cocktails. Post-drinks we grabbed a cab and made our way to The Capital Grille.
We wined and dined – highlights included their strip steak, sautéed spinach and
a bottle of 2008 Ramey Chardonnay. After dinner, we took a stroll all over town
– checking out all the major hotels like The Wynn, The Bellagio, The Venetian
and The Palazzo. Such a fun way to end the evening.
The next day, we made the final trek home to Santa Barbara.
It was an incredible road trip. I’m so glad we did it. Actually in less than 48 hours, we’ll
all be hopping on a plane and flying to Tucson, Arizona for a holiday getaway.
I’ll be sure to tell you all about that vacation upon our return next week. Hope all is
well with you dear readers!
Cheers!
