Category Archives: Travel

Top RV Campgrounds: Silver Falls State Park In Oregon Is “A Standout Scenic Treasure”

From the Oregon State Parks website:

Silver Falls State Park RV CampingPeople call it the “crown jewel” of the Oregon State Parks system, and once you visit, you know why. Silver Falls State Park is the kind of standout scenic treasure that puts Oregon firmly onto the national—and international—stage. Its beauty, boundless recreational opportunities and historic presence keep it there.

Waterfalls:  Where else can you walk behind a waterfall? Check out the famous South Falls and see what a 177-foot curtain of water looks like from behind. It’s part of the Trail of Ten Falls, a spectacular, nationally recognized hiking trail that weaves through a dense forested landscape. The trail passes a series of breathtaking waterfalls along a rocky canyon, and descends to a winding creek at the forest floor. This 7.2 mile loop is considered to be a moderate hike, with an overall elevation change of 800 feet.  Several connecting trails with separate access points make shorter routes. For everyone’s safety— absolutely no pets allowed on the Canyon Trail.  Pets on leash are allowed on all other trails.

Silver Falls State Park RV Camping map

Boots, bikes, paws, hooves: The park offers more than 35 miles of backcountry trails for mountain biking, hiking or horseback riding (see guided ride info below).  Bears and cougars live in the more remote park areas.

To read more click on the following link: https://oregonstateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/silver-falls-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=OR&parkId=402235

Stories From The Road (Trip): “Big Bend Country”… “The Wild West Of Texas”

From a National Review Magazine online article by Heather Wilhelm:

Big Bend CountryTry to get to Big Bend National Park, a stunning mix of ecosystems perched on the Rio Grande. Sure, you can fly into El Paso — and then you’ve still got about 300 miles left to go. No matter which way you approach the heart of West Texas, it’s a long haul. (Well, unless you have a private jet. But then you’d be missing half the fun.) 

As the writer S. C. Gwynne has pointed out, the American frontier didn’t end in California, but in the wild west of Texas. On the way out to Big Bend country, through hardscrabble landscapes, breathtaking canyons, and vast swathes of open sky, you can see why.

If you take my preferred route — it’s longer than necessary, on purpose — you’ll stumble across the former home of Judge Roy Bean, the hard-living, saloon-dwelling, 19th-century “law west of the Pecos,” who kept a black bear as a pet. You’ll pass through Marathon, a one-horse town with an impossibly lovely hotel — the Gage, built in 1927, famous for its White Buffalo Bar.

To read more click on the following link: https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2019/09/09/the-great-american-road-trip/

Top Camping Vehicles: Overland Discovery Rents Fully Loaded 2020 Jeep Gladiator Camper

From a 303Magazine.com online article:

OVERLAND DISCOVERY 2020 JEEP GLADIATOR Camping gear listOverland Discovery currently owns six Jeeps and two campervans that are located here in Denver but are in the process of equipping more to offer the experience to those traveling to the Las Vegas area, a prime outdoor destination with 16 national parks within driving distance. The lineup currently includes two and four-door Wranglers and Rubicons, two RAM ProMaster campervans and a new 2020 Jeep Gladiator – a Rubicon truck with exemplary power, towing capability and a king-size rooftop tent for maximum comfort. OVERLAND DISCOVERY Logo

Each vehicle is automatic with 4×4 capability and comes with a rooftop tent with a memory foam mattress, blankets, pillows, camping chairs, propane stove, YETI cooler, cookware, and two gallons of water. All you need to bring along is your food, an extra cooler for drinks and a sense of adventure. “Seeing people experience adventure and the look in their eyes when they get back is just as satisfying as experiencing it for myself,” said Ramirez.

https://www.overlanddiscovery.com/

To read more click on the following link: https://303magazine.com/2019/08/jeep-rental-camping-gear-overland-discovery/

Top New Travel Videos: “Chile – Los Lagos To Atacama” By Martin Heck

Filmed, Edited and Directed by: Martin Heck

Explore the incredible diversity of Chile in Winter. From the northern end of Patagonia and Los Lagos region with its picture-perfect volcanoes, to the wild pacific coast, magical araucaria forests, towering peaks of the Andes all the way up to the Atacama Desert.
Shot in June and July 2019 traveling over 5000km from south to north.

Chile Timelapse film by Martin Heck  2019.JPG
Website: timestormfilms.com/
Music: “Skydance” by Kim Planert – kimplanert.com/
Special thanks to:
Angelbird Media – angelbird.com/
Wicked South America: – wickedsouthamerica.com/

Chile Timelapse film by Martin Heck 2019

Cultural Events: Smithsonian Magazine Celebrates “Museum Day” With Free Entry To Over 1600 Museums On Sept. 21

From SmithsonianMag.com:

Free Museum Day Sept 21 2019More than 1,600 museums nationwide will be opening their doors for free on Sept. 21 in honor of Museum Day.

It’s an annual event organized by Smithsonian Magazine to celebrate cultural institutions and museum-goers across the country from Los Angeles to New York and from Hawaii to Alaska. It encourages museums, galleries and historic sites to allow free entry just as the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington, D.C.-based facilities do year-round.

Even some animal centers like the Charles Paddock Zoo (usually $10 for adults) in California and the Swaner Preserve and Ecocenter in Utah (also $10) have chosen to take part.

To find a participating museum click on the following link: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/search/?q=Frist%20Art%20Museum%20&

Top RV Travel Spots: Halcyon Hot Springs In British Columbia On The Shores Of Arrow Lakes

From a Canada.com online article:

Halcyon Hot Springs on lakeIf you’re looking for the ultimate road-trip tour of hot springs in BC, take the route between Nelson and Revelstoke. Hugging the shores of the Arrow Lakes (which are actually a widening of the Kootenay River), it seems like there’s a hot spring around every corner.

Halcyon Hot Springs, just north of Nakusp, is one of the best. These man-made pools have epic views of the lakes and the Monashee Mountains, as well as a range of accommodation options. Adult dips start at $17, which includes towel rental.

To read more click on the following link: https://beta.canada.com/travel/visit-6-of-the-best-hot-springs-in-british-columbia/wcm/5ae00b7a-b260-4f1b-873b-3707d669c22c/amp/

Top New Travel Videos: “A Day In Havana” Directed By Julio Palacio (2019)

Julio Palacio – Director, editor & DP
Taaneya Balaji – Compositing & Graphics

A Day In Havana Travel Film By Julio Palacio (2019)

This year, my talented friend asked me to work on his beautiful film set in Havana, Cuba. As described by Julio:

In mid-June, I had the opportunity to travel to Cuba for the first time. I knew enough about the revolution and the change Cuba had in the 50s, but I was not really sure what to expect. Many people said that going to Cuba was almost like traveling back in time, and in my experience that is the case, the architecture, the old American cars, the old melancholic music, among many other things, but Cuba is way more complicated than that. This is not a travel video, it is more of a lifestyle film that captures what I perceived to be the essence of Havana and its people; many of which have very contradicting feelings about their own country. When I came back to edit, I thought I wanted the film to be in black and white, to represent that feeling of the old Havana, the luxurious, glamorous city from the 50s, but being there and seeing all of the beautiful colors and understanding the culture and how much flavor they have, it did not feel right. After talking to a few filmmaker friends, and telling them about my experience there, we came to the conclusion that Cuba is in fact trapped in the past, but its people have so much hope for the future, so much drive to keep going, even in the face of many social problems.

A Day In Havana Travel Film By Julio Palacio (2019)

A better representation of this feeling was to have a mix of both B&W and Color, highlighting certain areas of the frame in B&W while keeping the beautiful colors of this amazing place. Having this mix plus the beautiful soundtrack reinforces that feeling of Nostalgia that possesses the city, and seeing the people go on with their daily lives, their faces, and how they keep moving forward, represents the hope that everyone I met there still has. This is “A Day in Havana”.

Website: https://taaneya-balaji.com/

Top RV Campsites: Jumbo Rocks Campground At Joshua Tree National Park Features Oversized Volcanic Boulders

From Fodor’s online:

Jumbo Rocks CampgroundThe accurately named Jumbo Rocks Campground is woven among the stacked and strewn oversized volcanic boulders unique to Joshua Tree National Park. Several hiking trails begin at Jumbo Rocks, a 126-campsite facility with vault toilets. During Joshua Tree’s peak season, October through May, hikers and rock-scramblers who reserve the campground well in advance are rewarded with views of the boulders whose colors shift throughout the day, from the morning sunrise to the fire’s glow. In the hot, dry summers, Jumbo Rocks is first-come, first-served.

Jumbo Rocks Campground RV

For more information click on following link: https://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/jumbo-rocks-campground.htm

Top Road Trips: St. Martins, New Brunswick Is Home To The World’s Highest Tides

From a National Geographic online article:

New Brunswick CanadaOn the mainland, drive east to St. Martins, gateway to The Fundy Trail, a 6,323-acre coastal wilderness park. Wind along coastal cliffs on the 19-mile Fundy Trail Parkway to watch the tides and access paths to waterfalls, beaches, and a suspension bridge.

In St. Martins, the world’s highest tides create the rare opportunity to explore sea caves on foot and on the water. Check the tide chart to plan a low-tide walk out to the caves, allowing plenty of time to return to shore before the water rises. At high tide, float into the caves on a Red Rock Adventure sea kayaking trip.

Watch a six-hour timelapse of the rising tide that lifts fishing boats 50 up from the tidal bottom:

To read more click on the following link: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/north-america/canada/partner-content-bay-of-fundy-best-road-trip/