North Carolina is a state of great contrasts. In the west, there are smoky blue mountains and twisting mountain roads. In the central part of the state, you’ll find financial centers and the “Research Triangle.” Along the coast, are white sandy beaches and colorful condos on stilts. There’s a lot to be discovered in this diverse state. Ian and I spent a couple of weeks traveling through North Carolina in February. Here are our favorite spots!
Read MoreThe Outer Banks are one of the biggest travel destinations in North Carolina. White sandy beaches stretch into the distance. Colorful houses stand on skinny legs ready for flooding. And blissful buttery seafood abounds. That said, there are some places that are just not conducive to traveling in a camper van. The Outer Banks in winter just might be one of those places.
Read MoreWhen most people think of places known for art, they probably do not think of Raleigh, North Carolina. We were really surprised when on a cloudy day in February, we were able to spend a day totally immersed in art in Raleigh. The best part about it was that all of the art was free to visit.
Read MoreCanyonlands National Park is an enormous desert wilderness. Here’s our guide to Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky District if you only have one day to spend in the park. Start your day with sunrise at Mesa Arch, look out over some amazing vistas, and explore a few short hiking trails…
Read MoreDelicate Arch is probably the most iconic arch in the park. The arch is a symbol of Utah and more broadly the west, and it’s one of the most famous rock formations on Earth. When people picture a natural arch, there’s a good chance that they picture Delicate Arch in Arches National Park. Viewing thousands of beautiful pictures of Delicate Arch can’t even compare to standing under the huge arch and experiencing it in person. Here’s our guide to hiking there in winter.
Read MoreThe Devils Garden Loop is one of the longest and neatest day hikes in Arches National Park. There are seven arches that you can approach up close along the 7.2 mile Devils Garden Trail, along with a high concentration of sculpted rock fins and a number of other interesting rock formations to explore.
Read MoreArches National Park has over 2,000 natural sandstone arches with light openings taller than three feet. In fact the national park has the highest concentration of natural stone arches in the world. Besides the arches, there are balanced rocks, fins and towers of sandstone, and stone spires and obelisks sprinkled liberally throughout the arid desert landscape. Here’s our guide to our favorite spots in Arches.
Read MoreIn January 2017, my partner, Ian, and I bought a Sprinter cargo van. We spent three months converting the empty van into a cozy tiny home with solar power, a bed, a kitchen, and bikes and backpacking gear in the back. Our little home on wheels has allowed us to explore the incredibly diverse landscape of North America.
Read MoreIn our year of traveling in our van, we’ve visited quite a few hot springs, developed and undeveloped, but none have been quite like Mystic Hot Springs. Mystic Hot Springs is a really quirky place on the edge of Monroe, Utah. The signature feature of the resort are antique claw foot tubs filled by a the natural hot springs.
Read MoreThe Fairyland Loop is considered one of the most iconic day hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park. The route lives up to its name, meandering through a world of absurd hoodoos and strange bulbous sandstone towers, and hiking the Fairyland Trail in winter can give you a totally different perspective of Bryce Canyon National Park.
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