And maybe, just maybe, if you hit all these places, perhaps you'll end up with enough pearls to make a necklace as my friend and illustrator Carrie Campbell depicts below (thanks, Carrie!).

Hog Island Oyster

A beloved spot for tourists and locals alike, Hog Island Oyster is popular for a reason. They offer local (and regional) sustainable oysters with delicious wines and beer to wash them down. The vast majority of their oyster come from their oyster farm in Marshall, on Tomales Bay, and they even have farm tours. Check them out in the Ferry Building (go early to avoid lines) or in Napa at the Oxbo Market if you are out in wine country.

P.S. If you've got a non-oyster-loving friend in your dining group, they make a killer grilled cheese sandwich.

Water Bar

I confess, I go to the Waterbar for their lobster roll, fried pickles, and fabulous martinis, but they also have a fantastic oyster bar. You can not find a better view of the Bay Bridge (they're located right on the Embarcadero), they've got a great terrace for outdoor dining as well, but I love to sit at the zinc bar and fill up on delicious oysters, especially during happy hour (more on those later).

Swan Oyster Depot

People either love or hate the Swan Oyster Depot. The most common description of the counter in the 100+-year-old fish market is “no-frills.” Personally, with the quality of oysters they serve, I don't care about the frills! I will say that, given the size of the counter, it is extremely tough to get into, but it's so worth it. Go early to the Nob Hill location (1517 Polk St) and make friends, the service is excellent (all family), and please note it is CASH only!

Anchor and Hope (now closed)

I am not sure if I love Anchor and Hope for its oysters or their housemade potato chips! Paired with a beer, sometimes I never want to leave. Besides the fresh oysters, which are always amazing, they have a dish called ‘Angels on Horseback', which are smoked bacon-wrapped oysters served with a remoulade sauce, worth every bite! I know you are here for oysters, but they also have one of the best fish and chips in town.

Anchor Oyster Bar

Serving out of its Castro Street location since 1977, the Anchor Oyster Bar has a loyal following and was recently added to the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand list. They focus on sustainably harvested seafood, including succulently fresh oysters. The staff is very knowledgeable, and they know the perfect oysters for beginners to try, should you find yourself with newbies.

Oyster Happy Hours

San Francisco has dozens of spots for oyster happy hours! You can get fresh, inexpensive oysters after work in nearly any part of town. 7×7 has a guide that gives you 36 oyster happy hour spots, and Eater's has their favorite oyster deals heat-mapped.

Not your Mama's Oyster

I had to share two oyster dishes that are a little unique.

Tadich Grill's Hangtown Fry with eggs, bacon, and fresh oysters is a classic hangover meal for many San Francisco natives. You can get fresh oysters as well from the city's oldest restaurant ,along with their famous cioppino.

How about you? Are you a fan of oysters? Do you have a favorite spot you go to get them? A favorite way of serving or cooking them? Do tell!

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From its snowy peaks to its sun-soaked shores, the region boasts a variety of activities and sights that cater to every type of traveler.

Lake Tahoe holds a special place in my family's heart. My parents honeymooned there. Both sides of my family have held big celebrations (anniversaries, birthdays) and family reunions there and during the 30 years I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area it was a wonderful escape just a few hours up the road.

Let's dive headfirst into the heart of Lake Tahoe, exploring its luxurious resorts, diverse outdoor activities, and unique cultural experiences that make it a premier destination for discerning travelers.

Natural Beauty and Serene Vistas

Lake Tahoe's allure begins with its breathtaking landscape. The lake, one of the largest and deepest in the United States, captivates visitors with its striking blue waters that mirror the sky. Surrounding the lake, the Sierra Nevada mountains stand majestically, their peaks serving as the perfect backdrop for a picture-perfect vacation.

It is those magnificent clear waters that have ruined me for any other lakes! I now live in North Carolina and the lakes are brown!

Whether it's the vibrant wildflowers in spring, the lush greenery of summer, the fiery hues of fall, or the pristine snowscapes of winter, Tahoe's natural beauty offers a stunning spectacle every season.

Visitors can take leisurely boat rides, try their hand at fishing, or simply soak in the sun on one of the many beaches dotting the shoreline. With its iconic vistas, the Emerald Bay State Park offers some of the best views of the lake and is a must-visit for anyone wanting to experience Tahoe's scenic beauty up close.

Exploring Tahoe's Surroundings

While Lake Tahoe is a powerhouse of recreational activities, the surrounding areas are replete with attractions that enrich any visit. Hikers can explore the vast trails that snake through the Sierra Nevada, offering everything from casual walks to challenging climbs. The Flume Trail, for example, is a favorite among cyclists for its thrilling ridges and breathtaking views of the lake below.

For those interested in exploring beyond Tahoe’s immediate vicinity, two hours away is Mono Lake, an ancient saline lake known for its otherworldly landscapes and limestone formations known as tufa towers. This striking locale starkly contrasts Tahoe’s alpine scenery and is a popular spot for photography and bird-watching, adding another layer of adventure to the Tahoe experience.

Tahoe’s Ski Resorts

Winter transforms Tahoe into a wonderland for snow sports enthusiasts. The region is dotted with world-class ski resorts like Squaw Valley, which hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics, and Heavenly Resort, which offers some of the most spectacular views across the lake. These resorts provide excellent skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing facilities, catering to beginners and seasoned athletes alike.

I can't think of a better spot for the holidays – skiing for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's is so much fun!

Apart from the thrilling slopes, the resorts offer luxurious accommodations and spas where visitors can relax after a day in the cold. The apres-ski scene is vibrant, with cozy lodges and upscale bars offering warm firesides where guests can unwind with a hot drink or enjoy gourmet meals. This blend of high-octane adventure and comforting luxury makes Tahoe one of the most sought-after winter destinations in the country.

Water Sports and Wilderness Adventures

As the snow melts and the warm sun bathes the Sierra Nevada, Lake Tahoe transforms into a summer paradise, offering water-based activities and wilderness adventures that attract large numbers of outdoor enthusiasts. The lake, known for its clarity and vibrant blue color, is perfect for water sports such as kayaking, paddleboarding, and sailing.

The adventurous can explore hidden coves and secluded beaches or participate in thrilling parasailing experiences to get a birds-eye view of the majestic landscape.

Hiking and mountain biking trails become accessible and inviting, winding through lush forests and opening up to spectacular mountain vistas. The Tahoe Rim Trail, an extensive loop that circles the lake, offers hikers and cyclists a challenging but rewarding adventure.

Alongside physical activities, the summer also brings outdoor concerts and festivals where music and culture flourished under the open skies.

A Haven for Romantics

With its stunning landscapes and serene ambiance, Lake Tahoe has become a favored destination for couples looking to elope. Eloping here allows couples to exchange vows against some of nature's most breathtaking backdrops—from cliffside overlooks framing the vast lake to tranquil wooded areas and flower-filled meadows.

The appeal of purchasing Lake Tahoe elopement packages lies in its simplicity and the intimate connection it fosters, free from the elaborate trappings and extensive guest lists of traditional weddings.

When Mr. Misadventures and I decided to elope, Lake Tahoe was high on our list!

Local vendors and planners specialize in creating bespoke elopement experiences catering to various tastes and budgets. Every detail is thoughtfully considered, from securing a private lakeside spot at sunset to arranging a gourmet picnic basket filled with local delicacies.

Many couples choose to stay in the area post-ceremony, turning their elopement into a luxurious honeymoon. [My parents didn't elope but they honeymooned in Lake Tahoe and took advantage of all the romantic surroundings.] They explore the trails, indulge in spa treatments, or simply relax by the crystal-clear waters of the lake.

Culinary Delights

Beyond its natural beauty and adventure sports, Lake Tahoe boasts a vibrant culinary scene catering to food lovers and connoisseurs. The lake’s proximity to California’s agricultural heartland ensures a steady supply of fresh, local ingredients that chefs use to craft diverse menus ranging from sophisticated fine dining to casual, hearty fare.

Restaurants with lakeside views offer the perfect setting for a romantic dinner, serving everything from expertly grilled steaks to fresh trout pulled directly from the lake’s waters.

Local breweries and distilleries add a unique flavor to Tahoe’s food scene, with many establishments offering craft beers and spirits that are perfect for sipping after a day of hiking or skiing. Seasonal food festivals and farmer’s markets also give visitors a taste of local produce and artisanal products, showcasing the region's rich culinary heritage and innovative spirit.

The Timelessness of Tahoe

Lake Tahoe remains one of America’s most cherished destinations, offering a perfect blend of natural beauty, adventure, romance, and culinary excellence. Whether it’s the allure of its turquoise waters in the summer or the pristine snowy landscapes in winter, Tahoe provides a year-round playground for those seeking a luxury getaway in the heart of nature.

Its capacity to combine outdoor activities with upscale relaxation and intimate elopements with grand adventures makes it a versatile destination that continues to captivate the hearts of travelers worldwide. From serene hikes through verdant trails to unforgettable meals under the stars, a visit to Lake Tahoe is more than a trip—it’s an experience that enriches the soul and leaves lasting memories.

How about you? Have you been to Lake Tahoe? Tell me more!

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San Francisco: The City by the Bay

Iconic, eclectic, and ever-charming, San Francisco has an infectious energy. Standing tall and bathed in an orange hue, the Golden Gate Bridge is a marvel worth witnessing. Whether you drive, bike, or walk across, the panoramic views of the bay will leave you spellbound.

The city's historic trams offer a nostalgic ride through its undulating streets, leading you to attractions like Fisherman's Wharf, famed for its seafood stalls and lively atmosphere. And don't forget the eerie allure of Alcatraz Island, where stories of the infamous prison await.

I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for nearly 30 years, working in San Francisco for a good chunk of that. Here is my San Francisco Guide.

Napa Valley: California’s Wine Country

Wine aficionados, rejoice! Napa Valley, California's famed wine country, is a sensory delight. As you drive through its scenic roads, the sight of rolling vineyards will surely take your breath away. Vineyard tours are plentiful, offering a firsthand experience of the winemaking process and, of course, tastings of some of the finest wines.

Apart from its vinous offerings, Napa Valley is also a haven for gourmet enthusiasts. World-class restaurants dot the region, serving dishes that perfectly complement the local wines. And if you're looking to unwind, consider booking a day at one of the luxurious spas that Napa is renowned for.

A few of my Napa Valley stories:

• Napa Valley’s Castello di Amorosa
• Napa’s Round Pond Estate
• Taylor’s Refresher – One good burger
• Making Dinner at Ramekins Culinary School

Los Angeles: Entertainment Capital of the World

Los Angeles promises glitz, glamor, and a healthy dose of stardom. Walk along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where legends of the silver screen are immortalized. The Griffith Observatory, perched atop the hills, offers splendid views of the city and a closer look at the stars above.

For art lovers, the Getty Center is a haven of artistic masterpieces, while beachgoers can bask in the sun at Santa Monica or Venice Beach. No visit to LA would be complete without witnessing a live show at the Dolby Theatre, the traditional home of the Oscars.

I worked at Dolby for 5 years and worked the Oscars in the Dolby Theatre, check out my stories!

San Diego: America’s Finest City

San Diego, aptly nicknamed “America's Finest City,” presents a harmonious blend of history, culture, and modern attractions. For first-time visitors, San Diego walking tours offer an immersive way to navigate through the Gaslamp Quarter, Old Town, La Jolla, and beyond. As you stroll, you'll witness the lively atmosphere, architectural wonders, and remnants of bygone eras.

Considering the city’s longstanding ties to the military, one can't talk about San Diego without mentioning the USS Midway Museum. An aircraft carrier turned museum, visitors get to delve deep into naval history as well as get an up-close view of antique aircraft ranging from WW2-era fighters to Cold War-era helicopters.

For those with families or simply young at heart, the world-renowned San Diego Zoo is a must-visit. Home to more than 3,500 animals, it offers a captivating peek into the world of wildlife from every corner of the globe. Here is my story about their amazing Backstage Pass experience!

San Diego stories:

• San Diego bites – George’s at the Cove
• San Diego Bites: Nobu
• San Diego Bites: Searsucker
• Misadventures in San Diego – Gaslamp Edition

Yosemite National Park: Nature’s Masterpiece

Grand waterfalls, towering cliffs, and serene meadows – Yosemite National Park is a testament to nature's grandeur. A paradise for hikers, the park offers trails that range from easy walks to challenging treks.

The awe-inspiring view of El Capitan, a sheer rock face popular among climbers, is a sight to behold. As seasons change, so does the park's beauty, making it a year-round destination.

Yosemite stories:

• Weekend Misadventures: Yosemite National Park
• Could you have been… a Yosemite visitor?

Sequoia & Kings Canyon: Giants of the Forest

Step into a realm where trees reach the skies. Sequoia National Park, home to the gargantuan General Sherman Tree, offers a humbling experience as you walk amidst these ancient giants. Close by, Kings Canyon impresses with its deep valleys and rugged landscapes.

Together, these twin parks showcase nature in its most majestic form.

Joshua Tree National Park: A Desert Wonderland

Mystical, otherworldly, and starkly beautiful – Joshua Tree National Park is where the Mojave and Colorado deserts meet. Its namesake, the Joshua Tree, stands tall against a backdrop of giant boulders and starry nights.

Artists and adventurers alike find inspiration in its unique landscape. Be it rock climbing, stargazing, or simply reflecting, this desert park offers solace and wonder.

Joshua Tree stories:

• Joshua Tree National Park
• 5 Unique Art Destinations In Joshua Tree
• RV Travels: Weekly Wanderings #50 – Palm Springs
• RV Travels: Weekly Wanderings #51 – Palm Springs

California, with its vast landscapes and diverse attractions, is truly a traveler's dream. Every city and national park narrates a unique story waiting to be experienced. So pack your bags, set the itinerary, and embark on a Californian adventure that promises memories to last a lifetime.

How about you? Have you been to California? Do you have a favorite spot? Do tell!

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Usually, not words associated with me. But DEFINITELY accurate descriptions for The Modern Honolulu hotel in Oahu, Hawaii.

There are a lot of older, well-established hotels in Waikiki, and then there's the Modern. A single-location property, the owners have a singular focus: great design, and great service.

I am very fond of both.

When I arrived at the hotel, I knew it was going to be different immediately. The lobby area is very, well, modern. I am a big fan of minimalist design and neutral colors and The Modern Honolulu has that in spades.

I love their front desk, the design is unique, yet appropriate for the location.

Also, who doesn't want to be greeted with cilantro lemonade and a cool towel?

I had just flown in from Oakland thanks to Hawaiian Airlines and had enjoyed an excellent lunch at the Hawaiian Airlines Headquarters, so I was ready for a little rest. I went to my room to have a little downtime before my dinner event in the evening.

The room was just perfect. Designed exactly to my taste. Honestly, being the klutz that I am, I could not live in an all-white house full-time, but I really enjoy hotel rooms that are furnished that way!

[I have realized I need some tips from Katie and Andi P. on taking interior hotel room shots (theirs are always awesome!).]

You can't tell me that this bed doesn't look inviting? Besides sleeping in it at night, I took an afternoon nap on it the next day after a couple of dozen tastes of wine with Colgin Cellars and Kermit Lynch!

I couldn't have asked for better views from my two terraces and bedroom windows! Hello Waikiki!

The sky was delicious with beautiful clouds, the water was that gorgeous shade of blue you only get from being in a tropical location.

Perfect and serene, this was a wonderful spot to drink my first coffee of the day.

There are a lot of great little touches that brightened up the white and remind you that you are in Hawaii. How many times have you been to a hotel room, even a nice one, and you couldn't tell where in the world you were? Not here!

Even the welcome amenities remind you that you are in Hawaii, pineapple, macadamia nut, ginger cookies, tropical drink, this isn't New York City!

The Modern Honolulu is known for a couple of things: its great design, hot night club (I didn't visit that), awesome pool, fabulous cuisine from Iron Chef Morimoto, and a really chill bar.

Here is a view of the pool from my terrace.

I went down Sunday morning to take some shots before it got too busy.

Plenty of spots for both sun worshipers and shade lovers. Poolside service means you really don't have to get up for much. I wasn't there long enough to relax by the pool, but I did get a chance to try their signature drink, the coconut mojito…and I can definitely envision a day of doing nothing at the pool with a constant supply of them!

At 9:00 in the morning, these guys looked like they were on their way to do just that!

There aren't a lot of kids around, but if you desire a completely adult-only space, there is a wading pool on the second level where children are not allowed. They have awesome day beds that you can reserve for 24 hours (these can be reserved for hotel guests – you need to spend $150 on food and drinks and $250 for non-guests). Talk about being treated like royalty for the day!

On my first night, I attended a progressive Modern Honolulu dinner. We started poolside where we enjoyed coconut mojito along with appetizers, like ahi tartare.

The evening atmosphere of the pool is very nice, and laid back, well, until the fireworks show! Every Friday evening they have a great display and The Modern Honolulu's poolside has an excellent vantage point.

For our main courses, we moved to Morimoto's, located in the hotel on the second level. We sampled several fish dishes all delicious and a melt-in-your-mouth Wagyu filet that was to die for! (The next day I had lunch at Morimoto's sushi bar and had an equally enjoyable experience!)

For dessert, we moved to the hotel's bar, The Study. During the day, the entry is closed off with what actually looks like the wall of a study. Then at 5 PM, it opens up to reveal the bar.

I was expecting a noisy, hip bar where you couldn't hear yourself think, but it is a very, very relaxed space, with live music and a great drink menu. We sampled a new dessert the pastry chef is working on, a white chocolate pannacotta with banana and dark chocolate. I am not a huge fan of white chocolate, but I ate every bite and say, “put that thing on the menu!”

I really was sad to leave, this hotel is fantastic. Great staff, great food, great space…and FREE WiFi everywhere!

I already knew there were amazing things to eat in Oahu, but now I knew that there were amazing hotels too! If you are visiting Oahu, I definitely recommend you stay at The Modern Honolulu. They are located at 1775 Ala Moana Boulevard Honolulu, Hawaii. And if you are looking for something unique to do, how about sharking diving without the cage!!?? My most irrational fear in life is sharks. Everyone keeps telling me I need to get over it, maybe shark diving with One Ocean Diving in Oahu will be the experience that gets me over that!

During my time in Oahu for the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival, The Modern Honolulu was my gracious hotel host. The remainder of my trip was sponsored by Hawaiian Airlines and despite their generosity, all opinions remain my own!

How about you? What do you like best about your favorite hotels?

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When I posted a photo to Instagram for another project, I geotagged that the photo was taken in Billings. I did not mention Billings in my caption or anything else. However you can't fool the travel community, I immediately got comments about how awesome Billings is, how underrated it was, and how much fellow travelers had enjoyed exploring it. I have to say that I agree!

Plus, Billings has a truly great food and beverage scene which is the most important thing to making a trip great in my book. Billings also has art, music, outdoor activities, entertainment, and other fun activities. It truly is at the trailhead of some epic national parks and monuments.

On top of that, their farmer's market can seduce the socks off any foodie! Then they have the pièce de résistance, a real French baker making real French bread, mon Dieu!

I only spent 48 hours in Billings, but it was definitely long enough to fall in love.

My time was mainly focused on the historic downtown area. It is so easy to get to. Hello! My home during my stay, the historic Northern Hotel was just a short drive (2.2 miles) from the airport! Downtown Billings is more than a single block of historical buildings, it is block after block, I quickly got in my 10,000 steps which I needed to work off the great food, coffee, juices, and beverages!

And while I was doing this:

And this:

My USA Parks travel buddy, Emily was doing this:

And this:

Two different styles, one city.

Of course, I didn’t just eat. (Although I did do a lot of that.) I also visited museums and art stores, coffee shops, and battlefields.

There are plenty of things to do in Billings MT, no one was more surprised than I was! Let me share some highlights and offer you recommendations for your visit to the city of Billings.

I'm going to make you wait for the food. Let's start with art.

Things to do in Billings Montana: Art

I know. You're thinking, “Andi? Art? That's something new!” Well, actually it's not. I LOVE museums, street art, murals, and artisanal crafts. I may not sit down and write a dissertation on how fascinating I find Toulouse Lautrec's 19th Century Paris work, and I may not be able to tell you why Monet painted so many flowers, but I can tell you his gardens are pretty! And I can tell you that I loved visiting the Yellowstone Art Museum.

Yellowstone Art Museum

I walked to the Yellowstone Art Museum from the hotel the first afternoon I arrived. It was 2 hours until closing but that was plenty of time to see the good stuff (and save room for the gift shop!). The museum's size is digestible and I got to nearly all the permanent collections and exhibits. There were 2 that were my favorite: the thing itself and America the beautiful: Clyde Butcher.

I once saw an exhibit at The Leeum Samsung Museum of Art in Seoul that was very similar to ‘the thing itself. In this exhibit, various artists have taken everyday objects, cereal boxes, pieces of garbage, and more and by inlaying, overlaying, mounting, and recombining them have created some really fun pieces to see. I enjoy upcycling/recycling and this exhibit takes it to the next level.

I absolutely loved seeing the photography of Clyde Butcher, mainly because (a) he is a great photographer, but (b) most of the photos in the exhibit space were of places that I have visited before and so I had a connection to the subject matter.

I also absolutely loved the notes he took about each photo. I had some revelations about some of the photography habits of Mr. Misadventures, I have come to understand some of his peculiarities a bit more after seeing this beautiful black-and-white photography exhibit.

You don't have to go to a museum to realize that Billings has a very vibrant art scene. ArtWalk Downtown Billings, a monthly event that just celebrated its 25th anniversary, highlights the ever-growing community of artists and art galleries in downtown Billings. And it isn't just the galleries, it is a community affair with a festival-like atmosphere.

I was not there for one of these evenings, but I did get a chance to check out work from local artisans at a shop called Toucan, everywhere I turned there was something I wanted to buy, but my carry-on luggage prevented me from doing so!

Traffic Signal Boxes

As you walk around town you will also see traffic signal box art which is part of a public art project.

Just in the 4-5 block radius area, I walked around the Northern Hotel, I found so many!

Other Street Art

There are also unofficial outlets for street art by local artists, mainly some of the alleys off First Avenue North and 30th Street South. While not sanctioned by the city they are a way for artists to express themselves with bright colors and designs and lots of statements.

Other Museums in Billings

Not necessarily art, but falling in the museum category, are the following spots to visit in Billings:

• Yellowstone County Museum: At the airport! So if you find yourself there early with time to kill, check out the artifacts from the Northern Plains Indian tribes, western expansion, mining, cattle and sheep herding, and textiles as well as other Montana history and a steam engine!
• The Moss Mansion: historic site and home of the prominent Moss Family one of Billings's founding members. It's made from iconic Redstone and is quite a beauty, I passed it several times during my walks.
• Western Heritage Center: dedicated to the history of the Yellowstone River Valley and the Northern Plains.

Billings Outdoor Activities

Billings was made for the outdoors and the people who love killing a couple of thousand calories before noon! It is an outdoor mecca and there are endless things to do near Billings making the town a great place to fuel up and head out.

My particular 48 hours were a little more on the down-low, but my partner in crime, Emily hit this part of the itinerary in full force. She is a rock star!

Horseback Riding

Emily headed out with Bitter Creek Outfitters for a horseback ride through parts of the family's 7000-acre 100-year-old ranch. It is 8 miles from Billings but could be hours the way it makes you feel! The groups are small, 6 or fewer, and no one knows that land better than the second-generation rancher! They take riders at all levels.

This is a great way to experience the gorgeous plains, the rimrocks, the ponderosa pines, and lots of wildflowers. You might even be lucky enough to be accompanied by the ranch's dog Bo!

Hiking or Walking

I got all my steps in by walking everywhere I went in the downtown Billings area. However, on my next trip I plan on doing some local hiking trails, and here is where I'll go:

• Four Dances Recreation Area: this is designated BLM recreation land that was set aside in 1999. It is day use only and you can hike, check out wildlife and take beautiful photos in this area that has sagebrush/grassland, ponderosa pine, and cottonwood riparian.
• Pictograph Cave State Park: This is a National Historic Landmark consisting of 3 caves in a 23-acre area with cave paintings on view. There are rock paintings too.
• Swords Rimrock Park (also called Swords Park): You don't have to leave town for this one. There are 60 acres and the trail follows around the rim of the outskirts of Billing with great views. Also see the Yellowstone Kelly Interpretive Site at this location.
• Two Moon Park: A nice little loop trail through gorgeous meadows, and woods along the Yellowstone River.

Biking in Billings

Emily tore it up at both Acton Recreation Area and Phipps Park Mountain Bike Trail. She met some of the guys who help get the Acton Recreation Area up and running and they offered to ride with her through the area. Acton is constantly being developed, with the hopes of turning the Acton Recreation area into a mountain bike destination.

Phipps Park is a little more gentle where you climb the butte, do a nice loop around the top, and then quickly hit the downhill. And there is also Zimmerman Park with easy looping trails.

Billings, The Trailhead Where It All Begins

These are excellent spots to check out while staying in Billings. Make Billings your home base for relaxing and eating after checking out these spots not too far away.

Little Big Horn National Monument

Road trip! I had so much fun on my solo day trip to Little Big Horn National Monument while I was visiting Billings. I love national parks and monuments and I was happy to add this one to my collection.  It takes 1 hour, but it is a beautiful drive on I-90 East through rolling hills and big skies. I was there before I knew it and while the monument was busy, I never felt crowded.

This battlefield (listed in the National Register of Historic Places) is the site where the Cheyenne, Lakota, and Sioux Indians fought against the 7th Cavalry of the United States Army, led by General Custer. I was very pleased with how the park treated the topic of such a bloody campaign, but I believe it was fair to both sides.

I visited the cemetery outside of the visitor's center and did the tour road in my car stopping along the way to look at headstones and historical markers. One of the most exciting things was catching some wild horses on the drive. They were close enough to see, but I certainly did not have the right camera to capture these gorgeous beasts!

Where was Mr. Misadventures when I needed him!

After my visit, I made a stop at the Land Stand Trading Post just outside the park. I have been to a few trading posts in my time, but nothing like this! It was huge, chock full of fun things to look at and buy (I bought a t-shirt!), it had teepees, scary cool skulls, and Indian fry bread with honey!

This was one of the best things to do near Billings MT!

I highly recommend this drive from Billings! So worth it!

Tippet Rise Art Center

Tippet Rise Art Center is an outdoor art exhibit slash concert spot (they host classical chamber music and recitals) in Fishtail, Montana. In the background are the gorgeous Beartooth Mountains. The large-scale exhibits are set on a 12,000-acre working sheep and cattle ranch. How cool is that? The exhibits are seasonal, so you can keep going back for more!

Rimrocks

Billings is also known for the “Rim” or “Rimrocks.” The Rimrocks are geological rimrock sandstone formations around Billings. The Billings airport is on the Rim! Swords Rimrock Park is the best way to explore them. you can do rock climbing there as well.

Pompey’s Pillar National Monument

This historical monument dates back to the days of Lewis and Clark. These famous pioneers traveled through Yellowstone Valley in 1806. Captain William Clark even carved his name into the pillar as a reminder of this trip (bad form Mr. Clark, bad form!); however, it is the ONLY physical evidence of the Lewis and Clark expedition!

More Outdoor Things to do in Billings

• Pioneer Park is a huge 32-acre park is a popular spot in Billings with plenty of things to do!
• Spend a day at Lake Elmo State Park: picnic (there are picnic tables), paddleboard, kayak, or just relax!
• Or spend time at Lake Josephine inside the Riverfront Park.
• Winter in Billings: Cross-country skiing in the area around Billings.

Where I Stayed – The Northern Hotel

Our home away from home was the historic Northern Hotel. It was my guiding beacon everywhere I went during my time in Billings as I could see the building from nearly every point! When I landed at the airport I walked out and immediately realized there wasn't a taxi line. When I inquired the information desk said most of the hotels had shuttles, of course, and how nice is that? It is a perk I miss a lot.

I cannot tell you how long it has been since I was on a hotel airport shuttle! In 5 minutes I was picked up and whisked away to the hotel which was like 7 minutes away – so convenient! From that point forward except for my little road trip to Little Big Horn (coming below), I walked to everything I visited in Billings.

The Northern Hotel is placed right where you need to be. The staff is impeccable and while we didn't eat at the hotel restaurant, Emily and I enjoyed a nice after-dinner drink in their bar.

Eating & Drinking in Billings

Ah, the good stuff! No 48-hour trip would be complete without me sampling as much of the food scene as possible. How else can I make recommendations for you?! Tough job but I love to do it!

Coffee and Non-alcoholic Beverages

My Phoenix airport shuttle had picked me up at 3:00 am so I could get to Billings in time to enjoy the afternoon, so coffee was one of the first things on my mind when I landed! My first stop was Rock Creek Coffee Roasters where I had a cold brew (although it wasn't the 112 I had just left in Phoenix, it was 90).

I was SO tempted to try their cold brew and Coca-Cola drink but I wasn't going to go that carb crazy in my first hour in Billings, so I had the regular cold brew! While staying in Billings I also stopped in at Ebon Coffee Collective where I tried their cortado. I was eyeballing some of their avocado toast, but had to be reasonable!

Lastly, after window shopping in Toucan, I spent some quiet time with a macchiato at MōAV Coffee. If you are looking for a spot to work, be a digital nomad, or just do your thing, MōAV Coffee has a great setup with comfortable sitting areas grouped in sections, bars along the windows, and a nice outdoor terrace that runs along the side of the shop. A lot of towns I visit don't have great coffee so it was really good to see that the coffee culture is intact here!

By the way, I totally dig the architecture in downtown Billings! As I was visiting all these delicious spots my eyes were feasting on the scenery as well.

Can you say, hello, Instagram spots?!

See that last photo up there? During one of my walks, I got thirsty but didn't want caffeine or water so I stopped at Well Pared for a juice. Isn't it adorable! I miss juice shops. When I worked in San Francisco there were 4 within 2 blocks of me and I loved getting fresh juice daily.

There are 2 Well Pared shops in Billings run by brother and sister and I was so happy to try them out. Got myself a Gibe juice with kale, lemon, celery, green apple, and cucumber – delish!

Food and Treats

Oh, where do I start? First let me tell you: I did not have one bad meal. I had some which stood out more than others, but all of them were delicious. Having said that, I am just going to share where I ate and recommend it all! However, please note that Billings has a thriving restaurant scene. Any town that has a restaurant week has made it in my book!

Breakfast at The Sassy Biscuit x 2

The Johnsons have my number. It's been two weeks since I've been to Billings and I am still thinking about that place. My waistline is glad I don't live in Billings because me and The Sassy Biscuit in the same town, I wouldn't win!

The Sassy Biscuit is the brainchild of Jilan Hall-Johnson, a wife and mother of a military family that through their travels around the country, picked up recipes and cooking styles here and there, mixed them with their recipes, and viola came up with the sassy biscuit, which is pressed shortcakes, something like a biscuit in a waffle maker.

The menu has so much more than that and I confess my first breakfast there I ordered 2 items! I got the fried chicken and waffles pictured in the photo above (hello, more Instagram-worthy spots!) and the Johnson-style spoon cake with sage-sausage white gravy, rice, and a fried egg.

So you know that game we like to play when you like a place so much go back twice? No? Is that just me? LOL. Well, that’s exactly what I did. On our last morning, Emily and I headed back to The Sassy Biscuit because that “Johnson-style” spooned cakes breakfast was to die for! I totally abandoned the low-carb train but it was so worth it, Mrs. Johnson you go girl!

One last shot of this spot – it is SO cute!

Lunch at The Burger Dive

You already saw me eating that big fat burger in the photo at the beginning of my story, The Burger Dive has a burger for everyone! Award-winning too! I had the “Best of the Bash” burger with blackened seasoning, goat cheese, bacon, onion ring, arugula, Sriracha sauce, and garlic basil mayonnaise and Emily had the “I'm your huckleberry” with Huckleberry Hatch chili barbecue sauce, bacon, goat cheese, arugula, and roasted red pepper mayo.

It won the World Food Championship “Burger Champion” burger! Oh and we went for the fries too! They are skin-on fresh-cut fries and damn good. I am not a huge fan of fries so that is saying something!

Dinner at Walkers

For our first dinner in Billings, Emily and I dined around the corner from The Northern Hotel at Walkers. I don't know what I was expecting from Billings restaurants, but it certainly wasn't this. I was thinking of steak and potatoes, but what I got was burrata with stone fruit; compressed cucumbers, and bulgogi-style beef. 

Hello Billings! We have a winner! Everything was cooked or prepared to perfection, everything complimented each other and the waiter actually looked jealous of what we were eating and was super enthusiastic about the menu.

Then we experienced a real treat. Chef Nick Steen made his way to our table and told us the story behind his Korean beef bowl. Turns out it is an homage to his mother who raised him and his brother on very little money.

She had spent some time in the San Francisco Bay Area with a Korean roommate and had picked up how to make bulgogi beef from that roommate and her roommate's mother who would visit from Korea for a month or so (gee, that sounds familiar!).

Chef Steen's Mom would make this dish for New Year's telling the kids that if they splurged on good beef and ate a good meal on the first day of the year, the rest of the year had to be a good one. His mother sounds like a good woman, and let me tell you, she makes damn good Korean beef! Which she passed on to her very talented son!

Dinner at The Fieldhouse

Leave it to the carnivores to go to a vegetable-forward restaurant and get meat! That is exactly what Emily and I did for our second dinner in Billings. We went to The Fieldhouse and ordered honey-chevre cucumbers – I had never had goat cheese with honey incorporated into the cheese and that is my new favorite way to have it.

Then we ordered pork ribs with a Vietnamese-style sauce and more cucumber, pickled this time, and topped that off with vegan ramen, but we added pork belly! That's the giant bowl I am eating at the beginning of this story.

Dessert at the Big Dipper

Truth be told I did not actually eat ice cream from the Big Dipper, but I really, really wanted to! I stood in a VERY long line with Emily so that she could get ice cream and was tortured by the sites and smells. The ice creams, sorbets, and other frozen treats are a local favorite and I could see why there was a line. For sure, next time, knowing that this place exists, I will skip a course at dinner to make room!

Le Fournil – A real French Baker in Billings!

I walked by Le Fournil several times on the way to other stops and each time I peeked in the window hoping to catch a sign of the baker. The name was definitely French but that doesn't mean anything when it comes to sussing out good French bread. Our last morning while walking to our breakfast, I dragged Emily into the bakery after we had chatted with the baker's wife.

She is a Billings local who had left to travel and along the way, on a trip to Singapore, she met a French man who would become her husband and Billing's only French baker. They have authentic goods, so if you are in the area, buy bread from here!

They have all the traditional bread and pastries. I don't see the epi – the last one on the right in the first photo very often but I love it! (I learned to make it in Paris.) They sell out quickly on Saturdays when the farmer's market is going on, so plan ahead! Allez vite!

Alcoholic Libations

I'm not a big drinker, a total lightweight, so when I drink something I am looking for the good stuff. I like wine and beer and good cocktails. Billings has all that in spades! They have their own Walking Brewery District downtown. The unofficial brewery district includes 6 breweries and 2 distilleries and a cider mill! Emily had checked them out and decided we should try Asylum Distillery for a pre-dinner drink.

I like places with a story and this little bar/distillery is located in a historic building and makes all its drinks with its own alcohol using local and seasonal ingredients, like fruit from the farmer's market.

When they went to renovate the elevator in the building the owners of the distillery took parts and pieces and made an “electric chair” for the corner of their bar – it is kind of fun and between sips of our blackberry martinis, we took silly photos of us getting electrified!

Billings breweries are crafting award-winning beers, ales, lagers, and ciders and the brewery district is a must-try. The casual atmosphere is conducive for date nights, girlfriends' night out, or friends get together. The walkability and access to food mean you can enjoy it responsibly.

If you are interested in wine, Billings has you covered. You can visit the Yellowstone Cellars and Winery and get a sampling of local and regional wines. I had some excellent rosé wines with my dinners.

Yellowstone Valley Farmers Market

OMG, what can I say? I have been seriously deprived of farmer's markets since leaving San Francisco. They don't have real farmer's markets in Phoenix, they are arts and crafts shows. I'm always asking, “where are the vegetables?!” 

After our breakfast, Emily and I hit the market, it is practically spilling out from The Northern Hotel on the corner of North Broadway and 1st Avenue North. However, it goes for several streets!

I was oohing and aahing everything as we walked through. Knowing I couldn't bring anything in my carry-on was a big bummer. Emily didn't have that restriction so she bought a crate of fruit. That baby down below was $20! It was a mix and match of 6 fruits.

They tasted so good I wanted to cry! I think I would move to Billings just for this market – I need something to offset that Johnson from The Sassy Biscuit!

More Fun Things to do in Billings MT

Still not sure what to do in Billings MT? It's the largest city in Montana, so, I've got more tourist attractions for you!

• Catch a show or a concert at the Alberta Bair Theater.
• See theater or other special events at NOVA Center for the Performing Arts.
• Visit the DanWalt Gardens, Billing's beautiful botanical garden.
• Check out the creatures at ZooMontana, the only zoo and wildlife park in the state of Montana.
• Two-step to your heart's content with live music at the Daisy Dukes Saloon and Dance Hall.
• Looking for something to do with kids? Head to the Reef Indoor Water Park they've got a wave pool!
• Take part in a scavenger hunt.

FAQs about Billings

How about you? Have you been to Billings Montana? Would you visit Billings? Do tell! Do you have additional things to do, see or eat to add to the list? Do you have more things to do in Billings Montana? Do share!

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Our first stop was to the orchard and the olive mill and pressing facility. The olives are pressed once a year and we were actually lucky enough to be there on the first day of the harvest so the place was bustling as teams prepared to start the picking and pressing process.

We were met by Kelly who shared the history of the property, its specifics, the milling process and taught us how to do olive oil tasting.

The orchard has 2200 trees with 8 varieties of olives, 5 Italian and 3 Spanish. It takes one hour to pick the fruit of one tree. One tree equals three bins (the blue box in the photo below) of olives and 3 bins equal one gallon of liquid gold.

The olives are immediately milled after they are picked because Round Pond built its own mill. That is not common as most farmers must pick their olives and take them to a mill. The fruit begins oxidizing immediately so if the trip to the mill takes a while they aren't as fresh and they also risk bruising in transport.

Round Pond makes eight different olive oils which they bottle on demand, allowing for maximum freshness. The olives are crushed pits and all. In addition, for the flavored versions of the oils, rinds (blood orange or lemon) are also pressed with the fruit.

Before tasting the blood orange as well as a “regular” Italian varietal, we had to first learn how to do a proper tasting. Since it was a little on the chilly side (although bright and sunny) the first thing we had to do was warm the beautiful blue glass in our hands, sort of like what you do with a good cognac.

Then we took in the rich odor of the oil, took a sip, and made some pretty disgusting sound noises as we gurgled it around in our mouths!

I love olive oil, so I could have stood there for hours smelling and tasting all the varieties, but alas we made our way to the wine side of the property.

The winery building is breathtaking. Being the exceptional photographer I am (read: sarcasm) I took completely horrible shots of the interior, but you can see a glimmer of what it looks like in this article from one of the Bay Area newspapers.

There is a ton of natural light and beautiful wood wherever you look and the terrace looking out onto the vineyard is beautiful. The fireplace makes it a perfect spot in cooler weather to sit out and watch the sunset with a lovely glass of wine.

We tried several of their wines each paired with a delicious bite of food designed by the winemaker, all extremely tasty. I would have bought some of their olive oils but they were sold out of nearly every flavor and the new batches won't be ready for prime time in March, so the calendar is marked for a return trip to do some shopping.

It was another exceptional experience that I had the pleasure of partaking in thanks to the Trafalgar team and each new activity or meal only further sold me on the fact that a Trafalgar tour is definitely in my future.

Round Pond is just one of many exceptional wineries in Napa Valley. It takes many trips to discover even a fraction. Once you get to Napa Valley it may be difficult to choose, so here are more suggestions: 30 of the best wineries in Napa Valley, an excellent list to start with! The list includes Castello di Amorosa which is one of my favorites and a treat for the whole family!

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Lake Como

No, not that Lake Como in Italy! Lake Como Montana is a beautiful alpine lake just 60 miles south of Missoula in the Bitterroot Forest. There’s a campground with electrical and water hookups, perfect for an RV getaway. The lake offers boating, fishing, paddling, and swimming. There are a swimming beach and hiking trails throughout the area near the lake. You can easily visit on a day trip from Missoula, but it’s also a pretty nice place to hang out for a few days of rest and relaxation!

Skalkaho Pass

The Skalhaho Highway cuts through the Selway-Bitterroot Wildnerness south of Missoula. If you are camping at Lake Como, a scenic drive over Skalkaho Pass makes for a great day trip. The 45-mile drive takes you from the Bitterroot Valley to the Phillipsburg Valley, through the Sapphire Mountains. There’s even a sapphire mine along the route where you can stop and try your hand at gem mining.

The drive follows MT-38 the entire way and alternates from paved to gravel. You don’t need 4WD to navigate Skalkaho Pass, but trailers are not allowed due to narrow curves and limited pullouts. Just before you reach the summit of Skalkaho Pass, you’ll arrive at Skalkaho Falls. There are several campgrounds along the way if you wish to stay overnight and make this a two-day trip. In the winter, the road is closed and becomes a playground for snowmobiles.

Once you’ve driven the 38-mile Skalkaho Highway, you can turn around and return the way you came, or explore other scenic drives in the area. Highway 38 continues as the Philipsburg Scenic Loop, where you can catch the Pintler Scenic Route or the Rock Creek Road Backcountry Byway, both of which will bring you to Interstate 90 for a quick return to Missoula.

Garnet Ghost Town

The “Wild West” is littered with ghost towns and remnants of old mining camps from the Gold Rush days. Garnet is located about an hour east of Missoula, making it the perfect day trip from Missoula. Like the nearby Sapphire Mountains, the Garnet Mountains are known for colorful gems that were found here during the search for gold in the late 1800s.

Garnet is Montana’s most intact ghost town with dozens of buildings remaining, despite poor construction and harsh weather conditions. In addition to exploring the remaining buildings in town, there are several recreational opportunities nearby. Mountain biking, hiking, fishing, and camping are all available, and if you are visiting in the winter, you can take a snowmobile or XC-ski right into Garnet. It’s open year-round even though the roads are not!

Carousel & Farmers Market

While many Missoula visitors come here as a gateway to the backcountry, it would be a shame to miss all that downtown Missoula has to offer. This town of 75,000 has plenty of charming spots to explore, but two of my favorites are the Carousel for Missoula and the Missoula Farmer’s Market.

At a Carousel for Missoula, visitors and residents can experience an old-fashioned evening of fun. Built and assembled by volunteers, the carousel has 40 ponies, two chariots, and over a dozen gargoyles. Each pony was sponsored or donated by a local family or business, and they all have a unique theme. If you are visiting Missoula with kids, you’ll definitely want to check out the playland Dragon Hollow next door.

The Missoula Farmer’s Market is a great place to pick up fresh finds every Saturday from mid-May to mid-October. In the peak of summer (July through September) there is also a Tuesday evening market. Over 100 vendors set up shop to offer local produce, baked goods, and coffee. If you’re traveling and not able to cook a meal with fresh ingredients, you can still browse and enjoy several local food trucks that set up near the market.

Those are just a few of the things you can do while visiting Missoula, Montana. This wonderful outdoor spot is less than 3 hours from Glacier National Park and there is plenty to do on the way, but before you head there, spend a couple of days in Missoula, you will not regret it!

How about you? Have any additional activities to do while visiting Missoula? Please share!

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Willamette Valley

After 2-and-a-half days road tripping on the Central Coast of Oregon, we turned east and headed for the Willamette Valley. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Willamette Valley has the best Pinot Noir in the world. Coming from someone who lived next to Napa/Sonoma for 20 years and whose other half is a Frenchman, that’s saying a lot. But for all my declarations about this winemaking region having the best, I’d never actually been there, so I leaped at the invitation to visit for a few days. I wanted to taste more of what I consider to be the nectar of the gods!

The stunning Willamette Valley is Oregon’s leading wine region and home to two-thirds of the state’s wineries and vineyards. There are more than 500 wineries! They come in all shapes and sizes and are known for their Pinot Noir. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better region to gain an appreciation for wine. Why? Well because it is very laid back. There is a ton of pomp and circumstance and wine etiquette that you often experience with wine tasting in California (and France!), which is why I haven't really enjoyed the wine tasting. But in Willamette Valley it doesn't matter how you taste it, how you hold your glass, or where you put your nose – just enjoy it the way you want to!

The Willamette Valley provides a wealth of places to stay, restaurants to dine at, and wines to try, all against gorgeous valley views. Winter is off-season or “cellar season,” and the wineries aren't crowded, the winemakers aren't as stressed and therefore have more time to spend with you and it is a very cozy time to enjoy the fruit of their labor. Its advantageous proximity from the Portland and Eugene airports means that you’re just a short drive away from having the experience of your life, a most intoxicating road trip!

500 wineries and we had 1 day and 2 half-days to explore the area? Our task was daunting! So we focused on the town of Amity, which I think is representative of just how wonderful the entire Willamette Valley is.

Amity

Amity is a small town of around 1600 people nestled in the Amity Hills. Settlers first inhabited this area in the mid-1800s and it soon came to be known for its prominence in shipping and as a mercantile center in the region well into the 1900s. After about 1970, the Amity area rose in popularity due to its shift from shipping and mercantilism to viticulture and the wine industry. Farmers in Amity planted the first commercial vines in 1971, and over the next 35+ years, the area supported around thirty wineries with almost 1500 acres covered in grape-bearing vines.

Amity vineyards first claimed to fame was for its Pinot Noir but they also specialize in Pinot Blanc, White Pinot Noir, and Riesling wines. Beyond wine, Amity hosts an array of festivals and food-related events. Locals and tourists alike enjoy a delicious summer pancake breakfast, and they are a nice stopover when nearby Dundee hosts its annual Oregon Truffle Festival. If you are looking for a quiet locale to explore the hills, eat some scrumptious food, drink some choice wines, Amity has what you’re looking for! At other times of the year, you can smell the lively daffodils and partake in fresh blueberries too!

And the people! Everyone we met was warm, welcoming, and friendly. That is not to say that they are pushovers. These winemakers come from hearty stocky – hardworking pioneers and immigrants who not only survive but thrive. The soil in Willamette Valley is abundant and fertile, it will literally grow anything and the people in this region have been creative in their farm-to-table, seed-to-table, forage-to-table efforts. These are people comfortable in their own skin, so no need to belittle you if you don't have experience wine tasting, or olive tasting, or anything tasting! They are happy to share their bounty with you and welcome you to their domain and to their table.

The Blue Goat

Our first introduction to Amity was at dinner our third night in Oregon. We had spent the morning on the coast and after hitting a spot or two on the way into the valley, we headed to the Blue Goat. We arrived and were welcomed by Dave Van Domelen. His wife Cassie and he are goat farmers turned restauranteurs. Their goat Brownie is the iconic mascot for this spot in downtown Amity. The restaurant features a wood-burning oven and I tell you magical things come out of that dome. We were treated to a sampling of delights from chef Thomas Ghinazzi which were divine. It was one of the best meals I've had in a very long time and I enjoyed every bite of miso custard with chile and ginger emulsion; goat empanadas (an original menu item); steamed goat bao buns, goat tacos (Mr. Misadventures who is not a fan of tacos couldn't get enough of these); oyster stew with smoked rockfish (pictured above) and wood-fired pizza with roasted tomato sauce and rabbit. I was seriously in food heaven!

Amity Flats

Thank goodness our hotel room for the evening was just around the corner from the Blue Goat because after eating as much as I did, I just wanted to fall into bed! Of course, once I saw how stunningly gorgeous our room at the Amity Flats was there was no way that was going to happen. Amity Flats is inside a historic building that was constructed in 1905 and originally served as a Masonic Lodge. The owners have done an AMAZING job of converting the space into 5 rooms that are incredibly unique. It is a celebration of local artisans and local wine and there are several wine tasting rooms that surround the building, perfect for indulging in some wine tasting without worry about driving. There is a kitchenette in each room and thoughtful touches like a free local bottle of wine and fudge from a local monastery, just the kinds of things that make you feel welcomed.

In all my travels throughout the world, this is one of the few places I've stayed in that I would just move into immediately! Stick me with a fork I'm done, my new address is Amity Flats. I was sad to leave this room.

The Common Cup

Luckily I had a fantastic cup of coffee to cry into. And a low-carb waffle! The owner of the Common Cup, Jeanne was such a gem! Not only did she have low carb, high protein waffles (don't worry, she has the full carb stuff too) but she also gave us some recommendations for scenic drives in the area where we could see the rolling hills and vineyards. While we were eating breakfast several people came in for coffee, she called them all by name and knew their orders. I like places like this. Jeanne is part of a big wine family and grew up in Amity, but she left to go to school in the Phoenix area and worked as an architect in San Francisco (she even worked on the project for my ex-employer Dolby!). After that, she spent some time traveling the world before returning home to Amity. I think it is very much reflected in her waffle menu.

We briefly left Amity to drive some of the scenic roads in the area and then headed to check out more winter birds!

Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge

Like William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, the Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge in Dallas, just outside of Amity, serves as a wintering habitat for dusky Canada geese. It is also home to an endangered and previously thought extinct species like the Fender’s blue butterfly, the Willamette Daisy, the Streaked Horn Lark, Kincaid’s Lupine, Nelson’s Checkermallow, and Golden Paintbrush. Go wildlife protection, it works! More photographs are taken at this refuge than any other national wildlife refuge and a high priority is placed on this activity. The refuge offers auto tours for wildlife photography.

We didn't see any of the endangered species mentioned above, but we did see a lot of geese, ducks, and a redtail hawk. It was a nice stopover before heading to our next stop, Keeler Estate Vineyard back in Amity.

Keeler Estate Vineyard

Where to start? It took me exactly 30 seconds to fall head over heels in love with Gabriel Keeler, one of the Keeler Estate Vineyard owners. We were instantly under her spell, enchanted by her charm. It was immediately apparent that the 200 acres that make up her property are in her very blood. Inside the wine tasting room, she has created a comfortable environment where you can sit down at a table in front of the fireplace and do your tasting. During other seasons she invites you outside under the trees to enjoy her wines. You can relax here. You can replenish your soul. There is no intimidation, no rush.

I had the honor of spending a couple of hours at Keeler, Gabriel has a magnetic pull that is really hard to resist. She insisted on showing us around the vineyard and I could not say no. I was fascinated by this woman so dedicated to the land, self-reliance, and healthy living. The vineyard is biodynamic so that they do not ruin the earth that bears them fruit. The Keelers actually started out as sheep farmers, but as their children left home, they found that the labor was too much for them so they turned to wine. And like all great farmers I've met (like Tom of Greenwell Farms and Jim of Seley Ranch), the Keelers are tinkerers and inventors and innovators, always trying new things to evolve their product, never satisfied with the status quo, and in Gabriel's case always trying to give thanks to the land.

As she drove us around in her ATV she proudly showed us the vineyard and shared anecdotes everywhere we went. I was enthralled by her! You can see that in how they compost; in how they take on rehabilitated animals; in their use of ancient terracotta amphoras that they are experimenting with for their Riesling, along with their concrete eggs; in their recovery of their neighbor's vines who took on hard times; in their reservation of 80 acres to try to bring back the Oregon white oak; in their birdhouse project; in their herbs farms and gardens; in their curiosity and even in their reverence to the animals their land has displaced.

My visit to Keeler is the epitome of what Willamette Valley wine-making is. Comfortable, approachable, and absolutely delightful. And the wine? How could wine coming from any of these lands, gently shaped by the Pacific air moving through the Van Duzer Corridor, labored upon by good hard-working people be bad? Let me tell you. It cannot.

We left Keeler feeling not like we had just met them, but rather that we were long-lost cousins returning for a visit. I definitely want to revisit Keeler for the sunset dinner they are hosting on their terrace next August, where an invited Astrophysicist from the University of Arizona will be speaking. And having just missed their annual German Christmas Dinner by a week, I want to return in December to experience that! With a bit of sadness, we left Keeler Estate Vineyard and began making our way south towards Eugene.

Albany

On the road to Eugene, we found the cute town of Albany, which I later learned is called the “Hub of the Valley” because it is kind of in between the major cities of Portland and Eugene. I have to agree that it is an excellent spot to spend some time in. We devoured (all that clean Oregon air makes you hungry) a meal of chicken paprika and beef Porkolt at Novak's, Oregon's longest-running family-owned Hungarian restaurant. Then we took coffee at Margin, a shop housed inside an ex-grocery store that was built in 1909. Great coffee from Bespoken roasters in Corvallis.

The meal and coffee were our rewards for having just made it to the highlight of historic downtown, the Albany Carousel,  before it closed for the day!

Albany Historic Carousel & Museum

The story of the Albany Historic Carousel & Museum is incredible. It began in 2002 when the community became interested in creating a hand-carved carousel similar to others completed in Missoula, Montana, and Salem, Oregon. The carousel and museum are run solely by volunteers, whether it is the carvers, the painters, the tour guides, everything! To say that the pieces are intricate is not giving them enough credit, each animal takes YEARS to make. I didn't get to spend enough time at the museum but it didn't take me long to see the passion that makes this place run. I briefly got to see the carving area, the paint shop, the historical pieces that are on display or being restored. Of course, there is the carousel itself. When completed, the carousel will consist of 52 animals with additional replacement and seasonal animals. This place is absolutely magical and I recommend you spare some time here to check it out.

Eugene

After a long day, we made it to Eugene, Oregon's second-largest city and a wonderful college town full of art, museums, outdoor activities (the natural environment is perfect for recreation), public markets, and more. It has quite a good food scene as well with more than 25 breweries and chefs focused on the plethora of local/seasonal ingredients in the surrounding area. Oh yeah, and the wine!

During our time in Eugene, we stayed in one of the newest hotels, and first Hyatt property in the city, the Hyatt Place at Oakwood Center. It was lovely, super convenient in terms of location (it is inside a beautiful outdoor shopping area), and they have a gorgeous rooftop bar which is great for watching sunrises and sunsets while enjoying coffee or other libations. You can park your car in the garage and not use it for days if you like!

Oregon Wine Lab

We arrived in Eugene in time to enjoy a Krampus cider (cranberry and sage flavored) at Oregon Wine Lab before their Trivia Pursuit tournament started. We saw people of all ages at this urban winery and tasting lounge located in an up-and-coming industrial neighborhood. The owners pour their own William Rose wine but also wines from smaller, lesser-known wineries, a generous method of giving them a presence. As I mentioned before, there are over 500 wineries, so the small guys often need a little more help. The folks at Oregon Wine Lab go out of their way to be good community citizens and you can often find them helping out other wineries. And they have great regional beers and ciders on tap too. They also support local artists, an effort you can see on full display throughout the lounge. Definitely, a cool spot to hang out in.

The next morning we had a delightful 2nd breakfast at the Hideaway Bakery. We loaded up on a carb-friendly breakfast at the Hyatt Place, but left a little room for one of my favorite Pacific Northwest treats a berry scone, in this case, marionberry. I have friends that would say English or Scottish scones are the best in the world, but for me, I think the scones in Oregon and Washington are top-notch! And worth cheating on my low-carb lifestyle with!

Cascades Raptor Center

We weren't done with treats for the day. Our next stop was quite special. Eugene (well Oregon in general) is abundantly green. The city is surrounded by foothills and forests on all sides except the north where the land levels out into the Willamette Valley. It is fertile land and able to support all kinds of flora and fauna and the animals that go along with it. But as we know, there sometimes isn't enough space for man and beast. When they meet up, the animals usually lose. That's why places like the Cascades Raptor Center are so important. This non-profit inside the Eugene city limit is home to one of the largest collections of native raptor species in the Pacific Northwest.

The work that is done here by the staff and volunteers is exceptional and you can see it (and donate to help them!) while visiting Eugene. The center offers self-guided tours that allow you to wander through and view the birds and read their stories. The staff spends a lot of time educating the public and works closely with local schools and does extensive community outreach. You can get a guided tour, but it needs to be arranged ahead of time (2 weeks in advance notice is required). And we were lucky to have the opportunity to spend some private time with some very special birds.

Kit, Carrie, and Zach introduced us to a  Swainson's hawk named Guapo, an American kestrel falcon named Parker, a golden eagle named Dante, a burrowing owl named Ra, and a turkey vulture named Lethe. Being as close as were was astonishing and the trainers take care to ensure the birds aren't stressed. It is so important to have these types of interactions so that people build empathy for the plight of these creatures.

The Cascades Raptor Center offers resident raptor adoption which includes free admission for a year, member decal, discounts, creature history, and adoption certificate. Consider adopting your own raptor, or donating to the center today, they run solely on donations from the public, a 100% community-supported organization.

Believe it or not, I saw an American kestrel falcon sitting on a stop sign near our home just a week after our visit to the center and I would not have had the same appreciation of seeing it the wild if it hadn't been for the center!

Sweet Cheeks

After leaving the birds we headed to Sweet Cheeks Winery to the north of Eugene for more wine tasting. When we climbed the hills to reach the winery I could not help but remark how it reminded me of Sandeman Estates in Portugal's Duoro Valley. The winery has a gorgeous tasting room overlooking the rolling hills. You can enjoy their wines (my favorite was a Pinot Gris) during the winter with ease at their handmade custom fireplace “table.” It was warm and cozy.

What is most impressive about Sweet Cheeks is the story of its winemaker, another illustration of the pioneering spirit that exists in Willamette Valley, heck Oregon altogether. The winemaker is self-taught. Yep, that's right. Self-taught. He started out chopping wood at the winery across the street and worked his way up learning as he went. He also seriously impressed the owner of the yet-to-be-planted Sweet Cheeks. He hired him away when he opened Sweet Cheeks and never regretted it. I can tell you one thing, that is not the kind of story you hear very often in the winemaking business, but it definitely shows the openness and generosity of the people that make up this region.

Other Willamette Valley Stops

Chateau Bianca Winery

On our way into Amity, we made a quick stop at Chateau Bianca and met with 4th generation winemaker Andreas Wetzel who showed us around his winery. He is doing lots of interesting things to gain efficiency and augment his efforts. Things like solar on the roof to optimize the climate and growing his vines on a vertical upright canopy, a position that places the vines upwards to maximize sun exposure. We discussed the Willamette Valley winemaking region in general, how it is born from a spirit of community, and everyone helps each other out. He says winemaking in Oregon is still young and people have lots to learn, but the small-batch aspect of making wine in Oregon allows winemakers to be artisanal in their production. I couldn't agree with Mr. Wetzel more. I had only had a taste of what the valley has to offer, and I want to experience more!

What we missed in Eugene

We were unable to make it to the Natural History and Cultural Museum at the University of Oregon, we simply ran out of time, but it is on my list for my next trip!

Willamette Valley Road Trip Tips

• Oregon has very diverse landscapes and ecosystems. A short drive from Point A to Point B and you could be in a whole new universe – it makes road trips exciting! That also means you can experience a whole bunch of different weather – and we did, so be prepared and wear layers!
• Check the hours for each of the wineries you are visiting, they are all open at different times and even different days of the week (for example, Keeler Estates is closed on Wednesdays). Some have shifting seasonal hours, so it might be good to call ahead of time as you prepare your itinerary.
• Always have a designated driver! The Willamette Valley wines are delicious and it can be easy to over-indulge. Take turns with your co-travelers and be smart!
• Phone connectivity in some of the valley is not always a given –create offline maps with your favorite mapping app or pick-up a paper map at your rental car counter.
• Oregon is 1 of only 2 remaining states where it is illegal to pump your own gas. Just pull in and someone will help you tout suite!
• If you are an Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan member, you may check up to 1 case of wine for free on any domestic flight from Eugene or Portland (Medford, Redmond and Walla Walla as well). Also, with your Alaska Airlines boarding pass some wineries (see the participating list of wineries here) will offer you free tastings. Something to consider when making your travel plans.

More Willamette Valley Reads

• We had no time to explore Eugene's culinary scene, but I can always rely on Eater to have a tasty list to try: 12 Eugene Restaurants Stepping Out of Portland’s Shadow.
• Eater also has a say when it. comes to: 18 of Willamette Valley's Best Restaurants.
• I'd heed the word of Food & Wine any day: Where to Drink and Eat in the Willamette Valley.
• Wine Folly has a nice Self-Guided Wine Tour of the Willamette Valley.

How about you? Have you been to Willamette Valley in Oregon? What were your favorite parts? Or a favorite winery? If you haven't been, what parts would you want to see? Do tell!

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Mr. Misadventures and I are drawn to the sea. For most of our adult lives, we’ve lived close to an ocean, if not a large body of water. While living in the San Francisco Bay Area we often planned on doing a 1-week road trip up the Oregon Coast, but somehow it never came together. Which is why one of the places I said had to be included in our 18-month RV trip was the Oregon Coast. We spent 5 weeks there and absolutely loved it! Living in Phoenix now, we really miss the sea, so when we were asked about spending a few days on the Central Oregon Coast, we couldn’t resist.

For more than 50 years every inch of the 363 miles has been publically accessible due to the Oregon Beach Bill, which is why it is known as The People’s Coast. Having lived in a state where that was not the case, I can really appreciate just how special it is. Who loves the beach in the late fall and winter? You? Okay, you can be in my tribe! It’s my favorite time to be on the coast. Plus, we’re big fans of off-season travel. Especially a couple of weeks prior to Christmas. People don’t generally travel at this time because they’re likely going to travel for Christmas. So…all for me!

Oregon's Central Coast

Getting to the Oregon Coast is an easy drive from Portland International Airport (PDX) or the Eugene Regional Airport (EUG). For this trip, we flew into Portland and out of Eugene. The rental car process at either airport is super easy and convenient. We grabbed our bags, hopped in the car and hit the road!

As we only had a few days so we focused on the Central Coast. This section of the coast caters to those who love the outdoors. Whether you’re looking for historic lighthouses or sprawling parks to explore, the Central Coast is sure to astound you with its natural beauty and architecture. You’ll find open access to beautiful beaches, rugged overlooks perfect for whale watching, and the frothing waves of the Pacific Ocean crashing into the coast. All this provides a stunning backdrop for a plethora of activities such as hiking, biking, festivals, exploring, kite flying, fishing and wildlife viewing. In fact, nearly 20,000 gray whales migrate south along the coast heading to Mexico. They return with their babies between March and June. There are 24 designated whale-watching points, 10 of which are along the Central Coast!

A brand new activity I discovered this time? Storm-watching! I had no clue it was a thing, but we had a brief storm come through and it was fascinating to speak with other people about how much they enjoyed this past time. This “show” grants everyone the chance to experience the awe-inspiring grandeur of Mother Nature at its most volatile, powerful, and majestic. Some people recommend the high cliffs but the excitement does not diminish just because you’re a little farther away from the waves! The vast majority of the hotels and motels on the coast have ocean views (they were so smart when they originally built these properties) so you can watch the storm from the warmth and safety of your room or hotel lobby or bar all while enjoying a glass of Willamette Valley wine, bien sûr!

During our time on Oregon's Central Coast, we visited various spots between Cape Perpetua and Lincoln City. I'll share the places we visited, the hotels we stayed at, and as you all know me well, the restaurants we ate in!

On the road to Yachats

As we wanted to travel south to north on the coast and we wanted to check out Oregon’s newest scenic byway Highway 34, we headed to Corvallis. It’s a 90-minute drive from Portland and we arrived just in time for lunch. I had originally wanted to try a fried chicken place called Bellhop but they are closed on Mondays so my back up was a burger spot called Bo & Vine. I think everything happens for a reason. The universe nudged me towards this place and the Francophile in me was thrilled! If you remove the “&” from Bo & Vine, you have bovine which in French refers to meat that is eaten. Plus you know, vine, for grapes…wine country, very clever! The decor is adorable, the burgers outrageously good and the touches, well French, especially the mustard vinaigrette on the house salad, I've had it a million times in Paris, but rarely have I found a good one in the US, Bo & Vine nailed it. Also, one of Mr. Misadventures biggest complaints when it comes to burgers is the bun, the French guy in him hates our American buns (I know…I know!). At Bo & Vine, they serve their O'Canada burger with thick buttered toast, almost like the French brioche and we loved it!

Bellies full we headed to William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge which is just 15 minutes from Corvallis. It is a great place for winter bird watching one of the best in the state. It provides a wintering habitat for the dusky Canada goose – the primary management goal for the refuge; the dusky Canada goose has relatively limited winter and summer ranges – therefore, this refuge is extremely important for the species management and conservation.

But there are other birds who migrate through in the winter including the bald eagles, golden eagles, an occasional peregrine falcon. I spoke to a very friendly ranger (his wife was from Tucson and he had spent some time in the Phoenix area near the White Tank Mountains), and he let us know that there was a rare set of geese from Russia that had only ever been seen in the U.S. one other time. Unfortunately, while checking out the main birdwatching areas at McFadden and Cabell Marshes, we didn't see them. But we did see plenty of geese and ducks and heron. At sunrise and sunset, you can also spot hundreds of elk grazing in the grasslands.

Mr. Misadventures and I were captivated by the sun rays as they broke through the fog. The shafts of light in the wooded areas and along the waterways was just gorgeous. We stopped on a bridge over Muddy Creek and found ourselves entranced by the beams of light reflecting on the water and the green moss on the near-bare winter trees. A couple stopped their car to ask if we had spotted the beavers, we said no, “just admiring the beauty of the scene.” This is why we love visiting these types of places in the off-season, there is magic to be found in all the seasons, but off-season, you get it all to yourself!

We dragged ourselves away from the wildlife refuge and continued on our way. The sun had broken through the fog while we were visiting, but it was moving back in and we needed to hurry to beat the sunset. With exactly 5 minutes to spare we made it to the top of Mary’s Peak, the highest point on the Oregon Coast Range. From the peak at 4,097 feet, you can see the Pacific Ocean and the Willamette Valley. Or in theory, you can. We had been running from the fog all afternoon and it was settling in so we were unable to see the ocean. But that doesn't mean the sunset wasn't beautiful, it was stunning! It reminded me of a sunset shoot Mr. Misadventures did on Hawaii above the clouds of the sacred Mauna Kea. It was the perfect end to our first afternoon in Oregon.

Yachats

Our destination for our first evening was Yachats, a vibrant community that combines the best of both nature and culture. During our time on the Oregon coast with the RV, we (mistakenly) skipped over this town and I am so glad we got to remedy that mistake. It's the closest town to Cape Perpetua, one of our stops the next day. Cape Perpetua offers camping, hiking, scenic walking trails, and the views completely leave you breathless. In addition, Yachats hosts an annual music festival that features major classical musicians in July and an annual Celtic Music Festival in November. But as I lean a little more culinary, I'm interested in visiting during their mushroom festival in October! Local restaurants put on a mycological feast incorporating various mushrooms. Experts lead guided woodland walks, show exhibits, and lecture on different mushroom-related topics. Sign me up!

Our righteous burger was ancient history so our first order of business, once we got into Yachats, was dinner. We headed to Luna Sea Fish House. The chowder was good, the fried fish respectable and it was served with a really interesting slaw with not one but two kinds of apples. Very friendly service and lots of locals!

The entire week before our trip Mr. Misadventures hadn’t slept much and the night before our trip, he did what the French call a ‘nuit blanche' where he didn’t sleep at all. After a full day of great food and fantastic displays of Mother Nature at her best, we slept like babies in our Overleaf Lodge room gently rocked by the sound of the waves. And in fact, the entire week we were on the Oregon coast we slept well.

Before we headed off for more exploring I enjoyed coffee in the quiet of our room. The lodge is also a spa so they have those nice white robes in every room and while I am not a spa girl, I am definitely a watch-the-ocean-while-drinking-coffee kind of girl, something that everyone can do at the Overleaf Lodge because every room is an ocean view!

You know what else every room gets? Free breakfast! And not just some pre-packaged box-store pastries and instant coffee, I'm talking the good stuff! As low carbers, breakfast is generally our easiest meal and we definitely appreciated hot scrambled eggs with cheese and bacon and sausage on the side. There were delicious looking house granola, yogurt and fresh breads and pastries along with juices and really good coffee.

Breakfast is in the main lodge with a gorgeous view of the ocean, or you can take a tray to your room, or you can eat in front of the fireplace. I have could have spent all day with a book in front of that fireplace, but alas, we had lots more to see.

Rain was coming so we headed out to stay ahead of the weather. We made our way to Cape Perpetua while saying a little prayer to the gods to keep the elements at bay. Cape Perpetua is a large forested headland that towers 800 feet above sea level. There are 26 miles of hiking trails, camping areas, and coastal paths. We had visited before during the summer, but it is ever so much more beautiful and dramatic in the winter! We walked down part of the path to take a look at Thor's Well but didn't go all the way down to the churning water. I couldn't get over how green it was, it felt like Scotland or Ireland, although I've never been. I was definitely in my happy place!

After a couple of hours of exploring the area, the storm finally hit and the stomachs started rumbling so we headed to Newport for lunch.

Newport

Newport is the Central Coast’s largest city, the Dungeness Crab Capital of the World, and a really cool town. There are 2 main areas to explore: the historical Bayfront, the epicenter for the city’s economy; and Nye Beach, a popular tourist attraction and hub for the arts. And in my opinion, home of the best fish, chips, and chowder!

Before my lunch at the Chowder Bowl at Nye Beach, I would have told you the best fish & chips were at Fisherman's Korner in Bandon, but they have now slipped into second place behind the Chowder Bowl, which serves phenomenal food. In fact, their chowder has been featured on “The Today Show”!

Of course, trying to balance some kind of low carbyness, we skipped the chips, but the slaw was righteous as well! Add a Willamette Valley pinot noir or pinot gris (my choice) and you've got yourself a classic Oregon Coast meal. I'll tell you a secret. The next morning was sunny so we spent some extra time on the coast capturing footage and before we headed inland we returned to the Chowder Bowl for the exact same meal. When it is good, it's good and we didn't know when we would have fish & chips again, so we indulged!

There is so much to do in Newport, it is a shame that we didn't spend more time there, because of the storm we moved on to indoor activities. If you’re an aspiring or avid birder, Newport is the perfect place for you. It offers at least four distinct areas for bird watching: Beverly Beach State Park, Bay Road, Estuary Trail, and South Jetty. The Oregon Coast Birding Trail website is a great resource for information on where to find birds, which species of bird you can spy, and even some tips and tricks for successfully viewing your favorite avian friends.

If you need to get indoors for a while, you can do no better than the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Mr. Misadventures and I enjoyed our visit there immensely. I also recommend touring Rogue Ales, they are such a great supporter of Newport, the coast and Oregon in general.

Lincoln City

We headed north to Lincoln City, one of the prettiest places on the Central Coast, known for its 7 miles of soft sandy beaches where visitors can explore tidepools, beachcomb for treasures left over after a storm, and fly kites. Kite flying is a favorite pastime in Lincoln City – every summer the city hosts an annual kite festival that draws some of the most unique kite designs you’ll ever see! Another neat activity hosted by the city each year involves the placement of glass orbs or glass floats along the Lincoln City’s beaches. Crafted by local artisans, lucky finders can keep their precious treasures and register them to receive a certificate of authenticity and more information on the artist. “Float Fairies” drop some 3000 glass floats each year. My parents spent a weekend in Lincoln City this fall and just missed this event. They came home and told me about and I definitely want to go back to hunt for my own glass treasures!

As you can imagine, the glass art scene is strong in Lincoln City. Not only can visitors find gorgeous glass orbs, but they can also visit the Lincoln City Glass Center to learn more about the process of glassblowing, see the process in action, and even create and take home some art of their own! A really great activity for days with inclement weather.

We checked into our hotel for the night, the Inn at Spanish Head, another spot where every room has an ocean view. It was built right on the beach and its restaurant and bar are popular for whale watching, sunsets, and storm chasing. It was still early in the afternoon so after a recommendation from the hotel's bartender, we headed to Salishan Resort to warm up by their epic fireplace and enjoy some Willamette Valley wine. All their rooms have fireplaces, and they are lovely. In fact, they were voted as one of the Top 5 in Conde Nast's Reader's Choice Award for Resorts in the Pacific Northwest. We got to peek in on a suite as well, I could spend days in this bedroom (there were 2 along with a gorgeous living room/dining room/kitchen) cuddled up with a good book, a good glass of wine and the fireplace going!

Depoe Bay

After enjoying the afternoon inside, the storm subsided a bit and we headed for dinner in Depoe Bay. Our spot for the evening was Tidal Raves, a restaurant well known for its Storm Watch Suppers, a 3-course dinner with views of the bay (and the whales!). And while I was tempted by the 3-course dinner, as soon as I saw they had cioppino, there was no way I was having anything else. You can take the girl out of San Francisco, but not San Francisco out of the girl!

We slept soundly in our beds at the Inn at Spanish Head and woke up early. The rain had stopped and we wanted to visit some spots we missed the previous day. Before doing that, we loaded up on a delicious breakfast at the Wildflower Grill in Lincoln City. Everything is scratch made to order, while you wait for your food to arrive you can enjoy the beautiful marsh, creek and forest views. It is a great place to start or end your day.

There is a cool photo opportunity as you leave Lincoln City heading towards Depoe Bay, whether the tide is in or out, there is a sea stack rock formation with trees known as the Three Brothers Rocks that are SO beautiful. It's worthy of a stop!

First on the agenda was Siletz Bay Wildlife Refuge. This refuge was established in 1991 with a 46-acre donation and was founded to preserve, protect, and enhance fish and other wildlife found near the Bay’s estuary. It has since grown to 568 acres and provides nursing grounds for Chinook and Coho salmon, Steelhead and Cutthroat trout, and other species of fish. It is a great spot for kayaking or canoeing. As we did a little walk, Mr. Misadventures spotted a beaver! I missed it by a second and only saw a splash.

We continued south back to Depoe Bay, the Whale Watching Capital of the Oregon Coast, a place where you can marvel at the resident pod of grey whales who make their home from March to December in the world’s smallest navigable harbor. Travelers and locals alike love watching these majestic mammals breach the surface and send plumes of water vapor into the air. And whale watching in Depoe Bay is a year-round affair. Some 20,000 whales travel south in the winter to the warm waters of Baja Mexico. On their return journey to Alaska, starting in late March, the whale population surges in the area until around late June. The remainder of the summer and fall see the whales feeding along the coast. The heaviest concentration of whales occurs in the early spring, but you should consistently see them if you’re in Depoe Bay for a few days!

Make sure to check out the nearby Whale Watching Center for more information on the grey whales and other species which pass by. Important note, the center is closed Mondays and Tuesdays!

The winter waves are fascinating to watch as they crash into the rocks and beaches creating a foamy swirl, I can't get enough of watching them!

Chasing the Good Weather, Continuing South

While the weather was good we continued south and hit the Yaquina Head Lighthouse in Newport. We stayed in Newport when we had our RV in a park overlooking the water. Every morning I would drink my coffee while watching the Yaquina Head Lighthouse.

There are 11 historic lighthouses on the Oregon Coast and many of them can be seen right from Highway 101. There are several like Yaquina Head with parks around them which make for great stops for whale watching, bird watching, and tidepooling. These structures are just so iconic, you have to see at least one!

We visited a couple of beaches/coastal spots including Otter Rock, Seal Rock, and Yachats where we photographed fallen trees, washed up rocks, and chased seagulls. I also hunted down footprints in the sand trying to discern whether any of the dog prints were actually bears. They have black bears on the coast, although I've never seen one. The weather was clear and perfect for walking on the beach.

In two-and-a-half days we had ticked off nearly everything on our Central Oregon Coast list. We started our journey back north so that we could cross over to the Willamette Valley. We made a last stop at the Chowder Bowl and then headed East.

Central Oregon Spots We Missed

Florence

We were supposed to have a sunset dinner in Florence our first night in Oregon but our afternoon at William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge and our time at Mary’s Peak made that impossible. Having stayed there a week during our RV adventures I can tell you it was one of my favorite spots on the whole coast. Once a quaint fishing village, the city of Florence is located almost smack dab in the middle of the Oregon Coast. Not only can you race across sand dunes on a dune buggy and stay in a haunted lighthouse, but you can also explore tidepools and chase storms. Sand dune adventures are among the most popular things to do in Florence. You can nab an all-terrain vehicle or the aforementioned dune buggy and explore the rugged, “wind-sculpted” dunes in a more intimate manner. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area offers fishing, tidepooling, horseback riding, beachcombing, and all sorts of activities for you to try. You can also fish for Dungeness crabs, something Mr. Misadventures and I enjoyed watching people do. Of course, we let others do the hard work and bought our cooked crabs from the Krab Kettle (280 Oregon Coast Hwy) nearly every day when we were staying there!

Waldport

It was pouring down rain when we passed through the small town of Waldport. This treasured little town gives you plenty of ways to relax: hiking, biking, and walking around the Port of Alsea. you can meander through the old growth forest in the Drift Creek Wilderness area (home of the largest tract of old-growth trees in the Coast Range), or watch clamming and crabbing demonstrations from some of the local resident experts. The Siuslaw National Forest, of which the Drift Creek Wilderness area is a part, is the best location in the area to see wildlife such as elk, mountain lions, bears, and a variety of fish. The Horse Creek and the Harris Ranch Trails weave their ways through the Drift Creek Wilderness area as well.

Seal lovers will flock to the Seal Rock State Recreation Site. This recreation area plays home to a variety of marine life including seals, sea lions, seabirds, and other species. Make sure to have a picnic among the unique and beautiful rock formations. When we visited on a previous trip we feasted on crab and blackberries as we checked out the wildlife.

Oregon Coast Road Trip Tips

• Oregon has very diverse landscapes and ecosystems. A short drive from Point A to Point B and you could be in a whole new universe – it makes road trips exciting! That also means you can experience a whole bunch of different weather – and we did, so be prepared and wear layers!
• Make sure to stay safe if you’re storm-watching (or in general on the beach and coastline) – don’t turn your back on the ocean, beware of mud or rock slides, be careful of falling debris, and keep an eye on turbulent weather and waves.
• Phone connectivity on the coast is not always a given –create offline maps with your favorite mapping app or pick-up a paper map at your rental car counter. Of course, there is only 1 main road. Highway 101 North and South, so getting lost isn’t going to get you too off course and getting “lost” is half the fun.
• Make sure you fuel up in the larger towns. Oregon is 1 of only 2 remaining states where it is illegal to pump your own gas. Just pull in and someone will help you tout suite!
• The coast has parks and refuges that are managed at various levels of the government, county, state and federal. If you have an Oregon State Park Pass, an America the Beautiful Pass (NPS Pass) or Oregon Pacific Coast Passport you will be able to get until nearly everything!
• Have backup plans for inclement weather. There are a lot of indoor things to do, the aquarium, museums, glass workshops, etc. Have a list of places in your back pocket should you face bad weather.

More Oregon Coast from Me

As I mentioned we spent 5 weeks exploring the Oregon Coast when we had our RV. Here are the stories from those weeks.

Weekly Wanderings #29 – Oregon Coast, Newport/Garibaldi
Weekly Wanderings #28 – Oregon Coast, Newport
Weekly Wanderings #27 – Oregon Coast, Florence
Weekly Wanderings #26 – Oregon Coast, Bandon
Weekly Wanderings #25 – Oregon Coast, Brookings

More Oregon Coast Reads

• Eater always does a good job picking out gems: Don’t Miss These 24 Restaurants on the Oregon Coast.
• There's a North Coast Food Trail, they are working on one for the Central and Southern Coasts as well.
• A food festival in September! Crave the Coast takes in Garibaldi on Tillamook Bay and features local producers from the Oregon Coast.
• That Oregon Life has 12 Mouthwatering Oregon Coast Restaurants With Amazing Ocean Views.
• Finally, my friends Esther and Jacob of Local Adventurer did the entire coast and share their thoughts in The Ultimate Oregon Road Trip.

How about you? Have you been to the Oregon Coast? What were your favorite parts? If you haven't been, what parts would you want to see? Do tell!

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I recently returned from a beautiful 2-day trip to Ojai, California and I can tell you it’s an amazing weekend spot! The first time GMC invited me to their Denali & Dogs event, I turned them down. It’s not that I don’t love either Denali or dogs, because I do, it’s just that I don’t actually have a dog. Then a friend of mine said she was going to travel to Ojai for the event but wasn’t bringing her dog and would I consider going dogless as well? Then GMC asked again and I said, let’s do this!

I was really curious about Ojai and when I saw the event was taking place at the Caravan Outpost I was thrilled at the opportunity to do some RV camping again. Our 18 months living on the road in our own RV had gotten me hooked and I love the Airstream brand so couldn’t wait to spend a few nights inside one.

Cacinda and I landed at LAX and hopped into our GMC Denali Terrain, a beautiful luxury SUV. If Mr. Misadventures and I weren’t already planning to get a truck and needed a second car, the Terrain would be our choice. I kept remarking to Cacinda (to the point I’m sure she wanted to tell me to shut up!) how much I loved driving the car. LA traffic? Who cares? (There wasn’t much, really.) Driving was as smooth as glass, we glided through the canyons and were a little disappointed when our ride was over!

We met at the Caravan Outpost in the late afternoon, bloggers, writers, and dog owners from Seattle (go Poulsbo!), Colorado, Brooklyn, Laguna Beach, LA, and of course Phoenix. After settling into our Airstream “Diego,” we all gathered for a seafood boil dinner at farm tables set up in the middle of the common space. One thing about the desert that I love, dining with friends in the evening! And I can not think of a better locale nor better people to break bread with than Caravan Outpost, the GMC family and my new canine friends: Daisy, Charlie, Bobbi, Leo, Ford, and Oliver.

Dog Yoga, Dog Vehicle Safety & Dog Beaches, oh my!

The next morning we fueled up with a healthy breakfast and got prepared for dog yoga. Unlike goat yoga where they climb all over you, dog yoga involved doing regular yoga with time for pets and kisses in between. Our instructor Ellen Bain of Peak Power Yoga & Wellness, even came with her own 13-week old French bulldog puppy who stole our hearts.

I had never done yoga before and was surprised how much I liked it. The dogs definitely made it a treat! If you are in Ojai, drop in for a class for Ellen, her “a pose for every body” philosophy is really encouraging!

From dog yoga to dog safety. The amazing Samantha Johnson of Pack Life LA (you must follow her on Instagram!) walked us through how to ensure our canine friends are safe inside our vehicles. One important tip I learned was about restraining your dog while driving instead of letting him or her wander where they want. It is kind of like crating inside the home, giving them a space where they feel safe will ensure that they are happier. Samantha had a ton of great tips and tricks and she ought to know her personal story is incredible.

Now that we had been “trained” on the do's and don't's of car travel with a dog, we headed to the beach! A dog beach! We hopped in our vehicles and drove a short (and beautiful) 45-minute drive to Summerland Beach. The dogs had a blast running up and down the beach and in the water while the humans enjoyed the perfect 75-degree weather. You know what the best part of the few days with the dogs was? I could play with the dogs as much as I wanted but didn't have to worry about feeding them, picking up poo, or giving them a bath after the beach! All love, no work!

We took the wet and sandy dogs back to the cars. Or…everyone else but Cacinda and I did, we just took our sandy blankets!

Every time we turned around Bobbi and Leo were playing it up for the Insta! These 2 really are really quite adorable! Bobbi was rescued from the streets of the Bahamas and couldn't get enough of the ocean, Leo had a little more trepidation, but got in the water nonetheless.

On the way back to Caravan Outpost, we took a little drive up Highway 1 as the sun was setting. This is why people love California!

We finished our day with one of the best meals I've had in a very long time. Chef Clark Staub of Full of Life Foods works a 300-mile radius of farmers and food procurers for his amazing farm-to-table meals. The entire meal was a standout, but my favorite dishes were a beef salad with slices of grass-fed beef that absolutely melted in your mouth; an abalone salad and a grilled Santa Barbara fish (caught the day before) with fresh uni (harvested that morning) on top. I was in total and absolute heaven. Both nights our food was accompanied by Land of Saints wine from Santa Barbara County, a new discovery that I really enjoyed.

I woke up happy.

Ojai made me love California again. After 20 years in the San Francisco Bay Area, I broke up with California and moved to Phoenix. But everything about Ojai, including the Caravan Outpost, the restauranteurs and chefs and the local food bounty, reminded me of why so many people have that California dream. So with enough time and a few days in Ojai, my relationship with California is on the mend.

It's because of people like Chef Staub and people like Jennifer Weir, the owner of Beacon Coffee. After spending some quiet time catching up on email and social media, Cacinda and I rolled out of our Airstream, Diego, and over to breakfast. I was intent on coffee but as we turned the corner and saw the pastries that Jennifer had laid out, I knew I was done for! (Oh well, back to low carb when I get home!) It only took 5 minutes of listening to Jennifer describe her coffee and pastries to know that she and her husband are passionate about every detail of every ingredient that goes into their offerings.

One of which is my new food soul mate, the butter mochi.

For all my trips to Hawaii, I’ve never eaten it before, and have I been missing out. It’s a local treat made with coconut milk and mochiko. Trust me when I say it took all my strength not to eat a second one!

GMC Denali Terrain Features

After breakfast, we said goodbye to our friends, canine and human alike, and headed back to LAX in our GMC Denali Terrain. Because of the Woolsey Fire, we had to circumnavigate the freeways that were shut down. We went through a lot more suburban areas with lots of school zones it was really cool to get an alert that notified us when we’re entering a 25 mph zone. I also liked the Rear Seat Reminder. It gets so incredibly hot in Phoenix that leaving anything living, or heck even groceries in the car for more than a minute can be dangerous. The Terrain, along with the Acadia, Yukon, Canyon, and Sierra will sound five audible chimes and display a visual message that reminds the driver to take a look at the rear seat before departing.

Besides the incredibly smooth effort-free driving, the last thing I loved about the Terrain (besides its roominess!) was the vibrations on the lower part of the driver's seat that pulsed whenever I was approaching an object or an object was approaching me. By using my rearview mirror, the camera, and the vibrational guides, I feel like it is nearly impossible to back into something! That's not a safety promise, just the observation of someone who is prone to misadventures!

I know for many people a car is just a tool, a utility from getting from point A to point B, but for me, it is so much more than that. It’s a place to laugh, to cry, to argue, to explore, to adventure and to be happy. GMC are people who know how to create exceptional experiences because their product is all about the experience and once again they came through with Denali & Dogs!

The Bonus

I can't share the story of these 2 days without mentioning one person. I got to meet someone who I have been a fan of for a decade. As I sat by the fire pit on the first night, I kept looking across at a beautiful blonde thinking, “man she looks familiar!” As a group, we were waiting for the remaining bloggers/media to arrive, so formal introductions hadn't been made. I couldn't stand it anymore so I introduced myself. Turns out it was Jenny Ingram of Jenny on the Spot, someone I have truly adored for a decade!

I really enjoyed getting to meet her and her husband Paul. Paul coaches high school football and was likely going to run into my alma mater, Steilacoom High School in the Washington state championships. They could not have been more down-to-earth and funny (that I already knew) and I have to thank GMC for inviting her to the event, I just wish we had gotten to spend more time together or even get a photo together! The best I got was Bobbi visiting Jenny during yoga!

The Other Thank Yous

Thanks to Shelby Barone of OC Mom Blog who I met at a blogging conference many moons ago who was still as lovely as ever! Thanks to Becca Blonde and her adorable rescue dog Bobbi, one of the friendliest dogs I've ever met, dedicated to her craft of service and Instagram posing. And to Brandon Schultz (of Outdoor Magazine and more), who brought Leo, the most adorable basket case of a dog (also a rescue). Leo is totally lovable and will one day return that love. It was a pleasure to meet all of you – thanks for making it a great event and once again, thanks to GMC for putting together really great people! (GMC companies are really good at doing that!)

Weekend in Ojai

I highly recommend a visit to Ojai. It is a 90-minute drive from LAX; an hour and 20-minutes from the Burbank airport and 45-minutes from Santa Barbara. If you are going for a 2-day or 3-day stay or a weekend in Ojai, here’s what I suggest as an itinerary:

Ojai Hotels

In terms of Ojai hotels, grab an Airstream at the Caravan Outpost. If you don’t stay there, definitely still stop by and shop in their store otherwise you’re going to miss some cool finds. Located at 317 Bryant St.

Otherwise, there is the gorgeous Ojai Valley Inn, an award-winning luxury resort with all the amenities just outside the Los Padres National Forest. Located at 905 Country Club Rd.

Ojai Restaurants

Breakfast:
Get the most delectable sweet or savory pastries and ethically sourced coffee at Beacon Coffee. I’m considering a move to Ojai just for their butter mocha alone. Go every morning as there are too many pastries to choose from! Located at 211 W Ojai Ave.

Lunch and Dinner:
Check out The Nest. They have a delicious poke bowl. Located at 401 E Ojai Ave.

Dine at the intimate Azu and be blown away by their Mediterranean menu. I did lunch and had some of the best olives I've ever tasted along with braised short ribs. I have to go back for their Portuguese Chicken Soup! Located at 457 E Ojai Ave.

Don't miss amazing flatbreads and regional farm-to-table dishes from Full of Life Foods or just grab some of their bread for your own sandwiches. Located at 225 Bell St. in Los Alamos.

Other recommended spots: Ca' Marco Ristorante Italiano (1002 E Ojai Ave); Osteria Monte Grappa (242 E Ojai Ave); and Agave Maria's Restaurant & Cantina (106 S Montgomery St).

Things to do in Ojai

Drop in on Ellen Bain and her team at Peak Power Yoga & Wellness for a yoga class.

Visit Ojai Olive Oil (1811 Ladera Rd) to learn more about the 150-year-old heritage olive trees. You can learn how extra virgin olive oil is created, pick up some tips and tricks on cooking with olive oil and of course do some tasting!

Do some wine tasting at the Ojai Vineyard Tasting Room (109 S Montgomery St); Casa Barranca Organic Winery & Tasting Room (208 E Ojai Ave); or find some of your own wines (picnic, anyone?) at The Ojai Beverage Co. (655 E Ojai Ave).

If you want to see the ocean while visiting Ojai, check out Summerland Beach (park at 2297 Finney St, Summerland) and continue down the famous Highway 1 and enjoy the scenery, it makes for a lovely drive!

That's a wrap! Thanks again to GMC for the event invite and travel accommodations, thanks to our hosts at Caravan Outpost and all the people that came and spent time with us and fed us! I fell head over heels in love with Ojai and enjoyed learning more about the GMC Denali features and driving the Denali Terrain.

How about you? Do you have a dog that you travel with? Does he or she hop in the car and seek adventure? Have you been to Ojai, California? What do you think of the GMC Denali line-up? Do share!

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I was helping her out on a few blog things and invited her to share some of her Cali knowledge as I'm missing that part of the world. I loved my own trips to Joshua Tree and Borrego Springs and hunger for more! Enter Chrissi!

P.S. She is a great photographer too, all photos in this post are hers!

Joshua Tree National Park is a great place to hike and rock climb. There is a ton of things to do and you can visit Joshua Tree in one day.

But there is also lots to explore outside of the national park. Like Joshua Tree city. Joshua Tree city is a great place to explore art. Here are five unique destinations to stop in while you’re visiting the California high desert.

1. Crochet Museum

The World Famous Crochet Museum is a cute and quirky destination in downtown Joshua Tree. It’s bright green converted drive-thru photo stand that contains An eclectic assortment of crocheted animals & other creations. It's a wonderful place to explore and the outdoor experience is just as wonderfully whimsical as the museum itself. Shari Elf, a local artist, has created a whimsical world of crochet, screen printed clothing, patches, and other forms of art.

Note: Shari doesn't actually make the crocheted creations, but is a collector of them.

Address: 61855 CA-62, Joshua Tree, California 92252.

2. Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum

The Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum in Joshua Tree, CA is open to the public every day of the year from sunup until sundown and is free of charge. For the last 15 years of his life, Noah created ten acres full of art installations in the desert.

It’s a place where worn tires, box TVs, and metal chairs are repurposed and given a new life as art. Everything is constructed from junked objects and materials. It’s a wonderland of waste!

Address: 62975 Blair Ln, Joshua Tree, California 92252

3. Dinosaurs of 29 Palms

These cute metal dinosaurs are on the side of the road on Highway 62. There's a gold mom and baby Brontosaurus, and two toothy meat-eaters. These dinosaurs were added in front of Desert View Homes business to attract attention, but I love the fun aesthetic of the artwork as your driving by, and they make for a fun roadside photo shoot.

Address: 62842 Twentynine Palms Highway, Joshua Tree, CA 92252.

4. Desert Christ Park

Desert Christ Park is a museum of sculptures located on the hillside of Yucca Valley. There are more than 40 large white biblical statues here sculpted by Frank Antone Martin. It's a quiet and introspective place nestled among the desert landscape.

The last supper relief above is gorgeous, and some of the statues in the park tower over 8 feet tall. This site has flown under the radar in the high desert, but it's absolutely stunning and worth visiting.

Tip: The park is open from dusk until dawn for all to come and see these works of art free of charge.

Address: 56200 Sunnyslope Dr, Yucca Valley, California 92284.

5. Junk Art in Pioneertown

Pioneertown, near Joshua Tree, looks frozen in the old cowboy days of dust and tumbleweeds. If you walk down Main street past the western facades, there’s also a junked yard filled with oddities like children’s desks with old typewriters, vintage rusted cars, and a myriad of other junked items arranged in strange ways.

Thanks, Chrissi!

How about you? Have you been to Joshua Tree? Have other suggestions to add? Do share!

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The end of June/beginning of July is typically the hottest part of the summer in Phoenix. So Mr. Misadventures and I jumped at the chance to escape to Alaska and check out Steamboat Bay Fishing Club on Noyes Island. Steamboat Bay is the closest lodge to the best fishing grounds in Southeast Alaska, and in particular, to the best king salmon. One of the things I miss most since moving to Arizona is access to fresh seafood so what better way to treat myself than to experience lodge life on an island where I can practically reach my hand in the water and grab one of the more than 20 species of sports fish?!

Okay, so it wasn't quite as easy as that. But more on that in a bit.

Steamboat Bay is on Noyes Island a short floatplane ride from Ketchikan. On our floatplane trip into the lodge, the weather was slightly overcast but we were still able to see the stunning landscape that is Alaska. The various shades of green and blue, and the many, many miles of isolated islands and coasts without one sign of humans. The floatplane ride was about 40 minutes, however, it might as well have been 4000 minutes, as once we arrived, it felt like we were on the other side of the world! Steamboat Bay is considered the most remote fishing lodge in the world and when you land at the property and step onto the dock you feel transported.

That feeling continues as you start your metamorphosis into the Steamboat Bay experience. This is a luxury fishing lodge. The focus is on fishing and the team's mission is to facilitate a successful fishing trip. The expedition takes place over a 3-day period (although your total trip will be 5 days) and it is managed like a well-oiled machine to maximize your ability to catch what you want and feel spoiled.

This is how a typical Steamboat Bay trip flows:

• Day 1:
  • Travel to Ketchikan Alaska.
  • Stay the night in Ketchikan.
• Day 2:
  • Take an early floatplane to Steamboat Bay on Noyes Island.
  • Arrive at the lodge
  • Eat breakfast
  • Hit the boat
  • Fish until 4-4:30
  • Happy Hour
  • Dinner
  • Relax
• Day 3:
  • Eat breakfast
  • Hit the boat
  • Fish until 4-4:30
  • Happy Hour
  • Dinner
  • Relax
• Day 4:
  • Eat breakfast
  • Hit the boat
  • Fish until 4-4:30
  • Happy Hour
  • Dinner
  • Relax
• Day 5:
  • Take an early floatplane to Ketchikan.
  • Travel home.

Steamboat Bay is a luxury fishing lodge which means while certain things, like your arrival and departure, are run with military precision, or say like a cruise-ship turn, the rest of your trip is YOUR trip and the staff will accommodate what you want to do and how you want to fish. The reason they can do this? There are only 16 guests at a time. The guests take the trip as a group of 4, with 4 guests in each of the 4 Pacific Northwest 25-foot pilot boats. There are 26 staff/crew members at the resort, so there are plenty of people on hand to make your stay magical.

Now, the vast majority of the time those 16 people are hardcore fishermen and fisherwomen who go out the entire day (out at 6:30 a.m. in at 4:30 p.m.) all 3 days. However, our group of 4 was media: my old pal, Nyssa of The Cultureur who I spent a year with as a fellow Buick brand ambassador in 2015, and my new friend, Clay Barbour of Distinction Magazine along with Mr. Misadventures and I. We are not hardcore fisherpeople, so our schedule was a little different!

Our first morning at the lodge we followed the usual regime. We arrived by floatplane, ate breakfast, and moved to our boat. We were met by our fishing guide, Harold Yamagata. He would be our boat captain, fishing guide, and therapist over the next 3 days. He explained the safety details of the boat and the types of fishing we would do and the materials we would use. To get our “sea legs” we would start in calmer waters, see how we did, and move to the open ocean to test our nausea level.

Captain Harold has been a guide at Steamboat Bay for 4 seasons. And like all the guides, he has lots of experience and most importantly lots of patience. As our group of 4 had never fished this way before, we needed LOTS of help. But you know what? We all caught fish! And pretty quickly. Within the first hour of getting to our first spot and dropping lines, all 4 of us caught something! We spent some time getting used to the rods, the process, and moving around the boat.

Then we moved to the open sea. And then Ms. Misadventures and I got sick. It was totally our fault. For 10 years I have been wearing my PSI bands for any situation that might cause nausea (cruises, tour bus rides through the mountains, etc.) but my bands were just no match for the ocean on an overcast, sprinkling day in Southeast Alaska. And that lovely breakfast I had at the lodge was lovely no more! [Hey, it wouldn't be Misadventures with Andi without some misadventure!] Mr. Misadventures managed to keep his breakfast down but he wasn't feeling awesome.

Still, we all managed to catch fish! Here's proof!

Luckily, my boat mates were all feeling a little haggard from early morning travel the previous day so we headed back to the lodge at about 1:00 p.m. where we were met by a welcoming staff who served us lunch by the fireplace. We rested the remainder of the afternoon and re-energized for the evening's happy hour. Also, Mr. Misadventures and I started a regimen of Dramamine so that we could get our bloodstream pumping with the magic of dimenhydrinate.

Like most spots along the Alaska coast, the island and some of the buildings that make up the hotel property are part of a former salmon cannery. The lodge and other buildings are made from local timbers and reclaimed wood from the cannery and decorated in a classic (and beautiful) Pacific Northwest/Scandinavian design with artistic touches from local Alaska Native artists. And that includes Steamboat Bay's own fishing guide Everett Anthorp who carved the incredible wood pieces that appear above the hearth and in other spots around the lodge.

We had the opportunity to speak with Everett about his art as well. Everett is from the Haida tribe and he carves oars and creates carved wood panels from Western red cedar with animals that are represented in his tribes' stories and history. For instance, there is a beautiful raven above one of the seating areas in the Great Room that tells the story of the bird bringing salmon to the people by dropping salmon eggs as he flew over the rivers. Above the bar are the lovebirds – an eagle and a raven. People from different clans have to marry someone from the opposite clan, thus the eagle and raven together.

Our room was so cozy, I seriously needed a few extra days to just lounge around in it! We had a huge bathroom, a spacious walk-in closet, a little bar/fridge area, 2 cozy armchairs, a fireplace, and 2 of the most comfortable beds with piles of warm duvets. Our room opened up onto a deck with Adirondack chairs where we could enjoy our oceanfront view, as well as the beautiful sunsets.

But before those beautiful sunsets, there are the relaxing evenings. Once you've pulled into the docks the staff takes over. The captains work with the crew to offload your catch, weigh each fish, hose it down a bit so you can get your photo opportunity, and then take over cleaning, cutting, and processing your fish for the day.

While they are doing that the guests are removing their fishing jackets, pants, and boots (all supplied to you by the lodge) then usually showering or freshening up and then meeting everyone else in the Great Room to relax, enjoy a beverage and a couple of nibbles, and of course, recount the day's events.

The meals at the lodge are no joke. There is an open kitchen concept that makes you feel like part of the dance. Don't worry, no one is going to ask you to peel potatoes, and if you want to ignore Chef Joe Pienody and his team, you can do that, but given that Mr. Misadventures and I live via our stomachs, watching the culinary team was part of the enjoyment. And they are a talented bunch with deep resumes. Over the 3 days, they created delicious meals and treats despite the constraints that exist.

Food is barged in from Seattle at the beginning of the season. The vast majority of dry goods, meats, and fish arrive a few weeks before opening. Weekly grocery runs take place by boat to pick up produce. That produce is either sourced locally and/or comes from Charlie's Produce in Seattle, which takes 5 days to get to Southeast Alaska. That means you can't create menus with delicate fruits and vegetables – they need to be hearty to make the trip and last a few days longer to be fresh on a guest's plate.

Of course, when your dining table looks like this you sometimes forget the meal in front of you and find yourself just gazing out those gorgeous windows!

In general, we were impressed with the food. There was halibut or salmon every night as well as beef or game meat. Every dinner began with a choice of salads and soup – all outstanding. Every meal ended with an incredible selection of desserts including a changing trio of housemade ice creams and gelatos. I am not a big dessert person, but I couldn't resist partaking every night. It is a rare thing to find a chef that also masters pastry, and by goodness, Chef Pienody does!

Having a low-carb lifestyle I didn't try the homemade cinnamon rolls the first morning (I regret it) or the blueberry bread on the 3rd (another regret) but I did have an out-of-this-world scone the 2nd morning. I miss scones from the Pacific Northwest so I allowed myself this treat. It was epic. Perfectly moist, perfectly sweet (meaning not too sweet), the right balance of fruit, the right crustiness on top. Complete and total perfection.

My meals were memorable. Here are some of the highlights:

Lunch Day 1: I was recovering from seasickness and had a simple cup of tomato soup. The balance of acidity and sweetness along with its perfect texture hit the spot.

Dinner Day 1: venison stew, enough said. Mr. Misadventures is not a stew guy, yet he even raved about it! For dessert, Mr. Misadventures and I decided to split the flight of ice creams – strawberry, bananas foster and lemon sorbet, along with a chocolate chip cookie. Each bite of the ice cream was nirvana! Strawberry that taste like someone muddled fresh strawberries in your mouth, a banana that tasted so deeply of banana with perfect fresh chunks (meaning not mushy chunks of bananas that had started to turn brown) and the tartest of lemons that reminded me of housemade lemon sorbets (not gelatos) that we had in Italy. Of course, we were sharing and didn't get enough, so we asked for more!

Breakfast, Day 2: that scone.

Dinner Day 2: sockeye salmon (my favorite) with a blueberry jalapeno gastric. Perfectly-crisped skin on medium rare salmon – there is nothing better. The sweet-spicy-acidic nature of the gastrique served on the side so as to keep the skin crisp cut the fattiness of the salmon like they were made for each other. (Chef Pienody is a huge fan (like me) of Tom Colicchio and Top Chef. Chef Colicchio would murder you if you put sauce on your crispy skin!)

Dinner, Day 3: the last evening we were invited to see The Residence, a separate stand-alone guesthouse (that sleeps 8) that has its own chef and staff. The chef over there is Chef Greg Guy who formerly worked at Michelin-starred Meadowood in Napa. Every aspect of our meal stood out. I had a Japanese-inspired smoke salmon with Ponzu sauce as an appetizer, a black bean bisque with just the right hit of cumin (I now want all my black bean soups to be bisques), halibut served with black-eyed peas, asparagus, and celery leaves. All of it hit home, I was starving and tired (from all the fish-catching!) and this meal was utterly satisfying.

The previous 2 nights I had stayed with the ice cream flight, but for our final meal, we had a little bit of a café gourmand with a half-portion of bread pudding (OMG was it delicious), a chocolate chip cookie scone with Mexican hot chocolate and the pièce de résistance, salted-caramel ice cream. Our first night in the lodge Nyssa, Clay, Mr. Misadventures and I hung around the long community table enjoying the evening view. Chef Joe joined us for a while and we talked about our favorite this and that (meal, donut, food city, etc.) weaved in with learning more about Chef Joe's history. I immediately liked him. He is kind, friendly, funny and many of his food heroes are mine. We also complimented him on his ice creams. Nyssa asked him if he had ever done salted caramel, to which Chef Joe said, “no.” He said, “I'll have to try that.” And we all said, “Yes, please!”

So on our final night, for our final bites of ice cream, it was a delicious, delectable, and surprisingly delicate salted caramel ice cream! Go chef Joe!

So now you're thinking, ahh yes, Steamboat Bay is all about the food. You are now thinking how can I have a meal here? But kind readers, I've led you astray. Steamboat Bay is about fishing. It's all about fishing, which is why having such distracting food is an incredible bonus. But I have digressed too far off the boat. We need to get back to the adventure at hand.

The fishing.

Fishing is fun. Fishing requires work. Fishing is addictive.

Now on the work part, I’ll have to say by having my first experience being Steamboat Bay I will forever be spoiled. Harold put the bait on our lines, got us untangled when we got stuck, pulled out our fish, measured them, held them up for photo ops, killed them, and put them on ice. All I had to do was drop my line, wait for a nibble, pull at the right time and reel them in!

But once you catch one you are hooked! Something primal clicked over in my brain! My first fish was a halibut which we would learn was not too hard to get. We got 10 over the 3-day period and 8 of them were caught by Mr. Misadventures! So, that was “easy.” What I wanted was a king salmon. In my mind, when you say premium king salmon fishing grounds I thought they’d be hopping in the boat! Somehow I had transversed all those Alaska salmon stream documentaries where the bears are gleefully pulling in the salmon like it’s no tomorrow! Alas, that is not how it works on the sea.

Those suckers are tricky! I’m sure our group let a good half dozen get away just because by the time we realized a salmon was nibbling on our line we were too late in pulling up!

More on that in a second.

While the salmon eluded us until the last day we did catch plenty of other things. Every time we caught a rockfish, which we threw back we had the opportunity to see a bald eagle come in and swoop one up. (I should explain that when you catch a rockfish its swim bladder fills with gas and it floats on the surface recovering before returning down below, unless an eagle gets him, which honestly doesn’t happen every time.)

I caught a bright orange rockfish and we threw it out and waited. An eagle circled above but didn’t go for the fish. He headed back to the trees and by the way, the trees were just dotted with their white heads, there were eagles everywhere! So Mr. Misadventures put down his camera and picked up his pole. And wouldn’t you know it? The eagle came back! The hubby missed the shot where the eagle grabbed the fish from the water but he got this one with the eagle carrying his prize away.

The next day Clay had a scare. Both he and I caught rockfish. Harold took mine off the hook first and threw it back in. As Harold was preparing to grab Clay’s rockfish an eagle swooped in and grabbed it while it was still on his line! There was a moment of utter shock when we didn’t know what to do, but luckily the eagle dropped the fish.

It wasn’t all Mutual Omaha’s Wild Kingdom out there! We saw sea lions and whales and otters popping up here and there. We saw a mink one evening while watching the sunset on the dock and we saw plenty of other birds.

But let’s face it, people, I was there to fish. Once I got a taste I wanted more and I wanted a salmon. In truth, it didn’t matter who caught it. Every boat of four shares the fish that is caught so even if you personally catch nothing as long as someone on your boat does you are going home with fish. But I wanted salmon. Fresh Alaskan king salmon.

Our second day we started at 8 instead of 6:30 and being the good journalists we were, we headed back at 2 so we could get interviews, write notes, etc. We caught 4 halibut and a sea bass it was a good day.

We hung out to watch them process a halibut and admired the talent of the “fish cutters.” The area they work in is extremely clean and they ensure that everything is iced and sealed immediately. They freeze everything right away and keep track of which group catches what.

They use really fantastic American-made Dexter (no not that Dexter) knives to do the carving. If you're squeamish, scroll down a few inches.

If we had caught a salmon, we could have had it prepped for sushi, darn it! But all in all, I could not have asked for a better day of fishing, camaraderie, a beautiful meal, a nightcap, and a gorgeous sunset. Which by the way, took place at 10:40 p.m. The physical activity, the fresh air, nature, I was relaxed and didn't want to miss a minute. For someone who goes to bed at 9:00 that's saying a lot!

In fact, here's me right before the sunset, do I look like I am thinking about going to bed?

On day 3, our last day of fishing, we were on a mission, go big or go home! We wanted salmon! We headed out at 7:30. Our plan was to return at 2:00 again giving us time to rest before a special dinner that had been planned for us at the Residence. The morning was a bit cool and a bit windy so we went to a bay where we pulled up some halibut.

After a while, we headed to open water but the wind prevented us amateurs from feeling our lines so Harold took us to a spot to try out jig fishing. For this, we fished with sturdier rods and 1-pound jigs in place of bait. The goal is to drop to the bottom quickly and then slightly pull up to just above the bottom then pull up hard 2-3 times before letting it drop again. Mr. Misadventures immediately caught another halibut (we called him halibut man!) and he declared, “I like this kind of fishing!”

Right after that I felt something on my line and pulled up. With these kinds of rods, you can’t let it bend or lower (with the other rod, it bends and you bend down with it and then reel it in as you are coming back up), you have to keep holding up the rod. Whatever I had was big but not putting up too much of a fight. When I got it to the side of the boat and looked over I saw that it was a giant monster! A lingcod.

Harold netted it with the help of Mr. Misadventures and pulled it into the boat to measure it. It was 46 inches, one inch too large to keep! (Lingcods have to be between 30-45 inches or over 55 inches) he weighed about 50 pounds and Harold held it up for me to take a shot before releasing it.

And now I understood fish tales. What did people do before cell phones! Of course their digital cameras, but before that, what proof did you have of your amazing catch unless you had a witness. And what about the incredible catch that a sea lion stole? (That happened twice to another group!) Ah, the ones that get away!

After jigging a bit, Harold indicated that the open sea looked good weather-wise so we headed out in search of salmon. When we got out there it was choppier than expected so we moved to a calmer spot although it was still windy making it difficult to feel our lines. But as Harold had declared all weekend, “we’re fishing!”

I cast my line a few times and then in a surreal moment that happened without me consciously realizing it, I felt my line pull. I raised my rod up and I began a fight. You see unlike all the other fish we caught, salmon put up a real fight. They take your line and go! You’ve got to give them enough line so it doesn’t snap off while still reeling them in and keeping a tight rod. They go left, they go right, they could go under the boat, so when a salmon is on everyone clears out and stays out of the way.

When you bring him up to the side he can still go crazy. I couldn’t tell you what happened in those moments of that fight. I was keeping my rod in my gut reeling up inch by inch which was intense as I don’t have a lot of upper body strength. I was listening to Harold’s instructions trying not to piss him off and I was praying to the Universe that a sea lion wasn’t going to get my fish. The whole thing was like an out-of-body experience!

Once we got him on the boat, cleaned him up and I took a photo with him, it was at the moment that I finally realized what I’d just done. And you know what? I wanted more! Or least for someone else on the boat to get one. In July you are only allowed one salmon per person for the season (you can have 3 in June!).

As we approached 2:00, the time we were supposed to head back to the lodge, we decided to keep going. We had the fever. We continued fishing. We followed a grey whale and a whole bunch of birds near a commercial fishing trawler and we kept at it. We were supposed to start heading back at 3:30 but at 3:15 we all called it a day, we were completely pooped. In 3 days we had thrown back a handful of rockfish, an over-the-limit-sized lingcod, and over-the-limit-sized halibut, but we had caught and kept: 10 halibut; 2 sea bass, and 1 king salmon!

It was the longest day we had stayed out and we all quietly reflected or recovered as we made our return trip to the lodge. Until the most amazing thing happened! In our last moments, sad that we would be going home the next day, we were escorted home by a large pod of orca whales!

Harold drove the boat quickly to get in front of them a few times and we sat there watching in awe as they swam towards us and past us. It's not a common sight and even Harold was taking video!

There are no words to describe how incredibly cool it was to see about 30 Orcas swimming and breaching around you. It is not easy to capture on film but I don't need to, it's totally etched in my brain! Although Mr. Misadventures did a good job!

We were on a total natural high coming back! What a day! We did some jigging, I caught my salmon, we saw the Orcas, I caught my salmon! Oh, right I said that! But I was thrilled, I really wanted to take some home!

We scrambled back to the Lodge, freshened up, and enjoyed a wonderful last night at the Residence, a private home next to the lodge available for groups of 8. The house is dreamy with glass “tiles” on the main room's floor that allows you to look down onto the stream that runs under the house; a sauna that has a view of the whole bay, and much, much more. We chatted with the chef that is dedicated to the Residence and had a lovely time. I will say my shoulders and forearms were pretty sore from my fight with the salmon, but it was a good pain! And totally worth it!

Alaska is a very masculine place. It was foraged and conquered by many hearty men. Most of the fishing guides at Steamboat Bay are salty dogs, weathered and proud, but also over-the-top friendly and open. We enjoyed Dennis, Everett, and the whole crew. They know these waters, they know their stuff.

And I could listen to them for hours! And I never tired of asking them questions and they never appeared tired by answering them!

I now understand how fish stories happen. I now understand the competitive nature of the sport of fishing. I now know that fishing is not a sport just for men. I had the time of my life and if they would have let me stayed, I would have done it for 3 more days! Although I had a great time as a couple, I think it would be a fun girlfriend's getaway as well. There is a beautiful sauna, hot tub, massage therapist, an open bar, and fresh ice cream, what more to love? Lots actually!

Our final morning we were up early to have breakfast and prepare for our departure on the floatplane. The morning was gorgeous.

The Steamboat Bay crew had our processed, frozen fish boxed up and labeled for our flights. They partner with Alaska Airlines to facilitate the transfer and delivery of packaged fish to ensure that it stays frozen and fresh.

Our catches netted 35 pounds of fish, most of it halibut, a tiny bit of seabass (thanks Clay!), and salmon. We got 4 salmon steaks out of my catch which, trust me, will be cherished for a special occasion!

On the floatplane home, it was bright and sunny which made it seem like Mother Nature had boosted the contrast and saturation on everything.

Tanguan Air flew us directly to the Ketchikan airport where the ground crew took our luggage and drove it to the curb as we walked the short distance to the departure gates. We checked in our luggage and fish and headed to Seattle. We caught an earlier flight out of Seattle. Once onboard, there was a collective moan when the Alaska Air flight attendant announced that the temperature in Phoenix was 110.

Despite my fear our fish would get lost it was there waiting for us on the other side and still totally frozen when we arrived home. We opened up our box to find everything neatly labeled and ready to go into our freezer.

Before my trip, I read Tip of the Iceberg: My 3,000-Mile Journey Around Wild Alaska by Mark Adams, and something the author wrote struck me:

“The dual vision of Alaska as a wilderness to be preserved and a frontier to be exploited.”

I think I understand it a bit more. Alaska is one of the last frontiers, still mostly unspoiled. A place where a man or a woman can go to be with nature, to challenge it a bit, in my case, with fishing, and get a taste of why these types of experiences need to be protected. Steamboat Bay very consciously and very sustainably allows its guests to experience that “dual vision” and I can't stress enough how important it is to visit Alaska in your lifetime. And to make it a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I recommend you do it with Steamboat Bay Fishing Club!

How about you? Have you been fishing in Alaska before? Would you consider a trip? Would you do a couple's trip or a girl's getaway? If you've been, what was your experience? Do tell!

For a visual summary of this post, check out my Steamboat Bay web story!

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