I really loved being here — the turquoise waters off the coast are one of my favorite things about this area. If you want more of a party vibe, go to Miami Beach, but the quiet and comfortable area in Fort-Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is so relaxing and beautiful.
On Las Olas Boulevard, there are a lot of art galleries and shops, and eateries, nearby the NSU Art Museum. ABRA Gallery has paintings by Star Mortezavi and Hessam Abrishami, and several other Iranian painters.
A couple fun things to do while sightseeing was seeing the Anna Sui exhibition at the NSU Museum, which also had some paintings and photographs worth seeing in their galleries, and the Bonnet House, which features paintings and art collections by the Bartlett’s in the studio and house.
The blue waters off the coast of Miami Beach were stunning, as was the sparkling white sand, although honestly, it was more beautiful in the quiet areas of the beach.
Painting by Star Mortezavi in the ABRA Gallery
Paintings from New River Fine Art Gallery, down the boulevard
The beach at Fort Lauderdale
Near the pier in Fort Lauderdale
Morning sunrise at the beach in Fort Lauderdale by the sea
Pelicans, over the shoreline
Anna Sui’s exhibition at the NSU Art Museum, featuring samples from collections over the decades
Charleston is a really beautiful city, with colorful walls, cobblestone streets, and the wharf nearby to walk along after walking through the city. It really is a place that artists could stay in for a long time.
If you go, visit Rainbow Row and walk through downtown at the least! Beautiful sights and beauty awaits around every corner in this town.
While I cannot tell you much about Denver city, here are the best natural attractions in the Denver area.
Natural Beauty | Scenic Views | Forests, Lakes, and Wildlife
The Rocky Mountain National Park – Estes Park
The Road to Estes
By far the most beautiful, Estes Park is the top natural attraction in the Denver area, reachable by car in roughly an hour and a half. It’s only 65 miles from Denver city, however, the traffic gets slower in some areas due to the winding mountain roads. The drive from Lyons to Estes Park is a part of the beauty, and an attraction itself. If you go in winter, you may find icy dusted pine trees, making the stretch (roughly 17 miles) a magical winter wonderland stretching for miles and miles of curving turns amidst craggy rocks, cliffs, and scenic vistas. Truly beautiful. The Rocky Mountains are not to be missed.
Walking on the trail to Emerald Lake, on the frozen Nymph Lake icy snow.
The Dream Lake Trail | A trail connecting three lakes in the Rocky Mountains
A highlight hike in any weather, this trail is the Rocky Mountain experience all in one. It takes you up into the Rocky Mountains, and is off a road that is very accessible from the main road, though sometimes closed in icy conditions. A moderate hike, it is easy in the first stretch to Dream Lake, and then more sloping and a little harder as it winds up to Nymph Lake and then Emerald Lake. It’s 3.6 miles round trip, out and back. It is so beautiful and scenic, however, so don’t miss it — you will appreciate and admire the views the higher you go, as it gets more and more scenic with vast reaches of alpine forest, views of mountain peaks, and (while I was there, in winter, at least) icy, snow covered lakes in swirling clouds of fog in some areas.
Amongst the Rockies, on the road to the Trailhead ranger exit.
2. Garden of the Gods – Colorado Springs
There is another Garden of the Gods in Illinois, however, this one could be the original, and one can see why. With large red rocks in interesting formations stretching up towards the sky, these rocks truly are something to behold, and majestic. The path is easy to access, with parking at the main trailhead a little difficult in the warmer months. In the winter, I did not have a problem finding a spot as soon as I arrived. The wide, paved path winds through the park, which is deceptively small given the grandiosity of its title. The total round trip mileage varies as it loops in a bit of a figure eight, however, I walked around and it took no more than thirty minutes to see everything, although there are places to linger.
Garden of the Gods on a pullout on the scenic byway
3. Canyon Gorge – Cañon City
This is worth a mention, because it is simply a sheer drop into a canyon, with a long suspension bridge running over it. It is not hard to access the bridge, but it does cost $25. I was viewing a Colorado Springs travel guide which had an amazing photograph of it at sunrise, but it didn’t mention any fees. Since I wasn’t in the mood to pay to walk over the bridge, I didn’t go, however the view was nice and there is a park nearby with more hiking trails overlooking scenic vistas.
4. El Dorado State Park – Denver area
This was a highlight. By far one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, El Dorado State Park takes no more than twenty or thirty minutes to reach from the heart of Denver city, and it feels like stepping into a dream world. Craggy cliffs rising high in the midst of fog, scraggly pine trees bent from the wind, and right next to it, a small neighborhood with houses, and interesting architecture, built right up into the mountain itself. From far, it looks like a Japanese bonsai painting, and close up, it feels like something other than Denver, completely.
A must see. It costs $40 to enter the park, and since I was not climbing, I simply stopped to admire the cliffs rising from the mists for a while, before I drove on.
5. Marshall Mesa – Denver area
The Marshall Mesa looks towards the mountain range, so the hike has a nice view of the mountains on the return journey. It’s flat, mostly, and short, only about 0.7 miles one way, though it can be combined with two other trails for a 3.0 mile ish loop. Bring snowshoes or spikes in the winter, because while I was there in the snow, the icy parts were a little treacherous. However, given that the snowfall was sudden and historic in March 2021, it may not snow so much otherwise for the hiker. It is easy to get to the Flatirons (off the same highway, I-70, about fifteen to twenty minutes away), so after you go there, try the Flatirons.
6. Chataqua Park, The Flatirons – Boulder
The reason to go is because the Flatirons are simply stunning. The views are so worthy from any location of the trail, although the feeling of pride after hiking is more after reaching the summit of the Flatirons trail (1/2 Flatiron trail), or at least for me it is, simply because it is strenuous to go up the switchbacks. Drink plenty of water, and eat well, for the altitude will make everything a little more difficult.
The Flatirons in winter snow
The Chataqua to Bluebell Mesa trail is a nice 1.2 mile loop, with beautiful views and one part of it stopping in the midst of an alpine forest. It is a wonderful trail because it runs to the mountains and back to the trailhead by the parking lot.
The trails connect here to the Bluebell Mesa trail – in the pine grove.The Boulder Flatirons in snow
A highlight in winter is the sledding in snow down the gentle slopes nearer to the trailhead parking lot! Bring your own sled, and go for a nice, easy, long run down.
7. Wonderland Lake – Boulder
What colors this place has is enough to go see it, and do the short 0.4 hike across the side of the lake back to the parking lot, although you can go further. There are yellow reeds, quaint cottages, foothills with scrubby pines, and the lake itself with ducks floating on it at times. Very peaceful.
8. Red Rocks Ampitheather – Denver area
It is a cool place to go even without a concert to see, and I recommend a trip to the museum nearby where the musicians have their artwork displayed from previous shows. A must-see!*
*The Colorado Music Hall of Fame, a trading post with some food and snacks and t-shirts, apparel to buy after looking around at the music showcased, displayed.
As usual, all opinions are my own.
Where to stay: honestly, most of the downtown hotels looked amazing and interesting, rising high into the sky – try the Hyatt, with its Peaks Lounge with views of the city from the 27th floor, or the Art Hotel, which has a restaurant, “Fire,” which is situated in the midst of a gallery like setting with paintings and sculpture on white walls and views of the city from the 4th floor, or try a quaint hotel tucked away in Boulder (which is what I would have done if I’d known about some nice ones, as Boulder is a very walkable, pleasant city). Lucky’s Market in Boulder and the walkable promenade on Pearl Street are two of my favorite highlights from the city, where you will find organic and tasty food at a local market store, and plenty of shopping and art, books, and gifts, not to mention restaurant’s like Illegal Pete’s (which offers burritos and rice and bean bowls) in a very magical-esque setting. Even driving around Boulder into the foothills, or up to Flagstaff Mesa to see the view, is entertaining!
You might see this sight in Denver, as soon as you arrive, for this train station is the hub of the downtown metro area, as well:
The train, at Union Station, connects the airport to Denver’s central station and downtown areas, and also has other trains branching around the city.
A few more photos:
Wonderland Lake
Denver’s Pine Snow Mountains nearby Estes Park
Red Rocks Denver Ampitheater Park
Outside El Dorado State Park, where the cliffs hanging in mist are
Estes Park lake at sunrise, dawn
Denver, Boulder park area at sunset, by the Flatiron mountains
While travel is banned to most countries outside of the United States in 2020 (still is as I write this — it’s January 2021), it’s still possible to explore the diverse and beautiful lands of the North American Continent. There are 61 National Parks, many more state parks, and other beautiful scenic spots in the vast, sweeping United States, and with no good reason not to see them this year — so here’s what I consider some of the most beautiful places in the United States (and since I’ve been to all of them in this post, this is my personal opinion only, etc).
January
Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, CA
The colorful boats and ferries make Fisherhman’s Wharf a scenic place to visit, although the normally quaint, quirky, and fun eclectic mix of shops and art galleries were shut down (and closing, sadly, too), when I was there in January of 2021. Let’s hope for the best of luck with them during this difficult time of social upheaval.
Bodega Bay, CA
Where dreams are made, and simply, the stuff dreams are made of, and so on.
What dreamlike quality Bodega Bay does not possess is shared by the surrounding landscapes of the rolling hills and giant rocky boulders, as if you, too, have walked into the Land of the Giants or some Tolkein-esque fantasy around the Shire.
Lake Tahoe, NV
Lake Tahoe, serene, surrounded by alpine mountains, is so reminiscent of walking into the Alps around a stretch of its perfect blue watery surface. It just doesn’t feel like the United States in Lake Tahoe, but that’s probably because the alpine forests are so vast and sweeping, and the wooden log cabins of the resorts nearby were crafted to be so idyllic, that it just feels like “some other place,” entirely — although the small town atmosphere of Lake Tahoe near Kings Beach has a distinctly Twin Peaks vibe, which is fun, though very nostalgic. That makes Lake Tahoe a place to stay if you want to rent a cabin here, because I discovered most of the shoreline was filled with vacation rentals — far more than I previously envisioned.
Death Valley National Park, CA
Death Valley is vast, and as changing as the long horizons of the hours that pass by on the drive. “Scenic” though it can be described, it just doesn’t do it justice. A cool, long drive is the best way I can describe Death Valley, because it is actually meant to be driven through. There are several spots to hike, though, so if you feel like walking around, there’s the guided hike to the Red Cathedral, an easy 0.8 to 3.3 mile hike (one way) through the canyon wash, and the Badwater Basin Salt Flats, where most people walk down and back through the wide desert filled with different crusted salt formations, although most of the scenery is best viewed from the road or a pull-out.
Badwater Basin Salt Flats
Great Basin National Park, NV
It really is like time stopped in the late 90s in Great Basin National Park, or perhaps, time never moved on in this area. Though it was snowed out while I was there, Great Basin National Park is still one of the most majestic and scenic places of the United States, with mountains that seem to drift through ages.
Bonneville Salt Flats, UT
The Bonneville Salt Flats.
The Bonneville Salt Flats share something charismatic and dramatic, and there’s an endless charm about these lands.
Salt Lake City, an hour and a half or so drive nearby, has major hiking and rock-climbing havens in the Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons (not to mention some classic skiing areas, from the looks of it) all about a 10 minutes drive from the heart of the city itself. With high rise buildings, a metro train, plenty of natural food shops, and a vast lake nearby — Salt Lake City has it all. It seems like a European town, or a smaller New York (Manhattan), set in the dusty desert, with outdoor adventures for every sport, and really tall climbing gyms — so if that’s what you’re into, it has everything to offer.
City of Rocks, National Reserve, ID
The City of Rocks in Idaho was nothing short of interesting, and its features make it something dreamlike. What an incredibly fun place.
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, ID
Craters of the Moon is a lava rock filled national park, actually, in Idaho — and while I didn’t go into the park area itself, I spent an afternoon nearby it surrounded by the lava rocks and these beautiful mountain ranges, so I consider it “close enough.” It was too snowy to continue on into the park itself when I went — however, the alpine landscapes, and the scenery of snow capped peaks in winter was very pretty.
Sun Valley, Idaho
The mountain ranges in Sun Valley, Idaho, make for excellent skiing, and some argue the best in the United States. While I do not ski much, I would highly recommend going there, if you don’t know about skiing in Sun Valley. It is one of the prettiest places to ski, with long runs and alpine forests.
The Badlands National Park, SD
The Badlands, South Dakota.
The Badlands are not a place for the delicate — the wind gusts are quite strong, and the landscapes a place for those who appreciate desolation. Leave the Badlands alone, and they’ll leave you alone, is the sentiment here, for those who appreciate the concept that if one stares into the vast midst of a canyon too long, you will get lost in it as it stares into you. Big and mean and bad, vast and reminiscent of Needles National Park in Utah (Canyonlands), this is a place to lose a staring contest, beautiful though it may be said to be, as the poet once said, though one cannot accurately describe it as simply that — nor in the end, can words encapsulate everything about a place, feeling, or emotion, as words simply put a grid on things ever-transient and shifting, far greater than the words themselves.
Garden Of The Gods — Shawnee National Forest, IL
Stunning, and observational, these rocks are there for people to observe the vast expanse of forests that reach for miles upon miles into the distance, like waves lapping the shoreline.
To stand upon these is to reach into the mighty heavens, for aptly named, there is something palpable that lingers in these Shawnee woods, as if their ancestors, the Native American Indians, still walk upon the rocks in a land without settlements. Time reaches way back, deep, and seems to slow to a pace where the brave once stood, and coyotes bayed in the night, and perhaps once, wolves stood upon these ledges and upon a full moon, howled their lonely cries.
A short walk leads around these rocks, easily accessible for anyone, as it is only a quarter of a mile, although this area, itself, feels much more expansive, than that.
To be continued! As usual, all opinions are my own.
If you’re thinking of taking a road-trip, maybe traveling through Utah and Arizona, many beautiful vistas await. Driving through those two states, and the Indiana Reservation lands amongst them was one of my favorite trips, because it is simply so scenic, with so many long drives in-between places.
If you rent a car and travel to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon is only an hour and a half drive away, and it is easy to stay in one place and explore the different regions nearby, or go on the Grand Circle, where many National Parks can be visited in one week or two, if you want more time to explore, although that is up to you. No matter what you do, wherever you go, there exist so many vast and sweeping scenic landscapes full of natural beauty, everywhere.
Traveling through the Canyon Lands of the Southwest is one of the most beautiful drives you will ever do, because of the long distances and vast landscapes of plateaus.
Below, there are Five of the Most Beautiful Places in Utah and Arizona to explore:
Bryce Canyon National Park
The colorful plateau of orange and white sparkling hoodoos, mixed with some pine trees, makes Bryce Canyon number one on my list. Since I’ve been to all these places I’m recommending, I can tell you Bryce Canyon is by far my favorite, simply for the sheer stunning beauty and the joy of seeing so many different colors in the light during sunrise, sunset, and throughout the day, when the light hitting the rocks makes them sparkle.
For a good hike, the Navajo and Queen’s Garden trail leads you around the canyon and the pine forests, and takes about an hour to two hours to complete (2.75 miles).
The scenic drive is worth it, with multiple different stopping points along the way. The Bristlecone Pine Trail loop (1.0 mile) at the end leads to multiple scenic views, and is not very strenuous.
2. Zion National Park
The land of the giants. Zion has a quietness to it, which one still can experience despite when it is full of tourists, aged as it is by time, eroded by the Virgin River. In snow, the cliffs look even more majestic.
Good hikes: I recommend the Upper, Lower, and Middle Emerald Pools trails, as they are easy (the Lower Emerald Pool Trail is paved), and very beautiful, leading through a grove of trees on a mostly level path, with views of the tall monolithic cliffs all around. For a longer hike, loop around on the Middle Emerald Pool trail to the Grotto, starting and ending at the Lodge in a circle (roughly 3.5 miles hike in total).
3. Buckskin Gultch, Starting from the Wirepass Hiking Trail, in Paria Canyon
A slot canyon in Paria Canyon that leads 13 miles in length all the way to the Colorado River, you can stop wherever you want and double back, following a 1 mile river wash to the slot canyon itself. I highly recommend starting this hike in the early day time, as the light shining through the slot canyon gets stronger, waning in the evening, and you can go a longer distance by starting earlier, or simply seeing the sunlight rays hitting the canyon when the sun is out.
The views are breathtaking with some of the prettiest coral colors I have seen, and is truly a magical place, one of the most beautiful that I’ve seen.
4. Kodachrome Basin State Park
I loved hiking the Angel’s Palace Trail in Kodachrome State Park. A 1.6 mile loop winding through rock formations and hoodoos, it looks you have landed in a different country. The varied geological features is one of the most amazing things about Utah, and one not to be missed! Besides, Bryce Canyon is only a 15 – 20 minute drive away on the Scenic Highway 12.
5. Horseshoe Bend
A little ways away from Utah, where I stayed in Kanab, lies Page, where the slot canyons are famous world round. The Horseshoe Bend of the Colorado River is also a high-class attraction, with plenty of sights, depth, and tourists. Be careful, there is a 1,000 drop off the cliffs to the water below, and don’t be afraid to linger.
The sunset here was one of the most lovely experiences I’ve seen, making my trip to Utah and Arizona of my most favorite travel experiences ever.
Photo by: Kumar Nishant
The sheer beauty and varied colors in the rocks, as well as the surprisingly beautiful pine forests in the Kaibab National Forest, make driving through the Indian reservation lands a sacred, spiritual, and beautiful experience. These five must-sees are a worthwhile part of your trip to Utah and Arizon, America’s southwest. It is a place that can only be explored by driving long distances, but that’s part of the experience, and some of the drives are so scenic.
Climbing in the Red Rocks? Here are two of the best places to go for classic trad climbs with spectacular views from the top.
Olive Oil, a multi-pitch classic (easy 5.7, trad), travels up and around the side of the mountain, is a classic. The view is stunning on the way up, and the descent is easy down the side with a little light scrambling over rocks.
Great Red Book is a two pitch route (easy 5.8, trad) with a hard ascent, due to the having to haul your gear over a lot of rocks for a mile or so up the slope in Calico Basin, but the view is worth it at the top, and the descent around the cliff is easy.
Few things are probably more beautiful in the world than roads that bend through yellow and red-leafed trees, the subtle hint that autumn is in the air, rain that lashes on the windowpane and casts a sheen across the roads, and mists rising over the forests that steam up and make the minutes seem to last forever.
At least, when one travels in rain, throughout the countryside of Indiana.
Indiana is a truly magical place. There’s a lot of history here — often while driving through the forests that still stand alongside the roads, I could envision what it must have been like when the Native Americans were living here with their canoes and their own lifestyle.
Now, I drive along the road, and it’s carpeted with Shells and Mobils and other stores of the modern-day era, but the beauty of the natural world still shines through.
I went to Cataract Falls, in Cloverdale, Indiana, to say goodbye to the past. There’s a future ahead of every day, and who knows where it is going. I’ve been traveling for a while, going here and there, but for a while, I’d like to enjoy being where I am. That kind of past, a light, gentle, goodbye.
I’m sure I’ll be back here, and thanks to everyone who has stopped by and read my posts. The waterfall, and the river, in Cataract, will always be there for those who search it out!
As always, all opinions are my own. Now, time for the photos.
Pictures do a better job of describing the otherworldly beauty of the Pacific Coast than words. The black-washed mist on the haystacks of Bodega Bay. Colors dotting the rugged coastlines, stepping closer, one sees they are wildflowers. Elk, ravens, and wild dogs that have survived in this harsh landscape. The sweeping fog rolling in over the orange Golden Gate bridge, a strange sight against the Marin Headlands, yet a spectacular sight against the glittering bay of white-sailed boats and the futurist city of San Francisco behind the bridge’s net. The white lace in the ocean tides at Stinson Beach, and the black flower heads that grow beside Highway 1. Even the peaceful trees that loom in the remains of their forest in Samuel P. Taylor State Park are remnants of beauty from an era before modern ways.
It is cliche to call it beautiful, but didn’t someone say that in a famous poem, once?
As usual, all opinions are my own. Time for the photos.
Another list post. That’s good, because I’ve been a little short on time the past month for writing, and yet, here we go! I’ll make it sweet:
Skydiving in Franklin, Indiana
If you love heights, like me, and like safety, with some old-fashioned kindness, try Jerry’s Flying Circus in Franklin, Indiana. You can skydive alone, tandem, or static line. I did the tandem skydive with some very, very, nice people who made sure I had an amazing experience. Link to their website: http://www.explorefreefall.com/
2. Spring Mill Inn in Mitchell, Indiana
Besides being a village-walking-tour of the way farmers and homesteaders lived in the early 1900s in Indiana, Spring Mill Inn is a very beautiful forested state park with a nice inn and gardens. It is like walking around on the western equivalent of a Jane Austen estate. Bring a camera.
3. Indiana Dunes State Park – Porter, Indiana
It is like being in Florida. Except for the water is colder, there is less salt, and more sand dunes.
4. Yellowwood State Park – Nashville, Indiana
There is a lot to do and see in Indiana, but if you visit, make one stop at Yellowwood State Park. There is something special about the forests, especially in the morning, in evening, in spring, and in fall. Even in winter, Yellowwood has an aura and appeal that is difficult to place a single word or encapsulate it with a few sharp edges in an attempt to define it. It has magic in it, like Tolkein’s.
5. Exotic Feline Rescue Center – Ashboro, Indiana
You can walk around and see the tigers, lions, and smaller cats that have been rescued. While it is certainly sad to see what humans have done to these majestic, wild, beautiful creatures that do not belong in cages, it is also a wonderful experience to see them being cared for by people who have rescued them.
6. Bluesprings Cavern – Bedford, Indiana
Go underwater on a boat and see stalactites, stalagmites, and a 5/8s of a mile-long cave that has existed for millions of years, according to the boat tour guide. What a special sight. The only thing needed is a light jacket while you are touring on the boat, as the temperature inside is 53 degrees F all year.
7. Lake Monroe – Bloomington, Indiana
Paddling on this paradise takes one back to the early 1800s when people didn’t exist around it in such obvious sights. There are few words that can describe this kind of beauty, and beauty, not one of them.
As always, all opinions are my own. Time for the photos!
If you’ve never climbed without a rope up above a pine forest, overlooking some of the most beautiful scenery a rock could have next to a city, Boulder, Colorado, has some great views. In 2018, one of my life goals was “freesoloing” at least one of the Flatirons, and I was so happy to have accomplished it in the summer of 2019, when the weather was warm and the sun shone so beautifully over the alpine meadows nearby along the mountain range.
To be honest, this post isn’t even really about climbing. It’s mostly about realizing a dream. If I learned one thing while I was up there, it is that the most wonderful emotion in life, for me at least, is realizing a goal and enjoying every single moment. As this feeling sinks in and slowly evaporates into the distant reaches of memory, I won’t ever forget how beautiful it was, how peaceful, to be up there, on that rock, overlooking the horizon and overlooking the ground down below.
As always, all opinions are my own, and now, time for a few photos. Happy journeying!
A slot canyon in Paria Canyon that leads 13 miles in length all the way to the Colorado River, you can stop wherever you want and double back, following a 1 mile river wash to the slot canyon itself. I highly recommend starting this hike in the early day time, as the light shining through the slot canyon gets stronger, waning in the evening, and you can go a longer distance by starting earlier, or simply seeing the sunlight rays hitting the canyon when the sun is out.
