Travel Thursday- Zion National Park

Zion National Park in Utah is one of the most amazing National Parks in Utah! It gets so busy in the park that by the end of March they only allow shuttles to drive through the park (until Labor Day). I ended up signing up for the Zion Half Marathon (it was held in the middle of March in 2015), so we were able to drive through the park! We also ended up camping right in Zion, which I HIGHLY recommend. It isn't a super dog-friendly National Park, so we didn't do as much as hiking as originally planned, but the warm weather was a great change from the still very snowy Steamboat. I'd recommend planning to visit the park during the Spring or Fall, when you are able to drive-through and crowds are minimal. The trees were already blossoming when we visited, so it did feel very Spring-like in mid-March (ice cream cones were also a huge bonus). Make sure to plan your trip early and highlight some of the must-see canyons/ hikes. It's great to have a plan of what you really want to do, but have a loose schedule for doing them!

Travel Thursday- Bryce Canyon National Park

I drove to Bryce Canyon National Park with my mom in early June and we managed to get a campsite right in the park. The camping areas in the park are all amazing and you really can't go wrong with any one of them! We stayed in Bryce for a few days and there is so many great hikes there. We did a few smaller hikes, but I would love to go back there to explore some more. Dogs are not allowed on the hiking trails, so make sure to plan accordingly! We also drove to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon during the same trip (I think it was around a 7 or 8 hour drive), which I highly recommend! The north rim is SO different from the south rim (and I definitely recommend visiting both). 

Travel Thursday- Pics from Las Vegas Last Year!

I'm getting SO excited about running in Las Vegas that I wanted to reflect on some of my favorite moments from last year. I think that I'm most excited about the warmer weather and amazing shopping/ people watching! I will most definitely be bringing my walking shoes and hopefully get in some time at the pool. Already also drooling over all the amazing eateries that we will be visiting. I think I'm going to need a bigger bag to pack all the goodies I plan to get....

Sunset view from our first night at the Excalibur! The hotel isn't anything fancy, but the location is fantastic from the start line of the race and situated near the beginning of the strip/ monorail. 

View from the top of the stratosphere! It was a perfectly sunny last day that we were here last year and hoping for the same weather again this year :)

Any recommendations on places to see in Vegas or things to do? We did the Beatles Cirque Du Soleil last year and it was AMAZING. Planning to see the Michael Jackson one this year!

Best places to eat in Vegas and any good bakeries you'd recommend? Already can't wait for some treats post-marathon! 

Travel Thursday- Lake Placid

Lake Placid, NY is possibly one of my favorite little mountain towns. I've trained there for several summers when I was younger (for figure skating) and every season there is fantastic. 

If you can also manage to be there during the Ironman-Lake Placid, it's a definite must-see! It was so inspiring to watch the swimmers take off together and the camaraderie during both the bike and run portions is amazing. 

I'd also recommend visiting in the winter (when the Olympic Games were held) to get a real-feel of how the town was during the Olympics (it really hasn't grown-up too much). There is so much to see and do there, that you really don't need a car once you get there. The only thing that is really out of town is the ski mountain or ski jumps, but I think there are buses that will take you to both!

Soul Shine Bagels, Lake Placid Pub and Brewery (great atmosphere & beer selection!), Dancing Bears (the best breakfast with a view of the lake), and Fireside Steak (their steak tips are perfection) are my favorite food spots!

Travel Thursday- Pics from Maine!!

Sharing a few of my favorite pictures that I took during my trip in Maine last weekend visiting family. 

The Fall Foliage was just starting to peak and it was SO beautiful everywhere we went. 

We went Apple Picking and I got my fill of Apple Cider Donuts and HOT apple cider! Both are soooo good.... I wish I could have more...

We went to the Fair on Sunday and got to see all the cute Animals! Including these Alpacas:

And these JUST BORN THIS MORNING baby piggies! They were so cute & sleepy...Also can we please talk about how pigs can have 10-15 babies per litter? That is INSANE. This one had 14 and she should get a medal for that. Plus some vacation time too...

We also got to see the Fryeburg Health Care Display at the 4-H buillding and they displayed my Grandfather's veggies that he worked so hard on this summer! How delicious do they look?

The Ferris Wheel looked amazing! I may have ridden this a few times when I was younger...

The display from Sherman's Farm was beyond perfect. I just love all the varied colors in it. Quintessential Fall!