#283: Red Rock Country pg 571 (2nd Ed: Sedona and Red Rock Country pg 710)

 

March 31 - April 3, 2021

The highlight of our time in Sedona and Red Rock Country was the Pink Jeep Tour!

We did the Broken Arrow trail.

Mother/daughter jeep selfie

Hold on!

Posing with Trusty Jeep #70.  Jeep #76 (the one we started out on) proved to not be so trusty.  It broke down (the Control Arm snapped) half way through our adventure and we had to be rescued by this jeep 😜

The views from the various stops we made were spectacular!

There are several trail options for both hiking and off-roading.  We did the Broken Arrow trail, one of the most popular.

My daughter, Riley.

She's so excited and she just can't hide it!

This place has been on my radar for years.  So glad I finally made it!

Doing my favorite thing with my favorite people.

Dreamy.....

First breakfast in Sedona..... Sedonuts!  Don't mind if I do..... 😋

We explored other dining options as well, including eating Rattlesnake at the Cowboy Club.

We also explored the downtown area quite a bit shopping, eating, etc..... Howdy partner! 🤠

We stayed at the Sedona Summit Resort and enjoyed this infinity hot tub with a killer view!

We also explored the surrounding area including the Chapel of the Holy Cross, which is absolutely worth seeing! It was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright's protege and is really quite something!

The view from the inside with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the red rocks.  Communing with God and nature at the same time.

Just 6 miles outside of Sedona, but still within "Red Rock County" is Slide Rock State Park, which is another "must do" if you're in the area.  The water is absolutely freezing, but there is an 80-foot natural waterslide, cliff jumping, pavilions, fields, etc.  It's clean and fun and the backdrop to all these activities can't be beat!

Verdict: YES!  I absolutely loved everything about this place!  There was so much to do and see in Sedona and in the surrounding area (the Grand Canyon is just 2.5 hours away, which we also did).  It's gorgeous and offers the adventure-seeker countless activities as well as the relaxation-seeker an equal number of opportunities to just mediate and soak in the unmatched beauty of the area.

Cost:  Hotels are expensive and can easily run ~$400/night.  We were lucky and were able to use my in-law's time share points.  Food downtown Sedona was expensive as well.  The best deal in town was the breakfast at the Courtyard Marriott.  It was $4.50 for kids and ~$10 for adults and the food was FANTASTIC.  We loved it so much, we went to eat there twice within 3 days.  The Jeep Tour is expensive as well. Cost varies depending on which tour you choose.  The Broken Arrow experience that we chose was $129/adult and $116 for kids.  But it was worth it!  Highly recommend!  My best recommendation for this area is to save your money and go - but you don't need to stay long.  Experience it for 2-3 days and then move on to a lower cost place.  But don't miss it!

#282: Swimming With Manatees (pg. 599; 2nd Ed pg 747)

 

I've been to Florida countless times throughout my life, but have never made it to Crystal River until this past week.  It's a bit of a challenge to do this excursion because 1) it's kind of in the middle of nowhere.  It's ~80 miles West of Orlando (but only some of this is on the highway, so it takes at least 1.5 hours each way or a 3 hour R/T drive) and there's really not much else in Crystal River so it's really a place you will be commuting to from another location and 2) it's seasonal.  The manatees mostly come here during the Winter months of Nov - Feb, so the timing has never worked out for me before.  I've either been nowhere near Crystal River (like maybe in Miami or the Keys) or I've been doing a Disney trip (and haven't had a full extra day where I could fit this in) or it's been during the other 9 months of the year when there aren't many manatees to see.

But alas the stars aligned this trip and on Monday, Dec. 28th, I swam with the manatees!

We booked our excursion through River Ventures (~$45/person including gear).  

We had a group of 13 people and they put us on our own private boat which was great!

I spy a manatee!  Let's get in!

Riley is ready to roll!

My husband and I.

River Ventures provided wetsuits, which was great because the water from the springs was cold!

Face to face with a manatee in the wild - pretty cool!

Supposedly this is the only place in the world where you can go to have a face-to-face encounter with these beautiful gentle "sea cows." 

We went to two separate locations.  Here I am heading out at our second location....

Where we spotted a mother and baby!

So sweet!

Me giving Dave a wave and a happy face after just coming up from seeing the mother and baby.

Verdict:  I'm conflicted on this.  Most of the time when I've had an experience with an animal in the wild, it's been incredible, life-changing and a must-do-before-you-die experience. A couple days after we did this, I asked 5 or 6 family members that were part of our group whether they would consider it a "must do before you die" experience.  One of them said "yes" explaining that it was just such a totally unique and cool experience that she absolutely thought it should qualify.  But the others all said "It was really cool and I'm glad we did it and I liked it, but I don't necessarily feel like this needs to be a bucket list item for everyone."  I'm kind of in the middle of both of these opinions.  I think it has a rightful place in the book because you swim with manatees!  I mean, really - how many people do you know that have done that?!  But, on the other hand, the manatees didn't really do much.  It's not like they are dolphins that are flipping and jumping.  So, honestly after a while of swimming next to them and watching them rest or maybe eat a plant or something, you've had your fill.  I think I'm going to settle with this:  Yes, you should do this.  It's a totally unique experience and will make you fall in love with these gentle sea creatures.  But having said that, it's also a "been there, done that, don't need to repeat" experience.

And I would recommend River Ventures.  The place isn't much to look at from the outside, but the inside of their facility was very nice, they ran everything very efficiently, the boat was in good condition, the captain of the boat (John) was great and our guide (Crystal) was super friendly and knowledgeable and I thought the price was very reasonable (with taxes, I believe it came to ~$55/person including gear). 

#281: Canoe Bay (pg 739; 2nd Ed. pg 904)

 

Aug 22, 2020

The entrance to Canoe Bay

The reception area

Canoe Bay was once a Sevent Day Baptist retreat; it is now a secluded resort in a heavily forested area southern Wisconsin.

Canoe Bay covers 300 acres of secluded forest with spring-fed lakes. It is designed as a "couples only" destination. It is for adults only; no children are allowed.

Each couple gets their own cottage and the cottages feature amenities such as fireplaces, private decks, whirlpool tubs and room service.

Walking across the bridge to "the island." 

Once on the island, you can enjoy views like this.

And can go out on the dock, or paddle board or kayak around the lake.

Or you can just walk around the private, serene property.  It is so quiet and peaceful that you could hear the crickets chirp and the frogs jump and croak.

Ahhh...... serenity now.

VERDICT: No.  I don't think you have to do this before you die.  Admittedly, I didn't get the full experience since I didn't end up spending the night. I researched it online and explored the entire property so I got the feel of the place for sure.  I looked into staying here, but 1) It was a minimum of $350/night, 2) There is a 2-3 night minimum stay and I was looking for just one night and 3) This is a romantic, couples resort and I was with a friend!  

So, it's possible I'd have a different opinion if I stayed on sight for a few days.  But I don't think so.  I think this is a perfect place to go with your partner if you need quiet, peace, to destress, decompress and just a total break from the the quick pace of life.  But it's not a must-do/see before you die.

COST:  Rooms are ~$350-$1000/night depending on the cottage/package you choose.  But most are in the $350-$450 range.  Food is extra.

#280: The Apostle Islands (pg 739; 2nd Ed pg 903)

 

Aug. 22, 2020, my friend MariEllen and I arrived in Bayfield, Wisconsin to explore the Apostle Islands.  We decided to start our visit by exploring via kayak!

Here we are at Nader's Point.

We saw and kayaked through sea caves and got a great visual of 5 of the Apostle Islands.

Next, we boarded a ship ran by the Apostle Islands Cruises to do the "Grand Tour."  This was a 2.5-3 hour long narrated boat ride that went all over the Apostle Islands.  We saw ~12 of the 22 Apostle Islands including two (of the six) lighthouses, a brownstone quarry site, a historic fishing camp and cruised around Devils Island to view the sea caves.

With so much closed right now due to COVID-19, we were lucky to be able to do this.  They were operating at 50% capacity and had a mandatory mask policy.

Devils Island Lighthouse

The beacon on Devils Island was lit in 1891.

Devils Island became the last manned station in the Apostle Islands after, one by one, they all became automated. The Coast Guard maintained a five-man crew here until 1978, when the Devils Island light became automated as well, marking the end of over a century of light keepers in the Apostle Islands.

Although no longer used, the original Fresnel lens is still in place.

The famous sea caves of Devils Island.  They really were quite the sight to behold in person!

The lighthouse on Raspberry Island

Known as  the "Showplace of the Apostle Islands."

The lighthouse was completed in 1862, but the lens did not arrive (from France) until 1863, so that is when it officially started operation.

She's a beauty!

After spending our entire first day exploring the Apostle Islands by kayak and boat, we decided to spent the next day by actually going onto an Apostle Island.

We took the ferry over to Madeline island, the largest of the Apostle Islands.

We brought our car on the ferry and drove all over the island exploring everywhere. 

Here we are at Big Bay State Park.

Madeline Island has ~300 permanent year-round residents, but has 2,000-3,000 that live here during the summer. It is 14 miles long and three miles wide and is the only developed island of all the Apostle Islands.

Verdict:  YES! I loved the Apostle Islands.  It is an absolutely beautiful area.  It is so fun to explore by boat or kayak.  Between the sea caves, the lighthouses, the island (Madeline) you can visit and the town of Bayfield (the access area to the Apostle Islands), the whole area and experience is remote, nature-filled, quaint, charming, unique and an all-around enjoyable experience.  I can definitely see why it made it into the book and I agree it is a must do!

COST:  Apostle Islands Kayaking: $63.60/person for a 3 hour kayak tour

Apostle Islands Cruises Grand Tour: $47.95 + tax/adult for a 2.5-3.0 hour boat ride

Ferry ride to Madeline Island: $8.00/adult each way, $3.50/child each way, $13.50/car each way