Day Trippers – HilaryStyle

February 28, 2017February 28, 2017

Day Trippers: Joshua Tree National Park

Perception can be a powerful thing, especially perception of one’s self. Shaping everything from what we wear, who we interact with and even where we travel. For example, I’ve always considered myself an indoor* city girl, which meant most of my adventures involved the exploration of larger cities, with an emphasis on indoor activities, but lately that seems to be changing.

Since I began writing hilarystyle almost two years ago I’ve found myself branching out more than ever before. My desire to see more, experience more, and learn more, not just about the wide world, but about the places closest to me, and the need to share what I’m learning has become a passion. I’m breaking out of my self imposed box and I have this blog to thank for it!

Which leads me to the subject of my current post… An outdoor adventure in nature!

The Joshua Tree National Park

The Joshua Tree National Park is located just over two hours from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, and while that might be stretching the limit of a day trip, it’s very doable. More than just the name of an incredibly popular U2 album, people come from all over the world to enjoy the park’s unique trees and alien like desert terrain. Hiking, camping, rock climbing and stargazing are just some of the activities available within the park.

Having recently purchased a new lens for my camera, my main interest in visiting the park was photography. I was excited to take photos of both the Joshua trees and the night sky, but unfortunately the weather wasn’t on my side and the sky was overcast and grey.

Although conditions weren’t exactly ideal for photography, we made the most of our trip, stopping at three different locations within the park. We took a leisurely nature walk in Hidden Valley, did a bit of “rock climbing” along Park Boulevard, and our final stop was the appropriately named Skull Rock. I really enjoyed our visit to Joshua Tree, which offered something for everyone in our group, even me a self described indoor girl.

Hidden Valley Nature Walk

Park Boulevard

Skull Rock

Bonus Stop: The World’s Biggest Dinosaurs

While researching our drive to Joshua Tree I discovered these wonderful and very large dinosaurs. We just had to stop! The World’s Biggest Dinosaurs, these giant concrete statues, are probably most well known for their appearance in the 80s movie Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. We were delighted to stop and take photos with them, before heading on our way!

Tips & Advice

There is no food of any kind for purchase inside Joshua Tree National Park. Trust me there is NO food. Make sure to bring snack and drinks with you.
There are no flush toilets in the park.
Wear proper shoes, especially if you think you might like to climb up on any of the giant boulders throughout the park. My kids couldn’t stay away from them!
Wear layers. Joshua Tree is a desert environment and the temperatures can be quite extreme. The day of our visit it was only a high of 45 degrees fahrenheit.
Stop at one of the park’s ranger stations before you enter. The rangers will provide you with a free map as well as directions and advice.
The Ranger Station exhibits give a brief but nice overview of the history of the park and the trees.
There are many hikes and walks throughout the park. The degree of difficultly varies and there is something for every ability.
If you’re interested in Night Sky photography Joshua Tree is one of the few places in the United States where you can see the Milky Way.
From the website: Do not rely on GPS directions to navigate to or within Joshua Tree National Park! Vehicle navigation systems sometimes try to route you onto backcountry roads with ruts or soft sand that may be impassable to your vehicle.

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January 13, 2017January 13, 2017

The Windmills of Holland

We spent the majority of our time in Holland exploring Amsterdam, but I felt I couldn’t visit Holland without seeing at least one windmill up close and personal! I know, I know, that’s a very touristy thing to do, but hey, sometimes I’m a tourist!

Located just a 30 minute ride from the city, Zaanse Schans, is quintessential Holland! Beautiful meadows filled with grazing cows, fluffy white clouds and windmills, their sails slowly turning, in the distance.

There are many things to see and do while visiting Zaanse Schans, demonstrations inside the windmills, a wooden clog museum, and tasting cheese of course, but also museums, walking and biking trails, boating and of course shopping. We arrived later in the day, but made the most of our limited time. We all loved this experience which offered something for everyone and was a great taste of Holland.

The Windmills

There are eight windmills onsite, all of them are centuries old, and all are still operational. Although from a distance they look peaceful, it’s a different story on the inside where they are hard at work sawing, grinding and pounding. The noise is unbelievable!

The Zaanse Schans windmills produce, mustard, lumber, dye, and oil. We visited Het Jonge Schaap which is a sawmill and De Bonte Hen an oil mill. During our visit we learned about the processes from start to finish, but also about the lives of the people living in and operating them. I found this entire experience fascinating and incredibly worthwhile. Imagine living inside the mill all year long, the constant loud noise, the cold winters, your livelihood dependent on the wind.

The Wooden Clog Workshop

Located inside the Wooden Clog Workshop is the Wooden Clog Museum and I really got a kick out of all the different types of clogs on display. There were wedding clogs, ice clogs, carved, painted and art clogs to name just a few. It’s hard to imagine actually walking around in any of them, as I do best on a flat shoe!

The boys weren’t as interested in viewing the already made clogs, but enjoyed the how to demonstration, while I browsed the gift shop, filled with you guessed it: clogs! In every size and color they lined the walls making quite a pretty picture! For me the highlight was the large statue of Miffy the Bunny, a favorite of mine.

The Catharina Hoeve Cheese Farm

Of course you can’t be in Holland and not eat cheese. The Catharina Hove Cheese shop is a replica of a cheese farm. Inside you’ll find the shopkeepers, dressed in traditional costumes, ready and willing to tell you all about the different types of cheese. There are samples available and of course you can purchase some to take with you. We happily picked up a few different varieties in anticipation of our upcoming train ride to Paris.

We had a wonderful time during our visit to Zaanse Schans. It was a perfect afternoon!

January 6, 2017June 11, 2018

Day Trippers: An Afternoon in Ghent

March 29, 2016March 24, 2016

Seattle! Day Trippers!

Though the city of Seattle has no shortage of interesting things to see and do it’s also within easy driving distance to many other beautiful and interesting places. During our most recent visit we decided an adventure was in order and set out to see what we could find!

Snoqualmie Falls

Our first stop was the beautiful Snoqualimie Falls, just a 40 minute drive from Downtown Seattle! At 270 feet the falls are one of Washington state’s most popular attractions and according to the official website more that 1.5 million people visit every year. There are multiple observation decks and its also possible to walk down to the bottom. Depending on the time of year the amount of water going over the Falls will vary. Our visit took place on a rainy day in the February, so the view was quite impressive. Even on a dry day, you should be prepared for the spray from the falls to get you wet.

Perched above the Falls is the beautiful Salish Lodge and Spa. We were just day tripping, so didn’t stay, but if I had the chance I absolutely would! If, like us, you don’t have time to stay overnight or for a meal, the gift shop is worth a quick visit, especially during the holidays.

The observation deck

The mist at the bottom of the Falls

A bit of information about the area

What’s This White Fluffy Stuff?

Growing up in California our kids haven’t seen much snow, so when they heard we would be visiting my parents in Washington State during the winter months they immediately asked if we could see snow. Considering the nearest ski resort is only 55 minutes from Seattle it wasn’t hard to say yes! We borrowed cold weather clothing from some friends and headed to Snoqualimie pass, which just happens to be a short 30 minute drive from Snoqualimie Falls.

There are three ski areas located at the pass, Summit Central, Summit West and Alpental. There is also a tubing center which we’ve visited on prior trips and it is a lot of fun. Keep in mind that reservations are required for tubing and they do sell out, so buying your tickets online prior to heading up to the pass is a good idea. Unfortunately, we were unable to reserve a spot on short notice, but the kids played in the snow at Alpental and had a great time, so it all worked out in the end.

What’s this fluffy white stuff?

View from the bridge to Alpental

Twede’s Cafe – Home To A “Damn Fine Cup o’Coffee!”

Our final stop of the day was at Twede’s Cafe located in the Snoqualimie Valley in the town of North Bend, Washington. Tweed’s opened in 1941, but found international fame when it along with its cherry pie and “Damn fine cup o’coffee” were featured in David Lynch’s cult classic TV series, Twin Peaks.

Today the cafe is a convenient stop not only for travelers heading over the pass, but for locals as well. If you’re a fan of Twin Peaks, you’ll be happy to know that they are still serving their famous cherry pie and the “Damn fine cup o’coffee.” The pie has definitely earned its reputation, but as to the coffee being “damn fine” I’m not so sure I agree. I will say the burgers, chili, and cocoa were all pretty tasty!

Not only was Twede’s Cafe featured in Twin Peaks, but so was Snoqualmie Falls! It was a Twin Peaks kind of a day. While I personally wasn’t a big fan of the show, Tim was, and the series has a very strong following. I read that there are plans for a reboot sometime in 2017.