Tag: Blue Couch Travels
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We took a road trip to Colorado but before we arrived, we stopped for a night at the historic and haunted St. James Hotel in Cimarron, New Mexico. We spent the night in Jesse James’ old room but as we told our daughter, we did not give the enemy a foothold (no ghosts seen). Founded…
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How do you cap off two amazing days in New York City? With fireworks and a 4-mile sprint to your hotel to outrun some storms. But before we get to that story, let’s talk about Central Park. Central Park: Olmsted’s Emerald Refuge The third and final morning of a holiday weekend in Manhattan carries a…
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I’m not even sure about how to write about this day. Still, months later, I fail to put it into words. It is a day I’ll never forget. It was not simply standing in front of the Statue of Liberty, baking in the morning sun during a historic heatwave in Manhattan. It was an immersion…
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🌆 The Great Escape We needed an escape. With a daughter moving out and our dog recently crossing the rainbow bridge, we needed a distraction from the changes at home. Since we did a day tour of New York City with my Uncle Roy in 2022 (he and my Aunt Jane live in Newtown, CT),…
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If you want to experience the absolute full-scale majesty of Yosemite in a single day—and you have the raw endurance to survive 50,000 steps, 20+ miles, and 4,500+ vertical feet (ignore the AllTrails #s)—there is only one route to take. The legendary Grand Tour loop is a monster of a day hike that stitches together…
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Aside from the grueling, high-altitude treks that push your legs to the absolute limit, there is a distinct kind of magic found simply in slowing down and wandering around Yosemite near the valley floor. When you step off the main trails and let yourself drift through the open meadows and quiet pine forests, the park…
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There is a legendary status attached to the Half Dome cables. For years, I dreamed of taking the boys up that iconic granite curve. In 2021, we finally packed our gear, laced up our boots, and set out to conquer the most infamous day hike in the National Park system. Before we even dive into…
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There is a distinct moment when you drop down from the mountain switchbacks onto the Yosemite Valley floor and the sheer scale of the granite walls hits you. Standing on the flat valley floor, looking up at the monumental faces of El Capitan and Half Dome, it is easy to see why this area is…
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As I mentioned in our San Francisco to Yosemite road trip post: “Right as you need a break from the switchbacks, you hit Groveland. We pulled into Mountain Sage Coffee to stretch our legs and get properly caffeinated. It’s an earthy, eclectic spot (some might say a bit weird but we like weird) that perfectly…
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If you are driving from the San Francisco Bay Area toward the towering granite of Yosemite, Highway 120 is your primary artery. And right when you hit Manteca, at the intersection of Highway 120 and Jack Tone Road, you’ll find a mandatory pitstop: Ramos Country Corner. It is one of my absolutely favorite finds in…