If you’re starting to think we like Palisade, you are correct. This was our second mini-staycation there this year. We attended the Sip into Spring Wine Fest for the first time, and it was fabulous. The location, the wine, the weather, the food, the hotel…all fabulous!
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We are crushing my goal of at least one getaway each month in 2022! So far, we have visited six states on seven getaways. Here’s a quick recap.
RELATED: Vacation planning for 2022
January: We kicked the year off with a mini-staycation in Palisade and Grand Junction that included visits to a brewery and winery and some incredible food. Soon after, a Colorado road trip took us to Denver for the RV Show and on to Colorado Springs for a relaxing weekend with our best friends.
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I missed Travel Tuesday and have decided that Travel Thursday is just as catchy. It’s the new big thing. Tell your friends.
I was in Denver this week for a media reception at the new Rally Hotel, which is spectacular. If you’re planning to catch a Rockies game, you should stay there and save some time to explore McGregor Square.
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Spring fever and camping fever arrive at the same time at our house each year. This year was no exception. In fact, it might have been heightened by the fact that I redecorated our camper with a beach theme after our trip to Anna Maria Island in March!
We always spend one night in the camper in our back yard before heading anywhere, just to make sure everything is working properly. Always good advice. More good advice: Unplug the camper if you’ve had it plugged in all winter. We learned that the hard way this year.
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The hummingbirds are back! I am lucky enough to see them from my office for a few months every year, but remote camping in the high country brings even more of the hungry little hummers to the feeder. One year, I relaxed in a chair nearby with my good camera and captured some great shots of these flying jewels.
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I brought home a great New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc last night, Lobster Reef, and have been craving lobster ever since. Or should I say “lobstah”? That brought to mind the best lobster roll I’ve ever had. We were spending a week at Bar Harbor in October 2014 during our big RV road trip, and a friend recommended Thurston’s Lobster Pound. Even though I ate lobster every day that week, this is the one I still dream about.
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We ride for the views, but it doesn’t always work out. This is from a July 2017 camping trip to Silverton, Colorado. Our ride took us over several passes, including Engineer Pass, to Lake City and back. Riding in this kind of fog not only kills the views, it’s terrifying. Thankfully, Scott is an excellent driver and we made it back safely.
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Delicious Farms in Hotchkiss, Colorado, is a must-visit when we do a daytrip on the Grand Mesa Loop. You can camp in the orchard, eat at the café, shop at the store, play like a kid on tree swings, listen to live music and pick your own fruit. You can also grab a stool at the Cider Bar and sample Big B’s Ciders. The food at the café is very good, so step up and order your meal. I recommend the tamales, and my husband likes the pulled pork. Then, order a flight of hard ciders and dig in.
Note: The website says they are not offering tastings due to COVID-19, but we were able to order this flight last summer. You can always choose a single cider in larger sizes. Be sure to take some home along with goodies from the store.
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First of all, you should eat where you can view this sunset, which is at the Gulf Drive Café on Bradenton Beach. Two of my all-time favorite sunsets have been here; our first night on this trip and two years ago on Valentine’s Day. Both times, I had the shrimp tacos. I think that must be the good luck charm because this was the only real sunset we saw this year. Our days were mostly sunny, but low-lying clouds moved in around 5 the rest of the week.
This was just 5 DAYS AGO! The view from our table at The Beach House on Bradenton Beach, Anna Maria Island, was as wonderful as the food. I keep clicking my heels together and chanting, “There’s no place like the beach, there’s no place like the beach, there’s no place like the beach.” But, unlike Dorothy, I have not been magically relocated. Watch for a long post or two about our trip coming soon. In the meantime, check out my post from our last trip there, Do’s and Don’ts when visiting Anna Maria Island.
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Tales From the Empty Nest 