Travel ~ Rochester, Minnesota

 

               Recently my husband and I had a chance to attend the wedding of one of his cousins, in Rochester, Minnesota.  We were excited to get away to somewhere different and have a little break from the daily grind.  Ironically, the weekend we were there, they happened to have a snowstorm.  This past winter has been pretty mild, without a lot of snow or bad weather.  That being said, we did not get out and do very much, beyond taking in the food. 

               While we were staying there, we rented a house, that caters a little more towards people who happen to be in town for the  Mayo Clinic but we needed a spot that could host multiple family members, so we could visit and chat outside of a hotel room.  The house location was convenient and efficient for our needs.  I would always recommend a larger space for bigger groups, since a bed and breakfast is not always an option.  The closest one for our trip was thirty minutes away and we wanted to be closer to the wedding venue, maybe next time.

               We were able to try a variety of food options while we were there and explore downtown just a bit.  I think a summer visit would have been nice, that way we could have taken a wine or brewery tour on the trolley.  Or made our way through the sculpture garden, but that was a little too chilly for our tastes this time around.

               While in Rochester we found and tried a vegan donut.  I know what you are thinking, that had to taste like cardboard, but really it was actually pretty good.  Light and fluffy for a cake donut and had great flavor.  If you did not know you were ordering a vegan donut you would have thought the batter was just a little different from a standard cake donut and munched it down.

               Of course, we had to find the local coffee shop and we found a couple that had some great lattes and cappuccinos.  Coffee is one of our favorite ways to start out in a new city, and these did not disappoint.  Lunch was in order and Thai food was on the list. This restaurant had so many plants inside that it made you think you were staying in a tropical forest instead of the “frozen North.”  Plus, the food was great.  Just the right amount of spice and fantastic flavor.

               The highlight of the trip was of course the wedding.  Held in a venue that was once an old hay barn owned by one of the Mayo brothers, the space was creatively used and looked beautiful.  We enjoyed seeing family that we do not usually get to see very often and danced the night away with the couple and their friends.  It’s always fun to see how other companies cater and serve food, in order to gather new ideas.

               No matter how long or short a trip might be, we always try to find the best in each adventure.  This one was no different.  We were excited to celebrate the newlyweds and explore somewhere new.  Our favorite restaurant stop was the Forager Brewery and café.  It’s too bad we did not have more time to visit, we would have loved to have explored their craft beer options and their lunch or dinner menu.  Next time!  Where will your next adventure take you?

Travel East Texas ~ Eastern Kentucky

    

The kids atop Natural Bridge

     I know you might be thinking wait a minute I thought this was going to be about Texas.  I decided to change things up for this week and give a little recap on our adventure to Eastern Kentucky.  My husband has three sisters, two of which have children and we all gathered together over the Fourth of July holiday for a family vacation in the Red River Gorge area of Kentucky.  

natural bridge

    We had so much fun as a family, that I will highly recommend you plan a trip with your family to the area.  There is so much to see and do that you could stay busy your entire trip.  First off we stayed with the Red River Gorge cabin rentals. We chose to rent two cabins and split up the cousins, boys and girls.  This worked out prefect for our crew.  Be sure to read reviews before you rent, on Travelocity or Google to make sure your cabin will feature everything you are looking for.  

    One of our cabins was positioned above a small pond, which was great for the boys.  They fished, canoed, and swam in the pond when we were "home."  They loved it!  The pond made the trip so much more enjoyable for the kids.  

Rhododendron flower

      Each day we were away, we hiked one of the many trails available to hike.  The area is filled with native trees, plants and wildlife.  Since the area is formed around natural springs and rivers, there are rock formations that are pretty cool to behold.  Many natural bridges, caves and stone steps, can be found along different trails.  These stone arches are different than what you might find in Moab or Zion, since they are surrounded by forest, and not desert.  But they are just as beautiful to explore. 

In the Limestone mine

    We splurged on a group kayak tour in the underground, limestone quarry that filled with water when mine workers bored into an underground spring.  Kayaking around the abandoned and filled mine was a great experience.  Our guides were marginally entertaining but worth the experience.  The kayak company placed rainbow trout in the water to amaze the guests.  They also have certain areas of the mine lit underwater for guests to see just how deep the water is and so the trout would not go blind.  Be sure to grab a hoodie or pull over before hitting the water, since the mine stays a cool 55 degrees all year round.  

    If you don't want to be under ground you can also zip line through the gorge and see the forest from the sky.  Our cabin company provided a coupon code for both the zip line and the underground kayak tour, so be sure to look for those discounts where you can find them.  Both are amazing experiences, you just have to decide one or both.  

Hickory Tree Leaves

    We really enjoyed the Kentucky wilderness.  All of the trails we hiked were easy to follow and entertaining to walk.  I think besides the height and grandeur of the natural bridges, the kids really enjoyed our hike to Creation Falls.  The 1.5 mile loop, was the perfect distance to hike and the kids had a blast playing in the water.  The water was great!  Nice and cold, and moving at a pretty good pace.  They had recently had some rain which made the river flow faster.  This hike is worth the trip.  We packed a lunch and made a day of it on this trail.  

Creation Falls

    Overall if you are looking for a little outdoor family adventure, be sure to check out Eastern Kentucky.  The drive is worth the trip for a few days in the hills, exploring and hiking.  Be sure to check your hike guide to make sure everyone in your group can make the trek. Our easiest hike by far was Chimney Top.  This hike had little to no elevation change and was mostly paved.  This was in no way a drawback from the beautiful sight when we arrived at the end of the trail.  We would all go back again! 

This is the view of where we stood on Chimney Top

This is us at Chimney Top