Alli Talley

July 6, 2017

Dude, We Survived a Dude Ranch!

Alli Talley

July 6, 2017

One of our favorite things about traveling is the random bucket-list experiences we get to share together. Sometimes we don't even know how bucket-list they are until we actually experience them!!

Anyway, a dude ranch is one of those experiences. We didn't really know what to expect or what we were in for, and man... was it epic. Have you seen the show, "Hey Dude" on Nickelodeon? It's pretty on point...

Ghost Canyon Ranch is in the heart of the Black Hills of South Dakota, minutes from Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, and the Crazy Horse Memorial. The ranch was established in 1878, and recently was taken over by Trevor and Laura Bryan and their family. They are passionate about family, nature, and horses and will definitely show you a great time. Ghost Canyon Ranch is a PERFECT place for a group gathering (family reunions!), as it has a capacity for 20 and offers an all-inclusive Western experience. You'll enjoy refreshing mountain air, gorgeous evenings, horseback riding, fishing, and relaxing. All this to say, or stay at Ghost Canyon Ranch was far to short. We basically got a taste of what a vacation on the ranch could be, and we can't wait to be back.

We arrived in the afternoon and were greeted warmly by Trevor and Laura. We had a pretty long day of travel and we were tired, hungry, and pretty wiped out from the drive. They welcomed us with a big hug, showed us our room (more like a house!), and led us to the dining room where they had a full steak dinner waiting for us. And it was SO GOOD!

We shared stories of our travels, learned about how they met, and got the scoop on what a "Dude Ranch" really is - a working ranch that accepts guests. So you can come to relax, or get to work! These past few years since they took over Ghost Canyon Ranch has been really busy for them, as word has traveled about how amazing their ranch really is. We went to bed feeling full, excited, and really honored for the opportunity to be there.

The next morning we woke up to picture-perfect views of the ranch, and the smells of breakfast calling us to the dining room. Laura greeted us with another home cooked meal, and told us to get our sneakers on. It was time to feed the horses!!

Laura and Trevor told us all about each horse, where they came from, their temperament, and how they daily care for each of their animals - they even let us help brush them! Odie the goat was the highlight of our morning, as he followed us around and ate from our hands - of course we HAD to get a picture with him!

As we said above, our time at Ghost Canyon Ranch was too short. We had some amazing home cooked meals, got to enjoy a beautiful evening, a lazy morning, and the peaceful silence you can only find in nature. We didn't have time to go on a horseback riding trip through the mountains, watch the sunset from their jacuzzi, or get get to work as a couple of ranch-hands... but we'll be back.

We'll definitely be back.

Thank you to South Dakota Tourism for sponsoring this post!

Alli Talley

July 4, 2017

South Dakota, USA

South Dakota MUST-DO: SUNRISE Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour

Alli Talley

July 4, 2017

South Dakota, USA

For us "city folk", South Dakota is the ULTIMATE escape. It has gorgeous blue skies, majestic landscapes, and diverse wildlife (something we don't have in LA!!). It is here, away from the hustle and bustle, that you can enjoy silence, nature, and an epic bison burger (another thing we don't have!). While you may desire to avoid your alarm clock in favor of rest, we STRONGLY advise that you spend one of your mornings in Custer State Park on the Sunrise Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour. You can do this tour throughout the day, but the sunrise (or possibly sunset) tours are the best for seeing wildlife - and totally worth the 5am wake up call!

During our time in Custer State Park, we stayed at the Custer State Park Game Lodge. It is a beautiful stone and wood lodge built in 1920 that served as the “Summer White House” for President Calvin Coolidge! It's recently been updated and is a truly stunning property. (While we're at it - we highly recommend having a glass of wine on the porch before dinner!) The Jeep tours originate here at the lodge, and for the sunrise tour you have to get there quite early.

We found our guide waiting for us outside of an awesome open-air jeep. If you go at sunrise like we did, be sure to bring a jacket because it was definitely chilly until the sun came up. While the tour is called “Buffalo Safari”, we really were in search of a LARGE assortment of critters: buffalo, deer, elk, pronghorn, wild turkey, pronghorns, prairie dogs... and more!

When everyone arrived, we set off. The air was brisk, but our coffee in hand definitely helped. Within about two minutes we saw our first elk and deer, as well as a beautiful Mountain Bluebird.

Shortly after, as the sun was just peaking over the Black Hills, we saw our first herd of buffalo. You never know how many buffalo you are going to see, so every opportunity is a great time to take a photo... but little did we know, we were about to see a LOT of buffalo. The first herd we saw was a little farther away, and at our closest point we were maybe 50 feet from the nearest buffalo.

We continued on, and came upon another big herd of buffalo. This is where we want to pause and mention our #1 reason for taking this tour. The Buffalo Safari Jeeps ARE THE ONLY VEHICLES ALLOWED TO GO OFF THE MAIN ROADS. That being said, this next herd was maybe 300 feet off of the main road. There was a couple sitting in their truck looking at the buffalo, and we went right past them, off the road, and headed in for a closer look. We preceded to drive THROUGH the herd.... So close that we could have touched them! It was INCREDIBLE (and mildly terrifying)! At one point we just stopped the Jeep and sat in the middle of this herd. Many of the buffalo were staring at us, while others were just doing their thing, not bothered by us at all! This was probably one of the coolest moments of our trip. No joke.

Following this unforgettable buffalo encounter, we came upon our first prairie dog “town”, which we learned is what you call a prairie dog community. Apparently prairie dogs are highly social animals, and they live in towns full of extensive underground burrows, tunnels, and chambers. They’re cute little critters, but according to the locals, highly annoying!

Throughout the tour our guide shared tons of fun facts and details about the animals and parks. Like, how did the “Black Hills” get their name? The Lakota Sioux Native Americans named this area “Hills that are black” because of their dark appearance from a distance, since they are covered in trees.

The Sunrise Buffalo Safari was truly the highlight of our trip to South Dakota... it was a morning we'll never forget! (And we have about 2,000+ photos to make sure we never do!!) ;) So get over to South Dakota, sign up for the sunrise tour, and make sure to have a warm jacket and charged camera. It will be an epic adventure!

Thank you to South Dakota Tourism for sponsoring this post!

Alli Talley

June 30, 2017

USA, South Dakota

You're Going Where?!? Here's Why YOU Should Go to South Dakota!

Alli Talley

June 30, 2017

USA, South Dakota

We recently spent a long weekend in South Dakota, which raised a lot of questions from our followers. "Why South Dakota?" "What made you choose that state?" "What did you do there?"... We're here today to tell you about how underrated South Dakota is. We figure to best explain, we should break this thing down. Here's ten reasons (and a lot of photos!) to prove why you should make this beautiful state your next travel destination:

1. IT'S BEAUTIFUL

Starry skies, stunning cliffs, majestic rock formations, crystal clear water.. We could go on and on, but we'll let our photos do the talking:

2. IT'S FULL OF CUTE CRITTERS

The animals were, hands down, Alli's FAVORITE part of South Dakota. Both of us couldn't get over the wildlife, and really, we couldn't get away from it!

We drove through Bear Country USA, a park in which you literally drive around bears living in their natural habitat - UNREAL! We couldn't believe how close we were able to get to them, and we loved seeing them freely roam without a care in the world. It's always amazing to see animals so well cared for!

Right next door is Reptile Gardens, the largest reptile zoo in the country! It's incredible how many types of reptiles there are - and all shapes and sizes too! We conveniently arrived right at feeding time, and we'll save the photos of the snakes eating their dinner for another time. ;)

Another highlight of our trip was visiting the Wild Horse Sanctuary, where we met with Karla, who's been working there for over 13 years. She took us around the expansive property (Over 11,000 acres!) and told us the stories and names of just about every wild horse we came across. We only met a handful, considering there are HUNDREDS of wild mustangs roaming free here! It was a truly spiritual moment to see these beautiful creatures running together in the wild... We could have spent all day there!

We also did this amazing tour called the "Buffalo Safari" while we were in Custer State Park. It was so cool that we are posting a separate blog on it. Stay tuned!

3. IT'S AFFORDABLE

Us California kids couldn't get over how affordable everything was! From gas prices to restaurants to souvenir shopping, South Dakota is extremely reasonable! And when you're traveling on a budget like we are, this is a very attractive selling point!

4. IT'S EASY TO NAVIGATE

Getting around South Dakota was a piece of cake! While we did use our phones sometimes, we tried to stick to the old fashioned map the South Dakota tourism board gave us. But we really didn't even need that - everything is marked clearly, and there's never any traffic!!

5. IT'S UP-AND-COMING

Mark our words - South Dakota is on its way to becoming the new place to be! With new restaurants opening up left and right, gorgeous scenery, delicious food, top-notch coffee and friendly folks... word is bound to get out! You heard it here first!

6. IT'S FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Your kids are bound to love South Dakota, trust us. From all of the amazing wildlife to the hikes, caves, national parks (Mount Rushmore!), amusement parks, and even a quirky roadside destination called Wall Drug Store... there is endless entertainment for families young and old alike!

7. THE SUNSETS

The sunsets in South Dakota were some of the most beautiful we've ever seen. There's something about the crystal clear air and magnificent mountains that makes the sky come alive at night. But again, don't take our word for it...

8. THE FRIENDLY LOCALS

We could NOT get over how nice everyone is in South Dakota! We didn't meet one person we didn't like, and everyone was so helpful! There's something so beautiful about seeing people's pride for their hometown, and such was the case here. It's almost like they're all letting you in on their little secret - that their state is better than most... And we have to agree.

9. IT'S ROMANTIC

Yep, that's right. South Dakota is extremely romantic. Watching the sunrise in the Badlands was one of the most idyllic and picturesque things we can imagine - and we were the ONLY people there! Definitely a top-ten moment in our marriage thus far.

10. ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES!

And folks, that's just the beginning. In the few short days that we were in South Dakota we saw a lot... but there is SO much more! We have yet to explore Sioux Falls, see the famous Crazy Horse Memorial, or see the waterfalls in Spearfish! Which means it's time for us to book our next trip. STAT.

Thank you to South Dakota Tourism for sponsoring this post!