Alli Talley

March 2, 2020

YOU MUST GO TO YUMA

Alli Talley

March 2, 2020

Yuma, Arizona is one of those places we’ve grown up hearing about, but never really knew what was there. It wasn’t until our friend Jennifer very enthusiastically convinced us to do some research, that we realized we’d underestimated this historic (and incredibly quirky) desert town. One week later, and we were on our way!

Yuma’s a perfect weekend trip. We were there for just over 48 hours and while our schedule was jam-packed, it felt like a very easy and doable getaway. Below are the spots we visited that we would definitely recommend. Consider this your “hit list” for when you visit!

STAY

HILTON GARDEN INN YUMA :: Overlooking the Colorado River, and walking distance to all the best restaurants and shops, The Hilton Garden Inn is the place to stay when you’re in Yuma. The rooms are clean and spacious, the facilities are beautiful, and the staff couldn’t have been sweeter. There’s a fitness center, pool, cozy lobby bar and restaurant right on property… and it’s very affordable, too! (Win/win!)

Nice, new Hilton Garden Inn in a great location!

DINE (& DRINK)

CAFECITO :: Finding good coffee in a destination is typically our go-to mission when we arrive, and we were overjoyed to stumble upon Cafecito. Located in a quaint, restored little house, this coffee shop and breakfast spot is a favorite among locals - and it’s easy to see why. Their drinks are great (try their cold brew on tap!), and their breakfast bowls (the Cafecito Oats are a must!) are as pretty as they are delicious!

THE GARDEN CAFE :: This tucked-away breakfast spot is a must-visit, if not for the picturesque garden ambiance, but for the made-from-scratch breakfasts they prepare each day! While Bobby is quick to recommend Yuma’s famous Kammaan Sausage (he went back the next day for seconds), I loved their fruit bread - either way, you won’t be sorry!

THE PINT HOUSE BAR AND GRILL :: With over 50+ craft beers on tap, and a mouthwatering menu featuring artisan pizzas, burgers, and tacos, The Pint House Bar and Grill is most definitely our kind of place. Come on a Wednesday and enjoy any burger on the menu + a craft beer, for only $10!

LUTES CASINO :: One of the most iconic (and eclectic) restaurants in town is Lutes Casino, which has been a Yuma staple for almost 70 years! Be sure to try the “Lutes Especial”, a cheeseburger and hotdog combined - and a special since 1951! Owned and run by the Lutes family, chances are you’ll see Bob, one of the Lutes brothers, serving up drinks and laughs behind the bar. If you do, say hi! Bob’s notorious for making friends and flirting with pretty ladies… you might even get one of his famous keychains!

MR G’S :: Ask any Yuma local where the best breakfast burrito is in town, and they’ll most definitely send you to Mr. G’s! Whether you’re eating there or grabbing to go, you can’t beat their hearty, made-to-order, and affordable burritos… no matter the time of day!

PRISON HILL BREWING COMPANY :: Some of the best food (and BBQ) in town can be found at Prison Hill Brewing Company. We’re big fans of their fried avocado appetizer (a must!), and their Smoked Meat Plate is not to be missed. Come hungry.

The craft beer scene is brewing in Yuma thanks to Prison Hill Brewing - check out the upcoming Rio De Cerveza Brew Fest. Savor regional craft beer at the Colorado River State Historic Park, along the water with great live music and lots of sunshine. For tickets and more info check out www.riodecerveza.com

SUNSET ON THE RANCH :: If you plan your trip to Yuma just right, you can make one of the most idyllic (and romantic) culinary experiences in town - Sunset on the Ranch. It begins with a tractor-pulled wagon ride around a farm, which takes guests to a picture-perfect farm-to-table dinner highlighting Yuma produce and a local gourmet chef. Take a look here for dates and times.

Coffee is always a good idea… especially from Cafecito

Yummy Mr. G’s breakfast burritos for the road.

Bobby would be back in Yuma tomorrow for more Kammaan sausage.

Hamburger with a hot dog in it at Lutes’ Casino. How have we never thought of this?

Bobby may or may not of had the meat sweats after eating his whole plate.

Loving the views of both the ranch and the food!

KAYAK THE COLORADO RIVER :: We can’t think of a better activity on a warm, Yuma day than kayaking the Colorado River! Our guide Ken and his team are happy to take groups of all ages for a peaceful and educational cruise along the river. And if you’re lucky, you might even see a beaver!

YUMA ART CENTER OPEN POTTERY CLASS :: Roll up your sleeves and get messy! We had a blast learning the ins and outs of sculpting with clay - and the friendly folks at Yuma Art Center made the whole experience a blast! (We even had our “Ghost” moment, if you know, you know.) ;) Check their site for class dates and times.

LUTES’ WEDDING CHAPEL :: Whether you’re a history buff or a fan of old-time hollywood, or if you happen to be looking for an legendary spot to say “I do”, a stop by the famous Lutes' Wedding Chapel is a must! Back in the 1930’s there was an extremely long waiting period to get married in California, so many impatient lovers and Hollywood stars made their way to Yuma to get hitched quicker. And this time capsule of a wedding chapel has barely changed since!

YUMA TERRITORIAL PRISON :: Another place that’s a must-visit for history buffs is the Yuma Territorial Prison, which ran from 1876 to 1909. It housed over 3,000 criminals during those 33 years, and was named “The Most Haunted Destination in the Country” by Usa Today in 2019! It’s a fascinating look into prison life and the infamous people that spent time behind bars - many of which were women!

THE CAMEL FARM :: Just an easy 20-minute drive from downtown Yuma is The Camel Farm, a family-run farm raises and rescues all kinds of animals, and they currently have over 150! There’s camels, zebras, goats, and donkeys (among others), and many of which you can hand-feed! They even have a “Zedonk” - a mix between a zebra and a donkey!

IMPERIAL SAND DUNES :: When you’re heading in (or out) of Yuma, be sure to make a detour to the Imperial Sand Dunes for a striking photo opp! You’ll instantly feel as though you’ve been transported to the Sahara desert, and your friends and family won’t believe their eyes when they see your pictures!

Family photo before the kayak adventure.

Our “Ghost” moment. It was Bobby’s first time trying his hand at pottery.

Please don’t leave us here! It’s spooky!

Yuma was full of delicious food, lively culture, and captivating old west history. Once you’ve experienced it, it’ll be a place that YoU MA(st) go back to. Got it? Leave a comment if you’ve been, or if you have a suggestion for where we should visit next time around!

Alli Talley

February 18, 2020

Weekenders, USA, Travel Essentials

Beyond the Prius: Why We Utilized an Enterprise Rental for Our Final Babymoon Adventure

Alli Talley

February 18, 2020

Weekenders, USA, Travel Essentials

This post is sponsored by Enterprise . All opinions are our own.

Our final babymoon adventure in Morro Bay

We are less than a month out from our lives changing forever.

Alli is 9 months pregnant, Sally is wondering why there’s all this extra stuff all over our house, and I (Bobby) am spending my spare time building dressers and cribs. While we’re now home nesting and prepping, we had an unforgettable run of trips and adventures during this pregnancy. (We basically traveled the entire time!) And we just returned from our final pre-baby adventure - a picturesque road trip up the California coast to the charming coastal town of Morro Bay.

Nothing like a relaxing drive up the California coast.

If any of you are far enough in your pregnancy that you’re in the uncomfortable stage (or if you’ve been there before), you’ll understand why Alli was upset when I booked this trip and planned on driving there in our Prius. Her belly basically hits the dashboard! With that in mind, we made things easy by renting a car from Enterprise. It was seamless, affordable, and our rental made us feel more family-ready than ever before (ironically, we rented a minivan). As you can see in the photo, Alli had more than enough space to relax, stretch out, and watch for baby kicking. :)

We headed out early on a Monday and enjoyed the coastal route from Malibu to Morro Bay. Highway 1 is one of our favorite drives in the world (we do it annually - if not more). If you have time, we highly recommend this route. It meanders through countless small towns, hugs the coastline, provides jaw-dropping views, and forces drivers like us (California drivers who are always in a hurry) to slow down and take it in.

We stopped in Venice Beach, Santa Barbara, and Pismo Beach before arriving in Morro Bay. We spent our time there eating tons of seafood (don’t ask how many oysters I consumed), searching for otters, and relaxing at our vacation rental. Because Morro Bay is such a small town, we were able to explore most of it on foot. But when Alli needed a break, or the trek was too far, we loaded up our minivan and hit the road. (Side note - Anybody else have fun with the automatic sliding doors on a minivan? What a concept!)

Favorite coffee stop in San Luis Obispo - Scout Coffee!

We spent most of our time in Morro Baby gawking over the sea otters.

To really soak in our last trip, one morning we made the drive up to Big Sur and back. This stretch is truly the highlight of the drive, so if you’ve never done it, make it happen. It’s insane!

Our drive home was less eventful, as Alli snoozed and I focused on getting us home safely one last time (before the baby). The drive was quick and easy, causing us to think maybe we should’ve explored a little more. ;)

In the end, having the minivan was a game changer for 8-months pregnant Alli. It was an affordable and easy way to make her much more comfortable for the four-hour trip. If we stick with our Prius, we will definitely plan another Enterprise rental for any last-minute babymoon adventures. But who knows, maybe by then we’ll have a minivan of our own!

The drive up to Big Sur is insane! See the minivan on the right?

High five to making it home safe! Such a fun trip!

Alli Talley

November 18, 2019

California, USA, Weekenders

Why Redding Should Be Your Next Road Trip Destination

Alli Talley

November 18, 2019

California, USA, Weekenders

Redding, California has been on our radar for years. We’re not sure why it took us so long to get there (as it’s an easy and scenic drive from our Southern California home), but whatever the case, this October we finally made the long awaited trip.

Now, we had heard that Redding was cool and underrated, but we really had no idea what we were going to find. What we discovered was a town rich in history, natural wonders, hip coffee shops (our favorite), and an evolving and revitalizing downtown. And we’re kicking ourselves that we didn’t come check it out sooner!

THE LOCATION

Located two and a half hours north of Sacramento and two hours south of the Oregon/California border, Redding is a true Northern California gem. Surrounded by jaw-dropping mountains (hello, Mt. Shasta!), it’s an outdoor paradise with over 200 miles of hiking and biking trails. But more on that later. We’ve always thought of Redding as more of a drive-through destination, on our way to Portland or Bend, but now we’re convinced it alone is worth the drive. One could easily spend a week there. And get this - they have over 300 sunny days a year!

THE HISTORY

Redding was founded in 1872, and was the Northernmost spot on the California railhead until 1883. It was a mining town, with significant copper and iron minerals, causing an economic boom in the early twentieth century. You can still explore the ruins of the Central Business District of the nearby Gold Rush town of Shasta, where there were once shops, bakeries, hotels, and more! It’s absolutely fascinating!

THE NATURAL BEAUTY

We could dedicate an entire blog simply to the natural beauty of Redding (and we considered it), but we’ll try to keep this short. IT’S STUNNING. There’s lakes, rivers, waterfalls, caves, national and state parks, fishing, skiing, and so much more. Outdoor enthusiasts, this is the place for you. During our short stay in Redding we visited Shasta Lake, the famous Lake Shasta Caverns, Whiskeytown Lake, all 3 of the McCloud waterfalls, Hedge Creek Falls, and the peaceful and serene McConnel Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. And we left feeling overwhelmed with how much more there is still yet to see!

The Lake Shasta Caverns were a highlight!

Sally may have had the MOST fun exploring all of the waterfalls

THE BUSTLING DOWNTOWN

Downtown Redding is charming - and it’s only getting better. From the moment we arrived and walked the iconic Sundial Bridge (the world’s LARGEST working sundial!), adventured through the Turtle Bay Exploration Park, dined at some phenomenal restaurants (more on the Redding food/drink scene here), and experienced downtown events like Redding’s weekly Food Truck Hub at The Park, we were sold. It’s a downtown that’s easily walkable and bursting with character, and it seems as though new fun spots are popping up quite often. We can’t wait to see it continue to evolve!

Redding is cool, y’all. You’ve heard it here first. Grab your friends, significant other, kids, pup, whoever you want, really - and make a road trip out of it!

If you need more convincing, here’s a blog with some of our favorite restaurants and coffee shops in and around Redding. Let us know if we missed a spot - because you better believe we’ll be back!

Alli Talley

November 12, 2019

USA

Finding Fall with Enterprise

Alli Talley

November 12, 2019

USA

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Enterprise. All thoughts and opinions are our own.

We’re big fans of fall.

Leaves changing, cozy layers, pumpkin spice lattes, snuggling by the fire… call us basic (and we are), but we love it. There’s something so heartwarming and life-giving about this time of year, and if anything, it means we’re that much closer to Christmas! (Only 62 days away - but who’s counting?)

We just returned from a big 40-day road trip throughout the U.S. We drove through national parks, coastal beach towns, metropolitan cities, and everything in between. Our last stop, and the true cherry-on-top of the trip, was a two-day visit to Lexington, Kentucky. The weather was crisp, the colors were changing, and the scenery could not have been more picturesque. But what really took our time in Lexington to the next level was renting a car from Enterprise.

We’d been driving our trusty little Prius for thousands of miles and were desperate for some space. It was such a treat to have a newer, larger, and plusher vehicle to explore in, and the entire Enterprise rental process couldn’t have been easier! We dropped our Prius off to get serviced, and the Enterprise rental location was only a short walk away. We walked in, checked in at the counter, found out they were giving us an upgrade (oh no, hehe), and within minutes we were sitting in our spacious Nissan Armada. No disrespect to the Prius, but this was a SERIOUS upgrade. Comfortable seats, space in between us, incredible audio… can we just trade?

Family photo! Can we keep the Armada and ditch the Prius?

One of our favorite things to do in a new destination is to drive around with no real agenda, and that’s exactly what we did. We stumbled upon charming estates, rolling hills, picturesque farms and stables, and even a castle! (WHO KNEW!) When we wanted to pull over, we would - even just to say hi to some friendly horses that were eagerly following our car. Even our pup Sally got a kick out of it!

A luxurious ride calls for a luxurious hotel… castle anyone?

Found a cute little lunch spot and Sally thought the burger was for her :)

Being that it is bourbon country, we also stopped at a few distilleries, whose grounds were just as beautiful and enchanting as the many estates we’d passed. (Two of our favorites were Woodford Reserve and Buffalo Trace - which also happens to be dog friendly!) We found quaint little cafes scattered throughout the countryside, many of which looked like something one would find in a Hallmark movie… it was all so picturesque!

Woodford Reserve has a stunning property!

Sally couldn’t taste bourbon, but she made friends.

Those couple of days adventuring through Kentucky were absolutely dreamy and ended up being exactly what we needed. And the biggest blessing was getting to do it all in our spacious Enterprise rental car that we jokingly named George. We still talk about George and how much we loved him. It was an experience we won’t soon forget!

Alli Talley

September 18, 2019

Wisconsin, USA

Why We Keep Coming Back to Wisconsin, No Matter the Season

Alli Talley

September 18, 2019

Wisconsin, USA

Those that have been following our travels closely know that this past winter we ventured off on a snow-filled Wisconsin getaway… right in the heart of the polar vortex. While the temperatures were a little colder than we had anticipated (-13 degree weather with a windchill of -25), we had the BEST TIME exploring all that Madison, Wisconsin had to offer - even in some extreme icy conditions!

Now we just returned from a summertime getaway in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin (you can read more about that trip here), and it cemented our love for this beautiful, neighborly, and always surprising state.

Here’s why we’ll keep coming back to Wisconsin, no matter what season it is!

THE NATURAL BEAUTY

WINTER :: Winter in Wisconsin is postcard-worthy. Families ice skating on frozen lakes, tall trees covered in glistening snow, charming shops and cafes welcoming visitors in for hot cocoa and a warm place to sit… It’s lovely in every way. We were mesmerized by the weather, requesting a window table at every restaurant so that we could watch the snowflakes fall over the city.

SUMMER :: We didn’t think it could get more magical, until we returned this August. What we knew to be a winter wonderland had transformed into a green, lush, summer paradise. The Northwoods is what we would consider the ideal Fourth of July destination. We couldn’t get over how naturally beautiful Wisconsin is in the summer, and we can only imagine how colorful it is in the Fall! (That season is next on our list!)

THE FRIENDLY LOCALS

WINTER :: We always say that what makes a place is the people. There is no better way to learn, understand, and connect with a destination than through conversations with the people that call it “home”. During our trip to Madison, Wisconsin this past winter, we spent hours chatting with locals about the snowy weather, what life is like in Madison, and what restaurant really has the best cheese curds. (Important stuff.)

SUMMER :: This trip, we spent our first morning in Boulder Junction on White Sand Lake with a local fishing guide, Marty Clauson. Marty not only taught us how to fish for walleye, but shared about his love and admiration for the state of Wisconsin. He told us about his around-the-world travels, and how he’s never loved a place more than where he is now. Marty’s love for the Northwoods was contagious, and by the end of our fishing adventure we were about ready to move! That’s when you know you’re somewhere special.

THE WISCONSIN CHARM

WINTER :: There’s a kind of charm that Wisconsin possesses, if you’ve been or if you’re a Wisconsinite, you know what we’re talking about. It’s more than the pretty scenery, rustic accommodations and smiling faces, it’s a feeling. In the winter we were charmed by Madison’s big-city-charisma meets small-town-allure. We’d sit in a snug coffee shop and sip our lattes as we’d admire the striking capitol building from across the way… Madison was approachable, yet cosmopolitan, all in one!

SUMMER :: This trip, we experienced Wisconsin’s charm just about everywhere we went. We grabbed ice cream at the local Ice Shanty Drive-In and Mini Golf, an adorable ice cream shop meets mini golf destination that one could only find in Wisconsin. What’s better than a soft serve ice cream and a friendly round of mini golf?

We dined at the Blue Bayou Inn, a homey and whimsical restaurant serving New Orleans cuisine by candlelight. We feasted on homemade soups, a table-side salad bar, and blackened catfish, all the while watching the lake shimmer in the distance. It couldn’t have been more romantic!

One day we heard some people talking about the Min-Aqua Bats, the oldest continually running amateur water ski show in the United States, and we were instantly intrigued. Of course this kind of performance would be in Wisconsin! This free, interactive summertime attraction was spell-binding, and fun for the whole family. We couldn’t believe the tricks these young water skiers could do!

THE SENSE OF ADVENTURE

WINTER :: One thing we’ve learned from our Wisconsin travels is that Wisonsonites know how to have fun, even if the temperature is well below freezing. From ice fishing along the frozen lakes, to rooftop campfires underneath the falling snow, to whimsical botanical gardens that are begging to be explored… it was the winter wonderland we’d always dreamed of - and more!

SUMMER :: We couldn’t get over all that there was to see and do in the Northwoods… it was borderline overwhelming! From picturesque hiking and biking trails, to exploring quaint towns, and swimming in the literally hundreds of lakes, it’s a destination that would take weeks - if not months, to properly traverse. It’s perfectly rugged and untouched, making the Northwoods of Wisconsin an outdoor lovers dream.

We’ve been consistently surprised by Wisconsin. By its approachability, affordability, its pristine beauty, and even this time by how dog friendly it is! We’ve seen this state at its very coldest, and at its warmest, and we’re happy to report that we’ve truly loved both! We’ve still yet to experience Wisconsin in the Spring and in the Fall, so we’ll be sure to check back when we do. ;)