TRAVEL BY ARK

Welcome back, after a brief hiatus in this blog. Between dealing with the closure of so many places, having many of our summer plans change, and coming back from an injury, it has been a unique summer thus far, to say the least. But with places opening back up slowly and my ability to walk around normally again, we decided to visit one of our hometown favorites, the St. Louis Zoo, albeit with certain precautions in place. So without further ado, enjoy reading this post about this fantastic place. Guide to Visiting the St. Louis Zoo The Saint Louis Zoo is located at the southwestern corner of Forest Park in St. Louis, Missouri. It is a wonderful place to visit for all ages, and will always be a place I highly recommend. I've been going here since I was young, yet I keep coming back, because it has so much to offer. Zoo Admission Admission to the zoo is always free, with the exception of special ticketed events. After reopening, to help regulate visitor tra...

Visiting Phoenix Metropolitan Area After visiting Las Vegas , Zion National Park , Grand Canyon and more, our vacation was coming to an end. But we had one final destination before heading home — Phoenix. Traveling from Grand Canyon to Phoenix After leaving the Grand Canyon, we enjoyed a refreshing stop in Flagstaff for some delicious brews at Mother Road Brewing Company , located downtown, just off historic route 66. They don't have a kitchen, but they partner with a couple local places that will deliver to you at the brewery. We shared a pork bahn mi sandwich from Proper Meats + Provisions , which was delightful and paired well with our beers. We decided to take the scenic route from here through Sedona to enjoy the beautiful landscape. I wish we could have had more time here to observe the scenery because it was breathtaking. Alas, we only were passing through, but I would love to visit for the gorgeous red rock formations. Exploring Phoenix and Scot...

Winter Travel to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon In our journey this winter, we ventured from Las Vegas and Hoover Dam to Zion National Park and Horseshoe Bend . But our exploration wouldn't be complete without visiting Grand Canyon National Park . The Grand Canyon is more than just a big hole - it is a wonder to behold. I encourage everyone to make the trip to the Grand Canyon to truly observe its magnitude in awe. Traveling to the Grand Canyon There are multiple ways to get to the Grand Canyon, but if you are coming from Page, Arizona and Horseshoe Bend, the majority of your trip will be through Navajo nation. I would highly encourage you to make any necessary pit stops before getting on the road, because there are not an abundance of places to stop along the way. Although, lacking in places to stop, this road does offer some amazing scenery, foreshadowing more to come. A good place to get out and stretch the legs along this journey is at Cameron, before turn...

As I've mentioned before, if you find yourself in northern Arizona , on vacation or otherwise, there is an abundance of activities and sights to see in the area around Page. In my last post, about Glen Canyon National Recreation Area , I discussed a few of these - one of which included Horseshoe Bend . Horseshoe Bend is a scenic overlook of the Colorado River, where it makes a 270 degree turn, and in my opinion offers a breathtaking view - and yes, you guessed it, takes the shape of a horseshoe. But don't just take my word for it, see more pictures below. Here are a couple tips to note if you visit Horseshoe Bend. First of all, if you are visiting after staying the night in Page, I would definitely recommend getting there early, as this has become a popular destination. Luckily, this beautiful site is less than a ten minute drive from anywhere you may have stayed in Page.  Next, I would like to note that while I highly recommend getting ...

On our trip, traveling between Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon, we made Page, Arizona our stop for the evening. During that drive, we passed through some beautiful countryside including the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area . We caught some great views overlooking the canyon, right before sunset. The Glen Canyon Dam overlook is located right off of US-89, shortly after crossing the Colorado River into Page, Arizona. You can get a good look at the different rock formations, climbing down to the overlook spot from the parking lot. There are a few standard stair steps, before transitioning to just a handrail to hold while you descend down the rock formation. The stone you are walking on appears almost as waves of sand. From the overlook spot, there is a nice view up the canyon to the dam. Additionally, we also made a stop at the Carl Hayden Visitor Center at the Glen Canyon Dam. From here you can get a closer view of the ...

A great place worth visiting, less than an hour away from Las Vegas , is the Hoover Dam . Spanning the Colorado River between the borders of Nevada and Arizona , this colossal dam is a mighty engineering feat. Not only does it produce a large amount of electricity, but it also provides a steady water source for surrounding states and helped tame a once quite destructive river. In addition to these, Lake Mead - the result of the dam - acts as a National Recreation Area, available to the public for boating, fishing, swimming, and more. Because this lake provides water for so many areas in the southwestern United States, chances are you have eaten food that used water from Lake Mead. Unfortunately, due to an extended drought in recent years, the water level of the lake has gone down considerably. This can be seen by the ring of white calcium deposits on the rock surrounding the lake. I highly recommend visiting Hoover Dam and taking a tour of the powerplant. It is impressive to ...