Lots of my subscribers have been with me since way back in the 1990’s and they probably realize I’m sort of a private person. I’m trying to get better and share a little more about myself.
So I figured I’d share my vacation with you today.
It’s been a few years since my wife and I had a proper vacation. (Thanks pandemic!) Sure, we drive to an overnight destination once in a while, but it’s been too long since we really got away.
So last month we jumped on a plane to the great Southwest, rented a car and drove about 1000 miles over 10 days.
It was nice to get a break from everyday life and relax and be tourists.
If you’re ever looking for a nice fly/drive vacation, this one was truly one of our best.
We landed in Las Vegas and used it as our jumping off point. Vegas was busier than expected, and we stayed downtown. The Fremont St. Experience and Viva Vision was fun, but I think we’re outgrowing Vegas. We loved it when we were younger, but now we don’t drink or gamble much, and downtown seems seedier than it was a decade ago.
In fact, our favorite spot this time was the Pinball Hall of Fame. We spent hours there. My wife loves pinball and they have 100’s of vintage pinball and video machines from the 40’s all the way through the 2000’s. I spent most of my time playing my favorite classics like Donkey Kong, Dig-Dug and Joust. 🙂
After a couple nights in Vegas, we headed south to a ghost town called Nelson. It was pretty neat seeing all the old stuff that had been sitting for a 100 years or so.
Next we headed to the Hoover Dam where we were surprised how much lower the water was compared to the last time we were there about 7 years ago.
Then on to Kingman for an overnight stay and a visit to the Rt. 66 Museum. We learned about Angel Delgadillo who saved the town of Seligman Az on Rt. 66 after Rt. 40 bypassed it.
The next day we traveled along Rt 66 in Az., and stopped in Seligman to visit Angel. He wasn’t at the shop that day, but we talked with his son-in-law for a while and learned some cool things about Rt. 66. If you’re not familiar with his story, I urge you to read it, it is quite interesting.
We continued on Rt 66 into Williams AZ, had lunch and then on to Sedona for a few days.
If you’ve never been to Sedona, it’s a must visit. We hiked Airport Mesa and some other trails and the red rocks are truly amazing. The town has changed a lot since I first visited it back in the 90’s.
Our next destination was Zion Park, just over the border in Utah. But to break the 5 hour drive in half, we decided to tour Antelope Canyon in Page Az. This hour long tour through the lower slot canyon was both fascinating and breathtaking.
And Zion Park in Springdale UT was phenomenal for drive through sight-seeing and hiking as well. Since it was late in the season, it was uncrowded and everything was easily accessible.
After a few days in Zion Park, we headed back to Vegas and spent time in St. George, Ut. Snow Canyon State Park there which was truly magnificent. We hiked over the lava flow rocks and through the canyon for hours.
Then we hit the Valley of Fire in Nevada, on our way back to Vegas. This landscape is unlike any we’ve ever seen. It’s easy to see why so many movies have been filmed here including some Star Trek episodes!
After one last drive down the Vegas Strip, we caught the red-eye flight back to New England.
It was a great vacation!
(I’d love it if you left a comment with your vacation experiences or an idea for our next trip!)
Hey, Jim, glad you enjoyed your vacation and chose to share it with us. I have lived in Phoenix, Arizona, my entire adult life and have been to Sedona and other parts of the state. My late husband and I discovered you in 1998, and I’ve been on your list ever since. (Tom passed away in 2008, and I’m carrying on the Internet dream for both of us.) I remember you being in Rhode Island back then. Is that correct? Recently, I thought I saw your address in another state (like Florida???), which surprised me. And now I see that you’re in Connecticut. I lived in Connecticut for 6 years of my childhood during the 1960’s, and attended a church camp in Rhode Island during two of those summers, so that’s why I paid attention when I noticed your locations.
About 8 years ago, you told us about Jack Hopman’s “Local Theme Jack” website templates for creating local business sites. I decided to give it a try, since I was already making assorted websites for myself over the years. I’m still involved with Jack and his various software products, and I have YOU to thank for introducing me.
Thanks for the comment Arline. It’s always great to hear from folks like yourself who’ve been with me so long. I live in Connecticut now, though we have vacationed in Florida many times in the past,w hen the kids were little. You certainly do have a unique state in Arizona, we enjoyed it very much. So many different terrains.
Glad to hear that you’re still working with Jack as well. I need to get back in touch with him and revisit his latest offerings.
Take care, and God Bless!
I’m still trying to get my first sale in affiliate marketing after 5 or more years of trying.
Hi Bob, good to see you haven’t given up! Have you managed to grow an email list or a following anywhere, such as YouTube? That’s the real secret to making affiliate sales.