Millennial Camping

According to a 2017 KOA study, more than 1 million new households in the US have begun camping each year since 2014 and Millennials are driving that trend.  RV sales are up, van camping is trendy again, and the new generation of teens (aka Generation Z) are showing strong interest in camping as well.  But this new generation of outdoor travelers isn’t using a printed map to find their campsites — they’ve got nifty digital tools for that!

Sure, you can always pick a park and go directly to their website to find campsites.  But what if you don’t know where you want to go yet?  What if you want a secluded spot on private land?

Enter Hipcamp, Tentrr, and Gamping — the new kids on the block.  These companies are called the “AirBnBs of Camping” because they provide crowdsource lodging, enabling private landowners to make their property available to complete strangers (and hopefully earn some profit).  If this trend catches on, it could be a game changer in the world of camping and outdoor travel.

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Memories of Zion National Park & Spirit Airlines

West Rim Zion National Park Utah
March is almost upon us and I’ve been reminiscing about a trip to Nevada and Utah we took around this time last year. It was my first trip to Las Vegas, our first experience on a budget airline, and our first time hiking Zion National Park.  While I can’t divulge any of my stories of Vegas [because as we all know: what happens in Vegas STAYS in Vegas], I can HAPPILY share my memories of the rest of this trip.
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Group Trip 2018

For those who may not know it, my cohort MaryR & I founded a group called the No. 1 Ladies Hiking Society in 2016. We’re now up to 399 members (just can’t seem to reach 400), & it’s time to plan a big group trip. But we’re an adventurous group, willing to explore ANYWHERE, so where to go…hmmm…
We could certainly go rogue & do all the planning ourselves, OR we could prevent more gray hairs from sprouting atop my head & opt for a company that provides guided group hikes. Guided trips are certainly more expensive but they provide a richer experience & are MUCH easier to plan. Since I’ve been researching options, I thought I’d share some of my favorites so far. Prices below are per person based on double occupancy (a single room will always cost extra) & airfare is NOT included, so keep this in mind if price is your determining factor. Trips are listed in order of my personal favorites:
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