Capturing the Beauty of Lake Catherine State Park's Waterfall: A Christmas Day Photoshoot

We spent last Christmas on Lake Catherine and had a blast. It was a beautiful warm day, so we hiked to the popular waterfall and took our photos there. I thought I would share them with you for inspiration on finding a unique place for a Christmas photoshoot.

A waterfall is so such an unexpected place and everyone has loved all the photos!

I love catching those little moments that will mean so much to the cousins in the future.

Some of my favorites are the unplanned ones like this. I think we made a lot of hikers happy with all the hats. Everyone we passed was smiling!

Our youngest family was worn out from all the hiking. I'm pretty sure several of the adults were tired from carrying him too! I noticed he was passed around a lot during the trip.

Lake Catherine State Park is located in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Address:

1200 Catherine Park Rd

 Hot Springs, AR 71913

Happy Holidays! 

Celebrating an Old-Fashioned Christmas at Historic Washington State Park in Arkansas

If you are looking for a unique experience this Christmas, visit Historic Washington State Park in Washington, Arkansas.

Step back in time with the 30th annual Christmas and Candlelight on December 10^th, 2016.

Beginning at dusk, hundreds of luminaries are lit to line the walkways between the buildings.

Enjoy musical performances through the park and tours of historic homes decorated with time period Christmas decor. 

Williams' Tavern Restaurant will be serving a Christmas buffet, including turkey and dressing.

Top your visit off with a horse-drawn surrey ride through the streets of this charming village.

 Historic Washington State Park is located on U.S. Highway 278 nine miles north of Hope, Arkansas.

 Tickets: $10 for adults, $6 for children 6 to 12, free for kids under 6.


Happy Travels! 

Exploring Taos Pueblo: A Native American Village in Taos, New Mexico

The Taos Pueblo is the oldest continually inhibited dwellings in New Mexico - built between A.D. 1300 and 1450.

Approximately 150 people live within the Pueblo full time.

The Pueblo is made of adobe. Adobe is a clay straw mixture typically in the form of sun-dried bricks, but can be poured into forms. The walls of the pueblo are usually made very thick, sometimes 2-3 feet.

Pottery, jewelry, and other locally handmade items can be purchased in little shops located throughout the pueblo.

 Completed in 1850, the San Geronimo( St. Jerome) Chapel was built to replace the original church which had been destroyed in the Mexican-American War.

Address:

120 Veterans Highway

Taos, New Mexico 87571

Admission:

Adults: $16 per person

Groups (8 or more Adults): $14 per person

Students: $14 per person

Children 10 and under: Free

Hours:

Taos Pueblo Hours:

Monday – Saturday 8:00AM – 4:30PM

Sunday – 8:30AM – 4:30PM

Happy Travels! 

Discovering the Cactus Forest at Saguaro National Park in Tucson, Arizona

The Saguaro National Park is divided into two sections. They are located on either side of the city of Tucson, Arizona. 

The park is named after the saguaro cactus, native to its desert environment.

In the eastern Rincon Mountain District, Cactus Forest Drive is a paved eight mile drive with beautiful views of the desert. There are many pull overs and hiking trails on the route.

There are around 1200 species of plants in the Rincon Mountain District and about 400 species in the Tucson Mountain District.

 The saguaro cactus is the largest of the 25 species of cactus located in the park. It can grow up to 60 feet tall and weigh up to 4800 pounds. If the conditions are right, it can live up to 200 years.

All of these photos were taken on the drive in the Rincon Mountain district.

Address:

3693 S Old Spanish Rd

Tucson, AZ 85730

Happy Travels! 

Sky Ranch Lodge (Review) Sedona, Arizona

The Sky Ranch Lodge is located on top of a mesa and has some of the best views in Sedona. This was our favorite spot for hiking and watching the sunset.

It is conveniently located across the road from the airport, and close to shopping and sightseeing.

A short walk puts you at one of the most popular overlook in Sedona. This area gets crowded, especially at sunset.

The location is very convenient for hiking to the airport vortex. The trail head is located at the back of the parking lot just across the main road.

The property features an outdoor pool with waterfall and a large hot tub.

The grounds are beautifully landscaped with walkways, bridges, sitting areas, and fish ponds located throughout.

There are many choices for accommodation options. We chose one with a kitchenette at the back of the property with a garden view.. We would have loved to have had one with a mesa view at the front of the property, but they were all booked when we made reservations. 

We loved everything about the lodge, but the views from the patio were amazing!

Relaxing on the patio and watching the sunset is the main attraction at the lodge. It's easy to understand why that is by this photo I took on our last night there. 

Address:

 1105 Airport Rd

 Sedona, AZ 86336

Happy Travels! 

Airport Mesa Vortex and Hike– Sedona, Arizona

Sedona is a special place not only for it's beautiful red messes, but also for it special energy. Every year, thousands of people travel from all over the world to experience these vortexes.

Sedona’s vortexes are areas of concentrated energy rising from the earth in a swirling pattern similar to a tornado.

This vortex energy is also reported to be found at sacred sites such as Stonehenge and the Great Pyramid.

It is said that the vortex causes the twisting of juniper trees in places where this energy is strongest.

There are four main Vortexes in Sedona. We hiked to the Airport Vortex.

We started our out from the parking lot next to the airport vista overlook. It is a little over half a mile from the vortex.

The lot is a large parking area on the left up Airport Road from the vortex parking. There are only eight spaces to park close to the vortex and they are always full. The lot is across the road from the Sky Ranch Lodge where we were staying. I highly recommend staying there! It is a beautiful place! I will make a post about it later.

Be sure a check out the overlook across the road from the parking lot. The view is amazing!

The views from the Airport Mesa Overlook are worth the hike, regardless of rather you feel the energy or not!

Happy Travels! 

Video of Hike ↓↓↓