If I had to describe the Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico in one word: WAUW!

Don’t forget to bring your America the Beautiful Pass if you got that.

We start the 2 self-guided trails: The Natural Entrance and the Big Room – both 1.25 miles long. 750 feet underground (229 meters), the trails take us across giant, overly impressive stalagmites, stalactites and columns, covered in soda straws and popcorn (we learned a few fancy words today).



Fairyland (what an appropriate name), hall of giants and the bottomless pit, mirror lake.. We saw it all! Sometimes pictures say nothing; I’d recommend visiting yourself and check this must-see off your list 🙂

From April to October the Carlsbad Caverns are home to thousands of bats, that fly out at dusk. While this spectacle might definitely be worth visiting for, our wintertime visit with very few people around was an awesome experience. So great to walk the trails at your own pace and to enjoy the sound of silence!

Previously:Santa Fe

Santa Fe (New Mexico) shows up in a valley with her barely visible low ground colored houses. She welcomes us, almost like an open air museum, and full of cozy Christmas lights.

It only makes sense to feminize Santa Fe, as she has a pretty high female-to-male ratio of just 91.7 males for every 100 females. Vegas on the other hand, has about four men for every three women.

So all the single ladies looking for single men: try your odds in Vegas. And this time I’m not talking about the casinos.

There are some things you cannot not see when you’re in Santa Fe.

Once occupied by the Puebloans and then the Spanish, this ‘City Different’ is extremely rich in culture. It has the oldest house of the US, the oldest church of the US and the historic Canyon Road.

Santa Fe Plaza

Even if you’d try you couldn’t miss it, as it’s the heart and soul of the city. Although this little square looks nice, it’s not so much about the square itself, but more about its proximity to art, culture, history, shopping and food.

There are plenty of benches to sit and watch the world go by and listen to the occasional live music. Or just wander around the narrow streets and alleys to unexpectedly stumble upon some very photogenic buildings.

Canyon Road

A so called ‘magical half-mile’ with over 80 galleries and many picture-worthy sights (that’s describing this whole city btw). Indigenous art. Western art. Contemporary art. Digital art. This historic arts district has something for everyone.

Although the art’s not necessarily my taste and window shopping might price-wise be the only option for most, it definitely makes for a nice stroll.

Attention art gallery lovers and street photographers: Santa Fe is the place to be.

TIP: If you ever feel like walking (a long way) – Santa Fe marks the end of the 19^th century historic wagon trail that runs all the way from Missouri.

Also interesting:
The Smoky Mountains and Gaitlinburg

Taking a road trip can be unlimited fun. Or, depending on the preparation and circumstances, a complete disaster.

We all know that preparation = key!

Get a check-up

A ‘goes without saying’ tip, but also one of the most important ones. Have your car checked before leaving, to make sure at least your tire pressure, fluid levels, brakes and other important features are good to go.

Make sure to carry at least:

• A spare tire (if you don’t have run-flat tires)
• Jumper cables (that’s something you might think you’ll probably not need, but we actually did once!)
• Extra wiper fluid (also learned this the hard way)

Better be safe than sorry and join a roadside rescue service. You never know if the Middle of Nowhere will unexpectedly be your next stop. Then you’ll be begging for that tow car or mechanic to arrive.

Clean out your car

Not only will you be grateful not to risk having an old chewing gum stuck to your bag, but it’ll also help you to be more organized.

During your road trip -especially if you’re planning a camping trip- things will get messy. Therefore, do your future self a favor and start sparkling clean.

Study your route

Nah, I don’t mean you should plan out every lunch spot or pee break before leaving (unless that’s your style; no judgment). But it is important to generally know what you’re getting yourself into.

Find out roughly how many miles you will be driving each day, and how long that will take. Road works, traffic and other factors can make a BIG difference.

Our experience is to listen to Siri when she tells you to change your route. We were stubborn once and ended up getting stuck in a 2-hour traffic jam. Great job guys!

Know the roads. Pay attention to windy and rocky roads. 100 miles on a main highway is a líttle different from 100 miles on a gravel country road!

Make your life easier and plan around rush hours. Those are generally much worse around big cities and big junctions.

Watch the weather! In some places the weather is extremely unpredictable and I’m guessing you’re not looking to be snowed in with no signal.

Extra tips for an ultimate Road Trip

• If you don’t have it yet, purchase a stable phone mount. Our was $8 on Amazon and it absolutely made the GPS stuff so much easier!
• Find out how to connect your music library to your car radio. We bought a car charger that’s also a bluetooth FM transmitter. That way you’re always charged ánd ready to DJ. Something about two birds with one stone…?
• Always have some plastic bags for garbage.
• DON’T forget any important car papers, insurance, passports and drivers’ licenses. (Yes, really. People do that. And yes, by people I mean me.)
• Make sure to carry some liters of water and food. You never know what lies around the next corner.

Enjoy the ride

OK, now… You are prepared!

That means checked-up, cleaned out, packed and within easy reach of your car papers and drivers’ license. Your phone is securely set-up as GPS and your favorite music is blasting out of your car stereo. Congrats!

Now it’s time for your to sit back, drive safely and enjoy the views!

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Car checkup: completed.
New sleeping bag: hanging out to dry.
Walmart: out of beer and instant noodles (because we bought it all, get it?).

For two road trip / camping lovers, the decision on how to get from Vegas to New York was made quickly. On Dec 11th we’ll leave the excitement of the casinos for more excitement in The Big Apple.

Our trip will take about 10 days, so we’ll arrive just in time for the holidays! We’ll be spending our days driving along the East Coast and visiting places, and our nights in our new 4-seasons MSR tent (cause: cold!).

Our list of stops include: Santa Fe, the Carlsbad Caverns and New Orleans. Final: New York New York (dûh)

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As we turn onto Red Rock Canyon Road, the imposing red mountains come into clear view. The closer we get, the faker they seem, as though someone just painted them. With the 13-mile Scenic Drive and a sunny afternoon ahead of us, we gotta pick our game. Between the almost 30 hikes and trails the park has to offer, that’s not an easy choice.

The park is located right outside of Las Vegas and therefore makes for an awesome daytrip. Here are some of the best afternoon hikes we did within the 2 to 3 miles range:

 

— CALICO TANKS

2.2 miles, took us about 2 hours, difficulty: moderate to strenuous

One of the most popular hikes in the area, and for a good reason: You’ll be rewarded with a view over Las Vegas and its Strip. 

 

— ICE BOX CANYON

2.2/2.5 miles, took us a little over 2 hours, difficulty: strenuous

This adventurous hike (almost like an obstacle course) takes you through a narrow canyon full of boulders – that’s where the ‘strenuous’ comes from. It’s not steep and for anyone in good health perfectly doable. There’s not much sunlight and it’s thus a bit chilly, but you’ll find plenty of birds singing and you’ll have a full body workout. You can keep going until eventually you’ll run in to the final wall. I loved it!

 

— PINE CREEK CANYON – LOOP

3 miles, took us almost 2 hours, difficulty: easy-moderate

A diverse and mostly easy hike amidst the colorful vegetation of Red Rock Canyon. There’s a loop you can make, staying right (follow the sign ‘Pine Creek Canyon Loop’ and walking into Pine Creek Canyon, where you’d eventually turn left and circle around -taking a part of the Knoll Trail-, back to the parking lot. 

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NOTE: La Madre Spring is hard to reach by small car, since Rocky Gap Road (I guess the name should have rung a little bell) turns into a rocky road after the Petroglyph Wall Trail. We turned around at some point and never made it there.

For a complete overview of hikes & trails, have a look at the park’s page.