I absolutely love a rugged and remote trail. To me, there are few more enjoyable outdoor activities than wandering along a scenic trail – whether it’s in the mountains, the desert, or along a gorgeous coastline.

Still, as I’ve explored cities around the U.S., I’ve discovered another love as well: urban trails. Hop on a trail in a city like San Francisco, Boston, or Austin, and rather than being in the middle of nowhere, you’re suddenly in the center of it all. San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge, Boston’s historic Bunker Hill site, and the Austin’s lush Barton Springs are all accessible via urban trails.

I was reminded of my love of urban trails on my recent trip to Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas. While working on a writing assignment on the 15-mile Riverfront Heritage Trail, I took in significant sites like the Lewis & Clark Expedition’s 1804 stopping point at the Missouri/Kansas river confluence; the Freedom Trail Memorial located not far from a key station along the Underground Railroad that helped to get slaves to freedom; and the site of the first permanent railroad bridge across the Missouri River.

I also sampled authentic tacos, saw some amazing architecture, and watched dogs frolic in a bona fide dog bar. Not all of the attractions were located directly on the trail, but the Riverfront Heritage Trail served as my conduit to Kansas City history and culture.

I had some guidance along the way from the wonderful Urban Hikes KC, which offered complimentary coffee tours at the Women In Travel Summit conference I was attending. I also joined Urban Hikes KC’s River Market/West Bottoms/Columbus Park hike, which took in several key sections of the Riverfront Heritage Trail. I highly recommend the guided hikes! They’re affordable, fun, and super informative.

Here are some of my favorite stops along the Riverfront Heritage Trail.

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Posted on June 19, 2022 by nearandfaraz

Cityscapes, Food, trails, Travel

Kansas City, Kaw Point, Lewis and Clark Expedition, Riverfront Heritage Trail, Town of Kansas Bridge, Urban Trails, Visit KC

There are a few things to know about road tripping through West Texas. First of all, the distances between towns will be LONG. From El Paso on the western edge of Texas to Austin near the heart of the state, the drive clocks in at nearly 9 hours. And that’s not even counting the detours you will want to include or the numerous gasoline and meal breaks you will need to take.

But just as certain as the long distances you’ll face is the assurance that you will have plenty of delightful little towns along the way to break up the drive. From the hip town of Marfa that is known worldwide for its art scene, to the tiny Interstate 10 outpost of Ozona that is the center of a county named for Davy Crockett, West Texas is a treasure trove of fascinating culture.

Everywhere you stop, it seems, you will be met with intriguing stories, historic hotels, ruggedly beautiful hikes, and friendly people. And as you drive from town to town, count on passing over long ribbons of pavement with views of distant jagged mountains.

After taking several road trips in southwestern Texas during the past two years, I have a few favorites. Here are 7 towns that are worth a pause on your waltz across West Texas.

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Posted on April 10, 2022 by nearandfaraz

Road trip, Texas, Travel, Uncategorized

Fort Davis Texas, Marfa Texas, Texas Road Trip, Van Horn Texas, West Texas, West Texas Road Trip

When it comes to travel, there are few greater pleasures for me than the sight of an open road, the realization that I’m in complete control of the route, and the wonderful feeling of not knowing what the next curve in the road might bring. After years of smiling every time the Willie Nelson song On the Road Again or Tom Petty’s Runnin’ Down a Dream plays on the radio, it’s safe to say I’ve always had a soft spot for road trips.

Still, up until a couple of years ago, my road trips were mostly limited to short day trips or multi-stop cross-country vacations when flying wasn’t practical.

Then came 2020 and 2021. All of a sudden, during the COVID-19 pandemic, road trips became the only safe and sensible travel option available to me.

As the months passed, I decided to lean into the road trip idea. Over the past two years, I’ve spent dozens of hours in my car, driving the interstate highways and little byways of the Southwest.

Although I ventured out-of-state for a few trips, it was in my home state of Arizona where I focused much of my road-trip attention. I found that even though I’ve lived in the Grand Canyon State for more than three decades, there were still plenty of places to discover – from the lofty San Francisco Peaks of Flagstaff to the green valleys and creeks of the White Mountains, and from the craggy rocks of Oatman to the stands of organ pipe cactus of Ajo.

After spending two years criss-crossing the state, I’ve become convinced that Arizona offers among the best road tripping in the country.

Here are my greatest hits from the AZ road.

2 Comments

Posted on January 2, 2022 by nearandfaraz

Uncategorized

Arizona, Road trip, Travel

Even though the big in Big Bend National Park refers to a giant curve in the Rio Grande, it could just as easily refer to the park itself (bigger than the state of Rhode Island), the views (immense and sweeping), or the river (definitely grande!).

Big Bend National Park was the main reason for my recent Texas road trip, but the other park that I added along the way – Guadalupe Mountains National Park – turned out to be wonderful too in its own way.

Big Bend had been on a my travel radar for a while – ever since I watched the 2014 Richard Linklater and Ethan Hawke movie Boyhood. For some reason, the movie scene of a sunset hike along the Rio Grande stuck with me through the years. It turns out the scene was actually shot at the nearby Big Bend Ranch State Park, not the national park, but the effect was the same. I just had to visit the area.

Early in the summer of 2021, I finally began planning a trip to Big Bend. Since I was going to be in West Texas, I decided to check out the state’s other big national park, Guadalupe Mountains, as well.

Before I knew it, I had the makings of an epic national park road trip. From my base in the west-Texas city of El Paso, I headed first to Guadalupe, then to Big Bend. (I also ended up adding New Mexico’s lovely White Sands National Park to the trip, but that’s the topic of another story!)

Here’s how my 2-parks-in-4-days road trip went:

3 Comments

Posted on July 16, 2021 by nearandfaraz

hiking, National Parks, Road trip, Texas, U.S. National Parks, Uncategorized

Adventure, Big Bend National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Road trip, Texas, Travel, White Sands National Park

Theodore Roosevelt National Park was my first national park. Indeed, a trip to the western-North Dakota park is one of my earliest childhood memories and probably my first family vacation.

I remember piling into the car with my sisters and parents and driving for what seemed like days. Actually, it was a four-hour drive from our home. But from that packed backseat, the flat terrain along Interstate 94 had an endless quality.

Once we arrived, though, I was transfixed by the park – its herds of buffalo, the adorable Prairie Dog Town, and the endless rolling hills of the Badlands.

Later family trips would take me to Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, and Redwood national parks – all gorgeous and remarkable in their own ways.

I believe those family trips planted the seed for my love of the outdoors. They also made me appreciate the natural beauties that have been preserved all over the country. As an adult, I have gone on to visit many more national parks.

But I’m glad my first park was one that paid tribute to Theodore Roosevelt, the father of so many of America’s national parks, reserves, and national forests. Considered the “conservationist president,” Roosevelt is said to have shaped his views about preservation during his time ranching in the Badlands of North Dakota.

Although I have always loved national parks, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has cut off access to so many of the parks has made me appreciate these national treasures even more.

So, during this National Park Week of 2020, I am highlighting my favorites. Here are 9 national parks that are truly knockouts.

5 ways Portland, Maine raises the lobster bar

Even before my recent visit to Portland Maine, the words “Maine” and “lobster” were inseparable for me – kind of like Idaho potatoes or Wisconsin cheese.

And it didn’t take long after arriving in Portland to realize that in the case of the vaunted Maine lobster, it’s no hype. The lobster is simply that good.

In fact, after my week and a half in coastal Maine, I may be ruined forever for prepackaged, shipped, or previously frozen lobster. I have to say it: A visit to Portland is almost certain to change the way you look at lobster.

Certainly, going into my Portland trip, my lobster standards were fairly low.

As a lifelong resident of landlocked locales, lobster has been an occasional treat for me – a celebratory meal or a holiday extravagance limited mostly to chain seafood restaurants.

Even in a pre-prepared form, though, lobster has always epitomized a gastronomic indulgence for me. Still, I always suspected there was more to the ruddy crustacean than what I was getting.

My week and a half in Maine confirmed it. Virtually every restaurant I tried in Portland served amazing lobster – sweet, succulent, tender, and plentiful.

I still don’t consider myself an expert, but after eating lobster virtually every day for my 10-day Maine visit, I learned a few things

Here are five reasons a visit to coastal Maine might make you a bit of a lobster snob:

I was happy to be among them on a recent warm spring day, when, right on the edge of Phoenix, Arizona – one of the largest metro areas in the U.S. – the wild-and-free animals were treating visitors to a taste of western culture unlike any trip to a museum or cowboy reenactment could ever deliver.

On that Sunday morning, I had a front-row seat to a little family-of-three grazing along the riverbank, occasionally sticking their noses deep into the lazy waters of the Salt and rolling energetically onto their backs in the rugged river rocks.

1 Comment

Posted on March 28, 2019 by nearandfaraz

Arizona, Desert, Destinations, Food, hiking, Near, Road trip, Salt River, Sightseeing, trails, Uncategorized

Goldfield Recreation Area, How to find the Salt River Wild Horses, Lower Salt River, Mesa Arizona, Phoenix Arizona, Salt River, Salt River Wild Horses, Scottsdale Arizona, Tonto National Forest

NearandFarAZ

The American Southwest & beyond!

Joys of an urban trail: Discovering Kansas City on the Riverfront Heritage Trail

7 cool little towns sure to brighten your West Texas road trip

Ode to the Arizona Road: 7 AZ Road Trip Greatest Hits

2 Texas Treasures: Guadalupe Mountains to Big Bend

9 National Park Knockouts

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Maui’s 2 North Shores: West vs. East

Why an all-inclusive resort is the perfect base for a Mexican Caribbean adventure

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How to spend a sweet weekend in Carmel, Indiana

Step off the beaten path in Portland, Maine

12 of Portland’s quirky, unsung & simple pleasures

Warning: A visit to Maine might turn you into a lobster snob

5 ways Portland, Maine raises the lobster bar

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6 cool traits that set Scottsdale AZ apart

Western chic meets outdoor splendor

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Wild horses ‘dragged me’ into the Old West

Finding the Salt River Wild Horses

Destinations

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