78 days
12,000 miles
25 States
33 Airbnbs
Inlet Beach, FL - Miami Beach, FL
9h03 - 604 mi (972 km)
This was our last day on the road and probably the longest section we have traveled during our trip. We really wanted to be back home and rest. The road was pretty smooth and it went better than expected. We arrived in Miami at around 7 pm and we were exhausted but happy to be back home after 78 days on the road. If we had to do this road trip again, we would do it exactly the same. It was a dream that became true. A once in a lifetime experience. Now my next goal is to edit a video about our trip… It will take some time.
Fujifilm X-T30 - January 5, 2021
Inlet Beach, FL
We have decided that today will be our last day. Tomorrow we will be back to Miami. So we enjoyed that last day in the Panhandles and went to the Deer Lake State Park. The weather was perfect. Tonight we will start packing for the long drive we will have tomorrow.
>> Where we stayed in Inlet Beach
Fujifilm X-T30 - January 4, 2021
Inlet Beach, FL
Today we explored the surroundings and we found out that the beaches here are beautiful and quiet. Our Airbnb is very comfortable and it comes with a golf cart that we can use to drive around the town. The weather is perfect and most of the restaurants are open. Everything is perfect but we are starting to feel very tired from the whole journey and I am almost looking forward to go back home. But now, it’s time to enjoy our last days on the road.
>> Where we stayed in Inlet Beach
Fujifilm X-T30 - January 3, 2021
New Orleans, LA - Inlet Beach, FL
4h40 - 304 mi (490 km)
Today was an easy day on the road. We can’t believe we are back to Florida already. However, the Panhandles is the last area of the State that we didn’t visited yet. We arrived at around 4 pm and we were very pleased to discover our beautiful Airbnb. We are going to enjoy the last few days of vacation and try to mentally get ready to go back to Miami.
>> Where we stayed in Inlet Beach
Fujifilm X-T30 - January 2, 2021
New Orleans, LA
We woke up late and we enjoyed a lazy morning with the kids. But we really wanted to visit the French Quarter in New Orleans. When we arrived there, we were shocked by the crowd in the street. After two months on the road going through small towns or shut down cities, our level of anxiety went up. We walked through the busy streets but we decided to stick to the quiet ones. All the staples were overcrowded and we didn’t feel very comfortable walking in the middle of the crowd. New Orleans seems to be a very nice city though. We loved the residential and more quiet areas. Tomorrow we will be back to Florida. We can’t believe it.
>> Where we stayed in New Orleans
Fujifilm X-T30 - January 1, 2021
San Antonio, TX - New Orleans, LA
8h08 - 543 mi (874 km)
Today was our worst day on the road since we started our trip. We have left our Airbnb in San Antonio at around 9 am knowing that we would have to drive at least 8 hours to New Orleans. It was pouring the whole day and there were accidents everywhere on the way. The conditions were really bad. We almost had 3 accidents ourselves due to aquaplaning. Once we arrived in Houston, the traffic was horrible and we had already been on the road for 8 hours. We considered booking a night in Houston and to finish the trip the next day. By the time we were looking for options, the weather started to get better and we decided to drive to New Orleans and be there for the New Year’s Eve. We arrived at our Airbnb at around 10 pm. We are exhausted! But we are in NOLA! Happy New Year!
>> Where we stayed in New Orleans
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 31, 2020
San Antonio, TX
It has been raining the whole day. We are very tired and not very motivated to explore the area. However, we took the car for quick tour of Downtown San Antonio. We didn’t stop and walk in the city. It was raining and half of the stores and restaurants were still closed. We saw some homeless people fighting in the street and we decided to head back to our Airbnb. We heard it was a beautiful city, but I guess it was not the best day to visit. Tomorrow we still have a long way to New Orleans. Hopefully it will stop raining!
>> Where we stayed in San Antonio
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 30, 2020
El Paso, TX - San Antonio, TX
7h48 - 551 mi (887 km)
It was a long day! The road was pretty boring and it started to rain when we arrived in San Antonio. We are exhausted and we will take a day off tomorrow to rest and to get ready for our next destination.
>> Where we stayed in San Antonio
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 29, 2020
Tucson, AZ - El Paso, TX
4h37 - 318 mi (512 km)
We decided to head to El Paso in order to rest there before crossing Texas. The road was not very exciting except the fact that we had to drive through a sandstorm in New Mexico. I didn’t have a chance to take a picture since I had to focus on my driving. We arrived in El Paso at around 4pm and it really looks weird when you get there. The city is split in halves with a huge wall in between. On one side it looks like a typical Mexican city and on the other side like a typical small American city. Our Airbnb was about 40 minutes from the city center so we didn’t really visit the surroundings. We had one goal: get some rest before the long drive to San Antonio tomorrow.
>> Where we stayed in El Paso
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 28, 2020
Tucson, AZ
Today we visited the Eastern side of the Saguaro National Park. They have paved a beautiful one way road through the mountains and the incredible cactus fields. We start feeling that we are getting closer and closer to the end of our road trip. Tomorrow we will head to El Paso. To be honest we are not super excited to drive back to Florida on the Interstate 10 but that’s what makes more sense.
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 27, 2020
Tucson, AZ
We drove about 45 minutes to get to the West part of the Saguaro National Park and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It was a little crowded so we decided to check out the Old Tucson. It was an American movie studio and theme park. Built in 1939 for the movie Arizona (1940), it has been used for the filming of many movies and television westerns since then, such as Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), Rio Bravo (1959), El Dorado (1966), and Little House on the Prairie TV series of the 1970s-1980s. It was opened to the public in 1960, and historical tours were offered about the movies filmed there, along with live cast entertainment featuring stunt shows and shootouts. On September 8, 2020, Pima County, which owns the land on which it stands, announced that it was being shut down for an "indefinite" period. So we have just missed the deadline to visit this place. We headed back to the entrance of the National Park and found a dirt road leading to picnic areas. These cactus and mountains are absolutely beautiful. We even found some beautiful petroglyphs. Most of the rock art found in Saguaro National Park was created by the prehistoric Hohokam and is in the form of petroglyphs. These are created by etching, pecking or scraping designs into the dark patina found on the surface of sandstone and other rocks. Tomorrow we will visit the Eastern part of the National Park.
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 26, 2020
Sedona, AZ - Tucson, AZ
3h33 - 229 mi (369 km)
Merry Christmas! Today we took it easy. We left Sedona at around 11 am and drove to Tucson. Going South the landscape became drier and we saw our first large cactus fields. We crossed the city of Phoenix by car but we didn’t see much going on in downtown. Probably because of the pandemic going on. We then arrived at around 4 pm in Tucson discovered our Airbnb for the next few days. Very clean but nothing exciting. We enjoyed very much the sunset atmosphere in this area. Tomorrow we will drive to Saguaro National Park on the West part. Fun fact, the National Park is split in two parts. One located East of Tucson and the other one West.
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 25, 2020
Sedona, AZ
We have decided to take it easy for Christmas Eve and to go shopping in order to prepare a nice dinner tonight. The area is beautiful and the views are stunning, but a little overcrowded during the Holidays. Tomorrow we will drive to Tucson.
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 24, 2020
Sedona, AZ
This morning we decided to go early to the Bell Rock Trailhead (one of the very popular trailhead in Sedona) in order to have a chance to find a parking spot. Luckily we found one of the last ones available in the parking lot which was already full! The weather was perfect and we decided to walk around the Bell Rock without knowing where we were going exactly. We took the stroller with us since some other hikers on the site told us it should be fine on the Courthouse Butte Loop which goes around the Bell Rock. The more we walked the less people we saw on the dusty and windy trail. After a few miles, we walked on some rocky paths where we had to carry the stroller. We finally met a family walking the other way towards us and they told us that it would probably be impossible to go further with the stroller. We then decided to walk back to the car on the same way. We couldn’t do the loop but we really enjoy walking there with these beautiful views. Tonight we will go to another Airbnb since our current Airbnb was booked for Christmas. It was extremely difficult to find a place to stay since the town is packed for the Holidays.
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 23, 2020
Sedona, AZ
There are so many trails available in the area. However, it is so crowded that we had a hard time finding a parking spot. After many attempts at the most famous trails, we finally found a trail that seemed to be less crowded. We have parked our car at the Baldwin Loop Trailhead and started to walk with the kids. It is a 3.3 miles loop so we had to carry both of them at the end of the loop. The views on the Cathedral Rock were beautiful and the weather was perfect. We went back to the Airbnb in the afternoon and all of us took a nap. Tomorrow we will have to move to another Airbnb outside of Sedona because the area is extremely busy during this season.
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 22, 2020
Williams, AZ - Sedona, AZ
1h10 - 59 mi (95 km)
We left Williams in the morning for an easy drive to Sedona today. We arrived for the lunch time in Sedona and were amazed by the huge crowd in this small town. Maybe because today it is the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn and also the Winter Solstice? Sedona is well known in the new age circle and is famous for having 5 vortex located around the town. So far, we didn’t feel anything different but a little overwhelmed by the crowd everywhere. We decided then to buy some food at a grocery store and have a picnic at a popular park a few miles away from the city center. It was extremely peaceful and beautiful. At 3 pm we headed to our new Airbnb to check in so the kids could have a little nap. So far, we love it and we can’t wait to explore some of the beautiful places around Sedona.
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 21, 2020
Williams, AZ
The kids got some good rest yesterday and they are now ready to discover one of the seven natural wonders of the world. After an hour drive from our Airbnb, we arrived at the park entrance. Surprisingly, the park was not very busy. The weather was perfect and the views were out of this world. Grand Canyon National Park encompasses 277 miles (446 km) of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. The park is home to much of the immense Grand Canyon; a mile (1.6 km) deep, and up to 18 miles (29 km) wide. We really appreciate the opportunity we have to discover such places with our kids.
>> Where we stayed in Williams
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 20, 2020
Williams, AZ
Today the kids were a little tired from yesterday’s trip and very excited to have a playroom at our Airbnb in Williams. So we decided that I would go just by myself to check out the sunset at the Grand Canyon National Park. The entrance of the park is more than an hour away and I was not so surprised to see that it was quite busy. I found an illegal parking spot at the Hopi Point and sat on the edge of the cliffs to admire the immensity of the canyon. The sky turned orange and then pink and blue. It was magical. I can’t wait to come back tomorrow with the family.
>> Where we stayed in Williams
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 19, 2020
La Verkin, UT - Williams, AZ
4h52 - 304 mi (490 km)
Today we are heading to Williams in Arizona. The road was beautiful. The area is full of canyons, deserts, rivers and lakes. We stopped on the way on a random picnic area called Wahweap Overlook. The view was spectacular and we were the only ones there. We ate a quick lunch and took a few pictures. We then stopped a second time on the way at Horseshoe Bend. It was a little busy but the view was again amazing. We arrived in Williams at around 6pm and we were pleasantly surprised by our Airbnb. Tomorrow we will visit the Grand Canyon National Park.
>> Where we stayed in Williams
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 18, 2020
La Verkin, UT
Today we have decided to visit the Zion National Park which is just 30 minutes from our Airbnb. The weather was extremely cold and the sky was grey. Once arrived at the South park entrance we headed to the Temple of Sinawava trail which is only accessible with a shuttle during the high season. Luckily, the park was not too busy and we were able to drive up to the trailhead. The walk was beautiful but the weather was not the best. It was even snowing at one point. After this beautiful hike we took the car and drove on the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway toward the East entrance. We wanted to hike to one of the incredible panoramic view of the canyon, but it was not recommended with the kids. Many accidents happen every year at the Zion National Park because of the dangerous and strenuous trails. So we decided to find a picnic spot instead. Little by little the clouds slowly disappeared and we could finally see the blue sky. We stopped for a quick lunch since the temperature was still extremely cold. On the way back to our Airbnb we were amazed by the amazing sceneries of this region. Tomorrow, we will drive to our next destination in Arizona and we will get closer to the Grand Canyon.
>> Where we stayed in La Verkin
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 17, 2020
Pahrump, NV - La Verkin, UT
3h03 - 200 mi (322 km)
We left early in the morning and drove to Las Vegas. We have passed by the famous Strip with all its iconic hotels and casinos. It seemed to be pretty busy considering we are still in the middle of a global pandemic. There was honestly nothing more to see with two young kids. So we headed to our next destination in Utah. We arrived early in the afternoon and enjoyed our cute and comfortable Airbnb in La Verkin. Tomorrow we will visit the Zion National Park.
>> Where we stayed in La Verkin
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 16, 2020
Pahrump, NV
We woke up very tired from our yesterday’s trip. So we decided to take it easy and recharge batteries once again. Anyway, this small town in the desert doesn’t seem to offer anything exciting except fast foods and casinos. The surroundings and the sunset were absolutely beautiful though. Tomorrow we will drive through Las Vegas and we will head to Utah and the Zion Nation Park.
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 15, 2020
Three Rivers, CA - Pahrump, NV
6h28 - 375 mi (604 km)
We tried to leave Three Rivers as early as possible because today we had a very long drive ahead of us. We crossed incredible and beautiful sceneries. We were alone in these huge valleys and it’s hard to believe such places still exist in the USA. At the end of this long day of driving the kids started to be a little exhausted. So I decided to speed up a little on the empty roads when the sun was setting. Unfortunately a police car was waiting in the dark on the side of the road and pulled us over. The officer was nice enough but I still received a nice ticket. We finally arrived at our Airbnb an hour later. We are exhausted.
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 14, 2020
Three Rivers, CA
Another day of “far niente”. We really enjoyed staying in this retro and spacious house. Tomorrow we will have a long way through the Death Valley to our next destination in Nevada.
>> Where we stayed in Three Rivers
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 13, 2020
Three Rivers, CA
Today the weather was foggy and wet. We still decided to go to the Sequoia National Park. The park entrance is only 10 minutes from our Airbnb. However, the Giant Sequoias are located at the top of the mountains which is about one hour drive on a small tortuous road. The park ranger told us that we couldn’t go to the top without snow chains. We still decided to check out the road as far as we could and we finally made it to the top where the fog was extremely dense. Luckily there was just a little snow and we could hike on the Big Trees Trail. After a few hours the fog totally disappeared and we could really enjoy and admire these huge trees. We then took the car again to check out the famous General Sherman tree. By volume, it is the largest known living single-stem tree on Earth. It is estimated to be around 2,300 to 2,700 years old. On our way back to our Airbnb, we enjoyed an amazing sunset above the clouds. It was spectacular.
>> Where we stayed in Three Rivers
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 12, 2020
Catheys Valley, CA - Yosemite Valley, CA - Three Rivers, CA
4h52 - 237 mi (382 km)
Since we were next to the Yosemite National Park, we decided to spend the day there on our way to Three Rivers and the Sequoia National Park. We came here with my wife more than 4 years ago in Summer and we remembered that it was beautiful but way too crowded. The atmosphere was very different this time. Because of Covid all the buildings, stores and accommodations were closed and we were almost just by ourselves in the Yosemite Valley which was incredible. As usual we walked a little bit around, had a picnic in the cold weather and drove to our next destination in the afternoon. On the way we saw some of the sad damages done by the wildfires over the Summer and Fall. But it was still beautiful. We arrived at around 7pm in Three Rivers and were super happy to discover our fantastic Airbnb. Tomorrow we’ll visit the Sequoia National Park.
>> Where we stayed in Three Rivers
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 11, 2020
Cazadero, CA - Catheys Valley, CA
3h52 - 234 mi (377 km)
After a nice break in Cazadero for several days, we decided to take the road again and to change our plans because of the pandemic situation in South California. Instead of driving along the coast to Los Angeles and San Diego, we have figured it would be safer to visit the parks on the Eastern part of the state. We found an interesting Airbnb not too far from the Yosemite National Park, where they raise alpacas. The alpaca is a species of South American camelid mammal. It is similar to, and often confused with, the llama. Alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas, and unlike llamas, they were not bred to be working animals but were bred specifically for their fiber. Alpaca fiber is used for making knitted and woven items, similar to sheep's wool. The kids loved it! Tomorrow we will visit the Yosemite National Park on our way to our next destination.
>> Where we stayed in Catheys Valley
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 10, 2020
Cazadero, CA
Since we were not too far from San Francisco, we took the opportunity to go to the Swiss Consulate located on Pier 17 and renew our Swiss passports and get one for our son. Our appointment was in the morning and it didn’t take us more than an hour. We then had plenty of time to walk around and enjoy this iconic city. We started by walking to the Ferry Building Marketplace in order to get breakfast. Usually this place is packed and full of life, but due to the circumstances, we almost had the building just for ourselves. We then took the car and drove up and down the streets and headed to the Torpedo Wharf to get a nice view of the Golden Gate Bridge. We then drove back to our cabin in Cazadero taking the beautiful scenic California State Route 1. The sunset was once again amazing. We love San Francisco but it is hurts to see it so empty and quiet. Hopefully, we will see it again in better times.
>> Where we stayed in Cazadero
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 9, 2020
Cazadero, CA
Another amazing day enjoying the coast in the morning, our beautiful cabin in the afternoon and the coast again at the sunset. It is a truly amazing region.
>> Where we stayed in Cazadero
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 8, 2020
Cazadero, CA
Today we explored the area around Fort Ross which is a former Russian establishment on the west coast of North America in what is now Sonoma County, California. It was the hub of the southernmost Russian settlements in North America from 1812 to 1841. It has been the subject of archaeological investigation and is a California Historical Landmark, a National Historic Landmark, and on the National Register of Historic Places. It is part of California's Fort Ross State Historic Park. The light at the sunset was absolutely amazing.
>> Where we stayed in Cazadero
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 7, 2020
Cazadero, CA
This time we have decided to explore the coast toward the South. It was again a perfect and sunny day to enjoy the beautiful and beaches and sceneries the region has to offer. We drove up to the Tomales Bay and we stopped in Dillon Beach on the way. It is an amazing mix of pastures, farms and coastal cliffs. We loved it!
>> Where we stayed in Cazadero
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 6, 2020
Cazadero, CA
Today we have decided to check out Healdsburg and drove about 45 minutes from our cabin to get there. It is a small tourist-oriented town in northern Sonoma County. Due to its three most important wine-producing regions (the Russian River, Dry Creek, and Alexander Valley AVAs), Healdsburg has been continuously awarded one of the top 10 small towns in America and is home to three of the top wineries in the United States. The center is very charming and full of restaurants and small shops. It was pretty crowded today and it is easy to imagine that it must be even nicer to stroll around in a normal world without Covid.
>> Where we stayed in Cazadero
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 5, 2020
Cazadero, CA
Another day of doing nothing… Just enjoying the cabin and playing at the small river flowing next to the house. Tomorrow we might explore the area a little more.
>> Where we stayed in Cazadero
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 4, 2020
Cazadero, CA
Today we have decided to drive along the beautiful coast up to Sea Ranch. It is a popular vacation spot noted for its distinctive architecture, which consists of simple timber-frame structures clad in wooden siding or shingles. It took us approximately 1h15 to get there and another 1h15 to get back on the same and only coastal road. Tomorrow we will probably take it easy at our cabin.
>> Where we stayed in Cazadero
Fujifilm X-T30 - December 3, 2020
Cazadero, CA
We finally have a headquarter for more than a week where we can relax, explore and finally bake a little birthday cake for our son’s first birthday. We also have a nice little fireplace to warm up this beautiful cabin. I also upgraded my camera so there will be a little adjustment needed for the next few days. We will be alright!
>> Where we stayed in Cazadero
Fujifilm X100S & Fujifilm X-T30 - December 2, 2020
Arcata, CA - Cazadero, CA
4h17 - 242 mi (390 km)
We left Arcata in the morning and decided to quickly check out on the way the city of Eureka and its Victorian style buildings. We then drove non stop to our next Airbnb in Cazadero where we will stay nine nights. We have rented a nice cabin in the forest and we will take the time to visit the area and to rest a little after all the miles we have accumulated.
>> Where we stayed in Cazadero
Fujifilm X100S - December 1, 2020
Crescent City, CA - Arcata, CA
1h27 - 78 mi (126 km)
Today is our son’s first birthday! What’s better than walking in redwoods forests for your first birthday? We were very excited and we were not disappointed. We left Crescent City in the morning and drove to Fern Canyon for a first walk. We drove through dense forests and then entered the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park on the coast. We saw a herd of Elks walking along the road. We then hiked in the Fern Canyon named for the ferns growing on the 50-foot high walls, through which runs Home Creek. It is also famous for being one of the film location for Jurassic Park 2. Most of the trail is wet and rain boots are more than necessary. We didn’t have any so we tried to walk on rocks and trunks as much as we could with more or less success. We then drove to some random parts of the gigantic and incredible Redwoods National Park. The coastal redwood is an evergreen, long-lived tree living 1,200–1,800 years or more. This species includes the tallest living trees on Earth, reaching up to 379 feet (115.5 m) in height (without the roots) and up to 29.2 feet (8.9 m) in diameter at breast height. These trees are also among the oldest living things on Earth (Thanks again Wikipedia). The atmosphere is incredible and magical. This is one of the most amazing place we have visited. We then headed to our Airbnb in Arcata. It was another great day full of amazing memories.
Fujifilm X100S - November 30, 2020
Lakeside, OR - Crescent City, CA
2h58 - 149 mi (240 km)
We left our very cool Airbnb late in the morning after a quick walk in the surrounding forest. We headed to our next destination in Northern California. The road and the coast were spectacular. We stopped very often to take many pictures and admire the incredible sceneries. We stopped at the Arizona Beach State Recreation Site for a quick picnic and a little walk on the beach. We then took the road again to Crescent City but we had to stop at the Arch Rock on the way for one of the most amazing view we saw since the beginning of our trip. We then arrived in Crescent City and decided to check out our first redwoods at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. This was amazing but we couldn’t take too many pictures since the light was already very low. But tomorrow we will see more. We then drove to our Airbnb and saw another fabulous sunset. Life is great!
>> Where we stayed in Crescent City
Fujifilm X100S - November 29, 2020
Otter Rock, OR - Lakeside, OR
2h02 - 91 mi (147 km)
Today was a relatively short drive to our next destination. It gave us enough time to enjoy the beautiful Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area on the way. We were pretty much the only ones on the beach except for a priest walking by himself. The vibe was very mystical and amazing! The beach was huge and we really had a sense of freedom. We loved it! We then drove further South and ended up in Umpqua Lighthouse State Park, the quads and dirt bikes’ paradise. When the sun was starting to set, we decided to drive to our Airbnb for our one night stop. Tomorrow, we will head to California.
>> Where we stayed in Lakeside
Fujifilm X100S - November 28, 2020
Otter Rock, OR
Another day in Otter Rock. We didn’t do much, we just enjoyed the beautiful views and beaches in the area. The kids seem to be really enjoying the ocean vibe and playing in the sand. The sunset was pretty amazing too. Tomorrow we will drive along the coast to our next destination in Southern Oregon.
>> Where we stayed in Otter Rock
Fujifilm X100S - November 27, 2020
Otter Rock, OR
We started the day with a beautiful walk on the beach located a few feet away from our Airbnb. This area is called the Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area. This park is a popular whale watching site and displays an intriguing geology. The punch bowl (on the 3rd picture) was probably created by the collapse of the roof over two sea caves, then shaped by wave action. The beach itself is incredible and looks pretty much untouched. A few surfers were jumping in the cold water and the kids seemed to enjoy this huge sandy playground. We then decided to check out the Newport Sea Lions Docks a few miles away. This was again a hit with the kids. They loved it even though these creatures are extremely grumpy and stinky. We ended the day at the Yaquina Head Lighthouse to catch the last light of the day. The views were stunning.
>> Where we stayed in Otter Rock
Fujifilm X100S - November 26, 2020
Vancouver, WA - Otter Rock, OR
2h21 - 114 mi (184 km)
On the way to our next destination on the coast, we stopped at Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Downtown Portland. The coffee was really delicious. It was probably the best one I had so far. The road to Otter Rock was beautiful. Forests, cliffs, huge waves, Oregon as I have imagined. Our Airbnb is located in a forest very close to the beach. We can hear the huge waves from the house. It is an amazing atmosphere. We’ll stay here a few nights.
>> Where we stayed in Otter Rock
Fujifilm X100S - November 25, 2020
Vancouver, WA
Today we have decided to take it easy after the long day we have spent at Cannon Beach yesterday. We drove around downtown Portland which is around 30 minutes from our Airbnb. We know that we are all going through extremely difficult times with Covid and the racial crisis in this country. Portland was basically a ghost town with most of the stores closed or boarded up, hundreds of homeless encampments in the streets (which I decided not to show here) and wastes on the sidewalks. All the parks were closed. To be honest it was sad to see such a cool city in this situation. So we decided just to drive around the town and go back home so the kids could rest a little. Tomorrow we will head to the coast!
>> Where we stayed in Vancouver
Fujifilm X100S - November 24, 2020
Vancouver, WA
Today we have decided to check out Cannon Beach in Oregon and drive about one hour and a half to finally see the Pacific Ocean! The town is very particular and pretty with all these wooden “scales” facades typical from the Pacific Northwest. We walked on the beach to the 235 feet tall Haystack Rock. We then drove to the Ecola State Park to have a picnic. The road through the forest was amazing and so green. It was out of this World. When we arrived to the picnic area, the view was breathtaking. We left Cannon Beach at around 4pm and drove back to our Airbnb. Tomorrow we’ll try to check out Portland.
>> Where we stayed in Vancouver
Fujifilm X100S - November 23, 2020
Bend, OR - Vancouver, WA
3h52 - 218 mi (348 km)
We have left our amazing Airbnb in Bend in the morning. We really enjoyed this area. But we want to move forward and our next stop is the city of Vancouver, WA (not the Canadian Vancouver). We decided to take the road that goes through the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. It is a canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Up to 4,000 feet (1,200 m) deep, the canyon stretches for over eighty miles (130 km) as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range, forming the boundary between the state of Washington to the north and Oregon to the south (thank you Wikipedia). As soon as we started our descent from to the high desert and its blue sky to the gorges we entered into a very heavy fog. We had a picnic at the Mayer State Park along the river. The view was “gorge…ous” ;-) but it was really cold, so we didn’t stay too long. We then arrived at our Airbnb in Vancouver under the rain. Well, I heard the region is famous for the rain. Tomorrow we’ll drive to the coast!!!
>> Where we stayed in Vancouver
Fujifilm X100S - November 22, 2020
Bend, OR
This was our last full day in Bend. We looked for an easy trail to walk with the kids and the Benham Falls Trail seemed perfect. The road to the trailhead was full of icy snow again and it could only allow one car to drive on the lane. Thankfully we didn’t crossed any other cars on the way to the trailhead. The walk to the falls (I would call it a rapid) was very nice and easy. We had to drive on the same snowy road on the way back. Unfortunately it was more challenging since many cars came our way. We had to let some of them pass and we had to pull over in the snow. And what had to happen, happened… The car got stuck in the snow and all the other cars left the scene. After about 20 minutes of pushing and pulling the cars and trying various maneuvers, we finally drove the car out of the snow and back on the lane. Tomorrow we will leave Bend with great memories. We really enjoyed this beautiful area and the extremely kind people we have met. We will definitely try to come back one day when all of this Covid thing will be over.
Fujifilm X100S - November 21, 2020
Bend, OR
Take 2! Today the sky is clear and the sun is shining. We have decided to try again to drive on the Cascade Lake National Scenic Byway. It is pretty incredible to actually see what we were supposed to see two days ago under the snow. The views on the Mount Bachelor and the forests are gorgeous. The loop took approximately an hour but we couldn’t drive on smaller roads due to the amount of icy snow. We tried but our Jeep Cherokee was not high enough and the ice was scrubbing the bottom of the car. So we decided to stop before we got stuck with no signal in the middle of a forest. In the afternoon we decided that the kids needed to have a proper nap. I took the opportunity to check out the Tumalo Falls just by myself. I walked the 2.5 miles snowy trail up to the falls. It was beautiful and not too crowded. I had to hurry up because the sun was setting very quickly at around 4pm. I walked back partly in the dark but it was beautiful. Tomorrow we’ll check out another of the hundreds of trails available in the area.
Fujifilm X100S - November 20, 2020
Bend, OR
Yesterday was a little frustrating since we couldn’t see all the good things we were supposed to see. Today was another day. We decided to visit the Smith Rock State Park and drove about 40 minutes from Bend. We were amazed to see such a different scenery so close to Bend. We walked along the Crooked River and enjoyed the beautiful weather. It has a little feel of the Utah Canyons. We then had a picnic there and it was already time to go back to our Airbnb since the sun is setting at around 4.30 pm. Tomorrow we’ll try to see more things around.
Fujifilm X100S - November 19, 2020
Bend, OR
But first coffee! While ordering my usual almond milk latte (my favorite drink) at Thump Coffee, I have asked the barista what she would recommend to see around Bend. She told me that her three favorite places were the Tumalo Falls, the Cascade Lake National Scenic Byway and the Smith Rock State Park. All of that sounded great and the coffee was excellent so we could only trust her. We decided to start our local expedition with the Tumalo Falls. Downtown Bend roads were very dry and we still have our all season tires. So there shouldn’t be any problems… until we got to Tumalo Falls. The road to the falls was closed due to the amount of snow and we had to walk 5 miles in the snow with the kids to actually see the falls… We tried just a little bit before realizing it would be almost impossible. We decided to drive on the Cascade Lake National Scenic Byway instead. We followed the directions to the Mount Bachelor and then it started to snow very heavily and the roads were covered with snow. We didn’t trust our tires and decided to go back to Bend. Well, our first day of exploration was not a great success. But we’ll try again when the weather will be better. Tomorrow we’ll try to check out the Smith Rock State Park. It looks dryer.
Fujifilm X100S - November 18, 2020
Bend, OR
After a great night of sleep for the whole family, we have decided to do nothing but just eat and sleep all day. We will stay a few days in Bend and we will have plenty of time to explore the surroundings. See you tomorrow!
Fujifilm X100S - November 17, 2020
Boise, ID - Bend, OR
5h11 - 319 mi (514 km)
Oregon! We have been waiting for this moment for a long time. It was a long drive crossing a high altitude desert and we saw again beautiful sceneries. We’ll stay in Bend for a few days to explore the area full of natural beauties and also to rest and plan the next steps. Our Airbnb is amazing!
Fujifilm X100S - November 16, 2020
Boise, ID
Today we have decided to take it easy. The kids are starting to feel a little tired of traveling and it is important to let them nap as much as possible. The weather was not really inviting for exploration anyway. So we just checked out the city center and the Idaho State Capitol Building. It is a pretty impressive building and the city seems to be very peaceful. Tomorrow we will have a long drive to Bend, Oregon. We are very excited to discover this Pacific Northwest State. We are just a little worried about cases of Covid rising a little bit everywhere in the country and about possible restrictions. So far we have traveled very safely and we are meeting less people than if we stayed in Miami. We are self checking-in in Airbnbs and we never go to restaurants. We take all the necessary precautions and hopefully this will be enough to avoid getting sick. So far so good!
Fujifilm X100S - November 15, 2020
Boise, ID
Today we have decided to walk on small trails around Boise (pronounce it Boy-see). We first drove up the mountains near the Camel’s Back Reserve. It was very cold (for Miamians) and we didn’t walk long before we decided to go back to Boise to check the Oregon Trail. The Oregon Trail was a 2,170-mile east-west, large-wheeled wagon route and emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon. You can still see some traces on the ground and it makes you think how courageous people were at that time to cross this huge territory with their wagons.
Fujifilm X100S - November 14, 2020
Woods Cross, UT - Boise, ID
4h44 - 330 mi (531 km)
We have left the sunny Salt Lake City in the morning and started our trip to Boise in Idaho. After an hour or so of driving, the sky became grey and it started snowing very heavily until we arrived in the city of Twin Falls in Idaho. The road until there was exhausting since I had to focus on the road the whole time (as I always do…) and anticipate any moves from other vehicles since the snow covered the highway and many cars ended their way on the side of the road. We have decided to check out the famous Twin Falls under the rain. Unfortunately they were almost inexistent at that time, but the place was still beautiful. We then continued our way to Boise and arrived at around 4pm in a great Airbnb. We’ll stay here 3 nights in order to relax a little bit.
Fujifilm X100S - November 13, 2020
Moab, UT - Woods Cross, UT
4h10 - 241 mi (388 km)
It was hard to leave Moab and these beautiful canyons. But we had to move forward! We have crossed huge plains and the Rocky Mountains. Once we got to Salt Lake City, we did a quick city tour by car and checked out the Salt Lake City Temple which was under renovation. We’ll sleep only one night here in the suburb and we will head to Idaho tomorrow.
>> Where we stayed in Woods Cross
Fujifilm X100S - November 12, 2020
Moab, UT
A full day in Moab is probably not enough to discover all the wonders of this place. But we tried to make the most out of this day. The sky was perfectly clear and blue. We started the day at Canyonlands National Park. The sceneries were stunning. It is probably one of the most beautiful place I have seen in my life. We saw some Petroglyphs on some rocks and I was surprised to learn that they were made by ancient tribes living in the area about 700 years ago. We had a small picnic there on a table overlooking of of the canyons. We then drove to Dead Horse Point State Park and again it was amazing. We ended the day again at the Arches National Park to admire the sunset on the red rocks. Tomorrow we will drive to Salt Lake City, but we wished we could stay longer in Moab. We’ll come back!
Fujifilm X100S - November 11, 2020
Grand Junction, CO - Moab, UT
1h56 - 102 mi (165 km)
We have left our Airbnb in Grand Junction late in the morning and we headed to Moab on an alternate itinerary. It was supposed to be a 2-hour drive, but the sceneries were so incredible that we had to stop every 10 minutes to take pictures. When we finally arrived in Moab, we decided to go straight the Arches National Park. One word: incredible!
Fujifilm X100S - November 10, 2020
Grand Junction, CO
We didn’t have big expectations at Grand Junction. We decided to visit the Colorado National Monument which was 15 minutes from our Airbnb. The entrance was about $30 but we decided to buy the annual pass for all the National Parks in the country ($80). We think that we will visit more than 3 parks during our road trip to make it worth it. We started driving in the park and we were really amazed by the beauty of the place. On top of that there was almost nobody there. We had the park almost for ourselves. We didn’t regret staying in the area. It was amazing!
>> Where we stayed in Grand Junction
Fujifilm X100S - November 9, 2020
Breckenridge, CO - Grand Junction, CO
3h09 - 182 mi (293 km)
We left Breckenridge this morning. It has snowed during the night and the temperatures dropped drastically. Fortunately, our car could drive just fine on the thin snow coat. The sky was clear and the views were beautiful. We arrived in Grand Junction early and decided to visit the city center. Most of the stores and restaurants were closed and the streets were empty. We then checked in at our Airbnb which was really cute.
>> Where we stayed in Grand Junction
Fujifilm X100S - November 8, 2020
Breckenridge, CO
The mountains seemed to have drained all our energy… We have been very lazy today and we didn’t do much. The kids took long naps and recharged their batteries. Tomorrow we are going to Grand Junction and hopefully it won’t snow too much.
>> Where we stayed in Breckenridge
Fujifilm X100S - November 7, 2020
Breckenridge, CO
Another day in the beautiful mountains. We went to the Blue Lakes at an elevation of 11,000 feet (3350 m). It was extremely windy and cold and it was even hard to breath when climbing up on the trail. But the view was spectacular.
>> Where we stayed in Breckenridge
Fujifilm X100S - November 6, 2020
Breckenridge, CO
Today we really enjoyed the mountains and the beautiful weather. We have walked on small trails around the Sawmill Reservoir. The sun was shining, it was perfect!
>> Where we stayed in Breckenridge
Fujifilm X100S - November 5, 2020
Breckenridge, CO
First day in Breckenridge. The atmosphere is a little weird after the election night. We have decided to just relax and walk around the town with the kids. Tomorrow we will look for a proper trail.
>> Where we stayed in Breckenridge
Fujifilm X100S - November 4, 2020
Goodland, KS - Breckenridge, CO
4h24 - 277 mi (446 km)
We left Goodland in the morning and were really excited to go to Colorado today. We have stopped in Denver for a quick lunch in a park and then headed to Breckenridge, a small town situated at an elevation of 9,600’ feet. The main street is really charming and our stay here is very promising. We have decided to stay in the mountains for a few days and to enjoy the surroundings and the nature as much as we can.
>> Where we stayed in Breckenridge
Fujifilm X100S - November 3, 2020
Kansas City, MO - Goodland, KS
5h48 - 408 mi (657 km)
This was our longest section so far. We have decided to sleep one night in Goodland since it is about halfway to our next destination in Colorado. To be honest we were a little skeptical about crossing Kansas. But luckily we stopped randomly at the Wilson State Park on the way and it was amazing! We ate lunch at a picnic table with a view on the lake. It was so peaceful. We then arrived in Goodland where our Airbnb is located. This small town seems to be very quiet.
>> Where we stayed in Goodland
Fujifilm X100S - November 2, 2020
St. Louis, MO - Kansas City, MO
3h43 - 248 mi (399 km)
It was hard to leave St. Louis because we loved our Airbnb and also because we really enjoyed the city. The drive to Kansas City was not really exciting, but our home in Kansas City is nice and well located. Did you know that Kansas City is located in Missouri and not Kansas? Well, some parts of the city are also located in Kansas… Very confusing I know…
>> Where we stayed in Kansas City
Fujifilm X100S - November 1, 2020
St. Louis, MO
We took an extra day in St. Louis to walk around the charming neighborhoods and parks and to relax before driving through Missouri. The trees were absolutely incredible and the sky was so blue! We will definitely keep great memories from St. Louis.
>> Where we stayed in St. Louis
Fujifilm X100S - October 31, 2020
St. Louis, MO
What a beautiful surprise! The weather is amazing, the city is very charming, the people are so nice! So far we love it so much that we have decided to spend a little more time here. Our neighborhood is called Soulard and is home of the Anheuser-Busch headquarters and Budweiser brewery. Too bad we can’t have a tour these days. Another reason to come back.
>> Where we stayed in St. Louis
Fujifilm X100S - October 30, 2020
Clarksville, TN - St. Louis, MO
4h22 - 269 mi (433 km)
We left Clarksville under the rain and headed to our next stop in St. Louis. We drove through 4 states today: Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri. It rained non stop for more than 5 hours in total. It finally stopped when arrived in Missouri but the temperatures dropped drastically. We decided to do some grocery shopping in a small local store located in the Soulard neighborhood, where our Airbnb is also located. So far it’s great! Let’s see what St. Louis has to offer.
>> Where we stayed in St. Louis
Fujifilm X100S - October 29, 2020
Turtletown, TN - Clarksville, TN
4h18 - 252 mi (406 km)
It was hard to leave this peaceful cabin in the forest. However, we had to move forward and we drove to our next destination. Clarksville seems to be a quiet town in the Nashville suburb. We’ll stay one night and we’ll drive to St. Louis tomorrow.
>> Where we stayed in Clarksville
Fujifilm X100S - October 28, 2020
Turtletown, TN
After a tumultuous arrival in the very secluded cabin, we have decided to relax and enjoy the quietness and peacefulness of the place. We could just hear the sound of the wind in the trees and the birds. It feels so good sometimes.
>> Where we stayed in Turtletown
Fujifilm X100S - October 27, 2020
Salem, SC - Turtletown, TN
2h39 - 120 mi (193 km)
We have left Salem late in the morning and drove to Turtletown going through North Carolina. We have made a quick stop for lunch at the Jack Rabbit Trailhead and walked on the trails around the Chatuge Lake. Then we headed to our Airbnb which was extremely difficult to find and not easily accessible. After having spent more than an hour looking for our cabin on unpaved roads and with no signal, we finally found it. However, the final slope was so muddy and steep that we had to leave the car 1000 feet from the cabin and carry all our stuff from there. Next time we’ll come with a 4x4.
>> Where we stayed in Turtletown
Fujifilm X100S - October 26, 2020
Salem, SC
Another day enjoying the trails in the forest and the beautiful Lake Jocassee. Amazing colors and prefect weather! Tomorrow we are going to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Tennessee.
Fujifilm X100S - October 25, 2020
Salem, SC
This was the first time we stayed at the same place for more than one night. We finally could enjoy the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and waterfalls in South Carolina and also in North Carolina, which was just a 20-minute drive away. The leaves took their amazing fall colors and the weather was extremely mild. Perfect for enjoying small trails in the forest with kids.
Fujifilm X100S - October 24, 2020
Augusta, GA - Salem, SC
2h58 - 129 mi (208 km)
After a good night of sleep, we have left Augusta late in the morning and headed to our next destination and Airbnb in South Carolina. The road was beautiful and the scenery really started to change. We saw the first small hills and lakes. We have stopped at a picnic area at a small lake. It was a much nicer stop than the ones on the previous days. When we finally arrived at our Airbnb, we really enjoyed the outdoor and the beautiful weather.
Fujifilm X100S - October 23, 2020
Waycross, GA - Augusta, GA
3h11 - 174 mi (280 km)
Third Airbnb in 3 days. The kids are handling these changes very well. They sleep all night and seem to be happy discovering new houses every day. The road was beautiful with huge cotton fields and a slight change of scenery. We were pleasantly surprised by the house we stayed in and the Southern hospitality is not a myth.
Fujifilm X100S - October 22, 2020
Orlando, FL - Waycross, GA
3h31 - 222 mi (358 km)
A lot of rain on our way to Georgia. We found a closed shooting range where we could seat, stay dry and eat our sandwiches… but we ended the day in a great Airbnb.
>> Where we stayed in Waycross
Fujifilm X100S - October 21, 2020
Miami Beach, FL - Orlando, FL
3h40 - 237 mi (381 km)
The first day of our US road trip. We are heading to the West Coast. We don’t have a fixed itinerary and we won’t book anything too much in advance so we have the flexibility to move at our own pace. We intend to stay mainly in Airbnb houses. It is a little stressful to think about leaving Miami for several weeks with 2 young kids during these weird times... but "If a window of opportunity appears, don't pull down the shade." Tom Peters
Fujifilm X100S - October 20, 2020
