Tag: hiking

Mirador Cuentos – Torres del Paine, Chile – Without the W or the O Part 5

One of the things that they do not show you in the pictures of Torres del Paine is the weather. Well, they do show you the weather, but only one those days when it is perfect. The sun is shining. There is a slight breeze. People might even be walking around wearing shorts. This is the ideal, and I get why they show these pictures. This is the best way to sell a vacation to this part of the world. The reality of the situation is that Torres del Paine is on the tip of South America where the weather is unpredictable and though those beautiful days do exist, there are just as many rainy, cold, and windy days, even in the middle of the summer, so the hikes do not always go as planned.

We had this problem with one of the hikes that we had planned to go on to, Mirador Cuernos. This is a very popular hike with the tour groups. It starts off at a cafateria just a little down the road from the Hotel Pehoe, and after a leisurley twenty minute stroll it takes people to a big waterfall that many people stop at to take pictures and watch large portions of water dive over a cliff. But if you take this hike another three kilometers away, the crowds start to die down, and you are rewarded with some of the more impressive views of the mountains in the area. This is the reason to come out and take this hike.

The hike basically follows the lake that feeds into the waterfall that most of the people stop at. It is on a well-groomed path that is wide and basically flat. There are a couple of rises on it, but it is nothing to strenuous and most people should be able to complete the hike without any problem. In fact, I saw many people on the hike that did not even bother to bring water or any additional equipment with them, and treated the hike as a lovely Sunday stroll. But do not be deceived; that could be the worst thing that you do if you take this hike.

Like I said earlier, the weather in Torres del Paine is unpredictable. A beautiful sunny day that you see in most of the pictures of the area can turn on you really quick, and you might find yourself out in the middle of nowhere as a storm blows in over the mountains. And let me tell you that when I storm blows in, it is not at all a pleasant experience. The winds out there can be extreme. We experienced one such day where we struggled to walk and after certain gusts, even continue to stand. Even though, the path is flat and wide, the weather can add a new diificulty to the hike. There are even times when they will shut down the path if the winds are too strong which happened to us the first time we attempted to make this hike.

Still, we did not let this deter us, and we came back another day when the weather was perfect. It wasn’t shorts weather, but it was just crisp enough to make for the perfect conditions to make a hike. We packed layers just in case the weather changed on us, and we brought a small lunch to enjoy at the beach we came across on the shore of the lake. And when we finally made it to the viewpoint, it was worth the wait. The views were stunning, and the sun shining on the peaks made for the perfect conditions to take pictures. It was a great hike to take that gets you close to the same places on the W loop and it only takes a couple hours to do, easily worth the time for those that are not doing the bigger loops.

Thank you for following me on this exploration of places to go in Torres del Paine besides the W and O loops, and I hope it gives you some ideas for your trip out to this area.

Lago Grey – Torres del Paine, Chile – Without the W or the O – Part 4

While doing the loops in Torres del Paine, there are opportunities the visit the vast fields of glacial ice that are there. It gives the hikers the opportunity to take kayaks and row up to the glaciers, or to even put on crampons and walk on the ice. But for those of us who have not gotten the tickets needed to get on the W or O loops, there is another way to get out to the glaciers and experience what they have to offer, the Lago Grey ferry.

The Lago Grey ferry is a boat that leaves from the Hotel Lago Grey three times a day to take about 100 guests out to the three faces of the Grey Glacier and to return them safely back to the park. The whole experience takes about three hours from check-in to return back to your car, and it is a great way to see the glaciers while visiting Torres del Paine.

Check in takes place at Hotel Lago Grey, but this is not actually where people hop on to the boat. You receive your ticket there, and then are asked to drive your car five minutes down the road to another parking lot for a cafeteria that you will have to walk past to get to the boat. It is not a simple walk either to get to the boat. It takes anywhere from thirty to forty-five minutes, and winds its way through a forest, and over a bridge even before you are able to see the boat that will take you out to the glacier.

This is where the hike really begins. There is a long stretch of pebble-filled beach that you will have to cross. It is not easy to walk over and it is not handicap accessible in any capacity. The weather does not help to make this part of the hike any better. You are exposed to the elements when making the trek, and we were battered by wind and biting rain, so it is important to bring rain resistant gear and layers for this voyage to stay dry. Also understand that the weather changes in an instant in this part of the world. It was really cold while making the trek, but then it was sunny and beautiful when we were out by the glaciers.

Also understand that the ferry company will cancel the trip if the weather gets too bad. Torres del Paine is notorious about the wind that can come whipping down the mountain, and if it gets too windy, it is no longer safe to take even the large ferry the twelve kilometers out to the glaciers. At first I did not believe that the wind could be that strong, but we experienced it on other days, and I would not want to be out there on the boat if the wind was as strong as we felt it on a certain day.

But on those nice days, the ferry will get you really close to the glacier, and then it is a wonderful way to see it. The ticket does come with a drink coupon that will get you either a pisco sour or a calafate sour. If you have never tried either of these drinks, this is a good opportunity to try one though they are not the best versions of these drinks I have ever had. I would recommend trying them somewhere else where they make each drink special, and they are not mass produced for quick consumption.

The boat also has two viewing decks from which to look at the glaciers. There is one on the front of the boat, and another on the top. Kids are not allowed to be on the one on the front of the boat, but they can still see the glaciers well from the top deck. You are once again exposed to the elements while on these decks, and all of the people crowd on to them to get pictures, but I was surprised at how well they held all of these people. I never felt like it was too crowded and we were able to find our places on the decks to take amazing pictures of the glacier, and enjoy the scenery. We were also there on a beautiful day so it was not too cold on the decks, but I can see this changing if the weather is not as great.

You might not get as close to the glacier this way as you would if you hiked right up to it, or paddled there in a kayak, but then again you do not need to exert yourself as much to enjoy them still the same. The hike out to the boat and back is a little bit of a workout, but most people should be able to make it without too much difficulty, and there is not a time crunch when leaving the boat and they gave you plenty of time to get out to the boat. So if you want to see some glaciers while out in Torres del Paine, and you are not on either of the loops, this is a great way to do it.

A Stroll Along the Boardwalk – Torres del Paine – Without the W or the O Part 3

We had an hour to kill in the afternoon and the weather was beautiful so we decided to take a leisurely stroll down the road to the Explora Hotel where we heard that there was an easy boardwalk stroll to see a waterfall next to the hotel. What we did not realize was that the boardwalk was actually a maze of paths set up by the hotel that did not always go directly to the viewpoint of the waterfall. In fact, what we thought would be a twenty minute stroll to see a waterfall turned into an hour and half of wandering over old wooden paths, always hearing the waterfall, but taking a long time to finally get to the spot that we had heard about.

We traveled from Campground Pehoe by turning right out of the parking lot from the restaurant and walking fifteen minutes to the Explora Hotel. The boardwalk was hard to miss when looking from the right side of the road, but this was the back part of the boardwalk, and we made a few mistakes from this point. When wer got to our first four-way intersection on the boardwalk, we thought taking a right would be the logical choice because this led to the lake and we could hear the waterfall coming from this direction. But this was incorrect. This took down to a dock where a large boat was parked, and we could see the rapids that were formed at the top of the waterfall, but could not see the waterfall itself. It was still okay because we had some beautiful views of the mountains in the distance and the whole lake, but we knew there was a better view, and we just needed to find it. 

We backtracked and took the left turn this time because if we had gone straight from our original position, this would have taken us to the hotel. This part of the boardwalk seemed promising even though it was taking us down to the hotel’s spa. Still, there was another fork in the boardwalk that went right and took us down by the lake on the other side of the hotel. This followed the shore of the lake and its calm demeanor. We were able to get nice views from here as well, and there were even a couple of ducks sitting on the side of the lake that were there to greet us. Just to warn you, the boardwalk was at its most dangerous here with many of the board rotted and ready to break at any moment, but we took it slowly and were able to get to the other side without any problem.

This is where we were rewarded with the waterfall. We had to climb up a series of rickety wooden stairs to get to it, but once again we took it slowly and we made it up without a problem. Lo and behold, there was a waterfall there. It was a great spot to get some great photos and we were still able to talk over the roar. Even though it turned into a much longer hike than we were anticipating, it still made for a fun outing, and we were able to find some other nice viewpoints along the way.

Going back we found the last of the boardwalks that took us straight to the hotel’s parking lot. It took us a lot longer than we expected but eventually we found the path that we were originally supposed to take to make this a twenty minute stroll instead of the afternoon adventure that we had. Still, I am glad that we did it the way that we did because I think we got more out of the experience. It is a great way to spend some time if you have a lovely afternoon and you really do not have anything better to do.

Campground Pehoe – Torres del Paine, Chile – Without the W or the O Part 2

When hiking the W loop or the O loop in Torres del Paine in Chilean part of Patagonia, one of the benefits of it is having a place to stay each night while out there. Anybody who has looked into staying out in this national park has discovered that the price of lodging is through the roof. Some people find it so expensive that they decide to do day trips from Puerto Natalis instead, but doing that means that you are missing half of the fun that can be found in this park. I have enjoyed staying in the park, but I will admit that it was expensive to do so, but I did not go for the hotel option. Instead, we stayed at the Campground Pehoe. It is situated in between to of the bigger hotels in the park, and it is considerably more affordable than the hotels.

Now keep in mind that affordablity is a relative term. Campground Pehoe is easily the most expensive campground that I have ever stayed at, and the benefits to staying at this place do not necessarily match with some less expensive campgrounds I have stayed at around the world. We stayed in one of the canvas domes that are on the edge of the campground. They do offer some amazing views of the mountains over the lake, and we did not have to set up camp, but we were still paying over $130 a night in U.S. currency. This did not come with any great ammenities such as electricity or heat. It was a basic room with a couple pieces of furniture, a bed, and a hardwood floor. It stayed cool during the day, but I could see if the sun came out that the tent would get extremely hot. Fortunately, we were in Patagonia where the weather rarely gets that hot, so it always stayed at a comfortable temperature.

There is a shared restroom not too far away which is great during the daylight hours, but makes for a cool, slow trek at night, especially if the moon is not creating enough light. On the other hand, at night when it is clear, you can see a vast network of stars because you are far enough away from any light pollution to destroy this spectacle for you. There is also a restaurant close by that also acts as a cafateria. It does not have a lot of amenities that you can use, but it does supply hot water in the morning for coffee, and a place to sit during down time or while rain comes blowing in. In other words, even the best of spots in this place offer to simplest of features for you to enjoy your time there.

They do have camp shelters as well. There are plenty of these around, and they still cost more than you would find at a typical campsight in other parts of the world. They do offer you a shelter though for you to set up your tent and to protect you from the wind and rain that come intermittently in this campground. The problem comes with the fact that you need to bring all of your camping gear with you. If you are able to do that this is a bargain, but if not, you can still rent all of the equipment from the campsight, but when you add up all of the costs, it ends up costing almost the same as renting a dome, and then you have to spend a lot of time setting it all up.

They do have a restaurant there where they cook everything over a grill heated up by throwing big logs on to a fire. The selection is not amazing, but after a long day of hiking and exploring the park, the choice between a huge steak or a hunk of grilled salmon is the only thing you really need to think about. The food portions are huge, and they are not fancy, but they are prepared well. I was never disappointed in the food, and when I wanted a snack, they had a selection of quick grocery store bites that could satisfy that hunger during the day. They also had hot water in the morning and throughout the day, so if you were looking for a cup of coffee in the morning, or a cup of instant soup in the afternoon, it was really easy to make. They do turn off the water for dinner which we found out the hard way, but if you plan ahead, it is not a problem.

Overall, it is a great place to stay despite the price. It keeps you warm and dry during the crazy changes in the weather that can be found at Torres del Paine, and when it is gorgeous outside, the campgrounds might have some of the best views in the park. It is the perfect place for those who are looking to spend time in the park but have more of a budget. It isn’t perfect, and if you go in thinking that it is a couple of nights camping, you will be happy with what you get out of it.

Mirador Condor – Torres del Paine, Chile – Without the W or the O Part 1

It is a badge among many hikers to travel all the way down to the southern tip of South America and do the five or six day hikes that are a part of the W loop or O loop in Torres del Paine. Not to take away from the people that are able to accomplish these great feats, but there are many other ways, and many other hikes to take that are just as spectacular in this National Park of Chile. It also does not require you to book the hikes six months in advance to make sure that you have the limited spots that are available on these paths, and if you can find the trailheads, you are welcome to enjoy these hikes on your own time. This short series will explore some of the paths and other things available that I was able to take during my five night stay in the park, and it might help you plan your trip if you were not able to book the W or O loops.

The first one is one of the easiest to find, Mirador Condor. It is a forty-five minute hike out, and forty-five minutes back that takes you to the top of a ridge that will give you some of the more iconic views from the park. The path is groomed well, and for the most part is pretty easy to travel on. It is a little steep on the way up, and there are parts with loose soil that makes footing a little slippery, but if you take it slow on the way up, it is still not too difficult. I would recommend bringing hiking poles as well and this will help give you the balance that you need to reach the top.

The views are not the only reason to take this hike. Just as the name implies, this is also the scrounching grounds for condors, and if you are lucky, you can find them hunting for food. These birds are enormous, and watching their graceful dance as they float over the peaks was one of the highlights of this trip. They are not always out, but they usually hunt in the morning hours when it is not too windy, so if you plan your trip well, it will increase your chances to see them. I know that the picture I included does not make it look like they are that great, but it is hard to take a picture of one of these birds that does it justice. You just have to go out an visit to see how majestic these birds really are. Also, I am told that nine times out of ten when making the hike up to this peak, people will not see condors, so if you do see them, consider yourself extremely lucky.

Another reason that you might want to go earlier in the morning is because of the winds. On the way up, it was not very windy, and I even joked about some of the signs we ran into that warned about the high winds. Right when we summited, the winds came, and apparently heard me joking about them because they came in strong. They were not joking about the wind either. It blows so hard that it feels like it could easily sweep you off of the mountain, and there was a saddleback in between two peaks where the path takes you, and it is here where the wind was at its worst. We ended up walking directly into the wind on the way down in this part, and that might have been the most strenuous part of the whole hike.

The trail head is pretty easy to find. We left from Campground Pehoe. If you are leaving from the parking lot with the restaurant in it, it is to your left. We walked down that way, and we reached where the parking lot for the trailhead was in a couple of minutes. It was really easy to find, and there is even signs that point to where it starts. This is not the only way to the peak. There is another path on the other side of the mountain that you can find by traveling another kilometer and you will be able to find the parking lot right before the bridge that takes you to the hotel on the island in the middle of the lake. We did not take this path, but we talked to some people on top of the peak, and it sounds like it was just as difficult as the one that we took. Either way, you should be able to find your way up to this amazing viewpoint in the middle of Torres del Paine.

Cueva del Milodon Natural Monument – Patagonia, Chile

One of the biggest attractions in Patagonia is the national park, Torres del Paine, and you can find a stream of cars, campers, and tour buses taking the one road out of Puerto Natalis every day during the summer to bring various travelers to this spot to enjoy the scenery, take in the hikes, and snap a few pictures to bring back as momentoes. But there is a stop along the way that many people skip out on and they should take the time to explore this spot, Milodon Ceuvas. This is three natural caves that were formed when the sea levels had reached the lower shelves of the mountains, and dug away the sediment to create these caves.

There are many reasons to make this stop besides the caves. The first is a short hike about an hour long there and back that will take you to the top of a plateau that overlooks the whole valley all the way from Puerto Natalis to the start of Torres del Paine. It is a little bit of a rocky hike up to the top, but with some good hiking boots, and a bottle of water, most people can make it to the top without any trouble. I especially like the hike because when you get there and take a couple of pictures from the right angles, it looks like you accomplished a more difficult hike than you really did.

The other big attraction is the Devil’s Chair. It is a rock formation that sits right off the road and is the first impressive sight that you will see on your way to Torres del Paine. This can be easily reached by hiking along the valley for a kilometer from the visitor’s center, or for those that are not as adventerous, you can open the gate and drive your car down the dirt road to the rock and look at it. If there is one thing to skip on this trip, it is the hike out to the rock. It does not look as impressive up close as it does when you are further away, and there are plenty of views of it as you explore the rest of the area.

The thing to stop for is the caves. The one closest to the visitor’s center is the easiest to get to and has a paved path all of the way up there. The walkway has many signs along the way that talk about the formation of the caves, the various types of animals that used to live in the area over the centuries, and the how the first people in the area used to live. It is also the biggest of the caves, and it looks like most of the time people are allowed to walk all the way around the cave, but the back portion of the cave was closed while I was out there. It is also a very yound cave in terms of what features can be found there. There are only a few stalagtites being formed so far, but most of the ceiling and walls look as smooth as a new canvas waiting for the artist to deliver his paint.

The other two caves are similar and it takes a couple of kilometers to get out to the furthest one. The one in the middle is considered one of the most important finds in all of Patagonia as it had human remains in there that show that this was the oldest place of human habitation in all of the region. The caves are neat, but they do not take much time to explore so if you are not up for a good hike, then they might not be worth the effort. I enjoyed them a lot and would do the hike again, and it does not take more than a couple of hours to do the whole loop.

If you are taking that drive out to Torres del Paine, I would recommend making this stop along the way. It will whet you appetite for the exciting things you will see when you finally make it to the national park.

Above the Canopy

There is an all-inclusive resort close called Inkaterra to Porto Maldonado, Peru in the Amazon rain forest where they have many different activities to keep the guests busy. Each day is supplied with various hikes, boat rides or excursions that will take you to various parts of the rain forest to explore. My favorite excursion so far has been the canopy hike. It allows for a view of the forest that is hard to come by. You are allowed to raise yourself above the lower levels and get to look at it the same way that the monkeys and birds that wander through the forest get to see it. 

It does take a little bit of a voyage to get to the towers that will take you above the canopy of the forest. The resort will load everybody on a boat and take them down the river to a short trail that will take you to the first tower. They will take you out there during the planned time whether it is sunny, rainy, or just murky out, so go out there making sure you are wearing the right clothes you will need to stay dry. I took the boat rise during a torrential downpour and was stuck in the front of the boat. Though I was wearing my best protective gear, I was still soaked to the bone by the time I arrived.

Still, being wet did not take away from the experience. I climbed up a tower built out of rust wood, a strong wood from the forest that looks like it is rotting away, but is actually super strong. The tower took us up forty meters to look down at the first canopy of the forest with six suspension bridges in-between the two towers that were connected to the bigger trees in the forest. The goal was to walk over the six bridges to get to the other side while looking down on the forest and hopefully catching sight of some of the birds and animals that live in this altitude of the trees. 

Because of the rain, we were not able to find any animals, but it had cleared off enough for us to enjoy the view. They would only let one person walk across the bridge at a time which was probably a good thing because even with one person, it was rather bouncy. It also caused us to take a good amount of time for the whole group to get from one side to the other, but once things got started on the bridges, it did not feel like the wait took too long between the bridges.

I would not claim that those who are afraid of heights would have a problem with this excursion, but I did go with a couple of people that are not big fans of heights, and they never felt as if their lives were in danger. The bridges are a little bouncy, but you feel secure as you cross over them, and there are places to hold on to allowing you to feel as if nothing really bad could happen as you cross over. When all was said and done, it was a lot of fun, and if the place allowed for it to happen, I would easily go out there to experience it again. Maybe the next time I would be dry and get to be able to see the animals come out of their hiding. Until then, I will just have to enjoy the next experience that life has planned for me.

Colca Lodge – Yanque, Peru

When you live in a valley in the mountains of the Andes, there are going to be times when you come across some volcanic activity. When you come across volcanic activity, there are going to be springs that are naturally warmed by the volcanic activity. When you have these hot springs, hotels are going to pop up that will take advantage of this fact to make hot water pools that allow you to soak in them while enjoying the natural surroundings of the environment. This was the place that I ended up at during my recent travels through Peru, and it was not only an immaculate setting, but a great experience as well.

The Colca Lodge sits a twenty-minute drive outside the small town of Yanque in the Colca Canyon region, and its main attraction are the natural hot springs that are found there. But there is so much more to this lodge than just the nice warm pools that are in the area where you can relax after a long day of exploring the high Andes mountains. There is a spa, a nice big pit for late-night campfires, and of course, what every high Andes complex needs, an alpaca farm.

Don’t worry, they have llamas too. Basically, you are given free reign to walk around the grounds and check out these animals as they run, play, and graze. It is also connected to a small museum that talks about the history of these animals in the region as well as the other major draw out to Colca Canyon, the condor. It is a nice way to spend an hour or two, and the animals are completely friendly, even though I never got close enough to one to pet it.

There is really only one place to eat at the Colca Lodge, but they do have enough variety that you will never get bored with the food. The kitchen staff is also well-versed in bringing together many dishes, mainly from Peru, but you can also find some great dishes from Italy, Mexico, and bar fare. They also have a full bar with a great selection of wine, and beer from the region.

Each room has an outdoor entrance that has a small patio that is perfect for sitting out on most of the time. There was a moment when things got a little too hot in the morning, but then the shade took over and it was nice to sit out there and enjoy the scenery. It was the perfect place to sit back to read a book or play a card game, and made the lodge a very comfortable place to stay at.

There are many exciting things to do and see in the area as well. There are some hikes close by that can take you to waterfalls, up ancient terraces where people still farm today, and even the Oyu Oyu ruins. If that is not your cup of tea, a longer drive will take you out to Colca Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world and the sight where many condors can be spotted hunting for carrion. It makes this spot the perfect location for a break from the day to day monotony. I enjoyed a three night stay there and am already thinking about when I could go back and enjoy it again.

Until next time, try to find those special places in your part of the world that allow for relaxation and little bit of culture at the same time.

Brasov in the Rain – Transylvania, Romania

It was a chilly October day, and there was a constant drizzle coming from the sky all day long. Every once in a while, the rain would pick up for a bit, but it was never for very long. As long as I planned the day well, I could stay relatively dry as I ventured out for my first full day of Fall Break. There was no way that I was going to let a little water falling from the sky from keeping me from enjoying the day. The city of Brasov was waiting and I wanted to get out there to enjoy what it had to offer.

It was early in the season for fall colors, but they were just starting to peek through, and there were plenty of parks where the leaves were falling from the trees and covering the ground. Walking around the old part of town was a pleasure because we would run into one of these parks and would have to walk under the canopy to get the full flavor of what the season had to offer.

The main streets had a lot to offer as well, and the rain kept the crowds at bay, especially on a Saturday when even the locals would come out and enjoy this part of town. Despite the cold and wetness, there were still plenty of people having a beer and some food underneath the umbrellas in the middle of the street, so it still had that European feel. The walking market area also had a lot to offer but my favorites had to be the book stores and the restaurants. I went into a couple of the book stores, and they had a lot of options available including many English options. There was a beautiful one on the main drag that even sold records and board games. If I lived out here, it would be a place that I would visit often.

There are also a couple of great sights that are located in the old part of Brasov. They are pretty close to each other and it makes for a great day to make it around to them to see how many of them you can find. My favorites were the Catherine’s Gate and the park that surrounds it, and the Black Church that sits in the middle of the old town.

The Black Church is an impressive sight, and it looks even more gloomy when the rain streaks down its facade. It is the easiest building to spot because it looms over the rest of the town, and its gothic architecture begs for a visit. It survived a fire in 1689 which adds to its appeal, but unfortunately many of the treasure that it once held did not survive. It is cool to look at fro the outside, and if you are really into architecture, it is worth a visit inside. Otherwise, it is best to look at from the outside, and you can skip going in.

If it gets a little cold wandering around the town, there are plenty of good restaurants to pop into for traditional Romanian food. They boast some hardy cuisine of soups, and roasted meats. I went in to La Ceaun for some food, and had a bean and ham soup served in a bread bowl. It warmed me right up, and gave me a little rest from all of the rain that was coming down.

It was the perfect way to spend a drizzly October day. The was cool, and rainy, but also had the perfect feel of a fall day. I enjoyed the start of the trip, and look forward to the other adventures that await me while I travel around Transylvania.

Columbia Gorge Hotel – Hood River, Oregon

I know that I usually do not talk about hotels on my voyages. That is because I usually do not spend a lot of time in the hotel, so I generally do not stay in the fanciest of places, so I do not think that you would be interested in what I have to say about them. This was not the case when I stayed at the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel in Hood River, Oregon. The hotel might not be as luxurious as some of the more modern hotels out there, but considering it was built in 1904 and is still considered one of the more luxurious hotels in Oregon, it is worth talking about.

The most impressive aspect of the hotel is that it sits on a tree filled cliff overlooking the Columbia River with many places to settle down and enjoy the views. Hood River is known as the world’s windsurfing capitol, so while sitting out and enjoying the views, you can watch people on the river participating in this activity. It does get hot there during the summertime, but there is a constant breeze blowing down the gorge that makes sitting in the shade pleasant during most times during the day.

The grounds have their own particular charm. On the back side of the hotel there are forested grounds that feature a waterfall; whereas, the front of the hotel has more well-maintained grounds that could be used for weddings. These include things such as a dance floor, a stone structure that would be perfect for pictures, and even a bocci ball pit and a horseshoe lawn.

The rooms are not as modern as you might find in other hotels, but they are still very comfortable with amazing views of the Columbia Gorge. It also offers all of the modern conveniences that you expected from a hotel with a huge closet, a big bathroom, and a refrigerator. You won’t even have to leave the hotel for dinner and breakfast because the hotel has a great restaurant. Many people who do not even stay at the hotel come to the place just to eat the great food and enjoy the views at the restaurant.

It is not often that I talk about a hotel. Most of the time, for me, a hotel is just a place to drop my stuff off while I am exploring the world. Every once in a while there is a hotel that is a destination in itself, and the Columbia Gorge Hotel is such a place. I am glad that I spent a day there hanging out.

Until next time, continue to find those special places for yourself.