summer travel, suggestions?

[threeplusfire]

So one of my favorite people is getting married and I'm driving out to California in June to celebrate. On the way out there, we're going to spend Mike's birthday at the Grand Canyon because he's wanted to see it up close for years. Also, it is pretty cool and I haven't been there is more than twenty years. It will nicely break up the trip too.

There is absolutely no way I'm getting on that clear observation deck. No, no, no. My stomach clenches in terror just writing that sentence.

(Also, driving to the Grand Canyon means I don't have to take the trek down I-10, going through both Laredo and LA. This is okay by me!)

For the trip back, we're trying to find some point of interest to stop at and break up the long drive back. Somewhere in New Mexico seems likely. Maybe Los Alamos? Or Roswell?

Comments

[mielikki.livejournal.com]

Eric and I went to ABQ for our honeymoon. I love that town; it's laid-back and very Austin-y in it's own way. But if you want to blow some cash, take the cable car up to the top of Sandia Peak and have some dinner at High Finance. It's an amazing view! Say hi to my mom- we scattered some of her ashes up there.

http://www.sandiapeakrestaurants.com/highfinance/

http://imageevent.com/mielikki/abq

We also went to Santa Fe- everything's much more fancy-pants and expensive there, but you can do some amazing window shopping in downtown Santa Fe; I still remember a beautiful platinum with sapphire rings for $40k (I did not buy it).

The last 40 pics of these wedding pics includes the honeymoon.

http://imageevent.com/mielikki/mielikkisstuff

From ABQ, we came back to Texas via Roswell, but it was flat and sad and boring. But we were able to hit Carlsbad Caverns, which are amazing if you're into the whole cavern thing, it's like a dwarven kingdom.

http://www.nps.gov/cave/index.htm

The only downside of that is you'll probably be coming back to Austin via IH10, which is the most brain-meltingly boring stretch of road ever.

Ruidoso is beautiful; I wish I could live there sometimes. White Sands is also pretty nifty.

If you can make it to the north rim of the Grand Canyon, it's much nicer than the south rim. Lots less people, and higher elevation so it's noticeably cooler.