A Weekend in Grants Pass: Trees, Tunes & Trackside Thrills

Grants Pass might be best known for its rivers and charm, but spend a weekend here and you’ll quickly discover how much more this Southern Oregon town has to offer. From local markets and porchside concerts to peaceful hikes and high-energy horse races, here’s how we spent a perfectly paced weekend.

Saturday Morning: Growers & Makers Market
We kicked off our Saturday exploring the Growers & Makers Market downtown. It’s the kind of place that feels like the heartbeat of the community—rows of fresh produce, local honey, handmade soaps, baked goods, and friendly faces at every booth. There’s live music, breakfast burritos, and that unmistakable small-town energy that makes you want to slow down and take it all in.

Saturday Afternoon: Porchfest
In the afternoon, the quiet neighborhoods around NW Washington Boulevard came alive with Porchfest. Local bands took over front porches, driveways turned into dance floors, and families wandered house to house with snacks and lawn chairs in tow. It’s a unique, totally charming way to hear everything from folk and blues to indie rock—all while supporting youth programs through the local Rotary. Grants Pass really knows how to throw a front yard party.

Sunday Morning: Hike at Cathedral Hills
We started Sunday with some fresh air on the Cathedral Hills trail system. It’s a mix of wide, forested paths and more technical singletrack, and we made a point to find the two champion trees hidden along the way—the 117-foot knobcone pine and the towering whiteleaf manzanita. The views and spring wildflowers made the climb worth it, and the quiet was a welcome reset after the buzz of Porchfest.

Sunday Afternoon: Horse Races at GP Downs
Later, we traded trail shoes for grandstands at the horse races. GP Downs has a casual, old-school energy that’s all about fun—cheering for your picks, people-watching, and getting caught up in the thrill of the track. It’s a solid way to wrap up a weekend: a little sun, a little adrenaline, and a lot of community spirit.

Utah's Mighty 5

Utah’s “Mighty Five” national parks offer one of the most concentrated displays of geologic diversity in the United States. Over the course of this trip, we moved from the red rock fins around Moab to the high plateaus of Bryce and the sheer canyon walls of Zion, structuring each stop around early starts, scenic drives, and focused hikes. Our trip began in Arches National Park just outside Moab . Sunrise at Delicate Arch provided the clearest view of the park’s most recognizable formation, with low-angle light emphasizing the texture and color of the Entrada Sandstone. We continued to Landscape Arch, notable for its extreme thinness and span, and stopped at Balanced Rock to see one of the park’s most accessible examples of differential erosion. A ranger-led experience through the Fiery Furnace highlighted the complexity of the park’s sandstone fins and narrow passages. After dark, we returned to the Windows Section for stargazing; Arches’ designation as an International ...

Desert to Sea: Our Baja California Road Trip

There’s something unforgettable about a Baja road trip—the wide-open desert highways, cactus forests that stretch for miles, fresh seafood pulled straight from the sea, and rugged Pacific cliffs that feel untouched and wild. Our four-day drive down the eastern and western sides of Baja California was the perfect mix of adventure, history, and coastal relaxation. Here’s how the journey unfolded. Day 1: El Centro to Gonzaga Bay We began in El Centro, heading south for our border crossing into Mexico. There’s always a little buzz of excitement when you cross over—knowing that just beyond lies a completely different pace of life. 🌮 Stop in San Felipe Our first stop was the colorful coastal town of San Felipe along the Sea of Cortez. It’s laid-back, breezy, and known for its seafood—and we made a beeline for fish tacos at La Morena. Fresh, crispy, perfectly seasoned, topped with bright salsa and lime—they were exactly what you want on a Baja road trip. Simple, authentic, and eaten ...

Exploring Page, AZ

Our trip to Page, Arizona felt like stepping into another planet — glowing red canyons, endless desert skies, and some of the most surreal landscapes we’ve ever seen. It was the perfect mix of adventure and awe, and honestly, every stop felt more unbelievable than the last. Here’s how it all unfolded. Night One: Stargazing in the Desert We kicked off our trip under the stars with the Antelope Valley Canyon Ligai Si Anii Stargazing Night Tour , and it set the tone for everything that followed. There’s something magical about the desert at night. Once the sun dipped below the horizon, the world went completely still. Far from city lights, the sky exploded with stars — more than we’d ever seen before. The Milky Way stretched overhead in a bright, hazy band, and our guide shared Navajo stories and constellations that made the experience feel even more meaningful. It wasn’t just stargazing — it was perspective-shifting. Standing there in the quiet desert, looking up at a sky that f...

Traveling with Danielle and Paige

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