Maine’s Hiking Challenge: Moosehead Pinnacle Pursuit

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Visit Maine for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Nowadays we thrive on taking challenges and getting rewarded for our accomplishments.  Isn’t that why we get hooked on smartphone games that reward us with coins and gems and stars?  There are a number of hiking challenges popping up around the world for climbing certain peaks within a set amount of time.  Maine’s Moosehead Lake has something similar with its Moosehead Pinnacle Pursuit.  Maine’s hiking challenge is to peak six mountains in the region and get a certificate and bragging rights.  Wisely, you aren’t required to peak all six within a certain time period, giving travelers to Maine a reason to come back.

5 Great Hikes in Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory

Oregon is one of America’s most beautiful states when it comes to nature.  When we spent a long weekend in Oregon City, our main goal was to spend as much time outdoors as possible.  There is a multitude of hiking trails of varying difficulty available to visitors to Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory.  The five Oregon hikes that we chose provided a nice sampling of what Oregon has to offer hikers.

Everything You Need to Know About Hiking Samaria Gorge

If there is one thing you do when visiting the Greek island of Crete, you must hike Samaria Gorge.  There are certain epic hikes throughout the world, and the hike through Samaria Gorge National Park is one of them.  What makes Samaria Gorge epic?  At 16 kilometers, Samaria Gorge is one of the longest gorges in Europe (some sources say the longest, others the second longest), is located in Crete’s only national park, and provides stunning views all day long.

Hiking San Diego’s Stonewall Peak Trail

One of the great things about San Diego is that you can visit the beach and the mountains all in the same day.  Believe it or not, sometimes those mountains in San Diego County actually have snow.  Descanso is located in the Cuyamaca Mountains in San Diego County and has one of my favorite San Diego hiking trails, Stonewall Peak Trail.  Stonewall Peak Trail is a beautiful hike any time of year, but if you can coordinate your hike to occur after it snows, it is that much more beautiful. 

Two Epic Hikes Along Kauai's Na Pali Coast

Na Pali Coast views from the 1/4 mile marker of the Kalalau Trail.

Kauai is a nature lover’s paradise.  Travelers to Kauai will spend very little if any time indoors during the day and instead will be exploring the great outdoors.  Kauai’s outdoor activities include snorkeling, fishing, golfing, kayaking, swimming, hiking and more.  We love hiking in Hawaii, and Kauai has two epic Na Pali Coast hikes for active travelers to enjoy. 

Hiking the Great Wall of China from Gubeikou to Jinshanling with Great Wall Adventure Club

Great Wall of China

We’re back from China and I’m ready to share all of our travel experiences.  I’m starting with our absolute favorite, once-in-a-lifetime experience, hiking the Great Wall of China with Great Wall Adventure Club.

While we had only been in China for one day before our Great Wall trek, we were already grateful to have a day away from the crowds where we could enjoy nature, solitude, and the beauty of China’s Great Wall.

When planning our travels to China I knew hiking the Great Wall was going to be the biggest highlight.  I also knew we did not want to visit one of the more touristy sections, like Badaling, with its hoards of crowds.  I had heard horror stories of tour busses unloading masses of tourists, most of whom walk up the wall, take a few photos with hundreds of other travelers in the shot, some in high heels, then return to the bus, and I knew that wasn’t for us.  Plus, areas like Badaling have been completely redone, while we wanted to see rugged, untouched portions of the wall.  We wanted to spend an entire day hiking the Great Wall’s lesser visited sections so we could quietly enjoy it in all its medieval glory.

Riding the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and Hiking San Jacinto Peak

What springs to mind when you think of Palm Springs?  I think of the sun, the heat, a cool blue pool, and a frosty beverage in my hand.  Palm Springs is one of the few places that I am okay with hanging out by a pool and doing practically nothing.  But there is more to do in Palm Springs than work on a tan.  A few of us girls recently went to Palm Springs to celebrate my friend and hiking buddy Allison’s birthday.  One of her birthday wishes was to hike to the second highest point in Southern California, San Jacinto Peak, which can be reached by first riding the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.

In my day, we didn't have those newfangled rotating tramcars. 
This is one of the original tramcars, which is what I rode in as a kid.