New Places to Call Home.

"You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place."

-Miriam Adeney

This quote has become more and more a part of my life.  As I have moved, traveled, and lived in other places, I have met so many people and shared so many stories.  These stories helped shape the way I viewed the world.  What I love about traveling, even if its a few hours drive away, the culture of a place can be completely different.  I think of the immense differences between Sioux Falls and Rapid City.  One is a relatively flat small city surrounded by farm land.  The other is the gateway to the Black Hills.  Just about 2 hours west of Sioux Falls, the state seems to change from an agricultural center to some sort of land out of the old west.

As a person, these differences fascinate me and intrigue me.  I remember when my wife and I moved to Wichita and were suddenly in a southern cow town with BBQ places scattered throughout. My heart grew fond of every place I lived, and the friends I made there.  So, my heart has become scattered throughout the world to all the places I've been. 

Now, whenever I travel, I seem to be inundated with memories of all my past travels. It is nice to think of all the experiences I have had the blessing to have. It is nice to think of all the people I have met in my life and all the great times I had with them. I wanted to reflect on this quote because of where I live now.  I'm 1000's of mile away from most of my friends and family.  While I have the tools to keep in touch with them, sometimes I fail to use them as much as I should. I will try to do better to keep in touch.  I guess what I'm trying to say, is if you're looking for a fun place to travel and create new memories, come out to Florence and say hi, its a great place with amazing scenery. I can point you in the right direction. If you're lucky, hopefully your heart will find another to place to call home. I hope to see you soon.

Nothing Better than 4th of July in a Small Town

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays every year.  I always fondly remember all the trips to Inwood, Iowa to see the parade and the firework shows with my family.  As I grew older, the demolition derby in Inwood was one of my favorite things to do for the holiday.  Numerous firework shows and parades have made me very fond of this holiday and its not just because of the events, but because of what they represent.  I think small town celebrations are the best to partake in.  More people tend to make big city events crowded and hard to get around, so going to these can mean lots of waiting and dealing with crowds.

The 4th of July always made me reflect on my country, where it has been and where it is going.  I remember the small town parade enjoyed by hundreds of people from all walks of life. These people would stand for hours in the sun with their families waiting for candy and watching the floats go by.  Later on, everyone would go down to the park and stand in line to get derby tickets, and stand in line for food.  It was always awesome because everyone was there celebrating and having fun.  It always amazed me how all these different people could go here and enjoy each other, and the day.  Everyone came from a different walk of life, and here they were enjoying this.

I remember thinking about this as I prepared to have my first 4th of July celebration across the country here in Oregon. I needed to see if I could find that same feeling so far from home.  My family went to the boardwalk in Florence and ventured out into a new 4th of July celebration.  Here I was, walking along the Siuslaw River far from home, and the same feeling was there.  There were people from all walks of life enjoying the food and craft stalls.  Here you could buy fresh produce and seafood, just not as much burgers or pork as I'd find in Iowa.

It was an amazing feeling to be this far from home and yet seeing people celebrating the country that they live in.  Kids were eating popcorn, and playing with balloons.  The boardwalk had an educational flag display with state flags and old U.S. flags.  Boats were out on the river.  It made me reach the conclusion that our country is special.  It is incredible how people 1000's of miles away from each other, in towns everywhere, are out celebrating the same thing. People might not have anything in common except for living here, but they can all agree on how amazing this place is.  It was on this 4th of July, far from home, that I remembered just how special our country is and how important it is for all of us to get out there and experience every part of it we can.

10 Best Budget Friendly Things to do in Sydney, Australia

1.  Stay in a Hostel
If you're flying from the United States, a round trip ticket is going to set you back quite a bit.  One way to offset the cost is to stay in a hostel.  Hostels aren't for everybody obviously, but they are a great option for traveling on a budget.  Hostels can be found for less than 40$ a night, making a week long stay more than feasible.

2. Bondi Beach Coastal Walk
Bondi Beach is one of the most famous beaches in the world and for good reason.  Take this walk up many steps and cliffs for some great views, and enjoy the beautiful beach while you're here.

3. Check out Beautiful Sydney Harbour
This picturesque setting is home to the Sydney Opera House and views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.  If you like architecture the bridge and the Opera House should keep you interested.  Enjoy watching the many boats and ferries moving around the harbour.  There might not be a better place in the world to enjoy a quick bite to eat.

4. Royal Botanic Gardens
This free garden is within walking distance to the Opera House.  The flowers here are breathtaking in the right season, and you can get some amazing views and pictures of the Opera House and bridge from here.

5. Manly Ferry
The Ferry to Manly is one of the best deals going in the harbour.  The 12$ round trip ticket gets you great views of the harbour and the ocean and takes you out the the beautiful northern beach area of Sydney.
6. Darling Harbour
This harbour contains many tourist attractions and shopping spots.  While shopping could set you back, this harbour is a people watching paradise.
7.  Grab a Bite From Playfair Cafe
This nice sandwich shop in The Rocks is a cheap place to get great food. Its also located in one of the bnest Sydney neighborhoods, The Rocks.
8. Have a Drink in The Rocks 
One of the best neighborhoods in Sydney, The Rocks is an amazing place to eat, drink, be merry, and make tons of new friends.  If you like having a night on the town, there is no better place then The Rocks.
9. Find a Group and Try the Mission Room Escape
This is a much higher priced activity then most of my recommendations, but 9 people can get in at a little over 30$ each.  This great activity has you solving a mystery and riddles to escape the room in a set amount of time. There might not be a more exciting thing to do in Sydney.
10. Visit St. Mary's Cathedral
This beautiful cathedral is a great example of gothic architecture, and has some beautiful stained glass windows that will wow any visitor.

Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and any traveler will be amazed by all its beauty.  Don't be scared of the flight price, because there are many cheap places to stay, cheap food to eat, and cheap sights to see.  Any trip to Sydney will be a memorable one.

How Airports and Airlines Take Your Spending Money and How to Stop It.

So, Airport travel sucks.  You have to stand in line and check in.  You have to stand in line to go through security.  You have to stand in line to get on the plane.  You even have to stand in line to get off the plane.  Then, if you checked luggage, you get to stand around and wait for your bags to come out.  If you rented a car, and it's busy, guess what, now you're standing in line at rental car company.  Talk about frustrating.

That's not fun stuff, and it is no surprise that people hate flying.  If you're on a travel budget, airports and airlines can make it hard to budget correctly.  Even if you do budget for all the extra airport costs, that money could have been better spent actually enjoying your vacation.  Here are some tips to help you avoid spending extra money at the airport that you should be spending on your vacation.

Avoid Checked Bag Fees if you Can:

There are very few airlines that don't charge for checking luggage.  Allegiant even charges for a carry on bag.  Southwest Airlines and Virgin America don't charge for your first check bagged, and Southwest actually doesn't charge for the first two. If flying with checked baggage, use these airlines to avoid those fees.  If you're on an airline that does charge for a checked bag, try to avoid it.  A carry on bag plus a personal item carry a lot of stuff.  One can easily get 7 days worth of outifts into a carry on and one drawstring bag.  It is much cheaper to do some laundry at a destination, then paying for a bag.  Not spending 50$ on checked bags means you could eat at a pretty nice restaurant.  There are tons of things you can do for 50$.  So save that money next time and don't check a bag!

Airport Food is Expensive:

Flying is stressful, takes a long time, and one is going to be pretty hungry after hours of flying.  Airport businesses know this, and if you have a long layover, its nearly impossible not to eat.  Not to mention if you're thirsty and need some water, which can set you back three plus dollars a bottle.  There are ways to avoid this.  I recomend food that will fill you up.  My two favorite things to take with are beef jerkey and nuts.  Both are high in protein and will keep you fuller longer.  They also aren't as bad for you as most food you'd decide to get at the airport.  Water is trickier because you can't take liquids through security over three ounces.  However, it is possibe to take an empty nalgene bottle with you.  Once you're through security,  you can fill it up.  Lots of airports are even installing water bottle filling stations. Now you didn't spend  twenty dollars for your airline meal, and you saved another five dollars on drinks.  That adds up to anther fifty dollars to add to your vacation budget. All you did was bring some food with you and an empty water bottle.

Find a Ride:
One of the worst feelings I get when leaving the airport after getting back is paying for parking.  A week long vacation leads to at least a fifty dollar parking bill when I get back.  So, take the bus, find a friend, or even take a cab, they're all cheaper options then paying for parking.  Wow, another fifty dollars added to the vacation budget.  If you can manage to fly and listen to these tips, you could get at least one hundred dollars more to add to your vaction.  That's a good amount of money that is better spent enjoying your vacation.  Don't waste it at the airport.

Cultural Centers of Cities

As a budget traveller, one of my main goals is to experience the true essence of a city without spending a lot of time and money trying to find it.  Some U.S. cities have places that draw tourists and residents alike, and when picking a place to visit, these are the cities I most like to go.

 Cities like LA, Chicago, and New York have numerous bouroughs and neighborhoods that should be explored to get the true feeling of a city.  It would be really hard to expereince the culture and wonder that each of these cities brings on a budget.  You need to travel to different sections of the city, and it can end up costing a lot to expereince all of these things.

I'm going to give you a group of cities that I think have an epicenter of culture and action that make them easy for a budget traveler to manage.  These are the types of cities that I try to visit and expereince the most.  I feel that I get the most out of visiting these types of cities and get the most out of my money when visiting them.

Las Vegas is a city that caters to the tourist, it also has two main places to visit: The Strip and Fremont Street.  If you visit both of these places, you can get everything and anything you want out of the city.  You also don't need to travel much to get around them.  The strip is full of mega casinos and glam, while Fremont Street feels like old Vegas.  Going to both will give you a great view of what Las Vegas is.

Seattle is home to Pike Place Market.  I would describe it as bascially a permanent Farmer's Market.  The numerous stores and shops are full of a variety of products and surprises.  The Market is also close to the waterfront, where many restaurants and other shops also reside.  It is easy to stay nearby and be filled with days of things to do.

San Diego is one the most beautfiul U.S. cities. Its coastline and beaches are gorgeous and go on for miles.  San Diego can best be experienced in Balboa Park and La Jolla.  Balboa park is home to museums, botanical gardens, and the famous San Diego Zoo.  A tourist could easily spend two days exploring this park and everything it has to offer.  La Jolla is where the beaches are the most scenic in the city.  Surronded by cliffs and caves, the beach here is amazing.  The surronding area is full of great restaurants and food.

San Antonio's heart is the Missions including the Alamo and the Riverwalk.  The Alamo being right next to the Riverwalk really allows one to use this as base of operations easily.  A boat tour of the Riverwalk is a great way to visit the heart of town, and the Missions are a sight to see on their own.  The city has a lot of history and its very easy to experience it.

Sydney, Australia is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  It is also very easy to experince this beauty at Sydney Harbour.  There the beautiful Opera House lies.  There is great views of the Sydney Harbour bridge, and the Royal Botanical Gardens are also found here.  Take a boat tour, see the Opera House, and for the most daring, walk on top of the bridge.  The Sydney Harbour gives a person a great view into the city of Sydney and one could spend days there.

Cities with cultural centers make it easy for the budget traveller to stay and plan.  They give you a place to plan your travels around, and make your travels more fulfilling.

Olallie Mountain Trail

It has been a long time between blog posts and I'm sorry. We moved to Florence, Oregon, and I've also been adjusting to my new life as a full time dad. My laptop has also seen better days, the keyboard is done, so I'm writing this from a tablet.  I was back home in Iowa for the past week, and once I got back to Oregon, I knew I had to take a hike. I felt guilty about not keeping up with my hikes, and decided to try a longer and harder one then the ones I have done.

I chose the Olallie Mountain trail because it was close to Eugene. It is a moderate to difficult trail in the Three Sisters Wilderness.  This was actually the first hike I've done that required a wilderness permit.  Its a little form you fill out showing your plans and intentions for the hike. It gives the Forest Service an idea of how many people are out there and if people haven't returned.  Yep, it was a serious hike this time. The Olallie Trail crosses numerous streams that I had to walk across and at times the path is barely visible because portions of it go through thick bear grass.
   
This leads me to explain my emotions of this hike and what it was like.  The hike itself for me was full of fear and self doubt.  I am scared of heights, walking a narrow path on the edge of a mountain is terrifying for me.  The path was also surrounded by flowers which meant lots of bees. Bees also scare me.  I might have been a bit out of shape too. My pack was weighing me down, hurting my back, and my legs were burning.  There were numerous times during the hike when I could have given up. I didn't like the bees flying around me, I didn't like thinking that slipping could lead to a huge fall. I also didn't know if my legs and body could take me the whole way.  This self doubt is something that I experience all the time in my regular life. I'm sure everyone here has experienced self doubt.  This hike was a great way for me to face this self doubt.  I kept telling myself to go on and not quit. I didn't like the bees and I didn't like the edges.  My muscles were screaming for me to stop. I didn't give up, and the views I got were worth it.

Never doubt yourself and never give up, you will be very happy when you finally reach your destination.
     

Back to the Madness!!

Sorry about the huuuuuge delay between posts.  It has been a busy couple weeks.  The wife got a new job and we're moving to a new house, and we have an awesome toddler running around the house, so the blog got sidetracked.  However, I will not let my March Madness bracket die.  Today we're going through four matchups to see the first four teams into my sweet 16.  Remember, the fate of who goes on is entirely subjective, and who moves on is ultimately going to be based on my travel preferences. Let's get back to it!

Kentucky Vs. Cincinnati 

The irony in this matchup is they are about 60 miles apart from each other.  So one could stay in either place and easily check both places out.  Kentucky may be a basketball powerhouse this year, but I honestly didn't think much of them in this bracket.  Cincinnati had a ridiculously easy round 1 game. Neither place is a top vacation destination in the U.S.  Lexington is in the heart of Kentucky Bluegrass country, and is known as the Horse Capital of the World.  Cincinnati is known for its own style of chili.  Lexington hosts the Breeders' Cup annually, while Cincinnati has their pro sports. They are home to both the Cincinnati Bengals and Reds.  The Reds play in a nice stadium that any baseball fan would enjoy visiting.  In Lexington one can ride the Lexington Dinner Train throughout horse country.  Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill is a fun place to grab a bite to eat. Cincinnati is home to BB Riverboats which tour the Ohio River.  The heart of town is Fountain Square. Cincinnati is also home to some great museums including the Underground Railroad Freedom Center. So Cincinnati gets by this one in a close one.

Buffalo Vs. Maryland

Another great round two matchup.  Buffalo is the gateway to Niagara Falls, a huge tourist destination. While College Park resides in the Washington D.C metro area.  Buffalo is a much more interesting city than most give it credit for.  Most people just think of cold and snow here, but it is actually quite an interesting place.  Buffalo bars lay claim to inventing the famous Buffalo wing, so if you want the original, there isn't a better place to be.  Its city hall is also a famous example of Art Deco Architecture. Check out Anchor Bar  for a good place to eat. College Park is in the DC metro area.  So that means The White House, The Washington Monument, The Capitol Building, and numerous memorials are all within the city.  College Park also has some fun places to eat like The Jerk Pit and College Park Diner.  This one is actually a tough choice.  DC obviously has a ton of things to see and do, but Buffalo doesn't exactly lack for things to do.  I do not think it would be a very fun vacation staying in College Park and trying to see all the attractions in DC.  So, Buffalo gets by in overtime.

Butler Vs. Northeastern

Another interesting matchup in this second round.  We have a now revitalized city in Indianapolis against historic Boston.  Indy is home to the Indy 500, this year's Final Four, and GenCon.  It has the world famous St. Elmo Steakhouse that is a must stop if you are in Indy.  The city loves tourists and will make sure you enjoy your stay.  However it doesn't stack up to the power of history in Boston. The Freedom Trail is a must see for anyone visiting Boston, you can also visit cool neighborhoods like Acorn Street and check out the Back Bay Mansions.  Don't forget Fenway Park, one of the most famous baseball stadiums which is home to the Boston Red Sox.  Northeastern gets by easily.

Wichita State Vs. New Mexico State

The last matchup of the night is a fun one.  Wichita is the cultural capital of Kansas and has many museums to explore.  The Old Cowtown Museum is its most famous.  It is also home to Botanica, an awesome Botanical Garden in the heart of the city.  It is also home to some good BBQ.  Two Brother's BBQ is a must stop for anyone driving through.  The Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Supper is something that everyone should see once.  Las Cruces is located in south central New Mexico on the edge of the Organ Mountains.   The mountains offer lots of recreational activities for the outdoor enthusiast. It's also home to fun events like the Whole Enchilada Fiesta and Old Mesilla festivals. You can also visit nearby White Sands National Monument.  Wichita State keeps it close for a bit, but New Mexico State pulls away in the second half.

More of round two tomorrow! Thanks for reading.

The Madness Continues!

It's time to go over to the other side of the bracket for today.  I wonder what schools are going to make it through. If you don't remember the rules, I'm subjectively rating these places based on how fun a vacation would be there.  A cool campus is only going to carry these schools so far.  I am filling these brackets out as I go, so I have no idea who's going to win yet.  For each school, I'm generally including the city that they're in and the surrounding area.  Maryland is in the Washington DC metropolitan area, so it gets to count as a part of DC.  These battles are still a subjective judgement by me, so don't take it personal.  I will start going into more details about the schools and cities as they make it further along in the tournament.  It would take quite a long time to write a tour guide for 64 places.  So, I will try to throw in a brief description in the 1st round, and give you more things to do as the team gets further in.  Alright, enough of the fine print.  Let's start the madness!

Villanova Vs. Lafayette
Well this is an awkward matchup.  Both schools are in suburbs of Philadelphia.  So, I think I'm just going to go by which school would be better to visit. Villanova gets by in this one by a sliver. Let's hope the rest of the bracket isn't this weird.

NC State Vs LSU
Raleigh is part of the research triangle and has many museums to check out.  LSU is down in the Bayou.  I think a lot of people would rather visit Raleigh and check out all the city has to offer. Cajun culture and history is calling me down to Baton Rogue, and LSU gets by in a close one.

UNI Vs. Wyoming
UNI is located in eastern Iowa in Cedar Falls.  Its a decent town with some things to do.  Laramie is in Wyoming, but not close to Wyoming's main tourist attractions of Yellowstone and Jackson Hole. Cedar Falls has a fun and neat Main Street, but you're not taking a vacation to see a fun Main Street. The outdoors and Medicine Bow Forest beckon you from Laramie.  Wyoming gets by after struggling through the first half.

Louisville Vs UC Irvine
A battle of two great destinations.  Louisville has Whiskey Row, the Mega Cavern, Churchill Downs, plus some history, and culture added in for good measure.  UC Irvine is located in the southern Los Angeles suburbs.  Close to Irvine are: San Diego, Disneyland, and the beach.  Staying in Irvine might actually be better than staying in Los Angeles for many travelers.  You could probably avoid much of that terrible LA traffic staying here.

Dayton Vs. Providence
Dayton is where you can go see the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.  It is within driving distance of Cincinnati.  It wouldn't be two bad of a place to visit.  Providence is the state capital of Rhode Island.  It has tons of things to do here for the history buff or the culture lover.  There is also plenty of access to rivers and the ocean from here.  Providence comes through in this one.

Oklahoma Vs. Albany
Norman, Oklahoma basically is Oklahoma University.  Most things to do in town here involve the school.  It does have a nice lake in Lake Thunderbird.  luckily for Norman, its on the outskirts of Oklahoma City, which is a very lively and fun city.  Albany is the the capital of New York.  The Capitol building here is worth a visit, and there are plenty of museums to see.  Albany doesn't quite match the fun of Oklahoma City however.  Oklahoma gets through.

Michigan State Vs. Georgia
Athens, Georgia is a quintessential college town.  It has a great music scene and awesome nightlife. East Lansing is probably a place most people aren't visiting unless they go to school at Michigan State or are seeing a game there.  Georgia wins this one handily.

Virginia Vs. Belmont
Both schools have access to the Appalachian Mountains.  Both are in pretty fun cities.  However, Nashville has much more culture and history than Charlottesville.  So Belmont wins this one.

Duke Vs. Robert Morris
Another research triangle school in a tough match up.  Robert Morris is located in Pittsburgh.  The pro teams, the rivers, and Mount Washington all give the traveler plenty to do.  Duke just can't get through in this one, and the research triangle schools all fall.

San Diego State Vs St John's
This is a great matchup.  San Diego against New York City.  Broadway, Times Square, and Wall Street take on La Jolla, the Gaslamp Quarter, and Balboa Park.  I really want to give this one to San Diego State.  It is one of my favorite places I've been to.  The weight of all the things one can do in New York  gives this one to St John's in a triple overtime game.  Sorry San Diego, there's always next year.

Utah Vs.  Stephen F. Austin
Salt Lake City is a great destination for a fun vacation.  You can visit Temple Square, the Salt Lake, numerous museums, and there are mountains nearby.  Nacogdoches didn't stand a chance in this one.  I do hear Zip Nac is fun though.  Utah wins in a blowout.

Georgetown Vs. Eastern Washington
Georgetown is located in the Washington DC area.  Cheney, Washington is close to Spokane and that's about it.  This one's over by halftime.

SMU Vs. UCLA
A close battle between two awesome metro areas.  The history of ranching and farming is deep in the Dallas Fort Worth area.  It has great pro sport teams and an amazing football stadium.  However, Dallas isn't the city of angels.  Hollywood, Rodeo Drive, the beach, and Disneyland all help get UCLA by SMU in this one.

Iowa State Vs. UAB
Ames, Iowa isn't exactly a tourist destination.  Hickory Park is a great place to eat.  Luckily for Ames, Des Moines, the state capital of Iowa is nearby.  Des Moines has a ton of great food, nice culture, history, and Adventureland Amusement Park. Birmingham is a pretty fun southern city with lots of museums to visit.  Iowa State barely gets by in this one.

Iowa Vs.  Davidson
A pretty interesting matchup.  Davidson is a nice small college town to the north of Charlotte.  Iowa City is a nice small college town in eastern Iowa.  Iowa City's downtown and proximity to places like the Amana Colonies gets it through this round.

Gonzaga Vs. North Dakota State
Spokane has an awesome river, nearby mountain hikes, pretty gardens, and whitewater rafting.  Fargo isn't the worst city to visit, but it can't compete with the outdoor activities in Spokane.  Gonzaga wins a tournament game!

Round 2 starts tomorrow!

March Madness

It's that time of year again.  Everyone is busy filling out brackets and wasting time at work fretting over them watching basketball games.  Everyone has to find what channel TruTV is on their cable box. So, in honor of March Madness, and the fun it entails, I'm going to pick all the games on this blog based on which place would be a better trip.

Before I get to the picks, I'll go over my criteria for picking.  I'm going by the city the school is located in.  Oregon doesn't represent the whole state, but only Eugene.  I will generally consider anything within an hour drive as part of the destination.  My picks are based on what I like when I take a vacation, so if one place has something that you would like, but I wouldn't, that's just too bad. I'm choosing the things that I like to do.  So, without further ado, let's knock this bracket out and see what happens.

Hampton Vs. Kentucky
So, our first matchup is already difficult.  Hampton has a few things going for it.  A town with much history including the civil war.  It is also near the Atlantic Ocean and Virginia Beach.  Lexington also is full of historical places to tour.  It also has lots of craft breweries and distilleries.  The city itself is probably more fun to explore so Kentucky squeaks by Hampton by 2.

Purdue Vs. Cincinnati
The 2nd matchup and the first blow out.  I don't know if anyone has been to West Lafayette, but it doesn't have much for the tourist.  Cincinnati has pro sports, rivers, parks, and many museums and historical buildings to see.  The Bearcats win by 30.

West Virginia Vs. Buffalo
This game stays close.  Morgantown is a unique place, and the Appalachian mountains are a fun place to explore.  However, Buffalo is the gateway to Niagara Falls, one of the most popular tourist spots in the country.  Buffalo also has some unique buildings and architecture.  Lots of water activities can be enjoyed here in the warmer months too. Buffalo wins by 10.

Maryland Vs. Valparaiso
Another Indiana school, another blowout.  College Park is part of the Washington DC metropolitan area, so all the nations most famous landmarks are nearby.  Valparaiso is kind of close to the lake and kind of close to Chicago, but you wouldn't stay here as your home base for vacation.  Maryland cruises in this one.

Butler Vs.  Texas
Finally, an Indiana school that has a chance.  Butler is located in Indianapolis.  The sight of super bowls and the NFL combine.  Indianapolis has a lot of great places to eat. It has great museums and the INDY 500. Austin keeps it weird.  The state capitol of Texas has a unique feel all its own.  SXSW takes place there every year, and it is also home to many great museums. Butler barely gets by.

Notre Dame Vs Northeastern
Northeastern happens to be in Boston, MA.  Boston obviously is the setting of many historical events leading up to and during the revolutionary war.  South Bend has Notre Dame.  These poor Indiana schools are getting very poor matchups.  The selection committee didn't do them any favors.

Wichita State Vs. Indiana 
While Wichita isn't exactly a tourist mecca, there are quite a few attractions in the area.  It has a great zoo, the Old Cowtown Museum, and some of the best movie theaters you can find.  The best thing to see in Bloomington is probably Indiana University.  So, another Indiana school goes down.

Kansas Vs. New Mexico State
The other Kansas school doesn't fare as well in this matchup.  Las Cruces has a very unique art scene, and fun craft markets.  There are also many outdoor recreation areas nearby.  Lawrence, Kansas is the quintessential college town.  However, just being an awesome college town is not enough to get by New Mexico State.

Wisconsin Vs. Coastal Carolina
Madison is much like Lawrence, the perfect college town.  Madison also is the capital and has tons of fun things to see and do.  Coastal Carolina is located right outside Myrtle Beach, one of the most popular tourist spots in the United States.  I'm sad to see 2 straight awesome college towns fall, but they had very stiff competition.

Oregon Vs. Oklahoma State
Stillwater is another great college town worth a stop.  It has an awesome place to eat in Eskimo Joe's.
Eugene is an less than an hour to the ocean, and less than an hour to the Cascades.  It also has a vibrant food and beer scene, leaving the outdoor lovers and foodies in heaven here.  Oregon wins this one handily.

Arkansas Vs. Wofford
Little Rock is an amazing tourist stop.  Its near Hot Springs, the Ozarks, and has a ton of history going for it.  It also helps that its the capital of Arkansas.   Wofford is in the ocean bordering state of South Carolina.  Unfortunately it is not near the beach or historic Charleston.  Arkansas takes this one in a blowout.

North Carolina Vs. Harvard
At the heart of the research triangle, Chapel Hill has some things going for it.  Harvard, is located in Cambridge, a suburb of Boston.  Harvard also has tons of history itself, so North Carolina just can't keep up in this matchup.

Xavier Vs. Ole Miss
This is a tough matchup.  Cincinnati is a fun metropolitan city.  However, Oxford is a unique southern gem that is worth a visit.  Unique wins this one.

Baylor Vs. Georgia State
Waco, Texas might be worth a stop in a road trip through Texas.  Atlanta is a major US city and one of the largest in the south.  It also helps that Georgia State is right in the heart of Atlanta.  No contest here as Georgia State wins this easily.

VCU Vs. Ohio State
The battle of the state capitals here.  Columbus lives breathes and dies by the Buckeyes.  It also has great shopping, a great botanical garden and some fun museums. Richmond has more history, better museums, and a much more unique feel.  The historical buildings of Richmond eventually put VCU over the top.

Arizona Vs. Texas Southern
The last matchup of the night is another close one.  Houston has a lot going for it, great museums, great restaurants, pro sports, and its relatively close to the beach. The NASA Space Center is also here. What I'm trying to say is that Houston is a great place to visit.  Tucson is surrounded by scenery the Mt. Lemmon Scenic Byway and Sabino Canyon are awesome sites.  Tucson aslo has an amazing zoo. This is the first matchup where I feel that my preferences in a vacation are the deciding factor. I'd much rather explore the desert and mountains around Tucson than explore the giant city of Houston. So Arizona wins in overtime.

The other half of the bracket gets underway tomorrow!
Thanks for reading.

San Antonio Highlights

When I wrote about the budget destinations of the US, I remembered how awesome San Antonio was when I was there. So, I'm going to give a quick rundown of what to do and see while there.  It really doesn't feel like Texas there to me, it's a very unique town, and I think it actually is ignored a lot by tourists when it shouldn't be. It offers everything a traveler could want.  I think a trip to San Antonio can make every traveler happy.

The Crockett Hotel is a good base of operations for any San Antonio stay.  It is right across the street from the Alamo, two blocks from the mall and about three blocks to The Riverwalk. You can stay here and not have to worry about using a car for your whole trip.  You can walk everywhere from the hotel that is on The Riverwalk or in downtown San Antonio.

There are a couple historic landmarks in the area and I have mentioned them both in previous entries. There is the more famous Alamo, and the there are the Missions that are spread out along the River. Some of the missions have more unique architecture and places to explore than The Alamo. They just might not have the same significance in history.  When visiting The Alamo, just try to see it early on a weekday. It is a mecca for tourists, and weekends and afternoons can bring some pretty big crowds. Be prepared for that.  It is free, so the lines shouldn't bother you too much. If you have kids or impatient teens, going during busy times could lead to some trouble.  If you feel adventurous, a place with this much history has many ghost tours at night.  Just think of them as a history tour with talk of ghosts.  You might see places in town that you didn't know existed if you go on one of these.  Most tours should cost no more than 10$ so they would be well worth your time.

The Riverwalk itself is a great place to explore.  Just walking along the Riverwalk could take a whole day.  Once again, like The Alamo, be aware of when you're visiting.  It will get busier around afternoons and meal times. The weekends can also be pretty busy.  There are Air National Guard graduation ceremonies almost every weekend of the year, so be prepared for the new guardsmen and their families to be out during this time.

San Antonio has a great food scene.  It is a mixture of steaks, Mexican, and BBQ.  If any of these three foods sounds good to you, San Antonio has it.  For BBQ I highly recommend Rudy's BBQ.  It is an extremely popular place and well worth the visit. Pollos Asados Los Nortenos is a delicious restaurant serving very well priced Mexican food.  Come here for the food, don't worry about the atmosphere. Feast is another delicious place to eat in San Antonio that won't break the bank.

San Antonio also has a Six Flags and a Sea World.  So if you have the kids in tow, or are a thrill seeker, San Antonio still has plenty for you to see and do.  The Gulf of Mexico is about a two hour drive if the beach is calling your name.  You can get to the North Padre Island, and hit the beach at the small beach town of Port Aransas.

I think San Antonio is often ignored by travelers and budget travelers.  It really shouldn't be.  It has everything tourists are looking for.  It is unique, has a great history, and a culture all its own.  San Antonio is a destination that shouldn't be missed,

Thanks for reading!

Budget Travel Deals of the Week

Groupon has a deal for an all inclusive Jamaican Resort and airfare.  Rates start at 899$ a person including the airfare.  Since its all inclusive this is basically the cost of your entire vacation.

Groupon also has a great deal for The Ridge Tahoe in Lake Tahoe, NV. Rates start at just 59$ a night. Lake Tahoe has a ton of recreational opportunities.  There are also many casinos in the area to enjoy as well.

Choice Hotels has a promotion where if you stay at one for two separate trips, you will get a free night.  Choice Hotels generally are pretty cheap anyways, so if you're road tripping somewhere, this is a good way to get a free night out of the deal.

Universal Studios in Orlando has a deal to buy admission for 2 days and get the 3rd day free.  3 days should be enough to see everything there is to see.  They also have some pretty good deals for hotels as well.  All of their hotel guests get 1 hour earlier admission to the parks too, so you might have a chance to not have to wait in line as much for a couple rides.

Ridgecrest Chalet and Log Cabin Rentals in Gatlinburg, TN have quite a few specials going on.  The best one is probably the family vacation deal, where you pay for 5 nights and get 2 more nights free. Gatlinburg is at the heart of the Smoky Mountain tourist area. Its well worth the visit and there are lots of things to do for both the young and old.

I don't have a specific link, but many of the ski resort towns in Colorado like Breckenridge, Vail, Aspen, and Telluride all usually have very good hotel rates in early May.  Generally ski season is over, and summer season hasn't really started.  It's a good time to go whitewater rafting, as the snow melt means the rivers will be at their highest.

National Parks have no entrance fees on April 18-19, so if you're interested in going to one, you could save a little money there.  Most shouldn't be too busy yet either, they don't get super crowded until school is out for the summer.

Thinking about going to Las Vegas?  Check out the Facebook game myVegas. It allows you to earn points towards free rooms, free buffets, and free shows.  If you aren't going for a while, this is a great way to lower the cost of your vacation.  If you have Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, Caesar's Social Rewards is a program that lets you earn comp money to use at any of their casinos.  You can earn about 100$ every few months.  I used both of these to prepare for my last trip to Las Vegas. I had free rooms for the whole trip, and almost every meal taken care of.  They are both worth your time if you are going to Las Vegas.

Thanks for reading and happy travels!

A Change of Pace, Where I Talk About My Hike

Those of you who read this who know me personally know that I have been posting pictures of a lot of hikes on Facebook.  I thought I'd try to categorize my thoughts and feelings on the latest hike I went on today.  Today's hike is a little loop from Sahalie Falls to Clear Lake, then back past Sahalie Falls to Koosah Falls and back again.

The drive to the hiking spot is sometimes almost as fun as the hike for me.   The hike that I'm on today is about an hour east of Eugene along Oregon Highway 126.  If you haven't been to Oregon, most people live in the Willamette Valley, and to go east or west anywhere, you have to drive through mountains.  This drive takes me into the Cascade Mountain Range.  The road itself twists and turns following the McKenzie River.  It reminds me of the times we traveled with my parents and my dad always wanted to take the long and curvy scenic route.  There are numerous small waterfalls coming down the cliffs alongside the road.  In my home state, there would definitely be a spot to stop and check them out. It must be because they are so numerous in this state, but there's no place to stop, and one can only get quick glimpses of them.  The road passes numerous small towns situated along the Mckenzie River, and many cabins and homes on the banks of the river.  The river is a very popular one for kayakers, rafters and fishermen.  Even though its rainy today, I see quite a few people enjoying the river as I drive by.

I take my dog, Cooper, with me on most of my hikes.  He loves new smells and new sights, so going on these hikes make him very excited and happy.  He's a small rat terrier, and for some odd reason, people think he's too small to be hiking.  I can hear the Sahalie Falls right away from the parking lot. I walk a few hundred feet and there they are.  The cool thing about the Mckenzie River to me is that its only 90 miles long.  It flows out of Clear Lake, and then into the Willamette River in Eugene.  The river starts flowing underground a little bit after the Koosah Falls, and than reappears above ground at the Blue Pool.  It flows underground through lava tubes, where the lava on top cooled first and hardened, leaving the lava underneath to keep flowing.

Sahalie Falls is breathtaking, it is one big powerful waterfall, and I can see why so many people come to see it.  After checking the map near the falls, I decide to hike further east to Clear Lake, instead of going west to Koosah Falls.  Clear Lake was created with volcanic activity, and the water that feeds into it flows through underground caverns for up to 20 years before making it to the lake. Because of how and where the lake was formed, the lake is very clear, hence the name, but there is also a strand of trees submerged 100 feet below the water that were killed when the lake was formed. The real adventurous can scuba dive and see the trees for themselves.

I'm absolutely enthralled by all this. Growing up in the Midwest, volcanoes seemed like some foreign far away thing that I would never really see.  Now here I am in Oregon, where volcanoes shaped and continue to shape so much of the state.  A river flowing in lava tubes?  The 12 year old in me is amazed. After the brief sojourn to the lake, I head back to Sahalie Falls, and continue west to Koosah Falls.  These falls are a short walk down the the path from Sahalie  Falls.  Along the way, I stop to view the McKenzie from numerous vantage points. I can't believe how blue and clear the water is. I guess I'm just used to the muddy bottom rivers back home.  Its still weird to me being able to see the bottom here so easily. Koosah  Falls isn't as close to the path, but the vantage point of the falls gets me a nice view. I am content and happy that I hiked through the rain today to see these wonderful falls and this wonderful river.

Thanks for reading!

The Best Destinations for a Budget Traveler in the US

Hopefully you have read my explanation of what makes a place a great budget destination.  It will help you understand some of my reasoning for why I picked these places as great destinations. Things that help make a destination great for me are the ease in which you can be immersed in the culture. I also like places where there are many things that can pass the time for little or no money.  The ocean, National Parks, waterfalls, and anything to do with nature are great attractions that never break the bank.  However, I want to include all types of destinations, so I will try to include cities and amusement park destinations as well.  Knowing how I do these blogs, it will probably end up taking more than one post to go through them all!

San Antonio, TX

This is the perfect city for a budget traveler.  It's main tourist attractions are all free.  Of course there is the famous Alamo, which is a symbol of American history that you can feel and see the instant the Alamo comes into view.  The famous San Antonio Riverwalk is another free attraction.  One could spend hours walking among the shops, bars, and restaurants along the river. The less famous but even more unique attraction is the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.  The park includes four Spanish frontier missions that were built to spread Christianity to the natives, and were used in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The food scene here is also really good with delicious Mexican food and a great BBQ scene. If you stayed in the downtown area, you could walk to almost every major destination in the city.

Orlando, FL

Admission to Disney and Universal can be a bit high and may scare you away.  Don't let it. Orlando generally has the lowest hotel prices and flights in the country.  You can spend all week exploring Disney and Universal, so find a cheap flight, stay at a cheap hotel, and pack your lunches every day. Try not to buy food at the resorts, enjoy the rides, and you could easily make a trip to Orlando on a budget.

Las Vegas, NV

Las Vegas flights and hotels are almost as cheap as Orlando, so your wallet won't be hurting too much here.  Unlike Orlando, you don't have to worry about spending your money on admission. You could spend a day or two walking up and down the strip through the mega casinos without spending a dime.  Hoover Dam is close by and also worth a stop.  The real adventurous could also make a day trip and go to the Grand Canyon. Top secret Area 51 is nearby, as is the town of Rachel, NV, which is home to the Little A'le'inn.  Maybe you could spot a UFO.  The food in Las Vegas is diverse and mouth watering, bring at least some money to explore the various food places in town.  If you have to gamble, The Strip isn't that budget friendly so head down to Fremont Street to gamble with the low rollers, and to check out the light show that happens every night.  If you do stay here, try to find a cheap casino on the strip.  The desert can be hot, and having to walk a long way through the heat can ruin your fun.

Eureka Springs, AR

This small town in Arkansas is a great place for someone who wants a slower relaxed vacation.  You can stroll along the many shops or restaurants in town. After that head out to see Thorncrown Chapel and Christ of the Ozarks.  Both are very impressive.  There are also many lakes nearby where you can get out on the water.  Eureka Springs has some unique historical hotels, so stay in one like the Crescent Hotel and you may even run into a ghost.

Yellowstone National Park

I already gave tons of reasons why going to a national park is such a great idea for a budget traveler. I won't list them all here.  25$ gets you and anyone else in your car into this great place.  There is no place like Yellowstone on Earth.  You can see the famous Old Faithful Geyser, check out Mammoth Hot Springs, and visit Yellowstone Lake. There are plenty more geysers and unique geological formations here that I can't list them all.  The wildlife here is very diverse and very up close in personal.  Traffic can come to a crawl because a herd of buffalo may be crossing the road.  You could also spot numerous moose and elk in the area pretty easily if you are paying attention.  There are numerous hikes around canyons, waterfalls, and geysers, so the budget traveler should be happy here. Jackson Hole, Wyoming is close by which offers access to the Grand Tetons and whitewater rafting on the Snake River.

Depending on what kind of trip you're looking for, all five of these destinations are great places for a budget traveler to visit.  They offer a wide variety of things to do, and if you plan accordingly, they can be nice, cheap, and fun spots for the budget traveler to see. I'll talk about some more fun places to see tomorrow, and I hope to put up a travel guide for each of these places eventually. I'm hoping these short summaries will give you an idea of where you may want to go for your next trip.

As always, thanks for reading!

My Thoughts on What Makes a Good Budget Vacation

One of the main reasons I am writing this blog is because I think exploring the world is very important to every individual.  Traveling can inundate you into different cultures and perspectives. This allows you to grow and develop as a person. Budget travelers generally don't have the means to travel everywhere they want to.  That's okay, even if you have the means, you probably don't have the time to go everywhere anyway.  As the writer of this blog I want to point you in the direction of places to go that will cater to a smaller budget.

I love talking about travel, I love looking at restaurants, hotels, and attractions that could be 1000's of miles away. It always is so refreshing to see so many different things and places in the world.  It's nice to know that there are many people who enjoy them, and it's neat that there are so many one of a kind places out there.  I hope my blog can help you find your one of a kind place. Who knows? Maybe there is a place out there that you had no idea existed, or maybe you had no idea you could afford to go there.

Now, when I recommend a place as a good place to go for a budget traveler, I want you to understand why.   I don't want you to plan for a trip somewhere, and then be disappointed because you didn't get to experience an area like you wanted to or like you were supposed to. You shouldn't stay in a far flung suburb of New York City with little spending money if you really want to enjoy New York City and all it has to offer.  You should be going to a fancy restaurant and a Broadway show there, because those are things that make New York City what it is. I'm not going to give you a guide to stay in New York City, because I think a budget traveler will go there and be disappointed that they didn't see a show, or didn't eat at a place like Rao's.  So my guides in general will be to places I feel that a person with a small budget can completely enjoy.  You will get home from the trips and places I make guides for happy, satisfied, and refreshed.  That's what my blog is about and that's what my guides are for.  I want to point you in the direction of great budget trips, trips that hopefully fit your lifestyle and your budget.

Thanks for reading!

How to use Priceline and Hotwire

Priceline and Hotwire are both great sites to use to get a hotel at a discounted price.  The problem with using the Priceline bidding system or Hotwire is that you can't see what hotel you're going to get. One of the biggest reasons people don't use Priceline or Hotwire is because the sites charge the person before they know the hotel they're reserving. Some people are totally fine with getting a hotel this way because it can save a lot of money. Most people don't realize there are tools out there to help you figure out what hotel you're actually getting ahead of time.

One of the best sites to use as a tool for Priceline and Hotwire is www.betterbidding.com.  What this site does is compiles information from users who used either Hotwire or Priceline to get a room.  So when Hotwire is saying they can offer a 3 star hotel with laundry, pool, continental breakfast, and free wifi in the west suburbs, the person will put down what actual hotel it is.  If enough people do this, the site compiles lists of hotels in states and cities and what hotels they are.  If this doesn't make sense to you.  I will explain:

For an example I searched Hotwire for a hotel in Minneapolis, MN for the night of April 6th. Hotwire has a deal for a 3.5 star hotel in downtown with these amenities: Smoke-free rooms, fitness center, restaurant, business center, self-service laundry, and internet access.  Now that I know the amenities, I can check betterbidding.  They organize their lists by state, then by city, then by area of the city. Once I find the Minneapolis area, I click on downtown and scroll down to the 3.5 star hotels.  It looks like there is three to choose from: Crowne Plaza Northstar, Millenium Hotel, and Sheraton Midtown. Looking at the amenities, I see that the room that I am going to get is most likely going to be at the Crowne Plaza Northstar.  Now maybe, I haven't stayed in a Crowne Plaza or heard of it, so I'm still not sure.  Just head on over to tripadvisor.com and type the hotel name in.  Check the reviews on it, and it looks like this hotel gets very good reviews, so I should feel pretty confident in taking advantage of the deal. No need to worry about getting stuck in a bad hotel here.  This is how making sure you have enough knowledge can get you a real good place to stay on Hotwire for real cheap.

Priceline works the same way on better bidding.  There's just one caveat.  Since the price is up to the bidder, a little more research needs to be done.  It has a nice list of star ratings so you know what hotel you have a chance at, and below people will list the successful bids they had and what hotel they got.  This is a good starting point to know what to bid.  There's no reason to bid higher than you need to.  Also a good tip for Priceline is to start off only selecting very few regions and star ratings on your first bid.  Just be super picky.  Like, I only want a 4 or 5 star hotel in downtown for 60$.  If your first bid gets rejected on Priceline, you have to set new parameters.  So now maybe I want a 3.5 star hotel in downtown or east downtown for 65$.  This 2nd bid will have a much better chance at succeeding and I still should get a hotel I want.

Also, when looking at hotels, I always recommend checking the reviews of the place by users as opposed to the star rating.  You will be much happier staying at a 3 star hotel with great reviews than a 4 star hotel with bad reviews.  You're a budget traveler, so just stay at the cheapest hotel that you can find with the best reviews.  Who cares about the star rating?  You're traveling on a budget. I hope this guide gives you the confidence to try and use Hotwire and Priceline.  Both sites are amazing tools for the budget traveler, and being too scared about staying in an unknown hotel doesn't have to worry you anymore after reading this guide!

The Final Stretch of the Journey down the Pacific Coast Highway

You've almost completed the journey!  Congratulations.  The road trip started out with food carts and a video game arcade.  A cheese factory and lighthouse followed that.  Then you ran into sand dunes and ancient trees.  Not to mention all the ocean views that were nearby.  That's why I love this road trip, there is so much variety of what to see and do.

After exploring the Howland Hill Road portion of the Redwood Forest and heading to Crescent City. Continue south on 101 until you get to Newton B Drury Scenic Parkway.  This road takes you to more hiking trail heads through the Redwoods.  Circle Trail is a quick walk to see Big Tree.  Which is a must see.  I'd recommend looking at the other trails here and figuring out which one you would like to go on based on time and difficulty.  After you've had your fill of this portion of the Redwoods head to your final stop on the journey in Eureka, California. There are numerous hotels and places to stay in Eureka.  Check  out the Best Western Plus Bayshore Inn.  They usually have very good room rates.

If you have some time while in Eureka, Sequoia Park Garden, Humboldt Bay, and Carson Mansion are all worth a visit. I'd go to Lost Coast Brewery for good grub and good beer.  Head back to your room for the night and get ready for the trip back.  You can either head back to Portland on 101 north, or you can cut across to I-5. It's up to you. 101 will take longer, but the views will be better.

Road trips are awesome.  Taking a road trip like this lets you see so many different things. This trip is the kind of budget trip I like.  Most of the costs of the trip are going to be up front.  You need to pay for the plane tickets, the rooms, the car, and gas.  Most attractions on this road trip are going to be free or have a minimal cost.  Every food place I've listed here will have a plethora of options for less than 15$.  You can always get a foam cooler and stock it up for the trip too.

Final Costs:
I'm going to recommend going as a group of four for this trip so you can split fuel, rental car and rooms.

Your lodging for the trip will end up at about 120$ a night. Luckily, I picked a four night road trip, so that's how much the hotel will cost per person.  You can get a rental car for about 70$ a day.  For gas, I'm assuming you'll fill up 6 times at 40$ each time.  For the rooms and gas however, I'm over estimating, it will probably be less than that.  60$ a person for gas, and about 80$ each for the car.  So all in all you'll be paying 260$ each for the room, car and gas.  On this trip, You could get by with 100$ of spending money for the whole trip if you don't eat out very much and stick to fast food or your cooler.

So, on the low end of your budget, you're looking at 360$ for this road trip.  That's a very budget friendly price.  If you want to eat at all of the fun restaurants, I'd add another 100$ to your budget and you will be set.

Budget Friendly Ratings(1-10): 

Lodging- 4
Transportation-3
Food- 7
Activities-10

This is my favorite kind of budget trip, because you're not going to feel like you're missing much when it comes to the activities.  If the activities cost a lot, it can leave the budget traveler feeling left out.  That is not the case here. You should be able to do every single activity I listed even on the smallest budget for this trip. If you want to save more money, you could take a bigger group and just go vacation rental homes the whole way on the coast.  I hope you enjoyed my road trip guide.  I look forward to writing much more budget oriented travel guides in the future.

Thanks for reading!

Day 3 Down the Pacific Coast Highway

The road trip south down Highway 101 continues.  About 11 miles south of Reedsport you will notice a sign for Eel Creek Campground.  Just after that sign will be signs for the John Dellenback trail.  Turn here and get ready for your 2nd dunes hike of the day.  If you thought the first hike had some impressive dunes, they are nothing compared to these.  The sheer enormity of these dunes are staggering.  You can follow the posts all the way to the beach.  It's a long hike, and if you want to just explore the dune area, feel free.  Climbing up and down these dunes can take hours, and it is well worth your time.

After two long hikes through sand, it's time to head to your next destination for the night.  Nestled on the very southern part of the Oregon coast lies Brookings.  There are numerous vacation rentals and some hotels in the area to stay.  After two big hikes, a delicious meal is always a welcome sight.  Head to Superfly Martini Bar and Grill for some delicious food and have one of their fun beverages too. I highly recommend the chicken bacon taters.  Head to the beach for sunset if you still have time and take it in.  For breakfast the next morning, try Mattie's Pancake House. They serve some of the best breakfast I have ever had.  The atmosphere there is also very fun and unique.  After you've fueled yourself up with food, it's time to head south into California for the last portion of the trip: The Redwood Forest.  

There are lots of trails scattered throughout the Redwood National and State Parks.  The best part about the trails is that access to them is free!  Hike through some ancient giant forests and wonder in awe at how something like this can exist in the world.  The numerous roads and scenic drives through the Redwoods might leave you wondering which are the best.  I recommend Howland Hill Road. There are some hiking trails off of this road and it will take you into the heart of the Redwoods.  Two hiking trails off of Howland Hill Road are the Stout Grove Trail and the Boy Scout Tree Trail.  Both take you into the Redwoods.  Make sure you get directions and get to them printed out, as you will be a bit outside of civilization here.  After you've explored this part of the Redwoods, head towards Crescent City. 

That's it for now.  The final part of the guide will come tomorrow, and I'll also explain how budget friendly this trip is.  Until then, thanks for reading! 

Part 1

Part 2