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The anticipation of clocking in your vacation days and packing your bags for a new adventure is absolutely unparalleled. The rush of exploring a new city, sailing across oceans and marveling at the wonders of our world is the big upside that millions of people look forward to. Travel is not all rainbows and butterflies, but the experiences you create undeniably play a large part in shaping your personality, your likes, and dislikes and broadening your knowledge of the world we live in.
Explorer Ibn Battuta once rightly said ‘Travelling leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.’ The key to your perfect little trip is to do it over and over till you get it right. Though itineraries tell you where to go and what time to wake up, it doesn’t tell you how you can make your trip more comfortable. Only you have the expertise in your comfort and the more you do something, the more you realize the tools you need to make your travel experience better. People often say practice makes perfect and it is true for travel like it is for everything else in life. Here are some easy ways you can make your travel more comfortable than it is: 1. Wear comfortable shoes – While travel pictures on Instagram will have you yearning for the glamour of high heel shoes or sleek dress shoes, it is important to take into consideration the amount of walking that will be done. Sore feet don’t lead to smiling faces or happy souls. Comfortable shoes that let your feet breathe is an essential accessory for your travels. It lets you see a lot more in a day and can help you make the most of your itinerary. Choosing comfortable shoes depends on the location you are going to. A pair of cute flats for dinner, flip flops for the beach and sneakers for a day exploring the city is a good method of planning. 2. Get your sleep – Clocking in sleep while traveling is an important thing. Sometimes, it might not be as easy as it sounds. Lumpy, old mattresses are unfortunately way too common in budget accommodations. Bed bugs are another disastrous consequence that cannot be contained. There is no way to predetermine the mattress types used in budget accommodations. The best way to contain risks, especially while traveling on road, is to carry your own mattress in a bag. With free mattress trials from many manufacturers, you are completely eliminating any risks involved in sleeping on uncomfortable mattresses while you roam the world. Budget traveling is not about luxuries but that doesn’t have to stop you from carrying your own. 3. Choose traveler cards over cash – You might have already begun your plans for your shopping spree when you booked your tickets. Instead of carrying a wad of cash around, which is definitely not safe, a travel card will work better in your favor. You can load your travel card with multiple currencies, so you can make that impulse buy during your layovers as well. Travel cards are safer and easier to carry around. You can keep track of your spending and safeguard yourself from rate fluctuations of the currency. Your bank will have an option of travel cards and it’s as easy to obtain as a click on the bank website. 4. Spend on experiences – The first thing people often do after booking a ticket is book their accommodation. Staying in hotels is an unnecessary expense. You might barely spend a few hours in the hotel and will fork out a lot of money to do so. Alternate travel accommodations like Couch surfing or Air bnb are cheaper and cozier. You can stay with a local family opening up their home to you and make the most of a culturally immersive experience. It also opens up your planned adventure for new trails. You can use the money you save on new experiences that create lasting memories. 5. Pack Less, Move More – Packing is an important part of preparing for your trip. Unfortunately, the lines between ‘packing for comfort’ and ‘packing excessively’ tend to blur and you end up carrying more than you bargained for. The key to packing is always asking yourself if you can lug it up flights of stairs. If you look at an item and wonder if it is really useful, it most probably is not. Packing the essentials allows you to move around easier and with each trip, you end up learning what your unique essentials comprise of. Packing less is not a competition or a badge of pride. It is convenience, mobility, and comfort. Packing smart means planning ahead, scaling back and lightening the load. It means focusing on experiences rather than the materials. Preparing well reduces the stress of your travel ambitions on your body. The right gear and smart packing can help you contribute to a happy, adventurous travel experience. Travel-ready products available in the market take out the hassle of extensive checklists. Travel bloggers and influencers give you an idea of how to create an itinerary and how to toss it out when adventure beckons. At the same time, it is important to create realistic expectations. You cannot expect polished service and quality products in budget travel. Nor can you throw tantrums while cutting back on your costs. Even luxury is not standardized across the world. Therefore, it is important to create realistic expectations from your trip based on your chosen destination. You can do this by research, knowing what you are getting for your money, gearing up and choosing to do so. This way, you can make the most of your experience. There is no right way to travel. This is because your needs, desires, likes, dislikes, and comforts are unique to you. Only you will be able to create a customized plan that works well for you. The more you experience, the more you understand your needs better. As long as you prioritize safety, shelter, and slumber during your travels, you can create happy memories that last forever.  Walking, hiking in the most unspoiled nature environment, whether it's around Las Vegas or anywhere else in the world, is very good for your health. This is an established fact, even more than winning at a casino at Borgata. It is an activity that is indeed suitable for everyone and that turns out to be a healthy touch for the body and the mind, becoming a sort of long life elixir.
It seldom happens that all branches of medicine agree on some considerations, but this is the case. For example, across the Pacific Ocean, in traditional Japanese medicine, walking in wooded areas is actually a healing method that is called Forest Bath (Shinrin-yoku): it is an ancient form of therapy prescribed to purify yourself from the toxins of your daily stress. More recently, several scientific studies from the land of the rising sun have confirmed that walking for prolonged periods and breathing deeply in the middle of natural areas will strengthen the immune system. It reduces blood pressure, decreasing levels of stress hormones and cortisol, helping you control your heart rate. It is a type of adjunctive treatment that can be used in place of medication, which is healthier for us in the long run. It is difficult to find something else that can have so many positive effects on our health in the same way. However, the power of trekking doesn't stop there. Walking, in fact, makes you feel good because it increases your attention level thanks to serotonin, known as the hormone of happiness and creativity. Yes, you got it, walking stimulates creativity: moving, getting up from the chair or the sofa and leaving the house helps to find creative solutions to problems, helps to unravel tricky situations when it seems that there is no other way out. And the farther you get from your home and reach outdoor areas, the greater the enhancement of creativity will be. So, try and get out of your routine as much as you can. Actually, we haven't finished listing the benefits of hiking in natural areas. Trekking is an aerobic activity and therefore also stimulates the production of red blood cells, giving the muscles a greater supply of oxygen that reduces the fatigue of physical activity. Finally, there is a factor certainly not to be overlooked: trekking improves muscle tone and is therefore an excellent ally to maintain a healthy shape. Hiking is an automatic way to strengthen and invigorate your legs, buttocks and abdominals. Your muscular fibers and joints will be reinforced while your tendons and ligaments will maintain a high degree of elasticity. Even your bones will come out fortified, removing the risk of osteoporosis. Walking for a long time also allows you to burn calories eliminating excess fat, and this isn’t just an aesthetic issue as in the long run it might become a health problem. So, whether it's in Red Rock Canyon, Lake Mead or Mt. Charleston, it doesn't matter. Just keep walking, and never stop! Clearly, you want to choose your route according to your age, how well you are trained and in consideration of the time available and the weather conditions. There are really a few things in this world as simple as walking to make you feel better.  Although competition from online casinos is increasingly strong with nonstop offers for players such as promotions from Borgata, Las Vegas remains the world's mecca for gambling lovers, where fans of roulette, slot machines and blackjack dream to go at least once in a lifetime. But if you are visiting this place, it could as well be because you already know that around this sleepless city there are also wonderful places to discover.
Not more than 20 miles from the lively center of Las Vegas, not far from the bustle and the artificial lights of the Strip, there is a wonderful natural park whose trademark, needless to say, is the red rock typical of this area. Red Rock Canyon is in fact a natural stage where it is possible to admire splendid formations of red rock, inserted in a surreal and rather fascinating scenery. The Keystone Thrust Fault is undoubtedly the most interesting geological element of the canyon. According to studies by scientists interested in the area, this fault was formed approximately 65 million years ago, when two crust plates collided with such force that one of the plates was pushed even over the earth's crust. The fault is clearly indicated by the sharp contrast between the grey limestone and the red sandstone. There are many hikes to take. If you are an expert, we strongly advise you to hike to Turtlehead Peak trail. Don't take this route lightly, because it is a hike that tests even the most experienced hikers: some points of the climb on the rocks are complex, but the view from the top of Turtlehead Peak is worth all the effort. Calico Tanks is a real lesson in geology and prehistory in the open-air right in the heart of the canyon, between strange rock formations and narrow paths in the shade of its red walls. One of the most intriguing excursions in Red Rock Canyon is the Ice Box Canyon trail. After a nice bit of walking in the desert, you will arrive near the most covered area of the canyon, where you will find small natural pools and waterfalls. If the area of Ice Box Canyon is relatively refreshing, it is also true that to reach it you have to suffer a bit of heat during the warmer months: equip yourself accordingly, bringing a good reserve of water. The trailhead is 7.7 miles from the Visitor Center. If you are a family and want to choose easy paths, we recommend two other trails. From Calico Hill you can reach two different and very evocative viewing points, easily accessible by all. Also, the Moenkopi Loop is an easy path that starts from the Visitor Center and progresses along a desert area of the park, where you can enjoy the reddish panorama of the Wilson Cliffs, walking between Triassic fossils and stubby cacti on the side of the path. You can walk through the loop and return to the Visitor Center or follow the path along the area of Calico Hills that we mentioned earlier.  The Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Death Valley, the Grand Canyon and the Valley of Fire are some of the most picturesque natural and human-made wonders of the world. These locations are all within a comfortable driving distance from the city of Las Vegas and offer a unique contrast to the glitz, glamour and bright lights of Sin City. Many people make Las Vegas the destination for their vacation every year, whether it be a short break from somewhere else in the United States, or a holiday of a lifetime from somewhere else in the world. For many, the lure of the casinos and the opportunity to practice their poker playing is all they need from Vegas. For many others, the city's surroundings are just as attractive and for those looking for an opportunity to explore, the hot springs are a great location. What are Hot Springs? There are many hot springs in the world, and although there is no universally agreed definition, a broad description is that they are bodies of water, where the water is heated geothermically (from the warmer rocks underneath). Common places to find hot springs are around volcanoes. There are around eight hot springs around Las Vegas and over 20 in the whole state of Nevada. Hiking Tour From Las Vegas There are several options for hiking tours from Las Vegas, with hikers picked up directly from their hotel. Tours to the Hot Springs are a great option for those looking for something unique. Tours generally don’t run in the summer months of June, July and August as these are the hottest months in Nevada. For the rest of the year, tours take place daily, although times vary slightly depending on the season. The tours offer excellent opportunities to admire the local wildlife, soak in the geothermal pools, and relax with a picnic lunch (there’s nowhere around you can buy food from, so picnic is your only choice). The hike will take you along volcanic rock formations and loose desert sand, with some steep inclines in sections. Although the path is not technically very challenging and suitable for beginners, it should be noted that it will be physically demanding for anyone not used to such activities. Of course, you’ll have time to rest and relax in the hot springs, as well as on the ride back to the city. Lake Mead  The hot springs are located in Black Canyon, near to Lake Mead. The lake was formed after the creation of the Hoover Dam and water from the Colorado River flowed into the area. The lake supplies water to several US states and to some parts of Mexico and is the largest reservoir in the United States of America. Black Canyon The Black Canyon is located on the state line between Arizona and Nevada, having been formed 15 million years ago. Hiking through this area to reach the Hot Springs will see you navigate your way down the canyon walls to rich the pools of the hot springs, as well as explore along the riverside.
Hiking in this area can be a fantastic experience for both experienced and beginner hikers. The Hot Springs provide a great combination of different elements, including great views and hiking through beautiful scenery. Whatever your experience level, make sure to carry plenty of water, food, gloves for the ropes you will use, and other supplies with you, but be rest assured since you’ll be under the supervision of a guide. Most importantly, make sure to have fun! |
AuthorBranch Whitney is the author of Hiking Las Vegas and creator of the 52 Peak Club where members hike to the best 52 Peaks around Las Vegas, NV Archives
October 2023
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