Top Travel Snack Ideas for Road Trips with Nonni’s!

A special thanks to Nonni's Artisan Cookies for sponsoring this post.

Spring and Summer are popular times to travel, and if you’re hitting the open road this season, here are a few of our favorite Top Travel Snacks for Road Trips, and how to pack those snacks like a champ. Bringing a variety of deliciously convenient and interesting foods can make a road trip run more smoothly to avoid frequent stops for fast food.

Nonni’s new Chocolate Chip Artisan Thin Cookies are going to be the star of our next road trip, and since the cookies come in individual portion packs of three cookies each, they make amazing road trip snacks. I like the convenience of the packs, and wow, the brand isn’t kidding when they talk about how addictive their new Double Chocolate and Almond Chocolate Artisan Thin Cookies can be. They are superbly crunchy, have a wonderful taste and aroma, and are going to make this year’s travels a whole lot sweeter!

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, or even new to my blog, you will see that we are incredibly inspired by travel. My boyfriend and I have been together nearly 13 years, and we absolutely love to travel to places all over the country together – especially by car!

We road trip for many reasons, first and foremost, so that we can take our dogs, and also because we love the freedom to pack whatever we want in the car with us. Having everything with us always makes traveling easier and we love stopping off at a picnic area or rest area to have a snack or lunch al fresco. The below make great options for that break when you’re on-the-go!

LEARN MORE ABOUT NONNI’S COOKIES HERE:

Almond Chocolate (http://nonnis.com/chipthinaddictives/almond-chocolate/)

Double Chocolate (http://nonnis.com/chipthinaddictives/double-chocolate/)

TOP ROAD TRIP SNACKS

Nonni’s Chocolate Chip Artisan Thin Cookies

These cookies taste delicious and they satisfy my sweet tooth while I’m on the road. They’re unique because they’re made with real ingredients like 55% cacao, whole almonds (in some varieties), and coconut oil. Each box contains six convenient portion packs of three cookies that average 100 calories each.

The individual cookie packs also ensure freshness, compared to opening a whole box or bag of cookies that might go stale that same day.

Pita Chips and Hummus

This is one healthy snack that I find to be easy to eat in the car, and is way more satisfying than stopping through a drive through!

Veggies and Ranch Dip

Use half pint mason jars to contain ranch dressing or ranch dip in one, then, add vegetables like chopped broccoli, rainbow carrots, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, and more in other jars.

It’s always fun to have a few assorted candies, in their individual jars. This will also severely reduce the need to make a candy run at the gas station. Also, chocolate tends to melt in the car, no matter if it’s winter or summer in our experience. Choose candies that are more fruity like gummies or jelly beans.

Almonds or Mixed Nuts

The satisfying crunch of almonds or mixed nuts can be very perfect for a road trip! I love how the Nonni’s cookies have almonds and chocolate chips in them. Oh my, they’re good!

The great part of using glass jars for snacks is that they hardly ever leak  and keep ingredients fresh. We store them in our cooler and the jars are great to have a picnic on the road, or enjoy once you get to your hotel or destination

If you’re heading anywhere fun this year, please let me know in the comments below! I also love to live vicariously through other people’s travel photos, and I hope you all have something super fun planned this year!

If you loved this post, PIN IT FOR LATER...

Top Places We Visited in 2017 + Healthy Travel Tips

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Walgreens. The opinions and text are all mine.

I was so thankful to be asked by Carusele to participate in a second #SimplyNice campaign, sponsored by Walgreens. Although I have been compensated, all opinions are my own.

As I reflect on the past year, I can’t help but think of how lucky I am to have had the opportunity to visit so many wonderful places in the US. When Walgreens asked me to write a second inspirational post about their new line of revamped Nice! snacks, I was elated! I love their new packaging and some of their treats even inspired me to start thinking about snacking healthier while we travel.

I love that I can find something that is always delicious at Walgreens, and since they’re located all across the country, it’s easy to shop for healthy Nice! snacks while on the road, making our way towards our next destination. Nice! snacks while on the road, making our way towards our next destination.

Since travel has become SUCH a huge part of our lives, one major goal for 2018 is to incorporate even more travel tips and healthy eating tips into this blog. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the year holds! Here’s to a new year!

Travel can definitely take it out of you as well, so eating healthier while traveling, and drinking lots of water makes a huge difference in how smoothly any trip goes. Our first vacation of 2018 is here in Florida, so I definitely wanted to take the first part of the year to eat healthier and get ready for the beach! Walgreens actually makes it affordable and super convenient to eat healthier! You can even find a huge assortment of vegetarian and vegan baking ingredients like Raw Cashews, Pistachios, and many other nut varieties.

If you’re gluten free, try the AMAZING Organic White Cheddar Puffs – they’re life changing, and perfect for the road since they don’t get your hands (or car for that matter) too messy. Plus, they’re USDA Organic and Non-GMO, which I love.

Nice! products help you live a balanced life to stay on track and indulge without guilt by providing great tastes you can feel good about. Plus, the upfront, labeling and the shopping convenience of Walgreens make Nice! a win.

Below, you can see how we normally pack the car. We always travel with healthy snacks. I tend to get bored with snacks pretty quickly, so I find that if I bring a wider variety of goodies, I am not tempted to run into a gas station to grab something unhealthy.

Below is a list of the top places we visited in 2017, and what I’d recommend in each place. Thanks for following along on our adventures!

The Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are filled with all sorts of wonderful opportunities to get outside and enjoy the fresh air while getting a bit of exercise too. If you are staying in Key West, make it a goal to walk a few miles each day. It’s super easy to get in the miles in just a few hours, it’s definitely a walking city. Check out shops and restaurants on Duval Street (try Caroline’s Café for a big salad, The Porch for a refreshment, or The Butterfly House to mingle with butterflies, tropical flowers and plants.

If you’re looking for more action and adventure, the Keys offer lots of kayaking, boating, and excursions.

Me, kayaking near Sugarloaf Key, FL

Bobby and Cabbie sitting on dhe dock off our vacation home on Sugarloaf Key, FL

Our kayaks at the Sugarloaf Boat Launch

Cave Creek, AZ (Phoenix/Tucson)

I am so fortunate that my dad lives in such a beautiful location. If you’re visiting this area of Arizona, there are hiking trails, as well as tons of great restaurants, bars, and shopping opportunities! Closer to Tucson, check out Saguaro National Park, Tap and Bottle, or walking around downtown! If you’re closer to Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Cave Creek, try spending the day walking around Old Town Scottsdale (their historic downtown area, with beautifully renovated buildings and a man riding a horse playing guitar). Cave Creek also has a fun downtown area where you can walk to almost every bar and restaurant, and on Saturdays and Sundays, even catch a rodeo! There is also a vibrant motorcycle culture there unlike anywhere else we have ever been.

Saguaro At Sunset

Citrus fruit grows abundantly in Spring and into Summer. Adding a splash of lemon to your water will help you want to drink more water and stay healthy and hydrated! Arizona is very, very dry, so dehydration makes your body work harder to perform.

By walking around areas like Cave Creek, Downtown Scottsdale (both the historic districts and the Scottsdale Fashion Square will make for some amazing exercise)!!

There are lots of golf courses in the Phoenix area, which would be an excellent way to spend the day outdoors and get exercise!

And, if you are more for swimming, May-October would be perfect timing to swim! Our dogs are the only ones brave enough to get into the pool in March, though ☺

Chicago, IL

You will DEFINITELY get your miles in for the weekend when you shop in Chicago. The food culture is amazing in Chicago, and there are actually a ton of healthier restaurants that you can check out.

Chicago is also home to tons of breweries and enough public transportation to get to anywhere in the city. If you’re trying to avoid calories from drinking, try a sampler glass of beer at each one, it’s generally only a few ounces of liquid, and you will get a great taste of what flavors the breweries are all about! A few notable places we love to visit in Chicago include: Revolution Brewing, The Bean, Game At Wrigley Field, Navy Pier, Shopping on State Street (possibly better than Michigan Ave! It’s way less crowded than Michigan Avenue, and has some incredibly amazing stores.

Binny's Beverage Depot in Chicago

The food and drink options are nearly limitless in Chicago!

Beygle Brewing, which was also hosting an art show – another good excuse to walk around and explore a new location. Dovetail Brewing, which features 100% lager beers was also close by and super delicious!

Denver, CO Area

Some of our best friends live in the Denver area, and we love visiting them whenever we are in town! It’s always fun having a local tour guide, and they love showing us fun places to hike in the mountains, as well as where to visit in the actual city of Denver. It’s a gorgeous area of the country, and if you enjoy the outdoors, it’s a fun place to be. There are so many camp grounds and hiking trails, and many of them are either free or very reasonably priced. Taking along healthy snacks and TONS of water really does make a huge difference, since it is so arid and at a very high elevation.

Hiking at Guanellas Pass

We love traveling with the dogs – they do encourage us to get outdoors and get active!

The dogs LOVE the endless fresh water, mountain fed streams all over the state.

Healthier food options are everywhere We love visiting a place called The Source, that houses restaurants, bars, gift shops and fine grocery markets.

Ennis, MT

Last but definitely not least, Ennis, Montana has stolen a big part of our hearts! We love the abundant mountain views, the fresh clean air, and the fact that you can hike, fish, four wheel, and visit a ghost town all in one day! We love the Madison Valley and hope to wind up there some day. It’s such an inspirational location, and there are SO many opportunities to get out, get active, and get healthy! Bring your snacks along on a hike and enjoy your day. You might even see a herd of Elk or even antelope – they’re quite majestic.

A great way to make sure you keep healthy and happy on your vacations is so stock up on snacks like the Fruit & Nut Trail Mix from Walgreens.

Our dogs love snow days more than anything in the world. 2017 provided the Madison Valley and surrounding areas with way more snow than other years, something we learned from the locals.

Lake Ennis is fun in the summertime, and almost more beautiful in winter. We explored the lake and the surrounding areas in late Fall, and ice washed up on shore in rhythmic patterns. The sound reminded me of being near the ocean.

While the area is remote, the beauty of the surrounding area is really all I’d need :)

Walking around down town Ennis, MT is great. The city has really done a wonderful job of preserving the past and offering updated bars restaurants, and shops for a huge influx of visitors in Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Remember, pack healthy snacks like Nice! From Walgreens, and always have plenty of water – you won’t want to reach for unhealthy options anymore!

Choose Nice! From Walgreens to stay on track with a healthy new year.

Happy adventuring!

Cape San Blas & Port St. Joe Peninsula State Park

 

We visited Florida recently to help family, and had a nice time visiting the St. Petersburg and Tampa area (check out my post here).

I wanted to share a few shots I took while at the adorable condo in the Barrier Dunes neighborhood that we rented for a few nights before we headed back home. I loved how gorgeous the sunset was from this beach, and how we could walk right to it from the condo. 

The condos are also located very close to the entrance to St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, where we got to swim and enjoy the ocean. The sand near our place was silky soft, and the ocean in the park was clear, warm, and went knee deep for a lot of the area. 

We were about a 30 minute drive from the town of Port St. Joe, where you can find places to eat, and cute boutiques. We also found food at Coneheads (which is being renovated, but was still open for daytime hours luckily. It's located right outside the park and neighborhood. We also ate at Sand Bucket Smokehouse (amazing BBQ and sides!!) and Triple Tails (amazing fettuccini alfredo with chicken - I don't eat seafood, so this was great!), both less than 10 miles away. 

The food at Coneheads was really lovely. One day we all got big Caesar salads with fried chicken or shrimp on top. Definitely ask for the honey mustard dipping sauce and a root beer float here. 

FUSS Boutique in Port St. Joe was adorable! I got an awesome suit there, and they have a lot of nice Free People clothing item. Everything was easy to wear, elegant, and perfect for the warm Florida weather. 

Road Tripping This Summer? Shop Online & Save Before You Hit The Road!

Got the travel bug? Hopefully I can help! This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DotComDIY #CollectiveBias

Whether you're hitting the road for a few days, or a few weeks, I wanted to share some road trip tips with you. As you may know, we travel a TON (hence the name of my blog)! We hardly ever fly anywhere, we always drive, so we can bring our pup with us, and having our car makes life SO much easier! 

And, by shopping for oil and supplies online, you can definitely save time and money! Have it shipped directly to your house, or opt for in-store pickup. Ordering online is great for busy days, so you can focus on planning, rather than going a million places to shop before your trip. You can avoid the crowds, too, and who doesn't like that?! Pennzoil products are on Rollback right now for a limited time at Walmart.com. You can even get curbside pickup, which I think is pretty great. 

For all of your oil needs, visit Walmart.com for everything you need related to motor oil and transmission fluids. This particular oil shown in this post can be found here.

Road trips are hard on your car. Our Prius has over 150,000 miles, (meaning we have driven at least 150K miles together in our 11 years of knowing each other) and it's still running strong. That's because we take good care of it, and make sure to always keep quarts of oil with us at all times. We always grab the Pennzoil Platinum, Full Synthetic 5W30. Re do get regular oil changes, but more recently, our car burns through oil much quicker, so we make sure to literally never leave home without oil. Lesser quality oil does not even compare - believe me, we have had to use the no-name brand a time or two and every few miles wished we had remembered to keep something better in the car.

The reason we always choose Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic Motor Oil, is because it's rated the best cleanliness protection in the Pennzoil line-up. Quoting their website, "With PurePlus™ Technology, the Platinum® motor oil is proven to keep pistons up to 40% cleaner than the toughest industry standard. PurePlus™ Technology is a revolutionary process that converts natural gas into a 99.5% pure base oil". 

Pennzoil is designed for complete protection and will allow you to drive an extra of 550 miles per year vs. a dirty engine. No other motor oil provides better protection from friction

Cabbie loves road trips! 

It's very easy to check your oil level. If you have a higher mileage vehicle, this is a skill that you will definitely want to learn. A mechanic showed us how easy it was. It's best to have a warm engine for this, so the oil reading is more accurate. Make sure the car is OFF, open the hood, and secure your hood so it won't fall on you! Locate the dipstick (it should have a brightly colored circle handle on it). Refer to your manual to locate it if needed. 

To find out whether your vehicle needs oil, follow these steps:

1. Pull out the dip stick and wipe it off on a clean, lint-free rag or paper towel.
2. Insert the stick back into the pipe. 
3. Pull the dipstick out again and look at the film of oil on the end of the stick. 
4. Put the dipstick back into the pipe.

Image via

If your oil is below the "add" line (see image above), then you need to add some oil, ONE quart at a time, checking the oil level after each quart. Luckily, with better quality oil, like Pennzoil Platinum, we rarely have to add more than a quart.

Since we have traveled by car SO much, I have streamlined the process quite a bit! Here are a few tips that I wanted to share, to make your road trip even better, and more streamlined.

- Always bring a couple of quarts of oil with you, if you have a higher mileage vehicle (90,000+ miles).

- Bring lots of water - we always bring a gallon or two of water, and a refillable water bottle that fits into the cup holder. This prevents us from drinking soft drinks or anything that is just plain bad for you. 

- Try not to store anything in plastic shopping bags. This seems easy at first, but the second you reach for that shopping bag, everything falls out, and they rustle around in the wind if your windows are open. 

- Bring wet wipes of some sort, they can be used to clean your hands after you have a snack, and can even be used on your face if you need a refresher from being in the car.

- Bring a designated Food Bag (as we call it). Rather than having snacks and drinks floating about in the car, a zippered duffel bag or similar, will keep everything in one place and will allow you to eat much healthier. 

- Do not buy food at gas stations! There is hardly anything nutritious and overpriced at gas stations, so when packing/shopping for road trip snacks, think of the snacks and foods you crave while on the road. I try to pack a mix of salty, sweet, crunchy, soft, whatever you like, just add some variety. Gallons of water and cold drinks (of coffee) is of course something you may need to gran at a gas station, unless you bring a cooler with you to keep things cold.   

- Bring an atlas. Your phone may not always have good cell signal, or your phone may die. Just in case you get lost or are unfamiliar with where you are headed (or supposed to be headed), it's a good backup. You can even mark off where you have been to keep the memories of your travels. 

- Bring a notebook and pens to write to-do lists, hopes and dreams, whatever. This always keeps me occupied :) Magazines are also nice when you don't have cell signal. 

- Bring a car charger for your phone, and plenty of music. 

Below, are the items that I purchased from Walmart.com in order to make my road trip even better! It was so easy to prepare for a trip by shopping online. 

The bridge to Tampa! So gorgeous!!

Are you heading anywhere fun this summer? Do you usually travel solo, with your significant other, with the whole family, or with friends? Do you ever bring your pet(s) on road trips? Comment below to share your story! And enjoy the fun of a new adventure!!!!

Cave Creek, AZ - The Grotto Cafe At Red Truck Trading

 

We found The Grotto through TripAdvisor (as we do with most places we eat on vacations), and loved the food and atmosphere here! We could bring Cabbie, our Chocolate Lab,  onto the patio area, and she has a great time just checking all the people and other dogs out as we enjoyed our lunch. 

The food was out of this world, and the setting was even better. Finding a spot in the shade to eat outside in Arizona is a dream, and this place was one of the loveliest places we ate while in Arizona this past March. 

Find the Grotto Cafe at 6501 E Cave Creek Rd #8, Cave Creek, AZ 85331.

The BBQ Pork sandwich was amazing! 

The Grotto Cafe is very dog friendly. In fact, most of the patrons had pups with them. One woman had THREE :) There were free dog treats on the patio, which were in this cute  mailbox, below.  

My grilled cheese panini was just right. I liked the chips and pickle that came on the side, and that strawberry smoothie cooled me off on a rather warm afternoon - it was really, really good!

The residents of Cave Creek are sometimes called Creekers, and some of them are talented artists. 

Just look at this Cobb Salad! It tasted even better than it looked, and was so filling. 

This little guy, below, was a good sport. His mom said he was a rescue dog and generally very timid. But he put on a big smile for me and my camera. See, dogs love this place! 

Chocolate + Cashmere - Santa Fe, NM

I was so impressed by Chocolate + Cashmere in Santa Fe. The store was a breath of fresh air, and I literally never wanted to leave :) The sign itself drew me into this boutique during my final hour of shopping time in Santa Fe, on the last day we were there. They were one of the last shops open this night, so I was very fortunate to be able to stop in, take some photos, and grab a few chocolates. Chocolate + Cashmere is located at: 109 East Palace, Santa Fe, NM 87501. They also have a location in Taos, NM. 

Chocolate + Cashmere proudly offers Golightly Cashmere (learn more here). 

Local Santa Fe chocolates available, in so many amazing flavors. 

I absolutely loved the necklaces. They were a bit out of my price range, at about $300 each, but they were locally handmade, and stunning!

Chocolate + Cashmere displays all of the available colors of cashmere on a wall display (below).

And, the chocolate again! 

Isn't this store just beautiful!

Show Me Your Mumu

I have been following the brand, Show Me Your Mumu for a while now. I just love their aesthetic, and the overall boho vibe I get from their line of clothing. Check out Mumu on Pinterest! 

They feature lots of these beautiful Tunic Tops, one of which I wanted to share with you today!!! I got SO many compliments on this top. The Peta Tunic In Popsicle Python will definitely be my summer go-to, worn over a black tank top and cropped leggings, over a bathing suit, on a road trip, or at a music festival!

Shown in this post, is the Peta Tunic, The Mumu Gold Bull Ring, and The Mucho Love Medium Notebook. This notebook has to be seen in person to understand just how detailed and beautiful it is. It looks completely hand painted, with lots of texture and even a bit of gold glitter paint mixed it.

We shot these photos in Cave Creek, AZ, and also in Sedona, AZ. This tunic top is also great for warm weather, because it's breathable and lightweight, but not see-through. It does not wrinkle either!

A very special thanks to Show Me Your Mumu for sending these products to me so I could share them with the world! 

This notebook is absolutely incredible! It would make an incredible gift for someone who loves to journal, or is an infinite list-maker :)

Toad&Co And Our Road Trip Through Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree National park was one of the most incredible parks we have ever visited. We have been to  National Parks, and this one takes the cake! We also got incredibly wonderful light the day we drove through, so that was even more perfect than I could have ever imagined. 

The National Parks We Have Visited Include:

Saguaro, Joshua Tree, Redwood, Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, Rocky Mountain, Hawaii Volcanoes, Yellowstone, Glacier, Badlands, Arches, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Zion, Shenandoah, Mt. Rainier, North Cascades, Olympic, Grand Teton!!! 

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Aah, memories!! I was also super happy that I could bring along some new items from Toad&Co. The Gemma Dress is beyond amazing! Perfect for the warmer weather we experienced while in the southwest in March. It fits like a dream, has a stretchy drawstring waist, perfect pockets, and is made from a stretchy material that I just love. Learn more about the Gemma Dress here. This dress is amazing because the length is perfect. And, this is the only dress that I have worn on a windy day that stays put! Couldn't believe it, but it's completely amazing. 

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I was so happy when I spotted the first Joshua Tree (in the first photo in this post)!!! Definitely the most unique and quite beautiful trees I have ever seen, and I love the look of them so much. Around that time, I also saw some of the first rock formations, which looked very smooth from far away, but were actually very rough, and very grippy - which is probably perfect for climbing. The rock shapes also seemed very conducive for climbing. 

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I also brought along these Jetlite Pants, which were comfortable to wear for hours and hours! They were amazingly comfortable, and a bit of a higher waisted design, which has soft elastic. I could not believe how well these fit! And, if you wear them with a shorter cropped shirt, you can show off your cute silhouette in these whether you're road tripping, hiking, lounging, in the office, or shopping. 

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We entered Joshua Tree from the entrance east of Coachella (by about 20 miles), and at first, all we saw were smaller yucca style plants, which looked like what I would assume Joshua Trees look like when they are young. No rock formations, and not much of anything, just desert. Then, we drove a little more, and the road started to snake around a bit more, and it was surprisingly 45 mph through most of the park. We began to see tons and tons of Jumping Cholla, which are all over Arizona, so that was pretty cool.

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Bobby had backpacked in the park before I even knew him, and he told me about the amazing campgrounds, rock formations, climbers, and these mysteriously strange looking trees...Joshua Trees, but I still hadn't seen either of these things. We could begin to see mountains all around us and I was beginning to get super excited, because mountains make me happy :)

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The Joshua Trees began to get thicker, and they basically took over the landscape, amongst these awesome rock formations, all at a bit of a distance, but very majestic. Like I said, the light was incredible this day, and we were in the park just before sunset. Stunning!!!

Thanks for checking out my road trip, and these awesome clothes from Toad&Co. Perfect for a road trip to just about anywhere! Have you ever been to Joshua Tree? 

Tune Up Cafe - Santa Fe, New Mexico

We headed further west after we left the Denver area, and stayed at a hotel about an hour from Santa Fe. We decided to grab lunch on the way through town, and so I Trip Advisored the highest rated restaurants in Santa Fe.

There were SO many to choose from, and I thought the Tune Up Cafe looked good. Well, it was!

Their portions were huge, though, so we had leftovers for days following :) I would even recommend that two people split a dish here. I'd also love to try their breakfast foods, which I always regret not getting. 

And, even though it was pretty warm outside, I still got myself a hot chocolate. It was wonderful, probably the best thing I had that day. 

And, although the front part of the restaurant was packed and bustling, the back part was completely open. Looked like they had some pretty good beers on tap. 

Bobby got his current go-to menu item, the Cuban Sandwich. Their fries were also pretty darn good. Just look at all of those layers of goodness! Ham, Swiss, BBQ Pork, Mustard, Onions, and Pickles...odd but incredible combo! 

ACROSS THE STREET...

I love the architecture of the homes in the southwest. The tan adobes and the washed out and faded colors that have been blasted by the sun for years. It's ALWAYS bright here, so bring your best sunglasses! 

 

ALSO IN NEW MEXICO

- Hangar Bottle Shop in Albuquerque. This was a pretty small place, and had only been open 10 months, but they had a great selection for the size of the store. I wish we could have spent more time downtown, because it was really cute. Seems like there are a few great places to catch a concert, have dinner, or grab a drink in this college town.   

Cool Stuff To Do In Denver - Mostly Beer + Food

We recently stopped in the Denver / Lakewood, CO area for a few days on our way out to Arizona, and had a blast! Check out all of our stops below, and comment if you have been to any of these :)

Crooked Stave Brewery / The Source (Website)

This place was absolutely incredible! This building used to be an old steel factory, and it appears that they gutted it down to the bare bones. This building contains several different businesses with a communal and very open area in the middle. The ceilings are super tall, and there is natural light pouring in from everywhere. This sits in a rather industrial area, which is surrounded by lots of new apartment buildings and other breweries and restaurants, and of course a bit of construction. I would assume that this area of Denver will be finished in no time! 

Crooked Stave brews/creates mostly sour beers, which I am a big fan of these days. Their beers are definitely pricey, but worth a try! 

Great Divide Brewery (Website)

We had passed by Great Divide on the way to Crooked Stave. In fact, it was almost right across the street. The thing that really caught our eye at this place was the massive amount of barrels on display (and in use) here. They have a really amazingly decorated barrel bar, which they decorated with lots of pieces of wood from past barrels. We had a good time sampling lots of different beers, and it was fun comparing all the different styles and flavors. 

The beers are decent here, and the prices are incredible. Their samples of regular beers are $1 for 3 oz, and $3 for their barrel aged and more rare stuff. 4 of us got out of there for under $20!

Sample Beers at Great Divide. 

Our friends at Great Divide!

Some of the beers available at Great Divide.

- Mockery Brewing (Website)

I'm sure this happens a lot, but as we were sitting in Great Divide, I saw yet another brewery in the back of the parking lot called Mockery Brewing. Another impeccably designed brewery, with a smaller yet very open feel, as well as copper and cool signage behind the bar. Their beers were only $5 each and very strong! 

The Wheat Around The Bush Boysenberry Wheat Wine 

- Wynkoop Brewery (Website)

This place was pretty nice. We sat on the upper level, which had about 15+ pool tables, and lots of nice open area. This place was a bit more expensive than we would usually go for, but it was a nice place to meet friends in downtown Denver. The exposed brick (which was a theme for literally every place we went in Denver), was just beautiful. I loved the photos they displayed in this building, by photographer Patrick Andrade. He uses tin type to capture modern brewers and their process. Learn more.

- Denver Biscuit Co (Website)

My, oh my! What a great way to start the day! Everything on the menu pretty much revolves around these luscious biscuits, and they're amazing. I got biscuits and gravy, and I think everyone else got a biscuit sandwich of some sort. Each plate looked better than the last and I definitely hope to visit again soon! 

While in Denver, we also checked out Teller's and Rock Fire Pizza. Both really great! 

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And, we didn't stop there! Colorado has the absolute best beer selection of literally anywhere we have ever visited, so we found a few other places to find things to take home. Some of the places we would definitely recommend include: Mondo Vino, Grapevine Wine & Liquor - (make sure to check out the Beer Cave!!), and Applejacks near Lakewood. 

Coaltrain (Colorado Springs) (Visit Their Site)

Keep up with our travels on Instagram {here}! We have lots more of this adventure to go...

What To Wear On A Road Trip

It's so important to stay comfortable yet chic while traveling. I am not the type to throw on some loose fitting sweats and head out in public. I understand how comfy it would be, but there are also lots of items you can wear that look more pulled-together but feel amazingly comfy still! Here are a few ideas for you, that can span across multiple climates and beyond!

COMFY SHOES

I like to at least have a cute pair of sneakers, and I could not live without my Birkenstocks for any trip I ever take. I often like to have a pair of waterproof and lightweight flip flops, because they don't take up much room, and are worth the tiny space they take up! 

All White Adidas

Comfy Birkenstocks

LOOSE FITTING TOPS

I tend to like to mix longer shirts with my comfy leggings, so here are a couple of ideas for you! And, they really don't look like they would wrinkle at all. 

Tunic Top

Olive Collared Tunic Top

 A COMFY YET STRUCTURED JACKET

While some denim jackets can be kind of constricting, if you find one that is lighter materials, or just worn in really well, put this great piece on over just about anything, and you will look like hot sh*t :) I always love a great jacket. I have also seen some great stretchy blazer style jackets that could also work pretty well here. 

A Perfectly Worn Denim Jacket 

LOVE YOUR LEGGINGS

Of course, a couple of high quality pair of leggings will be your go-to pair of pants for every day you're in the car. Of course, please feel free to style them with boots and booties, sneakers, flats, sandals, and even a wedge heel! 

Jeans / Leggings

Jeans / Leggings

A LARGE PURSE & A SMALLER ONE

I always try to bring one large purse, so I can stuff my life's essentials into one place in the car. I love this leather bag, below, because it is well made and very roomy. I have made the mistake of bringing cheaper purses in the $20-30 range on road trips, and the lining always tears out, I am heartbroken, and have to toss the purse along the way! Good luck finding a cute purse in the middle of nowhere.

A Large Purse is important. And, make sure it's nicer, maybe made of leather...

A Smaller Purse can be taken into a shop or a restaurant much easier than a larger purse. 

That's all for now! Are you heading anywhere soon? Let me know in the comments, below. 

Missouri Department Of Tourism

Super excited about this recent collaboration with Missouri Department of Tourism! They even posted my recipes on their blog (here). They asked me to submit ideas and then images of activities someone would do in Missouri in the Fall. I immediately thought about all the times we have camped, fished, hiked, and road tripped to Missouri! Bobby used to go down with his family to camp in Missouri a countless number of times when he was younger, and he was the one who really showed me the beauty of the state. 

CHECK OUT THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM BLOG HERE

Here are a few of my favorite images Bobby and I created for this amazingly fun and nostalgic project! View all the images in my Portfolio (here). 

VIEW THE WHOLE PORTFOLIO HERE

View This On Pinterest / View This On The Missouri Department of Tourism Blog

View This On Pinterest / View This On The Missouri Department of Tourism Blog

View This On Pinterest / View This On The Missouri Department of Tourism Blog