In the 80's my ex husband, young daughter and I went on a National Lampoon level road trip which included a stop in Las Vegas. We drove to Arizona on the back roads to visit my aunt and uncle in a Phoenix suburb. I had no idea the desert could house so many beautiful vividly colored plants because I was used to the scrubby barren California desert. The scenery was breathtaking. Did you experience that by any chance?
The scenery was incredible, but I didn't see so many plants. It looked like the surface of Mars. I half expected to see Kirk and Spock come over one of the hills.
I agree 100%, Jennifer. And as I read the comments on the PREVAIL Substack, I see so *many* beautiful souls, each with so much to share. Thank you, Greg, for bringing together this lovely community. And thank you, Jennifer, for saying in two sentences exactly how I feel.
My late '80's Atlantic City experiences dissolved any desire to ever visit Vegas and I've not seen Grand Canyon as yet. But I do understand the tears and that "looking directly at the face of God" feeling came from experiencing Yellowstone for a summer in the early '80s which has stayed with me always. I live in the country for that very reason and am grateful for the tranquility the gods/goddesses deliver every day. 🌈
I think the parts of Vegas that are nice are WAY nicer than A.C. But there are plenty of better places to visit. GC is a must, though, if you can swing it.
Cosmopolitan Nevada, both the Reno end and the Las Vegas end, have no value to people of substance. I say that as a commercial truck driver who has been to both many times. In my entire life, outside of truck driving, I have met no one from Reno or Las Vegas.
Until now. In our new neighborhood on the Olympic Peninsula, we have met three couples who escaped from Las Vegas. That’s how they view it. They don’t have good things to say.
Back in about 2003, my then-girlfriend-now-wife and I did our own tour of the Southwest national parks. Over 2 weeks, we visited one gorgeous site after another in Utah and AZ. We had to make a stopover in Las Vegas and, curiously, our stop was also at Mandalay Bay.
If you are looking for a breathtaking destination and a potential chance at an awe-inspiring or even life-changing stop, in addition to Grand Canyon, may I suggest:
• Zion NP
• Moab (Canyonlands-Arches-Dead Horse Point).
• Yosemite
• Sequoia and Kings Canyon
Preferably not during tourist season. We visited Zion and Moab (and the other NPs in that region) in February.
On the coast:
• Olympic NP
• Redwood NP
• on the California coast north of Pismo Beach and Cambria, and absolutely anywhere on the Oregon and Washington coast, again preferably not in summer, say, before June and after Labor Day.
Yosemite is magical no matter when you visit, even at the height of tourist season. Yosemite has a way of getting into your soul despite overcrowded conditions, it’s majestic.
That’s my personal list of the Best of the West. Of course if you want to enjoy a large city getaway guaranteed to be enjoyable and refreshing, for us it’s San Francisco and San Diego. We’ve never been in either of those two cities and not been happy. Don’t ask me why. They’re just special.
Yes. And visit the chapel there that Frank Lloyd Wright designed. It's turned touristy now but is still beautiful in those red hills. The drive from Sedona to Grand Canyon is lovely but a bit breath taking, if one doesn't like navigating hairpin switch backs.
I'm heading out in another day or two for three weeks in Yosemite. My Great-Grandmother ran a summer camp in the little village of Wawona and we still have a tiny parcel of land with a cabin on it inside the park.
Like my Grandfather before me, I have taken up a role as a conservator/caretaker of the cabin and the property. It's a lot of work ahead of me, and yet so incredibly relaxing just to be there. I haven't been there since 2019 as the pandemic got in the way. In the last few years I remember being run out of there by fires. Then there was an incredible wind storm a year and a half ago that felled large trees and crushed cars and houses alike. I guess a 10 foot diameter tree is nothing to take for granted.
I have been to most of the parks that Roland has listed, and nothing comes close (for me) as Yosemite does.
Disneyland is a very special place, especially when you visit as a child, as I did in the 1970s. It absolutely changed my life and my view of the world.
A while back, I wanted to visit Disneyland as an adult. What ruins Disneyland is the crowds. I got on the phone with them and asked, insistently and repeatedly, when the best time to visit was. During the holidays? Before the holidays? After the holidays? On Christmas Day? On New Year’s Day? On any other major holiday? Any particular day of the week? Any particular time of the year? Any particular month or season?
The consistent answer: Disneyland is always crowded. None of those times were better than any other time.
So we picked a time in February, since February seems to be a month that is generically low on tourist traffic.
The day that we arrived at Disneyland, it was raining. This is Los Angeles, mind you. “Rain“ means a light drizzle which occasionally rises to a mild to moderate drizzle. There is rarely any such thing as a heavy rain. I can say that after seven straight years of driving down there every week. It’s hard to get your clothes really wet.
Disneyland was deserted. We got onto our favorite ride, Pirates of the Caribbean (the original rogue pirates / burning village / damsel in distress version), and then we got off at the end, and we got right back on again, etc. We did that to our hearts’ content. Then we did it at several other rides.
It was FABULOUS.
So don’t ever let anyone convince you magic doesn’t happen. It does. Disneyland is deserted whenever the tiniest bit of water falls from the sky. That’s the time to visit.
On another occasion, I visited San Francisco the weekend after the World Series earthquake of 1989. Deserted. If you ever want a totally amazing, surreal, and unforgettable experience, visit LA or San Francisco after a major quake.
Hey, Roland! Been to Disneyland once but Disney World about six or seven times as an adult. We picked off season to go (when schools were in session). Though busy, it was not crowded. Pirates of the C was also my favorite. With short lines, we took that ride several times. Also, Haunted Mansion was a great place to get scared but know you were safe!
A stranger to Las Vegas, reading just the billboards, would conclude that Sin City was a place where Christian gentlemen, unable to make it rise again, hurt themselves trying.
This essay only confirms my commitment made in 1990 to seldom go farther than walking or biking distance from home again. I'm already where I want to be so why go somewhere else.
Traveling broadens one's view. Staying in place deepens it.
How beautiful and how accurate. Las Vegas is a soul-suck; the best thing about it is the reviews of the city jail. Comedy gold! And now, with all the respect in the world, can you go away some more so they can arrest the orange mofo?
To really experience the majesty of the Canyon, I suggest a commercial raft trip through the upper part (Lee's Ferry to Phantom Ranch/Bright Angel trail). You do need to hike back out, which is a day-long and tough chore. It's about a week with oar or paddle boats. There are also motorized trips, but that seems wrong to me. Nothing but the river, the canyon, and stillness. Probably not even a cell signal. It's a scenery trip rather than a whitewater adventure, although there are a few good rapids.
When my husband and went on the first trip, we decided to hike down to the river (we were on the South Rim). After hiking about 45 minutes, we were both winded - and that was going DOWN. It took us another four hours to retrace our steps back up that path. It's like a body lift with every step - that steep. So, there was very little looking going on and a whole lot of heavy breathing. Compound that with the fear that at some point your knees might give way and you'd be stuck there on that climb!
It's amazing how moments of awe can break us open, but we are usually too busy entertaining ourselves to notice what is all around us. Now you got me crying.
My family and I planned and paid for a trip to Disney World in 2019. We were scheduled to go in June 2020. The Pandemic put an end to that. We had to use the credit and ended up going this year in June 2022. We looked at this as our last family trip before our oldest starts her own life. We were really looking forward to it as we have been there several times while the kids were growing up. Well...let me tell you...it was nothing like the Disney we had visited in the past. There were some good experiences but overall it felt like nothing more than an amusement park. It used to be filled with "experiences" not just "rides". It was so crowded and they just kept letting people flow in. When we were standing in line (which was a lot since they got rid of "fast passes") they kept telling everyone to fill in the empty spaces which meant they wanted us right on top of each other during a Pandemic! I just looked at them like "Yeah, that's not happening". And the staff kept calling us "Friend" which I assume was to give the illusion that they were treating us like a "friend", which they most certainly were not. I detected an underlying current of anger and confusion from the staff which was disconcerting. We have decided this will be our last trip to Disney World.
It’s tough when you expect a certain outcome during a vacation trip. Sometimes the experience of a certain visit never happens again. To have a magical experience, at Disney or a national park or elsewhere, sometimes it takes luck. You have to be open to magic without expecting it.
If you’re looking for a magical trip to the Western U.S., I do recommend looking at the list in my other post here. See if you are drawn to Zion, or Olympic NP, or the Pacific coast, or any of the others. Maybe Hawaii. Sometimes it just takes the right timing.
For us, there are certain sites that are guaranteed magic and / or happiness. San Francisco. San Diego. The San Francisco Giants ballpark. All the national parks and natural settings on that list.
Lived awhile in Arizona in the 70's, when a trip to THE Grand Canyon meant a stay in Flagstaff, 2 for $8, 4 for $12, magic fingers (mattress, we discovered) for an extra 25 cents. We shared a room with another couple and laughed (and jiggled) all night (because, of course, when one couple fell asleep, the other dug out a quarter...). As I recall the Grand Canyon was pretty cool, too.
Thanks, Greg. This was a beautiful piece of writing and insight into the horribly big and spiritual challenges we find ourselves facing. All the best, Roger.
In the 80's my ex husband, young daughter and I went on a National Lampoon level road trip which included a stop in Las Vegas. We drove to Arizona on the back roads to visit my aunt and uncle in a Phoenix suburb. I had no idea the desert could house so many beautiful vividly colored plants because I was used to the scrubby barren California desert. The scenery was breathtaking. Did you experience that by any chance?
The scenery was incredible, but I didn't see so many plants. It looked like the surface of Mars. I half expected to see Kirk and Spock come over one of the hills.
Too close to summer for good vegetation.
You have a beautiful soul Greg Olear. I wish there were more of you 💟🦄
I agree 100%, Jennifer. And as I read the comments on the PREVAIL Substack, I see so *many* beautiful souls, each with so much to share. Thank you, Greg, for bringing together this lovely community. And thank you, Jennifer, for saying in two sentences exactly how I feel.
This really is a fantastic group of humans. I missed everyone!
We missed you, too!
🤗
Thank you for saying so.
So beautifully written Greg. I teared up reading this ~ tears of joy and tears of sadness for what was, is and will never be again.
Thanks, Helen!
My late '80's Atlantic City experiences dissolved any desire to ever visit Vegas and I've not seen Grand Canyon as yet. But I do understand the tears and that "looking directly at the face of God" feeling came from experiencing Yellowstone for a summer in the early '80s which has stayed with me always. I live in the country for that very reason and am grateful for the tranquility the gods/goddesses deliver every day. 🌈
I think the parts of Vegas that are nice are WAY nicer than A.C. But there are plenty of better places to visit. GC is a must, though, if you can swing it.
Cosmopolitan Nevada, both the Reno end and the Las Vegas end, have no value to people of substance. I say that as a commercial truck driver who has been to both many times. In my entire life, outside of truck driving, I have met no one from Reno or Las Vegas.
Until now. In our new neighborhood on the Olympic Peninsula, we have met three couples who escaped from Las Vegas. That’s how they view it. They don’t have good things to say.
Back in about 2003, my then-girlfriend-now-wife and I did our own tour of the Southwest national parks. Over 2 weeks, we visited one gorgeous site after another in Utah and AZ. We had to make a stopover in Las Vegas and, curiously, our stop was also at Mandalay Bay.
If you are looking for a breathtaking destination and a potential chance at an awe-inspiring or even life-changing stop, in addition to Grand Canyon, may I suggest:
• Zion NP
• Moab (Canyonlands-Arches-Dead Horse Point).
• Yosemite
• Sequoia and Kings Canyon
Preferably not during tourist season. We visited Zion and Moab (and the other NPs in that region) in February.
On the coast:
• Olympic NP
• Redwood NP
• on the California coast north of Pismo Beach and Cambria, and absolutely anywhere on the Oregon and Washington coast, again preferably not in summer, say, before June and after Labor Day.
Yosemite is magical no matter when you visit, even at the height of tourist season. Yosemite has a way of getting into your soul despite overcrowded conditions, it’s majestic.
That’s my personal list of the Best of the West. Of course if you want to enjoy a large city getaway guaranteed to be enjoyable and refreshing, for us it’s San Francisco and San Diego. We’ve never been in either of those two cities and not been happy. Don’t ask me why. They’re just special.
Boulder CO is another magical city.
Living a half mile from some of the greatest trails ever, I will always hold Boulder dear in my heart.
Add Sedona, an hour and a half from the Canyon.
Never been there, I always wanted to visit.
Yes. And visit the chapel there that Frank Lloyd Wright designed. It's turned touristy now but is still beautiful in those red hills. The drive from Sedona to Grand Canyon is lovely but a bit breath taking, if one doesn't like navigating hairpin switch backs.
Solid list, Roland. Thanks for sharing!
I'm heading out in another day or two for three weeks in Yosemite. My Great-Grandmother ran a summer camp in the little village of Wawona and we still have a tiny parcel of land with a cabin on it inside the park.
Like my Grandfather before me, I have taken up a role as a conservator/caretaker of the cabin and the property. It's a lot of work ahead of me, and yet so incredibly relaxing just to be there. I haven't been there since 2019 as the pandemic got in the way. In the last few years I remember being run out of there by fires. Then there was an incredible wind storm a year and a half ago that felled large trees and crushed cars and houses alike. I guess a 10 foot diameter tree is nothing to take for granted.
I have been to most of the parks that Roland has listed, and nothing comes close (for me) as Yosemite does.
You’re so lucky to have inherited property in that lovely area!
Re: Disneyland
Disneyland is a very special place, especially when you visit as a child, as I did in the 1970s. It absolutely changed my life and my view of the world.
A while back, I wanted to visit Disneyland as an adult. What ruins Disneyland is the crowds. I got on the phone with them and asked, insistently and repeatedly, when the best time to visit was. During the holidays? Before the holidays? After the holidays? On Christmas Day? On New Year’s Day? On any other major holiday? Any particular day of the week? Any particular time of the year? Any particular month or season?
The consistent answer: Disneyland is always crowded. None of those times were better than any other time.
So we picked a time in February, since February seems to be a month that is generically low on tourist traffic.
The day that we arrived at Disneyland, it was raining. This is Los Angeles, mind you. “Rain“ means a light drizzle which occasionally rises to a mild to moderate drizzle. There is rarely any such thing as a heavy rain. I can say that after seven straight years of driving down there every week. It’s hard to get your clothes really wet.
Disneyland was deserted. We got onto our favorite ride, Pirates of the Caribbean (the original rogue pirates / burning village / damsel in distress version), and then we got off at the end, and we got right back on again, etc. We did that to our hearts’ content. Then we did it at several other rides.
It was FABULOUS.
So don’t ever let anyone convince you magic doesn’t happen. It does. Disneyland is deserted whenever the tiniest bit of water falls from the sky. That’s the time to visit.
On another occasion, I visited San Francisco the weekend after the World Series earthquake of 1989. Deserted. If you ever want a totally amazing, surreal, and unforgettable experience, visit LA or San Francisco after a major quake.
Hey, Roland! Been to Disneyland once but Disney World about six or seven times as an adult. We picked off season to go (when schools were in session). Though busy, it was not crowded. Pirates of the C was also my favorite. With short lines, we took that ride several times. Also, Haunted Mansion was a great place to get scared but know you were safe!
A stranger to Las Vegas, reading just the billboards, would conclude that Sin City was a place where Christian gentlemen, unable to make it rise again, hurt themselves trying.
Sounds like the US Supreme Court to me.
Ha!
This essay only confirms my commitment made in 1990 to seldom go farther than walking or biking distance from home again. I'm already where I want to be so why go somewhere else.
Traveling broadens one's view. Staying in place deepens it.
That is how most humans who ever lived lived.
How beautiful and how accurate. Las Vegas is a soul-suck; the best thing about it is the reviews of the city jail. Comedy gold! And now, with all the respect in the world, can you go away some more so they can arrest the orange mofo?
Haha! I think it's Allison Gill whose going on vaca produces indictments.
Okay! What say the two of you enjoy a long platonic weekend so we can get this show on the road.
I've lived in AZ for 37 years and have always used "the" Grand Canyon. I hole you made it to Sedona as well.
Make that "hope." Sedona has stunning natural beauty. You just need to avoid the tourist traps and crystal shops on the main drag.
CDT you can correct typos and make edits by clicking on the 3 dots underneath your own posts.
To really experience the majesty of the Canyon, I suggest a commercial raft trip through the upper part (Lee's Ferry to Phantom Ranch/Bright Angel trail). You do need to hike back out, which is a day-long and tough chore. It's about a week with oar or paddle boats. There are also motorized trips, but that seems wrong to me. Nothing but the river, the canyon, and stillness. Probably not even a cell signal. It's a scenery trip rather than a whitewater adventure, although there are a few good rapids.
That sounds amazing. Although it scares me just reading it! My wife hiked down the first time she went. It must look fabulous, looking up.
When my husband and went on the first trip, we decided to hike down to the river (we were on the South Rim). After hiking about 45 minutes, we were both winded - and that was going DOWN. It took us another four hours to retrace our steps back up that path. It's like a body lift with every step - that steep. So, there was very little looking going on and a whole lot of heavy breathing. Compound that with the fear that at some point your knees might give way and you'd be stuck there on that climb!
It's amazing how moments of awe can break us open, but we are usually too busy entertaining ourselves to notice what is all around us. Now you got me crying.
Thanks for saying so.
My family and I planned and paid for a trip to Disney World in 2019. We were scheduled to go in June 2020. The Pandemic put an end to that. We had to use the credit and ended up going this year in June 2022. We looked at this as our last family trip before our oldest starts her own life. We were really looking forward to it as we have been there several times while the kids were growing up. Well...let me tell you...it was nothing like the Disney we had visited in the past. There were some good experiences but overall it felt like nothing more than an amusement park. It used to be filled with "experiences" not just "rides". It was so crowded and they just kept letting people flow in. When we were standing in line (which was a lot since they got rid of "fast passes") they kept telling everyone to fill in the empty spaces which meant they wanted us right on top of each other during a Pandemic! I just looked at them like "Yeah, that's not happening". And the staff kept calling us "Friend" which I assume was to give the illusion that they were treating us like a "friend", which they most certainly were not. I detected an underlying current of anger and confusion from the staff which was disconcerting. We have decided this will be our last trip to Disney World.
Disney went to shit in 66.
I've been to better County Fairs ran by thieving Carnies.
It’s tough when you expect a certain outcome during a vacation trip. Sometimes the experience of a certain visit never happens again. To have a magical experience, at Disney or a national park or elsewhere, sometimes it takes luck. You have to be open to magic without expecting it.
If you’re looking for a magical trip to the Western U.S., I do recommend looking at the list in my other post here. See if you are drawn to Zion, or Olympic NP, or the Pacific coast, or any of the others. Maybe Hawaii. Sometimes it just takes the right timing.
For us, there are certain sites that are guaranteed magic and / or happiness. San Francisco. San Diego. The San Francisco Giants ballpark. All the national parks and natural settings on that list.
Magic?
Okay Great Wonders are still available.
But they have been reduced by the intrusions of vehicles.
At 82 i continue to push for more Roadless Wilderness.
And of course less humans.
I'm closing in on providing more space.
San Diego was ok in 1950. I quit going in 91.
Grunions had been replaced by kids high on drugs attempting to run you over with their skate boards.
Lived awhile in Arizona in the 70's, when a trip to THE Grand Canyon meant a stay in Flagstaff, 2 for $8, 4 for $12, magic fingers (mattress, we discovered) for an extra 25 cents. We shared a room with another couple and laughed (and jiggled) all night (because, of course, when one couple fell asleep, the other dug out a quarter...). As I recall the Grand Canyon was pretty cool, too.
Oh, MaryPat, this makes me laugh...out loud! And surely the price was right? Thanks!
So glad it still brings joy! We all had a blast!!
HA! Magic Fingers! Oh the memories….:)
Great scribbling Greg.
Thanks for Crying,
The Colorado needs the water
I'll return later with how Brown is Beautiful.
Thanks, Greg. This was a beautiful piece of writing and insight into the horribly big and spiritual challenges we find ourselves facing. All the best, Roger.