The End

Well, the cross-country road trip has ended. It is definitely a bitter sweet feeling. I loved every moment of the trip but it's always nice to be home. Many have asked, but I have no favorite places. From the great nightlife in New Orleans to the beautiful sunsets in Utah, I've loved everywhere we've visited. Below is a visual summary of our trip. Enjoy!

Steel City

This past weekend Nick and I spent time with my mom and our family in Pittsburgh, PA. We were given wonderful tours of the city by my cousin, Dennis. We were able to see the city and I was able to spend some time with my family. The first night we took a driving tour of downtown Pittsburgh. We ended the evening at the top of Mt. Washington, which is a hill over looking the entire city. It was a beautiful way to end our first night in the Steel City. In the morning we ventured over to the Strip-a bustling street of shops and vendors. They had everything from Polish delis to a fish market. The sights, sounds and smells of it were overwhelming in the best way. From there we went to the famous restaurant/bar The Original Oyster House. This legendary tavern known for its huge but delicious fish sandwiches, is Pittsburgh's oldest restaurant and a personal favorite of my mom's. After spending a wonderful night at my cousin Kathy's we went over to Ohiopyle- a park highlighted by a beautiful waterfall. From there we made our way over to Frank Loyd Wright's masterpiece Falling Water. We took a tour of the grounds and learned about the house and the original owners, the Kauffmans. Pittsburgh was even better than I remember it and it was great to see my family on our last stop!

Slide Show of Chicago

Chi-Town

Yesterday Nick and I spent the day in downtown Chicago. The city was beautiful, even if we didn't have the best weather at times. We stayed at the James Hotel, a modern boutique hotel in the Magnificent Mile-Chicago's Fifth Avenue. We wandered down to the Navy Pier to see the lake and eat some delicious deep-dish pizza. From there we went to Willis Tower, formerly the Sears Tower. We went up to the famous Sky Deck, 1,353 feet in the air. Nick and I reluctantly went on the newly built ledges, fully enclosed glass ledges overlooking the city. The view was breathtaking but it was one of the scariest things I've done. It was fifteen dollars per person but it also included a short film of Chicago's history so it was worth the money. It was very crowded for a Thursday afternoon so I wouldn't recommend going on the weekend. For dinner we went to Niu, a sushi fusion restaurant-it was the best sushi I've had! For the night we traveled to Wrigleyville, an area by Wrigleyfield with streets lined with bars. The bars were packed but the prices were right and all in all it was a great night. Nick and I fell in love with the Windy City and we were sad to leave but now we're in Pittsburgh, my mom's hometown, to visit family and show Nick around town. It's our last stop on our road trip so we're going to make it memorable!

Slide Show of Our Time Out West

One Mile Above Sea Level

Nick and I spent last night in Denver, the Mile High City. Upon arriving we visited the Coors Brewery in Golden, CO just outside Denver. We took a 30-minute tour which gave us an inside look on how Coors beers are brewed. The tour was free and at the end we were able to taste some freshly-brewed beers including my favorite-Blue Moon (to think we were going to pass on taking this tour). From there we went to eat at Wynkoop, a legendary brewery/restaurant in downtown Denver. The food was unbelievable and the beers were pretty good as well. We also took time to visit the historic part of Denver. We stopped by the Capitol Building as well as viewing the beautiful Denver Art Museum. On our way out we stopped by City Park, a beautiful park near the Denver Zoo with a lake and a beautiful view of the city. Denver was awesome, my only regret was not staying another day. Now we're at a pit stop in Kansas City, MO before we head out to Chicago. Although we're leaving early tomorrow morning we did manage to get some fabulous BBQ at Arthur Bryant's Restaurant. This incredibly famous restaurant is a favorite of the stars including Steven Spielberg and I can tell why. I'm not an expert but this was the best BBQ I have ever eaten. This simple restaurant is legendary and one of my new favorites. For the night, Kansas City, tomorrow on to the Windy City.

The Old West

On our first time heading north, Nick and I spent yesterday traveling through Arizona and up into Utah. Our first stop was Sedona-one of the most beautiful places I've visited to date. We spent most of our time at Slide Rock Park. This park, just a couple of miles north of the city, has a naturally made waterside in the middle of gigantic mountains. The park was extremely crowded so I definitely recommend coming on a weekday but at just ten bucks per car it's a must-see attraction for those visiting Sedona. From there we traveled north to Monument Valley, right inside Utah. We camped at Gouldings Campground which overlooked huge rock monuments spread throughout a beautiful valley. It was an amazing place to camp and the price was right as well. Now we're currently at the gorgeous Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Denver-thank you Mrs. D! Our plans for tonight are to get some good grub and see as much of the city as we can.

Slide Show of San Diego

Here's a slide show of our San Diego visit. A big thanks to Kevin, Di, and Syd for showing us such a great time!

Sunny San Diego

What a day to be spent at the beach! Eighty-five degree weather without a cloud in the sky! Early this morning the Tunell family were kind enough to take Nick and I down to San Diego. Arriving just after Noon we were beach bums for the rest of the day. The water was a little cold but what I was surprised at was the massive seaweed surrounding the beach. I've never seen seaweed this big! After the beach we headed out to dinner at Edgewater Grill-the food was delicious and the portions were huge. If you're not sure what to get ask for Walter-he'll hook you up with some great suggestions. Lastly, we couldn't come to San Diego and not visit the newest resident of the city-Brendan! We met up with him for drinks and headed to the Gas Lamp District in downtown San Diego. I was completely surprised. I had always thought of San Diego as a beach city and nothing else but I had never imagined the huge nightlife it had as well. There were streets lined with bars and clubs and there lines of people at every spot waiting to get in. We settled at a bar called Maloney's Tavern to catch up. It was great seeing Brendan and I know he's going to have an amazing time here! All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by San Diego. My interpretations of this town were way off and I definitely loved my stay here. Now we're mid-way through with our trip but we definitely feel that our glass is half-full-we're excited for the northern trek back home!

Greetings from Yuma

Well we've finally made it to the Tunell home in Yuma, Arizona. Earlier we were treated to some delicious authentic Mexican food but now we're gearing up for our trip to sunny San Diego. Early tomorrow morning Nick and I along with Syd and the rest of the gang will be driving westbound to Southern Cali. Tomorrow night I'll blog and give everyone a recap of our travels. Until then...

Slide Show of Austin/Lake Travis

This morning we are saying goodbye to Las Cruces and heading to Yuma, Arizona-I can't wait to see Sydney, Di, and Kevin! Here's a slide show of Austin and Lake Travis. Enjoy.

Lake Travis

Yesterday was definitely our most adventure-filled day yet. Before leaving Austin, TX we stopped by St. Edward's University, which happens to be my Uncle Ray's Alma Mater. From then we went on to Lake Travis. We camped at Pace Ben Park, a 1,300-acre lot right on the lake. Pace Ben Park is perfect for wildlife-watching and swimming by the beach. However, during our trip Nick and I spent most of the day stuck in the beach. We decided to drive down to the beach and park right at the water's edge before swimming, like the other campers. I thought my Jetta could handle it-WRONG! As we were leaving we quickly became engulfed in sand and found ourselves stuck. A park ranger came by and assisted Nick as he spent a good hour trying to dig us out. With no luck, it looked like we were going to have to call a tow truck but finally, a friendly stranger came to our rescue and pulled us out with his pick-up. Even though the armadillos kept me up all night and I nearly lost my car to the beach, we had an amazing time at Lake Travis! It's only forty-five minutes west of Austin so it's a must-see for anyone in the area. Now we're at Las Cruces, New Mexico, a pit stop before Arizona. Below are some pictures from last night including a short video of our beach rescue...I guess VW's aren't meant for beach cruising.

Last Stand at the Alamo

Nick and I definitely took advantage of our one night in Austin. Even thought the temperature hit 105, Nick and I made it our mission to see as much as we could. Minutes after arriving we rushed to 6th street (a long strip of bars and restaurants) to grab something to eat. We decided on Iron Cactus, a Mexican restaurant on the corner of 6th and Trinity Street. The fajitas we're delicious and the margaritas were even better. Nick and I then rushed down to the Congressional Bridge to view the world's largest urban bat colony exit their homes. I have been wanting to see this ever since Sam Brown visited it on her trip to Austin. Every summer night at dusk, thousands of bats exit their "makeshift caves" under the Congressional Bridge in downtown Austin. To get an idea of how popular this attraction is, there is even a Bat Hotline where visitors and locals alike can call to find out an estimated time that the bats will exit each night. How cool! From there Nick and I strolled up and down 6th street listening to some great live music and enjoying the wicked good drink deals. Austin is defintely a cool place for music lovers, of any age. Now we're off to tour some more of Austin's attractions before it's off to Lake Travis for a little camping. Below are some pics from last night.

Slide Show of New Orleans

Just arrived in Austin! Here's a slide show of our Big Easy visit. Enjoy :)

Off the Beaten Way

New Orleans has been amazing. I can't imagine living here...I'm exhausted! We took a street car down to the Garden District yesterday. (Trolleys are the best way of transportation down here). We spent most of the morning strolling Magazine Street-a window shopper's paradise of old antique shops and cute boutiques. My favorite shop was definitely Funky Monkey-a small vintage boutique. In there we saw the actress Jennifer Coolidge from "Legally Blonde" (sorry couldn't get a picture). We then visited Lafayette Cemetery-a must see for anyone visiting New Orleans-very eerie but beautiful. (Be sure to go before 2:00 because it closes at 2:30). We also toured the French Quarter (where our hotel is located) Esplanade Street is beautiful and Royal street had some more quirky antique shops. The food of course was delicious. On the advice from the concierge we went to Oceana on Conti St. Amazing Cajun food! Until next time New Orleans...Now it's on to Austin-Yee-Haw!

I Love This Crazy Place

First night in the Big Easy was awesome! The majority of the night was spent going in and out of bars on Bourbon St. Any ordinary tourist, like me, would never have guessed it was a Sunday night. I can't imagine what it's like here during Mardi Gras. Our favorite bars so far are Tropical Isle and Beer Fest. If you're ever in Beer Fest ask for Holly...the sweetest bartender in Louisiana. She informed us of the must-see spots in New Orleans. I also managed to taste my first Hurricane....and a "Hand Grenade" (or two). Nick woke me up at 7am so we're getting an early (and obscene) start to our day. Cheers from the N.O.!

Down by the Bayou

Finally...we've made it! After twelve LONG hours in the car we are now in the Big Easy! Our hotel is great, right on Conti St. just a block down from Bourbon St. Our plan for tonight is to wander down Bourbon and to try my first Hurricane. Big day tomorrow!

Slide Show of Day 1

Sunset in Charleston

It's not quite 830am yet but Nick and I are packing up and getting ready to move on from Charleston. I wish we could stay another night. Yesterday was amazing and our night was no different. We made it into Hyman's! The wait wasn't that long but the food was pretty good. Nick had an amazing flounder dish (jealous). We also tried Palmetto-Charleston's local beer, which I have to say was pretty tasty. After dinner we went to Roof Top-an awesome bar on top of a hotel. The sunset was beautiful and the drinks we're good (thank you Jeff). We later walked around E. Bay street for a little bar hopping. We stopped by Wasabi's where I had my first Saki Bomb (which was a disaster). We went to a few other bars and listened to some live music. All in all Charleston was amazing-a beautiful, charming city with great people. Well I must be going. Nick and I have a 12 hour trip to New Orleans. I'll try to post later....