Carole Terwilliger Meyers's Blog, page 39

Sights to See: Oatman, Arizona

Situated at elevation 2,700 feet and on the 38th parallel, the old Gold Rush town of Oatman in Arizona is on the original, now defunct, Route 66.  Started in 1906 as a tent camp, its mines had produced 1.8 million ounces (worth about $60 million) of gold by 1931.  The boom was over by the mid-1930s, and in 1942 the few remaining mines closed after being declared nonessential to the war effort. 


Now this historic mining town is a sort of "living ghost town," with about 100 permanent residents.  A mine shaft opening can be entered at no cost, and shootouts on main street are scheduled daily. 


But most people come here to see the burros.  

Though it is wise to keep a safe distance from them because they are wild and will sometimes bite and kick, that is almost impossible to do.  Especially the babies, which are too, too cute and just beg to be petted.  You can buy inexpensive feed for the adult burros—just watch that they don’t come after you for more and take a nip out of your shirt or purse by mistake—but you’re reminded by a note attached to their foreheads not to feed the babies.  They are still nursing and regular food is detrimental to their health.


Burros were brought to the area by early prospectors. They were used inside mines for hauling rock and ore, and outside for hauling water and supplies.  Eventually, when the mines closed, they were released into the surrounding hills.

Oatman Hotel  181 Main St., (928) 768-4408.  Hollywood movie stars Clark Gable and Carole Lombard famously honeymooned here in 1939.  You can view their upstairs honeymoon suite for a small fee.  The hotel dates back to 1902.  It survived a bad fire in 1920 and is now the oldest two-story building in Arizona's Mohave County and is on the Registrar of National Historic Places. The hotel looks pretty much like it did when the miners were here and is rumored to be haunted by Oatie the ghost.  Downstairs is a bar and cafe that are memorable for the dollar bills tacked like three-dimensional wallpaper to the wall, a tradition that started with the miners back when 5 cents bought a beer.  They would write their name on a dollar bill and tack it to the wall to start a tab.  Ask to borrow a staple gun and add your own signed dollar.  The menu is simple American food.  But the $6 cocktail menu offers temptingly named drinks:  Oatman Punch, Blushing Burro, Pink Lizard, Snake Bite, and Donkey Pee, which is made with Parrot Bay coconut rum, sour mix, and club soda, and many swear is quite tasty. 





Oatman, Arizona, is 28 miles southeast of Laughlin, Nevada.  Getting there takes you along Route 66 through the scenic Black Mountains.  They are dotted with cholla plants and tumbleweeds, some of which bear the wind-blown remnants of decorations bestowed upon them by schoolchildren at Christmases past. 

More information about Oatman, Arizona.

Things to do in nearby Laughlin, Nevada. 

More travel articles to inspire you and help you plan some spectacular getaways.  

images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 
 

Things to Do: The Mob Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada

The Mob Museum   300 Stewart Ave., Downtown Las Vegas, (702) 229-2734.  Daily 10am-7pm.  $21.95, 65+ $17.95, 11-17 $13.95.  Guided tours daily; $10.  Located within the actual courthouse that once was used to try famous mobsters, this macabre museum displays both the actual wall from the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and the barber chair in which sat gangster Albert Anastasia when he was murdered.  Artifacts include weapons, and you can sit in an electric chair and take a selfie.  Start your self-guided tour at the top, on the third floor, and work your way down, exiting through an enticing array of souvenirs in the gift shop.  Interactive exhibits and video presentations provide insight.  Beer and snacks are available, and you are welcome to beat the heat sipping a cold one as you walk through the museum.  




More things to do in Las Vegas.

More travel articles to inspire you and help you plan some spectacular getaways.  

images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: Laughlin, Nevada

Folks come to Laughlin because it is lower-key and less expensive than Vegas.  They are often on their way from L.A. to the Grand Canyon (it is a two-hour drive from here to one rim, three to the other).  The town has a population 7,500, but no grocery stores, doctors, or dentists.  Getting around is easy.  You can easily walk between the river-front casinos, or better yet, take a water taxi. 

My favorite time to be here is for the annual Laughlin Laugh Fest comedy festival in October.  For three happy days, headliners appear as well as tryouts.  This year I got some good chuckles watching Gabriel Iglesias at the Edgewater and Frank Caliendo at Harrah’s. 

Located riverside in the heart of the Laughlin Riverwalk hotel district, the Aquarius Casino Resort  (1900 S. Casino Dr., (702) 298-5111.  1,907 rooms; 2 18-story towers.  Pool; fitness room.) offers many guest rooms with a view of the Colorado River.

Rooms are furnished attractively and equipped with cherry wood vanities, Serta mattresses, and designer linens, and bathrooms have granite counters.


While here, I saw one woman excitedly jumping up and down beside her clanging buffalo stampede slot machine in the casino, and I chatted with a quiet group of three in the elevator who told me, “We made our deposit.  We’re going home.”  Restaurants include a McDonald’s, the Windows on the River Buffet (I loved the donuts included in the big breakfast buffet, but was disappointed that I ate there in the morning because it was too early for me to partake of the always-complimentary margaritas), and the more upscale Vineyard Ristorante.  Additionally, The Celebration, a simulated paddlewheel riverboat, schedules dinner cruises March through October.
check out that wine pour!For dinner one night, I ambled down to Bumbleberry Flats in the western-themed Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall and indulged in their menu of made-from-scratch American comfort food with a southern twist.  The fried dill pickle chips with chipotle ranch dip are a don’t-miss appetizer—fried deviled eggs are also quite tempting—

 and the tropical mixed drinks liven thing up (I loved my mai tai-like Cowboy Cooler).  

The Wreckless Sunday Brunch bloody mary is a complete meal in a glass—it comes topped with a piece of fried chicken and a waffle, a fried green tomato-bacon slider, a pickle spear, a jumbo shrimp, a hard-boiled egg, and some olives, not to mention a beer on the side!  Next time I plan to order that.

This time, I really enjoyed my crispy Southern fried chicken, served with mashed potatoes that are pressed on the griddle for a bit and then topped with gravy.

The menu is extensive, with plenty more southern items and a large breakfast selection that is served all day.  Some booths even have a meter and tap that allows you to serve yourself tap-fresh beer. 

More information on Laughlin, Nevada. 

Things to do in Las Vegas.

More travel articles to inspire you and help you plan some spectacular getaways.  

images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Great Sleeps: Hotel del Coronado, Coronado Island, California

Hotel del Coronado   1500 Orange Ave., 7 mi. from downtown San Diego, (800) HOTEL-DEL, (619) 435-6611.  2 outdoor pools; hot tub; 3 ocean-front tennis courts; oceanfront health spa & fitness center.  5 restaurants.  This all-wood, Queen Anne-style luxury oceanfront hotel is situated on 31 oceanfront acres and is the largest beach resort on the Pacific Coast.  Built in 1888, it is both a state and National Historic Landmark.  Your jaw might drop when you see the main building, with its Victorian gingerbread architecture dripping with turrets, cupolas, and hand-carved pillars, not to mention the sprawling grounds lined with palm trees and dotted with topiaries.  With the varied height of its red roofline and its striking whitewashed walls, it is quite a visual delight.  Almost 700 guest rooms are available in both the original structure and in several newer 7-story towers.  Counted among its restaurants is Sunday brunch served under the magnificent 33-foot-high rib-vaulted pine ceiling of the Crown Room.  Don’t miss it.  The Del has been visited by 12 U.S. presidents.  Author L. Frank Baum is said to have modeled the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz after its appearance when brightly lit at night, and it has been featured in many movies, most notably Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe.  Did I mention the hotel is right on the beach, where kids can frolic endlessly and attempt to replicate it as a sand castle (currently an artist does this every day).  This wide public beach has to be one of the world’s best.  Lifeguards are at their posts, and everyone is having a great time.   Last time I visited, the sand shimmered with gold, but the waves hid little manta rays that were busy stinging waders.  Bicycles are available for rent, allowing you to explore the island’s 15-mile dedicated bike path.  A special kids programs is available for ages 4 through 12, and teens can take kayaking and surfing lessons. 

This exceptional hotel is a must-see, even if you don’t stay here.  Consider signing up for the Hotel del Coronado Tour (M, W, F 10.30am, Sat-Sun 2pm.  Reservations required. $15.)  It runs 90 minutes and is led by docents from the Coronado Historical Association. 

Or visit right now by webcam ! 








vintage elevator in Hotel del Coronado lobby
More things to do on Coronado Island.

More things to do in San Diego.

More information about San Diego.

Things to do in nearby La Jolla. 

Travel articles to inspire and help you plan some spectacular local and foreign getaways.
  
images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Great Sleeps: El Cordova Hotel, Coronado Island, California

Hotel del Coronado   1500 Orange Ave., 7 mi. from downtown San Diego, (800) HOTEL-DEL, (619) 435-6611.  2 outdoor pools; hot tub; 3 ocean-front tennis courts; oceanfront health spa & fitness center.  5 restaurants.  This all-wood, Queen Anne-style luxury oceanfront hotel is situated on 31 oceanfront acres and is the largest beach resort on the Pacific Coast.  Built in 1888, it is both a state and National Historic Landmark.  Your jaw might drop when you see the main building, with its Victorian gingerbread architecture dripping with turrets, cupolas, and hand-carved pillars, not to mention the sprawling grounds lined with palm trees and dotted with topiaries.  With the varied height of its red roofline and its striking whitewashed walls, it is quite a visual delight.  Almost 700 guest rooms are available in both the original structure and in several newer 7-story towers.  Counted among its restaurants is Sunday brunch served under the magnificent 33-foot-high rib-vaulted pine ceiling of the Crown Room.  Don’t miss it.  The Del has been visited by 12 U.S. presidents.  Author L. Frank Baum is said to have modeled the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz after its appearance when brightly lit at night, and it has been featured in many movies, most notably Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe.  Did I mention the hotel is right on the beach, where kids can frolic endlessly and attempt to replicate it as a sand castle (currently an artist does this every day).  This wide public beach has to be one of the world’s best.  Lifeguards are at their posts, and everyone is having a great time.   Last time I visited, the sand shimmered with gold, but the waves hid little manta rays that were busy stinging waders.  Bicycles are available for rent, allowing you to explore the island’s 15-mile dedicated bike path.  A special kids programs is available for ages 4 through 12, and teens can take kayaking and surfing lessons. 

This exceptional hotel is a must-see, even if you don’t stay here.  Consider signing up for the Hotel del Coronado Tour (M, W, F 10.30am, Sat-Sun 2pm.  Reservations required. $15.)  It runs 90 minutes and is led by docents from the Coronado Historical Association. 

Or visit right now by webcam! 








vintage elevator in Hotel del Coronado lobby
More things to do on Coronado Island.

More things to do in San Diego.

More information about San Diego.

Things to do in nearby La Jolla. 

Travel articles to inspire and help you plan some spectacular local and foreign getaways.
  
images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
 

Great Sleeps: El Cordova Hotel, Coronado Island, California

El Cordova Hotel    1351 Orange Ave., 1 blk. to beach, (800) 229-2032, (619) 435-4131.  42 rooms; 2 stories.  3 restaurants.  Pool; hot tub.  Continental breakfast.  Well located directly across the street from the mega Coronado Hotel, this sleepy cousin resembles something you might see in a Mexican village.  A strip of shops along the front welcomes you with enticing wares spilling out onto the sidewalk.  The atmospheric touches at this 114-year-old property include hacienda-style architecture and a courtyard abloom with colorful flowers.


Rooms mostly surround the pool and feature hand-painted Mexican tiles and heavy carved-wood furniture.



The lobby is particularly inviting, with plenty of seating, fresh cold water, and hot drinks always available, and the shopping and restaurants of Coronado’s main street are just steps away.




Though under separate ownership, three restaurants operate within the hotel:
● Brigantine Seafood & Oyster Bar   1333 Orange Ave., (619) 435-4166.  Featuring an upscale traditional seafood menu and a casual atmosphere, this spot serves everything from fresh oysters to ahi poke wonton tacos to fish & chips.  A large cocktail menu is available along with wine and beer. 

● Fabrison's French Creperie and Cafe   1120 Adella Ave./Orange Ave., (619) 435-1322.  M-F 8am-8pm, Sat 8:30-8, Sun 8:30-3.  Fabrice and Alison (thus the name, Fabrison's) met in a meditation class in San Diego. He is from Marseille, France, and she is from Columbus, Ohio.  Crepe both sweet and savory are among the choices in their warm European-style cafe, and the hotel’s front desk can provide a discount coupon. 

● Miguel's Cocina   1351 Orange Ave., 619-437-4237. B M-F, Sat-SunBr, L-D daily; $-$$.  No reservations.  This location is the original cog in a local chain known for a fun and festive atmosphere.  Dining is in a warren of rooms plus outside in a delightful courtyard reminiscent of colonial Mexico--the place to be on a warm evening.  Delicious complimentary chips include regular red tomato salsa plus a jalapeno white sauce that it is famous for.  The menu offers traditional Mexican fare plus a variety of excellent margaritas that are, fortunately, available by the pitcher.  
 











More things to do on Coronado Island.

More things to do in San Diego.

More information about San Diego.

Things to do in nearby La Jolla. 

Travel articles to inspire and help you plan some spectacular local and foreign getaways.  

images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
 

Things to Do: DISCOVERY Children's Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada

DISCOVERY Children's Museum   360 Promenade Pl., (702) 382-3445.  Closed M.  $14.50, under 1 & 100+ free.  Aimed at children up to age 12 and their families, this happy 3-story  museum has more than 100 interactive hands-on exhibits that mostly are related to Nevada.  Water World centers on Hoover Dam.  Kids find out how water produces power, operate a kid-generated tornado, plus enjoy some water-play fun.  Toddler Town has a padded “crawl zone” for age 18 months and younger and a mining exhibit that encourages two players to cooperate.  Fantasy Festival features a two-level pirate ship, a medieval castle, and a stage with props and costumes that encourage dramatic exploration and creative play.  And The Summit tower punches through all three floors as well as the roof.  Everyone has a blast sliding and climbing through its spaces while painlessly being exposed to interactive science exhibits.  And there is way more!  Bring a lunch and plan to stay a while.  Note that there is no cafe, though vending machines dispense drinks and snacks.  



More things to do in Las Vegas.

More travel articles to inspire you and help you plan some spectacular getaways.  

images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Things to Do: ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii, Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii

‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii   600 ‘Imiloa Place, 1½ mi. W of downtown Hilo, (808) 969-9700.  Tu-Sun 9-5.  $17.50, seniors $15.50, 5-12 $9.50.  Opened in February of 2006, this is the newest and largest of Hawaii’s three planetariums.  The center takes its name from “ `imiloa,” the Hawaiian word that means “explorer” or “seeker of profound truth.”  Located above the University of Hawaii-Hilo and featuring spectacular views of Hilo Bay, its dramatic titanium-clad exterior features three metallic cones piercing the exterior roof line—they are meant as an abstraction of the island’s three volcanoes (Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and Hualalai) but also unintentionally bring to mind Madonna’s famous bra.  The full dome planetarium is among the most technologically advanced in the U.S., and the display hall holds nearly 100 exhibits.  The planetarium boasts a state-of-the-art digital theater system with six-channel surround sound and an interactive console at each seat.  The show, “Maunakea:  Between Earth and Sky,” is a 22- minutes talk-story film about the island’s birth.  Among the things we learn are that having observatories on Hawaii’s loftiest sacred summit is controversial, and that there are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on the earth’s beaches.  Simple fun is added at the conclusion with trips into a blackhole and along the surface of a mobius strip. 

Visitors enter the exhibit hall through a simulated koa forest.  All displays are explained in both English and Hawaiian.  A reproduction of Mauna Kea shows the location of sacred Lake Wai’au, where some locals still make a pilgrimage to place their baby’s umbilical cord as acknowledgement of their origin.  A multimedia theater presents the Kumulipo Hawaiian Chant of Origins, which chronicles the birth of life as it emerges from the dark sea and features fish “swimming” right off the screen.  With hands-on exhibits that are both educational and intriguing and that encourage exploration of space, the main exhibit hall explains the origins of the universe.  Among the gems in the ocean of exhibits and charts here are Astronomical Origins, which lets visitors step inside a silo to be scanned and learn the history of an atom inside their body, and Sampan Taxi, which takes you on a robot-guided tour to Pluto.  Finally, the 3-D show “Voyage Through Space” takes you back in time to the Big Bang origins of the universe; the computer simulation is based on real output from the Subaru Telescope.  

Visitors can also stroll through the center’s surrounding gardens--one of the largest and most diverse collections of native Hawaiian and “canoe” plants (vegetation brought by early Polynesian navigators) found in the islands. 

The bay-view Sky Garden Restaurant serves hearty artisan bread sandwiches and soups along with pizzas, salads, and hot entrées.  It also features 100-percent Hawaiian coffee, smoothies, and shakes. 








More things to do on the Big Island.

More things to do in Hawaii.

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images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
 

Great Sleeps: Palms Cliff House, Honomu, Big Island, Hawaii

Palms Cliff House   28-3514 Mamalahoa Hwy. (Hwy. 19), in Honomu, 13 mi. N of downtown Hilo, (866) 963-6076, (808) 963-6076.  Hot tub.  This secluded property is situated back from the highway on a cliff overlooking Pohakumanu Bay.  The luxury suites were added off the owner’s Victorian Hawaiian Plantation-style house in 2001; each has an ocean view and private entrance.  A full breakfast featuring fresh fruit from the property’s orchard —perhaps fluffy pancakes flavored with diminutive apple bananas or fresh papaya stuffed with perfectly ripe star fruit--is served on a large, draped, open-air pavilion overlooking the bay.  There, pods of spinner dolphins and both humpback and pilot whales are sometimes seen, and the rare long-tailed koae’kea bird nests in the cliffs.  Alternatively a continental breakfast can be brought to the room.  The pleasant and efficient staff dress in atmospheric aloha wear and often don the artistic designs of local Sig Zane, who has a lovely ocean-view shop in Hilo (the owners present staff with a wearable Zane gift each Christmas).  Rooms are all immaculate and spacious, with flick-on gas fireplaces framed by antique carved Italian-white-marble mantles and king-size beds made up with soft, high-thread-count cotton sheets made in Italy just for the inn.  All rooms have a private lanai, and the area is safe enough to allow keeping the sliding deck door open to the soft air and sounds of the surf even on the lower level.  Ground level rooms look out to sea over big-leafed ti plants, while those on the upper level have more unobstructed views.  The upstairs Paradise Views room is considered the best because of its spectacular view.  Décor varies.  The downstairs Orchard Suite has a tasteful tropical feel, with just a touch of whimsy in the form of a monkey clock and a floor lamp with pineapple-based lights.  Rooms on the lower level are cooled adequately by ceiling fans, while those on the upper level also have the option of air conditioning.  Each bathroom is tiled in a different type of shiny-smooth Italian marble.  Four suites have Jacuzzis big enough for two in a raised alcove in the room, also with a view.  Honomu town--with super-casual cafes and a few boutiques--and Akaka Falls are nearby.  






More things to do on the Big Island.

More things to do in Hawaii.

Travel articles to inspire and help you plan some spectacular local and foreign getaways.  

images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Things to Do: Palms Cliff House, Honomu, Big Island, Hawaii

Palms Cliff House   28-3514 Mamalahoa Hwy. (Hwy. 19), in Honomu, 13 mi. N of downtown Hilo, (866) 963-6076, (808) 963-6076.  Hot tub.  This secluded property is situated back from the highway on a cliff overlooking Pohakumanu Bay.  The luxury suites were added off the owner’s Victorian Hawaiian Plantation-style house in 2001; each has an ocean view and private entrance.  A full breakfast featuring fresh fruit from the property’s orchard —perhaps fluffy pancakes flavored with diminutive apple bananas or fresh papaya stuffed with perfectly ripe star fruit--is served on a large, draped, open-air pavilion overlooking the bay.  There, pods of spinner dolphins and both humpback and pilot whales are sometimes seen, and the rare long-tailed koae’kea bird nests in the cliffs.  Alternatively a continental breakfast can be brought to the room.  The pleasant and efficient staff dress in atmospheric aloha wear and often don the artistic designs of local Sig Zane, who has a lovely ocean-view shop in Hilo (the owners present staff with a wearable Zane gift each Christmas).  Rooms are all immaculate and spacious, with flick-on gas fireplaces framed by antique carved Italian-white-marble mantles and king-size beds made up with soft, high-thread-count cotton sheets made in Italy just for the inn.  All rooms have a private lanai, and the area is safe enough to allow keeping the sliding deck door open to the soft air and sounds of the surf even on the lower level.  Ground level rooms look out to sea over big-leafed ti plants, while those on the upper level have more unobstructed views.  The upstairs Paradise Views room is considered the best because of its spectacular view.  Décor varies.  The downstairs Orchard Suite has a tasteful tropical feel, with just a touch of whimsy in the form of a monkey clock and a floor lamp with pineapple-based lights.  Rooms on the lower level are cooled adequately by ceiling fans, while those on the upper level also have the option of air conditioning.  Each bathroom is tiled in a different type of shiny-smooth Italian marble.  Four suites have Jacuzzis big enough for two in a raised alcove in the room, also with a view.  Honomu town--with super-casual cafes and a few boutiques--and Akaka Falls are nearby.  






More things to do on the Big Island.

More things to do in Hawaii.

Travel articles to inspire and help you plan some spectacular local and foreign getaways.  

images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers