Aspen, Colorado – Western Elegance

On January 15, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Colorado21 Comments

We’ve been to Aspen a couple of times and have thoroughly enjoyed each occasion. The great thing about Aspen is that it has managed to keep that small town feel despite its popularity. The town is host to several large scale events such as the Winter X Games and the FOOD and WINE Classic, but it has a lot to offer all year round. With four mountains for skiing and snowboarding, it is a winter enthusiasts dream, but like all of the Colorado mountains, it is a perfect destination all year long. Don’t let the rustic exterior fool you, this is a first class destination and it comes with a pretty hefty price tag, but the food and accommodations are all world class.

If you go during the winter and like to ski or snowboard (we ski, the kids all snowboard), you won’t be disappointed. One lift ticket will get you access to Buttermilk, Snowmass, Aspen Highlands, and Aspen Mountain. But, if you’re not into skiing, there are plenty of other things to do, such as snowmobiling, going on a horse-drawn carriage ride, or even going snowshoeing. If nothing else, there is always sitting in front of the fire in the lobby of one of the many lodges, sipping wine, and watching the snow fall gracefully from the sky.

We went during the final weekend of ski season last year to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We didn’t do any skiing that weekend, but typical to Colorado, we saw everything from blizzard conditions to sun and warmth. Spring and Fall can always be tricky times to visit the Colorado high country, but we find them to be almost the best times to go as the crowds are definitely not as bad and sometimes the hotels offer discounts to try and bring in a few more tourists.

Summer can be as busy as the winter, with everyone wanting to get out and enjoy the beautiful scenery that Colorado has to offer. There is plenty of hiking, but there is also fun to be had by going to some of the nearby towns, like Minturn, with their old west history. Horseback riding and rafting are also great activities for those that are a little more adventurous. If you don’t want to pay the high price of lodging in Aspen, you can always go camping in Maroon Bells.

Hiking Trail in the Colorado High Country

Personally, we find Fall to be the perfect time to go into the mountains and we hope to go hiking in Maroon Bells one of these times soon as the Aspen trees there are supposed to be spectacular. Although there is always a chance of an early season snow storm, usually the weather is ideal for getting outside and going hiking and enjoying the incredible colors. The only downside to going during the off-season is that sometimes not all of the stores and restaurants are open as the owners take time off prior to the busy winter season.

The restaurants are some of the best that you can find anywhere. If you enjoy fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere, then Aspen is the place for you. One of the great things about Colorado, and Aspen in particular, is that you can go out in jeans and relatively casual clothes and enjoy a night out at excellent restaurants. The lack of pretense and unnecessary ceremony makes going out to be much more relaxing than other locations. If you’re not a vegetarian, we’d highly recommend getting a steak or some elk while you’re there, it is truly a taste of the west.

If you get the chance, we’d highly recommend visiting Aspen and having an upscale western experience. Whether you go take part in all of the winter sports or are going to enjoy the scenery and go hiking in the beautiful Colorado outdoors.

Las Vegas, A Food Destination

On December 28, 2015December 30, 2015 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Las VegasLeave a comment

We took advantage of some time off to take a trip to Las Vegas once again. Vegas is an easy trip from Colorado as there are a lot of inexpensive flights and, since we have a timeshare there, inexpensive rooms. This was our fifth trip to Las Vegas, but for us, it isn’t about gambling or even the glitz and glamour. We actually used our trip to have some down time, relax, enjoy some incredible food, and simply connect with one another. And yes, we stayed on the Las Vegas strip, albeit in the Trump Tower, which allowed us to get away from the noise of the casinos.

Statue of Liberty at the New York, New York Casino

If you haven’t been to Las Vegas lately, you might be surprised by all of the top chefs with restaurants in the casinos. Las Vegas has gone through several transformations over the years. Obviously, everyone knows about the early days when Sinatra, the Rat Pack, and the mob ruled the town. Then, in the late 80’s and early 90’s, they tried to become a family friendly destination. After losing millions in revenue, it was a return to the original formula as they rolled out the “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” campaign.

Now, it is definitely a destination for “foodies”. Wherever you turn, you’ll see signs and billboards for the famous chefs and their restaurants. You see names like Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Giada, Gordon Ramsay, Wolfgang Puck, and many, many more. You may have to fight your way through the casino floors and the incessant ringing of the video slot machines, but you’ll be well rewarded if you do. The days of the cheap buffet and the nickel steaks are definitely a thing of the past. The food is fantastic and, depending on the time of year, you’ll want to make reservations if you want to enjoy the creations of your favorite chef. Maybe, if you’re lucky, you’ll even see your favorite chef in person or perhaps another celebrity enjoying everything that the Las Vegas strip has to offer.

Obviously, there are also a ton of shows, with every large casino offering some sort of Cirque Du Soleil extravaganza. Magicians, comedy acts, and a plethora of singers. Night clubs too, can be found to meet every style and taste. But there are other things to do as well. There is the top of the Stratosphere, the CSI Experience, the Titanic Exhibition, the Bodies Experience, Mob Museum, Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, Pin Ball Museum, helicopter tours, tours to the Grand Canyon, and much more. We’ve done many of these and they are all well worth a try, although many of them can be quite pricey.

As we mentioned before, this was a relaxing trip for us, so we made our way through several restaurants. The highlight was dinner at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant with its spectacular views of the Bellagio fountains. We also ate at Gordon Ramsay’s Pub, Emeril’s Plate, the DB Brasserie, Cucina by Wolfgang Puck, the Nine Fine Irishmen, and many more.

If you’re thinking about going to Las Vegas and have never been before, you really should go, at least once. Every time we visit, we always see something that we haven’t seen before. Vegas isn’t just about gambling and shows, but from our perspective, it is an adult destination. We see a lot of families walking along the strip, taking pictures with the many costumed characters, but you’ll also be constantly barraged with flyers for strip clubs and adult shows. So, definitely visit Las Vegas, but in our opinion, you should leave the little ones at home.

Villa Del Palmar in Cabo San Lucas

On December 11, 2015 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn MexicoLeave a comment

We stayed at the Villa Del Palmar during our recent trip to Cabo San Lucas. This is the sister resort to the Villa Del Arco, which is where we bought our initial time share. We have also stayed at the Villa Del Palmar in Puerto Vallarta. All of the resorts that we’ve stayed at that are part of the Villa Preferred Access Club have been wonderful. They are part of the larger Universal Vacation Club and have great locations with friendly and helpful staff.

All of the rooms at the Villa Del Palmar have ocean views and are clean with up-to-date furnishings. Even the rooms that are considered to be studio rooms have a full kitchen as well as a couch and lounge area, they just aren’t separate from the bedroom(s) as they are in the suites. All of the rooms also have a balcony with at least a table and chairs. Grills are also available by request.

There are several pool areas at each of the resorts, each featuring their own unique features. At the Villa Del Palmar, there is an adults only pool, a family pool with a slide shaped like a whale where you shoot out of its mouth, a small wading pool with a hot tub, and a pool for small children. We have to admit, though, that we missed our pirate ship from the Villa Del Arco, which we were able to use during less busy times of the year. Every day there a variety of activities in the family pool area including pilates, water aerobics, volleyball, and dancing. There was also a trained hawk that flew throughout the resort during the early afternoon, which was quite beautiful. Although we didn’t join in on any of the activities, people certainly seemed to enjoy themselves.

There are also multiple restaurants at the resort and you’re also able to go to the restaurants at the Villa Del Arco. We decided to go ahead and do all-inclusive for almost all of the days, so we definitely took advantage of the food at the resort. As you would expect, the food was fantastic, fresh, and delicious. Even the buffets had an excellent variety of offerings, plenty of fresh fruit, and multiple cooked to order stations for things such as omelets, waffles, quesadillas, etc. As you would expect, there are also plenty of bars around the resorts as well as the pool staff who took care of everyone sitting around the pool.

Bird that Joined Us for Breakfast Everyday

We may be a little biased since we own a timeshare with the resort, but we’d highly recommend either the Villa Del Palmar or the Villa Del Arco to anyone who is travelling to Cabo San Lucas. Their prime locations, friendly staff, and well-appointed rooms make them an ideal vacation destination. We will definitely be going to some of other properties that they offer, but we absolutely will be returning to one of the Cabo San Lucas properties very soon. These resorts are a lot of the reason that we have fallen in love with Cabo.