Alan 
SingleRoadTrip: Leg 5 – Moab to Seattle Catch up on Leg 4 of my trip here. Day 19 – Moab to Capitol Reef National Park to Richfield, UT – 219 miles My plan was to go from Moab to Capitol Reef National Park in central Utah where I would camp … Read more
SingleRoadTrip: Leg 4 – Montrose, CO to Moab Catch up on Leg 3 of my trip here. Day 16 – Montrose, CO to Grand Junction to Moab – 213 miles Montrose is just outside one of the lesser known National Parks: Black Canyon of the Gunnison. So before setting out … Read more
Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Review It is very rare for me to stay at a Best Western. Last summer I stayed at the NOFO Hotel in Stockholm which is part of the Best Western brand. The last time I stayed at an actual Best Western property was ten years … Read more
DoubleTree Durango Review Durango, Colorado is touristy western town at the southern end of the Million Dollar Highway 550. I was planning on taking the drive up through Silverton and Ouray to Montrose before cutting back to Utah to visit the parks. I spent one night at the DoubleTree Durango, … Read more
SingleRoadTrip: Leg 3 – Page, AZ to Catch up on Leg 2 of my trip here. Day 10: Page, AZ to Monument Valley – 124 miles I had hoped to check out some sites between Page and Monument Valley, but with COVID striking the Navajo Nation hard, many sites were … Read more
Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa Review While I didn’t have a great first impression of the Regency Tamaya, it ended up being an over all good stay; all things considered. I booked my stay using a Hyatt Privé agent. During COVID, the property was running a 3rd night free … Read more
SingleRoadTrip: Leg 2 – Sacramento to Page, AZ Catch up on Leg 1 of my trip here. Day 5 – Sacramento to South Lake Tahoe to Reno – 160 miles I started off the day with a walk around the Capitol Building in Sacramento, just across from the Hyatt Regency. … Read more
The Loneliest Road in America – US Route 50 Today I drove what Life magazine called the “Loneliest Road in America” — US Highway 50 from Carson City to Baker, Nevada. It is also the route of the old Pony Express and part of the trail of emigrants and gold … Read more
Hyatt Regency Sacramento Governors Suite Review In looking for a hotel in Sacramento, I noticed that all room types at the Hyatt Regency were being offered at the same price. I decided to book the top category of room, the Governor’s Suite. These rooms are recently updated and are Premium … Read more
SingleRoadTrip: Leg 1 – Seattle to Sacramento Day 1 – Seattle to Portland – 173 Miles The first day of my trip was a quick Seattle to Portland down I-5. I stayed the night at the new Hyatt Centric Downtown Portland and had dinner with a friend in the area. … Read more
Hyatt Promotions 2020 Hyatt currently has three very generous promotions. Below I break down each promotion and help you navigate whether a paid stay or a points stay makes more sense. Paid Stays A Warm Welcome Awaits The first promotion is for paid stays when you book by September 8, … Read more
Hyatt Centric Downtown Portland Review The Hyatt Centric Downtown Portland opened in February 2020, just a few weeks before COVID shifted the landscape of travel. I booked one night in July at a rate of $128 +tax. Location The Hyatt Centric is located centrally. I had no problem finding on-street … Read more
Summer Road Trip 2020 Recently I changed careers, and I now have about 8 weeks off every summer. This is the first summer at my new job, and wouldn’t luck have it, COVID prevents me from flying overseas. So I decided to pack my bags and head out on a … Read more
Excalibur Las Vegas Room Review Excalibur is now the lowest tier property in the Las Vegas portfolio of MGM. When Excalibur opened in 1990, it was the largest hotel in the world (around 4,000 rooms). Rooms can often be found under $100. As a disclaimer to this review, I didn’t … Read more
Las Vegas Reopened Too Soon This weekend I visited Las Vegas. The state of Nevada allowed casinos to reopen on June 4th and many did. The decision was likely made based on economics and not health considerations. I don’t know the figures regarding visitors to the Strip. I would guess … Read more