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Easy Hikes for Beginners in Bryce Canyon, Utah
Easy Hikes in Bryce Canyon Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Celebrate the summer solstice by hiking Bryce Canyon, Utah! What better way to celebrate the seasons than immersing yourself in nature? We ended up with one of the hottest weeks in June so far and had to make due with the weather we were given. Also we were both healing from various injuries still and had to take it easy. If this was before the summer of hell 2025, I would have been shredding up all those trails in style and thirsty for more minus the heat. But alas, this is part of my story now and part…
- Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
See the Dark Sky Stars at Bryce Glamp and Camp Domes in Bryce Canyon, Utah
Glamping Domes in Bryce Canyon, Utah Photos, video and story by Cassie Hepler Originally we were supposed to stay at another dome home space nearby in Bryce Canyon, Utah. But those domes are twice the price, heavily populated with so many people staying overnight which means everyone is driving by noisily on the gravel roads and a general this is not the fully immersed in nature vibe we signed up for. So the universe worked in our favor with the Bryce Canyon Country tourism board who delivered us to Bryce Glamp and Camp in the town of Holm, Utah, which is established in 2020 and it’s wild to think it…
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Explore Bryce Canyon Country from Stone Canyon Inn Cabins in Tropic, Utah
Cabins in Bryce Canyon, Utah Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler We were so excited to explore Bryce Canyon Country, Utah finally! This was a rescheduled press trip from last summer with Bryce Canyon Country that is now a gals road tripping adventure, low key style. Originally last July, we were supposed to join a group press trip that included horseback riding, ATVs through the canyons and group hikes which all are still not quite attainable to this day. Fortunately the tourism board was very understanding about the summer from hell 2025 and were more than happy to reschedule and arrange a private visit for me and a guest.…
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Go Truffle Hunting, Foraging for Flowers & Shopping in Force with Italy Charme
Truffle Hunting in Italy Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Go truffle hunting in Italy! No pigs here at Agriturismo Ramusè but sweet dogs sniffing out the golden mushrooms, Cocker Spaniel mixes of the tan colored Electra and fuzzy Briciola. These pricey pups either come pre-trained at $3,000 to $7,000 Euro per dog or you can hire a Northern Italy truffle dog trainer for about $1,000 Euro a month. Paolo Ciccioli, owner of Agriturismo Ramusè and former truffle exporter to London, led us on a mountainside adventure in the drizzling rain where the black mushrooms were almost popping out of the ground because of the downpour. I thoroughly enjoyed…
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Places to Eat in Santa Fe, New Mexico from Frugal to Fancy
Story, photos and videos by Cassie Hepler I love food. Period. It doesn’t matter if it’s from a food truck, my neighbor, a street vendor or a fancy restaurant because I don’t have any food allergies thankfully. This whole hierarchy of travel tracking for only luxury food locations is just gross. Travel is travel. If you are out of your hometown, you are traveling. I don’t care if you’re staying at La Quinta Inn Santa Fe or The Inn of Five Graces, you’re still exploring another culture and this shaming people for traveling on different budgets is just so icky. When I was in my 20s, I was doing a…
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Things to Do in Santa Fe, New Mexico Off the Beaten Path
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler After checking into my host hotel El Rey Court in Sante Fe, New Mexico, and gathering content all day, I was dead. As in I just drove there that morning with maybe five hours of sleep if I was lucky the night before and walked all over downtown. That’s honestly how I judge any place I go now… is it restful? Does it fulfill your mind, body and soul? So I allowed – or more like my body forced me to – take a juicy nap the afternoon after I arrived. It was then that I knew this place had healing energy and…
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Where to Stay in Sante Fe, New Mexico for Full Cultural Immersion
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler On the road again to Santa Fe, New Mexico’s capital and oldest city in the United States, nestled in the Sangre de Cristo foothills! This was a bucket list trip where I was only there once before when driving across the country to move from Philly to Phoenix, Arizona and since we were tethered to Optimus, the red Kia car via a U-Haul cab, I was only able to really enjoy that vivid, deep purple sunset at the hotel which is still engrained in my brain and I was determined to watch again. Because of the summer from hell 2025, I now bookend…
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Go Backroading to Cleator and Crown King, Arizona
Story, video, modeling by Cassie Hepler, Photos by Catfan There’s a pirate ship in the middle of the desert! In this tiny town with eight residents of Cleator, Arizona formerly Turkey Creek or Turkey, it’s like a ghost town in Yavapai County, Arizona. It’s located in the Southwestern United States bordering Prescott as you continue to go north. The only way to get there is with a truck, motorcycles or ATV and it’s about an hour north of Phoenix to even begin your bumpy off-roading adventure. Explore the weird and wacky Cleator Bar & Yacht Club, your new favorite spot in the Bradshaw Mountains. Grab a Coke or a cold…
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Best Hidden Gem Hiking in Las Vegas, Nevada
Story by Cassie Hepler, submitted images Because moving your body is the only way to keep it moving until you’re an old fart… You would think that walking flat – not even up a mountain or hill – would not produce many results. But alas, it does! A body in motion stays in motion and if you can just keep moving forward, that is the key to longevity and life. Currently they say get in 10,000 steps a day however sometimes that is impossible. For me, if I have a goal to reach that seems to motivate me more. That and being a couch sloth for a full day usually…
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Instagram Worthy Vacations Could be Killing Wildlife
We know… you absolutely LOVE corporate conglomerate bootlicking Meta via Instagram and getting that my-life-is-so-perfect photo for your grid however there seems to be some basic decorum in empathy lacking in today’s society. I don’t know if it’s bad manners or just plain lack of respect but it can be seen from something as simple as going to the grocery store (like move your cart out of the middle of the lane while you shop, for the love of God) to traveling where a stranger will literally elbow you out of the way – or worse in your shot – to get a good pic. It’s been the bane of…
