Kanab, Utah

I absolutely love traveling, but it is hard to get in all of the traveling I would ideally like to do with my demanding job in finance. With that said – I try to make the most of every trip I take and meticulously plan my days off every year! This year was no exception – and I kicked off my first days off of the year with a trip to the Amangiri resort in Kanab, Utah. With a passion for international travel, specifically, I oftentimes forget the beauty that lies right under my nose in the United States and this was certainly a reminder. With wide open windows with panoramic views of the canyons and endless opportunities for adventure, southern Utah (just north of Page, Arizona) had the perfect balance of relaxation an activity – the hearty meals that followed each activity were an added bonus. We spent three days at this oasis and did everything from horseback riding around the property, touring through the hidden slot canyons in the remarkable Navaho territory down the road, rock climbing up Horseshoe Bend* to spending an afternoon relaxing at the sandstone pool**. I had so much fun packing for this trip*** and tried to mix in some Southwest flair with my spring staples. My new cork, chunky heels (found here) went with just about everything and I (finally) found some use for my more casual necklaces (that are definitely NOT work appropriate!) Below are some lessons learned from my trip, hope you enjoy!

Do’s: (1) Bring comfortable clothes and shoes that can get a little dirty – there were times I found myself army crawling under a crevice to get to the other side of a canyon; (2) Stop and smell the  scenery, to my disbelief, there is a ton of “life” in the dessert including dessert sage (you can pluck some off a bush, rub it between your fingers, and smell the most delicious sage scent good enough – but not encouraged – to eat)

Don’ts: (1) Forget sunblock – the air is incredibly dry and deceivingly comfortable. I went horseback riding wearing ripped jeans and burned my skin at every rip in the denim (I looked a little funny at the pool the next day, photos NOT included). (2) Expect to see snakes and scorpions – this was (obviously) a concern of mine, and I later found out that these creatures really don’t like to be out during the day. You may run into one or two but you are way more likely to encounter cute little cottontail bunnies.

What’s Next: Bryce Canyon – only two hours outside of Amangiri featuring incredibly distinctive geological structures (hoodoos) in vibrant colors & Lake Powell – one of the second largest man-made lakes with about 2,000 miles of shoreline (it is gorgeous and also supplies California with most of their water!)

* way more advanced than expected 🙂
** in the rain
*** SO much fun that I still haven’t unpacked!