Moab is one of those places that begs for more than a quick weekend. Spend a Week in Moab and youβll actually have time to enjoy it. Between Arches, Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point, downtown shops, and some seriously good food, a week here gives you the time to see it all without rushing.
Hereβs how Iβd spend 7 days in Moabβbased on my own trip where I hiked, ate, shopped, and somehow still found energy for gelato at the food truck park. If youβre building out a full 7-day plan, my post on Spend 2 Weeks in Moab: The Ultimate Red Rock Itinerary pairs perfectly with this one.
Lunch: Stop at Vessel Kitchen on the drive down from Salt Lake City. The bowls are massive and flavorfulβI had the Andrelipe Bowl with shredded chicken, cilantro lime slaw, mango salsa, avocado, Peruvian green sauceβ¦ basically flavor overload. Itβs spicy, so ask before ordering if thatβs not your thing.
Dinner: Antica Forma in Moab. Everything is fresh and locally sourced, and they even make their own cheese. My favorite was the pistachio pesto pizza with shaved fennel sausageβdifferent from the usual sausage you get and so much better.
Stay: Check into the Hoodoo Hilton. If you can, book a casitaβspacious, with multiple bedrooms, a full kitchen, fireplace, private parking, and access to a dedicated pool. Perfect for families or groups.
Breakfast: Cactus Jacks. The biscuits and gravy are hearty, but the standout is the French toast crusted in cornflakes, thick-cut bread from a local bakery, and fresh berries.
Explore: Head into Arches National Park. Start with easy viewpoints like Park Avenue, Courthouse Towers, Balanced Rock, and Garden of Eden. Then make your way to Sand Dune Arch, Skyline Arch, and Devils Garden for Landscape Arch.
Sunset: Hike to Delicate Arch for the ultimate payoff. Arrive an hour before sunset for photos and to soak in the glow.
Dinner: Desert Bistroβa high-end dinner in a charming garden courtyard. Donβt skip the rosemary honey butter florets (I could have popped them like candy).
Breakfast: Love Muffin Cafeβget there early for pastries before they sell out. Their bacon sunrise panini with apricot aji amarillo jam was incredible, especially with fresh-squeezed OJ.
Shop: Spend the day wandering downtown. Hit boutiques like The Sundry (I left with three necklaces), Moab Made (local artisan goods), and Desert Sol (modern western vibe). For quirky finds, stop at the Moab Rock Shop for fossils and geodesβit looks chaotic, but I found one of my favorite souvenirs there.
Lunch: Moab Food Truck Parkβsushi rolls, spring rolls, and gelato from Miss Gelato (the white chocolate raspberry is heavenly).
Murals: Check out the βGreetings from Moabβ mural at Bowen Motel, the ramβs head at Moab Brewery, and the Delicate Arch mural at McStiffβs Plaza.
Dinner: Thai Bellaβstart with the seasonal cucumber salad (organic cucumbers from Moab Homegrown Farm), then order their best-seller Khao Soi or the Massaman Curry. Both were bursting with flavor.
Breakfast: Grab something quick from your hotel.
Explore: Hit the major stops:
Mesa Arch (easy 0.7-mile hike, sunrise if you can).
Upheaval Dome (short but steep hike, βshort but not sweetββworth it for the crater view).
Green River Overlook (sweeping canyon views).
Grand View Point Overlook (accessible viewpoint plus optional rim trail).
Buck Canyon Overlook (quick but stunning stop).
Add-On: Dead Horse Point State Park in late afternoon for sunset over the river bend.
Dinner: Moab Brewery for something casual. The giant pretzel with beer cheese and a house-made root beer float hit the spot.
If you want even more detail on the overlooks, my post on Best Stops in Canyonlands National Park walks you through every major viewpoint.
Breakfast: Another round at Cactus Jacks (youβll want it twice).
Hike: Head outside the park to Corona Arch (3 miles round trip). The trail has a ladder and chain section, plus a bonus stop at Bowtie Arch, but the finale is a massive arch you can walk right under. I hiked it in the late afternoon and had the whole place to myself.
Lunch: Refuel at the food truck park (yes, it deserves multiple visits).
Dinner: Pasta Jayβsβdonβt miss the dip trio (pesto + Alfredo combo is the winner) and the Tortellone Alfredo.
Breakfast: Keep it light at the hotel or grab a pastry downtown.
Explore: Spend more time at Dead Horse Point State Park. Walk the West Rim Trail for quieter overlooks, and add the Bighorn Overlook spur for one of the best photo spots in the park.
Lunch: Pack a picnic and enjoy it at one of the overlooks.
Afternoon: Rest back at the pool at Hoodoo Hilton (youβll have earned it).
Dinner: Treat yourself again at Desert Bistro or go casual with another local spot.
Breakfast: One last stop at Love Muffin Cafeβdonβt leave without grabbing a pastry for the road.
Souvenir Run: Pick up any last-minute gifts from Moab Made or Redstone T-Shirt Co.
Optional Stop: Walk out on the Green River Bridge for one more taste of Moabβs scenery before hitting the road.
A week in Moab gives you the best balance: adventure days in the parks, downtime exploring downtown, and plenty of time to eat your way through town. With this itinerary, youβll hit all the must-see arches and overlooks while still leaving space for gelato breaks, shopping, and poolside lounging.
Moab isnβt just a base for Arches and Canyonlandsβitβs a destination in its own right. Give yourself a full week, and youβll see why so many people (myself included) canβt wait to go back. When youβre ready to plan where to stay, my guide to Where to Stay in Moab: From Luxury to Budget covers Hoodoo, casitas, and other great options.
The tulip fields in the Netherlands look exactly like the photos, except the photos donβt capture how massive the color blocks actually are stretching across the countryside. Or the windmills. Or the sheep randomly standing in the middle of everything like they donβt know theyβre in the most photogenic country on earth.
The honest caveat: tulip season moves fast, the fields rotate every year, and peak bloom is not a guarantee, it depends on the weather, the harvest schedule, and a little bit of luck. But thatβs also part of what makes it feel less like a tourist attraction and more like something you actually found.
Full driving route with towns, parking tips, and what to expect | linked in bio. π·
#netherlands #travelling #tulipfields #exploreeurope
Amsterdam has a way of making you feel like you need to see everything, and then rewarding you most when you slow down anyway. The museums and canal cruises are worth it, but so is just wandering neighborhoods, eating whatever looks good, and sitting along the canals with a grilled cheese and nowhere to be.
First-time visitor guide is on the blog. Link in bio. π·
#travelling #travel #amsterdam #visitamsterdam #traveleurope
10 stops. One very full day. Zero regrets. Amsterdam has one of the best food scenes Iβve experienced anywhere in Europe, but the honest caveat is that some of the viral spots come with lines that will genuinely test your character. I skipped a few. I regret nothing.
Hereβs what actually made the cut on my self-guided Amsterdam food tour:
Fresh stroopwafels at Hans Egstorf: made right in front of you, warm caramel, no line. This one won.
Lourens cookie croissant: flaky outside, gooey chocolate inside. Did not share.
CafΓ© Winkel 43 apple pie: one of the rare viral places that fully lives up to the hype.
Davieβs Amsterdam for the Lelie sandwich: pastrami, pickles, marbled bread. Deceptively simple. Absolutely excellent.
De Kaaskamer to end the day: 400+ cheeses, grilled cheese with what they call ketchup (itβs not ketchup, and itβs better), and bunker cheese aged in underground military bunkers.
The full route covers 10 stops through Jordaan, the 9 Streets, the canal district, and the flower market area with a Google Map included so you can just follow along.
Full guide with every stop, tips for beating the lines, and what Iβd skip vs. do again | link in bio.
#amsterdam #visitamsterdam #netherlands #travel #visitnetherlands #traveleurope
Thereβs a version of Gatlinburg thatβs all fudge shops and tourist crowds, and then thereβs the version that actually makes you want to come back.
Hereβs everything worth doing downtown, in the order Iβd do it: ποΈ
β¨ Start at @gatlinburgskypark before the crowds hit
β¨ Walk the strip mid-morning when itβs still manageable
β¨ @googooclusters stop (see my post from Tuesday: donβt skip it)
β¨ Dinner at one of the local spots off the main drag
β¨ Wander back out at night when the lights are on and it gets actually pretty
This isnβt your overscheduled Smoky Mountain itinerary. Itβs more of a βhereβs what Iβd actually do if I had one solid dayβ kind of list.
Full downtown Gatlinburg guide linked in bio. π
If someone told me Iβd spend five hours at SkyPark, I would not have believed them. And yet. π
Gatlinburg SkyPark sits above the strip and itβs one of those places that looks like a quick stop on paper and turns into most of your afternoon. The SkyBridge alone is worth it β longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America, and yes, you will look down.
β¨ SkyBridge (longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America)
β¨ SkyLift ride up with views of the Smokies
β¨ Walking trails with mountain views in every direction
β¨ Way less crowded than downtown
Fair warning: if heights genuinely freak you out, the bridge might not be your thing. The rest of the park is still 100% worth it. Full guide with tickets, tips, and what to skip linked in bio. π
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