I am not a huge camper, but I do believe when you stay in the mountains that the more it feels like a cabin or has a mountain feel the better. I enjoy soaking in the mountain air in a place that feels like it belongs in the mountains. So when we recently stayed at The Arnold Meadowmont Lodge, it was perfect! From the outside it looks like a typical mountain motel, but once inside you will find a warm inviting room with a cabin feel.

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As part of our Bear Valley adventure in Calaveras County we couldn’t pass up the chance to dig in and really get into the snow. We had two fantastic options to help us expand our winter activities; cross country skiing or tubbing with Bear Valley Cross Country. Our family has never been skiing and I thought it would be a fantastic opportunity for my daughter who has begged to do it in the past to be able to finally be able to ski. Unfortunately that was overshadowed by the prospect of my five year old probably whining the whole time about being tired and cold. So we opted for tubing, knowing it would be a blast and we could easily quit if anyone got too tired or cold.

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To be honest when we headed to Calaveras County I was expecting to find a Mexican restaurant in the mountains, let alone one that was super packed. I am a firm believer that locals know what's best, and if you follow the locals in Arnold they will take you to El Vaquero. Nestled in an unassuming spot with the forest as a background you will find some of the best food around. It’s even argued that it's some of the best Mexican food you will find in Cali (my vote is yes).

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When you plan a family vacation do you make time available to experience new adventures?  I think most parents consider vacations as a time to relax, but vacations also provide us with time to squeeze in a little adventure too. Chances are you won’t remember the last time you relaxed by the hotel pool. What you will remember is the time you went zip-lining or snowmobiling. So when we were approached by BEAR VALLEY SNOWMOBILE, we knew it was an adventure we couldn’t refuse.

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Our first international trip with our children was to Cartagena, Colombia. It was filled with beauty, adventure and new experiences. It wasn't an easy trip by any means; we started in Utah drove 6 hours to Las Vegas, flew to Florida and then finally on to Cartagena. It was also our first red-eye flight and it might be our last. lol When I first started planning our trip to Colombia I would tell friends, family and others about our trip and the reaction was pretty much the same from everyone; a look of confusion followed by “Colombia, really?”. The reactions I received even started making me question this trip and whether it was a good idea or not. It can be hard for travelers to think outside of the box and even begin to contemplate visiting a developing country like Colombia. Looking back it was one of our best trips and I'm glad we made a leap out of our comfort zone. Here is our fantastic journey in photos:

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