Ten out of ten, I highly encourage everyone to travel to Moab at some point in time. Travel is like another love language for me. I don’t get to do it very often, but I love escaping and being re-inspired by new people and landscapes.

Just a few short weeks before my wedding, I took a trip to Moab with my best friend, Cora – who coincidentally, is also a very talented wedding photographer (and jewelry artist!). Even though we were still in college, we decided to play hookie. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.

It was my last semester, I had been working two jobs, running my business, planning a wedding…. and I had also just found out I was pregnant. Honestly, it was a super crazy period in my life. After confiding in Cora about my pregnancy, we set out on a trip that would be my last as an unmarried woman.

From Rapid City, we took my little Jeep Renegade and went south to a quaint hotel in Glenwood Springs. I had been to the town once before, so I knew there was a spot that Cora would love: Penny Hot Springs. Unlike the hot springs in South Dakota that we are used to, these hot springs are 100 percent natural and cost absolutely nothing.

Travel to Moab, cont’d

The hot springs are a short walk down from a pull-off. When I first discovered them, there was no pull-off. Sadly, the more people that discover it, the more popular the location has become. The local college students love it during spring break, too…

After we spent the night, we quickly hurried on the road to Moab for the real experience. We saw the arch (and nearly died walking to it), explored Canyonlands, white-river rafted, and created memories to last a life-time. I hope to take another trip to the area again as a family in the future.