Last week, Drew and I went glamping with our friends Matt & Sheryl from So Cal. What is glamping, you may ask? Well, I just heard about it from Sheryl, who heard about it from the Today Show right before our trip. Apparently glamping = glamorous camping. We mixed a a couple of nights of camping at each park with staying at hotels. When we camped, we'd eat canned soup & noodle bowls. While we glamped, we'd eat at some awesome restaurants & take a dip in the hotel pool in the evenings. I think my former scoutmasters from back in the day would be a bit disappointed in me, but I have to say that I do love this glamping!

We started off at Bryce Canyon National Park.


Before the trip, we all bought brand-spanking new hiking shoes at REI. So clean & new!




The hoodoos (as they're called) at Bryce are unlike anything I've ever seen. Truly awe-some.


Before there was this new trend called "planking", there was StiffPics. I guess you can call it planking standing up. Matt & his friend started this a few years ago and we still honor the tradition today.


Ok, this was totally Drew's idea.




My favorite photo at Bryce:


End of hike: shoes all look the same color -brown.


At camp...


A stellar blue jay.


After a couple of days at Bryce, we headed over to Zion National Park. There is something very magical about this place. Bryce was amazing to look at, but Zion had this spiritual aura about it that drew us all in.


We decided to hike the Zion Narrows on our first full day. In the middle of July, when it's about 100 degrees at the park, it's nice to be hiking in shade and be in the water...which is what your feet are in about 70% of the time it seems like when you're hiking the Narrows. This has got to be one of my favorite hikes in the world.

Before getting to the Narrows, you have to walk down this mile long path. Excited hikers can be found along the way.


Along with some wildlife.


We had to do a few prom pics before starting.


The hike begins!


It's not so bad at first. The water was about 55 degrees.


Then all of sudden, it gets chest deep! This is actually the deepest part and it doesn't last for too long. The rest of the hike the water is about ankle to calf deep.


This is why I love the Narrows. The water, the rocks, the glowing light.




We saw three guys rappelling down the side of the canyon that was about 100ft high. After talking to the first guy that came down, I found out that his friend had tumbled down the side of this canyon at this very spot just last year. He filmed the whole thing and they both ended up on the Today Show talking about the mishap. Eric Shreever luckily ended up with a sprained ankle and some rope burns at the ends of his fingers. I'm glad to see he and his friends are still rappelling.










On our last full day at Zion, one of the locals at Mean Bean Coffeehouse in Springdale (the cute little town right at the edge of the park) told us of a little swimming hole. When we first arrived a grandma and her 10 grandchildren were enjoying themselves there. After the kids showed us where to jump from, they took off and we took over. FUN!






We ended our stay in Zion with an unforgettable dinner at Bit & Spur in Springdale. If you're in Zion, you MUST come here and order the beet salad. It was so good that we ordered a second plate for dessert!


But the place that totally put the GLAM in glamping was our final destination: L'Auberge in Sedona. I love this place! Here's the view of Snoopy from our balcony.


Future Miss America here with her man.


YAY for glamping!!!




{Travel Photographer}