Explore Lake Powell by houseboat this fall

by Kraig Becker on

When the Glen Canyon Dam was built back in 1966, it created Lake Powell, the second largest man-made lake in the United States behind Lake Mead. Covering more than 250 square miles in area, Lake Powell falls along the border of Utah and Arizona, a spectacularly beautiful region of the country that offers picturesque sandstone cliffs, winding canyons, and sun drenched vistas. It is truly an amazing natural setting that is best explored by boat, or better yet, by houseboat.

With the fall travel season just around the corner, Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas is giving travelers a chance to experience an interesting combination of luxury and adventure by discovering everything that the lake has to offer via a houseboat. Heading into their peak season, the resort is offering an unprecedented 40 percent off boat rentals when booked before Sept. 15th, which makes this trip as affordable as it has ever been.

Lake Powell has a lot to offer visitors, including hidden beaches, great fishing, kayaking and even hiking trails that will take you into the Pueblo cliff dwellings. You can be as active or lazy as you choose, while discovering everything that his aquatic playground has to offer. Best of all, the fall weather is generally very good, making this a great warm weather escape when the cooler temps set in.

The luxury houseboats have all the amenities you would expect, and more. For instance, they come with fully equipped kitchens, comfortably sleep 12, are fully stocked with plenty of towels and linens, and include deck chairs, and water slides. The top of the line models even have state rooms with queen sized beds, hot tubs, wide screen HDTV’s with satellite television, outdoor gas grills, and wine coolers as well. All the comforts of home, and then some.

To book one of these houseboats, and take advantage of these great discounts, click here. Then start planning your fall escape to an unexpectedly beautiful and comfortable destination.

Hidden Treasures: Middle Eastern food in Utah

by Gadling Staff on

A local favorite, the Mazza cafe offers the best, award winning middle eastern food in Utah. Originally started as a deli at it’s original 15th & 15th location, owner Ali Sabbah has grown this cafe into two full service restaurants.

Stop by the cute original neighborhood location for a quiet dining experience, or head to the hopping 9th & 9th restaurant were Ali Sabbah can be found chatting with diners.

Among my favorite dishes are the baba ganooj, house salad, the Chicken Shawarma sandwich, and the Chicken and Cauliflower Kabseh. Don’t miss the fries with the aiol dipping sauce; they are among the best Salt Lake City has to offer. Mazza offers both local and imported foods and drinks and offers an extensive selection of vegetarian and vegan offerings.

Mazza is definitely must visit location when in Salt Lake City. Come early, this place might be packed.

Kirsten Sparks is a Seed.com contributor.

Toyota’s Farm to Table Tour takes sustainable eating on the road

by Laurel Miller on

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Yeah, right. Toyota just needs damage control. As if feel-good, treehugging road trips make up for all those recalls.” But before you judge, let us separate the issue from the mission.

This is Toyota’s second annual Farm to Table Tour, in which 11 farmers markets nationwide participate with the automotive giant to visit “farmers markets across the country to showcase the connection between farmers, chefs, farmers markets, and the communities they serve, and to give market shoppers the opportunity to experience Toyota’s hybrid vehicles.” On each stop, up to 12 local chefs and farmers pair up to highlight seasonal ingredients through free tastings. Talks on eating locally and sustainably, culinary vacation giveaways, gardening information, and test rides in a 2010 Prius, Highlander Hybrid, or Camry Hybrid are also part of each market collaboration.

Toyota is also making financial donations to the participating markets, as well as to the Farmers Market Coalition. In addition, the company is using eco-friendly materials and purchasing carbon credits through TerraPass to offset the educational tour’s carbon footprint.

Tour stops include Birmingham, Pittsburgh, Chattanooga, Minneapolis, and Salt Lake City. The Washington DC FARMFRESH Market by the White House stop on July 29th features influential chef Nora Pouillon, of Restaurant Nora, the nation’s first certified organic restaurant, which opened in 1999. Regardless of how you may feel about Toyota, the company deserves props for its ongoing commitment to sustainability, and supporting family farms. And that ain’t a bad thing.

Climbing management plan in the works for Arches National Park

by Kraig Becker on

Arches National Park, located in eastern Utah, not far from Moab, is a very popular destination for climbers and hikers who come to explore the unusual rock formations and deep canyons. The park is famous for its more than 2000 natural rock arches carved out of the sandstone by millions of years of weathering and erosion.

The most famous of those formations is Delicate Arch, a 52 foot tall monument that actually appears on Utah’s license plates. The geological phenomenon seems aptly named, as even though it is made of rock, it is also easily damaged. This was illustrated all too clearly back in 2006 when rock climber Dean Potter scaled the Arch and his ropes left grooves in the sand stone face.The park service quickly responded by restricting climbing within the park, much to the dismay of the climbers who frequented the place.

Now, more than four years after Potter’s controversial climb, the park service is finally working on a formal plan to manage climbing within Arches. That plan has a few basic goals that include protecting the park’s natural resources for future generations to enjoy, while still allowing climbers access to those resources in a safe way that doesn’t damage the rock. The plan also strives to protect the plant and animal life in the park, while engaging the climbing community in a cooperative stewardship program that helps to protect those natural resources as well.

The management plan has a long way to go, as it has just entered the public scoping period in which the park service calls for input from the general public. Moving forward, they’ll also try to define a code of ethics for climbers in the park, clearly define routes, institute a permitting system, and plan out their rescue operations considerations, amongst a host of other issues.

Arches is indeed a spectacular destination for outdoor enthusiasts looking for amazing scenery while they hike or climb. This plan will ensure that visitors to the park will continue to have access to the great natural resources available there, while using them in a safe, ethical way. If you have an opinion on the direction that this plan should go, be sure to weigh in with your thoughts now. You’ll find more information on how to do just that by clicking here.

[Photo credit: Palacemusic via WikiMedia Commons]

Top Fourth of July fireworks spots across the US

by Alex Robertson Textor on

Here are ten of the biggest and best (as well as some smaller and more regionally or otherwise distinctive) fireworks displays to anticipate this Fourth of July across the United States. And even if you can’t be in ten places across a continent in a single day (you can’t? weird!) these spots might just provide a good reference list for your next decade of Fourth of July vacation planning.

1. South Lake Tahoe, California.

The largest synchronized fireworks display west of the Mississippi will kick off on the southern end of South Lake Tahoe, starting around 9:45 pm. Lake Tahoe provides a mesmerizing surface for reflected pyrotechnics.

2. Seward, Alaska.

Seward, south of Anchorage, is flooded with tourists on July 4. The town’s festivities get off to an early start with Seward’s waterfront fireworks, which begin at 12:01 am on the morning of July 4.

3. Washington, DC.

A display over the Washington Monument is one of the country’s most distinctive. Fireworks are set off from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after 9:00 pm.

4. New York City, New York.

The Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks show, set along the Hudson River, will kick off at 9 pm with Justin Bieber tasked with the job of getting the patriotism flowing. (How’s that for Canadian-American cross-border good will?) This year’s display is graced with a score titled “American Harmony,” performed by the New York Pops and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

5. Amarillo, Texas.

The largest fireworks display in the Texas panhandle gets started at 9:30 pm at John Stiff Memorial Park. 10,000 people are expected this year.

6. Salt Lake City, Utah.

Jordan Park, on the arty west side of Salt Lake City, hosts a 10 pm fireworks display.

7. Ala Moana Center, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Hawaii’s biggest fireworks display kicks off at 8:30 pm at the Ala Moana Center shopping mall in Honolulu, following several hours of musical entertainment.

8. Tacoma, Washington.

Tacoma’s fireworks will get going at 10 pm on the city’s Commencement Bay, the grand finale of Tacoma’s annual Freedom Fair. The bay provides a glorious expanse for the fireworks display.

9. St. Louis, Missouri.

At 9:15 pm, a fireworks display will close out 2010’s Fair Saint Louis at Gateway Arch. The St. Louis display is regarded to be one of the best in the country by hardcore fireworks fans.

10. New Orleans. Louisiana.

The Big Easy’s Dueling Barges Fireworks Extravaganza makes for an especially vibrant and exciting fireworks display.


Don’t see your city listed? More great destinations here!

[Image: Flickr/Clearly Ambiguous]