After an amazing week in Cleveland, we set our sights on our cross country journey to Portland, OR. On our way across the United States in 9 different States, we stopped in 3 major cities. We spent 24 hours in each city and enjoyed every minute.
3 Awesome Cities in 24 Hours...
St. Louis, MO:
I am not usually one for traveling to check out all the latest tourist attractions, but when it comes to St. Louis, The Gateway Arch is not to be missed. The Arch sits on the Mississippi River bank and is connected to an enormous park right in the heart of Downtown. It's truly a beautiful masterpiece in architecture, take a trip to the top if you dare, haha I did not. Taking a Riverboat Cruise down the Mississippi is more my style. After taking in the majesty of the Arch, we stumbled across a small cobblestone street at the other end of the riverfront park called Laclede’s Landing. We took up a table on the patio at Morgan Street Brewery to see what St. Louis had on tap. I must say this beer city really lived up to its name. If you are ever visiting, put Morgan Street Brewery on your list. We also explored the Tower Grove neighborhood and found Rooster to grab a fabulous breakfast before we hit the road. We shared the Smoked Sirloin Savory Crepe, along with berries, a side of potatoes, and a citrusy beermosa. St. Louis has a beautiful history and a charm that is a mix of the Midwest personality with a New Orleans flare.
Denver, CO:
Denver really blew us away and is already on our radar to go back. Besides the breathtaking views of the Rocky mountains, the city itself was fantastic. My favorite neighborhood was RINO (River North Art District), located just west of Downtown. It's super hip and full of amazing restaurants, shops, and large murals, plus it's an Instagrammer's paradise. The craft beer movement is alive and well in Denver and very tasty. Our first stop after we checked-in and dropped off our bags was Our Mutual Friend Brewery, and I must say it was one of the smartest decisions we made. It was a great way to start off our 24 hours in the Mile-High city. I tried the beer flight and my taste buds applauded, you can also grab a bite at the food truck right on their patio.
For dinner, we hit up Cart-Driver for brick over style pizza. What a great place to go amazing friendly service and they had great specials, especially for me, they had prosecco on tap!! That's right ladies on Tap! Cart-Driver also has a great atmosphere and large patio with a bar out back. The entire building was made from shipping containers, it was great. To end the night we headed over to Forest Room 5 and it has to be my favorite place on our whole trip! For a girl who doesn't camp this is the perfect compromise, plus the drinks are forestastic. I ordered the Huckleberry Lynx, a 44 North Huckleberry Vodka with sage bitters, ginger beer, over ice and garnished with sage and blackberry. Their whole patio is set up like the coolest campground you've ever been to, it's the wilderness right in city limits. For breakfast, we headed back to the RINO neighborhood to hit up coffee house Crema Coffee House. The coffee and breakfast menu was awesome I ordered the Five-Spiced Granola, and I would eat it every day for the rest of my life if I could. = ) Denver is already on my list of places I want to head back to ASAP.
Salt Lake City, UT:
The drive from Denver to Salt Lake City was my favorite part of the trip, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. I had never seen the Rocky Mountain before and I was completely awe struck by the sheer beauty of it all. I really wasn't sure what to expect from any of the cities but Salt Lake City was probably the most surprising. It was the first city I have ever explored as the state capital and seeing the Capital Building up on the hill with a beautiful mountain landscape behind it was pretty neat. In Salt Lake, we did more sight seeing than anything else. We took the trolley tour around town and enjoyed the rich history of Salt Lake City. Since my favorite meal of the day is breakfast, well brunch... but no time for mimosas that day. Finn's Cafe was two thumbs up!! We had the special which was Smoked Salmon Benedict served with potato hash and of course, I added I side of bacon. I must say there were some great breweries on my list to try out and Redrock Brewery was one of them. We hit the Downtown location of Red Rock Brewing and I must say that they had mad skills and loads of creativity. I drank the Saison Bretta, with hints of citrus, stone fruit, and finished with a mild tang. We snacked on Roasted Brussels Sprouts and a Warm Goat Cheese Salad while enjoying the desert sun, it was a hot one!
I must say this road trip was full of wonderment. I loved every minute of it, and I will admit my favorite parts were the times and towns in between. One of my favorite places was our last stop before we hit Portland, OR. a small town called Baker City, OR. This picturesque town is absolutely charming and for a family ready for the comforts of home, the town enchanted us. After we settled into our room we ate dinner at the Geiser Grand Hotel. We enjoyed our meal and watched the town's main street come alive. The Hotel itself is a historic landmark and an absolute jewel. Walk the main street and enjoy wine bars, adorable shops and homemade ice cream. Do not forget to stop at Coffee Corral for your java pick-me-up and bask in the morning glow on their porch while sipping your coffee from a rocking chair.
