hoover dam + zion (🚗 trip day 1-2)

Apologies for the delays on the road trip records but here we are.

Our trip began on May 11th and we headed from San Diego to a stop in Barstow, Ca for In n Out and gas ⛽

The drive to Hoover Dam from SD really didn’t feel very far, so besides Barstow we didn’t stop again until we reached the hotel. We dropped off our bags at the Boulder City Best Western and then went to a Hoover Dam museum to find out some of the history.

From the museum we drove to Hoover Dam, stopping at a couple overlooks, one of Lake Mead and another of the dam itself. It was INCREDIBLY hot but I honestly found it so much more interesting than I had expected to. Photos below!

After visiting the dam, we tried to stop at a Hoover Dam casino but the smell was too awful to bear so we went to dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Big T’s Cantina which had really great service and yummy food. We got a salad, burrito, and big cup of lemonade.

The next morning we woke up early and stopped at MGM Grand in Las Vegas with the failing attempt to go crazy gambling. More cigarette smoke and mostly emptiness.

From Vegas we drove to Zion and stopped first at Canyon Coffee House right outside the national park. Drinking yummy coffee surrounded by beautiful red rock views with lots of road behind and more ahead. I think it might be my destiny 🙏🙏

Then into the park! I purchased a National Park pass for flexibility on the rest of the trip. We went to the Visitor Center first and then did a long drive through the park, getting out at a few overlooks along the way, and then leaving to continue northwest.

The drive to Moab was very beautiful, including a drive along a beautiful-looking canyon. When we got to Moab we checked into the River Canyon Lodge and had dinner that night at Josie Wyatt’s grill, a pretty nice restaurant inside a hotel. I got a caesar salad and Pete got a honey dijon salmon which he called the best salmon he may have ever had! The restaurant was cozy and service was nice. And the moon outside was high and cloudy and bright and beautiful.