We actually booked this trip through TripMasters. The agents Chris spoke to were very insistent that we stop in the Sacred Valley first. Apparently a top complaint from visitors is altitude sickness, so travel agents strongly suggest booking your trip to Peru in a specific order:
Machu Picchu Citadel (the ruins) – elevation ~7,970 feet
Top of Machu Picchu – elevation ~8,920 feet
Cusco – elevation ~11,150 feet
Puno/Lake Titicaca – elevation ~12,560 feet
Lima is basically sea level, which is where we first landed. The idea here is that you need to acclimate yourself to the high altitude. You start in Sacred Valley, which has a pretty high altitude. Then you give your body a bit of a break by going down in altitude when you visit Machu Picchu.
After a couple days in Machu Picchu, you move on to Cusco, where the altitude is higher than the Sacred Valley. The idea is that by now the high altitude won’t be such a shock to your system. Then last comes Lake Titicaca, the highest elevation of all.
We were not especially concerned with elevation as the elevation in Utah is not exactly low. We are sitting at maybe ~4500 feet, but Chris’s favorite mountain peak (Ben Lomond) is ~9,700 feet. That being said, we spoke with tons of people visiting Peru who were suffering from altitude sickness. Specifically a couple from California who sat across from us on one of the trains. They were feeling it pretty bad!
Everywhere you go, Peruvians will offer Coca Tea as a remedy for altitude sickness. Luckily we never felt like we needed it.
If you are planning to visit Peru and you are coming from an area that is sea level or low elevation, make sure to plan for this. Peru is breathtaking in two ways; beautiful to behold AND tough on your lungs. Plan ahead so you can enjoy the views, not just gasp for air.
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Fall is in the air, and people are giving a collective sigh of relief for cooler temperatures. As for myself, I thrive in the heat! The cooler temperatures are a reminder of what’s coming- SNOW! I am jealous of people who love snow and I hope to one day not be hating life for 3-6 months of the year.
But for now, I’ll try to enjoy the moment rather than dread the inevitable. What better way to live in the present than by taking a trip?
Top 3 Places to Visit in the Fall
Four Corners Roadtrip (Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado)
Autumn brings cooler daytime temps that make exploring red rock canyons and desert landscapes much more comfortable than in the summer. Here’s a sample 6-day itinerary packed with iconic Southwest scenery:
Day 1: Start in Moab, Utah → Sand Island Petroglyphs (Bluff).
Day 2:Monument Valley Scenic Drive → Navajo National Monument → overnight in Kayenta, AZ.
Day 3:Four Corners Monument → Petrified Forest National Park (Painted Desert, Blue Mesa, Crystal Forest, Giant Logs) → overnight in Holbrook, AZ.
Day 4:Canyon de Chelly (Spider Rock, White House Overlooks) → overnight in Chinle, AZ.
Day 5:Lower Antelope Canyon (guided tour required) + Horseshoe Bend hike → overnight in Page, AZ.
Day 6: On the drive back, stop at Moqui Cave, Kanab Sand Caves, Coral Pink Sand Dunes, and Belly of the Dragon.
Why it’s worth it: Slot canyons, red rock mesas, ancient ruins, and petrified forests! Not every trip offers this much variety! What to know:Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon require Navajo Nation permits and guided tours. Expect heavy crowds at Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee, North Carolina)
The Smokies are one of the best places in the country to see fall foliage, with rolling mountains blanketed in fiery reds and golds. Popular scenic drives like Newfound Gap Road and Cades Cove Loop make it easy to soak in the views. Cooler weather also makes hiking more comfortable.
The perfect trip would be 3-5 days. A long weekend would be great to hit up just the highlights, but extra time allows for longer hikes like Alum Cave or Mount LeConte.
Why it’s worth it: Mountains covered in color with misty mornings that live up to the park’s “smoky” name. The scale of color present in the fall alone makes it worth the traffic! What to know:Expect bumper-to-bumper traffic during peak foliage, but sunrise hikes or weekday visits bring quieter moments.
Columbia River Gorge & Mount Hood (Oregon)
Just outside Portland, the Columbia River Gorge is lined with waterfalls like Multnomah Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Latourell Falls, all framed by fall foliage. Continue on to Mount Hood, where you can drive the scenic Fruit Loop and stop at orchards for apples, pears, and fresh cider.
Perfect for a quick getaway if you don’t have more time in your calendar. Two days covers the highlights, but if you can spare 4 days, you can spend more time on longer hikes (like Tamanawas Falls) and enjoying Hood River’s orchards.
Why it’s worth it:Few places combine waterfalls, fall colors, and mountain views so close together. What to know:Parking fills quickly at popular falls, but arriving early or visiting midweek makes it much easier.
Quick Comparison
Four Corners Road Trip: Best for photography and bucket-list Southwest landmarks.
Great Smoky Mountains: Best for viewing fall foliage at its best and scenic mountain drives.
Columbia River Gorge & Mount Hood: Best for a short getaway with waterfalls, orchards, and fall colors.
Whatever destination you pick, expect cooler weather and vibrant colors. Enjoy the best of autumn while it lasts!
Did I miss one of your favorite autumn getaways? Comment and tell me!
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I don’t respond to all the daily prompts, but for this one, one name immediately jumped to mind.
I have been pondering on the recent passing of Russell M. Nelson. He had a more successful life than anyone else I can think of, at least who was alive in my lifetime. He was undeniably a remarkable man.
First of all, he was 101 years old when he passed- he made it to a much riper old age than most, and that in itself denotes success! Most people have a goal in life to live as long as possible; he definitely achieved that!
There are 3 aspects of his life in particular that would each on their own merit be enough to be exceptional. His medical career, his family, and his years and years of church service.
If your definition of success is tied primarily to career accolades, he’s got it. As a pioneering heart surgeon, he performed the first open-heart surgery in Utah back in 1955. My own father has benefited from his contribution to medicine. My dad had open-heart surgery a few weeks ago and his surgeons used a heart-lung machine developed by Russell M. Nelson.
In times past, success was measured by the ability to bring about posterity. Well Russell M. Nelson had 10 children, 57 grandchildren, and 167 great-grandchildren. A lasting legacy for sure.
He could have retired as a heart surgeon and still been extraordinary. However he didn’t get to enjoy a relaxing retirement. He was called to the ministry over 40 years ago. He did not ask to serve or lead, but he willingly and humbly spent the last 40+ years of his life in tireless dedication to church service around the world.
I’ll be honest, hiking Machu Picchu was not a priority of mine. I was not opposed to it, but it was not an immediate, or even a future, goal of mine.
I knew since my high school days that I wanted to travel. I took an Art History class in high school that sparked an enduring love for art. I knew I’d travel in life, but I imagined wandering through Europe, soaking in museums, cathedrals, and cobblestone streets.
It was Chris who wanted to see Machu Picchu. He had even started the process of booking a trip there around the time we started dating. He was going to go with a work buddy. I don’t remember why they didn’t go.
Our first trip together was a cruise on our honeymoon. Any trips after that in our early marriage were in our home state. Chris had brought up hiking Machu Picchu a few times over the years, but I just didn’t feel like we could afford it. After a few years and a few job promotions, we wanted to do a bigger trip. After a few months of careful consideration, I decided that if we were going to travel to Peru, it was now or never.
We were both making more money than we were before, but we also had a much larger mortgage payment than we had before. We had two dogs and no kids yet. We were not wealthy by any means, I just felt like now was the only time in our lives where we could be a little reckless. I was hoping to start a family sooner than later, and Chris wasn’t quite on board yet. I hoped a trip to Peru would convince him otherwise.
So I took a bit of a financial risk. I opened up a new credit card that had an introductory rate of 0% for a year. We put the whole trip on this credit card banking on the idea that we’d be able to have it paid in full before the introductory rate expired.
Do not jump into credit card debt with both eyes closed. Carrying a balance on credit cards leads to compounding interest and a hole so deep it can be very difficult to climb out. If you use credit, have a solid repayment plan in place before you book.
To find out my strategies for paying for travel, check out my Travel Financing Page!
This was what I meant by “now or never.” I didn’t want to make this kind of financial risk when we had more on the line (i.e. children who need consistent nourishment and clothes and lodging etc). I fully planned on this being our trip of a lifetime, with the caveat that we’d also go to Italy for me. Then once those trips were done, we’d have kids and settle down and never really do big trips until our empty-nester years.
Instead we caught the travel bug, and it turns out the only cure is more cowbell. Or more plane tickets.
So now I’ll tell you about the trip that started it all: the one that ignited our curiosity and set us on a mission to see the world!
If I lost all my possessions, I wouldn’t be too upset. I’m guessing I lost them in a fire, or maybe my house/car was robbed. I imagine insurance would be of use in recouping funds to get new possessions, though maybe not as much as I would like.
As long as my family and pups are safe, losing my possessions would be more of an annoyance than it would be devastating. And to be honest, I’m due for a new wardrobe. It would even be kind of nice to get a fresh start and clear out all the clutter.
Of course I do not want to downplay the horror of losing everything you own, especially in a fire. In this hypothetical situation, I know I’m not happy to have to clean up wreckage and start over. But at the end of the day, stuff is just stuff. All I REALLY care about is my husband, children, and dogs.
There is one exception: my travel souvenirs.
Our Souvenirs
Chris had a healthy collection of souvenir shot glasses before we even knew each other, so naturally we get a new shot glass everywhere we go. We even made a cute mountain shelf to display them.
Too many shotglasses!
My favorite souvenir item we get is a new Christmas ornament from each place we visit. I love this because we don’t have to find a permanent spot for display, so it doesn’t add to clutter. Each Christmas we get to reminisce about our travels.
We also usually try to get a piece of art from a local, and Chris will usually frame it himself using wood local to the area. This tradition started in 2017 with our trip to Peru. He used Katalox wood, local to South America, to frame a painting of Machu Picchu. This eventually became the namesake of his company.
Frame made from Katalox wood
I usually try to get a souvenir shirt as well. That’s really the only time I get new clothes. For big hikes I treat myself to a hoodie, such as when I hiked the Grand Canyon and the Half Dome in Yosemite. Chris has the world’s largest head, so he has trouble finding hats that fit, but he gets himself a souvenir hat on the rare occasion he finds one big enough.
So maybe I wouldn’t be devastated to have to replace my furniture, clothes, office supplies, documents, and home decor – but I would definitely mourn the loss of my treasured souvenirs. Or maybe it would be a sign to create more travel memories?
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This was a pretty great trip other than the hiccups in Detroit. It’s an engaging topic, and people love to hear about it and recommend their favorite spots for pizza. I am told that Philadelphia has some pretty great pizza. I’ve also heard Florida, California, Texas, and most randomly, North Dakota!
We’d love to do a similar trip in the future. I think we’d bring the kids next time.
We’d skip Chicago and Detroit and add in Boston and Philadelphia, maybe Washington D.C. We could turn it into an American History trip, which would be great for the kids!
I’d hope to travel between states by train. Here are some of the things I’d like to add in on top of trying new pizzas:
New York City:
Crown tickets for the Statue of Liberty – I really wanted to do this and just didn’t book tickets early enough. Next time for sure!
Ellis Island – I’d repeat this for sure – 25 minutes just wasn’t enough for me, and it’s a good learning experience for kids as well.
Brooklyn Bridge – I loved walking the 1.6 mile bridge, and I bet the kids would like it too.
FAO Schwartz – the kids would LOVE this, and I’d make sure they got to play on the big piano.
Pizza – we’d try for some different places, but for sure repeat visits to Denino’s Greenwich Village and John’s of Bleecker Street!
New Haven, CT:
The pizza here was good enough for a repeat visit, but it would have to be a very quick stop as there would be plenty of sightseeing to do elsewhere!
Pizza – If we could make it work, we’d swing by Frank Pepe’s and maybe a repeat visit to Modern Apizza
Boston:
Having never had pizza here, I’m not sure what we’d try, but on top of trying new pizzas, we’d for sure do some American History stops.
Freedom Trail – 2.5 mile red-brick path that leads to 16 different historically significant Revolutionary-era sites.
Paul Revere’s house
Old North Church
Faneuil Hall
Boston Massacre site
Old Granary Burying Ground
Burial place for Paul Revere, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Mary Goose (rumored to be Mother Goose)
Philadelphia:
I know a guy who insists Philadelphia pizza is the BEST pizza! So we’d for sure give it a try on top of visiting more iconic American History sites.
Liberty Bell
Independence Hall
Elfreths Alley
Rittenhouse Square
Reading Terminal Market
Franklin Fountain Ice Cream (I love ice cream as much as Chris loves pizza!)
Betsy Ross House
Museum of American Revolution
Rodin Museum – we’d throw this in for good measure
Other Sites
We don’t make our way to the East Coast very often, and if we could make it work, here’s some other sites on my wishlist that I think would fit well in this itinerary.
Vermont – Arlington Green Covered Bridge
Rhode Island – Newport Mansions
Maine – Acadia National Park (could probably be a trip in its own)
Washington D.C. – White House, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Smithsonian Museums
Please comment and let me know what I’m missing!
And with that, this wraps up my series about our Cross-Country Pizza Crawl! If you get a chance to do something similar, please let me know!
Next up: I’ll detail our trip to Peru – the trip that sparked our love for travel.
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This trip was easy to pack for. No hiking, no swimming, just walking around eating pizza! So this post should be short and sweet.
We were only gone for 5 nights. We flew into Chicago and stayed one night, flew to Detroit and stayed another night, flew to NYC and stayed 3 nights, then flew home early the next morning.
Ultimate Pizza Crawl Packing List:
5 days’ worth of comfy clothes good for walking
Hoodie or sweater depending on time of year
Good walking shoes with socks
This backpack to avoid checking a bag – it’s got plenty of compartments and I’ve taken it on multiple trips
Wallet/Money/Cash/ID
Two of the pizza places we ate at were cash only
Medicine (Ibuprofen/Tylenol/anything else you need)
Travel-sized toiletries
Hair needs (brush/pick/comb/ponytails)
Cell phone and charger
Book/Kindle/Headphones for airplane
Laundry bag
Enough room leftover for souvenirs
That’s it, easy peasy!
No Vacation Time?
With pizza as the main attraction, this trip can easily double as a working getaway. Just add your laptop to the list and adapt the itinerary as necessary! This same bag even has a combination lock on it to keep your laptop safe.
Fancy Night Out?
If you want to add in a ritzy restaurant or just want to feel extra, toss in a more formal outfit just in case. Most hotels have an iron to press out those travel wrinkles!
Packing for this trip can be as low-key as the trip itself. Keep it light, comfy, and pizza-ready!
Next post: Exact details of the itinerary. FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. (but you can subscribe for free using the Subscribe button on the bottom right corner of your screen!)
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Chris has been quietly over the years perfecting his own pizza making skills. The same birthday that I got him the Pizza Bible by Tony Gemignani, I also got him a pizza stone and a pizza peel. Chris uses Tony’s Poolish starter recipe along with the Master Dough recipe and lets it rise for a few days.
He doesn’t make this pizza often for two reasons:
It’s a lot of work over several days, and we both work full-time
It usually ends up being a lot more expensive than just dining out! The right kind of flour is expensive and hard to find and we use premium cheeses and meats and toppings.
He probably only makes it 4-5 times per year, and we usually invite friends or family to enjoy it with us and turn it into a celebration of sorts.
Pizza Lineup
Chris hasn’t started making his own sauce (yet), but he aspires to get there. Even so, his lineup is impressive:
Meat Lovers – loaded with pepperoni, salami, and ham, and sometimes with olives
Classic Cheese – for the purists (and the kids)
Pepperoni – simple, salty, and just the right amount of cheese-to-grease ratio
Rosie’s Fancy Pizza – prosciutto, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze
As much as I love the fancy pizza, my favorite often ends up being the plain old pepperoni. It’s just right.
He is at the mercy of a variety of factors. We’re at a high altitude, which can mess with dough rising. Plus, our home oven doesn’t get anywhere near the high temps needed for a true pizzeria-style bake. And while Chris’s consistency is still a work in progress,even his “off” nights produce better pizza than most takeout. It’s my golden standard. It was my measuring stick for every pizza in our Pizza Crawl adventure.
Imagine how good his pizza would be with proper equipment?!?
Next up: Want to plan a Pizza Crawl of your own? Check out my packing list and full itinerary! Exact details of the itinerary is FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. (but you can subscribe for free using the Subscribe button on the bottom right corner of your screen!) No guesswork needed, just great pizza!
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After years of joking about our weekly pizza tradition and Chris’s strict pizza rules, people often ask, “Didn’t you get sick of pizza on your trip?”
The answer is no! Most of the pizza we ate was incredible!
You can only eat so much of the same factory-cranked pizza every week before you get sick of it. But with NYC and New Haven pizza in particular, it’s been fine-tuned to delicious perfection over the decades. Plus there’s a different pizza place on every corner.
There’s as many pizza places in Manhattan as there are Maverik’s in Utah!
Over our now 11.5 years of marriage, we’ve eaten pizza at minimum598 times (52 Fridays per year x 11.5).
That’s a LOT of pizza. With that much pizza, quality stands out. I keep waiting for our favorites to show up in a “Best Pizza in Utah” list of some sort. Since it hasn’t happened yet, I’m making my own list.
Maybe you’ll notice the usual Utah pizza list toppers missing. They weren’t forgotten; they are overhyped and haven’t passed the test of time.
Wicked Peel
They were established in 2017, shortly after we had moved to the area. We were among their first “regulars.” And for good reason. They use high quality ingredients and their pizza is consistently delicious. It’s a wonderful family of 4 that own and operate the establishment. They feature New York style pizzas which are top notch, and their cheese bread is to die for. Later on they introduced Detroit style pizza, and it quickly stole my heart. Having been to Detroit itself, I can say that Wicked Peel has perfected it.
We moved in 2020 – far enough that our favorite Friday night pizza spot was no longer in the rotation. After a couple years without it, we started making road trips every 6–8 weeks to get our fix. Since we also hadn’t found a groomer we loved in our new area, we turned it into a tradition: drop the dogs off for grooming, grab some pizza, and make a day of it.
They recently opened a second location in Midvale, which is a little bit closer to us, so it’ll be added into the rotation once again!
Here’s our favorite pizzas, but don’t ever forget the cheese bread!
Chris
Rosie
1. The Brooklyn (without sausage)
1. Detroit Style Pepperoni (normal pepperoni instead of spicy cupped)
2. Buffalo Chicken (without bruschetta)
2. Wicked Vodka (without mushrooms)
3. The Patriot (without sausage)
3. Buffalo Chicken (without cilantro)
4. Detroit Style with Pepperoni, Ham, Green Olives, Mushrooms
4. The Smokey (without onion and cilantro)
Two locations:
3956 Innovation Dr, Riverton, UT 84065
7101 Bingham Jct Blvd #102, Midvale, UT 84047
Slice House by Tony Gemignani
We recently stumbled upon this gem located in Sugar House. I found out about it by sheer luck. It’s in an area that we are never close to. I saw a Facebook ad for a specialty restaurant, and when I looked up the specialty restaurant to see how far it was, I saw Slice House by Tony Gemignani in its vicinity.
Who is Tony Gemignani you ask? Why he is the author of the Pizza Bible of course! It’s a book I got Chris for his birthday maybe nine years ago. Then we went to a Tony Gemignani pizza restaurant in Las Vegas while celebrating our 5-yr anniversary and loved it.
So when I saw there was a Tony Gemignani restaurant in Utah of all places, we made a special trip to Sugar House to give it a try. They feature New York, Detroit, Sicilian, and Grandma styles. We haven’t had a chance to try the Sicilian or Grandma style yet as we haven’t been able to bring ourselves to stray from the New York slices!
They have also nailed the Detroit style- it tastes just like the pizza from Buddy’s, down to the Parmesan taste in the crust. Right now we keep going back for the plain NY-style cheese. We’ll branch out eventually, but it’s tough when the classic is just that good.
Multiple locations, but only one in Utah:
1332 S. Foothill Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84108
Pizza Man
This is the only spot on my list without a dine-in option. It’s takeout or delivery only. When we lived closer to Wicked Peel in Riverton, we’d occasionally road trip up to North Ogden just for this pizza. Pizza Man is hard to classify—it’s round like a traditional pie but has cheesy edges that stretch all the way to the crust, though not quite caramelized like true Detroit-style. Whatever its classification, it’s definitely worth the drive! And don’t skip the amazing bread twists!
Chris
Rosie
Italian + Green Olives with Garlic Bread Twists
Pepperoni with Mozzarella Bread Twists
One location:
1958 N 400 E St, Ogden, UT 84414
Z Brothers Pizza
Their first location is in Centerville, and it’s a bit of a dive, but a great dining experience. You can get dine-in, take-out, or delivery. If you want to dine in, you place your order and seat yourself. The walls are covered in vinyl records of movie soundtracks. It’s a fun vibe. Their pizza is delicious, but when I suggest coming here, it’s because I want a break from traditional pizza. Don’t get me wrong, their traditional pizza is delicious, but I really love their Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich. Their cheese breadsticks are also a must, though I do wish they’d find a way to avoid the cheese sticking to the aluminum foil it is cooked on.
Chris tries to tell me that if I don’t order pizza, it doesn’t count, but his pizza tyranny can only go so far! Chris himself doesn’t always order pizza when we go here; he often opts for the calzone.
Here’s our favorites from Z Brothers:
Chris
Rosie
Pizza or Calzone (pepperoni, black and green olive, mushroom) + Cheese Breadsticks
Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich or Calzone (without onions) + Cheese Breadsticks
Three locations:
1097 S Main St, Centerville, UT 84014
460 N Redwood Rd, North Salt Lake, UT 84054
260 S Fort Ln Suite 103, Layton, UT 84041
We’ve tried many other pizza places in Utah. Chances are if you name it, we’ve tried it. These 4 are the most consistently delicious and we find ourselves returning over and over.
But the BEST pizza, can’t be found in a restaurant. Check out my next post for the golden standard – Chris’s homemade pizza!
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Packing for Adventure 