To many people, the desert is an inhospitable wasteland but to me it is an open canvas just waiting to be explored. Lucky for me, this romantic ideal is shared by others as well! For many years, vacationers have made the journey to the desert so they can bake in the hot dry sun and relax in the pool, play golf, and generally escape reality for a few days. With La Casa Del Zorro, Heather and I had the chance to spend four nights at the resort with the first two being just us (and Niki Belle) in one of their casitas with a private pool. 

This hotel was booked for us by Visit Santa Fe. One of the things that I love to see is when older properties are renovated - rather than simply leveled to create something with a cookie-cutter design conceived of without any regard for the community. It shouldn't be a surprise that this was the path that the owners of the Santa Fe Sage Inn took, considering the dynamic and unique nature of Santa Fe itself. What on the outside looks like an older motel, has been lovingly restored and updated with a low-frills but comfortable and inviting decor matching the vibe of the town.

Las Vegas may be the king for people all around the world, but there's another city in Nevada that is the Prince... or at least the Duke. While Las Vegas has virtually no redeeming qualities outside of being hot as hell, Reno is located close enough to the ski resorts around Lake Tahoe and a major airport that this could be your basecamp to launch an awesome Reno / Tahoe mancation adventure.

South Lake Tahoe is an interesting mixture of high-rise casino resorts, modern ski condos in the Heavenly Village, and old independent motels. There's a relatively new player in the market now and that's Basecamp Hotel. The hotel has taken over the bones of a classic motel, renovated the crap out of it and has even built some all-new buildings too. It's an interesting boutique hotel that somehow actually creates the feeling that you're part of a community when you stay there.

Visitors to Coronado Island are typically familiar with the famous Hotel Del - afterall, it's one of the earliest buildings in the area and set the tone for the next 100+ years as a mecca for beachgoers. What I learned this week, was that just across the road is an even older building that was built a year earlier in 1887. Originally serving as the boathouse for the resort, it now houses a fantastic seafood restaurant that is part of the Bluewater Grill group.

There are many ways to add a new furry member to your family. From pet shops to breeders to ads in the paper, but when you consider all the options, adopting online is probably one of the best choices you can make. About 10 years ago, that's how Niki Belle came into our lives. We fell in love with her from an ad we saw in the online classified section and quickly raced to the home where she was to get her. It's been one of the best decisions that we've made.

As you drive on I-15 from Las Vegas to Southern California, you will find a cluster of hotels, a "fashion outlet" and a California Lottery store. Each time I drive by, I've wondered what they were like but I've never actually stopped till this past weekend. Frankly, I'm still not sure why people would stop there instead of going all the way into Vegas or back home to Los Angles, Orange County, or San Diego. Despite that, here's what we found inside :)

My wife and I don't have kids - so our dog, Niki Belle, is our fur baby and child in probably more ways than a couple in a similar position might understand. When we first got her, we nervously prayed that she would be ok with doing road trips and were blessed that she indeed did not get car sick and was happy to curl up and relax or sit and look out the window. As anyone knows though, that's only part of the equation when it comes to taking care of your dog on the road. 

If you aren't familiar with Carmel California, I bet you are familiar with it's cousins of Pebble Beach and Monterey. Don't worry though, there's a lot to offer in Carmel itself including a great beach, great food, unparalleled driving experiences in Big Sur, sports, and of course it is one of the most dog friendly cities in America. Oh yeah and many celebrities call Carmel home so don't be surprised if you see them walking around town including Brad Pitt and former mayor of Carmel, Clint Eastwood. 

Last month, Heather and I set forth to escape the summer heat in San Diego and head north to Carmel-by-the-Sea, located just south of San Francisco. Our host on this trip was the absolutely beautiful Carmel Country Inn, a bed and breakfast that offered us a 2 bedroom suite.