It’s hard to believe that my first week in this beautiful state has already past! While we have spent quite a lot of time driving around, we’ve got to visit some incredible places and see some beautiful landscapes. With the help of quite a bit of caffeine we were able to drive out to Colorado Springs in a miraculous time of 2 days! The highlight of our time spent in this area was the incredibly gorgeous drive up to Pikes Peak. Although it costs money to drive the scenic highway, the stunning views and wildlife make it worthwhile. We even saw the famous bigfoot crossing sign! I was thrilled when we passed it and had to sneak a picture. The landscapes were breathtaking as well! At the top of the peak we were at an elevation of 14,115 feet and could see well above the clouds. Not only was the top of the mountain beautiful though, the entire ride up was stunning. We were able to snag some pictures with some stunning alpine flowers and even found some cool red rocks! All in all, it was the perfect way to kick off our trip!
After this, we moved on to the cutest little town called Salida! This area reminds me so much of Asheville, NC in terms of its artsy and creative vibes. I adored exploring the downtown areas and doing a bit of shopping! Of course, I had to get a latte while we were there! We stopped by the local Brown Dog Coffee Company for some treats before heading back out. We also got to try some amazing food during our stay in Salida. I have always been on the search for the perfect pho and I found it at a tiny restaurant called Little Cambodia! It was so delicious and I miss it already. They don’t make pho that good in NC! We also had some tasty pizza at Amica’s. I got my usual order of a margarita pizza (it’s a pizza with mozzarella cheese, tomato slices, and basil) and it was delightful. Along with all of theses good eats, we got to visit the Great Sand Dunes, one of the top places on my wanderlust list! It was surreal to trek out onto the dunes. We hit them in the evening and we were out there by ourselves. It was such a beautiful moment and I am glad I got to experience it.
Our next stop was Boulder, CO! Let me tell you, this little town is a dream come true. It's chocked full of cute boutiques and shops (including some of favorites like LUSH and UO!). I definitely did some damage to my bank account during our day here! We had some amazing espresso here as well at a coffee and book store called Trident. I miss it already! I made some purchases at a few local boutiques and we enjoyed the killer food scene at a restaurant called Next Door. I had a phenomenal salad! This town is nestled right at the base of the Flat Irons as well, so we got to experience the beauty of this mountain range while we were there.
All in all, week one of our trip was unexplainably perfect. I can't wait to see what week two has in store!
XOXO,
Sadie
