A Vacation to Remember - My Favorite Travel Experience

Hey travel gurus!

Today I wanted to do something a little different than what I've been posting so far. This is a true account of probably my favorite trip of all time.

Have fun reading!

Taz

Of the many relatively extravagant and exotic trips I've have been blessed with the opportunity of experiencing, the one that sticks most in my mind may come as surprise for you and even myself. It was a very recent trip that took place at the end of last summer. My parents had decided to stick with a low key summer plan as my two tiny sisters would make large-scale travel quite the inconvenience - and more accurately, an impossibility. We had absolutely no plans for that summer and if you remember from my last blog post - Taking the Cultural Backstreets  - the spontaneous and spur of the moment trips tend to be the most emotionally rewarding. 

This proved to be especially true during my time spent at the Riverside Resort in Wisconsin. My family and I were driving home from the Wisconsin Dells amusement park and waterpark when our hunger from the lack of breakfast started to set in. Since it was already noon, we decided to just have lunch. A couple minutes of trying to work Siri, my dad found a very highly rated restaurant. Little did we know that when entered Shifflet’s Bar and Grille, we would also find the place we would be spending a week and a half. Despite our grogginess from the very loud and energetic trip we had just been on, our excitement about the great meal and gorgeous venue it was located on couldn’t be muted.  Beautiful and isolated cabins looking over the beautiful Wisconsin River where the smell of barbeque and bliss intermingled with the distinct scent of sandy shores and filled up my soul. I was enamored with the water activities taking place outside from waterskiing to tubing and so many other things I had always wanted to try but never have. Fast forward through the delicious meal, we were grudgingly leaving when my dad simply said: “We’re coming here next weekend.” No build up or anything. Just pure reaction to the situation we were faced with and I couldn’t be more excited. 

We all actually had a pretty busy week and our preoccupation with our routine errands and social outings made the trip come as even more of a relief and surprise. We packed more minimally than usual and were out of the house within 1 hour – record time for a family of seven with two babies.

          One annoying car trip later and I was in rustic paradise. Seeing our cabin for the first time was such a rush. Like a very mature 16-year old I started screaming and running around exploring every nook and cranny of the gorgeous wooden cabin. The high ceilings and wooden accents perfectly complemented the clear waters bordered with light flaky sand. My dad had reserved the biggest cabin on the property and with this came the perk of having first –rate access to a beautiful and secluded bay within the river. The only word I can use to describe where we were is serene.

          My favorite moment during the trip was crossing the river to reach a peaking dune of sand within the river and finding myself surrounded by a circle of clear water bordered by green mountains. The fact that I was alone and experiencing this while the sun rose just made it that more potent and long-lasting in my mind. Something about the moment made me feel infinitely important yet insignificant at the same time.

          Looking back, I realize how simple the whole experience was, but I also realize that’s why I loved it so much. I didn’t have to worry about constantly taking pictures next to landmarks I wanted make sure I would remember, but rather enjoyed everything through my own two eyes. Nothing about the trip was overpowering or forced which allowed the simple pleasures of the venue to shine through. I hope to visit this amazing destination again next summer and re-experience what made me fall in love the first time.