Vail's Fall Foliage: Leaf-Peeper Hike

The best way to take in the autumnal splendor? Go for a walk in the woods.

All across the US, chlorophyll is starting to break down in green leaves, revealing vibrant pigments and transforming verdant summer scenery into a red, orange, and yellow harbinger of sweater weather. It’s fall foliage season, baby!

I planned my annual autumn extravaganza to Vail - as soon as I got word from a girlfriend who lives in nearby Edward, I rented a Bronco on Turo, threw my mastiff in the back of the car and took off. The drive was spectacular from Las Vegas - 8 hours of gorgeous scenery, and by the time I arrived after sitting on my ass in my Turo for no less than a full work day, i was ready to move my body, and a well-prepared hike promises a good time.

Peak fall foliage occurs at different times in different parts of the US, due to factors like latitude, elevation, climate, and tree species. In the northern states and higher elevations, mid-September to mid-October is prime time.

I couldn't have timed this trip better (for reference, the exact dates were September 27-29th, which was a little earlier in the season this year for them) as the leaves only 'change' for TWO WEEKS out of the entire year.

Obviously, these photos were for aesthetic, who actually hikes in jeans... but we did do the Beaver Lake hike and it was BRUTAL. Colorado hikes don't play with the elevation game.

Click here for the IG reel of the hike; stats below:

📍Beaver Lake, CO

🏔️9776 ft elevation

⏱️ 3 hours start to finish

🔃 7 mi RT

🔥 700 cals burned

I'll leave you with the hike views - happy foliage hike planning for 2025!

This Some (N)iceland

Iceland 🤍 All your travel questions answered:

Where I stayed:

The Edition in Reykjavik

Things I did:

Horseback Riding at Laxnes Horse Farm. Don't call it a pony (even though it is indeed a miniature horse). The Icelandic horse is known for having five different gaits (and if you're not a horse person, that's 2 extra so it feels like you're gliding once you get going). They also have an outstanding ability to cross rough terrain, which we did on this 3 hour ride. I definitely wouldnt pass this activity up - it was the first thing i did and probably one of my most favorite things of the trip.

The people who ran this place were lovely and super cheerful; they did have helmets, riding boots and a onesie for the cold, which i declined since i had a fleece & leather jacket, proper boots and leather gloves (you need a good pair the whole trip). It was so special seeing the Icelandic countryside by horseback and the views were insanely beautiful.

Golden Circle Drive

The whole Golden Circle route can easily be done in one day, as the classic journey covers around 230 kilometres (140 miles to you and me). You can actually drive the route in just over 3 hours. The Golden Circle is great for a shorter day trip, hitting up famous spots like Þingvellir National Park, Geysir, and Gullfoss.

Lunch at Fridheimar Greenhouse Farm.

another unexpected delight. Friðheimar Winebar & Bistro is a family-run restaurant located in one of the oldest greenhouses on the Friðheimar estate. Fridheimar is on the Golden Circle route, 50 minutes away from Thingvellir National Park, half an hour from Gullfoss and 20 minutes from Geysir.

The farm has abundant supplies of geothermal water, which provides heat to the greenhouses that grow tomatoes (yes, in Iceland) so the restaurant offers an entire menu of tomato-based dishes from onsite greenhouses. You can easily get up and walk around and see how the greenhouse works while you wait for your tomato soup (10/10...and the rye bread omg..which they bake by digging a hole/pot in the geothermal ground and i swear all bread should be baked this way lol just need some geysers) and dont forget to visit the bees :)

Strokkur Geysir

The Great Geysir is not the only famous geyser in the Geysir hot spring area. The most active geyser in the area is Strokkur (the Churn). It sprouts hot water as high as 30 meters (100 ft) into the air every few minutes.

Seljalandfoss and Kvernufoss waterfalls

A better wakeup than any cup of coffee I've ever had is the Behind-the-Falls Experience: One of the highlights of the hike is the opportunity to walk behind the cascading waterfall. BRING A RAINCOAT AND RAIN PANTS. You will get absolutely drenched and it is absolutely worth it.

Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

The Land of Fire and Ice is home to around 130 volcanos (32 of which are currently active) and stunning black beaches have risen from the ashes. Vik Beach—or Reynisfjara, as it's known to locals—is not just the island's most famous black sand beach, but arguably the world's. It has these massive basalt columns, lava formations, towering cliffs, and caves. I snapped this near the shore by a giant basalt formations the locals called Reynisdrangar.

Real talk: Iceland is the windiest place i have ever been, and I absolutely did not want to get out of the car to see Iceland’s iconic black sand beach (Reynisfjara) let alone take a photo, because it was freezing cold, the winds were 60 mph and the waves were lookin treacherous… but this was one of the locations I told my guide in advance I desperately wanted to see. We walked down to the rocks to asses the situation, game planned where we could grab the shot (memories >>>) then went back up and waited in the car (with hot coffee) for over an hour until most of the tourists left and the winds dropped, both ran like crazy in hiking boots, I kicked mine off, my guide snapped this shot and we ran back to the car.

To my guide, Lelo, with no social media, wherever you are, so grateful for the silly little adventure behind this photo. 🤍

Solheimajokul Glacier.

This is a short hike from a parking lot and you get to WALK ON A GLACIER. The landscape it mindblowing, and I had no idea it would be this massive, even though my guide noted its melting pretty quickly. One of the coolest experiences I've ever done in my years of travel.

Dinner at Dill in Reykjavik.

One of the best meals I've ever had. Michelin-starred and spectacular. The presentation was stunning and each dish was better than the last. The menu was 13,900 ISK ($105) and the drink pairing was 11,900 ISK (~$90) at the time of my visit. I'm also sober and they had a kombucha pairing menu that was sublime. They thought of absolutely everything.

• The restaurant is located inside of a building on the 2nd floor so you have a nice view of the hustle and bustle of the street and snowfall if you sit near a window.

Drinks at Tipsy in Reykjavik.

Cute, cozy little bar recommended by a local - great mocktails.

Late night hotdog stand in Reykjavik.

dont question this one.

Hot springs - Blue Lagoon was closed due to the volcano possibly erupting so I did Sky Lagoon. This was sort of a weird thing to do as a solo traveler, and honestly, it was PACKED. The spa is beautiful and you have a personal shower and locker for before you go into the lagoon. They have the chicest Icelandic souveniers in the gift shop and the lunch was 10/10.

Things I wish I knew before leaving: Every city/area in Iceland is far apart, we drove at least 5 hours a day, sometimes more. But honestly, some of my favorite parts were the long drives and the scenery/landscape. You definitely need to rent a car or book a driver/tour guide through your hotel. Be prepared to get wet and dirty. Iceland has microclimates and the weather can go from bright and sunny to extreme winds (70 mph) which makes visiting the waterfalls feel like an intense nature shower lol good hiking boots and wind jacket and pants are a MUST.

a week is definitely not enough time to explore all of Iceland. Missed the Northern Lights but the locals say it’s hit or miss. Tried to track it on an app but the weather got insanely windy and a storm came in so the clouds were a bit too low.

The people are extraordinary, live in a dream land and were super helpful to a solo female traveler. I also met two solo traveler babes while horseback riding and thought that was pretty rad (and a first time for me).

I’m sure I’m missing things but I saved everything to my highlight reel on my Instagram as well with location tags for those who ever need an itinerary reference! 🇮🇸✨

KENYA BELIEVE IM IN AFRICA

My first experience of Kenya’s vast wilderness, teeming with the world’s wildlife A-listers and framed by the majestic Kilimanjaro, was in a word, unforgettable.

Where I stayed in Nairobi:

Giraffe Manor

This hotel was the bucket list stay of a lifetime, and easily the coolest place I've stayed on a vacation in all my years of travel. Built in the 1930s and set in 12 acres of indigenous forest 12 miles (20 kilometres) from Nairobi city center, Giraffe Manor offers an unparalleled experience with its resident herd of Rothschild Giraffes. It's also home to warthogs, bushbuck and more than 180 bird species. Giraffe Manor is made up of 12 rooms, and the guides bring the giraffes to your doorstep (or window if you're upstairs) every morning so you can have your coffee and feed the giraffes before walking to the main dining room, where you'll get photos like this:

Giraffe Manor will forever hold a special place in my heart, and I'm so grateful I had the rare opportunity to interact with these graceful, gentle giants. The picturesque landscape and the most whimsical, magestic creatures welcoming you to their home was nothing short of absolutely magical and unforgettable. Legit felt like I was in Jumangi *without all the scary parts and poachers lol

Since Giraffe Manor was a bucket list destination for me... and also very expensive...and also books out years in advance... we only stayed one night before getting private road transfer from Giraffe Manor to Wilson Airport (The Safari Collection owns both Giraffe Manor and Sala's Camp in Masai Mara so they arranged all the travel inbetween).

Then we jumped on a scheduled flight from Wilson Airport to Keekorok Airstrip, Mara. The planes are very small and can seat 6 pax.

Starting off the trip like that felt difficult to top, but then again, I had never been on safari...

Where I stayed on Safari:

Sala’s Camp in the Masai Mara

Its unique location is Sala’s drawcard! I did some research on a few other camps, and Sala's remoteness seemed to offer the most exclusive and abundant game viewing opportunities, not to mention being the first camp to welcome the annual wildebeest migration. This luxury eco-camp hidden in the northern tip of Namunyak Conservancy boasted 850,000 acres (I asked) of dramatic landscape in the heart of Samburuland. Four beautifully appointed (exactly what you'd think 'luxe eco-camp' to be) and spacious tents are nestled in the saddle of a rocky outcrop under the shade of an acacia grove (sounds whimsical, because it is).

In the southern Maasai Mara, Sala’s Camp rests beside the Sand River within an area of indigenous forest looking towards Tanzania. I've heard the wildlife in the Mara is exceptional all year round, but Sala’s is also lucky enough to have the longest migration season of all the Mara properties as it sits in the corridor. I went during COVID (November 2020) so there were only 6 of us staying in a 50-person resort, so the animals were out in droves with no other foot traffic, road traffic or safari groups for miles. Stylish and elegant, this was an extremely special under-canvas safari experience with every tent offering plunge pools, comfortable beds, deep bathtubs and lots of space. I could literally hear the wildlife RIGHT outside of our luxury yurt, and the African decor to the bedding, everything was immaculate. But, what you're really there for is the wildlife on the safari so here's a few of my snaps (photos of the best sunset of my life excluded but seared into my mind):

I was fortunate enough to see the 'Big 5' over the course of 2 days (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and African buffalo); most of them were video since i didnt want to miss a moment, saved to my Instagram highlight reel labeled 'Kenya'.

You don't even really even need a zoom lens, i shot this with a 35mm from approx 10 yards away. That's how close you get - absolutely breathtaking. I wondered before i went if it would feel like a zoo without bars or cages, but nothing can prepare you for how awe-inspiring it feels being this close to literal beasts, so relaxed and welcoming you as a visitor on their land.

The animals are super comfortable with the guides and vehicles (below). Obviously you arent allowed to jump out, but this was surreal seeing these gorgeous beasts this close.

Our guides were able to spot animals miiiiiles away because their eyes are so trained and their instincts are so atuned to the land. I could see if i used the binoculars and then once we spotted, we were off in the land cruiser to get as close as we could.

Leopard mamma just chillin (which they said was especially odd that she was out during the day like this).

The guides told us this glorious king had just eaten (we drove by a pack of wild hyenas tearing up the carcas of a dead elephant) so we weere able to get super close to this dude chilling in the shade of the brush, which they said was also a rare occurance. Thank you, Universe (and Circle of Life.. queue the Lion King soundtrack).

Things I did:

Safari in Masai Mara.

Obviously safari was the reason for the trip, but hundreds of thousands of visitors pour into Kenya's borders every year, drawn to the savannahs and enigmatic tribal cultures. But sticking solely to the increasingly commercialized tourist landscape sells a visit short. It barely needs mentioning, but a safari should be placed at the top of any Kenya itinerary. Nowhere else on earth is the wonder of the natural world played out in such spectacular fashion.

Hot Air Balloon ride Excursion.

This was a last minute add on to the trip and 1000% worth the 4am early wakeup call. The balloon went up at 6am, and not only were you seeing the savannahs from a hot air balloon, but you could spot the wildlife migrating and grazing from an eagle eye view. The sunrise was breathtaking and truly a moment I won't forget.

Notes about Kenya:

🗣️ Tongues twisted: Kenya’s population boasts a cultural diversity we can’t comprehend in the US. Owing to the many different tribal histories, there are more than 43 languages and dialects spoken in the country.

🎽 Run for hills: Kenya’s track record in marathon racing is legendary. Most of the country’s success stems from a single tribe–the Kalenjin. The mixture of high altitude, natural diet, and mixed terrain mixes with the people’s passion for running to create athletic excellence.

🚼 Our ancestral home: It’s widely assumed that humanity began in East Africa. Kenya may even be the epicenter; the oldest hominid remains on record were discovered there.

🦏 Conservation colossus: Naturally, the biggest draw to Kenya is its stunning wildlife. It takes this seriously: hunting is banned, and it boasts more than 50 nature reserves to protect the animals.