The West Archives | Practical Wanderlust

The Ultimate Montana Road Trip: Detailed 10-Day Itinerary

December 10, 2019

Ice-capped mountains. Aquamarine lakes. Down-home ranchers. Bears, moose, bison, and llamas. Wait… llamas?! Welcome to Montana, where there are two times as many cows as people and miles and miles of gorgeous, rolling wilderness to explore! Montana has so much to offer, including its crown jewel: Glacier National Park. We’ve designed the perfect 10-day Montana road trip itinerary through Western Montana, complete with all the details you need to help you plan each step of your trip. And yes, there are llamas. (You’re welcome.)

United States

Las Vegas on a Budget: A Massive Local’s Guide to Sin City on the Cheap

October 4, 2019

Las Vegas is one of the most famous, bucket-list destinations in the USA. Everyone’s gotta go there once in a lifetime. (Or, if you happen to live in California, everyone’s gotta go there at least once a year.) The parties are as lit as the neon signs, the food is amazing, and there’s no shortage of nightlife or entertainment! We tapped a Las Vegas local to create a jam-packed guide to planning a trip to Las Vegas on a budget, including everything from where to stay, when to go, the best FREE things to do in Las Vegas, local’s tips and tricks, the best Vegas photo spots, and even how to get into nightclubs for free. It’s everything you need to visit Las Vegas on a dime!

United States

11 Perfect Things to do in Paso Robles, California on a Weekend Getaway

June 21, 2019

Vineyards. Olive trees. Hot springs. Paso Robles, California is one of our absolute favorite places in California! It’s home to some of the best food, wine, spirits, and craft beer that you’ll find in California. Oh, and don’t forget the hot springs. Paso Robles is the perfect place to stop along California’s Central Coast as part of a Pacific Coast Highway road trip. We’ve created this comprehensive guide to all the best things to do in Paso Robles for your next weekend trip!

Hiking & Outdoor Adventure, United States

The 14 Best Weekend Getaways in Colorado: from Hiking to Hot Springs

March 8, 2019

We Californians like to joke that the only state we love as much as California is Colorado. (I say joke, but we’re being totally serious.) But I think it’s because we share a lot in common with our landlocked friend-state: legal weed (hayyy), glorious snow-capped mountains, and an unofficial state-wide obsession with rock climbing. Something else our states both share is an endless number of towns, villages, cities, and parks to explore on a weekend getaway! There are also tons of fun, beautiful, and downright weird places to explore on a weekend getaway in Colorado. We partnered with some of our favorite travel bloggers to create this list of the best weekend getaways in Colorado!

Hiking & Outdoor Adventure, United States

The 4 Best Salt Lake City Ski Resorts for a Weekend Getaway

Last Updated: January 10, 2020

Salt Lake City, Utah is nicknamed “Ski City” for a reason: there are several incredible ski resorts within an hour’s drive of the airport! Here’s everthing you need to know to plan a Salt Lake City winter weekend getaway. So throw on your favorite 80’s ski suit, find some dude named Scooter to be your arch-nemesis, come up with a weirdly specific and unnecessarily dangerous competition, and let’s get ready for your personal Ski City Montage. *cue cheesy 80’s sax music*

Hiking & Outdoor Adventure, United States

8 Scenic Day Hikes in the Eastern Sierra Nevadas, California

Last Updated: January 18, 2020

The Sierra Nevadas are a rugged mountain range in eastern California containing several absolutely stunning and world-famous outdoor destinations, like Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe, Sequoia National Park, and Kings Canyon National Park. Here, you’ll discover some of the best hiking in California AND one of the best places to view California’s fall foliage. Lace up your hiking boots or trail runners and head off for these 8 stunning day hikes in the eastern Sierra Nevadas!