A Couple of the Greatest Hidden Spots in the Western U.S.

With many students having their school year coming to a close, this means summertime is upon us. While many people will be working or continuing on with summer classes, those who are planning to road trip home or those who are looking for a little adventure definitely should consider making the trip to these places.

Flickr.com by evansg

Having been on roadtrips a few times, I have been through some of the smallest and strangest towns on the way to my destination. Yet, some of the practically desolate towns have that hidden jem of a place. That one place for me is Pie Town, New Mexico.

Pie Town is located off of Highway 60 in Catron County, New Mexico. The town’s name comes from an early bakery for making dried-apple pies that was established by Clyde Norman in the early 1920s. The hidden jem is Pie Town’s “Pie Cafe,” which has extremely good food and the best pie I’ve ever had. I’ll just say that if you’re on the road looking for some good food and pie, the town definitely lives up to its name.

Another great place to visit to stretch your legs and cool off is Slide Rock in Sedona, Arizona. Slide Rock State Park has a completely natural, in essence “water park.” The lower region of the park has quite a few chutes to slide down, a swim area, sun bathing area, as well as some rock jumping into the water. I went to Slide Rock in the Summer time, and I definitely recommend getting to the park earlier in the day since it’s fairly crowded due to the heat. The entrance fee is $20 per vehicle and I’d also recommend wearing water shoes, shorts, and a t-shirt that you don’t mind getting a little worn as these things will protect your skin from some of the rocks rougher edges. Slide Rock State Park truly provides a cheap and fun get away with incredible views and all natural rock that surrounds you while you slide and swim to relax and cool off.

Lastly, heading even further West to the California coastline, La Jolla Cove is another great spot to go to. Being from San Diego, I know La Jolla Cove is a great spot for snorkeling, kayaking, or just sitting in the sand. The cove has some of the clearest water in all of San Diego and is protected by the San Diego La Jolla Underwater Park Ecological Reserve. The cove has some of the most incredible views San Diego has to offer under water as well as above water. With the cove being completely free to visit and relax, it is one of my personal favorites  to visit since it never tends to be too crowded, even in the Summer time.

Even though for many of you Summer is already underway, some of us are just a few days away trying to figure out what to do and where to go. So for those of you who are already enjoying Summer as well as those of you who are just about to, keep these places in mind if you plan to pass through any of these states. Each place is truly one of a kind and will definitely not disappoint.