Memories from Sequoia National Park

Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday!  This is a time when I share something on my mind and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today I'm reliving a piece of our recent vacation to Sequoia National Park!

This year, we decided to conquer a couple of the national parks on our vacation.  Our itinerary included Sequoia, King's Canyon, and Yosemite.  Our friends, Jill and Craig, came on the trip too and were our partners in fun.  We flew from St. Louis to Fresno, rented a car, and headed to our rental just outside Sequoia National Park.  If you missed the review about the house we rented, you can read it HERE.  

We arrived at the house in the early afternoon and after settling in a bit, decided to head to the park to get the lay of the land.  Turns out, this was the best decision ever!  The park was not crowded and we were able to do a few things on our list without long lines or waits.  

First, the trees are GINORMOUS!  Standing beneath a giant sequoia is an experience you’ll never forget. These towering trees, found only on the western slopes of California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains, are the largest living things on Earth by volume. Many soar over 250 feet tall, with bases wider than most houses. Their cinnamon-colored bark, thick and deeply grooved, tells the story of thousands of years—some have stood for more than 2,000 years, weathering storms, fires, and seasons without end.

What’s most amazing is how serene they feel. Walking through a grove of giant sequoias feels like stepping into a natural cathedral. Sunlight filters through their high branches, the air is hushed, and there’s a sense of timelessness that makes you pause and simply take it all in. These trees aren’t just part of nature—they’re monuments to endurance, resilience, and the quiet power of the natural world.

On our first night, we had dinner at the Wuksachi Lodge restaurant and lucked out with a window seat looking out over the mountains—the perfect spot to watch a breathtaking sunset.

We had a full agenda for Day Two.  Top on the list was climbing Moro Rock.  This rock looms overhead when you enter the park and, as you can see from the picture, the road to get there is a little curvy.

To get to the top, you take the 350-step staircase up the massive granite dome.  There are handrails along the way. Climbing Moro Rock is equal parts challenge and reward. 

The steep stone staircase winds upward with dizzying drop-offs on either side.  But the moment you step onto the summit, every ounce of effort melts into awe. The world opens up in a sweeping 360-degree view—jagged Sierra peaks in the distance, forest stretching endlessly below, and the sky feeling just within reach. Standing there, you can’t help but feel a mix of exhilaration, triumph, and deep gratitude. It’s the kind of moment that makes you catch your breath—not from the climb, but from the sheer beauty and accomplishment of it all.

In the afternoon, we hiked another trail along a riverbed.  I feel if you were visiting in the spring, most of what we were walking on would be underwater.  

We enjoyed a nice picnic in the shade of the trees and relaxed.  Our next adventure was taking part in Wonders of the Night Sky, a stargazing trip from Wuksachi Lodge.  This expert-led stargazing adventure fills up fast, so book ahead of you're interested!  The views of the stars in a truly dark sky were amazing.

Sequoia National Park is a place that takes your breath away the moment you arrive. Home to the largest trees on Earth, it’s where you can walk among giants that have stood for thousands of years. Beyond the awe-inspiring sequoias, the park offers stunning mountain vistas, crystal-clear streams, and peaceful meadows that feel worlds away from the hustle of everyday life. Whether you’re hiking to a sweeping viewpoint, climbing Moro Rock for an unforgettable panorama, or simply sitting in the shade of a massive tree, Sequoia has a way of making you feel both humbled and inspired. It’s not just a park to visit—it’s an experience to treasure.

The next day, we were off to King's Canyon.  I'll be sharing that day with you soon!

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Where to Stay When Visiting Sequioa National Park

Hello and welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday.  This is a time when I share something I'm thinking about and invite you to link up and do the same.  We are just back from vacation where we visited Sequioa National Park, King's Canyon and Yosemite.  It was glorious!  I'm still thinking about the adorable place we stayed while visiting Sequoia and King's Canyon so I'm sharing it with you today ~

Quail Ridge Cabin near Sequoia National Park

We vacationed this year with our good friends Jill and Craig.  The trip began with visiting Sequioa and King's Canyon, so our search for a place to stay started in that region.  Our requirements for a location were at least 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.  Craig found a dream home just a few miles outside the gate into Sequoia in Three Rivers!  I'm sharing many of the pictures straight from their listing.  All the pictures were exactly what we found and none of them were misleading.

The sleeping arrangements in this home has a beautiful loft bedroom with a bathroom attached.  The views from this space were spectacular!

It had a little balcony off of it too that would be a great space to relax.

The bathroom for the upstairs bedroom had a soaker tub that was perfect to sit in after a long day of hiking.

The second bedroom was found in the basement.  It too had a slider that enabled you to see the mountains.  

The bathroom in the basement had a sink and toilet.  It worked well to get ready in after you had showered in the main level bathroom.

There was a bonus trundle bed in the basement that would work beautifully for other guests.  Kids would love settling in in this space!

If you had any energy left after coming home from the park, you could play ping pong on the table in the basement.  This whole area would be great for kids of all ages to hang out in.

In the common areas and kitchen on the main floor, you have plenty of room to sit and relax.  

We enjoyed using the table to play games, but had breakfast each day on the patio where we could soak in the wonderful view of the mountains.

Every imaginable detail was covered by the owners of this cabin.  The kitchen was excellently appointed, snacks available in the cookie jar, soaking salts by the bath.  There were games, puzzles and even binoculars!  You name it, it was covered!  

Leaving this place was hard to do!  We are already talking about when we can go back.  If you are planning a trip to this area, I'd highly recommend staying at Quail Ridge Cabin near Sequoia National Park.  If you have any questions about it, please feel free to reach out to me and I will give you very honest answers.  

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London - Days 1 and 2

Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I talk about something I’m thinking about and invite you to link up and do the same. Today I’m reflecting on our recent vacation!

Last week we had a wonderful holiday in London! I’m going to record some of our activities here so we will be able to remember them and hopefully help anyone else looking for reviews or things to do in London.

We left St. Louis Friday afternoon, flew through Chicago, and landed in London on Saturday morning ready to start our vacation. Our son, Ian, was meeting us there and had landed just before we did.  It was exciting to be in London and also exciting that we were going to get to see the city with our son!

Our home for the week would be a flat we booked through Booking.com. Since our son was joining us, I thought it would be more comfortable to have some space larger than a hotel room. I found a 2 bedroom, 2 bath flat right across the street from Buckingham Palace. The location was perfect! With a full kitchen, we could have made meals in the unit. As it turned out, we ate breakfast in the flat each day but ate out for the other meals. Having a refrigerator, we were able to keep drinks and snacks on hand. There was also a washer/dryer unit if we needed it.

Upon meeting up with Ian, we picked a ramen place close to our unit for lunch and talked through our plans for the week. Our check-in time wasn’t until 4:00 pm, so we had a few hours to kill before we could get into our unit and drop off our luggage. 

It's true that phone booths are everywhere!  I couldn't resist getting my picture with one straight away.

After lunch, we spent the time roaming around Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Park grounds.  The architecture was beautiful!

For dinner, we walked to Golden Union for traditional fish and chips. The walk was about a mile and it took us past Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. It felt good to be out and about stretching our legs after a long day of traveling. 

 We were treated to the most beautiful rainbow right behind Big Ben!

Golden Union offered several types of fish with their fish and chips. They even have plant-based options if that appeals to you. We landed on sharing the Haddock and Cod. It was so tasty! One of the reasons we chose this spot for fish and chips was they had milkshakes and that sounded pretty good to all of us. Turns out, only 1 out of the 3 of us loved their milkshakes. But 3 out of 3 of us loved the fish and chips!



After dinner, we had a leisurely stroll back to the flat while soaking up our surroundings.

Sunday morning we were up bright and early so we could get to the British Museum. Entry into the museum is free, but they encourage you to book tickets online.

The articles we were most interested in seeing were the Rosetta Stone, the Lewis Chessmen collection, and pieces of the Greek and Roman pantheon. Just roaming through the exhibits brings an awareness of how long the world has been in existence and how much history has gone before us. 

We left the British Museum in time to walk back to Buckingham Palace for our tour of the State Rooms. The Royal State Rooms are open to visitors each summer. This year you could book tickets from July 11 to September 29. This is a must-do if the rooms are available to tour while you are there! An audio guide was available free of charge and was very informative. I’m not going to lie, I was devasted when they said we would not be able to take pictures!

Every room was breathtaking! It was incredible to stand in the same spaces you see in royal photographs and reflect on the historic events that took place there.

Even though no photos are allowed inside, you can snap away once you exit the building.  The exit opens to the gardens in the back of Buckingham Palace.    

Reservations had been made weeks ahead of time for the Gordon Ramsey’s Savoy Grill restaurant. We wanted to indulge in Beef Wellington and Savoy Grill had great ratings. Dinner was mouthwateringly delicious!

As we meandered through the streets on our way home, we popped in Amorino for gelato. So scrumptious! And I loved the presentation! 

This trip was shaping up to be pretty amazing! I’ll be sharing additional activities from our trip soon.

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Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC - Day 2

Hello and welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I talk about something on my mind and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today I'm continuing my summary of our trip to Washington, DC to see the cherry blossoms!

After a fun first day, we woke ready to seize day two of our trip.  Upon peeking out the curtains, we saw it was going to be a rainy one.  We were not going to let the rain deter us from our plans so out into the weather we went!  Our first stop was Tatte Bakery and Cafe to get caffeinated up for the day.  I was pleasantly surprised to run into an old coworker of mine.  We chatted for a bit and then we were off to our next adventure. 

We had been lucky enough to get tickets to visit the White House.  I had applied for tickets through our representative.  You can request tickets between three months and 21 days in advance.  Tours are limited to Friday and Saturday mornings (excluding federal holidays or other special events) from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm and are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, so plan ahead!  You will want to request your tickets as early as possible.

This was my first visit to The White House and it was so utterly fascinating!  Being in the areas where you've seen the President stand in person was a bit thrilling. 

It was also a bit thrilling to see the Grand Staircase.  Flashbacks of one of my favorite movies, American President, came rushing back to me.  Remember the scene when Annette Benning was standing on the steps with Michael Douglas?  I know that's not where they actually filmed the scene, but it was the location they were pretending to be at.  

Then there are the beautiful views out the windows.  It's just quite the place!  

Our next stop was the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.  There are so many fascinating things tucked in those walls.  The things I was most interested in seeing were the Hope Diamond and the display of First Ladies' dresses.  Checked both off the list!

After leaving the museum, we worked our way to the Library of Congress.  I'm not sure why we hadn't visited this site before, but we had really been missing something!  The place is stunning!  Remember how I've said before to remember to look up?  Well, you can't help but notice how magnificent the ceilings are in the Library of Congress!

Eric managed to find a newspaper article on display about a town near where we live.  That was fun to see something in the Library of Congress that related to a place so close to home.

We rounded out the day by walking back to the hotel and ordering pizza for dinner.  As we ate, we laid out our plan for the following day and played cards.  It was so wonderful to have this time with our adult kids!  Stay tuned for day three!

If you missed the recap of day one, you can see it HERE.

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