Once upon a time, there was an adventure…why an adventure you ask? Because adventure will take us further than our fears.
This adventure took place in beautiful Heber Valley, Utah where time seems to skip a beat and each sunrise signals a day full of possibilities. A place nestled among the mountains devoid of city noises. Sounds a bit like paradise wouldn’t you say?
“When was the last time you did something for the first time?” was our motto for this adventure.
We didn’t have to look far to find e-mountain biking. Electric mountain biking made me feel somewhat like a superhero as I easily pedaled up the mountain trail keeping up with my son. I began realizing what a great family activity this is because while my son stayed in the hardest gear, I was in the middle gear and we were able to easily ride together. It was amazing how many miles we were able to cover. We could have ridden all day long. Our guide from Wasatch Excursions made it even more of an adventure. He laughed with us, helped us to muster up a bit more courage when needed and did a great job of encouraging us to have an adventure that pushed our comfort level. We can’t wait to go back and try out snowmobiling with him.
Heading back to the Homestead we were so excited about our next stop. Swimming and soaking inside a crater of warm mineral water. Yes, it was as relaxing as it sounds and welcomed after a day of mountain biking. Upon arrival we were given life jackets and sent into the amazingly blue crater water. We were joined by a few people taking scuba lessons and others floating like us. We definitely slept well that night.
Up with the morning sun and headed out to learn fly fishing. We couldn’t help but stop by Judy’s Donuts and order a dozen scrumptious treats. Talking with the owner, I was interested to learn that Judy was her mom. Judy loved to make donuts, but is now in heaven. Judy’s Donuts is a place for people to gather and connect and enjoy each other’s company. What a lovely place, not to mention the award winning donuts they serve.
Before we knew it we are all geared up and trekking out toward the river. Walking through the tall brush set against a mountain backdrop, I knew it was going to be a great day of fly fishing.
Rocky Mountain Outfitters provided us two amazing guides. They showed us the ropes and before we knew it, we were all catching fish…our friends who said we wouldn’t be catching fish this time of year have obviously never been with Andrew and Doug. We were all smiles catching fish the morning long. Hooking a trout and reeling it in is the best feeling.
Lunchtime is always a special time with a family of all boys. We stopped by Lola’s for lunch and walked away with talk of how great the meals were and how satisfied we felt. We definitely recommend Lola’s to our adventuring friends.
Thinking back to our motto of doing something for the first time, we knew right where our next adventure should be… ziplining.
Just the thought of screaming down a zipline at speeds up to 65 mph over Deer Creek reservoir had my adventure itch going. The Zipline Utah Screaming Falcon tour was calling our name. This is a unique zipline in that we had to walk over swinging wooden bridge obstacles to get from one zipline to another. The swinging bridges add to the adventure and was one of my husband’s favorite parts of the tour. Arriving at the last and longest zipline we found it was an impressive .75 miles of uninterrupted screaming adrenaline fun. Way to end the day on a high note.
The shakes at Dairy Keen were calling our names so it would be a burger and fry kind of night. No matter how old you are, it never gets old to watch the train running around the top of this burger joint. Watching the train, eating my cherry chocolate chip shake and visiting with my family was a great way to end our adventure filled day.
Arriving back at the Homestead we learn that this Heber Valley staple has begun a massive renovation project. All the rooms will be completely renovated. The Homestead is adding a spa with hydrotherapy treatments, a seed to table restaurant, golf course improvements, new swimming pools, and many more luxurious accommodations. We can’t wait to visit again after the renovations and enjoy the expanded green space, the firepits and all this soon-to-be approachable luxury resort has to offer. I slept well tonight with visions of fish and ziplines dancing through my dreams.
The Midway Bakery was calling our name on the way to our next adventure so we pulled over and slipped inside for delicious avocado toast and breakfast sandwiches. My husband could not leave without sampling one of the cinnamon rolls they are known for…it turned out to be a great decision.
Did you know that the Olympic Biathlon was held in Heber Valley at Soldier Hollow? We have always wanted to learn more about biathlon so we headed over to do a quick one hour tour. We arrived and were taken to the rifle range where we learned a bit of history about the sport. We were then taught how to shoot and had the opportunity to test our skills out on the course. The instructors set up a mini obstacle course for the boys to test their abilities. They did a sprint and then had to shoot the targets. For each target they missed they did 10 push-ups and then ran to the finish line.
What a fun way to end our Heber Valley adventure.
Okay, so we didn’t actually leave, not yet. We just couldn’t pass up getting cookies from Suss the local cookie shop. It is the small experiences that make life great. Suss has cookies of the day, samples and they ship orders, so I also sent some to my son in Texas to brighten his day.
…And they all adventured happily ever after.
Planning an adventure for your family in Heber Valley? To help, here is our adventure itinerary:
Day 1 (afternoon)
- Arrive at the Homestead and check-in
- Drive to Cascade Springs and explore the beautiful walkways and area
- Eat dinner at Back 40 – Highly recommended
Day 2
- Breakfast at Chick’s Cafe (great hash browns and traditional American breakfasts)
- E-mountain bike tour with Wasatch Expeditions
- Lunch at Fanny’s Grill – outdoor seating available
- Explore Wasatch State Park – we enjoyed finding changing leaves and hiking
- Homestead Crater – mineral water float
- Dinner at Café Galleria – great little pizza place with an amazing ambiance
Day 3
- Breakfast at Judy’s Donuts – best donuts I have ever had
- Fly Fishing tour with Rocky Mountain Outfitters
- Lunch at Lola’s – fantastic food, outdoor seating
- Zipline Utah – Screaming Falcon tour
- Dinner at The Train Shoppe
Day 4
- Breakfast at Midway Bakery – delicious and famous for their cinnamon rolls
- Soldier Hollow biathlon experience
- Treat at Suss cookies