TRAVELS TA R T R I B U N E . C O M / T R AV E L • S E C T I O N G

This Uber card is ideal for millennials. G2

Reduce the risks of a trip during hurricane season. G3

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Elkhart Lake, Wis.: a resort town without the fuss. G6

Desert encompasses much of Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah. Sites along the 34-mile scenic drive include the plummeting Shafer Canyon.

Exploring Sweden’s southwest coast, accompanied by the sun.

By RAPHAEL KADUSHIN Special to the Star Tribune

It’s a late June night in Sweden, but the night never comes. At 10 in the evening the sky outside my hotel window is a steely blue. When I crawl into bed at midnight the rocky horizon is still a clear, bony silhou-ette. And when I wake up jet-lagged, my internal clock jumpy, sunlight is streaming through the curtains. I look at my watch. It’s 3:30. In the morning.

Dawn in Sweden, in midsummer, is a fleeting thing, because the sun stub-bornly refuses to set.

That is part of the reason I’m drawn north in June. Let others crowd Medi-terranean beaches and Caribbean resorts. No place celebrates summer like Sweden. After the endless, frigid winter, the long blast of blizzards and sheets of ice, there is a palpable sense of celebration here, a kind of collec-tive euphoria. Windows are thrown open, people dance around the mid-summer maypole — a Scandinavian conga line — and everyone heads out to the islands, to bed down in red-

washed wooden cabins, and picnic on crayfish by the sea. And the sun, which just months before stubbornly refused to rise, joins the party like the most confirmed insomniac.

I’ve done this vigil before but always on the east coast of Sweden, where the Stockholm Archipelago splays out into the Baltic, a long neck-lace of islands. This year, though, I head to the southwestern coast, to see how the other side celebrates.

In Gothenburg, my first stop, the summer fiesta is in full blast. It’s easy to overlook this city, Sweden’s

Sweden glows in the summertime

RAPHAEL KADUSHIN • Special to the Star TribuneA Swedish flag flies behind a ferry departing Fiskebackskil, Sweden.

Story and photos by LISA MEYERS McCLINTICK Special to the Star Tribune

Ski destinations spool past as my husband, Bob, and I cruise along Interstate 70 west of Den-ver. Loveland. Copper Mountain. Vail. Beaver

Creek.I could sense his yearning for long, sweeping ski

runs, but this was late July. We were skipping the Rockies, beelining for Palisade peaches.

Blame nostalgia. Late every summer, for more than 20 years, when big boxes of Colorado peaches arrive at grocery stores, it’s been like a family holi-day. My late mother-in-law and our family would get together to slip off peach skins after a quick

boil, staining our fingernails yellow and filling our kitchen with the scent of jams, pies and canned fruit for the winter. Folk musician Greg Brown called it “a little bit of summer in a jar.”

The four-hour drive from Denver to Palisade, Colo., and the surrounding Grand Valley — where our favorite peaches grow — felt like a calling. We hadn’t fully realized that our pursuit of fruit would land us so close to some of America’s most majes-tic national parks, artfully sculpted and strung like jewels along the Colorado River.

We meet the river just east of Glenwood Springs, and it joins us like a roadside companion on the way to Colorado’s central-western edge, where the Gunnison River meets the Colorado at Grand Junc-

tion, a regional hub with 63,775 people.We settle into our rented midcentury bungalow

in Palisade, a small town of 2,690 near the edge of Grand Junction. On borrowed bikes we pedal past scenes of Mount Garfield framed by boughs of ripe peaches, soft fruit orchards and the striped rows of vineyards that supply a thriving wine industry.

We stroll the Saturday farmers market with its peach hand pies, devour a fresh peach and ice cream sundae, and peruse local cherries, bundles of lavender and the first wave of green chiles ready to be roasted. It’s a mission we could do daily, with farm stands and wineries lining the Fruit and Wine Byway.

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The Colorado River cuts through

bountiful valleys, beautiful canyons and

lush orchards near the edge of Utah.

See SWEDEN on G4 Ø

See COLORADO on G5 Ø

ZSW [C M Y K] G1 Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019

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Signs tout sweet corn from Olathe, dried beans from Dove Creek, watermelon from Green River, Utah — a late-summer feast.

By afternoon we’re climb-ing Colorado National Mon-ument, a 20,500-acre park on the northeastern edge of the Colorado Plateau, which formed about 20 million years ago when land lifted up and stretched across Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mex-ico. Water and wind sculpted the plateau into some of Amer-ica’s most beloved places, including the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Capitol Reef and Monument Valley National Parks.

Colorado National Monu-ment’s 23-mile Rim Rock Drive rises from the valley until we’re facing the Book Cliffs, and the beautifully lay-ered Wedding Canyon yawns below our feet. We carefully make our way along ledges and marvel at how singular columns of rock can with-stand the elements that disin-tegrate others and grind them into dust. The colors intensify to red, bits of scrubby greens and warm sandy hues.

“God don’t make no junk,” says an older woman at a look-out, clearly impressed.

We make our way along more canyons with features such as Independence Mon-ument, one that looks like a kissing couple, and a squat, rounded trio called coke ovens. Toward the end, we’ve reached 6,640 feet above sea level and finish with aptly named Cold Shivers Point and Devil’s Kitchen.

We study the map while enjoying a backyard feast of Olathe sweet corn, steaks from a local butcher and peaches that caramelize on the grill. The day whetted our appetite for more canyons.

“I didn’t realize Utah was so close,” Bob says. “I think we should go.”

Heading to CanyonlandsSunrise turns Mount Gar-

field and the rest of the arid Book Cliffs pink as we head out in the morning. It’s just under two hours to reach Canyon-lands National Park in Utah, following lonely stretches of “No Services” exits along east-ern Utah’s I-70. We exit on Hwy. 191 and continue to Hwy. 313 to reach the park’s main entrance at Island in the Sky mesa.

It’s hard not to gasp at the first dramatic view along the 34-mile scenic drive. S hafer

Canyon plummets in front of us and seems to stretch on for-ever, a distant outline of moun-tains add ing a haze of purple near the horizon.

“They look like toys,” I say, as a few four-wheel-drive vehi-cles far below us kick up red clouds of dust on their way to remote sections of the park.

The Green and Colorado rivers that flank the mesa had millions of years to chisel and crater these otherworldly won-derlands. We climb onto rock outcroppings and stare across the Green River overlook. Manganese and iron varnish the rock with streaks of black, red and orange. Pinyon and juniper add smudges of green.

Our Minnesota ears, used to the rhythm and song of wood-lands and lakes, find the land-scape oddly quiet. We hear only wind or tourists mur-muring in English, Japanese and Italian.

Rain and crowds at ArchesWhile Canyonlands takes

visitors to the edge of postcard scenery, Arches National Park takes travelers alongside for-mations that tower above and tease the imagination. Rocks are named for elephants, sheep or human shapes they resem-ble, while hiking trails lead to dozens of different arches.

Arches’ entrance on the edge of Moab, Utah, immedi-ately climbs upward, building excitement like a roller coast-er’s first big hill and delivering views that sustain suspense for what’s around the next curve.

Our morning’s blue sky has turned moody, and as we mar-vel at the first major view point — Park Avenue’s sheer, rich red walls — the wind whips up and clouds threaten to pour.

We rush back to our car as the first drops pelt us. “I got grit in my mouth,” I say, hear-ing it grind against my teeth.

It’s a souvenir and swift les-son in how the elements so brutally and beautifully carve and polish sandstone.

The rain keeps dogging us as formations shark-fin out of the desert and we hit Delicate Arch viewpoint and views of Devil’s Garden. Even in less than ideal conditions, the changing light across the rocks keeps us snapping photos and driving the full route.

We hit the turning point when thirst and hunger stir, and we’ve reached our satu-ration pont for scenery and tourists. As we leave the park by late afternoon, vehicles are still stacked up at the park entrance.

Arches isn’t Grand Canyon-crowded, but it had 1.6 million visitors in 2018, compared with 739,449 at Canyonlands. As the gateway community, Moab’s population of about 5,000 triples or quadruples in the peak summer season. The bustle of restaurants and tour-ists in town makes us eager to return to Palisade. Colorado

National Monument, by com-parison, had 375,000 visitors in 2018.

Heading back, we follow the Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway ( Hwy. 128) as it hugs the water, passes several uncrowded Bureau of Land Management campgrounds, and curves through quiet can-yons.

“I’d come back here,” I say, as we feel our pace downshift.

Less than two hours later, after finishing the last half of the return trip on the inter-state, we’re back to Palisade.

The voice of the woman from the Book Cliffs pops into our heads as we park near a hillside orchard to watch the sunset redden Mount Garfield. “God don’t make no junk.” Not exactly eloquent, but as we bite into juicy, just-picked peaches and recall the scenery, our trip feels rather divine.

Lisa Meyers McClintick (lisamcclintick.com) wrote “Day Trips From the Twin Cities” and “The Dakotas Off the Beaten Path.”

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IF YOU GOGetting there: Fly into Grand Junction, Colo., or perhaps find a cheaper flight to Den-ver International Airport and drive four hours west to Colorado National Monument (nps.gov/colo). It’s less than two hours to drive to Moab, Utah, to see Canyonlands (nps.gov/cany) and Arches National Parks (nps.gov/arch).Entrance fees: It’s $20 to $30 for a seven-day permit for each of the parks, so it makes sense to get an $80 annual national park pass if you can visit all three. It’s a good excuse for an epic road trip. From Grand Junction it’s 110 miles north to Dinosaur National Monument, 196 miles west to Capitol Reef National Park, 200 miles south to Canyonlands of the Ancients National Monument and Mesa Verde National Park, 257 miles southeast to Great Sand Dunes National Park, or 209 miles northwest to Rocky Mountain National Park. If you have a fourth-grader (everykidinapark.gov) or active military member, admission is free.Scenic Byways: The area boasts many memorable drives, including the 133-mile Unaweep Tabeguache Scenic Byway that begins just south of Grand Junction. It heads west and south through or along the edge of arid red can-yons, some with remnants of mining. On a hot day, the best way to cool off is to pack a pic-nic and head east of Palisade to catch the 63-mile Grand Mesa Scenic Byway, which climbs to 11,000 feet , winds past alpine lakes and into the shady evergreens of Grand Mesa National Forest (codot.gov/travel/scenic-byways).Palisade’s 26-mile Fruit and Wine Byway strings together dozens of orchards, dozens of vineyards with tasting rooms, farm markets, alpaca farms and barn quilts. Each place has its own temptations, such as honey wine from Meadery of the Rockies, peaches, cher-ries and plums from Herman Produce or Alida’s Fruit, along with every peach-themed sauce, jam or sweet tempta-tion imaginable. It’s also easy to pick your own loop for a relaxing bike ride (visitpali-sade.com).More information: Visit Grand Junction, 1-970-256-4060, visitgrandjunction.com; Moab Area Travel Council, 1-435-259-8825, discover-moab.com.

LISA MEYERS McCLINTICK

Photos by LISA MEYERS McCLINTICK • Special to the Star Tribune A panoramic view of Arches National Park in Utah. Rocks are named for elephants, sheep or human shapes they resemble, while hiking trails lead to dozens of different arches.

Strange pinnacles make for an eerie landscape at Arches National Park north of Moab, Utah.

A fruit stand is painted the color of the fruit on offer, peaches, in Palisade, Colo.

Looking to get away? Here are four ideas to consider.By LYNN O’ROURKE HAYESFamilyTravel.com

Sample the Pura Vida life-style: Seamlessly integrating the peninsula’s vibrant land-scape with the amenities of a contemporary eco-luxury hotel, the 182-room Four Sea-sons Resort Costa Rica at Pen-insula Papagayo is an ideal spot from which to tap into the “pura vida” lifestyle (it’s for real.)

Choose from a list of adven-ture, spa, fitness and wellness opportunities in a relaxed and welcoming indoor-outdoor environment. Access kayaks, paddleboards and Jet Skis from the beach or relax by one of several pools that overlook the volcanic sand beach areas.

For a family-friendly intro-duction to the exotic fauna and flora of Costa Rica, take a guided tour of the Trail of the Giants, a scenic adventure that showcases the region’s birds, monkeys, iguanas, butterflies and giant trees while provid-

ing jaw-dropping views of the resort’s Arnold Palmer golf course and the Pacific Ocean. The Kids for All Seasons club features a kid-sized pool and junior lounge chairs as well as a range of immersive programs (fourseasons.com/costarica).

Tee up a golf trip: Make golf the centerpiece of your family getaway when you visit Mad-den’s on Gull Lake, the classic Minnesota resort. Get your good-natured game on with a little croquet, horseshoes, badminton, shuffleboard or fishing competition. 

Take a family stroll around the Social 9, a casual, tree-studded setting where eight par threes and a par four pro-vide an ideal introduction for new players or a tuneup for the more experienced. Test your skills on one of three longer tracks. Don’t miss the Clas-sic, where stunning views, challenging shots and pun-ishing pin placements make for an unforgettable round ( maddens.com).

Visit a seaside resort: The stunning views from the oceanfront oasis of Terranea

in the Los Angeles area are rea-son enough for a visit. Check in and enjoy sea kayaking, strolling along the Discovery Trail, the Tide Pool Kids Club and a kid-friendly resort pool. There are plenty of family din-ing options, and the grown-ups might want to enjoy a romantic evening and take in the views from Mar’sel. A seaside spa and fitness facility provide coastal-inspired wellness options (terranea.com).

Take a scenic road trip: Sometimes called the Mil-lion Dollar Highway, the San

Juan Skyway, a spectacular drive through southwestern Colorado, will stun the visual senses. Appreciate jagged peaks, pastoral valleys, water-falls and colorful canyons as you wind your way along this stunning loop.

In Arizona, you’ll recognize the skyline from movies and TV commercials. Your entire family will marvel at Monu-ment Valley’s 250 million-year-old red rock formations, the magical light and the Native American history (colorado.com; visitarizona.com).

It’s still not too late to plan a family summer vacation

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