48 Hours of Fun on a Budget in Logan, Utah

In this blog series I show you how easy it is to budget travel anywhere and I also give you a quick overview of a new city each time in a brief 48-hour itinerary.

You may not have heard of Logan, Utah, because it’s not as popular as other cities or Utah just isn’t on your radar for vacation destinations, but it’s one to definitely consider. It has beautiful landscape and is full of things to do for everyone in the family. Whether you’re traveling as a couple, a group, a family or on your own, you definitely won’t be bored. Maybe you only have a weekend to spare. Here’s how I would suggest spending two days in Logan.

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Day 1

Let’s assume you got in last night, so you can get up and grab a delicious organic, fair-trade coffee drink and breakfast made with fresh and seasonal ingredients at Caffe Ibis. Expect to spend around $30 for two for breakfast.

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Once you’re fortified for the morning, visit Willow Park Zoo. This is a hidden gem that won’t take a majority of the day to explore. There are just over a dozen mammals, 10 reptiles/amphibians and many bird species. The zoo has a park-like atmosphere and has a lot of shady areas. It’s great for those with children or those that just love animals. Admission is just $3 per person ($2 for children 3-11).

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Take some time to wander the historic downtown area of Logan and take in the turn-of-the century homes and buildings. If you’re into architecture, this is a perfect opportunity to get a lot of great photos of design and features you enjoy. Logan has a fun variety of shops, including vintage, clothing and gifts.

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When hunger strikes in between enjoying the quaint downtown scene and ducking into shops, check out the Bluebird Restaurant for lunch. This local favorite has a little bit of everything in a vintage soda fountain diner that’s been a staple of the community since 1914. You can order anything from a Caesar salad and Reuben sandwich to fresh trout and chicken fried steak. The most expensive thing on the menu is $15, with everything else around $8. Plan to spend $25 per couple.

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Head to the USU Campus and take a self-guided sculpture walking tour. You can download a map and take one of three different routes where you can view a number of the 40+ sculptures done in different styles, from modern to abstract. You can also walk the campus to admire the historical buildings. Walking tours are free.

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Splurge on a fun meal from Kabuki Japanese Restaurant where you can order sushi, udon, yakisoba and other Japanese favorites. You’ll be able to sit and relax while recharging from you day out walking. A meal for 2 will run you in the range of $40 for 2.

Head back to your room to get ready for your day tomorrow or catch a movie at one of the first-run theaters in town and then get a good night’s sleep.

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Day 2

Start the day off with a hearty breakfast from Center Street Grill. Voted “Best Breakfast” in Logan, they offer pancakes, breakfast burritos and a variety of platters that are large enough to split between two. A meal for two can run around $20.

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Jump in the car and take the Cache Valley Historic Driving Tour. It runs more than 50 miles and takes you through 28 cities and towns. You can pick up a tour map at the Visitor’s Center, or download one before your trip. You’ll learn the history of the valley and its people. This’ll only cost you gas and whatever you pick up for lunch. We’ll plan for $30 for two.

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Time to grab an early dinner and take in a show. Get a table at The Beehive Grill where you can indulge if you’re a vegetarian or a carnivore. Choose from soups, salads and pastas or opt for a meat-friendly meal like their root beer BBQ chicken or a pub burger. Complement your meal with a beer from Moab Brewery. Now, get a bit more culture by getting tickets to a show, like Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, at the 1923 Ellen Eccles Theatre Center. Dinner will cost you between $30 and $45 for two, while a ticket to a fun performance is quite budget-friendly, starting at around $15 each.

It’ll be late, so you will probably want to head back and pack for your trip home tomorrow. If you do everything on this itinerary, you’re looking at approximately $215 for two people – a little more if you catch that movie on Day 1. You can always make it cheaper by eating more affordably, but I love trying the local faves when I travel.

Logan, Utah is a great year-round destination. These are just some of the things you can do on your visit. Summer is their busy season and they offer tons of hiking, biking and other outdoor activities. You can ski and hit the hot springs in the winter and golf and camp in the warmer months. No matter what kind of traveler you are, you can find plenty to satisfy you in Logan and the Cache Valley. For more ideas, check out Visit Logan.

10 Must-Have Travel Items (That Aren’t Clothes or Toiletries)

Yes, clothes are important, but there are a few things I always have packed in my carry-on, because they are necessities that I’ve learned to take with me after years of travel. I’m still working on paring down my toiletries and sometimes the clothing I pack that hardly ever get worn, but these things are tried and true for me and I believe they could be just as useful for you as well. Here are 10 of my must-pack items:

1.       Ziploc bags

You never know when you’re going to need a spare bag for something. I carry a variety of sized bags with me for snacks, leftovers, wet stuff, receipts and anything else. They come in dead useful for tons of stuff and they take up no space, so you won’t feel bad if you don’t use them, but you’ll kick yourself if you don’t bring them at all.

2.      Pop-up laundry hamper

I found a great mesh laundry basket some years ago with sturdy handles and inside and outside pockets that folds up. I take it everywhere and use it as a hamper and then use it to take my dirty stuff to the laundry room and back. It’s heavy duty enough to carry a bunch of wet clothes, if I want to hang them up instead, plus there’s room for quarters, soap and a game if we stay while the clothes are washing.

I learned my lesson when I had to carry two loads of laundry three blocks to a laundromat and then had to drag them all back half wet, because the dryers didn’t work well. The handle on my cheap tote broke on the way back (better than on the way there, I guess) and made me hate life. Problem solved. Even if I end up staying in a rental with a washer/dryer, I can keep all my dirties separate without them just sitting in a pile in the corner. 

3.      Small bills

Sometimes when you travel, you gotta have cash, either for toll roads or coffee or whatever else. Not all places take credit and will turn you away if you only have a twenty or larger. Make sure to have at least $20 in fives and ones on you before you leave home. This happens most often in foreign countries. 

4.      Kindle/tablet 

I love books and magazines, but carrying a bunch with you pretty much defeats the purpose of packing light. I remember when I used to pack a book that I was reading and then finish it partway through my trip and then get mad about not having anything else to read, or would have to find a book swap. Those days are gone with the invention of ereaders and now I can carry a ton of books (and magazines and podcasts and blogs and games) with me on my iPad mini. And if I have WiFi wherever I am, I can also check/send email, listen to streaming music and download new books/magazines.

5.      Back-up battery

With so many electronics coming with us everywhere, it just makes sense to bring extra power with you. While we usually just use our phones much of the time, that can really sap their juice. We each bring a battery back-up with us to keep them charged all day while we’re out or traveling. It’s especially helpful when you are on a long plane ride and only have your own stuff for entertainment. 

6.      Paper copies of everything

You never know when something’s going to go wrong. Keep a copy of your ID, credit card and passport with you just in case. If you’re worried about having these available for thieves, then take photos of them and either email them to yourself or put them in a sharing folder somewhere, like Dropbox or Evernote, where you can bring them up anywhere and print them if you do need them. (Don't forget your packing list!)

7.      Ear buds/headphones

Let’s face it. Ear buds suck. Even the good ones, but it makes no sense to pay $3 for the crappiest pair on the planet just so you can watch the overhead movie on the plane. Buy a pair that you can keep in your carry-on, or get a really good pair of noise-cancelling buds/phones that you don’t hate and want to use. I mean, even if they’re just for watching a random episode of Friends (airlines are weird), it’s worth it to just bring your own than paying for a new pair every time.

please excuse how bad I look in this picture, but this is how we travel overnight.

8.     Eye mask

If you’ve ever been sleeping really well and then woken up by blinding sunlight at 5:30 in the morning because of that stupid gap in your hotel curtains that just won’t shut, you won’t wonder why this is on my list. You can never go back to sleep after that either. Of course, it also helps when flying and needing to block out daylight to catch some Zs and can’t sleep without darkness.

9.      Ear plugs

What’s that? Construction at 6am? Just why? Maybe your travel mate is a snorer or there’s a crying baby in the next room (or in the seat behind you). You never know when a pair of ear plugs will be useful, but you’ll be mad if you could use them and you didn’t bring any. 

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10.   Pen & notebook

You might need to take down a number, fill out a form on the plane, get directions or jot down your thoughts on that fantastic wine you had at dinner. Whatever comes your way, having an actual pen and some paper can really come in handy. If you’re crossing borders while flying, you’re always going to need to fill out a customs paper. Have at least one pen for your group. Bring more and you can be a hero for a neighbor or two.

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Bonus must-pack: A few months ago, I picked up a 3-pack of antibacterial handwipes from the local dollar store. These have come in handy when a sink wasn’t available to wash my hands, to clean mud off my shoes, to wipe down the tray table and to clean a kid’s sticky face. I keep a pack in my purse and another in my carry-on, so I always have them at my disposal. They’re less messy than antibacterial gel, have more uses and don’t have to go in your 3-1-1 bag. And they only cost a dollar!

So, when you travel with these, you'll be ready for just about anything that comes your way, whether it's loud, bright, sticky or any number of other inconvenient things. 

What are your must-have travel items?

Staying at the Kalispell Grand Hotel

Last month I took a road trip with my mom and pup to Montana. I was hosted at the Kalispell Grand Hotel and it was one of the best hotel experiences I've had in quite some time. The hotel is just over 100 years old and smack dab in the middle of Downtown Kalispell on Main Street. You go out the front door and you're just steps away from awesome restaurants and shopping. 

While many of the other buildings downtown have taken on new identities, the Kalispell Grand has remained a landmark of the town since 1912. Originally, the hotel was the go-to luxury hotel in Kalispell, catering to well-off business travelers with rooms going for a whopping $2 a night. Even at this rate, they rarely had empty rooms. People really liked running water and locks on their doors, enough to pay twice as much as at other hotels. There have been a few ups and downs throughout the years, with several major renovations occurring, but it's definitely in an "up" moment right now.

Unlike many other hotels around right now, including the majority in and around Kalispell, the Grand is locally owned and operated and aims to make you feel at home when you're away from home. They also support local crafters and artists, with an art gallery selling their works right off the lobby, plus more items sold within the lobby, including handmade hats, pillowcases repurposed as reusable grocery bags and pet food bags repurposed into totes (which I actually saw being made one morning). 

The lobby is homey and has a nice lived-in feeling (in a good way). You feel like you're actually supposed to use the furniture, instead of being afraid to sit on it. Every day I was there, I saw people just hanging out talking to friends on the couches or at one of the number of tables and chairs available. I loved that, especially since everyone would say hello as you passed by and gave you a feeling of belonging, even when you're only in town for a few days.

The staff are all super friendly as well and were all really helpful. They were always there to answer any questions about your room, the hotel or the city in general, plus they offer tons of material to help you fully enjoy the Flathead Valley region while you're visiting. And actually, one afternoon I was going out and heard a visitor talking about having to leave really early the next morning to catch her flight and the staff member offered to put out a full breakfast earlier than 5:30 to accommodate her. You get that kind of service almost nowhere.

When's the last time you were given a real key at check-in? Decades for some of you probably. Well, Kalispell Grand gives you one, making it feel like you've come home each time you go up to your room. It's just another small thing that personalizes your stay and gives you more of a connection to the city.

Speaking of, let's talk about their rooms. We got a double with two full-size beds. The room was really bright with that big window that let all the sun stream in all day long. You also got a bunch of pillows, which I am in favor of, because pillows rock. And they aren't those sucky, normally-flat hotel pillows you're used to getting when you stay somewhere. These are fluffy and really comfortable, as are the beds. I had some of the best sleep here. The beds have filled comforters (I'm guessing faux down), which keep you really warm. 

The hotel has free WiFi, too. You know how important that is to me. It saves money and allows me to work when I need to. Our room had a great little desk with comfortable chair to work at, which also had a dual outlet to plug in electronics. Believe it or not, this was not the only available outlet and I have to commend them for that, because usually you get one open outlet in your whole room and it's usually in the bathroom right next to the sink. We were able to plug in at least 5 things without having to break out my surge protector.

The bathroom was laid out well, making use of all the available space without taking away from the user friendliness. I had had a recent experience with a bad shower in a previous hotel, where I couldn't get hot water and there was absolutely no water pressure. I'm not sure why this always seems to be an issue at hotels. You'd think they'd have figured it out by now. Luckily, the Grand has done their homework. Not only is the shower big, with good pressure and actual hot water, but they placed the showerhead high up on the wall, so tall people can actually wash their hair. I know I don't have that problem, but my husband has and he's not that tall.

Forgot some toiletries at home? Don't worry, the Kalispell Grand supplies soap and shampoo for you. I've also been told that they can help you with anything else you might have forgotten. I didn't have to test that out, but when I told the manager that my dog is so picky about things that I went to Target to buy her a plastic plate for food, she told me I should have just come down and let them know, so they could figure something out. No biggie. I was going there anyway and now we have a travel plate.

Your room rate includes an extensive breakfast as well. You can get coffee and tea all day, plus there are fresh-baked cookies and popcorn every afternoon, but the breakfast is where it's at! Every morning there's a large spread: several different homemade breads, cereals, oatmeal, fresh fruits, yogurt, bread and English muffins, quiche and more. You'll also find orange juice, ice tea, peanut butter, jelly and butter. If you can't find something down there you like, you probably don't eat food.

This setup is available 24 hours a day: coffee (including decaf) with sugar, sugar substitute, milk and creamer, different types of bagged tea with honey, which you can have in a real mug or a to-go cup.

Just want some ice water? They have that available all day, too. Eat your breakfast downstairs or grab a tray to take it back up to your room.

That chocolate coconut friendship bread is to die for. We ate it every morning. 

First of all, when do you see something this fancy at a hotel breakfast? Second, when does it actually taste good? There's even salt & pepper and hot sauce available to customize it for your liking.

Just want your morning toast? You got it! Toast up some bread or an English muffin and top it with butter, jam and/or peanut butter. Yum!

The ladies at the Kalispell Grand Hotel love dogs and they are totally okay with you leaving your pup in the room as long as they are good while they're there. We made Rikka this sweet little setup when we ran out to eat or do some shopping (because she can't really jump up or down on the beds) and she either slept or watched TV while we were out. Every time we came down with her the ladies cooed over her and gave her loves. When I asked if it was okay for us to leave her in the room when we went to a show in Bigfork, they just said to let them know if we wanted anyone to check on her. How awesome is that? 

As you can see, Rikka was really enjoying her stay here. And if your pup enjoys treats, the hotel provides homemade treats for them. Just ask at the front desk!

Though you have to walk a block or two to get to some grass for potties, the hotel is convenient for that as well, unlike a lot of hotels in downtown areas where there isn't any grass. Just up the street is also Depot Park, a great little pet-friendly park in front of the Chamber of Commerce. In fact, Kalispell is very pet-friendly as a whole. You'll find potty bags everywhere you go, even where dogs aren't exactly allowed. We bring our own, but you know, sometimes you run out. 

Staying at the Kalispell Grand Hotel was a unique experience and much more personal than if we'd stayed at a chain. I'd highly recommend it, and it's quite budget-friendly. Rates are affordable, running an average of $90-125 per night, depending on when you travel. Choose from a more luxurious option with a jetted tub, or a family suite with more room or a more economical option with a little less space. You also get free parking with your room in the lot behind the hotel. And if you need to relax a little (or a lot) more, book a massage at the spa in the hotel.

Find out more about the awesome of Kalispell Grand by checking them out online:

website | Facebook | photos by visitors on Instagram

Disclosure: My visit to Kalispell was sponsored by the Kalispell Convention and Visitor Bureau, but all opinions are 100% my own.