Top Lodging Gem #2 –  Kahakai Cottage Beachfront, Kaaawa, Oahu Island, Hawaii

Want to avoid the crowded beaches of Waikiki? This room is located on the North Shore of Oahu, just down the road from Kualoa Ranch, where movie scenes for 50 First Dates, Pearl Harbor, Jurassic Park, Lost and others were filmed. And, if you want a photo of Chinaman’s hat, head down the road to Kualoa Regional Park early in the morning when there are fewer crowds. 

The roo...

Top Lodging Gem #3 Volcano Rainforest Retreat, Volcano, Hawaii

The cabins at the Volcano Rainforest Retreat are like none other. The cabin we stayed in, the Sanctuary, was round shaped with windows on the ¾ sides, giving a new meaning to feeling like you are in a fishbowl. The best part is, when you look outside, you don’t see any other cabins because all the trees create a thick, jungle atmosphere. 

Each afternoon, they brought fresh fruit, granola and filled up our fr...

Top Lodging Gem #4 – Aurora Borealis Lodge, Cleary Summit, Alaska

If you want a chance to view the Northern Lights from the comfort of your room and not even have to stay awake to watch for them, look no further! 

Aurora Borealis Lodge is 5 miles from the Poker Flat Research Range facility where they are researching the northern lights… How much closer can you get than that? It’s a perfect place to view the lights.

And, it keeps getting better! The owner, Mok...

Top Lodging Gem #5 – Grand Canyon Frontier Cabins, North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

It’s the one place where you can sit along the edge of the Grand Canyon and have a sip of wine (or beer) while you wait for the sun to set. And, if you’re lucky, watch a summer squall with lightning bursts move over the canyon. 

Just like Bryce National Park’s cabins, you can crawl out of bed, grab your camera and be at Bright Angel Point to capture the canyo...

Top Lodging Gem #9 – Lion Downe Cottage, Lake Pepin, Wisconsin

Tucked away on top of the bluffs along the Mississippi River, the Lion Downe Cottage offers breathtaking views especially sunrises and sunsets late in the year when the winter shadows are long.

There are so many sleeping nooks and crannies in this cottage, so bringing along a second family with kids (or two families!). It won’t be a problem. There’s enough sleeping space for ev...

Many of you know that finding the “perfect” lodge or cabin doesn’t happen very often. And after a recent stay at what I would call the best lodging gem ever that is located in the United States, I thought it might be fun to share our Top Lodging Gems.

As some of you know, the photos showcased on the Wallner Photography website are taken on trips organized by Kristin (aka, Wallner Photography’s travel organizer extraordinaire). She scours the Internet using various search techniques t...