At last #1!

We created the Top Lodging Gems list while sitting in a hot tub under the stars during our stay at Rock Haven Cabin, which met all of the criteria on our list.

Our stay started with one of the warmest welcomes we’ve ever had at any lodge or cabin, followed by our being able to experience Joshua Tree National Park by walking down a path from our cabin. Because Rock Haven Cabin is right next to the park, much of the wildlife came to us. I would have been ...

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 #6 – Bryce Canyon National Park Cabin, Utah

If you want to capture the sunrise (or sunset) splashing the hoodoos (odd-shaped pillars of rock left standing from the forces of erosion), the individual cabins along the Bryce Canyon National Park rim are a must. 

You can literally crawl out of bed, grab your camera and be on the rim at Sunrise Point in 2 minutes or less! If you want to photograph the sunset, no problem. Sunset Point is about the same dist...