Death Valley- Lodge and Visitor Center

 I decided to break up the Death Valley posts because there are too many photos. haha 

So we spontaneously decided to stay two nights in Death Valley. The drive there was neat. The green around us started to fade and the land opened up into a wide stretch of browns and up to some wrinkled stone mountains. 

Inside Death Valley there are a couple resorts so we stayed at the cheaper one. But it was still nice! We had a little cottage. It’s an oasis for sure with sudden date palms and bushes in an otherwise desolate land. There’s a restaurant too and some shops, an ice cream parlor, a pool, an outdoor museum, horses, and golf.

Can you spot the wild animal? 

Dinner at the "Saloon"

Ice cream haha

The outdoor museum

After the next day's adventures, we went to the ice cream parlor!

And the kids went for a night swim. It's a warm spring fed pool. But since usually Death Valley is so hot, they don't have a hot tub. We were there off season and in the winter and while the day was about 65 degrees, the evening was even cooler so.... it wasn't warm enough for me to swim! 

I put their sweatshirts over their towels for the cold walk back. I don't know, it's those little funny moments I want to remember. 

And June reading Johnny bedtime stories. 

The next morning's gourmet breakfast

And before we headed out to drive back home, we stopped by the visitor center again and the kids turned in their junior ranger work books and got sworn in and received their badges. 

Death Valley is a top tier dark sky! The stars were pretty amazing! I was a bit sick on the trip and didn't have enough energy to go explore the starry skies both nights and I feel sad about that but it was still cool to see from our hotel! 

Okay, now for a post about the main adventures!