Hello all!  I am here in beautiful Colorado visiting family, hiking mountains, and enjoying the lovely weather and scenery.  This year, my family decided to road trip our way out west instead of flying.  We spent 3 days on the road, taking our time to enjoy the changing landscape and feast on some incredible vegan eats.  Here’s how we did it…

Day 1:
Georgia — Tennessee — Kentucky

Light layers for driving through humid Southern states.

The Playlist:

Tumblr Girls by G-Eazy
Kick, Push by Lupe Fiasco
Into You by Ariana Grande
All My Friends by Snakehips
Let’s Get Lost by G-Eazy
No Church In The Wild by JAY Z
Sucker For Pain by Lil Wayne

The Eats:

We stopped in Nashville at a vegan spot called Graze for an early dinner – and boy was it good.  My family ordered a bunch of appetizers and small plates to share and everything was incredible.  I recommend the Citrus Caesar salad and Bahn Minis, and be sure to save room for dessert: they had a lemon/blueberry/basil cupcake on the day we went which was a perfect summer treat!

Day 2:
Kentucky — Illinois — Missouri — Kansas

Classic layers for endless plains.

The Playlist:

Agnes by Glass Animals
Single by The Neighbourhood
The Heart of Me by Miike Snow
Downtown Love by G-Eazy
This Summer by Maroon 5
Closer by The Chainsmokers
Talk Too Much by COIN

The Eats:

For lunch we stopped by PuraVegan Cafe in St. Louis – this place has some of the freshest and most inventive dishes, from raw wraps and hearty soups to loads of healthy juices and sweet treats.  I recommend the Maca Cappuccino and Kale Collard Wrap!
Once dinner rolled around we swung by Cafe Gratitude in Kansas City and oh my gosh, this is probably one of the best vegan restaurants I’ve ever visited.  They place a lot of focus on self-empowerment and positivity as seen in their menu: each dish finishes the statement “I Am…” – I recommend the I Am Fabulous (a raw lasagna).  Save room for The I Am Eternally Inspired: an insanely delicious chai milkshake!

Day 3:
Kansas — Colorado

Plaid for the mountains and a jacket for chilly mornings.

The Playlist

You Don’t Get Me High Anymore by Phantogram
Nine In The Afternoon by Panic! At The Disco
The Kids Aren’t Alright by Fall Out Boy
Roses by The Chainsmokers
If I Believe You by The 1975
Oh Ms Believer by Twenty One Pilots
I Feel The Weight by Miike Snow

The Eats

On the last leg of our journey we had one thing on our minds: WaterCourse Foods in Denver, Colorado.  This is one of my absolute favorite restaurants – last time we were in Colorado, we ate here 3 separate times, and everything is fantastic!  If you get the chance to visit, make sure to try the Cauliflower Wings with buffalo sauce, and I’m also a huge fan of their Berries and Cream Pancake Stack and the Biscuits and Gravy.  WaterCourse also has an amazing chai milkshake which always hits the spot (Atlanta seriously needs to step up its vegan milkshake game).