Two time zones and a two-hour wait for LA's favorite burger!

Five cities in nine days: A whirlwind adventure.

Photo by Cedric Letsch on Unsplash

I just wrapped up a whirlwind work trip, hitting five cities in nine days and covering 6,707 miles.

My itinerary whisked me from Chicago to Salt Lake City, then to Phoenix last week. After a crucial pit stop back in Chicago, I continued on to Los Angeles, Denver, and finally returned home on Tuesday.

For much of the past 20 years, that dizzying schedule was my norm. But I’ve scaled back on traveling to be present for Parker. When I flew to Salt Lake City last week, it was my first flight in five months.

I’ve grown comfortable with being a homebody. Still, it felt good to hit the road again. I’ve learned to embrace each experience and find the value in life’s little moments.

Traveling also highlighted how much our world is evolving, with technological advancements evident at every turn — self-driving cars are here!

Here’s a city-by-city synopsis of what I experienced on the road.

Salt Lake City

This city has truly grown on me. It’s clean, quiet, offers picturesque views of its natural landscape, and the people are incredibly polite.

But I didn’t appreciate Salt Lake City when I was younger. My mistake. This is easily a place you’d want to retreat and spend a weekend relaxing and recharging.

Someday, maybe I will. I’ve never been skiing, and I hear Salt Lake City is a prime place for hitting the slopes.

My problem was I was in town for only 18 1/2 hours. Worse, when I arrived at my hotel a little past noon last Monday, I couldn’t check in. The front desk employee asked me if I wanted to pay the $75 early check-in fee.

I did not. I asked for a key to the fitness center instead.

Aside from that hiccup, I’d recommend the Holiday Inn Express downtown if you’re in Salt Lake City for business. The property has a sauna, a jacuzzi and, at nine feet, the deepest swimming pool I’ve seen at a hotel in years.

The dangerously deep — but fun! — pool at the Holiday Inn Express Downtown Salt Lake City on March 17, 2025.

Phoenix

Talk about an overrated city.

The hype surrounding Phoenix is so misdirected that when people rave about the city they’re actually referring to nearby Scottsdale. Phoenix must be the only city in the country that benefits from such treatment.

Nobody says they love Chicago but really mean Cicero. Los Angeles isn’t living off legendary nights made in Long Beach. New York City didn’t become a hot spot because of people wanting to flock to Newark.

Downtown Phoenix has developed over the years, but it remains a ghost town. It’s why I’ve never been a fan of my visits.

But during my two-night stay last week, I saw more self-driving cars on the road than ever before. The vehicles were from Waymo, an autonomous driving company and clear leader in this innovative technology.

If you’re headed to Phoenix and are staying downtown, check out the Kimpton Hotel Palomar. The property sits across the street from where the Phoenix Suns play and is a short walk to Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The hotel also offers a $10 credit for each night of your stay, which can be used for food, free bicycles guests can borrow, courtesy access to a local fitness center on the compound, and a rooftop pool and bar.

You can lose yourself inside this boutique hotel — which might be needed to help you forget you’re in a ghost town.

Los Angeles

After four flights in five days — including my pit stop in Chicago — all I wanted to do was kick back and relax by the time I arrived in Los Angeles last Friday afternoon.

But renting a car at Los Angeles International Airport is a chore. Making it from the plane to the rental parking lot takes at least an hour. Having status with a rental car company can help to expedite the check-in process.

I found an Ethiopian restaurant not far from my hotel, the Embassy Suites LAX North, and devoured a veggie platter and doro wat. The meal made me feel at home despite being 1,700 miles away. Check out Queen of Sheba on North La Brea in Inglewood. You won’t be disappointed.

My first visit to Marathon Burger in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 22, 2025.

But the real victory came when I stepped out of my comfort zone Saturday.

I put my rental to work and drove to The Hills, where the family of late rapper Nipsey Hussle opened their burger joint, Marathon Burger. The restaurant brands itself as LA’s favorite burger.

I don’t know when I’ll be in Los Angeles again, so to find out for myself, I needed to take advantage of the opportunity on my final day in the city last Saturday. Because of Nipsey’s celebrity and the adoration he still receives from fans globally, I wasn’t surprised to see a line wrapped around the block.

It wasn’t going to stop me from paying homage to a man who inspired my journey. I got in line a little around 1:15 p.m. More self-driving Waymo cars passed us as we stood at the corner of Melrose and N. Gardner St. I made it to the counter to order just before 3:15 p.m.

After ordering, and before I received my to-go order, I had to rush back to the car to put more time on my parking meter. The gentle giant working the door at Marathon Burger told me parking tickets in The Hills are $100.

I paid $36.70 for my Marathon Burger combo, 6-piece wings and an additional “Blue Lemonade.”

I’d do it all again. But hopefully the hype will have subsided by my next trip to LA.

Denver

Another insanely beautiful city, Denver has long been among my favorites.

But I could have chosen a better hotel.

I stayed at the Embassy Suites at the Convention Center. The property is centrally located, surrounded by restaurants, cultural centers and landmarks. It’s a 10-minute walk to the 16th Street Mall and a 20-minute walk to Ball Arena, home of the Denver Nuggets.

But if you’re searching for space, seclusion and serenity to truly enjoy Denver, don’t stay downtown.

My hotel was attached to Stout Street Social, however, a restaurant and bar that makes grabbing a quick bite convenient. I dined there twice, but the better choice was the lunch I stopped in for at Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen and Bar on Monday.

Rich banana pudding from Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen and Bar in Denver, Colo., on March 24, 2025.

Everything on the menu there sounds delicious. After much indecision, I settled on the classic chicken and waffles, which were a pleasant surprise. Nothing out of this world. But scrumptious nonetheless.

The banana pudding was as good or better.

Is Denver on anyone’s list for best restaurants in the country? If not, it should be.

I’ve never had a bad meal in Denver.