Visiting London’s Borough Market in Southwark is an immersive journey into the heart of culinary history. This incredible food market has been a bustling hub of gastronomic experiences for over a thousand years! Our food tour, booked through Devour Tours, was the perfect way to spend a morning. Why are Devour Food Tours so great?? Their guides have consistently been EXPERTS in the local history of where we are at, what we are eating, and why it is significant. Devour Tours are global…Book one, you’ll be hooked like we are!
As you wander through the cobblestone pathways of Borough Market, you’re greeted by a kaleidoscope of colors and enticing aromas. You’ll see everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to artisanal cheeses, charcuterie, local desserts, freshly baked bread and fresh seafood. The market offers a treasure trove of culinary gems from all over the world. One of the most enchanting aspects of Borough Market is the opportunity to engage with the passionate producers and artisans behind each stall. They eagerly share their knowledge and expertise, offering samples of their finest creations. We encourage trying everything!! Nate and I sampled some cheese and walked away with a wedge of something absolutely delicious for later (along with a nice bottle of red…the perfect way to end a day of constant walking and sightseeing). Whether it’s learning about the intricate process of cheese making or learning how to cook up a massive monster fish (see picture below…yikes), every conversation is a memorable one!
From succulent oysters and shellfish (and I swear, they were serving sea anemones) to decadent burgers and delightful pastries, there’s something to satisfy your salty cravings and sweet tooth. When we stopped for oysters, we were told that oysters used to be the cheapest food available. They were considered food for the poor as they were so inexpensive and the bay was full of them. An interesting shift in today’s environment where oysters are very expensive and considered a delicacy. When Nate and I traveled to Portland, Maine, our goal was to only eat lobster (rolls) and oysters. The oysters were more than the lobster!
A Little History…For The History Lovers!
The history of London’s Borough Market is rich and storied. Its origins can be traced back to at least the 12th century, making it one of the oldest food markets in London, if not the entire United Kingdom. Our Devour tour guide did an excellent job storytelling at multiple locations around the market, including a stop at the REAL London Bridge (no, it’s not the bridge that Fergie dances in front of in her music video for London Bridge….).
The market’s location, near the southern end of London Bridge, made it an ideal trading hub for merchants and farmers from surrounding counties. Initially, it served primarily as a wholesale market for traders to buy and sell livestock, grain, and other agricultural products. Over time, its importance grew, and it became a vital part of London’s economy and culinary landscape. In 1756, Borough Market was officially chartered by King George II, granting it legal recognition and further solidifying its status as a prominent market in London. Over hundreds of years, it was THE place to provide fruits, vegetables, meats, and everything else for Londoners.
Over the last few decades, Borough Market has experienced a renaissance, emerging as a vibrant culinary destination and a focal point of London’s food scene. It has attracted a new generation of artisanal producers, specialty food vendors, and food enthusiasts (like us!), drawn to its foodie environment and wide variety of offerings. It is also a place full of energy and really really REALLY great smells…even you just walk around and see everything, but don’t eat, it’s worth going.
Today, Borough Market offers just about everything you can imagine. Visiting Borough Market is not just a culinary adventure, but, they say, a journey into the soul of London itself. Take a moment to soak up the outlaying historic churches and buildings…some very interesting history there and our guide had all the details. Churches, brothels, and dungeons…not to mention excavations that uprooted skeletons and evidence of the infamous plague!
On a more positive note, there are also unique wall murals that are Instagram worthy (or kiss-worthy ). I would describe Borough Market as vibrant, brightly colored, fragrant, captivating, and food-fascinating! It is a must-see on your next trip to London. You will not be disappointed.
We highly recommend the Devour food tour through Borough Market! Devour tours are outstanding and worth every penny. And, you meet some great people who love food as much as you do…
We hope you have a delicious experience somewhere incredible… Heather & Nate
Tips For Survival!! (The Goal? Minimal meltdowns, MAXIMUM FUN!)
Going to Universal at night is AWESOME!!
Hey Parents…I’m talking to you…
The Harry Potter rides are magical. Velocicoaster leaves you speechless. We did 4 days with 4 kids. And even though I was ready to check myself into a hospital by day 4, it was one incredible week that the kids still talk about today! Thinking of taking the fam to Universal Studios?? Here is what we learned…
Tip 1: Bring Lots of Money
No joke here…bring it. This is one expensive wizarding adventure.
Admission tickets are pricey, especially if you do both parks. We purchased 6 regular tickets for 4 days for both parks (if you add on their version of the Fast Pass, it was going to be another almost 2k). Once we got over the initial sticker shock, we poured ourselves a drink, high-fived each other, and went to bed dreaming of Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure! (We made a good decision, right??)
Sugar, Donuts, and Ice Cream Galore!
Food is Expensive
Like a good parent looking to be cost-efficient on family vacations, I researched articles on how to save money while at the park. There was no real guidance there, just long lists of recommended snacks that were cheap. We recommend that someone wears a small backpack (it’s like being the designated driver… no one really wants this role because you have to store it in a locker on every awesome ride), and bring refillable water bottles and some snacks of your own. You can refill water at the soda drink machines. There’s one right when you enter the park where you split off either to the left for Islands of Adventure or to the right towards Universal Studios. For food, like lunch and dinner, it is what it is. We paid well over $100 for lunch in the Simpsons park area for (drumroll…) chicken tenders and soda. We bit the bullet, got over our initial feelings of food rage, and then decided not to fight it anymore. One of the days, we took the kids to Mythos. It is a fabulous, delicious, fancy shmancy restaurant and one of the top-rated restaurants in the park. Nate and I have eaten there twice now, it does not disappoint.
All The Add-Ons… $$$
When you factor in parking ($30 a day) and those pricey Harry Potter wands (or anything really from the hundreds of gift shops), you are looking at the financial equivalent of a downpayment for a new car that you lovingly spent on memory making. As a parent who enjoys seeing the kids super excited and happy, I know that all they really want is to be with us and it doesn’t matter where. They are the happiest when we go to this campground up north for a long weekend which costs practically nothing. This trip to Universal was really something Nate and I wanted to share with them. He and I went in 2021 and had the most WONDERFUL, amazing, unforgettable time. All we could talk about when we were there was… “we can’t wait to bring the kids here!!” And so we did 😊 Will we go again? Oh Yes. But we need a few years to save up!
Looking to save on parking? Go at night! After 6pm, parking is free. Which just makes going at night even MORE awesome. All the rides are lit up and it is quite a different experience. Velocicoaster after dark??? Yes, Please!!!
Tip 2: Stay Close To the Park
Stay close to the park, like REAL close. Our fabulous rental home was only 12 miles away yet it took us 30 minutes every single time to get to the park (and drive home). Traffic is constant and always a nightmare. There’s just SO many people in one area (Orlando, you are NOT my favorite). You also couldn’t drive a mile without seeing a car accident. You always hear about how LA traffic is terrible, or New York, or Chicago. No one ever talks about Florida traffic. Let me be the first to say it. It…is….horrendous. Stay close to the park, or better yet… stay on property! That is our plan for next time.
Tip 3: “Kid Downtime” Is A Crucial Clock to Follow
Getting your timing right with kids is key. Kids are ticking time bombs. We never did a full day at the park with the kids. And we did that intentionally. The kids have no patience for waiting in line for rides. They also don’t do well in the Florida sun and it was HOT. When they get hungry, you gotta feed them quick. So we planned our days accordingly. We either got there right when they opened and stayed until 1 or 2pm, or we arrived around 5 and stayed until close. The kids had the break they needed, and so did we. If you stay on property, this is a lot easier to do. My sister did this… they were at the park early, stayed until noon, went back to the hotel room to rest and swim, cool off, and then went back to the park at night. “Perfectinschlag!” (Office reference)
Tip 4: My Tip For Waiting In Line
My tip for waiting in line is…refine your ability to accept it and stay calm. There’s no way around waiting (unless you purchase the very expensive fast pass which, side note, does not include Hagrid’s Magical Motorbike). Beware of the single rider line allure! The single rider line does not move any faster. We experimented with this on Hagrid’s Motorbike. It moved so slow we eventually just left and went to have lunch. Sometimes you hit the rides JUST right… we rode Hagrid’s multiple times. Velocicoaster was an hour and 20. The wait never went below an hour. When you watch the app, you can literally see the wait go from 10 minutes to 90 minutes right when the park opens to the public. The only way to get on that right quick is to stay on property with the advantage of getting to the park early before it opens. A nice benefit that Nate and I will take advantage of in the future. We never rode Kong, the line was simply too long every time we had time to try it. Such a bummer, that ride is COOL.
We Will Be Back!!
It was a great week in Florida, and…it was the kids FIRST experience at Universal! Sharing that with them was WORTH IT. We didn’t just do Universal, we also did a family photoshoot on the beach, and did a Gator Boat ride. My favorite Universal memory is riding The Mummy with the kids… they were so scared and then afterwards, couldn’t stop talking about how awesome it was.
We are taking a much needed break from the Florida scene. The kids have been there a ton of times. Last time we went, we did a week at Disney and did the Kennedy Space Center. I like Florida because there is so much to do, but there are so many other great places to explore. And, I want them to see it all.
As you may know, the park is expanding to include some very cool Nintendo themed rides! We were told not to go to Universal for the first year of the new stuff. So, in the meantime, we will explore and adventure elsewhere! For all of us, the new park and rides are a highly anticipated future adventure that we can’t wait to experience 😊 And, you’d better believe we will be staying on property, no exceptions! It’s the best possible experience, and I can’t WAIT!!!!!
Wherever life takes you, be sure to Adventure and do amazing things…even if it means sitting in traffic
When Nate booked our whirlwind week in Lisbon, Portugal, he insisted we also go to Porto. This was a 3-hour train ride that required we stay the night. There’s so much to see and do there that I was all for it. Truly, Porto is BEAUTIFUL and right on the water. The biggest draw for me was Taylors, the port wine maker. It was also right on the water and a destination I insisted we visit.
But…this amazing trip to Porto almost didn’t happen. I have since learned something about European travel…there could be a transportation strike at any moment. You roll the dice and hope for the best when touring these incredible countries. However, we were blessed with a travel miracle and had an unforgettable adventure in the historic city of Porto, Portugal.
The gorgeous waterfront city of Porto
Our train was at 9am. We arrived to discover that there was a train strike and that no trains were running. We went out to the platform completely confused and in disbelief… what if we can’t get there? We had a fabulous boutique hotel waiting for us and and an 8-course Valentines Day dinner at Chama reserved with a deposit down to hold our table (so if we can’t get to Porto, we lose our deposit). We simply have to get there. We went to the main ticketing counter and they had no answers for us. Absolutely no trains were departing as far as they knew. And, the strike was expected to go on for many more days. The lady we spoke to suggested we book another train ticket for the later train and get a refund on the 9am train tickets just in case the later train would actually depart. So, we did that and crossed our fingers. My husband took this photo below of the empty train station.
When we came back to the train station (we went across the street for a pastry and coffee), there were many others hoping to get on the 10am train. We went out to the platform again and saw that there was no train there. As we waited and prayed for a travel miracle, it actually happened. A train appeared…the 10am train to Porto. Nate and I looked at each other like, is this real? Should we get on? Is this a trick? Am I imagining this? Are we seriously going to get to Porto today?
Yes. That was the ONLY train that day for Porto and we were on it. I still don’t know how it happened with a train strike going on? But it did. A bonafide travel miracle. Don’t we look happy? 🙂
It was 3 hours to Porto. While on the train, Nate says “I booked us a flight coming home tomorrow. I don’t want to risk getting stuck in Porto because there are no trains running.” He’s amazing, my personal travel Sherpa. What he did was the right thing to do and a travel tip to anyone relying on trains to go far distances. Be prepared to think fast and get a flight when needed. The flight back to Lisbon was maybe $20 more than the train ticket. Flying around within Europe is actually quite inexpensive compared to the ridiculous flight costs here in the states.
Start the Clock! 24-Hours Begins Now…
You can absolutely do Porto in just 24-hours! After the trauma of the early morning train fiasco, I was ready to get there, get to our hotel, and start exploring. We had a lot to see and do…the clock starts now, Let’s go! Here are 5 things to see and experience…
1. The Food
Of course. That’s always my #1 reason to go anywhere, really. The food here is exceptional. Portugal is known for seafood so we made a point to order the fresh fish or octopus (yum!) everywhere we went. Lunch was Branzino… always so good. Dinner was a pre-fix 8-course dinner at Chama which included many things and all prepared impeccably. If you are a food-venturer, this is the place for you. Warning: it is a LOT of food, maybe skip lunch that day! Our lunch the following day before we left was a traditional roadside cafe where we ordered ‘sandwiches’, essentially a ham and cheese wrapped in dough and smothered in brown gravy. The Portuguese know how to do it!
ChamaChamaChama, a very eclectic atmosphereChamaChamaA delicious heaping pile of meat, cheese, dough, and gravy
2. Taylors
If you’ve never tried Port Wine, do so. It doesn’t taste like traditional wine, it is very smooth and tastes like caramel (but not too sweet, I don’t do the sweet wines). Taylors (Taylor Fladgate) is one of the oldest port wine makers in the world! It was founded in 1692 and has amazingly delicious 10 year, 20 year, and 30 year old Port.
We did the tour of their facility in Porto and then stayed for a Port wine tasting. We discovered that we prefer the Tawny 20-year old Port. We really enjoyed this and highly recommend a visit here!
3. Livraria Lello: The Place for Harry Potter
Are you a Harry Potter fan? My husband is which meant that we HAD to stop at the gorgeously historic Livraria Lello. It is a very old bookstore often referred to as the most beautiful bookstore in the world. It opened in 1906 and is still here open to the public, although today you have to buy a ticket.
The inside is carved wood and stained glass with floor to ceiling books. It is known that J.K. Rowling spent time in this library and it is rumored that the inspiration for Harry Potter and Hogwarts came from Livraria Lello. I could certainly see the possibility with the cavernous ceilings, windy staircase made of hand-carved wood, and the beautiful windows. I expected a child-wizard to appear any minute. We absolutely walked out of there with a Harry Potter book. For more information about this must-see destination, here is a short-and-sweet article that I found very interesting!
The Churches
You can’t walk a block without running into a church. Yep, there’s many. And, they are beautiful beautiful beautiful! If you are a fan of ornate architecture, the churches in Porto should be on your list. We toured the inside of one of them and took the stairs all the way up to the roof look-out. It is always amazing to see architectural details done by hand. Quality was 100% back then…today, we slap together homes and buildings overnight. We’ve ‘valued engineered’ the quality and elegant distinction (and pride in our work) right out of literally everything. So when we travel to old, historic locations, we make a point to see the architecture.
5. City Walking
This is a city begging to be walked, photographed, and appreciated. Here are some of my favorite photos… (be prepared for hills! Wear comfortable shoes)
This is the view from the other side of Porto…it is where the port wineries are. The walk is about 30-45 minutes and uphill, but worth it!
This dark emerald green fountain supposedly inspired the House of Gryffindor!
A Day Full of Memories
This day spent in Porto couldn’t have been more perfect and wonderful…from miraculously getting a train to our destination when NO trains were running, to walking this city and making memories. We capped off the day with an unforgettable dinner at Chama (my husband made reservations a month and half out!) I was so full I could barely walk…exquisite dining plate after plate after plate. We stayed in a boutique hotel that was right up the hill from all the action. And then coming home back to Lisbon, we caught a short flight that had us walking into Hotel Baixa in no time for a hot shower and dinner in Lisbon.
We hope you carve out vacation time to fly to Lisbon and take a train (or plane) to Porto! So much history and such a beautiful country. A local told us that we were wise to travel and explore Portugal now before it becomes a top destination like Milan and Paris. We also picked off-season dates in February. We were told that the crowds are unbearable in the summertime. More and more people are traveling to Portugal and I imagine it is because of the food, the culture, and the AFFORDABILITY of this trip.
We are living our dreams…are you living yours??? Book your flight and GO!
The Canary Islands…known as Europe’s ‘sunshine center’ and its gorgeous natural, undisturbed environment. Amongst the islands, there are 4 national parks which make for some excellent exploring. These islands are a Spanish archipelago off the coast of northwestern Africa. Most of the travelers here are from the U.S. and UK which means speaking english is common. A family member of mine travelled here to get away and relax on the island of Gran Canaria.
The Canary Islands are a top destination for those looking for natural preserved rainforests and island terrain. There are 14 islands ready to explore here…but the main tourist islands appear to be Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote. If I had to choose my island, it would be Fuerteventura, known for its white sand beachers and turquoise water (yes, please!). The Canaries were formed by volcanoes and are comprised of mountains, desert, beaches, and rainforest. Bananas, oranges, sugarcane, and coffee are grown here which sounds exactly like the Caribbean. These beautiful islands have a multitude of activities and places to experience, not to mention stunning accommodations. A destination like this seems quite amazing. For us to make this journey from Chicago, we would likely fly to Dublin and then on to the island of Tenerife, a 16 hour flight total. I would stay long enough to island hop which is something one should consider as I hear that each island is very different.
Thinking of planning a trip of a lifetime? The Canary Islands certainly qualify! Below is a helpful list to consider for planning your tropical Spanish getaway including a resort recommendation…
Tours
The Canary Islands have some of our most favorite things to do available as tours! An incredible adventure always includes incredible tours… whale watch, gaze at the stars, or visit other islands:
What surprises me about the tours offered in the Canaries is how INEXPENSIVE they are! It’s easy to plan adventurous days with such a wide breadth of tour options at reasonable prices. We’ve always been good about exploring areas anyways without paying for the tour if prices are high, but the tour guide and education they provide is always missed. I prefer to book tours because I get so much more information and usually great stories. We recently traveled to Sintra, Portugal and our guide was so amazing that we all went to lunch together and had the absolute best day! After many adventurous hours together, it felt like we all knew each other quite well 🙂
The Resort
The Salobre Hotel Resort & Serenity…with a name like that, you know exactly what you’re getting. Relaxation was priority…these beautiful accommodations did not disappoint. The terrain surrounding the resort is reminiscent of Arizona…my kind of place! Desert, cactus, and palm trees are abundant. This place is a 5-star resort in south Gran Canaria. The website proudly promotes a ‘total disconnect’ from your world. Yes, please!!! There’s lot of relaxation to be experienced on property. For me, the spa would be my ultimate destination. My brother’s moment of total peace and serenity was drinking champagne every night on their private patio watching the sun set. Sounds incredible.
He sent me a few pictures taken around the resort… the website has a full gallery of beautiful photos here.
The Food
What kind of food can you expect in the Canaries? Meat stews, lots of seafood, and potatoes. Enjoy dishes like Pescado Seco, fish dried in the ancient Canary tradition. Way back when, fish was dried in order to salvage it and keep it for long periods of time. In Portugal, we experienced the same traditions with Cod. It is everywhere. A traditional local stew called Canarian Ropa Viejo should be on your menu. It comprises of vegetables and beef, pork or chicken. On the island of Gran Canaria, there is a puree of cinnamon, honey, egg yolk, almonds and sugar syrup that should be experienced! Sounds amazing…
I say this a lot about our own adventures…the food makes the trip. It is the best part to any new exploration and Nate and I carefully plan our foodie experience to ensure that we’ve tried the local and cultural foods and dishes.
Why the Canary Islands?
Because it is NOT on the usual list of trip suspects, because it is Island Life at its finest, because it is affordable (once you are there), because it is what I consider an ultimate getaway from the routine. Go to explore, go to eat and enjoy amazing flavors, go to decompress.
We hope you consider this island destination! Live adventurously…
I have always been curious about Rhode Island. It is the smallest state out of our great 50… it has a dark, mobster past… it has amazing seafood everywhere you go… and…it is NOT an island even though it’s in the name but everyone’s ok with that (weird?)
Nate and I flew into Providence (actually, Warwick)…it’s just a short flight away from Chicago. The T.F. Green International Airport is a smaller one that has the nicest airport bathrooms I have ever seen…ever. That in itself should be a destination. Visiting Rhode Island was just our first vacation stop on a trip dedicated to East Coast exploring. This blog post will focus on Rhode Island, a post featuring Newport and Cape Cod are in the works!
Rhode Island was our first stop on a romantic whirlwind trip with my husband. We only had two full days in Providence so I maximized our experience. There are a few things I absolutely wanted to do while there… 1. walk through Roger Williams Park, 2. explore and eat in Federal Hill (foodie destination), and 3. go to a winery! There were more things I wish we could have done that we did not have time for, I have included them at the end of this post.
If you are thinking of planning a trip to the East Coast, here is our full agenda (includes Newport and Cape Cod) to help you get started and make your own!
Did you know that Rhode Island, in its entirety, is only 48 miles long and 37 miles wide? That’s amazingly small for a state. It was founded by Roger Williams way back in 1636 under a different name…The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. I like the shorter version 🙂 It was one of the original 13 colonies that declared independence from England. It borders Connecticut and Massachusetts which makes it ideal for a return visit with many more days to explore and stay. Rhode Island is beautiful and has so much to offer the curious traveler. It was home to the famously-known Patriarca crime family who ran their ‘business’ in Federal Hill. Today, Federal Hill is home to amazing restaurants and Italian heritage.
Roger Williams Park
This park is referred to as ‘the people’s park.’ It is truly a beautiful location to go for a morning walk which is exactly what we did. As you can see, it was a perfect weather day to walk the grounds. This was our first morning in Rhode Island. After breakfast, we drove here and simply walked the grounds together. Sometimes just taking a walk and holding hands while the sun is shining beats any other tour or excursion on the list! We love doing things like this together.
Tours & Wine
I’m a tour junkie…I want someone to tell me everything about a place. I’m also obsessed with the winery scene and always try to find one (or two) to visit wherever we go. The tour we did was perfect...Experience Rhode Island Tours. We boarded a bus with a tour guide that seemed to know absolutely everything one could know about Rhode Island! He took us all over the city. We were able to get out a few times and take pictures, as well. Highly recommend this tour…it was an engaging hour and a half seeing places we otherwise wouldn’t have seen. That’s Nate below in front of Brown University…a graduation ceremony was underway when we stopped which was very cool.
Oh, the wine 🍷 …there were a few wineries in the area but we only had time for one. We drove to Leyden Vineyards to enjoy an afternoon of music, wine, and the peaceful scenery. This winery is very low-key and humble, in my opinion. You walk out back to what looks like someone’s yard with casual seating everywhere. We sipped Cabernet Sauvignon and listened to Tom Petty…perfection.
The Food
There are so many great restaurants in Providence that it was hard to pick only two. One restaurant was downtown, the other restaurant was in Federal Hill. Federal Hill is home to many MANY Italian restaurants due to its rich, Italian culture. I will be writing more about the food here in Rhode Island in a separate post, it certainly deserves one. But for this blog, I’ll mention that the oysters were my big draw and absolute focus on this trip…. and they did not disappoint! (Side note: the agenda for download above has all of our restaurant visits).
This area of Providence is one to be explored. One of the oldest bakeries still operating here is Scialo Bros. Bakery. There was an impressive market you could walk thru that had everything from fancy pasta and cheese to various meats and wine. We also checked out the ‘chicken place’ where they have live chickens in the back, you pick the one you want, and they prepare the chicken right there while you wait. That’s about as fresh as you can get for chicken but I will say it might give you nightmares. The smell is horrendous and the machines they use to kill and de-feather and cut the chickens are right there in front of you. This wasn’t for me. I’ll buy my chickens at the store.
Where We Stayed
My husband loves staying in bed and breakfasts, and seeing as this trip was for his birthday, I had to find the perfect accommodations! The Christopher Dodge House was the chosen one. This home was built in 1858 and is still very charming on the inside and outside. Historical homes like these are always such a treat to stay in. I chose the room on the first floor because of the exposed brick. Love it. There were many rooms to choose from here, it is a very large house. Just outside of the dining space outside was a sitting area with cafe lights. We had coffee out there in the morning. The location was great…we took a short Uber ride to our fabulous restaurant (saving this later for an East Coast foodie post). We did have a Turo rental car which was parked in the lot behind the house. Neither one of us wanted to drive around the city, especially after some fancy drinks. The breakfasts in the morning were excellent and the ambiance was lovely… a very romantic 2-night stay ❤️
Other Things To Do in Providence:
If only we could have stayed for a few more days! This trip required us to move on to Newport and Cape Cod (also amazingly beautiful!). Here are a list of things I hope to do next time we visit:
Rhode Island was everything I thought it would be…full of history, beautiful architecture, amazing food, and exceptionally romantic. It was the perfect beginning to many days together 🥰 I can’t wait to visit again one day… the East Coast has our heart and travel here is ALWAYS on our list
We hope this inspires you to plan a trip! Breathe deep and enjoy… you will love it here.
When I told people we were doing our big family vacation to Scottsdale, Arizona (in JUNE), I definitely received some confused looks and responses like “you know it’s crazy hot there, right?”
Yep! It’s a furnace on full blast. Regardless, I was confident that our rental home and agenda would keep the kids entertained, well fed, and not too hot. Traveling with kids is a science…and every year I get a little bit smarter about it. There isn’t a place I WOULDN’T take them. In fact, my daughter wants to go to Iceland. She’s pretty set on that location, so, when she is a little bit older, I plan to do this with her despite the very short sun days and flipping cold weather (and strange food…beware of the puffin and fermented shark!).
If you are pondering where to take the kids on your next trip, consider the beautiful state of Arizona…everyone who knows me knows I LOVE this place. Don’t let the hot weather deter you…Arizona has so much to offer kids who have never seen an environment like this. The unique landscape was really my driving force behind planning the trip. We are in the midwest so our kids don’t get exposure to desert, mountains, and cactus. Experiencing new things is at the top of my list, always. Don’t worry about your agenda, here are some tips for you to consider to make your trip an easy and memorable one! And, to assist your trip planning even further, here is our agenda as a template. This is a nice head start and can hopefully be a foundation for you to adjust and make your own!
We knew temperatures in Arizona would be scorching (118 degrees the day we landed) so having access to a pool was crucial. There is also 6 of us. Booking a resort would give us little NO space in our room. I don’t know about you, but tripping over each other in a tiny hotel room is miserable. The solution was a large rental home (in Scottsdale) with a gorgeous backyard and pool. This house had multiple bedrooms, a huge kitchen, and a family room we never even used. The pool was perfect and a necessity. Temperatures hit 115 degrees by noon. Our day started with activities and then the afternoon was for swimming and keeping cool. We also bought lots of popsicles to keep the kids hydrated. For fun, we got each kid a snorkel mask and they learned how to use them 🤿
Our backyard had lemon and grapefruit trees which gave the kids a memorable activity…juicing grapefruits and making fresh juice every day! Every morning, before it was too hot to breathe, we had coffee out on our covered back porch. It had quite the view…the beautiful Sonoran.
2. Go Hiking Early Morning
The only good time to hike with kids in tow is early EARLY morning. We wanted to expose the kids to the desert and hike through it so we went to one of our favorite hiking spots in the Sonoran Desert. We were there at 7am to do a 1-hour hike. Temperatures were pretty warm already, but the kids did great. We enjoyed it so much we did it two days in a row. They still talk about that hike, which makes me smile 🙂 For our exact trail head location, download the agenda above!
We plan to do more of this as they get older. What I loved most about this hike was that they could see many different cactus up close. They even had to put some muscle into it going up the rocky terrain. The desert and surrounding mountains are beautiful.
3. Go To A Movie
I know what you’re thinking….why fly all the way to another state just to see a movie. I thought that, too, except that it sounded like the best idea we’ve ever had on a day that reached 118 degrees and we couldn’t check into our rental home yet. We had time to kill and we certainly couldn’t be outside with the kids for long. We went and saw the new Jurassic Park movie at the time and enjoyed the crisp air conditioning while we waited for check-in. Brilliant. And, a little parenting tip… I took a nap. And I’m not afraid to say it. The travel day is a long one…up at 4 am, get the kids up and fed, get to the airport early, board (finally), fly for 4 hours, land, get the rental car, feed the kids immediately….by the time we got to the theater I was ready to shut it down. And, I did. So, if you have an opportunity to watch a movie in a gloriously dark and cool and comfortable movie theater, I recommend a parenting-time out and taking a quick cat nap to recharge those batteries….the day is only half over.
4. Go To A Water Park
This was our most favorite day! We took the kids to Hurricane Harbor just outside of Scottsdale. We got there right when they opened and enjoyed short lines for many hours in the hot Arizona sun. After lunch, there were noticeably more people there and the lines were quite long, so we decided to head home. We rode everything and some rides twice. The kids were so brave, some of those water slides are a bit scary! It was a wonderful couple of hours staying cool and having fun together as a family. Highly recommend it!! We were having so much fun, we forgot to take pictures. Trust me when I say…it.was.awesome.
5. Go To The Aquarium
We packed everyone into the mini van and drove to OdySea Aquarium. The kids really enjoyed this. We honestly didn’t do this for us, I’m not actively seeking aquariums on trips. This one did look impressive and we knew the kids would be fascinated with it. They had everything you can imagine and very interactive for kids. It was also nice to get out of the heat for a few hours. From sharks, to penguins, and some virtual reality…it was a very cool visit and kid approved!
oh, and…. one more thing you should do when traveling with kids is….TAKE A BREAK!! (klink!)
Go out on a date (no kids!)
We had an opportunity to go out for dinner, just us. It was glorious. We drove to Kierland Commons, my favorite place to shop and eat. We chose The Greene House…delicious. We sat outside because it was actually a pleasant weather day and not too hot. We sat out on their shaded patio with drinks in hand and just…relaxed. The food was everything I expected it to be… check out the menu, we highly recommend eating here!
Speaking of food, I highly recommend cooking most meals. Restaurants can be quite expensive here. We did do Blanco Tacos our first day which was excellent. But, you know how that goes…one minute all the kids are sitting nice and behaving, the next minute there’s a kid all the way on the other side of the restaurant and another one is trying to go outside while you are all still trying to finish your dinner. We cooked every single day and we loaded up on popsicles and ice cream. Our last night, we went out for ice cream to a boutique creamery with unique flavors!
In conclusion, this trip was really and truly wonderful. The kids still talk about it and I imagine they will always remember it. We are passionate about travel with these kiddos…we can’t take them around the world yet, but we do what we can. For next year (2023), we will spend a fun-filled 8 days in Florida. Nate even has our 2024 family vacay chosen already! The kids seem to be growing at warp speed (suddenly) and I worry that we will run out of time to travel with them before they go off to start their adult lives. So, we make every summer count. I’m already calling next summer ‘the year of the kid-cation’….we have so much planned for them.
If you are looking for family vacay inspiration, consider the sun devil state. This trip to Arizona had all the things, and I couldn’t have been happier with every day’s planned activities.
I hope our agenda gets you started! Make it your own, and have a memorable time (and don’t forget the snacks!)
In my young, naive, complain-ey early 20’s, I worked as a server at a restaurant not too far from campus. I worked three jobs actually. This job, however, was my main source of independent-living income. I worked Friday night, and all day Saturday and Sunday. I remember one Sunday in particular…I was whining about my life. I was plating up a tray from the kitchen window. My complaints were “I didn’t like this…I didn’t like that…I wasn’t happy about this”….etc. Helen, a fellow waitress, set her loaded tray down, looked me right in the eye and said “stop complaining about everything. Change it, Heather. You don’t like where you’re at? Your life doesn’t make you happy? Then make some changes. The life you are living is what you’ve settled for.”
She then picked up her tray, and walked out into the dining room. I really didn’t know what to say. I think I stood there for a few seconds before I realized I had to keep working. The words “settled for…” rang in my head for days. Nothing punches you harder in the face than truth.
I’ve never told anyone about Helen. She was a unique human, for sure. She was loud, hilarious, always cracking jokes, always had an opinion, and a friend to everyone on staff. She was also full of cancer. From the time I knew her, I watched her go from 300+ pounds to a rail-thin 100 (or maybe less). We were all scared for her. She laughed about it though…. the weight loss, the treatments, being so sick some days she had to call in. She was a fearless, no-nonsense, an “I don’t have time to listen to your constant complaining” kinda person. And I get it. She was right. To be in her situation and have to listen to others bitch and moan…it was probably too much. How selfish we all were.
One day, she didn’t come in. This wasn’t out-of-the-ordinary, it happened often. This time, though, she did not come back. I learned that she was too sick to work anymore. It made me sad knowing that this bright light, this crazy loud and brazen personality, was gone. A few months later, on November 2nd, I found out she had died.
“The life you are living is what you’ve SETTLED for”
Helen gave me a gift that day, she hit me with truth. And how often do we get that? Everyone close to us sugar coats advice to not hurt our feelings, or make us feel like our unhappy life isn’t our fault. Full accountability, that was her message. Her words in that restaurant kitchen have stayed with me for over 2 decades. SHE has stayed with me. Hard words to hear, ya know? She was right. My life, and everything about it, IS what I’ve settled for. That is always true. And if there is anything that isn’t making me happy, doesn’t feel right, isn’t going as planned, well…that’s on me to fix. “If you don’t like it, change it.” I have heard her voice so many countless times…with every job change and every relationship ending. Funny that someone can permeate your life like that.
Since then, I’ve made my fair share of bad decisions (wish I could say I found the light and life was forever perfect after her wise advice). I found myself in lack-luster relationships, both friendships and romantic ones, that were ultimately bad for me. I found myself working at jobs that ended up being complacent, completely dried up of inspiration, and no chance of growth personally or professionally. I found myself numerous times just going about life like it was a prison sentence…get up, go to work, come home, eat, go to bed. Rinse and repeat. I wasn’t accomplishing my dreams, I wasn’t living life, I felt like a zombie, I felt like I was suffocating, I felt like I was trapped. I never went anywhere, I never experienced anything new, I was afraid. And then I heard Helen’s voice…”is this what you’re going to settle for?”
That always fired up the engine and my answer was NO. Every time I feel like my life has become a self-made prison cell, I remind myself that I am holding the keys to get out. I have never had a problem making decisions that result in change. I don’t putz around and do a “should I or shouldn’t I? Oh, I don’t know…” Nope. Once I realize I need to make a change, I simply make it. What I have never been good at, though, is starting from a place of making a good choice. Perhaps I was moving too fast. Perhaps I wasn’t doing my due diligence before deciding. As I’ve gotten older, and learned some hard lessons, I have vowed to do myself a favor and slow down. It has served me well.
Living your dreams is important. Making good decisions that result in accomplishing great things is everything. Helen’s voice has always been there in those moments where I needed a swift kick in the gut, a voice of reason, a truth bomb. I have worked hard at navigating a life that makes me happy. I have made plenty of hard decisions along the way. Plenty of times I have said goodbye and started fresh. I realized that the life I wanted had to be full of positive influences from everyone in my tiny world, my job had to be rewarding and always challenging me creatively, my personal relationships had to be deeply intimate and without reservations, and also made me feel free to be myself.
I also realized that travel had to be a part of my world
It brings balance and insight, it inspires me, it opens my eyes, it gets me thinking. It also makes me feel like I’m LIVING rather than feeling confined and suffocated. Trapped.
Am I happy with what I’ve settled for?
Yes ❤️ It has been a long journey, one that I wish I could share with Helen. I’d like to tell her that I no longer complain about things not going well, not going my way, being unhappy with this or that…I am not afraid of change. My life is good and I cherish it…every little piece of it. I know what makes me happy and I pursue it. I’m obsessed with accomplishing things…in fact, I keep a list of all accomplishments so that at the end of the year, I can read through it and reflect on it. I survived COVID and landed on my feet and in a better spot career-wise then before it began. I make careful decisions, I do not rush into anything. When things fall apart, I fly into action and fix it. When I am afraid of something, I face it…and, I have an amazing partner (my husband) right there next to me. I spent most of my life alone, having him in my life is a gift. I am also a mom, my deepest wish come true and greatest achievement…they are my everything and am so grateful for them.
Helen was preparing me for a rough road. I am so thankful for the brief period of time I knew her.
I mean, if you aren’t pursuing a life that makes you happy, what the hell ARE you doing?
I settle for nothing less than amazing, however I define amazing to be
Thank you, Helen
“I’m going to make the REST of my life the BEST of my life”
Martha’s Vineyard holds a place in my mind as being a storybook destination with gorgeous homes, the ocean, sailing and hydrangeas everywhere. When I planned our recent adventure to Cape Cod, I set aside an entire day for Martha’s Vineyard…I had to see this beauty for myself. The big day was a foggy one, apparently fog is a constant challenge due to the location of this island. We went Memorial Day weekend and was definitely hoping for a gorgeous sunny day, however, this was not in the stars for us. We didn’t let a little fog and sputtery rain deter us, though! We are travel warriors…and the plus side?? The crowds were not there BECAUSE it was foggy and rainy. We had a wonderfully relaxing day touring the island on our bikes and ate at one of the most popular lobster shacks without having to wait in line. And our reward for braving the elements that morning? The sun came out in the afternoon ☀️ Then, like magic, the crowds appeared.
To get to Martha’s Vineyard, you have to take a Ferry…I chose the Island Queen Ferry in Oak Bluff. You can take your car to the island, but I had plans to ride our rental bikes. I read that parking can be a nightmare when you get to the little towns on the island. Bike parking is a breeze 🙂 The tickets were cheap…$48 for two people, round trip. It was a scenic 30 minute boat ride.
Our List of Experiences…
In my opinion, there is the Martha’s Vineyard experience one must do if it is your first time there. Here is our list of quintessential things for the East Coast traveler looking to take in this storybook island in the future! It is lovely there…
1. Bike Riding
I do think that renting a bike is the best way to see the island. We took Seaview Avenue and made our way to Edgartown, about 6 miles of beautiful seaside views! The ferry docks in Oak Bluff and you’ll find that there is no shortage of places to rent bikes, scooters, jeeps, etc. I chose All Star Bicycle Rentals. The bikes were in excellent condition and fairly new. You get everything you need as well as a helpful island map.
2. Island Fashion
A particular fashion brand I follow is Vineyard Vines. It was actually founded in Martha’s Vineyard back in 1998. They are known for colorful pastels, polo shirts, unique ‘island’ fabric prints, and of course the whale icon. Interestingly enough, Martha’s Vineyard was part of the whaling industry way back in the 1700’s. The Civil War actually brought an end to it. I read that the cliffs on Martha’s Vineyard have fossils of ancient whale bones. Cooooooool……
We had to do a walk thru. I personally love the swimwear and polo shirts for guys. It’s not a trip to Martha’s Vineyard if you don’t leave with a pink polo shirt, right??
The Black Dog is also a famous brand here and the store is a must-walk-thru. The Black Dog is actually a restaurant and their souvenir black dog T-shirts took on a life of its own. The story behind The Black Dog is an interesting one!
3. Lobster Rolls
Ah yes, the lobster roll. Nate might be the lobster’s biggest fan. We had to find THE place to eat in Edgartown. The owner of the bike shop recommended the Seafood Shanty. He warned me though that there was always an hour (or longer) wait. It’s right on the water and has some of the best east coast seafood around. We decided to get there just before it opened to stand in line. They don’t take reservations, first come first serve. As it so happened, because it had been drizzling all morning, there WAS NO LINE! We were sat right away. I ordered the best fried seafood platter I’ve ever had in my life, Nate ordered the lobster roll. This roll was unlike all the others we’ve had..no mayo, just drawn butter…it was smothered in delicious, golden, melted euphoria. There was SO much lobster in this roll, it had to be 2 lobsters and worth the price!! Fair warning, lobster pricing has gone up quite a bit. You’re looking at a $30-50 dollars a roll these days. Yikes…. 🦞
4. The Architecture
The homes here are replicated over and over again…they have an east coast charm that I love. The cedar shingles, the grey wood tones, the ornate porches, balconies, and railings…just storybook. And those hydrangeas?? Sign me up, I want to live here. This style of home is all over the island, you can’t miss them. Edgartown was especially cute. Some of the homes were ship captain homes and have the captain name on a plaque outside the house…so cool. People seem very proud of the history there. Edgartown is considered one of the East Coast’s most elegant communities. Edgartown is also one of the most well-known yachting centers, so if sailing/boating is your thing, this is the place for you.
The homes and neighborhoods are picture perfect….
5. Enjoy Dinner Back at Falmouth
Martha’s Vineyard is a full day. You can certainly eat dinner there and then head back, but the ferry schedule doesn’t go all night. We decided to catch the 2nd to last ferry and head back to Falmouth where a fabulous italian restaurant was recommended by our Inn keeper on Cape Cod. He said that they make their pasta in-house and everything is incredibly savory and delicious. We made reservations right away. Osteria La Civetta, or Tavern of the Owl, is a quaint Italian restaurant not too far from the Falmouth Ferry pier. It was hard to choose what to order, I went with our favorite: Bolognese. It was exceptional…
I’ll be honest, I was a little intimidated to visit Martha’s Vineyard… I had no idea what to expect, I only had my own likely false conclusions about how it was too posh and fancy and that I might feel out of place. So silly, Martha’s Vineyard was just another beautiful place, everyone was so friendly, the food was superb, the scenery mesmerizing. The flowers on the island are bright pink…and they are everywhere. The sand is white, the ocean serene. I only wish we could have squeezed in some sailing and seen more of the island. If you are able to find an affordable night somewhere (it’s crazy CRAZY expensive to stay on the island), book it…there’s so much more to do and see!
We hope you can find time in your busy schedule to squeeze in a trip to Martha’s Vineyard! And listen, if it happens to be raining or super foggy that day, go anyways…the food is still amazing, there won’t be any crowds to contend with, and it’ll still be worth it. For us, after a few hours of drizzly weather the clouds parted and the sun came out… and in that precise moment in time, I was so incredibly happy we were there. The thing about Me and Nate? We make the absolute best of everything. We once toured Nuremberg, Germany in the pouring rain…. all day, non-stop…and it was maybe the best day that week together. We saw so much, we had the best German lunch (so much so we still talk about it…”remember that place? That place we stopped at in the rain?” We are a travel team who believes that sometimes the best adventures together are in the rain ❤️
My husband told me to pack clothes for warm weather, a bathing suit and sunscreen. Destination? He said it was a surprise 🙂 Intrigued, I followed his instruction. We woke up crazy early to get to the airport…we drove to Midway Airport, which we NEVER do….interesting. I had no idea where we were going, so exciting!!! It wasn’t until we checked our suitcase did the destination present itself…Punta Cana. My big 40th birthday surprise was an adventure to a place I had never been…swimming in turquoise water, tropical drinks on the beach, and staying at Breathless, an adults-only all-inclusive resort. I was overwhelmed, the most amazing birthday gift I have ever been given.
This was the perfect getaway for just Nate and I and is really a GREAT getaway for couples looking for intimate down-time. It was a worry-free, totally relaxing and beach-lazy trip that I remember fondly for so many reasons. If you are thinking of an adults-only couple of days, below is a list of things that made this trip incredibly wonderful and special!! And hey, IF you are looking to surprise someone for their birthday, this is a PERFECT place to do it 🙂
Breathless Resort
The Resort
I was swept off my feet to Breathless, an adults-only resort located on the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic. I recommend an adults-only if you are a parent looking to decompress and hear sounds of the ocean vs. “can I have a snack??” or “I’m hungry”…or “but he hit me first!”… Trust me on that one…even when they are not your kids, you hear it. Every time I hear a child say “Mom?” I answer “Yes??”…. my brain has been programmed to respond 😂
Gorgeous sunsets every night with my love…
This was a beautiful and immaculately clean resort. Their motto, according to their website, is “Live Big, Breathe Deep”…. sign me up. We did the VIP package and stayed in an area with a private pool… a smaller pool but very nice and quiet. For all of you party animals, they had a party pool complete with a swim-up bar and awesome drinks.
As you all know, all-inclusives don’t typically make drinks to where you can taste any alcohol…there motto must ALSO be ‘give them a teaspoon of rum and see if they notice…” Oh, we notice…and, we always ask for a double shot. That makes the drink an actual drink, a tip I’m sure lots of people have figured out already.
My Birthday room
The rooms were large and modern. The balcony felt very private which I prefer. We also had a nice view of the pool. The bathroom was very nice, an important detail that I personally always look for when I book a room.
The Beach
The beach has to be great, or why book the place? Breathless did not disappoint. It was a pristine white sand beach with lots of seating to soak up the sun. We rented a casita for the day and took a glorious undisturbed nap while listening to the ocean 10 ft. away. I tell Nate that the nap was my gift… 🙂
Pina Coladas and the ocean… not a bad way to spend your 40th! They even had one of those infamous foam parties on the beach and I absolutely jumped in and danced around with everyone else. I enjoyed quite a few foam parties back in college at various dance clubs…super fun, brought me back to when I was a young 23 with no actual responsibilities yet (and no back pain!) Yep, it was good to feel young again.
A beach foam party
The Food
The food here was good for an all-inclusive, but not foodie exceptional. And I think that’s pretty common with all-inclusive resorts. As long as there is flavor (seriously, I’ve experience food with zero flavor) and a diverse selection on the menu, I’m good. There were quite a few restaurant options which was nice. I like feeling like we can eat at a different place every night. Below was my birthday dinner…I ordered the mega lobster and as you can see, it was quite the meal.
My amazing husband giving me the ultimate gift…relaxation
Our last night there was dinner on the beach in a private tent…so romantic. I can’t say enough about this resort and all the amenities.
The staff was wonderful, by the way. So accommodating and friendly, big smiles and hello’s every morning. Because of our schedules, we could only do 4 days, next time we will stay longer!
This gesture of love and consideration brought me to tears…I was overwhelmed at the thoughtfulness of everything.
He brought me to tears with this one…and what a wonderful thing the staff does! Turning 40 was memorable
Why choose Punta Cana? It has everything you’d be looking for in a tropical getaway…excursions, relaxing, beautiful beaches, and plenty of resorts to choose from. This is a wonderful tropical vacay without feeling like you’re breaking the bank. It’s important to note, however, that we did do this trip prior to Covid and inflation. I see that resorts in the Caribbean are currently triple the price…$700 a night for a standard room? Yikes. So, do your research! I read that flights are STARTING to come down in price, whatever that means. I was talking to a friend yesterday about some trips she booked… she was actually pretty ecstatic that a round trip to Arizona was only $400 (previously $650). I guess that’s where we are now… super happy that the prices are still…high? Hoping that the flight industry gets closer to normal in 2023.
We all need to unwind (sometimes I feel like that one string of Christmas lights that is so tangled it’s not worth trying to untangle it, and there’s random lights out, and I have no idea WHICH ones, and it’s just a mess…). Typically we do lots of excursions when we travel somewhere, but this trip we decided to chill out and stay put. It was 4 days of all my favorite things (sleeping in, napping by the ocean, unlimited pina coladas, peace and quiet, date nights and snuggling ❤️ —Isn’t that the best word?? It changes your life). My husband thought of everything, even having the restaurant staff sing a Happy Birthday song. I cried (like a baby) into my wine glass. Never in my life had someone done something so thoughtful and considerate, never had I been put front and center, priority one. Every last detail of that trip was all for me, and being with him alone for 4 days?? No distractions?? No other gift can compare. How do you know you’ve actually found your “soulmate”?? Easy. That person instinctively knows what your soul needs on any given day.
It was so wonderful and mind-blowingly amazing. I felt like a rock star the entire time we were there. You only get one 40th, and this one is a birthday celebration that I’ll remember forever. I can 100% recommend this destination. And, I don’t think it probably matters where you stay… the environment is tough to beat.
Looking for wonderful and amazing? You’ve found it 🙂 Go Adventure and…..relax!!
When I heard that my brother was taking a trip that Nate and I have been discussing, I jumped at the chance to interview him and get every.last.detail. My brother lives in Denmark and his adventures are AMAZING. I’m so lucky to have a direct connection to a faraway place!! I can’t wait to hear about where they go next year…
This particular trip is focused around France, specifically the Champagne province. I am thankful for the interview, this trip sounds wonderful and the tips are exactly what us travelers aspiring to go over there need to hear.
Why did you pick the French countryside?
We love champagne and have always dreamed of going to the wine region within the province of Champagne which is in the northeast of France. Reims and the town of Épernay are popular locations with lots of commercial production. We are also big fans of the café del mar albums and we have a tradition where we listen to the music drinking champagne…so, it has always been on our bucket list. We knew that moving to Denmark would allow us to travel around Europe. Then…Covid hit and grounded us for a year and a half. When we talked about where we would go first once we felt it was safe to do so, we unanimously decided that “our first trip will be to France and drink champagne….” Coincidentally, our Danish class forced us to think about where we would vacation because of a class assignment which is what started the whole conversation.
How long did you stay there?
We stayed 4 nights, 5 days. Decided to spend 1 day in Paris and then went to Champagne (wine country). We did this because flying to Paris was the best option and we wanted to stay there to get a burst of Parisian culture before we left on a train out into the countryside.
What towns did you visit?
From Paris we took the TGV to Reims, which is the capital of Champagne… lots of Champagne houses within Reims which meant that there was little travel involved once we were there. The grapes are grown in the fields outside of Reims but then the wine and champagne are brought into the city. One thing to note here is that there are huge underground caves in the middle of the city. Also visited Épernay which is a mecca of famous champagne houses. We were drawn to beauty of this town, not just the champagne… large mansions and neoclassical villas are everywhere.
Where did you start your trip and where did you finish? Was there a reason for that?
We flew in and out of Paris only for ease of transportation. Getting from the airport to Reims was tricky…the TGV from the airport to Reims is very expensive and time tables are tricky. Charles De Gaulle airport is known for delays, so there was concern that we would miss our train. It wouldn’t be a European vacation without a little transportation anxiety! Luckily, we made our train. We had no issues getting back to Paris when the trip was over.
Was there required Covid testing?
Not as someone coming from Denmark, and not returning to Denmark either. Air France did have a page where you uploaded proof of vaccination, and that meant there was no further work required.
Were masks required at any point during your trip?
Yes, on public transit they are required, on the trains, in the stations, on the flights, but not in the wineries or restaurants. If you are going to travel here, definitely read up on the current status of things. We would suggest bringing a mask with you at all times just in case.
What were some of the excursion/adventures you did?
This was really the best part of the trip!
When we arrived in Paris, we did the River Boat lunch cruise which took us down the Seine for lunch and drinks. This was wonderful and such a relaxing thing to do right away. We booked the romance package because it came with alcohol and a window seat AND a delicious pre-fix menu. You get to see the Eiffel Tower up close and the original statue of Liberty, which was amazing to see….and also very humbling.
We booked another excursion thru Trip Advisor – a private wine tour. Someone drives you around with this tour which is PERFECT when sampling 15 different types of wine. One of our favorite parts was the exposure to small house wine…. which means small growers. Big growers are owned by corporations so small growers are appealing because it feels more grounded and approachable like the wine is for anyone, no pomp and circumstance. Small growers do not have mass production and strive to maintain the artisanal wine and champagne. Small growers have room for experimentation, too, and their wine/champagne has more personality. We loved this tour because there was no coordination required on our part, and we felt it was an incredible value and very safe. The tour guide spoke English well, it was a wonderful experience. We even got to meet the families of the small growers. Some of these families have been making wine for 400 years!
Champagne tasting…
Did you feel like the culture is friendly? Any issues with not speaking the language?
It was surprising…we have grown up thinking that the French were rude and did not like Americans. This is absolutely and completely wrong…. everyone was so helpful, so friendly, so warm….we truly felt it. If you are planning to visit France, learn a few key phrases…Start out with “Excusez-Moi and Parle Anglais?”
Last but not least, are there any travel tips for someone thinking of traveling here?
In Paris, wear comfortable shoes…and bring band aids to keep your feet in good shape. Don’t break in a beautiful pair of shoes on an explorative in Paris. You are taking lots and lots of stairs. Ladies: resist the urge to strut around in your new Laboutin heels 😉
Also, the train system is very complex…do your research on the train system and know where you want to go prior to being there. We also recommend learning to speak French by taking audio classes to familiarize with how to ask for basic things…enjoy your trip!
Profitez de votre temps en France!
Thank you so much Christian & Andy! Amazing trip, amazing pictures…
Door County, Wisconsin is a 4 hour drive from our home. My parents always drove here in the summer and fall, but I had never been. Nate had been going to Door County for years and loved it…he insisted we take the trip together. Our first adventure to this beautiful part of the Wisconsin wilderness was the fall of 2018. Nate showed me all of his favorite places…it meant the world to me. It is a beautiful area and if you haven’t traveled here before, consider it in the future…it is lovely. It is now our most favorite romantic and outdoorsy local getaway ❤️ To help you plan your Wisconsin adventure, I’ve put together a list of things that we know are winners…and so romantic!
The sunsets here are wonderful
1. Washington Island and Bike Riding
Nate said… “let’s take the ferry over to Washington Island and ride bikes together”… Yes!!!! I don’t ride bikes very often, but when I do, I prefer to do it with my husband on an island. I’d say it’s kind of our thing, we do that exactly a lot. Washington Island, Martha’s Vineyard, Peaks Island.
The Washington Island Ferry Line picks you up in Ellison Bay and is $16 per adult. We brought both of our new Treks on this trip (my birthday present from Nate!). This was such a pleasant way to spend the day. While on the island, stop at the Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm! We shopped, ordered lavender champagne, and sat outside together and chilled. WONDERFUL. The beaches are also a must-stop-and-see. We rode our bikes to Schoolhouse beach where you can see the limestone rocks that are perfectly rounded and smooth. I had never seen a beach like this…we had a moment.
A lovely stop at the Lavender Farm
2. Fish Boil
Don’t miss an opportunity to do one of these!! Every time we go to Door County, without fail…we have dinner at The Old Post Office. I think it has the best fish and presentation. It is said that the Scandinavian immigrants brought the fish boil to this area. Cooking fish this way fed a lot of people…at that time, mostly lumberjacks, fisherman, and laborers. It’s really something to see….they get the water boiling hot, they add the salted fish, and then they light that fire up to ‘rager’ level and BAM!!…fish is done.
This web page is a great source of information behind the infamous Fish Boil, don’t miss this!!! If you love white fish smothered in drawn butter AND a slice of cherry pie at the end, make reservations now 🍒 and enjoy a romantic dinner for two Door County style. For another romantic dinner option, The White Gull Inn in Fish Creek has a delicious restaurant! Unless it is the dead of winter, you’ll need to make reservations for sure. This is a popular place.
The White Gull Inn
3. Cherry-Stuffed French Toast
Cherries are a thing. When visiting Door County, one must buy (and eat) a famous Door County cherry pie AND one must order the cherry-stuffed french toast at The White Gull Inn. Nate surprised me with a cottage here (so cute!) and he said that we HAD to have the stuffed french toast. If you go to their website here it is prominently featured. This Inn is beautiful to stay at all year long. If you are looking around for accommodations, the White Gull Inn is exceptional.
The White Gull Inn in February
4. Snow Shoeing
This was really awesome… we rented snow shoes at Nor Door Sport and Cyclery (they ALSO rent fat tires….) and made our way over to Peninsula State Park. It’s really the best way to do a winter hike.
We bundled up and set out on a snowy exploration. We hiked down to the water where Nate made his way out onto the ice. Right where he entered the frozen lake was one single rose. I must have stared at it forever…the day before had been Valentine’s Day. Someone had hiked down to that exact location and left one rose on the frozen lake. It was perfectly red and preserved. It was so sweet and sad, I of course left that spot wondering what the story was. Amazing that we found it…it’s a big park and a big lake. We had stumbled upon someone’s love story.
5. Stay at a B&B
Nate loves Bed & Breakfasts… one of our visits included a stay at The Hummingbird Inn. This was a small, intimate B&B. We had an exceptional breakfast cooked just for us (we were the only guests there) every morning. The grounds and gardens were beautiful and we had our own private bonfire every evening. They even had a cute storage shed to keep our bikes safe at night. Our days were filled with low-key adventure, our nights with red wine, a romantic fire and great conversation.
The Hummingbird Inn
…And, One More…Wine!
Those who know me know that I looooooove a glass of red wine. Door County does have wineries and we do tastings everytime we go. Door County wine is no Willamette Valley, however, it is fun to do together. I recommend trying a few…I mean, you’re there already, why not? Here are 3 to try on your next visit… Door Peninsula Winery, Lautenbach’s Orchard Country Winery & Market, and Harbor Ridge. Enjoy!!
We hope you find all the nooks and crannies of Door Country as romantic as we did. We love going there, wish it were closer! Every time we go, we do something different. I cherish this area of Wisconsin and the wonderful memories I have there with my husband. From bike riding to walks along the lakeshore and fabulous restaurants…I have been drinking the Door County 😊 Wisconsin kool-aid ever since!
My first visit to this beautiful desert state was in July of 2004. I had no idea it would be the very beginning of a long, long journey resulting in healing and awareness, figuring out life, re-prioritizing, setting goals, reflecting on change, celebrating, and landing me where I am today.
If you are looking for peace and quiet, the Sonoran is waiting for you
It was my mom’s idea to go.
I had moved to Chicago to move in with my then boyfriend whom I dated my last 2 years of college long distance. I was in Cincinnati, he was in the Chicago suburbs. I did what I thought was the next logical step in the progression of our relationship. I made the mistake that so many others make…unknowingly, of course. I made a life changing decision without asking myself if it was the right thing to do. I made the decision like a robot programmed to go to the next level. I knew soon after we moved in together that it was wrong, but there I was. I had just graduated from college and was looking for a job. I found one…working at Neiman Marcus on Michigan Avenue. Not a month later, I was offered a position with a large corporation as a design assistant…I took it. It seemed like everything was going well…except my personal life. 9 months later, I made the hard decision to end the relationship and I had to scramble to figure out where I was going to live. To say it was a difficult time is an understatement…I was way over my head with the resulting consequences of my actions. Life lessons suck.
I had a flight to Vegas that I was no longer going to take (our trip together) due to the break-up. My mom said “let’s go to Scottsdale and relax.” Scottsdale? Arizona? Isn’t it hot there? But she assured me that it was beautiful and wonderful and just the thing to pull me out of dealing with my crumbling life. So I used my ticket to go with her in July of 2004. We stayed at the JW Marriott, we ate at Roy’s, we shopped at Kierland Commons, we laid out by the pool…I was hooked. It was my first time in the desert and my first time seeing cactus everywhere. How can a place like this…hotter than hell with dry sand everywhere…be so beautiful? How could life even survive here? I had a lot of questions regarding this new environment I was in. It was fascinating. Nothing should be living here, yet it does and it’s green and the cactus even have flowers in the spring. Life survives even the harshest of situations. I took the next few days to quietly think about my current situation wondering what I was going to do now. I had to rebuild my life to an extent. I put a plan together, and when I got home, I moved forward with it. Some answers, not all of them, but some, came to me in the warmth of that glorious hot sun.
Fast forward many years to 2011… I was getting married in a few months. I didn’t want a traditional bachelorette party, but rather, I wanted more than anything to go back to Scottsdale. I went for a long weekend with my mom and sister. I wasn’t there to mourn a broken relationship, I was there to celebrate and it felt wonderful.
Scottsdale girl’s weekend….restaurants and wineries
I was on top of the world…I had succeeded and made my way thru the dating jungle! We had all these plans ahead of us… have kids, buy a bigger house, fix it up, go on summer family vacations every year. It was a wonderful couple of days there with restaurants, horse back riding in the desert, spa treatments, and lots of pool time. I remember looking over our balcony at the red mountains that surrounded our resort feeling thankful. I had come a long distance to get to where I was in that moment, and I was so happy to be back in the desert blanketed by warmth. People complain about the heat there, but I love it. Yes, it’s hot, but you need that kind of intense heat to reach the core of your soul…and that’s why I go back there.
The view from our balcony….there’s something about a desert sunset and those red mountains
Everything came to an end just a few years later. My world collapsed and I had to accept that I was going to have to rebuild once again, except now I had two small children in my life…and their needs came before my own. They were all that mattered to me. I ignored myself and the pain I was in. I was lost, absolutely, and all I wanted was to get back to Arizona if just for a few days. I had some questions to ask those mountains. I had some mourning and quiet crying to do. I needed to know what to do next. My heart needed a break. My mom and sister said Yes to another trip to Scottsdale, I am thankful that they did. It was a wonderful few days where I could heal, if just a little bit. It meant a lot that they were there with me. The process of rebuilding my life was going to be a long one. One thing I heard clearly from those mountains was GO SLOW. I took a lot of deep breaths during that trip. I put a plan together in my head and came home to my wonderful kids. They needed a mom who had her sh*t together. Period, no exceptions. I needed to find a new home, I needed to work on myself (I wasn’t blameless in things falling apart), and I needed to be there for my kids. When in Arizona, I also realized that I had some family relationships I needed to repair. Spending time with my sister was really nice, and I wanted to do that more. I hadn’t seen my brother in years, and I wanted to fix that too. Those Arizona mountains have insight and inspiration…if you’re listening. They warned me not to hold on to life destroying feelings like anger and resentment. I felt a deep sadness that I had to look square in the eyes and deal with. I slowly moved forward with a new life…like, turtle slow. And I’m so glad I did.
Fast forward to 2019… life is good 🙂 It has been many years since my marriage ended, I also have been living in my new house for a few years as well and my fiancee (the most wonderful wonderful man) had just moved in a few months prior. My mom and sister were down for another visit to Scottsdale and so we traveled there in September. A wonderful trip with lots of laughing and pool-side drinks. The desert and mountains greeted me with a warm hug, almost like visiting a family member I hadn’t seen in years and was so happy we were together again! I left that trip knowing that I had to bring Nate to Arizona. All I wanted was to share this place with him. I surprised him with a trip to Scottsdale and Sedona in 2021.
My partner in crime (shopping)This right here is the BESTSedona red mountains
To experience a place that meant so much to me on the deepest level was amazing. While we were there, we talked about bringing our kids (we have 4!) to Scottsdale so that we could share it with them. And we did that this year! They were enthralled with the cactus. The heat? Not so much….still, we swam every day and went hiking in the Sonoran. It felt like I had reached the end of this journey that began all the way back in 2004. It felt good.
My travel partner, best friend, and husband. I didn’t know I needed unwavering support until I had it. He is wonderful…
Arizona is special. It was a foreign planet to me back in 2004 but today it feels like my other home. I think what I like the most about it is that it is a harsh environment where beauty lives and survives. Someone told me once that “everything in the desert is trying to kill you” which makes me laugh. I can see that…120 degree weather, what can survive in this hellfire heat? Snakes, scorpions, coyotes…predators everywhere. Dry desert all around…no water? How can plants thrive and survive? Doesn’t that seem like life sometimes? How does one thrive and survive this life that can be so harsh and hard at times? We just do. We find a way. The cactus do it, they’ve evolved into these beautiful machines that don’t need a lot of water, are bright green and healthy, shockingly, and even bloom flowers in the spring. They’ve evolved their defenses to include long sharp needles to keep predators away. They have survived and they do quite well. If they can do it, I certainly can. I like going there as a reminder of what I’m capable of surviving.
Travel, in my opinion, is so much more than just saying you’re somewhere else. Traveling to new places could be a pivotal step in your life, a point in time where you’re smacked in the face with reality AND insight to move forward. We are all looking for answers… and I say, travel. The ocean brings clarity…the mountains offer wisdom…the desert offers peace. I can’t say that answers always come, but eventually they do. I can’t say that realization is a fast process, it was pretty damn slow for me. I do think that traveling to new places, whether it be just yourself or with another adventurer, changes things. It changes you. And if you’re willing to walk, not run, you’ll get to where you’ve always wanted to be. Slow and steady wins the race…everyone knows that. I’ve always found that reflection was best surrounded by mountains. I’ve always found that my soul can actually relax and breathe when by the ocean. Travel changed my life and has been the voice of reason over the last 2 decades.
Go adventure… ask your questions, experience new things, do some reflection on your own personal journey. One of my favorite inspirational quotes is “love life no matter how bad it treats you”…I am grateful for this life and the many opportunities I’ve had to learn hard lessons and rise from them. Travel has been a big part of my life transformation. Nate and I are fortunate to be able to travel around, local and far away places, as much as we do and it is something I cherish and never take for granted. Looking forward to next year’s travel plans…and…very much looking forward to hearing what the ocean and mountains have to say.
We recently spent 4 amazingly flavorful days in Las Vegas and have decided to do a write up for those seeking adventurous and delicious eating! Did you know that there’s actually MORE to Vegas than gambling and pulling all-nighters at the casino?? Yep. Vegas is one of my most favorite adult timeouts loaded with artistically designed cuisine I didn’t have to make myself.
Me doing what I love most…ordering and eating fancy Tapas
I love food, but not just any and all food…. chef crafted food….and so does my husband, and Vegas has some of the best. This blog details our delicious and unforgettable food-cation! If you’re a foodie like us, maybe you’ll find this video useful in planning your next visit! And if not, perhaps you’ll consider opening up your palate and sampling some of the best restaurants Vegas has to offer. Side note: I did also do a narrated video on youtube for those who like to watch helpful videos, here it is!
LAVO at the Venetian, located in the Palazzo Tower
LAVO
Our first stop on our food-adventure was LAVO at the Venetian. Go to their website, you’ll see why I booked this place. It is Italian food and hand-crafted cocktails. Vegas always does such a great job with ambiance, and LAVO was no exception. We walked into an eclectic space with unique lantern-esque light fixtures and a trickling water feature that spans the entire wall above a seating area by the bar. The menu covered everything, from charred octopus and roasted beet salad (my husband’s favorite) to the anticipated pasta dish and traditional steaks and chops. I ordered the sea bass, flavorful as always, with a chickpea and tomato puree and fried portobello mushrooms. Nate ordered the Branzino…another favorite of ours. You can do family style here which makes it more fun to pass around these amazing dishes to sample and share. This experience was excellent.
Julian Serrano Tapas
On to Julian Serrano Tapas at the Aria. The website promotes small plates, big flavors. Agreed. Chef Julian Serrano infuses his spanish background into all of the menu options. I did some research on his accomplishments, he is a two-time winner of the prestigious james beard foundation award and the executive chef of Picasso at Bellagio.
Branzino
He is a native of Madrid, one of our most favorite places in Spain. Nate and I have fond memories of spending time in Spain so whenever we get a chance to eat authentic Spanish cuisine, we take it. This restaurant greets you with vibrant colors obviously reminiscent of Spanish culture. We decided to order sangria (of course!) and a few tapas to try. The octopus was my favorite… it was fresh, grilled, and the texture was perfect. The filet tapas was served with delicious thick sauce and saffron honey… and the branzino was perfectly cooked and smothered in a tomato confit with sherry vinegar. It had all the smells, and all the flavor. Not an octopus fan? Try it before you deny it!! Eat here…It was amazing.
Chica
Chica at The Venetian was date night! A passionate night deserves to start with a passionate menu. Chica has locations in Miami, Aspen, and Vegas, lucky for us. They promote a menu that is a celebration of latin flavors… sounds perfect!
Mussels with a Coconut Chorizo Broth
Chef Lorena Garcia opened Chica in 2017 and we hope it’s around many years to come. With influences from Peru, Brazil and Argentina, this menu was impossible to say no to. I was so excited about our food journey thru latin america, I wore a bright red sequin dress… I was ready for an amazing night. We started with Peruvian Ceviche…. excellent. I then ordered the Mussels which were drenched in a chorizo coconut broth. I’m not ashamed to say that I practically licked the bowl. Nate ordered their signature Baby Back Ribs Al Pastor, known as the smoke show…. and here you’ll see why. The meat literally dissolves in your mouth, so much flavor, and such a creative presentation.
Creative and Delicious
And for dessert? A cheesecake formed into the shape of an ear of corn! A culinary experience that I can’t wait to go back to!!!
I have a tremendous amount of appreciation for the culinary arts. Chef prepared food is something that I find so exciting and adventurous. It’s not every day that we eat like this… we are raising 4 kiddos that wouldn’t touch all of this flavor with a 10 ft. pole… they just aren’t ready yet. So for us to be on a trip to Vegas with every night open for the chef experience….well, we took full advantage, we ordered some crazy unique dishes, and we laughed into our wine glasses knowing that we didn’t have to eat plain cheese pizza that week… it was food bliss. When I tell people I love Las Vegas, they always say “oh, do you gamble?” No. I make dinner reservations. For me, Vegas is one of those places where you’ll find the absolute best entertainment, the absolute best hotels, and the absolute best chef dining experiences.
We hope this blog inspires you to make some upcoming dinner reservations the next time you visit Las Vegas. I am already planning the next one…
Food is a big component to trip planning. I don’t want to eat food that I can otherwise eat here at home. And, I don’t want commercialized restaurants, like a chain. I want unique, chef prepared, and ideally independently owned dining establishments. The food is just better, fresher, and ‘considerate’, meaning someone actually thought through the entree…from how the fish was cooked to the sauce and the accompanying flavors. These types of restaurants are usually more expensive, so we plan for it. I want to experience everything our travel destination has to offer…. and that includes eating what the locals eat! This belief system shared by me and my husband has served us well. There’s nothing he won’t try and I really LOVE that about him 🙂
Welcome to Florida dining!!! …said the Gator on the roof
We recently went to Florida and had the opportunity to try a handful of restaurants in various seaside towns. My mission was to eat gator and shark. You don’t get food like that in Illinois. I did a lot of research and made reservations at the following places. For those looking for delicious Florida dining, I hope this list is a push in the right direction!
New Smyrna Beach
Norwoods Eatery and Treehouse was a unique restaurant that we had to try. It is open to the Florida breeze on the first floor and up in the treehouse dining area, which sounded wonderful to me. They had a delectable menu of creole inspired dishes…including my favorite: Shrimp and Grits. It had a brown spicy gravy with savory bits of bacon rinds, topped with fried okra. I ate every bite. And some of my husband’s, too… The Chef’s menu includes dishes like Blistered Shishito, Grouper Ratatouille, and Ribeye Gorgonzola. #GoHere
Click here to view their website, and check out the menu! And make reservations… we made ours for the Tree Trop dining area.
Another great must try?? For a quick seaside lunch, Izzy’s Island Tacos & Ice Cream was perrrrfect. We all did the three tacos of your choice with Mexican street corn as a side. There are lots of taco shacks like this around, try a few!
Concerned about the delicious calories you’ll be taking in on a foodie trip like this? Burn it off with some bike riding…we certainly did!
Cocoa Beach
There are a lot of seaside towns that seem to have the same blueprint…lots of touristy places to eat and lots of touristy things to do. Cocoa Beach reminded me a lot of Myrtle Beach, Daytona Beach, and Virginia Beach. If you are looking for a quick dinner of fish and chips, fish tacos, or even a burger or basket of chicken tenders, there are no shortage of places in Cocoa Beach. I wanted a more diverse culinary experience 🙂 Cocoa Beach was just a few miles away from Cape Canaveral where we had spent the entire day. I searched and searched for a place that featured a fresh seafood menu, a good wine list and more creative entrees…. finally, I stumbled upon Florida Fresh Grille. And I’m so happy we did! The food and the presentation was everything I was looking for. An exceptional dining experience, and one that I would highly recommend! If you are in the area watching a SpaceX launch (we saw one, it was amazing!!) or spending the day at the Kennedy Space Center, this seafood restaurant is worth a stop. Try the Corvina, it is very similar to Halibut. Delicious 😊
Halibut Bites – Best appetizer I think I’ve ever hadSeared Scallops and Jump Shrimp with Jalapeno Bacon Cream DrizzleThis was DELICIOUS – Seared Corvina
Port Orange
When I searched for a local favorite type of restaurant, my search turned up Aunt Catfish, which is located in Port Orange. It was about 20 minutes away from us. One look at their menu and I was making reservations within seconds. Their menu boasts “Down South River Cookin'”…sign me up! They had all the things…shark, catfish, gator…and homemade cinnamon rolls??? Yep. It was a fascinating food combination we couldn’t say no to. It is a cute place right on the water… there is indoor and outdoor seating with LIVE entertainment.
Good restaurants are hard to find. I actually think we got pretty lucky… what you read online isn’t always what you get. If you love seafood prepared in interesting ways, and unusual things (like delicious gator!), the above restaurants did not disappoint!
This is an opinion article. I don’t normally do these. My blog is mostly trip recommendations and stories behind the locations… I pretty much stick to ‘eat here’ and ‘don’t eat here’, ‘this excursion was awesome’, etc. I am writing this because I think the shift in Disney trips is interesting and makes for a great debate. To book or not to book?? The current dynamic of the Disney vacation is strange and one that I’ve been thinking about a lot. This is my opinion, I am sharing it as a ‘food for thought.’
Disney “poor” is a thing now. So, to book a vacation or not to book…this is the great debate I’ve been hearing lately….and it seems to come back to sentimental value vs. financialvalue. I think Disney needs both to win. For me, they are not aligned. My childhood memories of growing up going to Disney every other summer for years brings me back there as an adult. I think that a lot of people find that they continue to book Disney vacations because of their memories there as a kid. That’s something that the best marketing team could never replicate. Sentimental value drives business, drives hotel bookings, drives multiple park ticket purchases and spending, spending, spending. It is every corporation’s best case scenario…profits, profits, profits. For a long time, the price was high but doable. I went anyway, my heart told me to go. I do love it there…and the new rides they open are amazing. Financial value (sort of) and Sentimental value (absolutely). For the price, I was willing to go and schlep my kids there for days in the hot humid and completely hell-on-earth Florida weather. Then the pandemic changed everything…
I remember when Disney shut down. I was actually worried it would never reopen. That’s sentimental value for you! Then as soon as it opened, we planned our visit. It sounded perfect… controlled guest count (have you been there where there is a billion people walking around like a thick fog you have to navigate through? Miserable), park pass prices weren’t crazy, and we found a very affordable and fabulously huge 2-bedroom condo at a resort just outside of the park (staying on property is a ridiculous expense for the convenience and still is). So, we took our 4 kids and went to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Blizzard Beach. Expensive, but doable and worth it for me, I love Disney and I wanted to experience it with our kids. The food was way over priced ($220 for lunch at a restaurant in Magic Kingdom), but the line waits were impressively short! There was no fast pass, so this was huge that we didn’t have to wait forever for every single ride. Avatar still had a long wait, but our kids did it without complaining. We saw a spectacular light show right before Magic Kingdom closed, it was a great memory.
Fast forward to this past April (2022), we did one day at Epcot. The park pass expense was typical, so no shock there. Disney introduced the Genie Plus program which replaces Fast Pass. This was our first experience using it, I had my doubts. Turns out, this is NOT a good thing. Each person pays $15 to participate in Genie Plus (not great). Then, you can only pick your rides that morning for the day, one….ride….at….a….time. We picked Frozen first, and the Genie line moved quickly. We excitedly opened the App to pick our next ride BUT….nothing was available until 3 hours later, smack dab in the middle of our lunch. And, the rides that were available (only a few) were kiddie rides. The App restricts your ride options, ridiculous. The most irritating part to this whole Genie thing? If you want a new ride, like Ratatouille, you had to PAY EXTRA PER PERSON. Yep. Um, I already paid $15 to use this program? I can’t believe someone at the Disney executive level approved this program. We were only able to pick one more ride that day (yes, 2 rides the entire day using Genie Plus) and then there was nothing. The App actually tells you that the ride you want is no longer accepting Genie Plus reservations, or something like that. We were stunned. Worst $15 dollars I ever spent. For me, the financial value is now suddenly a snowball rolling downhill.
The park was dirty. And this hurts a little bit to say. I always tell people that I aspire for Disney-esque gardens at my own home because in my mind they are a perfect 10 when you go the park….clean, immaculately so, and beautiful. The flowers looked good, but there was trash blowing around everywhere we went. You never saw any park employees going around like they used to sweeping and keeping it constantly clean. It was noticed. Are they short staffed? Probably. Maybe they can hire more people with all the money they are getting with the Genie Plus program.
Staying on property will not be something we consider, the value just isn’t there….sentimental OR financial. I grew up staying on property, too… The Contemporary, The Caribbean, The Yacht Club, The Beach Club. As an adult making decisions about how I spend the money I make, I just can’t justify $500 a night for the tiniest room ever. The resort grounds are beautiful, the pools are great, and the convenience is wonderful, but the bill you have to pay is not. It’s stupid.
This past January, Disney terminated the Magic Express. Wow. So now you have to rent a car or Uber it to the park. This is an added expense that never was before. The Magic Express was pretty great, and now families have to build in the $$ of transportation into the already ballooning expense of going. For those people who treat Disney like a religion, they are being unfairly tasked with the challenge of justifying the expense. These avid Disney fans keep the park lights on.
Yes, I love Disney, and Yes, I have fond, cherished memories going there as a kid. We went last year with our kids and had a great time and swallowed the price. I went with my husband this year and only did Epcot, swallowed the horse pill that is the Genie Plus program, and had a pretty great day together…. we went to every country and instead of having a drink, we shared a kiss 🙂 You can still have a good time, you’re just paying more than you’ve ever paid for it.
Next year, we are talking about taking our brood of kids to Hollywood Studios… and we are talking about paying extra for the Star Wars ride….cuz I guess that’s how it is set up now. After much discussion, we are not doing multiple days at Disney, and may never do it again with prices being what they are. We aren’t thrilled with paying for food there for the day, we know it’s the equivalent of a car payment, but…we have no choice, we have to eat. We are staying off property at a mansion-sized Florida home with more amenities than we know what do with… that part is awesome, and talk about bang for your buck! Rather than doing multiple parks, we have decided to see all the other things Orlando has to offer, and I’m good with that. Disney has failed to convince me that it is WORTH going to multiple parks and spending the hard-earned money we make.
And that’s just it, right? We have a choice and we decide HOW to spend every penny. And with limited pennies available, where do we spend it? We spend on the things that matter to us AND make us feel that it is justified and worth it…. when sentimental value and financial value are not aligned, it poses a spending conundrum. I realized that my kids will be totally fine if we don’t go to Disney ever again. I saw a meme once that had me laughing for days about how a Disney vacation costs $7k, but a refrigerator card board box is free and that’s all a kid needs to build a fort and talk about it for days and play with it for weeks….maybe we convince ourselves that kids need and appreciate these trips, but I think all they really want is to be with you, and, it doesn’t matter where that is.
The feelings I feel now regarding Disney trips are feelings like resentment, being taken advantage of, being unfairly asked for more and more and more money when all I want to do is have a wonderful adventure with our kids riding all of my favorite rides, and being angry (like, really angry) that meals are hundreds of dollars for a family of 6. Those aren’t good feelings, and it makes me sad. Our 1-day visit next summer might be our last visit. There are so many places I want to vacation with our kids… why continually choose Disney? We can take them to the Caribbean for less.
Disney is not what it used to be, and I had to accept that. It has changed with the times. My question is this: if sentimental value and fond memories are what drives disney vacations (and $$$) for decades to come, with prices being what they are and these vacations becoming completely unaffordable, will Disney find that the desire for future adults/parents to go is simply not there? Thus affecting park attendance and hotel room bookings? If kids today aren’t being taken to Disney every summer, or every other summer, will they care at all to go as parents who have their own kids one day? Maybe they are doing what they need to do to win the Short Game, but may find that they lose the Long Game. I think people are now, more than ever, questioning what they spend money on. And spending dollars at Disney, from what I’ve been reading and what I myself experienced, is certainly in question more than ever.
Food for thought, and as always, a welcome debate. I am just a Mom of 4 who wants amazing summer adventures with our kids for the best price and value ❤️
#GoAdventure without going completely broke, that makes no sense at all
I had no idea what I was getting into when we booked our Hawaiian honeymoon. This island is for the adventurer who gets up at sunrise and doesn’t stop till sundown (and then maybe keeps going for a few more hours!). There is so much to do on this island, we tried to cover as much ground as we could with only 7 nights. This trip can be a lazy one if that’s more your speed…you can check in to wherever you’re staying, enjoy relaxing mornings, coffee, breakfast somewhere, go to a beach or the pool, read, relax, do dinner somewhere fabulous, then glide into bedtime. For us, we chose to do the exact opposite. With that being said, the next trip is going to be a lazy one.
Our agenda was action packed…although we did infuse some downtime which was much needed. I wanted to share our list of things to do for the aspiring Big Island traveler!
Fair warning for those thinking of booking this trip: flights are cheap (or at least they WERE before inflation started to strangle our daily lives) but being on the island is very VERY expensive. This trip was a lot like Iceland… getting their was doable, but being there was a lot of $$$$. Food is pricey ($60 for breakfast), gas prices are high (almost $6/gallon) and tours and excursions are expensive ($350 for the Luau experience and Mauna Kea stargazing was $267 a person)…. So, it is a trip that needs to be financially planned for well in advance of going. Do the math before you go. There are certainly less expensive tropical islands to adventure to, but Hawaii is one of those places you just have to see and experience. It was a trip we will likely be talking about forever.
I hope this short list of activities inspires your own agenda when traveling to the Big Island!
1. Manta Ray Night Snorkel
For those who are fearless, this excursion is for you. I bravely jumped into the ocean at night knowing that these ginormous sea creatures were swarming below. This was tough for me….I LOVE the ocean, but swimming in it at night?? Not so much. Nate stood right by my side and when I finally got in the water, he was right there next to me. You hold onto this contraption that floats and has these intense lights that attract the Manta Rays.
They know to come up to the surface and investigate when they see it. They come right up to you, flapping you with their huge wings. Their mouths are always open…. it looks like an alien with a gaping huge mouth coming right at you. I was certainly screaming in my snorkel mask. It is jarring, to say the least. There were so many of them, too. It was a unique experience, absolutely, and I’m glad I somehow managed to be courageous enough to do something I otherwise never would have done.
Me and My Adventurous Husband
I ended up getting out while others stayed out in the water for awhile, and I just watched the Manta Rays swim. They are graceful, gentle giants (up to 16 ft. wide!) that only eat plankton…so no worries 🙂 Although, I did and I do… I was certain that there was a Hawaiian shark out there waiting for me. This tour was highly rated and I have to say, it is the craziest most unique thing I’ve ever done on a vacation. If you are interested in jumping into the water with Manta Ray’s, here is the tour
2. Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park
Looking for a lovely low-key island day? Mix in some beach naps with a tour of the Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park. I love places like this…it is a site where a lot of Hawaiian history on the big island took place.
There are still remnants of old buildings right by the water. This historic location is referred to as “A furious journey of life or death” which was determined by the gods. If you had broken any laws, rather than be put to death, you could take your chances and swim to Pu’uhonua which was considered by all as a place of refuge. No harm would come to you if you survived the swim.
This was a spiritual sanctuary where forgiveness and a second chance was waiting for you. It’s a beautiful place….very peaceful, and you are surrounded by crashing waves. It is a lovely afternoon. And, if you happen to go during turtle season which is summertime, the green sea turtle is known to nest on the beaches at Pu’uhonua. Learn more about this national park and try to fit it into your day!
3. Mauna Kea Stargazing
This is the ultimate tour. It also comes with the ultimate price tag. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do something like this, so we did it. The is an all-day excursion…it might consist of many shuttles (we had 2) to get to the base of Mauna Kea. From there, our tour guide took us up this massive volcano.
It feels like you are standing on top of the world…
It is dormant, of course, and rises 13,803 ft. above sea level. Mauna Kea is 1 million years old….you don’t realize how ancient Hawaii is until you learn details like this. You are surrounded by unfathomable years of life. Why go to the very top of Mauna Kea? To see the world’s largest observatory for astronomy…and the view. For Nate, doing this tour was equivalent to Christmas morning… he was beyond excited. It is another world up there. And freezing. You literally drive up until you are above the clouds and it’s just you, the mountain top, the observatories, and the sun.
A pretty incredible view…
The drive up is a long one. Once you get there, they hand everyone a warm winter coat and gloves. I do highly recommend that you dress warm for this day…jeans, long sleeve shirt, warm hat. The wind is fierce and the cold temperatures somehow reach the core of your body. But what you see at the very top is truly amazing.
We then drove down maybe halfway and stopped at a public tourist building. This is where you stargaze. The tour guides have these fancy telescopes and they talk about the many planets and stars available for viewing depending on the time of year you do this tour. Our guides had snacks and hot chocolate which was a nice touch. If you are fascinated with the stars, this tour is a must-do. Learn more here…
4. Hiking to Captain Cook Monument
On my birthday, Nate said I could pick whatever I wanted to do that morning. I picked a hike down to the Captain Cook Monument. This is a piece of Hawaiian history that is really fascinating! Captain James Cook was a British explorer who discovered the Hawaiian islands. He was quite the adventurer… he was commander of The Endeavor and his voyages are legendary. He is also responsible for creating charts and navigation maps from all of his travels. In 1779, he arrived in Kealakekua Bay. The islanders treated them like Gods, but sadly a month later he was killed where the monument is located. It is an interesting story, read more about it here
It was a LONG hike down….P.S. don’t wear sandals!
The trailhead is located right off the road, the signage isn’t great. Once you get down to the bottom of the cliff where the monument is located, it is a beautiful cove where snorkelers come to see the exquisite and colorful sea life. Dolphins are regular celebrities that swim here..
A perfect location for snorkeling amongst the dolphins
We watched a family of black spinner dolphins playing around and darting here and there. This hike is not for most, I suspect. I had no idea how it was going to be…I would say that I was not an ideal candidate to make this journey down the cliff. On a scale of 1-10, it’s a 9. I also wore sandals, huge mistake. The terrain is ever changing…. dirt to sand, to gravel, to sharp treacherous lava, to big rocks you have to carefully navigate down and around. It is 4 miles of this…so be well prepared. Going down is hard, going up is SUPER hard. The reward when you get down to the monument and old village ruins is the snorkeling. There is no beach, just lava and rock, so be ready to put on your flippers and snorkel mask and literally jump in. This is a popular tour location for snorkel trips so you’ll likely see some boats in the cove. Here is information about the trail
5. Hiking Pololu Valley
This day was my favorite….and it was unplanned. The north side of the island is quite the drive from where we were staying in Kona.
We ended planning a visit to Pololu Valley because of dinner reservations we made in Waimea. It ended up being a wonderful drive! We even saw migrating whales swimming along the coast line. Pololu Valley is a BEAUTIFUL place: enjoy the hike down to the ocean and the black sand beach surrounded by dormant volcanoes covered in greenery. It was warm but not crazy hot, which made for a luxurious tropical breeze.
My pictures here don’t do it justice, no picture can. You have to be there to take in the views, the smell, and the sounds of everything around you. Please don’t pass up the opportunity to adventure here, it is wonderful.
6. The Hawaiian Luau
We celebrated our last day in Hawaii with a Luau…I.loved.this.
AMAZING!!!!
We did the VIP package which meant we were up front close to the stage. I am enthralled with the music and dancing. I could have done a Luau every night, total entertainment! Growing up, we did a big family trip to Maui and Oahu and what I remember the most was the Luau we went to. The food is good, not great… it’s comparable to a backyard BBQ Hawaiian style. The entertainment is excellent….and so much fun.
I didn’t want it to end! There are a few Luaus to choose from, we did the Voyagers of the Pacific Luau. The view from the hotel location was exceptional…. you have giant waves crashing against the rocks just a few feet away from stage. Take it all in, try the Poi, and enjoy this amazing show!
7. Volcano National Park
And finally…. the most amazing thing we saw in Hawaii! Volcanoes.
Kīlauea erupting…we took this photo at 5am
We were told to go to Volcano National Park around 5am. We chose to do this the very next day after arrival. Due to the extreme time change, we knew we’d be up at 3am wide awake. It worked out perfectly. We made the 1.5 hour drive to the park in the pitch black. Why go so early?? You can actually see the red and orange glows from the volcanoes whereas during the day, there’s too much light.
Kīlauea Volcano, within Halemaʻumaʻu crater, was erupting when were there… very cool. We spent the day hiking the park and walking miles of trail over lava fields and even explored a lava tube. It was still hot… there’s apparently lava underground that is always flowing. I imagine there are very few places on this planet like this, so if you go to the big island, you have to make the drive to see this place. And, when you’re done exploring, I suggest going to the Volcano Winery and relaxing with a glass of red! We also heard great things about a Thai food truck…and it did not disappoint!
I’ve read that Hawaii is a paradise born from fire. It truly is another world…unlike any terrain or landscape I’ve ever seen. The lava is everywhere. The entire island is nothing but volcanoes, lava, trees, ocean, and some people live there. It was a wonderful 7 nights, we look forward to traveling to the other islands with our kids (I am thinking Oahu) and going back just the two of us to Kauai…the Garden Island. For those that adventure here, be sure to read my previous blog post on Travel Tips to help you prepare and pack!
The first time I watched The Goonies, I was hooked and preceded to watch it easily 1,000 more times. In fact, we watched it with the kids a few weekends ago! Nate and I love sharing our favorite movies from when we were kids, brings back a lot of great memories. I know the lines, I know the scenes, and I love that it is all about pirates, treasure hunting, and friendship.
Fast forward to planning our wedding and mini-moon right after. I immediately thought of Cannon Beach, Oregon. I had gone there for the first time with my parents in 2017 and was hooked on the scenery, the beautiful ocean and beach, and the food. I also knew that Goonies had been filmed there… Astoria wasn’t too far away, either, which is where they all lived in the movie. The rocks sticking out of the water like mini mountains are famous… that’s where one-eyed Willy hid his pirate ship. There was one particular place in Cannon Beach that I didn’t get to see and it was Ecola State Park. I sold Nate on the idea of getting away for a wonderful long weekend in Willamette Valley (the wine!!) and spending a day in Cannon Beach 🙂 First on my list? A hike at Ecola State Park.
Ecola State Park
What a BEAUTIFUL state park. The entrance to Ecola State Park is just a few minutes outside of the Cannon Beach main street where all the restaurants and shops are. It’s a perfect spot to take in the majestic ocean views of the West coast. We did some hiking there, but would love to go back and do more and experience the Oregon Coast Trail, which is about 8 miles. This park is also ideal for a picnic…also on my list 🙂 To learn more about the trails, click here.
You’ll see the views below, which are quite famous. Haystock Rock is well-known as Cannon Beach’s most famous ‘sea stack’ and is also featured in the movie The Goonies. It is usually covered in birds, which is quite something to see. When the tide is low, you can walk right up to it…. something I have yet to do!!!
The Goonies
Are you a Goonies fan??? Me, too!! As soon as we got to Ecola State Park, we had to see the spot where the Fratelli’s hideout was located. THIS was cool 🙂 If I’ve seen Goonies once, I’ve seen it a million times. It had all the things…pirates, treasure, friendship, bad guys, good guys, adventure, riddles, booby traps, car chases, and a great ending! Below you’ll see some of our pictures… the restaurant that the Fratelli’s took over was a set. They built it and then took it down. It would have been AMAZING if they had left it standing…
I’m standing where the boys discovered the Fratelli’s hideout…pretty cool. If you are a passionate Goonies fan and are interested in all the many filming locations (we never made it to Astoria…but next time!!) you can read all about them here
The view of Cannon Beach from Ecola State park shows where the famous Fratelli police chase on the beach occurred. This whole area is worth seeing and spending an hour or two …. or all day if you do the hiking!!! Then head down to Cannon Beach and eat a fabulous seafood dinner at one of the many restaurants. We had a wonderful, memorable day here…we love adventuring through state parks, this is one of my favorites. The beauty of this place has to be experienced in person. And once you’re there, you’ll see what I mean.
My hilarious husband…he loves a good warning sign
Cannon Beach
From the shops, to the restaurants, to the beautiful view and state park….Cannon Beach is adorable and the quintessential seaside town. Side note: for the treasure hunter in you, there is a treasure STORE!! It’s called All Buried Treasures and it’s the coolest shop I’ve ever been in. I love it here and will never forget the first time I walked down the main street. That first visit was in June and it just so happened that there was a big sandcastle competition on the beach! Now that was something to see…
We spent some time at the beach which is miles and miles of beautiful shoreline
Oregon is one of my most favorite states to travel to. I love the forests, the ocean, the ice cream (Tillamook!!), the wine, the food, the waterfalls, the people, the outdoorsy-ness of it all. If I could convince Nate to go there every year, we would. If you’ve never been, I hope this blog gives you the inspiration needed to adventure here and spend some time at one of my favorite state parks and beach.
Set up a flight alert, snag that reasonably priced flight to the west coast, and escape and breathe the air of new places!
San Francisco was a memorable trip…I diversified it as much as possible to get the full experience! This was a girls trip with my wonderful friend Mary who was willing to go adventuring with me a few years back. We did a lot, and I took tons of pictures, and I’m so glad I did!! I was in San Francisco for a few days when I was a kid and then again as a young ambitious fashion-design-focused college student, so going back as an adult was a really nice experience. We saw a lot in 4 days! So, here are some of my top suggestions to look into for the future San Fran traveler:
1. The Redwood Forest
We caught a tour bus downtown San Francisco to get to the Redwood forest…and it was amazing. As soon as we got off the bus, the smell of eucalyptus hits you, such a wonderful fresh smell! Redwoods…there’s no tree like them which is why I had to see one. They are resistant to rot and fire and date back all the way to the Jurassic period. Their bark can be a foot thick which helps protect it from the elements, and bugs! Pretty amazing that a tree can have such a tough defense system. It is the tallest tree on earth, so imagine standing in the middle of this forest… you feel so incredibly small. It is an experience I tell everyone to do if they are heading that way and is something I’d like to do with my husband in the future 🙂 You might wonder what happened to all of the Redwoods as they used to cover most of California… we cut them down due to their rugged and durable tree trunks. I hope that the Redwood forest stays in tact and full of life forever, it is a place full of living ecosystems and foresty breezes and peaceful sounds. If you’ve ever seen Ferngully, it reminded me a lot of that movie from way back when. I kept thinking I was going to see a forest sprite flying around, or a magical tree nymph 🙂 If they exist, they surely live here. This is a GREAT website that tells the story behind Redwoods, worth a read
Looking to do the tour?? Book it!! It’s something everyone visiting San Fran should experience…there’s no place like it
2. Bike Tours Are My Jam
Why do a bike tour?? It sure beats walking!! We did our fair share of that, too, but the bike tours are always the best time ever…especially going down those classic San Fran hills. The tour was a good sized group, our tour guide took us all over through various neighborhoods. The highlight of the tour?? The Full House house! I, like most people in the early 90’s, grew up watching Full House so seeing the home they featured in the intro was very cool. We really enjoyed this… we biked thru neighborhoods we otherwise never would have seen. Colorful and full of California charm…
Here’s a bike tour to consider when planning your exploration of San Francisco
3. China Town
I had toured China Town for a college project way back in 2001. So going back was very nostalgic. It is America’s oldest China Town, its beginnings date back to 1822. The very first private home, an adobe, was built in China Town. Grant Avenue, the main street in China Town, was San Fran’s first street. I mean, if you love history and finding out why things are there and when did they first appear, this is a great place to explore! And, if you love delicious Chinese food…which I do…this is a part of town you can’t miss. There are tours that you can participate in, but for us, it was nice to just leisurely walk in and out of stores and stop for lunch.
4. Landmarks & Restaurants…Of Course!
The Golden Gate bridge is the one thing everyone has to see when visiting, no excuses. We decided that the best way to see it was on a boat! We did a day tour that took us out on the bay and under the bridge…prepare for wind!! It’s a breezy experience 🙂 Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 are also popular places to check out if only to see the seals sunbathing. There are numerous restaurants to try here…. I’ve made a short list to help with your research (only the best seafood will do!):
San Fran has remarkable architecture, delicious food, and a unique culture that everyone should feel, savor, and experience.
Now, some places I travel to aren’t exactly what I envision in my head…this one of those places. A heads-up for San Fran Travelers…
I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t put a warning out there for travelers planning a visit. San Francisco, in my opinion, was a lot like Portland, Oregon. There are a lot of homeless people living on the streets, in parks, and common grassy spaces (I am unaware how the pandemic affected things, but perhaps it has changed ). This was shocking to me as I wasn’t expecting it. There are no pictures of this when you book tours or hotels, ya know?
When my friend and I walked from our hotel to get coffee in the mornings, what I remember most is seeing syringes on the sidewalk. When we left for the airport, on our cab ride out of town I saw a man completely exposed with his pants down standing by the side of the road. Yes there are beautiful areas in San Fran, and yes the tours are incredible. But, know that this isn’t a trip without the seedier side of life all around you. There are gorgeous, expensive neighborhoods right next to a park with people living and sleeping on benches and under trees in tents. You just have to be careful, and you have to be aware of your surroundings. Make good choices about where you go and when. She and I did not go walking around at night, we did all of our exploring during the day and then hunkered down with a bottle of wine in our fabulous boutique hotel courtyard after dinner. We always took an Uber or cab at night to our dinner destinations. San Francisco is a place with lots of history and remarkable scenery, just plan your trip wisely.
With that being said…
Enjoy yourself, see some things, order a HUGE plate of crab legs, and be safe
There are beautiful beaches all over the world… I have yet to see Tahiti, the Maldives, and Seychelles but plan on it! Beaches are one of those places that I find overwhelming. The first time I saw Orient Beach in St. Maarten, I almost started crying I thought it was so beautiful. I couldn’t believe where I was, I had never seen water that turquoise and sand that white and perfect. I grew up going to North Carolina and South Caroline where the beaches are nice, but the sand isn’t white and the water isn’t blue. It is dark, murky…and full of jellyfish. I never went in the water, it didn’t look inviting. So going to the Caribbean was like venturing to another world entirely…. you mean the ocean can be crystal clear, like a swimming pool? And the water is warm and you can see all the way to the bottom? The Caribbean is my place. It is where I fell in love with the ocean. It’s hard not planning a trip there this year…with the testing requirements, the risk of getting stuck there is a risk we can’t take. So, I wait patiently for travel to change and flying in and out of the Caribbean is risk free like Hawaii. It’ll happen…and when it does, I’m thinking a trip to the Cayman’s and a trip to St. Maarten should be the goal. I would love Nate to see these places….
If you are like me and plan trips around beautiful beaches, then let this list be a tentative guide to help you with your travel plans!! If I had to pick any type of place in the world to vacation, it would be the beach over mountains, desert retreats, forests, and snowy resorts. I’m an Aquarius inside and out. The ocean is the place I want to be near.
My Top 5 Beaches
#5 – Pololu Valley Black Sand Beach
When on the big island of Hawaii, adventure to Pololu Valley. It is that quintessential image we have in our minds when we think of the Hawaiian islands… all you see are green, lush mountains and deep valleys. This valley was the result of a landslide where the parts of the oldest volcano, Kohala, fell into the ocean. This landslide created the cliffs surrounding the valley and overlook the black sand beach at the bottom. From the top of Pololu Valley trail head, you’ll hike your way down 490 ft. to find a beautiful clearing with tall trees and a black sand beach. It is not recommended that you swim in the ocean here as it is known for aggressive and violent currents and rip tides. But, the beach is amazing. This was my first black sand beach experience… and I loved it.
It is so scenic, you sit there on the beach surrounded by walls of stone, lava and green. It is something to experience and feel. Nate and I sat there for awhile, just taking it in. If we had brought a couple of beach towels, it would have been a perfect place for a mid-afternoon beach nap. Enjoy the hike down, the hike up is rough! But worth it…
I took this video from the look out…it’s about half way down the cliff, still a ways to go to get to the bottom…
#4 – Playa Palancar Beach, Cozumel
A perfect shade of turquoise…
What else can I say about this beach (and really the entire side of Cozumel that we were on…) other than it was perfect. It was the kind of water that I envision when you think about a true beach getaway. We walked out of the resort onto this beach every single morning after breakfast…and stayed there. This ocean was great for swimming and snorkeling. There was always a breeze, and no one was at the resort because it was still early 2021 and people were hesitant to travel (which we took full advantage).
This was a blissful 5 days at my #4 beach, this trip was a memorable one for so many reasons. The biggest one, though? I experienced a 2nd life-changing miracle on this beach.
I accepted a job offer right after we landed in Cozumel. It happened very fast, a real miracle at the time.
I was one of those people that the pandemic left stranded without a job suddenly on a Thursday. That was April of 2020. Maybe the scariest day of my life (so far). I just remember being stunned, not really being able to talk as it was happening (virtually, of course) and crying. I also remember my husband (amazing boyfriend at the time), suddenly appearing at the kitchen table with me, holding my hand, and whispering that everything was going to be ok. (It was???)… I believed him, though… and I got thru one of my worst days, the kind where you feel lost completely. Later that day I started sending my resume out, I had an interview the next day, I had two more interviews with this same company, and then the offer came in. I pulled off my own crazy-fast miracle, the kind that gives you courage to get up and keep going. 8 months later, we had this trip scheduled for Cozumel and even though the world was still uncertain, I insisted to Nate we still go. 8 months in and my new job wasn’t great…it wasn’t a good fit…and I knew that changes were coming if I didn’t take the bull by the horns and do something about it. I had interviewed just the day before we left for Mexico… a whirlwind virtual interview with three people on the call, which, if anyone has done this yet, it is intense. I told myself, just get thru this…do your best and then you are on a plane to Mexico first thing in the morning. We had just landed when the email came across my phone… Job Offer. We were at the resort and the first thing I did was electronically sign all the paperwork…and then we met up with my sister and her husband and told them the news. The next morning, I woke up feeling hopeful again that my life had finally reset properly since being laid off. We went to the beach, this beautiful beach above, and I stood there in the water, staring at the crystal clear water and white sand, and felt grateful. It was a moment. A beautiful one, and the fact that I had it on this beach is something I’ll never forget. I had not one, but two miracles in the span of a few months. And I FELT it on this beach.
A beach has this magical quality…maybe it’s the sound the ocean makes, or maybe it’s the feel of the breeze and water….it cleanses everything and calms the soul. For months, the anxiety that my job infused into my life was slowly killing me. And my poor, concerned family was feeling it, too. I felt it every second of every day. I swam in that ocean and let all of that go.
Why go to a beautiful beach? I go because there is no feeling greater or more wonderful, and I come out of that turquoise water a better version of myself. I’m at peace. And man, that feels good.
#3 – Hapuna Beach, Hawaii
I think Hapuna is the best beach on the big island of Hawaii…. but, I admit, I haven’t seen them all.
We had breakfast at the fabulous Mauna Lani Resort one morning. We decided to also pack our beach bag and see what beautiful stretch of beach we could find! We found Hapuna Beach. Unlike most of the beaches in Hawaii, this was a white sand beach with very little lava to have to work around. It was a great morning laying out in the sun. This beach should absolutely be on your list if visiting the big island… there are apparently strong currents here so you have to be careful. I opted not to go in the water but rather took a blissful nap and we took a walk together on the beach. Perfect. Side note: it has really nice picnic areas, so pack a lunch and some drinks! The area is well kept and very VERY clean. Lots of parking, too. You do have to pay to park, learn more about how to visit Hapuna here. Go get some delicious poke, ice cold beverages, and enjoy this place!
#2 – Eagle Beach, Aruba
A gorgeous and serene stretch of water and white sand…
This beach is BEAUTIFUL. I’ve seen Eagle Beach in Aruba on a few different ‘best beaches’ lists…being there, I could see why. It is the widest beach in Aruba and is miles of brilliant white sand and turquoise water…my favorite. It also has many Fofoti, or Divi Divi, Trees, which is a well-known visual icon for Aruba. This beach is on the resort side of the island so you’ll find many resorts along the coast line. This beach is perfect for a morning or afternoon… I can’t wait to go back.
#1 – Orient Beach, St. Maarten
And here is my most favorite beach…so far…
Orient Beach
This was an experience. I had never seen a beach like this… it was my first Caribbean beach experience and it overwhelmed me. Orient Beach was the perfect combination of shallow water, clear blue color, white sand, and no crazy waves or currents. There was also a sailboat regatta going on…AMAZING. I felt like I was in a James Bond movie. This beach was worth spending the entire day at. St. Maarten (or St. Martin) is a quaint island, not too big, not too small. There is the French side and the Dutch side. I was told you could go around the entire island in 2 hours. This beach was on the list for must-see and experience. It has been compared to beaches in France, I had to go. It is a clothing optional beach, the southern end is mostly nude. There are food and drink huts along the beach where you can eat and lounge and take in this amazing view. This beach has my heart ❤️
The Pursuit for Amazing Beaches continues…
Maybe it’s because the water is so calming, maybe it’s because I’m an Aquarius and the stars say I’m a water lover…. or maybe it’s because I’m just human and beautiful beaches have a way of taking over your soul, allowing your mind to quiet and relax. They are my favorite vacation and place to get away to. Lucky for me, Nate is on board! He and I have quite the list of places to pursue once global travel normalizes. Seychelles and the Maldives are our dream vacations… I can’t wait for us to get there. In the short term, Croatia, Belize, and Turks and Caicos are on my list! They will keep us occupied until longer 2-week vacations are possible. We are always planning our next adventure, exploring new places ALMOST on a monthly basis… which I love. The mountains are nice, the desert is stunning, but being by the water is where I want to be the most. Here’s to exploring more beaches in 2023 🌊
The DR is a favorite for a lot of people. Nate and I went back in 2019 for my 40th birthday and it just so happened that 4 other couples that we knew ALSO went to the DR that year! It’s a popular place due to its amazing weather and beautiful beaches. The all-inclusive’s are the way to go… but not all resorts are created equal. Food is the #1 deal breaker for me…. and the drinks. If you’ve been to the DR and stayed at a resort, you might have noticed that the food was just ok…and the drinks were mostly juice. But I have spoke to others about their stay at various DR resorts and they say that the food and drinks were EXCELLENT, and those are the resorts you want to stay at. I recently spoke to a fellow traveler who just got back from the Dominican and he had a great experience. I am grateful that he took time out of his day to share the details with me!
Why did you choose the Dominican Republic and how long did you stay?
We chose the DR because we did not need to test prior to departure, it’s an easy tropical destination to get to. It also had everything we were looking for which was sun every day, a beach, and all-inclusive resorts. We wanted to relax on this trip rather than fill our days with tours and stuff to do. We usually do VRBOs and AirBNBs when we travel places, so this was a nice change having everything right there.
What was the required testing process?
There were no requirements, we did not have to take a covid test prior to departure. When we arrived at the resort, however, our temperatures were taken. When you arrive in the Dominican, you can get randomly pulled for a covid test at the airport, but if you are fully vaccinated and show proof, you do not have to do this. To get home, you did have to take a covid test 24 hours prior to departure but we handled the testing at the resort. We got our results back in 1 hour but had to work around the testing hours at the resort which were limited, only 9am to 1pm. We got an email stating that the test was negative and we showed this at the airport check-in.
What was the mask policy?
If you were indoors at the resort, masks were required. If you were outdoors, they were not. The resort did have night shows outside, they required masks going up to the bar when ordering drinks. If you did not have a mask on, they would not serve you.
What resort did you choose and why?
There’s SO many resorts to choose from, for me personally, I was looking for an all-inclusive that had a beautiful room, highly rated food, and covid insurance. I chose the Majestic Mirage and we were very happy with absolutely everything. They did offer Covid insurance, it was $20 a day per person and this covered the potential quarantine situation if you had to stay at the resort due to positive test results. This was really important to us. The room was amazing, it was 2 stories and had a balcony with a private hot tub and bed with a beautiful view.
One thing notable about this resort was that the food was excellent! Which in my experience isn’t typical. We had a few restaurants to choose from and the food at every place was great…Also, drinks were premium, you could taste the difference. The resort was one of the more expensive ones but we felt that the value was there for the price.
Can you share anything notable about your trip?
Although we had no plans to really do anything while we were there, we DID decide to do an excursion where a speedboat took us to a pontoon, which then took us to a small private island. It was a really nice beach, we hung out there for awhile and swam. They served us a buffet style lunch and then did a sunset sail on the way back. I highly recommend this! It was a great way to spend the day.
Do you have any travel tips to share?
Yes. I have two….
Book your transportation to and from the airport in advance. This saves the hassle of trying to figure it out when you land. The resort we stayed at offered a transportation service called Go Majestic which combined transportation and excursions, which was convenient. We booked the resort shuttle in advance and it was a private pick up, $50 per person roundtrip.
We had an interesting experience on the beach where a man walked up to us with a large Parrot and Iguana. They ask you if you’d like a picture with you and either the Parrot or Iguana on your phone, that they are willing to take it for you. He said it was only $5. We said sure, we took the picture, and then he said that it was going to be more money. It’s not like he held our phone ransom, he handed it back, but claimed that the picture was going to be $50. It was very weird and uncomfortable, we felt bad, but at the same time were forced to haggle with him over the price. He wouldn’t leave. We ended up giving a little more money to go away. We saw him do this same tactic with other people down the beach. Just be warned and the best response is really to just say “no thank you”…
Thank You, Traveler Andy K. for sharing your experience with us!
I’ve been to Atlanta a hand-full of times… and each time, I explore and discover something else that keeps me coming back! My obsession with southern cooking motivates my decision to travel here, but I also love the history and the beauty of this city.
I have a special place in my heart just for Atlanta. My brother lived there in the cutest vintage bungalow on Peachtree…it was crown molding, vintage tile, a gorgeous fireplace, and the most amazing spa-like backyard I have ever seen (and likely will ever see). I loved visiting there….it felt like my home away from home when I desperately needed that.
The most obvious reason to go to a place like Atlanta is the history. I took a day to literally walk all over the city….I must have walked for 5 hours. In doing so, I stumbled across amazing restaurants, stopped and toured the Swan House….(gorgeous!!!), found a thrift store I still visit and shop at to this day, and saw most of the historical landmarks without having to fight traffic. The Atlanta History Center is a one-stop-shop to help plan your visit and see the things that resonate with you.
On my last visit there, I brought Nate. This trip was very special, one of those trips where everything feels new and exciting all over again. We soaked up all the things that I love about Atlanta: food, history, and its beautiful parks. I also surprised Nate with a visit to the Porsche Experience Center! I made reservations at the restaurant there and afterwards we toured the place. Next time we visit, we’ll have to participate and book some time on the track 😊
If you’ve been to Atlanta before, or never been, here is my list of places that I think one should consider while visiting! There’s so much to do here, I always look forward to going back and trying a whole new list of restaurants and local tours…
This track looks like fun….
The Porsche Experience Center
Nate is a Porsche enthusiast. He is passionate about the engineering, the craftsmanship and attention to detail, the engine design, the sleek exterior… I can see why he loves these cars so very much. I surprised him with lunch reservations at Restaurant 356, the dining experience there. While onsite, we toured the facility which was really stunning. It is a driving school that offers a 1.6 mile driving track where you can learn (in a Porsche of your choosing) how to drive the car in various conditions.
You can actually watch people driving the track and doing the various exercises. Nate was hooked, we will definitely be back as driving students. Even though we did not do the school, the experience was really fascinating and would suggest any car enthusiast to carve out some time in Atlanta to see it!
Restaurant 356 has quite the view
My first experience sitting in the drivers seat….AND now I own one, so be warned
City Murals
Atlanta street art and building murals is kind of a thing. It’s also something that I really enjoy! The talent you have to have to create such a beautiful, and ginormous, painting on the side of a building or bridge leaves me speechless. So incredible. The Atlanta Beltline has it all….murals, shopping, cool places to stop and have a beer, walking, bike riding, etc.
Ponce City Market is an EXPERIENCE for foodies, you cannot NOT go here. Every time I visited it was priority one for eating. Love it there…. You’ll see why 😊 I have my brother to thank for this one, he took me to all the really great places!
We were on a food tour in the south downtown area when we stumbled across some murals, like this upside-down alligator. Murals are really sprinkled all over, so if you have time, plan a walking and exploring day! And have your camera handy…
The Quintessential Food Tour
Whenever we are anywhere, I book a food tour. The south is my favorite foodcation with the East Coast being my #2. There are many food tours to choose from… I chose a tour that also focused on historical places in the city. I really enjoy learning the history behind where we are, so combining knowledge with great food was a good combination!
I chose this food tour because it combined a walking tour, a history tour, and multiple food stops….perfect. The food was southern fried deliciousness…. I highly recommend a food tour whether it is this one or one of the many food tours offered. The south has some of my most favorite eats (fried green tomatoes, waffles with maple syrup bacon drizzle, biscuits and gravy…. now I’m hungry!!) The south for me is food splurge, so when you are here, SOAK IT IN AND EAT!! You can go back to eating salad and salmon when you get home 🙂
Here’s some food tours I’d personally love to try on our next visit:
I.loved.this. And, it’s the perfect way to see and explore multiple neighborhoods connected by the Belt Line. You can rent bikes and do your own thing (which we did…) or you can explore historic Atlanta by doing a Beltline Tour! I think this would be great to do next time. It was a perfect sunny not-too-warm day for us and have wonderful memories stopping for food, drinks, and pictures (of course!)
We rode our bikes for hours and eventually stopped at Piedmont Park… it offers a great view of the city!
Piedmont Park
Southern Cooking
I am convinced I lived in the south in a past life….I love how I feel when i’m there. The food is something that you just can’t get anywhere else. It may be replicated, but it’s not the same. I am a foodie 100%… I eat it all. So, if the menu is offering all the things….fried green tomatoes, biscuits and gravy, butter fried bacon, okra, pecan pie, and all of that on top of pancakes, I’m ordering it. The food here is delectable.
Here is a short list of restaurants that I can recommend as being WONDERFUL…Nate and I call trips to Atlanta (and anywhere in the south) “Foodcations”… you’ll see why:
Traveling to Atlanta is one of my favorite long weekends. We’re due for a return visit, I think! I hope that if you are planning a first-time visit, my lists above provide some insight and ideas… there’s a lot to see and you won’t see everything, which means you’ll have to go back 🙂 I didn’t even talk about the homes and the architecture there! Such a beautiful place… I’d love to rent an Air BNB and live in a vintage home next time… and try a new list of restaurants. Something I’ve found to be true everywhere I’ve traveled is that the best meal is NOT the most expensive meal. Be adventurous and try that ‘hole in the wall’ place…. it likely has the best food you’ve ever put in your mouth!
I’ve been to Maui, O’ahu, and recently the Big Island of Hawaii. Nate made a travel dream come true for me…We stayed for 7 nights and during that time we adventured from one end of the island to the other… we saw it all and I learned A LOT. Flights are actually priced to sell right now for Hawaii, and if you are fully vaccinated the trip is easy peasy. So, if you are planning a trip to the big island, here are my top tips for preparing and exploring…Have a great time, and don’t forget to do a Luau!!!
Hawaiian Sunsets…they are the best
1. Book a VRBO or AIRBNB…Here’s Why
We booked a beautiful home on the south side of Kona for a DEAL, it had tons of space, completely updated, and a killer view of the ocean and sunset. My wonderful husband found this place and it blew me away. Why a rental home vs. the traditional resort? You would pay through the nose with a resort. Now, the resort amenities are nice, but, we really enjoyed feeling like we were living there and we knew we would want to venture out and try local places for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was truly an experience and I highly recommend it! And if you get a place with a view of the ocean to watch the sunsets, even better 🙂 🙂
2. Book a rental car through Turo…
We love renting cars through Turo. I have zero interest in paying premium prices for a sub-par rental car when I can have something fun or luxurious for the same price. I also hate standing in line and filling out paperwork only to be rewarded with an over-priced basic 4-door sedan. No thanks. We rented this super fun Mini Cooper and loved it. The car was already waiting for us when we landed. Drop off was easy, the owner of the car was so friendly and awesome, I can’t say enough about how great our experience was. If you’ve never tried it before, TRY IT 🙂
This was SO fun driving around the island…
3. Do NOT make dinner reservations without doing a Google Map first…
Learned this one the hard way. We made reservations at Merriman’s in Waimea. It was highly recommended, total foodie place to eat. We looked it up, saw that the chef created a very unique pre-fix menu and we were sold. Come to find out later that the restaurant was an hour and 15 minutes away from where we were staying… so, we made a day out of it which actually turned out to be the BEST day in my opinion 🙂 Had we looked up where it was in proximity to us, we likely would not have booked it. Hawaii is a big BIG island…. things are not close, they are very spread apart and you have to drive around a LOT of lava to get anywhere. Always look up the distance prior to making dinner reservations…you’ll thank me for this one.
4. Pack a small first aid kit that has the essentials…
There is lava everywhere you go on the big island. Most beaches are just lava beaches and you just put your towel down there. The lava is actually quite sharp, it looks smooth but it isn’t. We actually had an incident where Nate slipped and braced himself with his hand, thus getting one wicked lava slice on his finger and needed a band aid. In that moment, my brain said “I wish we had brought a first aid kit”… so, next time we visit the islands, we will certainly have one. With all the hiking and exploring, you really do need to be prepared for injuries.
5. Plan your daily agenda according to driving time…
The big island, as mentioned earlier, is very large and things are very spread out. From where we were at in South Kona, the Volcano National Park was an hour and a half away, Hilo was also an hour and a half. The north end of the island was over an hour’s drive, so we decided to spend the entire day wherever we were to justify the hours spent in the car. There’s no way around driving a lot… and gas is almost $5 a gallon, so….. plan for it.
6. When hiking the island…
Hawaii is certainly a great place to go hiking! This island is all about the adventure so plan to do a handful of hikes where you see the ocean, waterfalls, beautiful cliffs, and stunning beaches (like a black sand beach!) When hiking, be sure to:
Bring 2-3 bottled waters (or the equivalent)…it’s surprising how fast these go
Wear a hat, the sun is fierce!
Wear a bathing suit under your hiking clothes… when you discover a beautiful beach that you had to hike 3 miles to get to, you’ll want to experience the ocean
Do NOT wear sandals. I made this mistake on one of our hikes…it was brutal.
Bring some light snacks like trail mix or beef jerky… you might be out there awhile
7. Pack a sweatshirt and jeans…
You wouldn’t think that you’d need these items on a tropical island. However, the weather on the big island is all over the place, including temperature. It can be dark, gloomy and raining in one area, and then clear skies and sunny at the same time. You look up in the sky and you can actually see the difference! Waimea is cold and a bit breezy…I was not prepared for this. Kona is warm and sunny all the time…. Hilo is mostly rainy. This one island has a lot going on weather-wise, so prepare for every temperature and you’ll be all set.
8. Last but not least, pack Ibuprofen…
This island is for the active, and if you plan to hike and explore, you will hurt at the end of the day. I packed a small ziplock of Ibuprofen and I was so glad I did. It was a necessity, everything hurt! Which also meant that we certainly didn’t lay around… we were out there seeing everything you could see, and it was AMAZING 🙂
Wherever you roam, I hope that you soak it in and realize how amazing it is to be there! Hawaii is certainly a place to do some reflecting and deep thinking…the kind where everything is put into perspective. I had a moment our first morning there where I was up crazy early because of the time change (3am) so I went outside and sat on our huge porch looking up at a black sky full of stars. It was a feeling of total gratefulness for everything in my life and being on this trip. Everything had led me to that very moment where I was looking up, and overwhelmed, in Hawaii with my husband, and I am eternally thankful for it. This trip for me was more than exploring, it was about reflection. Life has a winding, twisty way of working out. We loved every minute of this trip…
I hope the list above helps prepare a future Hawaiian traveler! Travel, learn, and share…
Thinking of booking a trip to Cancun? I sat down with a recent traveler to Cancun for a short-and-sweet interview. I myself have been thinking of visiting Mexico and was curious as to how the experience went. I hope that this interview provides some insight into current travels to Mexico!
Beautiful Cancun Sunsets…
Why did you pick Cancun and how long did you stay there?
“We picked Cancun because we love the weather there and it’s not too long of a flight. I found a really great deal on an all-inclusive that we have stayed at in the past which made it very enticing to book again. We stayed 6 days at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera.“
What was the process for leaving the U.S. and entering Mexico?
“There was nothing in regards to leaving the U.S. We didn’t have to take a test before flying to Mexico, which was nice. It relieves a tremendous amount of stress knowing we can just go. To enter Mexico, you have to fill out a customs form and a health form asking if you had been around anyone with Covid. To then leave Mexico, you had to have a Covid test 24 hours prior to departure, which our resort offered for free. This is ideal, we did NOT want to have to find a local clinic and deal with the hassle. You also had to fill out the health form again asking the same questions about possible Covid exposure. I’ll be honest, we were on pins and needles the day before we had to do our testing. We didn’t sleep well, what if we had Covid and didn’t know it?? We were speaking to one of the staff and she said that a couple from the UK tested positive and couldn’t leave. They were moved to a different room and had to quarantine for 10 days. All of their meals had to be brought to them, they could not leave the room. All of these things go through your head right up until you get your negative test results. We’re not sure we will do this again… it was emotionally hard.
Once you received your negative test results, you had to print them out and upload them into an app called VeriFly. The airline required this or we couldn’t check in for our flight. Once the airline has the test results from VeriFly (the are connected), you are able to check in with the airline. We received notification from the app that we were now able to check in, it did not come from the airline.”
Was it easy to get around there?
“We actually chose not to leave the resort to minimize possible Covid exposure”
Any mentionable trip highlights for other travelers?
“The resort we stayed at, the Hyatt Ziva Rivera, has excellent food which we find rare for all-inclusives. Usually food is sub-par, very average. But the food here is exceptional and the highlight of our stay there. The grounds are beautiful, too. They had free cooking classes which we signed up for. Specifically, we did the Guacamole class! Loved it. We love Cancun because of the perfect weather, so if you are looking for warm temperatures, beautiful sunsets, and a very clean resort with delicious food, this place has all of that.”
At the resort, how was the staff culture?
“Excellent service and friendly staff…in fact, every time you pass a staff member on property, they put their hand over their heart and they say ‘hello’ or ‘good morning’ or ‘good night’…. this meant ‘from the heart’ and I have to say, it made us feel so very welcome there.”
How was the pandemic experience there?
“Well, the resort did feel empty….there are 7 buildings on property and only 3 of them were open. Regardless, it made for a wonderful and relaxing 6 days. We did have to wear masks any time we were indoors, but outdoors was not required.”
The Hyatt Ziva Riviera
Last but not least, is there a travel tip you can share with the readers?
“Yes, I suggest you arrange your airport transport in advance of arriving there. Be sure to book a reputable transport from the airport to your hotel. I booked the Cancun Shuttle Service, I read that they have been in business for 50 years, so this made me think that they were reliable and wouldn’t scam us in any way. We are leary of things like that. You can book them in advance online, it was $29 for two people each way, which we thought was very reasonable”
Thank you Traveler Yvonne S. for sharing your experience with us!
I was recently asked for my recommendations for a Lake Geneva, Wisconsin weekend…You don’t realize how many times you’ve visited a place or how many things you’ve done there until someone asks you for your list of things to do. I’ve been going to Lake Geneva for years now… every summer, really. From day excursions to entire weekends with many days filled with events, I’ve done a lot. I love it there so much I recently got married there! And at the time we booked it, I never really thought about just how much I love going there. So, here is my list of things to do! For anyone who is local, or anyone thinking of planning a trip to Lake Geneva, know that there is SO much to do there you’ll have to come back multiple times 🙂
Beautiful Lake Geneva
Things To Do:
Visit a winery
Nestled behind all of the lake-town hoopla is Studio Winery. We went for a tasting and and took home a bottle of the Marquette Reserve 2016. Delicious.
Zip Lining
I love Zip Lining, and Lake Geneva actually has multiple options! This is a great 2-3 hour adventure for those brave enough to fly through the trees…
Take a delicious pie home with you from Lake Geneva Pie Company…these are so good, we ordered these for our wedding. They have a variety of pies to choose from, everything from fruit pies to cream pies, and some real fancy ones, too! These were excellent… every time we go, we have to get a cherry pie! (and sometimes also a key lime…). We’re pie people 🙂
Lake Geneva Pie Company
Lake Geneva Boat Tour
Do the Lake Geneva Boat Tour… I’ve done this twice, it is so peaceful if you do this ride on a gorgeous summer day. You can see the big historical lake homes like the Wrigley Mansion. There always seems to be a breeze…just lovely. Sit back and relax…
The Spa Life:
My go-to spa is Clearwater Salon and Spa in Williams Bay, which is just on the other side of the lake. They do massages and facials, I’ve done both. The salon is super cute inside, I love it…. https://www.clearwaterssalonspa.com/
Here is a place I keep trying to eat at, but it never works out!! the menu looks fabuloushttps://soprabistro.com/
There’s a cute coffee place you might want to check out…we love coffee from actual coffee houses, and we stopped in here one weekend and will certainly be back! Really flavorful….https://www.avantcyclecafe.com/our-coffee
Horseback Riding
Did you know that there is a cute little farm just in front of the Grand Geneva Resort? I’ve done a sleigh ride here in the winter and done horseback riding in the summer… check out Dan Patch Stables!
Time to Get Some Rest:
I’ve stayed twice at the Grand Geneva, a very expensive room and in my opinion was very basic. I am definitely a boutique hotel kinda girl, these rooms could use some beautiful design. The actual resort though is nice. We were told it used to be the playboy mansion…so there’s some cool history there! I guess that’s what you pay for. They have a nice pool area and there’s skiing in the winter. Oh, and there’s golf…if you do that 🙂 (Nate would say YES but I would say ‘Um, what?’)
The Baker House is a no-kids-zone, which makes it ideal for adults looking for peace and quiet… the rooms are awesome, it is on my list to try this place https://bakerhouse1885.com
The Maxwell Mansion is BEAUTIFUL! I certainly had my fix for unique design in the rooms. Loved it. Nate and I stayed here for our wedding night and it was AMAZING….we stayed in the stable house part of the hotel. I believe they have a no-kids policy here as well…There is a Speakeasy in the basement, which we tried but fair warning…it is a SMALL basement space and it does smell like humans when it is full of people. We ordered our fancy drinks and took them back to our room. https://staymaxwell.com/
All in all, there is SO much to do here that I didn’t even go into, like doing a cooking class or renting jet skis…I love this lake town. I go every summer and do something new every time. Last summer we rode our bikes along the White River State Trail. If you have never been to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, put this on your travel list and explore! You won’t be disappointed.
#GoAdventure! and explore some place new this year
When I told people Nate and I booked a few nights in Dubuque, the response was always a “Why?” or “What’s in Dubuque?” The perception that people have of Iowa is certainly one that does not align with a destination one might adventure to. I am happy to report that it is! Dubuque has all the things….foodie restaurants, cute coffee shops, outdoor activities, history museums, wineries, and gorgeous old Victorian homes (for those who love that sort of thing!) Nate and I have compiled a list of To-Do’s that will make a trip to Dubuque a memorable one! We are so happy we chose Dubuque…or perhaps Dubuque chose us??
Beautiful architecture…from basic Victorian to the very elaborate
The History:
A quick history lesson on Dubuque (cuz every town has a story on how it came to be…). Dubuque is Iowa’s oldest city, it all began way back in 1785 when Julien Dubuque, a fur trader, came…saw…and conquered. He had a good relationship with the local Mesquakie Indians and was allowed to mine the bountiful lead deposits. Eventually, these lead mines attracted many others who then settled in the town along the Mississippi River. The towns official birthday, according to what I’ve read, was 1837. As we all know, rivers often lead to new towns and prosperous cities as it was an ideal way to get goods to other places. The Mississippi River was the inspiration that led to Dubuque’s beginnings, and it still inspires today. The stories of how places came to be are at the top of our list when we venture somewhere new. To learn more about Dubuque, the city website has a really great history page…
Our Victorian rental had the most beautiful vintage rooms…
Stay in Something Historical…
The homes here are astounding. They are massive old Victorian homes with elaborate front doors, mouldings, millwork and trim, with wrought iron fences, spires on the roof, and carved stone. There are plenty of hotels to choose from, but if you want a true experience here….we suggest renting an old home.
I found our perfect staycation home on AirBNB. We actually worked here too during the day so renting a home was a much better fit for us…we brought a few groceries and beverages with us, packed some of my comforts from home, and truly enjoyed living ‘somewhere else’ for a few days. Our house was on the big hill overlooking town, surrounded by more Victorian mansions.
A fabulous combination of cream cheese and goat cheese at Brazen
Dubuque is for Foodies
When I look for restaurants, I look for menus that 1. Promote a Chef (I am looking for talent!) and 2. Have a menu that changes with the seasons, and 3. Have unique crafted cocktails! I made reservations at three restaurants and they exceeded my expectations. I recommend trying all three as they were exceptional meals and reasonably priced.
Brazen Open Kitchen – This was my #1 favorite restaurant. Had I known how great it would be, I would have eaten there all three nights and tried something new. Everything here is made from scratch, and you can taste it. Amazing. We started with a savory sweet potato pancake with some kind of crazy delicious gravy. I then had the shrimp, Nate had the salmon, and we both had Aviator cocktails. Dessert was a cream cheese/goat cheese cheesecake topped with a homemade caramel sauce. We didn’t want to leave…
L.Mae Eatery – this restaurant was also good and made delicious crafty cocktails… I had the honey lavender martini. Dinner for me was the filet with blue cheese butter. We also couldn’t say no to cheese cake and ordered a piece of their turtle cheesecake with this decadent cinnamon and sugar topping…. so good.
Pepper Sprout – This restaurant is more of a meat and potatoes kind of place. I say that because the menu had a variety of heavier meals…. Beef Stroganoff, Mac and Cheese, Steak (of course), pastas, etc. We started with a very original Winter Neopolitan appetizer which was phyllo dough stuffed with goat cheese, cranberries, carmelized onions, and squash. It was very unique! Then we had the pumpkin squash soup which I loved… had a nice spicy finish. I ordered the Stroganoff but barely ate it… Nate ordered the pecan-crusted pork chop.
Winter Neopolitan Appetizer
But first, Coffee…
We have a travel tradition…find local coffee houses and GO THERE. It’s how we prefer to start our day when we travel. And, if those coffee houses brew their own beans, well you’ve just hit the powerball of morning coffees. We only had enough time to try two coffee houses, although I will say that Carolines’ Restaurant in the Hotel Julien made an excellent cup of coffee!
Charlottes Coffee House
We spent our first morning in Dubuque at Charlotte’s Coffee House, a delightful coffee house with lots of seating inside and great breakfast items!! I ordered a cranberry scone, definitely made from scratch. Nate had a scrumptious bacon cheddar panini…We took our coffee to go, love the Coffee Love sticker!!
Habits Coffee and Mini Donuts
You have to check out Habits Coffee and Mini Donuts. This was a GREAT find… their thing is tiny fresh donuts topped with sauces, fruit, nuts, bacon, candy, etc. We both got lattes and 12-mini donuts… my favorite was the maple bacon!!! This little coffee house was on Locust St. and right at the bottom of the hill for us! So fun, and they had a travel-themed wall which I had to get a picture of!
Out for morning coffee with my honeythe cutest hand-made donuts you’ve ever seen
A Town Filled with Art
When you drive around the downtown area, you’ll notice the big, beautiful murals every few buildings. They are quite amazing. These are naturally popular Instagram locations…who DOESN’T want their picture taken in front of a beautiful work of art?
There are close to 40 murals in Dubuque. The project to create beautiful murals here started in 2015. They are done by renowned artists from all over the world…how amazing it was to see them. Below are just a few…. There were so many others I wanted to see, not enough time!
Ski the Hills at Sundown Mountain Resort
When I met Nate, I had never gone skiing. Our first experience together? Breckendridge, Co. We went straight for the Colorado ski elite challenge. I spent most of the day falling down… and vowed that I would get back on skis again and do better next time. When I saw the Dubuque had a ski resort, I booked a full day of skiing. Sundown Mountain is the perfect size ski resort with every level of hill. I spent the entire morning doing lessons, both in a group and then private. It was so helpful, and if we come back, I’ll do private again for sure. I learned so much from my instructor…the one-on-one makes a huge difference. Nate is the opposite of me, he is a natural with the balance and motion of skiing. He glides down the hill effortlessly. He stayed right with me when we ventured down a ginormous hill, he was wonderful. He never left my side. Although I had my fair share of falls in the afternoon, I also improved greatly and plan to do this again! Practice makes perfect, and I very much want to go back to Colorado and try a new ski resort. Some people have been skiing their whole life, I’ve only been skiing a fraction of mine.
Sundown Mountain is a small resort and very manageable. The buildings and facilities are a bit run down, but the outdoor space glistens in its perfectness. The landscape was quite beautiful. It was a wonderful day and ski experience, and the price to ski all day was affordable! It was about $80 a person for the day pass and lift fee. We then paid for lessons on top of that. The private lesson was around $50 a person.
at Barrel Head Winery
Wineries
I look for a winery everywhere we go. I just love trying new wines and maybe taking a bottle home! Thank goodness wineries are open in the winter…There were only two wineries open on Friday so we sampled Barrel Head Winery and Stone Cliff Winery. If you’re a wine adventurer, here are three more we wish we could have tried!
Our first stop was at Stone Cliff Winery downtown Dubuque…this wine was mostly fruit wines, so if you are into the sweet wine, this place is for you. They did have a Cab, so we had a glass and then moved on to the next one.
This trip was 4 nights, 5 days and it was cozy, adventurous, delicious, and memorable. There’s a lot more to do here… I am thinking we need to plan a long weekend to Galena, then hit Dubuque, then try Lake Bluff (a recommendation from someone we met). Dubuque has a few places to go hiking, like the Mines of Spain, and it would be nice to hit the wineries we missed, as well as go to the local museum here. We are so glad we traveled to Dubuque… we find that one adventure always leads to another. I’m sure we’ll be back 🙂
When I envisioned Madrid, I pictured a large city like maybe Chicago or New York. And in fact it was a big city, but I was pleasantly surprised to find beautiful gardens and, oddly enough, an egyptian pyramid! Turns out, this was Nate’s first choice as a proposal location… it was quite amazing and with beautiful surroundings. It was closed the day we were going to be in Madrid so he had to come up with a plan B, which was just as amazing (a sailboat charter in Barcelona). I wish we could have stayed more days in Madrid…I could have easily explored more areas of the city. The time we spent there, however, we took full advantage. The food is exceptional…and the environment is something you really have to pause and soak in. The pictures I took don’t do it justice, but they do give you an idea of what is was like.
This was our last stop on our Spanish whirlwind adventure, and I hope that one day we go back to experience more of it!! Here are my top places to see while in Madrid!
Over 4000 roses in this stunning botanical garden
1. The El Retiro Rose Gardens
I remember we were just out for a walk, and somehow found ourselves at the El Retiro Rose Gardens. This large botanical garden is home to 4000 roses and was built in 1915. It was a lovely stroll on the most gorgeous weather day! This place is certainly worth a visit, if only to inhale that rosy smell and relax for a moment…
The Royal Palace of Madrid
2. Palacio Real De Madrid
The royal palace of Madrid. This was fascinating. Nate loves castles and palaces so he booked us on a tour of this overwhelmingly ginormous architectural monument where each room has a different design theme (and quite elaborate!) Block out a few hours for this tour… We grabbed a coffee and scone right before.
There were some rooms we weren’t allowed to take pictures, but these give you an idea of just how grand the interior was
My name in… Spanish???
We only wish we could have seen the entire palace, a large portion of it was closed to the public. This palace happens to be the largest in Western Europe with 3,418 rooms. This palace has seen a lot of Spanish history. The draw for me, however, was the interior and those beautiful rooms! Again, it needs to be seen in person, pictures don’t do it justice. A wonderful tour and a top recommendation from both of us! Here is a link to a skip-the-line tour of the Palace interior…
To see this kind of musical and dancing talent was the highlight of my day
3. Flamenco Dance
This was my FAVORITE thing during our adventure in Madrid!!! I.loved.this. So entertaining, and just an overall captivating experience! After you watch this video, I hope you’ll agree!! When we are anywhere, it’s important to me to truly take in the culture. Flamenco dancing is a combination of song, dance and guitar. It has mysterious roots, from what I’ve read, believed to have been brought into Spain from northwest India. Flamenco song is all about deep emotion.The dancer then interprets the song. The dance involves intricate footwork and the women wear gorgeous ruffled dresses. We had to see one for ourselves…it did not disappoint! If interested in adding a cultural dance experience to your trip agenda, here is a link to the show we did…
The Temple of Debod
4. The Temple of Debod
An Egyptian temple quietly rests in the city of Madrid. It was dismantled and then rebuilt in the Parque de la Montaña. The story behind why it is in Madrid is interesting. Spain apparently helped save numerous archeological sites and existing architecture that were at risk of being destroyed by a new dam and its water resevoir. As a Thank You, Egypt donated the temple to Spain in 1968.
We were able to go inside the temple and see the ancient writings on the walls (which I love) and then go upstairs where we could see built-to-scale replicas of the temple and the surrounding temples from where they took it. If you’d like to learn more about the temple, I thought this site was great for more information…
Madrid is a beautiful BEAUTIFUL city, I’m currently going through pictures with the goal of printing a few for our newly remodeled basement! It’s hard to choose, everywhere we went was stunning. We did a few more Spanish things but I think I’ll save those places for another post!
Who knows what international travel will look like in 2022. We are hoping that things normalize and that borders don’t re-close. We miss being able to see other countries and experience the culture. We had originally planned a trip back to Spain for our honeymoon but decided to adventure to Hawaii instead. But, going overseas is still something like I’d like to do next year and not losing hope just yet!! We are in need of a really great bottle of Spanish Red 🙂
If you are thinking of Spanish travel next year, or any year, I hope that this post gives you some agenda ideas!!
As always, travel safe (and if you’re going to Spain, take a minute to learn the train system in advance!!)
We love fancy cars, we hate paying for them. I call the act of over-paying ‘the fancy tax.’ The fancy tax is all around us…expensive clothes, expensive gear, expensive dinners, expensive trips, expensive cars, expensive expensive!! We either choose to pay it, or we don’t. On occasion when we’ve traveled, we’ve rented a luxury car at an extremely crazy price. I hate over paying for anything and this usually makes me want to throw up when I sign the bill. And, on top of that, I generally don’t love the car rental experience…waiting in line, not getting the car you thought you were getting, possibly paying $10 a gallon for gas if you forget to top it off before you return it (which happens to all of us). And now, because of the ripple effect caused by a paralyzing pandemic, we are all faced with rental car shortages and paying way too much. We heard stories about how people were traveling to Hawaii and there were no car rentals available, which is a necessity when you travel to Hawaii. So, people were renting U-Hauls and driving those around for cheap. This was enough to convince me to NOT go there, not exactly my idea of awesome.
Our most recent Turo experience… a red Mustang
Introducing Turo. Turo has quickly become my preferred method of renting cars when we travel. If it’s a personal trip, I really don’t foresee using an airport car rental place again. Turo is a wonderful concept…. car owners rent out their cars, just like VRBO or AirBNB. Brilliant! No car shortage there! We use Turo to get our fancy car fix when we go somewhere…and the prices are either very affordable OR they are simply the same price as you would pay for a basic car! There’s plenty of regular cars for prices lower than any car rental company offering. But, if you want to rent a Mercedes convertible for a few days, or a Porsche 911, or a fiercely red Mustang, Turo’s got it 🙂 Actually, they’ve literally got everything…if renting a vintage car is your thing, you can find it on Turo.
Turo: A Car Sharing Company
For me, price matters…. but, the BEST part is that the car owner brings the car to you!!! No waiting in line for an hour, no 10-15 minutes at the car rental counter filling out paperwork, everything is online before your trip. They simply meet you at the airport, or a meet-up spot, and hand you the keys. Travel bliss. I will throw some caution here: not every car owner delivers to an airport, so make sure that you look for that once you’ve picked your car.
“Travel shouldn’t break the bank, we all deserve to see the world at an affordable price…”
I have a perfect scenario of why Turo is car rental magic. We recently went to Willamette Valley for 5 amazing days in wine country. You absolutely need a rental car to get around. I looked into various car rental offerings and we were looking at around $900 total for a basic 4-door sedan, no frills, and a very average interior. And if we downgraded a bit it wasn’t much less. If we wanted to rent a luxury car, it was going to be $1500. Ridiculous. I then searched on Turo and found a 2019 2-door Mustang for $60/a day. YES!!! Also, no crazy taxes either which can sometimes be just as much as the car rental price. Again, out of control and I just simply refuse. For us, part of the fun when we travel is to drive around in an awesomely luxurious and fun car. Turo makes this possible.
We walked out of baggage claim and there it was…. Have you ever waited an hour in line for a rental car??? Miserable.
We are traveling to Hawaii soon and my biggest concern was the rental car situation. Turo has come to our rescue 🙂 Our experiences have always been wonderful. I recently told my parents to try this out as they travel monthly. From Honda Accords to SUVs, to fast, sporty luxury cars….Turo has it. I can’t say enough good things about having OPTIONS, and I can’t wait to see who else comes along in the car-rental-by-owner space. Competition means better selections, better prices, and happy customers!
I can only offer my own personal experiences and nothing is risk-free. You are dealing with individual car owners and I suppose there’s always risk involved with that. We’ve never had an issue and if anything, the car owners were super accommodating. We had a flight come in an hour late and the car owner and I were in constant communication that day, he was right there waiting for us when we walked out of the airport. If you try Turo on your next getaway, we hope you have a wonderful experience 🙂
Travel far and wide…And maybe get there in some style!!
P.S. the best way to see wine country is in a Mustang 🙂 Especially when it matches your dress…
This wintery wonderland more widely known as Breckenridge, Colorado, was the perfect January escape….to more snow and cold. BUT, it’s Breckenridge… an adorable Colorado town with great food, coffee shops, skiing (of course), ice sculptures, and snowmobiling! We also squeezed in a sleigh ride under the stars and a dinner with live music at the end. Do you love winter and snow activities?? Then grab your long underwear, over-priced winter gloves and ski goggles…it’s time to plan a very long weekend to Breckenridge, Colorado!!
1. Skiing
The skiing in Breckenridge draws big crowds. The mountain is overwhelmingly beautiful. They have every type of run, from beginner to super crazy ‘death wish’… and everything in between. I spent the entire day in ski class, which was really great. The instructors were very patient with my giraffe legs trying to find balance and direction. In the end, I learned very little and my tiny body has yet to forgive me for the torture I inflicted. But, I was glad I did it. Skiing isn’t easy….it LOOKS effortless. But truly, it is a new way of learning how to balance and move your body, almost like learning another language. It takes patience and commitment, and a desire to ski. I do hope to be a decent skier one day 🙂 So, the torture continues!
Breckenridge is just beautiful. This was my first experience at a ski resort and it did not disappoint. We had a studio VRBO just across the street from the ski hill which was very convenient. I planned for one full day of skiing. At the end of the day, we both hurt. Nate is a MUCH better skier than me. He was also hurting and funny enough, came to find ME to say it was probably time to go. He found me on the ground after sloppily falling down a medium-sized hill…I looked up and said “sounds good.”
If you are already a good skiier, you will love this place. It looks so fun, and so EASY! An effortless glide down a snowy hill with a graceful stop at the end is my goal.
This January, I am venturing out again on my skis…I hope to come away from the experience feeling triumphant! We’ll see??
When I see these pics, I think…Well, I look good skiing…and that counts for something 🙂
2. Snowmobiling
Snowmobiling is my jam. If I could do this every winter guaranteed, I’d block out an entire month where all we did was snowmobile. I actually grew up with neighbors who had 3 snowmobiles. They would bring them out every winter when the snow was nice and thick. We would all take turns taking them back behind our house where there was a large farm field just PERFECT for snowmobiles. I loved those winters. They have a special place in my heart. I also remember when I was finally old enough to take one out all by myself!! I.love.it. I’m not a cold weather person, but put me on a snowmobile and I’m out there all day long.
The beginning of our tour… getting educated on safety before we head up the mountain
This was my most favorite part of the trip. I booked a snowmobile tour that actually took us up a mountain. The view is burned into my brain forever. And then, the tour guide takes us to a bowl (literally a snow covered bowl shape in the mountain) and it was crazy awesome/terrifying! You almost feel like you are driving sideways on the walls of this bowl… worth every penny. We got some great action shots….
If interested, here are some snowmobile tours to consider… looks like the pandemic has strangled a few of them regarding reservations and such. But I know that eventually these places will be going full throttle soon enough…
I’m not a cold weather person, nor do I look forward to snow and dealing with it, but…I had a moment on top of this mountain and it was pretty great. I embraced the cold and the snow…it was wonderful
This tour was worth every penny…. exhilarating, to say the least
3. Sleigh Ride
I don’t know why, but my heart skips a beat when I hear ‘sleigh ride’….it seems so storybook and wonderful, all cuddled up with a big blanket while a horse with jingling bells around its neck is taking you through white sparkly snow drifts and you’re surrounded by thick pine trees…the air smells amazing and the night sky is full of stars. This was also a tour I couldn’t pass up.
waiting to board our giant sleigh!
I recommend the sleigh ride excursion….this one came with dinner and live music. We sat at a large table and got to know everyone around us. People come from all over to ski at Breckenridge and it was a real treat to have conversations with everyone. A must do!
In conclusion, I’ll warn the interested traveler that this is not a cheap getaway. I think it’s important to be honest about how much it costs to go certain places. Skiing is pricey, the snowmobile rentals were mucho dollars, and then lodging there in the winter is, well, a lot, but we also stayed in Breckenridge….we could have stayed outside of it. You can find deals (we did VRBO), but be prepared to spend more than you’d like. Eating out three meals a day also adds up. Our tiny rental had a kitchen, we just didn’t have time to hit up the grocery store for a few items. But, what you financially throw down balances out nicely with the ambiance and the beautiful snow. We even got to walk through an ice sculpture contest that had one more day left on display before they dismantled it.
Looks like the International Ice Sculpture championship is Jan and Feb of 2022! I only wish we could have seen them being built…the final sculptures were incredible. If interested in learning more, click here and read all about how people come from all over the world to participate ICE SCULPTURE AMAZINGNESS
It was a lovely getaway and I’m sure we’ll do it again, but maybe a different Colorado destination next time! I picked Breckenridge for the beer…. yep. Breckenridge Brewery sells an oatmeal stout that I love love love. I have Aspen and Telluride on my list for future winter adventures…
We had such a wonderful time… this was the BEST winter getaway we have ever had
Travel far and wide, and be sure to try something you’ve never done before while you’re there! For me, it was skiing…and here I am planning to do it all over again in Dubuque 🙂
I love to eat out. I think mostly because I covet the break I get when someone else is doing the cooking 🙂 I love trying new food, new flavors, new cocktails, all of it. When we go anywhere, the restaurant list is a dedicated evening strategy session… we take it very seriously. Our list of Asheville restaurants took us 2 days to figure out. Five restaurants and four #GoThere recommendations…Are you ready to book some reservations??
Our List of Asheville Foodie Experiences:
Honest reviews only! I am no food critic, just a suburban mom of 4 who truly enjoys food cooked by others….such a treat! I believe in telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth…and if I recommend it, I stand behind it. So, here we go:
1. Biscuit Head
Their tagline is “Put Some South in Your Mouth”….and I was sold. These biscuits aren’t JUST biscuits…they come smothered with amazing gravies – 5 gravies to choose from, actually. It was hard to decide which ones we wanted. They have a laundry list of delicious sides like Fried Chicken, Sriracha Maple Sausage, and Fried Green Tomatoes….is your mouth watering yet?? This is my Food, and the South are my people. I am happiest when we are vacationing in the South eating all day long. This was a foodie experience, one that I hope to do again in the near future. The menu is simple and perfect…I hope you can plan a delicious breakfast or lunch with a plate full of their homemade biscuits and finger-lickin’ toppings and sides. There was more food than we could eat…we also ordered quite a bit to sample as much as possible. My favorites were the fried green tomatoes and the biscuits with the Espresso Red Eye Gravy 🙂 Biscuit Head has multiple locations in Asheville….We need some of these in Illinois! #GoThere
2. Tupelo Honey
Anytime we are in the South and there is a Tupelo Honey close by, we go…. and here’s why. The menu is superb. If you are looking for thick french toast, smothered in bacon pieces and candied walnuts, oh…and smothered in maple syrup and dripping with butter, and maybe stuffed with cream cheese, with a side of fried chicken and buttermilk waffles…Tupelo is your place. I know that’s a lot (of food), but my point is…you can do that here 🙂 It’s all good, so why not order what you want? We have been known to order an extra entree just because we HAVE to. This menu does not disappoint. My first experience with Tupelo Honey was in Atlanta and I’ve been hypnotized by its foodie-greatness ever since. We had breakfast in Asheville on Valentines Day here, it.was.wonderful. We ordered all the things…. cheesy grits, southern-style eggs benedict, blueberry pancakes. Be sure to make a reservation, even for breakfast…We’re not the only humans who think this place is spectacular! #GoThere
3. Jargon
Amazing. I’ll just start with that. Jargon is very cute but small inside. You should definitely make a reservation well in advance to get a table. We went in February of 2021 and it was full. The vibe there was lively and full of energy, everyone was having a great time. The bar was tiny, but made exceptional drinks!! Their chef promotes using local seasonal ingredients, so what was on the menu last week may not be this week. I love restaurants like this, you know that what you’re getting was hand-crafted and FRESH. We enjoyed a few shareables, some delicious cocktails, and then our entrees. Excellent meal and excellent service. #GoThere
4. The Lobster Trap
EXCEPTIONAL
We have a thing for seafood, and a super huge thing for lobster. I was blown away by the food we ordered. A lot of places offer seafood on their menu, but not everyone knows how to cook it. Lobster Trap was one of the best seafood dinners I have ever had. Nate and I started with a dozen oysters. Then…we both ordered lobster, crab and scallops served on a big, wooden cutting board. It was grilled to perfection. I’m pretty sure we ate without speaking, the food was that good. The kitchen is open, too, which is very cool to see everyone grilling and plating food. Great atmosphere, great food. It is pricey, so know that before booking. I personally felt like it was worth the expense. Total satisfaction. Don’t we look happy?? 🙂 🙂 🙂 #GoThere
5. Rhubarb
This restaurant is located in downtown Asheville. It boasts a farm-to-table dining experience. Rhubarb was the only restaurant we weren’t thrilled about afterwards. The menu looked great, and the ambience inside was also nice. This place also had a small menu like Jargon which I prefer. Do a few things exceptionally well vs. trying to do everything sub par. Fresh ingredients and creative food combinations are what you’ll find here. What was disappointing for us was the texture and flavor, or lack of flavor, with the food. The two appetizers we ordered were heavy with bread, which we didn’t realize when we ordered. For us, not ideal as we don’t ever want to fill up so that we don’t find our dinner appetizing. Overall though, the flavor was just ok. We were both left thinking “well, we tried it.” I honestly wouldn’t recommend it to someone planning a food-cation to Asheville. I think their menu changes often so the food we ordered is likely no more. And, not to say someone who eats there next week couldn’t have an amazing flavorful experience, we just didn’t when we were there. Worth checking out though, the farm-to-table concept is one that gets me every time!
We are always looking for recommendations, too! So please comment below if there is a hidden gem in Asheville we should know about. We will certainly be back, it’s only an hour and 20 minute flight for us.
If you are planning a getaway to Asheville, we hope this blog post gives you some insight on what restaurants to check out!
Again, we aren’t food experts by any means, we just appreciate a fabulous meal! When we escape to some place new, our time is limited and we have to make our meals count.
If there is an ideal time to go to Portland, Maine, it is during Lobster season 🙂 I told Nate it had always been a dream of mine to go when Lobster is more common than chicken…he replied “book it.” He’s an easy sell 🙂
We spent 4 nights and 5 days in this beautiful seaside town and it did not disappoint. Perfect weather, too! There was so much to do here I had a hard time deciding what NOT to do…if only we had stayed a few more days. What we did do was wonderful, we still talk about it today. So, here are 4 things we did that I think anyone planning a trip to Portland should consider!! I stand behind these 100%…Enjoy!!
1. Lobster Season:
Yep, we each had 2 lobsters, corn, and coleslaw…. perfection
Yes, you can enjoy Portland all spring and summer…but why not go there when lobster is bountiful and practically being sold on every corner??? Peak lobster season is between late June and December, but I read that it was IDEAL to go in August/September. Fisherman in Maine are lobstering all year round, but the fall seems to be when hard and soft-shell lobsters are available. Now, even though Lobster is falling from the sky, that doesn’t mean it is cheap.
there are no words…. just eat it and enjoy
Warning: a lobster roll, although fabulous, is $24 for the small one. Yeppers. So bring some green and gorge on the most delicious lobster roll you’ve ever put in your mouth… (that’s what she said…right Nate? 🙂 )
Everywhere we dined we had lobster. It’s just not the same eating lobster at home so we made sure we had our fill. We also dined on oysters and mussels… something I think I’ll blog about later! The food in Portland is exceptional, and we were told that it has become a foodie destination due to the quality of dining and chefs in the area.
2. Fancy Drinks!
The best damn cocktail I’ve ever had!!
This has become a travel tradition for us. We really lucked out and stumbled upon a place called Vena’s Fizz House. I see on their website that they are temporarily closed. Here’s hoping they open back up so that the world can enjoy these delicious cocktails! I am a subscriber to their newsletter and they regularly send delicious drink recipes featuring their unique products. We are HUGE fans of Vena’s!!! Have yourself a lobster roll at a fabulous restaurant and then head over to Vena’s for the best drink you’ve ever had!
3. Island Biking:
We love a good bike ride. So much so that we almost always book a biking tour wherever we travel. Nate bought me my first bike years ago and we’ve been riding together ever since. The tour we booked in Portland was great… and it ended up being private! Just us and the owner of the tour company out for a 4 hour bike ride with lunch. Summer Feet is the tour company and we did the Pedal Peaks Island tour, which was perfect.
This beautiful little island is only accessible by ferry. It is a popular destination for kayaking and biking, and swimming!! You can go swimming at Sandy and Centennial beaches. Our tour guide took us to Cairn Beach, very rocky but stunning. It would make a PERFECT spot to propose 🙂 Or, just have a quiet moment to thing about….everything 🙂 Just you and the ocean.
Steele Battery art
The coolest part of the tour? We went to Steele Battery, which is an old World War II military fortification.
It was overgrown with nature, but featured some pretty amazing artwork! It was completed in 1942 and is the largest battery anywhere in the United States. Nate really loved this part of our adventure. After the battery, we toured the museum on the island and had a fabulous fish-n-chips lunch. A great way to spend the morning!
4. Lighthouses
Portland Head Light
We had to see the famous Portland Head Light lighthouse. I had to know if it was as beautiful in person as it is in all the pictures, paintings, prints, etc. Yes, it was.
This lighthouse is in Cape Elizabeth in Fort Williams park. It is positioned at the entrance of a main shipping channel into Portland harbor. The lighthouse is automated today and maintained immaculately. Such a beautiful spot if your thing is lighthouses. We didn’t do the tour (we had a plane to catch) but we did explore the grounds. So glad we did!
If you like to explore, the park surrounding the lighthouse is beautiful!!
We loved Portland, Maine. We actually spent a day in Camden that I’ll blog about later! And the food….it deserves it’s own foodie-post as well. We hope you can carve out a few days to visit Portland, we can’t wait to go back and do more of the coastline…
When we landed in Barcelona, I felt like I hadn’t slept at all on the 8-ish hour long flight from Chicago. I envy the people who can just seemingly pass out and wake up refreshed and ready to start vacationing. I was a zombie trying to grasp the fact that it was only 2pm Barcelona time. I was instantly revived, however, when we walked up to the street from the train below, into the bright sunlight, and saw the most beautiful church I have ever seen…La Sagrada Familia. It looks like an organic sculpture…absolutely nothing like what I know churches to look like. Most churches these days seem like corporate buildings or warehouses… this church truly stands out in my mind as being a work of art, both outside and in…and inspirational …
We arrived!! And it was more beautiful than I had envisioned…
La Sagrada Familia
A work of art…
If you visit this church, you should do the tour. It explains the visual amazingness when you walk inside. This architectural masterpiece was designed by Antoni Gaudi. Construction began way back in 1882…and is still going. It is unfinished, hence the cranes in my photos. It is always being worked on. His original completed design has yet to be realized, from what we learned. I truly was speechless when we walked inside, I still can’t believe that something this beautiful and creative was built. When you look up at the ceiling, you have to stare at it to soak it in.
It was designed to replicate the scenario of one being in a forest full of trees, and when you look up, you see the canopy of trees above you with bright rays of sunlight shining through. Apparently, Gaudi loved nature and replicated it often in his architecture. This article goes into great detail on HOW he infused nature into his designs, from the spires to the ‘tree branches’ holding up the ceiling….truly fascinating and brilliant. He would have been an interesting person to know! You don’t have to be a religious person to be inspired…the architecture alone is worth seeing in person and being mesmerized by. I feel very lucky to have stood inside this beautiful place.
Sailing the Mediterranean
Looking for peace and quiet?? This is the way to get it… just you and the ocean.
Gorgeous day for a sail…
Nate booked a private sailboat to truly experience the mediterranean…this was a perfect way to see the city (and the sun set!) It was memorable to say the least… the weather was perfect and our Captain even taught Nate a few things about sailing the boat! He then ‘let him drive’ for awhile 🙂 This private experience came with food and champaign…a must-do for any couple or small group. You get to take in the coastline and all the gigantic yachts…I’m pretty sure we saw Dr. Evil’s black tinted-window yacht/space ship/submarine 😉 This experience was wonderful (P.S… Nate also proposed on the sailboat, which made it even more wonderful and a great story to tell our grandkids one day), if interested in researching this for your own Barcelona adventure, click here
For those who aspire to be captain of his own ship, this is the tour for you!
The Siesta
Ah yes, the Spanish siesta. This took a minute to get used to. The siesta is very important…and here’s why. Dinner does not START until 8 or 9pm. Yep…come 5:30pm, I am starving because my mom-clock says it’s time to feed those little animals (kids) and eat. If you try to eat dinner at 5:30/6pm, you won’t be able to. No place is open. That first day in Barcelona was rough…I was starving and there was no where to eat. We finally did find a bakery that sold some rolls to us 🙂 🙂 The only way one can get up early in the morning, have a full couple of hours of sight-seeing and lunch, and then more activity and dinner, is to take a nap. So we did…. every single day. And then we’d get up around 5, do a little more sight-seeing, and then start dinner at 9pm. Most days, we were home at midnight. It’s funny to see families out with their kids at 10pm having dinner….a cultural difference that took some adjusting. So, plan your day with the siesta in mind…you.will.need.it. I remember during our first dinner trying not to fall asleep in my food!! But every day after that was smooth sailing 🙂
Check out our view from our hotel room on the right…amazing to wake up to this in the morning, and from our siesta, hahaha
We flew directly from Chicago to Barcelona, which is ideal. I’m not a fan of connecting flights. Jet lag is rough, it always seems to get the best of me! Just a warning…a quick nap upon arrival might be a good idea, especially since dinner is so late! Definitely hop on the train and explore the city. And, book lots of tours! We always do this because we learn so much from tour guides, and we get to see parts of the city we otherwise wouldn’t have. Make dinner reservations, try a new bottle of spanish wine every night, and have the absolute BEST time!! We loved Spain so much we are planning to go back next summer.
Cheers!!! Safe travels, and we hope you’ve been inspired to adventure to Barcelona in the very near future!!
We had quite the adventure…despite us never seeing the northern lights, which is WHY I booked the trip! Figures. Turns out, January is not a good time to go and see them. One might have better luck in March or April…noted! Despite the disappointment, there was plenty more to do there and more tours to pick from than we had time for. Excellent!!
This trip was a gift to my amazing husband back in early 2020…Iceland was always a mysterious place to me that I very much wanted to see for myself. I booked a few tours and crossed my fingers! I don’t think you can go wrong with whatever you choose to do there, but here is my list of 5 things to do while vacationing in the land of the vikings!
1. Eat Adventurously!
Nate and I did a food tour that took us to a handful of diverse restaurants famous for Icelandic eats… we ate Whale, Puffin, and Fermented Shark. Some people might not be comfortable eating whale, I was a little leary myself. They explained that whale is a primary source of food for people on Iceland, but that the hunting of whale is controlled to make sure populations aren’t wiped out. I imagine whale was crucial in the survival of Icelanders for a time. It is interesting still to this day how they feed everyone there. (side note: apparently, there are green houses that can grow vegetables which is astonishing because it is FREEZING there).
Whale tasted like filet. It was a red steak with an interesting flavor. I tried it, I can’t say that I would eat it again. Would you try it??
We also ate Puffin (looks like a penguin) and fermented shark. I was not a fan. But, when in Rome…! What I did love was the meat stew and the Skyr. Delicious!!! Oh, and there was a pretty tasty hot dog, too!
We recommend you try everything…! Especially the Skyr on the right…
2. See the Tectonic Plates
Walking between the Eurasian and North American Tectonic Plates…how many people can say that??!?
Oh.my.goodness. This was mind blowing…. if you’ve never heard about Tectonic Plates before (Nate had to explain it to me…), the ones in Iceland are the Eurasion Tectonic Plate and the North American Tectonic Plate. Why is this so amazing? Iceland is a place where you can see an actual mid-ocean ridge (two continents) on land. And, you can see them drifting apart. These tectonic plates actually formed Iceland. We traveled to Thingvellir to see them in person. AMAZING. The other cool reason we had to see them?? They were featured in Game of Thrones 🙂 We are planning a summer vacation to Iceland within the next few years to see them again… beautiful greenery and waterfalls, and probably an entirely different experience all together!
Reykjavic Thermal Baths (Bath Houses)
Iceland is pretty unique. It’s the only place I’ve ever heard of that is actually heated by volcanoes. All the hot water for homes is geothermal and endless. They even keep their streets free from ice and snow because of the volcanic-heated water under the ground! Something that was quite the experience was going to a bath house in Reykjavic. I had never been to a public bath house before. And, it was a little odd for me at first…. women and men are separated with two locker/shower rooms. You are required to undress and take a shower before going into the baths located outside. Getting into a large shower room with a lot of other women was…different. Not impossible, but weird. You then put on your bathing suit and go. Once you’re outside (it’s soooooo cold), you melt away in one of the many pools of geothermal hot water. It was quite busy…. lots of families just hanging out…it’s a thing there so we had to try it. If you’re not comfortable with the naked part, skip this adventure. If you’re a ‘caution to the wind’ kinda person, go for it 🙂
The Blue Lagoon
Walking up to the Blue Lagoon…
The Blue Lagoon is Verrrry touristy…be prepared for tons of people coming by the bus loads….but verrrry beautiful 🙂 Its milky blue water is the result of high amounts of silica in the water as it is located in a lava field and geothermally heated. What I found interesting is that the water contains very few organisms and contains no yucky bacteria. We went at night, wishing we had gone during the day. A similar process as the bath houses, you are required to shower before you get into the massive pool. However, they are private showers 🙂 Once you get into the lagoon, you are surrounded by beautiful mountains… it was really something! They have a spa and restaurant that we wish we could have done, but ran out of time.
See a Volcanic Crater
The volcanos are everywhere. Some are active, some are sleeping… when you leave the airport and head into Reykjavic, you actually drive through a lava field that is CRAZY! Black ripples of cooled lava are everywhere…makes you wonder how people sleep at night with so many volcanos around! One of our tours included the Kerid Volcanic Crater (it also included the Blue Lagoon and the Golden Circle). The crater was interesting, if only to walk around what used to be an active volcano. I highly recommend this tour, worth every penny and a diverse package of Icelandic things!
Bonus: #6 – Do a Museum!
We happened upon two museums and did them both… we are certainly museum people, fascinated with all things that explain culture and history. We did The Settlement Exhibition, which was SUPER cool.. and the National Museum of Iceland. Wonderful experiences. These were just 2 museums out of many… and I’ll bet they are all good. The Settlement Exhibition was built around found Viking ruins. You can see the foundation of a Viking home. For the National Museum, give yourself an uninterrupted couple of hours to see everything and read the history.
Iceland is a wonderful and fascinating place to visit… we hope you plan an adventure here to see everything this beautiful place has to offer!
Looking to vacation in a place that feels like a storybook? Like you’ve gone back in time to a quaint little European village except, you’re in California? Solvang is all of this and more. Quaint, old-world, picturesque, delightful at every turn.
The History of Solvang
You really feel like you’re in an old world town in Europe
“Solvang” is Danish for “Sunny Field” 🙂 A beautiful name for a beautiful little town located in Santa Barbara County. The town was actually founded by a group of Danes back in 1911. It has all my favorite things….cute buildings, antique stores, bakeries, restaurants, and wineries close by! Within the town, you’ll find statues of Hans Christen Anderson and The Little Mermaid. The buildings are designed to reflect a Danish craftsman architecture, one that I personally love.
Take note of the Danish-style churches! They are beautiful inside and out…
Good Danish Eats!
The food is exactly what you would hope for… Danish. From bakeries to restaurants, they cover everything from baked danish treats to the famous Danish hot dog, and creamed herring. We ate at the Bit O’ Denmark Restaurant, which opened in 1963 and serves up traditional Danish cuisine….perfect 🙂 I had the Flaeskesteg, a delicious plate of pork stuffed with prunes and applesauce. If you’re thinking of making this a stop on your California adventure (and you SHOULD!!), here is a list of Danish restaurants to sample….
One of my most favorite ways to relax is going to a winery, doing a tasting, and sitting outside while I just breathe and take in the scenery…it’s wonderful. There are quite a few wineries to choose from right outside of Solvang… Take your pick!!!
“Welcome to Solvang, the Danish Capital of America…”
– The Solvang Visitor Guide
A trip to Solvang is a really great long weekend… Go on a Wednesday and come home Sunday. Explore, visit wineries, eat Danish baked-goods, try some sausages and herring, and maybe stop by a festival or two! This little town is the perfect introduction to Denmark, which we plan to visit in 2023! I’m lucky to have my brother living there and we can’t wait to visit 🙂 🙂 🙂 Exploring Copenhagen was something I never thought I’d be doing….Travel is not only freedom and educational, it’s experiencing a ‘dream’ that would otherwise have been filed away in the ‘never gonna happen’ folder. So make your list and GO 🙂
We took a magical motorbike (ok….it was an airplane) to Hogwarts. It was last September, and I decided to surprise Nate with a magical getaway for his birthday to a place I had never been to… Universal!
Flights in September were dirt cheap… I paid $30 round trip for each of us. The resort we stayed in was a Universal property and one of the few that had actually re-opened at that time. It was empty and the rates were crazy reasonable. We stayed 4 nights at Universal’s Endless Summer...I thought the entire resort was really cute and super clean. Our room was huge, 1 King Bed and 2 full size beds! We made a mental note that it would be a great place to take the kids (which we will do once they are old enough to handle the intense Florida heat and the maddening long lines…).
My first impression of entering the Wizarding World of Harry Potter?? I was blown away. It’s like walking into one of the films.
We watched all the Harry Potter movies leading up to our departure… and I’m so glad we did that. All the detail was fresh in my mind. Our favorite experience was Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. This.ride.is.phenomenal. Nate and I think it’s the best ride we’ve ever ridden….exceptional. We took this short video… watching it makes me want to book the first flight BACK to Universal! Hahaha….
This “story coaster” is AMAZING
They call it a “story coaster.” You are on a super fast roller coaster which is Hagrid’s famous motorbike (once owned by Sirius Black) through the forbidden forest (what!!??) going 50 mph with seven awesome launches and one complete (and um, unexpected) drop. Yep, the mechanics alone on this ride are AMAZING. It’s vertical drop track is the cherry on the sundae for this ride… and because we were there throughout the week during a time where people weren’t really going anywhere, we got to ride it 4 times 🙂 🙂 We were two VERY happy muggles!!
There was no one there!!! The longest we waited was maybe 20 minutes…
We then used our magical wand (thanks to my sister!!) to experience the magical spell castings that were hidden all over the place! This was really fun, and what a great way to engage with the environment and immerse yourself in the story of it all. The wands are pricey…But so fun 🙂
The down-side at that time was that not every ride was open. Not enough staff and a limited number of people allowed in the park. Saturday rolled around and the park was shockingly packed, though, and they reached their max capacity by noon. I think we rode one ride that day… but it was ok… we had a rockin’ thursday and friday!!! The food at Universal was actually really good!! Not something I expect at theme parks. We live a minute away from a Six Flags and the food is very sub par. You don’t go there to eat is my philosophy. But at Universal, we dined like kings.
One night we went to this cajun piano bar called Pat O’Brien’s and had the best time I’ve ever had eating dinner.
Pat O’Briens
People would yell out random songs and these two pianists could play them like they’ve been playing these songs their entire life. One of the other days we stopped and had ice cream at The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium….we split this colossal sundae…soooo gooood.
Our final night, we left the park early and enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Bigfire. This menu was my kind of menu… filet, fresh fish specials, fancy desserts.
I also have to mention that Universal did a great job with safety measures. Every single ride gave you hand sanitizer, and they were leaving a row empty in front and back of you. Masks were mandatory or they asked you to leave the park. They took the current situation very seriously and we felt good about being there. Thank you Universal Studios for doing your part!
Gringott’s
This was absolutely an adventure, one that I can’t wait to do again! We felt like two 12-year old kids running around an amusement park… and that is good for the soul 🙂 I got to forget, just for a few days, that I’m a mom and step-mom of 4 with a laundry list of responsibilities. I left work-life behind which I welcomed. At the time, I was working a job that was taking a major toll on my well-being and I needed to breathe and separate myself from all of that. That’s the thing about long weekend getaways…. I consider it medicine and way cheaper than a recurring appointment with a therapist. Getting away, adventuring, laughing, eating a meal you didn’t have to make yourself (or clean up afterwards) is worth every penny.
And this guy??? Well, he had the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!!!!
A successful adventure in the books!
We hope you visit this magical place if you haven’t already!!
#GoAdventure!!! And tell Gringott we said hello (Escape from Gringott’s was certainly our #2!!)
We knew we had to visit Nuremberg…the history there is phenomenal. And, it’s one of those quaint village towns (I call all of them village towns) that still have a beautiful castle standing. Nate loves a good castle… and Germany has no shortage of castles to tour! While in Nuremberg, we decided to hit a few key places… and try to find a German restaurant that serves up the best sausages and beer you’ve ever had in your life… We found it!!!
The Imperial Castle
Imperial Castle of Nuremberg
It was a rainy day, but we didn’t care. When in Europe, you go out and explore anyways!! We embraced the rain, grabbed our umbrellas from the hotel, and took a train to Nuremberg (mine was red :). It made for some great pictures!
The castle was first on our list… it’s quite famous and known to represent the Roman Empire of the German nation. It dates back to 1050 and was ‘the place’ where rulers would congregate and stay. This castle, and the town of Nuremberg, have so much history behind it. It’s a good read if you are interested in visiting! The castle has been restored over the years, thankfully. It’s quite beautiful inside and outside… and the view!!
Medieval Dungeons
It wouldn’t be a trip to Europe without touring a dungeon…ya know? After we toured the Imperial Castle, we walked down the main road to discover Nuremberg’s City Hall. They had a tour of the dungeons below and we couldn’t resist.
These are fascinating… mostly because you can’t imagine another human having to live in spaces like these, and often never getting out. There were 12 dungeon cells and a torture chamber…fascinating, we took lots of pictures. For information regarding the tour we took, this site explains it all.
City Hall Dungeons
Prisoners stayed in these dungeons until their sentence was carried out, and there was no light down there. They had to stay in complete darkness. I was happy to leave and move on to our next destination…. lunch!
Good Eats!
We found a FABULOUS restaurant, The Bratwursthäuslein. We happened upon this restaurant around the City Hall area, they served sausages that were authentic to Nuremberg. It sounded (and looked) perfect, all I wanted was a huge plate of German food. The inside felt like a rustic, old lodge…This place was amazing… sausages, kraut, pretzels, beer, cabbage….My FAVORITE part of travel is the eating!!! I would definitely go back to this restaurant. I truly believe that we probably couldn’t have had a bad meal no matter where we went. So, be adventurous and grab a table anywhere! The food is delicious, homemade, and very inexpensive. I think the smile on Nate’s face says it all… 🍺 Gutes Essen!!!
The best thing ever is a table full of German food
We spent 7 days in Nate’s favorite country, I have so much more to write about!! Future posts, of course 🙂
We hope you #GoAdventure and take some time to explore the city of Nuremberg…rain or shine, it’s quaint, charming, and full of history. It was a wonderful day, from start to finish. And, it’s gorgeous at night!!!
Viel Spaß beim Reisen in Deutschland!!
European travel is still a hot mess right now, so travel safe!
Do you like immersing yourself with nature and have a ‘thing’ for national parks and state parks? We do, too…! While in Palm Springs, a must-do and must-experience is Mt. San Jacinto State Park. The air smells clean and piney, the breeze is cool and invigorating. If you are the kind of person who gets energized by the mountains and untouched piney landscapes that blanket your surroundings, this is the place for you. The exploring is excellent, AND, you can even camp here! But first, let’s start this blog post with HOW you get there…the Tram.
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
First, I have to start by saying that the Palm Springs Aerial Tram is an engineering marvel. It is the largest rotating (yes, we rotated the entire way up and down….) in the world. If heights aren’t your thing, you may want to skip this one. I’m surprised I made up myself! It is tall…It takes you 8,516 feet up to Mountain Station. The tram ride one way is 2.5 miles long. The ride is a smooth one, except when you go over the tops of the towers you sway back and forth for a bit….yikes. The tram launched to the public in 1963 and has since, according to Wikipedia, taken 20 million people to the top of the mountain! It was quite the experience… and what an amazing grand entrance to Mt. San Jacinto State Park!
You can’t beat the view!!! You can see on the left the other tram taking people back down…
Your Destination…The Top of the Mountain
Mt. San Jacinto State Park is a wooded oasis at the top of the mountain. I actually read an article that called it “a pristine wilderness”…. absolutely. It is AMAZING when you get up there, and so much cooler than the desert! We went in May and the weather was perfect. There are hiking trails and camp sites for the truly adventuresome! (as Moira Rose would say…. 🙂 We did one of the hiking trails, unfortunately that’s all we had time for. Nate wanted to keep going and do the trail that led to the very top… but that would have taken another 4 hours. Next time Nate, next time… ❤️
Stunning views from the top of the mountain…
These pictures really don’t do it justice…it’s just beautiful. It’s quiet…all you hear is the breeze and birds. And, when you breathe in the air, it just smells refreshingly clean and piney… we didn’t want to leave. Normally, there are two restaurants open at the top, but they were both closed. We took the tram back down to reality in search of a fabulous Palm Springs lunch!
The Beauty of It All…
This was a wonderful couple of hours and a great way to spend the entire morning. We will certainly be back again, our intention is to spend the entire day up there hiking around the mountainy landscape. Here’s what I love about spending some quiet time surrounded by natural forests…. it is time to clear your head and think. And, take in everything you are seeing and smelling…it FEELS good to be in a place like this! And the fact that it seemed to be smack dab in the middle of a desert with this magical tram taking up into the clouds to get there made it even more special 🙂
We hope you GO ADVENTURE to Mt. San Jacinto State Park… you won’t be disappointed!
The Rum Vincent cocktail wins for best drink during my surprise Punta Cana birthday getaway! (I turned 40, so….I had a few of these….). There’s something about coconut that I can’t get enough of…which is why I especially love this drink. So delicious and addicting… but again, 2 of these and I am crawling slowly up the stairs trying to remember which bedroom is mine 😂 Looking to unwind, unravel, and untangle the day?? Or just celebrate good company and great conversation? This delicious drink does not disappoint!
Ingredients for a Rum Vincent
Here’s what you need: (makes 2 cocktails)
1/3 cup Coconut Milk (get it in the Thai food aisle)
Limes (2)
3 shots Lillet Blanc
5 shots Dark Rum
Splash of Grapefruit Juice
Splash of half-n-half
1 shot Symple Syrup
Ice
Martini Shaker
Start with your coconut milk… it’s thick and creamy so I like to layer everything else on top of it
Pour in your shots of Lillet Blanc and Dark Rum. If you’ve never had Lillet Blanc before, it is a delightful wine-based liqueur that is so refreshing! It certainly adds a unique flavor to your drink…I’m currently researching what else I can make with it!
Squeeze your limes and pour it in, along with a splash of grapefruit juice (note: if you are up for making your own grapefruit simple syrup, it truly has the best flavor) and 1 shot of simple syrup
Add a splash of half-n-half and your ice, shake, and pour!
I think this drink would be super delicious by substituting pineapple for the grapefruit…in fact, that was Nate’s request the last time I made it. I might even try mango or muddled strawberry!! Regardless, this drink will ALWAYS remind me of the most wonderful couple of days in Punta Cana, having dinner on the beach, and sipping cocktails.
Drinks in Punta Cana!
Comment below if you tried this recipe! Did it make you feel like you were magically whisked away to some tropical island? I hope so 🙂
This post is a continuation of Cozumel Part 1. We had such an amazing 5 days it needed two posts! My first post was essentially how we got there and where we stayed. There are many resorts to choose from, but ours, The Occidental, had GOOD FOOD!! Which is really the holy grail when it comes to all-inclusives. We wanted to explore the island, but because we went in January where the pandemic was still very much a crippling force, nothing was really open. Kicking back though has its upside! It forced me to stay put (i’m all over the place otherwise) and take a few deep breaths. This trip was very much a parent-time-out.
We DID do a snorkel excursion though, and I’m so glad we did! Although the ocean was a bit rough, it was an exceptional experience. We saw sea turtles, schools of colorful fish (they came right up to your face!), eels, sea urchins, and sting rays. They actually came pretty close to you as well, which panicked me a bit. The resort had two tour operators running so we simply booked through the concierge. Our snorkel guide had an underwater camera and was doing some crazy dives taking pictures… he snapped this one of us making our way out into the ocean!! And yes, we hold hands everywhere we go… snorkeling is no exception ❤️
This was a perfect last day for us. We spent most of our time sipping drinks and talking, relaxing by the water, and taking beach naps (we’re parents…naps are the BEST!). I think my favorite part was the sand bar where the sting rays hang out…the water was warm and only waist-high. The sting ray’s literally zoom around on the ground very close to your feet! (a little too close…. I was terrified). There was another shallow area full of starfish, which I had never seen before. This was a new experience for me, and one that I recommend to anyone visiting this beautiful island!
The view from the beach is what we took in the most. The sunsets were poetry-inspiring… the sky never looked so colorful. There’s something about a view like this that makes your soul feel at rest. I certainly felt it when I was there, how lucky we both were to be there together.
A quintessential thing to do when taking a few days for yourself is a massage, and the one we did on the beach did not disappoint. The ladies who did our massages were artful and worked out every last bit of tension and anxiety that 2020 had rooted deep in my back. WONDERFUL experience. And, all you hear is the breeze and the waves crashing. I want to go back and just do this one more time…ya know?
If you are looking for a new destination to help you unwind the daily grind and relax, Cozumel is great for that. I was intimidated by the journey getting there (plane, boat, taxi) but everything went smooth and was absolutely worth it. I felt like I started a new year (2021) on the right foot for once! We came home refreshed, recharged, and ready to make this year 1000% better than last year! The food was great, the people who worked at the resort were friendly and warm. I couldn’t have asked for a better couple of days in Mexico!
Beautiful St. Lucia… and island that has way more than 4 things to experience. It really depends though on where you stay on the island. One thing we didn’t get to do was a sailboat excursion around the island… there were just a few where we were staying and we heard that there are LOTS more sailboat tours on the north side (we were on the west side…. close to Soufriere). When we got back, my co-workers had to hear all about it, and the question I got the most was…. “What things did you do that you would recommend?” For me, and where we stayed, there were 4 things that I still talk about today! Here is that list….
Tet Paul Nature Trail: Above the Rainbows!
This was such a great hike and very manageable. Tet Paul Nature Trail is a hillside nature trail that takes you all the way up to a look out where you can see the ocean, rainforest and mountains. It was misting in areas and there were scattered rainbows beneath us… you just don’t forget a site like that. The lookout is a perfect place for a kiss with a picturesque background behind you! We of course took advantage of this ❤️ … You can also see rainbows just floating out there like magic!! This 30 second video shows 2 rainbows hovering over the rainforest… if this doesn’t sell you on doing this hike, nothing will 🙂
Nate took a 360 degree video from the lookout…how many rainbows did you count???
On a clear day, you can see the islands of Martinique and St. Vincent…and when we came down from the lookout, there was a tiny little bar with cold beer as a reward….perfect 🙂 I highly recommend this hike. We loved it so much that we had plans to hike the big mountain, Gros Piton. It would have taken most of the day to hike, and we were certainly game, but the only day we had available the trail was closed. Next time…
Sugar Beach: Swim Between the Mountains
Sugar Beach is actually a luxurious resort that has a beach open to the public. We took a shuttle from our rainforest bungalow resort to the beach to relax for the day. When you arrive, you can either set up a towel or chair on the beach, or you can book an umbrella with two lounge chairs.
It was a wonderful day soaking up the sun at Sugar Beach
We did that and recommend it… we got pina coladas and took in the beauty of the ocean comfortably. We swam in the ocean that is surrounded by mountains which made for a pretty cool experience. Overall, the scenery is gorgeous and worth spending the day there. We had lunch at the resort and made the most of it. I will say that renting the umbrella and chairs from the resort was pricey, but, when in Rome….!
Sulfur Springs Mud Bath
If you’re the kind of person who loves the idea of smearing black mud all over your face and body for its healing properties, do this 🙂 It’s weird at first, but once you get in, it’s very relaxing. We had a lot of fun with it by taking some National Geographic-style photos… you know, cuz we’re explorers immersed in black sludge!
I would do this all over again…and probably will!
You can also drive through a volcano here but we didn’t get the chance to do it. Does this black mud have healing properties? Who knows. We definitely felt like a couple of kids were allowed to get dirty for once! I would suggest the Sulfur Springs Mud Bath as a must-do experience, if only to say you did it!
Soufriere
I of course had to suggest the little town of Soufriere! We explored one day in hopes to find a great hole-in-the-wall restaurant that serves amazing Caribbean food (and we did!!)
This seaside town was the original capital of the island. There is a tremendous amount of history here… it was colonized by the French but became a British colony in 1803. There are still many old estates still operating today: The Soufriere Estate, The Rabot Estate, and (drum roll….)….the Fond Doux Estate, which is where we stayed! They still grow and harvest cocoa there which we watched. We also took the tour on how they make chocolate! Definitely adventure through this town, there is so much to take in and photograph…and have an exceptional meal!
If you are thinking of booking a trip to St. Lucia, and will be close to the west side of the island, I hope this list inspires you to experience one or all of these places! You won’t be disappointed…
The sunshine is the first thing you notice when you land in Palm Springs. It’s a tiny airport, one that is mostly outside! Walking from your gate to the main building is all outdoors…nothing but flowers, cactus and the mountains to take in as you make your way to arrivals.
I love the landscaping in Palm Springs, I call the plant life ‘little pieces of art’
We were staying in a condo downtown Palm Springs where there was literally a huge mountain right next door…it didn’t look real even! Almost like a fake movie set, or maybe the Truman Show. I love love love Palm Springs… the architecture of the homes, the desert, the hummingbirds, the cactus, the hiking and exploring, and the FOOD!!! So good.
The big mountain right next door!
For this blog post, I’m going to focus on the history of Palm Springs and one of my favorite places for an early morning hike… Tahquitz Canyon.
The Legend of Palm Springs: Your Secrets are Safe
A little bit of history…In case you haven’t heard the stories, Palm Springs was “Hollywood’s Playground to the Stars” starting all the way back to the 1930’s. The Palm Springs Racquet Club was a huge draw, and, it is still there today. Palm Springs was just far enough away from Hollywood to be out of the 100-mile reimbursement policies of gossip magazines of the time. This meant that Hollywood stars could escape to Palm Springs, live life how they wanted to and keep all their secrets from being published because no gossip reporter would follow them if their travel expense would not be reimbursed. This ensured privacy and peace for stars like Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, and many more. It’s really interesting… you should Google it 🙂 Many of the homes have been bought and transformed into boutique hotels and bed and breakfasts.
“Palm Springs was a safe-haven for old Hollywood stars…”
The Legend of Tahquitz Canyon: A Banished Shaman
Tahquitz Canyon is home to Tahquitz Falls. They say it was named by the leader of the Fox Tribe and that it is a place of power. “When you enter, you’re tired and weak, when you leave you are rejuvenated and energized”… it’s a shallow pool of water at the foot of the falls and you can absolutely walk the soft sand up to the waterfall. You do feel good just being there and breathing in and out… it’s calming and beautiful. Nate and I certainly had a moment of serenity that was much deserved!
Tahquitz Falls
The terrain almost looks like you are walking on another planet, one that is nothing but large boulders of granite and mountains all around you.
The temperature was pleasant in the early morning, but know that if you are out there past 10am, it is HOT. We were there in May which I think is the perfect weather month for a place like Palm Springs. We love this hike…it’s not difficult, and it’s just long enough to feel like you got a great workout. It’s a beautiful place, one that, of course, has a legend attached to it…
Legend has it that Tahquitz was the first shaman who was given lots of power, and initially began using his power for good. But in time, he became selfish and used his power for wrong-doing. He used his powers against the Agua Caliente people who lived on that land, and in doing so, they became so angry that they banished him to Tahquitz Canyon, where he is still today, living in a secret cave below Tahquitz Rock. They say you can see him in the night sky as a glowing green ball of light. This story was enough for me to go exploring into the canyon…mystic legends are high on my list of awesome things!
We had a wonderful couple of days, we were actually sad to leave it behind. We had amazing dinners, which I’ll likely blog about later… and we did some walking around and exploring, found a flower-covered courtyard hiding in the center of some buildings and stumbled upon the most super-secret-yet-amazing cocktail bar! Nate discovered this gem and I can’t wait to write about how this place is a must-do…
The most beautiful flower-covered courtyard complete with fountains and lots of bench seating for weary walkers…I couldn’t even tell you how to find it!! It’s like Narnia, I think we must have walked through a wardrobe to get there!
We hope you consider Palm Springs… the main strip is quite action-packed. There are also many quiet and secret places to discover! I recommend getting a VRBO or AirBNB with a pool…it is hotter than blazes and sitting out by the pool while the sun is slowly setting with a bottle of wine is THERAPY for the soul…nothing but mountains, a slight breeze, and warmth ❤️
GO Adventure! And please share your Palm Springs comments as we do plan to go back, might even take the kiddies this time!!!
I love looking up at the stars. I’m still one of those people who find the brightest star in the sky and make a wish. I can still see Pinocchio playing in my head when I do it 🙂 I also make wishes when I find random pennies…I suppose I love the idea of wishes coming true. The sky is quite beautiful when you can clearly see it. Nate says he wants to be on one of those rocket ships that take people into space. As much as I love looking up, I say, let’s just admire it from here ❤️
Nothing sparks some deep thinking and question-asking like a clear night and a sky full of stars. I have been pleasantly surprised by a few places we have ventured to as they had the most beautiful starry sky! Here are three of those places for the avid stargazer and life-contemplator :
Breckenridge: Snow and Stars…
Breckenridge, Colorado was surprisingly beautiful at night! We vacationed there in early January to take advantage of all that beautiful snow and the resulting wintery excursions. One night in particular, we did a sleigh ride through a piney forest. I looked up and couldn’t believe how many stars!! I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many stars in the sky. Nate said we were at a higher elevation, and it was a crystal clear night. It was magical.
If you are looking into Breckenridge for a winter escape, this site has a lot of great tours and information! We were only there for 4 nights, but we could have stayed longer.
2. Punta Cana: Beach Stargazing
After this beautiful sunset faded, the moon came out and WOW…I felt like I could reach up and touch it. We were walking on the beach as the stars came out. A pitch black sky that far south tends to bring out every single star in the universe. It was wonderful. I only wish we had taken a picture, but I’m certain it wouldn’t have captured the beauty and depth of the night sky. Again, the stars were very clear and deep. I’ve read that the best stargazing in the Dominican Republic is at the Parque Nacional Valle Nuevo, where you can actually see the Milky Way! We have to go back. This trip was a birthday getaway and designed to be lazy and relaxing. But, next time we go, we’re going to explore the terrain, national parks, snorkeling and beaches!
3. Aruba: A View from the Water
I visited this beautiful island a few years ago and I still remember the sunset sailing tour that sailed under the stars. Now there’s a great way to stargaze…on a boat! At the time, I remember wondering if I’d actually see a shooting star. I’ve only seen 2 in my lifetime. My sister says there is a place on the big island of Hawaii where the stargazing is phenomenal, you see tons of shooting stars…it’s on our list 🙂 Aruba was another tropical sky that became the perfect shade of black that makes every star a sparkling diamond. I find that the Caribbean consistently offers stars at night, which is wonderful and not something we typically get here in the Chicago suburbs. If you are looking to vacation in Aruba, amongst all the adventurous offerings, I recommend a sunset tour on the water. You’ll never forget the sound of the water, the shimmery sky above you, and the feeling of peace it brings you…
Happy Stargazing (and don’t forget to make a wish…)
I remember when I never went anywhere…I was scared to go out there and do things I’ve never done before. My normal routine was to go to work, go home, rinse and repeat. It was a routine I established later in college. The idea of booking a flight gave me extreme anxiety, and I had no idea how to plan a trip, book a hotel room, and worse…I had no one to go anywhere with. My twenties were a bumpy road, one I walked alone. Not only was I terrified to adventure out, but I was mortified at the idea of getting close to people. I had no idea how to have a relationship with anyone, my fear of rejection played a big part in just staying home. I remember being invited to go on a road trip…I said No. I remember being asked to go to a concert…I declined. I remember being asked to visit with old friends in the city… I was scared to drive that far. Those were lonely days that seemed to blend into each other, one day to the next, with nothing notably special or amazing, and it was my fault. It was the life I knew. My anxiety kept me close to home. It also kept me in a self-created jail cell where I was never going to become my best self or live my best life.
My career, thank goodness, forced me to travel, and often. My first big work trip was Disney, we had a big conference there and I did all of the marketing pre-show and onsite. I still have a cinderella coffee mug that I bought on my first day there 🙂 My second big work trip: Germany. Now this one scared the sh*t out of me… not only was I going to another country, I had to fly home by myself and there was a dreaded connection in Munich!!! It seemed overwhelming…the very thought of venturing OUT of the country made me want to throw up. I remember when I landed back in Chicago, I had the world’s worst migraine and I could barely stand, I was that stressed out by all of it. The trip was amazing once I got there, but man…. getting home was a challenge.
“My Career, thank goodness, forced me to travel, and often…”
I survived the trip. And, I did really enjoy it!! It was in this moment that I realized…I loved to travel. And this fear that kept me home all the time…and never trying new things…I had to face it. And I did. I worked hard over the next few years to get over my fear of adventuring to new places. I also went through some personal things that left me full of anxiety all over again….man, you go forward 10 steps only to fall back 30. Travel helped me overcome all of it. For two decades, my family and close friends have helped pull me out of a hole they probably had no idea I was in… here are some memorable pics from those travels!
A New Life Full of Adventure
Fast forward to today… My life couldn’t be more different than those 20-something years. I travel the world with the most amazing partner and person I’ve ever met 🙂 Nate is fearless, and that’s the perfect person to travel to new places with. We try everything together. We’ve taken trains, plains, and automobiles in other countries and never have I felt more safe… We love to explore, find amazing restaurants and order everything on the menu, and, just being together. We have a lot of fun…as you can see 🙂
I traveled in my previous life before Nate, but with him, we travel and explore constantly. We do have 4 kids so we try to include them in our adventures as much as possible. And we ALWAYS tell them our travel stories in hopes that they will grow up to be adventurers, too! And…try new foods (one day….it will happen!)
Getting Married…The Ultimate Adventure??
In a little over 60 days, Nate and I get married ❤️ I remember when I started our wedding website, it gave me a countdown of 600 days! Which made me laugh…that seemed like a VERY long ways away. We’ve been engaged for 2 years and in August, we will have transitioned to the next big chapter, husband and wife. With marriage, there was no rush, only enjoying each other and our kids. I was married before, and never saw myself getting married again. But, here I am wearing a GORGEOUS ball gown of a dress (go big or go home, right?) and walking down the aisle in 2 months 🙂 Life is so unpredictable, there’s no way you can plan from one day to the next. And, it certainly keeps you on your toes! The ultimate adventure. It has been a long road, one that I cherish every moment of. We took the slow-and-steady road and decided it was best for us, and the kids especially, that we live life to the fullest and leisurely cross the finish line calmly, cautiously, whole-heartedly, patiently….and holding hands. With him, I can breathe and be my true self. He knows all of my dark corners, and is still here. I am grateful for this man, he was the missing ingredient for me to live my best life.
Travel for us is meaningful on so many levels. We continue to plan future trips, long weekends, or day excursions…something I don’t think we’ll ever stop doing. Some of our best memories are on these trips…they connect us and remind us that there’s something really great about experiencing something new, like a new country or a new island, together.
The Reward? Feeling Alive
I am lucky. I could have chosen to let my fear and anxiety take over and rule the rest of my life…and that’s not living. That would have, however, been easier. But instead, I overcame it, booked that flight, built relationships with people, ate foods I never would have eaten before, done every excursion possible while traveling, and I get to travel ‘the road in front of me’ with my person…this man who loves my cooking, who loves to explore, who loves sharing his passions with me, who thinks i’m hilarious, who thinks I’m smart, who says Thank You every morning for the coffee I make, who loves my kids, and who literally shines sunlight on everything he touches…and today I am living the life I dreamed of. Everything falls into place.
Travel is a big part of both our hearts. We have a handful of trips left for 2021 and are already booking some very exciting things for 2022! I’m very particular about travel…I need a diverse portfolio of trips ranging from islands to other countries, to a state I’ve never been to, to local things. It’s going to be a good line-up!
Writing about our travels may just end up being a literal book of adventures…a digital documentation of our life together. If life is what you make it, we plan to make it an adventure, always ❤️ ❤️ Through good times and bad. I am thankful for my 20’s…it reminds me of how much I have changed and how far I have come.
Here’s to travel being a blessing to those who pursue it…
It was an early Sunday morning city tour that brought us to the Church of Hallgrímskirkja. The road that led up to the church was quite unique and painted in rainbow colors. You couldn’t help but follow it… 🌈 ❤️
It brought you to the front door which was majestic, to say the least. We were meeting there in front of the church to do a city tour, which is the best way to see any new city, in my opinion. As we were waiting for our guide to arrive, Nate and I decided to go into the church. We were fortunate enough to see choir practice before the day officially began. The video clip below is what we captured…
This beautiful singing is a sound I will never forget, and we just happened to be there waiting on our tour guide…we would have completely missed it, otherwise. Talk about being somewhere at the right moment to hear something like this…It’s a little over a minute long, but absolutely worth hearing! It still gives me goosebumps…I truly believe we were meant to hear this. We had traveled so far, to experience this on a whim, unplanned, was a gift.
I have never heard anything so beautiful. I am not a publicly religious person, I keep my thoughts and beliefs to myself as they are deeply personal and I like to keep them that way. I will say this… this moved me to where I didn’t want to leave. It is amazing to me that humans can make sounds this lovely and emotionally moving. And this was just practice for them! What a talented group of individuals who happened to be singing as we were waiting to begin our busy day. I feel lucky to have been there and to have heard it in person.
This church is something that should be seen, if only for its architecture. The church was commissioned in 1937 and sits on a hilltop in Reykjavic. The designer of the church tried to mimic mountains and glaciers…very appropriate seeing as that is what surrounds Iceland and makes up their textured landscape. The church took 41 years to build and comes with a statue out front of Leif Erikson the explorer. I only wish we could have toured the entire church! But, that was not a part of the tour….
Our tour took us throughout the streets of Reykjavic which was really helpful navigating the city on our own later. In fact, if I could do it all over again, I’d book the city tour FIRST. It’s not a huge city and is absolutely walkable. We had a tiny apartment close to the Sun Voyager sculpture, which is really beautiful as it sits overlooking the icy water and mountains. It was designed to be an ode to the sun, it almost looks like its ready to set sail and explore at any moment. The sculpture was unveiled on the cities birthday in 1990.
Just one of the many things we did on our adventure in Iceland! So much history, we certainly toured a few museums and took in the culture as much as possible, but that is for a different blog post!
Iceland is a great experience and one that felt like a once in a lifetime trip for us…except I think it’s going to be a twice in a lifetime trip, we plan to do a summer version. The days are long, the waterfalls are unfrozen, and the beaches are ready for people to explore. I can’t wait!!!
GO ADVENTURE while you have your health and can take voyages like this one, you won’t regret seeing Iceland…
Trying a new fancy drink wherever we go is now a part of our travel routine. This actually started during our trip to Portland, Maine. We found this corner bar that only made specialty drinks and we ended up going there every single night until we left. We really look forward to trying new cocktails…and if we love them enough, we try to replicate them at home! Which is ALSO something we really enjoy… when the kids aren’t here, we make a delicious cocktail, make something insanely delectable like King Crab Leg dinner (and roasted asparagus…yum), and have the best night ever 🙂 🙂
The drink featured here comes from Tempe, Arizona! The Herbalist is a refreshingly zesty, yet minty, cocktail made with Elderflower Liqueur. Once you try Elderflower Liqueur, it will be your new favorite drink ingredient….and it smells as good as it tastes. Warning: we had two of these each the other night, and I don’t remember how I got to bed…SO…one is enough for me! It didn’t take me long to replicate this drink…I hope you love it as much as we do.
“Once you try Elderflower Liqueur, it will be your new favorite drink ingredient…”
The Herbalist
Ingredients for two martini-style cocktails:
4 shots Elderflower Liqueur
3 shots of your favorite Gin (we chose Gray Whale)
Juice 2 large limes (if they are tiny, better make it 3)
Fresh Mint
1 shot of Simple Syrup
Ice and a martini shaker
Muddler
Martini Shaker Strainer (we like little bits of mint, but you may want to strain it for a clean finish)
First Step: Muddle your handful of fresh mint…it smells SO good….
Next: Juice your limes and add it
Then: add your Gin and Elderflower Liqueur
Finally: add your simple syrup, a decent amount of ice, and shake!
This drink is perfect for summer, and is definitely a keeper! If you make this, be sure to comment! AND, share this drink with a friend…
Nate told me to expect a very quaint, small town village type of feel for Seville…and that it was known for growing orange trees. He ALSO mentioned that Seville was the location for a Game of Thrones scene! The Alcázar in Game of Thrones which was the set for the Palace and Water Gardens of Dorne. So if there are any Game-of-Thronies reading this, this is a very cool place to vacation and a must-see for your list.
Seville, or Sevilla, has a fascinating past. It was a small city that, in 1503, became the center for commerce between Spain and ‘the new world’ and became the site for the main holdings of silver and gold from the Americas. It became the richest city in Spain in the 16th century. For the art buff, some famous painters and sculptors came from Seville, including Diego Velázquez, a 17th century painter who is recognized as one of the world’s most important artists.
We spent two nights and a morning in Seville as it was a part of our multi-day spanish adventure. Our hotel was the most romantic, boutique hotel… Hotel Casa 1800 Seville. Just beautiful… you walk in and the foyer takes your breath away.
I didn’t feel like I was staying in a hotel, I felt like I was living in an old spanish movie surrounded by stone and wrought iron. And our hotel room? I didn’t want to leave it… it had a balcony that overlooked the courtyard with floor-to-ceiling glass doors. Yep. Amazing.
It was very tucked away but in a great central location. The eating area had a fridge stocked full of waters and afternoon treats! We looked forward to recharging mid-day and taking a necessary spanish siesta… dinner starts at 9pm and goes till the late late hours so you will need to rest and relax!
The Food Tour
Whenever we go somewhere that is known for food, we book a food tour. You also get a lot of history and great conversation with people in your tour group! We really enjoyed this one… we sampled traditional spanish food and wine, and made some friends who had just traveled from Portugal (and sold us on taking a vacation there!)
The food was exactly what I expected… delicious and very unique. We went to multiple restaurants and our travel guide filled us in on some local culture and famous locations, like The Royal Alcázar…
The Royal Alcázar
This royal palace traces back to the year 712. Walking through it was quite the experience…you’ve never seen such elaborate tile work or plaster. This is where Game of Thrones shot their scenes in Dorne. From what I recall, those scenes were mostly in the gardens. I got sucked in like a lot of people…. it was a really great story and so well done! (We shall not speak of the last season….). When we traveled here, Nate and I were binge-watching all of it, so it was pretty awesome that we were standing where the cast had been.
This palace has been impeccably maintained so that we (us tourists) can walk its corridors today and see just how magnificent this palace truly was. The gardens are also quite remarkable, we took LOTS of pictures! We walked hand-in-hand through the gardens and around the perimeter of the property, a wonderful memory.
Seville was such a beautiful place. Of the three places we flew to (Seville, Madrid and Barcelona), Seville was my favorite.
If you travel to Spain, it’ll be hard to choose WHERE to go and WHAT to see…it’s all so exciting! If you do choose Seville, I hope this post helps you create the perfect trip full of great food and tours. In fact, here is a helpful link on tours and things…
We have some family in other countries, and travel out and back again is sounding promising!! We can’t wait… We still have Paris, Copenhagen, San Sebastian, and Iceland during the summer months on our list. Let’s hope that international travel resumes like the olden days! We are ready to ADVENTURE over the ocean and into Europe again soon…
My partner-in-crime is so good to me. For my birthday this year, he surprised me with a long weekend away to Asheville, NC. I had been there before, but experiencing places with Nate is like experiencing them for the first time… so exciting and memorable. He spoiled me on this trip… we ate at fabulous restaurants and had the cutest VRBO with a roaring fireplace and HUGE bathroom (I have a thing about bathrooms…).
My birthday is the day after Valentines Day… one might say that’s awesome, and it is! Our first night, we bought a couple bottles of red, turned on that fireplace, and had the most wonderful evening 🙂
When you think of Asheville, you probably think of the Biltmore...but there is so much more than that! You are literally surrounded by mountains, wineries, and adventuresome things. For this adventure, I didn’t want the trip to be hiking or biking up a mountain, but rather, a relaxing sight-seeing weekend with 5-star restaurants. Food is usually my top priority 🙂
We certainly did the Biltmore, it is worth seeing…if only to wrap your brain around the fact that George Vanderbilt had this home built when he was in his early 30’s…pretty astounding. It puts my cute little townhome (which I bought when I was 30) to shame!
The rooms are dazzling… it is, in itself, almost a monument representing a very different time. The architecture is mind-blowing, as well as the gardens and room interiors. I toured the Biltmore a decade ago, but seeing it again was like a brand new experience.
Afterwards, we went to the winery on property. FABULOUS. Every single wine we tasted was excellent, and that never happens. Because we went during the later stages of the pandemic and travel freeze, no one was there and we had a really great experience because of it! The Biltmore is a tourist must-do with usually long lines. We never waited in a single line…
The food was amazing. I think I’ll save my recommendations on restaurants for a different post! Truly, it deserves its own audience… the food was excellent. But, I will give you a preview of one of my meals…. my birthday dinner!!
River Arts District
We stumbled upon the River Arts District searching for a coffee house…it’s sort of a tradition for us to find local coffee grind and brews! This area was obviously an old industrial area converted to various businesses and is located next to the French Broad River. All of the buildings are covered in murals…it’s like walking through an art museum.
This entire place screams Instagram. So much talent! Every mural was so unique, truly a must-see if you are fascinated with art and murals. This area is home to numerous artists who showcase their art galleries, jewelry, pottery, glass and metal artwork, and more.
Blue Ridge Parkway
We absolutely took advantage of our beautiful surroundings, rented a car and drove the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was a bit overcast when we did it, but stunning views none-the-less.
The parkway spans 469 miles…we obviously didn’t drive all of it. We took a scenic drive for about an hour or so and then went back to Asheville.
This trip was a wonderful gift… and so romantic 🙂
If you are looking for a really fun long weekend with wineries, hiking, beautiful mountains, exceptional dinners and various sights to see, Asheville is perfect. It was only an hour and a half flight from Chicago… we will definitely be going back to do all of the OTHER things we just didn’t have time to do!!
We hope you GO ADVENTURE to Asheville, and please tell us about the amazing things you experienced!!
Cozumel looked like paradise in all of the pictures I saw online. I started looking at resorts and was hooked… we had to go there. It seemed daunting, however, getting to the island. Direct flights were quite pricey from O’Hare Airport. However, flights into Cancun were dirt cheap! There was only one catch: you have to then take a ferry to the Island which was a 30 minute cab ride away. I’m lazy when it comes to travel…the less stuff I have to do to get to where I want to go, the better. Thankfully, Nate is like a walking compass and fearless when it comes to taking a train, then a boat, then a bus, then a scooter, than a short 5 mile walk… he’s the best travel companion a girl could ask for 🙂
I booked the flight direct into Cancun and then purchased ferry tickets when we got to the boat.
On our way to the big yellow ferry!
I had read that the rates could be different, some lower and some higher, depending on where you bought them. There were other companies trying to sell ferry tickets, I recommend buying them directly from the ferry office. Tickets were cheap, about $15 a person one way.
We arrived to the ferry early so we did something we try to never do… eat at a commercial chain restaurant. We diligently try to eat at local establishments to get the best cultural foodie experience, however, Senor Frogs was right on the water and right in front of the ferry entrance. The views from the seating area sucked us in! And, we were pleasantly surprised with the food, it was really good!!! All I wanted was fresh ceviche and a big margarita… check and check!! I proudly wore my ballon crown as I sipped a big glass of ‘relaxation’…
The full experience… and the ceviche was EXCELLENT
It was a lovely 1 hour boat ride to Cozumel! We sat on the top deck to get the best views…of course.
The view from the top deck was stunning… you could see Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Cozumel off in the distance
There are taxis lined up when you get off the ferry, we took one to our resort which was around $20 (bring cash!).
There are so many resorts to choose from…. I was specifically looking for all-inclusive as I didn’t want to find restaurants during a time when I knew most restaurants would still be closed (January, 2021, still very immersed in the residual effects of the pandemic). The Occidental was the resort I chose.
I took this from the pool entrance…. just blue water as far as you can see
The pictures were enough to convince me, and the rates were very reasonable. The gardens surrounding and inter-woven throughout the property were immaculate. And, lots of wildlife.
yep, that’s a strange ‘thing’ behind me…. we called it the ant eater/raccoon
I had a feeling the guest count would be underwhelming, and I was right. It felt like it was just us at the resort most nights. We had the whole beach to ourselves! The food was excellent for an all-inclusive… I don’t know about you, but my experiences with all-inclusive’s has been sub-par food. The best food is certainly elsewhere in the local restaurants…however, The Occidental did a great job.
Because we knew that things were still closed due to the pandemic, we opted to stay at the resort. Normally, we are adventuring all over the place. But, we did really enjoy just relaxing… we ate a fabulous breakfast every morning, we then went to the beach for most of the day while sipping delicious cocktails (tip: ask for a double shot!!) Nate spoiled me with a massage by the sea which was worth every penny… I had a huge knot in my right shoulder area named ‘2020’ and she worked that thing right out! I felt like a brand new person 🙂
There is something magical about swimming in clear blue water. It is truly an exhale moment when your feet are in the sand, your wading in crystal clear ocean, the sky is perfectly blue, and there’s no noise except the waves.
This right here is why we travel…finding serenity.
There was a constant breeze on the island which just added to this outstanding experience. My sister and her husband joined us on this excursion to Mexico and we had the ABSOLUTE BEST TIME, I’m so glad we went even though everything around us was still uncertain. We needed to put the past year behind us and do a major reset on our well-being. To make this trip even more special, I received a job offer while on the plane-ride over… so unexpected and such an incredible moment… it truly felt like life was back on track and only wonderful things were ahead. A sense of renewal and hope like I had never felt…. Cozumel was a gift.
Total bliss…
We spent 4 nights and 5 days on Cozumel… much more to write about!!
Welcome to our Book of Adventures 