Encouraging women to try adventurous travel
In mid-August, the weather on the Rogue River was warm, beckoning me to jump in the cool greenish water. Of course, I obliged and would lazily float downstream. I had great weather and water temperatures, which made packing a breeze (instead of the regular gale-force …
“Oh, the weather outside is frightful! But a cozy cabin in the woods is delightful!” is my rendition of a classic holiday song to get you excited to have the coziest cozy cabin experience. Since I live on the California coast, nothing is better than …
As a planner who likes to have things confirmed before going somewhere, the idea of getting a walk-up permit or staying at a first-come, first-served campground is anxiety-producing. I always think “What if I don’t get my first choice? What if there are no more …
When you’re planning a trip, how are you currently keeping it all organized? Is it a hot mess of different emails and a jumble of details in your head? Haha, that’s how I started too. After a few trips, I started to crave a structure …
When I was a tried and true day hiker, I always thought it would be impossibly difficult to plan a backpacking trip, especially in another state. Yes, it’s a multi-step process, but it is absolutely possible. Over the last couple of years, I began to …
I read through the materials, watched the informational videos, and talked with others who had been on any rafting trip. And yet, there were things that I didn’t expect about a Grand Canyon rafting trip. For my first ever multi-day river rafting trip in the …
If you’re going on a multi-day rafting trip in the Grand Canyon, it’s likely going to be sunny, warm, with a chance of fridged 50-degree river water splashes. In this post, I want to discuss the absolute most essential things to pack and other ways …
Guided tours are a large part of the travel industry and a common occurrence in my personal travels. I’ve taken a few multi-day group tours (like in Cuba and Peru) and what feels like a hundred single-day guided activities. These are fantastic for gaining access …
You know why you’re here. In the past, you’ve lugged around a giant suitcase in a foreign destination filled with clothes you didn’t wear and items you didn’t need. Over the last four years, I’ve been slowly adopting a system that forces me to pack …
“While in Germany, one must visit a biergarten.” The phrase should be set in stone because the biergarten is such wonderful piece of German culture. A biergarten or beer garden is an outdoor area with tables, where you can enjoy a beer and some food …
It can be tough to decide which small town to stay in when visiting the castles, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. We opted for Füssen and were not disappointed! The size of the town is small, cute, and walk-able, but big enough to have a variety of …
Airbnb in Akureyri, Iceland Airbnb in La Forntuna, Costa Rica Glamping Tent Airbnb in Tulum, Mexico Airbnb in Paso Robles California Airbnb in Joshua Tree, California Wine and Appetizers at our Joshua Tree Airbnb, California Airbnb in Hella, Iceland Airbnb has radically changed the travel …
Belize is small country in Central America with Caribbean vibes and coconut oil for days. It is south of Cancun and Tulum on the Yucatan Peninsula and is often overlooked as a tropical destination. Somehow I didn’t realize before I left that the official language …
Belize is a small country with plenty to do for an entire week. However, when planning my Belize adventure, I couldn’t resist exploring the Tikal Ruins in Guatemala. Also, it was much less expensive to fly out of Cancun than Belize City. This kind of …
For a longtime, Rebecca and I looked into campervans for different trips around California or Utah. Finally, when realizing that there are not many options around Death Valley National Park, we opted for the full campervan experience. We got a campground spot at Furnace Creek, …
Training for the Mt. Whitney Day Hike Training for the Mt. Whitney day hike is no joke. The trail to Mt. Whitney is a 22-mile out-and-back incline to reach the highest peak in the continental US. It is a stunning and challenging hike. Most people …
(Updated June 4, 2022) What gear should you bring on a 22-mile day hike? Well, you’re going to be out on the mountain for 12 – 20 hours, so bring things to keep you comfortably chugging along. As I mentioned in my training for Mt. …
If you are doing a multi-day hike in Peru or even a little hiking, you will want to prepare for the terrain and elevation. Below you will the items I recommend and brought with me on our 5-day, 4-night Salkantay Trek Hike with a tour …
It’s true, Iceland is not exactly an inexpensive place to vacation/holiday, but Iceland budget travel is not impossible! (Did you follow all those double negatives? lol!) Perhaps it’s comparable to the California prices I encounter day to day. BUT with a little planning, you can …
I am no expert. I am no scientist. But I do know how to use the internet to research. And I made it a personal mission to see the elusive Aurora Borealis. Part of my determination originated from being unable to see the Northern Lights …
This post is for anyone worried about driving in Iceland winter conditions. Now winter in Iceland is not a joking matter, but visiting Iceland during winter is absolutely magical and driving should not scare you. At some point you must realize that you cannot predict …
Iceland – To do in Akureyri Akureyri is the second biggest city in Iceland and located in the center of the northern coastline. I am here to make the case for visiting Akureyri in winter and what you can do there. The biggest reason for visiting is …