Croatia is one of those up-and-coming countries. Gaining popularity, but still not as touristed (yup, it’s a word) as Italy and other nearby European nations. At least, not yet. And that, my friends, is why I’m urging you to add Croatia to your travel bucket list ASAP if it’s not already penciled in. Better yet, …
Solo travel is a polarizing topic. You've either done it / want to do it / applaud folks who do. OR, you think they're crazy. And if you're in the latter group, I'm not mad. In fact, I think it does take some level of crazy to embark on a trip by yourself. Especially an …
Grotto Falls is pretty popular. First, it’s the only waterfall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that you can walk behind. Bam. Instant appeal. Second, it’s a short hike. Only 1.4 miles from the Trillium Gap trailhead to the falls. Minimal effort for maximum beauty. Ironically, Grotto Falls’ popularity and the short trek to …
Continue reading When Hiking Trillium Gap to Grotto Falls, Don’t Skip Brushy Mountain!
Welp. I found my sweet spot. My hiking sweet spot, that is. And I don’t mean location. I’m talking distance. After nearly two months of life in Tennessee – hiking lotsa trails of various lengths – I’ve discovered that 8-mile hikes are juuuuuuust right, in that Goldie Locks-esque sort of way. Don’t get me wrong. …
Friends, I hiked eight miles to see a bunion in the Smokies. Though I don’t have bunions, they’re hereditary on my mom’s side – so I grew up quite familiar with ‘em. Outside of my family, though, it’s not often I hear much bunion talk. Maybe that’s why I was so intrigued when several Tennesseans …
Continue reading Hiking the Appalachian Trail to Charlie’s Bunion
I’ll admit. I’m one of those people who can’t travel without buying souvenirs. Still, I tend to avoid the kitschy, tourist shop tchotchkes. Okayyyyy, so I’ll also admit that I do sometimes wind up with a cheap ol’ trinket that means nothing other than to prove I was there. That’s the exception to the rule, …
I’ll admit, I am not a foodie by ANY stretch of the imagination. In my everyday life, I tend to keep it pretty basic – as in, I rarely spend money eating out, and if a recipe has more than 5 ingredients, I start to lose interest. Not exaggerating. Now, I will say that travel …
Continue reading Food Adventures: A Non-Foodie’s Guide to Local Foods in Australia & New Zealand
You might think I wouldn’t be afraid to go canyon swinging and ziplining in Queenstown, New Zealand – ya know, since I’ve already mastered skydiving at 15,000 feet, bungee jumping in the Alps, and ziplining between two mountains in southern Italy. But nope. You’d be wrong. I was still pretty darn scurrrd. It didn’t surprise …
Continue reading My Canyon Fox & Canyon Swing Experience in Queenstown, NZ
The moment I booked a flight to Sydney, I knew I’d wind up booking a flight to New Zealand, too. No way, José, was I gonna fly to the other side of the world and not visit both countries. I mean, who knows when I’ll be in that hemisphere again. It’s not exactly a quick …
Continue reading Queenstown, NZ is the Ultimate Adventure Travel Destination
I love Brussels. The sprouts and the city. Brussels sprouts can be a polarizing topic, though, so I’m gonna stick with Belgium’s capital. Whenever I visit a new city, I’m curious to find an underlying element that sets it apart from any other place I’ve experienced. What struck me about Brussels is its juxtaposition of …
