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Yellowstone and Grand Teton Road Trip Itinerary

Grand Prismatic Spring

Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first national park, had been on my bucket list for a long time and it was time to check it off! With its close proximity to Grand Teton National Park, the two parks make for a perfect road trip. Yellowstone covers 2.2 million acres and Grand Teton 310,000. Covering such an expansive area can be overwhelming and requires careful planning. In this post, I’ll share our 7 day itinerary through Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, including maps, tips, highlights, and more. Continue reading “Yellowstone and Grand Teton Road Trip Itinerary”

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36 Hours in Lucerne, Switzerland

Mt. Pilatus, Lucerne, Switzerland

Lucerne Switzerland is one of the few places I’ve really fallen in love with and probably the only city I’ve ever fallen in love with. And, I only spent 1.5 days here on a two week trip around Europe! Lucerne is small, quaint, and unbelievably picturesque. The city has many bridges crossing the Reuss River and sits on Lake Lucerne with a backdrop of the Swiss Alps. It’s small, walkable and easy to navigate making day trips easy. Its medieval architecture and 14th century bridges make it really feel like a fairytale. In this post, I’ll talk about all the things you should do if you only have 36 hours in Lucerne. Continue reading “36 Hours in Lucerne, Switzerland”

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Two Weeks in Europe Itinerary

Amalfi Coast, Italy

My friend, Sara, and I decided to take our first real international trip after completing our first year teaching. We decided to spend two weeks in Europe and since it was our first time, we went on a guided tour with Globus. The itinerary was very much on-the-go. We visited 8 cities in 4 countries in 2 weeks. This sounds super stressful and I know if we went on our own we would not have been able to cover this much ground on our first international trip without there being chaos and stress involved. This was a plus side of going with the tour. It was completely stress free even though it was fast paced. We also met some really awesome people, which made the experience that much more enjoyable. Although going with a tour was the right choice for us at the time, If I were to go back, I would do it on my own. But that’s only because I’ve since gained experience traveling. Continue reading “Two Weeks in Europe Itinerary”

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U.S. National Park Road Trips

Death Valley National Park

With limited time off, I make sure to plan my travels in a way that lets me experience as much as possible in a short amount of time. One of the best ways to do this is road trips! With our goal of seeing all 60 national parks, I often try to plan trips that will allow us to visit multiple national parks in one epic road trip. I love when you can experience such diverse cultures, landscapes, climates, and wildlife all in one trip. And, the drive itself is usually just as much of an adventure as each of the destinations. Continue reading “U.S. National Park Road Trips”

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Top Things to Do in Niagara Falls, Canada

View of Niagara Falls from the Canada side

Niagara Falls is made up of 3 waterfalls that lie between the US (New York) and Canada (Ontario). It’s the second largest waterfall in the world and the most famous with 3,160 tons of water flowing over the falls every second. If you’re planning on heading over to this natural wonder, first you’ll need to decide whether you’ll spend your time on the US side or Canada side (or both). We flew into Buffalo, rented a car, and drove over to the Canada side. We stopped at the NY side again before flying back home. In this guide, I’ll talk a little about the differences between each side. You’ll also find some tips, as well as my favorite (and least favorite)  things to do in Niagara Falls, Canada (since that’s where we spent the majority of our time). Continue reading “Top Things to Do in Niagara Falls, Canada”

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Northern California Road Trip Itinerary

View of Napa Valley from Hot Air Balloon, California

California is the most visited state in the US and for good reason. I’ve visited California 4 times and have not even come close to seeing all that California has to offer. With beaches, mountains, valleys, deserts, forests and cities, California has it all.

One of my favorite trips in California was a road trip I took with my friend, Sara, around the northern and central regions. In 6 days, we went from San Francisco, to Yosemite, to Monterey and then up to Napa Valley. Each of the four destinations offered very different experiences, which is part of what made the trip so memorable! Continue reading “Northern California Road Trip Itinerary”

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7 Days on the Big Island

sunset at Mauna Kea, Big Island, Hawaii

Each of the Hawaiian islands offers a unique experience to its visitors. On the Big Island, it’s all about adventure and volcanoes. The Big Island is the youngest of the Hawaiian Islands and twice the size of all the other islands combined. It is home to five volcanoes, three of them active. On the other islands, you can spend most of your time in one location and still see everything, but this isn’t as easy on the Big Island. Continue reading “7 Days on the Big Island”

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Hike the Awa’awapuhi Trail on Kauai’s Napali Coast

The landscapes of the Napali Coast are part of the reason that millions of people travel from all over the world to visit Kauai. Most people see this rugged coastline via air or boat. But don’t underestimate the thrill of walking along a ridge between two sheer cliffs with panoramic views of the turquoise Pacific ocean. Continue reading “ Hike the Awa’awapuhi Trail on Kauai’s Napali Coast”

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2 Days in Yosemite National Park

Tunnel View Overlook, Yosemite National Park

My very first visit to a national park was Yosemite and it was a 2-day stop on a road trip around northern California. I can remember planning for it and feeling overwhelmed at the amount of recommended things to do and see. I honestly had no idea that I was about to visit one of the most popular landmarks in the US. At the time, I really didn’t know much about national parks, but I was definitely left wanting more. Continue reading “2 Days in Yosemite National Park”

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What to Pack for an African Safari

Getting ready for your first safari is an exciting, yet overwhelming experience.  Packing for a safari is not like packing for most other trips. There are surprisingly a lot of do’s and don’ts, and quite a few important details to keep in mind. That’s why I’ve put together a list of tips and packing essentials to help you get ready for your first (or next) safari! Continue reading “What to Pack for an African Safari”