“They lived, they laughed, they loved, and left” -Finnegans Wake, 1938

April 5, 2019April 5, 2019Leave a comment

I am a huge fan of Ireland and I have many reasons as to why. I’ve been there twice now, and have seen almost the entire island. We are planning to return in the next few years to explore Cork, Wexford, and Waterford and we will have seen every county. Before I knew how much Irish ancestry I had I was always enamored with the culture. The first time I visited Ireland I had no idea just how much history was in my DNA. Who’s to say this isn’t why I felt such a connection?

Ireland is made up of two countries, the north (Northern Ireland) consists of 6 counties and the south (the republic of Ireland) makes up the rest. Northern Ireland is still under British rule and so you will find a very big difference if you cross the border. The Northern currency is Sterling while the southern currency is Euros. The northern people have a distinct accent that is much more harsh and has somewhat of a Scottish influence. There is a lot of English influence in the food, cars, and just about everything else.

The Antrim coast and the Wild Atlantic Way are the most breathtakingly beautiful coastal drives you can take. If you plan on doing anything on your trip I absolutely recommend doing both. As of now, there is no firm border so you do not need to show your passport, but this could change at any moment with Brexit looming over head.

Giant’s Causeway

The countryside on the Antrim Coast is gorgeous, and I highly recommend going during the late March or early April to see all the lambs. They definitely stole the show on our most recent trip. Giant’s Causeway and BushMills distillery are also located on the Antrim Coast. They are relatively close to one another although not walking distance. If you are comfortable driving abroad then renting a car and hitting both places at once make the most sense. There are also a ton of tours offered from larger cities that will give you enough time at both. Along the Antrim Coast, Dunluce castle is also visible. While you may not be able to get to walk the grounds, there are some stunning shots you can get from the street. If you want more information on Giant’s Causeway you can check my blog post about it here.

Cappuccino at Grove Road

The coffee and chocolate in Ireland (and the rest of Europe) is 100% better than the U.S. The coffee isn’t watered down, it is strong, and they do not use half and half or cream. They do have sweetener but you will need to pick it up from a grocery store because most restaurants do not carry it. You may get lucky and have a waiter who is carrying a dispenser in their pocket and will share with you. The chocolate is richer with much more taste. The food that we picked up for breakfast from the grocery store in Dublin was delicious and had way less sugar than it would have in the states. Speaking of food, Irish soda bread is the best thing I’ve ever had. I might just move to Ireland for the soda bread, chocolate, and coffee. If you know anything about me, you know that I am a avid coffee drinker, chocolate eater, and as long as I have those 2 things and bread, I am happy. So, take me to Ireland and leave me there forever, please.

The LUAS

If you have never been to Europe before, it is very easy to get around if you stay in a city. The public transportation in Dublin is really great. With so many universities in the city there are many options for you to use so you don’t need to rent a car. The dart train will take you out of the city, the Luas will take you north to south, or east to west of Dublin, and the buses are EVERYWHERE. Download “Journey Plan” or “LUAS” apps on your phone to take full advantage of the public transportation. A 7 day pass for the Luas is €24, for students it is even cheaper. Be sure to carry this with you as well as a photo school ID if you are a student as operators can ask you to show your pass at any time. Both times that I have stayed in Dublin I was able to easily use the Luas to get almost anywhere. So I highly recommend buying a week pass, if you use it more than 3 times it pays for itself. Journey plan is great too because it will tell you the best routes to take, the departure times, arrival times, bus stops, Luas stops, and walking distance so you make it to your destination on time. Also, locals told us to try Henry Street for shopping, it is MUCH cheaper. Grafton street is the famous shopping district for tourists and it is adorable, but if you need to pick up a lot of things Henry Street will give you a much better deal.

Kilmacduagh Monastery

If you do not feel comfortable driving, but you want to explore outside of the city you should take a look at travel websites like Viator (my personal favorite!) and Trip Advisor. We use Viator for all of our vacations because it is reliable and we haven’t had a single bad tour. All of the information is displayed for you, they will send you confirmation notifications via text, and are very easy to work with. There are day trips from Dublin City to almost anywhere touristy in Ireland. While some of them are excruciatingly long (14+ hours) they are worth it, the buses are comfortable, and the tour guides are animated, funny, and informative (most of the time). Be sure to read all of the reviews before booking a tour and do your research on the tour companies. You should also contact the company for more information on the tour before booking. I have found that in some cases they do not list everything on the travel site for the tour. Ask about food, the general itinerary, length of time on the bus, and length of time at each stop. Ask if you can bring food onto the bus and ask how frequent stops are where you can use a restroom. Some of the tours have very early pick ups and this means you may need to hit up a grocery store to grab food to eat before you get on the bus or while you are driving. I also keep dramamine in my bag incase I or my fellow travel buddies get motion sick.

Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher are absolutely stunning, but driving the Wild Atlantic Way is equally stunning. We started on our first day with seeing the cliffs and I did not think much could top them with the breathtaking views. The good thing about Ireland is that there are so many beautiful views that I don’t think any one spot can overshadow the others, but instead each place has a unique beauty you can’t see in anywhere else in the world. Stunning is an understatement and overwhelmingly beautiful does not do the vistas justice. The Antrim Coast and the Wild Atlantic Way both blew us away.

The Burren

The Burren is a National Park in the Republic of Ireland where you can hike. The area is hard, rocky, and looks like dried mud, but it provides some beautiful areas. We made a quick stop along the coast and did not explore much, but the small area that we did see was gorgeous and we were able to get a few photographs before moving on. The area reminded me a lot of some of the hiking trails we came across while traveling in Maui and Kauai. It was equally as hard to walk on! Definitely bring comfortable shoes, already broken in, and lots of band-aids incase of blisters.

Galway, River Corrib

We also visited Galway in our most recent trip and the town on the bay was beautiful. The Corrib River, Spanish Arch, and Galway Bay were some of our favorite things we saw. The street performers are great and the locals, piss drunk, and yelling “WHAT THE FECK ARE YOU LOOKING AT” and “FECK OFF” were a great way to start our day in Galway, hehe. Did I mention you will need a sense of humor? We loved Galway and will 100% be staying here the next time we travel to Ireland. There was so much character, beauty, and simplicity in the city that you just can’t ignore it. I’m already planning our next trip back.

The Brazen Head

The oldest pub in Ireland, The Brazen Head is one of my favorite places to eat. The Irish stew is by far my favorite dish. It is located in Dublin and is definitely worth the wait if you can’t find a place to sit. On nice days you can enjoy yourself at the bar in the courtyard or sitting in the courtyard at a table. You can also find a seat inside one of the many rooms inside this tiny pub. Don’t let is fool you though, the food is amazing, the staff is great, and food comes out quite quickly. You won’t be disappointed.

Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge

Of all of the places we stopped Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge was my absolute favorite with the Titanic Museum coming in to a close second (I have always been weirdly obsessed with everything Titanic related since I was 6 years old). After about a mile walk of mildly difficult terrain you come to a rope bridge that dangles over the cliff side. It is a very windy, thrilling adventure to cross (by the way, you need to cross twice if you want to get home). We had so much fun and the scenery surrounding it is absolutely gorgeous. If you time it right you will not have to wait in a very long line, but if you do have to wait in line the views will keep you occupied so you do not get bored. I am saving our rope bridge story for another post so stayed tuned and subscribe for that story.

Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge

There are tons of places to visit, distilleries and breweries to explore, and tiny pubs hidden all over the country of Ireland. Wherever you visit, whether it is Galway, Dublin, Kilkenny, Belfast or anywhere in between try to talk to locals. More often then not, they will give you advice, tell you a great story, or lend a helping hand (or maybe all three!). If you have a favorite place to visit in Ireland comment below so we can add it to our list for the next adventure.

Top 5 Countries to Visit for U.S. Passport Holders

December 11, 2018December 11, 20181 Comment

The United States currently sits #5 on the list for most powerful passport, with 110 countries available to visit without a visa (for the full list click here). Singapore is #1 with 162 countries available to their citizens. Today, a lot of young adults are taking time after school or during school to travel abroad. Visa’s can be extremely pricey, so I have compiled a list of Top 5 countries that U.S. citizens can either obtain a visa VERY easily and cheap or don’t need one at all.

Morocco

Well known for it’s brightly colored mosaic buildings, mosques and markets, and home to Casablanca Morocco is a must see travel destination. For women, you may not want to solo travel to the region, and if you do travel with a group be sure to cover yourself and always carry a scarf. Although many tourists will walk around wearing whatever they want, you will be subjected to less stares and groping if you are covered from head to toe and stay respectful to the culture.

From the Sahara desert, Majorelle Garden, and the Hassan II Mosque, among many other beautiful must see places in this country everything seems picturesque. You will want to explore the Medina (the market), stay in a Riad (small home made into a hotel) and take in all of the things going on around you.

Nepal

You will need a visa for Nepal, but it is one of about 50 countries that U.S. citizens can obtain easily and cheaper than other visas. If you plan to go outside the tourist season (October – December) you can save 50% of your money you would spend in peak tourist season. Nepal is home to Kathmandu and has some of the most beautiful landscapes anywhere in the world. Travel to the north and see the Himalayas and the tallest mountain in the world, Mount Everest. Every year people attempt to climb to the top and many times not everyone will make it back. However, you can plan to hike only to the base camp which is where it tends to get more dangerous.

Nepal is a great place for hikers. There are many guided and self guided hikes available in the country. One of the most famous hikes is called the Annapurna Circuit. The hike lasts 21 days and has some of the most amazing views of the Himalayas. Most hikers plan to only hike part of the trail as Annapurna is almost as dangerous and almost as challenging as Mount Everest.

If you aren’t a hiker, the food and spirit of the locals around you will be enough culture to make you want to return for more year after year.

Iceland

Whether you are looking to go in the dead of winter for a chance at seeing the northern lights, go in the summer to hike in Reykjavik, or you just want to swim in a natural hot springs with turquoise blue Instagramable water; Iceland is perfect. Iceland has become a hot spot of Instagram models in the last year, and for good reason.

Iceland offers some of the most jaw dropping frozen waterfalls and hikes anywhere you have ever been. Winter or summer there is something for everyone. Flights from the U.S. are pretty affordable too. Flights can be as low as $500 per person depending on the time of year and price drops. If you are itching to get out of the U.S. and within a budget, this might be one of the most affordable options out there.

Japan

Unlike Youtube celeb Logan Paul, avoid the Suicide Forest and instead explore Mt. Fuji, Tokyo see the Cherry Blossom Festival in Hirosaki. Japan has millions of things to do that are nothing like what you could experience in the U.S. Go to the Tokyo robot restaurant where you will watch a Cabaret run by robots, girls dancing in colorful outfits and fun upbeat music. Make friends with the birds at an owl cafe or visit Mickey in Disneyland.

If you are into history, visit Hiroshima and experience the devastation first hand left over from WWII. There are a lot of beautiful canyons to hike and visit for the perfect Instagram photo.

Namibia

One of the newest up and coming places to visit in the world is Namibia. Known for its sand dunes Namibia is becoming known as “Africa for Beginners”. The welcoming spirit of it’s people and the exotic (and delicious) food make this a great place for first time travelers to Africa.

Visit Etosha National Park in a Safari, where you can experience the wildlife up-close. Travel to Fish River Canyon where you can hike the trails for breathtaking views, or strip down in a hot spring. Namibia has so much and more to offer. If you are a foodie or someone with exotic taste, Namibia has lots of local game dishes to offer. Things like antelope, giraffe, and zebra are served at their restaurants.

Planning your next trip?

Check out wanderlust for information on your next travel destination. Trying to plan the trip of your dreams? Check out these budget tips.

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Five Types of Suitcases You Absolutely Must Have

November 27, 2018Leave a comment

Different trips call for different luggage. Here are a few suitcases I own that I adore and how I decide which I will use:

Duffel bag. An overnight bag is like a little black dress for travelers. Everyone should have at least one. I like to use a duffel bag for this, I have three different ones. The key is to find one that has enough storage space as well as pockets on the inside and out to fit everything you need and keep it organized. In addition you can also use a large back pack or oversized purse.
15″ rolling under the seat luggage. For longer weekend trips, whether you are driving somewhere nearby, or flying out on business, a small rolling suitcase that can fit under an airplane seat is my favorite thing in the world. It is slightly smaller than carry on bags and fits under all airplane seats. Brandon and I both have one for short trips back to NJ to visit our families. The suitcase is roomy enough to fit everything we need yet compact enough to fit on smaller commercial airlines.
Standard carry-on rolling bag. If you are like me and need to bring 3 pairs of shoes on every trip longer than 24 hours, the standard sized rolling bag is a great addition to your luggage collection. One reason I love this is because a standard sized commercial aircraft has room above your seat to store these. Modern technology has made me so lazy. I only fly on airlines I can check in from my phone so I can skip the lines at the gate. Very rarely do I ever check a bag. I hate standing in lines with people who don’t know how to navigate an airport or hardly ever fly. I am inpatient and love being able to get out of my car and walk directly to security so I can grab my Starbucks and relax once I get to the gate. I hate standing in baggage claim waiting for airport employees to unload the plane and get me my luggage. I’ve also seen one too many suitcases lost or contents stolen in airports. If I can keep my possessions with me at all times I am a happy gal.
Large sized luggage. Buy a nice large luggage bag with a good lock, and don’t skip out on the toiletry bag. When I am going on longer vacations like when we were in Hawaii for 2 weeks, I like to bring a large enough suitcase that I have everything I would need for one week including shoes. You’ll have to check your bag, unless you are lucky enough to live near an airport with curbside check in. In addition, you will need to stand around and wait for your luggage to get off the plane and you’ll run the risk of items being stolen. As long as you are careful, have a good lock on your bag, and pack smart you should be alright. Finger crossed and let’s hope that everything makes it home with you! Luggage sets are nice because they are usually roomy are made well, and come in a matching set which makes it easier to spot on the conveyer belt.
Laptop bag. If you’re like me you’ll want to bring your laptop on the flight with you. I have a laptop bag in the form of a backpack which I found on Amazon. There is a ton of cushion so your laptop doesn’t get damaged and they are really nice and well made. I own the HFSX Vintage Laptop Backpack. You can buy ones with built in phone chargers and a place to store your phone, keys, wallet, and passport. Plus, it will fit under your seat.

Geniuspack.com is my favorite place to shop for luggage. They have great luggage that makes travel easy and organizing natural. Their hard side carryon is amazing. You can also find packing tips and lots of travel related gear other than luggage. You can all of the above INCLUDING universal travel adapters which work in 150 different countries. Another great thing to do if you can invest is to buy a luggage set that includes all of the pieces above. You will save money in the long run and everything will match (if you have OCD like me than that’s really important). Don’t forget to comment below with links to your favorite pieces of luggage and why.

Happy travels!

50 Quotes to Fill Your Wanderlust

November 18, 2018Leave a comment

“This gypsy heart just needs to wander. Wander to undiscovered mountains and caves that guard the mysteries of this world. I will upturn every stone, I will drive through the darkest seas, just to discover the secrets that were only meant for me” -Chrissie Pinney
“Jobs will fill your pocket, adventures will fill your soul”
“I have an insane calling to be where I’m not”
“Escape and breathe the air of new places”
“There is no time to be bored in a world as beautiful as this”
“I travel because I need to… because my wild, adventurous spirit can’t live according to the “norm.” I travel to regroup, to reinvent myself, to be the best me I can be, to find joy in the ordinary and peace in exploring. I travel to be.”
“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us”
“If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad.” – Jane Austen
“Once the travel bug bits there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happy infected until the end of my life.” -Michael Palin
“A mind stretched by new experience can never go back to it’s old dimensions”
“But the world is calling, and I must go hear what it has to say”.
“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.” -Anita Desai
“Travel sparks our imagination, feeds our curiosity and reminds us how much we all have in common.” – Deborah Lloyd
“Because in the end you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” -Jack Kerouac
“A person susceptible to wanderlust is not so much addicted to movement as committed to transformation.” -Pico Iyer
“Travel brings power and love back into your life.” -Rumi
“If we were meant to stay in one place we would have roots instead of feet”
“Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.”
“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” -Susan Sontag
“One travels to run away from routine. That dreadful routine that kills all imagination and all our capacity for enthusiasm.” -Ella Maillart
“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” -Lin Yutang
“Travel, not to find yourself but to remember who you have been all along”
“‘I’m bored’ is a useless thing to say. You live in a great, big, vast world that you’ve seen non percent of.” -Louis C.K. “
“The best education you will ever get is traveling. Nothing teaches you more than exploring the world and accumulating experiences.”
“I am not the same having seen the moon shine on. the other side of the world” -Mary Anne Radmacher
“Of all the books in the world, the best stories are found between the pages of a passport.”
“Traveling makes one modest, you see the tiny space you occupy in the world. -Gustave Flaubert
“I would gladly live out of a suitcase if it meant I could see the world.”
“The world is too big to stay in one place, and life is too short to do just one thing.”
“If happiness is the goal, and it should be, then adventures should be top priority.” -Richard Branson
“Someday is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you.” -Timothy Ferriss
“The impulse to travel is one of the hopeful symptoms of life.” -Agnes Repplier
“And then there is the most dangerous risk of all, the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.” -Randy Komisar
“My favorite thing is to go where I’ve never been.” Diane Arbus
“Travel. Because money returns, time doesn’t.”
“I travel because it makes me realize how much I haven’t seen, how much I’m not going to see, and how much I still need to see.”
“Traveling is like flirting with life. It’s like saying “I would stay and love you, but I have to go; this is my station.” -Lisa St. Aubin de Teran
“Life is meant for spectacular adventures. Let your feet wander, your eyes marvel, and your soul ignite.”
“When one door closes pack your bags and go where there are no doors.”
“Traveling; it gives you home in a thousand strange places, then leaves you a stranger in your own land. -Ibn Batutta
“Please understand, I have been waiting to leave ever since I figured out that there were roads willing to take me anywhere I wanted to go.”
“Live your life by a compass, not a clock.”
“I travel not to cross countries off a list, but to ignite passionate affairs with destinations.”
“Don’t be the person who is ‘too busy’ when you’re young and ‘too tired’ when you’re old”
“Travel while you’re young and able. Don’t worry about the money, just make it work. Experience is far more valuable than money ever will be.”
“Take only memories, leave only footprints.”
“Travel opens your heart, broadens your mind, and fills your life with stories to tell.” -Paula Bendfeldt
“Cover the earth before it covers you.” -Dagobert D. Runes
“If you think adventure is dangerous try routine; it’s lethal.” -Paulo Coleho
“If you want to know the truth of who you are, walk until not a person knows your name. Travel is the great teacher, bitter as medicine, crueler than mirror-glass. A long stretch of road will teach you more about yourself than a hundred years of quiet.” – Patrick Rothfuss

5 Beautiful Places in the USA

January 14, 2018Leave a comment

Americans travel all over the world looking for a piece of paradise. One of the most popular places to travel are tropical climates and I am here to tell you NOT to do that. If you have never been to a tropical island, go. I’m not telling you by any means to never see the tropics because there is so much beauty and culture that you would miss. However, if you only visit the tropics and you never venture elsewhere, you are missing out on so much of what makes the world what it is. The United States is huge and there are beautiful sites to see and roads to travel right here in the good ole U S of A. Here are 5 beautiful places you need to see before you die.

The Grand Canyon

Experience one of the grandest and most beautiful places on the entire planet in America’s great south west. Take in the desert and enjoy the picture perfect 360 degree views. There are probably thousands of things to do and see at this location. You can fly above it in a small plane, white water raft through the canyon, take a donkey ride, hike the rim to rim trail, camp, see the planetarium, and more. The walls tell a billion year old story of how the Earth was made and there is nothing like seeing the colorful layers surrounding you when you are paddling through the canyon.

Route 70 in Colorado near Vail

One of the most jaw dropping scenery I have ever witnessed in my entire life is on Route 70 driving from Denver to Las Vegas. My family and I stumbled upon this beautiful canyon on our cross country trip when we were diverted due to an insane snow storm. I was so bummed that we couldn’t see Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Redwood forest. In the end though I got to discover something we were not expecting in the least. In my quick thinking I snapped a photograph which does not do it any justice. If you ever find yourself in this area, look for it. I have no clue what mile marker this is at, so if you happen to know please comment below.

Cabbage Key

One of the coolest places to visit in the United States is Cabbage Key. You can only get there by boat or private plane and they have been known to host very important people including Jimmy Buffet and former presidents of the United States. One rumor (true or untrue) is that Jimmy Buffet actually wrote “Cheeseburger in Paradise” after the restaurant on the island. Located in the Gulf of Mexico about 30 miles off the coast of southwest Florida sits a small island with only a handful of residents. The restaurant is covered in signed dollar bills and their cheeseburgers and seafood is amazing. You can even take a small hike around this miniature island, take the small trail just behind the restaurant it leads you to the landing strip for the planes and their water tower.

Haleakala National Park (Maui)

Hawaii is generally just a very beautiful place to see and explore, but this specific park is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen before. There are 2 locations in this park which are awe inducing. The first is sunrise at Haleakala Crater, but make sure you dress warm since temperatures can drop to below twenty degrees. I continuously talk about this one because it was so ridiculously beautiful that I hardly believe I witnessed it. The second is the Kuloa Point trail which is a half mile loop with a beautiful overlook. The beautiful waterfalls meet the ocean and black rock cliffs. My husband and I sat at this location for almost an hour enjoying the amazing views.

Biltmore Estate

The Biltmore Estate is the home of the Vanderbilt family and is open to the public to view year-round. One of the most popular times to visit this location is during the holiday season. The employees start to put decorations up at the beginning of October and it takes about a month to complete the look. The estate has also turned the stables into a restaurant with amazing food. This place has a swimming pool in the basement and a garden inside. There is even an office that was used to hide some of the world’s most expensive and well known pieces of art during World War II when most of Europe was in turmoil. Plus, the views of the mountains from the balcony are absolutely stunning. This is one spot you definitely need to add to your travel list.

Tricks for Cheap Flights

November 20, 2017November 20, 20171 Comment

If travel was that easy, everyone would do it. Right? One of the biggest barriers for those who want to travel is the outrageous price of plane tickets. Everyone who travels has had to deal with it at one time or another, and it sucks. I will let you in on the tricks for cheap flights you can use so you don’t have to break the bank. There are 5 important tricks that will change the way you shop for airline tickets.

Always look in multiple places.

You should ALWAYS look on as many sites as you can. First, try typing “flights from ____ to ____” in your google search bar. Google usually does a pretty good job of searching all of the available sites and airlines. My second go to is Skyscanner. Skyscanner is a website that helps you search for flights at the best price out there and has an easy option to search for one-way flights which brings me to my next trick. It also has a super easy to use app that I love.

book your flights one-way.

One trick for cheap flights is to book your plane tickets one-way. This isn’t always successful, but when you book your trip one-way you can sometimes get deals. Plus, you can book one plane ticket and book the other one at a later date when prices come down a little.

do your research.

Look up the best and worst times of the year to visit where you are going. The closest you are to the tourist season, the higher the prices will be. In the summer time prices tend to skyrocket basically everywhere. Try to avoid holiday weekends, weekends in general, and tourist season.

Be flexible.

Try not to carve out the dates you want or even where you want to go. Chances are if you travel a lot you have a very long list of places you want to see. Instead of putting all your eggs in one basket, pick a month you want to travel and compare prices. Once you compare the prices for all of the possible destinations within that time, then you can pick a date and place to go. If you pick the week before checking out prices, you will almost always be paying more than you want to.

tuesday, tuesday, tuesday.

The best day of the week to travel, and for the lowest possible prices you should depart on a Tuesday, and return on a Tuesday. For reasons unknown to me, choosing flights on Tuesdays are always more affordable. One of the worst days to travel is on a Friday or a Sunday, so try to avoid those days at all cost.

Of course, there are so many tips and tricks and places to read up on the tricks of the trade. One of my favorite blogs with cost saving tips for airlines is Scott’s Cheap Flights and Nomadic Matt.

Need help packing your carry on? Click here.
Traveling with pets for the first time? See here.

5 Places that Serve Thanksgiving Dinner

November 15, 2017November 4, 20174 Comments

Being on the road all the time and being away from home can be extremely hard during the holidays. My husband and I moved away from all of our family in New Jersey two years ago and Thanksgiving has become a weird day for us. One thing I wish I knew before now was where I can get a great thanksgiving meal on thanksgiving on the go. Here is a list of places that serve Thanksgiving dinner.

bob evan’s

Bob Evan’s is well known as one of the best places that serve Thanksgiving dinner. This chain is found mainly in the north east, parts of Florida and parts of the midwest. However, they are highly rated and recommended for Thanksgiving dinner. Order the farmhouse feast and you will enjoy turkey, gravy, mash potatoes, green beans, cranberry, rolls, pie and more! You can either dine in or take out! They can cater large groups and pick it up hot or cold if you place your order ahead of time on their website.

Boston Market

Boston Market gives Bob Evans a run for their money with their Thanksgiving dinner option. Like Bob Evan’s you can pick up or dine in, but you can also have it delivered to your home at select locations. Their menu is very close to all other chain restaurant menus and I urge you to compare. Prices, quantity, and choices will vary depending upon location, but Boston Market gives a great selection with yummy quality.

Denny’s

Denny’s does not serve a completely traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but it’s not bad. Plus, there are plenty of Denny’s accessible all over the country. They have a featured seasonal menu that is updated here. Check it out, there are holiday breakfasts, dinners, and desserts to choose from including pecan or pumpkin pies.

Perkins

Of all the places that serve Thanksgiving Dinner, Perkins is probably the least advertised. This is mainly due to the fact that not all locations are open on Thanksgiving. Some however, are and their menu in past years isn’t all that terrible. Definitely check with the Perkins you plan on spending your Thanksgiving at what their hours and menu will be that day. Trip Advisor however has rated them pretty highly for their Thanksgiving dinner so it might just be worth it. Unfortunately, there is no menu available on their website to check out what they will be serving this year.

Cracker Barrel

Of all the places that serve Thanksgiving dinner this is one of our favorites. With Cracker Barrels all across the country and accessible to major highways this is one of the best. Cracker Barrel is already known for their “just like mom made” comfort foods. If you are looking for a good sit down Thanksgiving dinner than this is the place. They offer all the Thanksgiving favorites so you don’t feel like you missed out. Don’t worry, the plates are large so you won’t leave hungry, although you might be a little bit tired from all the tryptophan in the turkey! Like most other places offering Thanksgiving dinner, you can also order to pick up hot or cold!

Is there a chain restaurant you enjoy for Thanksgiving, or have your tried any of these? Leave your recommendations below!
Want some road trip advice? Check out this article about essential items you’ll need

Suck It Up And Bike Your Volcano.

November 12, 2017Leave a comment

step out of your comfort zone.

I could feel the adrenaline pulsing through my veins as I stood at the entrance to the Haleakala national park and tried not to think about the descent down the side of the volcano. The ascent was easy mainly because it was before the sunrise and I couldn’t see just how high we really were. Post sunrise, you could tell we were at least 8,000 feet above sea level. My knees buckled as they called my number and handed me my old rickety bike with worn out brakes. “I’m suppose to ride this all the way down!? You have got to be joking,” I thought to myself.

Up until the last 3 years of my life I didn’t do anything outside of my comfort zone. I have severe and crippling anxiety at times and my whole life I played it “safe”. Something changed when I turned twenty four years old. I did everything my parents had told me to do my entire life. I never paved the way for myself and I didn’t really have to fight for anything on my own ever. On my 24th birthday I realized I felt kind of cheated out of that experience in life. How can you truly be successful if you didn’t fight for what you want? When my now husband asked me to move one thousand miles away I instantly knew I had to say yes. So I did.

Just give in.

“LET’S GO!” Our guide screamed. I wanted to cry and scream and laugh all at the same time. I was all the way in the back, that meant I would have to keep up with everyone else. Part of me wanted to throw my hand up and jump in the van for the ride down. The other part of me was screaming to just let go and enjoy the ride. One by one the bikes started to move and I had to make a decision, give up or give in. So I thought of my spin instructor’s favorite tag line “Don’t give up, give in”. I strapped on my helmet, took my feet off the ground and gave in.

Deciding to move a thousand miles away from my family and friends was hard. I had already committed to going, but I was still silently looking for an out. Instead of letting myself be upset, I thought about my life. I was trying to figure out who I really was, and in order to do that you need to push yourself. I had Brandon as an amazing support system and my family would still be just a phone call away. This would be my chance to make it on my own. I had to let go of my fear and push my boundaries.

there is nothing more satisfying than facing your fears.

Once we got going, I realized all the anxiety and fear of biking Haleakala was in my head. The scariest part of the entire ride, was everything I was telling myself leading up to it. The ride itself was relaxing, beautiful, AMAZING, and awe-inspiring. We rode through a lavender farm, a pine forest, sugar cane fields, and towns. Ending the route with an awesome view of the beach and pacific ocean. In a total of 6 hours I had froze my butt off at over 10,000 feet, watched the sun rise from above a volcanic crater, biked down about 24 miles of volcano, and stood on the beach. If you want to talk about exhilarating, THAT is exhilarating.

Moving to Wisconsin and away from everything I knew and loved was one of the best things I have ever done. I still am searching to find out who I truly am. I’m constantly growing as a person and I believe travel is one of the best ways to do that. There were 3 major turning points in my life that have made me who I am today. The first, was a cross country road trip with my parents in 2013. The second, was the day I met my husband (ultimately leading to the day I chose to marry him and move 1,000 miles away). The third, was the day I chose to face my fears and bike down a volcano on a bike that was about 25 years old and falling apart.

do not let your fear hold you back.

If there is something you want, do not let the fear of anything hold you back. Fear is the opposite of love. Love makes your life better, fear will keep you from doing the things you love. Give yourself enough credit to know that you will come out on top, and fear is only an emotion. Face your fears. Fear cannot hurt you, so find your volcano and bike the hell out of it.

[The company we used for our tour we found through Viator, the price was fair and the service was fantastic. We had a great time with our guides and enjoyed every minute of our trip. We enjoyed coffee in a small ‘cowboy’ town about halfway down the volcano. Everyone was really nice and our instructors seemed to be having a great time too. We definitely recommend using Mountain Riders if you decide to book.If you have a little more experience riding, you can also solo ride the same route. Experienced biker? Try biking UP the volcano and do the Cycle to the Sun ride.]

My Ultimate Travel Bucketlist

November 8, 2017November 20, 20177 Comments

Everyone should have a bucket list. One of the most important things to do daily is to set goals for yourself. Setting goals both longterm and short term is one of the most effective ways to achieve them. Write them down, put them on your fridge, and continually add to it. My list always gets longer, but I have narrowed my list down to a few big travel goals I want to share. Feel free to share your own travel goals in the comments section.

Visit all 50 states in the United States
Hike the grand canyon with Brandon
Skii in Colorado
See the northern lights
Hike Reykjavik in Iceland
See all 7 new wonders of the world
Hike to Machu Picchu
Drive the entire Pacific Coastal Highway
Visit the Mayan Ruins
Paraglide in Pokhara, Nepal
Visit Wat Mahathat Ayutthaya in Thailand (The tree buddha)
Backpack the Great Wall of China
Take an African Safari
Visit New Orleans for Mardi Gras
See my grandfather’s hometown of Cerva, Italy
See the Amafi Coast
Gondola Ride through Venice
Climb to the top of the eiffel tower.
Watch the sunset on the top of l’arc de triomphe
See the Mona Lisa in the Louvre
enjoy macaroons from Laduree Bonaparte in Paris
Hike the Dom in Switzerland
Complete a First Cliff Walk over Grindelwald in Switzerland
Visit Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany
See the Cliffs of Moher
Travel to London, England
Hike Rotorua and Fiordland National Park in New Zealand
Spend New Years Eve in Sydney, Australia
Hike Lynn Peak, St Mark’s Summit, and Norman Falls in Vancouver, BC

The above list is a short more consolidated one of my original. Please feel free to add your travel bucket list items in the comments!

Our Non-Stop Honeymoon in Kauai

November 6, 2017November 4, 20171 Comment

Excited for the second leg of our honeymoon and exhausted at the same time, Brandon and I stepped off the plane in Kauai. I had been so busy with wedding planning that I honestly didn’t even look up what to do here. I knew I had booked excursions for various days of the trip, but I wasn’t sure where they were. Luckily, Brandon was a little less occupied with the wedding than I was and he looked into the best things to do for our honeymoon in Kauai.

One thing I will say about Kauai is that we learned the power goes out quite frequently. When we arrived, the entire island was in an outage. There was no way to purchase anything and everyone was on hold. In other words, if you are traveling here, make sure you have cash on you at all times. Neither Brandon or myself drink very much, so we tend to explore and stay active often.

beautiful sights to see

There was so much to see and do on this island even though it is the smallest Hawaiian island. We booked most of our excursions online through Viator which is a pretty cool and easy website to use. We saw multiple state parks, we hiked and even took a helicopter ride. If you do any excursions at all in Kauai, the best one to do is to take a helicopter. Kauai contains some of the wettest places on the entire earth, so by mid morning clouds tend to cover the top of the island. Make sure that if you book a helicopter tour it is one of the first ones to leave. You might be really tired, but the views are worth it. We used Island Helicopter tours and they were really great and accommodating.

The helicopter tours are breathtaking. You will definitely want to bring a good camera and brace yourself for one of the most thrilling views of your life. The tours are one of the only ways to see the Napali coast, other options include; sunset cruises, hiking, and fishing boats. There are no roads that go all the way around the island so you will need to hike from Hanalei.

great food to eat

One of our favorite places to eat was Little Fish in Poipu. We stayed at an amazingly beautiful resort; Kiahuna Plantation which happens to be across the street. At Little Fish, you can order ahead of time online and then pick it up if you have the app. The acai bowls and the coffee shakes were healthy, delicious and filling. We were in absolute heaven and enjoyed many a morning breakfast here.

Kona Coffee is another really awesome place we enjoyed on our trip to Kauai. Since we don’t drink a lot of alcohol we thoroughly enjoyed the coffee tasting on the deck. They have a store with really cool souvenirs and coffee to take home and you can order food, drinks, or ice-cream. The coffee brewery also offers tours of the plantation and the history of Kona Coffee. The last tour usually leaves around 4pm during the week so make sure you get there early.

what the heck happened here?

Like I said, my husband and I do not drink very often and so it does not take much to get us drunk. The first day we arrived in Kauai we decided to check out the resort restaurant which was rated very highly. The food and drinks were amazing. However, things started to go downhill when I decided “one drink won’t hurt right?”. Well, one drink turned into 3 strong drinks off the cocktail menu because our server completely forgot to put our food and appetizers in. We waited for over 2 hours for our food watching people come and go all around us. Instead of the manager comping a dessert or a drink or anything on our receipt he stood 5 feet from our table and stared at us. He never said a word, just stared. Needless to say we never went back. I worked many jobs in restaurants for over 8 years and never had I ever been treated that way. Regardless of how good the food was. We would recommend take out over that experience. The food was great, but completely overpriced and the service was terrible. No thank you.

exploring the hidden falls

On one of our last days in paradise, we had an excursion to Wailua River and secret falls. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, but Duke’s Kayak was a great guide. The hiking portion was beautiful and the falls were amazing to see. If you go with a tour guide, you will most likely be there with many other groups and it can get crowded. Check it out later in the day if you are knowledgeable of the area and there are a lot less people around. Be careful though, because you can get lost easily while kayaking.

Our tour guide had a small dog who kayaked and hiked with us the entire day. He kept us entertained and made sure the group stayed together. There are really awesome views and cool historical information shared about Hurricane Iniki and the damage on the island. Like everywhere else on the island, there are roosters and chickens everywhere. Brandon and I enjoyed our lunch by the waterfall and then jumped in the water. One thing we should have been aware of was the amount of large unforeseen boulders under the water. Brandon and I both banged ourselves up pretty good. Luckily, no blood just large bruises, but they still hurt. We were so glad we invested in waterproof Keens for this hike.

waimea canyon

One of the most beautiful views on the entire island are of Waimea Canyon. Brandon and I took the long drive up to the top of the national park one early morning and were one of the first people there. Nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, Waimea canyon is a popular attraction in Kauai. There is access to hiking trails along the way, but for the sake of time we chose to drive to a look out point and just take in the view. We bought fresh fruit and banana bread from the fruit stand nearby and tried to take in the view. Our photos do not do it any justice. The canyon is gorgeous and definitely comparable to the grand canyon. On a future trip we would definitely hike this awesome attraction, no matter how difficult it may be.

Polihale State Park

Brandon decided on our second to last day of our honeymoon in Kauai that he wanted to take me to the Polihale State Park. I had no idea what it was and when we arrived I was even more skeptical. We drove down atleast a 5 mile dirt road to get into the state park and on the beach. The road was note graded and it was extremely rocky. We did this in a ford mustang convertible so it was a little risky for us, but it was totally worth it. The sand is extremely hot (like all other beach in the dead of summer) and the beach is large so you’ll have to run to the water. Although we didn’t do it, you can also camp here by the beach or under the trees further off shore.

There is a beautiful view of the start of the Napali Coast Park. We chose to sit on the beach for a few hours watching the Navy Battleship off the coast. A lot of people were sunbathing on the beach in their bathing suits. The park was not crowded at all and the beach was huge, this place is high on the recommendation list if you have a Jeep. Or if you don’t have a Jeep and you just wing it like us.

pizza in lihue

To our surprise we found a New York pizza counter in Lihue called Pietro’s. We were so overjoyed it was insane. Not only was the pizza actually affordable, but it was just like home for us. We can never find great pizza out in the midwest and deep dish is too greasy and messy. It’s always a pleasure to find good tasting regular crust pizza we can fold in half and enjoy. We stopped at the pizza place just before we head over to the airport in Lihue for our connecting flight to Arizona. We sat outside and in the shade enjoying our slices with a slight breeze. Pietro’s is definitely on our list of need to visit places if you want authentic New York pizza.

lihue airport

We didn’t quite get the memo that the first American Airlines flight out of Lihue was ours. When we arrived at the airport we returned our rental car and walked over to the ticket counter. It was completely empty and the lights were off. It was 4pm. We thought we would get there early, go through ticketing and security, eat and then catch our flight. Unfortunately, we were not able to go through security until 7:15pm. We sat out front of the airport counters for three hours before we could check our bags. Since we had to check out of our condo so early in the morning we had nowhere to go. The rental car was sent back to the rental place so we couldn’t leave and we were stranded. It was a rookie mistake. ALWAYS check your airline’s schedule before you head over to the airport. You might want to have dinner in the city.

Visiting Hawaii soon? Here are some tips we have for saving money.
Leave a comment below of your honeymoon or vacation experiences on Kauai!