North America
10 days in Riviera Maya itinerary
For one week in Riviera Maya, your main choices are Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Cozumel. You will find underwater activities, jungle, cenotes, Mayan ruins, and beautiful beaches. It really is a good combo of adventure, exploring, and relaxing on a beach. I personally did 3 days in Cozumel and 4 days in Tulum but I have modified my below itinerary based on after having been there, what I would have ideally done for my itinerary. All links you see send you directly to the company I booked with if it’s a tour or hotel or directly to TripAdvisor for information if it is a place. Cozumel (6 days)…
Visiting Mexico’s Riviera Maya during the COVID-19 pandemic
I visited Cozumel, Mexico and Tulum, Mexico in December of 2020 and I want to share my experience what traveling to Mexico is like during the pandemic. I will caveat that obviously it is a fluid situation, so my experience may not be the same experience a week from now, month from now, or few months from now, especially as the vaccine rolls out and the world gradually reopens again. As of now, no COVID-19 test is required and there is no quarantine upon arrival. You can also quite easily check what is open in the state that you are traveling to on this website. Mexico is under a color…
Sunriver Resort: Oregon’s Best Kept Secret
Heaven is a place on earth…That place is Sunriver, Oregon and let me tell you a story why. The sun starts to creep up and shine light into my room. I slip on my sneakers, grab my dogs leash, and head out the door. A deer is looking me straight in the face from the side yard, through the crisp morning air. I walk my dogs past him and find my way to the bike path that leads down to the river. Enormous, beautiful trees tower above me and surround me. The forest eventually breaks to a grassy plane by the river. I walk my dogs over the bridge, off…
Big Bear, CA
Big Bear is a lake / mountain town that is only a 2 hour drive from Los Angeles and surrounding areas, making it an easy weekend getaway! The best part about Big Bear is getting a change of scenery. Forests and mountains are much prettier than the sprawling city! The only downside is that everyone in the coastal city towns know about Big Bear, so it can get crowded with lots of traffic going up the mountain. The biggest draw to Big Bear is to get outdoors. The best time to visit is either in the winter to go skiing, snowboarding, sledding, or to just play in the snow and…
Going to New Orleans for the Mardi Gras
Trip of a lifetime coming at ya! You HAVE to round up a big group of friends and go to Mardi Gras at some point in your lifetime. Mardi Gras in my opinion lived up to all the hype and then some. It is truly a bucket list item. The packed streets, wild outfits, ‘hand grenade’ slushy drinks, and crazy bead throwing. NOLA has such a unique and fun atmosphere. And yes, girls really do flash their tits the whole weekend on Bourbon Street lol. You don’t have to partake but prepare yourself. When is Mardi Gras? Mardi Gras switches dates each year. It is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday,…
Photos to Inspire you to Explore Oregon
Oregon is one of the prettiest places on this planet, largely because of how green it is and the plethora of natural wonders like the ocean, lakes, rivers, and mountains. Read more here on exploring Oregon. Hint: Don’t spend all (or any) of your time in Portland – get outside of the city and explore! Without further ado, see why I think Oregon is one of the best places for outdoors through pictures:
Guide to Visiting Oregon
I spent the first 18 years of my life in Oregon and I can honestly say it is one of my favorite places in this world due to the outdoors. I must must emphasize that you go in the summer. By summer I mean exclusively July and August. This is the only time you can ensure good weather to do all the outdoor activities. If I had summer weather year round in Oregon, I would have never moved! The landscapes Oregon is simply beautiful. For all the rainy, gloomy winter months is paid back in green in every direction you can see. I often forget how green Oregon truly is…
Going to Universal Studios in Hollywood
Universal Studios gives you insight into the inter workings of your favorite movies! From famous sets, to special effects, to fun rides, you can get it all here! What I really love about Universal Studios is how it truly captures all the little details of your favorite movie or TV show, so you feel like you are there! Harry Potter Land! My absolute favorite part, of course, is the Hogsmeade Village as part of the Harry Potter land. It is amazing how they make you feel like you are stepping into the book / movies (minus all the tourists). There is Honeydukes to buy candy, Olivanders to buy a wand,…
Visiting the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is one of those places that is deemed a ‘must visit’ in your lifetime. When I got the opportunity to road trip from Oregon to Arizona many years back, I went through the Grand Canyon to see what all the hype was about! The canyon is magnificent and vast, it fell short of expectations. While it wasn’t as exciting as I expected, the Grand Canyon is a perfect half-day stop on a larger road trip. There are some viewing platforms with rails that you can observe the grandness (pun intended) of the canyon. There are many tourists on these and it is a little harder to get…
Hiking Trail Canyon Falls with a Dog
Trail Canyon Falls is a random hike in Southern California I picked out from the All Trails app, and it turns out to be one of my favorites! The hike is a little over 4 miles out and back in Angeles National Forest. The trail is only about an hour from Orange County, making it pretty convenient for a half day outing. The draw of this trail is the stunning 40ft waterfall at the end of the trail! My dog LOVED the waterfall. Overall, it is a relatively easy hike that will take about 2-3 hours, depending on how long you hang out at the waterfall. For directions please go…
