Which U.S. Virgin Island should you visit?
Have you decided that you want to visit a U.S. Virgin Island, but aren’t sure which island? I can help you out! My favorite U.S. Virgin Island is St. John, closely followed by St. Croix, with St. Thomas in a distant third. But it totally depends what type of vacation you want to have! It is easy enough to travel between the islands, you could even mix and match! St. Thomas St. Thomas is the most developed in terms of tourism, with multiple cruise ships a day visiting. The island itself is lush and hilly with beautiful beaches. There is snorkeling but it pales in comparison to neighbors St. John…
6 Reasons to Visit Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas is such a happening city, I was soo excited to see it. Many people say it is similar to Portland which is my home town. Austin reminded me of a mix between Portland and what I expected of a southern state. Scenery It was much greener than I thought. I expected brown dirt and a western movie. Maybe movies gave me a different impression of what Texas would be! I also loved just walking around the downtown for the city scape. Some of the rooftop bars and restaurants had views to die for of the Austin skyline. Culture Austin is a foodie place just like Portland with Voodoo…
Camping at San Elijo State Beach Campgrounds
Looking to camp on the beach in California? Look no further than San Elijo state beach! The campground is on a bluff overlooking the beach with entry stairs down to the beach. What really made this campsite for me is the view. Overlooking a breezy California sunset while sitting next to my campfire is unbeatable. When picking a campsite, make sure to check a map and pick a site that is on the ocean side. If the campsite does not have an ocean view I think it could really detract from the experience. Since you are not right on the beach, the view is what you pay for to camp…
London, Baby!
To quote Joey from Friends “London, Baby!” and “I need to step in my map, hang on” – London was far more than I expected. I lived in Europe for a summer in college and I never made it to London because I thought it would be too similar to America. I expected modern and English speaking people just like myself. Boy was I surprised! London is made up of many different districts and each district is unique. Downtown London held up to being modern with some sky scrapers and a New York City vibe coupled with some historic buildings. As you get into other districts it almost felt like…
Where to Eat in Tempe, AZ
Go to Mill street and you will find a slew of restaurants to pick from and the street is only growing. This is where all the college kids hang out for food and for bars at night. The best part is most of the restaurants are not chains, rather they are unique places to eat and vibes that you could only get in Tempe. I’ve been all around the world and yet to find so many spectacular options and atmosphere as I have on Mill. Pedalhaus I think this is my all time favorite place to go. It helped I used to live a 30 second walk from here. The…
Catalina Island: Adventure & Charm
Hollywood stars? Yachts? Blue waters? Welcome to Catalina Island. Known for the frequent visits of Hollywood’s A-list celebrities in the 20th century, the likes of Marilyn Monroe. Catalina Island today is a tourist destination only an hour ferry ride from LA. The main town of Avalon resembles a more European town with a boardwalk, shops, and restaurants lining the water. It is a quick escape from LA but has such a different and slower pace of life than it’s LA counterpart. It always surprises me that people who are born and raised in California have yet to make a trip out and many people from other states fail to realize…
What to do in Tempe, AZ
If you find yourself heading for sunnier skies, be sure to check out Tempe which boasts over 300 days of sunshine a year! Tempe is a college town caught in the greater metropolitan Phoenix area. It has the best of both worlds of being close to a lot of activities while maintaining a small college town charm. The nearby college of Arizona State University isn’t exactly small – with the most students of any college in the United States at over 70,000. It feels much smaller as a large percentage of the students are online, commute, or live on one of the other three campuses. I had the joy of…
Should You Visit Florence, Italy?
I spent two weeks in Florence, Italy (Firenze!) while studying abroad. I stayed with a host family where the father was a chef! Neither of the parents had great English so communication was rather difficult. We kept to key words that we knew in the other language! They had a cute little apartment that was on the outskirts of the city. They still had their 30 year old son with them who was unwed so I guess that’s totally normal! Not quite the same as America! Wanderings Florence was my first experience in Italy and it was a great way to start my trip. I absolutely loved exploring this city!…
One Week in St. John Itinerary
For one week in St. John you should pick a beach or two to do every day from beaches of St. John. On one or two days of the trip I’d pick a day trip or activity to do instead of the beach. A sample itinerary is as follows: Day 1 Get to your Airbnb and spend the day by your pool or a beach that is close to town. Get dinner in town. End your night at Beach Bar and play cornhole in the sand. Drink your night away on Cruzan Rum! Per Jack Sparrow, “Why’s the rum always gone?”. Day 2 Stock up at Dolphin Market for the…
Residents Guide on Newport Beach, CA
Welcome to my home Newport Beach, CA! Newport Beach is the go-to spot in Orange County because of the pristine coastline, multi-million dollar houses, and the lively atmosphere. To give some reference, most of my friends in Orange County all live in the heart of Newport by the bars and the beach. If you only have one weekend in Orange County I would make this your destination! Why Visit Newport Beach, CA: The Homes – Believe it or not the houses along the beach and in the harbor are multi-million dollar homes owned by wealthy residents. The median price of homes currently listed in Newport Beach on Zillow is $2,358,000!…
