Though the days are short and the temperatures are low, winter in Finland can still be warm and magical. It takes some planning, some strategy, and a whole lot of luck, but you just might look up at the night sky and find that it has actually come alive. So bundle up and grab your…
In late October, a friend texted me with an enticing offer. A weekend in Disneyland together? Of course! The deal was made extra sweet when she said the hotel room was already taken care of by her parents’ vacation club points, and became even sweeter when I realized I had enough miles to fully cover…
January’s winter escape began in Oslo, Norway, a city filled with museums, shops, restaurants, churches, and enough to keep a tourist busy for days. Over the course of our trip, we spent about two full days there. We used buses, trains, Lime scooters, and our feet to get around, and were able to learn some…
Our adventure in Southeast Asia started and ended in Bangkok, mostly because of the flights we were able to get. Two different friends, however, told us they hadn’t found much in Bangkok worth seeing and suggested we not waste time hanging out. We decided to give ourselves a little bit of time there anyway- and…
On the second day of our Labor Day weekend camping adventure at Shenandoah National Park, we were greeted with gray skies, misty drizzles, and dense fog. We looked for a hike that was more about the trail itself than about a viewpoint in hopes that we could still salvage the day, and we ended up…
After spending a week in Laos, our final farewell was a day in and around the country’s capital, Vientiane. Our long drive there led us first to Buddha Park, where we had some time to explore. This park was created in the 1950s and is meant to be an integration between Hinduism and Buddhism. It…
While away from home, we frequently stop in at breweries and wineries. Aside from often being interesting, picturesque places, we enjoy the process of tasting and like filling our home collection with bottles that we purchased from smaller establishments. The area around Shenandoah National Park is full of these kinds of places. Luckily many also…
A few years ago, my sister and I were able to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. We loved it so much that we vowed then and there to get back for the Halloween party someday. And someday arrived last month, on the first day of a short three-day jaunt to…
When planning our trip to Thailand, we did a lot of research on elephants, as there are many options if you want to share an experience with these big, beautiful animals. We wanted to make sure that we did not contribute to any projects that allow elephants to be forced into unnatural situations like logging…
When we arrived in the Lao town of Vang Vieng, our guide described it as a renowned party town with a recently cleaned-up reputation and many opportunities for adventure. While the closest we got to partying was drinking Irish beer and watching UFC fighting late into the night, we definitely soaked up all the adventure…
There are not many National Parks that are dog friendly, and we are incredibly lucky that we live within driving distance of a few that are. For Labor Day weekend this year we headed south, to Shenandoah National Park. On our first full day, we tackled its tallest peak! We started the morning at the…
While visiting Cambodia to see the famous temples, you don’t have to look far to find a place for an evening out. Siem Reap’s Pub Street is filled with bars, restaurants, and shops and it is a perfect place to relax and unwind after a long hot day of temple touring. We took a tuk-tuk…
