When I was planning my Alaskan cruise, I had a long bucket list of things I wanted to experience in Alaska. On the top of my list was to see bears catching spawning salmon. Researching lead me to learn that there are a few wildlife refuges where this was almost guaranteed, but they were costly […]
The Best American Sweets: Iconic State Desserts
Often inspired by local produce or immigrant culture, each of the US States has an iconic dessert of its own. So, as the next in my series about the best desserts around the world, I present Iconic State Desserts of the United States. Alabama Lane Cake Visit Alabama to try Alabama Lane Cake, a southern […]
Things to Do in Juneau, Alaska
Juneau is a port for most Alaskan cruises, including the one my family took in the summer of 2019. It is the only capital city inaccessible from a highway. Juneau is busy by Alaska standards and compared to the other ports you will encounter. It seems more like a real city than the others we […]
How to Spend Your Day in Icy Strait Point, Alaska as a Cruise Port
Although I loved my Alaskan Cruise experience, I did not love the cruise port cities themselves. They are generally just shopping areas with very little chance to see real Alaska unless you take an excursion outside of town. The exceptions are Vancouver, Seward, and Icy Point Strait. Read on for things to do in Icy […]
Fun Things to do in Fairbanks, Alaska
I had heard that Fairbanks was among Alaskan visitor’s favorite cities, so when we were planning our 2-week Alaska visit, we made sure to give ourselves time in Fairbanks. In Fairbanks, you can experience much of Alaska’s history in a beautiful mountainous setting alongside rivers. It is a very spread out city, just under 33 […]
The Best Scenic Train Rides in North America
Luxury Train Travel in the USA We are in such a hurry that we often forget that the journey is sometimes one of the best parts of a trip. Train travel is a perfect example of that. When I recently went on an epic trip to Alaska, a train journey ended up being a highlight […]
The Best Ways to See Animals in Alaska
One of the biggest reasons I planned a trip to Alaska was to see all the Alaska wildlife I had heard about. I learned a lot that I didn’t understand on my visit to Alaska. I went assuming the wildlife would be easy to find but realized there was just as much science to see […]
Things to do in Barrow, Alaska (Utqiagvik): A Trip to the Top of the World (or at Least the US)
My family took an epic trip to Alaska during the summer of 2019. You can read about the whole trip here. Each family member was allowed to pick one thing they really wanted to do as far as expensive excursions (Alaska is expensive!) Three of the five of us desired a visit above the Arctic […]
Alaska Planning Guide: 16-Day Alaska Itinerary Including Alaskan Inside Passage Cruise
My friend, Michelle, who is very well-traveled, came home from an Alaskan cruise declaring Alaska the most beautiful place on earth. Compound that with my quest to complete my 50 before 50, I booked the same cruise for the summer of 2019 on Royal Caribbean, my go-to cruise line on the Radiance of the Seas. […]
15 US National Parks You Need to Visit This Fall!
As a continuation of last week’s 20 of the Best National Parks around the World to Visit in Fall, I bring you another 15, all in the US! My country is diverse and incredibly beautiful and our national parks system do a wonderful job at making this scenery accessible. Enjoy this list of some of […]