From New York to Hogsmeade at Universal

I thoroughly enjoy the Harry Potter series. Let’s just get that out there. I read it soon after my second child was born, the year that the seventh book was released. I plowed through each book with voracity riding the plot’s twists and turns like a roller coaster. By the time I reached the final…

The many ways to see Alaska

As the largest state, it’s no surprise that there are many ways to see Alaska. Of course, everyone who has even considered visiting has their own opinion. Some swear that a cruise ship is the only way to go. Others can’t imagine a trip without taking a train.  And there are those who contend that…

Our escape to another world

To travel is to escape to another world. Sometimes it’s to escape work. Sometimes it’s to escape family. Sometimes it’s to escape normalcy. During a global pandemic, however, the possibility of escaping the day-to-day challenges seemed impossible. We’d tried – and failed – already. That didn’t stop me from wishing and hoping and thinking and…

The Yampa Valley Curse

Those who have visited a certain town in northern Colorado know of the magical curse, the one which brings people back again and again, like a moth to a flame. It’s an unmistakable urge to visit this land cherished by so many: Steamboat Springs. Located in the Yampa Valley, with the Yampa River snaking past…

Back on Broadway

There’s absolutely nothing like live theater. And there’s nothing like seeing live theater on Broadway. After being dark for a year and a half, many shows have finally returned to New York helping to boost the economy and spirits of the city. Last spring when we planned a few days in the Big Apple in…

Walking in Memphis

I’d always thought of Memphis as the home of Elvis, a city synonymous with Graceland. I didn’t truly appreciate everything it has to offer until we spent a weekend walking in Memphis. Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale While Beale Street is nearly two miles long, an area of roughly three blocks…

More than bowls in Munising

Last fall when we took our trip (not a vacation) we traveled to Munising, Michigan. It was a happy coincidence because I was in the midst of writing a feature article for American Farmhouse Style Magazine. The interviewee lives in Michigan’s lower peninsula and mentioned one of her favorite collectables: Munising bowls. They were a…

Off we go?

I’ve been very, very eager to travel again. Serious, anxiety-driven, desperation to travel. I’m on several travel mailing lists, and if you think that deals and travel incentives stopped during the pandemic you’d be wrong. In fact, the deals seemed to increase. I’ve seen $49 tickets to California from the Midwest, $250 business class seats…

Destination: Iceland’s Golden Circle

Iceland has many great things to see, but for anyone with limited time who wants to see some unique sights quickly, The Golden Circle is a perfect route. Why Iceland? I’m always in search of a good travel deal. A cheap flight is initially why I jumped on an opportunity to visit Iceland several years…

Destination: Will the real Copacabana please stand up?

Ahh, the beautiful sand, the sun, the mountains in the distance towering over Rio de Jañeiro… Wrong Copacabana. My Copacabana destination is on the border of Peru and Bolivia. Like its Brazilian counterpart it’s also located on a shoreline – Lake Titicaca – and surrounded by mountains – the Andes. And let’s be clear, this…