Maybe you are traveling from outside the United States, or perhaps you are living stateside and are looking to explore beyond your home. Either way, this blog will help provide destination inspiration as we share our top 10-Must Visit States in the U.S.

Can you guess our picks?

You crave Vitamin D, and long to get some sand between your toes; well Maui is a perfect choice, but getting there requires jumping through several hoops that may cause stress for the inadequately prepared. This post will help to ease you into that swimsuit and have a Mai Tai in hand, poolside with the ocean waves serenading that stress away with just a bit of extra effort on the front end.

Mai Tai on the house!

I can handle the cutting in line. I have the patience for cultural differences such as personal space and hygiene, but when it comes to air travel, keep your damn personal items out of the overhead bins.  Read more to find out the cultural values that drive behavior.

Travel well

I pulled up the schedule on my Wanderlog, scrolled to Blue Star Donuts, pulled up the map, and noticed something that wasn't there before.

Did you say donuts?

Homebodies will never understand the pull of travel but, is it responsible during a pandemic? Can we safely satisfy our wanderlust? Check out this post about air travel.

What you need to know!

While Raising a Family of 5

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We (Mike and I) accomplished a life goal when we visited our 50th U.S. State last August, checking off a major bucket list item by stepping foot in Alaska. I must say, I am still on a high from accomplishing such a monumental task. We had been working on seeing all 50 states since we were in our twenties. I hit all 50 by fifty, and Mike hit 50 by 51.

Read more about how we did it!

Santa Monica is the California that you see on TV.  The city would never have come up on our radar if it weren't for a map that we gave to our son.  We went for the ice cream but we will return for so much more! 

I could use some sun!

I was under the illusion that Martha's Vineyard would be a quaint, little island. I was wrong. After having read that the island was larger than Nantucket and getting around would require bicycles, in the least, we formulated a plan to rent mopeds and spend the day sightseeing. This turned out to be a moderately terrifying experience for me

Take me to MV!

We were filled with excitement and ready to "Keep it Weird" in Portland, gorge ourselves on donuts, and then exercise by hiking (and Sasquatch hunting) some of the many gorgeous trails the state has to offer. Oregon and Mother Nature had other plans.  

Yes, I want some weird!

We eventually mastered the 30-hour road trip, but the plane trip was elusive. After the past few flights, we may be getting there. Here is what we have learned.

Essentials Here!

Any length of time in Maui doesn't seem like it would be enough. They say, "Maui nō ka ʻoi," Maui is the best [sic] island. It definitely is an American gem that should rank high on any bucket list. Maui has six climate zones, and the Hawaiian Islands, in general, have ten of fourteen of the world climate zones making the islands pretty spectacular (Shute, 2016). You will find deserts, jungles, and mountain micro-climates on Maui, making it a fascinating place to visit.

Let's Plan

If you are from the United States and you travel, you may have noticed that food always tastes better in other countries. Have you had poutine in America and said, "meh" only to try it in Canada only to have your mind blown? Have you traveled to Europe and realized you have never tasted real cheese before? I have and I want to talk about it because, my fellow Americans, we are getting ripped off.

I break for Mold!

Write two blog posts and call me in the morning.

I have learned several things during my short stint as a travel blogger, the first being that I am horrible at keeping to a weekly posting goal. More importantly, blogging can be good for my mental health.

Zen Zone Here

Why bucket lists are essential, especially during a pandemic. We see the fragility of life which makes checking off those bucket list items even more important.  You may not have next year or even tomorrow. Make a bucket list.

Travel Bucket List