Search Results for: small town

The Best of Amsterdam

October 31, 2014

I fell in love with Amsterdam immediately. In truth, it’s hard not to: from the endless canals, to the mounds of flowers covering each bridge and architecture that is literally straight from centuries ago. The city is uniquely what I had hoped for, in the best possible way. I’ve seen a million photos of the city, wandered the canals with my parents years ago as a kid and yet I saw it with fresh eyes this time around, taking it all in and admiring the city for the beauty it is.

And while I could do without the “touristy” spots of the city like Dam Square, the I Amsterdam sign and the Flower Market, the rest of the city is truly a gem and one that is best explored on foot or on bike. We walked everywhere and with flat streets and picturesque spots around every turn, it was the perfect way to explore. We found lots of spots we loved, but for us, these were the very best of Amsterdam.

The 9 Streets + Jordaan

This gorgeous area of the city with few cars and cobblestoned streets is not to be missed. Because it’s farther out of the “tourist center” it’s quiet, peaceful and untouched. Filled with bikers, little restaurants and gorgeous architecture, the 9 Streets area and the Jordaan in general is perfect to just wander for hours, taking photos and sipping lattes at the occasional café. The 15 minutes walk up from the main center of the tourist areas of Amsterdam to this area is more than worth it.

Oud Zuid

A quiet, wealthy residential area next to the De Pijp area of the city and bordering Vondel Park, the Oud Zuid is lovely. The tree lined streets and gorgeous walk ups make this area feel similar to the West Village of New York City. Spend an hour just wandering the streets here, stopping for dinner at a local café and then continue on into Vondel Park to explore.

De Pijp

This offbeat and up and coming area of Amsterdam is one that is often missed by tourists because it’s farther from the center of the city, but it’s also one with charming townhouses, tram lined roads and quirky restaurants along the way.

River Boat Cruise

While the ultimate touristy thing to do in Amsterdam, it’s well worth the time and money. There is no better way to see all of the city and to see if from a different vantage point than from the canals. It’s great especially on cooler, rainy days to get inside and yet still be able to see a lot of the city. We used the Explore Amsterdam company, but there are a few others that do different routes as well, so check into all the options.

Vondel Park

A gorgeous city park, Vondel Park is vast and beautiful. Rent a bike and cycle through or just wander on foot, you won’t be disappointed. The park is especially beautiful in the Fall as the leaves are falling, but I’m sure it’s lovely all times of the year as well!

Traveling to The Netherlands?

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Where to Stay in Amsterdam

Denver : City Center & Civic Center Park

September 17, 2014

I’m in Seoul, South Korea currently for work but today I’m reminiscing about our quick weekend trip to Denver a few days ago. In August Nick and I discovered we needed just a couple thousand miles more to make our MVP status again with Alaska Airlines, so we jumped on Alaska’s Fall fare sale and decided to check out a city thats been on our list for a while. So…we ended up spending a day in Denver and really enjoyed it.

We started our quick trip to Denver with a morning walk through the City Center to meet friends in the area for breakfast. On a Saturday morning, we were quite surprised with how quiet this part of the city was, though it did seem to be mostly business buildings, we were surprised that the majority of this part of Denver would only be busy during the work week. In Portland, our downtown is busy all the time and merges the live/work scenarios, so I’m always surprised when we visit other places that still have such a divide.

We had breakfast with friends, then walked up a few blocks to the Civic Center Park where the Capitol building and Denver USA Mint buildings are located. Along with a couple small parks and beautiful old architecture, we spent some time exploring. Walking a few more blocks, we came upon the Denver Art Musuem, complete with large sculptures of various things and took in the interesting architecture of the museum and surrounding areas.

We spent the rest of the day exploring other areas of Denver (more to come on that tomorrow) but at sunset we decided to head back up to this area, as Nick wanted a sunset shot of the large Colorado Capitol building with its classic architecture. We grabbed the Free Mall Ride bus (an amazing perk of Denver) and took it all the way up to the Civic Center Park. We spent a bit of time enjoying the cool evening and the sun setting over the city while Nick finished up his photos and we headed back to our hotel.

While this wasn’t my favorite part of the city, it was definitely worth seeing and experiencing. The high rises in this part of Denver are so different than the areas like Larimer Square and LoDo (which I’m touching on tomorrow), that the contrast is interesting to experience and explore.

All photos by Nick

Road Trip Itinerary through Northern Ireland

August 27, 2014

Multiple things lately have brought me back to thinking about our trip through Ireland last Fall and I can hardly believe that is was a full nine months ago now. It feels like it was just yesterday we were driving through the green fields of Northern Ireland, eating sticky toffee pudding and taking in the land where my family comes from. So in looking back at our trip, we managed to see a lot of the Nothern Irish landscape as we drove through it. I’ve talked a bit about driving in the UK before but today I’m sharing an itinerary for the perfect road trip through the Eastern side of Northern Ireland.

Where to Stay in Northern Ireland

Belfast is the perfect spot to begin a road trip through Northern Ireland, and in a country that’s pretty small to drive around, you can do this itinerary in a day and drive back to Belfast at the end of it. We based ourselves in Belfast and then took day trips as we needed. Stop by the Titanic Museum before you get on the highway heading North.

We decided to go a bit more of a coastal route to take in views of the coast as we headed North from Belfast. Our fist stop was the little town of Ballycastle to grab lunch at a local pub and take in views of the Irish coast.

Next up along the route of the Northern Irish coastline are the cliff views throughout Dunseverick. There are some great spots to pull over along this stretch of road and admire the rocky cliffsides, the jagged ocean and many little houses tucked in here and there throughout the rocks.

The Giant’s Causeway is a must see when venturing through Northern Ireland (a mere hour and 15 minute drive when going straight there from Belfast), this UNESCO world heritage site is incredible. The rock formations here, the way the ocean spills in the inlets and the landscape the surrounds the coast here is truly breathtaking.

Just about 5 minutes up the road after the Giant’s Causeway are the ruins of Dunluce Castle. The hilltop location of this ancient place has sweeping views of the coastline and a pretty incredible story that used to be a huge mainstay of the Irish coast.

Finish your day with dinner at the Bushmills Inn before jumping back on the highway towards Belfast. This little gem of a town (famous for its whiskey) houses this adorable little B&B and restaurant. Our meal there was one of the freshest tasting meals I’ve ever had!

Traveling to Northern Ireland?

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Hotels to Remember : My Favorites

August 11, 2014

We’re home from our quick weekend escape and work trip in Honolulu and back getting on track here at home again. I’ve been wanting to do this post for a while and today seems like the perfect day to do it while I get all our Hawaii photos gathered for posts to come soon.

Hotels are a big part of traveling and I spend a lot of time researching where to stay before we head out on a trip. Between location, aesthetics and price, hotels can be really hard to pick and when there are lots of options, it’s even harder. I love the process of picking hotels and we’ve stayed at some great ones over the years. It’s important to me for the hotel we stay at to be designed well and to have unique features, which is why we primarily stay at boutique hotels or chains that go more the boutique-design route.

Looking back over our travels, there are some hotels that just stand out among the rest. They are the places that we’ve had incredible experiences, the best views and left saying we can’t wait to go back. This might become a reoccurring post down the road or as we find more hotels we love, but for now, here’s some of my favorite hotels we’ve stayed in thus far and the reasons why they blew all the other hotels we stay at out of the water.

Perhaps the most amazing hotel we’ve ever stayed in, the Oberoi Udaivilas in Udaipur, India are beyond luxurious. The hotel is incredible in itself, but the grounds are seriously breathtaking. Situated right on Lake Pichola with many rooms featuring private infinity pools, this hotel will change what you think a hotel should be. The service is beyond extraordinary and you will feel peace here like you’ve never felt before.

Our trip to Nice was our first to the French Riviera and we couldn’t have picked a better hotel to experience it. While I usually shy away from large brands, Le Meridien is an exception. Their Nice location is beautiful with modern design, but make sure to book a room with a balcony. We took in the gorgeous scenery from ours of the Mediterranean and the views of Old Town Nice. This hotel is conveniently located too and with large rooms (by European standards) and is a great base for the South of France.

Our trip to Marrakech was made truthfully because of our Riad. Riads in Morocco are like guest houses turned to small hotels and Riad 72 is a gem in the middle of bustling Marrakech. From hand carved wooden doors to suites tiled in local colorful tile to marble bathtubs and privately cooked meals, this place is incredible. We spent lots of time on the rooftop (with views of all of Marrakech) and enjoyed the incredible food cooked everyday by the chef. Riad 72 is a palace in and of itself and so calming after the busy streets of the city.

Designed by Christian LaCroix when it was remodeled several years ago, Le Notre Dame Hotel is a gem in Paris and has quickly become our “go-to” hotel in the French capitol. The view (as above) from the rooms speaks for itself and to wake up and go to sleep just a stones throw from the famous cathedral is a pretty incredible feeling. The rooms are tiny but brimming with character and having this view during your time in Paris really can’t be beat. It’s also in a super convenient spot in Paris, within walking distance from most major tourist spots as well as right across the street from the St. Michel metro stop which can get you anywhere you need to go.

We only stayed one night at the Trident Gurgaon when we made our way through India, but this gem of a hotel is one that we remarked several times we wished we had more time at. Though outside of Delhi by about 20 minutes, the hotel is an oasis of calm in bustling India. We awoke from our suite after a long journey to India to sunrise glistening off of the infinity pools that run throughout the property and birds perched throughout the green trees. We wandered the grounds and were in awe that were in the middle of a busy city! It’s a lovely escape from the smoggy settings in Delhi proper.

5 Reasons to Visit London

August 6, 2014

London is a city close to my heart and one that I feel very comfortable in. Nick and I first took in the city of London on our honeymoon almost four years ago and since then, we’ve made a number of trips back through the city and spent a good deal of time there.

There are so many reasons to visit this lovely historic city, but here are my top 5 reasons why you should book that ticket to London!

And be sure to make it to the bottom of the post for a giveaway to go with this post!

London has a very unique look and differs greatly from the other European cities I’ve visited. London is all about the red brick, the ivory toned details and the ornate fixtures. I love wandering the streets of the city, taking in the town homes, the ancient buildings and the new ones fit in between them that seem to look like they still belong there. London’s layout and architecture is to be commended and it’s such a treat to admire it every time I go.

London wouldn’t be London without its Pub culture. There have got to be thousands of them scattered throughout the city and one of my favorite things about trips to London is ducking into the local pub, enjoying fish and chips, followed by Sticky Toffee Pudding. London’s food scene is a great one, but perhaps better than their five star restaurants to me, is a night at the local pub.

London is steeped in history and anywhere from Buckingham Palace to the Tower of London, you can get a glimpse into what the world was like hundreds of years ago. So much history belongs to the UK and I find it incredibly interesting to visit all the historic sites in London and think about all the people that have gone before us, all that they lived through and died for. The history in London is palpable and it’s around every corner of the city.

From the British Museum to the V&A, London is not short on fantastic museums. There are so many interesting exhibits and things to see there and when it’s pouring rain outside, my favorite thing to do in London is escape to wander the museums. Not only are their exhibits great, but London’s museums also offer a feast for the eyes in the buildings they occupy. The structures themselves are worthy of exhibition as well.

London knows how to do parks pretty well. Hyde Park is one of my favorite spots in all of Europe and I never miss a chance to wander through whenever we’re in London. Rent a bike and ride along the trails in the nice weather, or take in the ornate monument to Prince Albert and revel in the detail in the design. Wander by Kensington Palace to see where Kate and Prince William call home or visit the Diana Memorial, Hyde Park has it all.

As if those aren’t reasons enough to visit London… now for a giveaway…

LUXE Travel Guides
Over the years of traveling, I’ve used a lot of different guidebooks for cities I’ve traveled to. But a few years ago I was turned on to the LUXE guides and they seriously changed how I travel! My collection has grown over the years and I don’t plan a trip without grabbing the LUXE guide for wherever we’re headed.

The guides are small and compact, which make them easy to take everywhere with you as well as offering unique and hip suggestions for everything from hotels to restaurants to shopping. The guides hold an incredible amount of information and their graphics for each city they represent make them look great on my bookshelf after we return from the trip.

I reached out to the company recently and they were kind enough to send me a handful of their newest guides to give away to my readers! So in the coming months, every time you see one of the 5 Reasons to Visit posts, make sure to enter the giveaway for the LUXE guide for each of these cities!

Today it’s the London LUXE City guide, so be sure to enter below for your chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Headed to London?

Check out our London Travel Guide in the Land of Marvels Shop for only $5!

The Best of Amsterdam

The 9 Streets + Jordaan

Oud Zuid

De Pijp

River Boat Cruise

Vondel Park

Denver : City Center & Civic Center Park

Road Trip Itinerary through Northern Ireland

Hotels to Remember : My Favorites

5 Reasons to Visit London

Headed to London?

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Search Results for: small town

The 9 Streets + Jordaan

Oud Zuid

De Pijp

River Boat Cruise

Vondel Park

Headed to London?

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