Search Results for: small town

Haunted Savannah : A Ghost City Tour Review

March 7, 2018

Ghost City Grave Tales Ghost Tour – Savannah, Georgia

While in Charleston, one of Nick’s colleagues from the area recommended for us to a ghost tour while in Savannah, as it’s known as the most haunted city in the USA. He recommended Ghost City so we went with them, but there are a lot of companies that do these tours so you could look into other options too. I love supernatural natural stuff like that and have always been sensitive to the supernatural in my personal life, so this was right up my alley. We actually booked only a day in advance and even though last minute, it was one of our favorite parts of our time in Savannah!

LOVE

Tour Guide – We had KB as our guide and we loved her! She was the perfect mix of great story telling and information along with great insider knowledge of the city.

Tour Route – We did a big loop around the downtown area of Savannah and got to see some spots we hadn’t seen during our day wandering around the city which was nice. It’s a nice couple hours of getting to see the city and understand it better.

DIDN’T LOVE

Meet Up Organization – We did our tour on a Saturday night and they had a lot of different groups going and where we met in Johnson Square there were a ton of people and it got a little chaotic. I wish they would have told us to go to a specific corner of the square or something to meet as it got a little crazy before we got going. They did do their best to manage it, it just was a lot of people!

Group Size – I’d say there were probably 12-15 people in our group and I wish there had been about half that so we got a little bit more of an intimate feel. It wasn’t a huge deal, but if I did it again, it would be nice to have a smaller group.

NOTES TO KEEP IN MIND

Wear Comfortable Shoes – It’s a 1.5-2 hour tour so wear comfortable shoes to walk around that whole time!

If you’re supernaturally sensitive, be ready for some weird vibes – I’ve always been sensitive to the supernatural and since I was little have always felt supernatural presence around me in certain locations so if you lean that direction, just be aware that I definitely got some weird vibes and feelings in certain locations on this tour. One square in particular (the last one on the tour), gave me a really negative feeling and presence and I was really ready to get out of that location, so just know that if you’re sensitive to it, you will definitely feel it on this tour. Just be ready for it so it doesn’t throw you off. And if you aren’t sure if you really believe in the supernatural (like Nick), don’t worry either, you’ll still have a great time and learn a bunch of history of Savannah.

6 Places in the US that Look Like Europe

August 22, 2017

I realize that while I do a lot of International travel, many people either can’t at this point in their lives or it’s their prerogative to see more of the USA, which is such a great thing. My own home country has some amazing spots to see and is well worth visiting. But if you’re itching to travel Europe but for whatever reason can’t make it there right now, don’t worry! There are so many places in the US that look like Europe and offer some amazing spots for you to explore.

Glacier National Park, Montana | Austria

The vistas and overlooks in Glacier National Park reminded me of Austria and scenes of Switzerland.

Oregon Coastline | UK Coastlines

The rugged coastlines of the UK are definitely reminiscent of Oregon’s coastline with cliffs and jagged rocks.

Palouse, Washington | Tuscany

If you want to feel like you’ve been transported to the Tuscan countryside, the Palouse area of Eastern Washington State is the spot!

Kenai Peninsula, Alaska | Norway

The fjords of Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula are reminiscent of Scandinavia scenery like Norway.

Alexandria, Virginia | UK

If you want to feel transported to a small UK town, head to historic Alexandria, Virginia.

Leavenworth, Washington | Bavaria

For a taste of Bavaria in Washington State, Leavenworth is the place.

Travel Tips : Driving in Provence

July 31, 2017

I’ve driven in a lot of countries now and I’ve written a number of posts about driving in certain places and what to expect, though Provence came with it’s very own set of unique challenges. While overall driving in Provence was totally fine, there are certain things that it would have been helpful to know beforehand. So if you’re headed to this beautiful area in the South of France, here’s everything you need to know about driving in Provence!

Rent an automatic when you do your booking if that’s what you’re used to.

If you drive an automatic car at home, rent an automatic car in France. While sometimes it’s a little bit more expensive as they don’t have as many, it’s well worth it for the peace of mind. There are a ton of hills and tight spaces in Provence and you’ll be super glad you’re not trying to remember how to drive a stick in the harder driving conditions.

Get the basic insurance.

There are some places I don’t buy the extra insurance for car rentals as most of my credit cards have coverage, but there are some places that it really is well worth the small amount of extra money. Iceland for example is one of those place to always buy the insurance due to the conditions you’ll be driving in. Provence is another one of those places. The roads are super narrow and often one lane width where you’ll be passing with inches to spare. Just in case, I would highly recommend getting the basic insurance coverage here.

Roads are narrow and often one lane.

Expect narrow roads once you get off the highways and most end up not much wider than one lane roads. You’ll have to pass slowly and carefully.

Tolls on the highways.

The highway from Nice to Provence has a ton of tolls, so be ready for that. Go to the lanes that have signs showing coins, as those lanes have spots to pay if you don’t have a pass. And make sure you have cash with you as many didn’t take cards.

Rent a small car.

While most cars in Europe are on the smaller side, make sure your rental is as well. The tiny town in Provence don’t have a lot of parking and the spots they do have are tiny, so you’ll want a small car. You’ll also be better off on the super narrow roads.

Use GPS on your phone but also follow the signs.

We used GPS on our phones on this trip to get from one place to another and always had service, but the roads in Provence are actually also really signed well. So if you get lost or don’t have signal, just follow the signs.

Country roads take longer than you think.

We found that the driving times that Apple Maps gave us took longer on the country roads as they are tiny and narrow, and you might encounter traffic or not be able to pass. You’ll also find yourself wanting to stop and take photos along the way, so give yourself a cushion on your timeframe.

Headed to France?

Find more information in our archives.

10 Amazing Places to See Between Oregon and Wyoming

June 9, 2017

We saw a lot of amazing places on our road trip which led us from Portland to Yellowstone. Though along the way certain things really stood out, whether it be cute little towns or amazing landscapes. The Western United States has an incredible range of scenery and between the West Coast and Montana, there is so much to see and do. Over the course of our road trip, here are 10 amazing places to see between Oregon + Wyoming. This part of the US really is pretty incredible, so if you find yourself in this area, don’t miss these amazing spots!

1. Palouse Falls

This stunning spot in Eastern Washington is a beauty, with the huge canyon and the water spilled into a pool below. Catch it at sunset for an incredible view!

2. The Palouse / Steptoe Butte

Known as The Palouse, this area of Eastern Washington is stunning to say the least. From rolling green and gold hills, to lone cyprus trees that remind you of Tuscany, this area if beyond gorgeous. It ended up being my favorite spot on our whole trip… simply breathtaking!

3. Walla Walla, Washington

As one of the cutest towns in Washington State, I was anxious to explore a bit of Walla Walla. Known for their sweet onions and apples, this adorable little town is a do not miss stop when in the area.

4. East Glacier National Park – Drive to St. Mary

When visiting Glacier National Park, there is lots to do! But one of my favorites while in the park is the drive from the East entrance to St. Mary, a drive that will take you over incredible vistas with scenery that rivals the best in the world!

5. West Glacier National Park – Lake McDonald

If you’re exploring the West side of Glacier National Park, the stand out star is definitely Lake McDonald. The pristine, calm surface of the lake perfectly reflects the mountains around it and is so beautiful.

6. Bozeman, Montana

We stopped in Bozeman because Nick’s aunt lives there and I had no idea what to expect. Needless to say, I was blown away! Bozeman, Montana is an adorable town with a great little downtown area full of amazing shops and restaurants. When you’re in the area, it’s a great stop to make and explore.

7. Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone National Park

We did find Yellowstone a little crowded for our tastes, so some of the larger attractions like Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic kind of felt too touristy to really enjoy. However I did really like the smaller areas of Yellowstone that weren’t as crowded or well know, like the Biscuit Basin. It’s just a few minutes down the road from Grand Prismatic but was way less crowded so you really get to enjoy it a little more. From hot springs to incredible colored pools, this was one of my favorite areas of the park.

8. Morning Glory Pool, Yellowstone National Park

This famous multicolored pool at Yellowstone was pretty incredible. It’s about a mile hike back from Old Faithful and we did it in the mid-morning so that it wouldn’t be so hot. It also started getting really crowded when we were leaving, so go here first thing in the morning to really enjoy it.

9. Artist Point, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park

Our second day in the park, we really wanted to a quiet spot with no crowds for sunrise so we woke up before the sun and headed to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone at Artist Point for some sunrise photos. The falls here are beautiful but the rest of the canyon landscape is gorgeous as well!

10. Ketchum, Idaho

On our way home, a good stopping place was Ketchum, Idaho before we made our way back to Portland. I had visited the Sun Valley area years ago, but was overwhelmingly surprised at how cute Ketchum is now. We really enjoyed our last night in the area (don’t miss a stay at the Limelight Hotel here) and would for sure go back!

Why Quitting Your Job to Travel Isn’t the Answer

May 24, 2017

As a travel blogger, it feels like everywhere I look people are quitting their jobs to travel the world, leaving behind their homes, their material stuff and selling everything for a grand adventure to travel and see the world. And if you want to do that, that’s totally fine. The problem is, that only really works for a very small percentage of people. The problem is, that often in the travel and blogging industries, that’s offered as a “one size fits all” option and it’s just not. I would also argue, it’s not the answer to your longing to travel the world either or a great long term solution and here’s why.

If you’re already in a professional career, you can’t always take a year or however long off.

I often see people giving everything up and moving overseas or traveling the world for a year and that’s wonderful, if you’re in a position to do it. Most of us in professional careers can’t just do that without major set backs in our careers. For me personally, I would lose a lot of clients if I did that which would hurt me down the road. It’s not always feasible if you’ve already started building your career to take a year or however long off.

Not all businesses, even small businesses that you own yourself, can move anywhere.

I own a small business myself and I work on my own time from home, but I’m not in a position to move or go anywhere at the present time. I still need to be based somewhere to be able to get my work done and need to be traveling to clients’ locations to do my work. So while yes, some small businesses can be packed up and the work done anywhere, others are more stationary and that’s ok. Owning your own business is wonderful but there are drawbacks too, something that I don’t often see shown on some of these people that preach your own business can go anywhere mantras.

Having a home and routine life are worthwhile too.

For me, I really enjoy having the balance of traveling and coming home to my townhouse and my daily routine. And while sometimes the daily grind can become wearing, it’s still really important in life to have a life set up somewhere, wherever that might be. All the things that come with a life, a house, a job, errands, those things are important too… just as important as seeing the world and often just as worthwhile to know you’ve built a home and a life somewhere fairly stationary.

Not everyone is meant for long term travel or living overseas.

As much as bloggers can say you must live overseas or you must sell everything and go travel… in truth that’s just not meant for everyone. I’m a huge proponent of living overseas and did as a child and it changed my life. I would love to live overseas again. But right now in my life isn’t the time and I can truthfully acknowledge it’s not for everyone. Nor is long term travel. I wouldn’t give up everything to travel long term, it’s just not for me. So if those are for you, great. If not, you don’t have to feel bad if that isn’t the path for you. You can still travel and see the world without having to do it long term or living overseas.

Travel is wonderful, but so are other things.

I’m a huge proponent for travel, but if you want other things out of your life, that doesn’t make you any less of a person. Travel is amazing and I could go on and on about what it’s meant to me in my life to be able to travel, but other things are great too whatever that means for you. For some people it means starting a family, for some it means focusing on your career. Whatever that means for you, do what works for you and don’t worry about trying to keep up with everyone else!