December 5, 2019
Ah Vallarta. It’s the perfect getaway. So perfect you may never want to leave the city center. Although you would be missing out if you didn’t explore some of the many charming beach towns located on the coast around Vallarta. I still haven’t visited all the ones I want to see but I’m working on it. If you’ve been to the area several times or are just looking to venture out, like me, and do some exploring, here are some...
November 30, 2019
So, you want to take a solo trip? Yay! That makes me so happy. I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed traveling solo. Family travel is great and gives you the chance to bond but there is something very satisfying about solo travel. It’s not just about doing what you want to do when you want to do it. It’s about relying on yourself in a way you might not experience in everyday life and that can be...
August 21, 2019
As a traveler to Mexico, at some point, you’re going to find yourself in Guadalajara. It’s location and the fact that it’s the second largest city in Mexico makes it a prime area for flights in and out of the country and also for exploring the region. While you might be tempted to fly on through to your final destination, why not spend some time in Guadalajara? You could easily spend a couple of weeks exploring the capital of Jalisco,...
August 13, 2019
I love road trips. If I’m not on a road trip, I’m planning a road trip or dreaming about one. Since road trips and music go together like cheese dip and tortillas, here’s 10 times a song made me wish I was on a road trip. 1. U2 | Beautiful Day How can you listen to this song and not want to take a road trip and see the country? Even though the band is Irish, the Joshua Tree album...
July 8, 2019
“National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst” If the parks are our best idea then the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Lands pass may just be the second best idea. What is the America the Beautiful Pass? The America the Beautiful pass or the US park pass is a pass that you can purchase for $80 USD. The pass covers your...
July 2, 2019
I love a Vegas vacation but I’ll be the first to admit that after a few days, I start to crave a change of scenery. The good news is, you don’t have to go very far to find it. Southern Nevada is full of natural beauty and really some cute towns. All within a few miles of the Vegas strip. Even if you didn’t pack your hiking boots, most of the areas have scenic drives or some paved walkways. Here’s...
June 23, 2019
-This post was updated Dec 2019- Some of the best food, not to mention the best tacos, I’ve ever eaten while traveling through Mexico was in La Paz. La Paz or LP for short, is located on the eastern side of the Baja peninsula in Baja California Sur. The location right on the the beautiful Sea of Cortez means super fresh seafood. But it wasn’t just the seafood that was amazing. Breakfast and coffee, due to some Italian expats, barbecue,...
May 2, 2019
Who would have thought that cheese dip would be the reason I’d finally get to spend some time in Arkansas? Definitely not me. You see, I had no idea that Little Rock was the birth place of cheese dip. Nor did I know they had a whole festival to celebrate it. But when the the Little Rock Convention & Visitor’s Bureau asked me to come and check out the festival as part of a Savor Arkansas food tour, I said...
April 21, 2019
I’ve made no secret of my love for Mexico and Mexico City is where I fell in love. I’ve been lucky enough to visit several times now and I know my love is here to stay. Whether it’s your first time or your tenth, I’ve come up with a few must do things to do in Mexico City when you. Be warned; you might just fall in love too. Must do #1: Ride the Turibus One of the things I...
January 10, 2019
As a self proclaimed Southern Ambassador, I’m embarrassed to admit I knew very little about the state of Arkansas. Any first hand knowledge, was from driving across I-40 on a road trip to California, with unfortunately, no real stops in the actual state. Arkansas is considered a Southern state but for us Deep South Southerners, it’s kind of like the cousin you only hear from occasionally. So when I was invited to visit Bentonville for a “Savor Arkansas” culinary tour,...
November 21, 2018
-Updated November 2019- Our anticipation was high as we drove the isolated back roads through Idaho to Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. I was halfway through a 5500 mile road trip with my daughter that had included Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Glacier National Park. We had been driving all day from Montana and we were so ready to be out of the car. Mainly, we were excited to see the park. Craters of the Moon had...
November 8, 2018
I spent a couple of weekends exploring St Louis. I ate too much BBQ and sampled way too many donuts for my own good but I came away impressed with all the things you can do there. It’s an amazing city with more to offer than just the Gateway Arch. I had no idea! From restaurants that have been around for ages, to re-purposed buildings and street art, here are some unique things to do in St Louis. Unique St Louis...
October 8, 2018
It’s easy to see why Iceland has become so popular in recent years. Fueled by movies, TV shows and Instagram, people have flocked to see it’s beauty. What once was a quiet island is now facing some over-tourism issues. It’s popularity doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon. If you are one of those people wanting to visit, no doubt you’ve read that it can be quite expensive. Just how expensive is it? How much money do you really need...
September 6, 2018
If you’ve ever driven through Georgia, south to Florida or east to Savannah, there’s a good chance you found yourself on Interstate 75. Almost smack dab in the middle of the state lies Macon, the “Heart of Georgia”. Macon isn’t a small city. In fact it’s the fourth largest in the state of Georgia. However, it’s somewhat overlooked in comparison to Atlanta, just a couple of hours north. So when my daughter, who lives near the Georgia coast, suggested we...
August 17, 2018
“Big Bend is a land of strong beauty-often savage and always imposing” Lori Garrison When it comes to National Parks, Big Bend checks all the boxes. Rivers, mountains, canyons, dark skies, hot springs and fossils are just a few of the amazing things you will see in the park. Since it’s also one of the least visited and largest National Parks, there’s enough space to explore and not feel crowded. If you choose to visit in June, which...
August 1, 2018
-This post was updated November 2019- Are you planning a vacation to Puerto Vallarta but not sure what’s the best area to stay in? Picking the right neighborhood can save time and even money that you might spend on transportation if you aren’t in an area that fit your needs. When I planned my first trip to Vallarta, I didn’t know either. Fortunately, I’ve been able to visit a few times since then and actually stay in different neighborhoods. By...
July 29, 2018
Foggy, moody and mysterious. Wild and tame. Maine is simply incredible. I had imagined it in my mind, but nothing prepared me for the sheer beauty of it. Road tripping north, up the coast from Boston, I had just a few days to discover pieces of it. I can’t wait to go back. Here’s a few photos to entice you to put Maine on your travel list....
June 10, 2018
I fell in love with Mexico City when I was fifteen. It was a high school Spanish class trip. Till this day I still can’t believe my parents allowed me to go. I didn’t know any Spanish. It wasn’t even my high school that I went with. Someone dropped out last minute and somehow, since I had a friend that was going, they arranged for me to go. We scrambled to get my birth certificate, since at that time, passports...
April 9, 2018
Confession. I almost didn’t go to Sayulita. When I was considering going, everyone I asked about it said it was too crowded and better before the gringos moved in. Oops. But since I was in Puerto Vallarta, the proximity made going there easy. I had time so why not spend 48 hours in Sayulita? What I found was a total surprise and I enjoyed myself way more than I thought I would. I’m sure it has changed a lot, as...
April 8, 2018
This post was updated October 2019 Just five miles off the Pacific ocean, near Puerto Vallarta and Punta Mita lies a group of uninhabited islands called las Islas Marietas or the Marieta Islands in English. Even if you aren’t familiar with the name of the islands themselves, you’ve probably seen photos of the crater like Hidden Beach or Playa del Amor, floating around on the internet. I had a chance to visit the islands as part of a trip to...
