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 card 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, it can get a little overwhelming. The crowds and those slot machines you were so excited to see, lose their appeal on about day three. Especially when you aren’t winning. The solution? Take a day, or more and venture off strip. You’ll find there’s more to do in Southern Nevada than just Vegas. This part of the state is FULL of natural beauty, including of one of the...
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 visited several times now and 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 always recommend first timers do when...
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
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 ready to be out of the car. Mostly, we were just excited to see the park. Craters had been a park goal for us...
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, maybe on your way 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”. While it’s not a small city, in fact it’s the fourth largest in the state, it’s somewhat overlooked in comparison to Atlanta, just a couple of hours north. So when my daughter, who lives near the Georgia coast,...
August 23, 2018
Some of the best food, not to mention the best tacos, I’ve ever eaten while traveling in Mexico was in La Paz, Baja California Sur. LP for short, is located on the eastern side of the Baja peninsula. The proximity to the the Sea of Cortez makes for super fresh seafood. But it wasn’t just the seafood that was tasty. Breakfast, pizza and even barbecue, yes barbecue in Baja, were just a few of the amazing things I ate while...
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 was unsure too. 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. 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 weren’t required. I’d never...
April 9, 2018
Confession. I almost didn’t go to visit Sayulita. I had seen way too many people posing with brightly colored pom poms and I thought if was just too trendy. But since I was in Puerto Vallarta, the proximity made going there a no brainer. What I found was a total surprise and I enjoyed myself way more than I thought I would. Sayulita is a charming sleepy Mexican beach town tempered with surfers, artists and yes gringos, but cool ones....
April 8, 2018
This post was updated October 2019 Just five miles off the Pacific coast of the Mexican State of Nayarit, lies a group of uninhabited islands called las Islas Marietas or the Marieta Islands in English. Even if you aren’t familiar with the islands themselves, you’ve probably seen photos of the crater like Hidden Beach or Playa del Amor, floating around on the internet and Instagram. I had a chance to visit the islands as part of a trip to Puerto...
March 27, 2018
Visiting Chicago is always a good idea. And while I don’t think there’s a bad time to visit, there are some months that are just better than others. Spring is one of my favorite times to visit. There’s just something a little extra special as the city is waking up from the cold. The snow that has been piled up all winter is gone. In it’s place, spring flowers are blooming. Everything looks so fresh and clean. Here are five...
March 18, 2018
Traveling to Mexico can be a bit overwhelming if you aren’t prepared. Transportation, different currency and a foreign language are just a few of the many things that could potentially leave you feeling lost. The good news is there are plenty of apps for traveling in Mexico to help make your travels easier and more efficient. I always use the same five apps for traveling in Mexico. Why only five? Keeping apps to a minimum lessens the chance of your...