I still remember how long it took to plan a trip to Alaska the first time. The options were overwhelming and I wasn’t an experienced traveler. Alaska cruisetours promised to cure my headache, but they wanted thousands of dollars in exchange. Since I was young, broke, and stubborn, I decided to figure it out on my own. I wanted something more adventurous, more personalized, and
Kayaking in Alaska Among Icebergs is the Coolest Thing You’ll Ever Do
Kayaking in Alaska is the holy grail of all trips. You head miles away from the nearest town — not that it’s big to begin with — into a great expanse of wildlife sanctuaries, pristine waters, and between rugged peaks. If you’re lucky, curious otters will come up to greet you. If you’re not, tidal swings will carry you far and make you work hard
Into the Wild: 3 Awesome Places to See Wildlife in Alaska
What if I told you you could go on a safari without leaving the country? Alaska is a hotspot for animals, a state full of moose, bears, whales, and more. You’ll likely stumble on some no matter where you go, but these are favorites on where to see wildlife in Alaska. All three areas are relatively easy to reach, semi-affordable, ripe for wildlife opportunities, and
Last-Minute Spring Break Ideas
March officially welcomes in spring break season, but don’t lose help if you’ve procrastinated on making plans. Here’s a few spring break ideas using frequent flyer miles and hotel points to get you started without having to pay premium prices. For Adventurers: Panama If you want to spice your trip up a little but don’t have time to get too far from home, Central America
Where to Go When You Lose the Powerball
“It’s a tax on stupid people,” my boss used to say, and indeed I know the odds of winning the Powerball. Actually, you don’t even need a course in advanced statistics to calculate that: Powerball straight out shares that the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292 million. And yet, I bought a ticket anyway. Three tickets, to be exact. With visions of
Destinations I Will Defend Until I Die
Lately, it seems I’ve gotten a lot of messages from readers who disagree with my opinions. I actually love these emails (who am I kidding? I love all emails!) because debating about travel is one of the things I enjoy most. More often than not, these passionate messages are from locals who love their home and are surprised I didn’t like it. I get it:
Mendenhall Glacier Trek in Juneau AK – Is it Worth It?
It looked like it was going to pour when I woke up in Juneau. But they say there’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing, so I gathered up my rain gear and decided to make the best of my day on a Mendenhall Glacier Trek. My plans in Juneau would be the most physically strenuous of my 13-day trip: I had signed up
7 Places I Could Return to Over and Over
In January, my husband and I spent a four-day weekend driving from Bozeman, Montana to Spokane, Washington and exploring a few spots inbetween. Even though we never intended this trip to be a “vacation” (we had some personal business in the area), I had hoped to return to the blog with stories about gorgeous scenery, interesting communities, and small town charms. Instead, I was really
North to Alaska: Caribou Hunting near Prudhoe Bay
Even in the modern world of air travel with world capitals seemingly at your doorstep, it still amazes me just how large the contiguous United States are. The first leg of my journey north got me to Seattle through Atlanta where I chose to overnight before heading up to Anchorage. Due to Delta’s illogical luggage policy, it was cheaper for me to fly first class and check