DESTINATIONS
Bryce Canyon was the inspiration for our recent RV road trip through parts of Arizona & Utah. This has been on my bucket list from the moment I saw the picture of this fantastical landscape of voodoos. It did not disappoint.
Cancun, Mexico
Cancun is a fan favorite and always will be…. it sits on the strip of the Caribbean that is on Mexico’s northeastern Yucatán Peninsula and is best known for white sands, turquoise waters, and wild parties. If you’re not into the nightlife (neither are we), no worries, there’s so much to do that you’ll be ready for a good night’s sleep by the time evening rolls around. So, let’s get to it. Let the planning begin…
Chichén Itzá
If you’re a bucket list kind of person, then visiting one of the SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD will most likely be on your list. You’ll be happy to know that this destination won’t break the bank! With an inexpensive flight to Cancun and a rental car or guided tour, you can be on your way to this ancient Mayan temple.
Colorado
We recently embarked on a 10-day road trip to explore as much of Colorado as we could: Denver, Colorado Springs, Garden of the gods, Great Sand Dunes NP, Pagosa hot springs, Durango, Mesa Verde, Telluride, Breckenridge, Estes Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park. Whew!!
Check out this bog post for all the details: itinerary, drive distances, budget, accommodations, food, and activities!
Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres is paradise! This island is only an 18 minute ferry ride from Cancun, making it the perfect day trip. Here you will find beautiful white beaches and turquoise water. Enjoy local food and some of the best ice cream we’ve ever tasted, then drive the entire island by renting your own golf cart. It’s known for its northern beach of Playa Norte. Make sure to stop off at the sea turtle sanctuary. Go snorkeling or scuba diving on vibrant coral reefs, and consider visiting MUSA, the underwater art museum. The southern tip presents Punta Sur, with its jetting rocks, a lighthouse, and the remains of a Mayan temple. There’s too much to explore in one day, so you’ll have to decide or just stay for the week!
Panama City, Florida
Panama City has made amazing strides from its days of being known as the world’s number one spring break destination. Now, it’s local charm has invited families back to enjoy all that it has to offer. We gave it a try this year, a change from our traditional yearly spot on the Destin beaches… I was impressed so much that we booked our yearly family vacation with Kyle’s parents at PCB for next year too. Find all the details here:
Riviera Maya
The Riviera Maya area is one of my favorite destinations in Mexico because of the ability to visit Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Chichén Itzá, beautiful cenotes, and Isla Mujeras. There is so much to explore, which is what we love to do most on trips. Well, Kyle insists we build in time to relax, as well.
UPCOMING POSTS
We recently spent some time at CoCo Cay in the Bahamas on a business trip. We decided to see what all the fuss was about and try swimming with the pigs. It was an interesting experience, but overall, a fantastic time at CoCo Cay.
We had one day to explore Barcelona while on an Eastern Mediterranean Cruise. Of course, we wanted to see the Sagrada Família in the city known for its beautiful architecture, but there was so much more.
When you’re turning the big 40, you go seeking adventure to prove to yourself that you really are still as young as you feel! Swimming with whale sharks, Extreme Ziplining, Rappelling off the side of a cliff, camel rides in the desert, and visiting the iconic El Arco and Lovers Beach equates to one of my favorite and most memorable trips yet!
We started this trip in beautiful LA and drove up the famous HWY 1 coast for some of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. Big Sur is truly magnificent! We ended our adventure eating San Francisco lobster. Of course, the whole trip was enjoyed from the seat of a red convertible… because, why not?
Kyle and I went to the Cayman Islands as an all-expense paid trip through Chick-fil-A one year. Ever since, it has been our #1 location for coming back with the kids. Stingray City has my heart!
Kyle has been visiting Destin with his family for years. Now, as the tradition has continued, our children have enough sun & sand memories to last them a lifetime.
Florence, Italy
Welcome to the heart of Italy’s Tuscany region. Known for its architectural beauty, historical charm, and some of the most well-known Renaissance art in Europe, Florence is an Italian city of culture.
When visiting, you’ll be overwhelmed by sights that you’ve seen only in the history books: the Duomo, Michelangelo’s “David” sculpture, and da Vinci’s “Annunciation.” Make sure to save money aside for an Italian-made leather purse. You can find them right in the city center.
Gatlinburg, Tennesse
Gatlinburg is only 4 hours away from us and makes a great weekend getaway or short vacation! Hiking some of the 800 miles of trails through the Smokey Mountains is our favorite activity, but there other many other family-friendly activities, as well.
Grand Canyon
Welcome to Grand Canyon South Rim. After enjoying the Mather Point lookout, we headed down the South Kaibab Trailhead on bikes, stopping to take in the beauty of the canyons everywhere. Sydnee-Claire and Esther loved the trail-behind. Hiking part of the Ooh Aah Trail was the highlight, as we maneuvered slanted switchbacks and trains of mules to descend further and further down into the canyon.
Oahu, Hawaii
This iconic island on the Pacific Ocean has been Kyle’s top bucket list destination since he was child. Our favorite activities included parasailing, snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, eating at a shrimp truck on the North Shore, hiking through bamboo rain forests to the waterfalls of Manoa Valley, visiting Pearl Harbor, enjoying a Hawaiian luau, and biking down Mt Tantalus. We also hiked Diamond Head. Hawaii did not disappoint!
Ireland
We were thrilled to explore the Irish countryside and visit Galway, where my mom’s side of the family came from. We flew into Dublin and tackled driving on the wrong side of the road as we set off to explore the southern part of the countryside. Our visit included touring Trinity College, eating on the famous Quay street, staying at the famous Dromoland Castle, walking along the Cliffs of Moher, turning down a side street to find wild horses roaming abandoned castle ruins, and driving through quaint Irish villages along the coast….my only regret was that we didn’t stay longer. This was the first leg of our backpacking trip with another couple through three different countries. Now, on to Switzerland!
Lake Tahoe
We visited Lake Tahoe in the middle of the largest recorded snowfall season in 80 years… 31 feet of snow! It was the most magical thing I have ever seen. The roads looked like walled fortresses with steeped snow 10 feet high on either side. Skies were clear for our entire time and the sunshine glistened off the snowy mountains and deep blue lake. We ventured out for snowmobiling, snow skiing, and hunkered down with great company in a mountain cabin. This view is off the back deck.
Lexington, Kentucky
Welcome to our hometown, known as the horse capital of the world! A visit here will afford you a view of acres and acres of horse farms and green rolling hills speckled with the most beautiful thoroughbred horses in the country.
London, England
Did you know that London is the most popular city in Europe? It’s also one of the most expensive European capitals, so budget accordingly? The classic must see sights while in London are Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and the Tower Bridge! We visited London for 24 hours on an extended layover coming back from a 7-day Western Mediterranean Cruise. Extending layovers are a great way to sneak in a bonus destination for cheap.
Milan, Italy
Milan is the shopping capital of the world! Ummm, yes please. From Lugano, Switzerland, it’s just a short train ride away so we added it onto the end of our backpacking trip. The breathtaking architecture of the Duomo was my favorite part of Milan, although our friends headed straight to the Gucci store. We stayed in the most precious boutique hotel with the view of the Duomo from the balcony. It was perfect!
Switzerland
Last but not least … I can’t wait to share about our backpacking trip through Switzerland with friends. We flew into Zurich, took a train to the Lauterbrunnen Valley where we stayed at the foot of a waterfall and helicoptered through the Swiss Alps. Then, we went by boat to Lucerne and Ennetburgen to swim in the most amazing infinity pool and toured the city the next day. After that, we took a train to Lugano, before skipping over to Milan and Paris. Memories that I’ll cherish a lifetime…. my itinerary and budget for the entire trip comping soon right here.
favorite places we’ve visited
South America
