Do you want to go to Chicago for a conference? I was asked this question a few months prior by my boss while sitting in my rolling office chair, under florescent lights. Yes, I proclaimed. I had never been to Chicago before, except the airport, but I don’t count that as an authentic experience by any means. I also love to travel, so I thought this work trip would be a fun way to challenge myself professionally and also a good opportunity to take my husband along to explore the city. I immediately started day dreaming about all of the things I wanted to see and do while in Chicago.…

The trendiest thing going on in travel right now is the element of surprise. You may have heard of companies such as PackUp + Go and The Vacation Hunt that are not only taking the hassle out of planning a trip but also providing an element of anticipation as your trip nears to your unknown destination. Booking a surprise vacation often comes along with a higher price point than you likely would have paid had you booked the trip on your own. Maybe you would have sought out budget airlines or looked for last minute hotel deals online. So, that begs the question, is it worth the higher price point…

A Coffee Filled City With This Many Fun Activities Will Have You Wishing You Didn’t Require Sleep Just So You Could Fit Everything In Seattle, a beautiful rainy city nestled in the heart of the pacific northwest, a place I have visited often over the last several years since moving out to Portland. But, each time I go, I find myself partaking in some of the same fun iconic sights the city has to offer such as Pike’s Place Market and the Space Needle, but I also like to incorporate some new places as well. I look for a restaurant, museum or neighborhood that I haven’t explored before. This last…

I love weekend trips. To me its just the right amount of leisurely fun that gives me enough rejuvenation to take on another work week. I particularly enjoy destinations that take less than four hours to get to, whether its by car, train or plane. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Bend and stay at the beautiful resort called Riverhouse on the Deschutes. It’s crazy to think that I have been living in Portland for over six and half years, and only visited Bend once. If you are an outdoor skier, hiker or biker you will surely enjoy the outdoor splendor of Bend. But hey, even if your not,…

Have you ever been on a trip, mid layover in an airport, you look around and see those people that have it all together? You know what I’m talking about, the people in the beautiful clothes, cool shoes, hair that is still in place from their first leg of their journey. Well, I have. Then I look at myself and think, what am I doing wrong? Often times when traveling, especially on long trips we (myself included) want to be comfortable. Which usually means throwing on a cozy sweatshirt and in some cases (gasp) pajama pants. The thing is, I have learned that being comfortable does not have to be solely…

For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to visit Key West. The laid back southern most part of the United States, situated just 90 miles from Cuba has always held a reputation in my mind as a laid back beach town where you can get around by the ease of a one speed bicycle. Last February my husband and I took our first cruise together that left from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. (Check out my post on What You Need To Prepare For A Cruise Vacation.) On our last day of the cruise we arrived back to the Ft. Lauderdale cruise terminal at 7:00 AM and we…

Well as the saying goes, the “cat’s outta the bag” referring to the fact that word has gotten out about how weird Portland, Oregon is.The popular TV series Portlandia starring Fred Armisen and Carry Brownstein helped put Portland on the map for audiences far and wide gaining a glimpse at the exaggerated, but not too far off eccentric lifestyles or Portlanders. This pacific northwest city nestled among tall douglas fir trees has always leaned toward the odd and strange. Just think about the obsession with the existence of Sasquatch or the city’s annual naked bike ride.  If that wasn’t enough the city of Portland even has an unofficial mascot that can be…

I recently returned from a weekend get-away in San Francisco. This was my first time visiting the “city by the bay” and I must say that my expectations were indeed exceeded. I was marveled by the pastel painted Victorian homes with iron stair railings and balconies that I passed by on an early morning walk towards the Golden Gate Bridge. My breath was literally taken away by the views from the tops of the steep hilled streets, or maybe it was because I was out of breath from what felt like a 90 degree angle hike? To me, San Francisco felt very much like a European city. Maybe it was the compact nature of the city’s…

Hawaii seems to be a top bucket list destination for most people. I know it surely was one of mine. For as long as I could remember I had always wanted to visit Hawaii. Even more than the Caribbean. Growing up on the east coast, the thought traveling to Hawaii was so daunting. First you would need to travel all the way across the country, and then from the west coast you would need to take a nearly six hour additional flight to make it to the stunning beaches of Hawaii. So, for most folks, a trip south to Florida for some fun in the sun is a lot more…