Sandestin(ation)
Can you [pan]handle this [San]destination? Cue the Destiny's Child..."I don't think you can handle it," (insert finger wag).
Read MoreCan you [pan]handle this [San]destination? Cue the Destiny's Child..."I don't think you can handle it," (insert finger wag).
Read MoreA little over two hours outside of Atlanta, in the Appalachian mountains, lies the town of Highlands, North Carolina. With a permanent population of less than 1,000 (it can swell to upwards of 20,000 when you throw in a few tourists) this tiny town is huge on mountain charm.
Read MoreWhile I was in New England in July, I decided to make the most of my time and head up to Maine! I had been wanting to visit Maine for awhile, and now I can't wait to go back and see more of Vacationland!
When in Maine, here are a few must-do's...
Read MoreEvery year, The New York Times publishes a list of its top picks for places to visit in that given year. This year's list of 52 Places to Go in 2015, provided an interactive look at places around the world, from Macedonia to Cleveland to Cuba. While I wouldn't turn down the chance to go to any of these places, I have had the chance to visit a few for myself so I thought I'd share my own top four picks from the list (four is much more manageable than 52, am I right?!).
Read MoreOne of Kyle and I's favorite things to do when the weather is nice and we have a free weekend, is head up to some of the vineyards and wineries in North Georgia. We have tried out several now, but our favorite one to visit is Frogtown Cellars. Its just over an hour outside of Atlanta and has the most beautiful views.
Read MoreI drove in to Boston from my trip to Maine (hold tight for a forthcoming Vacationland blog post), arriving around lunch time. I had an afternoon to kill while I waited for Kyle's flight to arrive and for my friend Matt to get off work.
I decided to wander around the North End and find some lunch, and I had it on good authority that I needed to make a stop at Bova Bakery. Yes, Mike's is the most famous, but according to my local source, Bova was better so clearly I had to try it! I bought enough cannoli's and pastries to share over the weekend, a calzone for lunch and headed to the harbor for my own personal picnic by the water. I spent the afternoon strolling through the neighborhood, checking out the coffee shops and the Old North Church, and later, walking along the water.
Boston is an awesome city with so much character. I would highly recommend spending much more time than one afternoon here and the summer or fall seem like great times to go!
*Tip: I didn't get to go this time, but if you like museums, The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is my favorite museum of all time! Its also where the largest theft in U.S. history occurred when upwards of $500 million in art was stolen, including Rembrandt's only known seascape. The empty frames from which the thieves cut the canvases still hang in the museum (I wrote an entire term paper on this in my college museum studies class, so I could go on, but I'll stop there).
A few weeks ago, I made the journey up north to attend a conference at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. The campus itself was beautiful and the town of Hanover was so picturesque. I spent a lot of time at the Hanover Inn, which is one of the most charming hotels I have ever seen. The decor was both modern and homey and I loved it!
While I was attending sessions and events most of time, I did manage to do a little bit of exploring and picture taking along the way. The Dartmouth campus is situated along the Connecticut River and has tons of running trails. I went on several early morning runs where I got some of the best pictures! But, lets be real, my true motivation was to be able to utter the sentence, "I ran to Vermont this morning." So Vermont is less than a mile away? Who's counting?
*Tip: If you ever happen to be in the Hanover area, The Dirt Cowboy Cafe has coffee that rivals any Starbucks drink out there. It's a must do. Also, visit Salt Hill Pub for karaoke, Murphy's on the Green for dinner and drinks, and Morano Gelato for desert.
This past week I attended a conference in New Hampshire and since I love to make the most of a trip, after the conference Kyle flew up and met me in Boston so that we could spend the weekend with some good friends.
On Saturday we spent the afternoon in Plymouth, Massachusetts enjoying lobster rolls and sangria at East Bay for lunch, wandering along the water, being underwhelmed by Plymouth Rock, eating ice cream and taking pictures with our friends' really cute baby!
I love New England and finding small towns to explore. Plymouth did not disappoint! I could not stop snapping pictures of the boats, the water, the sky, the clouds, the food and the lobster buoys. And I could not wait to share...enjoy!