Bellagio In The Rain
Upon landing in Milan, we arrived to our Airbnb in Como late at night after a couple of train transfer snafus, and woke up on our first full day in Italy to a forecast of thunderstorms. The morning was grey and cloudy, but still super warm out and generally not too stormy. Luckily I had seen the forecast while packing at home, so we came prepared with raincoats…but still I had high hopes that the projected forecast of 70% rain would somehow not come to fruition. However, our first full day in Italy was wet after all.
The Best Day Ever in Capri, Italy
We planned a beautiful day on the fabulous island of Capri, Italy that would have been romantic and memorable on it's own– but the afternoon ended with the best surprise of my life!
Adventure to Sugba Lagoon
Sugba Lagoon is a must-do while on Siargao Island! The endless crystal clear turquoise water surrounded by dozens of miles of mangrove forests is unlike anywhere we've ventured before. You can take a guided tour from General Luna, arrange a private driver, or you can follow our DIY-adventure for an unforgettable day-trip to Sugba Lagoon for under $10!
Exploring Tent Rocks National Monument
The Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is a short drive away from Santa Fe, and in my opinion it's a must-see, must-do hike! Shaun and I walked the 3-mile "Canyon Trail", which guides you through a gorgeous slot canyon, weaving through the iconic tent-shaped rock formations, and ends at an excellent peak with views for miles away.
Big Sur: Tent Camping In December
Beautiful Central California blesses us with sporadic days of sunshine, even in the dead of winter. Back in December, I noticed an upcoming heat spell and 72 hours later, we were driving down to Big Sur for the night. Our hometown of Santa Cruz, CA is just 90 minutes drive from the world famous coastline— so of course we spontaneously planned a quick camping trip!
Lacanau-Océan Street Market
The open streets market in Lacanau-Océan every Wednesday is a one-stop-shop for everything your heart desires. Cheese, leather goods, meats, fabric, cheese, knick-knacks, cheese, new and used clothes, escargot, bread, cheese, fruits, veggies, underwear, pottery, games, candy, pastries... and cheese! The streets are packed like Tokyo, but the goodies you'll find make it all worth it.
The Bathsheba Rock Pools
The East Coast of Barbados is worlds away from bustling Bridgetown and the tourist-centric South Coast. It's an incredibly quiet town abounding with locals, and remains true to its roots of genuine Bajan charm. However, the Atlantic Ocean on the East Coast does not mirror its Caribbean counterpart of picturesque, calm turquoise waters... The coastline in Bathsheba is rough and uninviting to swimmers, with strong surf and an intimidating reef/coral bottom. Luckily, the rocky shores create a handful of nature-made pools for the timid swimmer like myself to still take a dip!
Snorkel Trip in Carlisle Bay, Barbados
Carlisle Bay is a mile-long white sands beach known as a snorkel haven with incredibly clear turquoise water. There's plenty of wildlife with endless soft reefs, tropical fish, sea turtles, black urchins, and moray eels. However, the real crowd-pleaser is the handful of shipwrecks less than a mile offshore. Watch the two minute GoPro video of our experience >>
Big Sur: Day Trip
This gorgeous slice of California's West Coast between Carmel and Cambria is world renowned for it's photogenic coastline that's essentially in pristine condition. And we're lucky enough to live just a quick 90 minutes drive away! This past weekend, Sunday afternoon graced us with a rare day of sunshine (amid weeks of storms), so we spontaneously decided to head south and enjoy a few hours exploring the northern tip of Big Sur.
West Cliff Drive in the Winter
Winter time in Santa Cruz, California supplies some of the most beautiful (and crisp!) days with blue skies and low temperatures. West Cliff Drive is a top spot for locals and tourists alike, for obvious reasons. The six-mile round trip sidewalk (spanning from the Dream Inn to Natural Bridges) provides some of the best views of the Monterey Bay, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and the Municipal Wharf. Along the way, you will see the world famous point break surf spot Steamer Lane, the state beach and butterfly grove Natural Bridges, and a dozen more hidden coves and beaches.
Ancient Tokyo: Sensō-Ji Temple
Sensō-ji is Tokyo's oldest ancient temple, dating back to 645 AD. It's stunning, dramatic and a major attraction for international and Japanese tourists alike. The pedestrian-only lanes leading up to the temple are as packed as a sold out concert with hundreds of pop-up shops with the best gift/souvenir shopping in all of Tokyo. Inside the temple courtyard, you can get your "Omikuji" for a donation of 100¥ (equivalent of $1 USD), which literally translates to a "fortune-telling paper." Sensō-ji is iconic and one of our favorite spots in Tokyo — well worth the cover photo of the Lonely Planet Tokyo Pocket book guide!
The Eiffel Tower by Nightfall
The iconic Eiffel Tower, an image synonymous with Paris itself. Although it's a little pricey and definitely time-consuming, it's a must-do, must-see and 100% worth it. Towering over the city at 984 feet, it's an unbeatable 360° view.
Red Wine on the Seine River
One bottle of merlot, one fresh baguette, some delicious chèvre (goat cheese) and jambon serrano (thin sliced ham) makes for a romantic sunset on Pont Neuf. A picnic in Paris along the Seine River... Could it get any better than this?
Stonehenge, 3000 B.C.
So, we just touched down in Euro-town! Post- 11 hour flight, we landed at London Heathrow and went directly to pick up our rental car to zip down to Cornwall for the Boardmaster's Surf Contest. Little did we know, the famous pre-historic monument Stonehenge is directly on our route. Literally, directly on our route: you can see Stonehenge just about 150 yards off the freeway. But we thought the Neolithic structure deserved more than just a drive-by glance! Pitstop #1.
Secret Bali: A Secluded Paradise
Hands down, my favorite beach in Bali. Thomas Beach is private, quiet and beautiful with lengthy white sands and crystal clear turquoise water. Every one of the surrounding area's beaches (Uluwatu, Padang Padang, Bingin) are filled with hoards of tourists and even more locals (trying to sell sarongs!) resulting in a less than peaceful beach experience... speakers no doubt blasting Bob Marley, an excess of Bintangs and no elbow room. Thomas Beach feels worlds away; we were among five other tourists on a beach half a mile long. The only beach vendor was selling ice cold coconuts - exactly the one thing I would actually like to purchase at the beach.
Pura Luhur Uluwatu: Monkey Temple
Pura Luhur Uluwatu: an 11th century Balinese sea temple built atop stunning 230 feet sheer cliffs over the Indian Ocean, on the southernmost edge of the Bukit peninsula. Beyond it's incredible architecture, the Uluwatu Temple has also gained popularity with tourists because it's occupied with an amazing amounts of grey monkeys- super, super cute but with a naughty side!
The Catlin's Coast
The deepest south we explored in New Zealand... only 2,600 miles from Antartica! The rugged Catlin's Coast is genuinely an eyeful with the turquoise ocean lined with whitewater, sharp cliffs, and scattered islands. It's worth the windy gravel roads to explore.
Wine Tasting in Marlborough
The Marlborough region on the South Island of New Zealand is a major hotspot for wine. In fact, 80% of New Zealand’s total wine production is in the Marlborough area. So, of course we had to go tasting! We (last minute) booked a four to five hour “medium tour” with Marlborough Wine Tours, stopping at a total of five wineries and even a chocolate factory for the finishing touch.
Exploring Abel Tasman
Everyone told us that Abel Tasman National Park was a must-do / must-see in New Zealand, and I strongly agree! This gorgeous and nearly untouched park spans over dozens of bays of golden sand, 140 sq. miles of lush green bush, crystal turquoise ocean water, and a handful of islands with fur seal pups. We chose to explore both land and sea; first kayaking from Marahau to Anchorage Bay (roughly 4 hours) and then bushwalking/hiking back (12km/8mi - 3 hours). My arms feel like Jell-O as I type this up…
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing
Yesterday, I completed a 19.4 kilometer (12 miles), seven hour hike over the Tongariro Alpine Crossing! It’s said to be New Zealand’s best day hike and I can see why. It was 1°C / 33°F (!!!) with strong winds, and it is definitely the most difficult hike I’ve ever done. Alarm clock at 4:30 am, meeting for the shuttle at 5:25 am, and starting walking at the crack of dawn 6:30 am. Alpine Crossing complete at 1:30 pm. Gnarly!