Curious about where I've been in the world? You can check out my Destinations page to see everywhere I've been, or scroll down to see a timeline of some of my favorite and most memorable travel adventures.
A timeline of (some of) my travels
February 2011 – I took one of my first “real” solo trips to Hawaii, spending about a week on Oahu: 10 Beautiful Hawaiian Beaches on Oahu
May 2011 – I tackled one of the scariest things ever — the highest bungee jump in New Zealand: The Scariest Thing I Have Ever Done
August 2011 – My sister and I embarked upon an epic, 3-week road trip across America before I quit my newspaper job and went back to school; it’s always been a dream of ours, and did not disappoint: Road Trip ’11: My 10 Favorite Road Trip Stops
November 2011 – I decided that I was probably never going to leave everything behind to travel the world indefinitely. Hence my travel/blog philosophy was born: You Can Live a “Normal” Life and Travel,Too
January 2012 – I stayed the night in a former-prison-turned-hospital in Ottawa, and stayed up half the night because I’m pretty sure it was haunted: My Night in Prison
March 2012 – I went to Iceland for my grad school spring break and almost died on the side of a mountain: The Time I Almost Died in Iceland
May 2012 – I spent a week exploring San Francisco for the first time: The Neighborhoods of San Francisco
June 2012 – On my very first solo trip to Europe, I started out in Budapest, which happens to be home to some awesome thermal baths: Soaking at the Szechenyi Baths
July 2012 – After having dreamt about visiting for years (thanks to the book The Historian), I finally visited Rila Monastery, hidden away in the Bulgarian mountains: Rila Monastery, In Photos
July 2012 – I stood in awe during my first visit to Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey: In Photos: Hagia Sophia
July 2012 – I splurged and bought a ticket to see some gymnastics at the 2012 summer Olympics in London: London 2012: My Olympics Experience
August 2012 – I got to hike on a glacier in Alaska: Ice, Ice, Baby: Glacier Hiking in Alaska
December 2012 – I headed off to Edinburgh, Scotland, to ring in 2013 Hogmanay-style, with fire and Vikings and dancing and polar plunges: Hogmanay: The Most Epic New Year’s Celebration You’ve Never Heard Of
January 2013 – I swam/snorkeled with sharks, stingrays, and sea turtles at the Belize Barrier Reef: Of Sailboats and Sharks
January 2013 – This self-proclaimed non-camper camped in the jungle in Guatemala and didn’t die: A Non-Camper Sleeps in the Jungle. With Monkeys.
March 2013 – I satisfied a lifelong dream and watched the Northern Lights dance above the frozen tundra in Manitoba, Canada: A Dance of Lights: Awed By the Aurora Borealis
June 2013 – My sister and I went on another road trip, this time driving down to Florida through the Old South: Highlights from a Week in the Old South
July-August 2013 – I spent the summer traveling around Europe with Busabout. You can read about the highlights in my RTW Diaries from Month One and Month Two.
August 2013 – Feeling like a true VIP, I got to get a really unique peek at the Colosseum in Rome: Behind the Scenes at the Colosseum
September 2013 – I spent 2 blissful weeks hopping around the Greek islands, eating way too much feta and soaking up lots of sun: My Big Fat Greek Islands Photo Essay
November 2013 – After traveling around Europe for 3 months straight after finishing grad school, I decided that long-term travel was NOT for me: RTW Diaries: A Confession, A Change of Plans
January 2014 – I spent the night on a junk boat in Ha Long Bay, one of the places I was most looking forward to visiting in Vietnam: Ha Long Bay: Just as Incredible as You’ve Heard
February 2014 – I got to explore the incredible temples of Angkor in Cambodia: Temples Galore at Angkor
February 2014 – I spent a week volunteering with elephants in Thailand: Volunteering at Elephant Nature Park
June 2014 – My partner, Elliot, and I took a helicopter ride over Niagara Falls: Flying High Over Niagara Falls
October 2014 – Elliot and I went in search of fall colors in northern lower Michigan: Things to Do in Traverse City in the Fall
November 2014 – On my way to New Zealand, I built in a stopover in Tahiti, which ended up being pretty blissful: Tahiti: It's a Magical Place
November 2014 – I teamed up with Red Carpet Tours and spent two weeks visiting Lord of the Rings filming locations in New Zealand: Exploring Middle-Earth With Red Carpet Tours
November 2014 – I went bungee jumping for the fourth time in NZ: Completing the Bungee Jumping Trifecta in Queenstown
November 2014 – I spent a few days in Kaikoura, New Zealand, and went swimming with wild dolphins: Swimming With Wild Dolphins in New Zealand
November 2014 – I walked around the top of a tower in Auckland; what a rush! Adventure in the Sky in Auckland
December 2014 – My friend Liz and I hiked the Hooker Valley Track at Mount Cook, the tallest mountain in New Zealand: The Hooker Valley Track: The Best Half-Day Hike in New Zealand?
January 2015 – Since I've long been a big geek, I took advantage of some good timing and went with a friend to Harry Potter World in Florida: Visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando
March 2015 – I escaped the Ohio winter and flew down to Florida again, this time to go swimming with manatees in Crystal River: Swimming With Manatees in Crystal River, Florida
April 2015 – I went on my very first river cruise this year, to Eastern Europe with AmaWaterways: River Cruising: What's It Really Like?
April 2015 – After putting off visiting for years, I finally went to Barcelona Spain – and fell absolutely IN LOVE: Everybody Was Wrong About Barcelona
April 2015 – I visited the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, which contains some of the most incredible architecture I've ever seen: The Place Everyone Will Tell You to Visit in Spain
May 2015 – I road tripped around Norway, which included driving the Atlantic Ocean Road (which is EPIC): Driving the Atlantic Ocean Road in Norway
May 2015 – I became “Queen of the Fjord” above Geirangerfjord in Norway: The Most Famous Fjord in Norway
June 2015 – I traveled around the UK with my mom, visiting places like the Scottish Highlands, York, Liverpool, and London: “When I'm 64 Tour” Highlights
June 2015 – I got to go back to my beloved Isle of Skye: The Isle of Skye: Still My Favorite Part of Scotland
August 2015 – I put together my manifesto on solo female travel: Top 9 Questions About Solo Female Travel Answered
September 2015 – I rode the luxurious Rocky Mountaineer train from Vancouver through the Canadian Rockies: Everything You Need to Know About Riding the Rocky Mountaineer
September 2015 – I finally got to see some of the beautiful mountain lakes in the Canadian Rockies: 5 Spots in Alberta That Will Blow Your Mind
October 2015 – I explored the sand dunes and sunsets in New Mexico: Everything You Need to Know About Visiting White Sands National Park
October 2015 – My college roommate and I went to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, and even went up in hot air balloons: Up in the Air at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
November 2015 – Elliot and I went snorkeling in the rift between two tectonic plates in Iceland: Snorkeling Silfra: Swimming Between Tectonic Plates in Iceland
November 2015 – Elliot and I also hiked on glaciers and climbed into ice caves in Iceland: Chasing Ice and Battling Mother Nature in Iceland
December 2015 – I went on a Christmas market river cruise in Germany and France: Christmas Markets with Viking River Cruises: What's It Really Like?
February 2016 – Not being content with only visiting Norway in spring, I headed to Northern Norway for some winter adventures: 10 Reasons Why Northern Norway in Winter is Awesome
March 2016 – I spent a few days exploring (and falling in love with) Puerto Rico: Thinking About a Caribbean Vacation? Think Puerto Rico
March 2016 – A first for me: I went on a digital detox tour in Ecuador: 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Going on a Digital Detox
April 2016 – Elliot and I headed out to the American Southwest and visited some national parks: The Mighty 5: Utah's Stunning National Parks
April 2016 – While in Utah, Elliot and I tackled Angels Landing at Zion National Park: I Hiked to Angels Landing and Didn't Die!
May 2016 – My dad and I headed off to Africa, spending two weeks together in Southern Africa: Highlights from 2 Weeks in South Africa
May/June 2016 – I spent three weeks overlanding in Southern Africa with Acacia Africa: Highlights from 3 Weeks Overlanding in Africa
August 2016 – My sister and I jetted off to the secluded Little Corn Island in Nicaragua for a luxurious sister's getaway: Sisters Getaway: Discovering Little Corn Island in Style
September 2016 – I went to Wales for the very first time and had all sort of cool adventures: 8 Reasons Why You Should Never Go to Wales
September 2016 – With Haggis Adventures, I explored more of Scotland's Highlands and isles, including the amazing Isle of Lewis and Harris: Hopping Around the Hebrides with Haggis Adventures
October 2016 – I visited two of the Baltics capitals for the first time: Riga and Vilnius.
October 2016 – I went on a river cruise in Russia – solo!: Highlights from a 13-Day River Cruise in Russia
November 2016 – After years of wanting to go, I finally visited New Orleans for the first time: 9 Things to Do in New Orleans That Don't Involve Bourbon Street
March 2017 – I went on a quick trip to Hull, England, and found lots of things to love: 6 Reasons to Visit Hull, England
Arpil 2017 – Elliot and I went to Chicago for a long weekend and did all the things!: A Couples' Weekend Getaway to Chicago
May 2017 – I was invited to the grand opening of Volcano Bay at Universal Orlando, and wrote a comprehensive guide to all 3 theme parks there: Universal Orlando: Which of Its Three Theme Parks Should You Visit?
June 2017 – Elliot and I went to Oregon for a week and loved it: The Perfect 10-Day Road Trip Itinerary for Oregon in Summer
July 2017 – I went back to Norway again to road trip around some of its northern islands: Road Tripping Around Norway's OTHER Northern Islands
July 2017 — I ticked an amazing destination off my bucket list: the Faroe Islands! I spent a week road tripping around and fell in love: 6 Reasons to Add the Faroe Islands to your Bucket List
August 2017 – My sister and I roadtripped out West to see the solar eclipse in Idaho, stopping in places like South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Yellowstone National Park along the way.
October 2017 – I got married! And Elliot and I went to the Finger Lakes region of New York for a little mini-moon: A Mini Honeymoon to the Finger Lakes
November 2017 – I went to the Seychelles for a week by myself – and LOVED it: How to Spend 1 Week in the Seychelles
November/December 2017 – Since I was already in the area, I decided to hop over to Egypt to tick a huge, nerdy bucket list item off my list: Exploring Egypt Safely with Intrepid Travel
March 2018 – Elliot and I took our “proper” honeymoon, spending two weeks driving around New Zealand: 12 Things to Do on an Adventurous Honeymoon in New Zealand
May 2018 – I finally visited one of my biggest travel overlooks in the US: the state of Tennessee! I visited both Memphis and Nashville.
June 2018 – My mom, sister and I embarked on a road trip around Ireland: 10 Days in Ireland: The Perfect Irish Road Trip Itinerary
June 2018 – I worked my way through the themed afternoon teas of London: A Guide to the Most Unique Themed Afternoon Teas in London
August 2018 – My dad and I went on another adventure: this time to the Arctic! We visited Iceland and spent 5 days in Greenland: Greenland Travel Guide: How to Plan a Trip to Ilulissat
September 2018 – I visited Asheville, North Carolina, for the first time and visited the amazing Biltmore Estate: How to Spend 24 Hours in Asheville, North Carolina
October 2018 – Elliot and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary with a trip to Aruba, which included off-road adventures and hanging out with flamingos: The Perfect Aruba Itinerary: 5 Days on One Happy Island
October 2018 – I traveled to Churchill, Manitoba, for a second time, this time to see polar bears in the wild. It was even better than I ever imagined it would be: How to See Polar Bears in Churchill: A Polar Bear Tour for Your Bucket List
January 2019 – I kicked off the year with a bang, visiting some of my favorite places in the Southwest in winter: Yes, You Can Visit the Grand Canyon in Winter
February 2019 – I went on a tour of Morocco and absolutely loved it. We visited the Blue City, rode camels in the desert, hiked in the mountains, and at all the tagines: Morocco Uncovered: The Best Morocco Tour with Intrepid Travel
March 2019 – I finally made it to Portugal! I spent about 10 days exploring both Lisbon and Porto: The Perfect 10-Day Itinerary for Portugal (Without a Car)
June 2019 – Elliot and I took to the road in Scotland, visiting Islay and traveling the Malt Whisky Trail: A Non-Drinker Travels the Scotch Whisky Trail – And You Can, Too!
June 2019 – I tried out an active river cruise with Avalon Waterways, and discovered my new favorite way to cruise: 6 Highlights from an Active River Cruise with Avalon Waterways
July 2019 – I traveled to Alberta, Canada, to explore both Calgary and Edmonton.
August 2019 – My sister Melissa and I headed to East Africa for 2.5 weeks of adventure in Kenya and Tanzania: East Africa Highlights: Kenya and Tanzania with Rock My Adventure
September 2019 – I finally visited the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy! I went to Ravenna for a conference, and then spent some time in delicious Bologna.
October 2019 – I re-visited some major European cities with a company called Monograms: Traveling with Monograms: Combining the Best of Two Travel Styles in One Trip
October 2019 – I went back to Venice after 6 years and still loved it. The trick is knowing how to do Venice “right”: Venice Survival Guide: Tips to Help You Love Your First Trip to Venice
October 2019 – My dad met me in Istanbul, and we spent two weeks traveling around Turkey together.
December 2019 – After visiting for the first time in the summer, I went back to further explore Scottsdale, Arizona. I love it!: 3 Days in Scottsdale, Arizona: 3 Itineraries for 3 Different Types of Travelers
January 2020 – Elliot and I spent a long winter weekend in Ann Arbor, Michigan: 9 of the Best Things to Do in Ann Arbor in Winter
February 2020 – Seeking to escape the cold Ohio winter, Elliot and I took a weeklong trip to Puerto Rico. It ended up being the last trip we took for a while…
October 2020 – Elliot and I went on a 10-day road trip around northern Michigan to chase fall colors: The Perfect 10-Day Michigan Road Trip Itinerary in Fall
May 2021 – Elliot and I hit the road again and did a spring road trip in West Virginia, seeking out all the cool outdoor things to do: The Perfect One Week West Virginia Road Trip Itinerary
June 2021 – I drove to Madison, Wisconsin, to experience this cool college town during the summer months: A Summer-Lover’s Guide to the Outdoors in Madison, Wisconsin
June 2021 – On my way home from Madison, I stopped for a 3-day solo trip in Chicago: The Perfect Itinerary for a Solo Weekend Trip to the Windy City
August 2021 – Needing to get away, we went and spent a weekend getting to know Detroit, Michigan: 3 Days in Detroit: How to Spend a Long Weekend in Motor City
September 2021 – It was time to get back on a plane! Elliot and I flew to Florida, where we did a 1-week road trip through the Florida Keys: The Ultimate 7-Day Florida Keys Road Trip Itinerary
October 2021 – I hit the road solo this month, spending a week exploring the Finger Lakes in fall: A Perfect Finger Lakes Road Trip Itinerary for 5 or 7 Days
October 2021: Elliot and I flew to Savannah, Georgia for a week to celebrate our birthdays and wedding anniversary: 5 Days in Savannah: The Perfect Day-By-Day Itinerary
February 2022 – My friend Kat and I flew across the country for a weeklong road trip exploring Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Valley of Fire, and some other California spots: The Perfect 7-Day California Desert Road Trip Itinerary
March 2022 – Elliot and I made a last-minute decision to drive to Washington, DC for a weekend during cherry blossom season: How to Have the Best Cherry Blossom Trip to Washington, DC
May 2022 – I explored the very charming Franklin, Tennessee for a few days: The Best Things to Do in Franklin, Tennessee: The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary
May 2022 – Elliot and I got on our first international flights since 2019 and spent a glorious 10 days split between London and Paris: The Perfect 10-Day London and Paris Itinerary for Your Dream Europe Trip
June 2022 – I lived out all my Horse Girl fantasies when I visited Lexington, Kentucky for the first time: The Best Things to do in Lexington, KY: The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary
June 2022 – After it was canceled multiple times during the pandemic, I finally got to go on this epic Arctic safari on Baffin Island. It's probably the coolest thing I've ever done: At the Edge of the World: A Floe Edge Safari on Baffin Island
August 2022 – My friend Kate and I spent a jam-packed 15 days driving around the Ring Road in Iceland, stopping at every hot spring and great view we possibly could: An Epic 10-Day Iceland Ring Road Itinerary for the Best Iceland Road Trip
September 2022 – Elliot and I headed back to Europe for our annual birthday-anniversary trip, focusing on Northern Ireland and Ireland this time: 18 Epic Stops Along the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland
September 2022 – I went on a group tour around Ireland with Globus, visiting some old favorites and some new-to-me spots: 7 Reasons Taking a Tour in Ireland Might Be Right for You
October 2022 – Elliot and. Iwent to Austin for the Formula 1 US Grand Prix: 17 Things to Know About Traveling to the USGP Formula 1 Race in Austin
December 2022/January 2023 – I rang in the new year in the Pacific Northwest, exploring the Olympic Peninsula and northern Oregon coast with a friend: Olympic National Park in Winter: Things to Do + Tips for Visiting
January 2023 – I went back to Scottsdale, Arizona again, this time with Elliot in tow for a couples trip: Romantic Things to Do in Scottsdale for the Perfect Couples Getaway
February 2023 – I visited Madrid, Spain for the first time!
March 2023 – My friend Ashley and I finally re-scheduled a Morocco tour, and spent two weeks exploring this amazing country.
March 2023 – I spent a solo week in Portugal, visiting the Algarve and the town of Lagos for the first time.
May 2023 – Elliot and I spent just under a week road tripping around the Lofoten Islands in Norway.
June 2023 – I traveled to Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia for the first time. Two new countries for me!
June 2023 – I re-visited Slovenia after 10 years, this time doing a 10-day road trip with my friend Ashley.
June/July 2023 – I did a 2-week road trip through the UK with friends, visiting both Scotland and Wales.