Earlier this year, I wrote a post on 12 Things Every American NEEDS to Know About Europe. It was really popular, and a handful of people suggested I write a companion post the other way around. Well, here it is! After living in the US for nearly 24 years, over 1 year living in Europe… Read More 12 Things Every European NEEDS To Know About America
By now, most people by now have heard of Airbnb. The business has taken the world by storm, with properties in 191+ countries. In short, you can book to stay at someone else’s house. This may be just a room, a shared space (like a fold-out couch), or it could be an entire apartment or… Read More How Airbnb Is Revolutionizing Travel
Having lived in York for over a year now, I can honestly say that York is such a unique city. It is one of the most visited cities in England (after London, of course), and can be packed with tourists. Being a resident has given me a different perspective, but I can’t blame the hordes… Read More 9 Reasons to Visit York at Christmas
My recent trip to France was my first visit to France outside of Paris. I spent my time based in Carcassonne and exploring the Mid-Occitanie region. Occitanie is a new name for the region (established in 2016) in southern France, in the Midi-Pyrènèes and Languedoc-Roussillon regions. The cultural and historical region of Occitania existed since… Read More Carcassonne, Toulouse, And More: What To See In The Mid-Occitanie Region Of Southern France
Despite visiting nearly a year ago, I realized I haven’t written about Castle Howard, one of North Yorkshire’s top attractions, here on the blog! This stately home is located in the beautiful Howardian Hills, and seeing it all decorated for Christmas last year was such a dream. Building began on the house in 1700 for… Read More A Christmas Trip to Castle Howard
Another month has gone by in a whirlwind. November has been one of the busiest months I’ve had in a long time, and I have certainly felt it. Here’s what I got up to this month: Where I Went Carcassonne, Saint Papoul, Lastours, Montolieu, Saissac (France) York, Fountain’s Abbey, London, Nottingham, Whitby (United Kingdom) Best… Read More November 2017 Recap
This fall, I got to spend my birthday weekend in one of my favorite places in all of England: the Lake District. Having previously visited for the first time in April around Coniston, I could not have asked for a better place to celebrate! The Lake District is renown for its beautiful scenery and outdoor… Read More The Lake District: Keswick And Beyond
I first started traveling in hostels when I was 18, all the way back in 2011. Since that first trip, I’ve been a convert to hostel travel and have nearly always chosen hostels as my accommodation when traveling. There are so many great things about staying in hostels—they’re cheaper, it’s a much more social atmosphere,… Read More 10 Tips For Staying In Hostels
I’ve visited lots of places in Eastern Europe. It is one of my favorite regions in the world to explore, but one that so many people deem “dangerous” and disregard completely. Which is why I’m here to tell you that it’s not that scary, and absolutely worth visiting! A trip to Eastern Europe will require… Read More 20 Tips for Traveling Eastern Europe
Having lived in York for over a year now, I feel like I can finally start writing posts on the town and what to do and see here. Because trust me, there’s a lot! There are so many attractions, museums, cafes, pubs, shops, and more in the city. If you’re looking for the must-see sights,… Read More 5 Things You Must Do in York
For as long as I’ve been traveling, I’ve always made it a goal to pack light. I typically only travel with carry-on luggage, unless I’m flying trans-atlantic (when checked bags are generally free!). So for my big 6-week trip this summer, I told myself my goal was to pack just a carry-on. I was so… Read More What I Packed For 6 Weeks With Only A Carry-On
October has absolutely flown by. I can’t believe it’s November and nearly time to get ready for Christmas! This month has been busy—I’ve spent most of it in England, but with a few days in France at the end of the month. Here’s what I got up to in October. Where I Went Newcastle, York,… Read More October 2017 Recap
One of my favorite things about living in York is how much there is to do in the surrounding area. Yorkshire is fabulous and full of places to visit and things to see. Ever since I moved to York, I’ve been wanting to see the ruined abbeys dotted around the county. Rievaulx Abbey, in North… Read More Visiting Rievaulx Abbey And Helmsley In North Yorkshire
On October 12th, 2016, I got onto a plane in Minneapolis and moved to England. It was the culmination of a dream I’ve had for what seems like forever, and it was the chance to finally get to live legally in the same country as the person I love. EDIT: This is now one of… Read More 15 Harsh Truths About Living In England
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -Mark Twain Last year, I booked a short 3-day trip to New… Read More New York City: My Trip Of Dreams
It’s been nearly a year since I moved to England. What a year it’s been! But those who know me will know that I’ve already lived in England before, for a year during my study abroad in Nottingham. Somehow, I happened to pick two cities that couldn’t be more different if they tried. So in… Read More A Tale of Two Cities: Nottingham vs. York
This month has definitely been a weird one. For the most part, I’ve been in York. Hanging out, working, job hunting, you name it. To be totally honest, I haven’t had much extra cash to justify many trips anywhere. And as much as I promote budget travel here on the blog, the reality is that… Read More September 2017 Recap
The last destination of my big trip this summer was Varna, Bulgaria. After 6 weeks of traveling through Eastern Europe, we planned to end the trip with a few days of R&R at the beach on the Black Sea. While this wasn’t my first trip to Bulgaria (I visited Sofia and the Rila Monastery this… Read More Varna: Bliss on the Black Sea
Without a doubt, Podstel in Bucharest is one of the better places I’ve stayed throughout my travels. Why? It’s a hostel run by travelers, for other travelers. These people know what backpackers want, they know what makes a good hostel, and they deliver. The hostel actually has quite a cool story of its founding—described on… Read More Hostel Review: Podstel Hostel, Bucharest
So many people skip over the capital of Romania, Bucharest, in order to visit the more popular tourist destinations in Transylvania (like Brasov). If I had to pick between the two, I’d definitely pick Brasov and Transylvania. But I am also so glad I also got to spend a few days in Bucharest at the… Read More A Quick Guide To Bucharest
