It started with an idea. A friend of mine mentioned how he had hiked here in his younger days and I was intrigued. That idea blossomed into research and a newfound excitement for adventure. Soon I found myself planning a trip to the one and only Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon went above and beyond my expectations.  I didn’t know that a place could hold such insurmountable beauty. I can confidently say that the Grand Canyon has been one of the most beautiful places I’ve discovered in North America thus far. And it isn’t only due to the prestige and enormity of the place. It is also due to the pure…

Let me begin by saying that if you’ve never been to the Golden Coast, its an absolute must! Walking down the streets of San Diego was like walking through a dream. Having grown up in the Midwest, I couldn’t believe that I was still in the US! California in itself is such a huge state and there is so much to discover. But today I’m just going to start with San Diego.  Visiting San Diego was what originally uprooted me from my cozy Midwest life, and led me to reside on the Golden Coast. San Diego was like a compartment of sub-neighborhoods that all flowed flawlessly into one large portion…

While on my trip to Virginia, my husband and I decided to make a quick trip to the Outer Banks. For those of you who have never heard of it, it is a strip of peninsulas that detach from North Carolina, separating the state from the Atlantic. While we were out visiting my brother in Virginia, we decided to wake early one morning and take the two-hour drive down south to view the beautiful landscape of the Outer Banks. There are multiple islands and areas that you can stop at along the way, but we had our eyes set on Nags Head Beach and Kill Devil Hills. We drove through…

M husband Adem and I recently decided to take a road trip to the East Coast. More specifically, we headed to Virginia to visit my brother. We headed out with no real expectations, and we left with a newfound appreciation for the overall lifestyle in the east. To put it plainly, we completely loved the area. To clarify, we were mostly around the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area, but we did drive through the state from west to east and stop at a few places along the way. So here are a few things I learned from my short stay in Virginia. Their “Cities” Are Not Cities We were staying in Virginia…

A couple of years back, while visiting a friend in Belgium, I was introduced to the mystical little city of Bruges. I say mystical because this place was unlike any other I’d ever been to. After stepping off the train at the station in Bruges, I was immediately aware of the blatant change in atmosphere that this city emanated. It was as if I had been transported straight into a fairytale. The buildings had a medieval demeanor, and the very act of walking down the narrow street-ways produced a Victorian-style essence. It was enchanting. But beyond the mere appearance of Bruges, there is plenty to be explored in this little…

I recently heard of a magical place up in Michigan called Pictured Rocks. Being only a about seven hours from me, I was surprised that I had never heard of it before and I wanted to know more about this mysterious area and check it out for myself. So this past weekend, some friends and I took a road trip up to Michigan, more specifically to Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore in the Upper Peninsula. We all decided it would be fun to take this opportunity to rent out a big cabin and escape for the long weekend. This is the first road trip that I’ve ever taken (I drove…

Back in 2014, while living abroad in Greece, I took an unexpected trip to Germany to visit a friend. Let me begin by saying, Germany was not at the top of my list of places I wanted to see. But, the opportunity arose and I figured, why not add another country to my list? So I booked the ticket and set off to Germany. My expectations were as follows: Germany would consist of the stereotypical aggressive persona that is often demonstrated in the media. The people would be very closed-off. The cities and the architecture would be nothing to write home about. It would be cold and gloomy (I was…

While living abroad in Greece, I was eager to explore as much of the land as I possibly could. And so I made it a point to try to go to some not-so-touristy Greek destinations. Let me be the first to say that this country never ceases to amaze me. Every new area I visited was more beautiful than the last. Every landscape was a perfect picturesque representation of the Greek culture. And so I’ve compiled a list of my favorite secret spots that I found throughout my many travels in Greece. So without further ado, I give you my list of Greek destinations that you’ve probably never heard of:…