Hiking to Canyon Overlook Trail - Zion National Park

Where to park:

This hike is not accessible using the Zion Shuttle, so you will have to go in your own car. Located just east of the tunnel, there is a small designated parking area immediately after you exit the tunnel on the right, but if you continue driving forward there is an overflow parking area on the left.

This trail is about a mile round trip, about an hour hike with great views of lower Zion Canyon along the way. Once you get to the viewpoint at the top the views of Pine Creek Canyon are totally worth it!

Pine Creek

How to get there:

Once you find a parking spot the trailhead is located on the left, directly in behind the ranger station. First up, a flight of stairs, with odd steps that are a bit slick to step on but good thing there is a rail to hold on to (it’s a lot more tricky when you return).

Although it is rated easy and quick, I was surprised to come across a iron bridge with a railing on the side of the mountain. The bridge itself is fairly sturdy but I personally got a little nervous crossing, especially since it goes around a corner. Keep an eye out for crowds coming in the opposite direction, there is a small area with railing where you can stand to wait if people are walking across.

On you way back make sure to cross quickly to avoid bumping into someone midway or before you arrive at the bridge look ahead to see if you can spot any other hikers coming your way.

Quickly after getting off the iron bridge there is mini cave where you can take a small break and enjoy the view while cooling down. If you’re like me, it’s also a good place to step aside and let other hikers go ahead if you want to catch your breath or sip some water.

After a second of relaxing/enjoying the view at the cave, there is a narrow area where you have to cross one person at a time. When I went it happened to be wet due to the snow melting, so just keep an eye out for slipper rocks. After crossing that it’s a straight trail up, just continue on the worn out path.

Once you arrive the trail will open up to a widen area with a fence that overlooks the Upper East Canyon. On your left you’ll see Bridge Mountain, the highest peak on the left side of the canyon. On your right you’ll see the East Temple, the beautiful rock formation above the overlook.

Then you just return the same way you came in, keep an eye out for hikers coming in your direction and be courteous to others.

Canyon Overlook

If this is your first time at Zion I highly recommend this to be your first hike, it’s short and easy with an awesome view at the end! Regardless if you’ve been to Zion or not try to arrive early to avoid the crowds in narrow spots, it’ll make your hike go more smoothly.

I have provided you with a map of Zion that shows different hiking trails in the link below. Canyon Overlook Trail is located as number 15 on the map, it’s a small trail located on the west side of the park.

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Hiking to Emerald Pools - Zion National Park

Located in the Zion National Park, the Emerald Pools are three separate spring fed pools connected by a stream. It is one of Zion's most breathtaking spots! There are varies trails to all three pool areas with the option of doing a loop hike back to the Lodge.

Upper Emerald Pool Trail located in front of the Zion Lodge, is roughly an hour hike round trip. It’s a fairly rocky and sandy trail around the base of a cliff. This hike is roughly 3.2 miles round trip with a 200 feet elevation gain. At the trailhead there are several hiking options available, ranging from short and easy to strenuous and steep.

How to get there:

If you are taking the shuttle from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and ride the shuttle to the Zion Lodge( 5th stop). Exit the shuttle to your right and follow signs to the Emerald Pools trailhead.

Once you arrive at the Zion Lodge continue to the wooden bridge located across the street and that is directly in front of the parking lot. Before continuing take a moment to quickly use the restrooms at the Zion Lodge or refill your water bottles.

One of the best places to get a real nice pictures is on the bridge, take a second to look to the sides because you might just see some wildlife by the Virgin River, plus the landscape isn’t too shabby.

After crossing the footbridge there will be a sign to show you the different hikes you can go on, we’ll be headed left and up the rocky stairs.

What to expect:

Both the Upper Emerald Pool Trail and the Lower Emerald Pool Trail hikes lead to glistening waterfalls and sparkling pools.

The hike to Upper Emerald Pools is a short trail with uneven sand and a very rocky surface with little to no shade. It’s important to bring a good pair of hiking shoes and to wear sunblock.

While hiking you’ll be surrounded by majestic sights including views of Red Arch Mountain, Lady Mountain, and the Great White Throne.

Additional Information:

Swimming and walking through the water at the Emerald Pools is not allowed. If you happen to visit in the winter, if the water is frozen make sure to not walk on the frozen pools. It might seem like common sense but the park ranger that was supervising the Upper Emerald Pools was telling us people have fallen into the frozen pools before since the ice isn’t very thick, so be warned!

The Lower Pool is accessible to people in wheelchairs if they have assistance. The trail is closed till Spring 2020 for maintenance.

A few nearby trails include Sand Bench Trail, Kayenta Trail and Grotto Trail. Another great hike is Angel’s Landing, a more steep and challenging hike, the trailhead is located down the road to the left.

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Hope you enjoyed my quick review on the Upper Emerald Pools hike.

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Visiting Zion National Park

Zion National Park, one of the most visited national parks in the United States, is located in Springdale down in the southwest corner of Utah just along State Route 9. Located roughly 75 miles southwest of Bryce Canyon National Park and 200 miles northwest of the Grand Canyon National park in northern Arizona.

The highest elevation point in Zion is at Horse Ranch Mountain at 8726 feet and is located north of Kolob Finger Canyons. The lowest point is at the South Campground which roughly 3900 feet above sea level.

Entrance Fees:

There are a few passes that are available for purchase at the park entrances.

The entrance fees for Zion National Park are $35 per vehicle, $30 per motorcycle, and $20 per person for bicyclists and pedestrians. Zion Annual Pass is $50 with admission to Zion for a full year from date of purchase.

Annual Pass is $80 with admission to all the National Parks for a full year from date of purchase. Seniors can purchase the annual pass for $20 as well as a Lifetime Senior Pass which is $80.

The annual pass if free for military and for anyone with a life or permanent disability. Passes are available at park entrance stations.

Zion-Mount Carmel Highway

Getting inside:

Before arriving in Springdale you must enter through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel which is roughly a mile long. The tunnel was built in the 1920s and therefore not high enough for tall vehicles to pass through. If are driving a recreational vehicle taller than 11’4 or wider than 7’10 be prepared to stop before entering to alert the park ranger on duty to block traffic entering the tunnel to allow a single pass enterance so you can drive along the middle of the road. There is a $15 fee to enter through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. If you have questions about accessing through or obtaining a tunnel permit click here.

Do not stop in the tunnel or try to turn around at either tunnel entrances.

Pedestrians and bicycles are not allowed in the tunnel.

One of the best ways to get around is to park your vehicle in the town of Springdale and catch the Springdale Shuttle and take it across town to the Zion Canyon Shuttle to get to your hiking trail. There is maps everywhere as well of downloadable maps such like these.

When I went to Zion it happened to be in January and there was a fair amount of vehicles inside the park which made parking a tad bit difficult.

Quick Tip: If you enter the park via vehicle there are parking lots along some of the main trailheads. Although, if you find yourself parking near an observation view point and decide to park along the side of the road to get some awesome shots be mindful to park behind the white shoulder line or you’ll come back to an orange parking ticket.

The Zion Canyon Shuttle starts from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and connects to nine locations along the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. The Springdale Shuttle also has nine stops in the town of Springdale. While using the shuttles you may get on and off as often as you’d like, both shuttles are free.

Hiking:

Before hitting the trails make sure to have a clear plan of where you would like to go and give yourself plenty of time to safely hike. It’s also important to bring enough water along with you, try investing in an insulated water backpack for easy access.

Make sure to check ahead of time to see what trails may be closed or if there is any weather/river condition that may prevent you from hiking a specific route.

Zion-Mt. Carmel Scenic Highway:

Driving through the Zion-Mt. Carmel Scenic Highway is a must! Prepare yourself for some stunning views of beautiful rocks surrounding you and towering high, good thing for observation point stops huh? There are a few scenic pull-offs to park along the way to stop and take photos, or if traffic is getting a bit out of hand just pull over and enjoy the views.

Emerald Pools:

This is one of many hiking routes to take, it’s also one of the shorter hiking trails on the map I’ve listed above. It’s not as crowded and just as scenic as other hikes, if you are short on time or if you are exploring with a family, I highly recommend taking an hour or two to go on this hike. If you happen to visit in the winter, there is a light waterfall at the end of the hike where you can see frozen icicles fall into the Virgin River. I plan to visit in the summer time to see if the views are just as beautiful as in the winter, plus I would love to see the water trickling down the mountain!

Explore Springdale:

Although there is mainly lodging, Springdale has a variety of cute little shops where you can purchase antiques and souvenirs. There even is a laundromat with an ice cream shop right next door. One place I can recommend to purchase some souvenirs is at Switchback Liquor Store, it’s filled with all sorts of knickknacks and local art!

When it comes to grabbing a bite to eat I would recommend checking out Whiptail Grill, they serve Mexican style food with vegetarian options. The food and service was great, the restaurant has a friendly atmosphere which made my visit even more enjoyable. The food itself is delicious, I ordered the Southwest Taco Salad with steak which comes with mixed greens, black beans and rice, fresh salsa served in a toasted flour tortilla. The portions are huge and you will definitely have left overs!

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A day trip to New York’s North Fork

We decided to escape the city and since it was a beautiful autumn morning getting some fruit and veggies sounded like a great idea, so we headed towards Greenport, NY from NYC. Greenport is roughly a 3 hour drive from Manhattan and a 4-5 hour train ride on the Long Island Railroad, take the F train to Ronkonkoma, it’ll take you straight to the Greenport station, just check ahead of time for delays.

We decided to drive since we were planning to shop around for some fresh veggies, then later explore Greenport. First, once we entered the North Fork, a 30-mile-long peninsula in the northeast part of Suffolk County, we hopped on Sound Ave after driving through Wading River and from then on we hit the fruit and vegetable goldmine.

After spending a few hours looking through produce stands we headed towards Horton Neck.

Horton Point Lighthouse Nautical Museum, 3575 Lighthouse Rd, Southold, NY 11971

Horton Point Lighthouse Nautical Museum is part of multiple buildings maintained by the Southold Historical Society, the buildings the society maintains range in date from 1750 to 1900 and include a lighthouse, several houses, barns, buildings, and structures.

Admission is $5.00 per adults or $10.00 for a family, includes for all museums. There is parking available at the Horton Point Lighthouse in the Southold Park District’s lot for a $5 fee, along with street parking.

67 Steps Beach & Parking, 66 Sound Rd, Greenport, NY 11944

Next to Horton Point Lighthouse before you get into the parking lot there is a staircase leading down to one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. The water is so clear and the rocks are big enough you can take a seat and enjoy the scenery and breathe in the fresh saltwater. I was shocked to see the beach was completely empty, I was relieved to see the beach was so nicely kept.

We finished the day off by going antiquing, a few antique stores nearby include:

Antiques & Old Lace, 31935 Main Rd, Cutchogue, NY 11935

There is quite a bit of old books, antique furniture, and wicker baskets which are my favorite! I mean who doesn’t keep an eye out for a new picnic basket every now and then?

The Times Vintage, 429 Main St, Greenport, NY 11944

This little antique store located in downtown Greenport was one of my favorite stores to browse around in, it’s filled with some great gems! You’ll find some great clothes here, not so much furniture. You can read more about this cute little store in my Greenport post.

touchGOODS, 53740 Main Rd, Southold, NY 11971

Not exactly a antique store but I did want to point out that touchGOODS has some great mid century modern furniture. They have great pieces of home decor, especially for the living room or kitchen if you are in the market for redecorating I would suggest taking a look here!

Follow my mini itinerary for a relaxing fall afternoon, did I miss anything fun in North Fork? If so, comment below some of your favorite things to do and I’ll check them out! After the winter season if over I’ll be heading over to The Hamptons to wander through the South Fork of New York so stay tuned for that post in a few months!

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Hopewell Cape, Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick Canada

The Hopewell Cape is located along the Bay of Fundy which is between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The Bay of Fundy happens to have some of the highest tides on earth, and is one of the seven wonders of North America.

We started our day by traveling from Halifax, Nova Scotia early in the morning towards Moncton, New Brunswick. Thankfully it’s only a 3 hour drive, once we arrived we had a relaxing lunch in Moncton before making our way towards Hopewell Rocks Park.

We had such a great experience getting to Hopewell Rocks Park, not only was it a quick 35 minute drive but there was absolutely no traffic getting in! Before arriving to the main park we noticed there was a few artisan shops, a couple motels and a handful of restaurants along the way in the small town of Hillsborough.

So we made a few stops to explore, overall it seemed like a cozy small rural town. They had a small little library and a beautiful church, we did a bit of driving around to admire the charming buildings in the little town while keeping a eye out for a place to grab a bite to eat.

On the left side of the road we saw the cutest little cafe and stopped for a cinnamon roll unfortunately they were all sold out, but further down the road there was a few other places to stop to grab a snack.

Once again, on the left side of the road there was a little rest area/ welcome center but it was also oddly closed. There was a few little huts surrounding the welcome center that were open, a BBQ restaurant, a ice cream shop, and a few little huts that sold baked goods.

We noticed that there was a museum right next door, the New Brunswick Railway Museum, later we looked it up and their admission is $6.00 a person but if you’re a fan of trains it would be worth checking out if you have the time.

After a quick break we got back on the road and continued driving, only to see this adorable little veggie stand so of course we stopped for a quick second. One thing is for sure, there is plenty to see and lots to shop around at.

With everything being so eye-appealing, our drive to the park took roughly a hour and forty-five minutes instead of the 35 minutes it was suppose to take but at last we made it!

The park has two large free parking areas, one for cars and another for rvs/campers.

Also, keep in mind that the park doesn’t allow overnight parking. Quick tip, if you do have a camper or rv, if you are looking for a free place to park overnight I highly recommend parking at any 24 hour Irving Oil. There is a few gas stations located across the east coast in Canada and northern US, I have never had a problem staying there and it’s always nice to wake up and have access to a restroom and restaurant. The closest one to Hopewell Rocks Park is on 170 Aulac Rd, Aulac, NB roughly a hour drive, there is plenty of parking space.

At the entrance, right before you pay your admission, there is a sign with the tide schedules when we arrived the high tide began at 2:15 pm and the low tide was at 8:45 pm. Keep in mind for your visit that you are able to access the ocean floor 3 hours before the low tide comes in.

Once you arrive, enjoy the informative exhibits at the visitor center before headed out.

You can view the ocean floor here, with the beach webcam!

Admission rates varies:

Family (2 adults & children 18 years or less) $25.50

Per Adult (19 years and older) $10.00

Seniors & Students: $8.00

Children (5 years to 15 years) $7.25

Children 4 and younger: free

Keep in mind that admission entrance passes are valid for two consecutive days.

Address: 131 Discovery Rd, Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick E4H 4Z5, Canada

Walk the scenic walking trailing along the ocean floor while getting a beautiful view of the rock formations. Keep an eye out for dinosaur fossils along the rocks and cliffs. Overall it was a relaxing and well worth trip! If you ever find yourself in eastern Canada I highly recommend stopping by or even making a weekend of it!

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Brooklyn Flea + Smorgasburg Winter Market

The prices are more on the higher side when it comes to shopping here but there is quite a bit that is reasonable such as the clothing and knickknacks. Furniture, true antiques and vintage high fashion clothing will definitely cost you a pretty penny.

While you’re in Williamsburg, make it a whole day and continue the thrifting on Bedford Ave. Click here to see some of the awesome vintage stores filled with retro clothing and vintage items!

There is so much furniture here, and I have to say I love every bit of it! Every two feet I walked I found a new piece that I just “need to have!” so excuse me while I empty my bank account and get a new living room set.

If anyone wants to fund my new apartment re-decorating please let me know.

I absolutely love the concept of mystery packages! If you decide to try your luck with the mystery bags and tag me on Instagram to see what you get! ;)

Overall getting a few maps, and some wall decor is not bad for a morning shopping trip. As I mentioned earlier, if you enjoy antiquing/thrifting make your way down to Bedford Ave and you’ll find a whole lot more! At a more reasonable price may I add.

Plus, the view while shopping is awesome! Not too shabby.

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Enjoying a Fall afternoon in Greenport, New York

After spending the morning shopping for fruits and veggies at the local This afternoon seemed like the perfect day to start to do some shopping and what better way than exploring downtown Greenport, here are some of my favorite shops I found:

Burton's Book Store, 43 Front St, Greenport, NY 11944

This adorable book store has a great variety of children’s books, along with creative toys for little ones. If you are looking to grow your home library or have any children who would enjoy creative and unique books it is definitely worth taking a look!

The Times Vintage, 429 Main St, Greenport, NY 11944

If you are on the hunt for a good vinyl record, search no more this awesome vintage store has quite a bit of great records! I was a huge fan of the artwork that was hung on the walls and the clothing!

If your wardrobe is in need of a hint of vintage I would highly suggest checking this place out! They have some amazing pieces of clothing that will add a extra pop of color to your outfits!

Sweet Indulgences, 200 Main St, Greenport, NY 11944

Just across the street is Sweet Indulgences, a adorable little candy store filled with chocolates and charming little knick knacks to bring home as souvenirs or as gifts.

After shopping and exploring you might start to get a bit hungry for a meal or even a snack. Downtown Greenport has a handful or restaurants that consists of different price ranges, a few that are more budget friendly include:

Crazy Beans, Front Street, Greenport, NY

Crazy Beans is a coffee shop/ restaurant located in the center of downtown just across from the Marina. When you walk in you have the option of ordering to go at the bar or getting seated at the restaurant, the food they serve here is diner food with fairly large portions and reasonable prices.

D'Latte Cafe

Around lunchtime we walked over to D'Latte Cafe for a coffee break. We first stopped by Crazy Beans but they were super packed during lunch rush and our wait was going to be quite long so we decided to walk across the street to grab a coffee and a snack.

They had an assortment of pastries that all looked delicious, and prepackaged snacks and goodies. The coffee and cold drinks were reasonably priced, just the fresh baked treats were more on the pricey side, roughly $7.00 a tart or $4.00 a cookie, if you’re sticking to a budget I would definitely split a treat since they are a decent size.

1840 Schoolhouse Museum

There’s a couple of museums you might want to check out such as Greenport’s first schoolhouse, the 1840 Schoolhouse Museum, or the Stirling Historical Society Museum-Ireland House, where you can tour and see what life was like in the early-1830s in a original Greenport home.

The Village Blacksmith, 101 Front St, Greenport, NY 11944

The Village Blacksmith located next to Mitchell Park is charming replica of a building that stood in the 1870s. The shop is open on the weekends for people to visit. For a small donation of $2.00 you can watch the blacksmith work and learn about the trade of blacksmithing.

Greenport Jail, 232 Carpenter St, Greenport, NY 11944

This early 1900s jail holds photos and memorabilia from the Greenport Police Department which is now closed but groups or classes can call the Village of Greenport to make reservations for a tour.

Mitchell Park

There is plenty of seating to relax and watch the boats sail in the marina, there also happens to be a indoor carousel located in the center of Mitchell Park.

While visiting Greenport we happened to notice there wasn’t any restrooms available to the public. We went to a few stores, a coffee shop, and even a grocery store until we grabbed a map of downtown when we saw there was public restrooms located in Mitchell Park (right behind the Village Blacksmith).

Antique Carousel

Within Mitchell Park there is a old fashion carousel built in 1920. For just $2.00 a person you can enjoy a 15 minute ride, try your chance at grabbing a brass ring to get a free ride! If you don’t feel like riding, take a seat at a bench and people watch while relaxing.

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An evening in the Village of Bellport, New York

Bellport is such a beautiful hidden gem in southern Long Island, you’ll see what I mean in a minute, let's start off by walking down Main Street. Right away you’re greeted by a handful of stores and restaurants, and parking was quite easy since there is street parking everywhere. 

Right away one of the stores I entered was Copper Beech, they do have a great selection of home accessories and decor. It’s a great place to find items for housewarmings, wedding gifts, or even to redecorate your own home.

If you happen to visit in the summer and get a craving for ice cream make sure to stop by Carla Marla’s Ice Cream Parlor, this cute little ice cream shop serves old fashioned ice cream and shakes. They are reasonably priced, you can choose between a cup or cone and your size.Kiddie: 1 scoop $2.75 / Small:2 scoops $3.75 / Medium: 3 scoops $4.75 / Large:4 scoops $5.75 or get yourself a pint of ice cream to go for $6.99

There are plenty of restaurants around Main Street but if you’re looking for something more on the healthy side It’s Only Natural is the place to go. They have a great selection of healthy snacks and organic products such as fresh home ground almond and peanut butter, açaí bowls, and frozen yogurt.

I’ve gone to multiple grocery stores in my lifetime but for some reason I found Cirillo’s Market Bellport IGA unique, I suppose it’s the pastel green interior that gives it a retro feel. The grocery store is incredibly clean and looking for snacks was refreshing, as the products were very well stocked and they provide great customer service.

After munching on some snacks, a walk around the town seemed like a great idea. Some of my favorite streets in Bellport were, Browns Lane, Bellport Lane and Bell Street. Of course Bellport in general is gorgeous town but these are for sure my favorite.

Leaving Bellport we stumbled across this quaint little schoolhouse located in East Patchogue. The Swan River Schoolhouse was built in 1858 occupied with the original benches and the last remaining one-room schoolhouse in its original foundation in all of Long Island. Admission to visit the inside of this historic landmark is free, open the 2nd and 4th Sunday during July and August 1:00 - 4:00 p.m or by appointment throughout the year.

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Quick Stop in Quebec City, Canada

As the title of this post mentions, we decided to do a quick pitstop in Quebec City and I’m definitely happy we did! We immediately found a parking spot and started roaming the streets of Old Quebec City.

We quickly walked up-hill and stopped to admire the architecture of the Monument Mgr. François-De Laval on the corner of the street.

Monument Mgr. François-De Laval

We continued up-hill to enter The Fort Museum but since were on a time-crunch and it was only 7am, with the museum opening at 10 am we had to continue onward.

Le Musée du Fort

We stopped to take a breather at Place d'Armes and snapped this picture of the beautiful Fountain Monument of Faith.

Fountain Monument of Faith

Next we made our way to Saint Louis Street where we bumped into the Maillou House National Historic Site with it’s beautiful light blue window trimmings.
Also, isn’t the copper roof on the Ministère des Finances just gorgeous?

Ministère des Finances

We didn’t have a set list of places we wanted to see so we just walked around admiring the pretty storefronts and charming architecture.

After getting lost through the beautiful streets we came across City Hall Park where we stopped to make sure we didn’t wander off too far from where we parked.

Since it was so early there really wasn’t many stores open so we couldn’t shop for souvenirs but at least I got a few great pics!

Walking around was so peaceful, we got so caught up on trying to get a good view of Fairmont Le Château Frontenac that we had got completely turned around and started walking in the wrong direction of where our car was parked. Just when we realized that we didn’t know where we were going is when it started to rain heavily so we had no choice but to quickly look at google maps and start sprinting in the right direction.

That concludes our trip to Quebec City, for it being our first time I was so impressed on how charming and calm it was. I definitely have plans to return in the near future!

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Spending a afternoon at Milleridge Village

Across the parking lot of The Milleridge Inn you can freely enter a tiny little village composed of different little stores. When you arrive, there is free parking between The Milleridge Inn and the Village.

From the parking lot we entered the village next to Milleridge Cafe and stumbled across their menu of shakes. It was surprisingly chilly when we went so we skipped out on ice cream but quickly saw there was a bakery!

Don’t skip out on lunch here! They have a awesome menu with a variety of foods and affordable prices! I highly recommend their bomb french toast made from the cinnamon bread at the bakery. Take a look at their menu here!

Storefront of Milleridge Cafe

If you plan to visit around Thanksgiving or through the month of December, they do offer dinners that you can reserve ahead of time.

The Milleridge Cafe is closed on Monday, but open Tuesday 9am-5pm, Wednesday 9am-8pm, Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday & Saturday 9am-7pm, and Sunday 9pm-6pm.

*Friday, Saturday and Sunday ice cream only 5pm till closing time.

The Milleridge Bakery had to be my favorite thing about my visit! They offer delicious selection of cakes, breads, pies, and other treats that are prepared daily.

The Milleridge Bakery is closed on Monday, but open Tuesday 9am-5pm, Wednesday 9am-8pm, Thursday 9am - 5pm, Friday 9am- 7pm, Saturday 8am-7pm and Sunday 8am - 6pm.

Milleridge Bakery

Right next door is the General Store, filled with novelties and home decor! When coming here, this cute little store is a must! Get yourself some candy and continue exploring the little village.

The General Store is closed on Monday & Tuesdays, but open Wednesday 12pm - 8pm, Thursday 12pm- 5pm, Friday & Saturday 12pm-7pm, and Sunday 12pm-6pm.

General Store

Walking down the Main Street of Milleridge Village

If scary haunted houses aren’t your cup of tea but still want to do something fun during the spooky season I would suggest coming here!

All the activities will be open every weekend in October till the 27th from Friday 6pm-10pm, Saturday 1pm-11pm, and Sunday 12pm-6pm.

Prices for Halloween Attractions

There sure is plenty of entertainment for such a small village, every weekend in October Milleridge Village is offering spooky rides, a pumpkin patch, face painting, a magician, a stilt walker and even a fire eater!

Tarot Card Reading at the Gazebo

Trust me when I say there is lot of photo opportunities here! Take your picture at the Biohazard Gardens as the plant from the Little Shop of Horrors, on a stack of hay, or even next to Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas!

In conclusion I recommend coming by, we sure enjoyed the quaint little village just keep an eye out for the chickens that stroll around. We came just in time for their Halloween decorations, can’t wait to come back to see their Christmas decorations!

It’s important to note that all stores including the bakery and cafe are closed on Monday.

Address: The Milleridge Village, 585 N Broadway, Jericho, NY 11753

Price: Free admission. Rides & Attractions are priced-per-person.

Cash only accepted.

Visiting Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia Canada

If you plan to spend any time in southern Nova Scotia, Peggy’s Cove is a must! It’s only a sort hour from Halifax with an extremely scenic route!

Even though it’s a popular tourist destination it’s not as crowded as you would think, if you’d like to see ahead of time how crowded Peggy’s Cove Village and the lighthouse are, check out their live cam here.

Parking was quite easy, you see when we arrived everyone was parking on the side of the road and would take a few pictures and eventually move. Since it’s a residential area make sure to not park along the private roads or block their driveways.

Right away when you turn into Peggy’s Point Rd you’ll see there is a parking area, with a great view of D’Aubins Cove.

From the second you set foot inside this charming little village you’ll want to photograph everything! It truly is beautiful here, it surreal.

There is a couple of gift shops and little restaurants you can grab a meal at a fair price. We decided to skip having lunch in Peggys Cove and we soon would find out there really isn’t any options beyond that, we were headed to the colorful town of Lunenburg and had a hard time finding a place to stop for lunch so I would recommend at least grabbing a snack if you visit in the morning.

If you plan to spend the night here and enjoy a beautiful sunset accompanied with a gorgeous sunrise book yourself a little cottage at Peggy’s Cove Bed & Breakfast at a very reasonable price!

Now for a spectacular view, head to the ravishing Peggy’s Point Lighthouse on top of the hill and get a handful of beautiful pictures alongside the rocks.

IMPORTANT: Pay attention to the warning signs! Keep off black rocks as they may be slippery. Sudden high waves can be a drowning hazard.

So I know what you may be thinking, so who is Peggy?

Some say it was named due to the villages location on St. Margaret’s Bay. But rumors have it that Peggy’s Cove was named after a shipwreck survivor named Margaret nicknamed Peggy who wed a local man and settled in the Eastern Point Harbour. Feel free to stop by Ivan Fraser’s Peggy of the Cove a childhood family home turned museum and gallery for beautiful artwork and history of the cove.

Admission to the museum is free.

Sun-Thursday 9:00AM-5:00PM | Friday 9:00AM-4:00PM | Saturday is closed

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If you’re planning to visit Peggy’s Cove I hope I have given you a glimpse of how beautiful it is here!

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HAve you been to PEggy’s Cove?

5 Budget Friendly Activities for Breckenridge

There's lots to do in Breckenridge for everyone of all ages! Whether you are looking for activities that are family friendly or if you’re looking to plan a date with your significant other there is plenty to do.

Let’s get started on some of my favorite things to do during the spring, besides skiing!

Stroll through Main Street

This might seem like a no-brainer but there is so many stores to shop at, take it from me who has bought a new stuffed animal every time I have gone to visit! Preferably in the early morning when all the stores are opening up and there isn’t a rush of people in each store.

Main Street is only about a mile and a half walking, stop by Breckenridge Welcome Center to pick up a handy map with illustrations of the towns most recommended stops! The welcome center also happens to have a mini museum with exhibits about the town’s history, so while you’re there take a quick look.

Visit a museum

Edwin Carter Discovery Center is Breckenridge’s natural history museum, packed with beautifully preserved taxidermy wildlife that Professor Edwin Carter evaluated.

Barney Ford House Museum is an incredible piece of history with an inspirational story about Barney Ford’s life. Mr. Ford was an escaped slave that went on to become a wealthy entrepreneur and an activist for African American’s civil rights. There’s a lot of interesting artifacts of Mr. Ford’s life and all his accomplishments.

Summit Ski Museum shows the history of skiing in Breckenridge along with vintage clothing and skis on a visual timeline that shows the evolution of skis and clothing.

All three museums are free admission with a $5 suggested donation and open on the weekends Friday to Sunday 10 am to 3 pm.

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Go on a historic or haunted walking tour

As I post more of my travels you’ll see I love going on walking tours, I highly recommend going on the Breckenridge Haunted Tour. It was exciting and full of information about the historic past of Breckenridge.

So if you’re thinking about going on a thrilling ghost tour click here to book your tickets.

Most tours start at 7:30 pm check their calendar to book ahead.

If you’re not a fan of haunted tours an alternative is to go on a historic tour with my recommendation of a Walk Through History Tour. Learn all about the beautiful historic buildings and cabins! To book a tour filled with history and information click here to book your tickets.

You can find more on tours here.

Ride the Gondola

 Riding the BreckConnect Gondola is free and is available 9:00am - 6:00pm (weather permitting) make sure to check ahead of time if the gondola is operating.

Address: 170 Watson Avenue, Breckenridge, CO 80424

Epic Discovery at Breckenridge:

Once you get off the Gondola head over to the ticket office located at the top of the mountain for multiple outdoor activities, here’s a list of activities you’ll find:

Go zip-lining, ride roller coasters, go down slides, get lost in a maze, get on multiple rides, go rock climbing wall, even pan for gemstones, and there’s even a bounce house and a bungee trampoline! But my favorite of all is the mini golf course, enjoy a game of mini-golf with an amazing view of the mountains! Overall it’s a great place to pass some time at.

Click here for a map of activities.

Epic Discovery will be open 7 days a week from June 14 –  Sept 2, 2019, then open Friday-Sunday during Sept 6 – 8.

The best place to get a colorful map of downtown Breckenridge is at the visitor center. But if you’d like to have a copy on your electronic device you can download one here.

How was your weekend?

Any plans to visit Breckenridge?

Entertainment for Long Haul Trips

Catch up on your favorite TV shows/Movies

Refer to my previous post on some great apps to watch shows on the go by downloading movies and shows to watch at a later time.

Enjoy a snack or a mini meal

Enjoying a nice healthy snack while traveling can be quite comforting. There is so many reasons to pack your own lunch, airplane food doesn’t taste great, if you travel by bus you are very limited to what you can actually buy which is usually fast food or overpriced gas station snacks, if you’re traveling by train such as Amtrak you’ll have a nice experience but yet pay for overpriced airplane food. Take my word and pre-pack a snack or small meal.

Play card games

Some of my favorite card games such as Phase 10 and Skip-bo are great for traveling. It’s also a good thing that you can play with as little as 2 players since there is limited space available to play on whether you travel by bus, train, or airplane.

Become a photographer

No matter what form of transportation you are taking look out your window and take lots of pictures! After you can take your time editing and posting on social media, but enjoy the scenery and take in everything you see along the way! One of my biggest regrets was not taking pictures of the beautiful windmills in the Netherlands while on a bus ride to Amsterdam. I had just pulled an all-nighter in Paris with plans to sleep on the bus, I trusted that my camera was charging (which it wasn’t) and missed out on taking some amazing shots!

So don’t be a dummy like me, charge all your electronics and take as many pictures as you can, you won’t regret it! (Unless you have limited storage then you might!)

Read a book

Simple enough, a popular first choice when it comes to staying busy.

I personally get motion sickness when I don’t keep my eyes on the road so I prefer to listen to a audio-book, a great app for audio-books is Audible. Now if you read one of my previous posts about using offline apps to download tv shows and movies and decided to subscribe for Amazon Prime you’ll be able to get Audible for free! You'll be able to stream from a rotating group of more than 50 audio-books. You can also listen to ad-free content including podcasts

Activity Books

Coloring books aren’t just for kids now, bring along a activity book to entertain yourself for hours on end! I personally found a wonderful coloring book with a spiral bound which took me a while to find. You can purchase my favorite coloring book here!

Along with coloring books there are multiple other types of activity books to bring along with you such as Sudoku, word searches, crosswords, and many others!

Organize your life

You have hours ahead of you, why not take the time to organize bills, plan an itinerary for your next trip, write an email to an old friend, write in your journal or start a journal, set some goals for the next few months, delete old emails that are taking up space in your inbox (sure it’s not fun but hey at least you’re doing something proactive!), make a small list of movies you want to watch on your next long trip, write out a new bucket list and if you don’t have one start one!

If you chose to start a bullet journal and need ideas click here!

Play games on your electronics

Here’s a small list of games you can download to play offline:

• Plants vs. Zombies

• Two Dots

• Temple Run

• Giant Boulder of Death

• Stupid Zombies

• 1010!

• Perfect Tower

• Six!

• Terrarium

• Word Search

Take a long nap

When traveling to a different time zone this is a must for me! It might be near impossible for some but some noise canceling headphones, a comfortable eye mask, and a comfy headrest will do the trick!

What I’ve done in the past is wear ear plugs then wear noise canceling headphones over my ears then play some soft music, it works every time! Not even the loudest baby will wake me!

Meditate

When I say meditate I don’t mean taking up the aisle doing full yoga, but simply sitting still, closing your eyes, taking deep breaths, and enjoying the silence. Sure you might think I’m explaining how to take a nap but there is multiple reasons why you might like to meditate on any transportation, whether you have anxiety like myself and you just need to take a few breaths in during turbulence or if you need to center your mind because there’s just too much going on with your thoughts. Practicing meditations will help make your travel overall more enjoyable.

Thanks for reading i hope these few tips help your travels feel quicker and more enjoyable!

24 Hours in Omaha Nebraska

Wheatfields

Start off with a great breakfast before tackling a day of walking and enjoying beautiful downtown Omaha, start the day right with a great breakfast and even better service at Wheatfields.

Address: 1202 Howard St, Omaha, NE 68102

Take a stroll through the old market it doesn’t matter on what corner you stand, you’ll have a great view! Wonder around the old market and find beautiful vines crawling up old buildings, try delicious food, and admire street art.

Imaginarium

Go shopping in the old market, roll up your sleeves and get to searching! This place is packed to the ceiling with vintage items, collectables, and memorabilia of all sorts.

Address: 423 S 13th St, Omaha, NE 68102

Fairmont Antiques & Mercantile

Browse their huge selection of vintage and retro candy. I highly recommend their mint chocolate fudge that’s served over the counter next to the rock candy. Enjoy some candy while you look through antiques and unique memorabilia that’s spread through out the building, including magazines, tin cans, Pez candies and much much more!

Address: 1209 Jackson St, Omaha, NE 68102

In case you’ve ever craved a buffalo wing sauce, ranch dressing or even mustard flavored soda this is the place for you! There is a crazy amount of different beverages! There a large variety of root beers, cookie dough sodas, and joke soda bottles that really just taste like lemon and orange sodas. Prices vary, you can get 4 mix and match bottles for the price of $10.99 or $2.89 each.

If you pass on purchasing any drinks, there is a soda fountain shop within the store where they have huge ice cream shakes and they do serve food there for an awesome price!

Visit the Hollywood Pinball & Arcade Museum is located inside the Fairmont Antiques & Mercantile to the left of Elvis and his hot pink car and right next to the theater.

City Limits

There’s a huge selection of greeting cards and posters! Every time I’m in Omaha I love coming to this store because there is so many interesting things you can buy as gag gifts or even to decorate your home with. One of my favorite things to purchase are the gift wrap (right picture) you can use the wrap as posters since they are made of a really nice material and the books are absolutely hilarious. Also, everything is reasonably priced!

Address: 1114 Howard St, Omaha, NE 68102

Homer’s Music and Gifts

I’m all about supporting a local business so I love that they carry used music items instead of browsing at a local goodwill or buying at a second hand store you can pick up cds here! They have a great selection of vinyl music and cds in all kinds of genres.

Address: 1210 Howard St Omaha, NE 68102

Joslyn Art Museum

Embrace beautiful art and scenery in this art museum where it’s as beautiful inside as it is outside, the museum itself isn’t very big but it sure is interesting. Scroll through some of my favorite paintings that I saw, I would recommend visiting and reading the meaning behind each and every painting.

This museum has free admission with the exception of certain exhibits.

Address: 2200 Dodge St, Omaha, NE 68102

Hoped you enjoyed my travels to Omaha, stay tuned for my next adventure!

The Ultimate Guide To The Beatles In Liverpool

There are Beatles tours all around Liverpool ranging $20-$180 and with a bit of research we decided to explore the city on our own. I hope my list of Beatle stops help you have an awesome experience next time you visit Liverpool!

Hard Day’s Night Hotel

If you haven’t watched the iconic Hard Day’s Night film by The Beatles I would suggest watching this film to appreciate the statues outside even more. It honestly is a great film. Fun fact: George Harrison met his first wife, Pattie Boyd, on the set of the A Hard Day's Night film in 1964.

Address: Central Buildings, North John Street, Liverpool

John Lennon’s Statue

We stumbled upon this statue right outside our hostel. The entire Mathew street has all sorts of different stores and museums dedicated to The Beatles including The Hard Days Night Shop which happens to be right on the corner of the hotel.

Address: 9 Mathew St, Liverpool L2 6RG, UK

John Lennon’s Childhood Home

When visiting Liverpool, booking yourself a Beatles guided tour through National Trust. There are multiple Beatles tours throughout the city that will take you around to take pictures but this is the only one that will actually take you inside the childhood homes. Our tour started by arriving at Jury’s Inn, which is South of Albert Dock and the Museum of Liverpool, and we waited in the lobby until our tour guided was ready to depart from the hotel. Our tour boarded a mini bus and headed out to John Lennon’s childhood home in Mendips, where we were able to take pictures outside. We unfortunately were not allowed to take pictures inside as our tour guide had us put our cellphones, cameras, purses, book bags, and water containers into a storage closet inside the house for the duration of our trip. Our guide went into detail in each room we visited, by telling us how everyday life was for John living with Mimi in his teenage years. Once our guide was done he allowed us to wonder the home alone to take in small details in each room. Half our group went to the living room, kitchen and tea room, while the other half went upstairs to look at John’s bedroom, Aunt Mimi’s bedroom, and the bathroom (which you aren’t allowed in due to safety reasons) but you are allowed to look in.

Address: 251 Menlove Ave, Liverpool L25 7SA, UK

Paul Mccartney’s Childhood Home

Once our time was up and our guide returned our items we boarded the bus to head over to Paul McCartney’s childhood home located in Allerton. Once we arrived we were able to take a quick picture outside the home (which was a bit difficult as there were multiple groups from different tours taking pictures outside) then we headed inside where our guide put our belongings in a closet as before then proceeded to tell us stories in each room. We were then allowed to wonder around the house, it was honestly really nice to be able to see everything at both houses, we were outside in the yard and in the bedrooms looking at artwork and posters that teenage Paul hung up in his room, every fangirls dream am I right?

Address: 20 Forthlin Road | Allerton, Liverpool L18 9TN, England

Penny Lane

A fourth location to add to your must see Beatles’ locations is Penny Lane. You can take a Uber to this location but in our case we decided to walk the 3.5 miles to save money, and with flying for 12 hours it was nice to go for a walk and see more of South Liverpool. On our way to Penny Lane we stopped by a small antique shop called Penny Lane Emporium located at The Substation, Smithdown Rd where we purchased a small piece of art work from a local artist.

Address: The Substation, Smithdown Rd, Liverpool L15 5AF, UK

Penny Lane Development Trust

Stop by Penny Lane Development Trust and take pictures of the colorful murals and shop at their mini gift shop, where you can pick up Beatles themed postcards and magnets. You can plan enjoy the picnic tables that are outside. We stopped by the Tesco Express that is right on the corner and bought some sandwiches, pastries, and drinks to have a peaceful picnic here, so I highly recommend!

Address: 60 Penny Ln, Liverpool L18 1DG, UK (right next to Dovedale Towers)

Museum of Liverpool

I wrote about this in my previous article but there is a ongoing exhibit at the Museum of Liverpool devoted to John & Yoko Ono. The museum is free admission, then exhibit is also free entry and will be available till April 22, 2019.

I would highly recommend checking out this exhibition, it consists of their art, music and film along with Yoko’s own private collection of items, some of which has never been displayed.

Address: Pier Head, Liverpool Waterfront, Liverpool L3 1DG, United Kingdom

The Beatles statue

Head to Albert Dock early in the morning to beat the rush! Tour groups come by very often, so try and get there as early as possible!

Address: Pier Head, Liverpool L3 1BY, UK

Strawberry Field

Make sure to stop by Strawberry Field, take a picture next to the iconic gate where John Lennon spent his childhood years playing behind.

Address: 16 Beaconsfield Rd, Liverpool L25 6EJ, UK

Hoped you enjoyed my travels to Liverpool, stay tuned for my next adventure!

Favorite Travel Apps

google drive

I use Google Drive to write out all my itineraries, and it also have the offline feature so you can see all of your documents offline without connection to service or WiFi. I also used this app to save a copy of my passport & license in case of a emergency.

google translate

Google has such great travel apps and one of them is Google Translate. This app just like the previous others allows you to download, that’s right you can download a whole language on your phone! Definitely comes in handy when it comes to asking for directions!

google maps

Google Maps is a life saver when it comes to navigation. The app has a downloading feature to be able to see your maps offline. A neat trick I used was entering multiple destinations from my itinerary into Google Maps and once done I would choose the walking route and begin the day.

google duo

Google Duo is a video-calling app that allows you to audio call or video call anyone who downloads the app, similar to FaceTime but is not limited to just iphones. You set up Google Duo with your phone number and

On the app you are able to leave a video/voicemail in case the person you call doesn’t answer. Once you get a notification that someone left you a message, you can watch or listen to your message by clicking on your contact’s picture then after you watch or listen you get the option to save it to your camera roll, which is so nice!

spotify

Spotify is by far my favorite music app, although there is Apple music, Pandora, Youtube, none of these are as good as Spotify in my opinion. I do think subscribing for their premium plan is definitely worth it since you can download all the unlimited music that you want and listen anywhere! Subscription for premium is $9.99 a month or $14.99 for a family subscription, if you’re a student there is a great deal (50% off $9.99 and a free subscription to Hulu & Showtime, $5.99 for all 3 is a DEAL!).

netflix / amazon prime video

A subscription for Netflix is $8.99, with the option to change how many screens are able to watch at the same time on multiple devices.

A Amazon Prime membership is $99 per year, but you can sign up to be billed monthly at $8.99 a month rather than all at once. Not only will you get next day shipping in amazon for all your travel essentials, you’ll get Amazon Prime Video! All the shows that Amazon Prime Video has exclusive to prime and aren’t on Netflix nor other apps.

Both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video offer offline watching by downloading shows and movies.

Shopping on a budget in Liverpool

When I travel I like to stick to a personal item or a carryon only, I don’t typically like to check bags mainly because I hate waiting at baggage claim. So before heading to Manchester I decided to look up the rules for bringing liquids through customs. What I researched was that I could bring containers that were 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters but what I didn’t see was that everything should be in a clear quart size plastic baggie, and since I didn’t know that ahead of time I wasn’t prepared.

So as you might have predicted already, I had to leave some things behind. Thankfully the TSA agent was able to give me a clear baggie and of course I left inexpensive items such as toothpaste and eye drops behind to make room for more costly items such as face masks.

In case you find yourself in the same situation as me, use this post to help you find some bargains for any items you leave at home and save your money for more souvenirs.

Pound Bakery - 51 Lord St

Open daily 8am -5pm and they’re located all around central Liverpool. Pound Bakery is by far the cheapest place to pick up breakfast or lunch! The most expensive items on their menu is their filled Baguette sandwiches that are £1.50 and they are actually fairly large. They offer plenty of deals at their stores which is great if you are traveling with a family!

Tesco Superstore, MSU 46 Hanover ST

Just like Pound Bakery you are able to find cheap eats here! One of my favorite things to buy at the Tesco Express stores are their precut fruit for about £1 for a large container! You can’t find precut mangos for that price! They all come with a little spork inside for you to eat on the go, and if you are planning to do a lot of walking like I did it’s a great snack! If you’re like me and like to try different snacks and drinks from different countries, shopping at these stores are a great start!

Home Bargains, 56-58 Wall Street

I went to this store to pick up a variety of chocolate bars and snacks for family back in the states. Their prices are incredibly low, usually a few pence each! This store was really convenient in location too, there is a post office right around the corner in the WHSmith building (upstairs).

Poundland, Basnett Street

America has Dollar Tree and Liverpool has Poundland, everything is really cheap, items are as low as a few pence to £5. Grocery including snacks and drinks are 50 pence to £1 , their home decor is roughly £5.

Top things to do in New Orleans

Exploring the French Quarter

Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to explore and wander the French Quarter, there is so much to do and see! The beautiful historical buildings make it hard to put your camera down.

Dining in the French Quarter

We decided to have lunch during at New Orleans Hamburger & Seafood Co. the food here is delicious! I ordered the gourmet hamburger with the garlic herb fries and Eric ordered the rajun’ cajun burger with a side cup of gumbo, and everything was great! We would definitely dine here again.

For dessert you have to pick up some beignets, you can find some of the best beignets in two locations: Cafe Du Monde their beignets are $2.73 for a order of 3 which is a great deal, which is why there is always a huge line! So make sure you get there early, or you can opt for a close second option: Cafe Beignet their fresh handmade beignets are $3.99 per order of 3.

Usually when we travel we like to try new foods and go to places we typically don’t go to but when it comes to coffee it’s difficult to find a good place to get a cheap cup of coffee without it being Starbucks, so we decided to try CC's Coffee House and even though they have multiple locations it’s only located in Louisiana. Eric got a tall cup of black coffee for $2.50 and I got a tall cup of hot chocolate for $3.00, along with a slice of chocolate cake for $2.00 and everything was great!

Exploring Royal Street & Beyond

After you take a walk on Bourbon Street make sure to turn into Royal Street to enjoy some live music, local art, and beautiful buildings! On the right side of the street you’ll be able to spot the gorgeous architecture that is Jackson Square!

Once you get to St. Peter Street you’ll find all sorts of voodoo stores, we happened to stumble across Reverend Zombie's House Of Voodoo (which is a second location of Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo just in case you can’t find one or the other, they are sister stores). Here you’ll find readings, voodoo dolls, jewelry/charms, and more! We I personally liked about this store is that it there is more many things here that it really looks like a museum, there is a lot of information about Marie Laveau in towards the back of the store.

If you’re interested in more information over voodoo, just around the corner you can visit the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum. We thought it would be neat to learn more but unfortunately the museum was packed so we decided against it, tickets are $7.00 a person.

Wander through the Garden district

If you are looking for beautiful instagrammable locations in New Orleans the Garden District is a must! Take a walk down Coliseum Street, this is where you’ll find beautiful mansions and if you are a American Horror Story fan you’ll walk past the Buckner Mansion just down the street! Another great thing to see in the Garden District is the Lafayette Cemetery No.1 it is much smaller than other cemeteries across New Orleans but it certainly is nice to stop by and take a look around.

Click here for a Free Self Guided Garden District Tour!

Haunted History Tours

You can’t go to New Orleans and not go on a haunted tour! I personally love scary and thrilling experiences real or not so of course I had to sign us up! Since we decided to go on this trip they day after New Years and it was completely spontaneous we didn’t have much time to plan, I basically had to plan our entire trip on our 16 hour drive from Lincoln, NE. Since it was still winter, Eric wasn’t too convinced on going on a 2 hour walking tour (I’m positive it was just him being scaredy cat since he’s not a fan of anything scary!) but after a little convincing we paid the $25 per ticket which is a bit pricey since we were on a budget but it was completely worth it! There are numerous haunted tours you can go to but after a bit of research of reading reviews we decided on Haunted History Tours they have 10 different options and we chose “5 in 1 Ghost & Mystery Tour of the French Quarter” this way we could see a little bit of everything! The pictures shown above are from our tour, we didn’t go inside any buildings since they are private residences. The tour guides go into extreme detail at each location, this tour in general is more historical rather than spooky scary.

Plantation Tours

If you really enjoy plantations you definitely won’t find any affordable plantation tours, the cheapest I could find was $50/person for the Oak Alley Plantation Tour click here to search/booking more plantation options!

Or click on the map below to see all the plantation in the area!

New Orleans Plantations

Hoped you enjoyed my travels to New Orleans, stay tuned for my next adventure!

Travel Resources

booking flights

Google Flights - My all time favorite option for finding cheap flights!

A feature this website has is you can see the prices across months in advance to figure out which date is the best deal to book or most convenient for your travel plans.

Skyscanner - If you can’t decide where to travel to and you wish there was a “just surprise me” option, well with this website there is! Honestly, the best site for finding the cheapest location to travel to when you just aren’t sure where you want to go.

GoEuro - I’ve used this site quite a few times and I highly recommend! This site shows you the price for traveling by train, bus, and plane at the same time, you can sort the results by different categories including: cheapest price, quickest travel time, and departure time.

booking accommodations

Booking.com - This is my go to site for booking hotels because I personally like that it displays the total price for your stay rather than per night which will help you budget accordingly for your trip.

Hostelworld - I absolutely love this site, I used it while traveling across Europe and was a big fan. They have the option of choosing between a bunk bed in a dorm for really cheap or a full size bed in a private room for fairly cheap. The dorm option is usually about $10 per bed and the private room $20-40 which is a great deal!

camping/roadtrips

Freecampsites - Whether you are living the vanlife, RVlife or sleeping in your car life this site helps with finding places to park and sleep overnight. You look up a location and it will show all the locations that you are allowed to park overnight, some more shady than others but you can read the reviews left by previous visitors and whether or not they would stay there again. I do appreciate that it mentions if the roads are paved, the number of campsites available, the amenities, and the type of camping permitted.

Once you search a location there are 4 different colors of campsites that might popup:

Green: Free campsite.

Red: Campsite with a fee.

Blue: Campsites you need a permit.

Yellow: Call ahead or do more research before camping for availability.

Park Advisor - This site is free site and app, a bit more detailed than freecampsites, it shows photos, websites, and Google Maps linked making it easier to locate.

Just like freecampsites you’re able to find:

Campsites, RV Parks, State Parks, Public Parks.

Rest stops, Welcome Centers, Gas Stations.

RV & Traveler Friendly Stores: Walmart Super Centers, CrackerBarrel, Camping World, Cabela’s, Casinos.

I’ve used both of these sites and have stayed at each one of these options and honestly, if you are on a budget and have the space in your vehicle I would give it a go!

Long Flight Essentials

I have a love/hate relationship with flying. I absolutely love the rush of getting on a plane and get super excited to land, but my excitement is soon over once I get tired and crabby on the flight so here are some of my tips to help you prepare for your night trip!

before the flight

Wearing comfortable clothes is always a must! My go-to outfit consists of:

T-shirt, sweatpants, sweater & compression socks!

While you’re waiting to board your plane, take a quick walk maybe go get yourself some water or at the very least stand, you’ll have plenty of time to sit on the plane.

Bring a empty reusable collapsible water bottle to fill after you pass security, to save on spending a few dollars on a water bottle at the airport.

Packing healthy meals and snacks in reusable silicone food storage bags ( they’re a great investment!) or using a leak-proof lunch container.

Fruit & Veggies, my personal favorite is bringing chopped cantaloupe and watermelon, sliced kiwi and peaches or a pre-sliced cucumber with baby carrots.

Granola bars/nuts: I tend to always have a KIND bar of the peanut butter varieties in my purse along with trail mix.

Sandwiches: most times I pack simple ham and cheese, almond butter and jelly, or club sandwiches (ham, bacon, lettuce, tomato) with mayo on the side.

For more snack ideas check out these 19 Healthy Snacks to Pack for a Long Flight.

Pack along 1 or 2 tissue pocket packs in case of a runny nose or to use after your snacks.

what to pack in personal item/ carry on

Carrying on a back-bag makes things so much easier than a purse but to each their own.

Electronics: Laptop, Ipad, foldable tripod, camera, noise canceling headphones, travel plug adapter, chargers, power banks and of course, your phone.

Invest in a small toiletry bag that is easy to access on your flight and pack:

Medicine: Dramamine, Aspirin, Melatonin, Antacids.

Bathroom essentials: mini toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, holding hairbrush with mirror, and hair ties.

Other Toiletries: Eye drops, cough drops, chap-stick, moisturizing hand lotion, ear plugs, and a eye mask.

I like to put the items I’ll be using towards the top of the bag for easy access on the flight.

Travel Navigator to keep everything together:

Passport, license, credit cards, and cash.

When traveling, make two copies of your passport ID page and license one your phone and one to a trusted family member just in case you lose your information.

on flight

Usually a few hours in my legs start to fall asleep so I like to stretch a little by walking to the lavatory and doing a few stretches! Usually the flight attendants are fine with you doing a few stretches in the back. I’ve been in flights were people get a little extreme with their stretching, we are all sitting really close to one another so be courteous to the people around you if you stay in your seat and want to stretch your arms and legs, that is why would recommend the back of the plane and the lavatory.

Do you have any tips and tricks? Share with me on Instagram!