I’d spent any and all spare time researching Santorini, learning that this small volcanic island is only 11.18 miles long and 3 miles wide, and that in the summer months, it sees roughly 2,000,000 visitors. But finding any sort of information about visiting in January beyond “everything shuts down”, was nearly impossible. It’s our hope that this blog post may help others know what to expect if they’re planning to visit Santorini in January.
Read MoreWe have stumbled upon not only one of THE coolest, most bizarre Airbnb's ever, but a super cool little town that's nestled in a National Park I'd never heard of! And it's in... Arkansas?
Read MoreClimbed (slipped, tripped and fell upon) some mountainsides; crossed a bunch of foot bridges; got misted by multiple waterfalls and sea foamed by the Pacific Ocean; came across an unexpected pile of roadkill on a wrong turn in the middle of nowhere; saw seal, deer and multiple bald eagle; learned about ocean critters and tide pools; explored a WWII bunker; and shared a bunch of giggles. These places exist for exactly these reasons.
Read MoreSomewhere around 2006 or 2007 I’d read about these eighteen rocky, volcanic land masses in a National Geographic magazine, and filed them in the back of my mind for the next nine or so years before getting serious about a visit.
Read MoreEverglades boasts some serious silence and a curiosity different from any other parks we’ve visited. Ride bikes alongside sunbathing alligators - check.
Read MoreIt all began here. There are days I am overwhelmed with emotion from the experiences I've been fortunate enough to have. To connect with my kids, Sue, my nieces and nephews, sisters and mom, and all the friends I've made over the years solely based around helping folks get outside.
So many places yet to explore, but I am beyond grateful for the experiences and moments we've shared.
Read MoreSix days exploring Olympic National Park - and we saw seventeen people - one of which was on a bicycle, so we really say sixteen-and-a-half. In other words, we had the place to ourselves. Brilliant greens, crashing waves you can feel in your feet, and the Elwha River running free.
Read MoreSpring can be such an emotional time of year. Most days are chock-full of excitement watching everything come back to life. Around mid-March I find myself keeping an eye on the willow trees - they always get leaves first. Skunk cabbage creeps out almost overnight, and peepers start chanting to remind us summer is right around the corner.
Read MoreAs we were leaving Florida yesterday, we made a last minute decision to spend our final night on the beach instead of going to Mammoth Caves National Park in Kentucky. Having dipped a toe in the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico on this month-long adventure, we wanted to add the Atlantic to our list.
Read MoreMesa Verde was probably the coolest park we accidentally stumbled upon. We’d never heard of it until we were all around a map in Moab, planning our route back to Pennsylvania.
Read MoreOkay, our month in an SUV together may finally be taking its toll. We made it to Monument Valley today and happened across this fella running!
Read MoreIn-between our drive from Zion to Arches we popped in for a sunset at Horseshoe Bend. A short three-quarter mile hike from the parking area gives a stunning view of the Colorado River below.
Read MoreBetween seasonal closures, wildfires and weather, a road trip of this size is an adventure all its own. Our plans to explore Death Valley got nixed on October 18th, when they saw 2.7" of rain fall, washing out roads. Besides a small weather delay before our trip in the Tetons, we'd been very fortunate. Zion was no different. Three days before we arrived, the park saw .62" of rain. We were hoping it'd settle down a bit by the time we arrived, and it did.
Read MoreI remember distinctly the first time I saw a picture of a giant Sequoia tree. I was in fourth grade science class. It’s enormity fascinated me to the point I smelled the page.
Read MoreYosemite is beautiful... almost as if you're wondering around in a magnificent painting that took a lifetime to create... only it's interactive, with an elk over there, a climber scaling a cliff up there, and oh! Look! A coyote passing through right there!
Read MoreThere’s a reason this 6-mile, single-lane dirt road, twisting and winding through towering redwoods, made us feel like we were in Jurassic Park. It was filmed here! Sopping wet tents from camping on the Pacific Coast after chasing waves all night - check!
Read MoreA few interesting facts we learned about Crater Lake: It's isolated from surrounding streams and rivers, thus there is no inlet or outlet to the lake. It's 1,943 feet deep, which makes it the deepest lake in the United States, and the ninth deepest lake in the world!
Read MoreWhen we got back to civilization, my daughter Lily (11 years old) was asked while we stood in line for a big victory dinner, "why would you do that?" to which she replied with a big smile, saying almost matter-of-factly, "My mom wants us to know we can accomplish something."
Catch a sunrise on a lake in the Tetons - check.
Read MoreWe made it to southwestern South Dakota and our first National Park! Badlands is 244,000 acres of bizarre terrain that includes sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires surrounded by a mixed-grass prairie ecosystem. Complete with prairie dogs singing and wasps stinging, our day was full!
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