Athena started school in Frisco, Texas on August 15th. The community made it the best first day of school ever. Many of the families in the neighborhood gathered together to walk the kids to school. They chalked the sidewalks with positive messages for the kids and made the first day a memorable one. This is life in Frisco. Continue reading
Tonight’s experience at Longboat Key Club & Resort was a warm reminder of why I love to travel. Why? Because I drank my way through dinner as I got to know locals who have a membership at the club. Come along for my unedited version of Longboat Key Club. Continue reading
From day hikes to overnight wilderness trips, warm foothills to cold alpine peaks, from largest and finest groves of giant sequoias to the extraordinarily diverse plants and animals living in extremely varied conditions, the experiences in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks are vast. I wanted to take it all in from an extreme vantage point and Moro Rock was the ideal high point. A stone and concrete stairway led to the top of this granite dome. From the top, I enjoyed sweeping views of the hills below and the wilderness to the east. Continue reading
It’s no secret that I love sailing. There isn’t much that makes me happier than spending an afternoon on the ocean with my family. For the last few weeks, we’ve been living in Playa Del Rey, California and we’re within walking distance to Marina Del Rey. Watching the boats sail by brings up my happiness level tenfold but, of course, I want to be on every one of them. After looking into the sailing options from Marina Del Rey, I found Mojo Sailing. We booked an afternoon with Captain Jim and enjoyed the best part of the day from aboard Mojo. Continue reading
Last week during our northern California trip to Shasta Cascade area, we stayed in cabins, camped in tents, slept in a loft next to a river, hiked to mountain tops and deep valleys, explored caves, kayaked rivers, and had close encounters with birds and bats. There were tons of first time experiences and opportunities for adventure, but the best part of the trip was horseback riding at Drakesbad Guest Ranch. Athena rode on horses before but I have a feeling this is the one that she’ll remember. Continue reading
We arrived at Tsasdi Resort in Lakehead, California with high hopes of exploring nearby waterfalls, lakes, and caves. There’s so much to experience in the Lake Shasta area and I never want to miss an opportunity to see or do something new. Once we checked in, though, we completely changed our outlook. Staying at the resort and utilizing the dock was the best way to spend the entire afternoon. We could easily go with the flow and avoid a schedule completely. Continue reading
You have probably overpaid for some craft cocktail, been late waiting for some train on an A/C-less platform, and perhaps stepped on a few hundred roaches. However, whether you have months or a few days to explore New York City, there is no way you will be able to conquer even half of it even with your entire credit-card debt, permanent insomnia, and stolen moments of subway sleep. From participating in early-morning karaoke to exploring the Statue of Liberty, here are five things you should absolutely include in your NYC tour bucket list. Continue reading
I struggle with balance. Staying away from social media sometimes seems impossible. I say that I’m going to put my phone away or avoid using the Internet, but it’s an addiction. I like to plan a trip away from it all every couple months so I can get back to what’s really important – quality time with Athena. We spent a night at Strawhouse Resorts in Big Flats, California and with no WiFi, phone service, or even television, we had time to share some great moments together. Continue reading
Athena and I have been exploring new areas of California every other month in the last year thanks to Visit California. Yesterday, we arrived in Redding, California and we had a hot, hot, hot day exploring the family-friendly activities in the area. We spent the better part of the day at Turtle Bay Exploration Park. There was way more to do there than I expected and Athena loved a surprise that waited for us in the animal section. Continue reading
We’ve been to Knott’s Berry Farm a number of times now, but we always fight traffic to drive up on the weekend and deal with lines and crowds. It stresses us rather than creating an amazing day with lasting memories. We wanted to experience Knott’s in a bucket list way with minimal guests in the park, minimal hassle to get there, and maximum fun all around. We planned the perfect Knott’s day including an over night stay at Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel, dining at the best restaurants, and a visit during the slowest day of the week, Monday. It paid off tenfold and we had the best day at Knott’s Berry Farm yet. Continue reading
Bucket List Publications 