Overview This is the fourth part of a 42-day, 9,700-mile road trip from Virginia to Vancouver Island and back, blending epic scenery, old friends, quirky roadside attractions, and the quiet joy of the open road. This road trip came about from our goal of visiting 65 friends this year. We first put a map together to mark where everyone is located and then built a road trip to try and get as many as we [...]
Overview This is the third part of 42-day, 9,700-mile road trip from Virginia to Vancouver Island and back, blending epic scenery, old friends, quirky roadside attractions, and the quiet joy of the open road. This road trip came about from our goal of visiting 65 friends this year. We first put a map together to mark where everyone was located and then built a road trip to try and get as many as we could [...]
Overview This is the first part of 42-day, 9,700-mile road trip from Virginia to Vancouver Island and back, blending epic scenery, old friends, quirky roadside attractions, and the quiet joy of the open road. This road trip came about from our goal of visiting 65 friends this year. We first put a map together to mark where everyone was located and then built a road trip to try and get as many as we could [...]
Oahu: Aloha Awaits Oahu, is the most populated and most frequently visited Hawaiian island - with sun-soaked beaches, historic landmarks, and a laid-back charm that’s pure Hawaii. From war memorials to trolley rides, this trip packs in the best of the greater Honolulu area. Let’s dive into our adventure! Day 1 - Waikiki Our flight touched down at the Honolulu airport at 7:30am - but we couldn't check-in to our hotel until 4:00pm. Thankfully, the [...]
The Big Island of Hawaii: A Wild Welcome Hawaii’s largest island is named Hawaii, but is referred to as "The Big Island". The youngest of the islands, it is the most untamed. It offers volcanic landscapes, rugged trails, and laid-back vibes. Over five days, we dove into its raw beauty—despite a few flight hiccups. Here’s our journey through this island of fire and sea. Big Island of Hawaii Day 1: A Rocky Start [...]
Kauai, Hawaii: Jam-Packed Adventures Kauai, dubbed the Garden Isle, is Hawaii’s lush, untamed gem. With jagged cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and quiet towns, it’s a paradise for adventurers and relaxation seekers alike. Over five days, we soaked in its beauty—from coastal drives to hidden valleys. Here’s our journey! Day 1: Arrival and Southern Charm Our Kauai adventure begins with a quick, early morning Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu, Oahu to Lihue, Kauai. Landing at [...]
Maui: A Small Island with Big Personality Aloha! Welcome to Maui, Hawaii’s second-largest island, where rugged coastlines, volcanic landscapes, and vibrant towns create a paradise that’s equal parts adventure and relaxation. . As a part of a larger trip to Japan, we will use Hawaii as a place to explore before and after to get acclimated to the time change. We've never been to Hawaii before and in fact, [...]
Overview For years we heard a lot of good things about taking a river cruise in Europe. After sampling the river cruise experience for a few days in Egypt on the Nile in 2023, we decided to take the plunge and go all in with Viking's 23-day Cross Europe cruise called European Sojourn (their longest river cruise). Go big or go home as the saying goes! So, we even front-ended and back-ended this cruise starting [...]
Overview A trip to the Indy 500 was a bucket list item for us and one of our sons (who has gone every year for over 15 years) finally got us to plan a trip out to this enormous event. We put in our request for tickets in June of 2023 through the Indianapolis Motor Speedway website. In September we were notified we'd been granted 2 tickets and so we began laying out a trip [...]
Overview Our first trip of the year took us to south to get out of the late winter weather and to explore and experience some of what the south has to offer in early March. On this trip we made stops and visited in the following towns and cities over the course of three weeks. As always when we head south this time of year, we try and meet up with friends and family, catch [...]
