Europe
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Why Tent Camping With a Toddler Is Worth It
Camping with a baby or toddler isn’t my idea of a “relaxing” vacation, but it’s something that you’ll find is so worth it. It’s worth the long packing list, restless nights, and loads of laundry that inevitably follow. Our first real camping trip with our 12-month-old, Lillie Belle, was chock full of lessons and great memories. Looking back on our trip and talking about what went right and what we should improve on will help us in the future – and I’m here to share some of those insider tips for camping with a toddler. Why Tent Camping? Tent camping is one of our favorite ways to travel for a…
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Best Things To Do in Regensburg, Germany
After being in the states for over 3 months visiting my friends and family, I was starting to miss schnitzel, bratwurst, and my favorite German cities. I couldn’t wait to end quarantine and start exploring again. We decided our first day trip would be to visit Regensburg, a city I fell in love with a few months after Lillie was born last summer (2020). Located on the banks of the Danube River in southeast Germany is the medieval town of Regensburg. It’s the perfect day trip from almost anywhere in Bavaria, especially Grafenwoehr. Taste the famous bratwurst sandwich at one of the most historical restaurants on the river. Then, stroll…
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A Roundup of the Best Day Trips from Grafenwoehr, Germany
Travel to other countries took a halt when our first child was born and a pandemic broke out across Europe. We weren’t able to travel very far from our home, so we stuck to doing things outdoors and within a few hours’ drive. Learning about the beauty that surrounded us in Bavaria was one of the perks that came out of the lockdown during a global pandemic. In this post, you’ll find a roundup of my favorite day trips from Grafenwoehr, Germany. There will be a variety of places in this blog post – from hiking and castle ruins to zoos and lakes. My hope is that there is something…
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Baby’s First Trip: Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
When the Army finally lifted the 50-kilometer travel limit for us, we couldn’t wait to take Lillie Belle on her first trip! We’re stuck in Germany until she receives a passport, so we decided to book a stay at Edelweiss Lodge & Resort in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The last time we traveled anywhere more than 30 minutes from our home in Grafenwoehr, Germany was in February when we visited Vicenza, Italy. Four months of staying at home during this crazy pandemic left us itching to travel again. We wanted to find somewhere convenient, yet beautiful since this would be our first travels with a baby; somewhere we could spend our time in…
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Alpbach, Austria: A Weekend of Hiking, Fine Dining & Relaxing in the Alps
Austria has always held a special place in my heart as it was the second country to which I traveled outside of the United States. Stephen and I visited Austria between Christmas and New Years Eve back in 2016, and I immediately fell in love with the snow-capped Alps and the towns dotting the countryside. We’ve continued to return to Austria time and time again on many road trips throughout 2018. In early September, I was planning to visit a nearby cow parade/cattle drive in the area. When a friend told me about Reith im Alpbachtal and showed me a few photos from previous years, I was hooked. I knew…
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The Best Itinerary for a Weekend Hiking in the Heart of the Dolomites
For July 4th, we celebrated our freedom and American independence by traveling to our favorite place in Italy – the Dolomites. On our very last weekend living in Italy, we couldn’t have chosen a better spot. It’s all thanks to connections made through a Facebook group that I’m an admin/moderator of – Hike the Dolomites – that I learned about Rocca Bruna Dolomiti Bed & Breakfast. If only we had found this location earlier, we would have enjoyed many more weekends here! After a fantastic weekend, I couldn’t wait to share all the details from our days at Rocca Bruna and in the Italian Dolomites. Below you will find the…
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Bikepark Lavarone: Downhill Mountain Biking in Italy
Downhill mountain biking is one of those things that I sit around and daydream about. It gives me such a thrill and adrenaline rush, unlike any other hobby of ours. The adrenaline that flows through my veins each time I accomplish a downhill track at full speed in the woods is unspeakable. I didn’t expect to have a chance to hit any trails before we moved away from Italy, because the season usually starts so late in June. But when I saw that Bikepark Lavarone was having its season opener at the beginning of June, I knew it was the perfect time for us to go! Bikepark Lavarone is awesome…
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Memorial Day Weekend in Croatia
Sitting with my feet propped up on the fence at Camp Stine in Starigrad, Croatia, I listened to the waves gently crash against the rocky shoreline. We watched as the sun slowly set with shades of pink and purple hues, causing the clouds in the sky to be illuminated in the same colors. A boat passed by and we saw him all the way in, enjoying the hum of the engine and speculating about the mission he was on. Memorial Day Weekend in Croatia was off to a great start. We drove basically non-stop (7 hours) after Stephen got off staff duty at 6 am to make it to our…
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Cinque Terre: The First Time My Mom Came to Italy Part 2
I’ve never been prouder of my mom than I was when she came to visit me for the first time in Italy. The way she adapted to the culture so quickly, rolled with the punches and traveled at 100 miles an hour by my side made me want to keep her here forever. We had the greatest times and made some of the best memories of my entire life. And Cinque Terre will forever be one of those places engraved in my memory from that time together. The first time I visited Cinque Terre was a solo trip (my first one in Europe actually), while Stephen was away doing Army…
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Camping in Croatia: Reviews of My Favorite Campgrounds
Croatia has easily become one of our favorite countries since living in Europe. There’s something for everyone – beaches, waterfalls, forests, hiking routes, fresh seafood, and fine wines. On top of it all, campgrounds in Croatia take camping to a whole new level. You can take your pick from secluded forest campgrounds along the river to a spot overlooking the sea with a front seat view for Croatian sunsets. To be frank, I had never tent camped prior to moving to Europe. I grew up “camping” in an RV, motorhome, fifth-wheel…basically anything besides a tent. I was pretty hesitant when Stephen wanted to take a road trip last summer and…
