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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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Next Adventure: Asia
In 2017, we were planning our honeymoon to Phuket, Thailand. Flights, hotels, dinner reservations – everything was booked. We were headed to a swanky resort beachside and were going to explore Phuket for multiple days during our first month of marital bliss. It didn’t happen. The marital bliss part, yes, the going to Thailand part, no. A few days before I was set to leave, Stephen got a notice that he wouldn’t be able to enter the country because his passport expired in less than 6 months. No ifs and or buts. Trip canceled. All I wanted was to see elephants. I was distraught and knew we lost a ton…
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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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Backpacking the Appalachian Trail: Tesnatee Gap to Neels Gap
What motivates you to try something for the first time? For me, it’s the thought of the unknown that scares yet excites me enough to want to experience it – despite the constant fear of failure. It’s knowing that completing the adventure in front of me may only come around once because something could happen tomorrow and I could be physically unable to do it again. It’s my partner/spouse/best friend in my ear encouraging me to do something, telling me I’m capable, despite my doubts. It’s my father-in-law insisting I try something that he knows I’ll love, like backpacking, knowing me better than I often know myself. And the result:…
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5 Hidden Gems to Explore in New Zealand {Guest Post by Sarah McGee}
Perfect beaches, limitless culture, friendly locals, and amazing food: New Zealand truly does have it all. It’s the ideal location for families looking to make some amazing holiday memories together, teenagers on a backpacking adventure, or young couples looking for a romantic setting for their getaway. The popular tourist destination has so much to offer, which is why it attracts more and more tourists each year. More than 300,000 people visited New Zealand in 2018, most of whom were young people between the age of 25-34. However, 38% of this age bracket traveled without insurance in 2017 which was an increase of 7% on the year before. Without insurance, the…
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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…
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Winter Travel in Transylvania, Romania
While Romania, and especially the region of Transylvania, is castle heavy and famous for inspiring the movie Dracula from Vlad the Impaler, it has so much more to offer. Some moments driving through the country were like taking a step back in time – like when we would pass horses and carriages carrying loads of wood for their fires, or when we would pass people moving furniture on small hand carts instead of in a car. From fortified churches to the architecture of castles and homes, winter travel in Transylvania, Romania is one of a kind and definitely worth a trip. Stephen and I barely scratched the surface of this…
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How We Afford to Travel
When I went back to the states to visit my hometown, a group of friends and I started talking about travel and a few of them mentioned how they too wish they could travel as often as Stephen and I do. My response was: you can! I tried my best to convince them that we used our money differently, but they just weren’t buying it. And it really got me thinking…what do we do so differently that allows us to travel and not be thousands of dollars in debt? Sometimes I even forget that we are a ONE INCOME family and as you’re reading this, keep this in the back…
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5 Outdoor Activities You Should Try This Winter
During the cold winter season, most people want to curl up on the couch by the fire with a mug of hot cocoa and watch Netflix. I get it – winter and lots of snow can seem long and daunting. While I love my days snuggling with the pups and reading, it’s great to have balance, and getting outdoors will do you loads of good mentally and physically. I never really liked winter sports before this season, because either I wasn’t sure what all there was to do, where to go to rent things, or it was just too dang cold. (I’m from North Carolina and anything below 32 to…
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2019 Hiking Challenge – Calling All Hikers! (+ FREE Download)
This year, 2019, I challenge you to get outdoors more. To head to the woods or the mountains and just HIKE! Wherever you feel comfortable – the hills in your neighborhood or town, that big mountain that you’ve had your eye on, or longer trails such as the Appalachian, PNW, or maybe internationally like the Dolomites in Italy! Welcome to Outside This Small Town’s 2019 Hiking Challenge… Record your trails and distance and let’s see how many people can make it to 100 miles (160 km) hiked by the end of 2019! Track your distance with whatever app or device you like best. My preference is OutdoorActive (click here to…
