I started a personal travel blog in 2020.
Arizona looks just like the movies. It has everything you think of from the American southwest: deserts, canyons, tumbleweeds, cacti, horses. It’s classic roadtrip territory too, with lots of wide open highways like the famous Route 66. If the amazing scenery isn’t enough to lure you there (and it should be), then Arizona has plenty … More Arizona Road Trip: My 1-Week Itinerary
It’s hard to describe the feeling of open space in Arizona. The feeling of being on another planet, where all the familiar scenery of home is missing. Instead you see red rock, blue sky, and a few scrubby plants. And if you drive a short way, you’ll see a completely different scene. In May, I … More Road Tripping Through Arizona’s Faraway Landscapes
As we reach the one-year mark on the pandemic, I find myself thinking about places that have left the biggest impression on me. Near the top of that list is Seville, Spain. It’s not just the sights or the scenery that made it truly memorable to visit, but some elusive mix of everything that combined … More Seville: Memories of a Magical City
Before all this pandemic nonsense, I went on a group tour in Italy where I had exactly one full day in Florence. First of all, don’t do this. A city like Florence, with its famous history, art, and food, that kind of city deserves at least a few days of your life. It’s the capital … More 7 Travel Tips: How I Made the Most of One Day in Florence, Italy
Congaree National Park is the sort of place that reveals its beauty slowly. On the surface, it’s just a forest, similar to many places in the southern US. But if you stay a while, you begin to understand that Congaree is something different. Beneath its canopy, you walk through the last relic of an ancient … More Congaree National Park: A Short Guide
Asheville, North Carolina. I park on the top floor of a nondescript parking garage. The sun is bright, it feels harsh in the winter breeze. I head across the street and walk through a tall, arched door. The Grove Arcade is a grand space from an age of boundless optimism. Inside, it opens into a … More How I Spent One Day in Asheville (and Why I’m Going Back Soon)
Seven months into the pandemic, I didn’t know what to do. After a summer of backup plans, I really wanted to travel. But, you know, there was a global pandemic still. Where could I go? Would it be safe? Would it even be fun? I took ten days off from work and started working on … More I Went on a Solo Road Trip During the Pandemic
If you live in the eastern US, you probably know about the Smoky Mountains already. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the US, and its forested peaks are within driving distance from a huge number of cities. I’ve visited a few times. When I started planning a solo road … More How to Plan a Hiking Trip to the Smoky Mountains
Welcome to 2020: the year of backup plans. After six months of staying home and trying to isolate myself, I needed to take a trip somewhere. My wife and I both wanted something summer-y, maybe with a beach. So we reviewed the travel restrictions and advice, and we decided the safest thing to do was…to … More A Socially Distanced Beach Escape to…Ohio?
During the past few months of quarantine, I’ve found myself turning to activities that remind me of childhood. Watching Avatar the Last Airbender, playing Animal Crossing, enjoying those heartening echoes of a simpler time. You know what I really loved as a kid? Animals. I used to love books and TV shows about animals so … More The Cincinnati Zoo: Animals are Our Best Hope for Sanity During the Pandemic
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