wonderwanderrepeat365

Grand Canyon: Hiking the South Kaibab Trail

When I first laid eyes on the Grand Canyon, tears crept into my eyes and threatened to spill over. Not only because I was fulfilling a dream, but because a sense of awe and appreciation for the beauty of the world washed over me in a tumultuous wave and overtook my emotions. I was in literal awe at my surroundings, and the sight of the deep canyons took my breath away. The pictures that I saw didn’t do the canyons justice, and though I worked hard to make sure my photos would help engrave the memories in my brain, I knew that I wouldn’t need a picture to remember the sights that I saw that week. The deep, wide canyons are forever etched in my memory bank.

Kayaking Through Underwater Sea Caves

Crystal clear, jewel-colored water. Zebra mussels etching the lake’s bottom. Cliffs jutting into the horizon. Sunsets painting the sky. Sea caves carved into rocks. All of these attributes describe one magical place. Cave Point in Door County, Wisconsin.

Ultimate Arizona Itinerary

Many ask us what travel agent we go through or who plans our vacation itineraries. The answer is simply, “Us!” If we were embarking on an international adventure, we may hire a travel agent to assist us, but for the most part, we love planning everything ourselves! So you may wonder what goes into the planning process, and the answer is lots and lots of thorough research. Though we love spontaneity and truly believe it adds an important element to adventure, cross-county road trips call for a “bit” of planning! Our research process includes scrolling through photos, internet articles, and recommendations on blogs and travel sites. My wife and I typically research separately, jotting down each of our favorite trails, sights, adventure ideas, etc. We then compare our lists and create a compilation of our ideas, sometimes omitting or adding things along the way. Arizona was definitely our biggest trip to date. By “big,” I mean it involved the most planning. We strategically booked hotels, flights, and excursions, filling in trails and parks into our itinerary. After months of planning, we finally had our dream vacation finalized. If you are planning a trip to Arizona and want some hiking ideas or inspiration for your planning process, here was our paraphrased 8-day itinerary!

Antelope Canyon: Unveiling the Mystery Inside the Orange Walls

If you know anything about Antelope Canyon, you are probably familiar with its orange, wavy, rocky interior. The canyon walls were formed by sandstone erosion due to flash flooding. The only way to explore the canyons on foot are by guided Navajo natives. However, you can enter the canyon by water. We decided to do both.

Matthiessen: A Different Perspective on a Hidden Gem

We all know summer and winter are very different seasons. For most places, summer means warmer weather, longer days and bright, blooming landscapes. But what some don’t know is that a particular place can look completely different in each season. I’m not just talking about your backyard or your campus. I’m talking about the middle of the woods. That’s right. A spot that is visited in the winter is almost completely unrecognizable in the summer, and vise versa. I love putting this theory to the test by hiking in identical parks in opposite seasons. Not only is the comparison astonishing, but it’s fun to see if I can navigate through the trails and recall which area I am winding through and what it previously looked like.

How Traveling Became My Passion

Welcome to my new travel blog! I decided to create a travel blog because this allows me to do two things that I am most passionate about: traveling and writing. I began writing when I was seven years old. I wrote little stories on wide-ruled notebook paper, complete with silly illustrations, about everything from the art of being a girl to playing baseball. From an early age, I knew I was going to be a writer, but I didn’t so much believe that about my love for travel. I always loved nature; I took every opportunity to be outside, especially when the weather was nice; and I marveled at all the places that my parents took us on vacation. But I didn’t truly appreciate the all-around encompassing nature of travel and adventure until our honeymoon.