Camping Essentials

On July 23, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Tips, Trip Planning1 Comment

Next weekend, Mike and I will be trundling down to Utica, IL with a carful of camping equipment for a night under the stars (sort of). We’re camping near Matthiessen State Park, where we will be exploring during the day. I have not been camping in a very long time, but lucky for me, I’m dating a former boy scout. With Mike’s wilderness knowledge, my camping expert sister’s advice and all of our borrowed supplies, I think we will be just fine. The plan is to hike at Matthiessen during the day, check into our campsite in the late afternoon to set up, and spend the night cooking various items over the campfire. I have to say, I am very excited for this little weekend trip enjoying the great outdoors. Especially with all of the fun camping accessories that come with it. Here are the camping essentials I wouldn’t go without (*please note: this is not a professional camping adventure, just one bougie night in a tent):

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Iron – Our dinner will be happily cooked over the fire with these handy little sandwich irons and no grilled cheese will ever taste better. My parents have hauled these with us to every camping trip, so it’s kind of a tradition.
Photo via Amazon
Wine Tote + Glasses – In order for me to fall asleep without my brain hearing the tell-tale twig snapping that horror movies are made of, we will need to have wine in cute plastic glasses. I’ve been really into rosé lately, so that is what we will be bringing with us into the woods.
Lantern – This is needed to light our way to and from the bathrooms and brighten up the tent after we put the fire out. This particular lantern is quite bright and clips to the top of our tent for maximum efficiency.
French Press – The French press is a must-have for a couple of caffeine addicts our in the wilderness. It’s perfect for preparing our morning fix fireside. Add a couple of mugs and we’re good to go.
Photo via REI
Bug Repellent Candle – We’re bringing a couple of these beauties to keep the insects at bay while we sit by the fire. We purchased them at target for a couple of bucks each and I’m sure they will be invaluable after the sun goes down.

In addition to these camping essentials, we will also be bringing a pretty large tent (leftover from Mike’s Boy Scout days), sleeping bags, pillows, rain covers, tarps, food, water, and other basic woodsy supplies like sunscreen and bug spray. I am beyond excited to try my hand at camping again, especially since it was on my 26 in 26 list. Right now, it looks like it will be a little stormy next weekend, but I fully intend to power through. Feel free to share your favorite camping tips and tricks in the comments!

What are your must-have camping essentials?

Finding Unique Souvenirs

On July 19, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Tips, Trip Planning1 Comment

Souvenirs are abundant, with gift shops around every corner in most destinations, it’s not hard to locate something to remind you of your vacation. What is difficult is finding something that isn’t kitschy or cliché, something that won’t sit on your shelf unused and unloved, collecting dust. After all, how many mini spoons, snow globes and I ❤ Wherever shirts do you really need? Now a days the souvenir trends are shifting away from things that loudly proclaim where they’re from and towards more understated items that bring back memories from distant lands. I always have such a hard time getting rid of things I bought as souvenirs, so all of the old items are in a Tupperware container under my bed. Not ideal for remembering the place I bought them fondly. Lately, when I travel, I look for more practical things to bring home. And when I say practical, I mean things like the Elvis clock we bought in Memphis, the one that his hips sway with each tick and tock. Things like that.

We also have a tendency to buy magnets because they’re cheap and easy, but we’re running out of real estate on our fridge so they won’t be a practical souvenir much longer. With that said, the following are some ideas for alternative souvenirs from your upcoming travels:

Home Décor – Make your home décor unique and fun by having pieces you’ve curated yourself through your travels. These kinds of souvenirs will adorn your home and bring back memories every time you look at them. I like to look for unique wall art or travel themed antiques. When we traveled to Grand Rapids, MI, I got a beautiful antique globe that is now on my desk.
Food and Beverage – Food and drinks make great souvenirs because you can enjoy them and then they are done, not cluttering your shelves or gathering dust. I like to bring back beer or wine from different destinations, specifically Spotted Cow Beer every time we go up to Wisconsin.
Photos – The best and cheapest souvenir is, of course, pictures from whichever destination. The key is actually doing something with them instead of leaving them in the paper envelopes from the photo counter. Frame your favorites and hang them up or create your own album for each trip with Shutterfly!
Books or Albums – Books, albums, or whatever form of entertainment you prefer make great souvenirs. You’ll enjoy them as you read/listen/watch and remember the destination where they were purchased. I prefer books, which is why I usually pick one out for each trip, like “Wilderness Essays” by John Muir from the John Muir Woods book shop.
Everyday Items – I recently read this article about buying everyday items from your travels that you will use constantly, and therefore be constantly reminded of where you got them. I think it’s a genius idea! Everyday items are typically less expensive than your usual souvenirs and you will actually get a lot of use out of them.

What do you think? What kind of souvenirs do you like to get when you’re away?

26 in 26 – Halfway Point

On July 8, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Goals, Travel Tips3 Comments

A while back, I wrote this post about my 26 in 26 goals for life between my 26th and 27th birthdays. Now that we are just passed the halfway point, I thought I’d share the list in its entirety and check in with how I’ve progressed through it so far. The 26 tasks are either things that I have always wanted to do but haven’t made the time for yet, or things I’ve gotten started but want to improve upon. I have until December 4 (when I will turn 27, ugh) to complete everything, but I still have quite a few things left to do. Here’s where I’m at:

Finish all the books I currently have on my shelf: This is a work in progress! I’ve read 15 books so far this year thanks to my daily commute and my inability to sleep on planes. Most of them have been by Mr. Stephen King, who dominates three out of the twelve shelves in my library.
Go camping: The camping trip is booked! For early next month. I haven’t camped since I was really young, so this will be a baby step back into the world of sleeping in tents and peeing in the woods. We’re planning on camping near Matthiessen State Park, just south of Chicago.
Take an Amtrak train somewhere: I have romanticized taking an Amtrak trip for years, and I so want to do this sometime soon. I just don’t know if it will happen this year. The problem with train travel is it just takes so long and I’m running low on vacation days :(.
Have something I wrote published again: Last year, I was lucky enough to have a short story published in Sheriff Nottingham (a literary journal). It hasn’t happen yet this year, but I would like to have something else published, either fiction or non, online or in print.
Master a new recipe: Done! I have officially mastered the bibimbap recipe, but I am always looking for more to learn!
Host a costume party: This has not happened yet either, but I am hoping to host an all out 70’s disco party. BEFORE Halloween though, so the holiday doesn’t steal my thunder.
Paint a picture: Done! I can’t vouch for how well it’s been done, but I did enjoy making it! Painting is so relaxing, I wouldn’t mind adding it to my growing list of hobbies. Here’s a photo of my “beautiful” painting from Instagram:
Learn to play the ukulele: Do I get a half point for owning the ukulele? I need to sit down to watch some youtube videos so I can check this one off the list.
Write more short stories: Done! Perhaps this is what I can get published. 🙂
Learn French: I started learning on DuoLingo and lost touch with it. I need to get back on this though because it’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
Invest in a good pair of shoes: They haven’t been purchased yet, but I have my eyes on these.
Take a fitness class: I’ve been getting by with Sadie Nardini’s yoga videos, but there are tons of options in our neighborhood to complete this one for real. I can’t wait to try one out.
Get a start on that novel I’ve been meaning to write: Done! It’s something that I’ve been chipping away at in my spare time. As much as I love writing about this blog and real life adventures, I love writing fiction just as much.
Find/Create an additional source of income: Still working on this one! I’ve put some things out there, we’ll see if anything comes back. I’m feeling pretty hopeful about it!
Have a spa day: Done! I went to the Mario Tricoci Spa on Michigan Ave and wrote about my experience here.
Travel to Canada: This trip had been planned for April, however plans changed and we ended up doing a smaller trip instead. I haven’t lost all hope for this trip, so maybe we can fit it in on a weekend before the end of the year.
Start running again: I know, I know. I’ve had seven months to do this simple thing, and I haven’t yet. That’s not to say I haven’t been working out, I just haven’t done this.
Join Trover: Done! If you don’t know what Trover is, it’s a website to share travel pictures and tips for different destinations. You can find my Trover profile here.
Reorganize my wardrobe: Not quite done. I would really like to get rid of most of my clothes and create a more grown-up, capsule wardrobe. It’s a work in progress.
Pay off my loan: Done! Simple as that.
Start treating this blog like a business instead of a hobby: This is another work in progress and goes with #15. I’m trying though!
Go on a Chicago Boat Tour: Last year, this was on my list and I waited until it was too late. This year, I will book this even if I have to go by myself. I’m thinking of booking this one.
Sell clothes, books and movies I don’t use anymore: Halfway done! I’ve done quite a few rounds of selling things I don’t use and donating a lot of other things, but there’s still more I could get rid of.
Have a Woody Allen Movie Marathon: Done! The only reason this is on the list is that I love Woody Allen Movies, and wanted an excuse to watch more of them.
Attend a new music festival: Almost Done! I’ll be going to Pitchfork Music Festival next weekend!
Take a class: There was a writing class at the Newberry Library I wanted to take, but I would have missed the first two classes due to travel. Hopefully, I’ll find another one!

Status: 11/26 done! Here’s to five more months!

Happy Father’s Day!

On June 19, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel TipsLeave a comment

An Ode to My Dad, The Adventurer

My Dad influences me in a lot of ways. He’s just the epitome of what a dad should be: honest and hard-working, encouraging, adventurous and fun. He has always been an excellent role model. Of course one of the biggest ways he has influenced my life is instilling a love of travel in me. Growing up, as I’ve said before, we traveled a lot, usually going to National Parks and doing outdoorsy things. My Dad was always the one climbing over fences and across rivers, waving at us from a place we couldn’t quite reach, adventuring further in the wild than the National Parks typically allowed and then coming back with a huge, trouble-maker grin on his face. To me, he’s the original adventurer. While we were in Tennessee this past week, we sat in rocking chairs on the porch of our cabin in Gatlinburg and talked about travel and how it has influenced his life.

RW: What generally inspires you to pick the destinations that you travel to?

“What there is to do outdoors, like golf, kayak, explore outside. National Parks are big for us.”

My mom sat out there with us, sipping coffee and chiming in when needed. When I had asked how they chose where they took us when we were kids, she explained that it was such a treat for her parents to take her to Disney world when she was young, so they took us there twice within the span of a few years. After the second time, my dad had had enough and explained that he did not want to see animatronic animals and hear canned music, he wanted to go somewhere real. This is how our trips to National Parks started. This first one we went to was Yellowstone, and we road-tripped there just as my dad had done when he was young.

What did you like most about going to the National Parks when you were a kid?

“I always liked the hikes. Sometimes we would go on guided hikes with a ranger, sometimes on our own. They would always have a movie in the outdoor theater area where they’d show movies at night. We’d always go to those. They were nature movies about birds or about wherever we were, about the park.”

My dad’s parents would take him, his three brothers and two sisters on road trips out west to National Parks and they would camp wherever they went.

Did you take us to the same parks to relive those memories?

“No, we took you there because they’re beautiful, they’re a part of the big wide world. I think everyone should see them.”

Did we influence where we went on the trips?

“Well, obviously we did things that you would be able to do. We didn’t go on ten mile hikes…well, yes we did sometimes. But we tried to gear it towards you kids and not do something you couldn’t do.”

While I do love those hikes now, I remember liking those long hikes as a kid ONLY if we could go to the gift shop at the end of them.

Why do you think it was important to take us on trips when we were kids?

“I don’t know, it was just ingrained. My parents took us on trips. I think it makes you appreciate things better.”

What motivates you to travel now?

“There’s still places on the list that we want to see. It’s never going to be empty. We look forward to our trips. We don’t need to take big trips either, you know, we take little trips on the weekend. We take off for a day or overnight or whatever. If we aren’t tied to the house for whatever reason, for chores or managing life, then we’re going somewhere.”

I think it’s also important to note that during this trip, my parents towed a trailer all the way to Tennessee and beyond that contained their motorcycle, kayaks and golf clubs. They moved on to Asheville after the rest of us went home to have a few more adventures. If that doesn’t sum it up, I don’t know what else could.

Which destination has been your favorite so far?

“Italy, by far.”

My parents took a trip to Italy in 2010 for their thirtieth anniversary. While there, they traveled to Rome, Tuscany and The Amalfi Coast, right on the Mediterranean.

What was your favorite part about Italy?

“A big part of that was being some place new, a new culture, but also to see things that are so old, so important in history.”

What would be your dream destination right now?

“I don’t think I can pin one down, there’s still so many things we want to see.”

Just pick one.

“I’d love to go to New Zealand. It’s supposed to be beautiful for motorcycling. I think because my dad was stationed there in the service (The Navy). The other one that comes to mind is not very exotic, but your mom and I want to go soon: The Southwest National Parks: Zion, Bryce and the Arches.”

What is your best travel advice?

“Be patient. Enjoy the moment, it’s so easy to get caught up with getting from one point to another point, you get frustrated. It’s an old statement, but it’s not about getting from point A to point B, it’s the whole thing. That’s true. I’ve been guilty of getting caught up in the destination part.”

“Just get out there and do it. There’s too much world to see, don’t be a hermit crab.”

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO ALL THE DADS OUT THERE! Especially mine. Thanks for everything, Dad – keep on exploring.

Top Five Friday #13

On June 3, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Top Five Friday, Travel Tips3 Comments

Lessons From Traveling as a Couple

I remember the first trip Mike and I ever took together like it was yesterday. It was actually in August, 2014, and we had only been dating for four months at the time. We made the fourteen hour drive to New Orleans and spent three amazing days there. We had stormy afternoons, drunken nights, ran out of money, dealt with some car issues and endured what turned out to be an eighteen hour drive home. In short, we really tested our fairly new relationship. And I’m so glad we did. That trip meant a lot to both of us and we still talk about it frequently; comparing all other vacations to that first perfect trip to NOLA (even despite the bumps in the road). Traveling as a couple can make or break a relationship, but when it’s done right, it can really bring you closer together. Each trip Mike and I take together teaches us something new, whether about each other or how we travel as a couple. We’ve finally gotten a good rhythm. For example, I know not to drag him around to different attractions when he is hungry, and he knows to be patient with me when I am trying to take pictures, and so on. Though I do enjoy traveling solo, Mike will always be my favorite travel buddy. Here are our best tips for couple’s travel so far:

Always discuss the activities and attractions you want to visit beforehand: You would be hard-pressed to find a significant other that enjoys all the exact same things you do. That’s a good thing though, right? Opposites attract! When talking about what you want to do while you’re on vacation, make a list together and make sure both of your interests are equally represented. You will both be much happier to do these things together when you know it was a joint decision.
Stay hydrated and fed to avoid nonsense fights: This might be the most important tip I could give. I cannot tell you how many times Mike and I have bickered over nothing, just because one or both of us was hungry. It seems like such a small thing, but it will save you a lot of grief along the way, I swear.
Plan the financial aspects ahead of time: There is nothing that will sour your vacation together faster than arguing over who will pay for what. If you are splitting the costs, decide who is paying for what before you even leave. Make a list of potential costs and split it up however you want: pay for alternate meals, split the hotel bill at checkout, however you want to divide it up. Just stick with the plan to avoid awkwardness on the road.
Split the responsibilities: Whether it’s dividing the driving hours for a road trip, carrying the backpack, or being in charge of the map, don’t make one person take all of the responsibility. Splitting it equally means that you both have equal amounts of fun. I do not really enjoy driving, but I will take my turn so Mike can rest and enjoy the scenery too.
Always have a Plan B: No matter how much you plan or how evenly you split your costs, there’s bound to be something that doesn’t go exactly as planned. Always have a Plan B to get you through. For example, when Mike and I had planned to go to Toronto earlier this year, we ran into some unforeseen circumstances and had to cancel the trip. Fortunately, we bounced back and went to Grand Rapids instead. Things fall through, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be for the better.

What are your best tips for traveling as a couple? Where was your favorite trip together?

For further reading, here are all of the trips Mike and I have gone on together: New Orleans, New York, Milwaukee River, Dubuque, Memphis, San Francisco, and Grand Rapids.

Trip Planning: Tennessee

On May 29, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Tennessee, Travel Tips, Trip Planning, US TravelLeave a comment

In less than two weeks, I will be heading to Chattanooga, Tennessee for a few days, and then moving on to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Mike and I will be driving the nine hours to meet up with my parents, sister, brother-in-law and niece there. We are spending two nights in Chattanooga to visit with my mom’s side of the family that lives there. I’ve been to Chattanooga a couple times before, so I’m excited to go back to this beautiful city! From there, our three-car caravan will drive three hours up to Gatlinburg, to a cabin near the Smokey Mountains. The gorgeous log cabin that we’re staying in has three bedrooms, an idyllic porch with a mountain view, a hot tub, and a pool table. I have purposefully not planned anything for while we’re in Tennessee, mostly because I don’t want to drive my family crazy with my overambitious to-do lists. I am so excited to get away from the city for a few days to relax, hike and enjoy the outdoors. This will also be my first trip with this camera, so I’m hoping to get some good photos of the scenery. It’s been a long time since we’ve been on a family vacation, and I couldn’t be happier that we’re finally making up for lost time. Tennessee here we come!

Here is what I’m packing:

Clothing:

(2) pairs of jeans
(1) dress
(2) pairs of shorts
(1) pair of leggings
(2) pajamas
(4) t-shirts
(2) blouses
(1) swim suit
(2) tank tops
(1) sweatshirt
(8) underwear
(3) bras
(7) pairs of socks

Shoes:

(1) pair of gym shoes
(1) pair or flats
(2) pairs of sandals

Toiletries:

Toothbrush/Toothpaste
Make-Up Bag with the essentials
Deodorant
Paul Mitchell Texturing Sea Spray
Make Up Remover Wipes
Allergy medicine
Sunscreen

Everything Else:

My Nikon D3300 with battery charger
iPad
Audiobook TBD
Phone Charger
Pencils and Pencil Sharpener
Notebook
“Slouching Towards Bethlehem” by Joan Didion
Car Snacks

Have you been to either of these two Tennessee cities? Do you have any recommendations?

Travel Inspiration Tuesday

On May 17, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Goals, Travel TipsLeave a comment

I’ve been having a hard time getting inspired lately. Maybe it’s this travel lull I’m in or perhaps it’s this rainy, cold weather. Either way, I’ve been fighting to claw my way out of this funk. And what do I do when I’m in need of inspiration? Go for a walk, read a book, check out my favorite blogs, and so on. In my recent search for inspiration, I’ve stumbled upon a few gems that I couldn’t help but share:

I have been reading this amazing book, “Hold Still” by Sally Mann, that radiates with inspiration through the author’s passion for photography and love for her Virginia home.
Recently, I’ve been looking into booking hotels for my Europe trip in September, and found this amazingly artful boutique hotel in Reykjavik, Hotel Holt, and booked it immediately.
I’ve just purchased a Nikon D3300, which was a pretty big investment for me. I took it home to my parents’ house and snapped a few shots of their garden. This is one of my favorites:
Geraldine of The Everywhereist has been making me actively stifle laughter at work as I read her hilarious attempts to thwart email spammers, which can be found here.
This landed in my inbox via Lonely Planet and it spoke directly to my tendency to over-romanticize train rides. All of these routes have been immediately added to my bucket list.
I am absolutely dying to try this scrumptious looking recipe for Strawberry Cookies and Cream Cake from Joy the Baker.
Scanning the Every Girl the other day, I came upon an article mentioning the Bus and Us and have been hooked on their road tripping adventures ever since.
I went for a stroll beside Lake Michigan earlier this month, Beyonce’s Lemonade inspiring me as I walked. Along the way, I snapped a photo for Instagram that I think is pretty striking:
I am trying to find a free weekend to plan a trip to the beautiful Matthiessen State Park, which is only an hour and a half drive from Chicago.
And, finally: I thought this was really beautiful and everything I needed to hear at this exact moment.

What about you? What inspires you? Where do you find you inspiration?

6 Travel Lessons I Learned From My Mom

On May 7, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Tips1 Comment

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, and what better way to honor my own mother than to share her sage wisdom. Starting from when I was very young, my parents whisked my older sister and me away to destinations throughout the United States at least once a year. In short, they are mostly responsible for my strong desire to travel. They’ve taken us on road trips to national parks, camping throughout the Midwest, and on flights to many beautiful destinations. Most of the time, we knew how lucky we were, but of course there were times when we could have been perceived as ungrateful, like most kids can be.

My mom has always had a knack for making everything fun; from picking up sticks in the yard to a very long car ride to Yellowstone National Park. Whether it was bribing us with a penny per twig or hyping up another game of highway bingo, she always knew the perfect thing to do to make us happy. As we grew older, this became a challenging task (like trying to make two sullen teenagers appreciate a trip San Diego when all they wanted to do was text their boyfriends back home), but Mom kept at it and I am so grateful she did. Travel has wound itself into our family’s happiest moments, and continues to do so now. We actually have a family trip to Gatlinburg coming up, that I am so excited for, but more on that later. Here are the best travel tips and lessons I’ve learned from my Mom:

Do your research and make some plans: There was never a family vacation that we would just wing it. Our parents always had a general plan of things we would do once we go to whichever destination. Whether it was hiking Mount Rainier or taking a catamaran cruise in the Pacific Ocean, we knew we were always getting the best the destination had to offer because they did the research beforehand.
Bring a good book: We are all pretty big readers, so a good book was always on the packing list. When we went on road trips, there was always a book on tape (Harry Potter being the favorite), and if we flew, Mom always made sure we had a book to read and our favorite magazines for good measure.
Always pack an extra pair of underwear: You just never know when you’re going to need it. Better safe than sorry.
Stop to take in the scenery: As a family, we mostly traveled to places with gorgeous scenery, particularly to National Parks. There were typically a lot of hikes involved, which were always punctuated with stops to admire a particular flower or view. This appreciation of both the little things and the big picture made/make each trip extraordinarily beautiful.
Pack Layers: Again, you just never know what you’ll need. My mom is an expert packer and always made sure that we were never without an item of clothing or specific accessory that we needed while away.
Stay off the beaten path, especially with accommodations: It was a rarity that we ever stayed in a chain hotel or one over-run with tourists. Mom was adept at finding excellent hotels that were far from the run-of-the-mill inn or suites. From the hotel almost directly on the beach in Sanibel Island to Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon, the hotel choices she makes are consistently unique and memorable.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mama’s out there!

Especially mine! Thank you for everything you’ve taught me and everything you do.

A Note on Over-Planning

On May 4, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Tips, Trip Planning2 Comments

There is a delicate balance to planning a trip: under-plan and you might miss out on things you really wanted to do, over-plan and you’re apt to drive yourself crazy trying to accomplish everything. While there certainly is a benefit to creating a plan for your vacation activities, scheduling too many things to do and see is a sure-fire way to turn your relaxing trip into a stress-fueled nightmare. I’ll admit, I have a tendency to be a bit overzealous when it comes to making my vacation to-do lists, which can lead to a lot of running around and not a lot of enjoying the city I’m visiting. I learned the hard way what over-planning does to a trip once I arrive. Case in point: Washington, D.C. I booked my plane ticket two months before I was due to leave, so I had plenty of time to read D.C. travel blogs and compiled a two page, unedited, intimidating list of things to do and see while I was there.

Perhaps if I had more than three days to work with, this wouldn’t be a problem, but as it stood, I was working with a pretty limited time frame. As a result, I spent most of my time in D.C. running from museum to monument to restaurant and back again. So much so that when I finally retired to my hotel room each night, I passed out early from pure exhaustion. I put so much pressure on myself to do everything, see everything and eat everything, that I was more exasperated than excited, which isn’t really the desired emotion during vacations. I don’t mean to say that I didn’t enjoy my time in D.C., I really did! I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to explore this new city, and there were plenty of great moments during the trip. However, on the flight back home, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed in myself for not enjoying it at a more leisurely pace. I missed out on a couple of things that I was really hoping to do simply because there were so many other things. That’s crazy, right? Travel should be freeing and exciting, not make you feel like you’re still at work. It was a hard/expensive lesson to learn but I’m glad I can move forward from it. The silver lining is, now I can work on not doing that again. For future trips, I will make my to-do lists more curated to my interests.

How do you plan your trips? Do you make to-do lists or just go with the flow?

Trip Planning: Grand Rapids

On April 11, 2016 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Tips, Trip Planning2 Comments

This weekend, Mike and I will be making the three hour journey from Chicago, IL to Grand Rapids, MI for a little weekend getaway. It’s been a few weeks in the making with a couple of missteps but we are finally going! This budget trip is a much needed vacation, as you can tell, these past few weeks have been interesting to say the least. It will be a wonderful distraction to be able to explore a new city for a couple of days and relax in a different setting. We have both never been there, so I’m excited to see what Grand Rapids has in store for us. I am trying very hard not to over-plan, something that I am guilty of doing for a lot of trips, so we can explore the city at our leisure. Right now, our only plans are to sample beers at some local breweries (specifically Founders Brewery and Brewery Vivant), explore the Eastown neighborhood, take in the Frederik Meijer Gardens, and check out the many antique stores in the area. I love antique stores, so for me, the best part about driving there and back is that I can buy all of the antiques that our car can carry! I’ve read that Grand Rapids has a great culinary scene, so I’m sure we will have some delicious meals while we’re there. I am particularly looking forward to Electric Cheetah and Cherie Inn, both of which have rave reviews. We’re going to be staying at the City Flats Hotel, which is a very cute Boutique Hotel that happens to be close to a lot of things we want to check out. The weather will be a touch warmer than it is here in Chicago, so I can finally break out some of my warmer weather clothes! Here is what I’m packing for the 30-odd hours we will be there:

(1) pair of black pants
(1) t-shirt
(1) tank top
(1) skirt
(1) cardigan
(1) pair of pajamas
(2) pairs of socks
(2) pairs of undies
(1) bra
(1) scarf
(1) hat
Make-Up bag with the usual suspects
Toothbrush and Toothpaste
Hair brush
Paul Mitchell Salt Spray

Because we are driving, we’ll also have a bag for the car with snacks and water and my current crotchet project. And let’s not forget the road trip playlist, here are the jams:

“Smooth Sailin'” by Leon Bridges
“Alive” by Sia
“Have Mercy” by Erin Allen Kane
“Walk Through Hell” by Say Anything
“Uptight (Everything is Alright)” by Stevie Wonder
“True Love Way” by Kings of Leon
“Hands to Myself” by Selena Gomez
“Latch” by Disclosure & Sam Smith
“Let it Go” by James Bay
“Cheated Hears” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
“Tracks of My Tears” by Aretha Franklin
“French Navy” by Camera Obscura
“Animal” by Neon Trees
“Lemon Eyes” by Meg Myers
“Cry to Me” by Solomon Burke
“***Flawless” by Beyoncé
“Here Comes Your Man” by Pixies
“Dancing on My Own” by Robyn
“Cupid” by Sam Cooke
“Now, Now” by St. Vincent
“A Decade Under the Influence” by Taking Back Sunday
“Blister in the Sun” by Violent Femmes
“Closer” by Tegan and Sarah
“Roll Up Your Sleeves” by Meg Mac
“Starlight” by Muse

It’s approximately an hour and half of music, which is precisely my allotted time before Mike will take control of the radio for the rest of the trip.

I am so excited to go on this weekend getaway, and I am extra happy to be able to travel with my favorite travel buddy again. See you soon, Grand Rapids!

Have you ever been to Grand Rapids? Any recommendations?