My Ten Favorite U.S. Hikes, RebeccaWanderlusting

My 10 Favorite U.S. Hikes

On March 5, 2017 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Top Ten, US TravelLeave a comment

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the State and National Parks and all that they offer, so I think it’s high time I share a round-up of my favorite U.S. hikes within these parks. As you may or may not know, the National Park Service is offering ten free admission days this year to celebrate its centennial.

I’ve written about this momentous occasion before, but was reminded of it by Cotopaxi, the socially-conscious, Gear for Good creators that specialize in adventure-wear, like these backpacks, and donate some of their revenue towards making the world better. This inspiring company reminded me of the upcoming free-entry days for the National Parks. The next free days are on April 15 & 16 and on April 22 & 23, so hopefully my favorite U.S. hikes will inspire you to get out and find your own.

Clingman’s Dome, Smoky Mountains National Park: The top of this steep hike and cement overlook features one of the best views in the Smoky Mountains. We visited Gatlinburg, TN last summer with my family and it was one of my favorite trips. All of the hikes we took through the park were fantastic, but this one stands out in my memory for its view and its crossing of the Appalachian Trail.
Matthiessen State Park: Any hike at Matthiessen State Park is guaranteed to give you beautiful views and at least one waterfall. This state park is about an hour and half outside of Chicago and gives a much needed dose of natural beauty to us city dwellers. The trails wind through canyons and over bridges suspended over creeks and waterfalls, and sometimes hopping over stepping stones to clear pools of water filled by yet more waterfalls.
Starved Rock State Park: Starved Rock is very close to Matthiessen State Park and equally as pretty, making it possible to visit both in one day. There are sixteen different trails, but the Lover’s Leap hike and view are my favorite. We tried a good number of the trails and each held their own beauty. There’s also a beautiful lodge on one end of the park that is the perfect spot for a well-earned, mid-hike meal.
Muir Woods: On a visit to San Francisco, we rented a car and drove to Muir Woods to hike for a day. This beautiful park includes multiple amazing hikes, and we chose the Fern path. The hike was steep and we had to stop to catch our breath more than once, but the view from the top was so worth it. Fun fact: Muir Woods also served as the set of the film Return of the Jedi, so if you hike here, you’re hiking through Endor.
Kettle Moraine State Park: Every winter, the Wisconsin State Parks host candlelit hikes across the state in which they line the paths with candles in white paper bags. I enjoyed one of these hikes at Kettle Moraine State Park, which is just a little ways north from Lake Geneva. The hike, with the candles and sporadic bonfires along the way, is gorgeous and unique.
Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park: My family and I visited this area when I was young, driving from San Francisco up to Seattle and stopping at National Parks in between. This rainforest was the most exotic thing I had seen to date and it instantly captured me. I did not love hiking when I was a kid, but this particular hike amazed me.
Wave Organ to Baker Beach, Golden Gate National Park: One of my favorite memories of San Francisco was walking from the Wave Organ (just pass the Yacht Club on the harbor) to the Golden Gate Bridge and then on to Baker Beach and Presidio. This hike took much longer than we had originally planned, and it started to rain halfway through, but the beauty of the ocean and the bridge and the area surrounding it made it perfect.
Barataria Preserve, Jean Lafitte National Forest: Located near New Orleans, LA, this mystical boardwalk crosses over the home of alligators, lizards, snakes, egrets, and the biggest spiders you’ve ever seen. We traipsed through the humid swamp, searching through the mossy surroundings for a gator. We eventually spotted one, which made our whole trip. This park is other-worldly and provided a scenery like I’ve never experienced before.
Chimney Rock State Park: This state park is a little ways outside of Asheville, North Carolina and holds a special place in my heart as my first solo travel hike. The park is famous for its fantastic view from the top of the rock, which shows the canyon below and a portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I also hiked the trail that leads to Hickory Nut Falls; the scenic waterfall and it’s cool, clear water were the perfect cure for after the hot, tiring hike up the many, many steps to Chimney Rock.
Donut Falls, Big Cottonwood Canyon: Utah is chock-full of beautiful parks and scenery, but this hike will forever be my favorite. I visited this particular trail in November, when there was snow on the ground and falls were frozen, which just so happened to be the best time to see it. The trail to Donut Falls was gorgeous in of itself, but the main attraction was breath-taking. We climbed up the frozen waterfall and inside the cave at the top to see the actual “donut”. It was so worth the treacherous trip back down.

What are your favorite U.S. hikes? Which National Park do you love most?

10 Tips for Planning a Trip from Scratch

On September 3, 2015September 25, 2015 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Tips, Trip Planning1 Comment

Sometimes when the travel bug bites, you don’t feel pulled in any one direction. This can prove to be a fantastic opportunity. To plan a trip from scratch, meaning with no destination in mind, can be a beautiful thing. Picking a destination through throwing out a wide net and finding what deals are out there is a great way to start planning a trip you may not have been able to imagine before. I’ve tried this tactic a few times with amazing results. This is actually how I planned my trip to North Carolina earlier this summer. Below you can find my top ten tips for completely planning a trip from scratch:

Budget, Budget, Budget: This may be a boring first step, but it’s necessary. Set a budget for how much you want to spend on your airfare and hotels to help narrow your options. I’m not saying you should shoot for budget travel, but just try spend within your means or credit card limits.
Explore your options: Use the Kayak Explore function, or something like it, and see where you can go within your budget. You can put in your home airport and check flights to anywhere. Don’t rule out a road trip! Check mileage with google maps or try roadtrippers.com to help plan the ultimate road trip to wherever you choose.
See what each option has to offer: Once you have options, check out the attractions in the area to see which you find most appealing. I like to use Pinterest to have good visuals and links to the top lists of attractions in each list.
Check Transit: Another thing to check before making any decisions is your destinations transportation options. Is it a walkable city? Is there public transportation? Will you need to rent a car? And those are all things to think about budget-wise, as well.
Lodging: Check hotel prices in the area. I like to use Tripadvisor for reviews and pricing, but I also use websites like Livingsocial or Groupon to find any deals on hotel rooms. Trivago and TravelZoo also have good deals to be found.
Ulterior Lodging Options: If the hotel prices are too high for your budget, take a gander at Airbnb.com or check out if there are any hostels in the area. For me, hostels are always a great budget option with great locations.
Book it!: Once everything fits the way you want it to (locations, prices, attractions), start booking! I usually book airfare, then hotel and finally choose any additional events or attractions (tours, boat cruises…) later on.
Take note: Be sure to write down all of your important dates and times, as well as cancellation dates to avoid charges should you need to cancel any portion of your travels. Having all the details in one place will help you keep organized.
Loose Itinerary: Make a rough plan of things you want to do while you’re there. You should make sure to take note of any special events happening in the area or days certain attractions may be closed.
ENJOY!: You planned this whole trip from start to end and you deserve to enjoy every minute of it. Don’t forget to relax and take in all the amazing details. You earned it.

Have you tried this before? Where did you go?

10 Books That Will Infect You With Wanderlust

On June 11, 2015September 25, 2015 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Tips4 Comments

10 Books That Will Infect You With Wanderlust

Reading and traveling are two of my three greatest passions (writing is the third, and I’m doing that now, hooray!) so when they come together in travel related books I am one happy camper. Below are my ten favorite travel inspiring books. I’m sure the list will grow and change, but for now, here they are:

1. “A Cook’s Tour” – Anthony Bourdain: This is the first book I ever read that made me think “damn, I want to see the world.” Mr. Bourdain’s accounts of eating and drinking his way around the globe turned my wanderlust into a full blown obsession.

2. “Wanderlust: A Love Affair with Five Continents” – Elisabeth Eaves: Fueled by want of the unknown, Elisabeth Eaves details her experiences in love and travel in this fantastic book. I loved this one so much I lent it to another traveler to enjoy, never to see it again. Of course I bought another copy.

3. “The Alchemist” – Pablo Coelho: This gorgeously written tale paints pictures of sunrise colored deserts and one boys’s tie to his own destiny. Though it’s not wholly about travel, it inspires and encourages the reader to follow their heart and find beauty.

4. “A House in the Sky” – Amanda Lindhout & Sara Corbett: Despite the harrowing content, Amanda Lindhout’s experiences should encourage us to keep traveling and learning about the world. This inspiring story is at the very least a warning to travel safely, and at most a call to action to travel, learn customs and culture, help where needed and live fully.

5. “The Rum Diary” – Hunter S. Thompson: Mr. Thompson’s whimsical tale of life and travel through the Caribbean is a look at the islands through beer goggles. It is a colorful account of another time in a distant land that’ll make you want to jump on a plane bound for the tropics.

6. “The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry” – Kathleen Flinn: Soon after being fired from her job, Kathleen Flinn decides to take the high road straight to Paris. There, she learns the delicate ins and outs of French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu. This book sparked my love for Paris and made my mouth water at the same time.

7. “Shutterbabe: Adventures in Love and War” – Deborah Copaken Kogan: A photojournalist’s tale of ambition, war and love around the world. Deborah Copaken Kogan’s vivid stories from each point on the map capture all the emotions that go along with the excitement of travel. She fully engulfs you in her adventures and makes you yearn for your own.

8. “Eat, Pray, Love” – Elizabeth Gilbert: I have a love/hate relationship with this book, but the bottom line is it made me want to travel more. All in all, it’s a fun read of one woman’s travels and fulfillment in three beautiful destinations.

9. “Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes” – Elizabeth Bard: If #6 on this list sparked my love for Paris, then this one fanned the flame. Elizabeth Bard tells of how she immersed herself in French culture and cuisine with all the fanciful details along the way. As an added bonus to the enjoyable read, the book includes the recipes mentioned in the story!

10. “A Dead Hand” – Paul Theroux: This really should be #9.5 because I haven’t quite finished reading it yet. However, it paints a vivid picture of India and its inhabitants, increasing my desire to visit the beautiful country.

Please share your favorite travel inspiring reads in the comments, I look forward to reading them all and expanding my list.

10 Wanderlust Inducing Books

On June 11, 2015 By rebeccawanderlustingIn Travel Books, Travel Tips7 Comments

Reading and traveling are two of my three greatest passions (writing is the third, and I’m doing that now, hooray!) so when they come together in travel related books I am one happy camper. Below are my ten favorite wanderlust inducing books. I’m sure the list will grow and change, but for now, here they are:

3. “The Alchemist” – Paulo Coelho: This gorgeously written tale paints pictures of sunrise colored deserts and one boys’s tie to his own destiny. Though it’s not wholly about travel, it inspires and encourages the reader to follow their heart and find beauty.

10. “A Dead Hand” – Paul Theroux: This book is a fictional murder-mystery set in India, written by a travel writer. It paints a vivid picture of India and its inhabitants, increasing my desire to visit the beautiful country.

Please share your favorite travel inspiring books in the comments, I look forward to reading them all and expanding my list.

Top Ten Places to Be in Shanghai

On June 3, 2015December 1, 2015 By rebeccawanderlustingIn China, International Travel, Travel Tips1 Comment

Top Ten Places to Be in Shanghai

I loved being in Shanghai. The people, the food, the sights…everything was, to quote one of my travel companions “amaaaaaazing”. I know I already wrote a quite lengthy, two part account of my time there, but I also know not everyone likes a novel of a blog. In case you are planning a trip to Shanghai, or would like an abridged version of my adventures there, I’ve compiled a list of the top ten things to see/do in Shanghai. Here they are, unceremoniously and in no particular order:

Yuyuan Garden: This is a Shanghai must. The promenade that surrounds the garden alone is a sight to behold, and the garden itself is completely enchanting. The history behind this area is so rich. If you have time, go to the tea house towards the middle of the garden and enjoy a traditional tea ceremony, definitely do it. There is a fee to get into the garden, but not a very large one.
Jing’an Temple or Jade Buddha Temple: One, or both, of these gorgeous temples really need to be on your Shanghai to-do list. I did both of these Buddhist temples in the span of a few hours. However, if you are working with a limited time frame, Jing’an Temple is much easier to reach using public transportation. Both temples require a small admission fee, which was a little less than $10.
Water Towns: There are quite a few water towns within two hours of Shanghai. The one I visited was called Zhujiajiao, which was about an hour away from our hotel on The Bund. We took a private tour there, but it’s also possible to take public transportation there as well. Zhujiajiao was breathtaking and there was much to do there, including boat rides, shopping, history tours and eating!
Nanjing Road/People’s Square: This is another must see. During the day, this crowded, tiled pedestrian walkway is a shopper’s paradise filled with independent stores and malls to explore. At night, it almost looks like the Vegas strip with its neon lights aglow. It also is a hub of restaurants to meet all tastes (most of the great ones are on the higher floors of the malls). People’s Square, at the South end of Nanjing Road, is a public park and hub of activity, including dancing, karaoke, and Chinese Moms comparing pictures of their children in order to find their soulmates.
Oriental Pearl TV Tower: The Oriental Pearl is one of the most recognized buildings in the Shanghai Skyline. It’s gorgeous from a distance and from within. You do have to pay to get into the tower, but once you were in, there was much to see. There was a normal look out at the top, as well as a glass-floored one. There is an arcade, a roller coaster, and a mall at the bottom. If you are coming from the Puxi side of the HuangPu river, I’d recommend taking the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel to get under the river to the PuDong side, where the TV Tower is located.
Tianzifang: Tianzifang is a hip, fun labyrinth of shops and restaurants located in the French Quarter. The shops are a combination of artsy, chic stores, cheap souvenirs, and fun knickknacks. There are many restaurants, bars, and snack shops to keep you nourished as you navigate your way through the twists and turns. Tianzifang is easily reached by public transportation or by taxi.
Xintiandi: An area similar to the last mentioned, Xintiandi is like Tianzifang’s sophisticated, older cousin. The stores there are more fashionable (aka: expensive) and the restaurants are more of the sit-down variety. This area is beautiful and definitely worth a walk through, if not a night out. If you do find yourself in this area for dinner, try Din Tai Fung for their delicious dumplings.
Yang’s Dumplings: The home of the best pan-fried dumplings I’ve ever tasted. The noodle soup (mung bean noodle with curry beef) was superb. It’s hard to get a table there, but even to eat them standing up (a clumsy task at best) would suffice. The location I visited was off of Beijing Road, a short walk from The Bund. I would literally take the 16 hour flight back to Shanghai just to have Yang’s Dumplings again.
Confucius Temple: Though for some this may serve as a religious space, it’s meant more for wisdom than spirituality. This stunning area is a brilliant look into Confucius’s teachings. Though it had to be rebuilt after the Cultural Revolution, it is now beautifully maintained and can be toured with student-guides who volunteer there. The temple is also reachable through public transportation.
The Bund: I’m very partial to the old European architecture of The Bund, because it’s what I called my home base for my two weeks in Shanghai. I frequented its perfect view of the skyline almost daily, and enjoyed the Chinese New Year fireworks standing on its solid stone walkway. Either way, it’s a piece of Shanghai that shouldn’t be missed.

Please take these as one traveler’s look into the big picture that is Shanghai. If you find yourself in this magnificent city in the near or distant future, give it my fondest greetings. Happy #wanderlustwednesday !

Top Ten Places to Be in Shanghai, China

On June 3, 2015 By rebeccawanderlustingIn China, International Travel3 Comments

My Favorite Shanghai, China Destinations

Yuyuan Garden: This is a Shanghai must. The promenade that surrounds the garden alone is a sight to behold, and the garden itself is completely enchanting. The history behind this area is so rich. If you have time, go to the tea house towards the middle of the garden and enjoy a traditional tea ceremony, definitely do it. There is a fee to get into the garden, but not a very large one.
Jing’an Temple or Jade Buddha Temple: One, or both, of these gorgeous temples really need to be on your Shanghai to-do list. I did both of these Buddhist temples in the span of a few hours. However, if you are working with a limited time frame, Jing’an Temple is much easier to reach using public transportation. Both temples require a small admission fee, which was a little less than $10.
Water Towns: There are quite a few water towns within two hours of Shanghai. The one I visited was called Zhujiajiao, which was about an hour away from our hotel on The Bund. We took a private tour there, but it’s also possible to take public transportation there as well. Zhujiajiao was breathtaking and there was much to do there, including boat rides, shopping, history tours and eating!
Nanjing Road/People’s Square: This is another must see. During the day, this crowded, tiled pedestrian walkway is a shopper’s paradise filled with independent stores and malls to explore. At night, it almost looks like the Vegas strip with its neon lights aglow. It also is a hub of restaurants to meet all tastes (most of the great ones are on the higher floors of the malls). People’s Square, at the South end of Nanjing Road, is a public park and hub of activity, including dancing, karaoke, and Chinese Moms comparing pictures of their children in order to find their soulmates.
Oriental Pearl TV Tower: The Oriental Pearl is one of the most recognized buildings in the Shanghai Skyline. It’s gorgeous from a distance and from within. You do have to pay to get into the tower, but once you were in, there was much to see. There was a normal look out at the top, as well as a glass-floored one. There is an arcade, a roller coaster, and a mall at the bottom. If you are coming from the Puxi side of the HuangPu river, I’d recommend taking the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel to get under the river to the PuDong side, where the TV Tower is located.
Tianzifang: Tianzifang is a hip, fun labyrinth of shops and restaurants located in the French Quarter. The shops are a combination of artsy, chic stores, cheap souvenirs, and fun knickknacks. There are many restaurants, bars, and snack shops to keep you nourished as you navigate your way through the twists and turns. Tianzifang is easily reached by public transportation or by taxi.
Xintiandi: An area similar to the last mentioned, Xintiandi is like Tianzifang’s sophisticated, older cousin. The stores there are more fashionable (aka: expensive) and the restaurants are more of the sit-down variety. This area is beautiful and definitely worth a walk through, if not a night out. If you do find yourself in this area for dinner, try Din Tai Fung for their delicious dumplings.
Yang’s Dumplings: The home of the best pan-fried dumplings I’ve ever tasted. The noodle soup (mung bean noodle with curry beef) was superb. It’s hard to get a table there, but even to eat them standing up (a clumsy task at best) would suffice. The location I visited was off of Beijing Road, a short walk from The Bund. I would literally take the 16 hour flight back to Shanghai just to have Yang’s Dumplings again.
Confucius Temple: Though for some this may serve as a religious space, it’s meant more for wisdom than spirituality. This stunning area is a brilliant look into Confucius’s teachings. Though it had to be rebuilt after the Cultural Revolution, it is now beautifully maintained and can be toured with student-guides who volunteer there. The temple is also reachable through public transportation.
The Bund: I’m very partial to the old European architecture of The Bund, because it’s what I called my home base for my two weeks in Shanghai. I frequented its perfect view of the skyline almost daily, and enjoyed the Chinese New Year fireworks standing on its solid stone walkway. Either way, it’s a piece of Shanghai that shouldn’t be missed.