Hello Reader, When people think of California wine country, there's usually one destination that steals all the attention.Napa. Which means Paso Robles gets to quietly go about being absolutely delightful.Honestly, we kind of love that for it. Vineyards. Olive trees. Hot springs. This adorable town is located on California's beautiful Central Coast and is home to some of the best food, wine, spirits, and craft beer that you’ll find in the entire state. Um, and don't forget the hot springs....
4 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, If someone told you there was a place with turquoise water, towering sand dunes, award-winning wineries, cherry orchards, and one of America's most beautiful drives... ...you'd probably start looking for flights somewhere in the Mediterranean. Instead, I'd like to introduce you to Traverse City, Michigan. Nestled on the shores of Grand Traverse Bay, this little corner of northern Michigan manages to cram an astonishing amount of natural beauty, fantastic food, and outdoor...
11 days ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, Barking sea lions. Giant tortoises. Marine iguanas sprawled across volcanic rocks like tiny prehistoric dragons. Crystal-clear swimming spots tucked between black lava cliffs. Welcome to Santa Cruz Island! If the Galápagos Islands have been living rent-free on your travel bucket list for years (same), Santa Cruz is where many travelers begin their adventure and after spending time here, it's easy to see why. It's the perfect introduction to one of the most extraordinary places...
16 days ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, Summer in Lake Tahoe feels a little bit ridiculous. The water is so impossibly blue it almost looks photoshopped. Granite peaks rise straight out of the crystal-clear aquamarine water. Pine forests smell incredible in the warm sunshine. And every viewpoint somehow looks even better than the last. It's the kind of place that makes you stop every five minutes and say, "Wait... we have to pull over." Again. Most people know Lake Tahoe as a ski destination, but summer might be our...
18 days ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, Confession: I did not own a matching swimsuit until I was 28 years old. Which feels especially ridiculous considering I have a degree in fashion design and spent five years working in corporate fashion. Not exactly a glowing endorsement of the swimwear industry. But honestly... can we all agree that swimsuit shopping is kind of The Worst? You find a top that fits your bust but the bottoms are falling off. Or the bottoms fit perfectly but the top seems to have been designed for...
23 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Packing for a trip somewhere hot always sounds deceptively easy. "It's warm," you think. "I'll just throw a few T-shirts and shorts into a backpack." And then, approximately three days into your trip, you're sunburned, dehydrated, sweating through every item of clothing you own, and desperately wishing you'd packed... well... literally anything more useful. Ask us how we know. After backpacking through some of the hottest, sweatiest places on Earth, including months spent...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, It’s Lia & Jeremy from Practical Wanderlust, just trying to be conscious of our impact as travel bloggers... Summer is one of our favourite times to travel. Long evenings, road trips, national parks, beach days, outdoor markets, hiking trails, little cafés with tables spilling into the sunshine… it’s the season that reminds us why we fell in love with exploring the world in the first place. It’s also the busiest travel season of the year. That means millions of us are all...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Picture this: You’re sitting around a crackling campfire beneath a sky packed with stars. The air smells like pine trees and wood smoke. Dinner is cooking. Your campsite is perfectly organized. Life is good. And then you realize you forgot the can opener.Or your headlamp.Or the coffee. God help you if it’s the coffee. S’mores around a crackling fire as stars twinkle overhead. Waking up at dawn to sip hot coffee and watch the sun rise. If there’s one thing we’ve learned after...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Terracotta rooftops shimmering in the Tuscan sun. The Arno River flowing beneath centuries-old bridges. Footsteps echoing across cobblestones once walked by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Welcome to Florence. Or as I like to think of it: The city that makes every other city feel like it isn’t trying hard enough. Some cities have great food. Some cities have incredible art. Some cities have fascinating history. Florence checked all three categories and said, “Why not all of...
2 months ago • 1 min read