Category: Destinations

The Site of a Murder? Exploring Rough Point in Newport, RI

I love, love, love Newport. On our last trip, we got to visit one of the mansions there, Rough Point. Rough Point was the home of Doris Duke, an incredibly wealthy heiress and socialite during the mid-20th century. You may know her more famous home, Shangri-La in Hawaii. We came in expecting a beautiful home but there was a little surprise in store for us.

Exploring Rough Point Mansion

Rough Point is owned by the Newport Restoration Foundation rather than the Newport Mansions, but it’s still a mansion in Newport. It was built by the Vanderbilts in 1892 as a … Continue reading

Exploring Madrid, the Heart of Spain: Things to Do & Travel Guide

I have to be honest: Madrid was not at the top of my bucket list. Even though the museums were a huge draw to the city, I felt I wouldn’t like it as Madrid’s a lot “newer” than other cities. But in the wake of the pandemic, I found a cheap flight and decided to take the trip. Now Madrid’s actually one of my favourite cities!

A Brief History of Madrid

Madrid started as an Islamic city in the 9th century, though it of course fell under Christian rule. It remained a relatively sleepy town until 1561, when King Philip … Continue reading

10 Cute New England Towns on the Coast (Perfect for a Road Trip)

New England towns are some of my favorite places to explore in the United States. While their winters are cold, their summers are (generally) a nice escape from the extreme heat of the south. Combined with the historic charm and natural beauty of New England, it makes an amazing road trip.

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Here are ten of my favourite places we got to visit when we were visiting up and down New England’s coast, many of which are great places to go to the beach!

Kennebunkport, ME

Kennebunkport has a colonial history dating … Continue reading

Exploring the Dragon City of Ljubljana: Things to Do & Travel Guide

Ljubljana is one of Europe’s smallest capitals but a gem of a fairytale city. During my trip to Croatia, I was eager to see more and decided on a day trip to Slovenia. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my time, but I have a different take on the city: it deserves more than a day. A lot of people say it’s so small, you can see it in a day, there’s not a lot to do there, etc. A day is “enough” but I wish I’d stayed longer. Read on to learn why.

Ljubljana’s History

Ljubljana dates … Continue reading

Exploring Zadar, Croatia’s Oldest City: Things to Do & Travel Guide

Even though it’s on Croatia’s coast, the city of Zadar is sometimes overlooked for other cities like Split and Dubrovnik. However it was actually one of my favourite places on the Adriatic Sea. This city is so filled with relics of its centuries-old past and lively present.

The History of Zadar

Zadar is said to be the oldest settlement in Croatia, dating back to the 9th century BCE. It turned from a Roman establishment to a medieval Croatian town and was actually sold to the Venetian Empire in 1409. Since the Venetians came in and redid a lot of the … Continue reading

The Impressive Walled City of Dubrovnik: Things to Do & Travel Guide

Dubrovnik is Croatia’s most visited city, largely because of its filming locations for Game of Thrones. But beyond that, the city is absolutely beautiful and a unique, well-preserved part of Dalmatia’s history. I absolutely had to visit this gem and see Croatia’s hottest destination for myself, and it was amazing.

(Note that I’m not a Game of Thrones fan so I didn’t do anything from that fandom.)

The History of Dubrovnik

What makes Dubrovnik so special in its history is that it was actually its own Republic for hundreds of years. Only relatively recently did it become a part … Continue reading

Exploring Cadiz, Spain’s Oldest City: Things to Do & Travel Guide

On a trip to Andalusia, I had to visit Spain’s oldest city: Cadiz. I was super excited because I love old cities and this was really the old city. This beautiful seaside area has a history that spans thousands of years and is still magnificent to visit today.

The History of Cadiz

According to some sources, Cadiz is the oldest city in Europe, dating back about 3000-3500 years or so. It’s actually said to be the island of Erytheia in Greek mythology,

“Towards Spain [in the Atlantic Ocean], at about 100 paces distance, is another long island, three miles wide,

Exploring Zagreb, the Capital of Croatia: Things to Do & Travel Guide

Despite being Croatia’s capital, Zagreb is often overlooked as a tourist destination. Many people visit Croatia’s beautiful coastline but don’t go inland to see what the rest of Croatia is about. I was a bit different – I was actually excited most for Zagreb because I’m a fan of medieval cities. Though Zagreb wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, it was still one of my favourite places to be in Croatia and it’s a very worthy travel destination.

Zagreb’s History

Zagreb’s history dates back to Roman times and is interesting because it was actually a few different towns that merged … Continue reading

The Pilgrims’ Town of Plymouth, MA – Things to Do & Travel Guide

Plymouth’s story is told each year in U.S. schools and around the Thanksgiving table: in 1620, over 100 people sailed on the Mayflower to start a new life in the “new world.” These people were known as the Puritans and were seeking religious asylum from England. They landed in Plymouth on December 26 and made one of the United States’ first permanent settlements there. They survived their first year of hardship due to the local Native American tribe and the following year, held a Harvest festival with them to celebrate the harvest. 1621 – the first Thanksgiving.

That’s not super … Continue reading

25 Fun Ways to Celebrate Winter & Christmas in Maryland (2024)

The Holiday Season is probably my favourite of all, and I love to spend Christmas in Maryland. Though a lot of fun is had at home making cookies and watching wholesome movies, there’s a lot to do and much to see. Here, I’ve compiled a list of 25 wonderful ways to celebrate winter & the holiday season here in Maryland. This is by no means a comprehensive list but rather events that I have been to or heard of myself, that my readers may like.

Please note that I’ve put dates down for your convenience but you should always double … Continue reading