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We’ve lived in Costa Rica for nearly five years, but had never visited our neighbor to the south, Panama. Grant went to Panama as a kid but didn’t have many memories other than the canal and seeing a dead guy […]

We love to sail. Grant used to work on a tall ship in Oxnard, we owned a sailboat when we lived in San Diego, and we chartered boats in the Caribbean with Grant’s family. So where does Panama come in? […]

Casco Viejo is an adorable colonial neighborhood in urban Panama. It has such a different vibe and feel than the rest of the metropolis and we loved every bit of it! Seriously the colonial architecture is beautiful. I loved all […]

On our two week vacation to Panama we spent the majority of our time in the capital city. We made it our home base of sorts and kept passing through on our trips to San Blas and Santa Catalina. Falling […]

We planned a family vacation to Belize as a Christmas gift for Grant’s parents. (We took mine to Jackson Hole the same year). We were coming to Belize straight from a destination wedding in Todos Santos, Mexico so we were […]

We adore Mexico and Todos Santos was one of those places that intrigued me the minute I heard of it. A west coast, low key version of Tulum? Sign me up! We were invited to our friends’ destination wedding there […]

We planned my parents a family vacation to Jackson Hole as a Christmas gift. Then Grant decided this was a good idea and wanted to do the same for his parents, but to Belize. Around the same time we were […]

We live in Costa Rica and like most tropical destinations we get two seasons, wet and dry! Our favorite part of living here is going to the beach and our lifestyle revolves around that so we weren’t looking forward to […]

An African safari is the dream trip, right? Who hasn’t imagined themselves with a khaki-clad crew driving a safari jeep through the Serengeti? Turns out it isn’t as unattainable as you may have thought. It can be done inexpensively and […]

Africa is huge and Namibia was not even on my radar to be honest but once I started planning our trip I discovered this hidden gem of a country! I knew we would fly into South Africa because that’s where […]

I was curious about Cape Town, but it wasn’t on the top of my list. But oh my, did this city supersede my expectations. I loved it so much I could totally see myself living here! We arrived in Cape […]

When planning our South African Garden Route road trip I took a look at some suggested itineraries online. It seems like everyone follows the basic route, starting in Cape Town and ending in Storms River with a few people continuing […]

Peru had been on my bucket list for literal years. When we were backpacking South America in 2018 it was on our calendar for after Chile. We had hostels booked, plans made, etc and then our plans unexpectedly came to […]

I cannot say enough good things about Cusco. I had wanted to go here for so long and it was as awesome as I expected! Cusco was the last stop on our Peruvian adventure and I think it made it […]

When Grant and I were backpacking in 2018 we had an entire Peru trip planned only to have our plans unexpectedly come to a halt when we were robbed on an overnight bus traveling from San Pedro de Atacama to […]

When researching and planning for our Peru trip, I kept reading about altitude sickness. When we usually travel I’m not too worried about stuff like this. Grant brushes his teeth with the water in Mexico, we eat the street food […]

If arriving by air, Lima is a natural starting point for your Peruvian adventure. When planning for our trip I was talking to some friends about their experience in Lima and I got such mixed reviews. Some people loved it, […]

Grant visited Indonesia in college and I had always wanted to go. I had dreamy visions of Balinese bungalows. Indo gets a lot of hype and it is well deserved. We loved this Southeast Asian paradise. We started our trip […]

I remember watching Komodo Dragons on Planet Earth. I didn’t think I would actually see them in real life! When we found out they were located in beautiful Indonesia along with some of the world’s best scuba diving, we knew […]

Grant had been to Lombok with his brother almost 10 years before we visited and he was so enamored by it’s beauty that he said he wanted his ashes spread there (kind of kidding, kind of seriously) so of course […]

Grant and visited the Gilis years prior and raved about this fun and gorgeous archipelago. It’s a must do on the Indonesian backpacker circuit. I had also recently read Eat, Pray, Love, and had romanticized the Gili islands so here […]

I’ve been practicing yoga since I moved to San Diego in 2012 and Bali is a yogi mecca! I really wanted to go on a Balinese yoga retreat, but I also didn’t want the yoga retreat price tag. Retreats at […]

I was so excited to go to Ubud. Being a yogi I couldn’t wait to check out this spiritual city and have the ultimate yogi experience, a Balinese yoga retreat! Where to Stay in Ubud, Bali I loved our hotel […]

I hadn’t even heard of the Nusa islands until I started planning our Bali trip. I knew I wanted to visit a Balinese beach city (we had already planned a yoga retreat in Ubud) but I didn’t want to go […]

Why we went to Cambodia…again Our college friend Brian lives in Cambodia. He lives in Phnom Penh and is part owner of and manages the Mad Monkey Hostels. We had visited the Siem Reap location in 2014 and had too […]

When I told my mom we were going to Vietnam she about died. Growing up during the Vietnam War (or shall we say the War of American Aggression) days she had only war-crime filled images in her head. I suppose […]

Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), formerly Saigon, is Vietnam’s southern hub with even more hustle and bustle than Hanoi. We only had 40 hours to explore this wild city. Getting to Ho Chi Minh City We were coming from Hoi […]

If Paris is the city of lights then Hoi An is the city of lanterns. It may be an anagram of Hanoi, but this little city couldn’t be more different. Think less hustle and bustle, and more soft lighting and […]

When traveling Vietnam one of the first things people will ask is, “Are you going to Ha Long Bay?”. Ha Long Bay is famous for it’s gorgeous limestone mountains contrasted with turquoise water. It’s super popular to book a cruise […]

Once I saw photos of the rice paddies in Sapa, I knew I wanted to go. Once I looked on Airbnb and saw accommodations were $14 a night, I knew we were going! When traveling full time there is a […]

I had only heard great things about backpacking Vietnam so I arrived with high expectations, let’s go! First stop, Hanoi. I love a big city to kick off a new country. I like to jump in the mix right when […]

Ah Hong Kong, the old fragrant harbor. It’s one of those places I kind of always wanted to go to. It definitely peaked my interest with its Chinese and simultaneously Western identity. We decided to go to Hong Kong as […]

Well I am pregnant with baby #2 so I figured it was finally time to write about having baby #1. Turns out you don’t have as much time on your hands for blogging when you have a toddler! One day […]

How did we end up in Macau for the afternoon you ask? Well that would be a Grant move! He books our travel and it was probably cheaper to fly to Macau from the Philippines than to Hong Kong. Plus […]

After spending 2018 exploring Central and South America, Europe, and Northern Africa, we were itching for a Southeast Asia trip. I had several countries on my list but the Philippines seemed like the perfect place to start. If you look […]

Stop whatever you are doing and book your trip to Siargao. Seriously, no need to even read the rest of this post, just do it. Siargao was by far our favorite stop in the Philippines and that is saying a […]

I first knew I wanted to go to Palawan when I saw pictures that our friend (@travelmechic) posted of the insanely gorgeous water. Plus it was a place I had never heard of before. After doing a bit of research […]

After spending 4 days in El Nido, we headed to Coron for more island hopping and adventure. We chose Coron because well, we couldn’t choose! After much online research both El Nido and Coron were said to be “not missed” […]

El Nido is seriously the best. Due to its recent Instagram hype I was a little hesitant on if it was as good as the photos or if they were heavily edited, but it blew me away. The water color, […]

After taking a couple months off to hang with family and friends in the States we decided to hit the road again, this time to Southeast Asia! We visited Thailand and Cambodia in fall of 2014 and were anxious to […]

The origin of our Oaxaca journey is a peculiar one. We wanted to go somewhere over New Year’s but we weren’t sure where. And we had US trips on each side so we didn’t want to go too far. While […]

Mexico City is intimidating. From its sheer volume (it’s larger than NYC) to some less than favorable reviews, it doesn’t scream “vacation here!” But as you may know, we like a challenge and are determined to advocate for Mexico any […]

Grant studied abroad in Greece in college and has been talking about it ever since! I had always wanted to visit Greece given my love for beautiful beaches and feta cheese. Plus I’ve randomly had the Greek alphabet memorized since […]

We had such an amazing time in the Greek Islands. The water color rivals the Caribbean and the food is divine. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting the Cyclades. Click here to read our complete Greece Travel Guide! […]

Second to Santorini, Mykonos is the most popular Greek Isle. Images of celebrities sunbathing and dancing the night away immediately come to mind when thinking of the Cyclades’ “party island.” I was excited for Mykonos. I love a good scene […]

Paros wasn’t really on our radar until we started planning our Greek Island hopping trip. We knew we were doing Santorini and Mykonos but since they are at opposite ends of The Cyclades, we needed to stop at some spots […]

While Ios is a lesser-visited greek island, it is equally awesome! Only a short hour ferry from Santorini, Ios is a great addition to your Greek Island Itinerary. 1. The Amazing Food Yep, I put the food above the beaches. […]

Santorini is the first thing people think of when the Greek Islands come to mind. It is easy to see why. Its clifftop whitewashed walls and blue domes are dramatically gorgeous. I had high expectations and they were exceeded. We […]

Athens is one of my favorite cities in Greece Europe. The ancient ruins sitting atop a sparkling modern city fit together in an almost magic way. Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world and the birthplace of […]

So how did we end up in Sofia, Bulgaria? We were asking ourselves the same thing… Since we travel so often we are airline loyal and we have a million miles and the flight attendants know our names buy the […]

We flew roundtrip out of Sevilla to Morocco so while we were there for practicality, it ended up being an awesome mini-vacation! I adore Spain but our recent trip to Barcelona was so hot and crowded I thought I was […]

” Morocco is so rad. It has an exotic and slightly chaotic vibe that is irresistible. It had been on our bucket list for quite some time so when we saw Ryan Air flights from Spain for literally $11 we […]

Grab your favorite snacks and get ready for an adventure, we are going on a Morocco road trip! When we were first planning our trip to Africa I was not big on the idea of renting a car. I read […]

If you have been following our travels then you know we are beach people. After spending a couple of weeks exploring Fez, Chefchaouen, Casablanca, and Marrakesh I was super excited to get back to the coast. Our mission in Essaouira […]

We absolutely loved Marrakesh. It was my favorite city in Morocco. It is so trendy and colorful with the authenticity of the Fez medina but with the style of a metropolis. Marrakesh felt the most vacation-y of all of the […]

When planning our trip to Morroco, Casablanca seemed like a must-visit. I mean there’s a classic movie about it so it must be cool right? Wrong! We should’ve listened to the advice of literally everyone we met. When we would […]

Traveling is funny in some ways. A place you’ve never heard of before soon becomes a place you can’t miss. You get in a traveling bubble surrounded by other travelers and a place like Chefchaouen seems “Instagram famous”, “everyone’s been there”, […]

Fez… Even writing the name brings back so many sights, smells, and emotions. After doing a lot of research online I almost scratched Fez from our Morocco itinerary. Thankfully Ryan Air had other plans and offered a ridiculously cheap round-trip […]

Portugal was one of the few countries in Western Europe neither of us had visited. We had a great two weeks there splitting our time between the rural Douro Valley and the two big cities, Porto and Lisbon. We saw […]

We had been wanting to go to Portugal for quite some time and I had high expectations for Lisbon. The city itself is pretty rad. It’s sea views, steep streets, and trolley cars reminded me of San Francisco. However, when you […]

We spent 5 days in Porto as a working holiday before our trip to Morocco. We had expected Porto to be “another European city” but we were actually super impressed with how pretty it was. There are not a ton […]

At this point we should probably just change the name of our blog to Gypsy Sols World Wine Guide. It seems that no matter what country we are in we seem to be able to find the most amazing wine […]

Working while traveling is not always great. Especially when you are in a place with so much to see, eat and do. The good news is the amazing Barcelona digital nomad and coworking scene makes it a lot easier and […]

When you think of Europe in the Summer, no doubt Barcelona comes to the forefront of your mind. From packed beaches to lively nightlife, this Spanish (or should I say Catalonian) city is full of life! Read about our entire […]

If you’ve read any of our other blog posts, you know we like wine. We are probably the only backpackers who visit wine country just about everywhere we go. That’s why we were thrilled to check out Bordeaux on our […]

After the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Louvre are checked off, you should probably try to squeeze some work in. As digital nomads, we often try to stay at an Airbnb with good wifi and a nice workspace but these […]

Summer in Amsterdam is such a delight. We loved our trip to Amsterdam over New Year’s Eve a few years ago so we were super excited to meet our friends there in July. The crowds and heat are no joke but […]

We started our Europe trip in Brussels. We had never been to Belgium before and honestly didn’t know much about it but Brussels was awesome! We needed a work week so we stayed at a fabulous Airbnb apartment in Uccle. We […]

When first researching the Galapagos, last minute cruises seemed to be the ideal. But after doing a little more digging and arriving to the islands, we decided that a Galapagos Land-Based Itinerary was perfect for us. Don’t get me wrong […]

We spent over 3 weeks in the Galapagos without doing a cruise and saw TONS of amazing wildlife. Here are the best places to check off your Galapagos Wildlife Bucket List! Sea Turtles: San Cristobal, Isabela, Santa Cruz The ocean […]

If you are looking for that end of the earth, back in time, out in the middle of nowhere feeling, Isabela Island is your spot. Despite its large land mass, this seahorse-shaped island is the least populated of the inhabited […]

Located in the center of the Galapagos islands, Santa Cruz, will most likely be “home base” for your Galapagos land-based itinerary. Santa Cruz is not a large island but it is the most densely populated of the Galapagos islands. It is […]

The Galapagos are a cast of all-star islands, but San Cristobal is absolutely the MVP. From mind-blowing secluded coves and hikes to an incomprehensible amount of wildlife, San Cristobal has it all. We spent almost a week on San Cristobal as part […]

Are we even real travel bloggers if we haven’t gone swimming with whale sharks? But seriously, ever since we first visited Isla Mujeres we have wanted to swim with these gentle giants. We have been back to the area several […]

When Rachel and I were coming up with the vision for our lives and Gypsy Sols we decided that ideally we would have a location independent source of income that allowed us the flexibility to travel, raise a family, and […]

We spent two nights in Quito, Ecuador on our way to the Galapagos Islands. Since we arrived late Friday and left early Sunday we essentially only had one day to explore this capital city. To be honest, I didn’t want to like […]

From trip highlights to bad experiences, our two weeks in Chile are definitely unforgettable. Due to its unique shape, Chile has some of the most diverse geographies we’ve ever seen! Our travels in Chile were full of beauty and surprises […]

The Atacama desert is truly an otherworldly delight. From bubbling geysers and pink salt-flats to a valley that resembles the moon, you’ll find yourself questioning if you are on the same planet! Fly into Calama and make your way to the […]

While South America may not be your first thought when planning a wine tasting tour, it totally should be! We wine tasted our way through Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile on our South America travels and it was so much fun. […]

Casablanca is in the middle of Santiago and Valparaiso making it the perfect place to visit for a day of wine tasting. We visited two wineries and they were both great! Wine tasting in Casablanca is definitely worth the trip. Read […]

When visiting Valapraiso we decided to hop over to Viña del Mar for the day. It was a blast! There isn’t too much to do but the beaches are beautiful and nearby the city making it perfect for a day […]

While we didn’t love Santiago, Valparaiso was a dream! This colorful seaside city reminded us of San Francisco in all the best ways. It is so close to Santiago but feels like a world away. Read about our entire Chile […]

After spending three weeks in beautiful Buenos Aires and another couple weeks in Argentina wine country our thoughts of Santiago can best be summed up as “meh”. From the second our bus from Mendoza pulled into the station in Santiago […]

Montevideo surprised me with its effortless blend of old world charm and modern comforts. The backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean gives this city with a decidedly urban feel a splash of color and beauty that sets it apart. The streets […]

Argentina is amazing! From bustling Buenos Aires to the relaxing vineyards of Mendoza, we truly loved our time here. We spent one month in Argentina and could have easily stayed longer. Becoming Aspiring Porteños in Buenos Aires 3 weeks of […]

Wine tourism is quickly becoming synonymous with Argentina and we couldn’t wait to taste to our hearts’ content. Malbec is the name of the game however we’re still partial to our red blends, blame it on Napa! After taking a […]

After spending a few days in Valle de Uco, we headed to the heart of Mendoza for more wine tasting. Mendoza is a bigger city than I had imagined and honestly lacked a little wine country charm. However, once you’re […]

From Napa in San Francisco to the Ruta Del Vino just outside Tijuana, Mexico, Rachel and I LOVE going wine tasting. Getting outside of the city and trying some new wine is one of the things that most excited us […]

Buenos Aires is oh so fabulous. Our month there truly re-sparked my love for travel. Don’t get me wrong I always love traveling but after months of working our way through Central America with similar cuisine, activities, and landscape, it was […]

While Tulum’s nightlife doesn’t have the whistle blowing, tequila shooting madness of its northern neighbors, Playa de Carmen and Cancun, it has an upscale nightlife scene inspired by New York and Los Angeles. Take away the cover charge, dress code, […]

Buenos Aires is fabulous for so many reasons including its cute unique neighborhoods and variety of activities. There is never a dull moment and always something to do in this Paris of South America. We spent a few weeks here […]

Buenos Aires knows food. From their traditional parrillas to trendy American inspired cuisine they have something for everyone. As avid foodie wannabes we couldn’t wait to taste it all. Below are some favorites from our tour of the Buenos Aires […]

Buenos Aires is a city that doesn’t sleep. Well not during “traditional” hours at least. They sleep in, take late afternoon siestas, dine at 9pm, and then its time to dance. The nightlife scene is big and it is a […]

Ah, Costa Rica you have my heart. I thought I wanted to live here since before I visited and we are still considering it as a serious possibility. Aside from the Caribbean coast we have traveled all over the country […]

La Fortuna is a must-do when visiting Costa Rica. From wildlife to hot springs it has something for everyone. We have visited La Fortuna twice, once on our honeymoon, and once on our backpacking trip when my sister joined us! […]

Monteverde and La Fortuna are both popular destinations when visiting Costa Rica. We visited both on our most recent trip and loved them! However, getting from Monteverde to La Fortuna can be a little tricky. While we took public transportation […]

Traveling from Montezuma to Monteverde isn’t very difficult or expensive. You don’t even have to book private transportation. We did a little research and figured it out on our own which saved us a lot of money! Read about all of our Costa Rica […]

When planning a Costa Rica itinerary, it may seem like the Monteverde Cloud Forest is a must-do. That was our impression so we planned to visit Monteverde in between Montezuma andLa Fortuna. Read more about how to get to Monteverde […]

We decided to honeymoon in beautiful Costa Rica! Anyone who knows us may be surprised that we didn’t go to the far ends of the earth, but we chose a Costa Rica honeymoon because it was centrally located to our […]

I’m still not quite sure how I feel about Montezuma Costa Rica. We assumed it would be similar to Santa Teresa which we loved, but it had a very different vibe. I can’t quite put my finger on it but […]

Much like Tamarindo Santa Teresa Costa Rica is a laid back surf town in the best sense of the phrase. There are a few nice restaurants, a smattering of local food options and several bars with happy hour. Other than […]

Just a short ride away from Liberia Airport, Tamarindo is a great first stop for a Costa Rica vacation. Tamarindo has earned its nickname of “Gringorindo” by providing numerous dining and party options to the many tourists that flock to […]

Nicaragua is a must stop when traveling through Central America. It has a variety of landscape and activities. Part of its charm is that it is less popular and touristy than Costa Rica and Guatemala. It still seems a bit […]

We expected San Juan del Sur to be a cool Nicaragua surf town, but we did not expect it to be a such a great party spot with fantastic food and shopping options. We expected to like San Juan del […]

After a long journey from Antigua, we arrived in Granada, Nicaragua! The city is pretty with its Spanish colonial influence but it also has a Caribbean flair (despite it being closer to the Pacific side.) Granada reminded me a lot […]

Total Time: 19 hours (plus overnight stops in El Tunco and Leon) Total Cost: $81 ($65 shuttle + $16 border crossing fee) Getting from Antigua, Guatemala to El Tunco, El Salvador We used Gekko Explorer Shuttles to book our trip. […]

El Tunco, El Salvador is such a charming beach town. I’ll admit I was hesitant to travel to El Salvador because of its bad reputation (and having San Salvador as it’s dangerous murder capital) but I’m really glad we decided […]

Hiking Acatenango is a Guatemala backpacking right of passage. Along with “how long have you been traveling?”, “how do you make money?” and “where are you going next?”. The question of “have you hiked Acatenango yet?” is undoubtedly going to […]

Semuc Champey is such an amazing part of Guatemala and even though the bus ride can be brutal it is absolutely a must-do when visiting this beautiful country. Read about our entire Guatemala trip here. Getting to Semuc Champey Most […]

Ahh Guatemala, my heart is so full just thinking about this place that we went from knowing nothing about to truly loving. We thought we would be in Guatemala for a few weeks but after only a couple of days […]

Getting to both Monterrico and Paredon is super easy from Antigua. They are both only about an hour and a half away by direct shuttle. We assumed they would be pretty close together with Monterrico being just the “next town up the coast”.  […]

During class one day at Lake Atitlán Spanish School I asked my instructor Marlon where he and his wife go if they take a vacation and he mentioned Monterrico. We had already been planning to go to Paredon and when […]

Chichicastenango is not only a huge word, but a huge market as well. In fact, it is the largest in Central America. We left San Pedro one Sunday to see what it was all about. Read about our entire Guatemala […]

Lake Atitlán is humbling. It is a gorgeous blue lake surrounded by volcanos and dotted with little towns.  It’s vast and sheer beauty is almost impossible to describe. The added fact that the surrounding towns each have a distinct personality and […]

A quick two hours away from Antigua, Guatemala is the perfect beach town of Paredon. We took a much more round about way of getting there (see post here) but I am so glad we were convinced to visit Paredon. […]

San Pedro was seriously our home away from home in Guatemala. We planned on spending one week there and stayed three weeks instead! This small pueblo at the base of a volcano is a unique place where tortilla slapping locals […]

Guest Post by Travis Wooten Introduction Hello! Allow me to introduce myself… My name is Travis Wooten () and I’m a friend of Grant and Rachel’s. We met through Grant’s brother after I moved to San Diego back in 2016. […]

Antigua Guatemala holds a special place in our hearts as it served as our home base during our month traveling in Guatemala. With colonial style Spanish architecture and a backdrop of stunning volcanoes, it is such a special city. It […]

San Marcos La Laguna is believed to have a spiritual energy and so it attracts hippies, yoga instructors, and new-age philosophers by the boatload. We love a good yoga class and sound bath so we couldn’t resist. If you are […]

We weren’t originally planning on spending too much time in Santa Cruz La Laguna but that’s where fate (and our last minute planning) led us. While Santa Cruz doesn’t have as much to offer as San Pedro or San Marcos, […]

After spending a few weeks in Mexico we headed to Colombia (we know we are geographically impaired) to celebrate the holidays in South America’s new “it” destination! We primarily wanted to visit Colombia because everyone we have talked to who […]

Want to get out of the city and stretch your legs for a bit? Guatapé is a great day trip from Medellin. This huge rock, Piedra del Peñol, is in the middle of a gorgeous water reservoir. Spend the day […]

For me Salento is one of those places that your hear about and it sounds nice, but the reality is SO MUCH BETTER. I knew to expect a quiet laid back town, good Colombian coffee and a relaxing vibe, but […]

Medellin is becoming an increasingly more popular tourist destination in Colombia and we definitely saw the appeal. With a beautiful landscape, trendy neighborhoods, and very kind people, Medellin is our favorite Colombian city. Read about all of our Colombian travels […]

We celebrated Christmas and New Year’s in this Caribbean Colombian city! Whether you’re strolling the Old Walled City’s cobblestone streets, hanging with locals and hipsters in Getsemani, or lounging by a hotel pool, Cartagena has something for everyone. Read about […]

Poblado We stayed in the Poblado neighborhood of Medellin and absolutely loved it! It is so trendy and reminded us of San Francisco. Poblado has gourmet dining, fashion forward boutiques, lively nightlife, and a bustling digital nomad coffee shop scene. […]

We loved visiting the Caribbean islands off the coast of Cartagena during our trip to Colombia. Cartagena is super hot during the day and the local beaches are not very nice so your best option to cool down is to […]

We started our Colombian travels in the belly of the beast, Bogota. As with most capital cities, Bogota is said to be dangerous so we were extra cautious but overall we were pleasantly surprised. We had low expectations for the […]

We thought we had to leave Tulum to return to San Diego so Grant could wrap up some final work things but we were thrilled when we found out that we could stay in Mexico for a few more days. […]

We decided to start our year of travel in one of our favorite places and potential future homes, Tulum. This is our third trip to this Caribbean paradise and we love it more and more each time. Read about our […]

While the perks of being a digital nomad far outweigh the struggles, it isn’t always easy to work abroad. Trying to find free wifi with a strong connection and a seat by a plug is a daily challenge. Although there […]

Trying local food is one of the best ways to get to know a place and the Tulum restaurant scene is one of our absolute favorites. Due to its international influence, and health conscious visitors Tulum has an amazing food […]

Tulum has a high-end boutique shopping scene like no other. Sure Pueblo has some of the cheesy Mexican street vendor style stores that you see in touristy Cancun and Playa del Carmen, but there are plenty of beautiful shops for […]

Tulum transportation is fairly simple. Cancun is the closest airport and it is about 2 hours away. To get to Tulum you can rent a car, take a shared van, or take the ADO bus. The bus is the cheapest […]

While you may feel like you never want to leave Tulum, there are some day trips worth exploring. From secret lagoons and ruins, to snorkeling with sea turtles there are plenty of nearby destinations you can check out for a […]

The Yucatan Peninsula has thousands of cenotes and Tulum has some of the best. They are underground freshwater caves formed by limestone. The cool part is all of the cenotes are the same temperature because they are all connected underground […]

After selling most of what we owned we packed up everything that was left into our truck and hit the road! We absolutely love San Diego but are excited to take some time off from the 9 to 5 to […]

We stopped in Zion National Park on our cross-country road trip and it was incredible! Seriously the most beautiful place I have ever seen. The nature seemed so untouched and the colors are stunning. We only had 3 days to […]

We stopped in Page, Arizona on our cross country road trip on the way to Zion from the Grand Canyon and it was incredible. We were only there for a few hours but we visited both Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe […]

We kicked off our cross country road trip with an American classic, the Grand Canyon. You always hear about the Grand Canyon being huge and beautiful but I was still shocked when we saw it. It comes out of nowhere […]

Ocean Beach OB is San Diego’s eccentric, hippie hangout. This bohemian surf town has some delicious globally inspired dining. Head to Newport Avenue and the surrounding streets for some fun and funky food. *indicates places with more than one location […]

North Park North Park is the trendy up and coming area of San Diego. Craftsmen-style homes meet hipster restaurants and bars in this centrally located neighborhood. *indicates places with more than one location in SD. Check out our Ultimate San Diego […]

Little Italy  They may as well call it Little Eataly because the food is phenomenal! Not only is the Italian food amazing, but San Diego’s Little Italy offers a universally fabulous culinary scene. *indicates places with more than one location […]

La Jolla / Bird Rock We are simply smitten with La Jolla and its little sister neighborhood, Bird Rock. While La Jolla is known for its gorgeous coves and goofy sea lions, its culinary scene is a real treat too. […]

Pacific Beach We lived in North Pacific Beach for over 3 years and absolutely loved it. Good surf, great people, and awesome food make up this classic low-key beach town. *indicates places with more than one location in SD. Check […]

Coronado Island  Coronado Island is San Diego’s Crown Jewel. Known for it’s military community and famous Hotel Del Coronado, it is a must see spot on your San Diego tour. There’s also some good grub you don’t want to miss […]

Gaslamp Quarter / Downtown  As in most big cities, head downtown for the best dining and nightlife options. San Diego’s famed Gaslamp Quarter is bustling with fun options for a dinner and drinks on the town. *indicates places with more […]

Old Town One of the more touristy parts of San Diego, Old Town has awesome Mexican food and is a not to be missed culinary destination. Rumor has it that they sell more tequila per year than anywhere else in […]

After living in San Diego over 5 years we have the culinary scene down to a science. San Diego has some of the best food and drinks in the country and we have tried a ton of them. From classic […]

Nashville. Your first thought may be fried chicken, sweet tea, and biscuits and gravy. While this isn’t too far off, there is more to Nashville than traditional Southern fare. From Broadway to 12 South, this country music capital is a […]

We love visiting Baja any chance we can get. Aside from the lovely people and the language learning opportunities, our favorite part = the food! Mexican seafood is probably our favorite genre of food and Baja has the best. We […]

Over the 4th of July weekend we hopped on a plane to Havana to celebrate Grant’s 30th birthday! I had done a lot of research so I had an idea of what Cuba was like and had fairly high expectations. […]

While you can usually purchase last minute airfare, grab a bag and head to your favorite vacation destination with ease, some locales call for a little more preparation to get there legally and hassle-free. Cuba required LOTS of prep and […]

Grant and I often take last minute trips…like within 2 days last minute. While planning in a short period of time would normally be anxiety-inducing for most people, it actually gives me a little high. It’s a fun challenge to […]

Being healthy is easy, earning money is easy, even changing the world is easy. There is plenty of research that shows that all it takes to be healthy is to eat a whole foods plant based diet and do a […]

Isla Mujeres often gets overlooked when people plan their Quintana Roo vacations, however this 4 mile long island is a fabulous destination within itself! Isla is a short ferry ride from Cancun, but a world apart. Most people come over […]

We are wine lovers! Living in Southern California has allowed us to visit some fabulous wineries in Napa, Sonoma, and Temecula. We had been wine tasting in Baja before, and were itching to get back. So we grabbed our SENTRI […]

Paris. The city synonymous with lights, love, and old-world charm. While a weekend simply isn’t enough time, you can still have a divine trip to perhaps the most iconic city in the world. Here are your must do’s for a […]

We love Vegas! After being to numerous bachelor and bachelorette parties and living only 5 hours away, we frequent the glitz and glam of Las Vegas on a regular basis. So in honor of the start of pool party season, […]

We seriously cannot stop raving about our recent anniversary trip to Kauai. It was an AMAZING 4 days. While it has less resorts and nightlife than Maui it more than compensates with outdoor adventure and sheer beauty! Kauai is comprised of 4 […]

Southern California is such a fabulous place, but if you tire from the crowds and surf, head to one of these spots to switch it up a bit! Try out one of our favorite Southern California weekend getaways. California Weekend Getaway […]

Having traveled to famed islands across the globe, we have seen some stunning beaches but nothing compares to the US and British Virgin Islands. The water color in the USVIs and BVIs is incomprehensibly beautiful and incomparable to anywhere else. These […]

We received new luggage for Christmas and now we show up to the airport in style whenever we travel. We even have several different types of luggage we can use depending on the situation. When we learned that foster kids are […]

We had a lot of trouble picking a church when we moved to San Diego. The problem is we do not want our church experience to be like going to a rock concert but we also want a church that is […]

When we learned about the refugee crisis and debated all of the politics surrounding it we tried to put ourselves in their shoes. What would it be like to be forced out of our country by war and travel thousands of […]

From oceans to lakes and everything in between we love all types of water and you will notice that is a common theme with our donations. During our visit to Cambodia we saw first hand the impact that poverty was […]

We are full fledged, no shame summer lovers. Snow and cold weather seem like unnecessary evils that keep us indoors and are a constant inconvenience, but… then there’s Europe. There is something magical about Europe in the winter. The summer crowds […]

It had been 7 months since we last visited Tulum and we were dying to get back so since I had a week off work and Grant works mostly from home we packed our bags and headed to Riviera Maya […]

Last Saturday we didn’t have any plans (a rare occasion) and since we are blessed with our proximity to an international border, Grant and I  decided to head over to Mexico for the afternoon to practice some Spanish. We’ve visited […]

Eating great food is one of our favorite things to do when we travel. We have made several trips to San Francisco in the past but this one was dedicated to finding the best food and drinks the city has to […]

On April 14, 2016 Grant and I got married on the best beach in the world in Turks and Caicos! It was flawless from start to finish. Here is a simple how to guide so you can plan your own wedding in […]

Over Labor Day Weekend Grant and I traveled to Tokyo! It was a very short and last minute trip but we had the best time. So why cross the international date line for a long weekend? Two reasons: We had to […]

Oh layovers. They’re just the worst aren’t they? Well if you have 4 hours to 1 day you can make the best out of them and sneak in another trip! When we traveled to Paris and Amsterdam we had layovers in […]

Rio de Janeiro is getting a bad rap… It has been all over the news in a mostly negative way, but I have only positive things to say about Rio! Grant and I went in summer 2013 to check off […]

Grant and I LOVE Mexico! We’ve been at least a dozen times and we cannot get enough! The food, the people, the language, the landscape; it is all sublime. But this past weekend we died and went to Mexico heaven […]

You read that right, western. Geographically speaking Cambodia is obviously in SE Asia but Siem Reap definitely attempts to appeal to Westerners in a no shame fashion, such as “Gringo Hamburgers Here!” Understandably, it is a city built on tourism since […]

Oh Bangkok… You’re probably picturing Leo backpacking in The Beach or your Facebook friend’s profile pic on an elephant. It is a little bit of those things, but so much more! Since our visit (and probably before) Thailand is becoming […]

As several travel stories begin… We were sitting on a plane. I don’t recall exactly where we were traveling to but most likely back and forth between Atlanta and San Diego. I was flipping through SkyMag when I read a very interesting […]

When we first moved to San Diego we were excited to visit our neighbors to the south. After talking with a few locals that painted a rather gloomy picture of Baja we decided to give it a try for ourselves. […]

Let’s start within the good ol’ US of A! Last Thanksgiving break we took a road trip up the Pacific Coast Highway with Grant’s brother. Exploring within your own state can be a cost-effective and convenient way to travel. Especially […]