Step into the Archie McPhee store and take a moment to let your eyes adjust…not to the light, but to the overflowing bins and shelves of merchandise. This is not your typical inventory. I can’t improve on the website’s...
Hog Island Oyster Company: The Perfect Picnic by the Bay

In Northern California or the San Francisco Bay area? Looking for a special food experience? Cross the Golden Gate bridge and head to Hog Island Oyster Company, on Tomales Bay in West Marin County. I was excited to be...
Getting Ready for Your Road Trip

Updated July 19, 2020. After a long winter, wet spring, and months of sheltering-in-place, it’s time to get ready for your road trip! Where you’re headed isn’t as important as the fact that you’re going. Need some inspiration? The...
How to Sleep Well When You Travel…zzzzzzzzz…

Knowing how to sleep well when you travel can make all the difference in your experience. You’ve saved and planned for this adventure–don’t let anything keep you from enjoying every minute. According to a study by Wakefield Research, over...
Loretto Chapel: The Miraculous & Mysterious Staircase

Loretto Chapel will make you believe in miracles…or at least consider them. Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Loretto Chapel itself is an interesting story. Back in 1850, long before the area would become a state in 1909, things...
Hop On-Hop Off Bus: I Always Take One, You Should, Too!

Take a Hop on-Hop off bus? REALLY? I can hear your groans… We’ve all seen them during our travels, those double-decker buses, the upper deck packed with photo-snapping riders who insist on waving to passersby. They look so…touristy. WHY...
U.S. Destinations: Something for Everyone!

U.S. destinations…sometimes we focus too much on international travel. Seeing our own country–wherever we live–can seem less exciting or important, compared to an “exotic” place with a different language, older cathedrals, or prettier birds. G.K. Chesterton reminds us, “The...
Puerto Rico Is Still Hurting: How Can We Help? Read on!

Puerto Rico will never forget September 20, 2017. Hurricane Maria ravaged the island with 155 mph winds, taking down 80 percent of the utility poles and leaving 100 percent of the 3.5 million residents without electricity. Over 70,000 homes...
10 Amtrak Train Tips: What You Should Know

Yes, you’ll need some Amtrak train tips to get the most out of your adventure. If you’re going to be on the train for more than 18 hours, it’s best to prepare. And then prepare some more. These Amtrak...
Amtrak: Is Train Travel Still Fun? Yay and Nay…

Amtrak. America’s very own passenger train system. Is it still a thrill to hop onboard a train and listen to the clickety-clack of the rails? To watch the towns and farms go by? To sleep in a private compartment...