• ABOUT
    • About Me
    • Bucket List
    • UNESCO Sites
  • Locations
    • North America
    • Africa & Middle East
    • Asia
    • Latin America
    • Europe
    • Random!
  • Reviews
    • Travel Products
  • Work With Me

The Great Wide Somewhere

  • ABOUT
    • Privacy Policy
    • About Me
    • Bucket List
    • UNESCO Sites
  • Insta Links
  • Locations
    • Africa & Middle East
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • North America
    • Latin America
    • Random!
  • Reviews
    • Travel Products
  • Work With Me

- Category: Advice/Tips -

Best Hikes in the Smoky Mountains

If you're visiting the Great Smoky Mountains or Gatlinburg area, going on a hike is of course THE main attraction! These are (in my opinion) the best hikes in the Smoky Mountains: Having visited Gatlinburg, on many separate occasions, these are the hikes I’ve done that have stood out to me the most! Also, please make sure to check the park website for trail conditions and closure notices before setting out. Cades Cove: If you…

Read more

Gatlinburg: Things to Do

Living just a few hours away from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I’ve visited Gatlinburg, Tennessee at least twenty times. Thinking back on all these ventures, I’ve compiled my personal recommendations on the top things to do! These activities may all fit into one Gatlinburg trip, or you can spread them out over separate visits. I’ve gone down there for Bachelorette parties, with my family growing up, on my honeymoon, and for a college…

Read more

Singer Island/Palm Beach: Things to Do

I’ve traveled a lot in my lifetime, but some places have had a bigger meaning or impact on my life than others. Singer Island, Florida is one of these locations that will always have a part of my heart! Growing up, my grandparents had a condo on this gorgeous island near West Palm Beach. Every summer we’d spend about two weeks there. Until I was 25, it was host to some of the absolute best…

Read more

Travel + Sloth Nursery Theme Ideas

I’ve always been one to love “themes”. I’m that girl who has been forcing her friends to dress up and attend my various themed parties for years. Having a sloth nursery then should come as no surprise!  After perusing Pinterest for years, there were two themes I couldn’t ignore: travel, and sloths. Since my wedding in 2014 was travel-themed, most of my home decor is, and even my baby shower was “welcome to the world”…

Read more

Travel Themed Baby Shower

This summer, my sisters threw me the Pinterest-worthy baby shower I'd always envisioned. Even during Covid and all its challenges, they still made it happen! This post is dedicated to the details of my “welcome to the world” travel themed baby shower! While the original goal was to host this at a neighborhood clubhouse, we had to have it in an outdoor venue. Thankfully, my Dad's cousin has a farm with a nice big barn!…

Read more

Crazy Cat Lady Gifts: 10 Products You Need!

Of course I normally blog about travel, but since travel has been a no-go lately, I figured I’d dive into writing about my second favorite topic… CATS! As a self proclaimed “crazy cat lady”, I am of course very qualified to talk about this important topic! I currently own two manx cats, and they are spoiled by the epic catio my husband built (I’ll save that post for another day!). Here is a great list…

Read more

Cincinnati, Ohio- Things to Do

Growing up in Northern Kentucky and basically living by Cincinnati my whole life, I consider myself a “native” by default. I can be downtown in a fifteen minute drive, so I’ve spent my entire life enjoying the city and what it has offer! Whenever someone mentions they're visiting Cincy, they always ask me “what should I do?” Here is my answer to that question! These tips will give a good overview of the Queen City-…

Read more

How to Travel to Cuba (as a U.S. Citizen)

When this elusive nation finally opened to US travelers, it immediately became a hot topic. My trip to Cuba in spring 2018 led me to realize how curious my friends in the US are about life here, and how to travel to Cuba themselves! Details on my Cuba itinerary are in my other blog post. This post is geared towards the logistics of traveling there as a US citizen specifically: Cuba is easily the most…

Read more

Quito Boutique Hotel

Casona Featured

You’ve decided to dive in and start planning for your adventurous getaway to Ecuador! Maybe you’re backpacking and planning on doing lots of hiking, or maybe you’re making a quick stop on the mainland before the tropical Galapagos. Whatever it is, chances are your trip will find you spending time in Quito- Ecuador’s high altitude, colonial capital city. While there might be modern chain hotels in the newer part of town, if you want to…

Read more

Savannah, Georgia in One Day

Savannah, Georgia: A classic, colonial town filled with canopies of branches that shade its city squares while they drip haunting Spanish moss from their branches. Here's how you can see Savannah in one day! Its historic district is renowned for its photogenic beauty. Once you walk around for a bit in that humid, salty air you can’t help but want to take things slow. Walk with purpose, and admire its incredible grand homes and architecture!…

Read more

Page 2 of 41234

About This Blog

Let’s Be Friends!

Latest Posts

  • Useful Gift Ideas for Travelers

    November 21, 2022
    By Michelle W.
  • Pigeon Forge, Tennessee: Things to Do + Yourcation Awaits Cabin

    September 14, 2022
    By Michelle W.
  • Bentley 6-in-1 Trike : My Review

    May 17, 2022
    By Michelle W.
  • Best Outdoor Destinations in Arizona

    May 16, 2022
    By Michelle W.

Read More!

Top Posts

Italy Best Things to Do: 11 Insider Tips
Greece: 10 Day Itinerary Ideas
Sound of Music Sites in Salzburg, Austria
Costa Rica Itinerary: 7-10 Days
Puerto Rico: One Week Itinerary
Valencia, Spain: Top 10 Things to Do
England Itinerary Ideas: 8-10 Days
Montanejos: Hot Springs & Waterfalls - A Valencia Daytrip

© Michelle Weigold and The Great Wide Somewhere, 2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Please read full privacy policy/disclosure information here

I know I said I was finished sharing about this pl I know I said I was finished sharing about this place, but the audio was just too perfect 🤷🏻‍♀️😎

Is the Isle of Skye on your travel list? 👇🏼

#scotland_insta #scotland_ig #scotland_lover #scotlandtravel #isleofskyescotland #quiraing #oldmanofstorr #hikingworldwide #hikinglove #budgettravel #travelblogger #visitscotland
SAVE for your trip to Switzerland 🇨🇭! Possi SAVE for your trip to Switzerland 🇨🇭!

Possibly one of the most scenic views I’ve ever had in all my travels was here looking at the Swiss Alps (you can see Mt. Titlis and parts of Liechtenstein from here actually!) 🏔️ Such a perfect and beautiful day with my mom and sister 💕

📍Getting there? Take a day trip ferry to #Vitznau from popular #Lucerne, and then ride an alpine cogwheel train 🚂 up to this viewpoint called Rigi Kulm! 🏔️ Pro tip: Visit the town of #Weggis afterwards! 

#rigikulm #mountrigi #swissalps🇨🇭 #switzerland_destinations #switzerland_pics #switzerland_vacation #budgettravel #travelonabudget #europetravels
Your sign to go to Gatlinburg, Tennessee and see t Your sign to go to Gatlinburg, Tennessee and see the Smoky Mountains in 2023! 🐻 

The town can be a little cheesy at times, 😇 but you have to admit it’s unique! There are also way more fun things to do there than I realized, and I’ve been down there more times than I can count 😃

Have you been to the Smoky Mountains yet? It’s actually the most visited US National Park! 👇🏼

#gatlinburg #gatlinburgtennessee #gatlinburgtn #instagramtennessee #familytravel #travelwithkids #budgettravel #travelblogger #toddlertravel #familyvacations #smokymountains
🇬🇷 What did I spend on a 12 day girl’s tri 🇬🇷 What did I spend on a 12 day girl’s trip to Greece? (Yes I kept track in a detailed spreadsheet, which you can see on my blog ☺️ My detailed itinerary is all there too!) 

⭐️ Keep in mind this is for the cost of ONE person, assuming you are splitting it with 3 other people (if you have a group you can save big money on lodging, but for smaller groups look into hostels!) ⭐️ 

🏨LODGING: We stayed in budget or midrange hotels ranging from $80/nt to $240/nt total. We did a combination of hotels (via @bookingcom) and AirBNB, plus one overnight on a ferry ⛴️ . This cost us $396 total per person, or $33/day

🍽FOOD/GROCERIES: We did a combination of grocery shopping, eating included meals from our lodgings, and going to restaurants. We only ate at a few “expensive” spots the whole trip, and tried not to go too crazy. Excluding alcohol, our meals and snacks (plus taxi 🚕 fares! I included those in the food category for some reason) ended up at $300 total per person, or $25/day.

⛴️TRANSPORT: We did a combination of taking taxis and 4 separate ferry rides. The ferry tickets totaled around $350/pp. 

🎟ATTRACTIONS/TICKETS/EXCURSIONS: We spent a total of ~$360 on things like admission to historic sites, fun activities ($100 for the Santorini sunset cruise was the best decision ever 🥂) and then 2 day tours through @viatortravel 

⭐️These prices do NOT include alcohol, souvenirs, excessive ice cream consumption, or ouzo shots 😜. Also we went in July (🥵) and visited Athens, Sounion, Delphi, Crete, Paros, & Santorini)

What questions do you have? 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

#greece #greecestagram #greeceislands #greecetravel #budgettravel #budgettraveler #visitgreece #traveldeals #travelhacks #cheaptravel #europetravels
If you’re basic and you know it 👋 😅 Hones If you’re basic and you know it 👋 😅

Honestly though, I definitely feel like this anytime I’m in a scenic city, no matter where it is in the world! 🌎  I’m sure I’m not the only one! 

 #budgettravel #travelblogger #traveladdict #travelawesome #femaletravel #europedestinations #sheisnotlost
Follow @chelletravelfoto for more travel tips! As Follow @chelletravelfoto for more travel tips!

As a huge fan of “Harry Potter” ⚡️🪄(Y’all don’t even comprehend how intense of a fan I was in the early 2000s in particular) 🙈😅, of course an added bonus of going to Scotland was the chance to see filming locations or places that inspired the books. 📚I wish we could’ve gone to even more, but here were a few: 

📍 Glenfinnan Viaduct- Arguably the most well known Scottish HP film location, this is where they shot many aerial scenes of the Hogwarts Express 🚂 
📍Victoria Street- In the heart of old Edinburgh, this street is supposedly the inspiration behind Diagon Alley 🪄 (Although JK did recently debunk this on her Twitter 🙈)
📍 Museum Context- A beautifully curated HP inspired shop on Victoria Street! I have a separate reel on this you can check out! 📚 
📍 Balmoral Hotel- Once J.K. Rowling was rolling in the cash (ha!), she booked a room here to finish writing Deathly Hallows. You can see her signature on a statue there today!
📍 Greyfriar’s Kirkyard- This centuries old cemetery in Edinburgh is supposedly where J.K. found inspiration for many character names (buried there you’ll find a Thomas Riddell, McGonagall, & more!) 🪦! (However, she again debunked this as a rumor) 🤷🏻‍♀️ 
📍Rannoch Moor- Where they filmed the Death Eaters stopping the Hogwarts Express 🚂 in Deathly Hallows 1 ☠️ 
📍 Loch Shiel- Used as the filming backdrop of Hogwarts in several of the movies. 🏰 Also is the “Black Lake” in Prisoner of Azkaban

⚡️ Of course there are so many more all over the country, but these are just a few 😇
.
.
.
.
#scotland_insta #scotland_ig #scotland_lover #scotlandexplore #harrypotterfacts #harrypotterfans #harrypotterfilms #budgettravel #travelblog #traveltipsandtricks #scotlandtravel
🎄🎅🏼This store is HUGE!! You can’t tell 🎄🎅🏼This store is HUGE!! You can’t tell from this video but it’s so gigantic you have to follow a little reindeer footprint trail to get to the register 😂.

If you’ll be in the @mypigeonforge or @visitgatlinburg area, this store is a must see! 🎄I used to come here as a kid and still have my custom ornaments from then on my tree now! 

PS My new dream job is to be one of the workers who get to customize the ornaments and write in calligraphy all day ✍🏼 

Anyone else been here or to another store similar? 👇🏼

#christmasshop #thechristmasplace #pigeonforge #pigeonforgetn #gatlinburgtennessee #tennesseelife #visittennessee #mypigeonforge #santaiknowhim 🎅🏼 #budgettravel #familytravelblog
🇪🇸 Spain has something for everyone! There’s so much variety in landscape, food, and culture in such a relatively small area. 🎉 You just need to go and figure out which places and regions you like best! 

I’ve spent a lot of time exploring Spain, and of all the places I’ve traveled, it’s still my favorite 🌍. I spent the majority of my time in Valencia, so I’m a bit biased towards it, but I think it’s justified 😀!

You might be wondering why Madrid and Barcelona didn’t make my list… 🧐 While I do recommend visiting them, they just weren’t my vibe personally. I’m a fan of the beach towns and Andalucía most it seems! ☀️ 

Have you been to Spain? Do you have a favorite city? 👇🏼

#spain❤️ #visitspainofficial #valenciaspain #valenciagram #sevillagram #cordobaespaña #toledospain #bilbaoturismo #calpebeach #peñiscola #segoviaspain #mallorcaisland
Full transparency here! 🙈 What did I spend on a Full transparency here! 🙈 What did I spend on a 10 day Scotland road trip? Read below- Thankfully my husband is a data analyst, so he kept track of every penny in a detailed spreadsheet (😂) which I later organized to figure this out! 

⭐️ Keep in mind this is for the cost of ONE person, assuming you are splitting it with one or more other people (if you’re married and share a bank account it doesn’t really matter, 😂 but stick with me!) ⭐️ 

🏨LODGING: We stayed in budget or midrange hotels ranging from $85/nt to $175/nt. We did a combination of hotels (via @bookingcom), AirBNB and one private room in a hostel. This cost us $390 total per person, or $39/day

🍽FOOD/GROCERIES: We did a combination of grocery shopping, eating included meals from our lodgings, and going to restaurants or pubs. We only ate at one “expensive” spot the whole trip, and tried not to go too crazy. Excluding alcohol (which yes, would add a lot! 😅) our meals and snacks ended up at $280 total per person, or $28/day

🚙TRANSPORT: If you don’t do a road trip of Scotland, this would be significantly cheaper. However, car is what we wanted! Using our @costco membership, our rental was $580 total. If you split this cost, it would be $58/day or about $29 per person per day. 

⛽️GAS & PARKING: This added up, I’ll admit. 🙃 We did drive around 1,200 miles total, though! Between gas and parking in the bigger cities where it wasn’t free, we spent a total of $375, or about $19 per person per day.

🎟ATTRACTIONS/TICKETS/EXCURSIONS: We spent a total of $250 on things like admission to historic sites, fun activities, walking tours, etc. This would be about $25/day, or about $13 per person each day. Some days we spent far more than others, but overall it was nothing too bad.

⭐️These prices do NOT include alcohol, souvenirs, or the round trip ferry ticket we purchased to go to Orkney. I didn’t include that as it was a splurge and isn’t necessarily typical for most people doing a roadtrip here.⭐️

What questions do you have? 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

#scotland_insta #scotlandtravel #visitscotland #budgettravel #discoverscotland #scotland_greatshots
© 2015 Themes Art - WordPress Design.
Back to top