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The Great Wide Somewhere

  • ABOUT
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- Category: Travel -

Scotland Road Trip Itinerary

Scotland is one of few countries I’ve traveled to that I immediately felt drawn to. It had this magnetism about it. It’s hard to explain without sounding cliche, but this island is just magic. I know I’ll be back again for another tour of Scotland by car. My husband and I spent ten days in Scotland for a road trip. June was a decent month as the midges aren’t bad, and the weather is cool…

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Pigeon Forge, Tennessee: Things to Do + Yourcation Awaits Cabin

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited U.S. National Park. Being from Kentucky (near Cincinnati), it’s only a 4.5 hour drive, so I’ve traveled here on many different occasions over the years. This was the first time I visited with my young son though! We stayed at Yourcation Awaits cabin in Pigeon Forge, and had such a fun family vacation! With a toddler in our crew, our goal was to seek out…

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Kanab, Utah: Things to Do

If you love natural beauty and active adventures, then Kanab, Utah is it! Less visited than nearby Zion and Arches, Kanab has just as much to offer but without the huge crowds.  I traveled here spring 2021 with my husband, and 9 month old baby. Our itinerary was a bit aggressive, but we did and saw so much! We flew round-trip out of Las Vegas, and also stopped at Death Valley and Zion. After one…

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Puerto Rico: One Week Itinerary

Puerto Rico: A tropical paradise with delicious food and an intriguing history! Visiting here from the mainland US is easy, and it’s a great spot for active or relaxing vacations. Here is my recommended Puerto Rico one week itinerary: As a US territory, visitors from the states have it easy. No passport is needed to travel. At this time, no Covid test is needed to fly home either! Flights are fairly priced, and for a…

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Best Beach Towns in Costa Rica

I spent several weeks in Costa Rica during my study abroad experience, and have since been back to visit multiple times. Over the years, these are the places that stood out to me the most. These are my suggestions for the best beach towns in Costa Rica: In no particular order... Montezuma: The town of Montezuma has a great Caribbean vibe. It’s a free-spirited kind of place that some ticos refer to as “Montefuma”, if…

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Things to do in Lexington, KY

Lexington, Kentucky is one of my favorite places. I’ve traveled all over the world, and as cheesy as it sounds, this city genuinely always feels like home. When I was a student at the University of Kentucky (go big blue!!), I had the privilege of living in this great town for five years. Even though I now live closer to Cincinnati, I still make it back to Lex frequently. So, what are my top suggestions…

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One Day in Charleston: Itinerary

Charleston has that pure “southern charm”. It’s one of the most picturesque cities in the American south, and its rows of colorful streets lined with palm trees have a memorable appeal. It is truly beautiful- even if insanely humid! One day in Charleston Itinerary! I came here with my family to visit Folly Beach, and we were able to spend a few days in the city too. It instantly reminded me of Savannah, although each…

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Photography in Rome: Instagram Photo Spots

Rome, the eternal city, has so much to offer- Insanely delicious food, fascinating history, and monuments older than we can comprehend.  I hesitated to make this post, because in a way I hate billing a historic and complex city as merely a backdrop for photo opportunities. However, I know that visitors to Rome still want to capture their memories, and have quality photos to look back on. Keeping this in mind, here are my tips…

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La Fortuna, Costa Rica : Things to Do

The area around La Fortuna, Costa Rica is a "must see" for any visitor to the country. Home to beautiful jungle, active volcanoes, waterfalls, and hundreds of sloths, it is literally a tropical paradise! Plus, it's named "fortune" but sits at the base of an active volcano- you have to love that optimism! Whether you want to go hiking, rafting, and kayaking, or just relax in a natural volcanic hot spring, you will definitely find…

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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…

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About This Blog

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Latest Posts

  • Scotland: What to Pack for Summer Travel (for Women)

    March 14, 2023
    By Michelle W.
  • Scotland Road Trip Itinerary

    March 2, 2023
    By Michelle W.
  • 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.

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England Itinerary Ideas: 8-10 Days
Valencia, Spain: Top 10 Things to Do
Singer Island/Palm Beach: Things to Do

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Part 4 coming soon 🎉 These are a few mistakes Part 4 coming soon 🎉

These are a few mistakes I see travelers make that are costing them money 💰! After about 20 years of budget travel practice, I’ve figured a few things out- so I hope my sage wisdom 🦉 helps!

Have you made any of these “mistakes”? 👇🏼

#budgettravel #travelhacks #cheaphotels #hoteldeals #couchsurfing #travelmistakes
Don’t miss Part 3🥉! Learn anything new from Don’t miss Part 3🥉!

Learn anything new from these? 👇🏼

#budgettravel #travelhacks #hoteldeals #flixbus #aaatravel #aarp #travelblogs
Check out part 2 next!✌️ These are a few mist Check out part 2 next!✌️

These are a few mistakes I see travelers make that are costing them money 💰! After about 20 years of budget travel practice, I’ve figured a few things out- so I hope my sage wisdom 🦉 helps!

Have you made any of these “mistakes”? 👇🏼

#budgettravel #travelhacks #cheaphotels #hoteldeals #hostelsoftheworld #expediapic
hopefully you’re a fast screenshotter-er person hopefully you’re a fast screenshotter-er person and you can get it to read later! 😅 Learn anything new?? 👇🏼

This list took me an hour to write ✍🏼 while my 2 year old was napping- It really is the sum of my cheap budget travel knowledge! Yes it could easily have been 4 separate reels, but I chose chaos 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

Shout out to @kayak @bookingcom @agoda @hostelworld @couchsurfing for making the cut 😇

#budgettravel #travelhacks #travelplanner #cheaptravel #travelblogs #cheapflights
What places did I miss? 👇🏼 Here’s my list What places did I miss? 👇🏼

Here’s my list, only pulling from places I’ve personally been, of cities to visit if you love colorful buildings 👇

🌈 Yauco, Puerto Rico
🎨Old San Juan, Puerto Rico 
🌈 Guatapé, Colombia
🎨La Habana Vieja, Cuba 
🌈Cartagena, Colombia 
🎨Flores, Guatemala
🌈Burano, Italy
🎨 Charleston, South Carolina
🌈Cobh, Ireland
🎨Cinque Terre, Italy 

Have you been to any on my list? 👇🏼

#colorfulplaces #discoverpuertorico #cartagenacolombia #bucketlisters #buranoitaly #floresguatemala #cobhireland #charlestonsc #havanacuba #budgettravel
If you’re an #Outlander fan visiting Scotland, t If you’re an #Outlander fan visiting Scotland, this real life Castle from the 1500s is a MUST see! 🏰 Of all the filming locations I went to, this was the most exciting one for me as it truly feels you’ve just jumped back in time into the story! 📚 It really did feel like I was in #Lallybroch (even though yes I know it’s a fictional place 😅)! 

⭐️ FOR MORE DETAILS AND PHOTOS GO TO MY BLOG POST- link in bio! ⭐️

This is #MidhopeCastle, part of the #HopetounHouse estate. A few other scenes from the show were filmed throughout the property too, 🎥 so give yourself plenty of time to explore! 

⭐️ It is necessary to book tickets in advance, and the sooner the better! 🎟️ You have a timed entry point, so if you want the place to yourself for a few moments you should try for the first slot of the day at 8am. 🚌 By about 10am the tour buses will come in and it will get crowded quickly.

The castle is out in the country, about a 45 minute drive from Edinburgh. It’s pretty isolated, and really the only way to get to it is by car. 🚗 If you don’t have a car during your trip, then the only way to get there would be to book an Outlander day trip of some sort with a guide- 🎟️ this spot will be included on every good tour! (I have a few tours linked in my blog post) 

⭐️⭐️⭐️ IMPORTANT NOTE - This site is currently closed for filming until March 20, 2023 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#outlanderstarz #outlanderseries #outlanderfans #discoverscotland #visitscotland #scotland_insta #scotlandlover #scotlandtravel
Baby # 2 coming in August 2023! 👶🏼 Lorenzo i Baby # 2 coming in August 2023! 👶🏼 Lorenzo is an adorable model, but he really has no idea what's coming for him! 😜

On that note, we want to say thank you 🙏 to everyone who has helped us out so far during what has been a not-so-easy pregnancy. While baby #2 is happy and healthy, it has not been an easy journey...

(((Now, for my medical story- Sorry, this is so long!! 😬)))

While the silver lining to this story is a sweet new baby on the way, 👶🏼 the beginning of this pregnancy was...well, horrible. I had severe daily nausea for nearly the entire first trimester. After being diagnosed with "hyperemesis gravidarum", I spent 8 weeks essentially bedridden and unable to function due to nonstop nausea (and all that goes with that!) 🤢. I had to go to the ER to get IV fluids and anti-nausea meds 4 times, 💉 as I couldn't even keep water down at one point. Most people gain weight during pregnancy, but within the first month I was down 13 pounds (Don't worry, I'll gain it back quick, 😜). I was prescribed nearly 10 different prescriptions as the doctors tried various things to help me (spoiler: nothing really helped besides the passage of time). 

I also discovered that most OBGYN practices have no idea as how to best manage and aid patients with H.G. 😞 There are many things that could have been done to help me that were simply not suggested without me constantly researching and self advocating. After week 12 I began to slowly improve, and I am now eating real meals and able to leave the house and function again! 🙌 I'm still not totally back to normal though, and still go to weekly IV hydration sessions at the hospital.

It's hard to impart how miserable it is to feel that sick every waking moment, and not being sure when it will end. 😔 H.G. isn't just physical suffering, but it takes a mental toll as well. It also wasn't easy to be that sick and have a toddler at home! Thanks to all who helped us out and especially those who prayed for me! 🙏 

Thanks for reading this novel- I am so happy I’m finally getting close to feeling normal again!!🤞 

#hyperemisisgravidarum #hgpregnancy
Just under a 2 hour drive from #SanJuan is the col Just under a 2 hour drive from #SanJuan is the colorful pueblo of #Yauco! (PS caption is wrong- it’s SOUTH not central) I came here originally just to see the colorful buildings, 🌈 but we ended up exploring a bit and finding a delicious lunch spot! 

This colorful art installation on the buildings (called “Yaucromatic”) was meant to create more tourism, and I’d say it definitely worked! 🎨 

According to PRdaytrips.com: “The original #Yaucromatic, in 2017, consisted of 16 murals spread across the public spaces of Yauco. The guiding principle of the project is that “Art is not only for museums, it is for the people”. 🎉 

That initiative brought an influx of tourists to the area, which contributed to the creation of new businesses, 💰 and represented an economic injection to the municipality. At the same time, public and private spaces that had been abandoned in the past have been rescued. 🙌

In September 2017, #HurricaneMaria devastated the island, 😞 and the need to help revitalize the town was more important than ever. Due to the response to the original #Yaucromatic, the artists of nonprofit #ArteParaUnir decided to produce this second edition in 2018.” 🎉

👉Make sure to add this spot to your PR vacation! 🌴 Also check out my detailed “One week in Puerto Rico” itinerary on my blog (link in bio)! 🖥️ 

#puertoricogram #puertoricoholic #puertoricodoesitbetter #puertoricoselevanta #discoverpuertorico #puertoricovacation
⭐️ Photo post from here coming soon!⭐️ 

📍 Crawford Priory is a mansion estate in the Fife region of Scotland. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 It’s a former residence of the Earls of Crawford and Glasgow. 

Originally built as a hunting lodge in 1758, it was enlarged in the early 1800s by Lady Mary Crawford (whose spirit is said to haunt the grounds!) 👻 

Mary hired architects to redesign the building in a gothic style. They added buttresses, turrets and pinnacles. This created the “look” of a religious priory, ⛪️ although it had has no religious affiliation.

Lady Mary’s heirs developed it further. However, huge debts forced the family to sell it 🙁. The property passed to a politician in 1919. More extensions were added in the 1920s, but by 1968 the house was closed. It then fell into disrepair and ruin, and has been left to the elements for over 50 years now. 😞 In my opinion, it’s beyond the point of any repair.

Today, it’s completely in shambles, and crumbling every minute. When we visited we heard stones falling (likely due to the ravens living there- 🦅 which gave it a creepy vibe!), and after peeking in we noticed plenty of safety concerns. ⚠️ 

While anyone can access the property (search online for the route), there is barbed wire surrounding it and signs that say “Do Not Enter: Danger of Death”. ☠️ Plenty of people still go in each year though 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

||| To read the details of the ghost story, check out my “part one” video! The caption of that one has even more eerie info 👻 |||

#abandonedplaces #hauntedplaces #fifescotland #crawfordpriory #scotlandexplore #scotlandtravel #oldhousesunder50k #scotlandshots #dronevideos
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