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December 11, 2020

Luray Caverns vs. Skyline Caverns

Explore the magical underground world of Virginia’s caverns. Which to visit and why…

Hi! I'm Vanessa, a 30 something, sunset chasing traveler. I'm here to inspire you to travel wherever, whenever, and with whoever you can. My Huskies, Loki and Freya are usually along for the ride. I have a soul that likes to wander, a desire to experience the unknown, and a curiousity to discover things off the beaten path. I hope you'll stick around for awhile!

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The canyon doesn’t glow all at once. It lights u

The canyon doesn’t glow all at once. It lights up in layers. Like it’s letting you in slowly.

Sunset at the Grand Canyon is an event.
Not just colors in the sky, but the way light travels mile by mile, cliff by cliff, ridge by ridge.
You can actually watch the canyon reveal itself - rose, gold, ember, violet.

It’s so big that your brain can’t take it in all at once.
So it gives it to you in pieces.
A little wonder at a time.

And somehow, instead of feeling small in a scary way, it feels like permission to let go.
To not hold everything.
To not know everything.
To just stand there and exist for a minute.

I think that’s what I love most about places like this.
They remind you that the world is vast, and your worries don’t have to fill it.

✨Save for your next trip to the Grand Canyon or for the days you need space to breathe 🫶✨

I don’t know what it is exactly - the quiet, the

I don’t know what it is exactly - the quiet, the scale, the space to exhale.

But sometimes all you need is a place that lets your shoulders drop.

A reminder that not everything needs fixing right now.
That you’re allowed to rest.

Save this for the days when everything feels a bit too loud 🌿

Out here, the pace slows to something almost ancie

Out here, the pace slows to something almost ancient.

The sky stretches wider. The road feels softer.
The noise you didn’t realize you were carrying?
It finally settles.

There’s something grounding about sharing space with animals who have existed this way long before we arrived and will continue long after we leave.

Maybe that’s the real gift of wild places.
They remind us that being alive doesn’t have to be productive to be meaningful.
You just get to be.

Save this for the next time life feels too loud 🌿

Golden hour gave us her final bow…and then the m

Golden hour gave us her final bow…and then the moon took over 🌙 there’s nothing like a drive along the Schoodic Peninsula during blue hour

Driving the Schoodic Peninsula feels like cruising through a dream - granite cliffs glowing pink, sea spray on the windows, and that quiet magic that only happens after sunset.

If you ever find yourself in Acadia, don’t skip this side of the park.

It’s peaceful, wild, and feels a little like having the coast all to yourself.

👉 Save this for your next Acadia National Park road trip 🚙

Happy National Bison Day 🦬 America’s national

Happy National Bison Day 🦬 America’s national mammal can weigh over a ton… and still somehow look majestic while doing it. 🦬

There’s something about spotting a bison in the wild that just stops you in your tracks. Maybe it’s the way they move with that slow, deliberate power.

Or maybe it’s knowing you’re seeing a living, breathing piece of history - the same herds that once thundered across the plains long before highways and hashtags existed.

🦬 Know Before You Go: Bison Edition

Because nothing ruins a good hike like becoming a headline.

1️⃣ Keep your distance - at least 25 yards (75 feet).
That’s about two school buses, or one bison’s personal bubble. Don’t pop it.

2️⃣ Never approach, pet, or selfie with bison.
You might think they’re posing…they’re not.

3️⃣ Watch the tail.
If it’s up - they’re agitated.
If it’s flicking - they’re thinking.
If it’s down - you’re good (for now).

4️⃣ Use your zoom, not your bravery.
Get the shot safely. Your camera has a zoom for a reason. I rented an amazing lens from @lensrentals

5️⃣ Expect traffic.
If a bison decides to nap in the middle of the road, congratulations - you’re now in a wildlife traffic jam. Sit back, enjoy the view, and let nature run on its own schedule.

These behemoths tough, resilient, and a little bit chaotic - basically the spirit animal of every trip I’ve ever taken.

Drop a 🦬 in the comments if they’re on your National Park bucket list!

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