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May 29, 2024

The 15 Best Hikes In Utah

Between the canyons swirled in orange, buttes, and otherworldly hoodoos, it’s a nature lovers’ paradise. Utah is home to 5 National Parks, including Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonland, Zion, and Capitol Reef…

March 26, 2024

One Day At Zion National Park

Zion National Park is a Utah gem, and there are so many beautiful sights and things to do that it can be overwhelming to figure out the best sights for a 1-day trip to the park.  As one of the most unique and popular parks in the United States, Zion offers something for everyone…

February 27, 2024

Zion National Park Guide

Zion National Park

Zion National Park is one of the most visited parks in the Southwest, and it’s easy to see why! Although it’s on the smaller side in terms of Utah National Parks, at just 229 square miles, its awe-inspiring scenery makes it one of the most beloved National Parks in the United States.

August 30, 2022

Epic Sunrise and Sunset Spots On The Grand Canyons South Rim

Epic Sunrise and Sunset Grand Canyon South Rim

There’s a moment, right before the sun crests the horizon at the Grand Canyon, when it feels like everyone is holding their breath. The canyon walls shift from deep purple to burnt orange to brilliant gold, and you realize why 6 million people make the trip here every year.

July 5, 2022

5 Things Not To Miss On Your First Visit To The Grand Canyon

The First Timers Guide To Grand Canyon National Park

Iconic. Amazing. Breathtaking. All of these words describe the Grand Canyon perfectly. It’s one of those places where you can’t fathom how vast it is until you are standing in front of it, and even then you’ll find yourself saying, “wow!” every 5 seconds…

January 11, 2022

14 Fun Things To Do In Asheville, North Carolina

One of the coolest small cities on the East Coast, Asheville has a relaxed boho vibe that I love! It’s weird and that’s just the way locals want to keep it. The city has a backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains and an insane number of craft breweries. Asheville is a refreshingly unique combination of hipster meets outdoor enthusiasts…

November 9, 2021

3 Days On The Upper Peninsula

Honestly, the Upper Peninsula has something for everyone and you could spend weeks there without experiencing all that this amazing place has to offer…

November 2, 2021

The Eerie Ghost Town In The Smokies

In the lush valley, where Jake’s Creek and the Little River meet, you can find the magical Daisy Town…

October 19, 2021

The Most Dog Friendly National Parks

If you’ve traveled to many National Parks with your pups, then you know that in general, they are not very dog-friendly…

August 24, 2021

10 Best Things to Do at Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park might be one of the coolest, strangest, most underrated places in the entire country. The name says it all, for hundreds of years the Oglala Lakota called this harsh, otherworldly landscape mako sica, “bad land,” and the French fur trappers who came through agreed, dubbing it les mauvaises terres à traverser, “bad lands to traverse.” Standing out there, you get it instantly: no water, no shade, nothing but jagged spires for miles.

July 27, 2021

11 Must See Waterfalls In The Smokies

Looking for a waterfall hike in the Smokies? Check out these 11 Must See Waterfalls In Great Smoky Mountains…

July 20, 2021

Cades Cove: The Ultimate Guide to the Smokies’ Most Popular Valley

14 Fun Thing To Do In Cades Cove! Including to where to stay, where to eat, and what to do on your visit to Cades Cove…

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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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Recent Posts

  • The Bar Harbor Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know Before You Visit
  • The Complete Guide to the Best Bars in Bar Harbor, Maine
  • The Complete Guide To Getting Out On Frenchmans Bay
  • The Best Sunset Spots in Acadia National Park
  • One Day In Acadia With Dogs: A Local’s Itinerary

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6 months on Mount Desert Island changed my perspe 6 months on Mount Desert Island  changed my perspective on Bar Harbor and Acadia 🦞✨🦞

I’d already written about Acadia. Then I stayed there and found out how much of it was wrong, or right in a theoretical way that falls apart the second you try to park at Sand Beach in August.

So I rewrote everything, every post, and the guides I wish I had in 2011 on my first visit. 

The guides are live today. Day plans, real distances, dog access mapped trail by trail, 2026 dates, and the parts I’d tell you to skip.

Link in bio - Message me with any questions! 🦞✨

Where are you headed - the town of Bar Harbor, the park, or both? Hopefully both 😁
Six months on Mount Desert Island changes the way Six months on Mount Desert Island changes the way you see Acadia.

You stop chasing the busiest overlooks. You stop fighting for parking. You find the hikes you don’t have to wait in line for. You learn that the park before breakfast and the park at noon might as well be two different places.

Comment LOBSTER and I’ll message you a direct link the Bar Harbor/Acadia Cheat Sheet! 

👀 Keep your eyes peeled tomorrow for the Bar Harbor and Acadia Guides that I WISH I had for my first 10 trips into Bar Harbor and the park.

What’s one place you’d love the “here’s what I’d tell my best friend” guide for? 🧡
The free Bar Harbor/Acadia Cheat Sheet 🦞 It’s got The free Bar Harbor/Acadia Cheat Sheet 🦞

It’s got the places worth your time, the ones I’d skip, the sandbar you have to time with the tide, the trail almost nobody talks about, the bar hidden inside a gift shop, where to eat, and where your dogs are actually welcome.

Download it to your phone before you go, no cell service needed.

I didn’t just visit Bar Harbor. I lived there for six months, wandered the side streets, chased way too many sunrises, and learned the difference between the places everyone recommends and the ones you’ll still be talking about after you get home.

🦞 Grab the free cheat sheet at the link in my bio, or comment LOBSTER and I’ll send you the link.

The full Bar Harbor and Acadia guides are coming soon (next week-ish), but this is where I’d start.

Who’s got Bar Harbor on their road trip list? 👇
3 years of chasing sunsets from the road… …and the 3 years of chasing sunsets from the road…
…and they still ruin my schedule.

This Ruidoso sunset at Alto Lake did not disappoint. What made it even better? Wild horses showed up with a colt! See video in stories 😍

Every single time the sky starts showing off, I’m pulling over like it’s my first road trip. 

Some things are worth being late for.
The photos don’t tell you the best thing about Whi The photos don’t tell you the best thing about White Sands

It’s not just the endless white dunes or the way they turn pink at sunset.

It’s that the sand stays cool enough for bare feet, and apparently, 3 very happy dogs.

As the sun dropped, the crowds thinned out, the light turned golden, and for a little while it felt like we’d wandered onto another planet.

We stayed until the rangers started making their “time to head home” rounds. I’d do it again tomorrow.

Would your dog be sprinting across the dunes…or refusing to get sand between their toes? 🐾👇
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