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September 25, 2020

The Best Shops In Salem, Masschusetts

Planning a visit to Salem this fall? You don’t want to miss this list of the best shops…

August 7, 2020

11 Can’t Miss Shops in Bar Harbor, Maine

Shops and restaurants you don’t want to miss on your next trip to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor, Maine…

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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Let's be friends! I know e-mails can suck but mine won't and I promise cute pup photos too!

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the New Mexico mountain town weekend that made me the New Mexico mountain town weekend that made me wish I’d booked one more night 🏔️

I stumbled onto Ruidoso, New Mexico during our year based in El Paso and honestly? Three days still wasn’t enough.

✨ Here’s the full honest breakdown 👇 (save this if you’re planning a trip)

🍺 Downshift Brewing Co - got there for the B-Side and left with a growler. the New Mexico Sour and Irish Exchange were both solid, and the Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Pizza was genuinely one of the best things I ate all year. skip the fried pickles, get the pizza.

🐎 Hull Road - drive it. we saw multiple elk herds just… hanging out in someone’s yard. no context, just New Mexico things.

🌅 Alto Lake - showed up at noon on a Saturday, took one look at the crowd and left. Came back at sunset and I’m so glad we did. the light was everything. timing is everything. A herd of wild horses with a colt showed up 😍

🥾 Grindstone Lake - better parking than Alto, more trail options, $5 fee that seemed to only apply to boats launching. worth the stop either way.

⚠️ a few honest notes:
Smokey Bear Historical Park is a little underwhelming - $2 cash for a short movie and a look at his grave. cute if you have kids, skippable otherwise. 

🌶️ Cornerstone Bakery burrito and green chili club sandwich were great, but the green chili potato soup was a pass for me, not what I pictured. 

🏔️ Sierra Blanca Overlook will drop the temp 20 degrees at the top, wear a jacket, I’m serious. 

🍗 Rio Grande Grill had a 45-min wait at 5:45 on Saturday, so plan ahead. 

🛍️ Most shops go dark by 6pm even on Fridays, build your itinerary around that.

We kept finding more around every turn. it’s that kind of place.
Have you been to Ruidoso? 👇
Delicate Arch didn’t care that I threw a hat on an Delicate Arch didn’t care that I threw a hat on and called it a day. Neither did the wind 💨 (and yes, I’m a Red Sox fan - it’s the only thing I kept from 7 years in New England 😅😂) 

This hike is 3 miles round trip, moderate difficulty, and absolutely worth every step of slickrock climbing to get there. You round that final ledge and your brain just…stops working for a second. No notes 👏

A few things to know before you go:
🎟️ $35/vehicle entry (valid 7 days) - timed entry permits required spring through fall, book ahead at recreation.gov
🅿️ Wolfe Ranch Trailhead
🌅 Sunrise or sunset = golden light + smaller crowds
💧 More water than you think. Zero shade on this trail.
🐾 No dogs allowed on trail - leave your pups at camp for this one

Swipe through and tell me the arch didn’t make your jaw drop. I’ll wait. 🏜️

✨🏜️Save this if Arches is on your bucket list!!
Lake. Campfire. Killer 90’s Country Playlist. If t Lake. Campfire. Killer 90’s Country Playlist. If this isn’t happiness I don’t know what is 🔥🌅

#millenialtravel #sunsetchaser #roadtripusa
Sunset on the lake. Campfire crackling. Freya and Sunset on the lake. Campfire crackling. Freya and Caly losing their minds in the best way. Throw on some 90s country and this is literally the perfect way to end the day. 🌅🔥🐾
If travel has taught me one thing… 🪻☀️🌙✨ It’s To If travel has taught me one thing…

🪻☀️🌙✨ It’s To Pay Attention.

There’s an art to traveling slowly, and most people never learn it…

They’re the details you almost walked past. 🌿
.

#SlowTravel #TheArtOfNoticing #WellWornShoes #TravelDifferently #acadianationalpark
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