Viking cruise shore excursions in Scotland
Indulging the Senses on the Mediterranean Coast of France
A Mediterranean coastal journey in southern France
Exploring Scotland and Its Islands on a Viking Cruise
From Cities to Farms – Iceland’s Culture, Heritage, and Cuisine
From cities to farms in Iceland
Exploration and Relaxation — Collette Tour Excursions in Iceland
Whale watching, bay cruising, glacier exploration, and relaxation in Iceland
Natural Beauty and Awesome Wonders of Iceland
Natural Beauty of Iceland
Paso Robles Wine Country Getaway
Summer getaway in Paso Robles wine country
Travel Destinations for Romantics
10 romantic travel destinations to visit
Exploring Treasures of the Mediterranean from Istanbul to Athens
Exploring Mediterranean treasures from Istanbul to Athens
Six Days in Zurich for a Holiday Kickoff
Six days in Zurich, Switzerland
Fascinated by Istanbul on a Viking Cruise
Discovering Istanbul with Viking Cruises
The Allure of Italy in Liguria and Tuscany
Liguria and Tuscany on a Mediterranean Coastal Journry
Capturing the Essence of Catalonia on a Coastal Journey
Exploring Barcelona and Costa Brava with Collette
Breathe, Relax, Contemplate at the Japanese Friendship Garden
Japanese Friendship Garden in Phoenix
Best Things to Do in the Phoenix Area: Art and Culture Venues
Art and cultureal venues to visit in the Phoenix Metro area
Sears-Kay Ruins and Hieroglyphic Trails: Hiking in the Tonto National Forest
Hikes and Hohokam History in Arizona
Top Reasons to Take a Collette Guided Tour in Morocco
Reasons to take a Collette guided tour in Morocco
Lasting Memories — Shopping for Souvenirs in Morocco
Lasting memories of Morocco by taking home souvenirs
5 Days in London on a Holiday Getaway
5 days on a London holiday getaway
An Enchanting Stay in the Sahara Desert
What an experience! Two nights at a luxury Sahara Desert camp Of the many highlights during our Collette Colors of Morocco tour, our two nights at a Sahara Desert camp stands out as one of the best. Ever since I was very young, I dreamed of seeing the Sahara Desert…
Broadening Our Horizons in Morocco on a Collette Guided Tour
Morocco Guided Tour
Viking Expedition Cruise Recap: Canada and the Atlantic Coastline
Viking Expedition cruise of Canada and the Atlantic Coastline We’re back home in Scottsdale, Arizona after 15 days at sea with Viking on one of their incredible expedition ships, the Octantis. We’ll have much to share in future posts about the sights, excursions, onboard experiences, and sailing the St. Lawrence…
A Farewell to Sicily in Taormina
Three days in Taormina
Siracusa: Sicily’s Ancient City of Power and Grandeur
Best of Siracusa in two days
Going Baroque — Things to Do in Ragusa
Two days in Ragusa
Intrigued by Palermo, Sicily’s Cultural Capital
3 Days in Palermo, Sicily
What to Do on a Shore Excursion in Monaco
Tips for a day in Monaco
Sweeney Unplugged at Zion National Park
A two-night stay at Zion National Park
Finding Love in Slovenia on a Collette Guided Tour
Ljubljana, Lake Bled, and Lipca Stud Farm
Exploring the Balkans with Collette: Our First Guided Land Tour
Collette guided tour to the Balkans
Sights and Sounds of Saravejo and Other Bosnia Highlights
Highlights of Sarajevo, Bosnia
A Taste of Croatia from Dubrovnik to Zagreb
Highlights of six days in Croatia
Top Things to Do When You Take a Viking Ocean Cruise
Top tips for taking a Viking Mediterranean cruise
Wine, Dine, and Back in Time on Mediterranean Cruise Shore Excursions
Our top three optional shore excursions on a Viking Mediterranean Odyssey cruise
Mediterranean Moments: Scenes from a Viking Cruise
Photo highlights of a Viking Mediterranean Odyssey cruise From Venice to Barcelona, our Viking Mediterranean Odyssey cruise included new as well as familiar destinations. In new locations, we looked for the highlights that capture the essence of the place. In places we had previously visited, we looked for something new,…
Sipping and Savoring the Flavors of Crete
A day trip to Crete wine country
Three Days in Romantic Santorini
Three days in romantic Santorini
Feed Your Creative Soul in Tuscany
Tuscany Art Adventure — September 18 – 24, 2022
Athens, Greece: City of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom
Top things to do in Athens, Greece on a 4-day visit
12-Day Greece Itinerary at a Glance
A 12-day Greece itinerary
Highlights of Seville, Spain
Highlights of Seville, Spain
Valencia, A Mediterranean Delight
Our top recommendations of things to do in Valencia Spain
Adventures and Misadventures in Antigua
Fun and adventure in Antigua
Lights, Camera, Action in Antigua
Glimpses of Antigua — a romantic and active stay on the island
I Left My Heart in Northern California
A sentimental and rejuvenating road trip in Northern California
Food and Culture on the Camino de Santiago
Cuisine and culture along the Camino de Santiago
Cosanti: The “Against Things” Spirit of Soleri
A visit to Paolo Soleri’s Cosanti in Paradise Valley, Arizona
Hope Springs Eternal in Upper Manhattan
Scenes of Spring at Fort Tryon Park, Upper Manhattan, New York City
Romantic Europe: 10 Special Places in My Heart
What is it about a place that compels us call it romantic?
Traveling Sisters — A Sentimental Journey
Memories of shared travel experiences with my sister, Chris
I Dream of Going Back to Italy
Dreaming of a return to Italy
Special Mother-Daughter Travel Experiences: Part Two
Part two of a special series featuring stories of mother-daughter travel experiences
Special Mother-Daughter Travel Experiences: Part One
Part one of a collaborative series featuring mother-daughter travel experiences
Viking Cruise Shore Excursions: Should You Take Them?
Should you take shore excursions on Viking river and ocean cruises?
Tallinn on the Baltic: A Medieval Surprise
HIghlights of things to do in Tallinn, Estonia
Travel Planning: Seeing 2020 by Looking Back
Travel tips and inspiration for traveling in 2020
Scottsdale Hikes: Marcus Landslide Trail at Tom’s Thumb
We’ve now added the Marcus Landslide Trail to our list of favorite hikes in Scottsdale.
Giving Thanks in 16 Languages
Grateful for travels past and future We are very grateful for many things, including our past travels and those ahead! I’d like to highlight some of the places I’ve visited that have me reflecting on the priceless gift of travel. How to say “thank you” in different languages Can you…
Two Days in St. Petersburg: Russia’s Venice of the North
What to see and do in Russia’s second largest city
Sailing the Baltic Sea with Viking: Our First Ocean Cruise
Cruising the Baltic Sea with Viking
Sunset in Stockholm and Other Baltic Cruise Highlights
Photo highlights of a Baltic cruise
Packing Light: Tips for Women Travelers
Simple packing tips for women travelers
Musical Journeys Around the World at MIM Phoenix
MIM – The Musical Instrument Museum of Phoenix
Krakow, Poland: Part Two of a Nine-Day Itinerary
Top things to do in Krakow, Poland
Warsaw, Poland: Part One of a Nine-Day Itinerary
Highlights of Warsaw on our 9-day tour of three Polish cities
A Walk on the Pink Granite Coast of Brittany
From Perros-Guirec to Ploumanac’h on the Sentiers des Douaniers on the Brittany coast
Packing Guide for Easy Desert Hiking
Tips for easy hiking in the desert
3 Days in Paris: Best Things to Do
Best things to do in Paris when you’ve been before
Charmed by Dinan, an Irresistible Town in Brittany
Dinan, France — a most charming town in Brittany
Top Things to Do in Cologne, Germany
Fun and interesting things to do in Cologne, Germany As wonderful as it was to visit Cologne during our first visit several years ago, we were thrilled to get a second “sniff of Cologne” during our Viking Rhine Getaway cruise. Gliding along the Rhine on a sunny morning, we watched the…
Rome’s Enchanting Quartiere Coppedé
Step outside of the most well-known areas of Rome and visit the Quartiere Coppedé where architect Gino Coppedé’s designs take you into a fairytale world.
Nature and Architecture in Harmony at Taliesin West
Visiting Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona
Through the Lens of Barbara Nelson: The Timeless Beauty of Romania
Editor’s note April 15, 2021: This post has been updated to feature a new Romania photography workshop added for August 1-16, 2021. The timeless beauty of Romania Barbara Nelson is a photographer, journalist and event producer who I had the pleasure of meeting several years ago as she was leading…