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Traveling with Sweeney

Traveling with Sweeney

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California

California, Destinations, North America, USA

Northern California Getaway — Three Days in Sonoma County

Catherine Sweeney
June 7, 2026
No Comments
Northern California Getaway — Three Days in Sonoma County

3-day Sonoma County, California getaway

california, healdsburg, northern california, sonoma county, USA, wine country
California, Destinations, North America, USA

Paso Robles Wine Country Getaway

Catherine Sweeney
April 25, 2025
Paso Robles Wine Country Getaway

Summer getaway in Paso Robles wine country

california, featured, paso robles, USA, wine, wine country
California, Destinations, North America, USA

I Left My Heart in Northern California

Catherine Sweeney
July 21, 2021
I Left My Heart in Northern California

A sentimental and rejuvenating road trip in Northern California

california, food, healdsburg, northern california, san mateo county, sonoma coast, sonoma county, USA, wine, wine country county
California, Destinations, USA

First Flight: Traveling with a Five-Year-Old

Catherine Sweeney
April 16, 2016
First Flight: Traveling with a Five-Year-Old

An early morning wake-up call couldn’t dim our enthusiasm for taking my five-year-old great-nephew Elijah (we call him Eli) on his first plane trip. I’m not sure who was the most excited — Eli or us.

california, family travel, traveling with kids, USA
California, Destinations, Europe, France, USA

A Taste of Burgundy in California Wine Country

Catherine Sweeney
April 15, 2015
A Taste of Burgundy in California Wine Country

Sometimes the recipe for a special evening is created in a surprising and exceptional way. French flavors, California wine, charming hosts, new friends, and a remarkable venue provided the ingredients for our lovely evening in Santa Rosa, California hosted by Fallot Mustard and DeLoach Vineyards.

california, food, france, wine
Accommodations, California, Destinations, USA

Wining, Dining, and Mining in El Dorado County

Catherine Sweeney
January 26, 2015
Wining, Dining, and Mining in El Dorado County

El Dorado County is just a two hour drive from my house and yet I had no idea that it was a gold mine of a getaway.

california, USA
Accommodations, California, Cruise Travel, Nevada, USA

South Lake Tahoe: Sail, Spa, and Spin(ners)

Catherine Sweeney
January 14, 2015
South Lake Tahoe: Sail, Spa, and Spin(ners)

By Mr. TWS — Sweeney and I love to go to Lake Tahoe, usually to ski or enjoy a summer break. Since it’s only a bit more than three hours’ drive from our home in the San Francisco Bay Area, we’ve been there many times. This time, there were a few firsts that we enjoyed.

california, Cruises, Nevada, USA
Arizona, California, Destinations, Sweeney in Arizona, USA

By the Time I Got to Phoenix

Catherine Sweeney
November 14, 2014
By the Time I Got to Phoenix

By the time I got to Phoenix, the car was covered in dust from blowing desert sands and highway construction. I was a bit dusty myself. I was also hungry — traveling always whets my appetite. And I was happy. Road trips make me smile, and arriving at a place where I’ll be visiting loved ones makes me smile, too.

Arizona, california, road trip, USA
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About Catherine Sweeney

Catherine Sweeney is a travel enthusiast with a lifelong passion for going places. A weekend getaway, an international journey, a cross-country road trip, or a local jaunt — they’re all on her radar. And it’s all made extra special when she’s enjoying the finer things in life with Mr. TWS, her husband and co-blogger. Get inspired as they share photos and stories highlighting the best of destinations, food, wine, history, culture and the arts.

Recent Posts

  • Northern California Getaway — Three Days in Sonoma County
  • From Barcelona to Rome on a Viking Western Mediterranean Cruise
  • Day Trip from Copenhagen to Helsingør, Lund, and Malmö
  • 5 Days in Irresistible Copenhagen, Denmark
  • British Isles Explorer Cruise Experience: On Board and On Shore

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New on the blog - Sonoma County travel inspiration New on the blog - Sonoma County travel inspiration! A look back a three-day getaway in my favorite part of Northern California. Wine,food, and beautiful scenery. Link in bio and in comments. #visitsonoma #californiadreaming #sonomacounty #winecountry #travel
From our last trip to California -- Another Sonoma From our last trip to California -- Another Sonoma County winery tip for your next visit. Check out Wilson Winery in Dry Creek Valley just north of Healdsburg (where we were based on this trip). They have a great variety of Zinfandel wines and we brought home a few bottles of their Sydney Reserve Zin. Lovely place to sit outside and enjoy the vineyard views. #sonomawines #californiadreaming #vineyards #drycreek valley #wine
Planning a Sonoma County summer getaway? Consider Planning a Sonoma County summer getaway? Consider a mountaintop tour and tasting at Kunde Family Winery in Kenwood, California. More photos and ideas for food, wine, and fun experiences coming soon here and on the blog for your getaway planning. #sonomawine #visitsonomacounty #californiawine #travelcalifornia #winetasting
Thinking a lot about Sicily lately. Check out our Thinking a lot about Sicily lately. Check out our 11-day itinerary for your travel inspiration. Link in bio or copy from comments. Ragusa Ibla is the old city center of Ragusa (shown in the photo), one of the eight Late Baroque towns in the Val di Noto of southeastern Sicily to be on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 2002. There is much to explore in this town that was largely rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake that devastated the region. #visitsicily #ragusaibla #travelgram #travelitaly #sicilia
NEW on the blog - a recap of our shore excursions NEW on the blog - a recap of our shore excursions in Spain, France, and Italy on a Viking Iconic Western Mediterranean cruise. This photo was on the French Riviera - what could be better? Link in bio and in comments. #myvikingstory #cruisetravel #mediterranean #frenchriviera #villefranchesurmer
No fooling! This is where I’d like to be right now No fooling! This is where I’d like to be right now — aboard the Viking Mars on a Mediterranean cruise. The beautiful coastal city in the first photo is Villefranche-sur-Mer, France, taken from the ship. I was wearing Mr. TWS’s sunglasses 😎 He looks better in them! Other photos of the happy traveler are from various spots onboard, too. New blog post about the trip coming soon. #myvikingstory #mediterranean #cruise #travelgram #vikingmars
Scottsdale, Arizona showed up today! #nokings #not Scottsdale, Arizona showed up today! #nokings #notpaid #savedemocracy #scottsdale
A #sundayshoutout to the super crew of the Viking A #sundayshoutout to the super crew of the Viking Mars on our recent Mediterranean cruise. This was a great welcome back to the ship after one of our shore excursions in Italy. Thanks to all of the crew for another memorable cruise! #myvikingstory #vikingmars #mediterraneancruise #cruisetravel
When you take a @vikingcruises ocean cruise, be su When you take a @vikingcruises ocean cruise, be sure to book a dinner at the Chef's Table specialty restaurant. It's always a treat to discover new dishes or innovative takes on familiar ones. There are different menus every few nights that you can check out when you are aboard, but make a reservation as far in advance as you can. On our Iconic Western Mediterranean cruise, we opted for the Mexico menu and it was probably my favorite of all we've experienced on our ocean cruises. There are five courses, each with a perfectly-paired wine. Clockwise from top left: * Amuse Bouche - Tostadas de Pulpo * One of the lovely red wines * First Course - Tamalito de Pollo * Granita - Nopales con Limón * Main Course - Short Rib * Dessert - Chocolate en Texturas * That's Mr. TWS! * Main Course salmon substitution for Mr. TWS who doesn't eat meat * Dessert - Chocolate en Texturas It was all delicious and a great dining experience. Let me know in comments if you'd like a little more description of the dishes or the wines they were served with. #myvikingstory #chefstable #vikingmars #cruisetravel #mexicancuisine
Lovely Lucca, Italy. We first visited this beautif Lovely Lucca, Italy. We first visited this beautiful city in Tuscany about 11 years ago and looked forward to returning during our @vikingcruises Mediterranean cruise. Loved walking on the Renaissance-era city walls, strolling the winding streets and alleys, stopping by the house where Puccini was born, having a quiet moment at the Church of San Michele, and taking a beverage break at an outdoor cafe on Piazza dell’Anfiteatro. #myvikingstory #shoreexcursion #cruisetravel #luccaitaly #travelgram
What a glorious day in Villefranche-sur-Mer, Franc What a glorious day in Villefranche-sur-Mer, France! We wandered up and down the narrow streets and staircases, walked to the beach, stepped inside old churches and chapels, browsed the shops, and had a wonderful lunch quayside at @lameregermaine_villefranche. A day to remember on our @vikingcruises Iconic Western Mediterranean cruise. #myvikingstory #mediterraneanvibes #beautifulday☀️ #frenchriviera🇫🇷🌴☀️ #cotedazurfrance
A few more photos from the picturesque village of A few more photos from the picturesque village of Le Castellet, France on our shore excursion with Viking yesterday. #myvikingstory #visitsouthoffrance #cruisetravel #provencealpescôtedazur #traveler
Instagram post 17997287294872536 Instagram post 17997287294872536
Welcome to the Mediterranean port city of Sète! Ju Welcome to the Mediterranean port city of Sète! Just a quick selection of photos from yesterday’s shore excursion on our Viking Iconic Western Mediterranean cruise. Because of its network of canals, it is known as the the Venice of the Languedoc region of France. Also note the colorful buildings and murals painted by local artists. #myvikingstory #sète #france #mediterranean #shoreexcursions
Leaving Barcelona at sunset on the Viking I Knox W Leaving Barcelona at sunset on the Viking I Knox Western Mediterranean cruise. #myvikingstory #mediterranean #cruise #travelgram
Take a walk with me through Sitges, Spain. It’s a Take a walk with me through Sitges, Spain. It’s a lovely Mediterranean seaside town in Catalonia about a half-hour drive southwest from Barcelona. Sitges is very popular for its beaches and festivals. This was our first shore excursion on our Viking Iconic Western Mediterranean cruise. More to come … #myvikingstory #shoreexcursion #sitges #visitspain #travelgram
Good morning from Barcelona! Sunrise view from our Good morning from Barcelona! Sunrise view from our stateroom while at port with @vikingcruises. Heading out on a shore excursion to the beach town of Sitges. Stay tuned for more. #myvikingstory #mediterraneansunrise #barcelona #spain #travelgram
When in Malmö, Sweden — enjoy public art! This pho When in Malmö, Sweden — enjoy public art! This photo is of The Optimist Orchestra sculpture that was installed to mark the opening of the pedestrianized Södergatan Street in 1985. During our stay in Copenhagen we took a day trip to Kronborg Castle in Helsingor, Denmark, then crossed the strait of Øresund to visit Lund and Malmö in Sweden. Check out the latest blog post for more photos and information. Link in bio and or copy from comment below. #malmo #visitsweden #travelgram #urbansculptures #publicart
Queen for about a minute at Kronborg Castle in Hel Queen for about a minute at Kronborg Castle in Helsingør, Denmark. Kronborg is a 16th-century fortress that is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Did you know that it was the setting of Shakespeare's "Hamlet"? You might notice Yorick's skull sneaking into the photo to the right. Other pics include the casemates (which were a little dark and scary) where there is a statue of Holger the Dane. We visited Kronborg on a day trip from Copenhagen that also took us to Lund and Malmö in Sweden. More to come soon! Check the bio for a link to our first Denmark article. #Helsingor #kronborg #castle #visitdenmark #traveleurope
I've just published a new post on the blog about i I've just published a new post on the blog about irresistible Copenhagen, Denmark. This photo was taken along the canal in historic Nyhavn district. Link in bio or copy https://www.travelingwithsweeney.com/five-days-in-copenhagen/ So much to love -- architecture, charm, vibrant character, people, cuisine, and hygee (a cozy sense of well-being)! #copenhagen #denmark #traveleurope #travelgram #lovetotravel❤️
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