All posts filed under: Stay Traveled

Santorini Travel Guide

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This post has been a long time coming and is the last part of our honeymoon. As always, I like to plan all of our trips with the best for last and of course in Greece, that means Santorini! It is one of the most beautiful and picturesque landscapes of the 70+  islands. About an hour flight from Athens and a 2-hour ferry ride from Mykonos, it’s a stop you simply can’t miss. My husband and I chose to take the ferry and were not disappointed. Our hotel (Sophia Luxury Suites), arranged transportation for us at the port upon arrival. It was a 20-minute drive up the rocky crescent shaped caldera through Fira (the capital) into Imerovigli, the highest village on the island. We debated whether we wanted to stay in Oia, another popular town for vacationers or Imerovigli, which is quieter and has more boutique hotels. We ultimately ended up choosing Imerovigli because it was central and gave us a fantastic 90% view of the unique crescent shaped island. It was also a peaceful area for honeymooners! …

Mykonos Travel Guide

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Our second stop on our Greece honeymoon destination was Mykonos! It is known as the “party island” and “Greece’s answer to Ibiza.” Their high season is May – August, with July being the most popular month for partygoers. Clubs stay open until 7am and some even 10am. Since we came in early October, we avoided much of the touristy crowded streets and bars. However it was just enough to appreciate the liveliness and beauty of the island. Here are the details from our trip! MYKONOS, GREECE Airline: Aegean Airlines (30 minute flight from Athens) Transportation: Taxi to the hotel and our hotel provided transportation to the city each night (5 minute ride from our hotel). Hotel: Cavo Tagoo Mykonos (Gorgeous! I would definitely stay here again and highly recommend this hotel). The hotel is seasonal and only open May – October. Trip  length: 2 nights (but definitely stay 3 – at least!) SIGHTSEEING: Chora (Mykonos Town): Much of Mykonos sightseeing can be done in or close to the “Chora” which is Mykonos Town. It is where …

Athens Travel Guide

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I’m so excited to be blogging about my honeymoon adventure! Greece has been on my travel bucket list for a very long time. The beautiful pictures I saw online beforehand of the high cliffs and gorgeous sunsets were truly breathtaking and highly persuasive! When my fiancé and I first started planning our honeymoon, I was set on Bora Bora (French Polynesia). The over-water bungalows and white sands had been my dream for years! What prompted our decision to go to Greece was the amazing trip we took to Europe last year (France and Italy)!  I loved that we had the mixture of both adventure and relaxation. It was the exact adventure I was up for after marrying my best friend. Check out the trip recap from our honeymoon vacation in Athens below… ATHENS, GREECE Airline: Delta/Atalia My favorite airline booking website to compare airlines prices is Cheapoair.com. We’ve booked many international flights using this site. However, this time we booked through Delta (due to points) which tends to be a bit pricier. However, we had a …

Australian Travel Guide

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I recently had the wonderful opportunity to visit Sydney, Australia! It has been on my travel list for a long time. The city is rich and diverse in topography. I spent a total of 4 days in the country, but wish I could’ve stayed longer. Although it was Australia’s winter time (70 degrees Fahrenheiht with the sun out), it did not stop me from enjoying my time and exploring as much as I could. As a bonus, it was their annual light festival called “VIVID” in which prominent buildings around the city are lit up with colorful light show displays (including the famous Darling Harbor and Sydney Opera House). Some of the highlights of my trip included: City Center and Queen Victoria Building – We stayed at The Westin hotel in the center of downtown Sydney. It was a great location because it was walking distance to most of the main attractions in the city (The Harbor, Opera House, Capitol Theater, Queen Victoria Building and Hyde Park). On our first day there, I explored all of downtown. …

Big Sur Travel Guide

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If there was ever a debate on whether or not California is the most beautiful state in the continental US, you must visit Big Sur. Three and a half hours northwest of Los Angeles, Big Sur is home to one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. Yes, the world. It’s been featured in many car commercials for obvious reason. Located off of Highway 1, you can expect to see dramatic cliff edges, beautiful mountain ranges and of course, the vast beautiful blue Pacific Ocean. We happened to drive down on the perfect day. There was no marine layer and weather was warm enough to let the windows down and enjoy the ocean breeze. There are many designated cliffside parking stops along the way to get out and enjoy the view and take plenty of pictures. Big Sur is also the perfect staycation and weekend getaway for California natives. There are many hiking trails and restaurants nestled in the forest. Perhaps the best part is that the environment encourages you to just unplug. There are …

Paris Travel Guide

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I am so excited to write this post and couldn’t think of a more perfect time of the year to share with you all the most romantic trip I’ve ever taken. Paris is everything you imagine it to be and so much more. It is a city rich with art, culture and history. I had the opportunity to visit this charming city in the month of October. The weather was crisp, warm enough during the day for pants and a light sweater and cool at night for a fancy long coat. My fiancé and I stayed in Paris a total of 4 nights and our goal was to see as much as we possibly could. We took a cab from Charles de Gaulle airport to our hotel. *WARNING* There are Parisians at the airport who try to scam you into taking one of their cars. They will tell you if you don’t have a reservation through your hotel, you cannot take a normal taxi. Do not listen, follow the ‘TAXI’ sign. We almost bought into this, …

Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes California

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As much as I love international travel, I hold something very special in my heart for ‘Staycations.’ I love a good getaway that is relaxing, but still close enough to home where you don’t have to go through check-in, security and aisle seats. Thus, I introduce you to the luxurious Terranea (terra-NAY-a) Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes California. The 102- acre private peninsula is absolutely breathtaking. We visited in the month of February and the weather was surprisingly perfect. Although we’ve been spoiled in California when it comes to winter weather. When we pulled up to the valet, I instantly felt as if we were on actual vacation in some tropical destination. The grounds include: residential bungalows, casitas and villas, an award winning 9-hole par three golf course, an ocean front spa, restaurants, bars, lounges, shopping boutiques and the best part a walking trail along the coast. The resort is also eco-friendly. We had dinner reservations at the hotel’s restaurant Mar’Sel, but came early to grab a drink and enjoy the lounge and walk along the …

Shanghai Travel Guide

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Shanghai is by far one of the best cities I’ve traveled to, especially throughout Asia. Located in East China, the city is the perfect combination of old and new. The modern architecture makes you feel like you’re in a city of the future and the buildings are the most impressive I’ve seen throughout my travels. With over 24 million people, Shanghai is the largest city in China by population. I stayed in the financial district of Shanghai at the beautiful Grand Hyatt hotel. I highly recommend this hotel to first time visitors of Shanghai for its incredible 360° views of the city during both the day and night. There is an observation deck in this hotel called the “Jin Mao Tower” and also a popular bar at the top of the hotel. Finally, the Grand Hyatt Shanghai is in a central location and close to the metro station making it very easy to get around. View from the Grand Hyatt Restaurant Hotel Room ViewShanghai Center (brand new building) Nanjing Road – If you Google “Top 10 Things …

Tokyo Travel Guide

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I made my first trip to Tokyo, Japan this past December. It was a cold time of the year to go, but I was already traveling through China and I knew it would be worth the stop. I heard from friends that had previously visited, that it was an amazing city. I stayed in Tokyo a total of 3 nights and 4 full days. Although I didn’t have much time, I was able to do a lot of sightseeing and make the most out of my trip. I made sure to research in advanced the places that were “must-sees” and made a plan of how I could see 2-3 attractions per day. For first time visitors I would recommend staying at least 5 nights since traveling itself can take a toll and because of the time it takes to adjust to jet lag. I flew into Narita airport and stayed in the “Shinjuku” district of Tokyo. The ride from the airport to the hotel was about 1.5 – 2 hours due to the traffic flow. …