This past weekend, I took a weekend getaway trip up North for my friend Kim’s birthday. A group of us stayed at an Airbnb that was a really unique experience. The stay was so different and delightful that I am devoting an entire blog post to it!
I will be mixing in highlights from the weekend and what we did during our stay. But mostly this post is all about this place, Runaway Bay—including its charming rough edges and what we took advantage of while there.
I don’t usually post about specific paid accommodation but this blog is all about not doing what is typical anyway! I don’t necessary mean for people to run and book this particular Airbnb after reading about my experience (although nothing is stopping you!). What I hope is it will inspire others to try something new—a different type of accommodation—when you have the chance.
The run of the mill Hotel or even Airbnb stay can get stale. This adventurous option was just the deviation I needed!
When I moved to Miami, I thought my food adventures would center mostly around Cuban cuisine. I quickly realized how wrong I was!
Cuban food happens to be one of my least favorite and most infrequently tapped into cuisines here in Miami. Instead, I’ve satiated my foodie desires through this pandemic with a vast diversity of not only Latine foods but cultures from all over the world.
Being in a big city means I can still find some of my favorite types of food as well as some of my all time favorites for a tropical climate with a huge Latine and Caribbean population. In this post, I introduce all of my favorites, as well as giving some honorable mentions and acknowledgements to the Miami standards.
While visiting Orlando for a conference, I decided to take a little detour for a nature fix. Wekiwa Springs State Park is one of many parks with springs in the area surrounding Orlando. It looked like the perfect place to enjoy a couple of hours in the sun.
This park has much to do including camping, swimming, kayaking, and what I decided to do on my trip—get lost hiking!
Well, I didn’t exactly get lost, but I did end up going down a trail that was once a trail but is no longer! I went literally off the beaten path. Oops! I guess Google maps isn’t always the most accurate about its park trails.
What’s happening in Ukraine sucks! When bad stuff happens in the world that feels out of our control, we often go looking for ways we can help.
I especially wanted to help because part of the family is from a small town just outside of Kyiv, Ukraine. I knew I found the right way to support when my friend shared with me a really unique option. It would make a small difference in the life of a Ukrainian right now.
So I booked an Airbnb stay with a local in Kyiv last weekend! But of course I didn’t go. I simply told the host to keep the money, but that I wasn’t coming. I believe that with enough people joining in, this small gesture can collectively have a lasting impact for many. As a traveler, I love this idea! And so, in this post, I share all the details in the hopes that others might book a stay in Ukraine right now, too!
I learned a new word this past weekend—Agritourism! Who knew there was a whole word for all the farm stays, farm stands, and farm-to-table dining?
This new word came across my path quote literally as I rode up and down Krome Avenue in Western Miami. This stretch of road is one of several popular bicycle paths, better known for its access to farmed goods and supplies.
I enjoyed a few hours ride in the afternoon sun, visiting different farm vendors. From homemade breads to roasted corn on the cob—this was an agritourism experience I’d like to taste all over again soon!
For the last few hours of my last day in Denver, Dasha took me to explore the River North (RiNo) Art District. We drank cider, took in street art, and played with bike shares. It was a simple and fulfilling way to kill some time before my flight back to Miami.
RiNo Art District is a part of a non-profit art collective focused on uplifting local artists and small business owners. The district also represents a prime example of the erasure of Black history, culture, and prosperity. And how white visitors can contribute to that.
It’s Black History Month, and so I kick off this post with a bit of education about one of our country’s most gentrified cities right down to its most gentrified neighborhood—what was once considered The Harlem of the West.
This week, I am bringing attention to the recent underwater volcanic eruption off the coast of Tonga. On January 14, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted suddenly and loudly, causing a tsunami that impacted Tonga—and coastlines around the world.
Why am I discussing this? Back in 2015, I visited nearby island country, Niue, while on a year-long working holiday visa in New Zealand. In Niue, I met the Tongia family who are originally from Tonga. They gave me one of my most cherished memories from my long-term trip around the world.
In this post, I reflect on my time with the Tongia family and how easy it is for us to forget how connected we all are on this fragile rock we call Earth.
Perhaps this is why they call it COLORado. I planned a trip to Denver to hike the Rocky Mountains. What I didn’t know is that one of the most gorgeous views during my trip would be the trees right in my friend’s neighborhood.
We took a short drive through Baker and other Denver neighborhoods to visit a farmer’s market on my last day in Denver. It was a perfect Fall day and the colors of the trees were more vibrant than this Floridian has ever remembered Fall being!
Apparently, the right combination of conditions in 2021 allowed for one of the most colorful Falls in Denver in a long time. I’m so glad I got to see it as we browsed the local farmer’s market. I couldn’t stop taking photos! Read on to see more photos of just how gorgeous it was!
If there is one thing that is equally beautiful and annoying during this pandemic it is gratitude. When bad shit happens, we’re often told to think about what we are grateful for. The last 2 years have been truly utter shit for everyone. Ok, maybe not Jeff Bezos, but for the average person things have sucked big time.
When we sugar coat things with what we are grateful for, I think it takes away from our need to actually feel the feelings we have. Ignoring your feelings or the feelings of others is not healthy—it’s toxic.
That’s why the name of this year’s new year’s reflection is Gratitude and Shit. Because while a lot of good things happened this year, there’s still a lot of shitty shit. Both can be true. And I believe it’s better we be real about it than not.
I was a major horror film buff growing up and I still am. That’s why I agreed to take up Dasha's suggestion to check out the Stanley Hotel while in Estes Park, CO. Especially since it was the weekend before Halloween!
If you don’t know, the Stanley Hotel was famously the inspiration for Stephen King's thriller novel The Shining. After Dasha and I hiked Rocky Mountain National Park, we made a stop to experience all its spookiness.
What we discovered was a lot of people, a blustery day, and some unexpected facts about this iconic resort inn.
Back in late October, before the omicron COVID-19 variant was in the news, I took a 3-day trip out to Colorado. I had 2 goals while there—to spend time with my bestie, Dasha, and to hike some mountains!
I have absolutely no mountains close by to hike in Miami. So Dasha and I chose a hike that would take us to about 10,000 feet in elevation and end with two gorgeous mountain lake views.
This hike took me higher than my hike up Mount Ngauruhoe (aka Mount Doom) in New Zealand! While, I hiked Hunter Mountain in New York back in August, this was going to be my first time hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park.
This week has been a busy and challenging one for me. So I am going to simply share with you all a sneak peak into my trip to Denver, CO back in late October. I went on a whim and had an amazing time!
This short photo essay is like a trailer to feature length posts I plan to write about my time out there.
Two weekends ago, I took a trip out to the Colorado Rocky Mountains. While out there, I couldn’t help but reflect on the time I spent in the Otago Region of New Zealand. The area is most famous for its mountain ranges such as the Southern Alps and the Remarkables.
I’ve decided to share some scenic memories of my time there before I get into sharing my latest spontaneous trip out in Colorado. Specifically, I am sharing some photos I never posted here from the gorgeous Queenstown area—the central destination for tourists visiting New Zealand’s South island.
This is a memory post. A nostalgia post. A comparison post for what’s to come in my reflections on Rocky Mountain State Park. Perhaps this post is also anticipatory of a time when I can travel internationally to see mountains again!
My friend recently asked me this question. I decided to create a post around my answer.
This is one of those “into my brain” posts. It’s different from my posts on How to Decide Where to Travel—The Practical Deviation and How to Decide Where to Travel—The Personal Deviation. This one is more process-based, where you get to see how my brain works when I start planning for travel. It’s also based on what I do now as a short-term travel soloist.
My process now is budget-based and interest-based with a final look at safety. I have to admit, it’s something I’ve been doing a lot throughout the pandemic. I look up destinations and plan trips I can’t go on yet. Sounds a bit sad writing it like that but this has actually helped me get through this long period of no travel. Now I have several trips in mind, ready to be booked when the time feels right!
What’s the safest way to enjoy music during a pandemic? Outdoors!
Recently, my friend Kim took me for a late birthday present to my first concert in years. The concert was held outside at Miami’s North Beach Bandshell.
Nu Deco Nucleus is the ensemble that performed, covering a variety of music. The central allure, at least for me, was their tribute covers of a few hits by Daft Punk. The entire setting was decorated in candlelight, making it an incredibly atmospheric setting. In this post, I share video and photos highlighting this spectacular experience.
I love discovering new hobbies. Even more, I love finding little adventurous experiences not far from home. Both of these loves defined my day trip to the Florida Keys a couple of weeks ago.
Different from another time when I took a day trip to the Florida Keys, I finally went paddleboarding for the first time on this trip! With my experienced paddleboarding friend Meli, we rented paddleboards and explored mangroves and even a tiny island.
All in all, this was a perfect little getaway day trip and now I can’t wait to paddle board again!
Wow! I had an amazing time visiting the new, immersive art space in Miami called Superblue.
After going to the Van Gogh exhibit in May and Artechouse earlier this year—I was already hooked on these types of spaces. But this one totally takes the cake!
The experience is reasonably priced and not so popular that it can’t be enjoyed safely as we continue to experience high cases of COVID-19 in South Florida. You’ll just want to follow some of my “pro tips” in this post to have the best experience possible!
I had a wedding to attend in the Catskill Mountains of New York a couple of week ago. On my way there, I decided to stop for a little hike up Hunter Mountain.
I didn’t realize at the time how intense this hike would really be. While incredibly strenuous, it was exactly what my body craved after months on end living at near sea level in Florida.
In this post, I describe the entire hike from start to finish, including some info and tips to having a great experience!
I’ve flown twice on JetBlue to New York in the last 4 months since getting vaccinated. One was an unexpected trip and the other was planned. Both were interrupted by the industries labor shortage.
I was reminded how different travel is and will be in the near future.
I hope this post gives a bit more insight into air travel during COVID-19. I provide highlighted tips throughout for folks who are thinking about flying in the US again. This is what you might be in store for, including what’s really happening with COVID-19 safety procedures and the airline industry as a whole.
I now live less than an hour drive from Key largo in the Florida Keys. With such close access, I can actually SCUBA dive gorgeous waters and reef more easily—an activity I usually reserve for long-distance and international travel.
This increased access opened up my mind to the idea of enhancing my SCUBA certification. I’ve always wondered about Enriched Air Nitrox (EANx) diving and so I decided to take the “plunge” so to speak! In doing so , I signed up to take the course and pre-paid for 6 dives with Rainbow Reef dive company in Key Largo. Whenever I feel like going, I can drive down, hop on a boat and go diving!
It has been 5 years since I last dove with Rainbow Reef and it was amazing once again! The visibility was great for diving 2 wrecks and encountering 2 sharks!
