USA Archives

Transatlantic Cruising on the Cunard Queen Mary 2

Just the mere mention of the Queen Mary 2 conjures up images of voyages of old, transatlantic cruising on majestic ocean liners fit for royalty. The utter romance of sipping decadent cocktails on the veranda deck, strolling the promenade in the evening breeze, and dancing the night away to a string orchestra. You know, the fancy parts of the movie Titanic that made you dream of luxury cruising! For seven days in January those dreams became reality as I boarded the legendary Queen Mary 2 in the port of Brooklyn, New York and set sail for Southampton, England.

February 28, 2019

The Rainy Day Guide to New Orleans

A little rain doesn’t have to ruin your trip to NOLA. The good news is, there’s lots of fun activities to do in New Orleans that are indoors, from live music and great food to taking a cooking class – there’s always something you can find to do. See below for several picks of what to do in New Orleans when the weather doesn’t go your way!

February 8, 2019

The Most Instagrammable Spots in Portland, Oregon

I recently had the opportunity to stay at the brand new Radisson RED Portland Downtown thanks to my friends at Radisson Rewards and spend a few days exploring all that the city has to offer and finding all the fun things to do in Portland. From donuts to iconic signs to gardens, I curated this list of some of my favorite photo spots to spice up your ‘gram while you’re visiting PDX so that you never run out of things to do during your visit. There are so many great photo spots in Portland that it was hard to just choose a few for my list. Some of these are absolutely iconic to locals and tourists alike, like the Old Town Portland Sign, and others you may not have heard of before if you’re not a resident of Portlandia. So, behold: here are some of the most Instagrammable photo spots that Portland, Oregon has to offer.

January 15, 2019

The Most Instagrammable Spots in New Orleans

Truth: New Orleans is one of my favorite cities in the United States. Living in Austin, NOLA has always just been a short jaunt away and perfect for weekend getaways. Or, on long road trips to the East Coast as a kid, we’d pass through for a night and stop to get beignets at Cafe Du Monde. So you can see that I have a soft spot for the Big Easy. While you’re in NOLA, there are so many great Instagrammable spots that it’s hard to just choose a few. From the balconies of the French Quarter to the best beignets, here are a few of my picks for the best photo spots in New Orleans.

January 11, 2019

Checking In: The Radisson Red in Downtown Portland, Oregon

The brand new Radisson RED Portland Downtown only opened in November, so I’ve been one of the first bloggers to get to check it out. To book a stay, currently using it is only 37,500 Radisson Rewards points a night, which is a really good deal! So the total for a 3-night stay like my trip would only be 112,500 points! If you’re low on points, Radisson Rewards also often offers a Points + Cash option. Because of my Gold status with Radisson Rewards, I also received a free upgrade upon check-in to a beautiful and spacious corner room for the duration of my stay.

December 19, 2018

5 Austin Hiking Trails to Try This Fall

Fall has officially arrived in Austin, and with it the weather has cooled down, making it the perfect temperature for some of Austin’s best nature trails. Whether you’re looking for a short walk with a good view or a more challenging hike, Austin has lots of great options for being outdoors. I’ve partnered with HI-TEC to show you some of my favorite spots for hiking around Austin, taking my HI-TEC V-Lite WildFire Low hiking boots and their new outdoor crossover apparel out with me. Here are five of my favorite trails in the Austin area.

November 20, 2018

A Weekend At Hotel Thrillist Nashville

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending one of the coolest food events around – Hotel Thrillist presented by Chase Sapphire! This year the event was hosted in Nashville, a place known for its live music and good food. Hotel Thrillist showcased the best that Nashville had to offer in three days of dining, parties, and concerts.

October 1, 2018

The Most Instagrammable Murals to Visit in Austin, TX (With Addresses!)

Austin has so many great Instagram spots, especially all of the amazing street art you can find around downtown. Some of the most famous murals in Austin include the I Love So Much wall on South Congress, the Austin postcard, and You’re My Butter Half on the East side, but there are plenty of other Instagrammable murals you can find too. Here’s some of the best mural photo spots and their exact locations in downtown Austin!

September 27, 2018

A Few Quick Tips For Visiting Glacier National Park

I recently had the opportunity to partner with Radisson Rewards to visit Kalispell, Montana and Glacier National Park. Visiting Glacier had been on my wishlist for a long time, and I’m so glad I got to experience it before all the glaciers have melted. I decided to write a quick guide based off of my own visit to help make your own trip easier. Enjoy the park!

September 17, 2018

A Week In Montana and Minneapolis with Radisson Rewards

Last month, Radisson Rewards gave me 1 million points and told me to book a dream vacation. I was told I could go anywhere in the USA, but I had to visit at least two different places during my trip. One of the National Parks that has been on my bucket list for quite awhile is Glacier National Park, so when they told me a brand new Country Inn & Suites had just opened up in Kalispell, Montana back in June, I knew that was where I wanted to base my trip around.