Hi Reader, I recently published something over on my other site that I think you’ll really appreciate. With America’s 250th birthday coming up in 2026 (and Route 66 turning 100!), I put together a guide to planning a once-in-a-generation road trip across the U.S. Even if you don’t normally follow that site, this one felt too good not to share here. There’s something special about seeing the country by road. Historic cities. Small towns. National parks. The kind of places that make you slow...
30 days ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, Last week was Plan for Vacation Day. Maybe you locked in dates. Maybe you picked a destination. Maybe you bookmarked a place and thought, “I’ll come back to this.” All of that counts. Now let’s talk about what actually helps trips move from idea to booked without taking over your life. Here are a few of my best planning tips after years of doing this with school calendars, work schedules, and teenagers who change their minds: 1. Anchor your trip with one non-negotiable Dates, a...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, Today is Plan for Vacation Day. Not “plan the entire vacation” day.Just plan one piece day. Remember the one thing you decided on last week?Today’s the day to do it. That one thing might be: Locking in travel dates on the calendar Choosing a destination and committing to it Booking a hotel, rental, or campsite before availability disappears Stop after that. Seriously. Vacations don’t come together because someone had a free weekend and endless motivation. They come together...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, Quick heads-up: Plan for Vacation Day is next week on Tuesday, January 27. This isn’t about planning a whole trip yet.This is about getting yourself ready to plan. Because I know how this usually goes. You mean to plan a trip, but life gets busy, and suddenly the year is half over and nothing is booked. So this week, your only job is to do one simple thing: decide what your “one action” will be next Tuesday. That’s it. Maybe it’s: Sitting down with your calendar to find possible...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, I’ve been thinking a lot about how strange it can feel to talk about trips and travel plans when the world feels… like it’s on fire. There’s no pretending it’s not heavy out there. The news is heartbreaking. The weight is real. And yet ... I’m still over here writing about travel.Still helping busy parents plan their next trip.Still sharing flight tips and hotel ideas and dreamy destinations. Because for so many of us, travel isn’t about running away.It’s about remembering who we...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hey travel bestie, In 2019 I set a big goal.I wanted to travel every single month. And I did it. It was fun and full and memorable. It was also exhausting. By the end of the year I felt like I was chasing a checklist more than I was enjoying the trips themselves. So in 2020, I told myself I would slow down. (The world clearly took that to heart. Sorry about that.) Fast forward. In 2025 I traveled every month again, but it felt completely different. Some big trips, some small weekend trips....
3 months ago • 3 min read
Hi friend, If you are staring at your cart thinking, My teen does not need more stuff, you are not alone. When our kids get older, the gifts they remember most are the trips, the experiences, and the moments that feel different from every other day of the year. Not the sweater that went to the back of the closet on December 26. So this year, consider swapping a few “things” for an experience gift that turns into a future trip together. And the best part. None of these ideas needs to be...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Hey friend, If you’re craving a little extra family connection this holiday break, something easy, low-pressure, and actually fun for teens, try making a travel vision board together. We’ve done this for years, and it’s become one of my favorite ways to slow down and dream with my kids. No planning. No budgets. Just everyone tossing ideas on the table and seeing what sparks joy. And honestly? Some of our best trips started this way. My daughter’s graduation trip to Crater Lake. A Costa Rica...
4 months ago • 2 min read
Hey friend, I know you're inbox is getting super full, but I wanted to make sure you're getting the travel deals I love, and use. Since it’s just 2 days before Thanksgiving and the sales are kicking off, I pulled together my favorite deals and gift ideas for travel-loving moms, teens, and families who would rather collect memories than more random stuff. Skim this while the pies are in the oven, bookmark a few things, and you’ll be ready when the sales hit full force. 🎁 Gift Ideas for...
4 months ago • 3 min read