Travel entry:August 2026 Hey Reader Every year around this time I hear the same thing: "We meant to squeeze in one more trip before school starts, but summer got away from us." Labor Day weekend is three weeks out, and here's the mistake I see over and over: families wait for the "perfect" open weekend that never shows up, and then it's September and the trip just... didn't happen. The fix isn't finding more time. It's shrinking the trip to fit the time you've already got. Here's what's...

Travel entry:August 2026 Hey Reader The end-of-summer clock is ticking. Let's be real: summer has about 5 weeks left. Labor Day (September 7) is basically the finish line, and after that it's back-to-school mode, cooler mornings, and pumpkin spice everything. (Although, I prefer the apple cider flavors) If school starts sooner for your crew, you've really only got 2-3 weeks. So no pressure, but also, kind of pressure. Good news: you don't need a big trip to make it count. A few easy ideas to...

Travel entry:July 2026 Hey Reader I leave in less than 12 hours and I'm still not packed. I'm writing this with a mostly-empty suitcase open on my bed. We leave in 12 hours and I have not packed a single thing. Not one. There's a very real chance I'm about to throw random clothes into a bag at 5am and call it "packing light." And yet, the trip is still happening. That's the part I want you to sit with for a second. Because every July there's this weird panic that creeps in, where you look at...