Looking for a weekend city getaway filled with southern charm, good food and plenty of outdoor activities? Then consider heading to Columbia, South Carolina, the state capital and home to the University of South Carolina Gamecocks. It’s the perfect mix of college town and vibrant city along with innovative restaurants serving up southern style favorites and classic restaurant fare. We recently spent another weekend in Columbia, and packed in tons of walking, eating and exploring around town. So if you are looking for things to do in Columbia, South Carolina, here's 7 ways to fill a weekend.
*This post was updated January, 2024
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Washington DC is known for many things, including the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Smithsonian Museums. It’s also home to the National Gallery of Art, often found on lists of top museums both in the U.S. and around the world. And it’s no wonder, with free admission and a world-class art collection. But the National Gallery of Art is not the only place in DC to see interesting art exhibitions. There are at least a half dozen other museums and galleries on or near the National Mall, including the National Portrait Gallery, American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery, along with outdoor sculpture gardens. The best part? Free admission, which is hard to come by these days for a museum. This allows visitors and locals to pop in for a short visit, or spend hours browsing. Plus don’t miss the unique shopping opportunities found in the museum gift shops. So come along as we walk through the diverse collection of art museums in Washington DC.
*Updated January, 2024  What do oysters, fresh-baked pastries, and biscuits have in common? They are just some of the delicious local flavors elevated to new heights in historic downtown Leesburg, Virginia. Located just over 40 miles west of Washington, DC, Leesburg is filled with a vibrant local restaurant scene, history, and unique shopping opportunities. From early morning to late night, there’s no shortage of delicious food and drinks in this small town that packs in big flavor! So come for a few hours or spend the day, but one thing’s for sure, after visiting the restaurants in downtown Leesburg, Virginia you won’t leave hungry!
Are you ready to plan a road trip but don’t know where to begin? Taking a road trip vacation is something that most people will do at least once in their lifetime, but in today’s world, seems a bit more complicated. It wasn’t that long ago that you could just pile the kids into a car, pack some food, grab a few maps and go. While we all have visions of well-behaved kids singing family friendly songs in the back of the car while Mom & Dad cheerfully drive for hours, there are always the moments when you take the wrong turn, get stuck in a storm, or just want to jump out of the car for 5 minutes of alone time! A few years have passed since I first wrote 5 Tips for Planning Your Next Road Trip Adventure, and technology has certainly impacted the way we travel. So here’s 7 more tips that I hope you find helpful for your next road trip.
*This post was updated January, 2024 
Travelers to Hawaii always face a tough question - which island should I visit? For us, it was a tough choice to decide how we wanted to spend our first family vacation in paradise. While we ended up with Maui being our primary destination, I knew we couldn’t travel all the way to Hawaii without spending a few days on iconic Oahu. Island hopping is relatively cheap and easy, but with five of us, a one way trip to Oahu on the last 3 days of our vacation seemed like the best option. We knew that Waikiki would be a bit crowded in early July, so we decided to stay in a vacation rental in laid back Kailua. The location, just 3 miles from a beautiful beach, gave us easy access to all the popular sites, and we found the highways to be pretty straightforward. It was an action packed few days, ending with fireworks on the beach in Kailua on the 4th of July. Check out some of our favorite spots that we enjoyed during our visit, and get inspired for your next trip to Hawaii!
*This post was updated October, 2022 
Picture a series of pristine alpine lakes nestled between mountain peaks and jagged ridges. There’s a small slice of wilderness in the central Cascades of Washington known as the Enchantments, and hiking-in is the only way to access this area of astounding natural beauty. My husband Rick recently spent 6-days backpacking through the area with 3 other hiking buddies on an adventure that began and ended at the Snow Lake trailhead near Leavenworth. Although I’m not a backpacker, I’m really excited to share some of his pictures and stories from this special place.
*Updated January, 2024  Hawaii has always been on my travel bucket list. But with a family of five and the long distance from the DC area, there were many reasons to put off the trip. Several months ago, I realized that time for our family vacations together was dwindling, so my husband and I made the decision that this was going to be the summer of Hawaii! As I began searching for accommodations in late March, I quickly realized how popular Maui is during the summer, particularly near the 4th of July. To make it more difficult, many of the more affordable, larger accommodations were already booked. So I was excited when I came across Kihei Sands Condominiums, and now that we have returned from our trip, I have to say that it made for the perfect first vacation to Maui.
*This post was updated October, 2022  September is here, and it’s my favorite time of year! Fall is already in the air, with cooler temperatures in the evenings and some of the leaves already starting to turn. Every weekend between now and Thanksgiving, there is an opportunity to head out and enjoy the cooler weather, colorful leaves, and outdoor activities. Check out these 5 ways to celebrate fall in the Mid-Atlantic area.
*This post was updated August, 2024  Nothing captures the true flavor of a city like its food. Can you really travel to Memphis without eating BBQ, or Key West and not have Key Lime Pie? To me, spending time with a local expert on a food tour is one the best ways to truly learn about the rich cultural heritage of a place. Not only do you come to understand how foods become regional favorites, it’s also an opportunity to learn about history and local traditions. Best of all, you enjoy a sampling of foods that take you to the roots of a city, while socializing with fellow travelers. I’ve reached out to family travel bloggers in the USA to round up some of their favorite experiences.
 Back in February, I wrote about 10 fun ways to experience DC, with ideas to help you see the city from a different perspective. The nation's capital offers so many opportunities to explore food, art and culture throughout the city, not to mention all the free Smithsonian museums and historic monuments. Even though I’ve spent a lot of time in DC over the years, I’m always excited when I discover a new place to see or activity that I haven’t tried yet. Several weeks ago, my daughter and I went on a food and street art adventure, visiting a few neighborhoods that we previously hadn't spent much time in. Here’s what we discovered, along with a few unique tour ideas for the next time you are visiting DC.
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