Travel Guide: Three Nights in Chiang Mai's Old City

If you’ve been sticking with me, you know that I recently got back from a solo adventure through Singapore and Thailand. I’ve posted my recap of my Singapore trip here, and my first night in Thailand was spent at Chai Lai Orchid, which you can read a recap of here. As much as I loved, loved my time in Singapore, I was pretty excited to jet off and spend 12 nights exploring two different areas of Thailand.

While researching my trip to Singapore, I very quickly realized that flights to others destinations in Southeast Asia were very affordable, and I thought to myself “If I’m traveling all the way there, why not add another destination and make the most of it?” I narrowed down my choices to Bali, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. I know a few people who have gone to Thailand and have raved about the food, the people, the beaches and well, pretty much everything about it. As much as I was really drawn to all the destinations I had on my short list, there was just something about Thailand that felt right.

After my night at Chai Lai, which was an hour outside downtown Chiang Mai, I made my way into the city to spend three nights here. Adding Chiang Mai to this trip was the very last decision I made while putting together my itinerary because initially, I had only planned on visiting beach destinations. But so much of what I read online spoke of the amazing food in Chiang Mai, the really friendly locals, the beautiful temples and it was said to be a more authentic Thailand experience. It was hard to pass up the opportunity to explore everything Chiang Mai had to offer, and I'm so grateful that I decided to work it into my trip. It was definitely a highlight for me.

Wat Chedi Luang.

Ethical Elephant Tourism in Chiang Mai, Thailand: My Night at Chai Lai Orchid

When I decided to visit Thailand, it may surprise most people to know that an elephant experience wasn't on my radar. I’ve always loved animals, and any opportunity to interact with one is something I would have jumped at in the past. But I think we all know at this point how horribly elephants in Thailand have been treated in order to entertain tourists. I had just thought the days of any kind of ethical experience with an elephant were over, and for good reason.

And then, while putting together my itinerary for my time in Chiang Mai, I discovered Chai Lai Orchid. I began to wonder if it was, in fact, possible, as they claim on their website, to still have a loving and caring encounter with an elephant in Thailand while still supporting responsible tourism.

So, I began to do my research. I wanted to ensure that if I decided to do something like this, my money was being given to a place that truly had the elephant’s best interests at heart, that they were being treated with kindness and love, and also, their care was first priority. After much debate, I decided to spend one night on the grounds of the Chai Lai Orchid.

Photo by James De La Roche of DLC Photo Tours

Travel Guide: Three Days in Singapore

When I was first planning my trip to Southeast Asia, Singapore was the only destination on my itinerary. Once I was down the research rabbit hole, my quick little week-long trip to the Little Red Dot, as its also called, turned into an almost 3-week adventure through both Singapore and a couple regions of Thailand. And guys, it was quite the journey for someone who has never really left North America.

So, why did I choose to travel to Singapore? This was a trip Josh couldn’t join me on, so I’d been doing a lot of research on safe destinations for women solo travelers. Singapore was on quite a few of those lists I stumbled upon, and the idea of going somewhere far away that pushed me outside my comfort zone was oddly appealing. I didn’t really know much about Singapore, to be honest, so I started to look into things to do, and immediately, I was so drawn to it and just felt like I had to experience this little city/state. I loved how futuristic it was while also being very connected to nature and tradition - in fact, they refer to Singapore as many things, one of which being a Garden in a City. Being the nature-lover I am, Singapore appealed to that part of me, while also feeding my urge to explore a new urban destination. On top of all that, I'd read that it was a very easy city to navigate in English, making my first few days in Asia relatively stress-free.

Iceland Recap: The Blue Lagoon & Silica Hotel

Since we were celebrating a milestone wedding anniversary, we decided to end our trip in a pretty big way and go out with a bang. We knew during our Iceland adventures, we would definitely make it a point to visit the Blue Lagoon, but we decided to splurge and spend our last night at one of the lagoon's two on-site hotels: the Silica Hotel. And guys, it was was a pretty magical experience.

The Blue Lagoon might be the most popular thing to do in all of Iceland. We read so many reports online that were conflicted: many people said that they loved it and thought it was amazing, and others said that it had become so popular and overrun with people that it wasn't relaxing at all. We're both happy to report that we enjoyed every second of it, and felt the experience was worth our time and the cost.

Iceland Recap: Solheimajokull Glacier, Waterfalls, Efstidalur Farm Stay

As we began to make our way back to the Western part of Iceland to our final destination, we spend one of our last days exploring Solheimajokull glacier, all the famous waterfalls along the Southern coast and ended our day by staying the night on a farm.

We started our morning back in Vik, and going back to Dyrholaey Viewpoint. The last time we visited this destination, it was raining, so windy we could barely stand, and the views were pretty cloudy. We woke up on a bright, sunshiny morning and decided it was worth going back to take in the views. We were definitely so glad we went back, and take a peek for yourselves why.

Iceland Recap: Seydisfjordur, Eastern Fjords & Jokulsarlon

Deciding to visit the Eastern fjords of Iceland was a bit of a risky move simply because our time in Iceland was fleeting. Squeezing in the excursion was something we debated quite a bit because we knew we'd be in the car for a good chunk of two days. We both decided to go for it because we really wanted to see Seydisfjordur (where parts of Walter Mitty were filmed) and also, we wanted to drive the coastline through the fjords because we had read that they were incredible, and also, far less crowded. And so, we were off!

Iceland Recap: Golden Circle & Vik | Black Sand Beach

I haven't always known a lot about Iceland, but Josh and I went to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty in theaters around New Year's when it was released in theaters, and much of it was filmed in Iceland. Since then, the sense of adventure that movie gave me, and scenery that it showcased have stuck with me. Fast-forward a bit to us planning a trip for our 10-year wedding anniversary. We debated a few locations that were more relaxing and pampering, never really getting super excited about any of them. Josh turned to me one day and said, if you could go anywhere for this trip, where would you want to go? Without missing a beat, I just said Iceland. He liked the idea of doing something adventurous and before we knew it, we were planning to celebrate 10 years of marriage in the land of fire and ice. We booked the trip in December, and every night I would turn to Josh in bed as he was trying to fall asleep and say, "Babe, I can't sleep, I'm too excited for Iceland," to which he would respond, "You know it's February, right?" We were going in September.

My Solo Trip to Santa Barbara, CA | Day Trips to Solvang, Santa Ynez, Los Olivos

Summer is so fleeting in the Northeast, and over time, I’ve learned to do whatever I can to soak up every second of it. Recently, I’ve been setting aside a few extra days off in August to be ocean-side, since that’s my favorite place to be in the warmer months. This year, my plan was to take a long weekend on the Cape, but Josh told me that with all our traveling this year, he was out of vacation days, and I would be flying solo this time around. I was just about to hit “Book Room” for a hotel on the Cape when I thought to myself, Why not go somewhere you haven’t been before? Lately, I’ve had an itch to go somewhere in California, and I began to search for a coastal town that would make for a perfect long-weekend getaway from New York.

Nantucket Day Trip Itinerary & Travel Guide

Nantucket is definitely one of the top things we both love about Cape Cod, and our weekly Summer vacation just isn't complete without spending a day here. We were also lucky enough to go for a few nights last September since it was off-season (meaning we could actually afford a hotel!), and honestly, it was one of my favorite getaways. It's a place that still seems stuck in time, but also provides modern amenities like amazing shopping and restaurants, and has some of the absolute best coastal scenery you can see. To me, Nantucket is magical, and I feel like everyone should visit.

Where to Stay on Cape Cod: A Guide to the Towns and Regions of The Cape

You've decided to visit Cape Cod, and friends, you're in for a real treat. You're excited to walk the amazing coastlines, indulge in lobster rolls, take in beautiful scenery, stop to smell the hydrangeas and witness some stunning sunsets. But you have absolutely no idea where to even begin when it comes to selecting where to stay. I'm hoping to help you out with that today.

I know it can be daunting because the Cape is actually bigger than most people think. It could take you two hours if you base yourself in Falmouth and want to get to Provincetown, which are pretty much the two furthest destination from one another on the Cape. Not that two hours is a huge chunk of time, but when you want to maximize every second of your trip, it could be a bit of a hassle.

The good news is, there really isn't a bad town to stay in on the Cape. Each town has its own charm and atmosphere, and it's really all about deciding on your priorities. And, you really can drive to most places depending on where you stay, so you certainly won't be tied down to just your local surroundings once you settle in. 

Our Typical Cape Cod Itinerary: 1 Week in the Summer

Since starting to visit the Cape years ago, we've kept much of our week-long itinerary the same. When I first took Josh to the Cape after moving back to New York, he just fell in love with it like I did when I was a kid, and we created so many great memories during our first trip together. So we continue to repeat a lot of the same things each year.

My Solo Trip to Whistler, BC

After spending three nights in Vancouver, I was off to Whistler. While researching all the must-see things in Vancouver, taking a drive on the Sea to Sky highway popped up with a suggestion to spend the day in Whistler. The more I looked into Whistler, the more I knew I wanted to spend way more than just an afternoon here, so I decided to split my trip into two parts, and spend half of it in this amazing alpine town.

My Solo Trip to Vancouver, BC

Vancouver hasn't been a destination on my mind for very long, but a few years ago, I saw photos of the Capilano Suspension Bridge on Instagram and immediately had to know where it was. It just seemed magical. I, of course, quickly found out it was in Vancouver, and the more I researched the Canadian Pacific Northwest, the more I was drawn to it. I was so curious about this diverse city that also seemed to have endless possibilities for hiking, waterfalls and suspension bridges - I just had to see and experience it for myself. It all worked out so serendipitously because I wanted to go during off-peak season, and I happened to have a relatively slower schedule at work in early June. Before I knew it, I was booking flights to the other side of North America for my very first solo adventure. 

At Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Photo by Dylaina Gollub Photography