This summer I traveled to Palm Springs for the first time and was so mad at myself for not visiting sooner. What a dessert gem I’ve been missing out on! The fun architecture, vibrant vibes, vintage boutiques, and amazing restaurants have Palm Springs on must return list.

We only had a few days there but got to explore downtown, some great eateries, and check out all the magnificant mountan views. If you’re headed to Palm Springs in the near future make sure to save this list of must-dos!

Let’s start with resorts. There are so many great places to stay in Palm Springs but the ones that top my list are:

Palm Mountain Resort & Spa  A favortie among traverlers for the pool, resort feel and mountain views.

The Hilton Palm Springs Spacous rooms and great resort vibes.

The Westin Mission Hills Villas. We ultimatley decided on this place for the pools and space. Having a whole villa to spread out in was great. I worked for the Westin brand for over seven years so I’m partial to them and their heavenly beds.

If you’re looking for something eclectic with old Palm Springs charm, you have to stay at The Saguaro Palm Springs.

Let’s move on to eats. I’m a foodie so anytime I travel, I scope out the best resturants to try. Here are some we visited and some that were recommended to me.

Tommy Bahama Restuarant & Bar The open bar and patio were amazing. They have a great drink menu and the food was beyond expectations. I would make this a staple if in Palm Springs.

Farm Palm Springs features South of France vibes with a signature cocktail list that will have you going back for more. I highly recommend dining on the patio. It has a very intimate feel.

Okura Sushi was a local’s referral and I’m glad we got this referral becasuse the sushi was fantasic! They had some great signature rolls, the space itself was gorgeous and the cocktail list was great too!

Lulu California Bistro Palm Springs is the best for brunch! They have an all day menu too, but bruch is where it’s at. The colorful mid-centry modern vibe is so fun and and the food is so delish! The patio is perfect for people watching and you get the best views of old Palm Springs.

Maracas is another Old Town Palm Springs gem. Located right on the strip, their patio is spacious, their margaritas hit the spot and their portions are large! Highly recommend!

Before you leave Old Town Palm Springs be sure to grab a crepe and visit all the local boutiques. I found several vibrant cute pool cover ups and some fun jewlery at Fashion Fix. Here’s a little glimpse of Old Town Palm Springs.

If you want to visit some of the local attractions I highly recommend checking out Salvation Mountain. Salvation Mountain is about an hour from Palm Springs and is a tribute from artist Leonard Knight to God and his gift to the world with its simple yet powerful message: God is Love. It’s a beautiful piece of art and is worth the short drive.

My last recommendation is to visit the Cabazon Dinasours. Another short drive from Palm Springs, this iconic roadside attraction is a must. You may recognize this attraction from Pee Wee’s Big Adventure and The Wizard movies. They have a fun dinosuar museum with a gift shop, and they also dress up the dinosaurs for the holidays. Even if you just want to snap a picture, it’s worth a stop.

My only suggesstion when planning a visit to Palm Springs is to not go in July or August unless you can handle extreme heat. This Chicago girl was definitely struggling. I can’t wait to go back, but this time it will be in winter or spring.

What are your favorite Palm Springs spots? Comment below or send me a DM on Instagram.

This summer we traveled to Asheville for a second time and fell in love with it even more. If you haven’t been, Asheville is a city on the western side of North Carolina and located in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Asheville is known for its history, breathtaking mountain landscape, being home to the Biltmore Estate, and for their booming art district. It’s a great place for a couple’s get away or for the whole family. I wanted to share some of my recommendations and you’ll want to save this post if Asheville is in your future travel plans.

Since I’m a foodie, let’s start with some resturants you need to check out first.

• White Duck Taco Shop known for its eclectic, ever-changing delish taco combinations, a great patio, and sometimes live music. This is a must.
• Chestnut Creative cockails, yummy cuisine and don’t forget their desserts – which are made fresh in house!
• Tupelo Honey Want some real down home southern flare. This is your spot!
• Cúrate Tapas and authentic Spanish cuisine. People love this spot so much that they now ship some of their stapes nationwide!
• Sunny Point Cafe We loved this place for breakfast but they serve lunch and dinner and it is also a local favorite.
• Any restuarant located on the Biltmore Estate, I highly recommend too.

Speaking of the Biltmore Estate, if you are in Asheville this is a non-negoatiable. The Biltmore is magical and a must see. From their website: Once the luxurious family home of George and Edith Vanderbilt, it is a marvel of elegance and charm and as magnificent today as it was more than a century ago. Faithfully preserved and filled with original furnishings and masterpieces of art, no other residence in America offers a more authentic and inspiring view of Gilded Age life while suggesting that the Vanderbilts and their guests are still at home.

You can tour the estate gardens and the Biltomore Village for free. They do offer tours of the house and there are some eateries and shops in the old stables of the estate to visit as well. They have a winery on site along with several lodging acommodations. We like to stay at The Inn at Biltmore due to the incredible views of the 8,000 acre estate and the mountians, but any choice is great. There are hiking trails, biking trails, carriage rides, horseback riding and a wildlife tour and discovery activity for kids. In Antler Village they have live music and fun activites all around the village for adults and families. Check their event calandar for more.

If you’re looking for outdoor adventures, here are some recommendations:

Lake Lure. Lake Lure is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Make it a beach day where you can rent jet skis, water sport equiptment, or you can walk along the flower gardens or go fishing.

Chimney Rock. Located in Chimney Rock State Park, Chimney Rock is a large granite outcropping located on the summit of Chimney Rock Village. If you want the best views in all of North Carloina you have to check out “the Rock”. There are stairs to climb to get to the top (my 5 year old made it to the top by himself), but there is an elevator as well. There’s a great eatery at the top to enjoy a nice beverage while looking out into the mountain views.

Sliding rock. If you want a fun unique thing to do, especially with kids, check out Sliding Rock. North Carolina’s natural waterslide. sliding down a 60-foot all-natural water slide in the heart of gorgeous Pisgah National Forest. Good for all ages, but I recommend being able to swim as you slide into an 8 foot deep pool of water. The water temperature during summer season is 50-60 degrees so it’s definetly a rush! There are some fun adventure parks near by with ziplining, tree climbing, and more, if you want to continue the adventures.

Fred W. Symmes Chapel (Pretty Place). If you are up for an hour drive from Asheville to the border of South Carolina you’re in for a real treat. Pretty Place sits at the end of the road and is one of the buildings of a YMCA camp, yet vistors from all over come to check out these amazing views. Religious or not, this is without a doubt – a pretty place.

If you haven’t been to Hilton Head Island yet, add it to your list of places to visit. Hilton Head Island is consistently named a top island vacation destination in the U.S. It’s located in the low country region of South Carolina and is a short drive from Charleston or Savannah.

Hilton Head Island is known for its beaches, resorts, golf courses, lush greenery, and amazing restaurants. We only had a weekend there, which wasn’t enough time. Now we have an excuse to return – which we can’t wait to do.

There are a plethora of amazing resorts and rental properties to chose from in Hilton Head, but we went with the Westin Hilton Head Resort. I worked for the Westin Brand for a long time and their properties are always consistent in cleanliness and great service. You can’t beat their heavenly beds, either. They have an amazing pool space with lots of activities, a DJ, food and beverage service chairside, along with other eateries with amazing views, and it’s a short walk to the beach.

The hotel was great for families, we could have stayed a the pool the entire weekend. They have cabanas and daybeds for rent, just be sure to reserve those in advance as they sell out fast.

Other popular resorts are:

Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort

Ocean Oak Resort by Hilton

Marriott Beach Club

There are so many amazing restaurants on the Island you’ll have a hard time choosing between them all. Make sure you reserve a table ahead of time at any restaurant on the island as they fill up fast. They also are quite understaffed from Covid, so most aren’t running at full capacity and there are extremely long wait times. In some places the wait isn’t so bad because you can grab a cocktail at the bar and listen to live music, people watch or take in the views. Here is a list of places we loved and others that were recommended to us:

• The Crazy Crab
• Dock Side
• Skull Creek Boathouse – best views!
• Hudson’s
• Hinoki – this was our favorite. The inside is beautiful, the service was great, and the food was excellent.
• Salty Dog Cafe
• Santa Fe
• San Miguels

We spent most of our time lounging by the pool and strolling the beach, but there are so many things to do in Hilton Head. Here are just a handful of things we saw and did ourselves:

• Love to golf? They have some of the best courses.
• You can rent bikes and ride along the island.
• Check out the famous Harbor Town Lighthouse.
• Do a nature tour.
• Check out the Coastal Discovery Museum.
• Play some putt-putt at one of the adventure parks. We went to Pirate’s Island Adventure Golf and the boys had a blast.

Have you been to Hilton Head? If so, share your recommendations – I’d love to hear them.

Savannah is such a beautiful historic city. I spent time here as a kid as my mom grew up in Savannah, but it wasn’t until I went back as an adult that I saw its true beauty.

A little bit about Savannah:

Savannah is the oldest city in Georgia which serves as an important industrial city due to its Atlantic seaport. The historic district still has cobblestone streets and beautiful architecture featuring new and old buildings. Savannah also has over twenty-two “squares” throughout the city adorned with historical statues, park benches, and majestic trees with Spanish moss dancing in the wind. You may recognize one of the squares, Chippewa Square, which was featured in Forrest Gump. The bench is no longer there, but it’s still cool to check out the area where they shot the film. Whether you’re headed to Savannah on a girl’s trip or family vacation there are so many fun things to do. I already can’t wait to go back!

Here’s a list of my top “must-do’s” while in Savannah.

Wormsloe Historic Site – Even if you are not an “Instagrammer” you must get pictures of this beautiful site. There is a small fee to enter and take pictures, but totally worth it. You drive along a few miles of a tree-lined street of grand Live Oaks and Spanish moss to enter the colonial estate of Noble Jones (1702–1775). The grounds feature historical landmarks and remains of the old estate from one of the original settlers of Savannah.

Bonaventure Historical Cemetery – If you’re like me and love history, this is a great site to see too. Famous historical figures are buried here and the cemetery is featured in many famous books including Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil. They do free tours every second weekend of the month and they are on a first-come, first-serve basis. My great grandparents and great great grandparents are buried here as well.

River Street – If you only do one thing in Savannah, do this! River Street is in the historic district and is filled with amazing restaurants, views, shops, and more. You’ll get the best views in the city and you can stroll along the river and watch the cargo ships pass by. The old cobblestone streets give you a sense of the times when Savannah first came to be. If you’re dining on River Street be sure to make reservations in advance as restaurants can be very busy and normally have 1-2 hour wait times without reservations. Restaurant recommendations: Vics On The River, Hueys, The Old Pink House, or The Cotton Exchange. After dinner be sure to stop by Savannah’s Candy Kitchen for some pralines or homemade fudge. If you want some even more amazing views and a yummy cocktail, head to the rooftop bar at the JW Marriott River Street.

Ghost Tours – If you want to add a little adventure to your Savannah trip take one of their many ghost tours (for ages 7+ and up). They have city and cemetery ghost tours along with ghost pub tours (21+ and up)!

Forsyth Park – Want something free to do? Take a walk in Forsyth Park. Forsyth Park spans more than 30 acres and is Savannah’s largest and oldest public park. The park features an iconic fountain you’ll want pictures of, splash pads, acres of green grass and Live Oaks, playsets for kids, and a restaurant, Collins Quarter. We ate at the restaurant and it was delish. Be sure to order the strawberry mimosa.

Tybee Island – If you want to hit the beach, I recommend Tybee Island – especially if you have kids. Tybee has family-friendly clean beaches, fun souvenir and beach shops, great cafes, and lots of beach activities. Fort Pulaski National Monument is nearby and a fun place to visit too.

The Pirate House – A fun historical site for families or history lovers. From their website: Savannah’s World Famous Pirates House is located on one of the most historic spots in Georgia. It was first opened in 1753 as an inn for seafarers, and fast became a meeting point for pirates and sailors from the Seven Seas. Since then, The Pirates House has been entertaining visitors with a bounty of delicious food, drink, and rousing good times!

The kids had a blast and you can even take tours of the hidden underground tunnels that sailors would take from the bars back to the ships.

Eateries – If you’re a foodie like me, you’ll love Savannah! Shrimp and grits and biscuits galore! There are so many amazing restaurants and just not enough time. Some of my favorites are listed below:

• Husk
• Ms. Wilkes Dining Room
• Cotton & Rye
• Fox & Fig
• Savannah Seafood Shack
• Hitch
• Goose Feathers Cafe for breakfast

Are you wishing you were in Savannah right now? I know I am! If you have any favorites in Savannah I’d love to hear them – comment them below. Here are some more photos of our adventures.