A Look Back on Our Mini-Moon in Orlando

My husband and I are huge fans of amusement parks. In fact, we have gone to parks all over the U.S. and even one in Singapore! It was only fitting that we hit up some of our favorite parks for our "mini-moon." And by mini-moon, I mean a mini vacation right after our wedding but months before our "real" honeymoon to Portugal. So yes, I'm throwing it back a bit this week!

Our first stop was, of course, Harry Potter world in Universal studios! We got our "Just Married" buttons (which took a little bit of hunting) and we were off! We had a GREAT time exploring Harry Potter world, and I had my first butterbeer. I opted for the frozen version, and it was DELICIOUS! Highly recommend. 

These buttons wound up being totally worth it when we got to skip the line at some of the rides. Definitely not every ride, but still! We were so tremendously grateful, and it made the trip feel just a little bit more special.

And of course, we had to visit Disney World. We had been to several of the parks together previously on a work trip, but we wanted to visit again, this time just for fun! (I organized a sports tournament at Disney previously, and my husband was able to tag along.) We chose to do the park hopper pass and hit the big rides and attractions at Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios before closing the day out at Animal Kingdom. Neither of us had done Animal Kingdom before so that was extra fun! We chose to end our day there because that was the park that was open the latest. It was a long, but very very exciting, day. We walked over 25k steps! 

All in all, this was the perfect way to kick off our life together. We love to travel, and we LOVE to go to amusement parks. We crammed a lot into just a few days because we were actually moving half way across the country the very next weekend. (Did I mention that 2017 was an absolutely insane year for us???)

If you want help setting up your next vacation, visit MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com. 

Follow Through on Your New Year's Resolution to Travel

It's a new year! And that means it's time for New Year's Resolutions. Unfortunately, according to the Huffington Post,  only 8 percent of people will actually follow through with those resolutions. Most people go too big and expect their whole life to change on Jan.1. The truth is, change takes time. With some careful planning and baby steps, you can make your travel dreams a reality.

Start Planning Now

Big plans take big planning. While spontaneous trips are absolutely fun and worthwhile, it's going to be easier for you to make things happen if you have a definitive plan. Talk with your friends, buy the plane ticket and write it down. Don't wait to start your planning! Now is the time to be researching and figuring out the details of your trip. By taking concrete steps, you'll bring your trip into reality.


Don't Be Afraid to Start Small

Like any resolution, the way to succeed is to start small! If you've never traveled by yourself, maybe don't start with a huge international trip across the globe. You can even start with a simple road trip! Finding a hotel, booking activities and coordinating an itinerary on a smaller scale is the perfect way to practice. Each little trip will help you learn about traveling and build your confidence.


Save a Little at a Time
Travel is often a long-term kind of goal. It takes time and money. That means you may need to save up a bit for that trip of a lifetime. By setting aside a portion of each paycheck specifically for travel, you'll have the funds you need in no time. Many people are intimidated by the cost of travel, but the key is in the preparation! You don't need to pay for it all at once. Like any goal worth accomplishing, it's going to take some time, patience and diligence, but it will absolutely be worth it in the end!

Travel is one of the best things you can do with your time and money (in my opinion). It is absolutely worth the work! Traveling has made me who I am today, and I would absolutely love to help you reach your goals this year! Visit MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com and get started today!

2018 Travel Plans

2018 is finally here, and I've already started making my travel plans for the year (of course). I was talking with my husband, and I realized I really haven't seen that much of the U.S., despite spending the majority of my life here. So that's our mission: see more of the U.S. Not to mention, that's a good way to save up for our big trip to Australia/ New Zealand/ Japan in 2019.

The first trip we're in the process of planning is the Grand Canyon! We will probably fly into Vegas and road trip it out. I've actually never been to Vegas either, so we will have to have some fun while we are there too. I'm hoping to see some shows and see what Vegas has to offer!

Over at the Grand Canyon, we will probably spend quite a bit of time hiking. We might hike down to a waterfall and camp there for a few days. We shall see! We are still in the very early stage of planning, but I can't wait to start nailing down details. I've heard that camp sites book up fast though so we will hopefully get everything nailed down and booked by the end of January.

During the year, we will hopefully have some time to do some smaller trips to maybe Chicago, Pittsburg, Detroit or Toronto. Who knows!

Finally, I think our last trip will be down to Texas. We haven't worked out the details just yet, but I can't wait to try me some quality barbecue! We'll see how things play out, but there is a possibility of a trip to Albuquerque for Christmas. Our itinerary is still being determined, but I can't wait to see how the year plays out.

If you need help narrowing down your travel plans, I'd love to help. MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com.

2017 Travel Recap

2017 was quite the year for me! While not a record-setting travel year, I still made it to 5 countries (4 if you don't include the U.S., where I live.) 2017 was a crazy year for me - I got married, moved across the country and had a blast exploring the world with friends and family!

First up was our girls' trip to the Bahamas for my bachelorette party! It was my first time on a cruise and it was a blast! It was much more structured than I'm used to, but overall it was still an awesome experience. I hung out with my sisters and my best friend in the sun, enjoying fruity drinks and light-hearted books. 

Next is the reason I included the U.S. in my travel list - we moved! We packed up our belongings and within a week of being married, my husband and I were settling in our new town. We are relaxing in a small town in Ohio right near the river and are loving life.

Next up was our honeymoon! What was supposed to be a quick layover in Madrid turned into a one-day adventure! We missed our connecting flight and were put up in a hotel. We decided to make the best of it and set out to explore some of madrid! We were exhausted, but we still managed to have a blast exploring Puerto del sol and the city center.

We did eventually make it over to Portugal for our actual honeymoon. Portugal is absolutely beautiful! We traveled from Porto to Lisbon to Luso to Lagos then back up to Porto. Portugal is absolutely amazing, and I can't recommend it enough!

Finally, we got to spend some time in Canada! We made a few pit stops in Toronto and Niagra Falls before visiting with family near Muskoka. The weather was lovely and the lake was just gorgeous. We had so much fun and will absolutely be going back soon!

I hope your year was filled with beautiful adventures. If you'd like help planning your next excursion (domestic or international), visit my website at MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com.