The post recounts the author’s trip to Hobbiton in New Zealand, highlighting their surprise at enjoying the experience despite being non-fans of The Lord of the Rings. They recommend the Movie Set Tour and lunch for its quality food and well-maintained property, emphasizing it as a memorable stop for all visitors.… Read More Discovering Hobbiton: A Must-Visit on Your New Zealand Trip
This post is part of my New Zealand trip series. To learn more about the trip as a whole, check out my previous post: How we Planned a Three Week Trip to New Zealand with a Five Month Old.
This post details a day trip from Taupo to Tongariro National Park in New Zealand. We regret only spending a few hours there, as the park is stunning and offers several easy hikes. We recommend planning to spend more time exploring the various walks and enjoying activities such as rafting and skiing in the area before continuing on to Wellington. We also provide accommodation recommendations.… Read More Hiking Tongariro National Park with an Infant
Everyone’s favorite romantic holiday is only a month away! Have you and your significant other started making plans for your next romantic getaway? Thankfully, this year, Valentine’s Day falls on one of the most perfect days of the week. Sunday. For those of you with children, this allows you the perfect time to let the kids spend the weekend with their grandparents and have a romantic weekend getaway with just you and your spouse. Matt and I have done some digging on Airbnb and found some unique lofts that are within a 4 hour drive of Frisco.… Read More Uniquely Romantic Lofts for Two that are Perfect for Valentine’s Day
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We started planning our wedding and our honeymoon prior to COVID-19 pandemic. Originally, our plans was to take a small trip a few days after the wedding and a BIG trip to New Zealand later. The the COVID pandemic arrived and like many things our hopes on going to New Zealand were thwarted. Many countries, like New Zealand, had closed their borders to tourists. At that point we were stuck in a quandary and did not know what to do or where to start. Our Travel Agent, Rhonda, was such a huge help. Once we finally decided where we wanted to go, we just gave Rhonda our final budget and she did all the rest. She booked our hotel, transportation, excursions, meal plans and more! What is better, is she also was able to meet all our needs and desires and still come up a few hundred dollars under budget! When traveling, saving money is always a huge bonus!… Read More Where to Stay While Honeymooning in French Polynesia
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The following photos were taken during my honeymoon to French Polynesia this past December. I will be writing another post talking all about this trip including itinerary and other details. But first I wanted to show you some of the incredible photos I was able to take while on the trip. In fact, these photos are so incredible that I did not even need to add any filters, presets, or other touch ups on Lightroom. … Read More Rainy Day on the Island of Tahiti Nui
Christmas is only a few weeks away. But this year – with the Covid lockdowns, furloughs, and business closures – money is tighter than normal for many Americans. Of course we all want to show our loved ones we are thinking about them on Christmas, by giving them a gift but this is hard with a smaller budget. A great option that should help with your Christmas gift budget this year. Here are some of our favorite gifts that are perfect for any young couple in your life!… Read More Christmas Gift Guide for the Couples in your Life
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Mark Johanson is an American journalist based in Santiago, Chile. His stories about travel, food, design and the environment have appeared in numerous global publications, including National Geographic, Travel + Leisure, The Economist, The Financial Times, Konfekt, Robb Report, AFAR, Food & Wine, Dwell, CNN, Bloomberg and the BBC, among others. He is the coauthor of 20 Lonely Planet guidebooks to destinations across the Americas and Asia, and has contributed to a dozen more coffee table books for the iconic travel brand. His first literary work, Mars on Earth, was released in 2024 by Rocky Mountain Books and named among the best travel books of the year by National Geographic and Geographical Magazine. Click through the menu here or links below to learn more about his work.
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