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Best of the West: Mesa Verde and Arches National Park
Nothing can compare to the thrill of packing the car, hitting the highway, and allowing a toddler to navigate. Oh yes, when my family travels we have one tradition: never choose the destination beforehand....
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Stars, Trees, and Turning 17
The stars above me were unlike any I had seen before, first in the multitudes that existed, and second in their extraordinary...
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Paying It Forward
The traveling experienced that changed my life forever happened in spring of 2012. I signed up to go on the Pay It Forward Tour. Note, that when I decided to embark on this journey I had no...
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Graffiti and Lunar Landscape… in Hawaii?
Graffiti, rundown buildings, and lunar landscape engulfed my eyes as I ventured along the islands. I was not expecting to see any of those features at all! My family and I traveled to Hawaii in July...
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Smiles Galore in Jeremie, Haiti
I’m going to Haiti today. That was my first thought when I woke up this past May 6th. The reality still hadn’t hit me, partially because it was 1:00am and I was insanely disoriented,...
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My Trip to Lackland Air Force Base San Antonio, Texas
On January 25, 2012, my boyfriends family and I went to San Antonio, Texas by plane to see my boyfriend graduate from USAF Basic Military Training. We arrived at the San Antonio International...
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Sleepwalking in New York City
Ever since first grade when I moved to Texas from Vietnam, I’ve fantasized about an unreachable dream; walking under the lights and concrete jungle of New York City. I...
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Our Croatian Vacation
Have you ever wanted to go to a different country, but didn’t quite know what to do or how to plan it? Planning a trip across the sea is one of the most exciting things to do....
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Spring Break 2012; one I will never forget
My trip to Washington D.C. was better than I could ever imagine. I felt like I was like going to different world full of exotic breeds of people encamped around beautifully architectural buildings...
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Lake Summersville to Lake Norman
My family and I go on a camping trip every summer to Summersville Lake, West Virginia. When I say family it means my huge, crazy, mountaineer loving, extended family that comes from all over. ...
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Nauvoo: A City of The Faith
During the summer of my sophomore year of high school, the youth of my church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, had visited the magnificent city of Nauvoo, Illinois: the...
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Lost in Translation
The ambiance was still less than perfect. And I hadn’t come to Rome, Italy to experience anything less than perfection. So almost indignantly, I closed my eyes. I pushed my lids far into each...
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From Everything to Nowhere
We woke up at 3 a.m. to leave our warm beds and the comfort of our homes to embark on...
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Buenas Tardes from Costa Rica
The first thing you notice as you arrive in Costa Rica is all the beautiful scenery. Traveling from San Jose to our...
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Unexpectedly Amazing
Big, bright, and glamorous is a teenage girls dream. Being the youngest in my family, I never have had much say on what goes on. Always being overpowered by my two head strong older brothers, and...
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My Trip Across The World
At the age of 15 I have traveled and first hand experienced what life was like in Italy, France, and Spain. It was a once in a life time experience and I am glad I took it. I traveled with...
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The Wonderful World of Earth
Every since childhood, I have been inspired by the masterpieces of the Walt Disney company. Their stories are filled with beloved characters and memorable songs. Like most children, I...
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The Waves Are Calling My Name.
Once that breeze hit me, I knew that I was never going back; back to the heat, the sweat, the tans, the obnoxious and drunk tourists, the big casinos, the night life, and all the commotion that...
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Exploring a new World
Bolivia a country that educated me to live in every situation that life has. I never thought that my life would change in a blink of an eye. Decisions changed my life, whether to...
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Lions, not Tigers, and Elephants
When people hear “Africa”, they think: poverty, wild animals, the Lion King. Initially, my brain was flooded with these same ideas, scenes of singing animals contrasting the reality of...
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Sand, Sunsets, and a Myriad of Shells… Sanibel
12:00 pm EST in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. The van is packed. We have a headcount of 6. Destination:...
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What’s Up East Coast?
My family's "What's Up East Coast?" trip starts in southern Florida - my home. I slept for probably most of the six to eight hour drive to get to just the border of Georgia so I...
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Real Rome
A taxi driver, talking quickly on his cell phone in Italian as he whizzes down the busy street, passes by the ancient Colosseum. He comes dangerously close to other vehicles. People...
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Gettysburg
In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue...oh wait, that wasn't us. But, I guess it kind of was. We started off by loading up the blue SUV for a long trek across this great land known...
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Dachau Concentration and Meditation
0900 hours. Dachau, Germany. The tour bus comes to a slow halt as I lift my head to peer outside the window. All are...
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The Mark Of A Shadow
Standing in the claustrophobic elevator, I stuffed my hand into my pocket, waiting for the doors to slide open. When they finally do, what hits me is a wave of dusty, humid air, rancid and nauseating....
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Tourist or Native? A Chinese Adoptee Returns to Hangzhou
Sipping Hangzhou’s famous Dragon Well tea from a small plastic cup, I hear the company representative through our translator, who talks of the tea’s color, texture, temperature... I turn...
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Cozumel: Island of the Swallows
Cozumel, Mexico. How to begin? Paradise. Nirvana. Heaven on earth. “Cozumel” comes from the Mayan name for it: Cuzamil, meaning “island of the swallows,”...
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Finding My Passion In Ghana, Africa
Being in Ghana, Africa was one of the best experiences I'm sure I'll ever have. I have always felt drawn to the more remote areas of Africa and...
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Getaway To Ghent For Belgium Family Fun
Ghent is the undiscovered corner of Belgium, a European destination brimming with family attractions sure to please your tweens and teens. Families touring the country will find that the capital...
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From Ashes To Admiration
My grandfather, radio receiver affixed to his ear, relayed the coordinates. Terrible and terrific, formations of B-17 “Flying Fortresses” streaked across the war torn sky...
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Family Fun in the Sun
I felt weightless as I floated there in the warm ocean water staring up into the vastly expansive electric-blue sky, which was interrupted every...
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A.M. Accomplishments in Israel
I stepped out of the Alexander Hotel onto the silent streets of a dimly lit Dizzengof Street as adrenaline coursed through my veins; the clock told me it was 2 AM in Tel Aviv,...
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Ghana, Africa
Let me start off by saying that Ghana was never on the top of my list when it came to "Places I Would Like to See". However, the experiences I had in this country were so great, so different,...
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Family Cruising in Turkey and the Greek Islands
I have just returned from a two week cruise in the south of Turkey, spending time on board a gulet rented out to me from TurkYacht boating company. It was an amazing opportunity for me and my family...
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My 2012 Summer Trip to Bangkok, Thailand!!
Ever since I was small, I had always travelled back to Thailand every summer. My parents wanted to keep the culture in me as a Thai person and they wanted me to always keep in...
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Breathing this Blissful Air
After the continuous 15-hour drive of driving across the destined states with my family we were finally eligible of having our toes sink into the balmy conditioned ocean water from Orlando, Florida....
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Families Come Together at Disneyland
Who doesn't enjoy a family trip to Disneyland? It really is a magical place of its own that can make you forget everything! It being my first time, it lifted my pessimism and reminded me of that old...
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“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” -Matthew 25:40
It was an early July morning as I groggily stumbled out of bed to head to the Charleston airport. My Mom and I waited for the rest of our church’s teen ministry to arrive so we could depart for Miami,...
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The Trip That Inspired My Future
As I stared at the teary eyed girls in front of me and fought back mine as well, I realized why I was so upset. I felt as though I'd known them for years even though it was just a few days. The...
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Disney World is for Teenagers Too
Theme park success is a combination of careful planning, good map reading skills, quality of theme park, and flexibility. Oh, and patience! And as cliché as it is, I think Disney World in...
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No Problem: The Motto of Jamaica
Jamaica is often associated with Bob Marley, "herbal medication", Usain Bolt, and perhaps the phrase "Yeah mon," however the most apt description is simply paradise. Jamaica's tropical climate, white...
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The World Outside
The whole world looks to California as the land of sunshine, surfing and movie stars. I will admit that, as a first time visitor to the "Golden State" and only 15, these were my expectations,...
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From Tourist to Traveler
Spring break is a time to get away from the drama of high school. A time to escape the catty girls or rowdy boys and relax for seven peaceful school-free days. When the opportunity arose to...
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Save Me, San Francisco
How did my family decide to travel to San Francisco in the summer of 2011? Did we make a list of all the interesting places we wanted to see and discuss the numerous possibilities? No,...
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How Alaska Led Me to Realizing My “Great Perhaps”
Being a California native, there are certain aspects of life that I have naturally become accustomed to warm air, crowded roads, and the undeniable urge to sing “California Gurls”...
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Metropolis Memoir
As I was growing up in rural and suburban Western New York, New York City seemed to be a symbol of the things that were largely inaccessible to me in the small town where...
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