Milan is known as a hub for fashion and design. From cars to clothes, Milan is a visual city. This guide is from our trip to Milan with the goal of doing some history, second hand shopping and a side of Italian Grand Prix in Monza. For this trip we stayed in Milan where the kids and I adventured during the day while my husband attended the F1 race. Included in this guide: - Hotel recommendations - Restaurant recommendations - A list of second hand shops with information on what to find there - Museums

Visiting San Diego but not sure where to stay? Check out this guide for the best hotels, restaurants and bars in North Park.

Visiting San Diego but not sure where to stay? Check out this guide for the best hotels, restaurants and activities in La Jolla.

Baseball Spring Training! This is a great opportunity to get out and see your favorite team play in beautiful Arizona. This was also a girls’ trip my best friend and I, who happens to be a Giants fan. Luckily, their home spring training facility is in Scottsdale. This was a perfect mix of entertainment and relaxation, with sun, sports and a spa trip. This guide includes: - 6 sightseeing/activity recommendations - 3 hotel recommendations - 13 restaurant recommendations - 3 spa recommendations

The Outback is an incredible place and so uniquely Australian, but unless you have weeks to explore via off-roading caravan, it’s difficult to see. We went with some family friends who own a flight tourism company Panorama Air Australia out of Bathurst, NSW (itself a cool town and a beautiful drive from Sydney through the Blue Mountains) and it was an easy and beautiful way to see a part of the country that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Contact them to create your own itinerary!

Visiting San Diego but not sure where to stay? Check out this guide for the best hotels, restaurants and bars in Little Italy.

My tried and true recommendations for a 3 day trip to Napa. I went in August 2023 and all prices and recommendations are reflective of that experience unless otherwise stated. Guide includes: - 5 hotel/resort recommendations - 8 spa/activity/restaurant recommendations - 7 wine tasting recommendations

The perfect itinerary for 2 days in Sydney, whether it be before a cruise or after an adventure in the Outback.

Carlsbad is a golf and spa lover’s dream. Only 1.5hrs from Los Angeles or 45 minutes from San Diego, you can enjoy all that in a weekend. This guide is designed as a bit of a parents weekend away for us, but could also be used as a staycation or a weekend trip for non-parents or even girls trips! We saw several baby showers and other families there while we were on the property. This guide includes: - 1 resort recommendation (with great military discount) - 4 restaurant recommendations - 7 activity recommendations

London is an incredible city with so much history to see within easy access of the Underground train system. After a slight learning curve (those gates close quick! If traveling with kids or baggagemake sure you use the wider family gate) the tube and bus system is extremely easy to navigate. This guide includes 3 very full days of sightseeing followed by 3 days of Formula 1, but they could easily be spread out across a longer time period for a more relaxed trip. This guide is especially for families that might be traveling to the British Grand Prix. London is a good jumping off point, although the daily commute from London is long, it is doable. If you will be doing the commute I recommend finding accommodations near Marylebone due to the nearly direct train to Bansbury where a shuttle takes you to the track. And for anyone with food allergies, we found the restaurants to be exceedingly proficient about handling allergies. The ones we ate at are listed within. This guide includes: -3 hotel recommendations -12 restaurant recommendations -17 historical and local must see destinations

Ischia (pronounced IS-KEE-A) is a small volcanic island in the Bay of Naples known for beautiful beaches and thermal spas. When tourists go to Capri, Italians go to Ischia! I recommend at least 2 nights in Naples

Looking for a quick getaway that feels like you are in the Mediterranean? Hop on the 1.5hr ferry to Avalon, CA. Avalon is a picturesque destination that is completely walkable. Fun fact: Avalon is where my husband proposed to me many years ago, so it holds a special place in my heart. 3 day Itinerary with hotel, restaurant and activity recommendations including scuba diving, snorkeling, or just hanging by the beach. This guide includes: - 3 hotel recommendations - 8 restaurant recommendations - 7 activity recommendations

Singapore is an incredible destination, especially for women traveling solo. Impossibly clean and safe, it is a favorite for deployment port calls. They also host one of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix races right in the street. This is an itinerary for how to spend 3 days in the beautiful Kingdom of Singapore. This guide includes: - 3 hotel recommendations - 7 restaurant recommendations - 4 activity recommendations

This one is for all you military folks moving back and forth from San Diego (or Ventura) CA to Norfolk, VA. This guide also works in reverse if you are moving west. The overall route takes Highways 8, 10, 20, 85, 58, and 264. Google says this is the fastest and most fuel efficient route. Each driving day will be approximately ~6 hours. 2,703 miles, 8 days. If you’re into travel hacking try to pick one hotel chain to stick with. I have one Hilton family hotel and one Marriott family hotel for each destination, as well as a La Quinta hotel because they are great for traveling with pets and generally a cheaper option. If you’re down for longer drives and want to arrive more quickly you can skip Sweetwater and/or Raleigh.

Paso Robles is a lesser known wine region in California that can give Napa a run for it’s money. The downtown area has an amazing little park surrounded by additional tasting rooms and delicious restaurants and the wineries have reasonably priced tastings compared to Napa and a reservation isn’t necessarily required depending on the time of the year. Situated only a few hours away from San Francisco, Los Angeles and 6 hours from San Diego, it is well worth the trip!

This one is for all you military folks moving back and forth from San Diego (or Ventura) CA to Norfolk, VA. This guide also works in reverse if you are moving west. The overall route takes Highways 8, 10, 40, 81, and 64. Google says this is the fastest and most fuel efficient route. Each driving day will be approximately ~6 hours. 2,730 miles, 7 days. If you’re into travel hacking try to pick one hotel chain to stick with. I have one Hilton family hotel and one Marriott family hotel for each destination, as well as a La Quinta hotel because they are great for traveling with pets and generally a cheaper option.

We love cruises, but the shore excursions through the cruise line can be so expensive and often make you feel like cattle being herded into trailers. We prefer a slightly more personalized option, and many of the same trips can be organized on your own. If you have a smaller party finding your cruise roll call by searching for Facebook groups with your sailing dates is a great way to organize a small tour to bring costs per person down. We love cruising for family vacations. It’s a great way for the whole family to have fun and feel relaxed (hey Kids Club!). It’s also great for larger groups or multi-generational trips. Everyone can do their own thing and connect where they want. We like to do dinner together and port excursions mostly together, and then once back onboard we kind of do our own things. If you have a grandparent or co-traveler going with you connected staterooms is a great way to go. This gives you a little more space and the ability to coordinate and hang out within the same space, especially after kids go to bed. Individual doors can still be closed as needed, but you’ll need your key to reopen or go through a balcony.

Great restaurants, attractions, and places to let your kids run that you can enjoy too.

This is a guide to all my favorite things for making your cruise easy sailing.

San Diego is a great place to shop, but if you’re not interested in cheap Old Town souveniers, sidewalk bracelets or pricey things at Fashion Valley, why not try a more sustainable option - Thrift Shops! This is a list of thrift shops and consignment shops where you can find antiques, mid century modern furniture, upcycled items, and other treasures. Many of these shops benefit charities and most have a military discount of up to 10% in addition to other promotions.

Come explore everything that beautiful San Diego has to offer while enjoying the perks of this military town. I give you the run down on the best Navy Lodging, military discounts, and attractions.

Planning a trip to San Diego but you don’t know where to stay or what to do once you get there? Here’s a complilation of all my favorite neighborhoods to visit and some of the best places to eat while you’re there! All San Diego guides in one location, including my FREE family and military guides. This guide includes recommendations in Little Italy, North Park, La Jolla, and more being added all the time.