While Kentucky may not be my home town, it is where I call home. Home is wherever my parents happen to be. And at the moment, they call the Bluegrass State of Kentucky “Home-Sweet-Home”. Few places in America can match the scenery, history and mystique of Kentucky and just saying “Kentucky” brings images of sleek and magnificent Thoroughbreds gallivanting through lush pastures and the history of the Civil War and Bourbon distilling comes to mind.
Oh Heidelberg, how thou have but stolen my heart! Ok, ok, perhaps I’ve been talking about Shakespeare too much with students, but tis’ true! Ich hab’ mein Herz in Heidelberg verloren in 2007 and I never got it back! As one of Germany’s most romantic towns, located along the Neckar River nestled in a wooded gorge with the stunning ruins of the Heidelberg Castle perched above the town, Heidelberg is one town I keep going back to over and over again. It never ceases to loose its appeal, and yet I can always find some new things to do in Heidelberg!
London – Europe’s largest city and one of the most famous capitals in the world. Incredibly iconic, vibrant and diverse, London is for everyone. There are a plethora of attractions, museums, historical sites, modern architectural structures, theaters, cafes, pubs and restaurants to fit everyone’s desires! For first-timers to London, it can all seem a bit overwhelming trying to figure out where to begin, what should you see in London and how to cram it all in in a short amount of time without going overboard.
We traded in Roman ruins, Venetian architecture, delicious pasta and gelato in Italy for a two week road trip through the Balkans visiting new, up & coming destinations as the mysterious veil over Eastern Europe is slowly disappearing. While we had wanted the romance of Tuscany and the Almafi coast, we decided that Italy is 1. Expensive. 2. Crowded 3. Typical for honeymooners. Don’t get me wrong, I have a serious love affair with Italy and I still want to go, but I found myself more intrigued by the lesser known.
For those wanting to explore more of Central / Eastern Europe, this itinerary will pack in a lot to do in four of the most fascinating capitals! First, begin your journey in Prague where you will be blown away with jaw-dropping architecture, colorful buildings and picturesque moments.
Nothing can get you into the holly jolly holiday spirit quite like a beautiful Christmas market, thousands upon thousands of twinkling lights and far too much Glühwein than is acceptable for one’s waistline. No other time of year is more magical than the holiday season anywhere than in Europe, but Vienna certainly knows how to do it best!
Summer is just a few months away, and you are likely starting to think about where you would like to spend your summer holiday. In Europe, travelers generally head to southern Europe which offers the warmest locations, plenty of sunshine, lots of swimming holes and amazing architecture and history. In the last decade, Croatia has become a popular tourist destination with turquoise waters, amazing food and cheap deals and I share with you some of the best places to go in Croatia and some of the most amazing cities in the Balkans!
Before you go to Vienna, you should be forewarned, there will be A LOT of coffee and cake breaks as this tradition is and has been a large part of Viennese culture dating as far back as 1683. This tradition is so ingrained into the culture that UNESCO has declared it as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage” since 2011 and is therefore one of the best things to eat & drink in Vienna. And seeing as it was my birthday, what better way to eat my cake!
It’s a new year with lots of new adventures that lay ahead! Maybe people are getting out their Bucket Lists and checking which things to tick off this year! I’m sure most of you have always dreamed of going to the world’s largest street fair with all the beer imaginable!
Between late Spring and early Autumn, it usually implies that somewhere in Bavaria, a beer festival can be found. ‘Gemütlichkeit’ is in full swing from Regensburg’s Dult to the world’s most famous beer festival: Munich’s Oktoberfest and beyond!
Kentucky is currently experiencing what has recently become known as the “Bourbon Boom”. The Bourbon industry is experiencing an increase in production and popularity as it has bounced back from the “Bourbon Depression”. As the Bourbon industry has grown, so has tourism. What better way to learn about the Bourbon industry and history in Kentucky than to follow the Bourbon Trail! Stretching over 200 miles throughout bourbon country, there’s no better way to experience a road trip through Kentucky than by doing bourbon distillery tours!
Update: Recently, Lonely Planet named The #KYBourbonTrail as one of their Top 10 destinations to visit in the US in 2018!! Bourbonism and tourism to Kentucky now go hand in hand, so let’s get your Bourbon Vacation rollin’!
