Photography Gear I Use & Recommend 📷 🎥

Hello! Recently, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about what cameras I use so I decided to make a blog post with the information all in one place. I started taking the photos you see on my Instagram with an Iphone 7 Plus, then moved on to the Nikon D3400 and 3500. I am not going to recommend any of these, but I figured it was worth noting that not all of my photos, even some of the recent ones, were taken with the gear I have now. I am not a major gear enthusiast, but here is what works for me to date. I have included links to the Amazon product listings so you can see the full description, examples of photos taken with each specific item and other customer reviews.

Camera Body: Sony Alpha A6000

Compared to a standard DSLR, this mirror-less camera is small, compact and light-weight. You still have complete DSLR control without the bulky size and weight, which is great for hiking and travel. I actually came across a macro shot of a mushroom taken with this camera that I loved so much that I went and bought the camera and lens that took the photo. Although it’s an older camera, it’s still a popular option for beginners.  The camera also easily connects to my phone through WIFI signal for easy uploading and editing. It’s easily an upgrade from my Nikon D3400 and D3500 when it comes to image quality and my next camera will likely also be from the Sony A series.

Camera Lenses:

The everyday lens: Sony SEL35F18 35mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens

I bought the kit linked above with the 16-55 mm lens, but misplaced it and purchased this one based off of reviews. This lens is great for motion, night photography and portraits. I find it’s a good everyday lens for now.

The macro lens: Sony SEL50M28 FE 50mm F2.8 Full Frame E-mount Lens (Black)

As I stated earlier, I saw a macro shot of a mushroom that I loved taken with this lens which inspired the purchase. It’s pretty good, but I feel I will eventually upgrade to a different focal length that allows me to zoom in even further just because I love super small clear details in my flower and butterfly photography.

The action/waterproof camera: GoPro Hero 8 Black

I have the GoPro Hero 7 Silver and Hero 8 Black. With the upgrade there is a noticeable difference in image quality and stabilization. What I like about the GoPro is the durability, the fact that it’s waterproof, is small enough to fit in my pocket and the flexibility afforded with the multiple accessorie options. You can strap a Gopro to nearly anything. I have several underwater attachements as well as a motorclycle helmet attachment. If you’re really on the go or in and out of the water a lot, it’s really nice to be able to reach for this camera. The footage is easily uploaded to my phone straight from the camera and the video editing software and free music within the GoPro app itself is my preferred way to edit my videos. The on caveat is the battery only lasts about an hour so I would recommend grabbing some extra batteries.  

The drone: DJI Mavic Mini

My boyfriend surprised me with this recently and we have just started using it. I love everything about it so far. We purchased the kit above since it came with extra batteries at a better value then purchasing them separately. Since each battery lasts about 25 minutes, the more the merrier. The one thing this drone doesn’t have is the feature for it to follow you so you might want to look into another DJI model if that is something you are looking for, however the compact size makes it ideal for travel.

The mobile phone: IPhone 11 Pro

I knew I wanted this phone for the upgraded camera features the moment I saw it was being released. The IPhone 11 Pro is waterproof up to 4 meters for up to 30 minutes, and the camera upgrades include a a triple-camera system with 12MP ultra wide, wide, and telephoto camera options, night mode, portrait mode and 4K video up to 60fps and a 12MP TrueDepth front camera with Portrait mode, 4K video, and Slo-Mo. The photo and video quality may not be as great as an actual camera, but it’s still the best quality for a mobile phone. I love being able to grab my phone to create content quickly and easily, especially for Instagram stories.

My gear is simple enough for a beginner hobbyist. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to start experimenting with cameras, lenses and photography. As you can see, I started with an IPhone, then moved on to a DSLR and now a mirror-less camera. I’d love to know if you’ve used any of these, specifically the Sony Alpha A6000 and what you upgraded to from there.

Have a w0nderful day!

Easy Mobile Phone Editing Techniques That Changed My Photography 📱

Hello! I wanted to share with you some of my favorite and most used editing techniques - all of which can be done on your phone. I have an Iphone and do not know if these applications are available on all operating systems, but I’m sure a quick google search can provide you a similar applications. I would recommend these tips to anyone who wants to edit their photos just a little bit but doesn’t necessarily have the time or desire to learn a program like photoshop.

~ Change or animate the sky

I’ve shared this tip multiple times because it can have a huge impact on a photo. Using the photo editing applications Pixaloop and Quickshot, you can change a dull gray sky into a sunny sky, a sunny day into a sunset or even choose an animated sky. I like to use this feature if my sky is washed out or there aren’t enough clouds for my liking.  Sometimes, I play around with the galaxy sky or lightning if I don’t mind the photo looking highly edited.

~ Animate the photo

I also love to animate photos of water droplets, underwater shots, beach photos, and waterfalls using the Pixaloop application. It’s not for every photo, but it’s super fun to play with.  Just make sure you secure every single little spot you do not want to move and look over it several times before saving it to avoid any unwanted warping of the animation.

~ Seamlessly remove unwanted objects

This photo originally had a huge pole in it that I seamlessly removed with one swipe.

Snapseed has my favorite blemish tool because it replaces the ‘blemish’ with one tap or swipe. It kind of pinches over the spot you are trying to remove or conceal by duplicating the pixels around it. I have removed signs, people, trash, my own tattoos – you name it! I’ve also completely rebuilt fences with this tool. I love it. Just be careful to really inspect the photo afterwards because it can leave some areas looking a little blurry.

~Use Lightroom presets

I am fairly certain this was edited with Sorelle Amore’s preset in microgreens.

First of all, if you aren’t using Lightroom -  you’re missing out. It’s the first photo editing application I put every photo through. Presets are basically pre-saved settings that you apply to a photo and work basically as a filter would. They allow you to edit a photo with just one click. Now adjustments will usually still need to be made after applying a preset, however it gives you a great place to start from. There are many free Lightroom presets out there, but I would recommend purchasing from several different creators on Etsy and then creating your own presets as you edit your own photos.  

 ~ Add in effects

I use the Lightleap app to add effects to my photos. I most commonly will add in orbs, light rays, rainbows, birds or a sun depending on what I think would enhance the photograph best. Again, it’s not for every photo, but I enjoy a whimsical look so I add in effects quite often.  

~ Increase the details

I would say I use this feature on most photos I edit. I use this on both macro and landscape photos alike. The detail tool in Facetune is my favorite and can easily make certain areas of your photo pop out.

~ Strategically blur areas of your photo to create focus

I use this a lot when editing photos underwater and macro flower shots. I like both the blur tool in Snapseed and the smooth tool in Facetune. The latter gives you more control in the blur placement and intensity. Blurring out certain parts of your photograph, like the background, draws your eye in to the subject more and helps it stand out.

I hope you enjoyed this post and use some of these techniques on your own photos. Have a w0nderful day!

Monthly Highlights: March 2020

‘Dougfest’ 2020 ~

I still laugh every time I see this name. ‘Dougfest’ was simply a group of people coming together to camp and explore the springs. The get-together was named after Doug, since he was basically the organizer, tour guide and host. It was an epic weekend all around. I slept in the hammock all night under the stars, watched people walk a tight rope, explored a private hidden cave and swam over devil’s eye at Ginnie Springs. It was exactly my type of event.

Manatee Tour and Swim~

I had been thinking how I was going to find a manatee before it got too warm and my opportunities to cross paths with a mermaid were diminished for 2020. I decided a guided tour would be my best option and I booked the soonest one. Swimming with the manatees exactly the was an amazing experience I thought it would be. The manatees are like big puppies and they would swim right up to me and roll over for belly rubs. Since water and visibility is not super clear in King’s Bay, the manatees would almost suddenly appear directly underneath me and I would float above them in awe. I must add, they have a very interesting texture I was not expecting. The tour guide described them as wet elephants! In this area, you are allowed to be up close to the manatees and it was obvious they loved the attention and interaction as much as us humans.

Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens ~

Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens is a 20 acre botanical garden that has been in continuous creation for over 27 years. It’s set up quite interestingly as it was formed from an abandoned 110-year-old limestone quarry. The multiple walkways wrap around several levels with a lake sitting at the bottom. The paths lead to themed gardens, koi ponds and several cascading waterfalls. Around each corner, you will find yet another breathtaking view or photo opportunity. I saw so many different types of flowers, many I had never seen before. My favorites are the azalea bushes and orchids of what felt like every color and variety. The garden is truly wonderland and I will let the photos speak for themselves.  I highly recommend you pack a light lunch and spend an afternoon roaming the trails at Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens.

Loquat Picking ~

I only discovered loquats within the last month. This fruit is delicious! I’m not sure how to describe it, but it reminds me of a cross between a peach or apricot and an orange with several large seeds in the middle. I happened to find a local tree on my friend's property and have been harvesting loquats every few days with ZERO shame. There is something about picking fruit right off the tree and eating it that I absolutely love and find to be one of the simplest enjoyable pleasures of life.

Marco’s First Night Sleeping in a Hammock ~

Now this is not the best photo ever, however he looked so cute upside down in the hammock. Marco incorrectly refereed to the hammock as a’ hamrick’ or a ‘shamrock’ and it was hilarious. He thought playing and sleeping in the hammock was his favorite part of his weekend. I was pleasantly surprised he stayed there all night with no issues.   

Social Quarantine Weekends ~

Unfortunately, as March came to an end, the Corona virus begun to make its way to nearly every city in the world. We had been advised that social distancing was the best way to protect everyone. Almost everything closed until further notice so there was not much to do outside of our home, nor did we want to take the risk of catching and spreading this harmful virus. Instead, we stayed in.

I hope you had a wonderful month despite Covid-19!

How to Create Instagram-worthy Photos 📷

I wanted to share with you some of my best tips for getting Instagram-worthy photos of yourself. Actually, I wrote this to teach my friends how to shoot better photos before we go out. Ha! Kidding, but it will come in handy for those situations as well.

Whether you are going the advanced selfie route and using a tripod and remote to take your own photos or asking someone to take a photo for you, here are my tips to guarantee you will love your photos.

1.        Practice the Rule of Thirds

This is a general photography composition ‘rule’. If you were to divide the frame into thirds both vertically and horizontally, or into nine squares, you would want the subject to place where the lines intersect instead of just centered. Some photos will still look better centered, but the rule of thirds can make a photo look just a little bit better composition-wise.

2.        Know Your Best Angles

Practice in the mirror what angles look good to you and then test them out in front of the camera to decide what your personal favorites are. For example, I am not a full-on smiling selfie type of girl. My favorite photos of myself in my most comfortable pose is actually me completely facing away from the camera. I just think adventure photos don’t need a face and look better that way. Figure out what you like for your photos and do you!

3.        Make Small Adjustments While Posing

I learned this tip from watching professional models pose. You start in one pose and make very small adjustments between shots. Move your hands slightly, then your legs, your face etc. Don’t just do three completely different poses and move on to the next location. Slow down and practice ‘flow’ posing. Here is a video so you can see this practice in action.

4.        Angle Your Arms and Legs

One of my go-to poses is with my hand running through my hair making an angle with my arm. Try this with your hand on your hip and angle your legs or bend your knee while sitting or standing. This gives your pose that added dimension and makes it look more interesting.  

5.        Choose Your Outfit Wisely

When I first started taking photos of myself, they didn’t look quite right because my wardrobe was all off. I now wear really basic clothing in solid colors like black, white, yellow, hot pink or blue. These colors look good against natural backgrounds so keep the colors and tones of your setting in mind also while dressing for a shoot.

6.        Visit Beautiful Locations

This one kind of speaks for itself. Look for fun locations shoot in to give your photos that wow factor. Try TripAdvisor to find cool spots near you or google Instagram-worthy locations with the name of your city.

7.        Change the Sky

If you find that your sky is lacking detail or is washed out, it’s super easy to swap it out using an application on your phone. I will direct you to my amateur tutorial.  

8.        Get Creative with Props

Bringing along props such as hats, food/drink or pieces of nature such as leaves or shells to add just that extra bit more to your photo shoot. Posing with props can also make you feel a little less awkward while posing.

9.        Shoot During Optimal Times of Day

The best time to shoot is during golden hour just before the sun is setting. The worst time is in the afternoon when the bright sun can overexpose the photo or cause harsh shadows. Usually, I go out earlier in the day, get my shots and then enjoy the location before the sun gets too bright and hot here in Florida.

10.     Be Spontaneous, Don’t be Shy and Have Fun!

This is so crucial to getting shots you will love. It’s hard to feel comfortable in front of a camera, especially out in public.  Sometimes, we get shy about taking a photo or pass up an idea we have because it seems silly but don’t overthink and just got for the shot. You will be glad you did.

11. Frame Your Subject

Look for ways to form a visual frame around your subject. Do you see above how squaring off the subject in a photo creates a beautiful focal point? I do this with trees a lot, but other good examples are doorways, windowsills or arches.

12.     Use Leading Lines

Leading lines are always fun to find. As you can see above, they draw your eye right to the subject. Keep your eyes peeled for opportunities to use leading lines in your photos. For example, you can create lading lines using any interesting pathways, fences, bridges or railings.

I hope you guys learned a thing or two to help bring your photos together. Have a w0nderful day!

7 Tips for Managing Loneliness While Traveling Solo

I’ve already written a post about why I love traveling solo and I recommend everyone try it at least once. When considering traveling solo, the feelings of anticipated loneliness can be discouraging.  This is usually the first place I get resistance. Go Alone? No Way! Look, I’ve done it and I promise it’s better than not going at all. Although I do enjoy traveling solo, human connection is important and how I’ve made some of my best travel memories. Not wanting to be alone is a normal part of being human, but it should not deter your travel plans. The good news is, even if you do head out on your own, you don’t have to spend your entire solo trip completely alone. You can manage loneliness while traveling solo by using some of these tips I’ve learned along the way.

1. It’s all about your attitude. Be friendly and approachable and people will naturally gravitate towards you. Make eye contact, smile at strangers, don’t walk around with your headphones in, go out of your way to make small talk with those around you, be it other travelers, shop owners, or waitstaff. Get comfortable enough to strike up conversation with anyone anywhere you go and then do it! Even just a few sentences here and there with others can help you feel less lonely and you never know where that could lead.

2. Eat at the bar. Eating alone can intensify your feelings of loneliness and isolation. It can be a little uncomfortable since dining alone in public is so uncommon in our culture. Sometimes, I do just want to sit down, eat, and catch up on social media but sometimes, sitting down to share a meal and some conversation sounds like a better time. During those times, I recommend sitting at the bar. I did this through Savannah and not only did I not stand out as a vulnerable solo female traveler, I was seated quicker and I was able to interact directly with others since we were seated so closely. There ended up being a group of three of us solo travelers sharing our food and discussing our travel plans at the bar at The Olde Pink House. It turns out that one of the people I met was doing the same trip I was but in reverse and she had just come from where I was headed. So, don’t be shy and sit at the bar or communal tables for your meals and have a chat while you wait for your food.

3. Stay in a hostel or rent a room in a shared home. I haven’t been comfortable enough to sleep in a shared dorm room, but I will stay in hostels with private rooms or rent a room in an Airbnb. Your room will be private but you will share a bathroom and all common spaces such as the living room, kitchen and any outdoor areas. I really love the communal aspect of shared spaces and the opportunities to interact with like-minded people.  Additionally, your hosts, if you are lucky enough to meet them, are usually also friendly and very passionate about their home and city. They do save some secrets from their guidebooks so feel free to have a chat with them if you happen to cross paths. 

4. Join group tours, activities, classes or photo walks. Sometimes, just being with a group is all you need to cure any feelings of loneliness that may arise while traveling solo. You don’t have to be in constant conversation with others, but shared experiences might ease some of your loneliness. Just tagging along and not having to roam about alone really helped me to not feel as secluded over a multi-day trip. Why not learn to cook the local cuisine, take a dance, cultural jewelry or painting class? I have done a private yoga class in Forsyth Park, and many photo walks and ghost tours. Classes and tours are also great ways to learn more about your current location and its culture, learn a new skill and make friends all in one.

5. Take public transportation or Uber. Staying silent all day does become quite monotonous especially during transportation. I personally love and use Uber and usually enjoy chatting with my drivers or other passengers. In New Orleans, I broke away from my group for a day and one of my drivers was a former NOLA police officer who had three heart attacks before finally retiring, changing his lifestyle and building his business. He was a fascinating guy and taught me all about NOLA and the city’s homeless community. I have a major soft spot for the homeless community and was shocked to learn about those on NOLA’s streets. Just that one conversation added so much value to my trip so I always recommend striking up conversation with those you’re sharing transport with or your driver.

6. Get your friends and family on the line or face-to-face. If time differences and WIFI allow, call your friends and family while you are traveling. Calling goes a lot further than texting when you are looking for a cure for loneliness. You can call your favorite people back home in the morning or before bed to recap your day but you can also video chat with them from your destinations. I’m sure they would love to experience them with you and you would be happy to see a familiar face.

7. Remember why you are traveling alone. This is a big one. I am leaving for a one-night trip out of town to embark on a bucket list adventure by myself this weekend. I have to remind myself why I am traveling solo and that it is simply because I want to have this experience and I don’t want to wait for someone else to have the availability and finances to join me. This trip is important to me and one I do not want to miss. Remembering this, usually lifts my spirits just a bit if I happen to have any low thoughts surrounding traveling alone. A lot of people feel bad about traveling alone but it should not bring up any negative feelings. If you take life by the horns, don’t let anything hold you back and travel alone you are a bad ass! Remember that.

I hope you have found these tips helpful. It was fun to reflect on some of the things I’ve done to connect and feel less lonely while traveling solo. How do you ease your feelings of loneliness while traveling alone? 

Get Your PADI Freediver Certification with Me!

Enter the underwater world with me by your side - for as long as we can hold our breaths! Summer is coming, the weather is warming up and it’s time wiggle into our wet suits and dive in!

We are getting our freediving certifications!

Do you want to cultivate the ability to reach abysmal underwater depths, swim through undersea wrecks and explore caves without the limitations of a snorkel or the hassle of expensive and cumbersome scuba equipment? Freediving is the solution for you! Freediving is an underwater diving activity that relies on a strategic breath hold verses breathing assistance from a snorkel or scuba gear.

Photo provided by Live Free Diving and edited by me

I am forever amazed at freediving adventures. It’s an understatement to say that I’m excited to learn how to do this for myself. I’m envisioning the photo opportunities now! The underwater landscape is basically another world entirely and there’s so much to explore beneath the surface here in Florida. The first time I gave my son a mask he flapped around in excitement and screamed through his snorkel “I have never seen this before”. I will cherish that memory forever and he was only at the surface! I’d love for everyone to have that experience.

Check out high_on_hypoxia exploring Devil’s Eye at Ginnie Springs. Does that not make you want to dive right on in?

It’s more important now more than ever to have your freediving certification. As you may have noticed, some springs and popular dive spots do not allow uncertified freedivers to enter the water and others have been giving us divers a bit of a hard time. Most of this resistance seems to stem from recent bad experiences of those not properly trained or certified. No one wants be on the receiving end of a call from a diver in distress, which I think we can all sympathize with. This serves as even more motivation to know the rules and regulations for yourself and have your proof of certification available.

Photo provided by Live Free Diving and edited by me

In this PADI Freediver Certification course Live Free Diving will provide the following tools and guidance:

• An e-learning platform to cover the basics and familiarize the content to be practiced during the course

• Breathing techniques to promote relaxation and confidence both in the water and on dry land

• How to train your mind to improve focus, reduce distractions and overcome anxiety

• How to increase mindfulness through guided meditation techniques used by world class freedivers

• Educate you on how your body naturally adjusts to water pressure and breath hold diving under the supervision of licensed and insured professionals

• Learn to maximize your Mammalian Dive Reflex - the holy grail of freediving

• Experience depths of up to 55 feet and breath holds up to 2:30 (yes, that’s minutes!)

• The opportunity to explore some local underwater scenery

• AND most importantly learn how to do this all safely on your own!

  Bonuses for this class only!

• I will be be taking your photos and videos if you would like to be my underwater model

• I will be bringing a special guest with me. You might be able to guess who it is. Let’s call him the old god of the woods and waters. We will have a blast!

Photo provided by Live Free Diving and edited by me

Live Free Diving hosts a variety of freediving, scuba diving and snorkeling classes, tours, retreats and events but the following information is for the freediving class I will be attending on April 25 & 26, 2020. You can check out their current calendar here for other opportunities!

The details:

• Company: Live Free Diving

• Course Name: PADI Freediver Course

• Dates: April 25-26, 2020

• Location: Boca Raton and surrounding cities depending on weather conditions and tides

• What is included: Course Fees, E-learning, Pool fee, boat fee, unlimited fun and skills you will have for a lifetime

• Price: $399 -PAYMENT PLANS ARE AVAILABLE

• The catch: There are only 7 (Seven) remaining open spots. I urge you to book early!

So, you’re joining us? Great!

What to bring or rent from the shop:

• Water (preferably not in single use plastic)

• Sun protection (preferably reef safe)

• A towel

• Notepad and pen/pencil for optional note taking

• Dive Gear. A freediving mask, fins and snorkel are recommended, however, standard SCUBA/Snorkel gear will work

• Your wetsuit

• Weight belt and weights

• An open mind and an adventurous spirit

  
  Let’s get wet! I hope to see you at the bottom!

Monthly Highlights: February 2020

Beach Combing for Shark Teeth~

I don’t know where I’ve been, but I did not know you could easily find shark teeth ON the beach. They are really hard to see, but if you know what to look for, where to look and really train your eye, you will eventually find some too. This was really fun, though challenging at first. For those of you wondering why they are black and not white like we see in souvenir shops, it’s due to the fossilization and sediment buildup. This would be a fun activity for children and it’s free!

Devil’s Millhopper ~

I took Marco out here for the first time this month and he insisted it was a spring. It does look like a spring with it’s beautiful blue water, but it’s actually a sinkhole and it’s worth the long decent down the boardwalk. As you can see in the video, Marco wasn’t about the stairs. Poor kid, but as I said, it’s worth checking out!

The Florida Museum of Natural History ~

I really like this museum because it has all sorts of Florida artifacts, interactive exhibits and a butterfly rain forest. I always start with the butterflies and move onto the educational bits and then end in the children area. The butterflies are really something else. They are not at all shy, allow you to come up close to them and swirl around the air throughout the garden. It’s quite magical. Unfortunately, there was probably too much going on that day for Marco as we somehow ended up in the gift shop in a full-blown meltdown over me not allowing him to try every flavor of edible bugs they had in stock. Autism and decision making do not go together very well. I got him his chocolate bugs but we had to leave after that. It happens still sometimes! Crying over crickets. I couldn’t make it up.

Kelly Park / Rock Springs~

I had had the itch to visit Kelly Park for a few weeks and I finally made it, although not until noon. The best time to visit almost any spring to enjoy some solitude and get some great shots is on an early winter morning. By summer time springs like this fill up with families and the waters are filled with big floats. This is my favorite head spring for photos. It’s always my profile photo. The rock formations, palm trees and blue -green waters are so exotic. I always recommend this spring to anyone visiting or camping in central Florida as it has kayaking, a natural lazy river and a shallow beach entrance for the younger kiddos.

Ravine Gardens State Park ~

If you aren’t familiar with Girls Who Hike Florida they do have Instagram and Facebook accounts and host meet-ups. This was my first time making it out with some of the other ladies. We took the Azalea trail which was lined with huge blooming pink and purple azaleas. It’s an interesting woodsy trail with swinging bridges. Now would be a great time to go while the azaleas are blooming.

Spring Hopping~

This was the sweetest of adventures and my first try at making a video. I did not plan on swimming and didn’t bring anything to swim in but I couldn’t NOT swim at Royal Springs! I love Royal. Just look at her! Royal is an old favorite but I also saw some places I had never been to.

And that’s a wrap for February! I hope you enjoyed all your adventures and hearing about mine. Time to get ready for this weekend!

2020 Bucket List ✅

It’s official – I made a 2020 Bucket list! I have an Excel spreadsheet organized by city of places to visit, but I decided to make a list of my top ten adventures I wanted to have in these next 10 months of 2020. I thought I would share it here to not only hold myself accountable, but also to possibly inspire you to check out these incredible places too!

1. Devil’s Den - completed June 2020

Photo credit: Vaney_moon

One of North America's most prehistoric places, Devil’s Den is an underground spring inside a dry cave. It’s clear to see why it is such a popular snorkel and dive spot. Plus, the drone shots from where the ground has caved in and exposed the spring from above are legendary!

2. Swim with a Manatee - completed March 2020. Read about it here!

Photo credit: z_cook10d

I have yet to do this, but I love these mermaids and getting to experience their magic up close and personal is high on my bucket list. I dream of capturing a photo like this. - I did this in March 2020!

3. Paddle board at Ginnie Springs/Devil’s Eye - swam over Devils Eye in March 2020

Photo credit: katjamons

Ginnie Springs is one of the most beautiful springs I’ve visited both above and below the water. There are several incredible spots here, but devil’s eye/ear always takes my breathe away and I really want a photo floating or paddle boarding directly above it. I haven’t tried paddle boarding yet, but this looks like a fun place to test it out.

4. Kayak King’s Landing /Emerald Cut - completed June 2020. Read about it here!

Photo credit: nomadic_movement

Photos of King’s Landing and Emerald Cut have me experiencing serious FOMO every time I see them. This paddle run looks like a different country and the drone shots here are beautiful.

5. Spring hop around the the Santa Fe River

Photo credit: High_on_hypoxia by Naturekristin

Doug always seems to be enjoying himself in some of the lesser-known spots around Florida, creating some of my favorite quirky photos. He is also an Airbnb experience host in case you are also interested in snorkeling Florida’s hidden springs.

6.  Everglades National Park

Photo credit: adventuresofaplusk

Since this is so up my alley, it may be surprising that I haven’t visited any part of the everglades yet. The air boat rides and gators have been calling my name loud and clear since my son visited last summer.

7. Florida Caverns State Park - completed November 2020. Read about it here!

Photo credit: pbates_gallery

This state park had been closed due to damage sustained after a recent hurricane so I’m excited to see most of it reopening because – um, rainbow caves.

8. Falling Waters State Park -completed November 2020. Read about it here!

Photo credit: dwhike

This state park is home to a 100-foot deep sink and Florida’s largest waterfall. There are also some hiking trails and a butterfly garden. Enough said.

9. Oregon Tide Pool Adventure

Photo credit: girlinwaterphotography

Oregon is on the west coast, which I haven’t visited. The nature scene here looks so completely different from Florida’s east coast beaches and palm trees. The tide pools filled with starfish and anemones along with the lush forests and adorable amanitas (mushrooms!) are beautifully captured by Jamie. She is the most darling person EVER and she is hosting two photography retreats this year. I wont be attending those, but I will be making it out to Yachats in August.

10. Wildlife & Water ~ Completed April 2021. Read about it here!

Photo credit: gatorboys_chris

I saved this one for last as I think it might be the hardest to accomplish, but I want to swim with the sharks, stingrays, alligators or pigs. I’m thinking somewhere in the Bahamas or with Chris. I need to practice my free diving a bit before I embark on this one, but it’s on my list.

And that concludes my bucket list for 2020! Thank you again to everyone who allowed me to use their photos. Each one is absolutely beautiful. Have you explored any of these locations? What’s on your bucket list for 2020?  

Moon Bay Touch Tank at the Florida Aquarium

Recently, Marco and I headed across to the state to the Florida Aquarium, located in Tampa. The Florida Aquarium is the largest aquarium in Tampa and has won numerous awards for being one of the top aquariums in the country. Along with numerous animal exhibits, the aquarium also hosts daily shows, has a 4-D theater, splash pad, indoor reading area, encounter add-ons and a fun café.

The aquarium is set up to take you through the multiple ecosystems found in Florida and beyond. As we walked, we learned about the different animal and plant species touring the springs, Suwanee River, everglades, coral reefs and oceans.

The newest exhibit is Moon Bay, a moon jelly fish touch tank illuminated in color-changing lights! I haven’t seen anything quite like this. I’ve seen jelly fish displayed with lights before, but never one you could reach right into. Don’t worry, they don’t sting! Just make sure you touch them on their round side to avoid injuring these amazing creatures.

Marco, who is autistic, isn’t one for being tactile and exploring wet or unusual textures, but the staff were so friendly and really took the time to engage with him and make him feel comfortable sticking his hand into a tank of jellyfish. I was really proud of him and thankful for the patient persuasive staff.

I would highly recommend the Florida Aquarium for adults and children of all ages. I had taken Marco previously when he was a year old, so it was nice to go back now that he is six to experience different activities for his current age.

If you’ve had a chance to visit the Florida Aquarium, I’d love to hear your thoughts as well. If not, what exhibit would you be most excited to see?

Here are some additional photo highlights of our visit:

*These tickets were provided to us for the purpose of this review and media content. All opinions are my own. Thank you for having us out!

How to Find & Choose the Perfect Airbnb

 Airbnb has really taken off in the last few years with more and more rental options being added. There are many search features on the Airbnb site that can help you narrow down your results and find properties that fit your specific criteria, however it can be hard to know what to look for. Finding the perfect Airbnb property requires a little bit more than just finding the right amount of bedrooms for the lowest price, especially if you want to ensure you have a great time with minimal hiccups. Want to know what I take into consideration prior to booking? Read on to find out how to find and chose the perfect Airbnb for your next trip.

The Basics & Your Nonnegotiables: Make sure you fully utilize the search filters when you first search for a property. You can choose the number of bathrooms, beds, bedrooms as well as other specific amenities such as a pool or gym access. Whatever you NEED, make sure it’s provided. Not all listings will have WIFI and central air, especially those in remote locations or outside of the country, so keep this in mind before you book!

Tip: If you’ve found the perfect Airbnb, but it’s short a bed, you can always ask if there’s any additional sleeping spaces or if your hosts will allow or provide an air mattress. It never hurts to ask!

Budget: You can sort listings by price or price range. If you aren’t looking for a budget place, adjust your search range to fit what you are looking to spend. Just keep in mind there are numerous fees added on so when you see a $47  listing, remember that this can easily become $100/night. So, if you want a place under $200, you can set your search for $1-$150. I always sort high to low after selecting the features I want and look for the most interesting for the best deal.

Location, Location, Location: I like to choose locations that are centrally located to where I want to go so I can Uber or drive as quickly and affordably as possible. I tend to use Uber as much as I can to avoid having to find and pay for parking, so I do like to stay as centrally located as possible without having to pay an arm and a leg for accommodations. When searching a big city it will often bring up listings for surrounding areas which might be less expensive per night compared to staying in town. You might have to do some calculations to see which is more cost and time effective.

Tip: Exact addresses are not provided in the listings until after you book. If you want to know how far away a listing is from a specific location, you can always contact the host for these estimates prior to booking. I use this feature a lot when I want to be at a location to shoot at 7 am but don’t want to wake up extremely early in order to get the shot before the light changes and the crowds arrive.

Tip: If you want information regarding the neighborhood, safety or whether or not it’s noisy at night, read the reviews. That’s a great place to find out that sort of information if it’s not in the description already.

Amenities and extras: In my Airbnb vs. Hotel post, I mentioned the wide variety of possible Airbnb amenities. Sometimes I’m staying at an Airbnb just to sleep and sometimes I wont leave the Airbnb. Keep in mind what activities you plan to do during your stay and what you want to have access to. If I’m going to be doing water activities, I will probably want to have access to a washer and dryer. If I’m bringing my family, or will have a lot of downtime, I might want a pool or game room. If I’m looking to relax, I might want a nice patio or a porch with rocking chairs. It’s amazing the things you can find on Airbnb. I’ve also chosen listings based off of the availability of kyacks, bikes, outdoor baths and fire pits.

Looks matter: Once I’ve set my basic search filters, the next thing I’m going to be looking for is a beautiful and unique property that I can also create media content from. Keep your eyes open for a space that fits your taste if this is something that matters to you.

House Rules: Since this is someone else’s space, the hosts get to make their own rules and some are not as obvious or reasonable as you would think. Make sure you read the full listing prior to booking to avoid any unexpected surprises. Keep in mind that some Airbnbs allow pets or pets live on the property, so check the listing if you’re looking to bring or avoid an animal friends. Some hosts will not allow smoking of any kind anywhere on the property, while some allow smoking inside and outside. If you are bringing minor children, make sure your listing doesn’t exclude minors or children under a certain age. If you plan to have people over that are not on the reservation, make sure this is allowed to avoid being charged additional fees and receiving a negative review from the host.

Check what’s already provided: If you are planning to cook or do laundry, look into whether or not specific cooking tools or laundry supplies are provided. This is also true for toiletries, a hairdryer, an iron or beach towels. Sometimes, if I know these things are provided, I’ll skip packing my own.

Food & Drink: Some hosts will provide breakfast, coffee, snacks or complimentary adult beverages. This is a great way to save time and money during your stay, but get clear on what is actually offered as sometimes a listing may say that breakfast is provided, but doesn’t say what that actually consists of. For example, in one Airbnb the breakfast that was provided was canisters of cereal with scoops that just seemed unsanitary to me, so I skipped it. Other times, it has been oatmeal packets but I’ve also had a host who was gracious enough to cook me a full breakfast with eggs from their pet chickens.

Parking: Some people can parallel park and then there’s people like me. If there’s not free easily accessible 24-hour parking available on site, I will not book that stay for everyone’s safety!

Read the reviews, especially the most recent: The reviews are going to be your best source to discover the good and the bad about a property. Sometimes it’s not listed that a certain outlet doesn’t work, that the lock box is hard to find or that there’s a nightly goat happy hour on the property – yes, really! It’s nice to know in advance what to stay away from, plan for and what to make sure you don’t miss.

Tip: What if you’ve found the perfect listing but there are no reviews? I personally wouldn’t say at a place with no reviews, but if you’re OK with taking a risk, you may leverage the lack of reviews to get a discount from the host who will be eager to start racking up the positive reviews.

 Last but not least, feel free to contact the host with any questions and if something seems off, skip it! I hope you found this article helpful and you enjoy your next adventure!

Touch and Feed Sloth Encounter at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm 🦥🐊

Recently, Marco and I had the opportunity to visit the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. The park is located about 45 minutes from Daytona Beach and was founded in 1893. One of it’s earlier attractions was a burning spring that was lit on fire, which sounds really cool! Today, the park functions as a modern zoo and provides both educational and fun activities and wildlife exhibits for the whole family.

Did you know there are over 24 species of croctilians? I didn’t, but the St. Augustine Alligator Farm has them all.  Alligators are easily one of my favorite animals and I love to see them in the wild here in Florida but nothing beats getting to observe them up close and personal.

The highlight of our visit was the brand new sloth and yellow-foot tortoise exhibit and encounter. This cute sloth couple, named Teddy and Grizzly, are over 40 years old and have been recently acquired from Busch Gardens. Have you ever hand-fed a two-toed sloth? Have you pet one? My guess is that you haven’t yet and I would highly recommend it! Marco and I got to step into the exhibit to experience these friendly sloths and their tortoise friends. When I fed one of them, they gently grabbed the back of my hand and pulled the food into their mouth! We do a lot around Florida and the sloth encounter has really stuck with Marco these last few weeks. He is still wondering if they are actually bears (I think the names confused him!) and what else they can eat. French fries? lettuce? I do also want to mention that the staff were friendly, knowledgeable and more than happy and to answer all our sloth and tortoise related questions during the encounter.

In addition to more crocs than we could count and hungry sloth friends, the park is home to several species of birds, tortoise and other reptiles. Marco really enjoyed the dinosaur exhibits and fossil hunting for treasures. Along with animal exhibits, the park hosts daily wildlife and animal feeding shows, several hands-on animal encounters and a zip line course above the gator infested waters.  How cool would it be to zip line over gators? Would you do it? I personally would and I would bring the go pro!

I suggest you check out The St. Augustine Alligator Farm for all they have to offer plus their educational and fun seasonal events and parent’s night out.

Here are a few more photo highlights of our visit.

*These tickets were provided to us for the purpose of this review and media content. All opinions are my own. Thank you for having us out!

Exploring Florida’s Sports Coast + A Catch & Cook Adventure! 🇺🇸🐚🛥

I was recently invited to spend some time exploring Florida’s Sports Coast, located just north of Tampa (and encompassing all of Pasco County). If there was an award for most hospitable county, Florida’s Sport’s Coast would win it ten times over. Everyone we met was just as lovely; it was easy to see these residents loved their town and I did too! Florida’s Sports Coast is not only a friendly place, but there are numerous opportunities for outdoor activities, sports, great food and endless beauty to be found there.

Once I arrived in New Port Richey (one of the cities found within the destination), I settled into my beautiful hotel suite at Homewood Suites by Hilton Tampa- Port Richey and I spent some time relaxing and lounging by their beautiful pools. Before I knew it, it was time to get ready for dinner. I was taken to Sip, a wine bar with a hidden speak-easy. A speak-easy is a hidden room where patrons could partake in the once prohibited act of drinking! The most beautiful charcuterie boards were piled high with cheeses, meats, olives, dried fruits and peppers. I enjoyed my meal while listening to a live performer and sipping on a glass of wine. The owners of Sip, Lisa and Kris, created a fun riddle that revealed the location of the speak-easy within the bar. When it was time for dessert, I still had not figured out the riddle. I was stumped – and out of drink tickets so I’m not sure if I was really giving it my best effort! I won’t disclose where the hidden room is, but I eventually found it! Behind the hidden door were mini cups of tiramisu, dessert wines and their popular cannoli cream dip. We were all begging for this recipe! It was delicious and I would highly recommend you give it a try. Conversation was lively as we discussed the rich history of the county and building we were in. Believe it or not, the owners had stayed in the restaurant to keep an eye on their business during a hurricane when they thought of creating the speak easy. All around, a lovely time was had at Sip with our gracious hosts.

 The next morning, we embarked on what I had been waiting for – the scalloping trip! After a 25-year hiatus, Pasco County is once again open for scalloping. Each county has a different scalloping season, for different lengths of time, with this season being ten days long. Believe me, you do not want to miss it!

I enjoyed a short trip out to the ocean, thanks to our local charter captain, Mermaid Slayers. Fellow, mermaids, do not fear – they were more than kind, generous and informative hosts! There was no actual slaying of mermaids. After getting my gear on and a quick introduction on where to find the scallops, I dove in! I admittedly had a hard time seeing the scallops under the water without my glasses on, but it was beautiful day for an undersea adventure. 

In case you are wondering where to find scallops, check around the edges of the sea grass near the sand or where the sea grass type changes!

 After a few hours of swimming and scalloping, we headed to Whiskey Joe’s. I can honestly say everyone’s food and drinks looked amazing. We shared appetizers and even drinks! The piña colada is a basic drink, but I love it and the one I had here might have been the best one I have ever tried.

 Later in the evening we took a boat over to the Lake family’s iconic American flag stilt house! This beautiful stilt house is literally in the middle of the ocean and runs off of a generator! The panoramic views of the ocean allowed us to enjoy a beautiful Florida storm, complete with nature’s fireworks.

Last year, the stilt house was tragically struck by lightening and burned within minutes. This flag was actually pulled from the wreck! The community was devastated by this loss and helped the owners rebuild it in just a few months.

 It was here that Chef Ben from Benedetto’s served up a true feast. The scallops we had collected earlier in the day were prepared in a ceviche, a dip and served in the shell along side. For dessert, we had Aunt Rosemary’s kumquat pie, which is similar to a key lime pie. A sweet ending to an epic adventure with Florida’s Sports Coast.

 *This trip was provided for the purpose of this review and media content. All opinions are my own. Thank you for having me out!

Hotels vs. Airbnb - A Pros & Cons List 🏩🏡

So, you’re planning a trip and are wondering where to stay. Your two main options are to rent an Airbnb or book a hotel room. It’s impossible for me to pick a favorite since they both have different pros and cons. In making your decision, there’s a lot to consider. I have compiled a pros and cons list below to help you decide which is the best option for your upcoming trip. If you have any other pros and cons, or disagree with any of mine, please leave me a comment below! I’d love to hear what you think.

Hotels

From my experience, some hotels are nicer and newer than others, but the typical hotel stay is pretty generic and one I think most people are familiar with. You check in at a front desk, they give you a room key, and your room is usually furnished with a bed, tv, desk, mini fridge and a bathroom with some miniature toiletries. Housekeeping refreshes your room, replaces your towels, removes your trash and makes your bed each day. You may order room service, spend time in the gym or by the pool, but you pretty much come and go. Hotel stays are pretty predictable and reliable. You all know what I’m talking about.

Let’s look at some of the pros of renting a hotel vs. an Airbnb:

-      Can be cheaper, especially for a small group, unless you stay in a single-room Airbnb. I am not a hotel snob, don’t tend to hang out on hotel properties and generally can find a hotel for $65-$150 a night almost anywhere I’ve looked. Reward memberships and discounts can also make this a cheaper option as well. I have seen a lot of reviews that say the opposite, but that has absolutely not been the case for me. My only guess is that they are searching in different cities than I have been to, wont stay in a $70 hotel or are splitting the cost of an Airbnb with others.

-     24/7 Access & Assistance: In the event that you need assistance, you will usually have people on property to help troubleshoot whatever comes up. If you need to switch to a different room or something needs to be replaced or repaired, it can usually be handled pretty quickly.

Hotel stay cons:

-     Predictable, reliable, generic: If you like knowing what to expect, this might be a pro to you, however, certainty doesn’t really call to my gypsy spirit.

-       Little to no privacy: I’ve never been the only guest on property at a hotel. There are always people within eye and ear-shot. This can be a con if you’re looking for a romantic dip in the pool, have young children, or want to have a late night get together anywhere other than your own hotel room.

Airbnb:

If you are not familiar with Airbnb, it is simply a website that allows individuals to rent out their properties, rooms, RVs, train cars, treehouses, camp spots etc. to people, short or long term. An Airbnb experience is anything but routine and generic. If you have never used with Airbnb, read through to find out more of what you might expect! I also want to mention, there are several websites similar to Airbnb, and I assume these pros and cons would apply to those types of rentals as well.

Pros:

-     Unique accommodations and amenities: Airbnbs are better known as being more than just a place to shower and lay your head while away from home. I usually seek out Airbnbs when I want more of an experience. Just to give you an idea of what I mean, I have rented a vintage travel trailer with a fire pit, hammocks and outdoor bath for an evening, a yurt treehouse on a goat farm with a hot tub for a romantic getaway, a mother-in-law suite with a pool for a girls’ trip and single rooms in larger, sometimes historic, homes for solo trips. 

-      Personal touches and curated guidebooks: Most of the Airbnbs I have stayed in have had unique personal collections and touches left by the owner. Some will leave out candy, postcards, stickers with the house logo, etc. These little touches just give off a warmer feeling than the note pad and free plastic pen you might find in a hotel. Additionally, I think we all are familiar with the stands in most hotel lobbies full of brochures from local attractions, but in an Airbnb you will most always find a book that not only includes information and history of your location or home, but a well thought-out guidebook to the area. Another personal touch I have found in most Airbnbs is some form of a guestbook or map you can add a note, pin, or Polaroid photo to. I traveled to Savannah and left a Polaroid on a fridge and months later someone recognized us and sent a picture of it to our friend! It’s fun to get to an Airbnb and see what is waiting for you and they are very well known for these thoughtful personal touches.

-     Opportunity to connect with your host or other guests: If meeting other travelers and locals sounds appealing to you, you might enjoy an Airbnb experience over a hotel. Often you can share a home or property with other guests who likely also enjoy the same things as you.

-     Privacy: This is not always the case, but you have better options available if you are seeking privacy if you rent an entire home versus one hotel room of 100.

-     Ideal for families or big rowdy groups: An Airbnb can be better for a big group, family or rowdy bunch when it comes to cost and again, the privacy. An Airbnb also gives you an option for more beds and more bathrooms for your group and some allow or provide extra air mattresses.

-     Experience a place like a local and have a more authentic experience: Airbnb had a campaign called Live There that showcased this exact principle. With Airbnb, you get to live in a location and experience the city from a local’s point of view. For more cultural or foreign locations, this could get very interesting!  

-      Lots of reviews to help you chose the right rental: Scroll through any established Airbnb rental and you will see plenty of reviews from real people who will leave their own pros and cons on a listing. It is usually these reviews that help persuade me to book a specific property. I read every single one once I’ve booked and be sure not to miss anything another guest recommends I see, do, or bring.

-      Wider option of amenities: You can find a wide and often unique range of amenities like a washer and dryer, private pool, kayaks, outdoor baths, hot tubs, fire pits, bicycles, grills, a full kitchen and all you would need to cook, if that’s what you want. You will not find that in a hotel!

Cons:

-     Cleanliness: I hate to put this one on there, but Airbnbs are not always super clean like a hotel is. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never seen a dirty rental, but since it’s a home, it usually tends to have some dust in places a hotel just wouldn’t or have a less than luxurious bathroom fixtures. Again, no problems, but if you’re a clean freak, Airbnb might not appeal to you anyways.

-      You are the maid! You’re expected to clean up and put everything back where you found it and then they charge you a cleaning fee! I don’t leave anywhere an absolute mess, but in an Airbnb you are expected to make the extra effort to put everything back, do your dishes, clean up all trash, and some even expect you to make the bed before you go.

-      Added fees and costs: Sometimes $100 plus! I already discussed the cleaning fee, but a listing for $40 on Airbnb can easily become $100 plus. Just be aware.

-     No room service and your host might not even be in the same country: Just keep this in mind and be flexible in case the WIFI is out or the a/c breaks.

That wraps up my pros and cons list and comparison of Airbnbs vs. hotels. Which would you chose, or neither and why? I’d love to know!

10 Reasons to Love Solo Travel and How I Ended Up Alone! 🧳🙋🏻‍♀️

Recently, I hit the road for my first solo trip. The Fourth of July was approaching and I had two paid days off from work, so I wanted to take advantage of the four day weekend. I had already been regularly traveling in prior weeks including two weekend trips with my boyfriend, Clearwater and St. Pete with a friend,  Miami with my cousin and Tampa with my parents. It’s was getting harder and harder to find someone whose travel desires, availability and ability could line up with mine.  I got it, but I wasn’t going to let it get in my way!

It was around this time I stumbled upon Allison Anderson’s videos wherein she discussed why she started solo traveling. She said she wrote out a list of places she wanted to visit and if she waited for someone to go with her, she might never see these places. Coincidentally, Allison also shared about her solo Charleston to Savannah trip and that pretty much sealed the deal for me. Savannah is my favorite city and I’ve been there several times so I was familiar enough with the area and drive that I felt comfortable enough to venture that way on my own. So, it was decided, I would take my first solo trip to Savannah and then Charleston. Of course, after I announced it, I had friends who wanted to join me, but I was determined to make this trip alone - and I did! I had a great time and look forward to many future solo trips.

 Here are a few reasons you might love solo travel also:

1. It’s highly meditative and a great time to work on your own personal development and personal discovery journey. Driving on it’s own is highly meditative to me. When I am forced to focus on the road, my mind tends to wander. Spending that much time alone, with little distraction, gave me a lot of time to reflect. I’m really into spirituality and I love to discover new things about myself.  I like to have those ‘ah-ha moments’ and I was lucky enough to have had a lot of those moments on this trip. Additionally, you can use this time to listen to podcasts, Youtube videos or audio books on personal development topics if you choose. Also, if you download Youtube Red you can download videos to listen to even if you’re out of reception.

2. You learn to be resourceful. Traveling solo forced me to do a lot of things I normally depend on someone else to do with me, for example help me navigate with directions while driving or remember what parking garage floor we parked on! It was strangely satisfying to come upon a small obstacle and to be the only one around to solve it.

3.  You get to prove that you can do it. Every once in a while, it’s nice to leave your comfort zone. Most people will be shocked to learn you are adventuring alone and will claim they are not brave or adventurous enough so proving yourself in this way to others, or even yourself, is a tiny little bonus.  I’m a notoriously horrible driver. So, my friends and family were understandably concerned, but I wasn’t. I packed a taser and some mace, got an oil change, filled up my tires with air and I didn’t have any problems.

4. You don’t have to miss out on anything. If you are lucky enough to have the desire and means to travel, you should. You shoudln’t force yourself to miss a trip, concert, or heck even a new movie premiere because you’re afraid to go alone. Go! You will have an amazing vacation all by yourself and the memories you will make and lessons you will learn will be irreplaceable.

5. You get to do what you want to do - and not much else! Sometimes, it’s nice to call all the shots! You will get to do exactly what you want to do, whenever you want to do it. You won’t have to take anyone else into consideration. You won’t have to visit a museum you have no interest in or stop at five bathrooms in two hours even when you don’t have to use it. You wont have to go back to the hotel so someone can rest or eat at a cheap diner instead of a raw bar due to the constraints of someone else’s budget or lack there of. Most importantly, you wont have to have the dreaded “Where do you want to eat” conversation. SOLD!

6. It’s a lot easier to wing it. It’s easier to get into restaurants when you’re just one person. A lot of restaurants in tourist areas will be busy pretty much all of the time, but if you’re just one you can usually walk right in and find a place at the bar. This is also a good place to strike up a conversation with a local or another solo traveler if you’re feeling lonely or feel self-conscious about dining alone. It’s also a lot easier to squeeze in to otherwise sold out or booked up shows or tours when there’s just you.

7. You will have conversations you wouldn’t have otherwise had. When you’re traveling with another companion, that’s who you tend to talk to. Since you will be alone, you will be more likely to talk to the waitress, bar tender, shop owner, Uber driver and other people in general. This is a nice way to learn more about the area also.

8. No whining! As a mom, this one has to go on the list. My man is extremely patient but does your man ever get tired of waiting for you while you’re shopping? No one likes to feel rushed. Better yet, us moms have all had to deal with that crying toddler, dirty diaper or bored older child who is too hot and wants an ice cream ASAP. I promise you, you will not have any of that on a solo trip.

9. It’s easier to be in the moment. When you travel with others, its’s easy to focus on them and miss what is going on around you. When you’re not distracted by another’s company or conversation you can really observe the sights and sounds around you and be in the present moment and there is no better time to be in the now then when you’re exploring a new place.

10. You will come back with an amazing story to tell. Even if you only break way for a night, you will always remember the time you ran off by yourself!

Have you traveled alone? What did you learn? If you’re considering traveling on your own, what questions or concerns do you have?