An Outsider’s Guide to Mardi Gras in New Orleans

Before we traveled to New Orleans I didn’t know much about Mardi Gras.  I knew there were crowds, beads, and flashing.  I had seen clips on television of costumes and masks and floats.  I had heard from one or two people that visitors could still get a feel for Mardi Gras without going on the actual day, but rather going in the days before, and that it was a lot less crowded then, but I didn’t really understand what that meant.  Now that I’ve been to New Orleans, I have a much better understanding of what Mardi Gras means, and it is so much more than one day of drunken revelry.  Even when it’s not Mardi Gras, Mardi Gras is part of New Orleans year-round in the museums, restaurants, and stories of the people who live there and know that Mardi Gras is the greatest time of year. 

Hiking San Diego’s Stonewall Peak Trail

One of the great things about San Diego is that you can visit the beach and the mountains all in the same day.  Believe it or not, sometimes those mountains in San Diego County actually have snow.  Descanso is located in the Cuyamaca Mountains in San Diego County and has one of my favorite San Diego hiking trails, Stonewall Peak Trail.  Stonewall Peak Trail is a beautiful hike any time of year, but if you can coordinate your hike to occur after it snows, it is that much more beautiful. 

A Weekend Getaway to California’s Carmel-by-the-Sea

Carmel Beach at sunset.

I had always wanted to visit Carmel-by-the-Sea.  I imagined a posh town by the ocean filled with large, sparkling white buildings, high-class shopping, palm trees swaying, gentle waves lapping at the sand, and me walking along the sidewalks with my two little dogs at my side.  Living in San Diego, the thought of a weekend getaway to California’s Carmel-by-the-Sea seemed so easy.  Yet we hadn’t ever seemed to make it happen.

10 Top Foods to Try When Traveling in China

Hairy crab in Xibao.

So you’re traveling to China.  You’re probably wondering, what do people eat in China?  They can’t possibly eat the same items I pick up from my neighborhood Chinese restaurant in those cute little take out boxes.  It is true that many of the foods in China are very different from what we are used to getting at home.  (Though surprisingly, orange chicken is actually an authentic Chinese dish, but so much better in China than that gooey sweet stuff we have at home.)  Through a lot of research, some great food tours in China, and a little bit of happenstance, we ate the following 10 top foods to try when traveling in China. 

Tri-Valley: A Charming Northern California Weekend Getaway

So right about now you’re probably wondering where in the world is Tri-Valley?  Almost every time we mentioned to friends that we were traveling to Tri-Valley for a Northern California weekend getaway, we received blank stares and the questions of where is Tri-Valley, and what is there to do there.  To be honest, other than knowing of the city of Livermore because my stepdad lived there for years, when I visited the Tri-Valley booth at the San Diego Travel & Adventure Show, I really knew very little about the region, but I was intrigued, especially when I learned it has one of California’s oldest wine regions.  

The Scenic 17-Mile Drive of the Monterey Peninsula

China Rock

One of America’s great scenic drives is 17-Mile Drive on California’s Monterey Peninsula.  As is the case with many of America’s scenic drives (some of our other favorites include the scenic Apache Trail and the historic Columbia River Highway), 17-Mile Drive has been a tourist attraction for a very long time.  The first travelers along 17-Mile Drive explored the Del Monte Forest by horse-drawn carriage as early as 1881.  Now visitors pay an entrance fee at one of five gates to view the Monterey Peninsula’s dramatic coastline, visit 17-Mile Drive’s 21 marked points of interest, and get a glimpse of what is probably the Monterey Peninsula’s most famous attraction, Pebble Beach Golf Links. 

Travel the World's Holiday Gift Ideas for Travelers

It's that time of year again.  Thanksgiving has passed and the holiday gift giving season is just around the corner.  Are you looking for travel gift ideas?  Travelers can be hard to purchase for because they're always on the go and prefer experiences over worldly goods.  However, there are a number of items out there in various price ranges that make perfect holiday presents for the world traveler.  I've put together a holiday gift guide for the 2014 season so you can find the perfect traveler present for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or whatever winter gift-giving holiday you or your traveling loved ones celebrate.