From the Beginning:
Bahamas- Grand Bahama
March, 2010 & 2011
Back to back years of a trip to the Bahama’s over your college spring break, are some memories you just cant forget. A large group of us mostly from UA (I was the only one from Auburn) met in Tuscaloosa and road tripped down to West Palm beach to one of my best friends, mutual friend (Caroline’s) parents house. They own a home and a business in the Bahamas and flew us down on their plane. That was an adventure in itself! One year it was all girls and we had more fun than the law allows. The next year, we all brought our boyfriends and had equally as much fun, but a little more “chaos” as one would expect. This was my first trip our of the country and I will forever be grateful for those friends and memories. I believe this is where my love for getting outside the US started.
Mexico- Cabo San Lucas
July, 2011
What a fun trip this was! I went with my mom, one of her friends, and my best friend Liz. We fished, ziplined, shopped, and sky dived! The memory that runs in my head from this trip is how we ended up skydiving. My mom, Liz, and I were drinking at a local bar when we met a woman by the name of Jodi. In conversation, she let us know that some of her friends own a sky diving company. By the end of the conversation, we had our trip booked for first thing the next morning (bc it was too windy at that moment). At the time, my mom was even going to jump too! When we showed up to the jump spot the next morning, we realized two others would be jumping with us, and that put us one person over the limit of the plane. This was my moms out and she let us have at it. We landed barefoot on the beautiful beaches of Cabo and it was an experience I’ll never forget! On top of this Liz and I both caught out first striped Marlins and zip lined across the desert. We had so much fun!
Costa Rica- Playa Hermosa
December, 2011
Playa Hermosa is one of my favorite spots in Costa Rica. It is so easy to get to from the airport, and the fishing is absolutely incredible. Growing up, I worked at the marina my dad was the dock master at. I was always hearing about Costa Rica and their sail fishing. A group of friends of mine that kept their boat in Costa Rica for most of the year invited me down and graciously took me out fishing. My favorite fish in the ocean is a Sailfish and I got to catch my first one! The food, fresh fruit, drinks, zip lining, and fishing were all incredible.
Belize- San Pedro
May, 2013
Liz and I traveled to Belize for our college graduation trip. We went to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, and had an absolute blast. We rented golf carts and explored the city, met two girl friends that I still talk to today, jumped off a bridge into the water with some local kids that couldn’t speak English (I am very thankful we did not get hurt now looking back on this), drove through the mangroves filled with manatees, and floated through a bat filled cave on the mainland. Belize is a safe place, but we did run into a couple of sketchy situations. We were “robbed” one night by a man, clearly on drugs. Thank God playing dumb and only having $20 on us at the time did the trick. We were also followed by some hacklers on the beach to our hotel room. When the resort found out the men knew our room number, they had a security guard sleep outside our door at night for the rest of the trip. This was my first little taste of the “real world” and it taught me to always stay aware when your traveling. I became a little extra cautious after this trip.
Hawaii- Maui
June, 2014
My aunt and uncle owned a timeshare in Maui and invited all of us on a family vacation. Hawaii absolutely blew my mind with its beauty. I was actually at home working and my mom had gone without me. She called me when she landed and had requested that I get on a plane the next day to come meet them, and I am so glad I did! We snorkeled, surfed, road bikes down a volcano, walked lavender fields, and even took a helicopter tour together. It was such a great time spent with my family and definitely a place I will return!
Peru- Machu Picchu, Cusco, Lima
September, 2015
Talk about a trip of a lifetime. This was actually my mom’s top bucket list trip.. alongside her African safari. I had no idea what Machu Picchu even was, but when she started talking to me about it, I was stoked. We packed a large backpack and flew to South America. We hit just about every main town across Peru. Obviously, the highlight of trip was our 4 day backpacking hike to Machu Picchu. The Andes mountains are surreal, and my mom and I both said we have never felt closer to God than trekking through that mountain range. Absolutely life changing! We also rode dune buggies across the desert, took a tour flying over the Nazca lines, watched a traditional Peruvian parade, and of course fed some llamas!
The Netherlands- Amsterdam
November, 2015
Amsterdam was a very quick solo trip of mine. I was in London, and had a couple of free days, so I jumped on a quick flight to Amsterdam. The culture and uniqueness of this country was so much fun. The Dutch language was so intriguing I rode a trolly around town to just listen to the announcer. It rained on me most of my two days there, but that didn’t slow me down one bit. Spring time is a great time to visit to see all the gardens, and I fully plan on going back. This was also my first experience staying at a hostel, and that was an experience I’ll never forget! I had so much fun on this trip and met some life long friends as well. Getting out of your comfort zone and solo traveling will bring so many welcomed surprises!
France- Paris
November, 2015
On my same trip as London and Amsterdam, I traveled to Paris from London on the high speed train. This is in itself an memorable experience! The train runs over 200mph and goes underwater in some areas. Most people think of Paris as just a couples destination. While it is absolutely one of the most romantic places I have visited, I traveled across Paris alone and had an amazing time. There is so much history and sight-seeing around town. The wine and food are to die for. Great excuse to eat desert every meal! And the architecture is unbelievable. Paris is a must see.
United Kingdom- London
November, 2015
London is probably the easiest place to take your first solo trip. I had very little experience with underground rail systems, and I had no problem navigating myself around town. The shopping was wonderful, I visited some of the old stomping grounds of Jack the Ripper, watched the changing of the guards, and did tons of sight seeing. The hardest part for me was remembering to look the opposite way first before crossing the street!
South Africa- Cape town
April, 2016
Cape Town absolutely stole my heart. The beaches, the penguins, the food and people, everything! Jumping in the freezing Indian ocean and climbing Lions Head and Tabletop mountains were among my favorite adventures here. We were signed up to cage dive with Great White’s, but weather unfortunately cancelled us. Thankfully, we got to cross that off our bucket list on one of our later trips. We were absolutely obsessed with a drink called the Granadilla Lolli and went back to the restaurant everyday to get one I believe!
Africa- Botswana & Zimbabwe
April, 2016
I couldn’t have asked for a better first experience in Africa. This is where my love for it began. It shapes your heart and changes you, without you even realizing it. Ever since I visited, I have had a longing to go back. The people with the least seemed the happiest. No one ever complains and everyone wants to help others how ever they can. The animals, the food, the adventure, it just doesn’t much better than that. We did run into a bit of trouble in Zimbabwe and at the border of Botswana, but our guide kept us safe and all worked out in the end. The scariest part of this trip was having female lions and a pack of hyenas in out camp ground while camping over night. That brought a new meaning to “paralyzed with fear.” We were also charged by a hippo and stood in the middle of stampeding elephants. Some may call us dumb, but I say it was awesome!
Alaska- Anchorage
October, 2017
Alaska is every outdoorsy person’s dream. I loved it so much. My mom and I went on a search for the Northern Lights (and moose) and it didn’t disappoint. We weren’t lucky enough to catch the lights (we actually missed them one night), but we did see lots of moose! Probably my favorite thing about Alaska was just wandering around through the woods admiring the natural beauty. My mom has been back twice since by herself because she loved it so much. Definitely looking to make another trip out there one day in the summer to enjoy some hiking.
New Zealand & Sydney Australia
December, 2017
New Zealand was an absolute dream, and my adrenaline was rushing this whole trip. The entire country is breathtaking. NZ can offer absolutely anything adventurous you are looking to do. I hiked the Tongariro crossing, biked across the country side, jumped off Shot Over Canyon, white water rafted, kayaked through the gorges, and even cage dived with Great Whites. NZ is definitely not for the faint of heart, but it stole mine. Met some lifelong friends and leaned some cards games we still play today! If you travel to NZ, get ready for the ruthless sarcasm and constant jokes on Americans. Its just something you have to put your self through to survive there 😉
Thailand- Krabi, Chiang Mai, & Bangkok
April, 2018
Hands down the most culturally diverse place I have ever been. Everything is so different. The food, the people, religion, way of life, and especially the language. I don’t think we were prepared for the language barrier that we encountered. Every little thing we did there felt like an adventure bc we were fumbling around trying to figure out how to communicate, and it was awesome. The cities of Bangkok and Chiang Mai are must sees, of course…. but the islands… WOW! Pictures cannot do it justice. One thing I will add here, we did a ton of research on our elephant sanctuary that we visited. There are some really cruel ones in the country and we wanted to be certain we avoided those. The elephants we visited were actually saved from those cruel shelters and given a massive amount of land to roam naturally on here. The drive to the sanctuary definitely isn’t for the faint of heart. I was almost positive my mom was going to have a heart attack! Even though our driver didn’t speak a lick of English, he knew how worried we were in the back seat of his car! One last thing to note is…. next time I go back to Thailand, it will not be in April!
Iceland
December, 2018
This was an incredible trip. I have seen so many different types of landscapes all over the world, but there is really nothing like Iceland. The black volcanic rock, green moss, jagged mountains, and black sand beaches are nothing like I have ever seen before. We chased waterfalls, ziplined, explored a glacier, and shopped Reykjavik. This was another family trip, and I invited a friend of mine. This was her first trip out of the country! Iceland makes you feel like you are somewhere on the opposite side of the planet, but the travel there from the Eastern states, is pretty easy… unless you land during one of their infamous wind storms and have to sit on the runway for 4 hours and drive through the most dene fog you’ve ever seen. What are the chances of that happening again though?!
Costa Rica- Quepos & Manuel Antonio
February, 2019
I went back to Costa Rica to visit a different part of the country. We went to Quepos which is connected to Manuel Antonio National Park. There was wildlife everywhere. Sloths and monkeys, all sorts of birds, and the surfing was perfect for us beginners. We kayaked, zip lined, and explored the town. The Pura Vida way of life just captivates you and makes you not want to leave. When we did have to leave, my friend and I flew down to Guatemala to finish the second part of this trip.
Guatemala- Antigua
February, 2019
Guatemala was never exactly on my list of places to travel until I visit New Zealand. Our tour guide was an awesome chick that had lived several years in Guatemala. She told me about an active volcano they have that you can hike to and watch explode. She showed me some videos and pictures and it immediately went on the top of my list. I invited a friend to join me a couple of years later and we were not disappointed! The hike was hard and the summit was harder, but watching that lava slush out of the top of the neighboring volcano was something you cant explain. The sounds it makes as its exploding is mesmerizing. This is also where I fell in love with my volcano pup (I named him Mala). It was his first day showing up on the hike and he stuck by me for the hour or so leading up to our campsite. I of course shared all of my snacks and water with him. He slept outside my tent all night and even hiked down with me the next day. I got home and after a week knew I wanted to go back and “rescue” him. I found a company that would help me arrange for all of his shots, papers, and exportation. My mom and I flew back to get him and started the hike. We confirmed with multiple guides that they see him everyday. We hikes up several hours and hadn’t found him. We got to a part of the hike that you had to be with a guide to continue so we stayed there for the rest of the day. After talking to some of the guides that were coming down, we learned Mala had taken to the volcano and spends all of his days & nights at the top. He had learned people would feed him and give him water so there was no need to come up and down. We made the decision that he must be really happy being that free and we chose to let him live on the mountain. I still think about him all the time and hope he is happy and healthy.
Norway- Bergen, Oslo, & Lofoten Islands
December, 2019
Anytime someone asks me “what is the prettiest place you’ve ever been”… Norway immediately comes to mind. No matter where you look, the scenery looks almost fake. It is singlehandedly the most overall, beautiful country I have ever been to. My mom, cousin, and I had the best time. We visited multiple cities and the islands, and every part of it was amazing. We saw the Northern Lights for a second time here and they just never get old!
Canada- Banff
January, 2020
Talk about coldddddd!! Not sure if I would recommend visiting Canada in February, but we still enjoyed every minute of it. This was our first time dog sledding and that was so cool! As animal lovers, we did a ton of research to make sure we were choosing a humane company and that the dogs were treated well. We also snowboarded, ice skated on Lake Louise, and trekked through the snow around town. This entire trip was something out of a winter wonderland, and we made so many memories.
French Polynesia- Tahiti & Moorea Island
August, 2020
The only other country that rivals Norway in taking “the most beautiful” spot… is Tahiti. WOW! Paradise. The water is like nothing I have ever seen before. Before this trip, I got scuba certified and went on my first dive here. That set the bar a little too high for my scuba expectations lol! Being greeted by 12 foot lemon sharks immediately after dropping down on my first dive wasn’t something I would have asked for initially, but quickly understood how amazing these creatures are and immediately grew a love for them. We explored every inch of this island. My mom, boyfriend, and friend went with me again on this one and we all loved it the same. From playing with the wild stingrays and sharks, to off-roading on four-wheelers, snorkeling with whales and dolphins, staying in an over water bungalow, and renting our “mega yacht” to scoot around the shallows… this entire trip was a dream. And w did it all smack in the middle of the Covid shut down. I have been ready to go back since we landed back at home. This could possibly be my overall favorite place I have ever been.
Mexico- Cabo San Lucas, Four Seasons
April, 2021
I have to give all credit of this trip to one of my dearest friends, Jenny. It was Jenny’s 40th birthday and she planned a party of a lifetime! The Four Seasons in Cabo in unbelievable… the most gorgeous hotel property I have ever seen. Every day and night was filled with the most fun people and plans. Even if I wanted to re-enact this trip… there is no way I could. This was my first trip I ever had planned FOR ME, and its where I got the idea to start this company. It is so much more fun when you don’t have to do the heavy lifting for a trip and get to experience someone else’s ideas on top of your vision. I will always be grateful to Jenny for planning and inviting us on this trip!
Spain- Ibiza
October, 2021 & July, 2022
Yes, Ibiza is all the hype you’ve heard. One of beau’s closest friends lives there, and he visited over a decade ago. We have always talked about going back and finally made it happen after several of my trips were cancelled due to Covid. We invited my Beau’s brother, his girlfriend, and a friend of mine to join. Everyone thinks Ibiza is JUST a party place…. While the day & night clubs are something out of this world, the outdoors of Ibiza is what makes it so special to us. We scuba dove, hiked, partied, and of course skinny dipped. We both know Ibiza will be a place we will continue to visit!
Dominican Republic- Cap Cana & Punta Cana
February, 2022
Another huge shout out to some of our best friends, Caroline and Hollis. They chose the Dominican Republic to get married in, and we are so glad to have been invited! Their wedding was unforgettable. This was another location I never knew I needed to see. It is gorgeous! And I highly recommend if you are a golfer to visit the local country club!
Costa Rica- Tamarindo
April, 2022
To date, Tamarindo is my favorite spot in Costa Rica. We were so thankful to meet two of our best friends down there and all had a blast! The surfing was the best I have ever experienced, yoga classes were filled with Reiki and sound baths, we rode horses (full speed) down the coastline, and had some of the best margaritas of our lives! Anytime I want to get away to find peace and tranquility, Costa Rica is first on my brain.
Africa- Rwanda, Tanzania, & Republic of the Congo
July, 2022
This was the trip of my lifetime. I had this trip planned several years ago with my mom, but life got in the way and I couldn’t make it at the time. It was a long time coming after this trip had been cancelled a couple of times due to Covid. Being able to sit with these wild gorillas and watch them exist in their habitat was mind blowing. The strength and power these animals have in unmatched. I am so glad one of my dear friends, Sallie, was able to join me on this trip. She is the only person other than my mom that appreciates these creatures as much as I do. We sat in complete awe witnessing a family of gorillas play, fight, and even intimidate us. The rest of this trip was spent on a safari, and we got to see every animal Rwanda has to offer… even a Black Mamba that we couldn’t capture a picture of. Leaving town, we stopped at a local village and handed out a bunch of food and essentials. The villagers changed my life in a way I never thought possible. It was ironic that we had this encounter one (personally) one of the hardest days of my life. God knew I needed this trip, and I am so thankful. I will never dream of a better African experience, and I will remember this for the rest of my life.
Sayulita, Mexico
September, 2022
This trip was a little bitter sweet… It was filled with some really unfortunate circumstances, but I still absolutely love the memory. It was perfect timing for me and one of my best girl friends, Lisa, to get away for a little zen time. Our first hotel was adorable and had the best decor and staff, but for us 30 something/past our party prime, females… the noises and hustle and bustle kept us up all night. We changed to a quieter location and really loved the new spot. A couple of days into the trip, Lisa was surfing over jagged rocks and on her last wave in fell off and gashed her foot open. Lisa is one of the toughest women I know, and this one had me worried for her. We decided to cut the trip short, because we were concerned about Lisa’s foot getting infected… and thank God we did. On the last flight home, I came down with the gnarliest case of Montezuma’s revenge. A couple of hours after I started getting sick, Lisa did too and we spent the next 3 days at home all but cursing the name of Sayulita. It is the coolest, most chill, surf/yoga town I have ever experienced… just avoid the rocks if your surfing and even though the Margaritas are sooo good, stick with bottled wine and beer lol!
St. Maarten & St. Barths
December, 2022
This was a girls trip that will never be topped! These four women made this trip unforgettable. This couldn’t have been a more fun trip… We laughed so hard the entire time. And somehow pushed through every hangover like champs. Spending the day at Nikki Beach on St. Barths was my most memorable moment. They had definitely never had a group of girls from Alabama take over their restaurant like we did… and I’m not sure they want to experience it again lol! The scuba diving was amazing as well. Ashley and I cut away from the group one day and went diving. The instructors realized we were experienced, so let us goa little beyond my limits. I got to swim through a ship wreck, and that was AWESOME! We have vouched to go on a girls trip every year together if possible, and I am soooo looking forward to our next destination.
St. Barthelemy
March, 2023
I loved St. Barths so much while on a day trip from St. Maarten, I knew I had to go back. My fiancé and I traveled back for a long weekend, and it was an absolute blast. We stayed at the coolest tree house at the top of the hill on St. Jean. It was within walking distance from Nikki Beach, all of the shops, and many restaurants and bars. We ate some of the most delicious food and drank some of the best French wine. The French way of life is so intriguing to me. People are real and interesting. No one was in a hurry and when you met a stranger, they genuinely wanted to speak with you. Of course, we hit up Nikki Beach and danced while the sun set. One of our favorite spots was Shellona at Shell Beach. We have already agreed that will not be our last trip to St. Barths. Now that I have learned the easiest way to get there, we will definitely be going back!
Switzerland and Croatia
June 2023
This trip was a long time coming! Originally booked for over the first year of Covid, and it was rescheduled for the two following years. My fiancé, Beau, and I absolutely loved this trip. Switzerland was “why” were going, but I had always felt pulled to Croatia, so I thought we would pair the two (so glad we did). Switzerland definitely didn’t disappoint. We hiked, paraglided, rode E bikes across the countryside, travelled by train, shopped, and ate and drank the amazing local cuisine and wine. I have always had an adventurous side, and Beau has always played a little more on the safe side. I talked him into signing up for paragliding, and I wasn’t 100% sure he’d get on the bus. To my surprise, he did! And he was the first to run off the mountain cliff. The adrenaline rush we experienced from that lasted all day! The next day we hiked and even took sometime on the mountain to “Earth” in our skivvies. We took a train to Matterhorn and rode E-bikes 15 miles up the side of a neighboring mountains. And then… CROATIA. This one took me by total surprise. I had not been that excited arriving somewhere in a really long time. I can’t say I enjoyed it more than Switzerland, but I can say I was more stunned when I first got there. The castles, and water, and cliffs, and architecture… UNREAL! We hiked a neighboring island (Lokrum), cliff jumped off our favorite spot to drink, ate like royalty, and took a cable car to the top of the mountain for dinner. Croatia truly wowed us. We are convinced to take all of our closest friends back there one day! What a trip to remember.
Galapagos Islands
December 2023
We had a blast exploring Santa Cruz by electric bike. The town is small and safe, there is so much culture, and the wildlife in amazing. The Charles Darwin museum was also incredible. It was just a short bike ride away from our hotel. We took a tour through one of the local tortoise farms and even hiked through a underground cave. We also hiked through the national park down to the beach and rented kayaks. Sea turtles and marine iguanas were everywhere and we saw a baby hammerhead shark. The sun is NEXT LEVEL intense. You cant pack enough sunscreen. There are sealions all over town, and watching the fisherman come in and all the blue footed boobies flocking and diving at the docks was one of our favorite late afternoon activities.
On San Cristobal we read about a beach well known for sea lion activity. We arrived to the island by a ferry (not for the faint of heart) and took a taxi with our snorkeling gear to the beach. There were sea lions and their pups EVERYWHERE. We immediately jumped in the water and got to coexist with these “water dogs” in their natural environment. They were so curious and would swim right up to us.
We made regular visits to the local chocolate shop Chocolapogos.. the owner even knew us by name. Our only complaint from this trip is.. after MANY failed attempts, we never found a decent steak- ha!
Antarctica & Chile
February 2024
Chase The World 