Watch the fireworks over Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland

Ode To Disneyland

Once upon a time I went to the Happiest Place on Earthand fell in love with every inch of its wonder and worth Now I go back all the time to relive that happy dayand feel like a kid again or ‘Disney adult’ as we say As we pass through the front gate we leave today and magicallyenter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy Then depending on how early I managed to get therewill…
Posted inDisneyland, Theme Parks
Visit Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park in Valencia, California

Ode To Magic Mountain

How do I love thee Thrill Capitol of the WorldLet me count all the ways you make my heart awhirl Stepping through your entrance, I feel such a blendOf grateful and gleeful to be here once again I make a beeline for the back of the parkWhere I’ve learned it’s often the best place to start But still I will routinely check wait times in the appTo strategize my route and which direction to lap…
Posted inSix Flags Parks, Theme Parks
The Wizarding World at Universal Studios Hollywood

Ode To The Wizarding World

Here we come a wizardingamong this magical world.Riding thrills and casting spellsand feeling my heart awhirl. Exploring the secrets ofThe Forbidden Journey inside.Or soaring on a Hippogriffon a brief but gripping ride. It’s the closest thing to beinga student at Hogwarts school.Hanging with Harry, Hermione, and Ronand feeling instantly cool. Here you can be a big kid again,run around and play and be merry.You’re not too old to pretendyou’re a wizard just like Harry. I…
Posted inTheme Parks, Universal Studios Hollywood
My travels to Amsterdam, Netherlands - Tough Cookie Travel

The Safest Cities In The World

Okay you’re ready to travel solo, but where to? Where are the safest cities in the world to visit by yourself? I’ve put together my favorite list of top 10 safest cities for solo female travelers like you and me. Not only are they super safe, but they’re also pretty fun and interesting. Nothing boring about this list. Safe doesn’t have to mean boring. You can have your cake and keep it safe too. So…
Posted inDestinations, Safety Tips
Route 66 Road Trip: Take a US road trip down the historic Route 66 Mother Road and don't miss my top recommended must see stops and attractions along the way.

50 Things To See On Your Route 66 Road Trip

If you're itching to get out of your pandemic bubble and take a much-needed vacation, we recommend you have yourself a Route 66 road trip adventure. After all, we’re still allowed to travel within our own country. And what better road to travel than America’s Mother Road, the legendary Route 66. Some things are a bit emptier thanks to the pandemic, but everything is still more or less open and eager for you to swing…
Posted inPlanning Tips, US
New York City

Best Places To Travel Alone In The US

This article may contain affiliate/compensated links. For full information, please see our Disclaimer here. Let's talk about the best places to travel alone in the US. As exciting as international travel can be, there is so much adventure to discover right here in the US too. I’ve driven and flown solo across this immense country quite a bit, and it never ceases to amaze me. So it’s entirely understandable to not know where to spend your…
Posted inSafety Tips, US
My US Road Trip

10 Travel Tips From My Solo Road Trip Across America

This article may contain affiliate/compensated links. For full information, please see our Disclaimer here. As anyone who travels a lot will tell you, life on the road isn’t easy. Whether you’re taking a short road trip or trying to live the nomadic life full-time, you’re going to face some unique challenges that only the road can present. In preparation for my 2-month 9,000-mile cross-country road trip, I’d formed several goals and expectations about how healthy…
Posted inPlanning Tips, Safety Tips, US
Moah Utah

Salt Lake City, Moab, Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce & Zion

I began my final week of the road trip feeling especially soothed and transcendent thanks to all of last week’s spiritual beauty. So imagine the jarring experience of then driving into Salt Lake City and encountering a massive collection of intensely Mormonistic sculpture art.  At least that’s what Atlas Obscura recommended. Obscura indeed.  Definitely not as transcendent, or at least not in the same way. Though you could argue perhaps still spiritual. I’d planned to…
Posted inUS
Yellowstone

Badlands, Wind Cave, Devils Tower, Grand Tetons & Yellowstone

Coming off that extra emotional last week, I was grateful for some more drone-like days of long distance driving. That is, until I hit my 10th consistent hour behind the wheel driving the Standing Rock National Native American Scenic Byway (say that ten times fast) and realizing I was going to need to cut the drive shorter than originally planned. So I sadly did not make it the whole length of the Scenic Byway into…
Posted inUS
Cincinnati, St. Louis, Topeka & Omaha

Cincinnati, St. Louis, Topeka & Omaha

Leaving NYC back across the northern half of the US, I had a hard time letting go of what I was leaving behind and getting excited about what was to come. My first stop was Cedar Point amusement park, one of my all-time top bucket list places I've been wanting to visit all my life, as a lifelong roller coaster enthusiast- nay, fanatic. So this one stop on my US Road Trip was so special…
Posted inUS
Cedar Point

A Perfect Day at Cedar Point

I’d been looking forward to Cedar Point for so long. It's been one of my ultimate bucket list items, and once upon a time was the inspiration for its own road trip. But that's a story for another day... (stay tuned!) So you can imagine my excitement to finally go to this legendary theme park with some of the biggest, tallest, fastest roller coasters in the US (and almost the world). But in all the…
Posted inCedar Fair Parks, Theme Parks
New York City

My Perfect Week In New York City

I spent one idyllic week in my beloved New York City, one of my favorite cities to visit in the world, on my epic 2019 cross-country road trip. I drove up north from D.C. for the perfect bookend to mark the road trip halfway point. So as with the opposite coastal city trip bookend in Los Angeles, I gave this city a full week of my time. I lived here in NYC back in 2015-2018,…
Posted inUS