A Fall Football Weekend in NOLA

I'm finalllly getting to my NOLA recap, two weeks later. Since I've already been and blogged about New Orleans about four times, I'll keep the content short and mostly provide a photodump of my recent trip to the Crescent City.

This time around I didn't plan so it was a very go-with-the-flow vacay. The reason for the trip was a Saints game (becuase if you didn't know, I'm kinda a superfan) and while they lost unfortunately, it was still great being in the Superdome surrounded by other fans. Plus it didn't hurt that our seats were 9th row - which, somehow, are the SAME EXACT SEATS as I sat in last year. What are the chances of that?!

In addition to the game, there was a lot of cajun food, beer, and sightseeing. Here's what I got up to...

Best photo of the trip? My unintentional pose-off with a security guard. I think his form gives him the edge. Damn!

Heading to San Francisco for The Weekend

I won a stay at a super swanky hotel in San Francisco! Crazy, right? I entered via Twitter and was selected. So this weekend I'm headed to up to cash in on my prize.

Even though I've lived in California my entire life, I've only been up north four times. It's a huge state, which should probably be split in two because of how different the north and south are. So when I do go to SF it feels like I'm taking a big trip far from home.

I adore the City By the Bay and can't wait to indulge in some great seafood and ride on a streetcar or two!

Travel Guide: Two Days in Vancouver

Today I'm bringing you a look back at my Vancouver trip from four years ago. In July of 2010 I traveled to British Columbia for the first time. I went for work and decided to stay a few extra days. It was my first vacation alone, and in a different country at that! I was scared and had some sketchy experiences - stay far away from East Hastings street! - but overall it was a really empowering trip. It's a great feeling to know you're independent enough to do big things like explore foreign soil on your own!

If you're planning on visiting "Hollywood North" as the city is often referred to as, and only have a few days, here are some places to check out/things to do that'll easily fit in the span of two days:

Moda - quaint, remodeled boutique hotel built in 1908. Located in Yaletown (a section of downtown).
Earl's - downtown rooftop bar serving delicious food and drinks. Very trendy, but not pretentious.
Cloud 9 - fancy rotating restaurant located on the 42nd floor with amazing views of the city.
Stanley Park - rent a bike a ride the paths along the bay to take in nature, history, and nautical charm.
Landsea Tours - all-day Victoria trip with Butchart Gardens included + hotel pick up/drop off. $190 Canadian.
Empress Hotel Afternoon Tea - $76 for tea and treats at the gorgeous hotel built in 1902. A must!

Be sure to check out my original Vancouver recap #1, #2, and Victoria post as well, if interested!

Adventures in Grand Turk

Continuing with my weekly recaps of my Eastern Caribbean cruise, today I'm talking about Grand Turk! I wrote about the breathtaking scenery of St. Thomas and the history of the Bahamas, and now I'm going to talk about the charm paradise has to offer. First, let's talk about the island.

The largest of the Turks & Caicos Islands, although only 7 miles long and 1.5 miles wide, Grand Turk is the capital of this Caribbean nation. If it weren't for the cruise lines and a few resorts (which I didn't even really see) it would literally be a desert island. Pulling up to the dock (no harbor because it's too small) it's quite a sight. You can see the entire chunk of land and beyond. It's crazy how tiny it is. Look at this picture. You can see ocean on the other side of the island!

Despite it's size, the beauty Grand Turk possesses is huge. Of all the stops, this one had the most beautiful water. Underneath the boats you can see their shadows - that's how crystal clear the ocean is.

Upon docking, there's a beach just for people from the cruise lines. We hung out here for a few hours drinking coconut drinks, playing in the water, and soaking up the sun. I got such a bad sunburn that three weeks later I am still peeling. There's red, there's lobster, then there's the color I was. Not cute.

Later that afternoon we went snorkeling in that otherworldly teal water. In addition to seeing coral and fish, we also had a shark encounter! I'm pretty sure these sharks are "tame" but they are not captive. They live in the ocean, they are sharks...so when we first jumped in the water and saw one about 4 feet long, it was a tad surprising. It was spooked and swam away pretty quickly, but there was another that swam over to the boat and people were able to touch it. I'm so mad I missed out on that. I probably should've been more scared that I was - especially since the shark was scared of us. But who can say they swam with a wild shark?!

The sunset after leaving the island was probably most beautiful of the entire trip. So tranquil and serene!

Be sure to read my St. Thomas and Bahamas recaps!
Next week is my last recap and it's all about Puerto Rico.

Linking up for  Travel Tuesdays with Bonnie & Tina & Megan