For twenty years, I worked as a librarian in an elementary school but finally decided to get serious about travel writing and devote all my time to it. Now, I travel the world and write all about it. I can't imagine a more fabulous or fulfilling job. I write a regular travel column for two regional, Central Kentucky magazines and contribute regularly to other magazines and online travel sites, such as The SavvyGal, A Luxury Travel Blog and The Vacation Gals. I'm an avid reader and stay active with Yoga, Pilates and Zumba classes. My favorite place in the whole world is a beach - any beach. I have been married for 34 years and my husband is my favorite travel companion. I also rely on him for his excellent photography skills. We have two grown children and the best grandson in the world. Slowly but surely, we are visiting all the places we have dreamed about. Hopefully, the next one will be the one you want to read about!
Lounging back on the comfortable love seat of the First Class railroad car on the train, I popped a chocolate brownie in my mouth. There was a sumptuous spread of food on the table before me and someone was strolling around taking drink orders.
I could not be more comfortable. This was the way to travel.
On a train.
No tiny airline seats, no elbows banged into your head as people pass, no seats reclined …
You drag in your suitcases and other assorted paraphernalia (especially if you have been on a car trip), drop it all in the middle of the floor, and collapse onto the couch. Your trip was amazing in every way but now you are home, and you are exhausted. After several years of travel, here’s what I have learned that makes that coming home part of the trip a little less painful.
Before you leave on …If you have been on any dolphin watching cruises, you know they can be pretty boring at times. If you are lucky, you see a few dolphins or sometimes just their backs as they come up for air, and if you are unlucky, you spend a lot of time just watching the water waiting for dolphins to appear.
A shrimping excursion with the Lady Jane is absolutely nothing like those experiences but, instead, is one …
We hadn’t been to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee in years. Caught up in traveling all around the world, we had almost forgotten this charming town tucked away at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of the most visited national parks in the United States.
We were in town to check out Wilderness Wildlife Week, an annual event that brings together fans of nature with an astonishing variety of presenters, hikes, …
Mother’s Day will be here before we know it and I can guarantee that most mothers would adore a getaway with you more than any other present you can imagine. Hotels and resorts are perfectly lovely, but there is nothing as comfortable, charming, and unique as a stay at a quality Bed and Breakfast location. Fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, comfy beds, and a full gourmet breakfast make them the perfect choice for that special trip. Here …
Many years ago, cruising was only for the rich and famous. Sumptuously furnished ocean liners traversed the oceans of the world while gorgeously dressed, wealthy individuals sipped champagne and mulled over how best to spend their millions. This is definitely not the case any longer.
Pretty much anyone can cruise now – today, thousands of people are traversing those same oceans, swilling tropical drinks with a little umbrella in it and trying to forget that …
In 1876, author Frances Tiernan wrote a book called “The Land of the Sky.” Located between the soaring Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains, this moniker was adopted as Asheville, North Carolina’s nickname and is still used today.
Our first visit to The Land of the Sky was actually a happy accident. On our drive from Lexington, Kentucky to Savannah, Georgia, we found a place about halfway in between to stop at a small …
If you are in the mood for a little country music along with great food, fabulous hotels and truly friendly people, there is no better place for a little getaway than Nashville, Tennessee.
The expansive Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center was our first stop in Nashville and it is the perfect place to stay, right by the Grand ole Opry, close to downtown and all the music venues. We have stayed in hotels all …
I used to take an exorbitant amount of clothing when I traveled. Used to car trips where we had plenty of room and no weight restrictions, I crammed everything in just in case I might change my mind about what to wear. So when I began to travel more often by air, I had some serious adjustments to make in packing attitude. Some people manage to walk on a plane with one small carry-on …
I took a bite of the delicious, hot quiche I was enjoying in our fabulous Carson Ridge Luxury Cabin in Carson, Oregon and just about swooned with pleasure. Not only was the breakfast delicious in every conceivable way, but it was even packed in a large basket and hand-delivered with an ice cold carafe of orange juice right to our door. I was enjoying breakfast in my pajamas in one of the most luxurious cabins …
If you have never visited New England, as we hadn’t, a cruise of the area is the best way to visit and really enjoy your trip. And the Islands of New England cruise on the Grande Caribe from Blount Small Ship Adventures is the best cruise to take. One of the most wonderful things about cruising is that you can take your cozy, comfortable cabin along with you on your travels! Unpack once, then spend …
If your family is lucky enough to be one of those which has kids starting school after Labor Day, you still have time to plan a trip to the gorgeous Emerald Coast of Florida. And you should immediately do so. The pure sugar white sand and amazing Gulf of Mexico simply can’t be missed. If your kids also have a fall break, plan your getaway for then as the area is still warm and beautiful …
I absolutely loathe spinning class. I really, really wanted to like it. Because how difficult could it be to ride a stationary bike in place?
You know what? It is extremely difficult. For one thing, the bike seats are incredibly, indescribably, immeasurably hard. So hard that no matter what you do, no matter how thick a bike seat cover you buy, no matter how many times you stand up on the pedals to relieve your …
Before we drove to the lovely and historic Amelia Island on the Atlantic coast of Florida, I had never heard of it. Amelia Island is one of the Sea Islands, a chain of barrier islands that reaches along the east coast of the United States all the way from South Carolina to Florida. It’s only about 13 miles long and 4 miles wide, but it’s a charming place full of beautiful Victorian mansions. It’s the …
