• surfing santas cocoa beach 011
    Florida,  North America,  United States

    Surfing Santas, Cocoa Beach, Florida

    We don’t have snow in Florida, we have Surfing Santas! Every Christmas Eve since 2009, Surfing Santas have lined the shores of Cocoa Beach, Florida. George Trosset founded the event, which has since become a beloved tradition. What started as a family gathering turned into a Christmas tradition that has raised more than $300,000 for charity. Each year a growing number of costumed Santas (as many as 800) take to the waves on December 24 in Cocoa Beach and raise money for Grind for Life, a local cancer charity, and the Florida Surf Museum. I’ve been to the event a few times and wanted to share some of my top…

  • Panama visa 014
    Central America,  Overwater Bungalows,  Panama,  Travel Tips,  Visa

    Do I need a Panama Visa?

    Do you need a Panama visa for your upcoming trip? Read on to find out how to prepare for your upcoming trip to Panama. Do I need a Panama Visa? US citizens visiting Panama for tourism do not require a Panama visa for stays up to 90 days. Panama Entry Requirements To visit Panama, your passport must be valid for three months beyond the date of your arrival in Panama and you must have at least one full blank page in your passport. No Panama visa is required for tourist stays up to 90 days. How to Get to Panama Tocumen International Airport (PTY) is the main international airport in…

  • sensoji temple tokyo japan
    Asia,  Destinations,  Japan

    Tokyo Travel Guide

    It seems like everyone is going to Japan right now, so I thought I’d share my Tokyo travel guide with tips and tricks that I used on my trip! Best Time to Visit Tokyo Tokyo gets quite warm in the summer and quite cold in the winter, so the spring and fall are ideal times to visit. In addition to comfortable temperatures, September through November offers colorful foliage while March through April offers blooming cherry blossoms. If you’re looking to avoid crowds, avoid major holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s, Golden Week (April 29-May 5), and Obon Festival (mid-August). How to Get to Tokyo Tokyo has two international airports: Tokyo…

  • sedona hiking essentials
    Arizona,  North America,  Sedona,  Travel Tips,  United States

    Sedona Day Hiking Essentials

    Go hiking they said, it’ll be fun, they said! And it is, but there are some hiking essentials you’ll want to bring with you to ensure that your hike is safe and fun! Osprey Daylite Plus Everyday Backpack You’ve got to be able to comfortably carry everything else on this list and I love this daypack because it has a padded back and roomy capacity without being bulky. It’s got a sleeve for a water reservoir (more on that in a minute) and adjustable straps that can make more space for your stuff. LifeStraw Go Series Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle Ever since I picked up E. coli while traveling,…

  • cherry blossoms washington dc bloom 006 scaled
    Destinations,  North America,  United States,  Washington, DC

    Cherry Blossoms Washington, DC 2025 Bloom

    Seeing the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC bloom has long been on my bucket list and I was so fortunate to be able to check it off a few years ago! Each spring these pale pink and white blossoms bloom on trees that were a gift from Japan in 1912. The cherry blossoms reached peak bloom on March 28, 2025.The cherry blossoms reached peak bloom on March 17, 2024. The gift consisted of 3,020 trees in 12 varieties and today there are 3,800 trees with two varieties being the most common: the Yoshino Cherry and the Kwanzan Cherry. The National Capital Parks-Central, specifically the Tree Crew, is responsible for caring…