We were home about five days before I booked our next trip.

Nothing makes me want to travel more than going on a great trip. After a few days in my own bed and drinking my home coffee (home coffee is always better, I’m sorry), I was thinking about our next adventure.

As our girls get closer to the graduating (I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT), I’m feeling the pressure to get those last states checked off our list. So last March, after we returned from our Arizona and Nevada spring break trip, I started hunting for our next one. We’re dabbling in using strategic credit cards and points for travel, and, after our spring break trip, we had enough Delta Sky Miles to book inexpensive flights to Seattle. Originally, the plan for this trip was to explore Seattle and take the ferry to Canada for a few days.

But in April (May?) a new Travelzoo email arrived with a really great deal on an Alaskan cruise leaving from Seattle the day after we planned to arrive. It arrived back to port early on the morning we’d planned to fly home. It was meant to be. We’d spend a day in Seattle, take a 7-night cruise through Alaska, stop on the last night in Canada, then be back in Seattle in time to catch our flight home.

Sold immediately x 4.

What made our Norwegian cruise such a great deal was it was the last cruise of the season. We set sail on October 4, 2025 and returned to port on October 11th. It was the beginning of Alaska’s rainy season, so there was a chance we’d be seeing Alaska in the rain, but we didn’t care. Visiting Alaska is hard and expensive. To see so many places, you either need a prop plane or a boat. And, shockingly, we don’t have either. So taking a cruise was the best option.

[A few things to note: I’ve been on a few cruises, but no one else in my family had. Chris Graham gets car sick and seasick pretty easily. He has thrown up on a dolphin cruise in Florida and while speeding down the highway in Ohio. I told him a giant cruise ship feels different, and, while he did not believe me, he agreed to the trip anyway. Secondly, cruising is super not-great for the environment. A lot of the glaciers in Alaska are melting (as they are everywhere), and we were worried about the environmental impact of taking a giant ship into such fragile places. Most cruise lines will share what they’re doing to combat their environmental impact, so that’s definitely worth researching.]

We flew into Seattle and stayed one night at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront. It was a perfect location to walk to Pike Place Market and all the surrounding streets. We got dinner at the market and did some shopping, then walked back the next morning for breakfast and coffee before we boarded the ship. Our hotel was directly across from the dock. We woke up that morning to the giant ship docking outside our window, then when it was our time to board, we just walked over. We could not have been in a better spot.

Our trip was a 7-night Alaskan cruise with Norwegian Cruise Lines on the Norwegian Bliss. Our cruise package included a balcony stateroom, freestyle dining, 150 minutes of wi-fi per person, and one $50 shore excursion credit at each port. There was also a deal that the 3rd and 4th guests were free, so we just had to pay taxes on the girls stay. I was a little worried about the size of our room and tried, at the last minute, to bid for an upgrade, but the ship was sold out and there were no other rooms available. But once we got on the ship and settled in, it was actually fine, and I’m glad we didn’t upgrade. After taxes and fees and random other charges, our total for the cruise was about $3400. We didn’t add any additional wi-fi packages or dining packages, because I didn’t want my kids to stare at their phones the whole time and there were plenty of food options onboard. We’re not fancy and not there to eat fancy meals. We were there to explore Alaska.

And that’s what we did. Our ports of call were Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Victoria, British Columbia. We also spent one breathtaking day cruising through Glacier Bay.

With the season being so close to ending, some excursions weren’t available, but we got to do everything we wanted to. I think the only complaint was we didn’t have enough time on land. We’d prefer less time on the water and more time exploring, but that’s the downside of a cruise: you’re on someone else’s schedule.

On other cruises I’ve taken, booking excursions through independent companies is often cheaper than going through the cruise line. But for this trip so close to the end of the season, many places were only accepting reservations through the cruise line’s website. So with that extra challenge and the $50 credit we had for each port, we booked our excursions through the Norwegian website.

In Juneau, we took the Goldbelt Tram up the side of the mountain and did some hiking. Then we took a tour bus to Mendenhall Glacier and got to spend some time hiking and exploring the park. In Skagway, we took the Historic Dyea Walk (it was fine, nothing super great) and visited a musher’s camp (amazing, so fun, loved every second of it, did not want to leave). At Ketchikan, we did the Tongass Rainforest Expedition. We really liked it and wished it was longer. Our tour guide was great, and we got to see a lot of really cool stuff. We pulled into Victoria, BC, late in the evening, so we didn’t plan any excursions for that stop. We took a cab into the city, ate sushi as requested by Elliott Graham, then took an impromptu tour with our cab driver before heading back to the ship. This stop was more for maritime law reasons than a full day, but we still liked our first visit to Canada. They have really clean streets and universal healthcare, so we’re big fans.

The best part about every time we got to a new port? It never rained. It was the beginning of rainy season as I might have mentioned, and we were prepared to be wet the whole time. Then every time we pulled into a port, every person there said, “You guys got lucky. It’s been raining every day and just stopped.” The stars aligned so we never once got rained on. A friend was on a similar cruise the week before, and it was raining so bad they had to skip one port of call. So I’m not sure how that all worked out, but we felt super lucky. That’s the gamble with going so late in the season: we could afford the reduced-rate trip, but we could’ve gotten really wet.

Overall, we loved Alaska, and we’re so glad we got to see this incredible place. Chris Graham and his mini-me Harper are not interested in going on another cruise. Elliott said she would. I’m indifferent, but if I go on a cruise again, it will probably not be with my family. We did get to spend a lot of time on the observation deck, reading books, playing card games, gazing out the window as we made our way through Glacier Bay, eating endless snacks and dessert, spotting whales and dolphins, drinking Starbucks coffee, and napping. It was absolutely lovely. I loved the forced slowness we had some days, but some teenagers found it a little boring.

We’d do this cruise again, no question. It seems to be the best, most economical way to explore Alaska. We wish we had time to see and explore more, but we still got to do a lot and really loved the trip. Highly recommend if you, too, do not have access to your own prop plane or boat.

Finally, we are traveling again.

Very early on a Monday morning, we boarded a plane for Phoenix. This was the first time we’d flown together as a family; the girls had both taken trips for their 13th birthdays, but those were solo trips. Thankfully, we all fly well. One kid doesn’t like how people-y planes are, but we made some modifications after her first flight and this trip was much better.

We’re still on a quest to visit all 50 states before our girls graduate high school. I’m obsessed with planning trips and dreaming about adventures, but the benefits of exposing kids to new experiences and places trumps all the other things I love. Traveling has always been a priority for us, but as my kids get older, and I see how confident they are in new places, I love it even more. Especially as our country becomes more polarized and so many people live in fear of the big bad world, it’s so important we explore outside our comfort zones to realize that much of what we’re told about other places isn’t true. Fear has ruined so many people’s lives and families, and my mission is to show my kids there is more good than bad out there.

This trip was booked through TripMasters. I get a few travel deal emails every week; one I love is TravelZoo. They round up a good selection of trips from all over the world and last fall, an Arizona/Nevada trip made the list. I knew I wanted to end up in Las Vegas for our spring break trip—it’s a good place to fly into and then rent a car—but I didn’t really have specifics in mind. The package I bought through TripMasters was for 8 days/7 nights of hotels and a rental car. I had enough Delta SkyMiles to pay for about half our flights, so the travel package deal plus SkyMiles made this expensive trip a little less painful. (I’m just starting to get into travel hacking with credit cards; I’m very intrigued by this. We’ve never really had more than one credit card, but I’ve been slowly opening and using cards for some insane rewards. TBD if I can get some free travel out of it.)

Phoenix, Arizona was our first stop. We stayed at the Cambria Hotel Downtown. We could either walk or easily drive to everywhere we wanted to go. I’m sharing the places we ate and the things we did, but just know that we had about 10-15 things on our to-do list for every stop and we, obviously, couldn’t do them all. We could have spent a week in any of these locations, there was just so much to do.

We ate at Pizzeria Blanco (so delicious, highly recommend), Huss Brewing Co., and got yummy gelato at Grateful Spoon Gelato. We also took a kayaking trip down the Salt River with Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch. Some of us hiked all of Camelback Mountain, and some of us only hiked about an hour of it.

After Phoenix, we slowly made our way to Sedona, which is about a two-hour drive. On the way, we got breakfast (pie!) at Rock Springs Cafe. There are cute shops at this roadside attraction, so we did some shopping too. We stopped at the Sunset Point rest stop for some amazing views, then made our way down into the desert for a stop at Bumble Bee Ranch. We had reservations at the ranch for horseback riding. If you go, make sure you plan ahead, they don’t allow you to just drop in. Riding horses through an old pioneer town and through the rocky, hilly desert was fun. If you have time to stop, I’d recommend it. They had horses for all experience levels; I’d never ridden a horse before and felt completely comfortable and safe on our ride.

After our ride, we traveled farther into the desert to visit Cleator, a former mining town. I really wanted to visit a ghost town and this did not disappoint. Randomly, we happened to pull up while a film crew from HGTV was there, and we got to meet Jack McBrayer as he filmed an episode of Zillow Gone Wild!, but even if that weird experience didn’t happen, the town was still neat to see. Because we arrived during the filming, we got to meet the mayor/owner of the town (who had recently purchased it and had begun renovating, which is why the show was there) and explore the old schoolhouse and general store. They were all open because of filming, so you might not be able to do that normally. There is a bar in the town, so you can for sure get a cold drink before you hit the long, windy road back to the interstate.

Before we pulled into Sedona, we stopped at Montezuma Castle National Park to see the ruins. It’s a quick stop, but walking the grounds and seeing the structures built into the side of the cliff is incredible. (It costs $10 a person to get into the park, so if you’re making any other national park stops, it’s worth it to buy the annual pass for $80.)

Once in Sedona, we were starving, so we stopped at Dellepaine for dinner. Then we grabbed donuts for the next morning at BoSa Donuts and checked into our hotel: Bell Rock Inn. Technically, we were about 8 minutes outside of Sedona proper, but I loved our location. We could walk to plenty of restaurants and hiking trails, it was a great spot.

We tried a few local coffee shops while we were in Sedona and were able to do multiple hikes up or around the Bell Rock area. Chris and I left the girls in bed one morning and hiked to the top of a mountain during the sunrise. 10/10, would recommend.

We took a Jeep tour with Arizona Safari Jeep Tours one day, and everyone liked it. We did the Rim Run Supreme which was definitely rough and precarious, but worth it for the views at the top. After our trip, we ate at Torte de Fuego, which was good Mexican food.

We tried to visit Chapel of the Holy Cross but parking was a disaster, so we just saw it from afar. Everything was busy, so the earlier you can get to any of the stuff you want to do, the better.

Leaving Sedona, we made a slight detour to Jerome, a former mining town now full of great shops and restaurants. We shopped, had lunch at Haunted Hamburger, and got treats at a candy shop before hitting the road to the Grand Canyon.

We stayed in the park, at Yavapai Lodge, for our one-night stay at the Grand Canyon. If you’re familiar with national park accommodations, they’re not state of the art. They’re basic and unfancy. But the lodge we stayed at was very clean and had been updated in the past few years. So the cinderblock outside was deceiving when we pulled up. And, really, you’re not spending much time in your room, so who cares if it’s not luxurious? I just need a clean place to sleep and shower.

We ate our meals at the Grand Canyon Village cafeteria. Food selection was good, and it was much easier than leaving the park to get food. Entrance to the park for our car was $35, or free if you have the national parks pass.

After doing a bunch of research, I decided just buying a self-guided audio tour was the best option for us. I downloaded the Action Tour Guide app and then selected the Grand Canyon south rim tour. It was great, and we didn’t regret not doing a paid tour. Our children were not super impressed with the Grand Canyon. Teenagers are lame, so we did some of the tour, but not the whole thing. Yes, a lot of it looks the same, but that did not matter to the adults, we wanted to see it all, every inch of it. As we were leaving, Chris said, “We’ll come back here one day without our kids.”

Yes, yes, we will.

After the Grand Canyon, we had our longest drive: 4 hours to Las Vegas. We crossed over the Hoover Dam without stopping, which I regret now that we’re home. We were all just ready to get to the next stop, but it wouldn’t have taken long to stop and see it.

In Las Vegas, we stayed at the Tuscany Resort and Casino. It was about two blocks off the main strip and about one block from the Sphere. We happened to arrive the night Dead and Company were doing a three-show run at the Sphere so our hotel was overrun with stoned hippies. I’m not exaggerating; one of the parking lots was shutdown for all the vendors and people who travel for the shows and because marijuana is legal in Nevada, everywhere we went we got a contact high. So much pot. So many White people in culturally-appropriated dreads.

Again, traveling gives our kids experiences they wouldn’t have if we just stayed home, and this was no exception. I didn’t expect the experience to be drugs, but here we are.

We had a king suite at the hotel, which came with a pullout couch, a large living area, and a kitchen. The hotel had a beautiful pool and the resort was large. They had a great coffee shop on-site and a few good restaurants if you didn’t want to leave the hotel.

We did venture out each night to walk around. There is such good people watching in Vegas, plus all the crazy hotels and shops. We ate delicious ramen one night, Crack Chicken for lunch one day, random snacks or ice cream places we stumbled upon, plus frozen drinks at Fat Tuesday. We bought fresh fruit cups from a sidewalk vendor and spent way too much money at a candy store. One afternoon we went to a nearby outlet mall for shopping and Shake Shack.

Las Vegas weather was perfect, so we got to spend time lounging at the pool in the sun as well. We got tickets to the Museum of Illusions one mid-morning and everyone had fun there. I think our tickets were for 11:00 or 12:00, and by the time we were done, it was getting really busy. Going early allows you to do all the exhibits without waiting in line or too many other people around.

On our way to the airport, we took a little road trip to Seven Magic Mountains, it’s a quick stop, but I’m glad we did it before dropping off our rental car and jumping on a plane to head back home.

Our travel package from TripMasters was a little under $2,000 for all our hotels and car rental. Because I wanted to know how much money we saved, I looked up hotel rates at each hotel we were at and asked the rental car price when I picked up the car. We saved about $800 to $900 with the deal we purchased. I was a little worried the hotels they booked would be a little shady, because you don’t know the actual hotels before you purchase, but they were all great. I’d stay at all of them again. (When you book, you’re told you will be staying at 3-star hotels, that’s all the info provided.)

All the excursions or activities we did weren’t included in the package, but every one we did was fun and worth the cost, in my opinion. Also, because we booked so early, I was researching activities and randomly booking them as I had extra money, so they were all paid for by the time we took off for Phoenix. The trip was definitely not cheap, but because I was able to pay for so much of it ahead of time, we just needed spending money once we hit the road.

Visiting Arizona and Nevada knocked two more states off our bucket list, and we’re now officially down to less than 10 states. Ellie has a little over two years left of high school (seems impossible), but I think we’re on track to make our goal before she graduates.

I can’t believe it’s all that close.

In honor of the (hopefully) last toll bill I received in the mail this month, I felt it was finally time to write about our fall break trip from last year. We took a road trip in October, made a quick stop at Niagara Falls for the evening, visited Boston on the way to Bar Harbor, Maine, hiked and explored Acadia National Park and surrounding areas, then stopped in Boston on the return trip.

It was a lot of driving, a lot of beautiful scenery, and a lot of fun. Here’s where we went and what we did.

How many vacation pictures is too many vacation pictures? Asking for a friend who wants you to come over and watch her 45-minute slideshow with accompanying puppet narration.

We were gone a total of 8 days last fall to check off more states on our quest to visit all 50 before our girls graduate high school. Our first stop on this adventure was Niagara Falls, New York. We drove all day and made it just in time to see the sun setting over the falls. We spent the night nearby, then hit the road early the next morning for our next destination: Boston.

We spent a day and night in Boston, eating delicious food, exploring the New England Aquarium, and resting up before we pushed through to Maine.

(We’ve been to both Niagara Falls and Boston before, so we didn’t get to check any states off the list with those stops, unfortunately.)

We rolled into the Sunrise Cottage on Beech Hill Pond in Otis, Maine, on Monday evening. This was home base for the rest of the week. We loved this cabin and wish we had been able to spend more time there relaxing on the porches and using the amenities, but we were mostly just there in the evenings after hiking or exploring all day. The house was about 40 minutes outside of Acadia National Park, but it was close to a little town with shopping and restaurants, plus you drive through a slightly larger town on the way to the park with even better shopping and restaurants. It would seem you’re not close to the park or Bar Harbor, but we felt this was an okay distance to travel each day. If you have little kids and want to get to the park or Bar Harbor quicker, I’d definitely pick someplace else though.

The next four days were hiking and shopping and trying new restaurants and eating lots of ice cream. Fall in Maine is busy—rightfully so—so when we got into the park each day, Chris Graham went out of his way to take us to less busy hikes and lookouts. You know, the ones the tour buses and older people can’t get to. *awkward smile* That plan led to some pretty intense accidental hikes, but we all survived. Except we almost lost two people on the Precipice Hike, in all seriousness, and we should not have jumped on that trail without reading some signs, like the one that said people have died on this trail and please don’t do it when it’s wet or if you’re not a skilled hiker. Which was super cool since it was most certainly wet and we had some people in our group who were not skilled hikers.

It made for some good stories though, and Chris Graham got a cool t-shirt to commemorate the experience, but we all voted to never do that one again.

This was a good trip because the area has a good mix of shopping and delicious food, with a very large side helping of pretty landscapes and mountains. As our daughters get older, they are less enthused to spend a week hiking in a national park, so we have to temper that with bribery purchases at local bookstores, ice cream parlors, and gift shops. But those bribes were worth every penny, because Acadia National Park is stunning, and it felt ridiculously lucky to be able to see it in all its splendor in the fall.

After the week in Maine, we packed up and headed back to Boston. It’s about a four-hour drive, which is a good stopping point for gas and stretches. We got back into town just in time to tour Fenway Park and do a little baseball shopping, then we ate dinner near the ballpark and hit the road heading east for home.

2022 was a busy year. Here’s where we went and how we got there.

February
Ellie, my brother, and I took a surprised trip to New York City for Ellie’s 13th birthday. A snowstorm tried to stop us—and it did delay our trip by half a day—but we made it in time for Hamilton on Broadway and a few days exploring the city. (more on that trip here)

March
We took a day trip to Louisville, Kentucky, for my dad’s birthday. We went to a record sale, did some antiquing, ate delicious food, and visited the Louisville Slugger Museum.

For spring break, we spent a week in Destin, Florida. My mom went with us on this trip. We got to introduce her to Buccee’s and lazy days at the beach. It was a little windy and chilly some days, but it beat a week in freezing cold Indiana, obviously.

May
We spent the long Memorial Day weekend camping with friends in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Kentucky. We stayed at the Renfro Valley KOA and while we had lots of traveling mishaps on the way there and back (towing a camper is always an adventure, sigh), it was a good trip after the chaos of the end of school.

June
We took our annual trip to Austin Lake RV Park with Chris’ brother and family. We got to meet our new niece for the first time. We spent 2-3 years trying out different spots to do our yearly trip, but last year we ended up here and decided it’s where we wanted to go back every summer. It’s such a fun place with so much to do, and I love the idea that we return every year together.

We spent a rainy weekend at Turkey Run State Park with friends. I love Turkey Run, but this trip was a wash, literally. We had fun, because camping with RVs means the rain doesn’t really bother you, but we definitely want to try again next summer with the hopes of better weather so we can hike and play outside. We did get one good day on the river, though, so it was still a good trip.

July
[This should be where I write about our annual 4th of July trip to Michigan. It’s my favorite trip of the year. Except this year we got COVID and had to cancel. *insert many sobs here* But don’t worry, I’ll make up for it in a few months.]

I spent a week in Columbus, Ohio for work. That doesn’t seem like a trip I should add to the list because work travel is exhausting in its own special way, but I slept in a king-size bed by myself for a week while other people made all my food and I didn’t have to care for anyone but myself. So it was definitely a vacation.

We ended up back in Louisville, Kentucky, with my dad for a Louisville Bats (minor league baseball) game. This was his Father’s Day gift. All gifts for my dad are baseball related.

September
For Labor Day weekend, we drove to southern Indiana to spend three days camping in Santa Claus, Indiana. We spent a day at Holiday World, did all the Christmas-themed stuff around town, and avoided the rain as much as we could. It was a fun trip, but I don’t feel the need to camp there again. That place is packed FULL of campers, and we like a little more space when camping.

[Fun twist: It was supposed to rain the day we planned to go to Holiday World, but the rain kept getting pushed back, so we ended up going and just bracing for rain. It came about 1.5 hours before close, around the time we were ready to leave. But guess what happens when there’s a threat of rain all day? Holiday World enacts their Worry-Free Weather Guarantee and, if you get rained out, they let you use your tickets for another day for free. An IG follower who works there shared this info with me, so now we get to return next season and use our tickets again. Sweet.]

October
A friend and I flew to Florida and boarded a very big ship for a 7-day cruise to western Caribbean. We visited Honduras and made a few stops in Mexico. It was fun and relaxing, even though I’m still not sold on cruises as a normal way to see the world. [more on that trip here]

Over fall break, we camped at Lieber State Rec Area and had the best time. I had no idea this place would be as great as it was and can’t wait to return.

December
We pulled the girls out of school a week early and drove to northern Michigan for skiing and playing in the snow. We’d been to Boyne Mountain Resort years ago when the girls were small, and it was summer. (details here) It was fun to go back in the winter when they’re older and have a whole different set of adventures and experiences. I wish we had introduced the girls to skiing when they were younger, but we’re not giving up yet. [more details on here]

2022 was an odd travel year. A May trip to Florida with a friend was cancelled the morning I was supposed to fly out because of fog delays at the airport and people we were traveling sick with COVID. Chris and I were supposed to fly to Oregon for a friends’ wedding in August, but had to cancel because it didn’t feel responsible to spend that much money with the rising costs due to inflation. And, of course, we had to cancel Michigan in July.

On the plus side, we got to do lots of traveling (masked the whole time because we don’t want to get sick again AND we don’t want to visit other communities and make them sick). It was not the year we planned, but it was still good. Lots of adventures. Lots of memories. Lots of new places with good friends.

I’m excited for 2023. We’ve got some fun trips planned. And I can’t wait to see what unexpected places we end up as well.

I would not call myself a cruise person. It’s just not really my style.

But I took a cruise a few weeks ago, and I had such a good time. Maybe it was the company. Maybe it was the lack of parenting responsibilities. Maybe it was the sunshine. Maybe it was the afternoon naps.

Maybe it was all those things combined. Either way, I took a 7-day West Caribbean cruise with my friend Christine, and we had the best time.

I still don’t think I’m a cruise person, but I’m sure I’ll take another one at some point. It can be an efficient, less expensive way to travel to some locations and, once you’re on board, it’s low key and low stress if you want it to be.

Here’s what we did: 7-day Royal Caribbean cruise on the Allure of the Seas. We left out of Port Everglades, and stopped in Roatan, Honduras, Costa Maya, Mexico, and Cozumel, Mexico. We flew into Fort Lauderdale, which is a less-than-ten-minute Uber ride from the port.

Our first port was Roatan, Honduras. We did an excursion to Big French Key and spent the day on the beach. We got to paddle board and kayak there, as well as have a catered lunch. There was a bar, a few shops, and a snorkeling boat trip you could take if you wanted to pay extra. We just stuck to the beach for the day. We booked this excursion through Royal Caribbean. If I could do it over again, I think we’d have booked an excursion for Little French Key instead. That side of the key had a few more things to do and you could swim with pigs. Pigs! We didn’t learn about that until we got back on the boat that night and were talking with our dinner companions. I don’t know if you could book Little French Key through Royal Caribbean or you have to do it separately. (I know the benefit of booking excursions through the cruise line is they’re verified and the boat won’t leave you behind if something happens, but thanks to Youtube and travel bloggers, there are a lot of legit excursions you can book for better prices with a little research.)

Our next port was Costa Maya. We didn’t have any excursions planned for this stop. We got off the boat and walked around the large shopping center right on the coast. There were two pools to swim in there, so technically we could have just stayed all day and been happy. But we ended up wandering outside of the shopping center and finding a place to rent taxis and golf carts. We shared a golf cart with a couple from the ship ($60 for 3 hours) and rode into town. It was about a 10-minute golf cart ride, and then you’re on the white sand beaches with much better shopping and food choices. We shopped, got the most delicious fresh-cut mango, got massages on the beach ($20 for an hour), and explored. There were lots of good excursion choices at this port, but I’m really glad we didn’t plan ahead to do anything. We had the most fun deciding what to do at the last minute.

Our final port was Cozumel. We made reservations through Tortugas Cozumel for a snorkeling by boat and an ATV tour through the jungle trip. It included Jade Caverns, exploring a Mayan cenote, Jeep rides around the island, tequila tasting event, a delicious lunch, open bar, and private beach. I did not want this day to end, it was perfect. I ended the excursion by sitting on a swing at the bar, eating warm tortillas, reading a book, and drinking a margarita. The ship could’ve left me there, and I would not have worried about it.

When we were at sea, the ship was packed with stuff to do: ice skate, see a show, go to a club, watch a movie, shop, zipline, rock climb, visit the spa, and so much more. We saw Mama Mia, listened to a Whitney Houston tribute show, played bingo like little old ladies, had 90 minute massages at the spa, stayed up late at for 80s and 90s night at the club, and ate pizza at 1 AM. I had Starbucks coffee every morning and a three-course dinner every night. I didn’t have to take care of anyone but myself, and I barely did that. I read two books, took some naps which never happens at home, and had someone else make my bed every morning and turn it down every night.

I know I said I’m not a cruise person. I still don’t feel like I’m a cruise person, even as a rave about how great this trip was. It was a fun experience, and I had a great time. It’s not the way I want to spend all my vacations, but taking a cruise once in a while to mix things up isn’t a bad way to see the world.

We went to Iowa over fall break. Let me go ahead and say, yes, it was a surprising choice, and I can see your face through the screen. It looks very similar to the faces of people I know in real life when I shared this plan.

Anyway, we went to Iowa for a week, and I think you should do it too. Let me explain.

Our goal is to visit all 50 states with our girls before they graduate high school. The rules for this are pretty simple, but we have to spend time in a state before it counts. Driving through a state to get somewhere else does not count as a visit. We have to take time to explore a state before we check it off the list. Do we have to spend a week in a state? Nope. That’s just how it worked out this time.

We spent the beginning of our week at Honey Creek State Park. It was about a seven hour drive from Indy. They have two campgrounds: north campground and south campground. We stayed at the north campground because we needed full hookups, but if you don’t need that, I highly suggest grabbing a spot in the south campground. Many of the spots overlook the lake and have a lot more trees.

The campground doesn’t have a lot of extra stuff, but there are a lot of trails and places to explore. Everything seems to lead to Rathbun Lake so carry water shoes or toys for kids if you’re hiking with them. We spent a lot of time on the shores of the lake even though it was October, and it was chilly. The lake was still busy with people boating and fishing. We spoke to a fellow camper who frequents the park. He said in the summer, it’s hard to get a reservation because it’s so busy. There are plenty of sandy beaches and great picnic areas in the park too, I can see why this would be a popular place in the summer.

We saw deer everywhere—we even had visitors walk through the campgrounds in the evenings. Everywhere we went, we came across deer. The girls loved it. It doesn’t matter that we live in Indiana where we also see deer all the time, or that they often run across the field behind our house. Iowa deer are special, I guess.

About mid-week, we packed up the camper and headed a few miles up the road to Honey Creek Resort. The resort has a small campground; I think there was room for about 14 campers. Everything is full hookup, which you’ll need if camping there because there are no public bathhouses or restrooms. The resort is huge. We were about a 4-minute bike ride from the main hotel. On the way, you pass the golf course and a lot of cute cabins to rent.

It was—just like at the state park—the off-season so we were one of very few guests during the week. You pay a $25 daily activity fee on top of your reservation, and it gets you access to their waterpark, bikes, nature center, golf course, kayaks, standup paddle boards, outdoor games, and more. A lot of it was closed for the season, so we weren’t able to get on the lake. The waterpark is open Thursday through Sunday, so the girls got to play a few days before we headed home. We’re really careful about where we travel and what we do since we’re still in the middle of a pandemic, so it felt weird and wonderful to be the only people at the waterpark one afternoon. We’re also pretty cautious about eating in restaurants with the girls since Harper isn’t vaccinated yet, but we did go to the main hotel for breakfast every morning. Monday through Thursday was a continental breakfast included in our stay. They had a lot more available than the cereal and yogurt advertised on the board at check-in. Friday through Sunday the restaurant serves breakfast ala carte. We had a delicious breakfast Friday morning in an almost-empty dining room.

During our stay, we made a few trips to neighboring towns. We really were in the middle of nowhere. Normally when we camp, we do a few day trips to nearby cities to explore and try new restaurants. That wasn’t really an option here. We spent an afternoon wandering around Centerville’s town square. They had lots of antique and thrift shops I loved, but my children did not. We hiked Lake Wapello State Park one morning, but most of the trail was closed, so we didn’t spend a lot of time there. We spent an afternoon looking for Amish markets and bakeries, because the area around Centerville has a large Amish population. After an afternoon grocery store run, we had a picnic at Sharon Bluffs State Park, but I’d recommend no one ever going there because it was weird.

We did learn that in Iowa, state parks are run by the county. So they varied widely based on how much the county wanted to invest in their local parks. The more we visit state parks outside of Indiana, the more I realize how nice our parks are. We are definitely spoiled.

On the way home, we spend the afternoon in Burlington, Iowa. It’s on the Mississippi River, right before you cross into Illinois. An Instagram follower suggested we eat at Som: Burgers + Beer, and it was a such a great recommendation. The girls loved the free popcorn while we waited for our food, and then every single meal we ordered was amazing. Afterward, we walked around the city for a while. Snake Alley, a Ripley’s Believe It or Not site, is this cool twisty cobblestone street you can walk or drive on. Pulling the camper on it would have been a disaster, but it was fun to watch cars go down it. It wasn’t busy so we took advantage of the lull to run up and down a few times too.

So, yeah, we went to Iowa. I’d say a week might have been a little too long in the fall once a lot of stuff is closed; you could explore the area we stayed at in about 3-4 days, but it was restful and quiet nonetheless. In the summer, a week might not be long enough for all the stuff you can do.

We came home ready to winterize the camper, to settle into the couch after five months of camping adventures, and to welcome the colder weather.

Iowa was state number 30, and we’re already planning our next great adventure.

Labor Day weekend means the end of summer and, for a short six weeks, my husband and I can say we’re only a year apart in the age department.

Until I turn 40 next month and become the cougar I’ve always dreamt of being.

Just kidding. My dreams mostly involve books, good food, and very few people. But that’s not the point of this post. Sorry, I got distracted.

2021 was the year we fell in love with Indiana. Not so much the people or the politics or the low teacher pay, but the state parks.

We’ve been camping in Indiana state parks since we were dating. I’m not sure there’s a bad one. We ended up at an Illinois state park in the spring and were shocked at how not-great it was. Last weekend, we traveled to Chain O’Lakes State Park in northern Indiana and—what in the world?—how have we never been there before?

Did you know this gem existed? I had no idea.

It’s about a 3-hour drive from our house so that’s probably why we’re not more familiar with it. It’s near Ft. Wayne, almost to the Michigan border.

Here’s what most people don’t know about Indiana: the southern part is hilly and beautiful, filled with trees and places to climb. Southern Indiana is rolling hills and caves to explore. Northern Indiana is lush lakes and forests and looks more like Michigan than Indiana. The glaciers left some wonderful amazing places to see up north. Thanks, glaciers!

It’s just the middle—where we live, BIG SIGH—that is flat and what you imagine Indiana to be. But if you go north or south, it feels like you’re in a whole other world.

So we went north for Labor Day. The weather was perfect and the lakes were still warm. The days were sunny and slow. The evenings were cool and perfect for fires. We read books and took hikes. We kayaked for hours and explored lakes. We ate breakfast late because there’s no where to go and no rush to get there. We grilled burgers and ate tacos, road bikes and walked the dogs.

We did nothing and everything. It was to celebrate Chris’ birthday and to acknowledge we made it through another summer. We paused to acknowledge we’re still here even though the world feels harsh and full of pain and oftentimes too much.

Fall camping is my favorite. Sleeping with the windows open and putting a sweatshirt on in the morning as you stumble out of the camper with steaming coffee in your hand; there is nothing better than crisp early mornings in the woods. I will fight anyone who says different.

We’ve begun to lose the light in the evenings. It was dark by 8:30 after months of bright light until bedtime. It didn’t stop the girls from running to the playground for one last game of four square or make them park their bikes under the tree and sit still with us though. Summer nights at the campground are magical for independent girls with things to do and people to play with. Fall doesn’t change that.

It had been a minute since we’d hit the road. Summer camp and back to school and new routines made camping low on the priority list for late July and August. But September and October causes a reordering of things. Camping is on top again. We realize the end of the season is near so we scramble to not lose a second of the light we have left.

We always say we’ll camp in November. It’s not that cold yet; we have heat. We just need to make it happen. 
But then we return from our fall break trip and we’re tired and ready to burrow into the couch and read books and watch movies by the fire for a season. We are ready for rest. Washing the bed sheets and packing for another trip loses its appeal after October.

But this weekend was so good.

Maybe we’ll camp in November this year.

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Where we camped: Chain O’Lakes State Park in Albion, Indiana

We were in spot #20 last week, and I think the loop we were on was the best place to camp. This is a huge campground (over 400 sites), and we were in an area that backed up to the woods so it was more secluded. We were also close to a trailhead 3 that took you to Sand Beach. It’s a nice little walk to the beach from the campground. It’s also where the boat/kayak rental office is. There are tons of great trails to explore, an old school house to tour, and plenty of stuff to do in the park. We pulled in on Friday night and entertained ourselves inside the park until we left Monday afternoon. We didn’t attempt the 9 lake challenge, but we made it to 5. That trek from Dock Lake to Long Lake is something else. Added perk: there’s very little cell phone reception in most state parks in Indiana so you don’t have to struggle to disconnect because you really don’t have any other choice.