Books, Bites, and Sights

"I sha'n't be gone long. – You come too." – Robert Frost

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About Me

Hi, there! My name is Natalie Ray, and I am the creator of Books, Bites, and Sights.

This blog is space for me to focus more on the things that bring me joy: reading, yoga, spirituality, early mornings, travel, peanut butter, hot coffee, recovery, love, long phone calls, and more. I won’t be gone long— you come too.

Explore my authentic and unsolicited take on different books, bites, and sights from a variety of destinations by clicking on the drop downs. And don’t forget to leave a comment on your take, suggestions, or experiences.

  • American Samoa

    February 2nd – February 5th, 2026

    Even after hours of research, I was unsure of what to expect when traveling to American Samoa. Using limited and outdated information online, I decided that this trip would be one where I had to be tentative and go with the flow – which is the exact advice I would now give to anyone planning to travel to the American Samoan islands.

    Prior to planning this trip, I had never heard of American Samoa, so FYI, American Samoa is composed of five volcanic islands in the South Pacific Ocean, and while it is a US territory, you do need your passport when traveling here.

    Why visit American Samoa? For Amory and I, this was an expensive and daunting stepping stone in our 63 in 365 journey. While on the island, most people we met aside from natives were also “park people”; there only to check off American Samoa from their national park bucket list.

    And while I have traveled international, culture shock is always ever-present when exposed to new people and places. Unless you are familiar with island lifestyles or Samoan culture, more than likely you will also experience this on the island. As with any culture: Lean in. Be mindful. Learn. Embrace. Smile. Be humble. And have fun.

    Thinking of visiting American Samoa? Don’t take my experience or my opinions as bible. I was only on the island for 4 days. There is no way to capture the unique depth of the island, the people, or the culture in 4 days. However, I do want to share my books, bites, and insights for fellow travelers considering making their own journey across the Pacific to American Samoa.

    Books

    Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah

    2/5 stars

    I am a sucker for historical fiction. So after all the internet hype surrounding Kristin Hannah, I decided to try her out last year, and I effortlessly fell in love with her eloquence. I quickly consumed three of her novels: The Nightingale (2015), The Four Winds (2021), The Women (2024). She is one of my favorite contemporary authors, and I am always recommending her books to history junkies young and old.

    Prior to leaving for our 63 in 365 journey, I snatched up the Black Friday Amazon Kindle deals and bought two more of her novels – Magic Hour (2006) and The Great Alone (2017). I started Magic Hour while sitting by the clear marine tide pools in American Samoa with high expectations – oof, my mistake. This novel is significantly different than the others that I mentioned above. Take notes. It is not historical fiction.

    And while I enjoyed the unique concept of Magic Hour – a child of the woods who has presumably been raised by wolves, I didn’t favor it as much as I had her other novels. It was cliche and predictable. And maybe that is your thing – maybe you love endings that wrap up nicely with a bow atop. But personally, I don’t.

    Additionally, the romance between the steamy, misunderstood doctor guy and the quirky-past, wallflower therapist gal just didn’t do it for me. I kept checking the cover to be sure I wasn’t reading a Nicholas Sparks novel. And the ending – don’t get me started – boring. (And if you actually read this novel and want to talk about alternative endings that would’ve been way more epic IMO, please DM me lol)

    Does this novel change how I feel about Hannah as a writer? Nope. Still love her. Will still recommend her. And will still read her stuff. But, truth be told, I am glad to be done with this novel.

    Bites

    Tisa’s Barefoot Bar ($150)

    • On Wednesday nights at 7, Tisa’s Barefoot Bar, in the Eastern district of American Samoa, hosts a Samoan Umu Feast. For $75 per person, Amory and I decided to bite the bullet and reserve ourselves a spot. But to our disappointment, on the day of, Tisa reached out to us to let us know that due to the recent flooding and because of low enrollment, the feast had been canceled. Booooo. However, she told us that the bar was still open, had a local catch-of-the-day fish dinner being served, and that she would love to have us. Even though we were bummed to miss out on the feast experience, we made our way from Pago Pago to Tisa’s (20 minutes east), and we were glad we did. The bar is located beautifully shoreside on Alega beach, focused on being eco-friendly, organic, and local, and incredibly delicious. Our fish dinner consisted of fresh caught yellow-fin tuna and shrimp, island-grown cucumbers and tomatoes in a hand-crafted coconut cream with native breadfruit and papaya on the side. All served atop a banana leaf. Oh! And I can’t leave out the bats. Fruit bats are the only native land mammals of American Samoa, and they tend to best be seen at dawn and dusk. Amory and I had the pleasure of watching them take flight table-side as the sun set while sipping on our hand blended Piña Coladas.
    Tisa’s fresh, local fish dinner
    Tisa’s hand-blended piña colada made with local ingredients

    Julia’s Restaurant: A Taste of Vietnam in Tafuna ($35)

    • Before our late night flight, Amory and I stopped into Julia’s Restaurant for one of our favorite dishes: pho. I ordered the beef pho, and Amory ordered the chicken. Clean, simple ingredients and easy on our bellies pre-flight.
    Conveniently for most, Julia’s is located right across from Tradewinds Hotel
    Beef pho

    Forsgren Supermarket ($5)

    • Y’all know it – I love strolling the isles of local grocery stores for those random niche finds. At Forsgren, I found a traditional Samoan candy: lole popo. Three ingredients: shredded coconut, brown sugar, and lemon. And because I have a never- ceasing, all demanding sugar tooth (thanks dad), I ate all four with my morning coffee the next day. Perfecto.
    Sights

    Flights, Pago Pago Airport, and Rental Car

    Getting to and around American Samoa can be the most tedious and expensive part of visiting the island. Flights to Pago Pago from Honolulu are only available Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Amory and I flew in on a Monday night (arriving at the Pago Pago International Airport around 10 pm) and flew out on a Thursday night (leaving Pago Pago around 11 pm). We flew in from LA with layover in Honolulu. When leaving, we flew back to Honolulu and then flew to Kahului for our Hawaiian portion of our 63 in 365 journey. All these flights (via Hawaiian airlines) costed us roughly $1,200 each. The flights to and from Honolulu were right at 6 hours each. Jet lag? Yup. Expensive? Yup. Would I pay this much if I wasn’t pertinent about visiting all the national parks? Truthfully, no. Like I said initially, it’s tedious and expensive to get to American Samoa, and at times, it felt more like a chore than a vacation. Does that mean I discourage you from going? Nope. Do I regret it? Nope. But would I do it again? No. Cancel me for that insight if needed – but it’s my truth lol.

    Books, bites, insights? Be sure you have your passport. It will be checked multiple times upon your arrival. And with flights only being three days a week, list out all the things you want to do while on the island and then decide how long you want to spend there. In my opinion, Monday to Thursday was plenty of time to explore all the things.

    When renting a car in American Samoa, buckle up. Our rental car experience was confusing and frustrating at times; however, we look back and laugh on our experience, and we were just glad we had a semi-reliable car to get around in. We rented a Toyota Highlander from Tuanaitau’s Car Rental in Nu’uuli for $190 total. They greeted us at the airport on arrival and were so welcoming (peep my snack lei that they gifted me below). But they were very unorganized. They couldn’t find our reservation, had no idea if we had paid or not, and wanted a cash deposit but didn’t have change. We are flexible and go-with-the-flow people, but we had been traveling for nearly 14 hours, so this was a bit irritating. Once we got our car and started driving, we immediately noticed that it had a miss in the transmission. The car got us from point a to point b throughout our entire time on the island, but it was troubling thinking of what we would do if it broke down. We did not have cellular service while on the island and relied solely on Wi-Fi. Additionally, we flew in at night and had no clue where we were. Again, we had no issues with the car, but the transmission missing every five minutes was concerning. Also, and I hate to say it, the car was filled with cockroaches. They were everywhere in the car. They would crawl on us and our bags. We lifted the mats at one point to find trash, crumbs, and roaches galore. Yuck. Enough said. Last, returning the car was a nightmare. We called the company to let them know we were driving to the airport and would be dropping the car off as per their directions. But they never asked for our names or the type of car or any identifying information. Once at the airport, we spent nearly an hour trying to track them down just to drop off our car. Had something else come up, we would have struggled getting through security and making our flight in time. I had read about “island time” prior to coming to American Samoa – its legit y’all. Be flexible. Show up early.

    Books, bites, insights? While on the island, we talked to someone else who rented a car. He went through Avis and had a much better experience. Not that you will, but I am throwing that tidbit out there.

    Necklace I was given from our rental car company after landing

    Accommodations in Pago Pago: Robert’s Guest House on Airbnb ($550 total)

    If I were to go back to American Samoa, I would hands-down stay with Lillian and Henry again. First, the guest house was pristine: clean and comfortable. It had all the amenities, and I immediately felt right at home. Next, it was conveniently and centrally located – right by the visitor center and just down the road from the Mount Alava trailhead. Last, Lillian and Henry were the most hospitable hosts. They met us at airport because navigating the island can be confusing and cell service nonexistence, they showed us around the island pointing out all the park things, and they guided us to a local hidden waterfall (see sights for more). Our hosts embodied the hospitality and warm Samoan culture I had read about. Books, bites, and insights? The guy who rented with Avis from above? He stayed at Tradewinds and was envious of our accommodations and hosts.

    Highly recommend staying with Lillian and Henry. I am hyperlinking their listing above. Check to see if they’re available. You won’t be disappointed by their hospitality and accommodations.
    View from Airbnb in Pago Pago
    Entrance to Airbnb

    Visitor center

    The National Park of American Samoa Visitor Center is open 8 – 3 weekdays in Pago Pago. We stopped in quickly to pick the brain of the park ranger and to get our passport stamps and stickers.

    Books, bites, and insights? There is a wet season and a dry season in American Samoa. We went during their wet season (October through May) – and also, it is a rainforest. Keep this in mind when planning your trip. Did we let the clouds, rain, and mud stop us? Nope. But the weather was unpredictable. And in no way could we rely on the forecast. It was forecasted to be rainy for our entire visit, but we actually had one cloudy day, one rainy day, and one clear, sunny day. So, all’s well that ends well. But as mentioned above, it is expensive to visit here, so if you want a better chance of clear, sunny skies, plan your trip during the dry season.

    Trails in National Park of American Samoa

    There is a lot of natural beauty to be seen and explored in American Samoa, but many trails and sights are underdeveloped, overgrown, not marked well, and sometimes not maintained (even the ones in the national park themselves). Books, bites, and insights? Come prepared for jungle hikes. Breathable clothing, waterproof shoes, raincoats. Additionally, do yourself a favor and get the premium version of AllTrails. Why? You can pre-download the trails and use satellite technology to navigate them. Without this, Amory and I wouldn’t of been able to locate most trailheads. Most trails you could follow once you found them, but finding them was the tricky part. But Natalie I don’t want to pay for the premium version. Listen babe. You paid so much to get out to the island. Just grin and bear it. The trails are epic and unique. But the flora of the island is unrelenting – making finding where to go or where to start so cumbersome.

    • Lower Sauma Ridge Trail (0.5 mile in-and-out): small parking lot along Route 006, great view of Pola Island which is known as being a nesting area for seabirds, slick stairs going down to viewpoint but easily done, perfect for watching waves crash along the volcanic shore. Being one of my favorites of the trip, the Lower Sauma Ridge Trail is a short, easy to follow jungle hike.
    End of trail and viewpoint on Lower Sauma Ridge Trail
    Eastern view of Pola Island from Lower Sauna Ridge Trail
    • Pola Island Trail (1 mile in-and-out): confusing parking situation (pull past signage seen below and park to the side – we parked in the wrong spot but were redirected by a local). The Pola Island Trail is easy to follow, and very flat. It follows along a rocky shore with lots of hermit crabs, cane toads, and island birds. Because of the strong tide, there is a good bit of trash washed ashore and not an ideal place for swimming or snorkeling.
    NPS signage at beginning of Pola Island Trail
    Rocky shore on Pola Island Trail
    Pola Island Trail trailhead – follow the tire tracks
    • Taufanua Trail (1.3 mile in-and-out): an adventurous jungle hike that should not be done in wet conditions and not really worth it IMO. Located right near the Pola Island Trail, parking is tricky. You can park near the Pola Island Trail trailhead and walk back-up the road to the Taufanua trailhead, but the tail does have its own parking signage on the left hand side of the road right after crossing a drainage bridge.The trailhead isn’t marked which is where AllTrails premium can come in clutch, but the trail is easy to follow once you’re on it. So why is it not worth it IMO? While the hike is adventurous and takes you through dense jungle forest, it requires a lot of navigating over narrow ledges, climbing up lots of steep ladders/stairs with ropes, and crawling over downed trees. And what is the reward for all this effort? A secluded rocky, pebble beach with a view of Pola Island… the same type of secluded rocky, pebble beach with a very similar view you get from the Pola Island Trail.
    Taufanua Trail Trailhead
    Parking sign for Taufanua Trail
    Winding and occasionally steep stairs on Taufanua Trail
    Western view of Pola Island from the rocky shore at the end of the Taufanua Trail
    • Mount Alava Trail (7.5 mile in-and-out): with the best views in the park once you’re at the top, this “trail” is a very muddy but easy to follow road and will take you 3/4ths of the way to the peak – the rest of the trail up is a path through tall, overgrown grass. There is a metal staircase with broken steps (be careful) to tippy top where you can get better panoramic views of the island and the Pago Pago harbor below. Unlike the other trails, this trail has a clearly marked parking lot to park in. Books, bites, insights? This trail is very epic, but it does feel like you’re just walking along a road until you get to the top. There weren’t many viewpoints along the way, but the view at the top was well worth the hike up.
    Dirt road that made up nearly 3/4ths of the Mount Alava Trail
    High grass path at the top of the Mount Alava Trail
    Abandoned cable car tower at the peak of Mount Alava
    View of Pago Pago harbor atop Mount Alava
    • Fatifati Auala Trail (5.8 miles to Mount Alava summit): an unmaintained alternative ridge trail that leads to Mount Alava. This trail to the peak is more of a trail and less of a road; however, Amory and I had to turn around a few miles into the trail because of downed trees. The trailhead shares the same parking lot with the Mount Alava trail, and if it were maintained better, would be a preferable route to the peak. Also, this trail isn’t on AllTrails unfortunately. We found it via the brochure from the visitor center.
    Underdeveloped, steep path on Fatifati Auala Trail

    Sights outside of National Park

    • Fagatele Bay: One thing Amory and I learned quickly while exploring in American Samoa is that things are hard to find. We knew of places. We would see the signs for places. But actually getting to the place? Ha. Your best bet is to rely on locals. We would roll our window down and ask. But I know that for many, that feels sketchy or unsafe. And truthfully, it felt that way for us too. But we leaned in, thought screw it, and are so glad we did. When trying to find how to get to Fagatele Bay, we drove up to a house at the end of the road where a sign had led us. A man stopped us and told us we had to pay to park, $20 each – which we were fine with. I had read about this online, so we were prepared. We handed over our $40 and continued down the road. Once we started parking someone else came up to us and said we had to pay to park and told us it would be $20 total – only $10 each. This is where we laughed and told the man we had already paid. He asked us how much, and we told him – and he looked shocked. He asked who we paid, and we pointed- and then he began cursing in Samoan. Regardless, he let us park and pointed us toward the direction of the bay. There really wasn’t any clear path or trail. We blindly walked for about a mile, but omg… what we stumbled into was straight out of a movie. A beautiful and secluded white sand beach. A lively coral reef with the most vibrant marine life I have ever seen – hands down the best snorkeling experience I have ever had. And so many volcanic sea arches. $40 doesn’t sound so bad after all.
    Signage for Fagatele Bay
    Initial path to bay through a taro plantation
    Dense vegetation on path to bay
    Tide pools and sea arches at the bay
    The beach of the bay was scattered with huge chunks of sea glass and perfectly intact seashells
    • Faga’alu Waterfall: This hidden jungle waterfall was breathtaking, but without the help of our Airbnb hosts, we wouldn’t of been able to find it. Like I mentioned above, ask the locals. Ask the gas station people, the park rangers, your hosts, or your servers. There are amazing things to see and do outside the park, but nothing is routable to and the rusted, outdated road signs will only get you turned around. The Samoans are warm, friendly people, and if you start conversation with them and tell them what you’re interested in seeing or doing, they will typically offer up information on all the surrounding hidden gems.
    The tropical, lush, and cascading Faga’alu Waterfall
    Mi amor and myself enjoying the waterfall all to ourselves

    And that’s a wrap on my time in American Samoa. Thanks for making it to the end of this post. I have really enjoyed using this space as a creative outflow and sincerely appreciate any and all who follow along.

    A 63 in 365 update: Amory and I have officially been on the road, living in our car for 2 months. Frankly, I am exhausted, especially with all the flying – bleh, airports. I miss the comforts of an apartment – and cold almond milk. But I am living in the here and now, and basking in the temporariness of it all – how could I ever complain. With love, love, love. Xoxo. And as the Samoans say, toe feiloa’i – until next time.

    Once Amory catches up on all his Vlogs, I will link our Samoan trip here.

  • Joshua Tree, California

    January 29th – January 31st, 2026

    I have always heard that a rolling stone gathers no moss, and, while Amory and I love to do all the things in all the places while traveling, when we made it to the desert town of Joshua Tree, California, we were both in need of moss gathering.

    Quick personal story.

    When I was teaching in Nepal, my Nepali colleagues would catch me reading and basking in the sun on my lunch break and say in Nepali, “Wow Sita Miss, you are so lazy.” And I would have the biggest knee-jerk reaction to this, but because my Nepali was rudimentary and because I am at heart a people-pleaser, I would just laugh it off, especially at first. But this idea and verbiage of lazy kept coming up. Every day my counterparts would call me lazy – alchī in Nepali. And I would ruminate on it all day, thinking, “I am not lazy. I am the most hard working person I know. How dare they call me lazy. Don’t they see how hard I work? Do they not like me?”

    When I brought this up with Laxmi, my peace corps mentor and a Nepali national, she couldn’t understand why I was so upset. I explained to her that I felt insulted, and she asked why. And I remember thinking, “Why? Seriously? Lazy is bad. Calling someone lazy is extremely insulting.”

    After listening to me rant and rave about this four-letter word, Laxmi explained to me that my frustration was rooted in a cultural misunderstanding.

    She explained to me that in Nepal, rest is important. Rest is needed. Without rest, you cannot do your work, and you certainly cannot do your work to the best of your ability. And how do you rest? By being lazy. When my counterparts were calling me lazy, they weren’t trying to insult me. They weren’t trying to motivate me to get back to work. Rather, they were honoring and acknowledging my ability, and privilege, to set aside time for myself and for rest.

    This is lightyears away from how we view rest and being lazy in the states. Here we must multi-task and mark all the things off our to-do lists daily – or else. Or else we can’t complain about what we don’t have. Or else we are seen as lacking. And, like most, I hold myself to this toxic standard and even catch myself perpetrating it onto others.

    I am exhausted from the constant grind, but I still can’t allow myself to be lazy. I can’t allow myself rest. I must be a constant walking, talking go-getter. From the moment I wake up to the moment I lay down. Why? Because if I am not being productive with every millisecond of my life, with every thought, I am a failure. But rest is not failing. And being lazy is how you rest.

    When week 3 of our trip hit, Amory and I needed to be lazy. But it felt wrong. I kept thinking: What else can we do here? Should we go try out another trail? But what if we miss something? We won’t be here again. I don’t want FOMO. I need to be doing something. I have five minutes. What else can I get done?

    But what I needed to be doing is what I forced myself to do: rest and be lazy. Reader – I know you’re like me. You also feel the pressure to always do. More. More. Never stop. Never rest. But I swear – fight it. Less is more. Take rest. Be lazy.

    While it didn’t come naturally and was a bit uncomfortable initially, my lazy days in Joshua Tree National Park amongst the jumbo rocks and sprawling Joshua trees have been some of my favorite days of this journey thus far.

    Books
    The Book of Joy by 14th Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Abrams

    4/5 stars

    My journey with spirituality is complicated. I grew up Christian, fell off and dove deep into both nihilism and atheism in college, began ascribing to a secular form of spirituality when I began teaching, and am now a practicing Buddhist.

    With all that being said, my spiritual journey is my own, and I feel no need to explain nor define my spirituality to anyone but myself. I do however love long heart-to-heart and head-to-head discussions about life with open-minded and non-judgmental folk.

    But one thing I have learned through my spiritual practices is that it does require practice. I will find myself going through periods of time without taking any timein my day to meditate, practice gratitude, or do devotions. And these time periods are typically the ones where I feel least joyous, least grateful, least mindful, and most attached. As inconvenient as it may feel, spirituality requires a bit of time and effort. And for me it needs to be daily.

    I first began reading The Book of Joy last Summer (and to be truthful, I am still not finished). Personally, I feel these types of devotional, non-fiction books are best read in small, daily chunks to better serve as gentle reminders in print to step outside of my ego and thought patterns.

    If you’re interested in better understanding the differences in happiness and joy or would like the reminder of how interconnected and one-in-the-same all of humanity truly is, then I suggest you check this book out. Below are some of the quotes that have resonated most with me so far:

    • “… many of the things that undermine our joy and happiness we create ourselves.”
    • “If something can be done about the situation, what need is there for dejection? And if nothing can be done about it, what need is there for dejection?”
    • “We try to control the moment, which results in our feeling that what is happening should not be happening. So much of what causes heartache is our wanting things to be different than they are.”
    • “… when we see how little we really need – love and connection – then all the getting and grasping that we thought was so essential to our well-being takes its rightful place and no longer becomes the focus or the obsession of our lives.”
    • “Think about where you are suffering in your life and then think about all the other people who are going through a similar situation. This perhaps is quite literally the birth of compassion, which means “suffering with”.
    Bites

    Joshua Tree Farmer’s Market ($50)

    • Every Saturday from 8 – 1 in Downtown Joshua Tree there is a local farmer’s market. Luckily Amory and I were in Joshua Tree on a Saturday, so we decided to swing by. Nothing is worse than when I roll into a “farmer’s market” and its really just a craft fair, but this was not the case in Joshua Tree. This farmer’s market was a true farmer’s market in that it had local vegetables, fruits, baked goods, and meats available to purchase.
    • My favorite find was Cherry’s Famous Rugelachs. Books, Bites, Insights? A rugelach is a traditional Jewish crescent-shaped cookie – rugelach is yiddish for ‘little twist’. And the owner, Cherry, has worked hard to perfect a vegan, gluten-free version of this pastry. We met Cherry himself and were immediatley sold by his charisma and charm. He offered us free samples. And how could we walk away from free samples. After trying three different flavors, we went with the cinnamon raisin nut. If you’re interested getting some rugelachs for yourself, they do ship! Here is his website: https://cherrysfamous.com/home/
    Cherry’s Famous Rugelachs
    Vegan, Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Nut Rugelachs
    • Every booth at the market took both cash and card. A few of my other favorite purchases are pictured below.
    Strawberries
    Cucumbers
    Avocados
    Apples
    Kumquats
    Pancakes topped with Farmer’s Market Berries ($14 for berries)
    • Buckwheat pancakes and fresh, local berries from the Joshua Tree farmer’s market. The picture speaks for itself – nothing left to say.
    We used four simple ingredients to make these cakes: Arrowhead Mills’ Organic, Gluten-Free Buckwheat Flour, Lucini’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a dash of salt, and water.

    Frontier Cafe in Yucca Valley, California ($45)

    • While a bit on the pricer side, Frontier Cafe gave Amory and I a yummy, clean, and nutritious meal, hot coffee, free WiFi, nice restrooms, and ample outlets. We stayed here for nearly two hours working on all the things and enjoyed the ambiance, amenities, and food. They had plenty of vegan and gluten-free options and far surpassed the other cafes we visited in Joshua Tree.
    Frontier Cafe’s menu
    The Green Dream
    Curried Chickpea Salad
    Sights

    Day 1: Driving-in and easy hikes

    • After driving nearly five hours on I-10 from Saguaro National Park, we got to the Cottonwood Visitor Center near the Southern entrance of Joshua Tree National Park around noon. At the center we were able to check-off all the things: passport stamps, bathrooms, stickers.
    • Since we didn’t have much time on our first day, we decided to explore all the rock trails including: Heart Rock and Arch Rock via the Arch Rock Trail (1.7 miles in-and-out), Skull Rock (less than 300 feet from the road near the Split Rock Loop trailhead), Face Rock via the Split Rock Loop (2.5 miles loop). All of these trails were very easy, well-marked, and full of the name-sake Joshua trees (which I found out are not actually trees but succulents). Books, bites, and insights? Kids would love these trails. I had such a blast climbing on and atop of all of the rocks. The rocks are super grippy and easy to climb, but, as always, use caution.
    Arch Rock
    Heart Rock
    Skull Rock
    Face Rock
    Split Rock
    Jumbo Rocks
    • After hiking, we set up camp at the Jumbo Rocks Campground which was located right behind Skull Rock. This campground costed us $30 for the night, was nestled amongst literal jumbo rocks, had a picnic table at every site, and pit toilets. There was no cell service or potable water available.
    Jumbo Rocks Campground

    Day 2: Sunrise and medium hike

    • If you want to catch a sunrise at Joshua Tree, make your way to Keys View. You can pull up and park at this overlook to get a beautiful view over Palm Springs and the Salton Sea, but to get a more panoramic view, hike up to Inspiration Peak. The trail was super windy that morning and a bit tough to follow in the dark – so bring your windbreaker and headlamp if you’re going to go for a sunrise. We hiked 3/4th of this 1.9 mile out-and-back trail. We only went up 3/4ths of the way because we noticed that the elevation was dropping (thanks AllTrails) and wanted to stay at the highest point for sunrise. Books, Bites, Insights? I always use the AllTrails app when navigating trails. Not only can it guide you when trails are not well maintained, but it will also tell you how much elevation you’re gaining or losing. I’ve linked my AllTrails account at the bottom of this post. Feel free to check it out.
    Inspiration Peak via Keys View
    • After sunrise, we did the 6.4 mile Maze and North View Loop Trail, but personally I would skip the North View portion of the trail if I were to do it over. I read a few reviews (again, thanks AllTrails) that claimed that the North View portion of the trail was “wide, sandy, and boring”, but I wanted to see for myself. Turns out the reviews were accurate lol. Cutting out the North View portion will save you 1.5 miles.
    View atop Maze Loop
    Maze Loop
    • To end day 2, instead of rushing to check out another trail, we made our way to the Indian Cove Campground ($35 a night). This was my personal favorite campground in Joshua Tree National Park; however, it wasn’t located right by any trails that we were planning to do. What I loved about the campground was that the sites were snug between two towering jumbo rock walls – perfect for winding down and practicing yoga; however, if you’re a creature of comfort, note that there are only pit toilets, no potable water available, and the cell service is unreliable.
    Indian Cove Campground
    Yoga setup @ Indian Cove Campground

    Day 3: Long hike

    • My favorite hike in Joshua Tree was the Warren Peak via Black Rock Trail and Panorama Loop (7.9 mile loop). We hiked the trail counterclockwise so that we could do the peak first and the canyon last. If you do it counterclockwise, the first few miles are easy with only a mild gain in elevation. Once you break off to do the peak portion, get ready – the elevation gain on this leg of the trail is intense but doable and well-worth it once at the peak. Once you descend, you’ll come through a beautiful canyon filled with yuccas, goldenbush, and desert shrubs.
    Warren Peak view
    Panorama Loop view
    • After hiking the Warren Peak and Panorama Loop, we set up camp at the Black Rocks Campground ($35 a night) which was less than a minute from the trailhead – and so nice because we were so pooped after. We played a few rounds of cards at camp, made pancakes with our farmers market berries, and watched a few episodes of Snapped before settling down for the night. This campground had the most amenities of all the ones we stayed at: a few bars of spotty cell service, clean bathrooms with flushable toilets and sinks, trash receptacles, and water spouts with potable water.
    Black Rocks Campground

    Day 4: Sight-seeing

    • Before leaving Joshua Tree, we drove 15 minutes north to the Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum. This is a free, outdoor desert art museum filled with folk-art sculptures made of junked materials. The museum is open from sunup to sundown 365 days a year.
    Some exhibits allowed you to walk in to or through them
    Many sculptures were simply: Untitled
    Voting Booth 1998 sculpture that continues to resonate even after 30 years
    My personal favorite was the San Francisco-Oakland Bridge 1990 sculpture

    Happy trails to you reader – if you’re interested, I’ve hyperlinked my AllTrails account below (click on the picture to be redirected). And as always, I will link @AmoryWild’s vlog of our time in Joshua Tree once he uploads it. Xoxo, until we meet again. Take care, and take rest.

  • Saguaro National Park

    January 27th – January 28th, 2026

    “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma Gandhi

    The short term goal of my 63 in 365 journey is to visit all 63 national parks in 365 days or less, but my long term goal: continue to rediscover self. After graduating college in 2020 and starting my career in teaching, I felt more accomplished, more motivated, more proud, and more alive than I had ever felt in my entire life. I snagged my first apartment, started my first salary job, could afford to take myself on vacation, and was buying name brand clothes off the rack. Things I had only dreamed of while scraping by in college. However, after a few years, the excitement and novice of all the listed above wore off. And I would beat myself up over this sentiment. I would think, “Show gratitude for what you have. Be content.”

    But after years of telling myself this, I couldn’t force contentment any longer. I began journaling and reflecting on what I wanted to do with my life, my time, and, most importantly, my energy. And that is when I pin-pointed my “problem”: I have commitment issues.

    After continued meditation, I came to the conclusion that this wasn’t a problem to be fixed, but a calling for me to be more intentional, to step outside of my cozy-comfort zones, and to begin abandoning things in my life that were no longer bringing me joy. In our society, commitment is linked to loyalty and discipline. Being committed or seeing things through is seen as a strength, but I was sick of enduring for the sake of showing others how committed, how loyal, and how disciplined I could be.

    Something had to give.

    But I felt stuck. Even more so, I felt terrified to let go of all the things I had worked so hard to attain – the apartment, the career, the coworkers, the name-brand material possesions. But like I said, something had to give, so I began googling: What can I do with a teaching degree? And that is the tiny spark that got me to take one of the biggest leaps of my life. I sold all my things (seriously) and joined the Peace Corps.

    Even though I had to be medically separated from the Peace Corps before finishing my service, I regret nothing. That experience taught me so much about myself and helped me to overcome my fear of letting go.

    I began to just do. Do more of what brought me joy regardless of the cost or judgement from others. Which is the reason I was able to say with confidence, “Sure. Why not?” when my boyfriend purposed the idea of this 63 in 365 journey.

    Long rant over. How does this sentiment link to my experience at Saguaro? I found myself in my element here: learning and experiencing new things. From learning about the different types of cacti in the Sonoran Desert to chatting with the different desert folks I ran into along the way, I walked away from Saguaro wiser and happier – which is the intended outcome of my 63 in 365 journey and ideally should be a lifelong practice like Gandhi alluded to above.

    Books

    Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley

    5/5 stars

    Where do I begin with this novel?

    Let me start by saying – I am a hard critic. Or at least I like honest reviews. I rarely give anything 5/5 stars – Airbnbs, Ubers, books on Goodreads, movies, anything. Seriously. My boyfriend gives me hell about it.

    On Goodreads very few books even get 4/5 stars from me so giving Nightcrawling 5 stars is really speaking to how much I valued and enjoyed reading this book.

    Trigger warning: Did I have to put this book down multiple times because I was crying? Because I felt nauseous? Because Mottley continuily knocked the the wind out of me with words alone? Yes, yes, and yes. This book made me feel, physically and emotionally.

    In Nightcrawling, Mottley brings alive and gives us all a gut-wrenching reminder of the struggles, of the oppression, and of the demoralizing ultimatums women, queers, and people of color face daily while just trying to be and survive in one of the wealthiest countries in the world: America. Of all the books I have read in 2026, Nightcrawling is now at the top of my recommendations.

    PS If you’re a list/log person like myself and use Goodreads, peep my Goodreads account hyperlinked at the end of this post and add me.

    Bites

    Annie’s Organic, Gluten-Free Vegan Mac ($5)

    • Saguaro is located on both sides of Tucson, Arizona; however, Amory and I did not venture into the city during our stay. Instead we opted for a cheap, convenient bite. The childhood classic and a staple food for my nieces and nephew- a big bowl of macaroni and cheese. But as you know, Amory and I have all the sensitivities, so we snagged the boxed Annie’s Organic, Gluten-Free Vegan Mac. After a long day of hiking, we boiled a pot of water, cooked the noodles, added the vegan cheese powder, sprinkled on some salt, pepper, and paprika and chowed down.
    Truth be told, Amory and I enjoyed this meal more than many of the other complicated ones we have made on our 63 in 365 journey, so Annie’s Vegan Mac is now a staple we keep in Tata: quick, easy, cheap, tasty, filling, and fun.
    Sights

    Camping near Saguaro National Park

    • Saguaro doesn’t have any campgrounds in the park. They do offer wilderness camping inside the park if that is your thing. If not, check out Gilbert Ray’s Campground. Amory and I snagged two nights here for $35 a night, which is a bit more than other campgrounds, but we felt that the accommodations were well worth what we paid. They had clean restrooms, trash and recycling receptacles, potable water, plenty of cell service, and a dish-washing station (with a high powered spay-nozzle and hot water). The campground is located about ten minutes from the Red Hills Visitor Center of Saguaro West.
    Our very Saguarian sunrise at Gilbert Ray’s

    Trails

    • Bridal Wreath Falls Trail (out-and-back, 6 miles), Ernie’s Falls Trail (out-and-back, additional .5 mile from the Bridal Wreath Falls junction): These trails are in Saguaro East, 20 minutes from the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center, are relatively easy hikes with about 1,000 feet elevation gain, and, my personal favorite, filled with the infamous and towering Saguaro cacti – amongst a plethora of other types of Sonoran Desert cacti. Books, Bites, Insights? Play cacti eye-spy while you hike around in Saguaro. Look up different cacti species prior to your hike, and try to check them all off your list.
    View from the top of Bridal Wreath Falls
    As we past some locals on the trail, they told us the falls had more water than they had seen in years.
    You do have to climb down an embankment off of the Ernie’s Falls Trail to get down to the base of Ernie’s Falls, but it wasn’t anything drastic, and we were able to get up and down the rocky slope without much effort.
    • Wasson Peak via Kings Canyon, Hugh Norris, and Gould Mine (8 mile loop): The highest peak in Saguaro, Wasson Peak, is in Saguaro West and only 5 minutes from the Red Hills Visitor Center. This trail offered distant views of Tucson and panoramic views of the surrounding Sonoran Desert and Rincon Mountains. Books, Bites, Insights? We hiked the trail counter-clockwise to avoid a steep descent.
    Views of the Rincon Mountains atop Wasson Peak
    View of Tucson nestled in the valley below from a ledge atop Wasson Peak

    Nearby Sights

    • Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum ($30 per person): Located ten minutes from the Red Hills Visitor center in Saguaro West, the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum is the place to go to learn all about the Sonora Desert. Nearly two-miles of walking paths through the many different Sonoran Desert landscapes and ecosystems. An aquarium. A hummingbird aviary. Multiple desert botanical gardens. Wolves and javelinas. A natural history museum. Multiple cafes. And more. Some reviews say the museum was underwhelming. I didn’t agree with this sentiment. While some exhibits were empty or closed for the season, I felt that this museum was what it should’ve been: focused on educating about the Sonoran Desert, both its past and present. Many zoos or museums have things from all over that draw the crowds (which is great), but the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum was concentrated on the Sonoran Desert, and I appreciated that about it.
    My favorite exhibits in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum were in the Earth Sciences center. Their mineral collection was mesmerizing.

    Sending my love to you reader. If you enjoyed this post, share it on all your socials. If not, let me know why. Don’t be shy. Talk later. Xoxo. And as always, Amory’s vlog, @AmoryWild, will be linked below.

  • Big Bend National Park

    January 21st – January 23rd, 2026

    After leaving out of Houston and heading down I-10 West for nearly nine hours, Amory and I finally arrived at the northern entrance of Big Bend National Park – the Persimmon Gap Visitor Center.

    We spent three nights camping in Big Bend – two nights at the Chisos Basin Campground ($35 total). One night at the Rio Grande Village Campground ($16 total).

    The Chisos Basin Campground is scenically superior and more conveniently located to all the things than the Rio Grande Village Campground; however, the Rio Village Campground offered much more (and much needed) amenities.

    Unfortunately during our stay the Chisos Basin was in a level 3 water emergency, so there was no running water and the restrooms were closed. Additionally, there is no signal nor Wi-Fi in the basin (or much of the park), so check your emails and send your texts prior to driving into Big Bend.

    Because we planned to do both the Window Trail and Emory Peak on the front portion of our trip, the Chisos Basin Campground was the perfect location to camp for our first two nights. The early morning sunrises off the surrounding scenic mountains was well worth packing in the extra water and using the dreaded portable toilets.

    Be sure to get reservations early for the Chisos Basin Campground (pictured above) if you’re interested in staying in the basin – especially during the busy season or over a weekend.

    The Rio Grande Village Campground is located in the southern portion of the park, nearly an hour drive from Chisos Basin. Because of what we had planned for our third day in Big Bend (crossing into Bonquillas del Carmen), the campground was ideally located. And I will say, this campground came in clutch. Free and fast wi-fi, gasoline, hot showers (5 minutes for $2), and laundry ($1.50 per load). Ahh – just what Amory and I needed after primitive camping the two days prior.

    Our site at Rio Grande Village Campground was snuggled into a grove of cottonwood and acacia trees.
    Books

    Verity by Colleen Hoover

    3/5 stars

    I want to start this portion of the post by talking about read-alouds. Yes. Read-alouds. Think back to elementary school. The smell of crayons. The giant rainbow floor rug. You sitting criss-cross apple sauce, legs going numb. Your teacher reading aloud to you in the most animated voices (give her an Oscar already). And you maybe paying attention, maybe not – maybe daydreaming about all the things a nine-year old daydreams about. But how great were those times. As a ex-elementary school teacher, I had the delight to conduct many read-alouds over my six year career. And hear me out. I understand. You’re 20-something. Or older. But don’t let the read-alouds die. It is free, it takes little to no effort, and it soothes the soul. If you have never read a novel aloud with someone else, you should. The back and forth banter of you and whomever you’re reading to as the characters do all the things characters do makes reading that much more worthwhile. The wide-eyed, mid-sentence, open stares at one another when you read something shocking or the in sync audile ‘nooooo’ after a character makes an ill-advised decision. And don’t get me started on the in-depth, conspiracy arguments you will have as you both try to predict what will happen next.

    Circling back to those conspiracy conversations – that is what Amory and I had all throughout our read-aloud of Colleen Hoover’s Verity. You heard that right. I read Verity aloud to my boyfriend. Truthfully, this is not the first steamy mystery smut novel I have read-aloud to Amory. We have read many Freida McFadden books together (lol). But this was by far the most sex-filled.

    Trigger warning: sex, sex, and more sex. Verity has tons of it, but the sex didn’t overshadow the plot. If these types of books are your type of books (if you know, you know), I say read it, especially in a read aloud format because you’ll be constantly guessing which characters have secret motives.

    I haven’t been disappointed with any of Colleen Hoover’s works, but I did preferred Verity to her It Ends With Us and It Starts With Us collection. In terms of works of art that will go down in history – masterpieces of fiction. Maybe not. I gave the novel a 3/5 stars on Goodreads. Critical hit? Not to me. It is a well written novel that is engaging, fun, and a good distraction from reality; however, that’s all it really is. It isn’t a book I would shout from the mountains, “You MUST read this.” But Amory and I both enjoyed it and would recommend it – again, if mystery smut is your thing.

    PS beloved reader, if you decide to do a read-aloud after reading this, comment and tell me what book you read, with whom, and how did it go. I would love to hear for you all. My favorite part of reading a book is taking about the thing – hence my love for the read-aloud and the existence of this blog.

    Bites

    At the Chisos Basin Campground store, we snagged the Dark Skies organic, fair-trade, kosher ground coffee by Big Bend Coffee Roasters for $8. Not only was the coffee good, but I felt it was aptly named – Amory and I were starstruck (ha) with the night sky at Big Bend. Because the park is a designated dark sky destination, Big Bend had amazing stargazing opportunities, especially in the Chisos Basin.

    Before taking off from Nashville, I bought an Aeropress for the trip, and I loved using it. It is light and compact, and the cup of joe that I get in under a minute with the Aeropress is hands down better than any French press or pour-over I have used.

    After using the Boquillas Crossing Port of Entry on our third day in Big Bend (more info on this in in the sights portion below), Amory and I went to Jose Falcon’s Restaurant and Bar in Boquillas del Carmen, Mexico. At Jose Falcon’s I ordered the goat street tacos ($10) on corn tortillas (peep my photo dump above). Simple street tacos adorned with only meat, onions, cilantro, and lime – yet so tasty. And many people I know quickly turn their noses up at goat meat – not me. I first had goat during my time in the Peace Corps in Nepal, and now I always order goat when given the opportunity. Never had goat? It is so tender after slow cooking. Give it a shot sometime.

    The view from the back patio at Jose Falcon’s Restaurant and Bar. Books, Bites, Insights? The restaurant prefers you pay with cash, and while I was able to practice my Spanish in the town and at lunch, the menu was in English and most everyone we spoke to was bilingual.
    Sights

    Day 1

    • After coming in the northern entrance of Big Bend at the Persimmon Gap Visitor Center, we made our first stop at the Fossil Discover Exhibit. We spent less than 20 minutes here. Need a restroom break? They had pit toilets on site.
    The Fossil Discover Exhibit shows a 130 million year geological timeline of Big Bend National Park and has a short trail to a view point.
    • Next, we made our way to the Chisos Basin Visitor Center for our passport stamps and campground check-in. The visitor center is small and doesn’t have much information or exhibits, but there is a general store next door where I bought the mentioned Dark Skies coffee in the bites section above.
    • After parking at our tent site, we walked to the Window Trailhead. The Window Trail is a easy to moderate 4 mile in-and-out hike through a canyon to a stunning, vast “window” desert view. Along the way, we saw so many birds including many Mexican Jays.
    One of the trailheads for the Window Trail is located in the Chisos Basin Campground making it so convenient if you’re camping in the basin.

    Day 2

    • To kick off day two, we took on Emory Peak, the highest peak in Big Bend NP at roughly 7, 800 feet. This 9.5 mile in-and-out trail is moderate to hard difficulty but has rewarding 360 views of Big Bend once on the peak. Again, Amory and I were able to walk from our campsite to the trailhead, so if you’re considering either of the hikes I have mentioned so far, consider staying in the basin. Books, Bites, Insights? The wind was a bit intense at the top, but nothing too extreme, and to make it to the true peak, you have to (and I use this term loosely) rock-climb.
    Amory “rock-climbing” to get to the peak.
    • After lunch, Amory and I made our way about an hour south of the Chisos Basin to the Santa Elena Canyon. We had not planned to go to the canyon but had extra time and figured why not. If in Big Bend, don’t skip the 1. 5 mile round-trip Santa Elena Canyon Trail. I have mentioned this on here before: one of my favorite aspects of travel and nature is the always unique and always inspiring color palettes. Santa Elena Canyon delivered. The emerald green Rio Grande against the mosaic red canyon walls. And to top it off, we saw a distant rainbow while exploring the canyon.
    Micro-rainbow spotted at Santa Elena Canyon Trail.

    Day 3

    • For our last day in Big Bend we crossed the border into Mexico to explore the village of Boquillas del Carmen. The logistics of this include: use the Boquillas Crossing Port of Entry (a US passport is needed to reenter the US) to cross the border into Mexico, pay the $8 cash fee to the Maderas del Carmen Protected Area upon entry into Mexico, pay $5 cash to cross the Rio Grande via rowboat (and the $5 gets you a roundtrip, so no need to pay again when returning), and walk less than a mile into the village of Boquillas del Carmen. The village itself is very small with not much to do but offers a unique experience. I had never been to Mexico and looked forward to practicing my Spanish. A lifelong goal of mine is to be bilingual, and I have been actively studying for two years now. While in town Amory and I had lunch at Jose Falcon’s which I wrote more about in the bites section of this post, and I snagged a handmade bracelet for $5. Books, Bites, Insights? The port is only open Friday through Monday, the village is cash only, and you’ll only need three hours to get the fullest experience.
    • To end our time at Big Bend, we made our way to the Rio Grande Village Campground, checked-in, walked the short and simple 1 mile Nature Trail at the campground, showered and did laundry inside the campground general store, and then called it a night.
    The showers the inside the Rio Grande campground general store were clean, hot, and well worth the $2.
    We spotted our first roadrunner in the Rio Grande Village area. All in all, Amory and I were able to log 4 new birds on our Merlin birding app after our visit to Big Bend.

    Big love for Big Bend and big love for you reader for making it this far in my post. Don’t forget that you can watch Amory’s Vlog @AmoryWild to learn more about our time in Big Bend National Park and to stay up to date on our 63 in 365 journey. XoXo reader, until next time.

  • South Florida

    January 4th – January 11th, 2026

    Hi friends, and welcome to the 8 day, 7 night itinerary of everything I did in South Florida including Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, Key West, and Dry Tortugas National Park.

    Gasp. The rumors are true. I officially live out of my car, am unemployed, and don’t have healthcare, and I couldn’t feel more at ease. Shocking. My lease in Nashville, Tennessee ended January 2nd, and after shoving all of my things into a CubeSmart storage unit and penny pinching for over a year, I headed south with my boyfriend, Amory, in our 2023 Toyota 4Runner for the first leg of our 63 in 365 journey (All 63 national parks in 365 days or less). In my opinion, we planned this portion of the trip during an ideal time of year because we came to Florida after the Florida holiday rush but still during a time in Florida when the weather is more mild, and the insects are at bay.

    Here she is in all her glory. Tata, our 2023 Toyota 4-Runner. We deleted the backseats, installed a bed platform, and sleep snuggly inside.

    Day 1: Checking-in and lightly exploring Everglades National Park (northern portion) and Big Cypress National Preserve

    • After driving into the northern portion of the Everglades from Homestead, we made a quick stop at the Shark Valley Visitor Center for our National Park passport stamp. The Shark Valley Visitor Center is open 9 – 5 and is very small with not a lot to see at the center itself, but we did see a sunbathing alligator (and so many more to come) right off the path as we walked to the visitor center, so this was a great start to our South Florida tour. Books, Bites, Insights? Get gas in Homestead before you drive the hour into the northern portion of the park. There is gas, but it is much more expensive and sparse.
    • Next, we drove 20 minutes west to check-in to our campsite at Midway Campground. This campground is in the Big Cypress National Preserve and costed us $24 a night. Clean restrooms, no showers, and no signal – so nice to get away from those pesky emails and notifications.
    • Afterward, we an additional 20 minute drive west to the Oasis Visitor Center of Big Cypress National Preserve (again, for our stamp) and saw so many alligators on there short, informative boardwalk which was very accessible and within a stone’s throw from the visitor center itself.

    Day 2: Exploring Shark Valley in Everglades National Park (northern portion)

    • On day two, we rented bikes from the Shark Valley Visitor Center for $27 a day. We did not make reservations, but we did show up at opening (8:30) to be sure we could get a bike. The bike rentals are good for the entire day and allow you to access the 15-mile loop trail and observation tower. I highly reccomend exploring the Everglades by bike, but be sure to bring snacks, water, and sunblock – there were limited places to sit and rest and limited shade on the trail itself. The observation tower is around mile 7 of the loop. Take your time biking the first half of the loop. This is where we saw all of the biodiversity that the Everglades is known for. And this is where I saw my first… American crocodile (peep my photo dump)! So many other bikers were passing him up, so be sure to take your time and keep your eyes peeled. Amongst other critters, we saw baby alligators and so many birds. In total, Amory and I were able to log 22 new birds on the free and novice-friendly birding app, Merlin Bird ID, which speaks to the biodiversity exposure you will encounter while exploring the Everglades. Books, Bites, Insights? Start logging your birds. It is a free activity and the app can help you identify your sighted birds using images, seasons, locations, and calls. Amory and I have had so much fun using this app, and did you hear me say that part about it being free?
    My rented bike from the Shark Valley Visitor Center. Be sure to make reservations or show up early. Also note, there is a guided tram tour you can take of Shark Valley if biking isn’t for you.

    Day 3: Exploring Big Cypress Nature Preserve > checking-in to and lightly exploring the Everglades (southern portion)

    • On day three, we booked a guided kayaking tour with Everglades Rentals and Eco Adventures in the Big Cypress Nature Preserve. The tour cost roughly $100 per person, and we booked the morning tour which started at 8. Our guide on the tour was able to point out wildlife that Amory and I weren’t familiar with spotting – such as baby alligator eyes peeping out from the mangrove roots. I enjoyed this tour because of the vast amount of flora and fauna we were able to see: osprey, turtles, alligators, egrets, herons, Florida gar, and, my favorite of the tour, blooming orchids. Our guide, Langdon, was able to point out and speak on the different types of orchids and birds (which helped me log them!) and answered all my Everglades questions. While kayaking without a guide may provide you with more solitude, going with a guide allows you to learn about the Everglades in a way I wouldn’t have been able to without. Books, Bites, Insights? Want to see more birds? Take the morning tour. Want to see more alligators? Take the afternoon tour.
    There was lots of shade amongst the mangrove forests when kayaking. Navigating the kayak through the groves was tricky but not impossible. Get stuck or turned around? Laugh it off like we did.
    • After kayaking, we drove nearly 2 hours to the southern portion of the Everglades. We made our first stop at the Anhinga Trail (0.8 miles). This trail is an easily accessible and beautiful boardwalk.
    You will see (at a safe distance) so many sunbathing alligators along the Anhinga trail, especially if you visit in the evening.
    • Last, we checked into the Flamingo Campground which we reserved for $35 a night. This campground was located on the gulf, so Amory and I were able to watch the sunset over the water. And to my surprise, one of my favorite things occurred on our third day at this campground – stargazing. Our kayak guide told us that Big Cypress Nature Preserve was designated a dark sky park, but I nodded my head and brushed it off. BUT Y’ALL. The stars. Breathtaking. And free. Shortly after the sun went down and before the moon came out, you could see so many stars and star clusters in the night sky. Amory and I tried capturing images with our phones, but as the saying goes, “The pictures don’t do it justice.” Books, Bites, Insights? Download the Stellarium app for free sky guides to help when identifing the different constellations and such.

    Day 4: Exploring the southern portion of Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park

    • Amory and I woke up early on day four and made a grave mistake. We skipped the Guy Bradley Visitor Center. Why? I don’t know, but we later found our that this is one of the best places to see manatee in the winter. We met another couple on our Biscayne boat tour who went that morning and saw manatee… the same morning and time that we decided to skip it. Ugh! So, if you’re wanting to see manatee, make time to swing by the Flamingo Marina outside the Guy Bradley Visitor Center, especially in the morning. We did see many manatee later on during our Florida trip, but we had to make an out of the way stop at Blue Springs State Park outside Orlando and pay the $6 entrance fee. Here we saw over 50 manatee from an easily accessible, but slightly crowded, viewing dock.
    A momma manatee and her calf. Another animal Amory and I were able to check off our bucket list thanks to Blue Springs State Park. You can see why they call them sea potatoes lol.
    • On day four before leaving the Everglades, we did stop at the Snake Bight trail (3.7 miles), but we didn’t see much wildlife. One thing we learned about the Everglades, especially in Winter, is that the critters take time to wake (and warm) up. We did see many flocks of birds and on our way back to the car we started to see lizards crossing the path but no snakes. We were quite bummed getting back in the car, but again, it was Winter and early morning, so we can’t complain too much. The trail was a great early morning walk though, and we only saw one other group the entire time.
    • After leaving Everglades and on our way to Biscayne, we saw a produce stand called Robert is Here. Listen carefully. Stop. Stop your car. Go inside. Do not hesitate. This was such a great experience. Robert is Here is a local landmark and has so many coastal fruits, vegetables, and homemade goods. They have a coffee truck and multiple food trucks. They also rehabilitate animals and birds and have so many that you can pet and get close to in the back. Here is a list of what Amory and I got all for under 25$: starfruit, an avocado the size of my head (seriously), a mango, a peach, an organic kombucha, a black sapote (more to come on that delicacy), and vegan oatmeal cookie bites. As we were checking out, our cashier gave us a pamphlet on the different fruits we were buying and what to look for to know when they were ripe and ready to eat. He also cut and packaged the fruit beautifully for us. I could not recommend a stop at Robert is Here more, especially if you’re like me and from a landlocked state.
    • After snacking on our fruits, we headed over to Biscayne National Park. We stamped our passports and made our way to the dock for the Heritage of Biscayne Boat Cruise. This tour was a 3 and a half hour cruise that costed us $83 per person and started at 1:30. After running around all day, it was so nice to sit on a boat, in the sunshine, and learn about the geology, biology, and history of the keys. After showing us the northern-most portion of the park, the tour dropped us off at Boca Chita Key. Here Amory and I got up close with hermit crabs and iguanas. The key offered sandy beaches you could swim at if you wanted and a little trail that encompasses the entire key. My favorite part was seeing the sea grass meadows in crystal clear water up close (peep my feet picture in the photo dump). After letting us explore the key for an hour, we made our way back to the boat and back to the visitor center.
    • Not to complain, but this now brings me to the worst part of this trip… biting flies. Yes. BITING. FLIES. The mosquitos in the Everglades, even in Winter, were ruthless at dusk and dawn, but the biting flies in Biscayne after our boat tour made my skin crawl like no other. Books, Bites, Insights? Wear your bug spray. Amory and I prefer natural remedies, so we were using Badger Anti-Bug Shake and Spray. It worked, but honestly, your best bet for those biting, blood-sucking little guys is to wear a light long-sleeve shirt or sun hoodie and long pants.

    Day 5: Exploring Biscayne National Park

    • The boat tour of Biscayne gave Amory and I a great broad spectrum view of the park, but we wanted to see the park more intimately, so on day five, we booked a guided paddle board tour, Morning Jones Lagoon Paddle Eco-Adventure. This experience costed us $109 per person and went from 9 – 1:30. Prior to this, I had never paddle boarded, and I was honestly quite nervous. Silly me. The paddle board is thick and is super easy to sit and balance on. I did stand a few times just to see if I could, and I was able to, but it is much easier to see the wildlife and guide the board when seated or kneeling. We took a thirty minute boat ride out to the mangrove encircled Jones Lagoon. Our captain and guide, Pablo, was a native Floridian and avid fisherman. He was so knowledgable on all the wildlife we were exposed to during our tour. Once in the lagoon, a nurse shark swam under Amory’s paddle board, a mangrove crab crawled down my back, and I got to hold a Cassiopeia jellyfish in my palms. Epic. Many people only explore the visitor center or boardwalk when visiting Biscayne, but if you chose to do that, you actually miss 95% of the park. If visiting Biscayne, do not hesitate to book one of the offered tours.
    The low-profile of the paddle board allowed me to see easily and clearly beneath the water’s surface.
    • After our paddle boat tour, we were tired and hungry. We made tuna salad at a picnic table near the visitor center, set up our hammock, and relaxed. I finished my first novel of the South Florida trip – The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa. A dystopian novel that gives big brother vibes. While the concept of the novel was so intriguing, as the novel played out, I became less and less interested. Oh well. I gave the book a 2/5 stars on Goodreads and called it a day.
    • Finally, before leaving Biscayne, Amory and I wanted to walk their short Jetty boardwalk (0.7 miles). But before we made it to the boardwalk, we came across a free educational plankton lab offered by the park at the visitor center. Park volunteers had collected water samples in various parts of the park earlier that day and had high-tech microscopes and identification pamphlets for you to explore the microscopic creatures for yourself. It was was such a fun and neat experience. Books, Bites, Insights? Use the free National Park app on your phone when visiting a national park. The app is very user friendly, allowing you to search your specific park, view various maps of the park, and see a time schedule of ranger/volunteer led-activities occurring that week (and most of the activities are free).

    Day 6: Driving down Highway 1 and exploring Key West

    • On day six, we drove down Highway 1 all the way to Key West. Along the way we stopped at Robbie’s of Islamorada and fed the tarpons for $5. While this isn’t a must, it was fun to have these giant fish jump out of the water and eat bait fish out of your hand. Also, we utilized the stop as a quick bathroom break. If you were hungry, the food did smell delicious, but Amory and I were ready to get back on the road.
    Here is Amory feeding the tarpon. Honestly, it was nerve racking and took a few tries before we were able to successfully feed the tarpon by hand without dropping the bait fish.
    • Next, we stopped at Bahia Honda State Park with the intention of snorkeling. We paid $6 to enter the park, but we did not snorkel. The water wasn’t calm enough, but I did take a nap in the sand on the beach, and Amory walked the park.
    • Once in Key West, we checked into Boyd’s Campground which costed us $120 a night. This was more on the expensive side for us, but it was actually on the cheaper side for Key West. Additionally, it was my birthday weekend, so we splurged, and we were glad we did. Boyd’s Campground gave us a waterfront site, clean restrooms, great security, and friendly community – which was so needed after stealth camping in parking lots for the previous two nights.
    Amory and I had the best sleeps of our trip at Boyd’s. The cool breeze coming off the water allowed us to sleep comfortably and cozy with all our windows down. The sound of the gentle waves at night were dream-like.
    • That night for my birthday dinner we went to Blue Heaven to enjoy their Floridian-Caribbean cuisine. If food is your priority, you could probably find somewhere more exquisite, but the ambiance of the place was stellar. Chickens everywhere. Coast breeze. Live music. Outdoor seating. I loved it. Amory ordered the macro-bowl with sautéed quinoa topped with the Jamaican jerk chicken (which was gluten-free), and I ordered the heritage pork tenderloin with sweet potato puree, skillet corn, and house chutney. I had a glass of red wine that complimented my meal so well. The best part of the meal came last for me though. As you know, Amory and I have all the sensitives and allergies. But Blue Heaven had a passionfruit cashew “cheesecake” which was both vegan and gluten-free. This was the perfect sweet treat to end the night on. We spent right around $120 including tip on the dinner. All in all, not the most gourmet meal I’ve ever had, but I felt it was worth the time and money.
    The ambiance of Blue Heaven was so funky and free. Locals say the restaurant’s quality has taken a hit in the last few years, but I enjoyed the experience. Blue Heaven isn’t a must do, but if you’re near and wanting a place to hang or have a drink, check it out.
    • After dinner we walked down Duval street to Mallory Square. Nightlife isn’t really our thing, but it was fun to see everyone enjoying themselves and to window shop.

    Day 7: Exploring downtown Key West by foot

    • We kick started day seven very early by visiting the Southernmost Point Buoy. This is a landmark in Key West and is iconic for being the continental U.S.’s southernmost point. And what better time to visit than at seven in the morning. Step out on the small dock nearby to the enjoy the breeze, the ocean spray, the breath-taking pinks and blues, and the always free sunrise.
    We parked Tata in a gravel lot marked with parking flags near the corner of Whitehead street and Southard street early that morning for $20 – and the fee reserved our parking space for the entire day. We knew we would be exploring Key West on foot all day, so we felt that this was a good deal and preferred it to metered street parking. It was in a centralized location for all the things we explored on day seven.
    • After the sunrise on the coast, we made our way to Date and Thyme Organic Cafe and Market. We ordered a drip coffee with almond milk and the blue hydration smoothie bowl (vegan and gluten-free). Date and Thyme uses all natural and organic ingredients. They had many gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegan friendly options. Additionally, they had beautiful patio seating, and Amory and I were able to sit in the early morning sunshine and do our crossword while ate.
    We spent a little less than $25 total on our almond milk drip coffee, smoothie bowl, and tip.
    • Next, I booked us tickets to The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. The tickets were $17 each, and this experience was so magical. Before entering the conservatory I bought a $1 pamphlet at the front desk that helped me identify all of butterflies, birds, and reptiles in the greenhouse. Books, Bites, Insights? Buy the pamphlet. Even at 10 in the morning the greenhouse was busy and a bit crowded, but you can spend as much time as you’d like on the short pathway (emphasis on short), and crowds don’t really bother me.

    Amory and I sat on one of the benches inside the greenhouse for a spell to watch in awh as all the things fluttered by – which I highly recommend. We learned at the end that if you wear bright colors, the butterflies are more likely to land on you. Amory and I are always dressed in creams, grays, or black, so unfortunately, we weren’t lucky enough to have any butterflies bless us with their touch lol. The entire experience was about an hour in total, but hands down was one of my favorite things we did on the entire South Florida trip. Also, I snagged some epic monarch butterfly earrings from the gift shop for $22, and I haven’t taken them off since.

    • By the time we finished at the conservatory it was lunch time, so we made our way to Sugar Apple Cafe and Market. Sugar Apple is a holistic cafe and market with ample vegan, gluten-free, organic options. We gravitated toward the deli options on the menu. I ordered the FLT, fakin bacon (soy), lettuce, and tomato on whole grain bread with soy mayo (check out the sandwhich in my photo dump). Amory got the creamy hummus sandwich on gluten-free bread and the ‘green drink’. We spent about $35 at Sugar Apple and were scraping our plates of all crumbs. So light, so refreshing, so yummy – the perfect lunch in Key West.
    • After lunch, we made our way to Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park Beach. We paid $2.50 per person to get into the park by foot. Once in the park, everything was free to explore. We had not planned to explore the fort, and truthfully, we didn’t even know it existed. But when we stumbled on it, we were amazed. It is huge and beautifully located. There were so many iguanas crawling around on the top of the fort. After leaving the fort area, we made our way to the sandy beaches. Here I was able to finally dunk my head in that salty ocean water and stick my toes in the sand. I laid on the beach indefinitely, and while it was very popular beach with many other folk sunbathing, I had no issue getting a spot in the sand and sun and relaxing. While soaking up the rays, I finished my second novel of the trip, a classic Japanese psychological mystery – A Quiet Place by Seicho Matsumoto. From the very first chapter, I enjoyed the unraveling of this novel. Matsumoto’s writing immediately pulled me in, and I found myself trying to crack the case alongside the main character, Asai. I always know a novel is well written when I find myself openly talking aloud to the characters, begging them to make better choices – ugh! I walked away from this novel with the old adage forefront on my mind: Please for the love of god, let sleeping dogs lie.
    Fort Zachary Taylor offered a shaded, historic stroll alongside the scenic western coast of Key West.
    • To end the night and our Key West experience, Amory and I were craving one thing – seafood. So we made our way to Eaton Street Seafood where we bought 1 and a half pounds of fresh-caught yellowtail snapper. We also purchased a cucumber, conch ceviche (yes, conch! I had been wanting to try it, but all I had seen was fried conch which wouldn’t sit well with my tummy), and mango salsa. This all costed us $61. Eaton’s put all of our purchases on ice and sent us on our way. Once back at Boyd’s, Amory quickly whipped out our gas grill and made the most amazing dinner. I couldn’t of asked for a better way to slowly end our South Florida trip.

    Day 8: Exploring Dry Tortugas National Park

    • For our final day in South Florida, we took a Sea Plane with Seaplane Adventures to Dry Tortugas National Park. This costed us nearly $500 per person which isn’t ideal and admittedly very expensive. But Amory and I realized too late how early you need to book the ferry to Dry Tortugas, and even two months prior to our trip, the ferry was completely booked. So, if you’re interested in marking Dry Tortugas off your National Park bucket list, don’t be like us, and plan your journey extra early.
    • The plane ride to Fort Jefferson took us 45 minutes. Our pilot, Josh, pointed out marine life as we flew over it – so many sea turtles. The pilot also pointed out two sunken ships which now serve as artificial coral reefs. I had never been in a propeller plane, so this short flight was such a unique experience for me.
    • Once on the island, we only had two and a half hours to explore, and honestly, that is not enough. Amory and I were rushing through everything, but we still had a blast. We started by stamping our passports, buying stickers, and touring the fort.
    My favorite part of Dry Tortugas was the color palette. The entire island was so visually stunning. The rustic red brick of the fort against the marine-blue coastal waters alongside the pristine white sands. It was one of the most mesmerizing places I had ever been.
    • After touring the fort, we walked the beach. We stumbled on a washed-up queen conch shell (which felt so staged) and spotted rare (to inlanders but not to the park itself) magnificent frigatebirds roosting! Finally, we jumped into the water to do some snorkeling. I had never snorkeled before, and this was such an amazing way to kickstart my new snorkeling obsession. The water at Dry Tortugas was crystal clear and the coral and fish were abundant and vibrant. We started at the North coaling dock ruins and then snorkeled our way all the way around the moat of the fort and back to the deckhouse. We got out of the water just in the nick of time to catch our seaplane back to the mainland. Books, Bites, Insights? If I were to do it all over, I would opt for the full day tour or the camping experience rather than the half day. There is just so much fun to be had and so much beauty to be seen at Dry Tortugas that the meager 2 and a half hours can’t accommodate for.

    Well, reader, if you’ve made it this far, I appreciate you so much. I hope you enjoyed reading about my time in South Florida – this was by far my longest blog post yet. If you decide to try out one of these things or more, comment below to tell me how it goes. I would love to hear about your experiences, especially if you go during a different time of year than I did or if you have a differing opinion than my own.

    And don’t forget to check out @AmoryWild if you want a vlog version of this trip. Click below to be redirected. XoXo, until next time.

  • Hot Springs, Arkansas

    Haters gunna hate or whatever Plato said.

    November 24th – 26th, 2025

    Low expectations. That is what I had when driving down I-40 on my way to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Hours of Reddit scrolling (yes, I know – don’t trust nor entertain strangers on Reddit, but I am only human and give easily into temptation) had led me to the idea that Hot Springs would be lackluster and, for a lack of better words, meh. Look: If you’re a world traveler and expect breathtaking views like you’ve never seen before, Hot Springs National Park won’t be able to deliver; But if you’re into history, lore, gentle or family-friendly hiking, and just general affordability, then Hot Springs National Park has you covered. Additionally, Hot Springs is one of the only national parks in its area, making it convenient for many. With an array of relaxing, diverse bites and sights, I say let those Reddit haters hate and go enjoy yourself.

    Books

    Such a Fun Age, Kiley Reed

    2/5 stars

    PSA Don’t let my rating or review ever steer you away from reading a book you’ve heard about or have wanted to read. I am just a 28 year old know-nothing, but I am an avid reader. And at the end of the day, I may just be a hater.

    Such a Fun Age was well written and unique, but, for me personally, it didn’t live up to the hype or the notoriety. And maybe it was just a wrong place, wrong time ordeal. Or maybe I am not the target audience.

    I did enjoy the novel, and the storyline was engaging. Multiple times during the book I found myself gasping, wide-eyed, and OMG-ing out loud, but the novel, for me, wasn’t a page turner nor did I find myself late in the night saying, “One more chapter.” I do think the novel lends itself to sparking much needed discussions regarding race, and I may have enjoyed the novel more had I had a book club or another fellow reader to engage more deeply into the plot-line with.

    Bites

    Kollective Coffee and Tea in Hot Springs, AK ($50)

    As you know (or if you don’t, now you will), my boyfriend and I have many dietary restrictions. First, I am lactose intolerant which isn’t so hard to work around nowadays, but I also prefer low sugar due to my insulin sensitivities. My boyfriend, Amory, is allergic to eggs and is sensitive to gluten. We joke about being the trifecta: vegan, gluten-free, and keto. Don’t get me wrong. I will gladly take part in eating a Krispy Cream Donut or big bowl of Lucky Charms cereal with almond milk, but I also try to be cautious of how over indulging in these foods leads to brain-fog and an upset stomach for me personally.

    I say all this to add – when we find a cafe or restaurant that meets our trifecta needs, we take notes. Kollective Coffee and Tea was and is one of these places. I ordered a drip coffee and yogurt bowl which had the option of being both vegan and gluten-free (captured below in my photo dump). Amory order a peppermint tea and their hummus bowl. Everything was so delicious and well-crafted. The fruit, yogurt, coffee, and hummus was fresh and beautifully plated. We were highly satisfied and so, so grateful that they had the vegan, gluten-free options available for us.

    We stayed at the cafe for two hours enjoying our breakfast and utilizing Kollective’s free Wifi. Amory filmed a magic trick inside, and the staff was both attentive and kind.

    Pancakes at the Hot Springs Mountain Lookout Point

    As you could’ve predicted, we made our signature gluten-free, eggless pancakes (check out my Gatlinburg post to learn more) at the picnic area beside the Hot Springs Mountain Tower. The picnic area is located atop the Ouachita Mountains and offers ample grills, picnic tables, restrooms, and great views. All for free. You can hike up to this point via Peak trail or drive your car up the scenic one-way road. When we visited, it was not terribly busy, and parking was ample. We drove our 4Runner up and used our gas stove. We whipped up our pancakes, adding extra cinnamon this time, and then made our way to the quaintly elegant Hot Springs Mountain Pagoda to eat and watch the sunset over the surrounding countryside.

    Sights

    Whirlpool Mineral Bath Package at Buckstaff on Bathhouse Row ($100)

    Throughout its history the main attraction to Hot Springs has been the rejuvenating and medicinal powers of the mineral water itself. So, Amory and I agreed we had to see what all the hype was about. We decided to book (walk-ups welcome, no reservation needed) the most basic spa package offered at Buckstaff on Bathhouse Row for $45 per person which included a 20 minute private bath at 102 degrees, a hot pack (basically hot towels wrapped around your body while you lay on a gurney), 5 minutes in a steam cabinet, and 5 minutes in a sits tub.

    This spa package feels like you’re stepping back in time. The big claw-foot tub, the vintage jacuzzi machine used during my private bath, and even the penny tile flooring all give you a 1950’s retro feel as you take pause to reflect or space out. I enjoyed the experience a lot. Amory has sensitive skin, but he also enjoyed the experience and had no issues.

    Things you should note about this experience include: the spas are separated by genders with men on the first floor, and women on the second. So, if you go in with your boyfriend like I did, you will not see him again until the end of your treatment. Also, you are nude for the entire experience. The attendant will cater to all your needs and will wrap you in a cloth as you transition from each station, but the attendant will see you naked. Don’t worry though. Both my own attendant and Amory’s were very professional and communicative. Last, no phones allowed outside of the changing room – and rightfully so because you and others are completely nude (although I think I read that you are welcome to wear a swimsuit if you choose).

    Hot Springs Mountain Observation Tower ($25)

    Let’s be honest: Hot Springs National Park has a lot going for it, but the views by foot or car are very mid-tier in comparison to those westward or so I was led to believe by those Reddit haters. Want those breathtaking views mentioned in the introduction of this post? The Hot Springs Mountain Observation Tower is a must.

    If you have a National Park pass, it will cost you $11 to ride to the top of the tower, and if not, $14. After waiting about 10 minutes, it was our turn to go up. Once at the top, we explored the two story museum while learning about the history of the park, and then we stepped out on the observation deck for a panoramic view of the park and the surrounding area. My (stupidly) low expectations were exponentially exceeded with the beauty and vastness captured at the top of the tower. Many different mountains encompass the view, and the sun shining over the foliage made the fall colors pop. I had been indifferent about allotting time for the tower, but now I would say don’t visit Hot Springs without it.

    Hiking

    Hot Springs National Park has many interconnected hiking trails. Amory and I used the paved Grand Promenade trail (0.5 miles) near the visitor center to get to the predominately unpaved Peak trail (0.6 miles) up to the Hot Springs Mountain Tower. Once at the Mountain Tower, we used the Mountain tail (1.7 mile loop) to get to the Gulpha Gorge trail (0.6 miles) to get to the Goat Rock trail (1.1 miles). Shew. Did you catch all that? Like I said, the hiking trails in Hot Springs are very interconnected; however, they are very well maintained and very easily navigated. Additionally, we had service the entire trek.

    Once at Goat Rock, we sat down on the rock ledge for a break and quickly realized that we were being swarmed by… ladybugs? Wrong. After a quick Google search, we found out that the little ‘ladybug’ like critters crawling on us and the rocks around us were actually Asian Lady beetles. And they were everywhere. Landing on our faces and even crawling in our mouths. Yuck, but also neat! After a little research, I learned that these beetles were migrating in preparation for Winter, but I also learned that they are very invasive and not really welcomed by people in the area nor are they helpful to the native wildlife there. How to tell them apart from a true ladybug? Ladybugs are red. Asian Lady beetles are orange.

    Hot Springs National Park Museum and Visitor Center

    Rain, rain go away. Or maybe don’t because the rain led Amory and I to our first adventure in Hot Springs.

    It was raining quite hard when we first arrived in Hot Springs, so after quickly feeling and seeing the Promenade cascades (one of the more popular springs – and yes, its actually hot) in the rain (which gave such a unique, mystic vibe – peep the background of my first photo dump image) we immediately took refuge in the park’s visitor center and museum. Without feeling rushed to begin hiking because of the rain, we took our time exploring the three-story visitor center and museum. And I am glad we did because Hot Springs is rich with history, and I take after my museum loving, random trivial-history knowing momma. Hot Springs is one of the oldest national parks and the lore behind the springs is so rich and inviting.

    The visitor center’s staff was also so kind and answered all of our inquires. They were the ones who made the suggestions that we check out the mineral baths.

    Lastly, whatever you do, do not leave the park without sampling some of the mineral water for yourself. Yes, you can and are even encouraged to drink some of the water – but only from the designated springs. You can fill up your canteen or just take a handful of water from a hot spring located right behind the visitor center. Drinking hot water doesn’t sound appealing to you? You can also access a public cold water spring at Happy Hollow located less than 5 minutes from the visitor center.

    Mountain Valley Spring Water Museum ($50)

    Nothing is better than stumbling on a hidden gem. And while it may not be as hidden to others as it was to us, we were both shocked and pleased to learn that Mountain Valley Spring Water is sourced directly in Hot Springs. We love this water brand, especially their eco-friendly glass bottles. We reach for it from time to time at our local grocery store in Nashville, so to stumble on the museum, which was less than a five minute walk from Bathhouse Row, was super exciting. And of course we had to walk the quaint museum and gift shop. We snagged a few stickers, two bottles of water (one white peach pictured below in my photo dump), and a new hat for Amory.

    As always, if you also enjoy watching Amory and I’s adventures and want to stay up to date on our 63 in 365 (63 National Parks in 365 days or less) endeavor, check out his Youtube @AmoryWild by clicking below.

  • St. Louis, Missouri

    24 Hours in St.Louis

    November 7 – 8, 2025

    Here is the gist: 63 in 365. 63 national parks in 365 days or less. 

    After nearly a year of planning, saving, and preparing, my boyfriend and I will be leaving our cozy Nashville west-side apartment in January to live and travel full time in our 2023 Toyota 4-Runner. 

    Stay tuned for more detailed posts regarding logistics of this endeavor, but I felt it critical to outline that goal before sharing how we spent 24 hours in St. Louis exploring Gateway Arch National Park, park number 8 of 63. 

    Books

    The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett

    4/5 stars

    Thrift-neck. That’s what I call the kink in my neck that I get after a long day of tilting it to the side as I stroll the aisles and shelves of my local Goodwill. As I try to minimize my material possessions and also my environmental impact, I have stopped buying physical books; however, I still traverse the aisles at used book stores or thrift shops in search of gems.

    Unlike the old adage, I do judge books by their covers – honestly, who doesn’t? And typically I don’t read the back blurbs of books. I have become very trustworthy of beautifully crafted covers, recognitions, or awards. Additionally, I gravitate towards stamped books of notable celebrity clubs such as Oprah’s or Reese Witherspoon’s, which is how I ended up with The Vanishing Half.

    I have a book bestie, that one friend who also manically reads and who you can always talk about your current and past reads with. When I told her I was reading The Vanishing Half, she scrunched her face and gave the dreaded, “Oh, I didn’t really like that one.” Ugh! Not what you want to hear when beginning a new novel, but I decided to give it at least 100 pages, and I am glad I did.

    I have always gravitated toward historical fiction, and The Vanishing Half offers a unique storyline about family dynamic within the historical context of race and gender-identity in Louisiana in the mid 1900’s. Two sisters who are so different yet alike. Two sisters on different life paths yet the same journey.

    Bites

    Pappy’s Smokehouse in Midtown ($50)

    Y’all. Shut up. Pappy’s Smokehouse is worth the wait and holds its weight in customer service, quality, flavor, and affordability. Do not be intimidated by the line – instead embrace it and know that you will thank yourself later.

    Friday night around 6 pm my boyfriend and I got into St. Louis. Pappy’s closes at 7, so we immediately drove to the Midtown location. The line was out the door, and after standing in line for 10 minutes my boyfriend and I saw that they were out of both the ribs and the brisket, so we decided to cut our losses and try again tomorrow.

    On Saturday we got to Pappy’s at 11. Plenty of brisket and ribs left, but to our surprise, the line was still out the door! We waited a little less than an hour, got to the counter, ordered the ribs, burnt ends, corn, green beans, and coleslaw, waited less than 5 minutes, and ate.

    Award winning and highly recommended on reddit (which is how I stumbled on it lol). Pappy’s is a no-duh when visiting St. Louis, and did I mention it was all less than $50.

    Sights

    Sunrise at Gateway Arch National Park

    Early morning at the Arch means ample street parking, cozy sweaters, and pink skies over the Mississippi River. Worth the early morning – and always free.

    St. Louis Zoo ($10)

    The St. Louis Zoo is free, and parking is only $10 dollars. And let me just say, nothing beats a walk around the local zoo on a sunny day. My boyfriend and I have started intentionally visiting zoos when traveling, and I have come to really cherish our zoo escapades. Some highlights for us personally were the Reptile House and the lively spider monkeys.

    Gateway Arch National Park Museum and Tram tickets ($35)

    Considering that I am unlikely to visit the St. Louis Arch again, I had to ride the tram up to the top – like they say, when in Rome. Tickets were $17.50 a piece, and the entire experience was a little less than an hour long. The background to my photo dump is the bird’s eye view I captured from the top of the Arch. On a budget? I would skip this, but if you have the time and money, it is a neat experience. Additionally, there is a very informative and free museum at the visitor center.

    My boyfriend, Amory, captures this trip, as well as all of his national park visits on his Youtube channel, @AmoryWild. Check it out below to know more about the 63 in 365 trip or to see a different perspective on what we did during this short but sweet St. Louis trip.

  • Gatlinburg, Tennessee

    October 16 – 18, 2025

    Bites: The Camping Pancake

    For this post, I want to focus on a keystone food in my diet: the pancake.

    Over my fall break from school, I took two days to solo explore Great Smokey Mountains National Park and Fontana Dam. Fall leaves, winding roads, crisp air, and stillness. Thursday morning, I drove down the Tail of the Dragon along US 129, famous for its 318 curves in just 11 miles, to the Shuckstack Tower trail near the Fontana Dam. Thursday night, I stayed at the Fontana Village Resort & Marina campground by the trout-filled river in my hammock. Friday morning, I drove up the Foothills Parkway towards the Ramsey Cascades trail. After my hike, I went to the local Foodland and then headed off to the Elkmont campsite in Great Smokey Mountains National Park. At the campsite, I hastily but easily set up my Camp Chef Everest 2-burner stove and made myself a stack of pancakes.

    Why the pancake?

    Because of all the reasons: cheap, quick, delicious, versatile, nostalgic, packable.

    Making it happen, ideas, suggestions:

    • Step one: buy the mix. While this can be where you spend next to nothing on a $4 box of Bisquick pancake and baking mix, with my dietary needs I opt for the $8 bag of Arrowhead Mills organic gluten-free oat flour and waffle mix. One bag makes about 20 medium-sized pancakes, so in terms of bang for my buck, this is still a budget-friendly (and belly-friendly) option, especially in today’s economy.
    • Step two: build mix with water- and oil if you have some. Skip the egg. Your pancake may be less fluffy, but when camping, less is more. No cooler, no problem. Dealing with ice, bleh. Originally I never dreamed of an eggless pancake, but my boyfriend is allergic to them, so out of necessity, I learned to bake and cook without them, and while there was a learning curve, I’ve come to find that eggs aren’t always necessary, and honestly they can be more of a hassle than they are worth.
    • Step three: add it on, dress it up. Classic style? regular ole maple syrup. Going hiking later? smother in peanut butter. Feeling fancy? do like I did in my photo dump below. Buy a $4 bag of frozen fruit, add a bit of water to the skillet after making the cakes, boil, and mash. Boom a simple, made from scratch fruit syrup in minutes.
    • Step four: enjoy the process and product. As simple as pancakes may seem, what can go wrong, sometimes will. Uneven, burnt, falling apart, or sticking to the pan. Just take a deep breath and know that they will still taste yummy, even if they look a mess. Pancakes were one of the first foods someone showed me how to make myself on the stovetop. I still treasure the fond memories of my granny’s guidance and patience as I learned to mix, pour, and flip the cakes with her before Saturday morning cartoons – unknowing that she was tossing my burnt, crummy pancakes to the dogs.

  • Gulf Shores, Alabama

    October 9th – 14th, 2025

    Hello – and welcome to my blog (and my first post).

    My intention for this blog is capture more of what brings me joy: books, bites, and sights. By doing so, I hope to bring more joy into my life. So, if you also find joy in turning pages or tasting and seeing all the things – then as Robert Frost said, “You come too.”

    My first post captures my family’s yearly vacation to Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Cliche – I know, but in terms of a vacation being what a vacation ought to be (relaxing, slow paced, a time to connect with those you love most), this one always is. This is my second time attending the festival with my sister and her family (their fourth), and I hope to continue this tradition with them in the years to come.

    Books

    By Any Other Name, Jodi Picoult

    4/5 stars

    All the books I have read of Picoult’s, I have loved, so I am unsure as to why when I started By Any Other Name I had reservations, but I did. I went to an author event in 2024 at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee to listen to Jodi Picoult speak about the book and received a signed copy; however, I kept the novel in my TBR pile for nearly a year before picking it up to read. Why? I told myself, “Oh, I am not that big into theatre… I probably won’t like this book much.” Boy, I was wrong.

    After the first chapter, I found myself seamlessly turning the pages and reading late into the night. Back-door romances, women’s rights, 1600’s lore, conspiracy, and more. Picoult is such a talented story teller.

    Bites

    Buccee’s Dark Roast Coffee in Huntsville, AL ($2)

    What is a secret obsession of mine? Gas station coffee. I always say that everything that could be/is wrong with our food culture and habits are captured in a cup of gas station coffee: hot liquid in a plastic cup, an old coffee machine that hasn’t been cleaned since the day it came out of the box, low-quality, stale coffee beans, and seed-oil creamers. But that first sip of gas station coffee hits different. And what better place to hard brake for it than the infamous Buccee’s. So, fittingly, my first bite of this road trip was at the Huntsville, Alabama Buccee’s for their extensive coffee bar, their clean, private restrooms, and their unbeatably cheap gas.

    Rouses Grocery Haul in Gulf Shores, AL ($100)

    Like many of us, my relationship with food is complicated. I am currently on a journey to heal my gut and work through an active eating disorder. My progress is not linear, but I know that being mindful and open is the first step. Additionally I, like most, have many dietary restrictions and finding food that meets my needs when traveling can be cumbersome.

    Here is where I find the silver lining: niche, hometown grocery stores. One of my favorite things to do when traveling is find the local grocery store and stroll through the aisles, stocking up on my safe foods and snagging those unique, locally made gems.

    Pancake mix, eggs, oatmeal, fruits, veggies, oat milk creamer, and Cafe Du Monde Coffee and Chicory were a few of the items I left Rouses with. More expensive than Walmart? Sure. Better customer service and higher quality products? Definitely.

    Saleh Iced Coffees in Fort Morgan, AL ($17)

    How do I typically like my coffee? Hot with cream. But at 3:00 in the afternoon on the beach? Um… no thanks. Solution? Iced coffees from Saleh. Saleh is in Fort Morgan, 15 minutes west of Gulf Shores, if you’re in the area and want a local place to sit and sip.

    Coffee and Breakfast Platter at Buzzcatz in Orange Beach, AL ($20)

    After the Annual Shrimp Festival 5K, I went to Buzzcatz in Orange Beach. The line out the door speaks for itself. They have a variety of coffees, teas, pastries, and platters. I ordered the breakfast platter which came with eggs, grits, toast, and sausage. Buzzcatz also has lovely and ample patio seating located in both the front and back of the cafe. Who doesn’t love sitting afuera and enjoying a post-run coffee?

    Sights

    Sunrises and Sunsets

    Nothing beats the always free, always consistent, sunrises and sunsets. One aspect of vacationing I am learning to break-free of is the need for a slammed itinerary. I want to always do all the things, but honestly, I lose a lot of peace when on vacation because of FOMO and overbooking my itinerary. To actively combat this, I plan out moments of stillness.

    Gulf Shores Annual Shrimp Festival

    The main attraction of this vacation is the festival itself; however, you can easily traverse the entire festival in one evening which is what I have done for the last two years. Walking around the festival grounds is free and there is lots to see, taste, and hear: local artists and vendors, an abundance of yummy food trucks with all the smells, and live music from a variety of genres. Parking is complicated, but if you’re willing to pay, you can park easily and close by for $20.

    Annual Shrimp Festival 5K at Orange Beach Sportsplex ($40)

    One thing I like doing on vacation is staying active and exploring the town in unique ways. The average 5K is $30 to $40 to register for and typically the proceeds go to a good cause. A quick google search will pull up 5Ks in your area, and if you’ve never ran a 5K outside where you live, I highly recommend it. The energy is always up, you usually get a soft t-shirt at the end, and you get to see your vacation destination less like a tourist and more like a local. This was my second time running the Shrimp Festival 5K and was such a great kickstart to my Saturday morning.

    Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

    Breakaway from the sandy, sunny beach and onto a shaded, dirt path by exploring some of the trails at Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. Located less than 20 minutes west of downtown Gulf Shores, the refuge has been my go to for an early morning lonesome stroll away from the family these last two years. Last year, parts of some of the trails were closed; however, this year, they had recently been reopened. Flat, well maintained, easily accessible, and not too busy, the Gator Lake Trail (1.5 miles), the Centennial Trail (4.5 miles), and the Pine Beach Trail (3.4 miles) are all worth the drive.

    Dolphin Cruise with Surf’s Up in Orange Beach, AL ($20)

    I know, I know. I was hesitant too. I typically do not lean into doing “tacky” tourist things, but my sister has two little girls under three, and she figured it would be a neat experience for them to go on a dolphin cruise. So, being the cool auntie that I am, I had to tag along. Let me start by saying wow. I would 100% do this “tacky” dolphin cruise again. Hands-down. Swipe my card. First off, my ticket was $20. Yes, you read that correct. $20. There is NOTHING in this economy that you can do for $20, let alone have as much fun as I did that day. Next, it was so fun and relaxing to breathe in the salty ocean air and watch the sunset from the middle of the gulf on a boat. Last, dolphins. We rode around on the boat for an hour and started heading back to the marina without seeing any dolphins, and I had come to terms that we weren’t going to see any (but was okay with it since it was such a lovely boat ride in and of itself); however, just as the sun was setting, the dolphins came out to play. And when I say play, I mean it. They were putting on a show for us. Doing tricks, riding the waves, and even squeaking little messages to one another. I had never experienced anything like it. It was truly breath-taking, and let me remind you, all for $20. The Surf’s Up Dolphin Cruise company we toured with was very personal and professional, and I couldn’t recommend them enough. If you’ve never done a dolphin cruise, I would highly suggest checking out their sunset cruise. Honestly, it was the best two hours of my trip.

    Charter Fishing with Off the Hook Charters (+$775)

    Novelty is my kryptonite. I love doing and seeing new things. So, when my sister’s step-daughter and her boyfriend jokingly mentioned going fishing on charter, I said my go-to catchphrase – why not? We split the total by three (with an additional 20% tip), so I personally spent $250 for the experience. Which is steep, but all in all, worth it. Hesitant to go because you don’t know squat about fishing? Don’t be because neither did I. We had a knowledgeable and charismatic captain who took care of all our fishing things for us, which, let me add, thank goodness, because my line snapped again and again. We spent 4 hours out at sea, talking, laughing, and listening to yacht rock. I had a blast and kept thinking how fun it would be to do another charter with more family and friends. I am from Nashville which is currently the bachelorette party capital, and while on this excursion, all I could think about was how fun it would be to do a bachelorette party on a charter – maybe call it a ‘catch’elorette party (lol). During our trip, we caught both red snapper and Spanish mackerel. Reeling in the fish was such a dopamine and adrenaline rush. We saw angel fish and dolphins too. But the best part was that once on shore our captain filleted and packaged all of our fish for us. We were sent home with two coolers’ worth of fish which made the expenses of the charter worth it. I am still, months later, pulling fish out of my deep freezer and making dinners with it.