why you should take a solo road trip... annually

It's been four months since I took my most recent solo road trip... and I'm just now writing about it. I was worried that if I waited, I wouldn't have that same elated feeling that I had when I got back... but going through my pictures is bringing it back and reviving me all over again. 

I've done a solo road trip before; I drove down the California coast when I was going through a break-up or few. It was so therapeutic and life changing in ways that I thought I could never redo a trip like that. 

I was wrong. 

When you travel alone, there are things that happen that have taken me a couple months to really reflect on and realize and now I'm ready to tell you why you should do it. 

Let it be known- it's going to be scary. The days leading up to this trip, it was kinda hard for me to talk about it or plan a whole lot. I didn't know if I was going to be able to do this again. There were a lot of thoughts like "do I really have to do this again?" and "maybe I should just see what friends I can meet up with along the way." The truth is- I could EASILY do it again, and I didn't need any plans, friends, or safety blankets to help me out. 

So, reason #1- You'll conquer some fears. 

When I decided to book this trip, I knew I was in some sort of funk that I needed to kick before I got to the iHeartRadio Music Festival. I've always been proud to be fiercely independent, but after moving in with the bf, I quickly built up a lot of dependency on him. He helps me find everything I lost, calms me down when I'm over-stressing and working myself, and gives me that comfort of not being alone. Somehow I had subconsciously let myself think that I couldn't do things without him anymore. Honestly, this made me hate myself. Of course it's nice to have that person to help you out, but everyone should have some independence in a relationship... and if you're anything like me, you have to find a lot of ways to remain your independent, self serving person while keeping the relationship happy. [Let me know if you have any real secrets or tips for that, btw.] As soon as I had my first meal out and alone, while talking to the bartender, I realized I hadn't "lost myself," she was just put on a back burner. 

Reason #2- You will empower yourself and ignite independence and strength.A lot of people immediately ask "but where do you eat?" when I tell them about a solo trip. What do you mean where do I eat? I eat at whatever bar or restaurant Yelp and Facebook suggest to me, duh. I typically sit at a bar, so I can talk to the bartender, other solo visitors, or my phone. There's no pressure to talk or not talk, but the option is there if you want it. It's brilliant, and far less awkward than it feels when you arrive at a place before all your other friends and you're impatiently waiting on them. The best part- 

Reason #3- You can eat wherever you want. Order as much food or drinks as you want. No splitting checks, and no judgment. 

That "no judgment" thing is big. I think one of the biggest issues people have with solo trips is worrying about what other people will think about them doing everything alone. Let me tell you what they'll think- the same thing you're [probably, hopefully] thinking right now- that's badass. Bartenders high fived me, and fellow hikers offered to help with pictures, then literally applaused or said "oh WOW!!" when they saw I already had the photos under control. [I would set up my GoPro on a tripod, then look at it/control it from an app on my phone.]  People at the hotels and hostels were welcoming and helpful and friendly [although I was a little nervous to tell some of them I was staying alone.. but it ended up being nbd]. When's the last time you didn't care about what people thought about you? Unfortunately, it's not often enough for me anymore.

Reason #4- You'll realize the world really doesn't give a f#@% about what you're doing... and it'll free your mind to also not care about what your self is doing. 

Speaking of other people... when you plan a trip with others, whether it be one or ten other people, you have to plan things with them. Where do they wanna stay? What's their budget? When do they wanna be there or leave or move on? Do they even wanna commit to a trip? It's exhausting. You know what's not?

Reason #5- You get to live on your own time and on your own budget. Your plans can change whenever you want them to. There's no one to answer to. 

Something else that's in your control- what you listen to along the road trip. After reading "my Bible" on my last road trip, I decided to try some books on tape to give me that same feel. [What I didn't realize before this trip is that it wasn't just the book that changed me in California.. it was the whole experience.] I listened to "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck" and "Creativity, Inc" to help revive my brain and give me some real therapeutic thoughts. Maybe you'll want a podcast, or music blasting as you sing along.. or, get all of the above.

Reason #6- The time you'll have with yourself and the road is magical. You can let your mind go wild and the scenery will [hopefully] make it all okay. 

I kept setting my GoPro on the dash because the views were unbelievable. A lot of them are still on my Insta Highlights.

THE ULTIMATE REASON: You will come back invigorated, confident, excited to share everything with everyone you know, and ready to take on anything in this world.

I should clarify why I specifically say road trip and not just any solo trip. When you're alone, you need to stay active so that you don't feel that lonely factor. The more I discovered, the more badass I felt. The more I traveled, the more I learned... about the world and myself. I can't imagine going to a beach resort or one city for a couple days by myself. As much as I love a good drink and meal, I don't want to be drunk trying to explore my way home. I also don't want to just sleep on the beach alone all day. Booorriinnggg.

So my trip started in Denver, went through Utah, and ended in Las Vegas. It was only four days alone, but I wanted at least one or two more by the time I got to Vegas and had to answer to people again. Three days would be enough to get all of this goodness, I think.. and is a fair place to start for those

who are a little worried. And maybe "annually" is a ridiculous goal, but it's what I'm going to aim for. There's no reason for me to put something so beneficial to my life and health off. Maybe it won't always include National Parks, a full week away, a plane ride to my first destination, or my sweet minivan named Bonnie... but I'll always try to make some time for myself.

Now that I've gotten into all of this again, expect some details about each place that I stopped [and all of the amazing places I got to stay as a solo traveler] in the next couple weeks. Maybe you'll be ready to book something for you and yourself by then, too.

love,
elizabethany

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photo diary: 8 florida towns in 3 days

My ADD-ness has spread into the way I travel.... and I don't mind it at all. Why visit ONE place, when you could rent a car and make it an adventure/road trip?

This time it was all about Florida. I only had three days to work with, not a lot of money, and I booked it less than 3 weeks before I left. Luckily, flights to Florida are pretty damn cheap most of the time.

The first decision I had to make: Atlantic Coast or Gulf Coast? Thanks to pictures of Siesta Key, the Gulf Coast was the winner, and Tampa would be the starting point.

With a bunch of friends in Tampa, it makes it an easy starting point. My first gamble was on the rental company. Sixt had an incredible deal on a convertible, and reviews that were either awful or fantastic. I'll take a gamble on saving $200 and not getting the car I want. Luckily, even though they told me they didn't have what I reserved, I saw it in the parking lot. A beautiful VW Beetle convertible. [LOL at making him think it'd be something like a Mustang then being all HAHA SUCKA I'M DRIVING EXCEPT FOR WHEN I WANNA TAKE PICS!]

There was some solid people watching in SoHo Tampa [and a huge, nice hotel that did not get enough use] before it was on to the next stop: Siesta Key.

It's America's #1 Beach, so I kind of expected it to be a little crowded, but man I was wrong in that expectation. Even at one of the main public parking entrances, there was barely anyone around. Maybe it was because it was so huge and flat that it felt empty, or maybe people hate little waves, clear water, and searching for sand dollars. When is the last time you've seen this much beach and only three people in the frame?!

I remember going to Sarasota as a kid and searching for sand dollars for hours with my mom... we'd wake up really early and go before everyone else found them. Now I know the real trick is to look when the tide is changing. Suddenly I was finding ALL OF THE BEAUTIES, and also a lot of really ugly rejects. I left those for the lazy people who didn't wanna find them in the water. 

Finding good food has surprisingly become one of my favorite things about traveling. Okay... I say surprisingly but really, I've loved food my whole life... I'm totally fine with eating gas station food most of the time, though.. just NOT WHILE TRAVELING. 

Ask people who have been... check Yelp... do research. The meal could be the best thing about a trip. [I still can't stop thinking about the meal I had in Key West and it's almost been two years!]

Shut up Elizabethany and show the damn food.

Thanks to my boss and his wife, I knew I should skip the oceanside restaurants and head a little north for The Columbia Restaurant. Cuban food, delicious sangria, and so many options. What you see on my delicious plate is Mahi Mahi topped with crab and hot damn- I'm glad I saved some so I could have it for a second meal.

This is when I made my first mistake. Even though I purposely didn't book a hotel for night 2 ahead of time, I stuck to the plan of going to Ft Myers instead of staying in Siesta Key/Sarasota. As we were driving away, the town was picking up, the old people were going to sleep, the people who were hungover from the night before were coming out, and I love a good beach bar... but we headed south to check out another city. 

The problem was.... there was no exploring of Ft Myers. Maybe because it was Sunday night and there were no bodies to be seen walking around, or maybe it was because I had probably the worst sunburn of my life. I don't get sunburnt. That's something silly that white folk have to deal with while I put on SPF 8 and get a slow brown. I learned a valuable lesson that day in Florida: DO NOT DRIVE A CONVERTIBLE, IN THE MORNING, WITHOUT SUNSCREEN ON. YOU WILL GET VERY BURNED IN LESS THAN AN HOUR.

Okay, there may be some dramatics coming into my whining, but think back to your first/worst sunburn. You were crying and complaining for days too, RIGHT?!? 

The lesson was learned, sunscreen was on, and Naples was the next stop. I don't think I've ever seen a cuter town in my entire life. So much green, and vibrant colors in general.

There were also these huge trees, that I've now learned are "banyon trees." If you've never seen a huge one of these in person, you're missing out. You're also missing out on an old person yelling at you with their half-voice if you don't climb it. 

The pier was just as beautiful... and full of gray [hair]. People were fishing, then throwing their fish back into the water where dolphins and pelicans would get them. The dolphins were SO close to the pier and even the swimmers, but of course I don't have pictures to capture that.

You don't really need more than a few hours in Naples, I don't think... unless Grandma June is there or something. 

It was time to take on the Everglades. I had done some research on all of the different airboat rides, but in the end- unless you're paying the big bucks for a private boat, they're all highly rated and about the same price. Wooten's had an animal sanctuary and a late final-boat time, so that was the winner. They had a white tiger, lots of crocs, otters... all kinds of babes... but we were there for the ride. 

I was a little discouraged when we got on this big ass boat... I was so rudely thinking the big guy can't do tricks... but it did. All the spins, all the coasting over mud, and quite a bit of fear tbh. It's only about 45 minutes long, but that's all I needed. Here's a quick clip:

And the third stop in one day: Miami.

There was a restaurant that I went to by myself the last time I was in Miami, and I was determined to find it again. It was so cute, the vibe was great, live cuban music was playing.... It's called Moreno's, and it's hiding in an alley attached to a hotel.

The service was worse than I remember, but it was still such a good vibe with neat drink options that I wouldn't write it off.

Now is when I should say Miami brought the crazy party, there was so much bar hopping and fancy drinks, and dancing next to rich people... but I've been having to severely limit my drinking lately. [If this is the first time you've heard this, it could be quite shocking.... but I've been sharing on the show and some on social about my migraines. Something about drinking is triggering cluster migraines and it is totally life changing in all the awful ways.]

Instead of partying the night away, we walked along the beach/strip of hotel pools that are probably full of rage on the weekend. Then I found a patch of green in the middle of downtown Miami Beach and decided to lay down and look up for a while.

When's the last time you've done that? Put your phone away, shut the bleep up, and just relax and observe.... It was foreign to me, but hot damn did it feel good. So good, this picture of my view over here gives me happy feels and it's not even a good picture.

The final day was all about Ft. Lauderdale... specifically Ft. Lauderdale Beach Park. Who's gonna turn down a bunch of picnic tables, an outdoor gym [lolz not that I'm gonna use it on vaca but it was fun to watch the babes on it], and nearby restaurants?! No one smart, that's who. 

It was another huge, flat beach, that was pretty empty on a Tuesday. There was also a huge chair so *cue photoshoot.*

I had been looking for a good place to get fish tacos all week and finally found a dive bar celebrating Taco Tuesday! Perfect! ...except that their Taco Tuesday was strictly chicken and beef since they pump out a bunch of them. They were $1 each and hella good.

Somehow the entire trip was a combination of adventure and relaxation. Sure, there was a lot of moving around city to city, but it was only 3.5 hours total driving, and a lot of laying around once we got to each place. If you're looking to do the most amount of traveling and sight seeing along the Gulf Coast in 66 hours, here's where I'd go again:

• Tampa
• Siesta Key/Sarasota
• Naples
• Everglades
• Miami
• Ft Lauderdale

I had hoped to get to Sanibel Island and also this coral castle in Miami, but it would have messed with timing more than I'd liked. You can save a lot of time by getting sandwiches to eat at the beach and only eating dinner out. Drive in the morning or at night, and soak up the daylight hours away from the car. Just like when I went to California, I starred places I wanted to see on Google Maps, then picked the best route/timing to see as much of it as I could.

66 hours.... that's literally all we had to do all of this. Make the most of your time, always.

love,
elizabethany

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day two in puerto rico: exploring cave beaches and rainforests

When you take a trip to Puerto Rico, you take a lot of pictures. And since posting everything from California ultimately overwhelmed me, I decided to break this trip up.

DAY TWO: Exploring nature

One of the things my coach told me about his hometown was "the cave beach." A little Google machine action helped me find La Cueva del Indio in Arecibo. Holy breath taking. 

Posing for pictures is tough sometimes.

The inside was turning purple and I was all heart eye emoji over it. Later I found out the water is normally higher and you can swim through/inside the cave. Looks like I'll have to take another trip. Damn.

Along the trail to the cave, we found this private "pool." Don't worry, you're not the first thing to think what you might be thinking right now. There were condom wrappers galore nearby. [Not mine! Fortunately... or unfortunately... you decide.]

After three hours there, we headed back towards the east coast to El Yunque, the only rainforest in the US forest system. [#Facts on love, EB!] My 80 year old knees were scared, but everything was so worth it. 

I saw someone standing under the waterfall posing for a picture and knew I had to brave the cold, too. What I didn't pay attention to was how they got over there. Walking on the rocks is not okay. DO NOT WALK ON ROCKS. Three nasty bruises, a swollen ankle and knee later, I settled for this picture, then watched "pros" crab walk into it with ease. Thanks for the tips ahead of time, a-holes.

If you ever hike these trails, you might be tempted to do the Big Tree Trail to the La Mina Falls because it's easier. You could do that, but make sure you also walk the La Mina Trail, too. It was SO much prettier to look at. More falls, more places to stop, and if my old-feeling body can handle it, so can yours.

The home for the next two days was in Fajardo, another short drive to the shore. I found another Airbnb just a couple days before checking in for $70/night. 24th floor of a condo RIGHT on the water, with a pool, a balcony, and quite a view from the breakfast table.

Really tough to wake up to this while all my friends were waking up and scraping snow off their windshields.

While beaches are another short drive, we were super close to some of the excursions, the bioluminescent bay AND the ferry to the other smaller islands that everyone highly recommends [Vieques and Culebra]. What I didn't know until it was too late is that the ferry takes a couple hours to get to the other islands, so it's definitely a day trip.

I have no idea what that island is. I'm just showing you the view from the balcony again because it was ridiculous.

As much as I grew up/love being the beach girl who just relaxes by the ocean and gets tan on vacation, it's really incredible when you put on some hiking shoes and really explore some landmarks. Turns out, having incredible pictures to last forever is cooler than having a darker tan for a couple weeks. [GASP. My former self can't even believe what's happening in this post right now.]

love,

elizabethany

PS Day 3-4 soon, day 1 here. 

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this is what saved me

YOU SHOULD BE WARNED: This is a bit of a serious blog. Me. EB. Getting real and deep. Or maybe like whatever is inbetween deep and shallow. Is there a word for that?

Remember when I said my trip to California was life changing? It was for a couple reasons. 1- I was alone, driving along the PCH with a lot of thinking time. 2- I read a book. An entire book, cover to cover, for maybe the third time in my life.

The book: The Comprehensive ENFP Survival Guide, by Heidi Priebe.

I should say that I've NEVER been one to believe in or even care about astrology. It's all so generic to match everyone and ew. Get out. But when I took the personality test and read all the extensive characteristics about my results [ENFP], and then continued to read dozens of articles about the different types... I related to every single one on a very direct level. Even stupid ish like "The Top Relationship Deal Breaker for Each Myers Briggs Type" and "The Role Each Type Plays at a Party" were making me be like "AWWWWW DAMN THAT'S ME YOU GOT ME YOU'RE A PSYCHIC WE'RE BEST FRIENDS, INTERNET!"

Then I saw this Survival Guide for $5 and figured why the hell not, I'll have some time on the plane.

A little personal back story that I normally keep from the public world, but people may have caught on: in September 2014, I went through a break up. Considering relationships are not something I do, the fact that I was in one for three years was a magical feat. It was my second official relationship ever, we were madly in love on day two, living together after a year, and long distance for the third year. For months I knew we were coming to an end, so when it happened- I figured I was fine. I sobbed at the pool under sunglasses for two days, drank myself into a blacked-out oblivion for a couple months, then made some new *friends* to have fun with.

I felt like I was happy. I was stuck in a weird rut creatively/with work, but these things happen and I blamed it on not having enough time, my ADD meds not working, and being surrounded by people and THEIR drama. I was traveling all the time, working my dream job with an awesome new boss, and for the first time in my life-saving up some money. What the hell could I possibly complain about?!

So as I head out to California, I jokingly said I was going on a rehab because I had just dealt with a couple of guys who were beyond emotional and hurt my brain. Once I was out there I found a happiness and care-free feeling that was like reconnecting with your best friend after years... you forgot how great it was. Even in pictures, I saw a sparkle again. [Let's use an analogy: As Britney got healthier after that horrid 2007, we kept saying she was happy... but we were lying. That twinkle in her eye wasn't there in pictures until recently.]

On my way home, I'm editing the pictures, then start reading this book. It was teaching me some things about the Myers Briggs system and making me feel like I was taking a science class. Then it was describing my entire self- my upbringing, family, friendships, work life/needs... then I got to some chapters about your personality crashing. Turns out losing yourself is real and these were signs I should look out for:

• "Rather than coming across as their bubbly, optimistic selves, the ENFP will be formal and curt with their interactions, convincing even themselves that they won't be happy until they accomplish their goals."
• "At your best, an ENFP is bold, adventurous, decisive and capable. At your worst, you are avoidant, irresponsible, self destructive, and prone to addiction."
• Your fatal flaw is escapism. You dislike dwelling in negative emotion and avoid them at absolutely all costs. 
• You may give up on new projects prematurely and get distracted by engaging in the never ending chase for the next great high.
• You'll string someone along emotionally while you make up your mind, manipulating them into thinking your feelings are stronger than they are. 
• Our struggles are born out of self neglect.
• When your friends aren't available to go out as much as you'd like, you'll simply expand your circle. You'll shame or look down upon people for not living like you.

It was one slap in the face after another being like "girlfriend, you are effed up and admission is the first step to recovery."

Luckily, it told me how to get out of it. It told me to have some routine in my life like more sleep, more workouts, more conversations with friends, but also experience more because experiences are what make me feel fulfilled. Through an "activity," I realized follow-through is what I care about most in other people, but I needed to get back to doing it myself. The book/Heidi legitimately called me out for bragging about not needing a lot of sleep and told me to quit that ish cuz it's not worth it. So I did. 

It's weird when words on a page can know you so well and change the way you feel so quickly. A couple friends/family members had been asking me if I was alright for months, but could never give me an example of why they were worried, so I just brushed it off. This book knew everything I was doing!

Starting the next day, the admission happened. I had a meeting with my boss, lunch with my mom, and conversations with friends and exes. I kept telling everyone about "my book" and how I was sorry but I felt revived again. I even told them about the extra stuff I read like why I suck in relationships, how I'm helpful/terrible in the workplace. 

A lot of people have since asked me what book it is and if they should read it... if you're ENFP- do it. If you're not, it's hard for me to say whether or not it'll be interesting to you. There ARE several articles that might be able to help, like "What Each Type Does in a Rut." Heidi also wrote another book for all types right here.

Is this what it's like when someone suddenly becomes religious?! Is this my new Bible or something? I'm not saying Myers-Briggs is always right for everyone, or reading a book or some articles is going to change your life, but I do know that I'm beyond thankful to stumble upon it all. I knew I had to share it with not only everyone I talk to, but the world wide web too.

I'm still working on being my ridiculously happy, constantly motivated self 24/7, but every time I'm not, I notice it [or my friends do] and try to snap out of it. I've even printed out the below quotes/excerpts to put around and read regularly. On questionable days, they reel me back in.

View post on imgur.com

This would also be a good time to thank you for sticking through it all with me. Every day I worried that I wasn't being entertaining enough or doing enough to keep people's attention... and maybe I wasn't, but at least YOU are here reading this right now. So thank you for caring. Or pretending to care. Or reading the first and last paragraph and thinking "this B thinks I care, that's funny." Still counts. 

Thank you. And here's to a new year, OLD me. 

love,

elizabethany

PS: Heidi Priebe, the author.... I know I've never even tweeted you before now, and this could be a little awkward... but you're my soulmate. There. I said it. Thanks for helping me do something for myself that even my friends and family couldn't help with.

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do it... Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." -Howard Thurman

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2015 wanderlust: a round-up of my 12 trips

This past weekend was the first time I've had multiple days off in a row without anything to do, and I panicked. Everyone told me to just relax and enjoy not having any plans, but after 2015, that's not something I believe in. 

My 2015 resolution was to travel once a month. I knew it'd be tough, that my bank account would suffer a bit, but knew it was the perfect year to do it. Fresh off a break-up, and having far too many never-have-I-evers when it comes to traveling, it was the perfect mission. I can't believe I genuinely completed it. 

Turns out, I can be somewhat focused when I wanna be. In January, I went through my calendar and each month put options for ideal places. I had specific events for some, others coulda been anywhere, but that quick task helped BIG TIME with the planning and making sure I got to most of the places I really wanted to. I also marked down when I should start looking for flights around 6 weeks before I wanted to go. Considering I only get one weekend off a month, I had to have an idea which ones they would be. Plus, ADD is tough. 

Why pay for school when you can learn these things while spending money on traveling?

• Don't rely on other people. It's way too hard to coordinate going away with someone, making sure you do everything you both wanna do, and agreeing on a budget. If you wanna do something, you do it. Be selfish. No excuses. 
• Pinterest is your travel BFF. Search the city for what to wear, where to go, what to eat.. and star your must-sees on Google Maps.
• Washington, DC has no culture compared to most places. We're pretty and clean and political and historical I guess, but with such a hodgepodge of people, we're pretty bleeping boring as an overall city from the outside.
• When packing, take the extra time to plan outfits for each day/night, then a couple staple pieces just in case. [Or, just be drunk with zero time to overthink it.] If you don't have several options to choose from while on vacation, you'll spend less time deciding what to wear and more time vacationing.
• Also, don't overthink trips. They're not all bank-breakers, and you don't need a week to get on a plane. You have 36 hours and a cheap flight option, book it, damnit! 
• Don't be afraid to ask people if you can crash with them, but don't make them feel like they need to entertain you at all times. You're a big kid now. Show up with transportation and no pressure [and probably a bottle of alcohol for them].
• Typical selfies get redundant. Get your feet off the ground. 
• Try the local food, but also the local beers. Collect the bottle tops. Some call it trash, I call it hoarding cheap souvenirs. 
• Bring bumper stickers for your business if you have them. SO many bars let you stick them somewhere. 
• Keep a hashtag of your travels so everyone can see your travels without stalking the rest of your boring profile. #EBbetravelin HOLLA. 

Now, as for my adventures...

JANUARY: Tampa, FL for Gasparilla

For years I've been hearing/seeing how awesome this Mardi Gras-like day is. The Kane Show [morning show at my home station] has a huge float and my soon to be new boss was still down there. It was everything I'd hoped! I rode on top of the float with Kane, had a beautiful dinner at sunset, and caught the Super Bowl at Rose's friend's house, with an outdoor projector and ALL the food. 

What I learned: Lots of cities have major events that you may not know of. Ask your friends that live elsewhere what they look forward to every year and visit them for that. It may be a little selfish, but you're still visiting THEM! [And you'll get a free stay and have a pro who knows the ropes, duh]

FEBRUARY: A cabin retreat weekend near Liberty Mountain

It had been about a decade since I last ski'd, so I knew it was on my bucket list for the year. I found this cute little cabin that slept 8 people on Airbnb and had a girls party night on Friday, hiking day/party night with other friends Saturday, then went skiing on Sunday. It snowed for some of the weekend which made it even cooler, and it's only a little over an hour away so most people only came up for one night. I felt like I had so many different experiences in one tiny little cabin weekend! As for the skiing, you can see in the bottom picture how that went. That was me the whole way down my first black diamond.

What I learned: My body is too old for skiing these days. It was so painful in my knees to be even a little enjoyable. Also, there is no better pizza than crab pizza from Ventura's. 

MARCH: Niagara Falls and Toronto, Canada

I knew I had to get out of the country at some point in 2015. I hoped it would be a cruise or something, but I had also never been to Canada. I flew to Rochester [had to see my beloved Nugget] and road tripped the rest of the way with Corey. It was cold, but absolutely beautiful. With a quick Internet search, we found an awesome Ice Bar that was EMPTY when we went, so we got to talk to the owner for a while, which may have been one of my favorite parts.

What I learned: Seeing the Falls when they're frozen is a must. I've never seen them not frozen, but it was crazy awesome. Plus, Canadians are really as friendly as you hear.

APRIL: Morgantown, WV

Maybe some will think this was cheating, but it was a weekend away for my former roommate's bachelorette party, and we did Morgantown unlike I ever have before: in a hotel. We also got a fancy dinner.... and, well, everything else was just as it should be in Motown: Full of shots, beer bongs, and dirty feet. 

What I learned: No matter how long you live in a place, there are always places you haven't been and can explore. Plus, the world is always changing and it's never going to be exactly as you remember.

MAY: Nashville, TN

I'd been promising my friend for years that I'd visit him in the city I knew I'd love, and finally booked a flight two weeks before I went [which was the very next weekend after Morgantown]. It was perfect, as I've shared in my previous post. We spent a day as tourists, and the rest living like a singer/songwriter- bumping into Chris Young, drinking on rooftops, and listening as they came up lyrics on the spot.

What I learned: Don't always be a tourist. Don't feel like you need to hit all the tourist hot spots in order to "complete your trip." If you wanna get a real feel for a city- do as locals do. My most important lesson this trip: It is 100% possible to fall madly in love with a city, and to feel real heartbreak when you leave.

JUNE: Dover, DE for Big Barrel

When I first heard about this country music festival, I thought there was no chance I'd be able to afford tickets. Turned out- they weren't that bad! And when you camp out, it turns into one hell of an experience. We only got to go for two nights, but even in the torrential downpours, I immediately knew I'd have to go back this year for the whole time. Country music all day, thousands of people who wanna have a good time, making new friends, and sleepovers- it's kinda my Heaven.

What I learned: I need to go to more music festivals. When it comes to festivals- bring wipes. Showers are not an option.

JULY: Key West, FL for my BFF's 30th birthday

We stayed on a freaking house boat! And it was WAYYY less than a hotel for five people. We had kayaks attached to it, and less than a mile walk to downtown Key West. Turns out, 4th of July is "off season" for them, so it was relatively tame. A bartender told us all about the SEVERAL other events they have throughout the year and I think we'll have to go back to the boat for one of those. 

What I learned: Airbnb is the freaking bomb, and they have a section [or several] for unusual housing. House boats > hotels.

AUGUST: Virginia Beach

When I missed Sam Hunt in DC because of a wedding, I immediately planned on catching him in my former home, and my God if that picture isn't worth it, I don't know what is! Also got to see inside Lady A's bus, and do flips on the beach, of course. 

What I learned: With enough motivation and hustle, you can hit every bar along the boardwalk in a few hours. 

SEPTEMBER: Columbia, SC

When I realized I had LESS THAN A WEEK to plan my monthly trip, I stalked Hipmunk for all the cities my friends live in, and my BFF's home was under $150 round trip. Since I had just been to Florida with them, I knew I could be 5th wheel again and have a great time on their boat. I suffered through a migraine on day two which sucked, but I rallied to party through the VMA's. 

What I learned: If you have nothing to do on a nice weekend, check flights. What's it gonna hurt? Just pack a bag and go. Especially if it's NOT a nice forecast where you live, but is elsewhere.

OCTOBER: College Station/Austin, TX

Okay, so this was actually the end of September, but it was the only weekend I had to make it down there so it counts! I had to do my annual trip to visit my people, but really wanted to explore Austin more, since I didn't get to do much of that when I lived down there. The city is so much like Nashville, and has SO MUCH CULTURE. Every bar had a theme. My favorite is pictured a the bottom... it had sand volleyball courts, cornhole, washers, and plenty of TVs. Moontower Saloon- A perfect Sunday Funday spot.

What I learned: Always make an impression so people don't forget you. I was amazed at how many people at the random bars, in my old office, etc that not only remembered who I was, but boosted my ego with how much they missed me AND made time to meet me for a big dinner. It's been 4.5 years since I left Texas.... they could have forgotten all about me and I'd understand it. 

NOVEMBER: California

By far the most important trip of my year. I'm so upset I never got around to making one big post about it, but I did post an album if you want to go through it. After some dramatic happenings, I just needed to get away and be independent. I traveled from Sacramento to San Diego by myself [with the exception of staying with people in some cities]. I drove the PCH in a sports car, drank wine in Napa Valley, walked across the Bay Bridge in San Fran, met with legendary radio people in LA, saw a taping of Jimmy Kimmel, stayed at the coolest hotel EVER- The Madonna Inn, and took selfies with seals in San Diego. I truly took advantage of every minute I had out there, and found myself again. I didn't even know I hadn't been myself until I went, but the feeling I had when I got back was one I'll never forget. 

What I learned: Traveling alone while you're young is absolutely necessary. Not just visiting someone alone, but getting a hotel for yourself, eating dinner alone and trying to make friends before going out that night, hiking trails and setting up selfie sticks without any care of what people think... that's how you become comfortable with who you are in a very special way.

DECEMBER: Atlantic City for New Year's Eve

It only made sense to finish the year traveling, and after years of avoiding gambling, I decided to stop being a little bitch about it. I've always been afraid of getting addicted to gambling, but that definitely didn't happen because I'm also hella stingy with my money. When your best girl Ellen takes all your money on her slot machine, you realize nothing is going to help you out. For the big night, we found a party on Playground Pier with open bar, SO many bars with different themes, and the opportunity to break another World Record- most people popping bottles at the same time. We did it!

What I learned: Gambling sucks unless you know how to play one of the card games without pissing other players off. Also, make friends with someone who does know that so you can watch and drink for free while they throw all their money away.

That was way too many words. This is supposed to be a picture book type of blog.... but, I'm gonna be honest- I inspired myself this year, and I'm just hoping I can help even ONE person decide that things don't have to be as difficult or impossible as you may think they are. Say yes. Get off the couch. Do what you daydream about doing. YOLO.

Okay now I'm really getting out of hand. I'm done here.

Thanks for being my best year, 2015. Bank account, I'll get you an IV ASAP.

love,
elizabethany

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photo diary: california sunsets

I'm a sucker for a good sunset or sunrise. Isn't everyone, though?!

One of the things I was most excited for in Cali was catching the sunset every night. Unfortunately, it happened way too early [about 4:30-5:00 every night], but I planned my entire day around where I'd be when it passed the horizon.

Like I've said a million times, I'm no professional photographer, nor do I use any really fancy equipment, but I like taking pictures. Here are some of my faves of nothing but the beautiful sunsets. 

From Pfeiffer Beach, in Big Sur. 

This beach was stacked with professional photographers, so I just found my way around them to not look like an idiot. It's no wonder they were all there, though. You had to drive down a two mile trail of a "road" to get to it.

Some of the sand was PURPLE! AKA gorgeous.

The red tone on all of the rocks [everywhere] was freaking fantastic.

Seal Beach, right above Huntingon Beach. I had to pull over into this little neighborhood because I wasn't going to make it to Huntington. Not mad. It was empty. 

Coronado Beach in San Diego

Since I was alone, I decided I should take pictures of complete strangers and pray they didn't catch me. That woman was awesome. This couple spent the entire hour taking selfies. 

For one of the days, I was walking over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fran... which in theory is a great idea until you realize the sun sets behind a mountain. Still, an awesome walk to make.

Mr Mike Klein wasn't too fond of the heights back there. 

Still working on getting so many things ready to get posted... it really was a life changing trip. If you haven't met my boyfriend yet, get on it. 

love,

elizabethany

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