Do you ever think of Mississippi as a destination that you'd plan to visit? We've driven through plenty of times, but apparently Mississippi is so much more than what you see from the highway. Okay, I knew there was more to it. From Ocean Springs, MS to Jackson, you'll find all kinds of towns and natural spaces to explore. In this episode we've got our friend, Tammilee Tillison of TammileeTips.com / GulfCoastJourneys.com sharing about one of the places in Mississippi that surprised her the most: Ridgeland, Mississippi. Initially, the plan for being based in Ridgeland was to explore the Natchez Trace Parkway (a National Park Service greenway) and then to pop over to Jackson to visit the Medgar and Myrlie Evers National Monument, but Ridgeland turned out to be the land of fine dining and classy relaxation and green spaces. Having Ridgeland as a home base, you can plan a 3-day getaway that's a mix of history, southern swamp nature, and beautiful food. The Natchez Trace Parkway stretches from Natches in southern Mississippi up into Tennessee, crossing through a little corner of Alabama. This is the natural beauty of the South that's often overlooked or forgotten. This is also a birdwatching dream, being a part of the Mississippi Flyway, a major bird migration route from the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico up into Canada and Alaska. Ideas for when to head to Ridgeland MS and the Natches Trace: Spring for the Mississippi Flyway birdwatching Late spring for synchronus fireflies Fall for fall colors along the Natches Trace from TN through AL and MS Listen to more episodes with Tammilee in our podcast archives or Making Big Life Decisions to Pursue Joy

We visit MidCoast Maine at least once a year and always have a good time. It's not what a lot of people expect though, as it's a complicated sort of place to visit. "You can't get there from here..." From just north of Portland all the way to Acadia National Park, MidCoast Maine is one of those place you know you want to visit but maybe don't know why, so we've got you covered. In this podcast episode we're talking about our favorite towns, great things to do in MidCoast Maine, and what to actually expect when you visit (including Wildlife in Maine). It's funny because for being one of the most popular East Coast destinations for vacation, Mainers kind of don't want everyone to be there. It's a complicated reltationship between residents and visitors.  Either way, we love getting to visit Maine and are excited to share and help YOU plan a trip to this beautiful place. Give a listen and check out our many articles that are all about planning Maine trips: Maine Summer Road Trip Maine in Winter Lighthouses in Maine to Visist Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and more!

Even though 2020 seems like so long ago, we're still feeling the effects of how the COVID pandemic changed the world, including travel. It's weird to think back and remember washing our groceries and not being allowed to sit down in public places. And I remember the day I lost my job and we scrambled to figure out how to complete our move across the country that we'd already started the process on... It was a lot for everyone. One element that was really impacted by the pandemic was travel. It's weird to look back and think about what we did to be able to travel during COVID. For example getting to visit Disney World and Universal duiring COVID with zero crowds and everyone being required to give you space, NOT cough on you and actively be hygenic. It's fascinating to think about how many people we opposed to all this. Living through the COVID pandemic is a historic life. Unprecidented times like this being blasted on social media and misinformation being spread daily made this particular life experience very different. COVID news came at us from every angle and so much wasn't monitored or verified, vs other historic events, such as 9-11. Looking back, the events of COVID now seem to have a historic filter on them as we think of them in the style of something shot on VHS. Another event that hit during the peak of COVID was the 2020 election in the USA. That was its own thing that continues to have reprecussions today. Fascinating to look back!

We are always ready for a visit to the American Southwest, and these iconic sights are some of the best! If you haven't gotten the chance to explore Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and California, we've got some fantastic suggestions for seeing some of the most beautiful canyons and desert landscapes in the Southwest. Pick a few and plan a visit or see them all on a three week road trip, either way you'll love it. In this episode we have our friend and frequent podcast guest Colleen Miniuk sharing her favorite places in the American Southwest for the best desert experiences. As a professional landscape photographer and group tour leader, Colleen has deep experience in the wild canyons and mountains of the SW. Listen along as she shares her picks for: amazing Grand Canyon National Park sites Glen Canyon and Lake Powell what makes Death Valley so interesting and beautiful superblooms in the desert (including cactuses blooming!) and much, much more! Please visit our website for the full article and a complete itinerary for seeing the best of the Southwest and really diving into the beautiful nature of the desert. For more Southwest travel ideas: Wonderful Things to do Near Las Vegas Beautiful Hiking in Palm Springs Superbloom in Joshua Tree National Park 10 Unique Utah Road Trip Stops

I had no idea that "travel depression" was a thing. I love when we're traveling or I'm out exploring or on a work trip. What is there to be depressed about with travel? So, in this podcast episode, the first of our Let Me Ask You This series, we talk about what travel depression actually is and how to counter it. Do you suffer from travel depression? Do you know what it is? Travel depression is the low you feel when you're coming off the high of traveling. For example: you've been on a weeklong photo safari in the Amazon jungle with your family and then you get home and sit down at your desk for the first time, unable to be productive and actually feeling low vs re-energized or extatic about your trip. So why does travel depression set in? Well, as we discuss in this podcast episode, it happens for a variety of reasons which are different for everyone. I think some people set themselves up to be bummed out relating to travel and taking trips because they hold so much stock in their rare adventures. It's an emotional rollercoaster for some people. As a side note, in this episode we address a big elephant in the room when it comes to traveling peacefully: you need to bring the things that make you comfortable. You need to pack in a way that you're using the things you bring AND that allow you to feel at-home on the road. The myth that women have to bring a million things on a trip because that's the plight of women is ridiculous. As a guy, I bring suits and many pairs of shoes, and still bring only a carryon suitcase - and I still bring my pillow. Back to the topic at hand thoughTips to fight post-travel depression: do a weekend getway you can drive to plan your next trip house swap with a friend in another city create social media posts to share with friends that make you happy about past trips journal WHILE you're traveling to read later LASTLY, if you're coming home to a reality you don't like, you need to work to change it, whether that be your work environment or your home where you spend a lot of time. Work to make your every-day life more of what you want it to be. I know that not everybody has a problem with being bummed out by not  traveling, or doesn't travel enough to develop this sort of complex, but if you do, I hope it's helpful to have some tips to fight it. We all have different things that impact us, and if you need a little pick-me-up post travel, now you have ways to get out of the dulldrums! Check out more podcast episodes and in-depth show notes here!

As a writer I get excited to talk to other writers about their work. Landscape photographer Colleen Miniuk has a new book hitting the presses all about self-discovery and picking up the pieces after what feels like failure. I've gotten to interview other friends who've written books, such as author Angie Orth about her memoir Flirting with Disaster, but hearing from Colleen about her process and what creating this, her third book, means to her really got me. In So Said the River Colleen opens up about her life and striving for excellence in all things... until the moment of decision hits where it's "Do and die, or do not and live to tell the tail" (my words, not hers). When you're an adventurous person who's also a perfectionist, successful in everything you touch, it's difficult to battle the need to win (against yourself or nature). I get it, but having read So Said the River and knowing the author personally, reading and hearing Colleen's words really does capture those feelings of doubt and failure that we face as adults. I'm not going to give spoilers, but So Said the River is a fantastic book that brought me to tears several times. Available at SoSaidTheRiver.com (and other booksellers in June 2024), you'll both love the story and connect with the struggles Colleen shares in her narrative memoir. To hear more from Colleen give a listen to these other great podcast episodes: The Life of Being a Professional Landscape Photographer Overlooked Acadia National Park from the Artist in Residency Best of the Southwest - Can't Miss Canyons and Desert Landscapes  

Yes, visiting the Andes in Peru has been at the top of our bucket list for a long time, and yes, Machu Picchu was awesome... but did we have the best experience? Will we talk about it for years to come for all the right reasons? Ehhh... But let's talk about it today! We did have a very interesting time in the Andes. The Sacred Valley and learning about the Incas was fascinating and beautiful. Machu Picchu was really cool and stunning; remarkable for sure. LLamas are lovely. I'll tell you though, our experience with altitude sickness was intense though, and we could've avoided it with more time. In this episode we share what we loved and wowed us, as well as the harsh reality of touring the Andes the way we did.  We've got details from cool places to stay in the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, beautiful train travel between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes, and how YOU can make your own visit much better than ours. I know, this sounds like a confusing bummer of an adventure, but really, give it a listen and see how YOU can plan the actual dream list into the Andes of Peru.

I am so excited to share our Amazon Rainforest podcast with you! There are few places that leave me speechless or move me to tears, but sitting in a boat on the Amazon River at sunset watching monkeys above me did it. In this episode we dive into just what our Amazon jungle experience was like, from getting to the rainforest and our unforgettable accommodations in a treehouse, to seeing some of the most unique wildlife we'd only dreamed of. The Peruvian Amazon is an exceptional destination for many reasons, but our experience was truly unique, particularly since we got to share it with our kids. If you're thinking about visiting the Amazon rainforest or didn't really think this was an attainable travel goal, this is the episode for you! To give a bit more info about our conversation without giving away the farm, our time in the jungle really was exceptional due to our lodging. You'll be surprised to hear about what staying at the Treehouse Lodge meant for our visit, and how our personal guide made each day a special adventure. For more about our time visiting four different regions of Peru, check out 2TravelDads.com and listen to our other podcast episodes. Between seeing penguins and flamingos in the same day to our disgusting altitude sickness in the Andes, we've got some great stories and gross realities to share.

We just had an incredible two weeks in Peru, exploring from Lima to the Andes to the desert to the Amazon rainforest. Putting together this trip was no easy feat and required both research and help. In this episode, we talk about how we landed on Peru for our family's first South American adventure, what planning looked like, a bit about getting around in Peru, and then our general itinerary. We have more Peru podcast episodes including All About the Andes; Peru at Sea Level - Lima, the Desert and Islands; and the Peruvian Amazon! All of this and more is also available for reading and booking on our website. In this episode: Why Peru? Our transportation throughout Peru Itinerary highlights from Machu Picchu to seeing penguins and monkeys Tips for making the most of your Peru trip Stay tuned here and on 2TravelDads.com for more fun, stories and information all about traveling through Peru! And if you want to join us for an adventure in the Amazon rainforest, join one of our group trips (Nov 2024, Mar 2025)!

As adventurous parents we see the full value of taking our kids out to explore, and our adventure in Hawaii with UnCruise aboard the Safari Explorer was incredible for us. Daily expeditions of snorkeling, hiking, kayaking and more had us immersed in both science education and Hawaiian culture. In this podcast episode we've got our two kids on with us (12 and 9 years old) talking about some of the things they really enjoyed and learned about during our sailing with UnCruise. UnCruise Hawaii on the Safari Explorer From hiking in lava tubes on the Big Island of Hawaii to swimming with beautiful creatures, birdwatching to seeing humpback whales breach all around us, there's a lot to process and share. Please check out our full experience on the Safari Explore ship on the blog. We've detailed what activities and ports we had, as well as shared lots of photos of the whole expereince. The UnCruise brand is a unique type of travel and each sailing is quite different, so we also dig into that a bit. If you're looking for more Hawaii travel ideas...: Hawaii Island Hopping Big Island Itinerary - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Things to do on Maui - Haleakala National Park Kauai 5 Day Itinerary - Things to do on Kauai

Acadia National Park in Maine is extremely busy in the summer, but there are some beautiful overlooked parts of the park. Also, did you know that despite the potentially extreme winter conditions that sometimes roll through, Acadia NP is beautiful and OPEN in the winter? On this podcast episode we have expert and three-time Acadia Artist in Residence, Colleen Miniuk, sharing about the less visited parts of the park. What makes this conversation even more interesting is that being an Artist in Residence thrice over, Colleen has experieces across the seasons and insights into what this particular National Parks program means for visitors. Give a listen as we chat about Acadia National Park, photography in Maine and more. I think it's fascinating to hear from somebody with a completely different sort of experience in a place I love; it broadens my perspective. If you want to learn more about Acadia National Park or Maine in general, we have several great articles to help plan a visit to this beautiful destination: Visiting Acadia National Park (guide) Maine Summer Road Trip Plan Visiting Maine in Winter Lighthouses to Visit in Maine (including Bass Harbor in Acadia NP) Enjoy listening to this episode and more. And if you would like to leave questions for us for FUTURE podcast episodes, please complete our form on our website, 2TravelDads.com.

We are not cruise people, but we love to see the world from the water. We recently completed an UnCruise Adventure sailing on a small ship, the Safari Explorer and we have A LOT to say about it. Give a listen an see just what an UnCruise is and how this varies from an actual cruise. From ship size (you'll be shocked) and crew to passenger ratio (you'll be more shocked!), to the custom daily adventures, we dig into it all. Have you ever wanted to sail to small inlets or the backside of remote islands WITHOUT lots of people? Ever thought you'd enjoy spending a week at sea learning about nature and culture while getting to know a new group of like-minded people? Excellent, then this episode is for you! UnCruise Adventures is very unique. Read all the details about UnCruise here! - What you'll find: What is UnCruise? Why choose an UnCruise vs land adventures? Why spend $6k per person on UnCruise? What’s different about UnCruise vs mega cruise? Our first expedition sailing was island hopping in Hawaii, but we have an Alaskan small ship sailing coming up later this year. If you have any questions about this experience or need UnCruise route/ship recommendations, let us know!

One of my favorite parts of being a blogger is getting to go out into the world and explore, capturing beautiful photographs as I go. The bulk of my job though comes in the writing and web publishing side of things. I love getting to speak with other creative professionals about what they do and why, so getting to sit down with a professional landscape photographer was eye-opening for me. Colleen Miniuk is an award winning professional landscape photographer and author, but that wasn't always her career. Her primary job is being my friend. Kidding, but she is a marvelous person in addition to her photography skills. Digging into why Colleen transitioned from software engineering to landscape photography is a fascinating story, and hearing how her approach to capturing meaningful images has changed over time is even more interesting. Give a listen to this podcast episode and hear from Colleen Miniuk about what it means to her to be a professional landscape photographer and why she does the work she does. If you have any questions for either myself (Rob of 2TravelDads.com) or Colleen, please reach out. Both of us are happy to share more about what we do and why we do it! Colleen can be reached through her primary website, ColleenMiniuk.com and her advice column. For information on her publishing company, books or in-person photography workshops: Publishing - Analemma Press Landscape Photography and Guides - Wild in Arizona | The Current Flows | Photographing Acadia In-person, all-women Photography Workshop - Sheography.com   Feeling inspired after listening to Colleen talk about professional landscape photography around the USA? Check out these favorite destinations for epic landscapes and amazing imagery to inspire: Arizona Road Trip | Acadia National Park | West Coast National Parks | The Everglades

Ireland is a popular destination for Americans to visit when they're tracing their roots, but it's also just a fun and beautiful place to visit with kids! As we dig into what makes Ireland a great place to plan a European adventure with family, you'll see that in general many of the day to day experiences in Ireland are family friendly and great to incorporate children into. Visiting Ireland with kids doesn't have to be a stressful trip, so listen to these great tips and itinerary ideas to put together your own Irish adventure. Give a listen to the podcast episode (just below) as Keryn, our friend who runs Twist Travel Magazine, shares her favorite places to visit in Ireland with kids as well as her own cultural experiences that keep her and her family returning. As you listen to this episode, you'll notice that Ireland with kids isn't a complex trip to plan or execute. Being a country that's quite mellow and community oriented, you'll see that many of the things that make Ireland interesting and fun are not restricted by age or interest. You can make a trip to Ireland with kids as simple and chill as you like. In this episode: What makes Ireland a family friendly destination When is the best time to visit Ireland Planning a fun Ireland itinerary with kids Favorite Irish towns to visit For more travel tips for exploring the UK and Ireland, more of Europe and all around the USA and Canada, check out 2TravelDads.com!

I go to New York City every year and usually visit alone, but I'm NEVER doing that again. Doing NYC with a pre-teen is actually one of the most fun travel experiences I've had. We both really enjoyed our time together and enjoyed the city. For me, this was a brand new take on a place that I typically do not enjoy visiting. New York City with a pre-teen is fun, interesting and it's a fresh view of one of the most famous tourist cities in the world. Below you'll find our podcast episode where Oliver (our oldest) and I chat about all the things we did, what he enjoyed most, how we got in and out of NYC and more. Getting to spend time together, just the two of us, was special, and he offered me a fun and different New York experience. Have you been to New York City with a pre-teen before? Are you going? Check out our tips and suggested itinerary for 4 days in NYC with older kids (and no, we didn't do Lower Manhattan or the Statue of Liberty on this trip). As you're reading and listening, if you have any questions, either about our specific trip or planning your own, please leave a comment or send us a note. We're always happy to share more and help others plan awesome travel! In this episode: Getting into NYC from LaGuardia (LGA) or Newark (EWR) airports Times Square with Pre-teens Unique Stores in NYC kids love Broadway shows for Pre-teens Museums and New York sights not to miss with older kids

Creating a memoir is a complex task, and writing a book in general isn't for everyone. Angie Orth shares the struggles and successes of writing her own novel-style memoir and working with a major publishing house to do it. She shares the truth of it and advice for others to be successful in their own writing ventures. Writing a book is a major undertaking (I've done it twice and have more in the works) and it's also a life dream for many. Angie Orth, our good friend and fellow traveler has completed her first major published work: Flirting with Disaster - True Travel Tales of Fear, Failure and Faith. From the creative process to finding a publisher, Angie shares her journey of sharing her first memoir. Get Flirting with Disaster here! So what does it take to go from having a life story to having a published hard-back book on the shelves? The path is different for every author, and indeed for every book. In this podcast episode, Angie and I discuss her road blocks in the creative process and why she used a literary agent. We dig into getting over one's own ego in writing and allowing yourself to be vulnerable, to crafting a narrative that other's can follow to conquering writing style. Flirting with Disaster is sure to speak to so many readers. Angie has also been on 2TravelDads Podcast discussing the Bahamas. As a travel professional who's been in the business for years, she has stories of all sorts... and that makes for great books!

When I was first asked to visit Pensacola, Florida I didn't know what to expect. Being very close to the FL/AL border and very near some towns that aren't known for being very welcoming/inclusive to LGBTQ people, I wasn't sure what to expect. It turns out that Pensacola is a surprisingly welcoming, open and supportive city, and that's what we're talking about in this episode and why it's a special Florida destination. Complete show notes here! As a destination Pensacola, Florida is one of the few cities in the South that intentionally makes space for diversity and inclusion, both in terms of community support and tourism. Talking with our guest, Sid Williams-Heath, representing the Pensacola Little Theater and the STAMPED LGBTQ Film Festival (president), he shares insights into what the city and private citizens of Pensacola have done to turn their town into a place where everyone can feel welcome, to live or vacation. Highlights we chat about for visiting Pensacola include: --beach vacation ideas --festivals in Pensacola --the Blue Angels --enjoying historic downtown Pensacola Beyond this, there is much more about Pensacola and exploring western Florida on the blog. Check out Fun Pensacola Things to Do, Penasacola Beach Vacation Ideas, and Perdido Key and West Pensacola.

International family travel is quite different than traveling solo as an adult. See what you can do to make planning and executing an international trip with kids easier and something everyone will remember for all the right reasons. (podcast episode focusing on UK travel) Not everyone grows up traveling the world. I certainly didn't, and I think it's safe to say that most of us living in the USA didn't get to venture from North America until we became adults. That's rapidly changing with our generation (gens X and Y) and we're making sure our kids have a viewpoint beyond America. In this podcast episode we've got our friend Kate back with us. She's been a guest before, including talking about travel anxiety and how to manage that. This time we're chatting about how her family's first international trip together went. After spending two weeks in England, Scotland and a quick stop in Amsterdam, it's already clear that having an adventure across the pond has made an impression on the whole family and has changed the course of their future travels. 

The Bahamas are so close to Florida that they are many people's first taste of international travel. It's an easy destination to visit, short travel time, and it's a beautiful paradise... but most people's first visit is via a cruise ship. That doesn't have to be the case! With more than 700 islands, on this podcast episode we dig into why the Bahamas are MORE than a cruise port with Angie Orth, travel writer and former PR rep for the destination. Being a native Floridian, Angie has been visiting the Bahamas since she was little. She's vacationed, worked, cruised and even got married in the Bahamas, so clearly she's an expert. Give a listen as we chat about how to get to the Bahamas, which islands are best for first timers, where to plan a trip for a quiet getaway and how YOU can swim with the famous pigs of the Exumas.  

Arizona is awesome for a road trip. You might not immediately think of exploring the desert as an epic destination, but if you can visit in the winter, you'll fall in love. We completed a very comprehensive road trip from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon, back through several National Monuments and Sedona, the down to Tucson and Saguaro National Park. From where to watch sunrise in Grand Canyon National Park to cactus safety in the desert, we're talking about all of it. In this episode we talk about the value of having a solid itinerary and how to really experience Arizona for more than the Grand Canyon... but the Grand Canyon really is spectacular. Check out our full Arizona road trip plan and tips on the blog!