Category: Experiential Travel

Speaking from experience, making reservations ahead of time is a must for these popular destinations. Don’t forget to do your homework… you’ll need a plan. Find a map online and notate what trails you want to visit and how much time they will take round-trip. Depending on the time of year you wish to visit will also determine the necessary equipment you’ll need to make your hiking adventure all that more pleasant. Comfortable hiking and water shoes, thermal waterproof knee-high socks, and a refillable water bottle should all be packed in your lightweight backpack. Now with these tips, you are one step closer to a successful hiking trip to the following top must-visit places.

Havasupai – A Hidden Gem
Supai, Arizona

Found within the Havasupai Reservation, at the Southwest corner of the Grand Canyon National Park, this hike is not an easy one, but it is the most rewarding. The water flows through Havasu Creek and rocks full of minerals which create the dreamy blue green colored waters that flow down their many waterfalls. From Havasupai Hilltop Campground to Mooney Falls (the very last waterfall on the trail) will take an experienced hiker over a day, so plan for an overnight stay along the way, preferably 2-3 days to enjoy the experience and picture perfect views. Havasupai Lodge is the closest lodging available, only 1.2 miles from Lower Navajo Falls “Rock Falls” and 1.8 miles from Havasu Falls. Luckily, there is also a campground available between Havasu Falls and Mooney Falls. An affordable helicopter transportation service is available for those who lack the time or physical ability to hike one or both ways.

Zion National Park – Bring The Family With You!
Springdale, Utah

If you are into travel and nature, you must have heard of Zion National Park in Southern Utah. The top perks I appreciate from National Parks are that most offer shuttle buses through the park and free tours or programs to entertain and educate the little ones. The destination is popular for its trails leading to and through mountains, tunnels, waterfalls, and streams. Families and adventurers of all ages are welcome to go at their preferred pace thanks to trails offering easy, moderate, and experienced difficulty levels. Bring a swimsuit and safe-seal waterproof backpack during spring and fall, you may just need to go all in.

Need a place to stay? Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort is a great option. The ranch offers fun glamping accommodations inside tents, wagons, and cabins.

Image Credits: GoogleMaps, Campfirestyle.com, NPS

Let’s be clear. Whatever pretty picture you have in your mind about Sweden – you know – blue-eyed blondes living in a well-oiled harmonious society singing ABBA tunes and shopping at IKEA, is well … partially true. But to my surprise this past July, Swedes can teach us a thing or two about slow living, a concept well engrained in the Swedish society. Read on, this Nordic country is more diverse than you’d think.

Fika, a staple of Swedish life

If there’s one word you should learn first, and learn quickly, that’s Fika. Loosely translated into “having coffee,” Fika is never too far away in Sweden. Unless you’re Dutch or Finish, Swedes drink more coffee than you. That’s a fact. Swedes love their coffee (or tea), and while this is not big news in itself, the philosophy behind it is. A long observed social custom meant to be shared with friends and colleagues twice a day, Fika encourages to make time for a break. Somewhat baffling for a first-time visitor to break for coffee and cake already at 10am, not long after breakfast, and again around 4pm, this custom extends to corporate culture, where mandatory Fika breaks are the norm. Suffice it to say, there isn’t much coffee to go in Sweden.

Beyond the meatballs

Swedish food equals meatballs, you might think. Wrong. While meatballs in Sweden are common on most menus, so is fish and other organic foods. Often expensive when compared to the U.S. (or any nation for that matter, except for its Nordic neighbors), the variety and quality of food is impressive. Salmon, for instance, is abundant, and always delicious. I’ve had it for breakfast (accompanied by cress), for lunch on top of quinoa and fresh greens, in masterfully arranged appetizers, and for dinner. The variety of bread took me by surprise, while the cult of waffles for breakfast is observed as religiously as Fika. And then, there’s the ice cream. Judging by the inescapable queues, Swedes love their ice cream.

Design is everywhere

If you’re like anything me, you go cray cray for design. Well, you’re definitely in the right place for it in Sweden. The Stockholm subway alone is said to be the world’s longest art exhibit. Why? Because some 90 of the 100 subway stations have been painted, and decorated with sculptures, mosaics, engravings and much more by over 150 artists, which means, for a meager subway ticket alone, you can spend hours exploring this gem of underground art. And this is just the beginning. For modern art, head to Moderna Museet, and for the latest designers showcase, to Designtorget.

Idyllic nature and island hopping

Starting with Stockholm, a city laid out on 14 islands (one-third water, one-third construction, and one-third green spaces), it’s evident nature plays a big role in Sweden. Aside from the capital, known for its high environmental standards, the countryside is pure Swedish idyll – endless pine forests and tranquil creeks, with picturesque villages sprinkled with Falu red wooden houses. But it doesn’t stop here. Head in any one way for long enough and you’ll reach an archipelago. A favorite for locals during the summer, this is Swedish life at its very best. Despite their popularity and easy access by ferry, some islands, like Idö in the Västervik Archipelago, only count five residents.

Quality of life

Often included in round-ups of best countries to live in, there are definitely several factors that contribute to its merits. Besides the free healthcare and education that as an American, can make you green with envy, navigating through Sweden is easy and worry-free. Bathrooms are unisex, credit cards can be used for as little as buying few stamps, and jaywalking is permitted, granted you decide it’s safe to do so. And then there’s allemannsrett (translated into “every man’s right”), essentially granting the legal right to access private land to wander freely through forests and parks, pick berries and what not, including to camp and make a fire (with great caution). The Swedes are on to something, and we want some of it!

Japanese culture has a quiet elegance and understated grace that captures anyone it touches. Though it is easy to appreciate, the culture is much more difficult to experience first hand. These aren’t a people who over-share, and the typical two-week vacation isn’t enough time to get into their inner circle. Unless, of course, you stay at the Kaya Villa’s thatched cottage.

The cottage is located in the quaint village of Miyama, which provides a needed contrast to the modern cities of Japan. Rice paddies and thick forests cover the mountains that surround this community. And while the amenities are very modern, the cottage’s story is anything but.

Thatched roof history dates back 5,000 years and is congruent with the history of Japan itself. But now that Japan is enthusiastically welcoming outside influence, and young people flood into cities, the villages and farms that fed Japan are dwindling along with their way of life. This is the old way of life, the way of tea ceremonies, hidden shrines, farming, and yes, thatched roof villages. The core of this way of life is living off the land, in harmony with the land, in a sustainable and clean way. As I listened to the Kaya Villa team discuss the ancient way’s dedication to sustainable living, it started to sound shockingly familiar. You only need to search #CleanLiving to know this old way is a very modern ideal.

But what is most incredible is that something so rich in history and morality could feel so good. The cottages are warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and their unobtrusive and organic structure means you’re experiencing nature without all the hassle. The cottage walls are built of cedar, which exude a heavenly scent you could swim in. And the cedar bathtub doesn’t hurt either. As you lay in bed, listen to the nighttime chorus literally sing you to sleep, breath in the rich cedar smell, and commend yourself on your #CleanLiving.

If you can tear yourself away from the cottage, the community of Miyama will welcome you and, even better, share their world with you. A bike ride is the first step, and as every gardener in town bows, smiles, and waves at you, it’s ok to feel like you’re part of the family. Walk up to the village shrine, take a picnic by the river, or even a swim in the perfectly clear water. Your time wouldn’t be complete without a cooking class from Sachiko and Toyoko, two ladies who will make you want to move to Miyama and be adopted by them (if not for their warm hearts, then for their amazing cooking!). Work off the fabulous Japanese cuisine with an easy hike through the Japanese forest, and learn nature’s secrets from a local guide. But leave time for yoga with Junko Saito, the renowned Japanese instructor who is as ruthless as she is gentle. In the evening, watch the sunset over the rice paddies from the cottage’s porch while you grill up a well-deserved dinner of delicious local produce.

The Kaya Villa offers a connection to the Japanese culture about which many will only read and dream. This connection isn’t just a glimpse, but an immersion, and with a comfort and welcome to make you wonder if you didn’t once live here in a past life. You’ll learn to pace your current life a beat slower, smile to strangers a bit kinder, and the quiet grace which exudes from the Japanese will imprint itself on your heart forever.