Arizona

I visited Arizona when I was younger on a trip to the Grand Canyon with my family. This time, in the summer of 2017, I got to road trip from Flagstaff to Page and then along the scenic highways into Utah. There's nothing like seeing the red rocks of the southwest of the USA from the road!

California

My best friend moved to the San Francisco Bay Area back in 2006. So I've spent a lot of time traveling back and forth between New York and California. Inevitably, on my return flight to the USA, I stopped over in California to visit Erin and her husband. We climbed to California's Mission Peak before I left home for New York.

Florida

I grew up visiting parts of Florida as a child and again as an adult for work-related travel. I returned for a few visits and then full on moved to Miami in 2019! Living there throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic meant lots of local trips around Florida and tips to share for visitors and locals alike.

Hawaii

The first time I visited Hawaii was for my best friend's wedding on Maui. I returned 3 years later to explore Oahu. Between the amazing beaches, beautiful waterfalls, surfers, diving, and hikes, I am a huge fan of the Aloha State and all it has to offer!

A one-day trip over the border from Tennessee took me and some friends to see some bison and elk! We left the state feeling energized after a picnic on Energy Lake. I hope to explore more of this state some day.

Louisiana

I traveled with Jono (my partner from New Zealand) to New Orleans for the first time in July 2016. This city is now a favorite of mine in the USA! I loved all of the food, music, and simply walking the streets lined with colorful homes with lattice-word terraces. Such a unique and culturally vibrant city!

In late June of 2014, I traveled to Portland, Oregon to attend and present at a conference. I extended my stay so that I could soak in all that Portland and the surrounding area had to offer. From witnessing the artistic subculture of Portland to white water rafting down the Deschutes River in the small town of Maupin, these posts make up The Oregon Tales.

I have spent the majority of my life living in New York State. Originally from the Hudson Valley, I spent 6 years living in New York City before I began traveling around the world. I will always consider the Big Apple "home" no matter where I am in the world. There's much to tell about New York and, now that I'm back in the Empire State, I plan to tell it.

Tennessee

Tennessee is one of those "fly over states" I never thought I'd actually make it to. But when my friend decided to celebrate her 30th birthday in Nashville, I became very excited about my visit. From its food to its music to its random architecture, this city had lots that I loved and more that I didn't even know I would appreciate.

While visiting Arizona in the summer of 2017, I made sure to check out the national parks across the border in Utah. I've been all over the world and seen some amazingly beautiful scenery. Still, Utah blew me away. I always knew the USA is extraordinary. I had no idea how extraordinary.