Wondering how to spend a day in Córdoba, Spain? We loved Córdoba, and think it stands alongside Granada as one of the must-visit Spanish cities if you’re looking to explore the rich and complex history and remnants of Muslim rule in Southern Spain.  To be completely honest, we basically had no idea that there was a Muslim presence on the Iberian Peninsula for hundreds of years until we spent more than a month between Spain and Portugal a few years ago.  Everywhere we went, we heard about the wars between the Christian kingdoms and the various Muslim states until, in the 13th century ..read more

Planning a trip to Bologna, and wondering where to stay? We’ve got some good news for you. We’ve been to Bologna multiple times over the past several years – including just shy of a week on our latest trip, and we’re here to help you choose the best place to stay in Bologna for your particular travel style and budget.  If you’ve spent any time at all reading our Italian travel guides in this little corner of the internet that we’ve carved out for ourselves, you might have noticed that there’s an Italian city that we’ve fallen head-over-heels in love with.  That city is Bologna.  ..read more

Looking to plan an amazing Pacific Northwest road trip? You’re in the right place. We live in Portland, Oregon, and we regularly venture north from our home base in Oregon to explore every corner of the Pacific Northwest (some corners more than others).  Some of our favorite memories from the past few years (including when we spent the better part of a summer living in a van road tripping around Oregon and Washington) were made in the northwest corner of the US.  In this detailed guide, we’re going to go over a perfect road trip itinerary that takes you to a bunch of our favorite pl ..read more

Looking for a guide to hiking in the Bay Area? You’re in the right place! We’re two (former) Bay Area locals who lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for a decade together (Alysha grew up in the Bay Area), and we’ve done all sorts of hiking near San Francisco. One of our favorite parts about cities like San Francisco (along with Seattle and Portland, which is where we now live) is the combination of thriving cities and amazing access to outdoor activities.  From San Francisco, you can go south, east, or north and find world-class outdoor activities, like the towering redwoods on the north ..read more

Looking for a guide to a perfect 2 day Bologna itinerary that serves as a nice introduction to our favorite city in Italy? You’re in the right place – we LOVE Bologna, and think it’s a staple on any Italy itinerary for a couple of reasons. We’ve been to Bologna twice over the past few years, with plans to return in a few months.  We think Bologna is worth including on a trip to Italy because it offers a different vibe than the other major cities in Italy – a big percentage of the population are students at the University, and the tourists tend to be Italian (or German – they’re everywher ..read more

Wondering what to do in Mount Rainier National Park? We have some great news for you – you’re in the right place! We’re Matt and Alysha, and we LOVE Mount Rainier National Park. We’re here to break down all of our favorite things to do at Mount Rainier, from epic hikes to thundering waterfalls to our favorite wildflower spots (and everything in between).  We live in Portland, Oregon, and make multiple trips up to Mount Rainier every single summer to bask in the wildflower meadows that the early summer brings, hike our hearts out to viewpoints of the snow capped peak, and spend sunrises a ..read more

Planning on visiting Mount Rainier National Park? You’re in the right place. We love Mount Rainier National Park, and make AT LEAST one (usually more) trip every summer from our home down in Portland up to the park. Growing up in Seattle, Matt and his family judged the weather – at least in part – by whether “The Mountain” was out (and that’s still true to this day). That “Mountain” is, of course, Mount Rainier, which rises 14,000 feet above the surrounding area, which is largely at sea level.  That juxtaposition makes it one of the most visually impressive peaks that we’ve ever seen.&nb ..read more

Looking for a guide that will give you the best hikes in North Cascades National Park and how to plan a North Cascades trip to tackle them? You’re in the right place! We’ve been to North Cascades National Park many times at this point, with plans to make additional trips this summer and fall.  Why do we love the North Cascades? It’s our kind of national park. And by that, we mean two things.  First, while some national parks (looking at you, Yellowstone) are all about the attractions that are just off the road, accessed by a short boardwalk (which means crowds galore), North Cascade ..read more

Looking for a hike up in Northern Washington with amazing views of Mount Baker and the other peaks of the North Cascades and impressive displays of wildflowers or fall color (depending on the season)? Let us introduce you to Yellow Aster Butte, one of our favorite hikes near Mount Baker (and in the entire state!). We first tackled this hike on our two year road trip that took us on a big loop of the western United States. We spent nearly three months – the majority of two summer/fall seasons – in Washington, and fell in love with the area on the north side of Mount Baker, which is paradise fo ..read more

Looking for a guide to hiking the Heather-Maple Pass Trail in the North Cascades? We’ve done this hike multiple times, and it’s our favorite hike in the state (and potentially the entire Pacific Northwest). We’re here to bring our experiences on the trail to help you plan an incredible day out in the wilderness of the North Cascades.  We love this hike, and have done it multiple times over the past few years because it never disappoints.  Between the marmot squeaks following you as you make the climb up to the pass, the views out over the Cascades and beyond from the top, and the wi ..read more