There’s no shortage of things to do in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. This storied neighborhood is home to quirky shops, museums, bars, and restaurants, Seattle’s second most famous farmers market, and a surprising amount of wildlife. But beneath the typical (cough corporate-sponsored cough) list of things to do in Ballard, you will discover a community brimming with creative individuals who passionately create and share their art and craft. ?✨ In this article, I’ll be sharing my local tips on things to do in Ballard, much like I shared my insider tips for Pike Place Market. Within this ..read more

Staying in a hotel as a plus-size traveler doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. With these tips for booking, packing, and staying comfortably in a hotel or Airbnb, you can enjoy a relaxing stay. If you’re a plus size traveler, there is no doubt you’ve experienced the dreaded too-small spa robe or cafe chairs that look sturdy enough for a small child. As a fellow fat traveler, I’ve been there! But fear not – I’ve been practicing hacks and taking notes. Tips for a Comfortable Stay as a Plus Size Guest As a seasoned travel blogger, I’ve discovered a few tried and true methods for ensuring a comfy an ..read more

In this article, you’ll learn about United’s policy for plus size travelers and I’ll help you navigate United’s policy to best access comfortable seating for large bodies. ?✈️? First, let’s acknowledge that United Airlines has not published a customer of size policy as of July 2023. Instead, United offers a policy regarding “Customers Requiring Extra Seating.” This extra seating policy is supposed to address “safety concerns and passenger comfort”. However, In my opinion, it definitely falls short in meeting the safety needs of plus-size travelers like myself.  United Airlines’ Policy fo ..read more

You might think of compression socks as just for older travelers, but don’t sleep on this travel hack if you’re in a younger body- you’re about to learn exactly why this item is a MUST pack, regardless of size or age! Let’s start with a question: Have you ever packed carefully for a trip, picked the perfect shoes for a day exploring on foot, and then discovered a HUGE blister forming at the end of your first full day on vacation? Of course you have! All travelers are familiar with dreaded blisters during travel. But here’s what you probably don’t know: Compression socks prevent blisters.1We ge ..read more

If you’re a plus size flyer considering a trip with Delta, here’s everything you need to know about their seat sizes, customer of size policy, and ways to advocate for your health, safety, and comfort while flying. Key Points: Need-to-Know’s About Flying Delta in a Large Body ? Delta charges for “all occupied seats,” as of summer 2023, and recommends purchasing an additional seat if needed. ?‍✈️ Delta does not have an explicit customer-of-size policy, although their “extra seat and personal comfort” policy certainly impacts passengers of size disproportionately. ✈️ Delta does not require pass ..read more

Tacky tourist costumes never fail to make people giggle. They’re the kind of outfits that scream, “I’m on vacation, baby!” While most actual tourists don’t dress this way, tourist costumes can be a fun costume idea for Halloween or school spirit days. In this article, you’ll learn how to make a tacky tourist costume using stuff you already have! By starting with base layers, adding tourist accessories, and practicing a few silly tourist behaviors you’ll be ready to turn heads and win costume contests. I’ll even show you how to ham up your tacky tourist costume by choosing from a list of touris ..read more

I love lazy rivers. Really. I’m mildly obsessed with them. I survived pandemic doom-scrolling by micro-dosing lazy river content. When I got too stressed, I’d force myself to close all my news tabs and Google epic lazy river photos. And that’s how I found myself, in February 2023, booking two nights at one of the longest lazy rivers in Mexico. (Click here to read my review of that specific lazy river, at Villa La Valencia) Over the years, I’ve become something of a lazy river expert. When a plus-size pool party rented out an entire waterpark last summer, I didn’t even dip a toe in any of the p ..read more

For many solo travelers, eating alone is the hardest part of visiting a destination alone. In this article, I share a few easy-to-follow steps to increase comfort and confidence while dining alone at a restaurant. ???? Eating alone in a restaurant is easy if you choose the right restaurants, keep yourself busy, and cultivate a mindset that you have as much of a right to enjoy a meal alone as does anyone with a companion. Most of us from western countries have been socialized to feel awkward eating alone in a restaurant. But there’s good news!  We can learn to like it. Just because eating ..read more

Before 2020, I was an intrepid solo adventurer booking hostels and boutique hotels in exotic destinations around the world. When travel reopened, though, I discovered my travel style had shifted. Slowly, I began to do what was formerly unimaginable: book vacations to all-inclusive resorts. ✈️?? In this article, I’m sharing the low-down on all-inclusive vs al-la-carte resorts based on my experiences staying at 3 all-inclusive resorts and 3 al-la-carte resorts in 2022 and 2023. Early morning at a resort in Mexico Why People book All-Inclusive Resorts In theory, all-inclusive resorts exist to mak ..read more

I don’t know how many times you have to stay at a hotel to be a “regular,” but I might have reached that status at Cabo Azul. I’ve visited Hilton Vacation Club Cabo Azul property in Los Cabos on multiple occasions in 2022 and 2023. In this post, I share a comprehensive review of Cabo Azul from the perspective of a real guest. You’ll learn insider tips to navigate the resort, amenities, spa services, and food. The opinions contained in this article are totally mine – I haven’t been compensated by Hilton and was not asked to write this article. Cabo Azul is the only resort I’ve ever loved enough ..read more