Author Profile: Katie Chavez

Want to know all the best cheap eats in Hong Kong? I made it my mission to find the best budget-friendly eats in the city during my week there, and while I’m sure I barely scratched the surface, I tried so many amazing cheap eats in Hong...   view more

If you asked me before I started my East Coast Fall Road Trip what city I was most looking forward to visiting I would have definitely answered New York. Poor old Boston wouldn’t have even been considered. Despite knowing it was one of the oldest cities in the US which would usually appeal massively to the history lover in me, I just didn’t think Boston would be any competition to New...   view more

Golden is a sweet mountain town in Colorado that has lots of character, a fun gold rush history, and lots of natural beauty. It is nestled in a river valley at the base of the iconic Rocky Mountains and is surrounded by small mountains that are perfect for...   view more

Planning a trip to Waikiki but are nervous about dealing with large crowds? Luckily there are lots of fun and affordable things to do in Waikiki to escape the crowds. Visiting Waikiki is on many a bucket list of things to do in Oahu. This is why escaping the crowds in Waikiki is easier said than done. It is definitely one of the most tourist-filled places I have ever been...   view more

I spent two months living in the Eastern Suburbs in Sydney during summer and it was a wonderful time of beach-hopping, snorkeling, discovering the different beach neighborhoods, and swimming in the numerous ocean pools. Here’s a rundown of the Eastern Suburbs beaches in Sydney and why you should add them to your Sydney...   view more

Experiencing Juneau in the rain is a more likely occurrence than not. It is one of the wettest US cities after all. After two weeks of mostly sunny skies, my luck with the weather ran out in Juneau. I finally got to experience the cold and rainy weather that has ruined many a trip to...   view more

I absolutely ADORED Japan. I spent a month traveling the country on a budget and it was truly a dream trip for me. But, as it was my first time in the country, I mostly chose the well-known and touristy places to visit – Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Miyajima Island, Nara, Osaka… they were all great but definitely not undiscovered by the tourist masses. But Yunomine Onsen, a tiny mountain village with hot springs, definitely felt more off the beaten path. And although I only spent one...   view more

I think you would have got the gist by now that I loved my time in Alaska. LOVED it. The state is full of the most naturally beautiful places I have ever experienced, the wildlife is varied and plentiful, the hiking in Alaska is incredible and the people are quirky and awesome. What’s not to...   view more

Vancouver on Canada’s west coast is a dynamic city that is culturally diverse, stunningly beautiful and home to incredible food and beer scenes. So it’s basically my dream city. I have previously spoken in detail on this blog about my love for Vancouver, so I really don’t need to bore you all by confessing my undying love for this city...   view more

If you are visiting LA and want to go somewhere beautiful that is a little off the beaten path, don’t miss the South Bay. Here are the best things to do in South Bay to get you started… During my first couple of visits to Los Angeles, I did the usual tourist stuff: Hollywood Boulevard, Santa Monica, Malibu, Venice Beach, the Getty Center. It was fun, but I didn’t fall in love with the...   view more

Portland, Oregon. Funky, weird, arty, green, incredible food, eclectic neighborhoods – everything you have heard about Portland is true. I have visited Portland several times now and the more I see, the more I love about this quirky city. I recently visited to buy a car after my little van finally died (RIP Casper!). It was an unexpected visit but I definitely made the most of it, ticking some more donut shops, restaurants, and cute neighborhoods off my Portland bucket...   view more

Denver. The Mile High City. The gateway to the majestic Rocky Mountains and a city with more sunshine days per year than Florida (and not a lot of humidity – thank the Lord). Denver was once home to Wild West sensibilities – steakhouses and cowboys – but now it is more like the Austin or Portland of the Rockies. These days, Denver is hip and happening and is a must for any Colorado...   view more

Buena Vista, or BV as it is affectionately called by locals, is one of my absolute favorite mountain towns in Colorado and there are so many things to see and do there. I’m always surprised how under the radar it still is for out-of-state visitors. It gets left off many Colorado itineraries but should be on all of them in my...   view more

While Telluride may be better known as a world-class ski destination, there are so many fun things to do in Telluride in summer and fall that I prefer visiting this gorgeous mountain town when the sun has some heat and everything is green or golden, rather than covered in...   view more

Want to find out the most fun things to do in Auckland to best experience this underrated and gorgeous city? Well, I put together a detailed list of twenty-six different things to do in Auckland to help you really experience the diversity and beauty of New Zealand’s largest city....   view more

Richmond, London is a beautiful English village on the outskirts of the city. If you are planning a trip to London – don’t miss Richmond! I was lucky enough to live here for a year – here are the best things to do in beautiful...   view more

Along with its quirky reputation, there are a number of things that make Austin such a desirable place to visit. It is a very green city with abundant nature right in the city, there is an incredible food scene – especially when it comes to Mexican food and Texas barbecue, and the city is a hub for art and...   view more

Memphis is one of the best places in Tennessee and I am so glad we visited! We only had one day in Memphis as that is all our schedule would allow, but everything we did during that time was a highlight. Seriously, Memphis was one of my biggest travel highlights for 2018 and is so, so worth visiting. If you want to know the best things to do in Memphis in one day, this was our...   view more

Anchorage was the first stop on my Alaska trip in summer, and the last stop on my recent Alaska winter trip. I don’t think Anchorage is the most exciting place to visit in Alaska, but I still enjoyed both visits. The biggest highlight for me was definitely the food – it’s my favorite place to eat in...   view more

As well as being a color and a fruit, Orange NSW is also a small country town located in the central tablelands region, a couple of hours’ drive from Sydney, Australia. Known for its fantastic local food scene and autumn colors, Orange NSW was the perfect choice of location for a weekend away from Sydney in late...   view more

Obviously, a day in Melbourne is not a lot of time – there are so many fun things to do in Melbourne that you could spend weeks here and not see or experience it all. Luckily I have spent some time in Melbourne on a couple of earlier trips so as I have done all the touristy bits over those trips, I wanted to focus on the things that make me really happy this time around: Markets, good food, great coffee, walking, and cats. We hit all of those things during our short time in...   view more

There are lots of fun things to do in Hamilton New Zealand so if you are planning a North Island road trip, make sure to add Hamilton to your itinerary – this surprising city has so much more to offer a visitor than you would think… Hamilton may not be on a lot of people’s bucket lists for a New Zealand road trip, but New Zealand’s fourth-largest city actually has a number of fun things to do...   view more

Arriving in Cairns my expectations weren’t that high. I usually find that to be a good thing. When your expectations are low to begin with, you are going in with a blank slate and it is easy to be impressed by the little things. And impressed I was. Over the next few days, we explored the Cairns area and had a really great trip. I really enjoyed what we got to experience in Cairns, although there were a number of things we didn’t get to experience so I already know I want to come back at...   view more

If you want to visit one of the most beautiful beach towns in New Zealand, check out my list of the best things to do in Mount Maunganui… Affectionately known as “the Mount” by locals, Mount Maunganui is actually a beach suburb of Tauranga but it’s pretty much like its own town. It is named for the dormant volcanic cone also known as the Mount, or Mauao in...   view more

If you are planning a trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula this summer, don’t miss Marquette! Read on to find out the best things to do in Marquette, MI… Marquette is just the perfect little lakeside city and the vibe there reminded me a lot of my favorite Colorado Mountain Towns. It is outdoorsy, it’s home to lots of young residents who are proud of their city, there are multiple breweries, and it is full of beautifully restored historic...   view more

We arrived to freezing Buenos Aires and eventually managed to find the subway system after a couple of false starts and confusion over all of the other different types of trains. It will never be one of my favorite cities but it definitely had its highlights and I would encourage anyone visiting to go to the market despite how touristy it is, just keep an eye on your bag as it is pickpocket...   view more

We had four days to explore Chicago and there was so much that we wanted to see (and eat) that we rushed around trying to do it all (this is a theme with me). We had such a fantastic time despite the fast pace and Chicago was everything I imagined it to be, and more. Chicago should be right up there with New York and LA on everyone’s USA Bucket List, because it is just an amazing...   view more