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  • Bryce Canyon in Winter
    United States of America

    The Mighty 5: A Guide to Utah’s National Parks

    Southern Utah is an expansive desert wilderness that beckons travelers from around the world. One of nature’s great canvases, it features chiseled canyons, red rock hoodoos, delicate arches, soaring cliffs, and lonely unpaved roads. I’ve said it often and I’ll…

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  • Observation Point, Zion National Park
    United States of America

    Best Hikes in Zion National Park

    Zion National Park encompasses 232 square miles of pure awesomeness. The red rock wonderland boasts narrow sandstone canyons, soaring red cliffs, and pockets of lush vegetation that burst with life.  From its intoxicating blend of brilliant colors to its serpentine…

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  • Delicate Arch Hike
    United States of America

    Things to Do in Arches National Park

    Arches National Park is a masterpiece of nature and a beloved Utah tourist destination. Renowned the world over for its delicate rock garden, the national park is among the most iconic places in the United States. In Arches, giant sandstone…

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  • Grand View Point Hike
    United States of America

    Visiting the Island in the Sky: Canyonlands National Park

    Canyonlands National Park offers some of the most enthralling vistas in the American West. Blanketing more than 520 square miles of the Colorado Plateau, it conceals winding river canyons, towering rock pinnacles, and ancient Native American settlements.  The Colorado and Green…

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  • Needles District, Canyonlands
    United States of America

    Hiking in the Canyonlands Needles District

    Canyonlands National Park is a rugged wilderness of buttes and mesas that sprawls outward in a tapestry of oranges and reds. The Canyonlands Needles District is one of four distinct areas within the national park. It is an oft-forgotten wonderland…

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  • Highway 12 in Utah
    United States of America

    Driving the Scenic Highway 12 in Utah

    After visiting Capitol Reef’s Strike Valley, Dan and I found ourselves racing along Utah’s Highway 12 in order to catch a return flight to Seattle. Our path to the Salt Lake City Airport followed the Burr Trail to Boulder, then…

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@Instagram

“Traveling with kids is just parenting in anothe “Traveling with kids is just parenting in another location.” 

if I could get a dollar every time I heard someone say those words, I would probably be able to fund my next vacation. 
 
And I kind of get it, though I don’t really agree. 

Vacations aren’t really the same once you have little kids. You can’t just laze by the pool for hours and doze off with a book in hand.  Parenting duties don’t magically disappear when you buy a plane ticket. You still have to navigate sleep schedules, deal with tantrums, lug around an obscene amount of bags, and ensure bellies are full of snacks. 

So no, traveling with the kids does not magically make me feel more rested and relaxed. But it does fill my cup in so many other ways.

-It allows me to slow down and watch the kids interact with the world 
-It gives me a break from cooking and household chores
-It helps me feel like I haven’t fully abandoned the Erika that I was pre-kids
-It fills me with my happiest parenting memories 

And I think that it is great for the kids too. 

-It exposes them to other ways of living and helps them understand our shared humanity 
-It teaches them flexibility, adaptability, and patience 
-It ignites their curiosity about anything and everything 

This last trip of to Costa Rica was our first time traveling with two kids. It was sometimes stressful, sometimes difficult, always exhausting, rarely relaxing.

If you think that relaxation is necessary for a successful vacation, then you’ll probably agree that traveling with kids is just parenting with a different backdrop.

But if you travel for the thrill of new experiences, the break from routine, or the enjoyment of seeing new places, then traveling with kids is no obstacle. 

In some ways, bringing them along for the ride makes the experience even better.
Four days into our trip to Costa Rica, I left my c Four days into our trip to Costa Rica, I left my camera at our hotel near Rincon de la Vieja. I only realized my mistake once I arrived at the Monteverde Cloud Forest. And by that point, it was too late to turn around without disrupting our plans for the following day. 

Luckily, I was able to retrieve my camera en route to the airport, prior to returning home. 

I’m so happy I was reunited with my camera, but incredibly disappointed that I don’t have better quality pictures from the second part of our trip. 

Here are a few snapshots of the wildlife from the first three days.
2024. Another year come and gone. Wishing time wou 2024. Another year come and gone. Wishing time would slow down, but grateful for the memories made.
Happy due date to our sweet Selene! I have so many Happy due date to our sweet Selene! I have so many things to be thankful for this year, but the arrival of our new travel buddy tops the list. 

I can’t wait for this next year of adventure as a family of four!
It’s been a busy summer of travels to the Caribb It’s been a busy summer of travels to the Caribbean, Minnesota, Europe, Seattle and Eugene. And then, just like that, I dropped Elio off to school for the first time. 😭 

Looking forward to a year of growth, new transitions, and expanding friendships. And of course, some new exciting travels whenever we can squeeze them in!
Snapshots of the incredible wildlife on South Geor Snapshots of the incredible wildlife on South Georgia Island 🐧 🦭
The White Continent. #antarctica #7thcontinent # The White Continent. 

#antarctica #7thcontinent #atlasoceanvoyages #whitecontinent #instatravel #erikastravels
Loving summer ☀️ Loving summer ☀️
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