ARIZONA
I might just be a snowbird to this city in the sun but it is my beloved surrogate city. It has been my home away from home, my shelter from emotional storms, my warm blanket from the bitter Canadian winters and overall just the coolest place in the USA, in mu humble opinion. Maybe I'm biased towards this place but Phoenix is so often overlooked for those exploring travel to the US and I wanted to make this list to show off all the amazing things that this city has to offer for locals and visitors alike!
Jerome is the perfect, little ghost town to visit on any road trip through Arizona or even as a day trip from Phoenix, Prescott or Tucson. Whether you're staying over night or just driving past, this guide will help you take in all the sight, sounds and savoury delights that this unique, old mining village has to offer!
The White Tank Mountains are my absolute favourite mountain range in Arizona. Climbing the Waterfall trail, which starts from the centre of the mountain range and heads up into the rock face, is a tradition for my family and me whenever we're back in Phoenix.
CALIFORNIA
There are hundreds of museums all over the world, and almost every one of them is worth a peek inside, but probably my favourite oddball museum is the Musée Mécanique in San Francisco. This place is truly a one of a kind collection of mechanical oddities saved by a devoted collector. Together they tell a story of a bygone era.
This year was the first time we got to visit Disney California Adventure. California Adventure is a part of California's Disney parks and is designed to recreate the history and culture of the state of California in one fun Disney park!
No matter what time of the year it is, I find myself dreaming of being back in California, walking in those gates, being welcomed into a winter wonderland, where dreams come true and magic seems to come alive before your eyes. A place called Disneyland.
CHICAGO
When visiting any city, it's nice to have an experience that both exposes you to the city's everyday culture and also is a unique activity that could only happen there. For me this could be a Gondola ride on the Grand Canal, homemade pasta sitting on a balcony in Tuscany or, as I experience this New Year Eve's, skating at the McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink inside Chicago's famous Millennium Park!
NEW YORK
Over the years, I stopped trying to see all the "top attractions" and instead started to explore smaller areas of the city. I stayed in one spot and dug in deep there. I stopped paying attention to the things that bothered me and instead focused on the beauty of what was around me. While I'm never a fan of avoiding certain touristy things just because they "popular", there are definitely some things over-hyped parts of town. I've learned from exploring New York so many times what's worth avoiding and what's worth your attention, time and money.
The Heavenly Bodies collection at the Cloisters focuses on the quiet, reflective nature of faith. The outfits are more complicated, require more thought and observation, and due to the remote location, allows you to have a more personal experience with the objects.
The Byzantine Galleries focus on designers who were influenced by Sacred Spaces; the interior of Cathedrals and churches, and who brought elements from those spaces into the garments. The dresses are paired with fragments of floor mosaics from the 5th century as well as pieces of Byzantine jewellery and silverware. The mannequins each stand high aloft of tall plinths. The dresses are still clearly visible and yet are somewhat separated from the historical art along the walls.
Heavenly Bodies explores "fashion's ongoing engagement with the devotional practices and traditions of Catholicism." The Vatican collection provides a great reference for seeing the modern fashion in the rest of the exhibition.
ORLANDO
If it's the first time you're all visiting or even if it's just your first time going with kids the best thing to do is change your expectations. Kids need to move at their own pace. I saw so many kids having meltdowns and every time it seemed to be over them being pushed too far. Don't expect everything to go to plan, or to ride every single ride, or stay from opening till close. While there might be some unexpected mishaps, remember that there will be a million more incredible memories.
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is one of, if not the best, party held in the Magic Kingdom at Disney World. While Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is warm and cosy, the Halloween Party is dark, mysterious and down right villainous! Plus you're encouraged to dress up and wear costumes which makes it all the more enjoyable. The Halloween Party can be an overwhelming experience for first-timers. There's so much to see and do, even if you arrive as early as possible, it's still tough to do it all. But with this guide, you'll be able to create a reasonable itinerary which allows you to earmark what's most important to you and how to use your time wisely.
WASHINGTON D.C.
When I first visited Washington D.C. I thought it would be nothing more than plain white political powerhouses and generic American architecture. Boy was I wrong! I was shocked to see what a beautiful city this was. The central sightseeing portion of this city is extremely walkable so its easy to just wander around from place to place taking snapshots of the bright, bold and brilliant art and architecture which makes Washington such an incredible place to visit.
Mesa, the third largest city in Arizona, is one of the most incredible hidden gems of city in Arizona! There is a ceaseless amount of surprises in this vibrant community. Even if you live in Arizona, you might be surprised by these incredible photography spots that you might discover via a scenic back road, hidden alleyway, new restaurant or quick detour.