I began golfing a little more than a year ago, when we settled into our new summer place on a golf course. I had dabbled in a golf a long time ago, but hadn’t picked up a club in twenty years. And so it has been like starting over. Our summers in Washington have given me a great opportunity to learn while golfing around the sound. And during the year we were stuck in the USA it was a great time to take up the sport.
My home course of McCormick Woods
Learning to Golf
I’ve played A LOT since I decided to learn the game and I have also taken lessons and had a coach. Getting some coaching pointers and playing consistently (about once a week) has helped me learn and improve my game. I still have a long ways to go but I enjoy the game a great deal and especially enjoy having another activity to spend time with my husband.
View from the 12th hole at McCormick Woods
It might be surprising to some, but I feel one of the best ways to improve is to play at as many different courses as possible. I know many golfers like to play their “home” course only, but I find by moving around to new courses I don’t fall into a comfortable pattern and am therefore always challenged and learning new things.
Gold Mountain
Golfing Around the Sound
Given that strategy we set out this summer to explore as many courses in the Pacific Northwest as we could. For Christmas my husband gave me a Golfing Around the Sound golf package, 11 courses included for $220. We created three golf “weekends” (we did them mid-week) and covered courses in Skagit and Snohomish County; Mason, Kitsap; Clallam and Jefferson County too.
Glen Eagle Course
Some courses are certainly better than others, but all the courses we played offered wonderful opportunities to learn and enjoy this crazy game. If you want to give this a try for yourself, here is our suggestions for three golf getaways in the Pacific Northwest. I imagine next summer we will try this again and expand to more courses including to the south and east.
SKAGIT & SNOHOMISH
La Conner Channel Lodge
Using the lovely little town of La Conner (Skagit Valley) as our home base, we booked a fabulous room on the water at the La Conner Channel Lodge for two nights. This unique boutique style hotel sits right on the La Conner Channel and offers spectacular sunsets. While in La Conner we visited the Swinomish Indian Reservation, did a little boutique shopping and visited the local fresh markets where we purchased blueberries, raspberries and peaches to take home.
Berries from La Conner
Dinner at Nell Thorn
Dinner at La Conner Brewery
We played three courses in the Skagit/ Snohomish region. Each course was easy to get a tee time for our dates of Sunday, Monday and Tuesday;
Burlington
GLENEAGLE GOLF COURSE – This course in Burlington was nice, but some of the fairways are pretty tight and there are many houses, so it’s a bit stressful for an erratic golfer like me. Also, as first timers we wished for better signage between tees. Gleneagle has a restaurant on site.
Gleneagle
AVALON LINKS – I liked this course in Burlington; it was pretty while still being relatively easy for a beginner. Strangely this course has 27 holes…not sure why that is, but we played 18 and had a very enjoyable game. A small cafe is available on site.
Avalon
Snohomish
THE GOLF CLUB AT ECHO FALLS – This is a beautiful course in Snohomish, and of the three the most challenging. We had a really fun game here. I had a cart but my husband was walking and he did wish the tees were not so far apart….sometimes a bit difficult to find. The clubhouse and restaurant and the entire grounds here are very beautiful.
Echo Falls
We recommend dining in La Conner at Nell Thorn for a delicious dinner made fresh with local ingredients. And for something a little less formal, try La Conner Brewing for excellent beer, burgers, tacos and salads.
MASON & KITSAP
Since we live in Kitsap County and near the border with Mason, we did not stay in a hotel while exploring these five courses listed below (three in our Around the Sound package and two not). But we can recommend from experience choosing to stay at the beautiful Alderbrook Resort & Spa on Hood Canal or the Silverdale Beach Hotel on the waterfront in Silverdale.
ALDERBROOK GOLF CLUB – Our friend John invited us to enjoy nine holes with him at his home course of Alderbrook Golf Club in Union. This course is not part of the Around the Sound package. It was our first time playing here and I enjoyed it very much. This course has both homes and a lot of trees along the fairways, but it was just the right amount of challenge for me (and I only lost a couple of balls!).
Alderbrook
Bremerton
GOLD MOUNTAIN GOLF COURSE – One of three courses within fifteen minutes of my house, Gold Mountain is an outstanding municipal course in Bremerton. I really love playing here, although I have only played the Cascade course. The Olympic course is more challenging…maybe next year. Anyway this is a beautiful rolling course with no houses…for me I need a cart as it has a lot of hills.
Gold Mountain
Port Orchard
TROPHY LAKE GOLF & CASTING – Not on the Around the Sound package, Trophy Lake in Port Orchard is one of my favorite courses. It’s just right for my skill level and I enjoy the grounds and the fact there aren’t any houses. It’s very close to where I live so that’s a bonus too.
Trophy Lake
MCCORMICK WOODS GOLF CLUB – Well, you can’t get much closer for me, as I live on the 6th hole at McCormick Woods. I never imagined living on a golf course but we have quickly fallen in love with this beautiful community that surrounds this beautiful course. This public course in Port Orchard also has memberships as well as an excellent restaurant. It’s challenging though, with lots of houses and lots of underbrush and water too. It’s here I have taken my lessons and had my coaching with course Pro Kyle Larson.
McCormick Woods
Kingston
WHITE HORSE GOLF CLUB – One of the more challenging courses I’ve played this summer, White Horse is in Kingston and is tough but a great learning course. I was in the sand A LOT. It’s a beautiful course with only a few houses. A very nice club house and restaurant too. Very close to the Kingston Ferry.
White Horse
JEFFERSON & CLALLAM
The Resort at Port Ludlow
We ventured across the Hood Canal Bridge for three days in Jefferson and Clallam Counties, one of our favorite areas in Washington, and a perfect golfing around the sound getaway. We spent two lovely nights at the The Resort at Port Ludlow. During our visit we had dinner at Port Ludlow (amazing), as well as breakfast at Stymies at the Cedars at Dungeness. We spent some time in Port Townsend checking out the shops and visiting Fort Worden State Park. We dined in Port Townsend at La Cocina Mexican.
Breakfast at Stymies in Sequim
Dinner at the Fireside at Port Ludlow
Lunch at La Cocina in Port Townsend
Our getaway included playing at these three fun courses (all included in our Around the Sound package).
Sequim
THE CEDARS AT DUNGENESS – I enjoyed this course a lot, even though my score didn’t reflect that! It’s a well maintained course with some beautiful views of the Olympic Mountains right in the heart of beautiful Sequim. We met friends for breakfast before we teed off and the restaurant Stymies was a great choice.
Beautiful views at The Cedars at Dungenes
SUNLAND GOLF COURSE – I had fun at this course, even though my cart was an antique. The course itself was well-maintained and fun. The fairways are really tight though, with houses and trees, but I managed to stay out of people’s yards (for the most part). It’s a great option in Sequim.
Sunland Golf Course
Port Ludlow
PORT LUDLOW GOLF CLUB I struggled at this VERY hilly course…and lost a lot of balls too. When we arrived I asked the guy in the Pro Shop if the course was hilly, as I was trying to decide if I would walk or get a cart. He said there were a “couple of hills”. So I decided to walk. By the end of 18 I was ready to drop. There are way more than “couple of hills”. I recommend a cart. This course has a lot of water and also houses to avoid. We enjoyed our visit despite it all and enjoyed the beautiful sunny day we had on the greens.
Port Ludlow Golf Resort
GOLFING AROUND THE SOUND
These are a few of our finds this summer as we spent time golfing around the sound. There are many more wonderful options to golf in the Puget Sound region…we hope to find those when we return from our winter travels next spring.
Port Ludlow
Meanwhile, it’s time to clean the clubs and get them ready for two months in Maui, where we love to golf. Stay tuned for our Maui adventures starting in September (we hope…unless the PanDamit shuts everything down again).
Summertime! In the summer we enjoy our time at our tiny house located on the Kitsap Penninsula in Washington State. It’s a respite from world travel, and a place we re-energize and prepare for winter travel. My husband and I both grew up in the great Pacific Northwest and when we are here we make a point to get out and be tourists in our own backyard. A few years ago this prompted my local series of blog posts. So today we begin again with Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Steilacoom.
Steilacoom Town Hall
Where is Steilacoom?
Steilacoom is a small city in Pierce County surrounded by Lakewood, Tacoma, and DuPont, as well as Joint Base Lewis-McChord on it’s North, East and South borders and the Tacoma Narrows waterway on the west. This historic little village is only about 2 square miles and has a population of around 7000. It is about two miles from Chambers Bay Golf Course. From where I live in Port Orchard Washington we travelled about 40 minutes over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge to make our way to Steilacoom.
Steilacoom was founded twice in 1851. Two land claims were filed in this best place on the South Sound, as Captain Lafayette Balch established Port Steilacoom with a 315-acre donation claim on January 10, 1851, and the lawyer John Chapman filed his own land clam for the adjacent 312 acres in October of the same year and named it Steilacoom City.
The two were merged by act of the Territorial Legislature on April 22 of 1854, but are still divided by Union Avenue, where the angle of the streets changes.
The Steilacoom Tribe was an independent group inhabiting a geographic area now known as the Tacoma Basin. There were approximately 600 Steilacoom Indians living in five bands within the basin. They spoke a separate subdialect of the Puget Sound Salish language. Unlike their closely related neighbors, the Puyallup and the Nisqually Tribes, the Steilacoom did not have a glacier-fed river within their territory for freshwater resources. The principal feature of the Steilacoom territory was a group of spirit-inhabited lakes.
Historic Byrd Mill Road
Beautiful Historic Homes
Steilacoom is home to many “firsts” in the region, and you can discover a wonderful self-guided walking tour to learn more about the history with the help of the city’s Steilacoom Walking Tour.
Pierce County Ferry to Anderson Island
Historic Railroad Depot
Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Steilacoom
This was not our first visit to Steilacoom; we used to ride our bikes from Gig Harbor to Steilacoom on sunny days. Today we traveled in my ’67 Mustang, as a weekend day trip we try to do as often as possible.
Walking Tour
Walking Tour
Our main destination on this day was The Bair at The Bair Drug & Hardware, a fabulous little breakfast and lunch spot in an incredibly well- preserved historic building built in 1895. Most of Steilacoom is made up of beautifully well-kept residences (many historic), but there are also a handful of businesses and restaurants. The Bair can get busy on a sunny summer day, but the wait is usually not too long. On the Saturday we visited, we walked right in.
Bair Drug & Hardware
Breakfast at The Bair
The Bair is like a museum inside. Great coffee too.
You might also enjoy the Steilacoom Taproom and the always popular Topside, with great views of the Narrows.
Topside Restaurant
Steilacoom Taproom
Recommend
Steilacoom is small, and there is usually lots of parking. Stroll and enjoy. Walk down to the ferry dock where the Pierce County ferry to Anderson Island operates. Here you will also see the old train depot and likely see a train fly by…as they do about 70 times a day. If you are in Steilacoom on the weekend, visit the Historical Museum (open Saturday and Sunday afternoons).
Steilacoom Historical Museum
Orr Wagon Shop Steilacoom Historical Museum
Steilacoom is home to several parks you can enjoy, and if you have time a visit and stroll on the paths at Chambers Creek Regional Park next to Chambers Bay Golf Club is fun. Just a short drive away.
With my ’67 Mustang at Sunnyside Beach Park Steilacoom
Thanks for reading my post Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Steilacoom. Make a visit to this hidden gem, and definitely don’t miss The Bair at The Bair Drug & Hardware. Stay tuned for more hidden gems coming up. Read my last post Traveling in France by Rail here.
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We spent nine days traveling in France by rail from Bordeaux to Paris on board the SNCF, the French rail service. We visited Lyon, Dijon and Luxembourg before reaching our final destination of Paris. Train travel in Europe is an excellent way to go, but be aware! We made a few mistakes and learned a few things. Here is a recap of our nine day trip – All Aboard! A’bord de dans! Traveling in France by Rail.
Upper level on our first leg
Bordeaux
After four weeks living in Bordeaux we packed up and left with regrets. We truly loved our time in that wonderful city and we will definitely return. The morning we left to begin our traveling in France by rail adventure, our train departed at 6:00am…so the Uber arrived at 5:00am.
Bordeaux to Lyon Six Hours
Since we travel for extended periods we are not light packers, and this is the main drawback of traveling by rail. Several of our trains, including this first one, we were seated in the upper deck. It’s not an easy task dragging bags up the narrow stairs. Additionally the luggage racks are not big. On our first trek there were several cyclists, but no bike racks. Some trains do offer racks for bicycles. But on this first train the majority of the luggage space for our first leg was taken by bikes, leaving us with minimal options for our luggage. First lesson, when traveling in France by rail pack light.
Early morning departure
Sunrise views
We watched the sun come up and Venus rising too out the window as we headed to Tours where we would change to a different train. I immediately realized how much more you see from a train than when traveling by car. Miles and miles of gorgeous farmland and tiny villages.
Traveling in France by Rail
But before reaching Tours we encountered our first problem about traveling in France by rail. Let me explain:
We had purchased a France-only Eurail pass via the Eurail app. The pass we selected (about $200 per person) was good for four days of train travel – with the understanding that, for the high-speed trains we planned to travel on, a separate purchase of a reserved seat was required. After purchasing the reserved seats through the SNCF app, we got a ticket showing the reserved seat. The mistake was in thinking that this was our complete ticket – it’s not! It only shows that we had paid for the seat reservation – an additional step of validating the Eurail pass (via the Eurail app, NOT the SNCF app) for travel on that date and train is necessary. So when the ticket inspector approached, we showed him our seat reservation tickets, but he also wanted to see the validated Eurail pass – we had the pass but not the validation – he was not happy – in fact he was very rude. He let us go, without really explaining what we had done wrong, or if we needed to do something more. We were left confused.
Lyon
Arriving in Lyon for two nights, we made the right decision to stay at a hotel (Campanile Lyon Centre) next to the Part-Dieu train station. Lyon has two train stations (Perrache and Part Dieu) so make sure you book near the correct one. The train station is also the metro station, so we did not need to drag our bags into the old city. We love a good Metro, and Lyon’s was great.
Lyon’s Notre Dame
Beautiful
We had two days to explore Lyon, which really wasn’t enough time but we hit the ground running. The weather was excellent.
Lyon Old town
So many restaurants to chose from
We spent most of our time in Vieux Lyon (Old Town), and we used GPS My City to follow two different walking tours on our own. Over the two days we walked ALOT.
Day One
The city sits at the confluence of two rivers (the Rhone and the Saone), thus many bridges, and there is also an upper city. On day one we started with the upper city. We took the funicular (included in your Metro ticket) up to the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral with outstanding views over the city below. We wandered down through the botanical gardens and then around to the Theatre Gallo Romaine. The Ancient Theatre of Fourvière is a Roman theatre in Lyon. It was built on the hill of Fourvière, which is located in the center of the Roman city. The theatre is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site protecting the historic center of Lyon.
Beautiful Lyon
We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring shops and food in the old town. We tasted the famous Lyon bright red pralines and dipped into one of the famous chocolate shops and enjoyed delicious treats.
Mid-day Pastry Break
Day Two
We love using GPS My City and we combined several options to spend the entire day exploring Lyon. We started with one of the most beautiful food markets I have ever seen, Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse. You could spend the entire day here.
Les Halles de Lyon
Lyon is famous for this red prallines
Moving on to Place Bellacour, visiting the Little Prince statue and then Place de Cistines, Lyon’s stunning 200 year old theatre.
Place Bellacour is Europes largest public square
Little Prince statue
So Much to See
We did a lot of climbing on this day visiting Lyon Cathedral, Place de Jacobins, Place de Terreaux. La Tour Rose and the Montee des Chazeaux steps. Eventually we crossed the river on the beautiful Passarelle Saint-Vincent pedestrian bridge and using GPS My City we found the Fresque de Lyonaise, a mural depicting historic figures of Lyon. We enjoyed a lovely stroll along the river on a beautiful day.
Beautiful views along the river
It’s a scavenger hunt to find La Tour Rose, but worth it.
Montee des Chazeaux steps
Fresque de Lyonnaise
There is much more to Lyon, and we will need to return for another visit. After a quick refresh at the hotel, we headed back to Rue Saint-Jean, the main old town shopping street for dinner at the famous Chez Grand-Mere. An underground restaurant where I enjoyed a Lyonnaise dish called quennelles. It was delicious.
Chez Grand-Mere
Fish Quennelles. So good.
The city has many gathering places of beauty and heritage
Dijon
Next morning we had an easier departure time of 11:00am. We said our farewells to Lyon and boarded our next train.
Lyon to Dijon Four Hours
Alas we encountered another problem when the ticket steward came along. This time we had a woman who was sympathetic to us being novices, and she took a great deal of time to explain to us in detail what we had done wrong…something the first rude guy did not do. She was very helpful even though we had to pay 50 Euro due to our mistake….not having completed adding the specific date and train to our Eurail pass via the Eurail app. But we felt confident we finally had it right. She told us this is a common mistake…and the added costs can be much more than she charged us. So be aware!
Beautiful Dijon
Bonjour Dijon
Arriving in Dijon we were met by our American friends who live half time in Dijon, and the other half in the USA. It was a great treat to have them as our escort on our first day. It was about a 15 minute easy walk from the train station to old town. After checking in to the hotel (B&B Hotel Dijon Centre) located in a great location of the old town, we headed out to explore.
Our personal guides!
With only two days in this great city, it was nice to have “locals” to give us the scoop on the best things to see and do. We walked throughout the old town, as they shared with us their favorites and suggested things for us to do on our own on day two. We ended our day with our friends at a little hole-in-the-wall place they love called La Cave Se Rebiffe. Essentially a wine bar with a huge wine menu and a tiny food menu. We ate charcuterie, terrine, pasta and blood sausage with lots of great local wine from the Burgundy region.
La Cave Se Rebiffe Chacuterie
Learning about Burgundy region wines
Day Two
Day two we hit the ground running on our own. We headed first to Liberation Square for photos of the famous Ducal Palace. The Palace of the Dukes and Estates of Burgundy or Palais des ducs et des États de Bourgogne is a remarkably well-preserved architectural assemblage built in the 15th century. Today it houses the City Hall and the Beaux Arts Museum. We headed to the tourist office to obtain a 12 euro ticket to climb the Phillip the Good Tower later in the afternoon with a guide. That tower climb really was one of my favorite things in the city.
Lyon’s lucky owl
Musee de Beaux Arts
Climbing Phillip the Good Tower
What a view!
History, Food, Wine, Oh My
Next we went cathedral hopping – Dijon is a small village with an astonishing number of cathedrals. The Notre Dame Cathedral and its famous (somewhat hidden) owl sculpture, has become a symbol of this city.
We loved the Rue des Forges and the beautiful half timbered houses, many currently being lovingly restored and preserved. We made our way to the world famous Edmond Fallot Mustard shop. Fallot is the only remaining family-owned and -operated mustard factory in the Dijon region. I have been buying this brand of mustard every time I’m in France for the past twenty years. So delicious. I stocked up for gifts and for myself.
Half Timbered Houses
Dijon is a village of cathedrals
Palais des ducs et des États de Bourgogne
Since many businesses and restaurants are closed on Monday in France, we asked our local friends for a dinner suggestion. They said Parapluie (translation: umbrella). We made a reservation not knowing anything about this restaurant, and ended up being absolutely charmed by the chef’s choice menu, incredible wine selection, outstanding service and the unexpectedly reasonable price. I highly recommend.
Parapluie
Parapluie
We woke up early on our departure day and walked over the the Halles de Dijon. It had been closed on Monday so we wanted to see it briefly Tuesday morning before we left. One of the best food halles in France. Such a variety of local delicacies for sale. Next time I will spend an entire day there.
Les Halles de Dijon
The freshest
I could easily have spent another three or four days in this lovely, walkable, delicious medieval city. I hope to be back.
Luxembourg
Traveling in France by Rail
Our train to Luxembourg left about a half an hour late, which apparently is unusual when traveling in France by rail. But we eventually got on our way and luckily this time, no issues with our ticket! However, please note if you are traveling on the France-only Eurail pass, you need a separate ticket for the last leg from the final stop in France into Luxembourg. We did not change trains, but we did need two separate tickets (nobody checked, but we did not want to risk it!).
Hubs is tired of dragging the bags…
Dijon to Luxembourg 3 hours
The tiny country of Luxembourg gave us our 148th country, and what a lovely place it was. The only constitutional duchy in the world, it is often referred to as the Grand Duchy. A constitutional duchy is a territory ruled by a duke or duchess, but where the ruler’s powers are limited by a constitution. The duchy itself is the territory or domain, while the ruler’s title is the dukedom.
Palace of the Duchy
Luxembourg City is much larger than Dijon and we took a cab from the train station to our hotel (Hotel Vauban). I loved the location of our hotel right on Place Guillaume II, and perfectly situated in the old center. We were happy to be here for two nights.
Luxembourg City
Get Your Walking Shoes
Luxembourg City and the lower village of Gund are all quite walkable. But if you don’t want to go up and down the hills, take advantage of the FREE public transportation (tram and bus). We however enjoyed walking everywhere as we usually do.
Inside the Bock Casemates
That is one deep well
There is a lot to enjoy in Luxembourg so we dropped our bags at the hotel and headed out to explore. We took our time leisurely walking through the beautiful medieval old town, before arriving at the Bock Casemates – a must-see when in Luxembourg. The Bock Casemates, a subterranean defense system made up of kilometers of tunnels, is today one of the most important visitor sites in Luxembourg. These underground galleries were initially carved in the 17th century, under Spanish rule, and subsequently twice extended.
Like a Fairy Tale
Next we did a lovely walk down in the lower village known as Gund, stopping for a cold drink at the Good Weather Bar, only open in good weather! From the outdoor bar and on our walk we enjoyed picturesque views along the Alzette River. It truly looks like something out of a fairy tale. We made our way to the city’s oldest brewery, now a restaurant, called Big Beer and had a giant and delicious early dinner. Luxembourg has it’s own cuisine that leans a bit more German than French but also all it’s own. The pork knuckle was as big as my head. We continued our Gund walk to the Panoramic Elevator of the Pfaffenthal. A free elevator that takes people back up to the upper city with great views too.
Good Weather Bar
Panoramic Elevator of the Pfaffenthal
We were lucky with such great weather
Giant Pork Knuckle at Big Beer
Day Two
We woke up and looked out the window of our room to find a weekly market set up on the square in front of the hotel. So we started our day walking through and admiring all the fresh items for sale. Next we walked over the Pont Adolphe bridge and back over the La Passerelle bridge, in an effort see all angles of the beautiful city, before meeting our free walking tour.
A variety of old and modern bridges keep Luxembourg moving
Free Walkingt Tour
We do free (tip based) walking tours in many cities, and this two-plus hour tour was really exceptional. We visited the palace, the old fish market, Saint Michael’s Cathedral, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Monument of Remembrance and walked along the stunning ancient Chemin de la Corniche. You could easily visit all these on your own, but having a local guide to explain the history, give restaurant tips and insider information is always worth it.
Notre Dame Luxembourg
The Monument of Remembrance
After the tour we were starving so we headed to one of the city’s best restaurants for local cuisine, Brasserie du Cercle. I wanted to try the local dumpling dish called Kniddelen and Arne had a potato pancake with pork called Gromperekichelcher. Both were great. It was a hot day and the local Luxembourg beer was a perfect match.
Kniddelen
Gromperekichelcher.
After an afternoon of shopping for gifts and treats we had a rest at the hotel before dinner at Um Dierfgen. We were still full from lunch but we enjoyed a light dinner including the local seasonal specialty of white asparagus.
Luxembourg’s famous Chocolate House Nathanal Bonn
White Asparagus in season
It was a whirlwind tour of this beautiful place and I am so glad we made the time to visit Luxembourg City. But now it’s time to head to Paris.
Charming Luxembourg City
Paris
Of course we have visited Paris before (a few times) but we always look forward to seeing this beautiful city of lights. So back on board we go!
Bonjour Paris! Ravi de vous voir!
Luxembourg City to Paris Three Hours
Arriving in Paris at Gare de Est we decided to take an Uber rather than wrangle our bags on the Metro. But we used the Paris Metro the rest of our time and it is such a great metro system.
Since we have been to Paris many times, we decided to not do all the major attractions, except we really wanted to see the newly reopened Notre Dame.
The beautiful Marais neighborhood
Parisians enjoying a sunny May Day bank holiday
Our hotel, (the Hotel Le Compostelle), was in the Marais neighborhood, and we spent our first afternoon wandering and enjoying the sites and sounds and smells of the Marais. We were there on a holiday (May Day) and all the Parisians were out enjoying the fine spring weather. We then met our good friends who live in Paris at a restaurant called Acme and it was incredible! One of the best meals we have ever had in Paris. Multi course, chef’s choice dinner with an amazing wine pairing. We ate, sipped and talked well into the night, sitting outside on a warm night. Parfaite!
Innovative haute cuisine at Acme
Good food and friends
Day Two
Next morning we were up early (thank you coffee) because we had a reserved time to enter Notre Dame. I highly recommend getting a reserved time if you will be in Paris during the busy season. You can go on the Notre Dame website at 12:01 am two days before you want to visit and reserve a time. You can also wait in line, but the line can sometimes be hours long, so we recommend reserving a time. I loved seeing the new Notre Dame, it has been so lovingly restored and it is stunning. Don’t miss it.
French Coffee. Nothing better.
Notre Dame
Newly restored and beautiful Notre Dame
We spent the rest of this day wandering and enjoying our favorite sites including Jardin de Luxembourg, and views of Tour Eiffel. I wanted to visit two iconic Paris shops for souvenirs – Marin Montagut and La Grand Epicerie de Paris. We also visited Rue Montorgueil, a new-to-us area of Paris with so many restaurants. Here we had a perfect Nicoise Salad and wine for lunch at Les Artizans. Back to the hotel for a rest and then out to an amazing dinner at Grand Coeur. Wow the beef tenderloin for two was incredible. Highly recommend.
Jardin de Luxembourg
La Grand Epicerie de Paris
Rue Montorgueil,
Lunch at Les Artizans
Grand Coeur Beef Tenderloin. Wow.
Day Three
The forecast said possible late afternoon thunderstorms but the day dawned bright and blue. We took the train outside of the city to the stunning and new-to-us Parc de Sceaux – a hidden gem just outside of Paris. Here we met a group of women from a Facebook walking group I am in, and spent the next two hours talking to them (most expats from United Kingdom) and exploring this stunning park. Such a joy.
Parc de Sceaux.
Parc de Sceaux.
Back into the city to meet our friend again to explore the Carnavalet Museum, one Paris museum we had never visited. I heard great things about this museum, and we only had two hours which was not enough. We really enjoyed the historic presentation and will check it out again on our next visit.
Carnavalet Museum
Carnavalet Museum
Expect the Unexpected
Just as we were getting ready to leave the museum, we witnessed one of the most astonishing weather events of my life. In a matter of minutes the weather changed from blue sky and sun to black clouds, fierce wind and golf ball size hail. It hailed so hard and so much the hail piled up on the street like snow. Luckily we were not caught outside because people were injured and many cars and outdoor venues were damaged. Trees were down. It was wild and crazy.
Hail as big as golf balls. OMG.
Not only was it our final night in Paris, but it was our final night of this four month, seven country journey. We were tired and ready to head home. But we enjoyed one last Paris meal at Au Bourguignon du Marais This famous restaurant is a bit touristy, but it was close to our hotel and we had a good meal and also enjoyed visiting the two oldest houses in Paris just down the street. The medieval half timbered houses on the Rue Francois Miron are the only ones remaining in Paris, built in the 15th century.
Au Bourguignon du Marais
Rue Francois Miron timbered houses still in use
Traveling in France by Rail
Five cities in nine days using the France Rail SNCF… was a fun experience. Easy and efficient the train also provides a relaxing trip, with WIFi and the most amazing views. I would definitely do it again, but with smaller suitcases. You should consider traveling in France by Rail.
Traveling in France by Rail
We had a very early Uber ride to Charles de Gaulle for our flight back to the USA and our summer home in Washington State. Merci France. We loved our five plus weeks enjoying your culture, food, wine and history. Au Revoir. Abientot!
Parc de Sceaux.
Thank you for reading my post All Aboard! A’bord de dans! Traveling in France by Rail. Be sure to see our post My Favorite Day Trips from Bordeaux and last week’s post What’s Next for My Fab Fifites Life. Over the next few weeks I will continue to have Wednesday book reviews, but will take a wee break from writing travel content. I promise to return soon.
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Our first visit to Melbourne ( prounced mel·bn) was too darn short (you can read about it here Marvelous Melbourne Australia). And so we vowed to come back for a long stay. Given Melbourne, in the Southern Hemisphere, is sporting its summer finest when we Northerners need it most, it’s perfect destination. And as we hoped, we took our leisurely time to Discover the Wonder of Melbourne Australia during a month long visit.
Melbourne on the Rocks
Favorite Cities in the World
Melbourne ranks for us as one of our favorite cities in the world. As you know we have been blessed with traveling the world, and our favorite cities include Paris (Pop. 2.1 million), New York City (Pop.9 million), Mexico City (Pop. 22 million), Vienna (Pop. 2 million) and Melbourne (Pop. 5 million). We have more favorites, but this is our top list. Melbourne ticks all the boxes. If I could live in any of these cities, I would chose Melbourne. You really need to visit.
Beautiful Melbourne – perfect climate, beautiful, historic and wonderful people
I realize most people would not stay a month in Melbourne. So as you plan your trip, take a look at all of our suggestions here, and pick and choose what you find of interest. There really is something for everyone. I am happy to answer any questions you might have.
How Ya Going
In Australia they say How Ya Going as a greeting and salutation. Well, when I am in Melbourne and the greater Victoria area, I am always going fine. The city is cosmopolitan with art, theater, museums, dining and recreation of all kinds. It is close to easy day trips with wonderful natural beauty. The people are down to earth, friendly and proud. Melbourne has it all. Let me tell you what I loved the most.
Discover the Wonder of Melbourne Australia
What’sOn Melbourne
As a frequent traveler and a former tourism marketing guru, I have so much appreciation for an all-encompassing website for activities and sites in any city. A local website that is up to date and accurate. And a big shout-out to What’sOn Melbourne, seriously the best all round, easy to use website I have ever discovered for a destination. Start your planning for a visit to Melbourne with this outstanding website.
Don’t miss a visit to the Block Arcade in the CBD
Favorite Things in the City
Our Airbnb was a little ways outside the city in a small neighborhood called Altona. Melbourne has a great train system, tram system and bus system. For your stay I recommend purchasing the Myki card for easy use. We also used Uber during our stay, and we had a car. Additionally for fun we took the…
Williamstown Ferry & The Yarra River
We met new friends thanks to Instagram and they took us into the city on a beautiful sunny day via the Williamstown ferry. The ferry goes back and forth between quaint little Williamstown right to the CBD. Its price of $35 Aussie ($27) and limited schedule makes it more of tourist boat than a commuter boat. If you have the time though, it’s great way to see the skyline and the river walk from the water. But if you don’t take a ferry or river boat cruise, enjoy the river walk to get a real feel for how important the Yarra River is to Melbourne. It’s an easy and interesting walk – learn more about it here.
On the Williamstown Ferry approaching the CBD through the Yarra River
So Many Museums
Like any big city Melbourne is home to many museums. More than we could see even during our long stay. We learned excellent history and nature information from the Melbourne Museum and loved our visit to the Melbourne Gaol. Another favorite, the Koorie Heritage Trust, was excellent for a small presentation of local Aboriginal art by modern artists. We spent couple of hours at the NGV (National Gallery Victoria) Australia enjoying its wide range of art. I would say we particularly enjoyed the Indigenous collection. These last two museums are free and are located in Federation Square, a local gathering place across the street from the historic Flinders Station. Both an integral part of the city.
Melbourne Gaol historic and interesting
Melbourne Museum
Koorie Heritage Trust
National Gallery of Art
National Gallery of Art
Royal Exhibition Building
The Royal Exhibition Building built in the late 1800’s is an iconic piece of Melbourne’s history. Though parts are under restoration, the old lady has seen much of Melbourne’s most important people and events through the generations. Today it serves as an event space and museum, and with advance tickets you can have a tour that includes the rooftop dome. I’m so glad we did that. One of the few things we did that was not free so get your tickets online.
Royal Exhibition Building Dome
Royal Exhibition Building interior
Melbourne Laneways
I know some cities have similar “alley” type spaces, but I have never seen anything so fun, festive and beautiful as the famous Melbourne Laneways. A result of Melbourne’s early grid layout, the laneways have become a thriving business area for locals and visitors. Many famous laneways, including Hosier Lane, Degraves Street, Hardware Lane, Meyers Place and Flinders Lane are known for their street art, cafes, shops, grafitti and bars. Through out the year festivals within the lane ways draw even bigger crowds. This is a perfect pedestrian area and one of my favorite parts of this beautiful city.
De Graves Lane
Meyers Place
Hosier Lane
Discover the Wonder of Melbourne Australia
We have only tapped the surface as we Discover the Wonder of Melbourne Australia. There is much more to see:
Royal Botanic Gardens
Throughout all our travel in Australia we have been astonished by the abundance of stunning and FREE Botanical Gardens everywhere we have gone. And Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens is the best. You can spend a couple hours or an entire day. Qantas Airlines calls it the number one thing to see in the entire country. I wouldn’t go that far, but it is an absolute not-to-miss destination when you want to Discover the Wonder of Melbourne Australia.
Lotus at Royal Botanic Gardens
Making friends at Royal Botanic Gardens
Markets
Melbourne is home to many markets, some seasonal. Our favorite is the South Melbourne Market for both shopping and dining. On both our visits to Melbourne we have grazed through the many restaurants located in the South Melbourne Market. It’s a great place to people watch. The other large market in Melbourne is the Queen Victoria Market. In the summer they have a night market on Wednesday nights and we really enjoyed that on this recent visit.
Queen Victoria Market
Night Market at Queen Victoria Market
Getting our produce at the South Melbourne Market
Grazing through the South Melbourne Market
Wow!
Australian Rules Football
With all the time we have spent in Australia we still had not experienced the spectacle that is Australian Rules Football. It is not American Football. Nor is it soccer. It is not rugby but similar. Here is what Wikipedia says;
The Melbourne Cricket Grounds is also home to AFL
We had a great time learning about this sport
Australian rules football, also called Australian football or Aussie rules,[2] or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by kicking the oval ball between the central goal posts (worth six points), or between a central and outer post (worth one point, otherwise known as a “behind”).
It’s impossible for me to list the thousands of festivals and events this city has. During our short visit we attended a Greek Festival, a Nepalese Festival, Moomba (one of Melbournes oldest festivals), and witnessed the annual Melbourne Grand Prix Formula One event. Just a few others include concerts, wine and food festival, history tours, live theater and many, many more. For the most up-to-date information you want to bookmark WhatsOn Melbourne.
Greek Festival
Moomba Festival Wakeboard Competition
Riding the historic Steamrail during the Moomba Festival
Just Outside the City
Saint Kilda
There are many neighborhoods just outside of the CBD that are worth a visit. Saint Kilda is a gorgeous beachfront town with a new pier that everyone should see. Stroll the esplanade and enjoy drinks and dining at one of the many delicious options, both waterfront and throughout the town. On weekends you really need a reservation. See our restaurant favs below. I highly recommend Saint Kilda.
Saint Kilda Pier
Historic Saint Kilda Amusement Park
People watching with a cool drink on a hot St. Kilda day
Williamstown
Williamstown, not as posh as Saint Kilda, is where we caught the ferry into the CBD (see above) and is a quiet, historic port town that is residential with a small downtown area. Great views of Melbourne from the Williamstown waterfront, also the location of the ferry to Tasmania and other destinations. We visited the Bathtub Gin Distillery on a recommendation from our friends and really loved it.
Historic Williamstown
Bathtub Gin in Williamstown
Altona
Altona, primarily a residential area and also very industrial, is home to our Airbnb . We had great access to Altona Beach and the beautiful Altona Walking Trails. The small town center near the waterfront has a handful of restaurants, grocery, post office and more. Short drive from our Airbnb to the train station.
The esplanade in Altona
The view from the Altona Homestead Park
Brighton Beach
A little further south of Saint Kilda is the iconic beach town of Brighton Beach. Renowned for its long sandy beaches, fabulous mansions and above all the historic and brightly colored Bathing Boxes. This is one of the main reasons Brighton is frequented by visitors to Melbourne. We enjoyed an afternoon on the beach and the water was so very warm.
Iconic Bathing Boxes in Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach
Day Trips or Further
Discover the Wonder of Melbourne and the surrounding Victoria area with day trips or an over night visit to many stunning areas. These are the ones we can highly recommend;
One Hour From Melbourne
Geelong
We visited Geelong on our way to The Great Ocean Road but it would also make a wonderful day trip from Melbourne. Geelong has a beautiful waterfront esplanade, a protected swimming area, historic carousel, and historic Victorian homes. But my favorite thing was the Baywalk Bollards, quirky and fun depictions of people and history, there are 100 bollards scattered along the waterfront.
Geelong Baywalk Bollards
Geelong
90 Minutes from Melbourne
Bendigo
We went to Bendigo to learn a bit about the important Gold Mine history of the Victoria region. We did that by visiting the Central Deborah Gold Mine and touring the underground mine. The gold rush boom town is home to beautiful Victorian architecture and a thriving arts district and CBD. We only spent part of the day here but I am really glad we did,
Central Deborah Golf Mine
Down Under, Down Under at the Central Deborah Gold Mine
Beautiful Bendigo
Yarra Valley
Depending on the traffic and on what part of the Yarra Valley you are headed, it will take around 90min or a bit more to arrive in this beautiful place. Northwest of Melbourne and home to the regions finest wines, with an emphasis on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. We did a wine tasting at Punt Road Winery and Cider tasting at their sister Napoleon Cider. We enjoyed both as well as the lovely grounds and service.
Punt Road Winery
The cider featured Cosmic Crisp Apples, a Washington State developed apple.
After wine tasting we had an amazing meal at Meltetos (more below) one of dozens of first class dining establishments around the wine region. Highly recommend.
Meletos was such a beautiful site and delicious too
Two Hours from Melbourne
Portsea and Point Nepean National Park on the Mornington Peninsula
We took a day trip out the Mornington Peninsula with a stop in Portsea to walk “Millionaires Walk” on a cliff that fronts incredible mansions. Then on to Point Nepean National Park, a historic site of a Quarantine area for immigrants and a beautiful ocean view. The point is home to The Rip, considered one of the world’s most dangerous sea passages and the mouth to Port Philip Bay and eventually Melbourne.
Millionaires Walk in Portsea
Quarantine Station at Point Nepean National Park
Silos
Through out much of Victoria and also in South Australia there is a wonderful collection of painted silos, each with their own story. We visited three different silo sites on our day trip to Bendigo. I learned about the silos from my fellow travel blogger Sharyn (see her blog here about Victoria’s Silo Art). If you want to explore more about these amazing works of art learn more about out the Silo Art Trail here. You can visit several easily from Melbourne in a few hours or take more time to travel farther afield.
Victoria Silos
Silos tell a history story
Beautiful artistry
Three Hours from Melbourne
Wilson’s Promontory National Park
We actually combined Wilson’s Promontory National Park and Raymond Island (see below) into a two day overnight road trip. But both could be done as a day trip from Melbourne. Wilson’s Promontory is a very large park with stunning views and beaches. If you are a hiker I certainly recommend it.
Stark Lookout at Wilson’s Promontory
High above the ocean, Wilson’s Promontory
Enjoying the shade
Squeaky Beach, Wilson’s Promontory National Park
Four Hours from Melbourne
Raymond Island
Visiting Raymond Island was one of my favorite things in the greater Melbourne area. Closer to Melbourne you could visit Phillip Island instead, but there is no guarantee you will see koalas there. At Raymond it is nearly guaranteed you will see koalas in the wild. And that is what I wanted to see. So we made this an overnight trip, but you could do it as a very long day trip (3+ hour drive one-way) from Melbourne. A tiny ferry shuttles you across the narrow channel to the island. It’s an easy walk into the forest where we saw a dozen different koalas, new-to-us birds, and breathed the eucalyptus air during our three hour visit. This is a must do.
Fun to find this fella wide awake
Taking a nap on Raymond Island
The ferry to Raymond is free for walk ons. You do not need a car on the island.
Overnight Road Trip
The Great Ocean Road
Please read the blog I wrote The Great Ocean Road Melbourne Australia to see in-depth information about our two-day road trip from Melbourne to Peterborough and back. I highly recommend you see this road and try not do it in one day. Two days would be safer and more enjoyable. Take your time and discover.
So beautiful
The 12 Apostles
Hungry?
Melbourne is home to a wide array of fabulous restaurants with a taste and a price for everyone. Though, as we always do, we cooked at home a lot, with a wide variety of excellent grocery stores near by. But we also enjoyed MANY wonderful Melbourne restaurants during our 30 day visit. Click on the link and make reservations when you can. Here is list of some of our favorites:
Big Esso – Aboriginal – try the Green Ant Gin and Tonic
Mackerel at Big Esso
Pork Belly at Rice Paper Scissors
Rice Paper Scissors – Asian with a flare. One of the best meals we had in Melbourne.
Yarra Botanica – right on the river walk perfect for people watching although there is much better food in the city.
Lamb Kebabs at Beckka
Tempura Whitefish at Yarra Botanica
Bekka – Lebanese and delicious in the Melbourne neighborhood of Moonie Ponds
The Waiters is a must visit when in Melbourne. Definitely call for a reservation at this historic and popular place.
Right at Home
It was our sincerest pleasure to return to Australia for the third time and Discover the Wonder of Melbourne Australia. Through out this country we have met the kindest people, enjoyed a great exchange rate, learned fascinating history and marveled at the jaw dropping scenery and nature. It is a place unlike anywhere else in the world. And we feel right at home. It ticks all the boxes for us, and we can’t wait to visit again, hopefully in 2027.
I could live here
Discover the Wonder of Melbourne Australia
Until then, thank you once again Australia. Good on ya Mate. You have my heart.
Abundance of Wildlife is one of the best things when you come to Discover the Wonder of Melbourne Australia
Please note, we will not have a travel blog post for the next few weeks as we now embark on our Bhutan Adventure. I hope to be posting regularly on Instagram while in Bhutan so follow along. Stay tuned for more about Bhutan in the week’s ahead.
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Maui might be a once in a lifetime trip for you. If it is, you hopefully can afford to do some of the most amazing activities the island offers. But plan well in advance and be ready to spend a pretty penny. It is one of the most expensive destinations in the world. So here are some tips if you want to enjoy Maui on a Budget.
I have been lucky enough to visit Maui many times, and have enjoyed the Luaus, whale watching, snorkeling and some amazing first class meals.
Kamaole Three Beach
But during our most recent visit, we made a big effort to lay-low and spend less. Sticking to our pre-designed budget is important in our travels, otherwise we can not continue to travel as we do. On our recent visit to Maui there were some new activities we considered, from cooking classes to glass blowing to chocolate tours. But, we chose to do Maui on a Budget. And you can too.
It won’t be easy, but there are ways to enjoy Maui on a Budget. And through the years I have discovered several things you can do to save money. Hopefully, some of these suggestions will give you a positive visit to this beautiful island paradise without breaking the bank. So here are our suggestions for Maui on a Budget.
Maui
When to Come
Choose to visit the island during the off-season and absolutely don’t come over the Christmas holidays. June-October is a great time to visit and the island is quieter and you will have a wide choice of accommodations.
Maui
Where to Stay
There are many, many condos available for rent and you will find it less expensive to stay in a condo than in a resort. By renting a condo rather than a hotel you can cook most of your meals and not blow your budget on eating out. Condos usually offer great pools and barbecue area for guest use.
Kamaole Sands was affordable in Kihei
Groceries
If you have a Costco membership use it. Although the Maui Costco can be very busy, you can really save money by shopping there. We did price comparison on cases of beer and it was astonishing. Gas at the Maui Costco is also much less.
We also found prices at Foodland and Times grocery stores were less than Safeway. I always bring a few things from home such as a small amount of spices, coffee, rice. If you have the room, try to bring things that are portable and you know you use regularly.
Maui
Rental Car
It’s pretty hard to visit Maui without a rental car. Unless you are only staying for a couple of days I highly recommend you get a car. But there are several rental agencies on the island renting older model cars for much less. We have used Kihei Rent a Car several times. The cars we have rented are Nissan, about ten years old, run great and get us where we need to be. About $34 a day this last visit as compared to $99 – $149 at the more well-known brand name rental agencies. There are some other budget friendly rental car agencies on the island too. Do your research.
Maui Sunset
Dining Out
Dining out in Maui is pretty expensive. That’s why we mostly cook in our condo. It is less expensive to visit some of the restaurants where the locals go…I recommend Sam Satos and Saigon Cafe. Another really great way to save money dining out while getting to enjoy some of Maui’s best restaurants is to go to Happy Hour. Many restaurants have a daily Happy Hour and you can get a reduced menu but the same great food for much less money. For instance, we enjoy Three’s Bar and Grill in Kihei for their happy hour food menu and their Mai Tai, normally $14 is 6.25 during Happy Hour. You can get a comprehensive list here Maui Happy Hours.
South Maui Gardens
Consider eating at some of the local food truck villages that have popped up around the island over the past few years. Maui has tons of food truck options now including in Kihei, Kaanapali, Wailuku, Kahalui and more. One of my favorite new food truck little gem is South Maui Gardens. Read this for more for ideas.
Food Trucks
Equipment
Before you spend $60 at Costco to buy a beach chair, double check with your condo to see if they have chairs available. Many condos have chairs, snorkel gear and even boogie boards available for their guests.
Keep your eyes out for locals selling used gear along the roadside.
Gently used equipment
Snorkeling
The beaches are free of course (did you know every beach in the state of Hawaii is a public beach) and many beaches are great for snorkeling. You don’t need to pay for an expensive tour to Molokini to see beautiful fish and coral. Check out this list here. Snorkel gear can be a carry on item if you pack it properly, saving you rental fees on the island. Check with your carrier for more information.
Maui
Whale Watching
Now you won’t get up close and personal, but from December – March you can whale watch right from the beach. There are 10,000 humpback whales that visit the waters between Maui, Lanai and Molokai every winter. With so many whales it’s not difficult to see them from the beach or from the look out point located on the Honoapi’ilani highway between Kihei and Lahaina.
Whale watching from the look out at Honoapi’ilani Highway between Kihei and Lahaina
Nature
Be sure to visit two nature preserves in South Maui that are free to visit. The Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge offers a walk through brackish area to view many of Maui’s most interesting birds. Access is from the Pi’ilani Highway ( also called the Maui Veterans Highway) and it is free.
Another part of this nature reserve is the Kealia Coastal Boardwalk, access this from the North Kihei Road. This is a great one for kids because it includes colorful and interesting interpretive signage and is an easy walk. Also free.
The ponds at Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge
Hiking
Hiking is free and there are some wonderful hikes on Maui. Check out our post Six Great Hikes on the Island of Maui. A Maui hike also affords you the opportunity to bird watch, whale watch and enjoy the local flora of this island. Some hikes also have historic and sacred sites – be culturally aware and respectful and learn about the heritage and history of the Hawaiian people. By the way, if you are a Senior and have an America the Beautiful National Park Pass be sure not to leave it at home. The pass will save you the $30 entry fee into Haleakala National Park.
La Perouse hike South Maui
Hula Shows
Luau’s are expensive, and when you are trying to do Maui on a Budget they are out of the question. But if you want to see a free hula show during your visit, there are several places that offer shows at different times depending on the time of year. Lahaina Cannery Mall, Maui Mall, Whaler’s Village, Four Seasons Resort Wailea and Kaanapali Beach Hotel all have shows sponsored by Hawaiian Airlines. See the schedule here.
If you are in South Maui, the Shops at Wailea do a wonderful free hula show with great live music every Tuesday from 5:30-6:30. This show is popular but there is a large area to sit on the ground or on a few chairs provided. Definitely worth it.
Another option is the Hula show held weekly at South Maui Gardens. This show costs $100 but it is full professional show with music. It does not include the luau food, just the show. It’s very popular and sells out in high-season so reserve ahead of time. Learn more at South Maui Gardens.
Canva
Golf
If you want to golf on Maui but can’t swallow the high prices, check out the Waiehu Municipal Course. Gorgeous views for a fraction of the cost.
Since we always stay in Kihei, we bring our clubs and golf 2-3 times a week at Maui Nui. If you plan to golf more than three times, it pays to buy the Maui Nui Players Program Card. Maui Nui has been extensive improvements over the past few years and we really enjoy it.
Golfing at Maui Nui
Other Cool Stuff
Visit Ho’okipa to watch the surfers….its absolutely remarkable and its free. While you are there you will probably also see turtles. This is the beach you can almost always be guaranteed to see turtles hauled up and sunning themselves on the beach. We have also seen the Hawaiian Monk Seal sleeping on the beach here. A rare treat. Remember…the seal and the turtles are protected…stay back and enjoy from a distance.
Maui
A lot of people try to go to Haleakala for sunrise. I admit it’s a cool thing to do, but reservations are now required. Sunset is easier and free and you can view it from much of the island. There are dozens of places to watch the sunset from Makenna to Kapalua, for free.
Maui
Give Back
Whether you are on a budget or not, consider giving back to the people of Maui. Many people suffered greatly during the recent Lahaina fires, and during Covid prior to that. Every time we visit Maui we make a cash donation to the Maui Food Bank. Thanks for considering it.
Maui on a Budget
Yes you can do Maui on a Budget with a little frugal planning. It’s worth it to enjoy this island paradise, even if you are watching your pennies. Maui No Ka Oi!
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We love to hike and when we are traveling we always set aside at least one day a week to hike and get out into nature. And during our recent visit to Maui we discovered another great hike to add to the many favorites we already have on this beautiful island. So today I thought I would share with you six great hikes on the island of Maui.
West Maui
West Maui
The area known as West Maui is home to Lahaina, Kaanapali, Napili and Kapalua. We spent six weeks exploring this area recently. Here are two of our favorite hikes.
Kapalua Coastal Trail
This trail can be busy but it’s worth it because it is so beautiful and definitely one of the six great hikes on the island of Maui. Parking can be difficult but look for street parking near the Napili Kai Resort, or paid parking at Kapalua Golf Course. Start the hike right at Merriman’s Restaurant where the trail heads north. The trail then winds through spectacular lava flows where you can see crashing waves and nesting shearwaters birds nesting. Follow the trail along the road at the Kapalua Golf Course and out to the Dragons Teeth Labyrinth. Round trip about 4 miles. Learn more here.
Kapalua Coastal Trail
The Village Course and Duck Pond
The Kapalua Golf Club closed one of their three courses in 2007. Today the cart paths of the defunct Village Course are a unique and somewhat eerie (and steep) walk through a golf ghost town. It’s astonishing actually how quickly nature has reclaimed this course, making the fairways essentially unrecognizable only eighteen years later. The walk is about four miles round trip at the top is Duck Pond, a nice stop to rest or picnic before returning down. Learn more here.
The Village Course Trail
South Maui
South Maui is usually defined as Kihei, Wailea and Makena. We have spent a great deal of time in this part of the island and we love it.
South Maui
La Perouse/Hoapili Trail
This is one of my favorites of the six great hikes on the island of Maui, but also a bit rough and difficult. Traversing over sharp lava beds, come prepared with the right shoes. It’s a hot and arid trail but provides some stunning views across to the Big Island of Hawaii. The trail is also a sacred trail for Hawaiians, once part of the King’s Highway that circled the island. Crossing the 300 year old lava field is a unique experience, if you are up for it I recommend it highly. Wear a hat and bring lots of water. Learn more here.
La Perouse Hoapili Trail
Central Maui
The region sometimes referred to as Central Maui is home to the airport in Kahului and the government seat city of Wailuku as well as malls, shopping and industrial areas.
Central Maui
Waihee Ridge
About a 7 mile drive north and west from Wailuku you find the parking area for the Waihee Ridge Trail. We have done this trail several times and had a wide variance in weather each time. Come prepared for rain, wind, fog or clear blue skies…you never know. Arrive early for parking. The trail goes up and up the green and beautiful ridge for about 2.5 miles and if you are lucky the views are phenomenal. Learn more here.
Waihee Ridge
Haleakala
The astonishing volcano Haleakala rises 10,000 feet (3048 meters) out of the island and can be seen from almost anywhere on the island. If you go to do either of these suggested hikes get an early start. Often the volcano is clear in the morning but clouds roll in later in the day. BE PREPARED, Haleakala can be very cold in the morning…cold enough to warrant a stocking cap and warm coat.
Haleakala
Sliding Sands
This is one of my favorite hikes on the island. Starting at the top of the volcano at the Visitor Information Center, Sliding Sands, as it’s name implies, is a red sandy trail that goes down inside the volcano crater. Don’t do more than you are capable of on this eleven mile round trip trail, because you need to come back up! Along this trail you will feel like you are on the moon. It’s beautiful, and you will also see the rare and endangered Silver Sword plant known only to grow in this volcano and the two volcanoes on the Big Island. Learn more here.
Sliding Sands and Haleakala Silver Sword
Halemau’u Trail
Approximately 14.2 miles up Highway 378 but before you reach the summit, you will see the Halemau’u Trail parking on the left side of the road. This trail often starts in the mist and clouds, but don’t despair. As you walk the ridge and then go down the rock face trail into the crater the weather usually warms and clears. There is a picnic area that is a good turn around point. Or you can hike all the way through to Sliding Sands and back up to the Visitor Center. But you will need to either have two cars or someone to bring you back to the Halemau’u parking area. Learn more here.
Halemau’u Trail
Maui Hikes
These are just a few of the many hikes available on the beautiful island of Maui. No matter your hiking skill level you can find a walk or hike on this island. If you are looking for additions to the six great hikes on the island of Maui check this out.
I absolutely love writing this blog post each year. Throughout the year I think about what experiences and places might make this list. And when it’s time to write – it’s a fun walk down memory lane as I reminisce about the previous year of travel. Maybe I can inspire you to travel to some of these places. I know for a fact several of my followers are planning visits to Australia … which was our favorite country from 2023! I hope it’s fun for you to read and enjoy the awards we bestow on our favorites and the best of the best (and a few duds too) from our year of travel; the Eighth Annual World Travel Awards 2024.
The Acropolis on a rainy night
We are now into our ninth year of travel as part of The Grand Adventure. What a remarkable ride it has been. Not sure exactly what the next few years will bring…but it’s already open for discussion.
2024
What an incredible year. We have had a wonderful year of travel; both long stays and short, independent travel and guided. Though we prefer longer stays (and we had some good ones) this year included more short stays than in the past. This resulted in the greatest number of countries ever – TWENTY FOUR! The list includes; Thailand, Singapore, Italy, San Marino, Spain, Andorra, Greece, Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Austria, Slovakia, Madagascar, USA, Armenia, France, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, United Arab Emirates.
Wild & Wonderful Kyrgyzstan
Destinations – 24 Countries & 2 US States
Favorite Country – Madagascar
The wildlife in Madagascar blew my mind
I never imagined Madagascar would be my favorite country of this travel year. But we were astonished and enchanted by the beauty, the wildlife and the people. Madagascar had been on our bucket list for a very long time, and it was worth the wait.
Favorite City – a tie between Athens Greece and Vienna Austria
Athens
Vienna
With so many destinations it really is hard this year to choose one favorite, and these two cities charmed us. We returned to Athens after having a poor experience the first time and I am so glad we did. It is remarkable. And Vienna with its astonishing beauty is definitely one I hope to visit again.
Favorite Town – Khiva Uzbekistan and Alberobello Italy
Khiva Uzbekistan
Alberobello, Italy
For overall history, beauty and unique experiences these two lovely towns, though very different from each other, were our two favorites of the year. Khiva Uzbekistan and Alberobello Italy
Favorite Island – Crete Greece and Honorable Mention to Sicily Italy
Crete
Sicily
My husband and I discussed this category in depth and finally settled on Crete with an Honorable Mention to lovely Sicily. We had long stays on both, during off season in both, which gave us a great opportunity to experience the heart of these remarkably unique places. We would love to return.
Most Expensive Country – Austria
Vienna Austria
We only visited Vienna on our six days in Austria, but Vienna is expensive. Despite staying a bit outside of the historic core, our hotel was expensive. And despite loving all the food we enjoyed, it too was very expensive. But this city is worth a visit, no matter what.
Least Expensive Country – Thailand
For budget travelers, Thailand is the place
We spent a month on the island of Koh Chang, doing very little. We didn’t love our Airbnb, but it was comfortable enough and cheap. However it was so far away from anything including a supermarket or even a restaurant, we had little reason to spend any money during our month long stay.
Accommodations
More hotels than in past years but also several Airbnb’s, and some wonderful yurts!
Favorite Airbnb – Crete Greece
Restored Historic Airbnb in Crete
We loved this big beautiful stone house with swimming pool we rented with friends in Chania on the island of Crete. A restored historic home was perfect for a group. Another smaller unit next door we might consider in the future.
Favorite Hotel – Singapore
Comfortable, clean and affordable Singapore Oasia Hotel
We stayed in ALOT of hotels this year (35), it’s hard to even remember them all. But we chose the Oasia Hotel in Singapore as our favorite. In fact we just booked that same hotel again for next March. The best thing about this hotel was it was affordable, in a city that can break the bank, and the staff was great, room was comfortable and the location was excellent. I’m sure this will be our go-to for layovers in Singapore from here on.
Best Airbnb for Service – Yerevan Armenia
Yerevan Airbnb
Some Airbnb’s you never hear from your hosts, while others are helpful and kind. We had several exceptional hosts this year, but we give this award to our host David in Yerevan Armenia. When we were in a car accident (see more about that below) he made sure we got to a hospital, served as our interpreter and would not accept any compensation for giving up his Sunday to assist us. It’s rare we have emergencies like this, but we are forever grateful to kind people like David.
David never left our side at the Emergency Room
Most Expensive Airbnb – Chania Crete
A caveat is needed here – This Airbnb was three bedrooms with a pool and we shared the cost with two other couples. It was beautiful too and we loved our stay at $174 per night.
We loved this place in Crete I would like to go back.
Least Expensive Airbnb – Baku Azerbijan
The view from our Baku Apartment
Although it smelled of cigarette smoke, our older apartment in Baku also came with an amazing view – for only $35 a night.
Best View – Koh Chang Thailand
That view
Although we had some issues with this property and the host, we gotta say the view was unparalleled.
Most Unique Accommodations – Kyrgyzstan
Biggest Yurt ever is where we had our meals
Our tour through the Five Stans had us staying in hotels, home stays and yurts, and our favorite was the Almaluu Yurt Village in IssyKuhl Lake, Kyrgyzstan. Comfy and warm, the unique and historic style of nomadic housing is beautiful and functional and now I want one for my own!
Food & Drink
Favorite Cuisine – Sicily and Georgia
Sicily is all about the freshest ingredients
Kachapuri is Georgia’s national dish. So good!
Vastly different, the cuisine of these two unique places were amazing. Sicilian food (don’t call it Italian) is fresh and full of flavor and the Sicilians are so incredibly proud of their food. In Georgia we were astonished to stumble on the unique and flavorful cuisine influenced over a thousand years by travelers along the Silk Road.
Best Food Tour – Bologna Italy & T’bilisi Georgia
Not the Bologna of your childhood.
Kinkali dumplings in Georgia
Again it’s a tie. We do a lot of food tours. The best ones include unique hidden places, tidbits of history and insider knowledge, served up with a knowledgeable and humorous guide. I highly recommend both of these tours if you visit Bologna and Tours and the City or T’bilisi with Culinary Backstreets.
Best Cooking Class – Crete Greece and Honorable Mention Koh Chang Thailand
The Crete class was amazing, a family affair in a beautiful new cooking space. With our friends we were welcomed by the family at Veerna’s Kitchen and enjoyed a marvelous experience. We also had a tasty and fun day with Bunny at her Napalai Thai Cooking School in Koh Chang Thailand.
Outdoor oven at Veerna’s Cooking School, Crete
Delicious foods at Napalai Cooking School Koh Chang Thailand
Best Meal – Mother Wolf Las Vegas Nevada USA
Best meal of the year, surprisingly in Las Vegas
We spent a few days in Las Vegas in June, specifically to attend a concert of my husband’s favorite artist Elvis Costello. We were traveling with another couple, and before the concert we enjoyed one of the best meals I have ever had at beautiful restaurant called Mother Wolf. If you visit Las Vegas you must eat there.
Most Unique Food – Tajikistan
Qurutob – delicious
I bet you never heard of Qurutob. I sure hadn’t. But it is the national dish of Tajikistan and it is an acquired taste; dried sour yogurt is rehydrated and mixed with a delicious selection of grilled vegetables, bread and meat. We loved it!
Best Beer – Samarkand Uzbekistan
Sam Craft in Samarkand Uzbekistan
One of our free evenings in Samarkand we went looking for a micro brew pub. My husband has an internal radar for micro brew pubs. And we found Sam Craft. It was worth the search on a rainy night.
Best Wine – T’bilisi Georgia
I tried a lot of wine in T’bilisi. Here enjoying several on my food tour.
I learned while in Georgia that this country is considered the earliest place where wine was made, based on 8000 year old findings of wine making. The Georgian people take this very seriously, and all the wine we had was excellent. Back in the USA we looked for and found some places to purchase delicious Georgian wine…it is now part of our wine cellar.
Culture
Most Authentic Cultural Experience – Kyrgyzstan
Master Eagle Hunter Kyrgyzstan
Yurt Making – not many artisans left. This family welcomed us into their home to learn how it’s done.
We only had four days in Kyrgyzstan, but it was some of the most memorable days of my travels. And two authentic cultural experiences happened on the same day; spending time with a Master Eagle Hunter and a Yurt Building Family. Both these occupations are UNESCO Cultural protected ancient activities. I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity with these people.
Most Amazing Man Made Structure – Matera Italy
Matera Italy was mind blowing – I had never heard of this place that dates back to the Paleolithic period
How to choose the winner when we visited Rome, Barcelona, Athens and amazing Uzbekistan? But we decided on one of the most unique places we have ever seen, an unexpected and new to us city of cave dwellings from thousands of years ago…the remarkable city of Matera. With a history of continuous occupation dating back to the Paleolithic (10th millennium BC), it is renowned for its rock-cut urban core, whose twin cliff side zones are known collectively as the Sassi. If you go to Italy – it’s a must.
Most Incredible Natural Sight – Baobab Alley Madagascar
Remarkable place
I had been dreaming about seeing this place with my own eyes for years….and I was not disappointed. Nature is so amazing. Grateful that Madagascar has protected the Baobab trees.
Best Gardens – Schonbrunn Palace Vienna Austria
The gardens at Schonbrunn Palace
Well the incredible mansion/ Palace (Castle?) of the Hapsburg Dynasty just outside of Vienna was astonishing in itself, but the gardens…Wow. Hands down my favorite of all the gardens we saw this year.
Best Market – Khujand Market Tajikistan and Chorsu Market Tashkent Uzbekistan
This is only one part (the meat part) of Chorsu Market in Tashkent Uzbekistan
I loved this market in Khujand Tajikistan
If you read my blog posts much you know that a good, authentic market is possibly my favorite thing to do in any place we visit. And both of these, Chorsu in Uzbekistan and Khujand Tajikistan were all about the locals finding what they need from meat to produce to cheese and even clothing and shoes. It was perfect.
Best Museum – Azerbaijan Carpet Museum Baku Azerbaijan, Honorable Mention Belvedere Vienna Austria
Hand tying a beautiful wool carpet
The building is designed to look like a rolled up carpet.
We visited dozens of museums over the past year. So it was very hard to pick even two in this category. We considered everything from the amazing Acropolis Museum in Athens to the Gangster Museum in Las Vegas. But our choice for the top two are the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum and the Belvedere Art Museum in Vienna. Though very different both house incredible works of art and are housed in magnificent architecturally unique building.
The exterior at the Belvedere
The Kiss by Gustav Klimt at the Belvedere
Best Walking Tour – Chania Crete & Night tour Baku Azerbaijan
Chania Crete
Baku Azerbaijan
We arrived in both Chania and Baku with not a lot of knowledge about the history (both recent and ancient) of either place. A good walking tour is always helpful in these situations. In Chania our group of six hired a guide who was born and raised in the town, was funny and informative and spoke excellent English. In Baku we did a night tour with five other “new” friends – the city absolutely sparkled at night and we learned some amazing history we would have completely missed without this excellent tour and guide.
Best Overall Historical Site – Athens Greece
Hadrian’s Library
We are so glad we returned to Athens for a longer visit after having a awful one day tour off a cruise ship decades ago. This time we explored this amazing city and all it has from top to bottom. It really is a remarkable place.
Best Performance – Spanish Riding School Vienna Austria and Honorable Mention Elvis Costello Las Vegas Nevada
I did not realize what we were getting into when we went to the Spanish Riding School performance in Vienna but it was unlike any horse performance anywhere in the world. Astonishing. And a wonderful concert in Las Vegas with Elvis Costello deserves an honorable mention.
I have never seen anything like the Spanish Riding School performance in Vienna
Elvis Costello still rocking after all these years
Best One Day Tour – Georgia
Georgia was incredible – this is Gergeti Trinity Church
In T’bilisi we hired a guide to take us to the Gudauri region, several hours outside the city and near the Russian border. This is a popular ski area, and also popular for tourists to hike and enjoy waterfalls and to visit the famous Gergeti Trinity Church. We lucked out with gorgeous weather on our visit…only a week later they got their first snow.
Best Multi-Day Tour – The Five Stans Intrepid Travel
Uzbekistan
After postponing this trip a few times due to the PanDamit, it finally happened for us in 2024. A 28 day tour. We were hesitant if 28 days and five countries would be too much. But thankfully Intrepid Travel made this an exceptional experience with very few bumps along the way. This was our second time using Intrepid and I think they have my loyalty.
Kazakhstan
Best Tour Guide – Svetlana with Intrepid Travel
With Svetlana in Kyrgyzstan
One of the reasons Intrepid has our loyalty is they know what makes a good guide. Patient, smart, empathetic, funny and able to function on no sleep! Our guide in the Stans was Svetlana and she was absolutely remarkable.
Nature
Best Sunrise – Koh Chang Thailand
Koh Chang Sunrise
Every morning with my coffee. It was the best thing about this Airbnb.
Best Sunset – Madagascar
Baobab Alley at sunset
A dream come true in Madagascar being here at sunset.
Best Hike – Zingaro Natural Reserve Sicily and Mount Rainier Washington State
Zingaro Nature Reserve was a short drive from our Airbnb in Scopello Sicily
My favorite place in the world, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State USA
We hike ALOT – around the world and at home in Washington State. Our favorites this year were very diverse, stunning and inspiring.
Overall Natural Beauty – Madagascar
Hidden treasure everywhere
Madagascar blew my mind. What a place.
Best Wildlife – Madagascar
There just aren’t enough words to adequately describe the wildlife of Madagascar. Photos help.
Chameleons and other reptiles where so beautiful but often camoflaged
Lemurs of all kinds
So beautiful
How beautiful is that?
Best Bird Watching – Madagascar
We have become very interested in birds over the last few years…but even with this interest we never gave much thought to where birds sleep. Or how they sleep. In Madagascar we had the remarkable experience of doing a night walking tour and seeing birds sleeping. And lots of other amazing birds too.
Though we had a lot of rain during February in Sicily we got out and ran the dirt roads on the small peninsula where our cute Airbnb was. Rarely saw a car or another human.
Best Pool or Spa – Caldea Spa Andorra
Well that was a fun day at Caldea Spa in Andorra
We spent two short days in the tiny country of Andorra that straddles France and Spain. Our favorite thing we did was enjoy a full day at the famous Caldea Spa.
Weather
Hottest Day – Madagascar
It was great to get out on the water on this extreme hot and dry day
Most Humid – Thailand
Some days the humidity was oppressive
Coldest Day – Border Crossing between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
Icy cold wind greeted us as we crossed the border on foot between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
Wettest Day – Bologna Italy
It was raining buckets but luckily Bologna’s famous porticoes kept us mostly dry
Windiest – Athens Greece and San Marino
We nearly blew off the mountain top of tiny San Marino
There were people up here in shorts and tshirt…terribly unprepared and turning blue.
Travel
Longest Travel Day – Koh Chang Thailand to Bologna Italy
Tiny Trat Airport
Thirty four hours door to door – this day included a van, a ferry, three flights and a taxi. A total distance of 5971 miles. Thank goodness we have airport lounge privileges. Our longest single flight was Dubai to Seattle at 7410 miles; but a mere 18 hours door to door.
Shortest Flight – Trat to Bangkok
A quick flight covering 161 miles go us close to our destination of Koh Chang, but we also had to take a ferry.
Best Airport – Changi Singapore
Its worth it to visit Singapore just to see this airport.
One of the best and most beautiful airports in the world – Changi Singapore
Worst Airport – Morondava Madagascar
This place wasn’t the smallest airport we have ever been in, but it nearly was. Departure board was a white board written in colored marker
Miscellaneous
Expensive But Worth It – Five Stans Tour with Intrepid Travel
Of course a 28 day tour covering five countries isn’t going to be cheap. We had cars, planes, trains, vans, subways, all of our lodging, much of our food and the most amazing guide included in Intrepid Travels Five Stans Tour. For two people the cost was $13,530 dollars – just under $500 per day. I don’t regret it.
Each Country was amazing. This is Kyrgyzstan
This is Turkmenistan
The Ouch Award – Car Crash in Yerevan Armenia
It doesn’t look that serious. And it would not have been if we had been wearing seat belts.
A difficult lesson was learned when we got into a taxi that did not have seat belts. It wasn’t the first time in our travels where we have encountered this. We should have refused…but we didn’t and five minutes later the crazy driver crashed. At first we thought we were okay, just shaken. But the next day Arne had some serious and frightening symptoms. A trip to the emergency room where he was diagnosed with a concussion. He did not have to stay in the hospital but he did have to lay low for the following two weeks, causing us to change our itinerary to give him time to recover before we began the Stans tour. We are very grateful it wasn’t worse. Seat belts. Always.
Best Photo of the Year
With 24 countries its hard to choose which photo is the best….not to mention I am obsessive about photo taking. But for 2024 we choose these – a collection of Baobab Alley Madagascar. Seeing this was a lifelong dream of mine. And it was just as amazing as I had imagined.
Baobab Alley
Wildflowers Baobab Alley
Sunset at Baobab Alley
Eighth Annual World Travel Awards 2024
There you have it. The best of the best of My Fab Fifties Life travel of 2024. Amazing, memorable and unique experiences with new cultures and fantastic experiences around the world. What a grand adventure it is. We sure hope you will consider visiting some of these places and enjoying some of these unique experiences too – the eighth annual world travel awards 2024. Please let us know if you do visit any of our suggestions.
High above Bovilla Reservoir in Albania. That road to get here was interesting.
What next?
As I post this annual awards I am on the island of Maui – the first stop of our 2025 adventure. Over the next year we will visit anywhere from 8-12 more countries. Those include the Cook Islands, Australia, Singapore, Bhutan, France, Luxembourg, USA and Canada – with others still in the works.
Friendly and docile chameleons are my new favorite
It takes me weeks to write this post so I hope you have enjoyed the Eighth Annual World Travel Awards 2024. My goal is to inspire you. The world is so amazing…not everyone is going to want to go to places like Kyrgyzstan. I understand that. But I hope you have learned something and perhaps are motivated to step beyond your comfort zone. We hope you will continue to follow us around the globe, comment, pin and share this post so others can follow as well. Thank you and stay fabulous. This travel blog wouldn’t be possible without all of you.
Beautiful memorial in Novi Sad Serbia remembering the 4000 civilians murdered by the Hungarian forces during WWII
More From the Past
If you would like to see our Travel Awards from the past, you can click on any of these links; 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017.
HAPPY NEW YEAR OF TRAVEL!!! We appreciate it when you comment, share and pin our blog posts – especially this one!! The Eighth Annual World Travel Awards 2024. Stay tuned! Lots of adventures ahead! Thank you.
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