It’s no secret that exploring the world and everything it has to offer is something I love and want to do more of (hence this blog), but realistically I can’t always be traveling… So how do I keep my wanderlust at bay? I admit it’s not always easy, and some who know me, mainly my husband, might say I fail miserably.
Relaxing in the Generalife Gardens of the Alhambra Granada Spain 2015
Feed Your Wanderlust
Feeding my wanderlusting spirit is a full time job! Have I mentioned, I love my job!? Eating out and cooking food from favorite destinations, or places I dream of going is a fun way to satisfy my wanderlust. In fact, we’ve picked destinations based solely on a meal!
Our first family trip to New Orleans came about while planning a ski trip in Tahoe. Sitting in a New Orleans themed restaurant planning, we realized, why not New Orleans? We went straight home and booked our tickets! To this day we’ve never made it to Tahoe, but we do visit New Orleans every year.
Taken in City Park during our most recent visit to NOLA in April 2017.
Interested in visiting New Orleans? I’ve written a “few” Articles:
- 10 Things to do in New Orleans with Kids
- New Orleans Last But Not Least
- New Orleans! The French Quarter!
- New Orleans! Family Style
- New Orleans! Let’s Fest!
- New Orleans! On the Mississippi!
- New Orleans! Lets Eat Lunch & Talk About Dinner
- New Orleans Cafe Du Monde
- A Photo Tour of the French Quarter
- NOLA!
I love fish & chips, and they’re a nice reminder of our visits to London, a favorite destination of mine. We make regular visits to The Wee Chippy, on Venice Beach, and although they don’t offer mushy peas, it does help keep that particular craving satisfied.
We love the food in Spain with two of my favorite items being Manchego cheese and chorizo. I keep a steady supply of both these items in the house at all times!
I don’t know how “Spanish” the Spanish Latte at Menotti’s is, but I do love the coffee in Spain, so this is a nice reminder.
Cheese is easily my favorite food! My local market has a great selection and I was pretty excited to discover they even had Blarney Castle cheese?!
Here we are at Blarney Castle in 2016
Blogs & Books
Blogs
Of course I don’t only write a travel blog I also read other travel blogs, which not only helps with planning, but they’re also great for “visiting” places I may never make it to, and for inspiration and advice!
I met up with my fellow Blogger, Cory, from Fifi & Hop in New Orleans!
I’ve discovered many wonderful blogs, and have come across real world advice which I know I’ll use. In fact, I already have!
I’ll be traveling throughout Nevada, Utah, and Arizona in a few weeks, and I booked rooms based on Oregon Girl Around the World‘s blog. Thanks to Tanama Tales, I learned I’ll need advance reservations for the Las Vegas Neon Museum, a place I definitely plan on visiting.
Travel Blogs I read frequently:
Clare from Suitcases and Sandcastles writes about family travel. Her photography is stunning, and her destinations are wide ranging, they include everything from remote Greek Islands to The Hundred Acre Wood (otherwise known as Ashdown Forest)!
Katy from Untold Morsels writes about her family’s travels with an emphasis on food and unique places to stay! After reading about her stay in Amsterdam I’m definitely putting houseboat on my list!
Lorelei from Caliglobtrotter is a California girl currently living in Germany. I love reading about her adventures, especially the many castles she visits! Her photography is amazing, and now I know how to pronounce Ljubljana! (Pronounced: Lub-lee-yana)!
Erin of Oregon Girl Around the World currently lives in Copenhagen, but we’re both from the PNW, and I love that we connected with eachother via blogging! She’s full of fun and eco-friendly ideas!
I always look forward to reading posts by The Adventures of Daisy the Bus, written by Jonny a father of four, who loves to travel to places off the beaten path. He paints a lovely picture with his words, his photos are pretty great too, and I have wanted to visit just about every place he mentions!
Cory of Fifi & Hop, who I was lucky enough to meet in New Orleans, writes about her family’s adventures on the East Coast and abroad! I especially loved her post on Tuscany, I was ready to book a flight after reading it!
I love reading Joy Loves Travel who seems to have some similar interests to my own! Her info on Belgium came in handy prior to my own visit there.
Dannii Jane of A Beautiful Thing writes a lifestyle blog, but features her adventures in and around London and Europe. Thanks to her we found ourselves in Camden during our last visit!
Books
I admit I have a guidebook habit. As soon as I learn I’ll be going somewhere, or even if it’s just a possibility I’ll pick up the guidebook(s). I also love travel magazines, the big glossy photos, Best Of lists and the off the beaten path recommendations all feed my passion to see more of the world!
Though not a book, Instagram is great for inspiration, and I have discovered not only far away places, but many fun ideas much closer to home.
Some of my favorite Instagrammers:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTuIN1FA1ut/?taken-by=photosofbritain
https://www.instagram.com/p/BT_GXWOBnPE/?taken-by=pli.panda
Preserve your Wanderlust
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I have TOO many photos on my computer and no idea how to manage them all! Recently I’ve started creating photo books using not only my travel pictures, but the text from my blog posts as well. They look lovely, and make great keepsakes.
We don’t just shut our photos up into books on a shelf, we love to print them out for display too! Some of our favorites from near and far are hanging in large format around our home. We love it when people come to visit and ask about the different locations!
These 20 x 20 London dessert prints hang in my son’s room!
It’s not all about photography! We love a good project, and have created various pieces of art around the house, which represent loved places. Most recently I painted this “graffiti” Union Jack flag using spray paint and resin. I’m practicing for those Venice Art Walls! We can’t forget about the around the world furniture projects!
Lego Destinations
We’re big lego fans in our house and we get excited when sets are created that represent places we’ve been!
This rather large Lego Tower Bridge lives on top of my guidebook shelf!
We built this Tower Bridge set over the winter holidays. I’m anxiously awaiting my Houses of Parliament set, which should keep me busy this summer, while planning what I hope is a Christmas trip to the UK.
Be A Hometown Tourist
Whether or not you’ve lived very long in a place, I guarantee you haven’t done it all! We’ve had such a great time this past year playing tourist in our own town, and with all that Los Angeles has to offer, I see no signs of that slowing down!
In case you’re interested, here are just some of the articles I’ve written about our recent discoveries in and around the Los Angeles area!
8 Reasons VENICE Should Top your LA List
50 Things To Do in Los Angeles
The Museum of Ice Cream Los Angeles
The Hidden Staircases of Silver Lake
Downtown Los Angeles Graffiti & Mural Walking Tour
InstaLA! 15 Places to Snap Those InstaGood Pics
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Pin for later:
danniijane
Loved this post Hilary! Always enjoy reading about your travel. Love the dessert primts you got done! Great idea😊 Thank you for mentioning me so sweet. Your travels always inspire me xx
Hilary
Thank you! I enjoy your adventures too!
Clare Thomson
This is such a great post, Hilary! You’ve got me thinking about all the ways we plan travel too. I’m very proud of my extensive guidebook collection. Even in this digital age, I have to have a guide book before we go anywhere. I absolutely LOVE your idea of creating pieces of art to showcase some of your great travels. I’m going to have to look into that. And that Lego collection is fab. Our Lego is all Hogwarts and Star Wars at the moment but I do love the idea of collecting some of the architecture sets. I notice you say the Houses of Parliament set will keep YOU busy over the summer. Do you do it with the kids too? And thank you so very much for including my blog in your list. I’m determined to take you to the Hundred Acre Wood one day! C xxx
Hilary
Thank you!! I have too many books, but refuse to give them up! We love art and we love travel so… yes, it is me who will build the Parliament set, with a little help from my sons. They build too, but prefer “free” building. I enjoy the process of a large set. They enjoy looking at the finished piece. I love your blog! I’m determined that when I do get to the Hundred Acre Wood it will be with you! 😊
Clare Thomson
Let’s make it happen!
joylovestravel
Thanks for the shout out Hilary!! Some great ideas here too that I will be using – the Lego especially would go down very well in our house and make a great travel reminder. I make photo books as well of our travels and have been doing it for about ten years – they make great reminders of trips gone by.
Hilary
You’re welcome! So pleased we’ve connected through our blogs!
California Globetrotter
Aww thanks for the shout out! So happy to hear that you love reading my blog for the castles! I like to think I’m an amateur photographer, but sometimes I wonder haha. Love all these resources! Hopefully one day we’ll also get to meet! #FarawayFiles
Hilary
I LOVE castles!! It would be great to meet! Maybe when you’re here in Cali!?
California Globetrotter
Hopefully next May! But we’ll see!
Annabel Kirk
Great post! You’re right, reading other people’s blogs is such a great way to research and to be inspired. I’m fairly new to blogging but have already found so many useful tips from others. #theweeklypostcard
Anisa
Wow you really are all about travel and have really incorporated it into all aspects of your life. I love having international food while I am home too. And also of course, enjoy reading lots of travel blogs! Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard.
oregongirlaroundtheworld
I love the way you keep the traveling alive once you return! I need to make more photo books, I used to be really diligent about that! Thank you kindly for the shout out and blog love – cheers from Copenhagen! Erin
Hilary
It’s hard to find time, but I love looking back through and reliving the trips! Of course I’d give you a shoutout! I love your blog and hope I actually get to visit some of these places in the future! I’ll let you know how our stays at the Golden Nugget and Desert Pearl turn out!
oregongirlaroundtheworld
I hope you love it!!
walshswanderlust
Great post! Love the photos.
Hilary
Thank you!
walshswanderlust
You’re welcome 🙂
Clare Thomson
Great to re-read this for #FarawayFiles Xx
RobRob @TravelLatte(.net)
What a fun post! Besides all of the great travel bloggers we follow (like you!) we get a great deal of inspiration from travel celebrities, like Rudy Maxa, Samantha Brown, and Rick Steves. We also like to watch and follow Paul & Sheryl Shard, who sail around the world full-time in Distant Shores! What a dream!! Now we’re also going to have to go find those Lego sets! How cool are they? 🙂 Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard.
Hilary
Thanks for your kind words!! I also love watching Rick Steves and Other traveling celebrities too, but decided my post was already too long! 😘