This year has been amazing traveling wise. We have experienced so many things and so many new and wonderful places. Traveling for us is an addiction. It’s more than a hobby. It’s something that we are so passionate about. I have often wondered why. Maybe it’s the adrenaline rush from landing in a new place, maybe it’s the excitement of the unexpected, or maybe it’s the break from reality and everyday life. I do have a sinking suspicion that it might be a combination of all three.

While things have changed recently in our lives to make it so that we won’t be able to travel as often as we have in the past, we do want our readers to understand the passion and addiction is nowhere near gone. It’s very much here and alive. I’m guessing it will always be so. So, to make myself feel better about the changes that have come to pass recently, I am posting a list of our top 5 favorite trips of this year so far.

Maui, Hawaii

Sometimes when I have a really crazy day or when BabyTravels is teething and NOT happy, I imagine myself laying on the beach, relaxing on toasty sand, roasting in a warm but not too hot sun. Then when I get nice and warm I take a cool dip in the ocean, emerging myself in the healing saltiness of the sea.  Sigh……

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Only by a close second does the scenery on our cruise beat the cuisine. And really that’s because it’s Alaska and that’s just no competition. Had we been anywhere else and the food would have been King Supreme. I mean, it even had Reid begging for mercy at one point. He was eating his roasted lamb and he just started nodding his head and saying this is amazing. It takes a lot to get that kind of reaction out of him.
I on the other hand couldn’t stop raving. Most people know I am a foodie at heart, but they also know I do not discriminate. There really isn’t anything I don’t like. I also love gourmet, but I can eat ribs and hamburgers with the best of them. I just appreciate food in all of it’s glory. A cruise is definitly the best of both worlds. You get your fine dining in the main dining room and specialty restaurants but also if you are looking for a good quality face stuffing the buffet is where it’s at. Here are some of the highlights of our favorite food moments from our Celebrity Cruise in pictures, that is if we could bring ourselves to snap a shot before we gobbled it down.

An assortment of tasty Sushi

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There is nothing like a cruise. I honestly believe it is the perfect vacation. Everything is taken care of. You don’t have to worry about what you are going to eat for dinner, when you are going to clean your room, rental cars, and hotels, or anything at all really. All you have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy yourself and the people you are with.

Sunset in the Inside Passage, Alaska

Last week we had the pleasure of forgetting our everyday world and enjoying an honest to goodness vacation. Sure we travel quite often, more so than the average couple with a baby, but I wouldn’t really classify them as vacations. They are still work dealing with all the rental cars, hotels, food, and sightseeing. It’s exhausting. But this time we just enjoyed each other’s company and the beautiful world around us.

It’s true that this wasn’t our first time to Alaska. And it most definitely won’t be our last.  As much as I love Hawaii, I think Alaska may have it beat as our favorite place to visit (I guess it’s only fair I give Hawaii another shot).  Anyways, we boarded our Celebrity Cruise and we were treated…well like celebrities! The staff was the most friendly, the service excellent and have I mentioned the food yet? Pretty much amazing! All my foodie friends are going to die when we post our Eating Around series from this cruise.

Anyways, here are of the highlights from this vacation:

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Gray Cargill of SoloFriendly graciously tagged me in the 3 Best Travel Secrets challenge, and seriously it has been a challenge to think of 3 secrets that aren’t widely known. This game was kicked off by Katie at TripBase.com as a way to unite the travel blogging community and create a list of our collective best travel tips. Hopefully my secrets will add some value!

1. Sweet Potato French Fries, Squatters, Downtown SLC. Squatters Pub and Brewery is by far my favorite restaurant in all of Salt Lake City and trust me there are quite a few good ones to choose from. I have never had one thing from their menu that I haven’t enjoyed. I’m not a drinker but if you are you will enjoy a variety of choices brewed right under their own roof. But what I enjoy the most is their perfectly crunchy sweet potato french fries… but I’ll skip the fry sauce.

2. Reindeer Sausage, Anchorage, Alaska. On Sunday mornings in the heart of Anchorage they have a market downtown with fresh produce, Alaskan souvenirs, and various other food vendors. Among those vendors they sell Reindeer Sausage that is savory and delicious. Reid loved his so much he wants to go back just for more.

3. Cheap(er) Buffets in Las Vegas. What would a visit to Las Vegas be without a trip to the buffet? The buffets on the strip are rather costly but you can get the same quality buffet at much less cost if you step away from the strip for awhile and visit one of the Station Casinos located all around Las Vegas and Henderson. My favorite is Sunset Station Casino.

And there you have it. My three best travel secrets. If you happen to agree with any of these or disagree would love to hear your feedback.

I tag:

Jaime at seatofourpants.com

Matt of nomadicmatt.com

Maribeth at bonjourcolorado.com

Erica at travelblissful.com

Kara from thevacationgals.com

Two Memorial Day weekends ago, we last minute decided to hop on a plane and head to Alaska. Anchorage, Alaska to be exact.  And what began as a last minute quick trip turned into a life changing experience. I learned a lot of things from that visit and it has changed my perspective on traveling altogether.

Normally when we visit a new city I tend to get a little antsy. There are so many sites I want to see, places I want to experience, etc. And worst of all there is so little time. I try to set a schedule to cram it all in but it never really works out. Reid has the opposite approach, where he likes to go with the flow and explore and just let the experiences present themselves. Normally I get a little upset, but because of his mindset we have been able to experience some pretty amazing sites on our various travels.

One of these times manifested itself in Alaska on the highway from Seward to Anchorage. He saw a sign for some fort or something and took a turn off the highway. I was nervous and definitely resisted. But then we turned the corner and we saw the most breathtaking view (pictured above). Reid immediately pulled the car over and rushed for his camera. I sat in the car pouting for a minute, but then I opened my eyes and was stunned. There was no one else around. It was quiet and although it was May the air was crisp and cool, enough to give you a good chill. I stepped out of the car and walked to the water’s edge. It was so quiet you could hear the ice move and it was the most beautiful sound. I took a deep breath of the salty but clean air and wished the moment would last forever.

Sometimes not having a plan is the best plan of all. And that is the lesson that has stuck with me.