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  • About
    • Contact
    • Press & Writing
    • Work with Us
    • For Bloggers
  • Alaska
    • Glossary
  • Other West-inations
    • California
    • Great Basin
    • Hawaii
    • Mountain West
    • Pacific Northwest
    • Southwest
    • Escaping Cleveland
  • The V&V Shop
    • Cart
  • 3 Days in Moab Hero
    Itineraries

    3 Days in Moab: 20 Things to Do for an Adventurous Weekend

    November 8, 2022 / 10 Comments

    When I first started this blog, I was a city-hopping culture vulture: I loved exploring new cities, discovering museums, history, and art, and reporting back on the best ways to visit in a short time (or monetary) budget. Over the years though, I've begun to enjoy outdoor and adventure travel too...

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  • 5 Days in Alaska Hero
    Itineraries

    5 Days in Alaska: 2 Itineraries for a Short Trip in 2023

    November 2, 2022 / 42 Comments

    To me, Alaska is chilly mornings with a bite of snow in the air, even in the summer months. It's the smell of birch and spruce trees growing like mad during the long days of the Midnight Sun. If you're planning a 5 day Alaska itinerary for an upcoming trip, you've come to a great place...

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  • Mendocino Weekend Hero
    Destination Guides,  Itineraries

    The 12 Best Things to Do for a Mendocino Weekend Getaway

    October 26, 2022 /

    Every time I explore a new destination along the Pacific Coast, I think it will be my forever favorite... And then I visit somewhere new, and it gets even tougher to choose! Mendocino County is one of those places that made my choices tougher; after spending 3 days in Mendocino in January 2020, Mr. V and I came home keen to turn right around and go back for another weekend...

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  • 3 Days in Kauai Hero
    Destination Guides,  Itineraries

    3 Days in Kauai: The Perfect Garden Island Itinerary

    October 19, 2022 / 4 Comments

    Is there ever a bad time for a tropical vacation? (No!) Especially under the current conditions, travel is limited, and we're all dreaming of far-off destinations and vacations. (Yes, even me!) That's why I've dusted off one of the oldest blog posts I've been meaning to write: a weekend guide to spend 3 days in Kauai...

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  • Northern New Mexico Road Trip Hero
    Itineraries,  Road Trip Tips

    An Epic Northern New Mexico Road Trip Across the Land of Enchantment

    October 18, 2022 / 4 Comments

    Is there any better feeling than setting your wheels on an open road? Maybe it's an American thing, but for me, the idea of a great road trip is thrilling to plan – and delightful to do. I find it's an especially good way to see a new region of the West I've never explored before, rather than just visiting one or two cities...

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  • Santa Fe Itinerary Hero
    Destination Guides,  Itineraries

    The Best Santa Fe Itinerary: How to Spend 2-3 Days in the “City Different”

    October 14, 2022 / No Comments

    Don't get confused: New Mexico is not like Arizona. Or West Texas. Or Southern Colorado. New Mexico – especially Northern New Mexico – is a place all its own, with a unique climate, geography, and culture. This means that the cities that exist there today – many dating back centuries to ancient indigenous settlements then co-opted by the Spanish upon their conquest of the region – are unlike anywhere else you can find in the United States...

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  • One Day in Taos Hero
    Destination Guides,  Itineraries

    How to Make the Most of One Day in Taos

    October 10, 2022 / 2 Comments

    The more I explore New Mexico, the more I fall in love with the Land of Enchantment. There's something special about this part of the Southwest; maybe it's the food or culture, or perhaps the history of peoples and the natural landscape they called home...

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  • One Day in Seattle Hero
    Destination Guides,  Itineraries

    One Day in Seattle: How to Spend a Day in the Emerald City

    October 5, 2022 / 2 Comments

    By the end of my first trip to Seattle, I knew I was in love – a little over a year later, I would call the Emerald City home and ended up living in Seattle for four years. Though I only spent one day in Seattle on my first trip, I had a chance to see that there are a lot of really special things about this city tucked away in the Pacific Northwest...

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  • 3 Days in Santa Rosa - Featured
    Destination Guides,  Itineraries

    The 6 Best Things to Do on a Santa Rosa Weekend Trip

    September 26, 2022 / No Comments

    Need a weekend getaway from San Francisco or the Bay Area? I feel you. When I moved to the Bay Area in 2017, I knew I was going to become a weekend warrior, exploring far beyond the City (San Francisco) and the East Bay (Oakland and Berkeley). I've already visited some great spots like Yosemite, Carmel, Tahoe, Siskiyou county, and Calaveras county... but I haven't spent much time in wine country! I decided to spend a weekend in Santa Rosa, the biggest town in Sonoma county...

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Hi! I’m Valerie! 👋🏻


 
I travel with my trusty valise and my husband, Mr. V.

I started this site to share my travel stories and inspiration to help you complete bucket list trips. I’m also a not-so-secret space nerd and speak fluent emoji! ✌🏻
 
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Acknowledgement of Land

Through my site I promote travel to lands, including Alaska, Canada, and the Western U.S., which are the traditional lands of Indigenous and First Nations peoples.

With respect, I make a formal land acknowledgement, extending my appreciation and respect to the past and present people of these lands.

To learn more about the peoples who call these lands home, I invite you to explore Native Land.

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