Our 4 Day Cruise to the Bahamas

As I write this, it's 46 degrees and raining in Nashville, and I was here just two short days ago.

This is depressing.

It really was a fun little cruise with friends. Two different stops in the Bahamas & one day at sea. We ate a lot of food and soaked up the sun!

before snorkeling at Paradise Cove Beach Resort in Freeport, Bahamas

the snorkeling was amazing!

Halloween on board!

Morticia & Gomez Adams for Halloween :)

at the front of the ship in Nassau, Bahamas

Junkanoo Beach in Nassau

with the girls in Nassau

with Matt in Nassau

I personally prefer the Eastern Caribbean cruise route, but we had a good time in the Bahamas. Here are a few tips of what to do on a cruise to the beautiful Bahamas!

In Nassau

• Avoid the "Straw Market". It's chock full of tourist-trap garbage you can find on any island. Here's a list of souvenirs to avoid.
• You can walk (about 1 mile) to Junkanoo beach where you can lay out for free, or rent chairs and ship cocktails.
• Try the conch here. Everyone says it's the best place in the tropics!

In Freeport

• Take a cab to Paradise Cove Beach Resort and go snorkeling. The reef is amazing & there are so many gorgeous fish!
• One of the local beers is SANDS & it is brewed in Freeport! You can do a brewery tour or just sip this fresh brew on the beach. 

My packing list worked out great! I could have brought even less, because nothing had to be re-worn except my travel clothes to and from the cruise. Matt and I packed all of our clothes in this Dakine suitcase below. It worked out really well!

It's back to reality, and now I'm putting all my efforts into planning Italy! I can't wait!
xo

Have you been on a cruise? Here are a few other cruise posts you might enjoy if you're planning one:

• Cruise packing list for men & women
• What to wear on your cruise
• 10 things to know about your cruise

10 Things You Should Know About Your Cruise

Cruises are a really simple way to go on vacation. They require almost no thought to plan and book - it's awesome.

Here are 10 things you should know about cruises that will help you pack well and save money. Who doesn't love that? 

Packing

• Leave Your Towel at Home
• There will be beach towels in your stateroom (make sure you bring them back, you'll be charged otherwise) and additional towels on the pool deck. Leave the bulk at home! Check out my packing list for women & men to keep your luggage light.
• You Don't Need a Passport
• If you're a US citizen & don't have a passport for some reason (why don't you have one?! Go apply today!), you can bring other documentation to board the ship. 
• The easiest is a birth certificate + photo ID, but learn more here.
• You Have to "Check" Your Luggage
• Your suitcase will be scanned through and delivered to your room by the cruise staff. This can take hours, leaving you without your bags until after dinner. 
• Pack a small "personal item" (a beach tote for me, a backpack for Matt) to get you through the day. 
• Bathing suit, sunscreen, sunglasses, make up, any medications, and a change of clothes for dinner - just incase your bag is the last one to be delivered or ends up in the wrong room.

Food & Beverage

all the desserts.

• There Are Some Free Drinks
• While cruise lines make most of their money off drink sales, there are definitely ways to get around it. All cruise lines offer free water, coffee & juices throughout the day for you to sip on.
• BYO
• All cruise ships allow you to bring 1 bottle of wine or champagne per passenger (up to 2 per stateroom) to drink at your own leisure - for free. Sorry for the beer & liquid lovers, but YAY for the winos! Lucky for me, Matt doesn't drink wine so it looks like I'll have 2 bottles all to myself :)
• If you bring your bottle to dinner, there will likely be a corking fee. Check with your cruise line to be sure, but it will end up being more affordable regardless.
• Some cruise lines (like Carnival) allow you to bring a certain amount of non-alcoholic drinks. Check with your cruise line before bringing a 12 pack of Sprite.
• Duty Free Liquor
• Yay! Tax free booze! Sounds like a great idea for the rest of your cruise. However, you'll be forced to hand it over to the cruise staff until you're back on US soil.  
• 90% of the Food is Free
• The buffet, formal breakfast/lunch/dinner, room service and all snacks (pizza, ice cream, burgers) are free.
• There are some options you can pay for, such as specialty coffee or an exclusive restaurant.
• Consider the Late Dinner Option
• Most cruise lines have an early & late dinner (6 or 8pm)
• Our upcoming cruise has 2 ports, they go until 5pm & 7pm. 
• Rushing back to get ready for a formal dinner is no fun. We'll have a snack if necessary & take our time in the Bahamas!

On Board 

• They WILL Leave You Behind
• Just like an airplane, you need to be on time. If the ship leaves at 5pm, be there by 4.30 just in case. 
• Also, even if you're traveling to a different time zone, your trip will always operate on "ship time" (the time zone you departed from).
• Tip At The End of Your Trip
• Your lovely wait staff & housekeeping staff will be some of the kindest & hardest working people you'll ever meet. Make sure you take care of them at the end! You can add this to your "tab" or leave cash.

Hope these tips were helpful. I know I wish I would have known about these before my first cruise! Do you have any others that I missed?

xo

Other Posts You Might Enjoy

Cruise Packing List for Women

Cruise Packing List for Men

How to Change your Name for Travel

How to Pack Light & Always Carry On

What to Pack for a Cruise: Guide for Men

While cruises are casual, there are definitely formal dinners to think about... and Matt is not always as excited about packing nice clothing (he would live in shorts and flip flops if he could). 

To make things a little easier, I made him a little packing list, too.

Equipment oversized shirt / Reef strap sandals / Canali accessory, $48 / RetroSuperFuture stone sunglasses / Ralph Lauren Black Label Anthony Notched-Lapel Tuxedo / Men's Clothing - Shop Everyday Deals on Top Styles - J.Crew Factory -... / Hurley Level Boardshorts / 21 MENS Marled V-Neck Cardigan / BOSS HUGO BOSS San Bellino Fine Stripe Henley / Scotch & Soda V-Neck T-Shirt / PATAGONIA Wavefarer boardshort / J.Crew 770 jean in resin crinkle wash / BILLABONG Transitional stripe tank / Witchery Cuba Short, $70 / Dolce & Gabbana V-Neck Cotton-Jersey T-Shirt / Loake Mens Black Polished Oxford Shoes, $235 / ALDO Tancredo Sneakers

Cruise packing list for men power play items:

• One suit. He can drop the jacket on a more casual evening and sub in the cardigan.
• Nice dark jeans. These can be worn on travel days and can also be mixed in for more casual dinners. 
• Mix of board shorts & regular shorts. Guys are lucky. Their bathing suit works as a cover up and as regular clothing. 
• A selection of shirts. These can be used as under shirts for dinner and being on island and on the ship. 

His suitcase will likely be lighter than mine, even thought my cruise packing list is super light!

Matt finally picked up a nice suit for a formal wedding we attended. The jacket works with jeans and the pants work alone or with a sweater. It's been a really great investment.... from Forever 21. It was $50. The fit is right and he looks HOT! It will be a great piece for evenings on the cruise. Find some other options at the bottom of this post.

I'm so excited for this little trip! 

Suits Under $100

H&M

Forever 21

Suits Under $200

ASOS

Zara

What to Pack for a Cruise

We are gearing up for a 4 day cruise for my friend Taylor's 30th birthday. I'm so excited! But after our cruise last year, I'm thinking about what to pack for this cruise (without overpacking).

Growing up, we went on cruises for several family vacations. I have to say, it really was the BEST vacation to me as a teenager. We had total freedom on the ship, tons of activities for our age group, and we got to island hop & tan. From my parents perspective, I understand why they chose cruises: they are crazy affordable (especially for Florida residents) and incredibly easy to plan. Think about it - you book one thing (the cruise) and you get to see several different countries. PLUS your lodging, food and entertainment is covered. It really couldn't be more simple.

In my adult life, I've been on two different cruises. One was a week after I graduated from college with these loves.

We were all so tan in 2008.

The second one was last year. We took a cruise with 4 other couples and it was a BLAST!

From my experience on cruises, you definitely need a wide variety of clothing as your activities are across the board!

• Formal dinners (cocktail dress, black tie)
• Casual dinners (sundress, business casual)
• At sea days (pool, relaxing, casino, shopping)
• Island hopping (hiking, tours, walking, beach, etc)
• Travel days (to and from the ship)

Last years' cruise was when I realized I was consistently overpacking. For 7 nights, I brought a HUGE suitcase that was packed to the brim. It was WAY TOO MUCH. I knew it had to change. 

For the last year, I've packed in nothing bigger than a carry on and it's completely changed how I travel.

Now that we're about a week out from the cruise, I'm thinking about what to pack and cringing about my huge suitcase last year! So here lies the question: what to pack for a cruise without bringing your entire closet? 

Here's what I'm thinking for inspiration....

Little Mistress strapless maxi dress, $105 / U Knits sleeveless dress / Topshop strappy black dress / Mela Loves London cocktail dress, $42 / H M shirts top, $24 / Abercrombie Fitch white racerback tank top / T By Alexander Wang linen tank top / VILA black jacket, $71 / Roxy swimsuit cover up / Distressed jeans, $42 / Current/Elliott shorts / American Eagle Outfitters wide cropped pants / Adidas clothing / We Are Handsome tankini swimsuit top, $130 / Melissa Odabash bandeau top, $140 / L Space lspace swimwear / Tory Burch suede shoes / Asics sports shoes, $240 / Metallic flat sandals / Beach Collection metallic bag, $32 / Michael Kors leather purse / Diamante necklace / Maya brenner jewelry / Alexis Bittar yellow gold earrings / Michael Stars fedora hat / Faliero Sarti scarve, $205 / D&G mirror sunglasses, $985 / LEATHER CLUTCH GOLD

Some power players on this packing list:

• Sandals that can be casual or dressy. They transition from the pool to casual dinners.
• Dresses that go from day to night. My little black dress and floral maxi can be dressed up with heels and a blazer or scarf. 
• Bathing suit cover ups that double as a dress. I can lounge by the pool and hop back inside without feeling awkward or under dressed.  Can also be worn on-island.
• Scarf & long sleeved shirt/cardigan. These ships are COLD. You might be in the sunshine during the day, but don't be fooled - dinner and a show will always be sub zero. 
• Swim suits that mix and match. I would never bring less than 2 suits on a tropical vacation (putting a cold, wet suit is the WORST). Choosing pieces that mix & match will give you options.

I'll be taking a slimmed down version of my Florida packing list & making sure every item can be worn two ways. I really want to pack light and get creative. It's the beach, after all - no reason to overpack! Packing carry on only for a cruise should be a simple.

With the temperatures dropping in Nashville I am looking forward to soaking up some sun. Our island stops are Nassau & Freeport - have you been there? Any must-see/must-do sights or activities in the Bahamas?

xo

How to Choose an Airbnb in Cinque Terre, Italy

We are getting SO excited for our anniversary trip to Italy! 

When we decided to do this trip, we planned on finding a mix of hotels & Airbnb apartments. We didn't find any hotels we thought were worth it, so it's four Airbnb flats around Italy for us! We absolutely LOVE Airbnb, so I'm definitely not complaining.

Our first stop is Cinque Terre. 

via

We're flying into Genoa and taking a train to Cinque Terre for our first two days. Cinque Terre is made up of five little villages on the coast. Our plan while we're there is to hike along the trails and to enjoy the charming coastline. 

map via

Unlike Rome & Florence, full of relics, statues and cathedrals to see, Cinque Terre IS the sight (at least in my opinion!) I'm really looking forward to starting our trip off with some old fashioned exploring.

Now, let's talk accommodation. With the quaint vibes of Cinque Terre, I wasn't expecting the Four Seasons experience. I'm very much looking forward to the cozy experience Cinque Terre has to offer! Here's what we considered in finding our Airbnb apartment in Cinque Terre.

Private Room or Entire Home

Previously when using Airbnb, we choose the "Entire Home" route. However, in Italy, guesthouses are very common. You have en suite bathrooms and mini kitchens (coffee & tea with a small fridge), so you really don't need much more. Think about what you want and need from an apartment and if you want to pay a premium for the entire home.

little mini kitchen in a CT apartment (it was booked for our dates!) via 

Location

Cinque Terre itself is very small. No matter where you are, there are busses back and forth between the towns often and takes 10-15 minutes max. Location really is relative here, and I think the next point is more important than ACTUAL location :)

Room With A View

With gorgeous coastline abounding, how could you not pick a place with a view & a patio to enjoy it?

This is the view from our apartment! I imagine myself polishing off a bottle of wine after hiking the coast all day. 

We searched through a wide range of budget because often times you can find some gems for less! 

Here are a few other views we were interested in:

sadly this one wasn't available for our dates! via

This one unfortunately was only available for a single person. via

This one was twice the price of ours - so I think we made the right decision! via

Amenities

Everyone is different & wants different things in their accommodation. For me, I'm reeeeeeeally trying to pack light for this trip (this is my backpack for 10 days!), so I'm thinking of what I can leave behind. I really don't want to carry a blow dryer, but know I'll need it once or twice - so we chose a location with a hair dryer and other essentials. 

Another essential we wanted was wifi so we were able to look up local shops, restaurants, and information on public transportation. Although almost all Airbnb locations seem to have wifi, it's still good to make sure!

If you have a question about what amenities your location has, always feel free to message the host. The Airbnb community is extremely nice & they can fill you in!

Reviews

Always read the reviews. You'll be able to tell quickly if one person was disgruntled, or if the host is quick to put out fires. The nicest of places might some with a bad apple of a host, so you'll want that information to help you decide where to book.

I'm so excited to get there and settle into our little apartment for a few days!

Have you ever used Airbnb before? If not, check it out! It's one of my favorite ways to travel! If you're a first time Airbnb'er, use this link to sign up - you'll get $25 off your first booking (and we'll get $25, too!)

xo

Other posts you might enjoy:

International Travel Checklist

Using Passbook to Stay Organized on Trips

How To Pack Light & Always Carry On

Heading Overseas? Here's Your Timeline Checklist.

Just 6 more weeks and we are heading to ITALY! I'm seriously pumped.

I've been to several countries in Europe but Italy has always been on my list. My grandfather immigrated from Italy when he was very young and a huge part of my heritage is Italian. When I studied abroad I decided NOT to go to Italy because I knew I'd make it back someday. Now, someday is very very soon :) PLUS, Matt has only been to Iceland - this will be his first trip to mainland Europe! I'm so excited to go somewhere new together.

Going overseas for 3 days, 3 weeks, or 3 months requires planning. And since these trips are always more expensive than domestic travel, you're going to want to save money when you can.

Here's a timeline of what planning should look like

12-18 months ahead: 

• Start talking about where you want to go and what your budget is. Think realistically what you already have saved and what you can save monthly to contribute to the end goal. 
• Some numbers to keep in mind:

• $800-$1500 per international plane ticket, depending on your departure and arrival, and your time of travel.
• $15-$200 per night in accommodation. Depending if you're staying in a hostel, a guest house/Airbnb or hotel, this is a place you can definitely trim your budget.
• $40-100 per day in food costs. Depending if you're eating sit down meals or keeping it simple.

• These are rough estimates and are not inclusive of all you'll need. There's also extras like museums & other activities, renting a car, and souvenirs. But these numbers should get your started. 
• Budget your savings on the high end and trim where you can. For example, choose an Airbnb rental at $70/night as opposed to hotel at $150/night.
• Check the exchange rate. I use XE.com

9-12 months ahead: 

• Start your research! Read blogs & scour Pinterest to see what interests you in that city. I also suggest buying some travel guide books. These guide books are often sponsored & outdated, so I don't rely on them for food/lodging, but they're good for info on local attractions! Doing a little reading can help you decide what interests you and what you think you can skip or might want to look into more. 

*I buy my guidebooks used off Better World Books. At almost $30 a copy, they can be quite the investment. Many BWB copies are a few years older, but are less than $5. Another great resource is the library.

6-9 months ahead: 

• Start checking flights. You won't want to purchase for a few more months, but you'll want to see what the average price is.
• Check in on your budget - are you at least half way there? Remember, you've only got 6 months to go and you'll be booking most of your flights & accommodation (the bulk of your expenses) very soon.
• At this time, make sure your passport is valid for 6 months AFTER you plan on taking your trip. Many countries will not let you enter if you don't have at least 6 months left on a passport. So, if you're taking a trip in January 2015, your passport needs to be valid through at least July 2015.

4-6 months in advance: 

• Time to get serious about booking your flight! According to research, the ideal time to book international flights is 151 days (that comes to 21.5 weeks) before your departure. 
• Check different days of the week using a travel search engine (like Expedia or Kayak) but make sure you book through the airline itself. If you book through Expedia & plans change, you have almost no flexibility. 
• When booking directly through the airline, you can usually pay a change fee & they will deal with you directly. The same goes for hotels. 

*If you find a cheaper rate on Expedia.com than you are on Delta.com, call them and ask about it. Typically, they will price match. When you book through Expedia they are taking a cut of the price. So, Delta will always make more booking you directly so the price match shouldn't be an issue.

2-4 months in advance: 

• Finalize your accommodation. Note: if you're visiting in high season (learn about this during your research!), you'll want to make sure you're booking at LEAST 4 months in advance as prices will continue to rise as space becomes limited. 

*Full Disclosure: I didn't take my own advice on this one. I am just booking our last Airbnb apartment now & the choices are MUCH more limited, even though we are traveling in low season! 

1-2 months in advance: 

• Check into any tours or activities you might want to book in advance to have ideal options. 
• Start making a list of what your 'must-see must-do' things are and figure out how many you can fit in. 
• Start searching for "specialty" items/gear you'll need for your trip, giving yourself to find a good deal without leaving it to the last minute.
• Check the exchange rate again & make sure your budget lines up.

2 weeks before: 

• Start organizing all of your travel documents. 
• Check local news to make sure there is nothing you need to know about (recent political unrest in China, Ebola in Liberia, natural disasters unfolding, etc). 
• Double check your airline's luggage policy (are carry on limitations dictated by size or weight?) and start thinking through outfits. 
• Make a rough packing list.

1 week before: 

• Check the weather and start packing (yes, you have time. But this allows you to get a jump start while you're not feeling stressed!) 
• Call the credit card company and let them know where you'll be traveling and when so they don't shut off your cards. 
• Forward your itinerary to a family member or friend who you'd trust in an emergency situation. 
• Communicate & reconfirm with any dog/cat/house sitters. 
• Remind your boss you'll be MIA in one week!

2 days before: 

• Check the weather again & revise what you've packed so far - take out what you don't need and start adding in the daily use items you couldn't put in a week ago (like your favorite jeans or boots). 
• Start loading books, movies & music onto tablets/phones. 
• Make sure all electronics are charged up so you can throw your necessary chargers in your bag.

24 hours before: 

• CHECK IN ONLINE! WOO HOO! 
• Swing by the bank & take out some cash so you can exchange immediately if necessary. 
• Remind your boss/coworkers one more time & set your out of office before you leave! 

That night, before you go to sleep, make sure everything is organized and ready to go. Even if you have a later afternoon flight, being prepared the night before will allow you to sleep well & not worry about what you have to finish in the morning!

Traveling overseas is SO FUN and I'm excited to get on a long flight! It's been a while! At 6 weeks out I'm making my must see/must do list and *already* thinking about what to pack. Can't wait!

Other posts you might enjoy:
How to Pack Light & Always Carry On
Toiletry Swaps: Carry less liquid
How to Pick the Perfect Airbnb
How to Save Money on Flights
In Flight Essentials

What to Pack for the PNW (Seattle, Vancouver, Portland, etc)

I promise I'll shut up about Seattle soon.... but it was just so fun! And the clothes I packed really worked out for me on this trip, so I thought I'd share.

These outfits would work well if you're in the transitional weather we're all experiencing right now - chilly one day and warm the next. They would also work most of the year in the PNW, if that's Seattle, Portland, Vancouver or otherwise. These combos will carry you through a good 9 months of the year.

I used two main bases - a pair of jeans and a black dress. I worked the long shorts in (primarily packed for the Lake Chelan portion of the trip!) once for the wedding, but I could have used them more if needed.

Topshop black dress, $55 / MANGO long sleeve shirt, $16 / American Eagle Outfitters top / Alice Olivia white blouse / T By Alexander Wang white shirt / Flower kimono / Phase Eight print scarve, $57 / Print scarve, $19 / H M black belt, $21

To be honest, I probably could have worn this dress the entire week... and almost did. Lest we forget I also had 2 jackets to throw into the mix! I didn't wear all 15 of these outfits but the point is I could have. The goal is to give yourself PLENTY of options with a limited selection & you'll never get bored in your suitcase! This black dress has seen more wear than anything in my closet.

One great example of using this dress to it's max -- I had been at a coffee shop earlier in the day and it was chilly, so I layered this dress with the chunky knit & flats. 

When I met Cait back at her house, I took 5 minutes to freshen my make up, throw a few extra curls in my hair, add the kimono plus belt & heels, and I was transformed. Cait complimented me & said "it's like I turned around and you were a supermodel!". While she's kind & exaggerating (i'm definitely not a model), it just proved my point - a few accessories can completely transform your look.

MANGO longsleeve shirt, $16 / Alice Olivia white sleeveless top / Abercrombie Fitch racer back tank / T By Alexander Wang white linen tank top / American Eagle Outfitters fake leather jacket / Green field jacket / Long kimono / Michael michael kors skinny jeans / Madden Girl cork wedge heel sandals / Restricted ballet pumps / Slingback wedge sandals, $115 / Phase Eight plaid shawl, $57 / Floral print scarve, $19

Once again, plenty of options for the colder days. Dark jeans are so versatile! Another key is that my accessories were so different - woolly tartan vs. bright chiffon, and longer military jacket vs. black moto jacket.... they change the entire personality of the outfit.

I could wear the striped top with the military jacket & tartan scarf with flats for day, and swap to moto & bright scarf with heels for the night. The right accessories change everything.

Little Mistress strapless maxi dress, $105 / Nicole Miller cocktail dress, $705 / Alice Olivia silk blouse / American Eagle Outfitters biker jacket / H&M chino shorts, $8.10 / Madden Girl wedges shoes / Michael Kors crossbody purse / MICHAEL Michael Kors leather tote bag / Floral scarve, $19


Now for the wedding is where I splurged in my packing a bit.
I re-wore one of the dresses from the bachelorette weekend for the rehearsal dinner. I re-wore my wine tasting in Chelan outfit while I did the bride & bridesmaid's hair. And I brought an entirely different dress to wear to the wedding. BUT! I still used my shoes, purse, scarf & jacket i'd been using all week.

It wasn't necessary for me to bring this extra dress that I'd only get one wear out of. If I was going on a longer trip, I would have subbed in one of my other dresses I wore for the bachelorette weekend.... However, this was the purpose of my entire trip (the wedding!), so I wanted to have something special. What a sacrificed was a 2nd pair of pants that would have given me even more options during the week... but it was a sacrifice I was willing to make and felt very happy with my outfit options! 

Make smart choices with your packing options and know what your limits are. Decide what's important to you and maximize everything else so you can have that thing.

Other PNW Posts You Might Enjoy
"Extras" you might find useful
Where to Eat & Play in Seattle
How to Choose the Perfect AirBNB in Seattle

France Travel Diary: Casey in St Tropez

If you read about Casey's experience in Paris, this is the Part II to her French adventure. The second part of her trip was in Saint Tropez! Happy Friday to all as we dream of swimming in the Mediterranean...

--------------

As if France couldn’t get any better

My time in Paris had come to an end and we were South of France bound! After only 50 euros later you too can be on a train heading for Saint Tropez. The views during the 4-hour journey are beyond gorgeous. It reminded me a lot of Napa Valley with the rolling hills and vineyards. Truly God’s country. 

We arrive in the small village of Gassin, which is about a 15-minute car ride inland from Saint Tropez. Everything about this place is adorable. Yohan, Emily’s fiancé, has family there so we were able to stay for free which is a huge financial blessing. The town is on top of a hill so the views were incredible. I would highly recommend booking an AirBNB in Gassin (or surrounding area if possible) instead of paying the high lodge prices of Saint Tropez.

Now we all know what Saint Tropez is known for. One word: beaches! 

Beaches. Beaches. BEACHES! 

I’ve seen some gorgeous oceans in my life; Miami, Sarasota, Bahamas, and Turks and Caicos to name a few. They all pale in comparison to Saint Tropez. The Mediterranean is warm and clear and how the mountains greet the water is picture perfect. There were two beaches that became my favorite.

Plage de l’Escalet 

The color of the water, as you can see in the picture above, is striking. We took a path along the rocks, which led us to a cove. The cove was great for snorkeling!

Bastide Blanch

After a 35-minute walk through a private vineyard and two arguments with the security guards, we arrived at Le Bastide Blanch. It was worth the effort! This one was my favorite. It’s tucked away so it felt like we had this beach to ourselves. We enjoyed a picnic of cheese, bread, and beer and snorkeled for 3 hours. A day I will soon not forget.

We spent the majority of my 6 days in the South soaking up the sun (with 50 SPF, don’t worry Dr. Q!) but there were a couple times that we wandered into town to people watch, day dream about owning the gorgeous yachts in the harbor, and eat the amazing homemade ice cream from Barbarac Glacier.

I was fortunate enough to have most of my meals provided by Yohan’s gracious family. We ate almost every meal together as a family in their backyard garden. I admire how eating together is a priority for the French. I couldn’t understand 90% of what they were talking about but we were together.

The nightlife in Saint Tropez is pretty par to the United States. The clubs are crowded, the music is loud and the men are forward but this girl got to dance! We hit up the “VIP Room” and thoroughly enjoyed the kindness of strangers and their endless supply of Dom Perignon. My favorite part was the confetti. It sparkled and made me really happy.

Sooner than I would have liked, it was my last night. We grabbed some ice cream downtown and watched the sun set into the harbor.


We ended the night by walking the beach of Pampelonne reminiscing about the last 10 days. The super moon lit the beach perfectly for our stroll. I know I will never forget my time in France and will be counting the days until I return. From the cobblestone streets of Paris to the turquoise oceans of Saint Tropez, it was all a dream come true.

To read more about Casey's French escapades, click here!
 

What to do in Lake Chelan, WA

I really want to talk about Lake Chelan.

Yes, that is real.

No filters, no editing, no fancy photo programs.... just an old fashioned pano on my crappy iPhone4.

It's just that beautiful.

I'd never even heard of Chelan, and I'm guessing most of you haven't either. It's a crying shame... because everyone in Washington is keeping it to themselves and reaping the benefits!

I also tried to do research ahead of time on what activities were like, what to expect and perhaps... what to pack (more on that later!). I could barely find anything! SO I knew it was my responsibility to do a little write up on this gem.

Chelan is a small town that is situated on... you guessed it... Lake Chelan. The Chelan area is covered with lake homes overlooking the water, with docks out to the lake, and wineries galore! Plus it's only 3 hours from Seattle!

For my dear Traci's bachelorette weekend, we loaded up the cars and headed East for 3 wonderful days at the lake. Talk about fun & relaxing! We enjoyed delicious dinners out, lazy mornings sipping coffee on the deck, laying out & drinking wine on the dock, wine tasting, and just enjoying the views. They were abundant.

Some places to check out!

Benson Vineyards
Sweeping views and a beautiful deck to enjoy - - it doesn't get much better than that.
Wine Pick: Estate Rhythm

Wine tasting at Benson Vineyards - the best view in Chelan!

Karma

The people at Karma were SO nice, the wine was my favorite and they have a little zen garden for you to enjoy your tastings in.

Wine Pick: Cabernet Sauvignon 

With the bride! Right before I spilled red wine on my white shirt! (It came out! YAY!)

Karma Winery - a favorite of mine

Sorrento's Ristorante/Tsillan Cellars
We had dinner here and it was one of our best decisions. The view was gorgeous & the food was amazing. This is a 'must do' for anyone visiting the area.
Food Pick: Eggpant Parmesan 

Sorrento's view from the parking lot. Gorgeous!

Our view from dinner - amazing, right?

All the girls at Sorrento's!

Drink Coffee
As adorable as Chelan is, and as close as it is to Seattle.... the coffee game was weak. Opt to stay in and brew your own, because why wouldn't you when you have a deck like this for the weekend?

Morning coffee on the deck

Sipping coffee with Cait. What a view, huh?

It was incredibly relaxing and I would totally have a lake house there if I lived in Seattle and had an extra $800k to drop. In. A. Heart. Beat.

A few quirks to keep in mind:

• On your three hour drive, bathrooms are questionable and scarce. Many gas stations only had port-o-potty options.... so we just held it. 
• The Chelan area is sweeping. We stayed about 30 minutes from town (on the West side of the lake) which wasn't a huge deal (and was cost effective), but realizing you need olive oil or another bottle of wine can be a challenge. We made at least 1 trip to town a day. Not in any way a down fall, as you've got views galore! Just stock up or be prepared for a little road trip :)
• Many of the wineries are in Manson about 30 minutes away from Chelan on the East side of the lake. Because of this 1hr long distance from us, we didn't make it to Manson. But we heard good things! So keep that in mind when booking a place to stay.
• Lake houses are easily available to rent through Airbnb, VRBO or  My Chelan Vacation. We used MCV and it was very simple and user friendly. 
• Make sure your rental is ON the lake! There is very little public access to the lake.... so you'll want to spend a few extra bucks for a waterfront weekend.

I absolutely LOVED this weekend in Chelan! It would be great for a lover's get away, girl's weekend, family trip, group of friends.... anything, really! As long as you like pretty views you'll fit in just fine.

Have you ever been to Lake Chelan?
xo