Category: Recreation

This sponsored post features products from Stanley, with genuine reviews after testing each product:

When the winter chill comes this California girl gets excited. It feels like after a lifetime of living without snow, I’ve got lost time to make up for.

I used to think winter would be so painfully cold, but even up until -30, I’ve learned that it’s more down to outfit choices and having the right gear with you to keep you (and your food and drinks!) warm. Here are the hacks I’ve learned from Tahoe to the arctic:

Bring Hot Food and Beverages

Few things are more satisfying than a warm sip of coffee or soup when out in a winter wonderland. Plus, if it’s really cold enough out, your water could freeze if it’s not insulated enough.

How much insulation is enough insulation? Well friends, I tested a bunch of options from Stanley, both

Dreaming of a winter wonderland, a secluded cabin for two, or a place to share with friends?

When the time is right and you’re heading to my neck of the woods, here are seven amazing Airbnbs in Lake Tahoe to consider whether you’re solo, a couple, looking to isolate away from everyone and everything, or are planning for a future friend getaway.

Best Airbnb for solo travelers

Modern Retro Cabin

Death Valley may sound intimidating, and to some degree it is. It holds the record for having the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth, and its sweltering heat also makes it the nation’s driest national park.

But behind the deathly name lies gorgeous land formations, salt pans, and trails. In fact, Death Valley is the largest national park in the lower 48! This destination is worth a stay over multiple days, and having the right accommodation is key to making the most of this desert trip.

With such a variety of lodging options within the park, here’s a guide on the best places to stay in Death Valley:

Private Accomodation

The Oasis at Death Valley

If you’re willing to spend a little more cash for your trip, The Oasis at Death Valley is the closest you’ll get to a luxury experience there. The property has three accommodation options: The

I’ve long been enchanted by the different islands in Hawai’i. Each one has has its own flavor, with some presenting desert, 4×4 road adventures while others have lush waterfalls and sacred mountains.

My favorite way to stay when I visit the islands is in Airbnbs, and there are plenty of unique ones all over Hawaii from ocean view homes to tree houses! These are some of the best Airbnbs you can find in Hawai’i:

1. Peaceful Rainforest Treehouse Retreat

Location: Volcano, Big Island

About the Airbnb: A solar-powered 1-bedroom treehouse that accommodates 2 guests. It has an outdoor shower, a patio and a garden. It does not have a kitchen. The host commits to Airbnb’s 5-step enhanced cleaning process.

This Airbnb is perfect for: Forest fairies in search of a fairy good time (see what I did there?) amongst the birds.

The volcano area of the Big Island is the spot

Once upon a time, I believed that all there was to Nevada was endless desert and desolation. I owe this in part to the barren, dry drive between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, which I’ve traversed more times than I care to count.

This is a common assumption. Most people don’t realize that Nevada is full of hidden treasures, plenty of greenery, gorgeous mountains, and wild west history. On the 95 freeway between Las Vegas and Reno, it’s also known as the “free range art highway.”

As a card-carrying member of the Weird Art Lovers Association (JK but if that’s a real thing let me know), the more I learned was available off this highway, the more I wanted to road trip it. If you need to get between the two biggest cities in Nevada, allow me to persuade you to make it into a real road trip. Because this

Welcome to the Mizpah Hotel, an historic beacon of central Nevada’s mining boom that came and went and left behind it a trail of tiny towns and ghost towns.

Mizpah Hotel has been called the most haunted hotel in America, and during my US 95 road trip between Reno and Las Vegas, I just had to stop in and check it out for myself.

Was it truly haunted? Is it worth visiting yourself? Read on to learn all the juicy details.

The History of the Mizpah

Besides the glitz and glitter of Las Vegas and the biggest little city in the world, there aren’t a whole lot of big towns in Nevada. As you drive through, it may very well feel like the land time forgot. But for those of us who love the weird and the amazing along with the wild west history, it’s full of treasures.

The