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Consuegra, Spain & the Windmills of Don Quixote

  • by Alice

When we realized our drive from Toledo to Granada would take us past the Consuegra windmills — Cervantes’ famous giants — we knew we had to make the detour. Consuegra is a small agricultural town in Castilla-La Mancha, best known for the white windmills that line the ridge above it. The ridge is known as Cerro Calderico and sits just above the town of Consuegra. It’s not a major destination — and we wouldn’t present it as one — but if you’re already heading south through La Mancha and you’re familiar with Don Quixote, it’s a worthwhile roadside stop that… Read More »Consuegra, Spain & the Windmills of Don Quixote

Toledo, Spain Travel Guide: Cathedrals, Synagogues & Medieval Streets

  • by Alice

Toledo, Spain rises from a bend in the Tagus River like a fortified memory. From a distance, cathedral towers and the Alcázar dominate the skyline. Up close, the city narrows into cobbled lanes, thick stone walls, and doorways worn smooth by centuries of hands. Just 30 minutes from Madrid by high-speed train — or about an hour by car — Toledo is one of Spain’s most rewarding destinations. It’s easy to reach, but it feels removed from modern Spain in the best possible way. Cathedral towers, fortress walls, and stone streets that have carried footsteps for centuries create a fairytale… Read More »Toledo, Spain Travel Guide: Cathedrals, Synagogues & Medieval Streets

Madrid: A 2-Day Itinerary For Spain’s Regal and Grand Capital

  • by Alice

Madrid feels regal and grand because it was designed to project power. When King Philip II moved Spain’s capital here in 1561, Madrid was not yet a major city — it was chosen precisely because it could be shaped into one. Over the next several centuries, monarchs built palaces, formal squares, monasteries, and broad avenues intended to reflect imperial authority and national identity. Today, that legacy remains visible everywhere. Grand plazas anchor the historic core. The Royal Palace dominates the skyline. Wide boulevards such as Gran Vía speak to early 20th-century ambition. Yet alongside this architectural weight is something distinctly… Read More »Madrid: A 2-Day Itinerary For Spain’s Regal and Grand Capital

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks, New Mexico

  • by Alice

Despite being less than an hour from Albuquerque and Santa Fe, Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument still feels like a place many travelers somehow miss. The landscape is astonishingly unique — pale, cone-shaped rock formations rising from narrow canyons — and once you step onto the trail, the outside world fades quickly. In places, the path narrows to little more than a squeeze between sculpted rock walls, creating an experience that feels immersive, intimate, and genuinely otherworldly. I went in with modest expectations and left genuinely impressed by how unusual this place is. Tent Rocks delivers something rare: a concentrated,… Read More »Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks, New Mexico

Barcelona: A Well-Paced 3-Day Itinerary

  • by Alice

(With an Optional Montserrat Day Trip) Barcelona, Spain has a palpable joie de vivre — a confidence and energy that’s felt almost immediately. Life spills into the streets here. Wide boulevards shaded by linden trees soften the city’s grand geometry, plazas invite lingering, and daily routines unfold outdoors. With a mild, year-round climate, Barcelona naturally encourages walking, conversation, and evenings that stretch long after the sun goes down. That spirit is woven directly into the city’s architecture, and nowhere is it more evident than in the influence of Antoni Gaudí. Long before I ever set foot in the city, I… Read More »Barcelona: A Well-Paced 3-Day Itinerary

Lisbon in Three Days: A Well-Paced Itinerary with Belém or Sintra

  • by Alice

Lisbon is often underestimated when it comes to timing. While many itineraries try to squeeze the city into a single day, its hills, viewpoints, and historic neighborhoods quickly add up — and leave little room to simply wander, pause at a miradouro, or take in the atmosphere. This Lisbon 3 day itinerary breaks the city into two well-paced days, with flexible options to add Belém or a full day trip to Sintra.

A Landscape in Southern Idaho That Doesn’t Feel Like Earth

  • by Alice

At first glance, this place looks more like the surface of another planet than a stop on an American road trip. Lava flows, volcanic cones, and hidden caves create a landscape that feels both stark and strangely beautiful. Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve doesn’t feel like anywhere else in Idaho—or much of the continental United States. Established in 1924 to protect what President Coolidge famously called a “weird and scenic landscape peculiar to itself,” this vast lava field of cones, caves, and craters delivers a striking glimpse into America’s volcanic past. At first glance, the terrain feels… Read More »A Landscape in Southern Idaho That Doesn’t Feel Like Earth

The Perfect Weekend in Wichita, Kansas: A Complete Travel Guide

  • by Alice

A Guide for Families & Couples When Fred and I visited Wichita for a conference, we weren’t expecting much more than a quick business trip — but Wichita won us over immediately. This weekend in Wichita travel guide reflects what we discovered: a walkable, unexpectedly charming city filled with gardens, museums, riverfront sunsets, and the kind of warm Midwestern hospitality that makes you feel at home as soon as you arrive. Whether you’re planning a family weekend, a couples’ getaway, or road-tripping between Oklahoma City and Kansas City, this guide will help you plan a weekend that feels easy and… Read More »The Perfect Weekend in Wichita, Kansas: A Complete Travel Guide

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