From the iconic candy-colored lifeguard towers to sleek beachfront hotels, rooftop bars, and immersive art museums, Miami Beach is packed with energy and style. South Beach is especially famous for its Art Deco vibes, it’s home to the largest collection of Art Deco buildings in the world, with over 800 buildings! Think bold geometric lines, pastel colors, and tropical motifs like flamingos that channel the glam of the 1920s and ’30s. These charming low-rise buildings are only three stories tall, which gives the whole area a cozy, retro feel.

In this post, I’m breaking down the best time to visit Miami, what to pack, beach essentials, and my favorite spots to stay, eat, and explore including which museums are worth checking out and how to get around. Whether you're soaking up the sun or heading out for a night on the town, this guide has everything you need to make the most of Miami’s one-of-a-kind vibe. The beaches and nightlife are the big draws, but there’s a lot more to love.

There's truly nothing like Christmas in New York City! The holiday season brings a magical atmosphere, and NYC transforms into a winter wonderland brimming with Christmas cheer. If you're looking to immerse yourself in the holiday spirit and explore the most festive spots, here's a guide to all the NYC holiday moments not to miss! The city's holiday decorations are unparalleled, and nothing captures the essence of the season quite like the stunning Christmas trees in New York. I'll share the top trees to visit for the perfect Christmas photos and why New York is so incredibly addicting during Christmas.

I had a fun trip to San Francisco (my fourth time visiting), the last trip was almost 10 years ago and this time I did most of the same things as I did that trip because that trip was so perfect. The weather in April was a high of 60 degrees. I've never been to Napa because I always have so many things to do in SF. Important note: locals don't want you to call the city San Fran or Frisco, it's San Francisco or SF. I hiked the coastal trail, visited the Museum of Modern Art, ate delicious food in Japan Town, walked through Chinatown, went to rooftop bars, enjoyed Golden Gate Park, ate at vegetarian restaurants and walked the entire city. If I were to move anywhere in America, it would be to SF!

Here are six beautifully aesthetic bars that you should hit up for an elevated experience in Sin City. I like to go to bars that will look pretty in my Instagram pictures and have interesting cocktails. I want  atmosphere and a wow factor. When I travel I always create a bucketlist of drinks and meals I have to have. In Vegas if you can't finish your drink at a bar, you can ask for it to go and they will transfer it to a plastic cup! lol If you want to drink your way through Vegas with some incredible cocktails, here's your list of where to go!

I'm visiting Las Vegas later this year and I'm doing research since I haven't been in a decade and I can't believe how many new changes there are! After I return I'll post a full trip report of where I ate and what shows I saw. Also, I have a friend going to Vegas after me for the Formula 1 race so that piqued my interest too and I had to research that as well. I have learned so much super interesting info about what's new in Vegas  that I wanted to share with you in case you're planning a trip there too. 

Charleston is the most charming small town I've visited! From the scent of the blooming jasmine everywhere in May, cobblestone streets, charming historic district, amazing restaurants,  elaborate flower window boxes, waterfront views, pastel colored homes, moss-laden oaks and palm trees galore this Southern city stole my heart! Downtown was extremely walkable and easy to get around and I also rode the public bus which happened to be free the month I was there.  

Charleston is called The Holy City because it has 180 churches.  For ethical reasons I chose not to visit a plantation. Charleston is a beautiful city in the low country with pretty parks, beaches, has southern hospitality and incredible architecture. If you love photography, there are many Instagrammable spots in Charleston! Take a walk around the The Battery to see all the grand estates from the 17th and 18th centuries. I made a list of the best photo spots for you so you can have fun exploring this quintessential southern charm of a city.

There’s more to see in Philadelphia than the Liberty Bell and the Rocky Steps. This historic city has many other photographic sites to see that I want to share with you. I took Megabus to Philly up just for the day and used uber to get  around which proved a little tricky since PA doesn’t require cars to have front license plates.  I went to Philly once in elementary school on a school trip but don’t remember any of it so it felt like exploring an all new city. The City of Brotherly love has a pretty incredible art scene from street murals to museums.  My goal for this trip was to get off the beaten track a little bit and get those insta worth shots!

Chicago's skyscrappers reminded me a lot of NYC where I went to college. The buildings run from 60 floors to 100 floors! This was my second trip to Chicago, the first was a college graduation gift from my mother to see the Taste of Polonia Festival. How do New York and Chicago compare? Well Chicago is smaller than NYC with only 2.7 million people. The bitter winters makes it a city of drivers, unlike (mostly) car-less New Yorkers. However, Chicago has a beach right in the city! Yes you read that right, I was surprised too. They actually have 26 beaches and my favorite was North Avenue Beach. It has an Ocean Liner inspired building which has a bar on top with a dj and a day party going on. The beach has a ton of volleyball nets and is surrounded by the Lakefront Trail. The Lakefront Trail is an 18-mile path where you can bike, run, or walk adjacent to the beach. It's great for people watching while having a gorgeous view of the beach and skyline. Chicago has an awesome bike sharing system called the Divvy which has 300 stations. I saw so many people on the lakefront trail using the Divvy bikes.

Miami Beach is one of my favorite weekend destinations even though I haven't been in seven years. From the white sandy beaches, palm trees, turquoise warm waters to the overall sexy vibe of the city. Last month I had a 2-day layover there between flights and I was so lucky to get perfect weather – sunny skies, low 80s with no rain. I loved walking around at night with the warm crisp breezes. I divided my time between Wynwood and South Beach.

I took a day trip with some friends to Annapolis. It was so nice to get out of the city for a day. Our day started off at nearby Sandy Point Beach. It has an amazing view of the Bay Bridge, but orangy sand. But it's not an ocean beach so this is to be expected. It's the closest beach to DC, only 45 minutes away. Much easier to get to than Ocean City. I brought a book to read but surrounded by friends we chatted up the whole day I had no time to read. lol I packed the Glowing Green Smoothie with me in an ICONIQ stainless steel water bottle and it stayed cold for hours! It's a much cheaper version of the S'well bottles.

I just got back from a fun weekend adventure in San Francisco! I'm no stranger to the city though, this was my third trip there. The last time I went it was rainy and foggy so I couldn't see the Golden Gate Bridge. This time the sun was shining and skies blue! The weather was perfect during the day, but you need to wear layers because it gets chilly at night.

I spent the weekend in NYC with my cousin and we had a blast! I was lucky enough to score one of the elusive $1 Bolt Bus fares. The ride went by really fast because I was read a riveting book on my kindle. I was worried because the forecast was supposed to be 60% rain all day but we only had two 5-minute downpours. I have never been to NYC in the summertime even though I went to college there but always went home in the summertime. Since then I've gone back once a year to visit but it's always either spring, fall or Christmastime so it was a lot different to see the city in hot humid weather. The sun was shining and I saw so many people riding bikes and walking around with yoga mats.  

matcha green tea latte

I was really excited to work my way through all the vegetarian restaurants in Los Angeles however I was overwhelmed (as a good problem) by how many options there were. It's described as a "haven for privileged eaters and folks with pricky diets and the trim and healthy." I can only eat but so many meals and did end up going back to some places twice to try other things on the menu but still there's more places I want to go to! Whenever I travel I always make it a point to find the vegetarian restaurants in town, I find it gives me local flavor without meat. (See my post about Spain.) So at the LA spots I went to I often had tacos since California is known for its authentic Mexican, so this was my version of California Comfort Food. As you can see from these pics, vegetarian food is not boring! The places I went to had really innovative, complex menus with amazing flavor.

I had been saving a bookmarked list of things I wanted to see in in LA for the last couple years never thinking I'd ever get out there. So I was so excited to spend a week in Los Angeles in early June!  Everyone I met was nice, easy going and had that sunny laid back Cali vibe.