adventure - Compass Roam

An Unforgettable Hawaiian Road Trip: the Road to Hana

Why plan a road trip on the Road to Hana? You’ll hear it a thousand times before you embark on your Hawaiian road trip to Hana: “Hana is about the journey, not the destination.” It may sound a bit cliché, but it’s impossible to walk away from the Road to Hana without becoming one of…

A Family Road Trip along Highway 1

Everyone’s travel bucket lists were reimagined last year — as borders closed, highways remained opened, beckoning us like that guy at the school dance who all of a sudden seems super cute, even though the day before he was just another guy in Chem class. You’re looking at him with fresh new eyes, thinking, “Wait…

An Epic Kauai Travel Guide

Sorry Kauaians — I’m going to let the secret out: Kauai is a can’t miss destination in the Hawaiian island experience. Before traveling to the “Garden Isle,” I had previously visited Maui (one of the more popular picks), and could not have imagined a more mesmerizing island escape. While Maui’s fame is well deserved, Kauai’s…

The Ultimate Guide to Sedona and Scottsdale

We’ve visited Arizona more than other destination -– 4 times so far! Why do we keep returning? Simply because we just really love it. It has dependable weather, incredible hiking, delicious food, and all around relaxing vibes. If it wasn’t unbearably hot in the summers, my husband might convince me to move there. If you’re searching…

Weekend Guide to Santa Barbara With Kids

In the fall of 2019, we had a long weekend vacation booked in Napa with our 17 month old; however, the devastating fires at the time forced us to cancel our trip. In just a few short days, I completely revamped our itinerary to instead visit Santa Barbara. We ended up falling in love with…

Florence & Tuscany Travel Guide with a Baby

It’s hard to find the words to properly convey how special Italy is. The cities and towns are picture-postcard perfect, especially in Tuscany where you can let your imagination run wild exploring Medieval towers, stare for hours at the rolling hilltops, and walk through the colorful historical streets of Florence, Lucca, and Siena. And if…

The Ultimate Guide to Turkey: Istanbul and Cappadocia

Our vacation to Istanbul and Cappadocia was an intentional stretch into something more exotic. Istanbul has often been referred to as, “the crossroads of civilizations” for good reason – the culture is a blend of both European and Islamic influences, drawing from its rich history of Ottoman, Byzantine and Roman influences. This union is apparent…

The Best African Safari Packing Guide

Packing for a safari is unlike any other packing experience. Why so? A safari destination has drastically varying temperatures throughout the day, but you won’t be allowed to take much with you! In Tanzania, the weather forecast in August generally went like this: very chilly in the morning, scorching hot in the afternoon, chilly at…

Tanzania Safari Honeymoon Guide

During the midst of wedding planning, my husband pitched the idea of a safari for our honeymoon. I will admit — I was a little apprehensive, but I quickly got on board after doing some research. Everyone says you have to conquer your fears, right? Well, an open air, window-less, door-less jeep — sitting adjacent…

Travel Guide Sicily’s East Coast: Syracuse and Taormina

Sicily somewhat reminds me of the Texas of Italy. They are a proud people — boastful of both their Italian heritage, and their own Sicilian micro-culture and land (think Texas pride, or “Texas forever,” for those Friday Night Lights fans). They identify themselves as Sicilian first, Italian second. And even though Sicilians share a deeply-rooted…