Beaches, Cities & Wildlife

It took a couple of years of travel before I realized how big a role accommodations play in enjoying a location or a vacation. Since that realization dawned on me, I never went back to booking a hotel room again. I booked cabins with VRBO and tried bed & breakfasts before I figured out Airbnb in 2013. I fell in love with it immediately and had the pleasure of staying in some lovely and unique places like this forest cabin in Mendocino, California and this rain forest retreat in Big Island, Hawaii. I even have a long wish list of cabins in my Airbnb account that I hope to stay in someday. Needless to say, I spend a lot of time trying to find that perfect spot for us in each of our vacations.
On our recent trip to Smoky Mountains National Park, I chose a tiny cabin of less than 200 sq ft. for our 2-night stay. If you watch HGTV like me, you have heard of tiny cabins and they are intriguing. When I saw this tiny cabin next to Cherokee National Forest in a beautiful setting among trees…

My bestie once told me that she never thought much of the Fall season but that changed completely once she saw the Fall colors in all their glory. I have to agree. As beautiful as it is to smell the new-born fresh flowers in spring, it is equally gorgeous to watch the old leaves make way for the new in the Fall with such grace that only Nature can exhibit. Standing amidst dazzling shades of yellows, oranges and reds and watching a colorful leaf fall from a tall tree slowly, swaying gracefully with the wind, and making a soft landing onto the plush carpet of brightly hued leaves on the ground is one of the most romantic experiences. Experiencing Fall colors is like living in a beautiful dream.
While there are several places to see the Fall Foliage, Smoky Mountain National Park is a popular one. It draws more than ten million visitors annually - about twice the number of the second most popular National Park. Its location in the lovely town of Gatlinburg is a huge plus, if you ask me. Wh…

Big Island, Hawaii is my favorite destination so far and I loved every minute we spent there celebrating our 6th anniversary, my husband's birthday and life in general. I felt so much at peace waking up to the singing birds and views of the magical rain forest from our lovely Airbnb cabin that I would have been content enjoying fresh coffee, fruits and reading books sitting in its patio. But step out, we did, at our own leisurely pace and were hit by the raw and pristine beauty of the island at every corner. I would like to share some of our favorite spots and things to do on Big Island from our week long trip, where we experienced everything from lush rain forests to dry volcanoes and impeccable beaches to stunning valleys.
Before that, here's our ride for the week that added to the fun with its off-road capability and convertible top (btw, I am referring to the Jeep).
1. Kalapana Lava Viewing:
Watching a surface lava flow within a few feet and new Earth being formed right in fr…