Vienna's Schönbrunn Palace: Imperial Splendour

Our first morning in Vienna, Austria, my husband and I were booked by his company to tour the majestic Schönbrunn Palace. The tour promised to expose us to the "Imperial Splendour" that Austria, and Vienna in particular, is famous for.

(The day's agenda was literally titled "Imperial Splendour" so that there would be no mistaking what we were about the experience that morning!)

The incredible Schönbrunn Palace is well-worth a visit if you are ever in Vienna. It is so impressive that it has made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage Site list of attractions, and sees up to 8 million visitors a year - so don't expect to be puttering around the grounds alone! However, just because Schönbrunn Palace is busy does not mean you should skip seeing it.

Attending a Ball at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria

As a little girl growing up under the influence of Disney princesses and romantic musicals, I always pretended to be a lady of culture attending a fairytale ball. I'd put on my best dress or costume gown, slide into my mother's high heels, and waltz around the kitchen while my parents did their best not to trip over me while they made dinner.

As I aged, I realized that in our modern society, princes inviting all maidens in the land far and wide to cha-cha though his castle is not exactly a common occurrence. In fact, dances of any kind can be a bit difficult to find. In my community, there are lots of charity auctions, gala dinners, and special events, but very rarely do these occasions include a dance of any sort, let alone a ball that matched my vision as a wee girl.

"Do balls even exist anymore?" I wondered, and I truly believed the answer was NO.

But then I went to Vienna, and I attended what felt like a royal ball inside a true-blue palace, where I wore a legitimate ball gown, and for the first time in my life, I actually felt like a Disney princess come to life.

Wandering Old Wardour Castle in Tisbury, England

Recently we were visiting friends who live in Shaftesbury, Dorset in England. Due to a hectic travel schedule involving both Vienna and Venice in under two weeks, my husband and I were only able to stay in England for a few days. The bulk of that time was reserved for catching up with Joey's high school bestie Jason and his wife and kids, as well as a day trip out to Stonehenge, which is about 40 minutes away from Shaftesbury. Needless to say, there wasn't a huge chunk of time left over for travel blog exploration.

But Jason's lovely wife, Emily, was immensely supportive of my travel blog and YouTube channel endeavours, and was excited to show me around the area so that I could make a couple videos and articles during my stay. A BIG shout-out to the beautiful and enthusiastic Emily; we loved staying with them and will hopefully repeat our stay in the near future!

One of the highlights of the Shaftesbury area is the Old Wardour Castle, a lakeside medieval stone ruin that is amazingly picturesque and surprisingly intact despite being partially destroyed during the English Civil War. Emily and I ditched the boys and headed out on a morning girls' trip to the castle to see what we could find.

Visiting Stonehenge: What to Expect from the Stones

Recently I was able to check off a big item from my bucket list: #24, See Stonehenge.

I have wanted to personally stand near the towering rocks at Stonehenge since I was a kid. My parents used to own a big coffee table book about the "unsolved mysteries" of our planet. Stonehenge was one of the chapters in that book, and the stones were presented with huge, brightly coloured photographs that featured the sun peeking through during solstice. It all looked so magical and beautiful, and that particular destination became a goal of mine.

Flash forward to today, and my husband and I found ourselves in England visiting our friends Jason and Emily in the town of Shaftesbury. Luckily for me, Shaftesbury is about 40 minutes away from the Stonehenge Historical site. So on a Saturday afternoon, we headed out on a bit of a road trip to fulfill #24 on my bucket list.

3 Reasons Why Bucket Lists AREN'T Morbid

As the owner, writer, and editor of a Travel Bucket List blog for nearly a decade, recently branching out into the exciting and dually frustrating world of running a YouTube channel, I have had many conversations about the nature of bucket lists.

Many people are excited that I have a travel bucket list and typically ask me questions such as, "What's on it?" or "How long is it?"

But there have been a handful of people that I've encountered personally, let alone seen comment online, who disagree with the notion of a bucket list. Some are even quite passionate that bucket lists are simply WRONG and the people who write them are pathetic. Yes, that's a comment that once was thrown casually in my direction.

Naturally, everyone is entitled to their opinion. And if you are someone who thinks bucket lists are a waste of time, that's completely fine with me. No one is forcing you to write one. But I love my bucket list - I actually have TWO; the one for travel that you see on this blog, and one for everyday life goals such as paying off my house mortgage.

Allow me the luxury of defending myself against some of the arguments that have been put forth against bucket lists and their use in people's lives.

The Bowden Sun Maze: Happiness at Eagle Creek Farms

If you've ever dreamed of strolling through a sea of smiling sunflowers, awash in the golden glow of their sunny blooms, then it is my honour to inform you that making this dream come true is possible. Journey to the Bowden Sun Maze, located on the grounds of Eagle Creek Farms outside the town of Bowden in central Alberta.

The sunflower maze is only a small part of what Eagle Creek Farms has to offer its visitors, but indeed it is the most famous part of the attraction.

Read on to find out what you can discover while exploring the Bowden Sun Maze!

Miniature World Museum in Victoria, B.C.

Walking down the busy but well-kept streets of Victoria, British Columbia on Vancouver Island, my family and I had a destination in mind. Our goal: to find the harbour, rent a sea shuttle, and find a delicious seafood restaurant overlooking the ocean.

Then it began to pour.

Surprised by the deluge, my husband and I tried to find a place to shelter our shivering two-year-old and four-year-old children. As luck would have it, we ducked under a black awning and found ourselves reading the gilded writing splashed across the door.

"Miniature World. The Greatest Little Show on Earth," my husband read. "Wanna go in?" I nodded happily - we would be dry, warm, and entertained. Does escaping a surprise spring shower get any better than that?

And so we entered Miniature World, the land of all things teeny tiny.

The Ellis Bird Farm in Lacombe, Alberta

Imagine it is a warm summer day. The sky is blue, the breeze is light. You want something relaxing but fun to do outdoors, without the hassle of having to pack for the beach, or launder wet swimsuits from the pool or splash park. You just want to hop in the car and go, be entertained, and come home satisfied without a bunch of packing or cleaning to do as a result of your day out.

Enter the Ellis Bird Farm, located just southeast of Lacombe, Alberta. Free to visit (but they sure do appreciate donations, so I encourage you to bring a bit of cash) the Ellis Bird Farm offers a lot for individuals and families to do. Activities include bird watching, TWO interpretive centers, pond dipping, strolling through the amazing gardens, a tea house with fresh ice cream, and a petting zoo of sorts.

My kids loved visiting the Ellis Bird Farm, so allow me to share our day there with you to help you plan your adventure!

Exploring Rat's Nest Cave with Canmore Cave Tours

What do you get the father / husband who has everything? That's the question I have every Father's Day when trying to decide what to gift my husband.

This year, I went with my usual go-to: the gift of a new experience. This is something I love to give to my husband, because he usually buys what he needs for himself and I also really am horrible at thinking of physical presents. But I can always give him a new experience! In the past, I've gifted Joey with dog-sled rides, helicopter rides over the mountains, hiking through frozen ice canyons, and soaking in grotto-style hot tubs. (Plus, I always get to tag along, so we both benefit from this! See what I did there?)

So for Father's Day 2018, the kids and I gave my husband a fantastic Father's Day gift of exploring Canmore, Alberta's 'Rat's Nest Cave' (with me) and then a day of fun and sun at Calaway Park (with the kids). You can watch the Calaway Park video here, but to hear about our amazing time spelunking in Rat's Nest Cave, read on!

That Time I Got to Fly an Airplane in College

Long before I began this blog, or had a travel bucket list, or was even obsessed with travel itself, I was able to experience something that most people can only imagine themselves doing. One crazy Saturday in my second year of college, I got to fly an airplane.

Okay, in full disclosure, I can't actually say I was entirely responsible for flying the aircraft. I flew the plane for, at most, ten minutes before we hit a bump of turbulence and I freaked out and insisted the pilot take the wheel again. (Which was probably for the best, let's be honest.) But I still GOT TO FLY AN AIRPLANE and that was a pretty neat experience.

Let's do the trippy 'back in time' ripple effect so I can tell you my story...

Victoria's Butchart Gardens: Paradise on Vancouver Island

As a child, I visited Vancouver Island with my parents on several occasions. One of my most vivid memories of exploring the island was strolling the grounds of the incredible Butchart Gardens. Sprawling across 55 acres of fertile land, the Butchart Gardens feature several themed gardens, fountains, a carousel, and so many flowers it will make your head spin.

We visited Vancouver Island last May with our own children, and I was excited to continue the family tradition of visiting Butchart Gardens into the next generation. My memory certainly didn't even do the gardens justice - they were even bigger, brighter and more beautiful than I remembered!

Allow me to take you on a virtual tour of the gardens, and don't forget to watch the video at the end to  get the full experience!

Tide-Pooling in Vancouver Island's Botany Bay

One of my favourite things to do when I'm oceanside is hunt for tide pools. The abundance of flora and fauna that can be found within a tide pool gives you a little window into what the ocean floor might look like in that area.

What exactly is a 'tide pool'? Here is the official definition from Wikipedia: "Tide pools or rock pools are shallow pools of seawater that form on the rocky intertidal shore. Many of these pools exist as separate bodies of water only at low tide. Many tide pools are habitats of especially adaptable animals." The animals that typically enjoy tide pool environments are starfish, anemones, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, snails, crabs, and many more I'm sure!

When we visited Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island last month, I insisted on visiting the famous Botany Beach where tide pools dot the ocean's edge.

Avatar Grove: Forest of Giants in Port Renfrew, B.C.

Fairy tale forests are full of mystery and magic. Every child has dreamed of Hansel and Gretel's forest; winding pathways edged with ferns and mosses, sheltered by giant trees with a canopy that seems to touch the clouds. If you have ever pictured yourself lost in such a fairy tale forest, then might already have a mental image of what Vancouver Island's Avatar Grove looks like.

We visited Avatar Grove last month during our family road trip to Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Located close to the remote fishing village of Port Renfrew, Avatar Grove is protected by the Ancient Forest Alliance because of its incredible old-growth western red cedar and Douglas fir trees and the fact that it features 'Canada's Gnarliest Tree', a moniker that intrigued me so much we just had to go see what it was all about.

Vancouver Island's Englishman River Falls

If you are staying in the Nanaimo / Parksville region of British Columbia's Vancouver Island, and are looking for an easy, family-friendly hike in a gorgeous natural area, this post is for you!

My family and I recently spent a couple of weeks exploring Vancouver Island, including the town of Parksville. While there, we drove out to Englishman River Falls Provincial Park to check out the double waterfalls and enjoy a morning of hiking through the forest. It was a fabulous way to spend some time together in peaceful and beautiful surroundings.

Read on to learn more about Englishman River Falls Provincial Park and what to expect while there!

5 Family Friendly Activities in Parksville, British Columbia

Are you planning to visit the picturesque town of Parksville on British Columbia's Vancouver Island? If you are there with kids, there is no end of fun adventures to be had. My family and I recently spent three days in the Parksville, B.C. area and ran out of time to explore of all the great things the town and surroundings had to offer.

To make planning your vacation to the region a little easier, I've made a handy-dandy list of exciting family outings to try during your stay. (And even if you don't have children with you, you should try these activities anyway!)

This isn't even a full list - I have additional activities posted on my blog and my YouTube channel as well. I will include links to all of these extra articles and videos at the bottom of this post to help you find what you need!

The Kinsol Trestle in Duncan, British Columbia

While journeying across the stunningly beautiful Vancouver Island on our May 2018 Fun Family Road Trip, we attempted to see and do as many things as we physically could, considering we had a four-year-old and a two-year-old in the car with us. This meant many items on my Vancouver Island bucket list could not be achieved (Gabriola Island and Mystic Beach come to mind) because of the length of the drive or hike.

However, one place that was easy accessible for young children was the gorgeous Kinsol Trestle Bridge near the town of Duncan, British Columbia.

How to Plan a Road Trip with Toddlers

Happy May everyone! The month of May is a really big deal around my home, as it marks the end of tax season for my husband, and the end of him working 10-11 hours a day almost seven days a week. He began 'tax season' at the start of February and went straight through until April 30, only taking two full days off that entire time.

For him, of course it is exhausting. For me, it is equally as tiring, since I'm basically a single mom of two trying to raise the kids, clean the house, do the laundry, buy the groceries, cook the meals, clean the yard (because finally it is spring!) AND work part-time as a substitute teacher. For the kids, they miss their dad fiercely, and my son even began to tell strangers that his father 'lived at work'. He honestly thought Joey slept at work and that was where his home was. Oh dear.

So we are celebrating May this year by taking a much-needed family vacation to reconnect, relax, and make some valuable memories together.

Why I Believe in Traveling with my Kids

Last Monday I had the opportunity to do a Live Stream on an awesome YouTube channel called Pusa Studios, where we chatted about my own YouTube travel channel, bucket lists, travel in general, and a variety of other topics. It was my first Live Stream and I was a little nervous, but Pusa Studios were great hosts and put me right at ease. If you want to check out the video, I'll post the link here bookmarked to my entrance (there is an hour of Live Stream before that, which you are welcome to watch as well!).

Part of our conversation focused on the topic of traveling with children, and how travel has affected my children thus far. We haven't taken Avy and Parker on a big international trip yet. (Although Avy did come with us to Costa Rica when she was 10 months old, but Parker had not quite joined our ranks yet. He was still a three-month-old fetus then!)

We have done several lengthy road trips with the kids, stayed at a cabin in British Columbia every summer since they were born, and I take them with me all the time on fun day-trip adventures. They are with me when I take notes on sights we see, and are usually a big part of my YouTube videos.

After I completed my chat with Pusa Studios, I took some time to really think about WHY traveling with my kids is so important to me.

How I Plan and Organize a Trip: A Step-By-Step Guide

I have a big announcement today regarding my 2018 travel plans! It is so exciting, and I can't believe how spoiled I am. My husband and I have almost finalized all of our travel plans, and now I can share the news with you: in October of 2018, we get to visit England, Austria, and Italy! We are headed for a couple days to the English countryside to stay with some friends, then will be off to Vienna for a week and Venice for another week. I am so ecstatic; I've been aching for a big trip like this for awhile, and here it is!

To keep myself sane, I've been trying to funnel all of this excited energy into trip planning - because if you are a regular reader of this blog, you already know that planning trips is my number one hobby. Even when there are no trips on the horizon, I like to sit and make pretend and extremely detailed itineraries for future trips that may or may not happen. Since I know this particular trip is indeed happening, I've been having a blast planning it all out.

We are traveling with another couple to Venice from Vienna, and my friend Jess was asking how I go about doing all of my planning. She came over one evening, and we sat down together to determine our dates of travel, flights and accommodations. While we were muddling through it all, Jess was asking about the things I do to get trips planned and how I keep it all organized. I was more than happy to share my tips and tricks to avoid feeling overwhelmed!

Explore the Reynolds-Alberta Museum: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

For every car, truck, motorbike, airplane, and locomotive fanatic out there, this post is the one for you! (What else has an engine inside of it? If I've missed anything on my list, just add it, because I'm sure it will be covered here at some point!)

We just returned home from a day trip to the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in the city of Wetaskinwin, Alberta. It is a sprawling, three-building museum complex loaded to the brim with historical vehicles, including but definitely not limited to antique farm equipment, fancy cars, and old-school biplanes. My kids and I literally spent three hours combing through the galleries, admiring the displays, engaging in the various children's activities, and pretending to drive everything from race cars to helicopters. 

This museum was a super fun way to spend an afternoon, and I learned more about cars than I really ever need to know. You don't even have to be a vehicle or airplane enthusiast to enjoy what the Reynolds-Alberta Museum has to offer. If you aren't sure about visiting, read through this online museum tour - I'm sure you'll be convinced by the end!

The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology: Virtual Museum Tour 2018

One of the most famous places to visit in Alberta, Canada (other than the mountains) is the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology located in Drumheller, Alberta. The newly-renovated museum, dedicated to all things palaeontology, has a massive collected of over 130,000 fossils, a working palaeontology lab, a botanical garden, and so much more.

Even better, the museum is located about 30 minutes from my parents' house, so I have been able to visit multiple times. The last time I explored the museum, I put together a virtual tour for those of you wanting to see what the museum has to offer but are unable to make the journey yourself.

Read on to discover what makes the Royal Tyrrell Museum such a fascinating attraction, and be sure to watch the video at the end to see what it is like to wander the halls!

Fondue (Or Fondon't) at Banff's Grizzly House Restaurant

I don't usually write about restaurants. This isn't a foodie blog. It is a travel blog. But sometimes, while on your travels, you encounter a unique restaurant that actually deserves its own spot on a travel blog because it isn't just a restaurant, it is a destination.

That's how I feel about the Grizzly House restaurant in Banff, Alberta. This place isn't just a tasty, unique, and fun experience, it also has a super juicy history that has to be shared!

Read on to learn about Banff's premiere restaurant to fondue, and er... frolic?

Banff Winter 'Fests: Banff SnowDays & Lake Louise Ice Magic Festival

Sometimes (not often) winter is worth celebrating. Christmas. Snow days. Curling up by the fire while big, fluffy flakes drift slowly to the ground outside. These are all things I actually do enjoy about winter.

In Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada, parks personnel take celebrating winter to a whole new level. 

When I gifted my husband a trip to the mountains for his Christmas present this year, we were lucky enough to arrive on the same weekend that both the Banff SnowDays festival AND the Lake Louise Ice Magic Festival were happening. It made the weekend that much more full of interesting and beautiful sights, beyond the usual majesty of a winter mountain vacation.

Skate and Sleigh on Alberta's Frozen Lake Louise

Skating on a frozen lake can be an enjoyable experience.

But skating on frozen Lake Louise in Alberta's majestic Rocky Mountains is even better. With the incredible backdrop of Mount Fairview, Mount Whyte, and the Victoria Glacier surrounding you, gliding across the exceptionally blue ice is an unforgettable adventure.

Combine your skating activity with a sleigh ride around the snow-covered banks of Lake Louise, and you have created a perfect scenic winter day in the mountains. This is exactly what we did in January of 2018 when I took my husband and kids to Banff National Park as a Christmas-gift-experience. If an outdoors adventure of this nature appeals to you, then read on for more details on how you can organize your own winter getaway!

Incredible Ice Castles of Edmonton, Alberta

"When it snows, you have two choices: shovel or make snow angels." (Anonymous)

OR.... Or you could make awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, majestic ice castles complete with towers, slides, and caves.

Well, if you are Edmonton, Alberta, that's what you would do. (More accurately, that's what they DID!) And last weekend, we went to explore this Narnia-esque wonder as a family.

I had been seeing advertisements about the Edmonton Ice Castle over and over again on Facebook. (Facebook must know how travel-obsessed I am.) I had been hinting repeatedly to my husband that we just had to go see it, and for about three weekends in a row we had made plans, and then everything would fall through. Last weekend, I announced that I was going no matter what.

Rogers Hometown Hockey hits Lacombe, Alberta

Sometimes you don't have to hop on a plane to be part of something new and unique. Sometimes, new and unique comes to you.

That was the case in Lacombe, Alberta this weekend, when our little main street was turned into a hockey-loving winter festival, all thanks to Rogers Hometown Hockey and Sportsnet. Free for everyone to enjoy, the Hometown Hockey event offered locals a chance to see the Stanley Cup, meet some hockey celebrities ranging from players to announcers, dance to some live music (and also to stay warm), and even get their faces on national television as TV legend Ron MacLean broadcasted live during an NHL game.

Despite the nearly -30 weather this weekend, hordes of dedicated, hockey-loving rural Albertans showed up to the Hometown Hockey event to see the sights, my family and I included. What was there to see and do? Here's my list of our favourite things about Rogers Hometown Hockey in Lacombe.

Banff's Fox Hotel and Suites: Hotel Review

Since Banff, Alberta is such a popular tourist destination in both the summer and the winter, there are plenty of places to select from when looking for hotels, hostels, and bed and breakfasts. The most famous of all is the Banff Springs Hotel, which looks like a castle, is rumoured to be haunted, and is totally on my bucket list. I have yet to check that one off. (At what point do travel bloggers start to get free stays in fancy hotels? Because I'm still waiting...)

However, two weekends ago my family and I reserved rooms at the Fox Hotel and Suites on Banff Avenue right downtown, and it was an amazing mini-vacation. I'd like to give you the details on our stay so you can decide for yourself if this hotel is right for you when coming to visit Alberta's mountain wonderland.

Winter Tips for the Johnston Canyon Ice Walk

About thirty minutes west of Banff, Alberta is the amazing Johnston Canyon. Nestled in a valley in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, this canyon is impressive in both summer and winter. The seemingly innocuous Johnston Creek is responsible for the canyon's design, cutting through the limestone walls over millennia to form sheer cliff walls, smooth water-rounded corners, deep pools, and even a waterfall or two..

I have written about Johnston Canyon in the past, as we have hiked it several times during the summer months. I even have photos of myself as a child, feeding chipmunks and hanging from branches as my family and I hiked up to the falls. Now it is my turn to take photos of my own children doing the same!

However, despite being very familiar with the canyon, I had never hiked it during the winter. So for Christmas this year, I gifted my husband a weekend family trip away to Banff, where we'd visit Johnston Canyon and do the 'Ice Walk'.

How to Build a Quinzee: Winter Fun in the Snow

Who here likes winter?

Typically not me. I am a warm, summer breeze kind of girl who likes to lay on the beach or dig in her garden or go for a hikes through green forests. I am not a girl who likes frozen toes and runny noses and cars that don't start because it is minus 40 degrees outside. 

But since I am Canadian, and we Canadians get winter for 3/4 of the year (at least, it seems that way) every year I try to make the most of winter and look for fun winter adventures to pass the long, chilly months away.

About six years ago I wrote a post about some of the activities available to those intrepid people who choose to celebrate the winter weather, and in that post I mentioned building a quinzee.

J.J. Collett Natural Area: Central Alberta's Wilderness Park

The area where I live, near Lacombe, Alberta is part of beautiful central Alberta. Our region is dominated in the summer by lush rolling hills, golden fields of canola or wheat, and patches of thick deciduous and coniferous trees dotting the landscape. It is serenely beautiful for a farming area. In the winter, our fields fill with blankets of white snow, while the green needles of the pine trees give colour to the land.

The area is not what I would call wild, although it is pretty. The many farms and fields ensure that wherever you go, you know civilization is close at hand.

I Got a DJI Spark Drone for Christmas - And Here's What I Learned

The biggest item on my Christmas 2017 wish list this year was a drone. I have been drooling over drone videos on YouTube for quite some time, wishing I was a) at each and every one of those beautiful locations and b) filming my epic journey with a drone, creating footage worthy of a Lord of the Rings movie.

My husband granted me part B of that wish. He bought me a DJI Spark drone for Christmas, and I nearly cried with joy.

Vote for Me! Send me on the Kerala Blog Express!

Happy 2018, dear readers! I hope that you all rang in the new year in good health, with happiness, love, and laughter. And if not, I hope at least you got an excellent sleep and woke up refreshed and ready for whatever 2018 may bring.