Tag: Northeastern U.S.

Destinations, Massachusetts, Packing Lists, Style, Travel, USA

Traveling Light: A Winter Packing List for a Weekend in Boston

Alyssa wears all black with a camel coat

Opening up my suitcase – err, backpack – and sharing everything I packed for a weekend in Boston. Although I’ve always considered myself a “weekend travel blogger,” I suspect this year was the one where I truly took the most true “weekend” trips of all, departing on Saturday and returning on Sunday (in the past, …

Destinations, Massachusetts, Travel, USA

36 Hours in Boston and Cambridge

Alyssa looks out over the courtyard at the Gardner Museum in Boston

A quick weekend getaway guide to Boston and Cambridge – perfect for second-timers. As a travel blogger, I find myself spending more time than I’d like touring my site’s analytics. It’s tedious, but I get to learn so much about the kind of content you’re interested in. And when $75 round-trip tickets popped up for …

Destinations, Packing Lists, Pennsylvania, Style, Travel, USA

Traveling Light: A Backpack Packing List for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Alyssa wears an all black outfit on a sidewalk in Philadelphia

Revealing everything I packed in my backpack for a weekend flyaway trip to Philadelphia For better or for worse, the number of personal item packing list posts on this blog has grown significantly this year. This is largely due to the fact that I fly more budget carriers like Spirit or Frontier than I used …

Destinations, Pennsylvania, Travel, USA

36 Hours in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia City Hall

A quick weekend guide to Philadelphia – perfect for second-time visitors and those looking for more off-the-beaten-path recommendations.

Destinations, Food, Pennsylvania, Restaurants, Travel, USA

Four Outstanding Coffee Shops to Try in Philadelphia

A sign for Persimmon Coffee in Philadelphia

Call off the search! Here are four places for a guaranteed excellent cup of coffee in the City of Brotherly Love.

Destinations, New York, Packing Lists, Style, Travel, USA

Traveling Light: Packing List for a Weekend in Rochester, New York

Alyssa wears a black dress in front of a black wall in Rochester, NY

Sharing my ultra-light packing list for a summer weekend getaway in Rochester, New York This might just be my smallest pack ever (not just in the history of the blog, but ever) with four days/three nights in a tote bag. Until a recent weekend in Rochester, New York, there was a tie for my lightest …

Destinations, Food, New York, Restaurants, Travel, USA

The Complete Weekend Travel Guide to Rochester, New York

Alyssa in front of the Frederick Douglass–Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge in Rochester

Something I found fascinating when telling friends and family we were heading to Rochester for the weekend was that everyone had a different immediate response: “Eastman Kodak!” “Wineries!” “Garbage Plates!” “Susan B. Anthony!” “Video Games!” It will never get old to me that people’s first reaction to simply hearing the name of a destination is …

Destinations, Food, New York, Restaurants, Travel, USA

8 Essential Restaurants in Rochester, New York

Exterior of Vern's in Rochester

Look, I love an iconic meal as much as anyone else – bagels in NYC, pasta in Italy, tacos in Austin, stroopwafels in Amsterdam, far too much fish in Denmark, barbecue in Memphis,… Those meals are popular for a reason and they wind up being a large part of the visitor experience. I’m happy to …

Destinations, New York, Travel, USA

From Scrabble to Suffrage: Four Rochester Museums You Just Can’t Miss

Alyssa peers at photos in an exhibit at the George Eastman Museum

Welcome to Rochester, New York: a city steeped in culture and history. There’s no better way to discover the elements that have shaped the city’s identity than by exploring its captivating museums. From the world’s oldest photography museum to the largest collection of play artifacts, Rochester offers an eclectic array of experiences for visitors of …

Destinations, New York, Packing Lists, Style, Travel, USA

Traveling Light: New York City Winter Packing List

Alyssa stands on a street in SoHo in a Swiss dot top, black pants, and black boots

This is the second NYC packing list in the history of this blog – the first was way back in the fall of 2017 when skinny jeans were de rigueur and my Vejas were brand new (wow, look how bright and clean they were!). While my style has shifted some over the years, my love …