Who knew that Washington D.C. had so many monuments and memorials! By the end of our trip I was nicknaming D.C. the memorial amusement park.  The Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial are just some of the amazing sites you can check out while in DC.  I was amazed to see just how much we fit into this day tour of D.C.  Not only did we see the memorials but we went into the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, one of the most renowned museums in the U.S! I’ve been obsessed with National Geographic since I was younger, and the Smithsonian is right up there in the ranks.  There are about a bazillion (19 to be exact) different Smithsonian museums in DC, each with their own area of expertise.  Some of these include the National  Portrait Gallery, Postal Museum, and an Air and Space Museum.   » Read More

I was lucky enough to take a trip to New Orleans this past week and see what it has to offer. It had always been one of the top places on my bucket list, as I’m sure it is for many others. The food, the music, the French influenced architecture, and of course, the rich history, bring people to this delectable melting pot of a city.   Although many warned me of the smothering August humidity, I seized my opportunity to go regardless of the temperature. Plus, it was no secret among my friends that I loved being blanketed by humidity, to their chagrins. We stepped off of the plane and taxied our way over to the French Quarter, only a half hour away. The small cobblestone streets and hidden alleyways alluded to the city’s age, which was built during a time where a horse and buggy were the main mode of transp   » Read More

Continuing along Day 1 of our 3-Day San Francisco, Hearst Castle, Yosemite Tour!After the Travelers4Fun team wrapped up lunch in Solvang, CA, we were off to our next stop: Hearst Castle. Nestled atop a hill North of San Luis Obispo – about a two hour drive from Solvang – we arrived mid-afternoon. The Hearst Castle Tour is optional, and at $25 I would highly recommend it for anyone who loves art, history, architecture, or old Hollywood glamour. Many of the tapestries, paintings, sculptures, and mosaics are one-of-a-kind, and some pieces date all the way back to the 3rd century! A little history: Hearst Castle took just under three decades (28 years, to be exact) to complete. William Randolph Hearst worked closely with architect Julia Morgan to design a Spanish Revival-inspired estate. As a child, Hearst traveled through Europe with his mother, and inspiration from his tra   » Read More

Yosemite was one of our favorite family vacation destinations, so I was excited to revisit the beautiful park after a decade had passed. Our tour group got an early (very, very early) start to our day, and made it to Yosemite by 9 am. March turned out to be the perfect time of year to visit the Yosemite, because the waterfalls were flowing at maximum force as the snow started melting heading into the warmer months. Our first stop gave us perfect views of El Capitan. At 3,000 feet from base to summit, El Capitan is one of the largest granite monoliths (mountain consisting of a single massive rock) in the world and a favorite challenge for rock climbers from around the globe. The next stop was Yosemite Falls, the highest waterfall in North America. Our group made the short easy hike to the base of the falls where we got up-close views of the water freely flowing over a tall cliff through m   » Read More

A bright and early start on Day 2 of our San Francisco Tour gets us to San Francisco from our nearby Fremont Crowne Plaza Hotel by 7:30. We are dropped off near China Town for breakfast. It’s typical San Francisco Spring weather: gray, drizzly skies and temps in the mid-60s. My first mission is to find some caffeine, which isn’t too hard since there are several cute cafes nestled below the tall sky rises. We have 90 minutes for breakfast, so I spend my last hour wandering around the financial district, people watching and snapping photos of the amazing architecture and cool statues and art. Our first official sightseeing excursion of the day is Lombard Street – famous for its steepness and pinpoint curves. Those of us who are up for it are encouraged to hike to the top and take in the breathtaking views. Anna and I accept the challenge and are greeted at the top of the   » Read More