Little Things Travel

04/22/2022

My favorite old fashioned in Kansas City, can’t wait to be back for more in a few weeks for !

J. Rieger & Co. was founded in 1887 in KC’s West Bottoms neighborhood and was the largest mail order whiskey house in the United States before prohibition in 1920. They returned to business almost a century later as Kansas City, Missouri’s first distillery since before prohibition.

11/16/2021

As the holidays approach or you have that upcoming birthday party right around the corner, it can be so easy to run to the nearest big box store or turn to the online convenience of Amazon. Sometimes that may be the only option or a necessary one, but I've been challenging myself to be more thoughtful about my gift giving and I encourage you to do the same. That's why I've compiled this globally-inspired small business gift guide so you can support small business owners while buying the perfect gift for the travel lover in your life, or simply treating yourself!

The next time you need to buy a gift, use this globally-inspired small business gift guide to support small business owners at the same time.

09/27/2021

Last month I went on a photo walk with the Chicago chapter, a refreshing return to seeing my fellow travel lovers in person again. It can be so easy to get caught up in just getting where you’re going in your hometown or even a place you’ve been to frequently. This walk was the perfect reminder to look up and pay attention to what’s right in my own backyard.

Thanks to for organizing and for guiding us!

03/08/2021

Sending love to all the women out there this International Women’s Day! 💕

Next year at this time I’ll be in New Orleans gearing up for the best party I could ever ask for with all my favorite people... ! It’s the first ever outdoor festival for women who love to travel, created by , and it’s going to be EPIC! Tickets are on sale now at wanderfestevent.com

03/01/2021

Today is the one-year mark since I’ve been on a plane ✈️ I was coming home from South Africa, already thinking about when I would be returning to visit again. 🇿🇦

One of the things that always holds true when it comes to travel is that there is always something that won’t go exactly as planned. The day we were supposed to take the cable car up Table Mountain, the winds were too strong. So we drove up to Signal Hill instead to enjoy the views from there and it was absolutely breathtaking.

Here we are, a year later, with more trips/plans cancelled or rescheduled than any of us ever could have imagined. Yet, some beautiful things have come out of this past year. I discovered my love for gardening. I’ve learned how to make my home and purchases more sustainable. And I realized how much I appreciate the little moments even more, both at home and while traveling.

It’s easy to look back and think about what was lost this past year, but there is also so much that I gained that I may not have otherwise.

02/03/2021

In this past year we have all had to deal with loss in some form. We’ve had to face new challenges and uncertainty.

These earrings from Waypoint Goods new women’s empowerment collection are called Tenacious AF, and I can’t think of a more appropriate name as we proceed through 2021.

They are a reminder that no matter what we’re up against, we have the tenacity to push forward and overcome the obstacles in front of us.

This Galentine’s Day, honor yourself or a woman in your life who is tenacious AF with a pair of these (or anything else in the collection, which is inspired by the traits of empowered women) while also supporting a small women-owned business. And 5% of sales are donated to the Bennett Belle's Passport Program, which helps fund passport application fees for students!

Browse the collection & check it out for yourself: https://bit.ly/wg-empowered Also pictured here is their Oslo scarf, which is my all time favorite travel scarf, complete with a hidden passport pocket!

12/13/2020

For years I've been telling people that Little Things Travel is about appreciating the little things at home and around the world. The whole "at home" part was really put to the test in 2020, but it brought me closer to Mother Earth than I ever could have imagined.

I know it has been quiet here without the normal travel content, so here is a peek into some of the little things I've been appreciating during my time at home.

Appreciating the little things at home was put to the test in 2020, but it brought me closer to Mother Earth than I ever could have imagined!

11/19/2020

While 2021 may not be the year for travel, travelers haven’t stopped loving and yearning for travel! Even when we’re not on the road, there are plenty of travel-inspired goodies that can be enjoyed right at home. These pandemic gifts for stationary travelers will keep the travel-lover in your life dreaming of those future trips.

These pandemic gifts for stationary travelers will keep the travel lover in your life dreaming of future trips even while we're at home!

09/15/2020

If anyone is in the market for a new travel credit card, I highly recommend taking advantage of this bonus offer. This is one of my all time favorite credit cards and this sign up bonus is worth at least $1k!

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a best-ever, limited time welcome bonus of up to 80K points. This is the time to pick up this card.

09/15/2020

We may have just celebrated 100 years of the 19th amendment in the United States, but not *all* women were granted the right to vote upon its ratification. It has only been 55 years since women of color received the right to vote. But voter disenfranchisement and suppression are still alive and well today.

⚠️ There are over 13 million permanent legal residents who are not allowed to vote. These are people who pay taxes and have spent years building lives and families in this country. They may be essential workers, they may have served in the military, but they still can’t vote.

⚠️ Nearly 6 million Americans are unable to vote due to felony disfranchisement laws, which vary by state.

⚠️ Over 3.5 million people live in US territories like Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. They are US citizens, yet are still not afforded the right to vote.

⚠️ 61 million adults (26%) in the United States live with a disability, and inaccessible polling places and voting methods in general are a major hindrance for these folks being able to vote. Only 40% of polling places fully accommodate people with disabilities.

This only scratches the surface, and I haven’t even touched on voter ID laws, illegitimate voter purging, gerrymandering, restrictions and rules around voter registration, and so much (too much) more.

So this year, if you have the privilege of voting in the US, I ask that you vote. Not just because it’s “your civic duty” or out of fear for who might end up in office. Vote for the millions of people who still cannot vote.

Voting is not going to be enough. Politicians are not going to fix the massive inequities in our systems and society. This does not end on November 3rd. But it can start there.

If you’re ready to go a step further and are healthy/low-risk, join me in signing up to be a poll worker. There are fewer poll workers this year than ever before, which can make voting even more inaccessible than it already was. In most cases you will even get paid for your work.

🗳 Sign up via Power the Polls and they will send you the information for applying in your local district:

America is facing a record shortage of poll workers this year due to the coronavirus. Sign up now to make sure we have a safe, fair, efficient election for all.

08/14/2020

The last time I traveled, I had no idea it would be my last trip for who knows how much longer. I was in South Africa, and I returned on March 1st, not long before all the COVID-19 shutdowns began. Back then, I never imagined that we would be in the midst of a global pandemic just over a week later.

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to experience the beauty of South Africa, hang out with Clara (.hospitality), and meet some of the ladies from the Johannesburg chapter.

It just happens to be women’s month in South Africa right now, so what better time to reminisce about my trip there and meeting these inspirational travel-loving women! I sure hope my next visit can happen sooner rather than later 🇿🇦

@ Johannesburg, South Africa

07/29/2020

Have you ever traveled to a place for such a short time that when you think back on it later the memories come to you in flashes?

I see the shiny cobblestone bricks of Old Town and the curvy streets woven together like spiderwebs. I feel the brisk cold on my fingertips and the quiet of the dimly lit streets during off season. I remember the crunch of the gravel when I tried to drag my suitcase through the pathway of the “shortcut” found to get to our Airbnb, only to realize my bag was not going anywhere on that shortcut. And the restaurant that was fully booked but had open tables at their other location down the street, that turned out to be the perfect tiny gem. Or the corny medieval restaurant where we ate elk, boar, and bear sausage just because.

These are the little things I remember as I lie awake in the midst of a pandemic daydreaming of the places I’ve been and those I have yet to visit.

Tallin, if I ever make it back I promise I will stay longer next time 🇪🇪

@ Tallinn, Estonia