Seattle offers an exciting mix of iconic sights and time outdoors. This guide highlights the most memorable things I did while visiting, including Pike Place Market, a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island, the Seattle Public Library, and a visit to Snoqualmie Falls just outside the city.

Planning a safari in Kenya means preparing for more than just the game drives. It also means navigating travel vaccines. Before my trip, I compared what I was personally advised to get with what the CDC actually recommends for Kenya. Some vaccines are worth getting no matter what, others depend entirely on your itinerary, and a few can be skipped for most travelers. This guide breaks it all down so you can be proactive about getting the vaccines you need without paying for the shots you don’t need.

St. Martin is one island with two distinct personalities. You’ll land over the famous Maho Beach on the Dutch side and hit Marigot to explore the French side. But you also can island hop to destinations like St. Barths, Antigua, and the best destination for pristine, white-sand beaches—Anguilla. Here’s how I visited St. Martin and Anguilla for just $1500.

If you’re visiting St. Maarten, a day trip to Anguilla is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to expand your Caribbean experience. Known for its white sand beaches and turquoise waters, Anguilla offers a distinct contrast to St. Maarten and with a $150 Viator day cruise, it’s both accessible and worth it.

September in Martha’s Vineyard means thinner crowds and weather that’s still warm enough for the beach. Visiting in the first week of September gave weather in the high 70s and low 80s, open restaurants and shops, and a five-night stay steps from the beach and Circuit Avenue for $1,700, something nearly impossible at peak season.

Lake Elementaita Mountain Lodge was the briefest stop on my Kenya itinerary, but it delivered the most unforgettable view. Perched along the steep edge of the Great Rift Valley, the lodge offers private, house-style rooms with balconies that open to sweeping panoramas of Lake Elementaita. With a spa, pool, rose garden, and staff who shuttle you up and down the hillside, this stay blends comfort with breathtaking scenery. Here’s what it’s really like to spend a night on the Rift Valley’s edge.

Kilima Safari Camp was the first stop on my Kenya safari and, surprisingly, the most luxurious-feeling stay of the trip. Located just outside Amboseli National Park, this tented camp blends natural immersion with comfort, from spacious rooms and excellent dining to wildlife roaming freely around the property. Here’s my honest review of what it’s really like to stay at Kilima Safari Camp, including the rooms, food, amenities, and game drive access.

A hot air balloon safari over Kenya’s plains was an unexpected highlight of my 10-day trip. From an early morning launch and a smooth, low-flying ride over lions, elephants, and giraffes to a champagne breakfast set up in the middle of the savannah, this experience blends adventure and luxury in the most memorable way. Here’s everything you need to know before booking Kenya’s iconic hot air balloon safari.

Packing for a Kenya safari is all about choosing the things that make game drives, long commutes between locations, and early mornings easier. I’ve rounded up ten items that were surprising essential that you’ll be grateful you packed.

For years, I followed the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust online, captivated by the stories of rescued elephants and the keepers who raise them. I never expected Kenya or SWT to land on my 2025 travel calendar, but this sanctuary became one of the most grounding and beautiful surprises of my trip. In this guide, I share what it’s really like to visit, how the Trust supports Kenya’s conservation efforts, and everything you need to plan your own experience.

Shooting in Kenya really pushed me as a photographer. With my Sony a7III, a 200–600mm lens I’d never used before, and a mix of primes and wide angles, I learned quickly what actually works on safari and what doesn’t. Here’s the setup that got me through ten days of wildlife, culture and landscapes.

Zebra Plains Mara Camp was the most peaceful and luxurious stay of my entire Kenya trip. From spacious tented rooms and incredible food to warm staff, beautiful pool views, and game drives just minutes from camp, this lodge blends comfort with the magic of the Maasai Mara. Here’s everything you need to know before booking your stay.

The Maasai Mara is very dynamic and alive. I visited during the dry season when the grass thins out and the animals are clearly in view. Cheetahs hunting in real time. An elusive leopard and her cub. Lions napping and their cubs hidden not far away.

The range of animals is what makes Maasai Mara so special. Hippos, hyenas, topis, giraffes, impalas, wildebeests. It’s wild and cinematic and truly a once-in-a-lifetime kind of safari.

I visited Amboseli during the dry season when the skies stayed clear and the animals are not only out but out with babies. There were elephants moving in slow, powerful herds, lions napping in the sun, and zebras and gazelles were everywhere you looked.

Between the wildlife and the backdrop of Mount Kilimanjaro, Amboseli is full of life and the dreamiest safari you’ll want to embark on.

Stumbling upon the Festival of India in Charlotte, North Carolina, we spontaneously walked right into a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors, classical Indian dances, live music and the wonderful aroma of Indian cuisine. Here’s what I learned from that chance moment.

There’s a bigness about Seattle—the mountains, the space needle, the evergreens, the Fremont troll. Whenever I travel to places like this, I’m reminded that I’m a small person in a big world, and while for some people that means insignificance, for me, it simply means there’s more to life than just me. It’s an invitation to be curious about what I don’t know, including parts of myself.

Tracee Ellis Ross is showing the world what Black women like me have always known: solo travel isn’t just about how many destinations you can travel to. It’s about claiming space for yourself, your joy, and your truth. Her show, Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross, recently renewed for a second season, sparked so much conversation in the Black female community because it centers the very things my blog has always been about: confidence, self-discovery, and freedom.

For the fall and winter season, my first purchase is always one critical piece of outerwear that I ideally can shape the rest of my wardrobe around. When I saw Sézane’s Brown houndstooth Oscar jacket, I knew immediately this was the piece. Martha’s Vineyard is a coastal destination where it’s perfectly normal and probably preferred to dress down, but for me, there’s always room to take it a step further, especially in Sézane.

Nestled at the end of Circuit Avenue, The Sweet Life Café is where Martha’s Vineyard dining meets charm and seasonality. With beautifully plated dishes that highlight fresh ingredients like peach salads and scallops topped with pomegranate, this intimate spot captures the perfect balance of savory and sweet.

Mister O1 is the product of a dream that started with an Italian visa and a whole lot of passion. Creating signature star pizzas with ingredients like truffle oil, burrata, spicy honey, and imported Italian meats, you’re certainly in for a unique and delicious treat. Mister O1 now has multiple locations in Miami, and if you’re in Atlanta, there’s a spot in Buckhead that’s absolutely worth the trip.