How to get from Nagano to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park

Snow monkeys hanging out at the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park near Nagano

One of the main reasons you should visit Nagano is for the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, a unique onsen, or hot spring, filled with wild Japanese Macaques. Yes, you read that correctly. There is a hot spring with wild monkeys that you can visit in Japan. The park, located northeast of Nagano, requires a little work to reach, including a 1-mile (1.6 kilometers) trek on a narrow pathway through a beautiful snow-covered (in the winter) forest. If you decide to …

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6 Things I Learned On My Rainbow Falls Hike in Mammoth Lakes

Rainbow Falls in Mammoth Lakes, California

I’ll start off my story by letting you know that I am a novice hiker. I hike a few times yearly, and luckily, I have never had any issues or gotten lost until today. Today, I decided to hike a quick 3 mile round-trip trail to Rainbow Falls in the town of Mammoth Lakes, California. The hike out to the waterfall was easy, but on the way back I got lazy, made a few mistakes, and got a little lost. …

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My 4 must eat places at Seattle’s Pike Place Market

When you travel to a new city and want to find great local food, you usually know to skip the tourist trap spots that love to jack up prices for mediocre food. This is mostly true except for the case of Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington. Yes, it is touristy, and you should avoid a few shops, but you can still find great food at decent prices if you know where to look. You can find it all at …

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My 9 favorite locations to visit in Italy on a first trip

Rome, the Eternal City

Italy is one of my favorite places to visit in Europe. There is so much to love about Italy, from the food to the sights to the history. And there is something for everyone in Italy. There is something for everyone, from exploring the Colosseum in Rome to cursing through the canals of Venice or taking photos in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But choosing which locations in Italy to visit, whether it is your first or even …

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5 new places I would love to visit in 2015

At the top of the list...Vietnam

I have been fortunate enough to have been able to travel to many awesome locations all around this amazing globe. But like any other person who loves to travel, I’m always ready to plan a new trip. Always looking ahead for my next adventure. I think I have a problem, but a good problem. I am addicted to traveling. My goal for 2015 is to travel and write new posts for your reading pleasure. To make that happen, I need …

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My best travel tips for an awesome trip

New friends met in Tokyo

Whenever my friends plan a trip, they ask me the same questions. Do you have any travel tips? Where should I stay? What should I eat? How can I save money? I always help them with tips I have learned through years of traveling and experience. Here are a few of the best travel tips that I have learned from my travels. Avoid hotel restaurants I’m not saying that hotel restaurants are bad, but they are often overpriced for the …

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16 things to do on your first trip to Seoul

Seoul

Seoul is the unique capital of South Korea that perfectly blends new technology, thousands of years of history, and religion. From Korean BBQ, to shopping, to visiting war zones, Seoul has everything to offer visitors. Seoul is such a fascinating blend of traditional and modern. The city is an exciting blend of local markets, large department stores, street food, high class dining, and friendly locals that always seem to be working hard or partying hard. Here is a list of …

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5 of the most amazing castles in Scotland

The skyline of Edinburgh dominated by the castle

Out of all the places I have been, Scotland remains high on the list. Green everywhere, endlesses lochs, and historic and downright amazing castles. If you can stand the cold weather, the sheep, and the narrow roads, then Scotland and her mighty castles are perfect for you. Here is a list of just a few of the most amazing castles in Scotland. Edinburgh Castle Dominating the skyline of the capital city of Edinburgh is Edinburgh Castle. A royal castle has …

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5 pet friendly hotel chains without pet fees

Traveling with a pet? Many hotels let them stay for free

Have you ever snuck a pet into a hotel before to avoid their hotel pet policy fee? I sure have. My most memorable but least proud moment is when I brought my cat along to Las Vegas and snuck him into the room. I paid $24 for the hotel per night and knew the hotel pet fee was $50 per night. What was I to do? Long gone are those days of sneaking pets into hotels as more and more …

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Going to Osaka? Here are 3 must eat street foods you should try

Dotonbori is the mecca of street food in Osaka

Most people think that Tokyo is a far superior city for food than Osaka. What they fail to realize is that Osaka is considered the food capital of Japan. Osaka is a city for food lovers and has just as great of food, or even better, than Tokyo. Some of the most famous and delicious foods in Osaka are those being sold by street vendors (and in restaurants all over the city). If you are visiting Osaka, make sure you …

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