"People don't notice if it's winter or summer when they're happy." -Anton Chekhov

I've recently decided to make this my new life motto. Living in Michigan all my life, I've experienced my fair share of winters and trust me, they can be brutal. I used to spend my days counting down until the summer sun was back again but there really is so much beauty (and fun) to be had in the snowy season!

I had the opportunity to pack my bags and hit the road to head north to one of my favorite Michigan towns, Petoskey, for an ultimate winter weekend getaway. We spent three days packed full of good food, wine, adventure, and even some fresh snow.

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Petoskey Area Visitor's Bureau. The itinerary was created by me based on personal research and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

You know those destinations that instantly steal a piece of your heart and you know right away you'll be back again and again? That is Hawaii for us.

We visited the islands of Oahu and Maui for the first time in August 2017 while on our honeymoon. After 10 days of living the island life we were head over heels in love and knew we would be back sooner rather than later. So we started saving and planning and in February 2019 we visited Kauai for the first time and returned to Maui (our personal favorite). 

In the months that followed as I've been talking to people about our trips and love for the Aloha state I've heard a lot of comments such as "Isn't Hawaii so expensive?!" and "You're went twice in two years..how can you afford that?" It was those types of comments that sparked the idea for this post and I'm excited to share some of the tips and tricks we use to save extra money for traveling. Now, keep in mind, this is certainly not an all-encompassing list. My husband and I are both blessed with great careers and are currently living the DINK (dual income no kids) lifestyle so we automatically have a bit more disposable income than others in different situations might.

With that being said, YES Hawaii is a more expensive than most other vacation destinations in the U.S. and may not be feasible for everyone. But wherever you're planning to travel, whether it's the trip you've been dreaming about for years, or simply a weekend getaway in your home state, I hope you can take away at least one or two tips from this list to help you save for your next adventure and make it a reality.