I hopped off the plane at LAX. Look to the right and I see the Hollywood Sign.

Okay, okay enough with the Miley Cyrus references, but in all honestly it has always been a dream of mine to visit California. The celebrities, the west coast vibe, and of course the gorgeous coastline - it was all calling my name. So when my sister and I were deciding where we should go for our third annual sister trip (#1 Waco and #2 Nashville) it seemed like a great choice.

We visited in mid-February and the weather most days was mid 60s which was a welcome change from the Michigan winter we were used to and actually felt a lot warmer with the sun out. Most of the areas we went to weren't as busy as I was expecting them to be and this time of year definitely seemed like an off season. In addition to exploring West Hollywood, we also spent time in Santa Monica and Malibu. 

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Mackinac Island is often called Michigan's crown jewel and for good reason. The island has been named the friendliest island, hottest U.S. travel destination, and the most romantic getaway. When you step foot on the island's shores, you'll get the sense that you're stepping back in time. You'll quickly notice some of the unique differences from other island getaways including the fact that cars are replaced by bikes and horse and carriages. Charming and historic hotels and bed and breakfasts take the place of towering resorts and life seems to move just a bit slower. 

While Mackinac Island is a quick ferry ride from the mainland and a great day trip destination, the best way to truly see all that the island has to offer is by planning an overnight getaway. There is plenty of relaxation and adventure to be had and a long weekend is the perfect amount of time to experience it all. Find out how we spent four beautiful days on Mackinac Island as I break down our full itinerary below. 

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Mission Point Resort. The itinerary was created by me based on personal research and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

One of my travel goals this past year has been to visit more major US cities. Surprisingly, Denver hadn't even crossed my mind until my husband said he wanted to visit the mountains. We had a flight credit from our trip to Hawaii earlier this year and when we found a deal we couldn't pass up we booked a weekend to the Mile High City. And wow I'm so glad we did! This city had so many great things to offer and checked so many things off our travel list - hiking, beer, and baseball! We had almost four full days in Denver and were committed to making the most of our time and squeezing in as much adventure as possible.

We found a great Air BnB located just 10 minutes outside the city which was a perfect home base. We also rented a car which I highly recommend if you plan to explore Rocky Mountain National Park or any of the smaller surrounding towns. If you're staying right downtown and don't plan to go far you can get away without one. Denver has a great public bus system as well as Bird scooters and ride share.

This August we celebrated one year of marriage - my how time flies! We knew we were planning to go back to Hawaii next winter, so for our anniversary trip we were in search of somewhere within driving distance that wound still have plenty of adventure and beautiful scenery. Thankfully, we live in the Great Lakes State and we didn't have to look any further than simply driving north. I may be a bit biased, but if you haven't experienced northern Michigan (particularly in the summer or fall) you are really missing out. There are SO many sites to see and the upper peninsula is truly like its own little world. For this trip we planned to explore Sleeping Bear Dunes, Traverse City, and Bellaire.