hiking to a secluded beach

The best kind of hike is a birthday hike! I didn't think we would be doing any hiking this year since we spent my birthday in Martha's Vineyard, but I was surprised to learn that there are a lot of great options there. So after a morning bike ride to a lighthouse, we headed off to spend our afternoon on a quick 3 mile hike to a secluded beach. Of course we got a little lost along the way, so those 3 miles quickly turned into 5! 

Biking Martha's Vineyard

One of my absolute favorite ways to explore a new city is by bike. How could I not love that feeling of the wind in my hair and the prettiest sights coming into view? And with Martha's Vineyard being so picturesque, ferrying over with our bikes was a no brainer, especially since Husband just attached this pretty new bike basket to my bike.

 Biking though the Vineyard was at the tippy top of my wish list, so on our first morning in Martha's Vineyard, we hopped on our bikes and pedaled our way through scenic Edgartown. 

The Aquinnah Cliffs

While we were celebrating my 29th Birthday in Martha's Vineyard, I had the opportunity to visit the gorgeous Aquinnah Cliffs. When heading over to the Vineyard, the ferries dock on the Eastern side of the island. Since Aquinnah is on the western most part of the island, it's a side of the Vineyard that many people don't have the chance to see. 

But we knew ahead of time that we wanted to explore as much of the island as we possible and had ferried over with our car. It was a little over an hour drive, but so worth it to spend the last few hours of my birthday in this gorgeous place.

29th birthday in Martha's Vineyard!

I’m THAT girl who loves birthdays. Everyone’s birthdays. A whole day dedicated to just you. Oh, and let’s not forget about the fact that there is cake involved. Yes…Please! I don’t even care that I’m getting older. I’m just so happy to celebrate and I think I rang in the last year of my twenties the right way. 

When I realized that my birthday was on a Friday this year, I immediately took the day off from the dental school clinic. I will have to make up the missed day, but it was worth it to have a 3-day weekend for my birthday. Why ADULT on your birthday if you don't have to? I flew into Boston late that Thursday night to reunite with Husband for the first time since our Easter Trip to New Orleans. Between that and my birthday, we had so much to be grateful for. Also, how amazingly perfect is this "OFFICE" themed birthday card that Tom got me? He knows me too well. 

the {white} mountains are calling!

Wanderlust Wednesday-Week 27

every new englander knows the lure of the white mountains and they have been calling to us for far too long

golden sun peaking over the clouds in a sky filled with hues of pink, purple, and blue

the hard granite of the mountainside covered in soft green earth

walking right through waterfalls with the freshest spring water misting your face

we couldn't resist a trip to the white mountains of new hampshire 

Camping in Acadia National Park

Wanderlust Wednesday-Week 26

kayaking with a dog

Something that has been on my Boston Bucket List forever is to kayak the famous Charles River. But for our first time kayaking in the city, we decided to go a more relaxed route. Tom planned a kayaking trip for us at Spot Pond and the best part of the trip is that we were able to take our pup along.

Aside from fitting in my purse and being the perfect lap warmer, another perk of having a small pup is that they are kayak sized!

day trip diaries: Portland Maine

Wanderlust Wednesday-Week 25

Recently, Tom and I took a day trip out to Portland Maine, which was made even better by the fact that we took the pup along. I can without a doubt say that Maine is my favorite New England state and I totally picture us settling down there permanently one day. Portland definitely solidified that. 

a rainy day hike to castle craig

Note to self...ALWAYS check the weather before going on a hike

Recently, we loaded up the car and checked and double-checked that we had everything we needed. 

Trail Map-Check 

Water-Check

First Aid Kit-Check 

Snacks-Check

Compass-Check 

But somehow we completely forgot to check the weather. If we had, we would have known that there was going to be a downpour. Instead, we made the 2 hour drive from Boston to Connecticut to hike Castle Craig in blissful ignorance. 

day trip diaries: cape cod

Wanderlust Wednesday-Week 20 

After my birthday tea last month, sweet husband planned for us to have a day in Cape Cod. But Cape Cod isn't a single place, it's a cluster of several towns. We headed to Provincetown, which is right at the northern tip of the Cape. Not only is Provincetown the very first landing spot of the pilgrims, it represents classic Cape Cod. 

Mini Trip Budget: Stowe Vermont

Wanderlust Wednesday-Week 18
Lately, we've been doing lots of day trips and mini trips around New England. These mini trips are are only 2-4 days, compared to our big trips that last a week or more. But they aren't any less amazing. 

Because we're short on time, it means staying closer to home and spending less. Since we already share our big trip budgets here, I thought we may as well share these mini trip budgets too. Just goes to show that you can do many types of travel on all different budgets. Here's what we spent on our recent trip to Vermont. 

Fireworks in Boston

Wanderlust Wednesday-Week 17
After spending an amazing 4th of July weekend in Vermont, we headed back to Boston to officially celebrate the Monday holiday. We've actually never spent the 4th here in Boston because we've always been traveling. And we've definitely been missing out! Boston is one of the best places to be for America's birthday since this city played such big role in earning it's freedom. That being said, Boston really shows off on the fourth of July.

We brought along our camping chairs, which breakdown and fit right into my purse. These seats made things extra comfy while we were waiting for the fireworks to begin. 

4th of july weekend in vermont

Happy Independence Day!  

We're spending the fourth of july in Boston, but our weekend leading up to the Monday holiday was spent in Stowe, Vermont. 

I'm not quite sure how this weekend even happened because Vermont didn't make the cut for our summer travel plans. In fact, it wasn't even on our radar. But after our week out west and then camping in Maine, we were going through withdrawal and in need of more mountain air. Enter Vermont. 

day trip diaries: block island RI

This past weekend had just the right dose of relaxation and adventure. One of the best parts of being in the northeast is that all these states have great little island escapes. New York has Long Island. Massachusetts has Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket and Cape Cod. And Rhode Island has Block Island. 

I was feeling under the weather, but I'm leaving Boston (and husband) soon to return to grad school, so we couldn't miss out on an opportunity to spend a bit of time together. We quickly skimmed our summer wish list and decided on a day trip to Block Island.

From Boston, it takes a bit of effort to get to Block Island, but was so worth it. We drove into Port Judith Rhode Island to catch the ferry from there. After a couple of hours in the car and another hour on the ferry, we finally made it to the island. 

day trip diaries: GLOUCESTER MA

new england has the best beaches!

there are lighthouses and whale watching 

sandy dunes and giant granite boulders covered in moss

sea kayaking & lobster traps galore

I don't think that anyone can argue with me when I say 

that new england has the best beaches 

boston bucket list

Wanderlust Wednesday-Week 9

I've mentioned our boston bucket list many times, but never got around to sharing it. With husband being in boston for school, we're not sure how long this time here will last. For now, we're thankful to be in this amazing city with a history that America was built on. We have access to a world class symphony, art museums, and the best seafood. And with places like martha's vineyard and cape cod just a ferry ride away, boston is classic new england. I love sharing the best of boston through our eyes, so feel free to click on any of the items we've checked off our list to see more. 

day trip diaries: ROCKPORT MA

It almost never works to just take a week off when I need a break, but no matter how busy life gets or how low funds may be, day trips always seem so doable. Am I right? We have several coming up and I wanted a space dedicated to sharing them so it seemed right to start a new series…the day trip diaries. Be prepared for a total photo overload because first up is 

CAPE ANN 

When it comes to Massachusetts, everyone knows about the South Shore of Cape Cod, but Cape Ann along the North Shore is less known and I'm not sure why. It's beyond picturesque.

We've spent the past few weekends hiking, sightseeing, and beaching it along Cape Ann. And right along the tip of the cape, sits the favorite town of Rockport. Three guaranteed ways to have a good day in Rockport...

1.) stroll through Bearskin Neck 

this is the main area to see with the peninsula connecting right into the harbor

2.) feel the ocean spray along the breakwater…

the breakwater is a granite stone bridge that's meant to anchor boats and protect against storms, but it also happens to be the best spot for eating lobstah rolls and drinking ice cold lemonade with a view!

3.) visit Dock Square Wharf

Lobster traps and buoys right up close…it's classic New England 

travel tip #278: the best way to make friends in a new place is to take along an adorable pup. We had 17 people {before I lost count} stop us to talk about PJ, and another 4 wanted photos with him. I can't blame them, since he's certainly stolen our hearts. 

every nook and cranny of this coastal town offered a different view and more seafood...

I seriously could not handle this scene. We visited early in the season, so I can't imagine how gorgeous this seascape town will be surrounded by blooming flowers and green trees.

loved that this boat was named the "the bucket list" since Cape Ann was on our bucket list 

Whenever I picture coastal new england, I will forever think of Cape Ann, especially Rockport. Thankfully, it's less than an hour away from Boston by car or via the commuter rail. If you're ever in the Boston area, this place is a must visit. I for one can't wait to return again. 

linking up with blovedboston//