Top 10 Travel Destinations

Soon I am off to Florida for my yearly family vacation. This might be the last time there for me which is. sad thought, but at the same time, a new vacation could be a fun change. My desire to travel and to see new places has surged in the past year, to the point where all I want to be experience something else. Part of this feels like it is a result from going to a college with an atmosphere just like where I live, but it could also be because of just growing older. I love researching the best place to stay, eat and things to do in random destinations and through this I have found my top 10 travel destinations that I would like to visit. For purposes of this post, I limited it to 5 internationally and 5 within the US. 

Within the US

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Charleston, SC

Maybe I read too much Southern Living, but I am dying to go to Charleston. The beautiful houses and picturesque streets seem so inviting. I also wouldn't mind trying some southern specialties in the food department, so heading out to the beach for part of the trip either. 

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New Orleans, LA

Po' Boys and bread pudding are enough to make me want to go here at all. That added to the party that is New Orleans overall makes for such an appealing place to visit. It definitely would be a trip to remember. My parents have pictures from their visit, and each time I see them I was to go to NOLA even more. 

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Portland, ME

If I could have a lobster roll from a shack in Maine my life would be complete. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but the general idea is there. Portland seems like such a cute city to visit. I would also be able to go hiking and spend time on the water in Maine, two perfect ways to spend summer days. 

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Boston, MA

I have been to Boston before, but I would love to go again. It was my dream to go to college in Boston seeing as it is my favorite city that I've visited. Although I don't go to school here, this would probably be the most realistic place to visit since I do have family here. 

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Nashville, TN

There are two main reasons for wanting to visit Nashville. The food scene in Nashville seems pretty cool and, yes, I actually like country music. Nashville isn't too far away of a drive, so it would be a really fun road trip with friends, making a destination I'd love to go to.

International

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Provence, France

I have always wanted to go to France, but the idea of Paris has never been appealing. I love the idea of going to Provence, preferably in the countryside. I'd love to go to markets everyday, and spend my afternoons in a leisurely fashion with my main concern being what great meal would I have next. 

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Greece (coastal) 

There is not any particular location in Greece that I would like to go to, other than I know I'd love to see the coast and the Mediterranean. recently I have fallen in love with Greek food, especially greek salads. The food is so simple, yet good, that I would go here just for the food and coast. 

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Ireland

I'd love to go to Ireland to see the castle ruins and explore. Hearing my parents stories about their trips to Ireland when they were first married has made this a travel destination of mine for most of my life. I'd love to see the scenery, visit Dublin, and maybe even find gluten-free Irish soda bread. 

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Prague, Czech Republic

Prague seems like a great city to visit in Europe. It is relatively cheap, pretty and full of history; all of which is important to me. Every part of the city looks so pretty, that even just walking around without a purpose would be enjoyable. Also, lets not forget trying all of the interesting and different food. 

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Brussels, Belgium

I would travel here strictly for the food and nothing else (of course I also have other reasons). This  draw of food comes from finding waffles, fries, mussels and of course chocolate. Throughout my time taking French, I always have wanted to go to Belgium for more than just the food. The Palace is so pretty in Brussels and there are so many festivals that you can't be bored.

I am currently looking into various study aboard programs and travel opportunities to see what I can do. One of my biggest fears is that I will go through college without being able to go anywhere new, because once I am out of college, I'll be a law student (hopefully) and then a young professional. It seems like my time to do anything is now or retirement. Fingers crossed it will be sooner rather than later where I can visit one of these places. 

Where would you like to travel to?

xoxo,

Maddie

Door County Travel Guide

Door County is my place. I have mentioned it countless times on this blog and I can never seem to be there enough. I have decided to share my favorite places to eat, shop, and explore. Since Fish Creek and Sister Bay are the two biggest towns, I will focus most of the information there and include some things from Ephraim and Egg Harbor as well. 

Eat

Fish Creek
White Gull Inn Restaurant- There is rarely a time when we don't come here for breakfast. The cherry stuffed french toast is what it is famous for, but everything on the menu is good. My favorite include cherry pancakes, coffee cake, french toast and hash browns. 

Craic Coffee- If you are looking for your morning coffee come here. They serve Collectivo coffee with some great variations of drinks. The bakery and lunch items are also really good. I love the cherry almond muffins. 

Singing Donut- Don't miss this place. You get to customize donuts that are fresh out of the fryer. I love vanilla glaze with raspberry drizzle. The coffee is very good as well and probably the least expensive I've ever bought. 

The Cookery- Be prepared for a wait if you go here. The food is very good and typical fare for Door County. (ie cherry or fish based) There is something on the menu for everyone and I love going on the weekdays so there is no wait. 

Dippy's Ice Cream Shop- Best ice cream around. They serve massive scoops of Chocolate Shoppe ice cream and don't charge insane prices. I love grabbing ice cream and then people watching in Founder's Square. 

Bayside Tavern- My family has been eating here since my dad was a kid. The food is always great. I would recommend the cheese curds to everyone, and my family really likes the chili as well. I've never had a bad thing here. 

Greenwood Supper Club- A classic supper club that only people who are local or have been going up for years know about. I love the fried perch, and the whitefish is know to be amazing as well. 

Sister Bay
Analog Ice Cream & Coffee- This place has amazing affagados with a twist. They don't use vanilla ice cream; they let you pick your flavor. I love picking a caramel based ice cream which compliments the espresso very nicely. 

Grasse's Grill- I went here for the first time this summer and loved it. I had a meatball sandwich which was surprisingly good. Everything on the menu looked appealing from the salads to the burgers. 

JJ's La Puerta- Go to JJ's if you have time in Sister Bay and want a bar food type of lunch. The cheese curds are amazing and so are the milkshakes. This is my favorite place to go after boating. (a word of warning: the last time I went it wasn't very good, but that was the first time it happened in over 5 years)

Other Locations 
The Chef's hat (Ephraim)- This a great place for lunch where you really get your money's worth. The servings are really big and all of the food is delicious. The chips were clearly homemade with amazing seasoning and the pies were worth saving room for. 

Stay 

The White Gull Inn- My grandparents have stayed here and loved it. It is really only for couples as there are only rooms with queen/king beds. It is right in Fish Creek which is great and being above an amazing breakfast place helps. 

Applecreek Resort- I've stayed here once and remember it being nice. It is a typical hotel, but the rooms are cute and being close to town makes it easy access. 

Peninsula State Park- Camping at the park is really popular since you are right outside of Fish Creek. There are several other camping locations in the area so you can easily find one that fits your needs. 

VRBO- This is my favorite option. By renting a place, you can have a kitchen which allows you to save money for other activities. Also, many times there are pools if you rent a condo which are fun as there are no public pools around. 

Shopping 

Fish Creek
Trails End Clothing Company- A cute clothing store with some fun dresses and yoga clothes. The selection is a little random but I never fail to find something cute. 

Wilkins & Olander- If you are interested in Vera Bradley this is your place. There is a wall full of Vera, and a big sale section in the back where you can find deals up to 50% off!

On Deck Clothing- This is one of the few stores in WI that sell Vineyard Vines, Southern Tide and Lilly Pulitzer. The downside is that they only stock up once or twice so make sure you go early in the year if you want anything. 

Sister Bay
Bay Shore Outfitters- An outdoor based store with several brands such as North Face and Patagonia. They also sell/rent paddle boards, kayaks and ski gear. 

Egology Sports- Another outdoorsy store. You can find Patagonia and similar brands. They also have cute yoga apparel as well. 

Egg Harbor
Shartner's Farm Market- This is my favorite place. The owners are the nicest people. There fresh food is always delicious, but the best part is the pies. I love the three berry pie to the point that I buy extra to freeze for the winter!

Blacksmith Clothing- This a newer store with some cute clothes. It is a nice change from some of the older, unchanging places. 

To Do
Harbor Walks- Each town has a harbor and it is always fun to walk around, preferably with ice cream, and admire the water and the boats.

Beach- There are public beaches all over the place and it can be a great way to cool off on hot days. Some have kayak and paddle board rentals that can add to the experience. 

Peninsula State Park- If you enjoy hiking or biking, or even just pretty views, the park is the perfect place. There are several trails for hiking, and in the winter they are converted for skiing!

Water Sports- There are several places that you can rent kayaks and paddle boards for a day or two. With the water being so accessible, it is a great way to spend a nice day. 

Things to Skip 

Wilson's Restaurant & Ice Cream- This is a classic tourist location with overpriced ice cream and long waits. I had to wait 15 min to get my ice cream, and it wasn't homemade or anything special. It is not worth the time. 

Visit Lighthouses- A lighthouse is cool and maybe you want to see one, but they are all really similar so there are better uses of time if yours is limited. 

Let me know if you've visited Door County!

xoxo,

Maddie

Longboat Key Dining Guide

Last year I created a guide to Longboat Key, Florida (here). This was a pretty basic guide that covered everything from where to stay, eating and entertainment. I only listed three places to eat, so after this past vacations dining experience, I knew I needed to share more. 

Breakfast & Coffee

C'est La Vie- This is a super cute french cafe in downtown Sarasota. They have the best pastries and a wide variety of breakfast selections. The coffee choices are limited to the classics, but pastries such as the almond croissant are to die for. 

Pastry Art- Pastry Art is just across the street from C'est La Vie, but totally different. This place has more of a coffee shop vibe. They have a wide variety of drink options, but the food is limited to the typical things like muffins and tarts. 

Lunch

C'est La Vie- Lunch is the true specialty of C'est La Vie. The menu is huge, but each item sounds so good. You can chose anything from savory crepes to baguette sandwiches to omelettes. Just make sure to save room for dessert because your choices are endless. 

The Old Salty Dog- Can anything be better than sitting on the water and eating lunch? A dock surrounds the Salty Dog so you can actually sit right over the water and watch Sarasota Bay. The food is always good. My favorites are the lobster roll, po' boy and Maui-wowi burger. 

Dry Dock Waterfront Grill- The Dry Dock is similar to the Salty Dog but with the option of sitting indoors. The food is great and a little nicer as well. Dinner or lunch is an option here. I love the lobster bisque and the lobster roll. (Can you tell I love lobster?)

Dinner

Rick's French Bistro- I found out about Rick's this year through Sarasota Magazine and knew my family needed to try it. The food is so good that we went back twice in two weeks. This is a really small restaurant with only 40 seats ran by Rick and his wife. Make sure you make reservations because you won't be able to just walk in!

Mediterraneo- This place has some of the best Italian food I've ever had. The lasagna is so good that I wish I could have it all of the time. It was a great change of pace from eating fish all of the time.  Everything I have eaten there was amazing so going with an empty stomach is essential.   

Desserts & Treats

The Haye loft- The Haye loft is part of a restaurant called Euphemia Haye. If all you are looking for is dessert, you can walk upstairs to the Haye Loft and have a wide selection of amazing desserts. My favorite are the coconut cream pie, cheesecake, and the pecan pie

Sarasota Fudge Factory- The homemade ice cream and fudge is so good here. If you are looking for a wide variety of flavors this is your place. Each day there are 30 ice cream flavors ranging from Trashcan to Turtle. The fudge is also really great with about 10 different choices. 

Big Olaf Creamery- This is the best ice cream on St. Armand's Circle. It is so creamy and flavorful. Both the waffle cones and ice cream is homemade so getting both is a must. This place might have the best ice cream I have ever eaten. Plantation Praline is my favorite flavor. 

Settimi's Gelato- If you prefer gelato to ice cream look no further. The choices are great here with both gelato and sorbet. I had the cappuccino gelato and it was amazing. 

Have you been to Longboat?

xoxo,

Maddie

What I'm Packing for Florida

     It is finally that time of year again where I can start thinking about my families vacation to Florida. We do the same thing every year, so it is like going to a second home. It is so much more relaxing this way. I am so looking forward to it, to the point that I have already read the menus for where we will go out for dinner. 

      Packing is always the hardest part for me since I know I will be spending most of the time at the beach, but I still like to look nice for when I wander into town. My suitcase will be filled with Lilly Pulitzer because there is no better place for it than the Sunshine State. I have below what I know I will be bring with me. I didn't link anything since most of it is old, but feel free to ask where anything is from. For what I will be bringing with me on the plane, check it out here. 

I can't wait to be in Florida!

xoxo,

Maddie

Favorite Summer Activities

Ask almost anyone, and they will say that their favorite season is summer. I don't know if I would say that, but it is undeniable that there are some great things that you can only do in summer. I love summer for the variety of activities and adventures that always happen. Each of the following parts of summer are what make it one of the best times of the year. 

Summer means cold treats such as ice cream and snow cones. There is a shack near me that sells the best snow cones and you know it is finally summer once you have one. 

Each summer my family goes to Florida for vacation. It is really the only time of the year I go to a beach since the ones in Wisconsin are rock beaches. I love relaxing at the beach while reading a book or playing in the waves. 

Although I have bonfires from the spring through fall, the summer ones are always the best. The addition of s'mores makes for the perfect way to end any summer day. There is nothing quite like being surrounded by family and friends around a fire. 

Farmer's Markets are my favorite thing about summer, no question. I love the people watching, summer fruits, and good street food. I make sure to never miss a Saturday market, and try to make the Wednesday one as often as I can. 

Swimming in Green Bay is always an adventure. I love jumping off the boat or running in from the shore. It is so cold, but once you acclimate to the temperature, it is always a blast. 

The other best part of summer is the trips to Door County. I love Door County in all seasons, and while fall is the best time up there, it is always fun to go when the tourists are there. More stores are open and the weather is finally warm enough to swim or hike. 

What do you like to do in the summer?

xoxo,

Maddie

My Memorial Day Weekend

Door County is the only place where I feel like Memorial Day weekend should be spent. Last year my family didn't go and the whole weekend felt a little strange. I loved being there this weekend. My family did all of my favorite things and I got to go out for my favorite breakfast. This weekend set the stage for a great summer. 

We started out the weekend by checking the Door County Master Gardener's plant sale. My mom loves gardening so stopping was must. 

We spend the afternoon of the first day shopping, walking around the marina as well as an obligatory stop for ice cream. Coffee ice cream has my heart that's for sure.

I loved taking walks down to the shore and watching the waves. There is no better sound to me than that of the waves crashing against the shore.

For some reason, each night ended with a cheese plate that my parents made. I consumed so much cheese, but it was a great way to end a day outdoors. 

 The weather was supposed to be bad the whole weekend, but it turned out to be beautiful. I got in a hike at Peninsula State Park. I loved checking out the beach when no one was there, as well as seeing all of the flowers. 

I can't think of a better way to end my weekend than with Singing Donuts. These are customizable donuts, fresh out of the fryer. My siblings and I go every time we are in Door County. 

Until next time, 

Maddie

Spring Break Recap

In case you missed it, I went Longboat Key, Fl for spring break. I was visiting my grandparents so it was nice being able to spend time with them. Last summer I made a guide to Longboat (I go there every summer) so you can see that here. This trip I tried a couple new places to eat and was able to spend a bunch of time at the beach! 

Longboat is where I first learned about Lilly Pulitzer, so I always love being able to go to the store and try on a bunch of things. This year I picked up this skort. I am in love with it and can't wait to wear it once it is warmer. 

My family doesn't typically go to the farmer's market when we are in Florida since the one where I live is better, but I really enjoyed spending my Saturday morning wandering about. It is the perfect spot for people watching!

( Croissants at C'est La Vie)

I found a new coffee spot (Pastry) and a french cafe (C'est La Vie) this trip! Both places have such great food. At the french cafe I so wanted to test out my french since the owners were from France, but I couldn't get myself to do so. This summer I am going to make sure that I do!

The beach is my second home in Florida. I spent at least 3 hours each day there and I wish I could have been there more. Reading by the water is one of my all time favorite things to do. Watching the sunset on my last night was the perfect way to end my trip. 

I ate so much sea food over that week. I got to try crab claws (10/10) and a lobster roll. Pretty much everywhere I went I was eating fish or crab. No lie, one of the reasons I like seafood so much is that I can eat way more without feeling sick. 

My grandparents house has the best view. Right over the mangroves is Sarasota Bay and it is so pretty. It is so fun to watch the canals because over the course of the week, I saw 6 dolphins and 4 manatees! (my favorite animal) I could probably sit on their back deck forever.

Until this summer, see you Florida.

xoxo,

Maddie

My Florida Packing List

I am so excited to finally be in Florida! I missed the sunshine, warmth, and happiness that comes from it not being winter. I love that I get to go to the same place every time, since I always know exactly what to bring. 

I have packed so many bright, spring colors for this trip! I can't go to Florida without bringing something (or multiple things) from Lilly Pulitzer. I mentioned in my spring break wishlist (here) how I really wanted the striped swimsuit from J. Crew. I ended up getting it a while ago and I have been dying to wear it. I know one of the first things that I'll do is hit the beach!

The main thought process that when into what to bring was just to pick out my favorite spring/summer clothes and make outfits from there. I have been so excited to go to Florida that I decided on what to bring in early March!

I didn't realized until after I had made this image that almost everything I am bringing is blue and white. When looking at my suitcase overall, I think that there are only two things that don't follow this pattern. Oh well, at least I know I will always match!

Where are/were you for Spring Break?

xoxo,

Maddie

What's in my Carry On?

| Book | Backpack | Candy | Cliff Bar | Gum | Water | Earbuds | Swimsuit | Portable Charger | Sweatshirt | hair tie | Lip Balm | 

     I love traveling, especially by airplane. I easily get carsick, so I feel better all-around when I go by plane. The most important way to make sure that your travel is enjoyable is to make sure your carry on has everything necessary. I typically bring almost the same things every time which makes it really easy to pack. 

     For me, the most important things are gum, reading material, and a charger. The gum helps with my ears during takeoff and landing, and I like to use the time on the plane to catch up with whatever I am reading. By bringing a portable charger along, it is great to charge your phone while you fly so that once landed, your phone is ready to go. Clothing wise, if I am going to Florida, I bring a swimsuit so that if my luggage is lost, I can still enjoy the vacation. I also pack a sweatshirt because I tend to find that airplanes are a little chilly. 

    Finally, in terms of food I like to bring gum, a chewy candy, possibly a granola bar, and then I pick up water once I go through security. The gum and candy are both for when my ears feel weird during takeoff and landing. I get the water so that once on the plane, I don't need to ask for anything. Only sometimes do I bring a granola bar. It is typically for the flights that go over a meal time.

     I tried to link exactly what will be coming with me on my flight to Florida. I am so excited to be going that I am counting down the days!

Is there anything you think I missed?

xoxo,

Maddie