St. Augustine is covered in Christmas lights and makes you feel like you’ve walked into your favorite Hallmark movie. Take a stroll and enjoy the Christmas decor. We started at the Lightner Museum and walked down King Street to the water. So many fun spots to stop and take photos.
Lightner Museum
The Lightner Museum located off King Street has a giant grass area in the front. Where they decorated all the trees and bushes. They also lit up the building which makes it very bright at night.
Meehan’s Irish Pub
Meehan’s Irish Pub is also covered in Christmas lights, even the pillars are wrapped as candy canes. Stop in for a spiked coffee to enjoy!
Nero’s Waterfront Cafe’
Once you walk the path by the water and turn to look at the shops and restaurants this is what you see. Every establishment is dressed to the nine in lights. So many lights that it lights up the whole street. We had to stop and take photos outside of this one!
Random Lights
Since St. Augustine is covered in lights there are so many photo ops and hidden walkways that are covered. You will even see Christmas trees lit up with presents underneath.
Last August, 2019, I took a trip of a lifetime to Italy! The best part was I went with so many family members and family friends. We took the first three days to do Rome before spending a week in a cooking school in Abruzzo. See some of my favorite highlights from Rome!
Trevi Fountain
This was one of our first stops and it was just as beautiful as the photos! Definitely had to have my Lizzie McGuire moment here and it was all I dreamed it would be.
Gelato
Hands down the best part of Italy is the Gelato. There is a shop around every corner! I ate so much while we were there but calories don’t count on vacation, right?!
Vatican City
We got so lucky with these photos. We started our day super early and walked over to see a pretty much empty Vatican. Of course I dropped my coffee on the way there but once we were in view, it was completely breath taking. The young catholic school girl in me was in complete ah.
Colosseum
This was such a cool piece of history to experience in person. We got to walk around the entire Colosseum inside and out. It is hard to get to the center but once there, this is your view!
Key Hole
I did a ton of research before this trip and really wanted to experience some hidden treasures, this for sure was one of them! On a random street, in a random door, lays a key hole where if you look into it you can perfectly see Saint Peter’s Dome!
LaTavernetta 29
This was indeed the best meal of my life! We ended our Rome part of our trip with this 10+ course meal. Endless wine and food, we did not leave hungry. This restaurant is located on a small street in the middle of many restaurants. It doesn’t look like much on the outside but I promise this was the best food and atmosphere.
Depending on what you are looking for in your trip to Nashville, different times of the year might be best for you. Coming from the girl that used to live right in downtown, 3 blocks from Broadway, there is definitely the right and wrong time to experience stuff depending on your interests.
June
If you are traveling to Nashville solely for the live music, CMA Fest is for you! CMA Fest happens the first week of June, for a week long of live music events by all levels of artists. Now this trip isn’t going to be the cheapest but it will definitely be a trip to remember! The main events are Thursday-Sunday which are multiple stages spread throughout downtown, hosting hundreds of artists. During the day, all the free show stages are open and you can hop back and forth to see as many artist as you’d like. At night time, the stages shut down and Nissan Stadium opens for a ticketed night time performance by all high profiled country artists! If you’d like to see a post only about CMA Fest leave a comment below with any questions and I will add them to the post!
Christmas
My first trip to Nashville was during Christmas time and let me just say there is nothing like Nashville during Christmas time. It normally has lower traffic the week of Christmas so you can see and do everything on your list with little waits and less people. If you are looking for your Hallmark Movie experience, head down to Franklin. Located about 30 minutes from downtown, you will find one of the most treasured local stops. Rated one of the top towns to visit for the holidays! Spend your afternoon walking all the local shops and immersing in the best part of the Nashville culture. After, have dinner at some of the best restaurants they have to offer. Honestly they are all so good you can’t go wrong! If you’re lucky you might get a little Nashville Snow.
Spring
Once the warm weather starts to return to Nashville, you’ll want to be outside the whole time! This is when the rooftop bars start to reopen, and if you’ve ever been to Nashville you know it’s known for its rooftops. If you go early spring tourist season hasn’t quit hit yet and you can enjoy Nashville is all the glory! Yes you will also find free shows, live music at almost every venue, and even fun pop up shows to enjoy.
The holidays look a little different this time of year for everyone, including Walt Disney World. If you are planning to venture into the parks this holiday season here are some great holiday experiences that are still around!
Holiday Parade
The most popular question a cast member gets asked is “What time is the 3 o’clock parade?”. Well they can’t answer that now because of new regulations, there are pop up parades throughout the park, in hopes to not attract a crowd. If you are looking for Santa, wait outside the castle till you hear the music “Here comes Santa Claus”.
Characters
Even though character meet and greets are suspended right now; you might get lucky in Tomorrow Land and see your favorite character pop up in their best holiday wear!
Popcorn
Every season the popcorn bucket changes and this year’s might just be my favorite; white Christmas tree bucket that lights up. If you prefer a green Christmas tree they have that as well!
Holiday Decor
My favorite time to visit Walt Disney World is the holiday season. Disney outdoes themselves every year with the fun decor spread throughout the parks, hotels, and Disney Springs! Look for the fun snow mans located outside on the Boathouse Restaurant in Disney Springs.
Hermann Park has so many things to do including the Houston Museum of Natural Science. This museum is extremely large with something to interest everyone! My favorite room was definitely the life size dinosaurs but they also have a gem/crystal room that is pretty incredible.
Texas BBQ is larger than life! According to some of the locals this is the best option to get your BBQ fix. I sadly didn’t get to try many varieties of Texas BBQ but I do love brisket!
This Mural is located on the outskirts of downtown. It makes a great photo op and it’s located right behind a brewery. So grab a beer and take some instagram worthy pictures!
Snooze
Brunch! My favorite word. Snooze has a great weekend brunch! It was a fun spot to celebrate my besties birthday. We had a lot of fun dining outside and enjoying the incredible food. My order was an Eggs Benedict but on a pretzel bread roll. Truly delicious!
One of the most well-known and oldest breweries around is found right in St. Louis. With many tour options to fit everyone’s preferences, I chose the Clydesdales Tour. Which included a whole history of the property and a history of the Clydesdales. If you find yourself there when the Clydesdales are on property you can get your photo taken with them!
When searching for things to do in St. Louis I came across this extremely unique park. It has 70 giant sculptures spread over 105 acres to explore and find. Once arriving you can pick up a map to help you locate the ones you are most interested in!
One of the most famous spots in St. Louis is the Gateway Arch, located right by the riverfront. The best and scariest part is you can go inside! Standing at 630-feet the arch is the largest man-made monument in the United States. Once inside you can see all of St. Louis. Highly recommend going on a clear day and not going if you get claustrophobic easily!
Where are my ranch lovers at?? This was the greatest find of my vacation. With close to 40 different ranch options to choose from, you can enjoy them by adding it to anything on the menu. The best part? They have ranch flights with fries, you cannot get better then that!
This was the cutest quick breakfast place located right outside Forest Park. I grabbed a coffee and some avocado toast with egg before exploring the wonder of what Forest Park had to offer.
This park has so much to offer! From casually walking around to the St. Louis zoo, which is free by the way. There is truly something for everyone. They also host free performances in the park that you can attend! Highly recommend checking their calendar ahead of time and reading about the specifics of each performances though.
Salem, Massachusetts is rich in culture, history, and small town feels! Here you can find so much to do. The most popular time to visit is the month of October during the fall season. If you find yourself here Halloween night, you might just make friends with the other half a million people visiting as well.
Traveling Tip: Fall also includes September and November, highly suggest heading to Salem in that time frame. You still see the foliage, all tours are active, and you’ll be around mostly locals. This will also help you get your “tourist free” photographs, no waiting it lines or having to crop others out!
Hocus Pocus
It’s all just a bunch of Hocus Pocus! If you have seen one of the most famous Halloween Disney movies this town is for you. With so many exterior shots filmed right in Salem, you can find them all.
Looking for a sweet treat during your walk around Salem? Try Carmel Patisserie, a french bakery right downtown! They have so many flavors of macarons and package them in a cute box to make it easy to walk and eat.
Another famous show that was filmed here in the 60’s early 70’s was Bewitched! Elizabeth Montgomery was before her time as a modern day witch. Walking around Salem you’ll stumble upon some of the filming locations but the most popular attraction about Bewitched, is a Statue of Elizabeth Montgomery herself!
Gulu-Gulu Cafe
Located in the same square as the Elizabeth Montgomery statue is a small cafe called Gulu-Gulu Cafe. Grab yourself your favorite coffee to-go and enjoy the sites. Perfect for any fall day!
Salem Common is a large park located in the middle of many attractions. One of the Hocus Pocus scenes was filmed here, but take your coffee or picnic lunch and sit in the gazebo to enjoy! Also surrounding this park you’ll find the “Salem Witch Museum.”
Looking for a sweet treat that is different from your typical ice-cream shop? No Baked Cookie Dough is just that! With multiple cookie dough flavors to choose, you can even add all the toppings you want!
If you want to experience Nashville like a local, head over to Losers in Midtown. On Tuesday and Thursday nights you will get the chance to experience Whiskey Jam. Whiskey Jam is basically a high end karaoke night at the local bar, they host local song writers and even artists you might recognize! If you are lucky enough to be in Nashville during the summertime, they move Whiskey Jam to the parking lot with a giant stage, outdoor bars, and many well known artists.
Looking to escape some of the downtown madness? Located about 40 minutes from the city is Arrington Vineyards. There you can tour and sample some great wine. After that, buy a bottle or take your samples out to the vineyard to have a picnic with your friends.
The views are beautiful, with the vineyard wrapping around the front of the property and the different wooden buildings spread throughout. This is a great location for photo ops with friends or even date night.
If you like history and wine this stop is for you! Belle Meade Historic Site used to be one of the largest thoroughbred horse farms located in the south and yes that means horses on site! After walking around you can stop in the winery for a tasting. Super small room but the wine is worth it, even with a small crowd on the weekends! My favorite from here is Blackberry which is a sweet red and it goes down like grape juice.
If you find yourself downtown before sunset and want a great view, head over to the JW Marriott Nashville hotel located on the corner of Demonbreun and Eighth. There is a restaurant at the top, Bourbon Steak, but go sit at the bar and watch the sun go down over broadway with floor to ceiling windows.
Best bagel sandwiches in Nashville! Cute, small, coffee shop feel, bagel joint located in the Belmont area. On the weekends you might experience a small wait, but while in line take a look at their large refrigerator case with all their homemade cream cheese options! You can even sample if you wish. My go to order is a sesame seed bagel with the vegetable cream cheese. Honestly, if you are super hungry you can order two options and it would be the perfect size.
6th and Peabody might just be my favorite bar of all time. In warmer weather it is perfect to watch sports, hang out with friends in the beer garden, and even take great photos. With moonshine and beer making onsite you can watch their process by taking a tour and enjoying a sample after. They even have a jumbo tv inside and one outside in the beer garden to watch games or performances. If you are looking for a mixed drink try the Blackberry Lemonade made with moonshine!
I have truly searched high and low while living in Nashville for the best BBQ, and the verdict hands down is Martin’s BBQ Joint. If you ask any locals they will list their favorites but me personally, I love the brisket at Martin’s! I do recommend the downtown location though, I do not know why it tastes different but it does!
Local Secret: Normally there is a line wrapped outside to order, bypass the line and go upstairs to the bar area for quicker service. If you are looking for great BBQ try Martin’s before hitting the bars, I promise you won’t regret it.
Looking for an outside activity that doesn’t include drinking? Radner lake is state park with great walking paths. If you have dogs or even children it is a great free activity to get you moving. With great views and even fun critters on the path, you never know what you will see.
Germantown is another local, secret, hot spot that is highly underrated by tourist. Here you will find the Nashville Sounds, the minor league baseball team and great restaurants. Located right outside the stadium is Von Elrods which is known for their many sizes of steins and endless options of beer. If you are looking for brunch they do have a great one, where you can get a mimosa in a giant stein, how fun!
Hi, Y’all! I’m Sydney, an outgoing and adventurous event planner, traveler, and blogger. Since being in a world pandemic my life has turned a little lopsided like I am sure most of yours have! I don’t do well with an empty plate. After losing my job, no longer qualifying to purchase a house, and moving back to my hometown (West Palm Beach), I have tried to find more things to do that I love. One of my life dreams was to start an event company, which I did back in June 2020, Shelly’s Event Company.
Another dream was to start a platform to share my love for wine, travel, and fashion with others. I am always looking for the best deal, discount, and budget-friendly items and trips. My goal is to share all of these things with y’all to help you find the best gifts, deals, and have the best trips you can!
I’m a country gal from South Florida, but you’ll most likely find me in Orlando (Go Knights!), Nashville, or Boston! After college, I followed my love for country music and moved to Nashville, Tennessee for two years before returning to Florida. I have a passion for traveling and exploring new places, which initially sparked my interest in Nashville. I am always looking for my next adventure and people to enjoy the ride.
My love for wine will be reflected in the Tips(y) section which will include new wines to try (for those 21+)! I’ll photograph new, unique, and budget-friendly wines!
The Travel section of the blog will include hidden gems, recommendations, and any deals I can find for solo travelers and budget explorers like me. I will share trips for all kinds of travels from weekend trips to large international travel vacations. After living in Nashville for two-years I have many different posts ready to share with you from bachelorette parties to the local guide.
Fashion has always been an interest in my life but at a budget-friendly price. I’ve never needed to feel that I have to purchase the most expensive item but rather the budget-friendly option that is still cute! When entering stores or shopping online I always look at the sales section first. I will find all the discounts, sales, and codes I can to share with y’all.
If you have any questions or want to chat, please feel free to reach out! I love getting to know new people and giving advice!
Traveling Tips(y) 