If you follow me on social media (@valeriedperry on everything) you probably saw that I was hanging out at Playlist Live in Orlando, Florida a couple weeks ago. While a trip to Florida typically means time with my sister and some other friends, this trip had the bonus of also […]
United States
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I knew very little about Canyonlands National Park before this trip. I only knew that it was home to what is probably Utah’s most famous arch outside of Arches National Park: Mesa Arch And I assumed it had a canyon. You know, because it was called Canyonlands. I was expecting […]
Stop #6: Arches National Park The park I was most excited to see in Utah was the one we visited first. There is something majestic and magical about natural arches. We began the day with a glimpse of Delicate Arch in the distance. I said that I wanted to hike […]
A Camper Minivan? I was intrigued when I saw it in an email from Groupon. I’d always wanted to go RVing, but didn’t want to drive a big rig around. But I’d driven a minivan before; this I could handle. Ultimately the Groupon deal dates didn’t work for me, but […]
I’m a country girl. That should be no surprise to you as most of this blog is filled with hiking and other outdoorsy expeditions. Two years ago I took a job in Washington, DC but ultimately decided to live in the suburbs so I could be either downtown or in […]
When you think “North Dakota,”what comes to mind? For me it was space. A flat expanse covered by prairie grass, corn, and as of recently, oil fields. Something I didn’t think of was rivers. But North Dakota has them. In fact they have two National Park Sites along rivers. I […]
The past few posts have been about my trip to Colonial National Park. While I enjoyed Jamestowne, Yorktown, Colonial Williamsburg, and saving money throughout the weekend I made the most surprising discovery at Fort Monroe National Monument. Fort Monroe was once known as the Gibraltar of the Chesapeake and is […]
Given the choice of anything to do on a sunny summer day, rolling a hoop down the road with a stick wouldn’t be my top choice. But there was something about the Colonial Williamsburg commercials I saw as a kid that made it look so fun! Finally now, about 20 […]
A visit to Colonial Williamsburg is an adventure in time travel. Once you leave the parking lot you can be anywhere from 1775 to 1781. Between the catalysts for the Revolution and the granting of independence. Governor’s Palace The Governor’s Palace that can be toured today sits on the site […]
I’m not sure where the tradition of free hotel food came from. Was it the free coffee in every lobby? Or the free continental breakfast from every economy hotel chain? Or even the free cookies at DoubleTree? In fact, I’ve also gotten free cookies on stays at Holiday Inn and […]
I spend so much time visiting and exploring other cities that I often forget how remarkable my own town is. DC is incredible. I can’t imagine any other city that fits me better. I love the history and the culture. I’m not crazy about the crowds and the humidity, but […]
I was hiking in Monocacy National Battlefield earlier this year when I thought to myself, “I don’t like battlefields as much as other National Park sites.” When I think National Parks, I think Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Denali. When I think National Park Service, I think the monuments in Washington, DC. […]