Hiking through the McDowell Mountains. We never thought we would say that and JD in the same sentence. Previously, we shared the story of JD's initial hikes through her new surroundings in Arizona, and how her reluctance turned to a love to trek up rocky terrain and explore.

I came to this country as a 5-year-old little girl with just my small suitcase...

Heisler Park in Laguna Beach, California is a perfect stop along the Pacific Coast Highway. It's a perfect mix of tropical and wild beach. If you want to truly appreciate how beautiful a beach can be, visit it early in the spring, after a rare Southern California dark and cloudy sky. Any beach can look appealing in bright sunshine and blue skies. For the wanderer that seeks raw and wild beauty where ocean touches the land, this is where you go.

Convincing my teenage daughter to hike Pinnacle Peak Mountain turned out to be more than family travel, it was a mother-daughter moment that brought us together.

Space Needle in Seattle just opened the weekend before I was there! For the...