Blog — brittany explores

July 27, 2018 July 27, 2018/ Brittany Hayes

5 Reasons You Need to Visit Acadia National Park

My husband and I just recently moved from New Hampshire to Maine and, this summer, we visited Maine's Acadia National Park for the first time together! Acadia is the oldest U.S. national park east of the Mississippi. It is situated on an island off the coast of Maine and consists of beaches, lakes, forests, and mountains. It's the perfect place for hikers of all ages and abilities, vacationers who love to relax on the beach, sightseers who want to drive around and hit all of the main attractions, and for those who love to camp. I am going to share just a few of my favorite reasons to visit Acadia!

1. Mount Desert Campground

Staying at Mount Desert Campground may have been my favorite part of our visit and I decided that it's my favorite campground I've ever stayed at. We had a waterfront site that was super spacious, had a platform for our tent, and unbeatable sunset views from the hammocks we strung up in the trees along the water.
BONUS: Dogs are allowed during the slower months of May-June and September-October.

2. amazing Views everywhere, all the time

No matter where you are in Acadia National Park, the sights are simply stunning. Whether it's the crystal clear water at Sand Beach, the pink granite rocks along the water, the mystical forest trails, or the outstanding panoramic views from atop Cadillac Mountain, serious beauty is a guarantee.
TIP: Take a drive along Park Loop Road, a 27 mile road with a great number of scenic stops and pullover viewpoints. Don't skip out on taking the stairs down to the beach for the best view of Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse!

otter cliff trail, off of park loop drive

3. The park's Dog-Friendliness

As I previously mentioned, Mount Desert Campground is dog-friendly during the slower months, but Acadia and most of its trails are dog-friendly year round. This is pretty hard to come by with national parks and an AWESOME plus if you love traveling with your little buddies (most national parks do not allow dogs on any trails or in campgrounds). Our pup, Remy, was able to accompany us on our adventures all throughout the park. If you bring your BFF along, just make sure to double check in advance whether the trails you want to explore definitely allow dogs.

4. Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor is the largest town on Mount Desert Island and the gateway to Acadia National Park. It is the main hub for shopping and dining on the island and offers lodging of all types (in case you aren't into camping). You can spend an afternoon meandering around its streets, laying on the grassy hill overlooking the harbor and watching the ships, or - my personal favorite - grabbing some ice cream! We tried out Mount Desert Island Ice Cream and loved its unique flavors like blackstrap molasses banana and lemon poppyseed blackberry swirl.

5. Trails for all levels

Acadia is a wonderful place for hikers of all ages and levels. If you're looking for a tough, thrilling hike, try out the Beehive Loop Trail or Precipice Trail, both of which feature areas of exposed cliffs with iron rungs to climb - not for those with a fear of heights. If you're on the hunt for something simpler and flatter, try Ship Harbor Trail or Great Head Trail.
TIP: AllTrails is my favorite trail-finding website/app for finding hikes all over the country; I highly recommend using it to browse all of the different hikes Acadia has to offer: Best Trails in Acadia National Park

have you visited acadia national park?

What are your favorite reasons to go or your favorite sights to see while you're there?

July 14, 2018 July 14, 2018/ Brittany Hayes

**The Best Campgrounds of Fjord Norway**

Having recently returned from an unbelievable first visit to Norway, I want to share part of what made our travels so wonderful and simple: Norway's campgrounds! The Fjord region of Norway, through which we traveled in a campervan over the course of a week, has an abundance of campgrounds suitable for tent camping, campervans, and large RVs (with and without electricity). Most also offer small cabins you can rent, laundry facilities, and water-tank filling hoses. Every campground we stayed at provided bathrooms with showers as well as dish-washing stations and all but one campground had WiFi. Although "wild camping," which is camping overnight on any public land, is permitted in Norway, staying at actual campgrounds provided us with those extra amenities at such a low cost that was worth it to us. Can't argue with a hot shower every day!

We booked all campsites we stayed at at the time of arrival. We found that there was no need to book in advance in mid-May, however, you may want to do so in the busier summer months, as we did run into one full campground on a holiday weekend. Not having to book in advance was especially advantageous on the days we didn't have specific plans for which area we were going to stay in. Throughout the Fjord region, campgrounds are plentiful. We found most of them to cost approximately 30 USD per night. Can't beat that!

Here are the campgrounds we stayed at and the reasons why we loved them:

Flåm Campground og Vandrarheim ("and Hostel")

The first campground we stayed at was the only one at which we remained for two nights and definitely kicked the camping week off right.

Flåm Campground was situated conveniently right off of the highway, tucked up on a hillside beside a stream leading out to the Flåm fjord and town center, which was about a 5 minute walk down the street. Flåm, a popular stop on Norwegian fjord cruises as well as the Flåm Railway, is a busy tourist center. Despite this, it is a very small hub. It has a shopping center, a miniature supermarket, a brewery (Ægir Bryggeri, our favorite that we tried on the trip - you can get cans in any major grocery store), and just a couple of cafés and restaurants. The campground itself had plenty of room for many campers and/or tents as well as a few hostel buildings for visitors needing a room. It is located near to Stegastein lookout, where a short drive rewarded us with glorious views of the surrounding fjords. A perfect place to begin our travels through the fjords!

views from the cruise ship port in flam town center

bridge from flam center to the main road

the walk from town back to the campground

Nameless Campground, 2 kilometers down the road from Sande Camping

We had planned to stay at Sande Camping on Lovatnet lake, however, when we arrived we found that it was full for the night. The host suggested that we continue down the road just a bit further to another campground. What we found was more like a family's hilly backyard directly on the lake, but we pulled our van right up to the water's edge and enjoyed a lovely quiet evening with SUCH great views! The property may have had a name, but if it did, I did not catch it. It did, however, have bathrooms and FREE hot showers (most cost about 1 USD for a few minutes). This was the only campsite of our trip that did not have WiFi. It was peaceful and pleasant, had a picnic table right on the water where we ate our dinner, and a stunning view of the sun setting over the water.

Geirangerfjorden Feriesenter

We took the ferry from Hellesylt to Geiranger (such an amazing ride in itself that we didn't feel the need to splurge on a Geiranger fjord cruise - we saw all the sights right from the ferry, including the Seven Sisters waterfall!) and set up camp at Geirangerfjorden Feriesenter, another campground sitting right on the water just outside the town center. With Geiranger being one of the main tourist areas of the fjords, the campground was pretty full, but we were still able to procure a spot on the water rather than further up the hill. This campground was a perfect base for exploring the area. We walked through town, drove up to Flydalsjuvet viewpoint, and continued up the very long and very winding Eagle Road to Dalsnibba, a viewpoint at the tippy top of Europe's highest fjord road. From our campsite, we had a superb view of the Geiranger town which was beautifully illuminated at night.

PlusCamp Strynsvatn

We came across the PlusCamp Strynsvatn campground during our travels one day when we didn't have a set plan for where we were staying and it turned out to be an excellent find! It is located on Oppstrynsvatnet lake, an absolutely gorgeous lake that I had wanted to check out while we were on the road. From our site, we were able to walk down the lake about half a mile to a swimming spot by a tiny, secluded island with trails throughout - it was magical. The campground also had an array of amenities and activities - multiple playgrounds, trampolines, soccer field, billiards room, and boats and cabins for rent. And it's always a plus when you have waterfall views from your site. This is another campground to which we would happily return.

Tvinde Camping

Our last night in the campervan was spent sleeping next to the giant Tvindefossen waterfall. The waterfall itself is a tourist attraction with a little souvenir shop, but campers can stay right on the property and they also have a few small cabins for rent. It is impossible not to have a view of the falls from your site here. The roaring of the water gave us the most restful sleep of our journey.

In summation, we were thoroughly impressed with both the amount and quality of the campgrounds we came across whilst exploring the fjords. We recommend staying at all of the above if they fall on the route of your own Norway adventures!

If you have any questions about camping or campgrounds (or anything) in Norway, please ask!

July 09, 2018 July 09, 2018/ Brittany Hayes

**How to Survive a Layover at London Gatwick Airport**

If you have to be stuck in an airport for an 8-hour layover, London Gatwick is the one to be stuck at. When our 6-hour London layover between Bergen and Boston was extended to 8 hours the morning of our travels, we were not looking forward to figuring out how to fill that time. Originally we had thought we would go into London city for a whirlwind few hours but decided it would be too much with having to go through passport control, customs, the expensive express train that could get us there and back, transportation in the city, and re-entering the airport. So, getting to know LGW it was.

Our flight was departing out of the South Terminal, so that is where we spent our layover. Between enjoying meals, people-watching, sipping drinks, perusing the bookstore and other shops, and getting some work done, the time actually went by rather quickly. Here is an outline of how we occupied ourselves throughout the day.

Breakfast

First things first. We arrived around 10:00am and immediately began our hunt for breakfast. We decided upon Wondertree and I was delighted with the array of options (especially for my vegetarian self). When traveling, it's easy to grow accustomed to the bland, unexciting, often unhealthy airport food, however this was anything but. I had a fresh fruit juice (pineapple, pear, banana, papaya, & orange) and a breakfast plate that consisted of poached eggs, avocado, hummus, roasted cherry tomatoes, labneh cheese, za’atar, baked potato wedges and basil-parsley oil. So good! In addition to the tasty meal, the atmosphere was really cool. There were high ceiling with fun lights, a partially open kitchen, and a large, illuminated tree which I can only assume is based off the restaurant's namesake.

Walking and Shopping

The very large South Terminal is home to a variety of shops such as Harrods, Ted Baker, Dixons Travel, Fatface, Boots, a huge duty-free store, and many more. One that we spent quite a bit of time in was The Bookshop by WH Smith. I could spend hours and hours in bookstores, and despite this one being fairly small in size, it was packed with interesting books. I keep an ever-growing list on my phone (The Goodreads app is awesome!) of books that I have read and want to read, so I must've added at least a dozen while I was in this store.

Drinks

After a little bit of walking around and a little bit of sitting, we decided it was time for a drink. We'd seen Jamie Oliver's Diner right next to where we'd had breakfast and it had a nice-looking bar section, so we decided to head over there. They have a handful of different mimosa options (I got a grapefruit one), a solid beer list, and more. It was a fun spot to hang out for a while and listen to people talk about their travels while we reminisced about ours.

The Quiet Zone

After being surrounded by airport hustle and bustle for hours, we were beginning to long for some peace and quiet. We looked into a very unique and accommodating option that LGW has - YOTELAIR. These are tiny private cabins within the terminal that have beds, bathrooms, TVs, and wifi that are available for rent for a minimum 4 hour stay. We were very close to springing for this option, but ultimately decided against it. I am, however, really glad to know about it for the future!

Instead, we found The Quiet Zone. From the main terminal space, we were ecstatic to see arrows pointing towards a "quiet zone". We followed signs towards Gates 1-5 until we found an area dedicated to silence (ahhhhh). We plugged in our computers and spent a while getting some work done and relishing the quiet. I didn't take any photos in the actual quiet area, as it likely would have disturbed those working or resting.

Dinner

We had worked up an appetite again and headed back into the main area to figure out where we'd like to have dinner. We decided on a restaurant called The Flying Horse, a pub with beautiful decor and a relaxing vibe. I ordered the feta & beetroot salad (YUM) and a bowl of chips (a.k.a. fries) because I can't help myself. My husband got fish & chips because when in London, right? I loved the ambience of the place which helped me feel like I wasn't stuck in an airport, but having an enjoyable dining experience at a nice London restaurant.

Can you believe a place this nice is inside an airport terminal? I was pleasantly surprised.

By the time we finished up at The Flying Horse, our layover had passed and it was time to make our way to our gate! We were ready to get back to Boston, but thankful for a satisfying day spent inside the London Gatwick Airport.

Have any of you survived a layover at LGW? Do you have any general tips for long layovers?

June 09, 2018 June 09, 2018/ Brittany Hayes

**Staying in Luxury at The Naka Island in Phuket**

Southern Thailand is seriously dreamy. Those actually perfect beaches, the turquoise water from which gigantic rock formations jut, the many massive and wondrous caves, and the colorful long-tail boats dotting the shoreline...it's all there and it's all amazing. I was immensely lucky to spend a few days living in luxury on a very small island off the coast of Phuket called The Naka Island.

Located a 15-minute boat ride from a pier on the east coast of Phuket, most of the island is a resort & spa and on the other side is a tiny village. Our accommodation was an extravagant hut (two words not oft-juxtaposed, but when you see the photos, you will understand). It featured a large bedroom with a vaulted ceiling and a canopy bed; an enclosed stone pathway to an open-air bathroom; and a private terrace with our own pool, daybed, and pavilion with mats and pillows for outdoor relaxation in the shade. I highly recommend ordering some champagne and mango sticky rice from the pillow menu, a.k.a. room service, while lounging in your own personal heaven.

The resort itself is spread out over an expansive area. The villas are located up on a hill and are dispersed along a few different roads. Complimentary bicycle rentals are the perfect way to travel to the rest of the facilities from your room - or you can always summon a golf cart ride from one of the many amiable staff members. The resort features a tranquil spa, three restaurants with panoramic ocean views (and one hell of a breakfast buffet), a gorgeous waterfront pool, and more. A favorite feature was the ability to schedule a private island-hopping tour with a super-friendly guide on a long-tail boat. The bicycle rentals were also a handy way to explore the entire island; just a short ride away on a very bumpy dirt path is the island's one tiny fishing village and its pier offers incredible sunset views. Make sure to get back to the resort in time to catch the end of the sunset with a drink in hand in a comfy, cushioned, front row seat at Z-Bar.

I could have spent many more days going back and forth between laying in a pool chair in the sun and eating mouthwatering curry (but do I get the green or the red?!). I hope to one day return to this peaceful oasis. If you're wondering which Thai Island to visit and serenity is your vision: look no further than The Naka Island.

also known as "james bond island" due to its appearance in a film

kayaking inside another secret cave pool

sunset from the village side of the island

Pretty amazing, right? Let me know what you think of The Naka Island! Then let me help plan your trip there :)

May 27, 2018 May 27, 2018/ Brittany Hayes

It didn't take long after setting foot in Scotland for me to establish it as one of my new favorite places on Earth. The glorious natural scenery mixed with the vibrant cities is the perfect match. I want to share an overview of the route we took on our 12-day road trip around the country for those curious how to create an itinerary that intertwines city and country, letting you experience all the best that Scotland has to offer.

Days 1-2: Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and a perfect starting point for your journey. We went carless the first couple of days while we explored the city, but headed back to the airport on the third day to pick up our rental car there since it would be the most convenient place to return it to on our way home. Rental cars are available for check-in inside the Arrivals terminal at Glasgow Airport, with the cars parked right outside for easy pick-up. Our first two days were spent exploring this unique city, which I have covered in its own separate post! Head over HERE to read more about what to see, do, eat, and where to stay in Glasgow.

Day 3: Loch Lomond & Tarbert

On the morning of Day 3, we hopped on a bus back to Glasgow Airport where we picked up our rental car and hit the road. Our first stop was Loch Lomond and the picturesque lakeside village of Luss. We stopped for a coffee and my first ever affogato at St. Mocha Coffee Shop and Ice Cream Parlour, walked around the lakeside, and drove up the road to see and walk through Luss.

After spending a little while walking around, we continued on to our stop for the night, the quaint village of Tarbert. In Tarbert, you must make the very short hike up to Tarbert Castle, is now ruins but in the Middle Ages, it was a royal stronghold with a perfect vantage point overlooking the harbor. We stayed the night at the Knap Guest House, which features very nice rooms with water views and a super friendly host who set out breakfast for us the night before, knowing that we were leaving prior to the usual breakfast start time the next morning. I hope to stay there again one day.

fantastic hospitality at the knap guest house

Days 4-5: Islay

At the crack of dawn the next morning, we set out to take the ferry from Kennacraig to Port Ellen on Islay, car included. It's one of the longer ferry rides I've taken at 2 hours 20 minutes, with no complaints from me since I love ferries. I also find them to be dual purpose in that they transport one from one place to another while also providing a marvelously scenic ride with views that couldn't be seen any other way.

We arrived in Port Ellen, a truly tiny harbor town and found maybe the only place serving breakfast, a small hotel, where we devoured yet another full English breakfast (they even had veggie sausage for my vegetarian self). We then set out to explore the town a bit and get acquainted with the area. A bit later, our real plans for Islay began and we went off on three whisky distillery tours and tastings at Lagavulin, Laphraoig, and Ardbeg. Each was different, informative, and of course very delicious. It was surreal to be standing in the place where these whiskies originate from, on this small little island, tasting them and learning more about them right at their source. If you are a whisky fan, you should really get yourself to Islay.

make the drive over to this viewpoint (especially if you're a parks & rec fan)

we now each own a square foot of the laphroaig land

Day 6: Oban

After taking the ferry back across from Islay to Kennacraig, we headed north to Oban. Because we arrived very late, we didn't get to see Oban in the evening, but the next morning, we headed up to McCaig's Tower. The tower is solely walls as it was never completed after the architect's death in 1902, but it boasts the best vantage point of the city and harbor.

Day 7: Fort William

From Oban, we entered the beautiful Scottish Highlands, beginning at Fort William. There is much to discover in this area, so we made a full day of exploring, starting with a hike to Steall Falls. I was especially interested in this hike not only due to the fantastic scenery, but because it was the shooting location of a scene in one of the Harry Potter movies (Goblet of Fire when Harry is battling the dragon). Cue fan-girling. The Steall Falls hike turned out to be one of my favorite activities we did this trip. We meandered upwards through the forest alongside a river until we emerged into a field with a roaring waterfall as the backdrop. Highly recommend!

Our next stop of the day was at Glenfinnan Viaduct, another Harry Potter filming location (in The Chamber of Secrets, the Hogwarts Express crosses this bridge while Harry and Ron are flying the car alongside it) and a real-life track over which the Jacobite steam train crosses daily. We stuck around hoping to see the train go by (I even looked at the schedule!) but, alas, it never came. It was really cool to see and a nice walk around nonetheless!

Days 8-9: Isle of Skye

En route to Skye, make a pit stop to see Eilean Donan Castle. This castle, which was occupied by multiple clans before being destroyed by government ships during the Jacobite rebellion in Scotland in the early 1700s, has been reconstructed and is a fascinating historical site.

The Isle of Skye is its own little heavenly world on an island. It's a large island accessible by bridge rather than ferry and I found the scenery there to be the most sensational in all of Scotland. We spent two days touring the island, starting with a (long) drive out to Neist Point lighthouse. I should point out that driving in Scotland is challenging if you are not used to single lane roads for two way traffic, roundabouts every mile, and the distraction of cute baby sheep in every direction. The drive out to Neist Point had all the above and some of the most narrow roads of the trip. Even though I wasn't the one driving, I'm saying that it was worth it. Walk all the way down to the lighthouse to check out the structure, but be warned that the walk back up is not easy.

We spent the night at the Cowshed Boutique Bunkhouse, which is one of the most fun places I've stayed before. Our "room" was a pod cabin on a hillside with sweeping views. The pod had its own bathroom, bed, desk, and fridge and there was a common building where we could go to use the kitchen or hang around in a super cute lounge area. I wish we could have stayed there longer!

The next day, we set our sights first on the Quiraing, a hiking area of dramatic green cliffs. Things did not quite go to plan when our rental car got completely stuck in the mud in the parking lot (after we drove up the long winding hill where we witnessed a sheep giving birth). Fortunately, Scots are the friendliest, kindest people and about six men who saw our situation assisted in pulling us out. Despite the snafu, we were still able to take in the magnificent landscape and are grateful for a story with a happy ending that will forever make us smile.

We continued south to Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls, a rock formation in the cliffs that resembles a kilt nearby which a waterfall drops into the ocean.

We spent the night at the cozy Portree Hotel in the cute town of Portree. Portree is very walkable, so I suggest heading out on foot to see the colorful houses along the harbor and enjoy dinner in town.

Day 10: Portree to Inverness

This morning was possibly my favorite of the trip. We drove just up the road to a hiking trail that I was really excited about and that exceeded my greatest expectations: The Storr. It is a steep, rocky hill featuring grassy slopes, but it is otherworldly and tough to describe with words, so here are some photos.

Without a doubt, one of my favorite hikes I've ever done!

After we had stood in wonder for a satisfying amount of time, we continued southward to Inverness. On the way, we made a stop at the Culloden Battlefield where the Jacobite forces were defeated in one last battle in 1746. If you've ever read or seen Outlander, it is a prominent location within the series. Reading those books sparked a real interest for me in the Jacobite rebellion that took place in Scotland in the mid-1700s, so visiting this site and the attached museum was amazing.

We checked into our Inverness Airbnb before enjoying a delicious dinner and a pint at the Castle Tavern.

Days 11-12: Edinburgh

Our final days in Scotland were spent in Edinburgh, a city filled with history, music, and cobblestone streets, before heading back to Glasgow to depart. Click HERE to read about our experience in Edinburgh!

Check out my custom map below to see our driving route!

I sincerely hope you enjoyed following along on our Scotland road trip adventure! It was such a blast and gave us so many amazing memories. I encourage anyone who has ever considered visiting Scotland - do it!! You will most definitely not regret it.

If you have any questions about road trip planning or anything else, as always, feel free to ask!