-
Explore Maui, Hawaii from Aston Maui Hill Resort in Kihei on a Budget
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Getting to Maui, Hawaii for this vacation was like pulling teeth! Originally I had booked The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka’anapali through my Marriott affiliate deals which was a steal… but it was over my birthday on September 7 and we all know what happened then – the tragic Lahaina fires. Immediately I canceled everything once it happened that August and had to fight with The Westin to get refunded, but eventually it happened. My heart broke for this beautiful island and its amazing community of people. So once the new year rolled around in January, my friend offered to book her…
-
Corduroy Lodge Offers Cabins, Airstreams and Motel in Pinetop Lakeside, Arizona
Where to Stay in Pinetop-Lakeside Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler I stumbled upon Corduroy Lodge years ago when I booked a random night in-between blogging adventures in Pinetop-Lakeside and honestly just loved the vibe! So I kept in touch and we kept hoping for snow but it didn’t seem like Northern Arizona wanted to this year so I just booked random dates. Well… I got what I wished for! But fortunately the tail end of the snow as my Honda Civic is not the best low-to-the-ground car for icy roads. I wish I could tell my younger self to buy something more rugged but I was thinking fast…
-
Explore the Buttercup Valley, Imperial Sand Dunes in Yuma, Arizona
Story, video by Cassie Hepler, Photos by Brian Delfin Before I even had the idea of moving to Arizona and was a sparkle in my father’s eye, my mother lived in Yuma, Arizona with one of her Pennsylvania friends who moved with her, Judy. She was full on bohemian hippy with her VW yellow bug and adventurous spirit which I have inherited at least half of… My uncle on her side liked to say that I got the traveling bug from Uncle Jesse who would hop trains and then hustle around the country. And because mothers and grandmothers literally carry the eggs of their children and grandchildren, in essence I…
- Day Trips, Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
What To Do in Saint Martin Island in the Caribbean Sea
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler I’m finally starting to share my “vacation” experience in Saint Martin! Saint Martin is part of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean Sea and is actually two separate countries, divided between its northern French side, called Saint-Martin, and its southern Dutch Netherlands side, Sint Maarten. I say vacay in quotes because it was perhaps the strangest travel experience I’ve had yet so prepare for a doozy of a story. I had won a week stay on some random online raffle and one of the only intriguing options to me among many more plain places was Saint Martin/Sint Maarten. Originally my photographer friend was…
- Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Explore the Rolling Countryside of Burgundy, France
This guy above, Rick Steves, was my TV binge before Netflix even existed! Story by Tony West, Submitted Images Every American who visits France goes to Paris first. (That’s where the airport is.) But the French experience that graces American dining tables doesn’t come from Paris. It’s more likely to travel from Burgundy, France instead. This region of lush rolling countryside has long been a center of prosperity, culture and fashion. This gentle paradise reveals what makes France truly French. “Destination Burgundy” was presented at The Olde Bar Restaurant in Philadelphia’s Old City as a workshop by The Burgundy Tourism Board and Atout France. Emmanuelle Hézard (pictured) of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Tourisme…
- Day Trips, Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Las Posadas of Sedona, Arizona is a Hidden Gem Boutique Hotel with Homemade Breakfast
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Even though Sedona, Arizona is a magical small town, there are different sections to it like anywhere else in the USA. The place that needs no advertising because it is so mystical that mere photos, videos and vibes draw millions across the world each year… and there are limited yet immaculate roads because of its small stature and also rules set in place to allow no more building (i.e. ruining the beauty of the Red Rocks) in the area. Nestled in the Village of Oak Creek, Las Posadas of Sedona is located where you are driving in from Phoenix, Arizona – a good hour…
- Day Trips, Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Enjoy Desert Zen at Rancho de Los Caballeros Ranch Spa in Wickenburg, Arizona
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Each day in the American Matrix is the same… wake up to an alarm, get jolted out of your restful sleep into the reality of you have to work to pay your bills or become homeless… the corporate slave to the system grind. Then get ready to slay the day in zombie mode. Rinse and repeat until your soul is pretty worn. This is not natural or how human beings are supposed to be. We’re supposed to be in nature, frolicking among other animals each day. Obviously impossible with greedy corporate inflation and the government to pay, but if we can find moments…
- Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Get all the Good Vibes at Sky Rock Sedona in Arizona
Story, photos, video by Cassie Hepler Sky Rock Sedona got a magical makeover! With 360-degree views of Sedona’s Red Rocks including Snoopy Rock, Thunder Mountain, and Coffee Pot Rock, no other boutique hotel in the area can compare. After a full remodel in March 2024, this rad space offers those iconic Red Rocks views in every direction, 109 modern rooms and suites with comfortable beds, outdoor pool, hot tub, free shuttle, musicians on the weekends and all the energy work you ever wanted each evening – all without leaving the property. There’s even a hiking path across the street from Sky Rock Sedona if you want to get out there…
- Day Trips, Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Take a Hike to Arathusa Falls & Explore Bethlehem and Littleton, New Hampshire
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Hike up Arethusa Falls with me, the tallest waterfall in New Hampshire at 140 feet! We drove by randomly on the way to lunch from the Owl Roost at Bretton Wood Vacations and since I am obsessed with waterfalls, it caught my eye. After getting food fueled up, we drove back to the entrance, Frankenstein Cliff Trailhead, which of course I liked the name (had a cat in college named Frankenstein) and took that as another good sign. Briefly we checked out the sign about 1.5 miles… almost all uphill and rated as moderate (it’s not, more like difficult to non-hikers) but boy…
-
Explore Omni Mount Washington Resort & Bretton Woods Ski Area in New Hampshire
Story, photos, video by Cassie Hepler Omni Mount Washington Resort in the White Mountains of New Hampshire is giving all the Bridgerton vibes you’ve ever wanted on the East Coast of the United States! As part of our stay with Bretton Woods Vacations, we were treated to a guided tour of the property as well as a ride on the gondola (not the Italian kind) ride experience which is part of the Bretton Woods Ski Area. Elevate your mountain adventure at the Omni with Spanish Renaissance architecture and views of Mount Washington, New Hampshire! A place where grand history meets modern luxury, it’s a sprawling estate where historic moments shaped…
