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Explore With Cassie

Lifestyle & travel blog finding the unusual out of the ordinary.

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  • Destinations,  Education,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Escape to a Fairytale Fever Dreamscape at Il Falconiere in Cortona, Tuscany Italy

    June 1, 2026 /

    Luxury Wine Resort in Cortona Tuscany, Italy Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Behold the beauty of Il Falconiere Relais & Spa, an elegant 17th-century country residence on the hillsides of Cortona, Tuscany! This was truly a hidden countryside gem in Italy and welcome restful retreat of relaxation, nature and wellness, carefully crafted to be delightful fairytale couture by Silvia and Benedetto Baracchi. Cypress trees, umbrella pines, olive trees and vineyards as far as the eye can see are spotted with stone buildings with terracotta-colored walls while the healthiest, shiniest chickens and roosters roam the grounds. Flowers were blooming everywhere for spring which was intoxicating to the senses. Relais…

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    Cassie Hepler

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    Beware of International Travel Scams with this Epic List

    July 14, 2025
  • Destinations,  Education,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Spend 24 Hours in the Mountain Town of Norcia, Umbria in Italy

    May 25, 2026 /

    Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Norcia is located in the mountains of Italy at 6,500 feet altitude! About two and a half hours Northwest of Rome, Norcia is a small town in the east of the province of Perugia, in the central region of Umbria. It is smack dab in the center of the Monti Sibillini National Park, with endless rolling mountains, an ideal destination for nature lovers, hikers and skiers. In 2016, a 6.6-magnitude quake hit the small town shaking up the medieval basilica of St. Benedict in Norcia among other structures and was Italy’s strongest earthquakes in decades. The town is very busy bringing itself back…

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    Inn at Palm Springs, California is an Oasis in Coachella Valley

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    Explore French Palace Airelles Gordes, La Bastide in Gordes, France

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    Explore an Italian Castle and Wine at the Top of Charming Village of Dolceacqua

    May 18, 2026 /

    Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Take a day trip to the dreamy small village of Dolceacqua near Sanremo, Italy! This charming town sits at the base of French border town Dolceacqua about a half hour away with the Doria Castle climbing high in the sky and is the location of the Pinacoteca Giovanni Morscio, a museum dedicated to the works of local painter Morscio (1887–1972) and other 20th-century Italian and French artists. It is also known for its medieval bridge somehow suspended in air by stone and physics, which was painted by Claude Monet. The is one of the many day trips Europa Palace Sanremo offers guests. If…

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    Explore an Artists Commune La Maison de la Chapelle in Carcès, France

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    University City Gets Smart with Chic, Sleek Study Hotel and Unique Co-Op Restaurant

    January 24, 2018

    The Mob Museum in Las Vegas is like Mafia School with a Speakeasy

    October 27, 2025
  • Destinations,  Education,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Explore Affordable Luxury on the Italian Riviera at Europa Hotel in Sanremo, Italy

    May 11, 2026 /

    Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Flying into Nice, France felt like visiting an old friend even though I was just there last fall! The amount of peace and happy giddiness washed over me as soon as I saw that familiar skyline and sunset. With a pretty smooth flight from Phoenix through British Airways, I had a brief layover in London, England and was soon on my way to my first overnight hotel, safely walkable from the airport even at night. A lot of places will say they have an airport shuttle in both France and Italy so be certain that it actually exists and without hidden fees by…

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    Marriott Irvine Spectrum Offers Restful, Upscale Hotel to Explore Orange County, California

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    Century Grand Phoenix Transports Guests into Locomotive Luxury Era

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    Cassie’s Cars and Casita Oasis in Arcadia, Arizona

    June 4, 2018
  • Destinations,  Education,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Where to Stay in Sante Fe, New Mexico for Full Cultural Immersion

    April 20, 2026 /

    Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler On the road again to Santa Fe, New Mexico’s capital and oldest city in the United States, nestled in the Sangre de Cristo foothills! This was a bucket list trip where I was only there once before when driving across the country to move from Philly to Phoenix, Arizona and since we were tethered to Optimus, the red Kia car via a U-Haul cab, I was only able to really enjoy that vivid, deep purple sunset at the hotel which is still engrained in my brain and I was determined to watch again. Because of the summer from hell 2025, I now bookend…

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    Unique Things to Do in Saint Tropez, France

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    Adventures Driving Cross Country with a U-Haul

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    Behind the Scenes with P.J. Whelihan’s at WIP Wing Bowl 2017

    March 14, 2017
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    How 5 Gyres is Fighting Microplastics: A California Love Story of Activism and Science

    March 30, 2026 /

    Meet Anna Cummins and Marcus Eriksen: the Environmental Power Couple Behind 5 Gyres Story by Irina Abraham Somewhere among the California hills, there lies a piece of paradise adorned with legends of Steve McQueen’s buried motorcycles, carefully crafted dinosaur sculptures, and breathtaking sunsets.  The most fascinating thing about this place is its residents: there is a poet, a gold-bearing athlete, a muralist, and a promising young filmmaker. A power couple runs the place – Anna Cummins and Marcus Eriksen. They have sailed the roaring seas, unearthed precious dinosaur bone, and were a part of a team that discovered plastic micro beads were taking over The Great Lakes. Lucky to be…

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    Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival Represents Fragility, Beauty of Life at Shofuso Japanese House and Garden in Philadelphia

    July 3, 2019

    Glamping in an AirStream at The Cozy Peach at Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek, Arizona

    March 1, 2024
  • Day Trips,  Destinations,  Education,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Exploring The Sedona Film Festival for a Weekend in Sedona, Arizona

    March 23, 2026 /

    Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler I’m also a model and actress if you didn’t know by now. And movies are part of my daily existence most weekdays. I enjoy delving into something amazing that can get me off my cell phone the whole time and make me feel something in this American world of growing numbness. I’ve also acted in a few films, check out my IMDB if you like however I didn’t create it and some films are missing. But I find modeling, photography and writing to be the true loves of my life… and now with social media, you can act out your own video snippets…

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    Explore the World’s Most Beautiful Waterfalls by Road Trip

    June 4, 2024

    Four Diamond We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort Offers Stay and Play Adventures

    June 17, 2021

    Pennsylvania’s Top 10 Fall Foliage Spots to Visit this Fall

    September 8, 2025
  • Day Trips,  Destinations,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Exploring the South End of the Strip at The Berkley, Las Vegas in Nevada

    February 23, 2026 /

    Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler I almost gave up on Las Vegas, Nevada. My first visit was with the vagtastic voyage gals via Philadelphia in 2010 I think for a blow out birthday bash at The Luxor which yes, some of those stories will forever stay in Vegas. Fast forward to the last couple of times I visited and honestly, it was giving Get Out vibes each time. I couldn’t see the allure or appeal of staying anywhere on the strip, it just seemed too fast and stressful. When you go from city to city, there is no downtime only chaos and confusion to the next spot. I…

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    Small Businesses Reopen in Funky, Artsy Town of Claremont, CA

    September 20, 2021

    Tune Into the Sounds of the Season at Fairmount Park’s Historic Houses

    December 27, 2017

    Cruise Along the Pacific Beach on 17 Mile Drive in Monterey, California

    April 19, 2018
  • Education,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    A 300-Day Nomad’s Guide to Why Slow Travel is Superior

    February 16, 2026 /

    Meet Ian Poh Jin Tze from Singapore in Southeast Asia who has quite an impressive resume and has mastered the art of slow travel. If you have no clue what that is, keep reading because it could just change your life. Q: Please tell us about how you became a world traveler? A: I am a storyteller – through the lens of my camera and the rhythm of my pen. For years, I’ve been chasing stories, capturing fleeting moments and uncovering truths that others might overlook. My work has graced the pages of prestigious publications like Singapore Airlines, Eater, Asian Food Network, and Le Cordon Bleu, and I’ve had the privilege of authoring…

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    Bank and Bourbon Offers Endless Whiskey Paired with Perfect Steak in Philly

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    Take a Hike and Be Amazed at the Sonoran Desert in Arizona

    December 11, 2019
  • Day Trips,  Education,  Explore with Cassie,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Tips and Tricks for Hassle Free Disabled Travel

    February 2, 2026 /

    You might think that this story doesn’t pertain to you or your family because no one is disabled – yet. Key word is yet! Literally in the blink of an eye, you too can be considered disabled from a car crash, a freak accident or through no fault of your own or just age – and we all will get old if we are lucky enough. For me, I have a large rods and screws from a scoliosis fusion right above my hipbones to my chest and I might need to be fully fused to my hipbones someday. I also learned over the summer that if anything further traumatic happens…

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Recent Posts

  • Escape to a Fairytale Fever Dreamscape at Il Falconiere in Cortona, Tuscany Italy
  • Spend 24 Hours in the Mountain Town of Norcia, Umbria in Italy
  • Explore an Italian Castle and Wine at the Top of Charming Village of Dolceacqua
  • Explore Affordable Luxury on the Italian Riviera at Europa Hotel in Sanremo, Italy
  • Are Romantic Relationships Based on Love of Travel Likely to Last?

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