Author: suzannerutledge

Luke’s winter “half-term” week off always comes at the perfect time. After the excitement and thrill of the Christmas season, we slog through January in anticipation of a warm weather vacation in mid-February. Almost a year ago, we booked tickets to Cape Town hoping we could get there despite the roller coaster of travel restrictions. … Continue reading (Es)Cape Town

If you are taking your first or second trip to London, there are probably 1,001 blog posts and articles about what to do. It can be overwhelming. So we’ve rounded up our recommended ‘must-dos’ to get to know our favorite city. To enhance the itinerary, I always follow Secret London, Visit London and TimeOut London … Continue reading First-timers to London

Richmond, England may sound familiar if you’ve watched Ted Lasso, but this beautiful town on the outskirts of London has been famous for more than 500 years. King Henry VII built a palace here, jousted in Richmond Green and hunted in Richmond Park (now open for us commoners). Just 20 minutes from London Waterloo on … Continue reading A Day Out (or Two) in Richmond

It’s been another roller coaster of a year, but I’m choosing to focus on all of the positive moments of 2021. Even though we bookended the year with draconian lockdowns and isolating with COVID ourselves, the joy and wonderful memories of our experiences outweigh the pandemic life we continue to navigate. Here are some highlights. … Continue reading Thoughts on 2021

“Why are you going to Albania???” We heard this refrain over and over as we shared our travel plans for the week of fall break in October 2021. For some, Albania is unfortunately associated with crime and gangs, but this 1990’s stereotype didn’t hinder us from the positive things we had heard from more adventurous … Continue reading Undiscovered Albania

Quick, weekend trips to popular European destinations are known as “city breaks” from London, and they are a great way to feel each unique vibe by taking advantage of the cheap flights from the UK. Krakow, Poland was virtually untouched by WWII bombs and retains its glorious Austro-Hungarian architecture with the largest market square in … Continue reading 48 Hours in Krakow: A Beautiful City, A Horrible History

Tackle the infamous Ring Road or not? That was the question. We debated our week in Iceland, lured by the idea of driving around the entire island or just hitting the highlights in Reykjavik and the South Coast. On an island the size of Maryland, we really wanted to see as much as possible but … Continue reading Around the Ring Road in Iceland

The island of Corfu wasn’t actually on our radar until the pandemic had us searching for new TV shows to binge. On a cold and dark winter night, we discovered The Durrells of Corfu. It’s the true story of a 1930’s family who fled dreary England to discover the beauty and wildlife of the greenest … Continue reading Corfu: Sun, Salt and Shades of Blue

I think every American should be required to visit Normandy, France, once in their lifetime. Our Greatest Generation helped free Europe from tyranny during World War II. Without them, our world would not look the same as it does today. Oftentimes I wish those men and women were still here today to speak their wisdom, … Continue reading Normandy: What Every American Should Experience

Museums in London re-opened this week after months of lockdown. Who can even remember the last time we strolled the beautiful halls, gazing at extraordinary works of art or learning tidbits of history? Here’s a roundup of the top museums and how to find what you are looking for, depending on the day and who … Continue reading A London Museum for Every Traveler