So, this post really excites me because I have been looking for a new backpack for hiking and different travels for awhile now. I just never felt confident with the options because I wanted to buy one for numerous adventures, not just hiking and camping. I finally found what I have been looking for! It is called the Alberta Pack from Livingtsone. The company is based out of Calgary, Canada. They created an awesome product for not only hiking and outdoor adventures like that, but everything else in between too. I love bringing this pack to the beach! It fits all of my essentials and more. It really is the perfect addition and I can just throw it on my back and go!
Pack Inside Pouch | Livingstone | A Canadian Brand
See below for a few reasons on why I think this is the ultimate traveling backpack.
Lightweight| This bag is SO light to carry! It is perfect for all of your daily essentials and light enough for you to carry them all around in.
Folds Up Into A Bag | This is HUGE! I travel often, whether it’s a road trip, family visit, beach trip, hiking adventure, camping trip, or vacation. I love having bags that I can just fold up into practically nothing to take with me. I can literally just squeeze the backpack into its nicely designed logo bag and done! I now have an extra bag for whatever is needed.
Waterproof| This is a great feature on this bag because there are so many times you might not think it is going to rain or storm, and then poof. I love how I don’t care if I spill water on this, or whatever the case may be, because I definitely am a tad clumsy lol.
Roomy | There’s plenty of storage on the inside and it has two outside pockets that you can hold items in also. Also inside is a spot where you can hold your cell phone and keys.
Nice Design/Logo | I really like the logo on the front of the bag, along with the name itself. The bag just has an overall great look to it. I like all of the things they thought of when creating this back pack.
BEST PART??| This company gives back to the National Parks! $1 USD from every purchase goes to a National Park across the world. I love a company that has a great cause behind it too.
25L Alberta Pack | Golden Gardens Beach
Places To Use It
Beach | Traveling To Another Country | Markets | Road Trips | Hiking | Camping | Picnics | Biking | Other Travels
Just a side-note | This backpack is extremely lightweight and foldable. It is not made of heavy material, it’s more like tent material to best describe it. If you’re looking for a lightweight and foldable daypack, this is for YOU. If you are looking for something more sturdy and bulky, this is not for you. I hope that gives you a little more insight into what this bag is all about! ❤
If you have any questions about this bag, please let me know!! Now, go get your adventure on.
These are my ultimate travel companion. I cannot tell you enough how much these cubes have changed my whole travel life. They are SO helpful and I am about to tell you just why. If you don’t purchase these, you will never know how much better packing for a trip could be. Trust me on this one, guys. You will be so happy you got these by your side! ❤
CALPAK | Milk Marble
Well Made | These packing cubes are really well made and come in a set of 5. They have all different colors and designs to choose from. I like that they have a zipper pocket on the outside of the bag too for extra storage too.
Clothes Organized | All of my clothes used to be all over the place when I traveled. Anyone else ever have that problem when traveling around?? No matter what I did, it always ended up in a big mess inside my suitcase. Guess what!? This will NEVER happen if you use packing cubes! They keep all of your clothes and essentials organized and you will never have clothes everywhere ever again!
Many Uses| You can not only use these for suitcases. You can use them for weekend getaways, and just throw them in one of your larger purses and you’re good to go! I have also just carried one of the larger ones with me to a destination because they kind of act like a travel by themselves too. Almost all of them have a handle on the top, so you can carry them by hand, which is SO convenient.
Easy to Store | It’s amazing how you run out of closet space so fast! We just moved into our home in December and I feel like I am already low on closet space ahhh. These are great because they do not take up too much room and are bendable. You can even store all of them into the largest cube and tuck it away.
Where To Purchase | I brought mine from my favorite store, Nordstroms (of course!!). You can also find similar ones on Amazon, but I think the quality and overall color scheme is better with the CALPAK brand! It’s a great way to earn some Nordy points too.
Color Choices | They now have 8 colors to choose from on the Nordstrom website! I got mine in “milk marble,” but there are so many pretty color combos to choose from! It is kind of making me want another set after seeing all the new choices. Maybe for next year 🙂
CALPAK Packing Cubes | “Milk Marble” | $48.00
You will love having these handy cubes for all of your travels. They are worth every penny!
I have always been interested in Ferragamo shoes, especially the block heel version. They are a pricey designer shoe, and if you’re like me, you may not always want to spend the money on something like that. When I saw these pumps from Cole Haan, I just knew these were the perfect option. I am all for quality vs. quantity and these shoes fit the bill AND are inexpensive too. They are SUCH a great investment in your shoe closet. I wear these to work quite often and they never get old. They are comfortable and waterproof too, can you believe it!? I have gotten SO many compliments on them and I know you will too! They come in black leather and nude leather in full and half sizes and run true to size. Get out and get yourself a pair of these pumps! They are feminine and stylish, just like YOU ❤
Tara Tip* They often go on sale for up to 30% off. Do not pay full price unless you must have these right away (which I would totally understand by the way!)
Cole Hann | Tali Modern Waterproof Bow Pump | $170.00
Prague is SO unique and stunning! It is like no other place in Europe that I have traveled to so far. The buildings and cities have such a medieval elegance feel to them. I loved it here so much. What was really special about this place is that my friend I was traveling with lived here for a few years, so I kind of got to see the ins and outs of Prague. It has such a special place in my heart <3.
Prague | Czech Republic
Sarah and Jans Airbnb was in the most perfect location! If you want to be close to the center, this is the place for you. The flat is actually much larger in person than in pictures and has ample amount of space. The hosts are terrific and you really get a sense of what having your own flat in Prague is like!
Sarah and Jan’s AirBNB | Prague
Drinks | Lokal
Our second and third day in Prague was jammed packed. I felt so comfortable everywhere I went in Prague. It is such a livable city and incredibly unique with all of the medieval and gothic vibes. It is also pretty inexpensive if you go to the right places. We grabbed a quick bite for breakfast and ate on the go while walking to Wenceslas Square.
Wenceslas Square | Praha 1Capital Building | Prague
We ate lunch at this very hip new lunch spot called, Manifesto – pretty new in Prague and so many delicious food options to choose from. We liked it so much that we went back there before we headed out to the airport on our last day too.
Manifesto | Prague
After lunch, we walked and walked and explored the city a bunch. It’s all so charming and unique. I really do not know how else to explain it!
Me | Charles Bridge | Arch Bridge in Prague | Czech Republic
We walked to see the famous castle. Be prepared for a lot of stairs on your way up there! 🙂
Our Walk to Prague Castle
Prague CastleMe | Prague Castle
After our walk through the castle grounds, we headed over to Malá Strana and took a picture at the famous John Lennon wall.
Mala Strana
Malá Strana was just as charming as all the other spots in Prague ❤ Can’t you tell??
“I Love Praha | Wall Art | John Lennon Wall
We walked and walked and walked to try and find this Biergarten my friend said was awesome. We never ended up finding the exact one, but we came across so many other cool experiences along the way. We found a concert at the top of a hill overlooking the entire city, and I got to try my first raclette cheese! Our walk back to our flat was pretty magical too.
Concert in the parkDrink line | The concert on a hill
Raclette!
Our last full day in Prague started with walking to the metro to explore another area in Prague.
Metro | Prague
We had MAJOR photo op at this green wall in Praha 2 after a delicious brunch. If you have time for breakfast, go to Cafefin and order the avocado toast. You can thank me later. Also, I apologize in advance for all of the green wall pics, haha. Couldn’t resist.
Avocado Toast | CafefinPraha 2 | Czech Republic
After a long day of walking, brunching, and exploring, we met up with some old friends of my travel buddy and had an authentic Czech experience meal of fried cheese, bread, and cranberries.
Authentic Czech RestaurantCzech Meal
Somehow we still walked forever and ever to a park called, Vyšehrad, that my friend said was breathtaking for sunset. I am so glad she took me there and I got to see this part of Prague. I highly recommend you go there for sunset. It was an incredibly peaceful and perfect ending to all of our sightseeing that day. Afterwards, we walked to an area called Naplavka, where you can find numerous boats on the water that are actually bars. SO SO COOL.
View | Vysharad ParkSunset | Vysherad Park
Naplavka | On the banks of the Vltava River
Prague in general just gives off this very cool, medieval vibe. You must go see! Dobrou noc, Prague! I love your everything ❤
Tara Tips*
To Stay
Airbnb! | I linked the one we stayed in here for you. I think you get the best feel for this incredible city by staying in a flat. See below for link.
Practical shoes are probably one of those things that has taken me the longest to understand. I LOVE shoes. I love all kinds of things related to the fashion industry, but shoes are definitely one of my favorites. The only issue is that I have never found sneakers that looked REALLY stylish (and somewhat fancier) but were also functional to wear walking around here and there. I would go out and feel like I had the wrong shoes on for just walking around town causally. My husband always got upset with me too because I would complain after walking for a bit! Whoops! Anyways, I love to walk around, and have always wanted shoes that looked just a bit cuter than your average sneaker.
I finally found the most stylish, cute, and comfortable sneakers of my dreams! So if you have been in the same boat as me before, look no further because I got you covered girl. The sneakers by, Linea Paolo, are the sneakers you have always wanted, but didn’t know they were out there. Now, I wouldn’t say to go walking 10 miles in these bad boys, but definitely a day of walking around wouldn’t hurt you in the comfort level by any means. They are VERY comfortable and stylish! Sometimes I don’t want to wear just flat sneakers, I want a little pizzaz! These are IT!!
Linea Paolo | Anna Wedge Sneaker
I bought them in the Rock Per Suede color in size 7.5, which is my true shoe size. I would love them in black as well! They’re just perfect!!
**If you like a little more edge and can handle the wedge (no pun intended! ha), they also come in a slightly higher heel. I will also put the link for those below. Happy shoe shopping! ❤
Linea Paolo | Anna Wedge Sneaker | Rock Per Suede | 7.5 | TTS | $119.95
When we first arrived for our tour, I had mixed emotions because I loved being in Banff and didn’t want to leave that area. We were staying at The Fairmont too, and it’s just the most picturesque place you have ever seen! There is just SO MUCH to explore in Alberta, Canada, and all of the surrounding areas, that it’s somewhat overwhelming! Have you ever felt like that when you explored a new place?? Canada is just so spectacular and if you are a mountain lover like myself, you will literally feel like you won the lottery. Maybe not THAT far, but you know what I mean. First thing to do was to hop on an Ice Explorer and head on up there!
Our Ride | Ice ExplorerWindow View | Ice ExplorerWindow View | Ice ExplorerViews | GlacierHubs and I | IcefieldsFresh Drinking Water | Columbia Icefields GlacierCliff Edge Walkway | Glacier SkywalkGlacier SkywalkGlacier SkywalkOur Walk Back To The Bus | Glacier SkywalkIce ExplorerMountain View | Canadian Rockies | Sunwapta Valley
Columbia Icefields Glacier Adventure | Riding in one of those Ice Explorers is bad a**! It was a blast riding to the glacier. You can’t really tell in the pictures, but the tires are as tall, if not taller than me! There is someone who will be your guide and talk you through everything you’re seeing during your ride. My favorite part out of the whole adventure was drinking the fresh glacier water right from the flowing stream. It was the best tasting water I have ever had! I am seriously not just saying that or talking it up either. Our guide told us that there are a lot of extra vitamins and minerals in the water because of numerous reasons that I am not going to list lol. The water tastes so clean and delicious! Just know that glacier water is for real guys. If I loved the cold weather, I would just sit up there all day and drink gallons of it haha. Anyways, you will really love the whole experience on the glacier! It’s something that you just don’t normally get to do, and that’s what makes it even more exciting. After you have your time up there, you head back to the main area, where you can hop on a bus to get to the Glacier Skywalk. It’s only about a 5 minute ride and then you’re there!
Glacier Skywalk | I am so afraid of heights! YIKES! It takes me awhile to “deal” with it, and I try my best in any situation I happen to be in. Sometimes are better than others. This Glacier Skywalk for me though, was totally terrifying, but AMAZING. I was the one (amongst many children and adults) that was literally clinging to the railings and not looking down. It is a 980 foot drop, if you can imagine that! Did I mention it is completely see through on the bottom? That’s what makes it so unique too (and scary)! It is just simply breathtaking in that area as well. I highly suggest you give them both a try if you are in the area.
All the information you need about the Columbia Icefields and the Glacier Skywalk is on their website below. It really gives you a great idea of what everything will be like and look like! I hope my pictures help you as well! 🙂 Prices can all be found on the website also.
Questions | Just ask! Anything else you might want to know about the tours, please comment below, or direct message me.
So, we all know how much I love La Mer and I think it’s the best of the best. It truly is! With that being said, La Mer needs a friend that is less of a money pit. This is where Vanicream comes into play. My mother-in-law introduced me to this lotion years ago. I really would have never thought to try this cream if it was not recommended to me. I love using it so much because it does not have any dyes or artificial anything. It has made my everyday getting ready routine so much better. I use this on my face, neck, and body. It is so versatile! I use the light one daily, but the thicker lotion is also good for a deeper moisturize. I think you guys are really going to like this product! I know it’s made my whole beauty routine better, and I feel better knowing it’s more natural too.
You can purchase Vanicream at any Target or Walgreens. I have noticed that Target is much cheaper, so check there first or shop right below!
Everyday Face and Body Lotion | Vanicream Lite Lotion | $9.59
If you want the lighter everyday lotion, shop below.
These sandals are your perfect shoe for the summer! They are extremely easy to travel with because they fold up flat in your travel bag. They are also pretty lightweight! You will love these because they look super cute and are functional. I am all about comfort too, which these totally are! The ones I have are the new natural/black stripe. They also come in black linen.
I wore them all around Nice, France and they were the perfect shoe for all of those rocky beaches! ❤ I LOVE rocky beaches by the way. So beautiful, just like everything else in the South of France :).
Soludos Lace-Up Espadrille Sandal | New natural/Black stripe | $64.95
Paris, I never thought I would fall head over heels in love with you, but I sure did. I can not wait to see you again!
Street View | Eiffel Tower
Charming isn’t it? Ahhh, Paris.
Where do I even start with my love for Paris? Really France in general, but Paris has such a huge part of my heart. The lifestyle blew my mind. I enjoyed all the cafes and the cafe lifestyle. Can we talk about the chocolate au pain just for a second? The cheese? The freshly baked bread? It is ALL SO RIDICULOUS people. Good, now that we got that out of the way, I can get down to the details. I think Paris would be the ultimate girls trip, if you’re going for a big city vibe. Just a side note!
Back to the adventure now…One of my coworkers came with me on this 3 week European adventure. We arrived at Charles du galle airport after a very long overnight red eye from Seattle. What was the most unfortunate part was that we lost a half of day in Paris due to a missing connecting flight. It was a very sad moment when we saw our plane but could not go on it! The worst! We did finally get another flight out from the Dublin airport about 5 hours later. When I landed in Paris, I was kind of nervous. It was late at night, I was in a whole new place, and the taxi guy was in a totally different area from where all the other taxis were. I just didn’t have a great feeling about it all, but everything turned out okay. It was a short half hour trip into the city and we were there! I would definitely recommend the location of our hotel. We stayed in the Le Marais district of Paris, which is a lovely neighborhood all around. There are plenty of cafes, shops, bakeries all around to enjoy. Our hotel was called Villa Beaumarchais and it was such an enjoyable experience. Breakfast is included and it was my favorite part about the whole stay. I have never had a better breakfast buffet, that I can honestly say. Homemade crepes, Nutella, freshly baked baguettes, croissants, and numerous cheeses and jams.
Villa Beaumarchais | Paris
We went out for dinner on our first night there to a place right around the corner from our hotel called, Grazie. It was a quick and yummy meal, which is exactly what we needed. We had a big day ahead of us exploring Paris the next day.
Day 2: Breakfast like I said before was literally incredible. I wanted to sit there all day and graze like goat haha. Time to explore though! I made my friend walk all over Paris, which is why she got major blisters all over her feet by the end of the day. Tara tip* bring bandaids with you, you’re going to need them! It’s so much better to be able to take a couple as you venture out and slap one on if needed. The shoes I ended up bringing were BOMB though so I hardly had that problem. (I’ll be posting about them in my fav travel shoe post. Stay tuned!)
We decided to walk from our hotel to the Notre Dame de Paris also known as Notre Dame Cathedral first. So many people were there taking pictures of this beautiful cathedral and soaking it all in. After, we stopped at the famous bookstore, Shakespeare and Company, which was such a unique and quaint bookshop.
Notre Dame de Paris
We were SO thirsty walking around for miles and miles so we decided to stop at a restaurant along the way to the Eiffel Tower called, La Fregate. We decided to relax for a little and order some wine and waters. W ordered SO many waters! Like, too many waters. All the waters cost about $35, ahhhhh! lol. We never did that again, let me just say that. But we definietly needed the hyrdration in that moment! It was a such great break though on our way!
Le Fregate | Paris
I was so thrilled to keep on walking so we can get our picnic on at the Eiffel Tower! We stopped at a wonderful little wine shop, a bakery for some fresh bread, and a “supermarche,” or grocery store in french. It was incredible to finally see the iconic Effiel Tower and to experience a lovely picnic underneath it. Tara tip* You must have a picnic under the Eiffel! We sat on the other side of the Eiffel Tower where there were less people around, but it was a little dusty, which I wasn’t expecting! Below is our picnic spread. I still think about what a wonderful experience and how delicious this was. I am such a HUGE picnic fan in this BEYOND 🙂
Picnic | The Eiffel Tower
We walked up to the Trocadero to get another view of the Eiffel and take some pics. There is a great cafe up there and a lovely rooftop restaurant that you can enjoy some views from! We just stopped for some cute pictures because we had much more to see!
View of the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero
After taking some pictures, we made our way to see the Arc de Triomphe. We were getting very tired (I’m sure the glasses of rose and heat didn’t help! lol) but we pushed through and got our second wind. Finally made it to the Arc de Triomphe!
Arc de Triomphe
Next, we walked on over to perhaps one of the most expensive and famous streets around, Champs Elysees. One of my favorite things to eat is Macaroons so we of course had to visit THE one and only Laudree. It was so girly and beautiul inside and out! Didn’t leave there without ordering a bunch of macaroons for the road!
Famous Champs Elysees Street
After that, we started to walk back towards Le Marais and grab some late dinner. We stopped a few times along the way to soak in the beautiful sunset and check out Love Lock Bridge <3. Some of the best things in life are free, and sunsets are one them. I am a sucker for a good one, but really, who isn’t??
Sunset View |Over the SeineLove Lock Bridge | Paris
We kept walking and walking until we reached Le Marais district. We were only about a 15 minute walk from our hotel. What a day of walking and sightseeing! We picked a fun spot and we weren’t too hungry, so we just ordered a nice cheese plate and some drinks. It was so nice to sit down for awhile and relax.
All in all we walked about 13 miles that day and let me just say that every step was so worth it because I got to see A LOT of Paris. Next visit, I would love to spend some time in the Montamrate area, located in the 18th arrondissament. Until next time!
Merci Beaucoup, Paris! ❤
Le Marais District | Paris | France
Tara Tips*
Paris = EVERYTHING! Need I say more?
To Stay
Le Marais district | located in the 8th arrondissement | Experience the trendy area of Paris
Villa Beaumarchais | Le Marais | This great hotel option for location, price, and buffet breakfast
Citizen M | AMAZING airport hotel by Charles de Gaulle | if you need to be close to the airport, this is the place!
To Do
Eiffel Tower | Must have a picnic at the Eiffel Tower. Grab some cheese, wine, and a baguette and head on over for an experience you will never forget
Notre Dame de Paris | A must see! It is also very close to the famous shopping area
Champs Elysees | This is a very famous shopping district! There are so many stores and restaurants on this street.
Laduree | This is such a unique place! It’s very girly and fun too. You must get some macaroons here and enjoy them with a little champs!
Seine | Walk along the Seine River and prepare to feel in awe. Bring a bottle of wine and some goodies and relax along the river. You will find lots of people doing this at night!
Love Lock Bridge | Buy a lock or bring your own and enjoy this special experience.
Shakespeare and Company | Famous bookstore | If you love books, you NEED to come here. Located near the Notre Dame de Paris.
Walk, walk, and walk! I walked over 12 miles and loved every minute of it!
To Eat
I can’t even begin to tell you how much cheese and bread I had while I was in Paris!
Breakfast | Enjoy the buffet at your hotel (if they offer one). Ours was INCREDIBLE and I still think about it today. If not, grab yourself a chocolate croissant at a local cafe and people watch for the morning.
Lunch | Picnic style | Buy a bunch of picnic items and head over to the Eiffel Tower or a nice park. Enjoy all of the local cheeses and breads. I recommend getting some hummus and olives too. Whatever looks good at the markets, just buy and enjoy! Enjoy lunch at Le Fregate for a sit down meal. Order the Croque Monsieur with fries and sit outside.
Dinner | Enjoy Epicure for a fancy night out | Cafe du Trocadéro for a nice night filled with the Eiffel Tower in your distance. They have a lovely outside patio area to enjoy the view too. For dinner, I ended up in the Le Marais District and enjoyed…you guessed it…some more cheese! Can you blame though?? When in Paris!
Emerald Lake has my heart forever ❤ It is located in Yoho National Park and is surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. This place is such a perfect getaway to relax and rejuvenate. I can’t even explain it, you will just have to visit and see for yourself. We stayed at Emerald Lake Lodge, right on the lake. I would not stay anywhere else in this area. The cabins, the scenery, the restaurant, the beauty, it’s all so amazing. If you want a place to truly get away from it all in the mountains, this is the place for you!
Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada
With that said, there are crowds and crowds of people near the lake area itself. Everyone is taking pictures and hanging around to soak up that view. You can rent kayaks for about $70 and ride around the lake also. There are buses after buses that come and see this magnificent lake and enjoy the surrounding area, but most do not stay too long.
Front entrance @ Emerald Lake
When you are in your private cabin, you feel that there’s really nothing else around besides you and the emerald green lake in the distance. It is quite an experience. Before we checked in and put down our belongings we had some time on our hands. We ended up using the spa for a bit, which I highly recommend. The views from the hot tub outside were incredible and they had a sauna also. The spa is included and does not cost extra if you are staying at the lodge. Our cabin was UNREAL. We stayed in the Honeymoon Suite, which was spectacular to say the least. The porch wrapped around the entire lake so we had some major views.
Cabin feelsPorch view from our cabin
We sat out on the porch for awhile and had cocktails and a cheese plate, provided by the lodge. We ordered dinner from the Lodge restaurant, which was top notch. Dinner, wine, views…nothing better. Cheers.
Wine with a view
It was a little misty the first day we arrived, but that didn’t even matter. Nothing can make Emerald Lake look bad and that is the total truth. The next morning we took a walk along the lake. There is SO much to do in this area and all of the options are good. I decided to take a walk around the lake on one of the trails. I wanted another view of our lodge area and to see what was on the other side. It was such a nice morning walk. I kind of wish I could do that tomorrow morning now that I am thinking about it. Bummer.
Trail along the lake. There’s our cabin too!
The next morning we had breakfast at the restaurant. Ask for a window seat and enjoy the view! They have a breakfast buffet or you can order off the menu. Everything was really delicious and I was glad to have a nice meal in before our next stop.
I was so sad to leave this place, but at the same time extremely excited inside because during I have been dreaming about arriving in Banff. Banff was top on my bucket list so I was thrilled it was our next spot! We’re off. See you in Banff!
Tara Correll | Travel & Lifestyle 