Hotel Questenberk Prague Review

One of Tripadvisor's top rated hotels in Prague, the Hotel Questenberk provided us with an unforgettable experience for our first trip to Prague, Czech Republic. Hotel Questenberk is a 4-star boutique hotel, located directly across the street from Prague Castle and next door to the Monastery, that features beautiful views and unbeatable customer service.

Carlsbad Flower Fields

With schools letting out across the country and the sun shining more days than not, there has never been a better time to get outside and smell the flowers, literally. The Carlsbad Flower Fields are 50 acres of breathtaking flowers and fresh, crisp air that leaves you feeling transported.

Camping in Joshua Tree National Park

Over Spring Break we decided to take advantage of our 3 days off to pack up the car with our newly acquired camping gear and head out to the desert for our first ever camping experience together. Only 3 short hours away by car, Joshua Tree is known for it's namesake, the Joshua Trees, and it's beautiful camping trails and rock climbing opportunities in the harsh desert environment. With many different areas set aside for campers, Joshua Tree National Park is perfect for an outdoor getaway.

Day Trips from Munich, Germany

If you happen to find yourself scheduled to be in Munich on a Sunday, it might be a good idea to plan on taking a day trip out of the city. Since we were unaware that the city rolls up its sidewalks and takes a lazy day every Sunday (like most cities in Germany as we later found out), we weren't able to take advantage of some of the wonderful cities that are located nearby. Luckily for you, we're giving you a heads up so that you can take advantage of this time to discover some of the cities that we have named as our top day trips departing from Munich, Germany.

(Taken from networkworld)

5 Reasons Why you should go to San Diego's Brazilian Day

With an average of over 60,000 attendees per year, the Brazilian community of San Diego hosts what they call Brazilian Day on Garnet Avenue in the Pacific Beach neighborhood this Sunday, September 7th, 2014. A day full of delicious Brazilian foods and drinks, samba, capoeira, music, and more; Brazilian Day is an exciting way to learn about Brazilian culture and even practice a little Portuguese without ever leaving California.

Griffith Observatory: Los Angeles, California

Sitting high above the city in Los Angeles, California, the Griffith Observatory is a must visit for anyone in the city. With a stunning view of both the city down below and the Hollywood sign, that alone is enough to make the trip up a memorable one; but when you add in a world class observatory with science and space related exhibits, it becomes both educational and awe-inspiring.

Renaissance by Marriott São Paulo Review

The best hotel we have stayed at in Brazil to date, the Renaissance by Marriott São Paulo is tucked away on a small, quiet street right in the heart of the city. Featuring luxury hotel rooms, a top-rated spa, multiple restaurants, and a theatre, the Renaissance Hotel has it all. To make it even more desirable to those visiting São Paulo, it is located only 1 block away from the bustling, and tourist friendly, Avenida Paulista.

Touring Rio de Janeiro with Rio de Janeiro Now

With so many tour companies popping up all the time in Brazil's main tourist destinations, it's sometimes hard to know which are reliable and worth the money. Having taken two tours with Rio de Janeiro Now tour company, we can honestly say that it is one of the best ways to see all of the main attractions in the city on a budget.

Touring the Amazon Rainforest with Amazon Backpackers

When most people think of Brazil, the first things to come to mind are jungles, monkeys, and indigenous tribes like those shown on National Geographic. Although there are many modern and large metropolis' along the coastlines of Brazil, the majority of the interior of the country remains as just one part of the world's largest tropical rainforest. For those of you with an adventurous spirit and a love of nature, an obvious trip to take while in Brazil would be one to this amazing natural reserve.

Intercontinental Chicago Review

Right in the heart of the River North neighborhood and the Magnificent Mile, the Intercontinental Chicago exceeded all expectations and was a perfect spot to start and end each day. A landmark hotel with it's history in every detail, the Intercontinental Hotel is a wonderful hotel option for anyone visiting Chicago. Featuring a truly amazing pool on the 14th floor as well as a state of the art fitness center, spa, and restaurant, the Intercontinental will have you covered in all aspects of your trip.

(strategichotels.com)

Great eats near the Magnificent Mile in Chicago

With restaurants lining every city block within Chicago's busiest neighborhoods, it's hard to narrow a list of great places to eat below 50. Unfortunately, having not spent extensive amounts of time in Chicago, we have only been able to sample a small amount of the amazing cuisine. With that being said, out of all of the food that we have eaten in Chicago, here are our top 5 picks (as of now).

(www.thrillist.com)

The Metropolitan Opera in New York City

An opera at the Metropolitan Opera House located in Lincoln Center is a necessary night out for anyone, regardless of whether or not you like opera. Between the amazing MET Opera House, the awe-inspiring opera singers, and the overall experience of having an elegant night out, what is not to like.

Dom Alfredo José Pousada, Campos do Jordão Review

A small bed and breakfast located above the city, the Dom Alfredo Jose Pousada is a hidden gem perfect for any romantic getaway. Located just a short drive from the city center, the Dom Alfredo Jose is the perfect choice for those who don't want the noise or the high prices that come with being in the city center.

Hotel Mela New York City Times Square Review

On my trip to New York City, I was all about the budget hotels so when I found the Hotel Mela on groupon I couldn't wait for my one night stay. A modern and sophisticated boutique hotel located 1/2 a block from Times Square, Hotel Mela was a hidden treasure right in the heart of Manhattan.

xo Jessica

The Manhattan Times Square, New York City Review

After booking the Manhattan Times Square through Hotwire's Secret Hot Rate, I was a little concerned after reading some of the reviews on tripadvisor. In the end, I was pleasantly surprised by this "diamond in the rough" (as a few of the users had called it) and left wishing that I could extend my vacation.

Centrally located between 51st and 52nd on 7th, The Manhattan Times Square is ideal for anyone looking to be in the center of the action and within walking distance of subway stations that are ready to whisk you away to another part of the glorious city that is New York City.

xo Jessica

Surviving the Fees of Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines is known as one of the American budget airlines and are constantly offering lower than average fares to some of the top tourist destinations across the country. Unfortunately, unless you know what you're getting yourself into and all of the ins and outs of flying spirit, you are going to end up paying just as much, if not more, than the same itinerary on another airline. Luckily, we am not new to flying on Spirit and have found some ways to avoid the hefty fees while still having a good flight.

xo Jessica

San Diego Zoo

One of the biggest zoological associations in the world, the San Diego Zoo is not just your average zoo. Filled with more than 3,700 species roaming about in habitats specifically made to be more natural and provide a better living for the animals, the San Diego Zoo will not have you leaving disappointed and feeling sorry for the cooped up wildlife.

Transamerica International Prime Hotel São Paulo

Over this past holiday weekend (November 15-17), Luiz finally got to enjoy his first 3 day weekend without work since May. In honor of this, and hitting the milestone of 2.5 years in our relationship, we headed to São Paulo to enjoy the city and get away for the weekend.

Westin LAX

The Westin LAX, located just down the street from California's busiest International Airport, is an ideal stopping point for anyone with a long layover or looking to get a good nights sleep before heading out to the local beaches or other points of interest. Featuring 700 rooms, a full service spa, workout facilities, pool and free transfer shuttle to and from the airport, the Westin LAX is perfect for a night or day of relaxation before or after your travels.

Hotel Mercedes

In honor of "throw back Thursday" we wanted to post our review and some information about one of our favorite hotels with maybe more throwback Thursday posts to come in the following weeks to highlight some more hotel or excursion reviews from past trips.

Today we want to highlight the Hotel Mercedes in Ilhabela, Brazil.

(Taken with iPhone 5 in the rain)

xo Jessica