By Dirk Ebener - October 16, 2026 North Georgia Mountains Plateau What Makes North Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains Worth Exploring? In North Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains, I find something special. The area invites me to slow down, wander through welcoming small towns, try local specialties, and collect stories that stay with me. Beyond the beautiful scenery and winding roads, the region is full of families who have lived here for generations, the steady beat of Appalachian t

By Dirk Ebener - October 13, 2026 Very cozy Italian restauarant in local village in Tuscany There’s a special feeling when you walk into a Roman hostel or step into a common kitchen in Florence on your own. You arrive with your own thoughts, expecting a trip filled with calm moments and solo walks through old city streets. But in Italy, traveling alone doesn’t really mean being alone. Here, life is lively and community is part of daily life. Being on your own becomes a chance

By Dirk Ebener, October 2, 2026 Meat stand at a market in Asia An old Armenian is saying what I’ve quoted in my travel journals for years: “It is not important what you eat. It is important with whom you eat.” I write it at the start of every travel journal, and each trip gives it new meaning. My most unforgettable meals usually didn’t happen in famous restaurants. They happen at busy Asian street stalls where I can’t speak the language, at lively taco stands in Mexico, or in

By Dirk Ebener - September 28, 2026 Pat’s Kountry Kitchen: Home Cooking in McCaysville, Georgia We often go to restaurants because they’re well-known or show up first online. But sometimes we find a place that genuinely feels like part of its community. Pat’s Kountry Kitchen in McCaysville, Georgia, is one of those places. We stopped in for lunch, looking for something simple—good food, some local flavor, and a spot that felt real, not just made for tourists. And that’s jus

By Dirk Ebener - September 29, 2026 Photo Copyright Kathy Ebener What gives Kentucky its true character? Travel brochures mention rolling bluegrass hills and famous horses, but the real Kentucky is found in quieter places. Sit at a worn counter in Louisville or watch the early mist rise from the Red River Gorge, and you’ll sense something deeper. The heart of this state lives in the pride of its distillers, the careful work in its kitchens, and the wild old forests that conne

By Dirk Ebener - June 5, 2026 Wide angle view of Yellowstone National Park with geysers Before You Scroll: Why These RV Destinations Belong on Every Traveler's List Some places dazzle with their beauty. Others transform the way you see America entirely. Geysers, glaciers, deserts, and coastlines are the kinds of landscapes that remind me why RV travel inspires so much wonder in people who love adventure. Each destination is more than just beautiful scenery. It gives you stori

By Dirk Ebener – September 26, 2026 RV kitchen on the road at RV Travel Across America I keep asking myself the same question: can you really eat well and feel happy about your meals when your kitchen is moving down the highway on four wheels? A lot of people think living in an RV means you have to give up on good food. They picture endless nights of salty canned beans, burnt hot dogs, or bland drive-through meals at every stop. The answer is yes: you can enjoy great food

By Dirk Ebener – September 22, 2026 How do you sum up what 'Travel That Makes Sense' really is? Travel That Makes Sense begins when we cease seeing travel as a checklist and instead focus on getting to know people, trying new foods, experiencing the local culture, and gathering stories during our journey. For me, meaningful travel has nothing to do with the number of places I go or the landmarks I see; it occurs when I slow down, get to know a place, meet somebody I wouldn'

By Dirk Ebener - August 16, 2026 Two Months left before we arrive on Route 66: Leaving the Highway Blueprint Behind In about 60 days,we will start a 3,000-mile RV journey across America, following the legendary Route 66 as it passes through Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. With just 60 days to go, the thought of journeying the Mother Road is equally exciting and requires plenty of planning. People often wonder how to prepare for such a fa

By Dirk Ebener - September 20, 2026 Planning a Two-Week Class-C 24-Foot Vehicle Trip Focused on Local Connection Maps sprawl across the kitchen table, and packing lists slowly take shape. Our two-week adventure through the American heartland is almost here. The vehicle hums with readiness, cabinets await their final supplies, and the countdown to departure has truly begun. If you are looking for a road trip plan that goes beyond the usual sightseeing, consider this: build y

By Dirk Ebener - September 15, 2026 Carrying a heavy pack quickly makes you rethink what matters with every step. When I tie my HOKA Challenger trail shoes and head out, I realize how important every ounce is. For years, the outdoor industry promoted heavy steel flasks and complicated bladder systems as the best hydration options. But if you watch hikers on long trails or travelers in busy European train stations, you’ll see a quiet shift. The top hydration choice isn’t fan

By Dirk Ebener - September 8, 2026 The Oktoberfest in Munich in the beer tents Auf den Wiesn Say Oktoberfest, and instantly, visions of frothy beer fill most people's minds. Imagine servers moving through crowded tents, carrying stacks of huge one-liter mugs. Brass bands play, people in Lederhosen and Dirndl dance, giant pretzels catch your eye, and thousands sing together. This is the classic Oktoberfest scene. But that image only shows a small part of what Oktobe

By Dirk Ebener - September 12, 2026 The Italian Job: A Memoir of an American Reporter in Rome is not simply an inside look at international journalism. It bursts with vibrancy and life, expressing the adventure of living and working abroad, the difficulty of adapting to a new culture, the joys and trials of raising a family far from home, and the pleasure of witnessing history unfold. "The Italian Job: A Memoir of an American Reporter in Rome" - by Jason Horowitz What stayed

By Dirk Ebener, September 2, 2026 Street Food Stand in Asia Anthony Bourdain changed how we see culinary travel, showing that food is more than what’s on the plate. A bowl of noodles, the sounds of a busy market, a hidden restaurant, or eating a meal with strangers can introduce us to new people, histories, and traditions. From his journeys, I learned a simple lesson: be curious, try local foods, listen more than you talk, and welcome surprises. The meals that don’t go as

By Dirk Ebener - August 21, 2026 Whisky glasses at a tasting of Scotch whisky at a distillery in Scotland and tartan close-up. Scotch whisky tasting is about much more than taking a sip and deciding whether you like what is in the glass. The color offers the first clue, followed by the aroma, the flavors that develop across the palate, and finally the finish that remains after the whisky is gone. Learning to slow down and notice these details can completely change the experi

By Dirk Ebener - August 11, 2026 Comparing the TEVA Terra Fi 5 Universal and Hurricane XLT3. The Camino de Santiago offers stunning views, tough days, and plenty of surprises. On this 130-kilometer journey, the most important choice is which shoes will support me along the way. Forget about the sleeping bag and extra shirts for now; this pilgrimage is really about what I wear on my feet from start to finish. Many people suggest sturdy hiking boots. Yet past records show bli

By Dirk Ebener - August 16, 2026 Travel Technology for Solo Travelers Five Questions to Ask Before Packing Your Technology Can an iPhone and iPad replace the laptop for this particular trip? How will I connect to the internet when hotel Wi-Fi is unavailable or unreliable? What happens to my photographs and files if a device is lost, damaged, or stolen? How will I protect passwords, financial information, and personal data while traveling? Am I carrying technology because I ne

By Dirk Ebener - August 15, 2026 Travel Technology for Solo Travelers Five Questions to Ask Before Packing Your Technology Can an iPhone and iPad replace the laptop for this particular trip? How will I connect to the internet when hotel Wi-Fi is unavailable or unreliable? What happens to my photographs and files if a device is lost, damaged, or stolen? How will I protect passwords, financial information, and personal data while traveling? Am I carrying technology because I ne

By Dirk Ebener - August 14, 2026 Travel Technology for Solo Travelers Five Questions to Ask Before Packing Your Technology Can an iPhone and iPad replace the laptop for this particular trip? How will I connect to the internet when hotel Wi-Fi is unavailable or unreliable? What happens to my photographs and files if a device is lost, damaged, or stolen? How will I protect passwords, financial information, and personal data while traveling? Am I carrying technology because I ne

By Dirk Ebener - August 7, 2026 Coffee, Books, and the perfect day to write stories in the travel journal Picture your favorite movie or book. The story almost never unfolds as expected. The hero sets out with a plan, only to face a washed-out bridge, a missing friend, or a sudden storm. These surprises pull us in. Without them, the story would fade into the background, losing its spark. Yet when we travel, we hope for smooth sailing. We pore over reviews, snap up non-refun