Any time I can get closer to the mountains is a good day. I live in the heart of Denver near downtown, so when I get out to the front range foothills I’m a happy gal. The foothills that run north to south around the Denver Metro welcome you to our beautiful Rocky Mountains and […]
Ottsworld Alaska Winter Tour – Join Me For Aurora Chasing in a Winter Wonderland
Note – this 2023 Winter Alaska trip has concluded, however I will be running it again in winter 2025. Make sure you are signed up for my Ottsworld Tour newsletter so you’ll be the first to know when it’s available! I first traveled to Alaska in the summer – as most people do. I fell […]
Istanbul Neighborhoods: How to Choose Where to Stay?
In a city of 13 million people covering 2000 square miles, how do you know where to begin? Istanbul is one of the largest cities in the Mediterranean and it is easily the largest city in Turkey. It’s been growing since the 1950s when migrants from Anatolia flocked to the city in search of economic […]
Where to Find the Best Patios in Denver – Go to Arvada
It’s summer! Do you feel it…the pull to be outside as much as we can? In Denver Colorado where we have sun 300 days a year (our best-kept not-so-secret), it’s the perfect region for outdoor dining, drinking, games, markets, and events. The front range comes alive as restaurants and bars sweep off their patios, and […]
Weekend in Denver: Best Places to Eat, Stay, and Play
At 5,280 feet above sea level, the Mile High City offers culture, history, galleries, great restaurants, and brewpubs. A weekend in Denver is the perfect way to sample what the city has to offer. Denver is known as the Napa Valley of craft beer where eating and drinking rank up there with biking and hiking. […]
2 days in Portland Oregon: How to Spend a Weekend Eating Donuts and Working Them Off
It had been 10 years since I set foot in eclectic, weird Portland and I have many fond memories of my visits there. However, Portland’s destination image has taken a major hit because of COVID-19, political violence, and public safety concerns over the last few years. This of course made me want to visit it […]
What to expect on a Galapagos Cruise to the Eastern Islands
I stepped from the zodiac raft to the cement jetty on the small Island of Plaza Sur; I had finally made it to the Galapagos Islands. I stood there for a moment soaking it in, looking around at the sea lions and iguanas unphased by my presence. Birds circled us overhead. The sun was low […]
13 Things To Know Before You Book a Galapagos Islands Holiday
Sometimes I think I’ve seen it all when it comes to travel…and then I go to a destination that blows my mind and makes me realize that I have a lot yet to see! My Galapagos Islands holiday was full of learning opportunities, but most of all it was full of awe and joy. How […]
Mashpi Lodge – Ecuador’s Premier Lodge Changing Lives and the Planet
Trees towered above our vehicle in layers upon layers of green, birds swooped around us, and big drops of water fell down on our windshield with a heavy splash. As if someone snapped their fingers…just like that…I was in the middle of a rainforest. Just moments before we were driving through wide-open farm land; it’s […]
Where to Find the Best Cocktails in Quito
Art comes in many forms, but I hadn’t considered one of those forms in a cocktail. And I certainly hadn’t expected to find an accomplished mixology artist in Quito Ecuador. But sometimes the best experiences are when you least expect them. After a long day of touring around Quito, I sat down for a cocktail […]