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Looking Back: Visiting Key West, Florida in February 2017

The Strand in Key West, Florida.
The Strand in Key West, Florida.

After visiting Key West several times with my family as a teenager, it’s safe to say this location is my overall favorite vacation destination. I was therefore thrilled when my husband had a meeting scheduled in Key West a few years ago. After his meeting, we headed up to Marathon for a few days to enjoy the nearby beaches and parks. If you’re heading to the lower and middle keys of Florida, I have several suggestions of visits and hikes below!

Free Virtual Marketing Conferences in 2021

Free virtual marketing conferences in 2021.
Keeping up with marketing trends in 2021 is still important – even if we’re doing it all online.

When the world shut down in March of 2020, many of us immediately missed our ability to travel – not just for pleasure but for work, too. Digital marketers know the importance on staying on top of the latest trends and technology, and one of the best (and most fun!) ways to stay knowledgeable is through the myriad of conferences each year. While we still can’t meet in person, we can still attend many free virtual marketing conferences in 2021.

Last updated: March 8th, 2021.

Looking Back: Visiting Yosemite, California in February 2019

Mist rising from El Capitan as the sun begins to set. Yosemite, California.
Mist rising from El Capitan as the sun begins to set. Yosemite, California.

We spent a quick few days visiting Yosemite National Park in the winter of 2019. It was one of our more, er, interesting trips. From a very rough ascent from the airport, to hikes in the snow, to us completely missing the Firefalls due to our own incompetence – read on for what to do and what not do to when planning a trip to Yosemite in February!

Hiking Pololu Valley in Kapaau, Hawaii

Pololu Valley, Hawaii.
Pololu Valley, HI

We had a late evening flight out on our last day in Hawaii, so we spent the afternoon hiking Pololu Valley on the north peninsula of the Big Island, followed by a visit to Lapakahi State Historical Park. To this day, this picture above of Pololu Valley may be one of my favorite photos I’ve ever taken.

Hiking to “The End of the World” in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

"The End of the World" in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
“The End of the World” in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

Like many of my vacations, this particular day in Hawaii actually had us hiking and snorkeling in multiple spots, though I tend to pick one location to focus on for my blog post title. In this case, hiking to “the end of the world” works on two levels. Not only does it refer to the area where we watched the sunset that evening, but it also adequately expresses the way we started our morning in Hawaii on January 13th, 2018.

Hiking at Makalawena Beach in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Makalawena Beach, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
Makalawena Beach, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

It’s a bit of an ordeal hiking at Makalawena Beach in Kailua-Kona. The access road from the highway to the parking lot is unpacked lava rock, and the first mile of the trail is a lava flow wasteland. But there’s a stark beauty in the desolation, and a white sand beach and tidal pools waiting at the end.

Hiking at Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii

Caldera viewing station at Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii.
Panorama from the caldera viewing station at Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii.

Only a few hours drive from Kona, my husband’s conference set up a day trip for us to go hiking at Volcanoes National Park. The park is huge, so we couldn’t cover it all in an afternoon, but we made a few stops at some of the most interesting locations.

Hiking at Kailua Beach in Kona, Hawaii

Kailua Beach in Kona, Hawaii.
Kailua Beach in Kona, Hawaii.

I spent my second day in Kona hiking at Kailua Beach. Starting out on foot from our hotel, I made my way through the Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area, finally arriving at Kailua Beach. I had the area to myself for the vast majority of my hike, and spent some extensive time climbing over the old lava flows and poking around the tidal pools.