ABOUT

Hi, I’m Jessica. Most people call me Jess!

I’m 29 years old and a lover of the outdoors with a passion for exploring local favorites and flavors! In my free time, I enjoy all things camping, photography, biking, hiking, kayaking, XC skiing, writing letters, writing in my journal, cooking, baking, stained glass, playing with my cat and plenty of other activities.

My love for travel grew from my experiences as a host sister to 6 exchange students; my first trip abroad at 13 pinned me with a permanent travel bug. I have lived in Germany for a total of 14 months: the summer between 8th and 9th grade and another year in college. I once lived in a cooperative living house with 23 others for 4 years. I was a public school educator for 3.5 years and taught computer science, German and English as a Second Language. I lived 2 years in Colorado and explored so much in the region and neighboring Utah. I have visited 22 countries and stayed with nearly all of my previous exchange students in their homes! Since living in an RV, I’ve seen 7 states and endless natural beauty! I love to learn while traveling and share my findings, tips and fun with my friends!

Since I was a child, I’ve been behind a camera and documenting in my scrapbook. With all the places on the map I've been fortunate enough to visit, I’m always happy to share advice when asked. If you have a question, I’m there with my honest report. Over the years of sharing local favorites, travel details and outdoor fun on Instagram, and over dms, it’s about time I write these memories down and create a long-lasting digital scrapbook of all my travel experiences and recommendations. Thanks for reading! I hope you learn something new and use my travel pins to guide your next adventure!

Why the recent blog and social media name update?

This is still a travel blog!

Travel remains a main focus of my content and is such an essential part of who I am! However, since covid, most things I do are outside and centered around the outdoors! All of my travel is done with the intention of spending time outside and seeking out the best views and ways to move my body. I was fortunate to grow up playing outside in the swamp and woods, observing nature daily in a childhood spent outdoors. Because I strongly believe in the mental and physical benefits of spending time in nature, I want my blog's name to emphasize that part of my lifestyle. Plus, I am creating more day-to-day content, which is mainly me spending time outside, so the change felt just right! Travel, photography, food, RV living and local favorites will all continue to be key topics on this blog! Thanks for being here!