The Great Escape

What happens when your honeymoon redo to Aruba gets canceled at the airport? In this episode, I talk with my friend Kristen about her travel nightmare that started with flight delays, airport chaos, and a last-minute flight cancellation—and ended with an unexpected pivot to Cancun, Mexico.

If you’re searching for:

• What to do when your flight is canceled

• How to handle airport chaos and delays

• Honest Cancun Mexico travel experiences

• Resort expectations vs reality

• Real-life honeymoon or vacation redo stories

…this episode is for you.

🎧 Tune in for a candid conversation about flight cancellations, travel pivots, and why flexibility matters when trips go sideways.

👉 Subscribe for more real travel stories, national park adventures, and honest vacation experiences.

#FlightCancelled #TravelNightmare #CancunMexico #TravelGoneWrong #VacationFail

What if your next national park trip wasn’t something you planned alone — but something you joined?

I’m sharing all the details of my April group trip to Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. We’ll be hiking and riding an airboat through the Everglades, exploring above and below Biscayne’s turquoise waters, and experiencing a side of Florida most people never see.

This trip is for people who love travel and nature, want something meaningful (not touristy), and don’t want to do it alone. I break down who this trip is for, what’s included, what you’ll experience, and why these two parks together make for such a powerful adventure.

If you’ve been craving a reset, an adventure, or a reason to say yes to something bold — this might be it!

Learn more + register here:
https://greatescapepodcast.com/own-your-badass

The Great Escape Podcast explores national parks, adventure travel, and experiences that get you out of your comfort zone and into your life.

#EvergladesNationalPark #BiscayneNationalPark #NationalParks #AdventureTravel #GroupTravel #OutdoorAdventure #Everglades

Great Sand Dunes National Park is one of the most surprising national parks in the U.S. 🏜️ In this episode, we break down when to go, what to pack, and what first-time visitors always get wrong.

👇 Gear I recommend for Great Sand Dunes National Park

🔗 https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3KQVCM6T075KQ?tag=thegreatesc00-20

In this episode of The Great Escape Podcast, we explore everything you need to know before visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado. From hiking the tallest dunes in North America to seasonal highlights like Medano Creek, sandboarding, stargazing, and wildlife, this episode helps you plan a smarter, safer visit.

We cover the best time to visit, weather and wind considerations, elevation challenges, hiking and safety tips, and must-have gear for sand, sun, and changing conditions. Whether you’re road-tripping through Colorado or trying to visit all 63 national parks, Great Sand Dunes is a park that surprises almost everyone.

#GreatSandDunesNationalPark #NationalParks #ColoradoTravel #AdventureTravel #NationalParkTips #TravelPodcast

Let’s be honest — travel feels wildly expensive right now.Flights cost more. Hotels cost more. Food costs more. And luggage fees? Somehow those cost more than the luggage itself. If you’re thinking, “I want to travel in 2026, but I don’t want to financially sabotage my future,” this episode is for you.

We cover:

✈️ How to find flight deals without obsessively searching

💳 When travel credit cards are worth it (and when they’re not)

🏨 Where to stay to get the best value — not just the lowest price

🎒 Reusable gear that saves money on every trip

🚆 How to get around without bleeding cash

🛡️ Why travel insurance isn’t optional anymore

🔗 All the tools, gear, cards, and resources I mention can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/160190QNQMOJ4?tag=thegreatesc00-20

(These are things I personally use and recommend — you can listen now and click later. This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

👍 If this episode helps you, please like, subscribe, and share it with your future travel buddy — you know, the one who always says “must be nice.”

🎙️ New episodes every week on national parks, adventures, and smarter travel

📍 Follow along on Instagram: @the.great.escape.podcast

It is officially winter, and I trust that’s not going to stop you from exploring our beautiful national parks. This is actually the best time in my opinion to escape the winter weather where you live and enjoy some parks which are the best to visit right now. Here are my suggestions for the parks you should see December through March.

On The Great Escape we talk about adventure, growth, and occasionally doing things that make people say, "You did WHAT?" So today's episode is all about something that sounds intense… because it IS. We're talking about Misogi Challenges — where they came from, why they're powerful, and how choosing just ONE brutally hard thing can completely change the trajectory of your year… and honestly, your life.If you've ever felt stuck, bored, complacent, or like you're capable of more but don't quite know how to access it — buckle up, friends. This one might light a fire under you. Because here's the thing: You're sitting on SO much potential. And most of us? We're massively under-indexing in what we're capable of doing. We've convinced ourselves we're "not that person" or "not ready yet" or "maybe someday."And yet what if someday could be now? Will it be one day or will today be day one? Let’s pick ONE day — one defining challenge — that proves to yourself just how capable you really are. That's what we're diving into today. Let's go.

We're counting down my top 5 cities in the world to celebrate New Year's Eve.  These aren't just places with fireworks — though trust me, the fireworks are EPIC.  These are destinations where the entire city comes alive, where millions of people gather with one shared mission: to ring in the new year in the most unforgettable way possible.  

If you’re someone who hears sleigh bells the moment Halloween ends, this one’s for you. We’re packing our imaginary passports, grabbing a mug of something mulled, and skipping our way through some of the most magical Christmas markets around the world — and yes, even a few right here in the U.S. that will scratch that European-Christmas itch without requiring a 9-hour flight or pretending you understand German.

It’s that time of year again when your family’s asking you for your holiday wish list and you can’t remember any of the things you said “ooh I should ask for this for Christmas” months ago.  Or maybe you’re good yet you’re having trouble coming up with the perfect gift for your friend.  Here are my top 10 gift suggestions for travelers this holiday season. 

This time we’re headed to the majestic Rocky Mountain state of Wyoming to explore Grand Teton National Park.   Let’s dive into one of America’s most scenic parks with peaks, lakes, wildlife—and yes, trails that’ll make you ache in places you forgot you had.