AUGUST 2026

Adventures With Carli

A monthly round of tips, travels, adventures and what's next

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Hello adventurers!

I can't believe the summer is already over (for me at least). This week I'm headed back to Minnesota for the Great Minnesota Get Together aka the world famous Minnesota State Fair.

It is the #1 state fair in the US and this year is breaking all sorts of attendance records.

If you've never been you need to add it to your bucket list. In fact, you can get tons of food by the bucket (especially cookies) while you're there. You can see what the fair is like from my videos below from the last couple of years.

State Fair Videos

After the fair I'm traveling to Taiwan for the first time. I'm very excited to get spa treatments for much lower than in the US, visit some of the hot springs, and eat my weight in soup dumplings.

If you want to see what I'm up to in (semi) real time. Be sure to follow me on Instagram (or Facebook if that's your thing) where I'll be sharing to my stories every day.

I booked this RT flight with Delta for only 37K miles. I can't even get to Minnesota for that few miles. Whether you're a Delta fan like me, or partial to another airline, pay attention when they send out their award fare emails. Sometimes they have incredible deals (like this one). Last fall, they had an award sale for Europe, where I booked a RT ticket for 34K miles.

Chinatown night market - Sydney Australia

Where in the world is Carli San Diego?

Like last month, I've been in Seattle. I try not to leave Seattle, or at least the Pacific Northwest too much this time of year because it's the best time to enjoy being outside. Speaking of, here are some day trips and activities I've been doing this summer.

Hiking

Last week I went out to North Bend, which is the last town before you head up and over Snoqualmie Pass on I-90. This is about a 50 minute drive east from Seattle.

There are tons of hiking trails near North Bend but one of the most popular trails, due to its accessibility and lake, is Rattlesnake Ledge. This is a 4 mile round trip hike. After the 2 miles up the mountain, you come to a large rocky ledge overlooking the lake below and Cascade Mountains to the east.

There are a number of trails in and around the Cascades that have a lake once you get to the top of the hike, but after you've splashed around, you still have to make your way back. Here, you can hike or just hang out on the lake (which I've done dozens of times before) with a floatie or paddleboard.

With the proximity to Seattle and popularity of the lake (and trail) this is a very popular spot with limited parking. Best to visit during the week, or by arriving early on the weekends.

Paddleboarding

Speaking of paddleboarding, besides Rattlesnake Lake, I've also been frequenting Shilshole Bay Marina, which sits right on the Puget Sound. The marina is usually well blocked from strong winds thanks to the breakwater. Since this spot is a little more calm, I have (mostly) figured out the "stand up" portion of stand up paddleboard 🏄‍♀️

This marina also has a ton of resident harbor seals including the one below that has the most unique copper coat I've ever seen.

Ferry trips

Being right on the Puget Sound we have dozens of ferry terminals to connect the Seattle metro with different islands and the peninsula across the water. A number of these can be done as day trips like Bainbridge Island, Vashon, and Kingston.

I have taken the ferry to/from Kingston a few times, but have never really stopped there. I finally fixed that this month.

To get to Kingston you can either take the walk on fast ferry from downtown Seattle, or take the car ferry from Edmonds. Edmonds is about 30 minutes north of Seattle, and the ferry takes about 25-30 minutes to cross the sound. It is $12 for a RT walk on ticket on the Everett - Kingston ferry.

Kingston is a really small town, so a day trip is plenty to visit some local shops, have a meal, and/or stay for a few drinks.

Food

Borrowed Kitchen Bakery - This bakery has fresh baked bread every afternoon, and two full displays of baked goods and sweet treats. The blueberry coffee cake was especially good. They also have soups and sandwiches if you come for lunch.
J'aime Les Crepes - Creperie (sweet and savory) and ice cream shop. They give you a lot for the price. My "small" ice cream was probably the largest small I've ever had (at least in recent years).
Sourdough Willy's Pizzeria - This is definitely their most well known restaurant. They have a front counter for take out, or a sit down restaurant in the back. If you have time head to the restaurant (or you can always order ahead). If you can, get the Detroit style as it's their signature pie and they have limited quantities each day.

Shops

Havencraft - Plant nursery and gift shop featuring local artists/vendors
Jasper Row - Cute new and second hand women's clothes and accessories
Saltwater Bookshop - Bookshop with small gifts and puzzles
The Waterfront Gift Shop - New souvenir and gift shop featuring local artists

Travel Lessons Learned

Two years ago I lost my beloved Hyrdroflask. This was devastating for a few reasons. 1) it was an excellent water bottle 2) I drink a lot of water and feel like sh*t when traveling if I don't stay hydrated 3) I had an amazing collection of stickers.

I had been traveling by train and somewhere in the two overnight trains, and one early morning train, it popped out of my backpack pocket, never to be seen again.

You would think I would have learned a lesson right away, but no. Only a few months later I lost another water bottle. Not quite as upsetting since I wasn't nearly as fond of this one, but still pretty annoying. This was lost either on a flight where I was in the first row, and possibly left it tucked next to my seat, or it fell out (again), but this time in the trunk of a taxi. Another mystery that will never be solved.

Lesson:

Since then I have been extra diligent to secure my water bottle and always check that it is still in my possession.

It's very easy when you're traveling and tired to forget to check the seat back pocket, make sure you put your AirPods back in your bag (or pocket), or to check around your seat (wherever you are) that nothing rolled away.

But, spending that extra 30-60 seconds on a mental checklist will make you much happier than when you find out you're missing something and have no way to get it back.

Need help with planning a trip?

Starting to think about Christmas Market travel, or a future milestone trip? Reach out for assistance with planning and booking your future travels.

I can book everything from hotels and cruises to private airport transportation and day tours and in between.

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Blog Posts

Catch up on some of my blog posts below:

How to get around San Francisco as a First Time Visitor

Traveling to big cities for the first time can be daunting, but the transportation doesn’t have to be. I’ve got everything you need to know about how to get around San Francisco.

Read Article

Ruby Falls Tours: an Unforgettable Experience in Chattanooga

Ruby Falls tours are one of the most popular things to do in Chattanooga for a good reason. Their tours combine science and history, with an epic waterfall as payoff.

Read Article

How to Have the Best Weekend on the North Shore of Minnesota

The North Shore of Minnesota is a truly scenic area in an already beautiful state. I’ve got the details for how to spend a perfect weekend up north.

Read Article

Travel Must Haves

Motion Sickness Patch

I have pretty much always had motion sickness. On particularly winding roads I even start to feel queasy if I'm the one driving. And sometimes even out paddleboarding if the water is choppy. These are great OTC patches that have worked well for me.

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