AUGUST 2025

Adventures With Carli

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

Hello adventurers!

Somehow it's already Labor Day 😰

We've had a pretty incredible summer in Seattle with only a few unusual days of rain. I've been continuing my paddle boarding adventures and even had an incredible encounter with some seals near Golden Gardens in Seattle.

The perfect lazy person's paddleboard

Last week I also went on a day hike into the Enchantments outside of Leavenworth, WA. This (challenging) 10 mile hike has an incredible view at Lake Colchuck, which is perfect for a mid-hike dip in the water.

Where in the world is Carli San Diego?

I had another work trip this month through Central WA visiting the Tri-Cities and Yakima. These aren't exactly prime tourism destinations, but if you find your way to central washington here are a few tips.

Fruit stands - Central Washington is a huge agricultural region. This is where Washington apples are grown, among other fruit. There are two large fruit and antique stores between Snoqualmie Pass and Yakima. The Thorp Fruit & Antique Mall in Thorp and Precision Fruit Stand in Selah. These are the best places to grab some fresh local fruit on your way back to Seattle.

Antiques - The Tri-Cities has a very large thrift, vintage and antique scene.
- Kennewick - head to the old downtown area along W. Kennewick Ave and you'll have a handful of stores to visit. But come later as most don't open until 12pm.
- Richland - There are a number store in Richland clustered around the Uptown area.

Wine and beer - the Yakima Valley isn't just for fruit. This is also one of the largest wine regions in the country and accounts for 75% of all hops grown in the US. This means there are micro breweries and wineries from Yakima to Walla Walla. If you're a fan of bubbly like I am, be sure to check out Trevari Cellars just outside Yakima.

I'm also currently back home in Minnesota visiting friends and family. This is the time of year for the annual Minnesota State Fair, the greatest state fair in the US. But that's not just my (possibly biased) opinion, it was voted the #1 fair in the country.

Yesterday my mom, stepmom and I spent 8 hours enjoying the fair with 223,000 of our closest friends. That may sound like a lot of people, but last year it was 254K and my mom and I have been on the busiest day in history with 270K people. We had nearly perfect weather and short lines. You couldn't ask for a much better fair day.

Follow me on your favorite social media platform (links at the bottom of the email) to see more state fair coverage.

Travel Lessons Learned

Flight prices are not static, they change daily (or even within the hour) if you're not careful. Last week in my barrage of emails I missed an important google flight alert for a major price drop of a flight for an upcoming trip 😫 thankfully I still have some time to see if it dips down again.

How to save on flights:

Use Google flights
- Use this to quick search prices with different carriers and see which days prices are cheaper. Or just use it to "explore" different flight routes. Maybe you want to go to Europe in October. Look at the explore feature to see which routes or direct flights have the best prices, and see if you can get another flight or train to your final destination. this can save a lot of money.
- Set flight alerts. Google will notify you via email if a specific flight you are looking at drops or increases in price. You just have to make sure you get the email so that you can act on it quickly 😬
Rebook your flights
- As a Delta frequent flier I know that if you find a better deal on your flight, you can just cancel and rebook. You wont get your money back, but whatever the difference in price is you will get an e-credit towards a future flight good for 1 calendar year from the issue of the credit. Be sure to check with your airline as not all are as good as Delta.
Book the flights and decide later
- For all flights within the US, including international flights leaving from or entering the US, there is a free 24 hours cancellation policy. That means if you see a really great flight deal, you should just book it and take a day if you need to lock in a travel buddy or decide to cancel.
- If you are booking with points/miles and need to cancel, most airlines will return your miles and associated taxes. This is true with Delta, but again check with the airline.

Need help with planning a trip?

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Blog Posts

Catch up on some of my blog posts

An Expert Guide of Safety Tips for Solo Travelers

As someone who has visited close to 40 countries and solo traveled across all 7 continents, I know a lot about how to travel safely. This guide has all the safety tips for solo travelers you’ll need to feel confident traveling solo.

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How to Visit Gouda Netherlands in Just One Day

Short on time to visit Gouda Netherlands? This guide will share how to get to Gouda, and what you can see and do in the city just one day.

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Dubrovnik to Kotor: How to have the best day trip

If you plan to spend for 4 days or longer in Dubrovnik, save some time to day trip from Dubrovnik to Kotor Montenegro.

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Travel Must Haves

Exfoliating Hammam Glove

When I went to Morocco a few years ago, my friend and I booked a Hammam experience. It changed my skincare regime forever.

I became obsessed with this exfoliating gloves. They will scrub off all the dead skin leaving your skin soft and smooth. Plus after long travel days it helps to get off any extra layers of grime.

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