Travel, Adventure, Arizona Monica Ortega Travel, Adventure, Arizona Monica Ortega

10 Things To Do In Tempe Arizona

Every time I go to or through Arizona I just fall more in love with that state! From the desert wilderness, to the red rocks, to the mountaintops, it just gets more and more beautiful! But when I had the chance to visit Tempe last month I wasn’t sure what to expect other than a fun little college town. But, like the rest of the state, it completely took me by surprise; full of adventure, fun, and good food! Here are 10 things to do in Tempe, Arizona.

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Travel, California Monica Ortega Travel, California Monica Ortega

5 Unusual Things to Do In and Around Santa Cruz

While Santa Cruz has been sprinkled with classy restaurants and beach house rebuilds, the true vibe of the city is very much intact. Gritty and quirky to a charming degree, you are just as likely to find a dude listening to an old Grateful Dead album in the van he lives in, waiting for the swell to pick up, as you are an uppity out of towner. To help embrace this “Keep Santa Cruz Weird” ambiance, here is a list of unusual things to do in The True Surf City USA.

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Dogs, Travel, Lifestyle Monica Ortega Dogs, Travel, Lifestyle Monica Ortega

10 Tips For Traveling With Pets

It’s definitely been a lot of trial and error with different types of adventures. I’ve learned she LOVES to camp but doesn’t do as well in hotels with the hallway noise. She enjoys riding in a bike basket but HATES the water. We’re still sorting these out but she’s a trooper and seems to love anything as long as she can be with me.

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Speaking, Lifestyle, Travel Monica Ortega Speaking, Lifestyle, Travel Monica Ortega

Women in Travel Summit - The Premiere Event For Ladies Who Love Travel

Three years ago I had just begun my show when I decided to attend my first conference; the Women in Travel Summit. This conference is all about women of all different backgrounds who share a love of travel. There were bloggers, vloggers, and travel lovers of all kinds. I fell in love. It was amazing to be surrounded by so many like-minded and motivated women!

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Monica Ortega Monica Ortega

A Look Back at 2018 and What I'm Excited About for 2019!

I LOVE New Years because it’s full of hope and promise. It’s the one time of the year when it seems like everyone just got out of a Tony Robbins convention and is excited about life. And I get it, most of the motivations start slowly slipping away from people the second they return to their 9-5 the following Monday, but for just this one time of year, people believe the seemingly impossible just might be possible.

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Holiday, Travel Monica Ortega Holiday, Travel Monica Ortega

New Years Traditions Around The World

With the New Year right around the corner, celebrations are sure to ensue! For those lucky enough to travel during the holiday, there are tons of amazing traditions all across the globe. Each country has their own, unique way of ringing in the New Year and celebrating what’s to come.

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Holiday, Lifestyle, Travel Monica Ortega Holiday, Lifestyle, Travel Monica Ortega

10 Travel Gift Ideas For Adventurers Lovers! (BONUS: 3 Amazing Stocking Stuffer Ideas)

Every year for my level of holiday excitement, there is an equal level of confusion and slight panic when it comes to buying presents. After so many years I just plain run out of ideas! So this year I thought about some of my favorite, and most used gifts over the past few years and put together a list of 10 great gift ideas for the traveler in your life.

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Travel, New York, Food and Drink, Adventure Monica Ortega Travel, New York, Food and Drink, Adventure Monica Ortega

5 Reasons You Should Book A Trip To Central New York

When most people think of New York they think of the city. But I had the luxury of spending two weeks exploring the central part of the state and couldn’t get enough! The diversity of adventure, food and drinks, and culture left me blown away and wanting more! Here are 5 reasons you should go see for yourself!

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Travel, Michigan Travel, Michigan

10 Things To Do In Lansing Michigan

Getting to come back and take another deep dive into my hometown of Lansing Michigan has been an incredible treat. Every time I do, I’m blown away by the massive amount of things to see and do in this city and how much fun Lansing has become. Here are 10 awesome things to do in the capital city.

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Snorkeling The Siflra Fissure In Iceland

The Silfra Fissure is located in Þingvellir National Park and is the only place in the world where you can snorkel in between two tectonic plates. In some places you can even touch both the North American and Eurasian plates at the same time. You can see up to 260ft. down making it some of the clearest water in the world and one of the world’s top diving locations.

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Lifestyle Lifestyle

Turns Out I AM A Vlogger

I used to tell people I'm not a vlogger. Hell, I made multiple videos titled "I'm Not a Vlogger, I'm a Travel Host". But here's the deal, nowadays, they're the same thing. I wanted the show to be all about the location and me just a talking head but I couldn't figure out why people weren't watching. So I stopped, took a break and did a lot of research about consumers and social media. Here's my big takeaway: people don't want to just join for the destination, they want to be a part of the journey.

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The Devil's Bridge Hike - Sedona Arizona

The final push to the top was a bit of a rock scramble and lots of "stairs". And then I saw it. The Devil's Bridge. The bridge is the largest sandstone arch in the Sedona area and stands just over 50 feet tall. The narrow walkway out onto the bridge is terrifying and my fear of heights almost won out and prevented me from trying it. It's wide enough for two people to easily walk out on but it's more of the mental game knowing both sides have a steep drop off. After some quick photo ops it was time to head back.

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Superstition Mountains - Beauty, Tragedy, and One Heck of a Hike!

We later learned a bit more about the incredible Superstition Mountains. First off, this hike is considered strenuous and only for experienced hikers so it’s definitely a good thing I turned back with Millie (and heck yeah Kristin for making it up to the top!) Secondly, there are a lot of spooky things that seem to happen in this place! It all began with the legend of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine.

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