Travel Tuesday- Riviera Maya

This beautiful stretch of beach south of Cancun, Mexico is another one of my favorite places anywhere!

We took a long weekend several years ago and fell in love! We stayed at one of the many all-inclusive resorts on the beach. Mayan ruins, fantastic coral reef snorkeling, and lots of relaxation. One of the best trips we ever took!

Travel Tuesday- Everest

Okay, okay, it's not the real Mt. Everest. I'm just not brave enough to do anything that extreme! But I am extreme enough to ride Expedition Everest at Disney World over and over and over again...

If you've never been, it's one of the best themed attractions- at Disney or anywhere! And today, I wish I was riding the coaster with the Yeti!

Travel Tuesday- The Catskills

This week's Travel Tuesday is another one on my list of places to see- The Catskills in upstate New York.

And, as you can see by the picture, fall is *the* time to visit. Festivals, Arts & Crafts fairs, Oktoberfests, pumpkin patches, and of course, glorious fall color! And I've done my homework- Visit the Catskills, The Catskill Guide, etc... I've even got the Catskill Region Waterfall Guide- a great resource to finding all the beautiful waterfalls in the area. Sigh... someday soon!

Travel Tuesday- Duke Gardens, North Carolina

While we do get some fall foliage here in Texas, it's usually not as dramatic as some other parts of the country, and it's much later in the season, too. But the weather has turned cooler (mid 80's all this week (luxury!) instead of over 100 like we had for most of July & August) and I find myself pining for autumn leaves.

So this week's Wish-I-Was-Here is from a trip we took several years ago in the fall to Raleigh-Durham, NC. While we were there, we visited the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, a memorial garden on the Duke University Campus.

With over five miles of paths and walkways through native plants, rose gardens, fountains, and towering trees, it's easy to while away a whole day here. Because we visited in the fall, a lot of the flower beds were dormant, but the autumn colors were fantastic.

Whenever I think of fall, I always think of this beautiful, peaceful place.

Travel Tuesday- Sedona, Arizona

Sedona is a very interesting little town, tucked away among these red rock formations. The scenery is breathtaking, the red rock set off by the bright blue desert sky.

We drove through Sedona earlier this year and stopped for a few hours- ate at a little deli and shopped a bit before heading on our way. A great way to spend an afternoon!

Travel Tuesday- Big Sur

With all the wildfire news, California has been on my mind. My heart & prayers go out to the people who have lost everything, and the firefighters who risk their lives.

This Travel Tuesday takes me to Big Sur- one of my favorite places on earth! This picture in particular captures my imagination...

We took this photo on a trip out there about 3 years ago. Look closely at the little clearing on this cliff. It's difficult to see, but there is a bench set out there, overlooking the water. I don't know who put it there, or who is lucky enough to sit there and watch the sun set every evening, but I must admit, I envy them! What a beautiful place!

Travel Tuesday- White Sands, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument is located in South Central New Mexico.



While you've probably heard of the adjacent Missile Range, White Sands is also a National Park, and is quite beautiful. It covers 275 square miles and is the world's largest gypsum dune field.

It's pretty easy to spend the day playing here- taking a walk along the dunes, digging your toes in, and a lot of the dunes are big enough for sledding! My favorite time to visit is during a full moon, and of course the stars are spectacular out there as well.

It's definitely out of the way, but well worth it!

Travel Tuesday- Rockport, Texas

There's a nice little town tucked away on the Texas Gulf Coast- Rockport-Fulton!


The Lighthouse Inn in Rockport is one of our favorite weekend getaways. It's a Victorian style inn, and each room is actually a suite with a kitchenette and sitting room. This sunset was our view from our balcony-

Our favorite time of year to go is in the fall- not very crowded, but still usually warm enough for strolls along the beach!

Travel Tuesday- Bled, Slovenia

This evening, a friend of mine was regaling me with stories of his travels in Europe while he was studying there. He told me about a kind of hidden gem in Slovenia, a little town called Bled.

I think it has become kind of a tourist destination in recent days, but it also includes a 9th century church set on an island in the middle of a beautiful lake. At any rate, it definitely goes on my things to do and places to see list...

Travel Tuesday- Six Flags

Okay, I admit it. My husband & I are roller coaster junkies. On our "to do" list is a tour around the country, hitting the best coasters, coast to coast, so to speak...

This one is close by- Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio. It's the Boomerang- not the biggest by any means at the park, but the kicker is the coaster runs the entire track, and then you run it again... backwards!

So while it will feel like summer for quite a while here in Texas, I know kids and parents are gearing up for back to school, and I thought today's Wish-I-Was-Here should be one more summer day at a theme park...

Travel Tuesday- NYC

A couple of years ago, we had one day to spend in New York City (that's right- one day for all of the Big Apple)- so we booked one of those cheesy sightseeing tours. We actually saw quite a bit: Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Ground Zero, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Museum of Natural History, and of course, the Statue of Liberty.



We have plans to go back someday and take the 2 day tour!

Travel Tuesday- Grand Canyon

Sunrise on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.



Yes, that's snow! We were there in January, and it was 20 degrees F that morning as we strolled along the rim. Breathtaking!

Travel Tuesday- Rome

So last week, in honor of our wanderlust, we started Travel Tuesdays here at Bean Street. Today's I-Wish-I-Were-Here is Rome, Italy!



This is a great little sidewalk cafe, not too far from Trevi Fountain, if I recall.

The Eternal City has been on my mind- this week we have one friend returning from two years of study there, and another friend leaving for two years of study!

Travel Tuesday- The Florida Coast

So, it seems like everybody's on vacation right now... except me! So I thought I'd start Travel Tuesdays at Bean Street- a sort of Wish-I-Was-Here virtual vacation. If you're stuck at home too, feel free to daydream along with me...


A perfect summer day on a secluded Florida beach between Jacksonville and St. Augustine. Can you feel the sand between your toes?