Packing smart can be tough. I’ve learned that if you pair down to your favorite essentials you can cut out the excess and free up space in your luggage. To begin, I always make sure to wear comfy shoes on travel days. (1)These Everlane Modern Loafers are my absolute Fave. They’re timeless, are easy to pair with literally any outfit (jeans, shorts, white pants, even skirts!) and wear like your favorite pair of New Balances. They also come in 6 colors and are under $200.00. I call this a win!

(2) Next up on the essential list is the Cuyana French Terry Pleat Back Sweater. I’ve worn this on the plane on my last 2 trips and not only is is super comfy and soft, but I’ve gotten a million compliments on it! I wore this on my overnight flight to London and couldn’t have been more pleased with how well it held up on the 9 hour flight. It still looked great after having slept on the plane in it!  I’m a huge fan of Cuyana and could literally buy everything on their site. (Here’s looking at you Cotton Cashmere V- Neck , and you Classic Alpaca Cape .)

Luggage is essential to a successful adventure. Throughout my travels, I’ve tried many different luggage combinations. I’ve found that a great weekender, that fits comfortably on top of your roller bag is key. This Cuyana Leather Travel Bag (3) is my favorite. It’s gorgeous, just the right size and creates a classic look. It has handles AND a detachable shoulder strap. I don’t think you could find a better bag!

Speaking of Bags, I’ve tried many but have found no better luggage than (4) Away Bags. I love them so much that I tell everyone about them. I’ve told my family, friends and strangers in the airport how much I love this bag. You can squeeze enough clothes for 7 days abroad in here. You can charge your devices while waiting to board or rolling through the airport. The wheels roll perfectly. After two years and many, many trips it’s still in near perfect condition. The outer shell bends which is awesome when you are trying to shove all of the new treasures you bought on your trip in it. I’ve even packed for a 5 day ski trip in the carry on version of this bag. If you don’t have one, go buy one right now. You will never regret this purchase.

(5)I actually use the Cuyana Travel Case Set on an every day basis, not just when traveling. I use the smaller bag to hold make-up and the larger bag to keep necessities separate in my day bag. This set comes in tons of colors. I personally love the stone color with the orange zipper. It’s gorgeously understated with a pop of excitement. In fact,I love it so much I have the blush sitting in my shopping bag waiting to be purchased!

(6) Along with Global Entry Status, every traveller needs the perfect passport holder. I swear this post is in no way sponsored by Cuyana, I just actually LOVE their products and only share what I love. I am a supremely brand loyal gal and once I find something I love, I commit. Like for the long haul. My favorite passport is the Cuyana Slim Leather Passport Case. The stone color is neutral, matches all of my luggage and looks sleek yet casual. It also fits inside of my husbands larger international travel pouch which is great when we need to keep things together.

Traveling with ease requires great accessories.

These are my go to, tried and tested items for traveling. We travel A LOT and I can’t live without these! What are your travel necessities? Let me know! I’m always on the lookout for new must haves.

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No really, Bora Bora is for Lovers. Every one we met while there was either on their honeymoon (us!), or celebrating a wedding anniversary.  This was the tip of a lifetime and we are so excited to share!

Getting to Bora Bora from Dallas was no easy feat. We took 3 planes and 18 hours worth of travel to get there, (24 to get home) but it was worth it!

We flew from Dallas to LAX, LAX to Tahiti, and Tahiti to Bora Bora. Upon arrival to Bora Bora, you are escorted by boat to your resort. We chose to stay at the newly renovated Conrad Bora Bora (Owned by Hilton) and were so happy with that choice. We stayed in one of their over water bungalow’s because why would you not? Our room was AMAZING and had its own diving platform. The views were spectacular.

Our resort was fantastic. Beautiful beach, spectacular views, very friendly staff and access to every activity you can imagine. I should also mention that the spa was one of the most wonderful spa’s I’ve been to.

The Conrad Bora Bora offers bikes for their guests to use. The resort is large and it would take forever to walk from your bungalow to breakfast. We used the bikes every day.

Activities:

Once you finally arrive there are endless activities. We had so many options we found it hard to choose. This being our honeymoon, we agreed to take it easy and limit our selves to one adventurous activity per day with lots of time for relaxing on the beach or in our bungalow in between.

The most highly recommended adventure we chose was a full day snorkeling excursion that included a dip with black tip sharks. (You heard me, we swam with sharks)

During this excursion, we also snorkeled on the  most beautiful coral I’ve seen. We were able to touch an Octopus, get a close up with an eel, and swim with sting rays.

At the end of our snorkeling adventure we were taken to another island for a traditional island lunch. I was a little skeptical at first but this turned out to be fantastic! We lunched, and then learned how to crack coconuts which will really come in handed if we ever compete on Naked and Afraid.

Our next activity was a 4×4 tour of the main island Viatape. This island is tiny and has zero commercialization. It has a very local vibe which was actually unexpected for me given that Bora Bora is known for luxury. During our 4×4 excursion we were driven around the entire island. We were able to see the 3 villages on the island and learn about the islands economy. Driving up a few peaks granted us some breath taking views.

We really enjoyed the 4×4 tour and would definitely recommend taking it!  

Our final big activity was a jet ski tour around the entire island. This tour was fantastic! The only part of this tour I had trouble with was how fast we were going the entire time! We were full throttle the whole time (unless we were stopped). This adventure offered us a 36o degree view of the island. We also got to see some of the other resorts which was super cool. On this tour we were able to grab a photo in one of the most iconic sites on the island.

We were windblown and in the cove of the St. Regis. It was amazing to be able to catch these views. Many people dream of seeing these sites in person and we feel so fortunate to have been here together!

Our trip to Bora Bora was a full 8 day adventure and we loved every minute of it. We spent our time adventuring, relaxing and enjoying the spa.  We’ll be posting a follow up post with more in depth information about our adventures, our resort (Conrad Bora Bora), the spa and how we spent our time when we weren’t on excursions! We’ll also talk about what we’ll do next time we’re there! If you’ve been to Bora Bora let us know where you stayed and your favorite activity while you were there!!

The post Bora Bora – Extended Holiday appeared first on Carry On Only.

This trip was taken sans kiddos and it gave us time to recharge, rest and enjoy time with each other.  One quick flight from DFW in to Calgary, Canada and we were there. The drive from Calgary to Banff is a quick and exceedingly beautiful. You might even get lucky and catch a glimpse of wildlife along the way.

While there are a lot of hotel options in Banff, we ultimately chose between two. The Fairmont at Banff was beautiful overlooking roaring rivers and nestled beneath the mountains however we opted to stay at the Moose. They share similar ratings however the Moose has larger rooms and is located right in downtown which makes access to dining, shopping and sights walkable. We absolutely loved our stay here and would highly recommend. When we go back with our kiddos though, we will chose the Fairmont due to the amenities which I’ll discuss in a later post.

Upon arrival in Banff, we hit the ground running. We took the Banff Gondola up to the summit of Sulphur Mountain. Initially, I found the Gondola rather pricey. Upon arrival at the summit though I had to admit it was worth it. The summit offers 360 degree views of the Canadian Rockies. A common theme from this trip was the word, Wow. I found myself in constant wonder that places so beautiful actually do exist. From the summit you can see the little town of Banff and the winding river that runs through.

I’m told that the Summit is a magical place at Christmas time, and I’m now dying to take our kids in December. The summit becomes a magical, winter wonderland with live reindeer. Santa even sets up shop by the fireplace to visit with kiddos! There is cookie decorating, christmas photo ops, music and snacks!

The Canadian Rockies are steep, and riding the Gondola down the mountain, you really get a sense of just how steep these mountains are! Taking the Gondola up  Sulphur Mountain was a great Welcome to Banff!

We spend day 2 of our trip at Lake Louise which is a quick 45 minute drive north from Banff proper. Experts advise that you arrive early in order to get good views of the lake and to beat the crowds. They’re right. We arrived early, (even with a stop back at the hotel because I spilled coffee all over myself, typical) and were able to watch the sunrise over the lake. Again, just wow! The water was a beautiful blue color I have never seen in person before. The impressive colors of Lake Louise comes from Silt like rock flour continually being carried in to the lake by melt water from the surrounding glaciers. The tiny particles become suspended in water and reflect blue and green wavelengths of light.

W e spent the day at Lake Louise Hiking. We settled on the hike to Lake Agnes and the Lake Agnes Tea House. During this 2 hour hike, you gain 1,300 feet in elevation. Its labeled a moderate hike but parts of it were challenging! You constantly climbing on this hike which makes it a work out. You know you’ve almost made it to the Tea House and lake when you hit the Waterfall which offers breathtaking views and spaces of freezing glacier water. Climb a steep staircase and you’ve arrived at Lake Agnes and her perfect Tea house.  The tea house menu offers fresh baked biscuits, cookies and sandwiches made from home cooked bread. Everything they serve at the tea house is made from scratch. They have dry goods helicoptered in once a season and their employees hike fresh goods up on foot each day. Whats so awesome about this place is that their employees actually live up on the mountain for days at a time in a bunk house with no electricity and no running water! They all talked about how freeing if was to be free of technology and surrounded by so much beauty. What a way to spend your summers as a college student!

The Hike down from Lake Agnes is quick- taking only 45 minutes. Its steep and you are able to keep a quick pace. Once again you’re at Lake Louise. If you’re feeling really worn out, you can visit the Spa at the Fairmont Lake Louise, or dine in one of their incredible restaurants.

I’ll do a follow up post strictly on places to eat in Banff because there are so many incredible places to choose from. One place worth mentioning here though is Grizzly House Restaurant. It was my favorite meal of the entire trip! You can choose to either do Fondue or cook your food on a hot rock. We went with the hot Rock and ordered all of the wild game meats. Fantastic doesn’t even describe the meal we had. This spot opened in 1967 and may not have been updated since. Each table has a phone that can be used to call people at other tables. If you’re a prankster like my husband, this alone will keep you entertained.

We only spent 3 days in Banff and it was definitely not enough. We could have stayed for 2 full weeks and still not accomplished all of the things on our list. On our last day we were able to canoe with Banff Canoe Club and visit one of the oldest ski areas in North America. This was super cool because Cam’s dad actually grew up skiing Mount Norquay as a kid.

Our list for our next visit to Banff is extensive. We’ll have to make a winter trip and another summer trip to accomplish everything. Next time we want to river raft, drive the ice highway, spend a few days in Jasper, hike to the summit at Sulphur Mountain, zipline and search for more wildlife. (I must see a bear… from a safe distance.)

Banff is hands down one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to date. I’d go back and visit a million times over. What’s your favorite activity. restaurant or hike in Banff?

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