New Year’s Day found me doing a lot of walking, relaxing, and carb-eating in the relative warmth of the south before heading back to the cold of New England tomorrow.
Hilton Head 2025/2026: Day 3
Author: Laura Irwin
Hilton Head 2025/2026: Day 2
If you told me this morning that I would be eating dinner outside today in my winter coat, I wouldn’t have believed you. I surprised even myself with that one. I won’t be ringing in the New Year at midnight, but I did enjoy both sunrise and sunset along with some adventures in the Sea Pines Plantation today.
Hilton Head 2025/2026: Day 1
I made the 5-hour drive to Hilton Head, South Carolina yesterday afternoon after spending five days in Florida visiting my family and playing hide-and-seek and “phones” with my 2-year old niece. Hilton Head Island has been my favorite vacation destination for the last 20+ years and crossing the bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway feels like coming home.
A Day in Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island was on my summer to-do list, but I didn’t make it there until the very last weekend of official summer. I know I was in Newport years ago, but I don’t remember much about it so it felt like visiting for the first time. With blue skies and temperatures around 70 degrees, the day couldn’t have been more picture-perfect for exploring the Gilded Age mansions and rocky coastline of this small New England city.
Québec 2025: Day 4
I wasn’t sure I would make a blog post today, since the majority of my day was spent driving home. But how could I pass up posting about my last morning walk and delicious breakfast in Québec?
Québec 2025: Day 3
I spent the day today surrounded by farmlands, vineyards, and waterfalls. Just a 15-minute drive from downtown Québec lies Île d’Orléans, a 74 square mile island in the St. Lawrence River that feels worlds away from the crowds of Old Québec.
Québec 2025: Day 2
They say a couple of days is plenty of time to see the highlights of Québec and I would agree. I’ve been here for a day and a half and I feel like I’ve seen most of what I came here to see.
Québec 2025: Day 1
Bonjour from North America’s most European city: Québec! For years, I have been wanting to explore and photograph Old Québec, and this is the week!
Cape Ann in a Day
You don’t have to go far to feel like you’re on vacation. Even though I was in Gloucester (MA) just three days ago, today I was back playing tourist in my own backyard. Gloucester is about a 20 minute drive from home, but today it felt like being much further away as I explored an old castle, took a boat tour, and ate some delicious seafood.
Chicago 2025: Day 5
Picture this: a day that starts with a flight of French toast and ends with tiramisu. What could be better? That sums up my last day in Chicago, along with a visit to the zoo and a sail on Lake Michigan.
Traveling with Laura 