Living in one of India’s largest cities is life changing. Mumbai, a city of millions, where the past, present and future can be seen in one square block is exciting, chaotic and sometimes overwhelming. Being a resident here, you learn not only to survive but thrive in epic traffic jams and seasonal flooding all while living it up in a fascinating cosmopolitan city.
Even with all there is to love in this great city, there are times when you just need to escape to rejuvenate and relax away from the hustle and bustle. After 10 years in this vibrant city, we had our fair share of weekend getaways from Mumbai. Some are close and easy to drive to, some require a ferry, train or even a flight – but they all share one thing in common – a total removal from the vibrant city we call home. Read on for our top 5 weekend getaways from Mumbai.
If you are like me, you probably tend to over pack for destinations that you don’t know personally. I find this especially true when visiting a developing country. On my first visit to India I took WAY more than I needed. I listened to people who had only visited the country for short times and who also probably took way too much!
One of our favorite summer trips, with 
Zion National Park is one of the few parks where it might be more advantageous to stay outside of the park than in. Springdale, literally right outside the gates of the park, is home to a variety of places to stay near Zion as well as great restaurants (
Australia is a destination that has been on my travel wishlist for ages. From the beautiful beaches, the Outback’s barren remoteness to trendy cities like Melbourne, Australia is a dream destination. Being big animal lovers and massive road trip fans, it goes without saying how alluring Australia is with their unique wildlife viewing opportunities and self-drive tours of the country.
A country almost the size of the continental US is not easy to see in a short amount of time, which is exactly why it keeps getting pushed down my wishlist. If I could easily fly between destinations and see it quickly, I would have already visited, but as any Australian will tell you, there is no better way to experience all that the country has to offer than by road. My dream is to hire or buy a campervan for several months and hit the road for the ultimate Australian road trip.
Most first-timers in India focus on exploring the well known Golden Triangle area of the country that encompasses Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. It is here that you can experience the hustle and bustle of Old Delhi, while also getting inspired by the world’s most famous monument to love at the Taj Mahal in Agra before heading into the beautiful pink city of Jaipur in Rajasthan.
Given that Rajasthan embodies the classic image that fills most people’s imagination about India, it’s only fitting that one of the country’s most popular train journeys, the 
Truth time. Finding accommodation is often quite daunting for me. Because of this, it tends to be my least favorite part of travel planning. There are so many options these days between chain hotels, adorable boutique hotels, private home rentals from sites like AirBnB, Homeaway, GlampingHub, etc. And then you have to decide which neighborhood and what amenities you want. Ack! It becomes information overload.
On our recent trip to Austin we had planned to stay with friends but they had a family emergency come up and I was left scrambling for a place to stay. As usual, I quickly became overwhelmed, but thankfully the best hotel in Austin for families that kept coming up in my search was also one of my favorites – 
One of the biggest attractions for visitors to Alaska is to see wildlife in their natural habitat. This can be achieved almost everywhere in Alaska from seeing a bald eagle fly overhead in Anchorage to hiking with moose at Flattop Mountain. However, it is the bear that is perhaps the ultimate symbol of Alaskan wildlife. Seeing one of these strong, unbridled creatures on their home turf, for even a fleeting moment, is a magical experience.