Karilyn Owen, Author at No Back Home

8 Super Fun Things to Do in Santa Rosa California

March 15, 2021March 6, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

Visiting the wine country of Sonoma County? Make sure to make time for these super fun things to do in Santa Rosa when you are there. For young singles and couples without kids, a weekend visit to Sonoma means soaking up the scenery, sampling first class wines and hopping from one beautiful winery to another. … Read more

10 Unmissable Experiences in Vietnam With Kids

September 5, 2019February 20, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

Vietnam with kids truly is the perfect trip for families looking for hands on educational and transformative travel. The country is teeming with unique activities and sites to visit that will appeal to all age ranges. From making things by hand to experiencing local life and immersing yourself in the culture through food, Vietnam family travel really has everything for all types of travelers.

After a few weeks exploring the country, we have come up with our top 10 things to do in Vietnam with kids (or even without!).

Travel Essentials for RTW Family Travel

February 19, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

We have been on the road now for several months, with a real on the road test of what are essential travel items for RTW family travel. My main go-to items for travel that are on my ultimate gift guide for traveling families are still some of my favorites. However longer term travel definitely has its own set of requirements, which has prompted me to write this post.

Below are our favorite must haves for everyone hitting the road for short and long term travel with kids.

The 11 Best Things to Do in Bangkok with Kids

May 30, 2024February 18, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

From the infamous Khaosan Road to ladyboys, Bangkok may not spring to mind as being the most child friendly city. However, if you stay outside of the backpacker tourist zone, you will find ample opportunities to explore, learn and experience an amazing side of Bangkok with kids.

I have loved Bangkok since my first visit more than 10 years ago and couldn’t wait to share my love of the city with my son. It’s always fun to revisit places with the fresh eyes of a child as well as look for things that may not be on every tourist itinerary but would be super fun for kids.

Where to Eat in Hoi An | Our Top 5 Hoi An Restaurants

September 26, 2019February 15, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

Vietnam was a total surprise for us in many ways, but especially in the food department. Vietnamese food is fresh, varied and absolutely fantastic. The problem when you arrive to a town like Hoi An is there are SO many places to eat that it is often overwhelming choosing where to go. Obviously, even with a week in town we did not become experts on where to eat in Hoi An, but we found a few favorites that will get you off the main circuit and eating some delicious food in between searching for your own favorite eateries!

Making Hoi An Lanterns with the Lantern Lady

February 19, 2019February 12, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

Hoi An, located in central Vietnam, is known for two things, tailors and beautiful silk lanterns! When you visit, you must experience Hoi An lanterns in some form or another. You can do this by just walking through the streets admiring the brightly colored lanterns hanging over head, by launching your own candle lit paper lantern on the river or by making your own beautiful Hoi An lantern.

During our visit, we ended up doing all three. Wandering around Hoi An soaking up the beautiful lanterns that are seemingly hung from every tree and strung across the roadside is magical. You feel like you are walking into a fairytale. While this is fantastic, our favorite experience of all was making our own silk Vietnamese lanterns with The Lantern Lady.

Guide to a Mojave National Preserve Camping Trip

April 6, 2021February 9, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

Thinking of a Mojave National Preserve camping trip? If you read our post on Exploring the Mojave Preserve, you might remember that the basic premise for this park is a place for self discovery, adventure and exploration. This extends to where you will stay as well. Given that there is no town anywhere nearby and the park itself does not provide any accommodation options, camping is essentially the only option if you wish to really explore the park rather than just driving through.

Researching for our first visit to Mojave felt daunting as there seemed to be little information or photos on where to stay. Therefore, I thought I would outline some of the possible options for camping in the Mojave National Preserve that we came across during our visit.

Gap Year: Month 4 Recap – Bangkok, Hanoi & Hoi An

February 10, 2019February 9, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

A bit late, but here we go, our gap year recap for month 4! January has been a short month of travel since we only left the US on the 15th, but it has been full of adventure and feels like we have been gone for ages already!

Experience the Best Hands-On Village Homestay in Vietnam

February 19, 2019February 8, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

One of the best experiences on our trip to Southeast Asia was a village homestay in Vietnam with Indochina Junk. This ended up being a highlight of our Vietnam experience as it offered wonderful insight into the culture and local life of many in this country. One of our goals of travel is to find educational and transformative activities that give hands-on opportunities for learning and this fit the bill perfectly.

A visit to Yen Duc village can be added on to your overnight Halong Bay cruise or possibly as a stand alone option. We did it as part of our Halong Bay trip and it worked out well as it’s located between Halong Bay and Hanoi. If you have time, we would highly recommend making a visit to Yen Duc village with Indochina Junk as it really was a great way to experience this fascinating country and to experience life in a local village.

A Morning at Thành Ha Pottery Village Hoi An

February 19, 2019February 4, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

One of the things we loved most about our visit to Hoi An are the many hands on activities throughout the area. The Thành Ha pottery village Hoi An is a perfect example of this. This riverside pottery village in central Vietnam is located just a few miles outside of Hoi An’s old town. If you have budding potters or are just looking for something to do, this makes for a good visit. That said, be prepared to come out with a handful of things you probably don’t need!

The village consists of narrow pathways that form a maze through simple riverside homes. You will see all sorts of pottery in various stages of production stacked by the entrances, from cups, jars, bowls and more. Even if you don’t buy anything or try your hand at making things, this is a fun morning excursion when you have the time.

Guide to an Unforgettable Overnight Halong Bay Cruise

November 25, 2019February 1, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

If there is one thing you do in Vietnam, it should be spending the night on a Halong Bay Cruise. This UNESCO World Heritage site in northeast Vietnam, known for its picturesque limestone islets jutting out of the shimmering emerald water, is mesmerizing.

During our visit, we were not lucky enough to have the crystal clear blue skies as shown on the postcards around Hanoi, but that’s just part of the allure of this area. You never know what you will get, but it will be magical nonetheless!

While many visitors make the 3 hour trek to Halong Bay for the day, it really doesn’t do the area justice. Even if you are on a budget, an overnight Halong Bay cruise is one part of your trip to splurge on. It is a must visit on most Vietnam itineraries for good reason, it is spectacular!

We spent hours researching the best overnight Halong Bay cruises and will share all the information with you here!

What to Do in Hoi An with Kids (or without!)

November 9, 2019January 29, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

Hoi An is a picturesque UNESCO Heritage town on the central coast of Vietnam. Even being one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam, Hoi An continues to showcase a well preserved example of an ancient port town. It’s traditional wooden buildings provide a beautiful backdrop to experience all the things to do in Hoi An with kids (and without too!).

Even though much of the ancient town in Hoi An is filled with shops geared entirely to foreign visitors, the lanterns, cute shop fronts and small lanes continue to lure visitors with it’s great food and fun energy, especially once the tour buses have left for the day!

To escape the crowds a bit, here are our top picks what to do in Hoi An with kids.

Travel Planning: A Resource Guide

January 26, 2021January 27, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

Last week, we talked about researching where to go, but we didn’t delve into the nitty gritty of where to research flights, accommodation and things to do. This is an extension of research, but also begins to get into the logistics of travel planning. Logistics is another thing that I love about travel planning. Details, details, details.

Below I provide my favorite resources for finding flights, car rentals, accommodation and more.

Searching for the Best Carry On Spinner Luggage

January 27, 2019January 26, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

After 6 weeks of travel in Central America with my favorite eBags Motherlode carry on, I was in need of a change. As much as I adore my Motherlode, it only has two wheels which is just not so wonderful once you have tasted the sweet life of 4 wheeled luggage. Thus, the hunt was on for the best carry on spinner luggage out there. Turns out many of the popular spinner bags are hard shell suitcases. I’ve never had a hard shell suitcase, but could immediately see the benefits of them, especially traveling off the beaten path where bags take quite a beating.

In my search, I checked out quite a few bags, however I only tested 2 different carry on size hard shell suitcases at home as well as one soft sided carry on spinner luggage piece.

The two hard shell suitcase brands that I checked out were eBags and Away. I am very familiar with eBags and have always loved their gear as well as their damage/return policy. Away is the darling favorite in travel circles these days, so it was an obvious choice to examine as well.

In addition to these two, I also checked out a bag by my other favorite travel brand, the Eagle Creek Gear Warrior Carry On.

While all the bags have great features, only one could make the cut to join me on my 5 month ‘Sample the World’ trip with my 8 year old. Read on for the review of each bag and take a guess which one will make the journey with us!

Where to Stay in Mumbai: An Insider’s Guide to the Best Hotels in Mumbai

September 6, 2019January 13, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

Heading to India and wondering where to stay in Mumbai? We have you covered with our insiders guide to the best places to stay in Mumbai from hotels near the Mumbai airport to hotels in Bandra and beyond. Some of the best hotels in the city are not located in the main tourist areas, but … Read more

The Best Gamboa Tours with 9 North Panama

January 11, 2019January 11, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

One of the best places to visit in Panama is the Gamboa rainforest along the Panama Canal. There are many Gamboa tours offered from Panama City, as well as through the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, but the best tour in Gamboa is one that gets you close to the amazing biodiversity that this area is known for.

During our visit to the Gamboa rainforest, we checked out several boat tour options. Hands down, 9 North Panama Safaris was the best. If you love animals, serene nature and photography, you have to take one of their boat safaris along the Panama Canal and Lake Gatun.

Gap Year Recap (Month 3): Panama, SLO CAL & Home

January 10, 2019January 3, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

Our third month of Gap Year travel was a bit different than what most people would do while taking a year off. We started off the month in Panama and then came home for 3 days to then set off again on a quick media visit to San Luis Obispo County a few hours north of Los Angeles. Finally, a few days before Christmas we were home for the holidays!

Cian had always said he was fine to miss school and fine to go away for the year as long as he could be home for two of his favorite holidays – Halloween and Christmas! So we made sure to make that happen. As much as I would have loved to keep on traveling from Panama all the way down to South America, I knew that he needed to be home for the holidays even if we couldn’t participate in all the holiday activities he normally likes.

So, here we go for our recap!

An Amazing Adventure in a Pismo Beach Dune Buggy

January 5, 2019January 2, 2019 by Karilyn Owen

One of the best family activities you can experience in the San Luis Obispo region is a day out trying your hand at the Oceano Sand Dunes with a Pismo Beach Dune Buggy rental. According to my 8 year old this was the most epic adventure we have experienced to date!

The Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area is one of the last remaining parks in California that allow off roading. This little stretch of beach on the Central Coast offers a unique day out that you can’t find in many other places. Visitors come from all over the state and beyond for the ability to drive their all terrain vehicles, 4×4 trucks and of course dune buggies on the natural sand dunes here.

I mean who hasn’t dreamed of frolicking around pristine sand dunes where there are no roads or rules on what you can or can’t do? Read on to see how this scaredy cat mama fared on the dunes of Oceano.

ADVENTURE: Off-Roading on Sand Dunes // NATURE: One of California’s Most Unique State Parks // ADRENALINE: Driving in a Bowl

Learn Spanish in Panama with Habla Ya

September 3, 2019December 7, 2018 by Karilyn Owen

The main focus of our 6 week journey through Central America was to take Spanish classes throughout the region. After a few weeks of taking spanish classes in Guatemala, we headed to further south to learn Spanish in Panama with Habla Ya.

Learning Spanish in another country is a great way to fully immerse yourself into the language as well as have the opportunity to practice every day in real life situations. Our experience traveling through Central America learning Spanish was a great way to learn about the different countries, local ways of speaking as well as sample different types of instruction.

Luxurious Nature Hotel in Flores Guatemala

December 4, 2018December 4, 2018 by Karilyn Owen

After almost 3 weeks in Guatemala exploring by bus, tuk tuk and our own two feet, we were looking for a luxurious retreat to end our trip. In my search I happened upon Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel, located just outside of Flores Guatemala on a small lagoon in the middle of the jungle.

Las Lagunas has everything you want in a nature retreat – gorgeous surroundings, wild animals, spectacular food and exceptional service. It is the type of hotel you will continue to dream about returning to for years afterward. You might even make a trip to Guatemala *just* to visit this luxurious nature retreat.

Read on for our review and why we think it should be a must visit on your Guatemala itinerary.