Websites like Airbnb and VRBO may be pricing you out of your own neighborhood — We all know that the housing market has been crazy the past two years and the Fed is diligently working to cool off the economy (hopefully the housing market too). But the fed can only help so much because cheap money isn't the only thing to blame. …

Our grandest National Park somehow feels less natural than it should. — Yellowstone is America’s oldest and grandest national park, established in 1872 and covering over 3,400 square miles. If you’ve been to any other national parks in the US, Yellowstone is just flat-out different. It’s like comparing Disneyland to Disney World: Hence the title. Like Disneyland, most national parks (or state…

Like the boy who cried wolf, the more you say something, the less meaning it has — I know plenty of couples that end every phone call with “I love you” (ILY). Or they say it every time they part ways, even for just a short time. I think a lot of people might see this as normal, however, I don't think it should be. …

Record temperatures and water rationing don’t seem to dissuade Phoenix migrants — Arizona is a beautiful state with a lot to offer, but I just can’t understand why so many people are moving there lately, and at an increasing rate. More on that later. According to the 2020 census, the Phoenix Metropolitan Area grew by 15.37% from 2010 to 2020. When compared…

Baldy is cheaper, less crowded, and closer to home than the competition — Skiing is one of my favorite winter sports. If you’re more of a snowboarder, that’s fine too. Growing up in the Midwest, our biggest slope was a 300 ft hill called Perfect North, which was a great place to learn, but not much more than that. The thing about me…

Plummeting water levels might put the lake out of commission — The first time I visited Lake Powell was in 2019, just after graduating from college. I journeyed out West with 12 friends to rent a houseboat on the deep blue waters of Glen Canyon. …

For those that love Yosemite, but can’t stand the crowd — Kings Canyon NP is nestled right next to Sequoia NP in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. There it sits, just 2.5 hours south of Yosemite. Yet, I know a lot of people who have never heard of Kings Canyon NP. But that doesn’t mean it has nothing to offer. …

46 hours in Amtrak Coach was surprisingly enjoyable — Prior to this trip, I’ve never traveled by train in the US. Growing up in the Midwest means that I relied on public transit very little because there is none. During a long stay in Italy, I experienced what public transit is capable of: Fast speeds, a comfortable ride, and…

It's a strange place, but not that bad — For twenty years of my life, I’ve lived in the Midwest. Specifically Indianapolis. It’s probably the most middle-of-the-road Midwest as you can get. Roughly six months ago I moved to Los Angeles, which as you can imagine is very different than Indianapolis. I must say, when I first got here…