Lifestyle

We Got Married in Wyoming!

Published on July 14, 2026July 14, 2026 by Skylar M. Beck1 Comment

Coming back to my blog with the most exciting post to share—my wedding! Patrick and I tied the knot in the Grand Teton national park at the end of June and truly had our dream wedding out west surrounded by our immediate family members.

It was hard to keep up with blogging along side wedding planning this past year but I’m looking forward to sharing some exciting travel posts soon and utilizing this outlet again more consistently.

For now, here’s a recap of what preoccupied my time for the last little while, our wedding!

Even before we got engaged, Patrick and I used to talk about how when it came time to get married, we really wanted to keep things small and have a celebration in the mountains somewhere. The Grand Tetons has always been one of our favorite national parks and the convenience to a major town made the decision to host our wedding there that much easier.

We decided to have our ceremony at the iconic ‘Wedding Tree’ located in the Bridger-Teton national forest. We were so happy we picked this spot, the views are stunning and it made for the perfect private ceremony. After our ceremony, we took some family photos and then Patrick and I travelled around the national park with our photo/video team to capture photos throughout the national park. We shared our private vows during this time, which was my favorite part of the day, and we had a blast going around to various scenic spots. We travelled back to the Bentwood Inn where we stayed during wedding week and where we hosted our wedding reception dinner. Our dream reception space came to life and we were stunned by the tablescape set up, the wedding cake, the details all coming together, and the intimate feel the Bentwood created.

It was such a magical day and I am so thankful we have so many photos and videos to continue looking back on to relive the day. It’s true what they say, wedding day flies by but I’m happy there were several moments throughout the day where I truly felt present in the moment. A year and a half of our lives was devoted to making this beautiful day come to life and all that hard work truly paid off. It was such a surreal feeling for me to see everything I had envisioned in my head for months come to life in person.

My biggest tip if you’re in this season of life is to do what makes you happiest. I know that’s often said, but we couldn’t be happier that we did what we always wanted and got married in the mountains.

All photos taken by Morgan Augusta Images.

Digital Scrapbook

Published on September 30, 2025 by Skylar M. Beck1 Comment

Lately, my new hobby has been creating digital scrapbook pages, mostly of my road trip adventures. These are some of my favorite memories and I’m very excited to have them all captured in one place. I’m big fan of traditional scrapbooking as well but digital also gives so much creative freedom and can easily be kept. If anyone is interested in creating a similar scrapbook, I created all of my pages in Canva. Stay tuned for more pages to come!

Welcoming A New Season: Autumn

Published on September 15, 2025 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

It’s almost officially one of the best times of the year…fall! I look forward to this time of year because of all the warmth and coziness it brings. Watching the leaves change, carving pumpkins, enjoying pumpkin spiced lattes, and so much more, it is truly a special time of year.

I’ve already started to welcome the new season in my home and through weekend activities. I wanted to share my autumn bucket list (that’s typically the same each year) to provide some inspiration and encourage you to welcome the new season! This past weekend, Patrick and I checked apple picking off the bucket list and it was such a fun way to kick off the fall season.

Wishing you all a wonderful autumn season!

Autumn bucket list

Decorate the home with seasonal touches
Enjoy a pumpkin spiced latte 🎃
Try a new soup or chili recipe
Go apple picking 🍎
Paint or carve a pumpkin
Go fall camping 🏕
Bake a fall inspired fall treat
Take a scenic drive to enjoy the changing leaves 🍁
Enjoy apple cider 🧃
Visit a pumpkin patch
Rewatch a fall themed episode or movie 🎥
Create a craft or DIY fall inspired home decor
Enjoy a fall simmer pot at home

A Weekend in Newport, Rhode Island

Published on September 12, 2025 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

To end the summer and celebrate my birthday, Patrick and I went on a little getaway weekend trip to Newport, Rhode Island. We had so much fun exploring this charming beach town, it’s a place I can’t wait to go back to in the future! Here’s my quick guide of things to do and see during a weekend trip.

Things to Know About Newport

🌊 The public beaches require a fee for entry. It seems like the rates are typically $25 weekdays and $35 weekends which is valid for the whole day. We were a bit surprised by this but the beaches were very clean and monitored so the money seems well worth it! Also something to note is there are a couple “residents only” beaches so keep an eye out for those too.

⚓️ There are several areas to stay at surrounding Newport. We found an airbnb in Portsmouth/Middletown, RI and we loved this area! It felt quieter and more residential which gave us space from the downtown area. It was also close to the beaches and only a 15 minute drive to downtown Newport. If you want to be close to the excitement, I’d recommend finding a hotel in the downtown area.

Things to Do

Throughout the weekend, we did a little bit of everything and it made for the perfect way to spend time here + celebrate my birthday! Newport is fairly small so doing a lot in a couple days is definitely manageable without having to drive or walk far which was so ideal for a weekend trip.

Activities

Shop! Newport has great local and well known name brand shops. Most shops can be found along Thames Street or America Cup Ave.
Stroll along the Cliff Walk. This is a popular thing to do in town if you’re looking for some light exercise and want stunning views of the ocean. We didn’t complete the entire walk but had fun doing parts of it in the morning. Parking can be found on the street leading up to the start of the walk or you can park at Easton’s beach parking lot.
Walk around in the Bowen’s Wharf area. Here you’ll find views of docked boats and amazing shops and restaurants.
Go to the Beach! We spent time at ‘Second beach’ and really enjoyed our time there. Another popular public beach is Easton’s beach.
Spend time at the Lawn at Castle Hill Inn. This has become a well known activity to do while visiting Newport in the summer months. On the lawn of this stunning hotel, you’ll find iconic Adirondack chairs to sit in while you view the coast while enjoying a drink. We attempted to go here for afternoon drinks but we were turned away on a Saturday due to too many people so keep that in mind.
Drive along Ocean drive. This is a beautiful road that goes right near the coast for more stunning New England coast views.
Go to a winery! We saw so many wineries closer to the beaches and the Portsmouth area which looked so fun. The Newport Vineyard was very close to our airbnb and we wish we would’ve had time to sit and explore this winery.
Explore the International Tennis Hall of Fame. We did not do this but it seems like a popular activity in the Newport area!

Restaurants

Nitro Bar. A very well known coffee shop that is worth the wait for delicious coffee & breakfast sandwiches.
Springline Coffee. This cute coffee shop is in the Bowen’s wharf area and right near the water. There’s a nice patio seating area right along the harbor.
Flora Cafe. This restaurant is inside the Gardiner house hotel, we went here for my birthday dinner and were very impressed with the food, drinks, and atmosphere of the place! They also serve breakfast and have a rooftop bar.
The Lobster Bar. We stopped here for a quick lunch break while strolling around and it was delicious with great lobster rolls.
Dell’s lemonade. This is a Newport staple and a must try for visitors! There’s a shop in the downtown area or you can usually find a truck at the beaches.
Mother’s Pizzeria. We grabbed a pizza here to go when we first arrived and it was incredible! It looks like a really great place to sit down and eat too.
Seaside Scoops. Delicious ice cream and unique flavors!

Spring Camping

Published on May 20, 2025July 14, 2026 by Skylar M. Beck2 Comments

It’s seems like this year’s spring season has gone by so quickly, it’s hard to believe it’s nearly time to welcome summer in about a month.

This spring season has been busy for me, lots of transitioning and change which seemed fitting for spring. A month ago, Patrick and I went away for a camping weekend and had a nice unplugged couple days. Camping is always a nice reset for me, I enjoy that it forces me to be present and gives me a break from the busyness of the usually day to day.

Here are a few of our favorite products for camping:

🏕 REI base 4 camp tent
🍳 Eureka stove top (linking a similar stove)
☕️ Jetboil
🪑 Camp chairs (linking an alternative)
🛏 Exped megamat duo mattress
🔌 Anchor

These items are perfect for a night away or an extended camping trip!

I’m looking forward to everything this summer season brings. We have some fun adventures planned that I cannot wait to share! Here are a few photos from our recent camp trip!

Things to Know About New Changes Occurring in U.S. National Parks

Published on February 19, 2025February 19, 2025 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

There’s been a lot of recent news and updates regarding the future of national parks. If you’ve read my blog before, you probably know national park travel is so important to me. If you’ve visited a national park before, you likely understand why they need to be protected. I consider it such a gift to have these stunning places throughout the country, full of beautiful scenery, incredible wildlife, and wonderful hikes and activities to explore. These places wouldn’t exist or thrive without the work and dedication of so many park rangers, forest service workers, and volunteers of the national park service.

The current administration recently fired thousands of public land and national park employees, leaving these magical places at risk. Not only for the visitors who cherish these places but for the wildlife that are able to call these places home.

The current updates have been very unsettling for me and I wanted to create a post sharing resources and things to be aware of if you also love and appreciate our national parks. I will also be sharing ways to advocate and do our part in maintaining the national parks to the best we can.

Things To Be Aware of Moving Forward

Due to the lack of staffing, there may be many changes within major national parks. It’s easy to not always recognize how much these workers contribute to the parks because of how much time and effort goes into caring for these areas. Now more than ever, it will be important for all of us to do our part. There’s a lot we still don’t know but, for now, these are things that may be a result of less staff to assist in maintaining the parks and public lands.

There may be unmaintained trails. With the reduction of staff, some hiking trails may not have their usual attention and care which could mean more fallen trees, rocks, or other obstacles that could interfere with the safety of a trail. Please keep this in mind when exploring and hiking. It will be important to do your own research, look up weather conditions before hiking, and use your best judgement!
More trash and litter. With less workers to care for and manage waste, this could possibly cause litter to accumulate in the park. Please do your part in picking up trash when you see it!
Less search and rescue availability. This is arguably the biggest loss with these new changes. If you run into a safety concern on a hiking trail or within the national park, there may not be help available for you. Again, it will be important to use your best judgement and come prepared with proper gear.
Campground and closures. There could be temporary closures and less campgrounds that can be maintained with less staff. Similarly to other tips, it’s important we are more aware of trash and leaving no trace. It will also be beneficial to check park websites to find out if there are any closures ahead of time when planning a trip.

Things We Can Do

Respect these parks and spaces. This should be the case anyways but with fewer staff, it will even more important to follow rules and respect these places, especially when it comes to wildlife! We are a visitor in their home, which is so important to remember when visiting a protected area like a national park.
Be patient. With fewer staff, national park workers will be even more overworked and understaffed. This could cause an increase in delays, lines, and less help available during your visit.
Sign a petition that helps protect these parks during this time. I will link a petition from the National Park Conservation Association that you can sign if interested. On the website, you’ll find a few different petitions and actions you can sign regarding the matter. Please consider signing or finding out more information on their website.
Call your representatives and share your feelings about the matter.
Volunteer at your local national park or national forest!
Continue to spread awareness about this with others and while visiting national parks moving forward! Share this post, write your own, talk with friends and family about this matter.

I will be sharing more information as we continue to learn more about these changes. National parks are truly so special and I hope we can all make an effort to continue to protect them.

Ways to Romanticize the Slowness of Winter

Published on February 4, 2025September 6, 2025 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

Winter is always the time of year where things slow down and there’s less happening. Years ago, I used to dread this time of year, it’s colder, darker, and the holidays are over. But, throughout the last few years, I’ve learned to make the most of this time and romanticize the slowness this season brings. Here are some of my tips on how to romanticize this time of year.

My Tips

Work on a home project. After the holidays, I always seem to feel inspired to work on a new area of my home. I suspect it’s because the home can look like a blank canvas after the holiday decor is put away, but it’s fun devoting extra time to certain areas within the home.
Have a game night with friends. Since it’s typically colder in the winter months, time inside is more likely to occur. Make it fun with some friends and enjoy a night in together.
Plan a weekend trip. I talked a lot about this in my recent post about prioritizing travel but there’s so much to be said for a weekend trip even if it’s a local trip. Having a fun weekend away or weekend plans can be a great way to romanticize the slowness of the winter season.
Create cozy routines in the home. Since we are more likely to stay in this time of year, creating a routine that’s romanticized is a fun way to make the most of the time. This could be enjoying coffee or tea in the morning with a book, cuddling up on the couch with extra blankets, lighting candles at night to bring in more light, cracking the windows to let in some fresh crisp air, etc. Have fun with this one!
Pick up a new hobby. I’ve had so much fun lately exploring new hobbies such as watercoloring, scrapbooking, embroidering, and practicing with new film cameras. Hobbies are a great way to find life work balance and they also give you more activities to prioritize at home or during slow seasons.
Spend time outdoors. If you live in an area that snows, go for a snowy walk! If not, spend time outside bundled up taking in some fresh air, walks and time in nature are still important in the winter.
Explore new shops, restaurants, or coffee shops in your area. Spend time in a new coffee spot, find a new thrift store, try out a restaurant for a meal, etc. Making the most of indoor activities in the area can be a fun way to romanticize the winter.

Tips On How To Prioritize Travel

Published on January 23, 2025January 23, 2025 by Skylar M. Beck1 Comment

Traveling is something I love because it brings so much to my life and has introduced me to so many amazing places. For the last decade, I’ve made travel a priority in my life even when I’m working full time and balancing other life needs. I truly believe it’s possible and I wanted to create a small guide of some tips on how to prioritize travel for those who would like to travel more in the new year or make it more of a priority.

My Tips

Start close. I would recommend starting with a destination that’s close to your home town if traveling often is new for you. Travel is really whatever you want it to be! Exploring somewhere an hour away could still be exciting and new.
Go on a weekend trip. One of the best ways to start traveling is to plan a weekend trip. Patrick and I love to go away for the weekend and usually are willing to drive up to 6 hours away but even 1-2 hours away, makes for a great weekend getaway! This kind of trip is fun because it’s nice to explore other areas within your home state or a neighboring state. I find weekend trips to be worth prioritizing because it’s a fun way to end the work week and reset yourself before a new week.
Make a list of trip destinations. At the start of every year, Patrick and I like to sit down and plan out some trip ideas we have. This usually includes weekend trips and a longer trip. It gives us something exciting to look forward to and it always helps make travel plans a priority because it’s something we are preparing for.
Create a budget friendly plan. We like to camp which saves some money and we also enjoy outdoor activities which are usually free. We also always drive to our trip destinations within the U.S. Traveling in this way, helps the cost and preparation required which seems to make it more likely for us to plan several trips per year. Additionally, staying with family or a friend while exploring a new area is another great way to save some travel costs.
Start planning early! One of my favorite traditions has become our annual two week road trip that we’ve prioritized for the last four years. There’s a lot of planning that goes into these kinds of trips but because we plan in advance, it creates less stress and makes it a priority for the year.
Create a travel fund. Patrick and I both have a travel fund we contribute to regularly that makes it more manageable to save for trips each year. It really helps make the planning process more realistic and affordable.
Take a day trip. Even if going far away isn’t realistic right now, take some time to explore an area near home that wouldn’t require an overnight accommodation. A day trip is still worth prioritizing and romanticizing! I guarantee there are some fun activities or attractions nearby your home that could be done in a day trip.

Camping is one our favorite budget friendly ways to travel

Where to Start with Trip Planning

Planning a trip should be fun! I recommend starting with a list of places you’d love to go to, this could be bucket list places or places close to home. If a big and far trip is possible, definitely go for it! If you’re looking for starting off slow, I’d recommend pulling up a map and looking around the areas that are closest to your home. This could be neighboring towns, neighboring states, or a place that are within driving distance of a few hours. Once you’ve selected a spot you want to visit, the planning can begin!

Looking For More Tips? Check Out Some Of My Other Posts:

Tips on How to Plan a Trip

Planning a trip can be overwhelming and stressful at times, especially larger trips. The planning process can take time depending on where you’re planning to go. I always recommended planning early if possible to relieve stress and give yourself plenty of time…

How To Take a Road Trip on a Budget

Throughout the last three years, taking a road trip has become Patrick and I’s favorite way to vacation. We’ve seen some incredible places throughout the country and we do so all from our own car, driving across several states. There’s something about…

Camping Essentials for Beginners

I still consider myself new to the camping world. Before I met Patrick, I could count on one hand the amount of times I had camped. Camping became more frequent in my life when Patrick and I started traveling to national parks…

Planning a National Park Trip in 2025

Published on January 8, 2025 by Skylar M. BeckLeave a comment

National park travel has become such an important part of my life and easily my favorite kind of travel. There are currently 63 established national parks in the United States and each year, there are new rules, permits, reservations, and important information you need to know before visiting. Gone are the days of spontaneously showing up to some popular parks and having an impromptu trip. Planning is required to ensure your trip is what you hope and expect it to be! I created this guide, similar to last year’s with important information about certain national parks you may need to know before visiting.

Reservation vs. Park Pass

Many national parks require a park pass to access the park and are typically valid for 7 days. This is still needed on top of any reservation or permit required. I would recommend looking at your desired national park’s website to make sure a park pass is required or not, however, this can be purchased when entering the park. The main difference between the two is a reservation or permit that is required needs to be purchased in advance before trip dates. The entrance kiosks and visitor’s centers will not sell these types of reservations in person.

Types Of Reservations That May Be Required

It’s important to check on park’s websites when and what kind of reservations may be required. Typically, these kinds of reservations are specifically required during peak seasons (summer-fall).

Timed entry. These kind of reservations are becoming more and more popular amongst certain national parks. Although it’s an additional step and hassle in some way, I do believe these are actually helpful in reducing the amount of crowds during certain times of day. It also just helps everyone enjoy and protect the park in the best way! These kind of reservations may give you access to one section of the park, the entirety of the park, a road within the park, etc, depending on the park. If you aren’t able to access a timed entry reservation (if you’re planning a last minute visit) there are ways around this. If the time slot is 6am-4pm, that means if you enter the park BEFORE 6am, you’ll be able to get in. However, if you leave the park at any point before 4pm, you won’t be able to get back in until after 4pm. Similarly, you could access the park after 4pm. I touch on more tips on what to do if you don’t secure a timed entry reservation later in this post.
Vehicle reservation. This kind of reservation varies depending on the park and again, the purpose is to limit the amount of cars gathering in one area or section of the park. For example, in Glacier national park, a vehicle reservation is required to access the ‘going to the sun road’ during certain times of day and seasons.
Hiking permit. This kind of reservation is required when hiking certain trails that are typically more popular. For example, Angel’s landing in Zion national park now requires a permit to complete the entire hike.

Parks that Require Reservations

*as of January 2025*

Acadia National Park, Maine– requires a vehicle reservation to access Cadillac mountain if visiting between May-October. This reservation costs $6 and can be purchased on the park’s website. The park hasn’t officially released 2025 dates required for this permit, but I’m sure they will soon. Check out my blog post about Acadia National park here for more information on the park.
Arches National Park, Utah– requires a timed entry reservation (7am-4pm) between April-October. This year the park is not requiring tickets during some days between July and August. Tickets will be required from 7 am to 4 pm each day between April 1 – July 6 and August 28 – October 31, 2025. This reservation costs $2 per vehicle. Learn more on the park’s website. Check out my blog post about Arches National park here for more information on the park.
Glacier National Park, Montana– requires a vehicle reservation (7am-3pm) in various areas.
- Due to Glacier’s popularity, the park has split the major areas of the park into three sections that ALL require reservations if you plan to visit. Reservations can be made four months before your trip dates and booking will become available starting February 12th, 2025 for this year. All sections require a reservation between the hours of 7am-3pm during June 13-September 28 time frame. The sections within the park that all need a reservation include:
- Going to the sun Road
- North Fork
- Many Glacier

keep in mind, if you plan to visit all three areas of glacier, you may need three different types of reservation tickets. Check out my blog post about Glacier National park here for more information on the park.

Haleakala National Park, Hawaii– requires a vehicle reservation (3am-7am) that costs $1 per vehicle to watch the sun rise above the clouds at Haleakala Summit. Learn more on the park’s website.
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado-requires a timed entry ticket from May through October. RMNP has split the timed entry tickets into two sections:
- Bear Lake corridor, timed entry reservation required to access the bear lake trails + access to the rest of the park, costs $2. Timed entry from 5am-6pm.
- Rest of the park, timed entry reservation for the Rocky Mountains national park, excluding the bear lake trail area, costs $2. Timed entry from 9am-2pm. Check out my blog post about RMNP here for more information on the park.
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia– requires a day use hiking permit if you plan to hike ‘Old Rag trail’ which is one the most popular hikes in the park. Reservations are required from March-November and costs $1 (each person is required to have a ticket). Learn more on the park’s website. Check out my blog post about Shenandoah National park here for more information on the park.
Yosemite National Park, California– the park has changed it’s requirements each year and as of right now, Yosemite hasn’t released the requirements for entrance reservations or permits needed during peak season. I will be sure to update this post when any news is posted. Patrick and I plan to visit Yosemite this year so I will definitely need to have reservation information before visiting! The park has released other types of reservations that are required:
- Horsetail Fall reservation– ticketed entry during the months of February on the weekends of February 8–9, February 15–17, and February 22–23, 2025. Note, this reservation is only required if you plan to visit on the listed days in February. This is a big attraction during the month of February in the park, so the reservations are listed for the weekends. However, if you plan to visit the park during these weekend dates even without going to Horsetail falls, you still need this reservation ticket. This reservation costs $2 and is per vehicle. Purchase tickets on the park’s website.
- Half Dome hiking permit– this popular trail now requires a permit to hike as an attempt to reduce crowds. Learn more about how to obtain a permit through the park’s lottery system here.
Zion National Park, Utah– requires hiking permits for these trails; Angel’s Landing, the Subway, and the Narrows from top-down.
- Angel’s Landing– the park now requires a permit to hike the entirety of this trail (without a permit you can hike all the way to “scout lookout” point). Similarly to Yosemite, permits are selected by a lottery system. It costs $6 to apply and if selected it’s $3 per person to hike this trail. Learn more on the park’s website. Be sure to figure out when the time period is to apply for the permit through the lottery that lines up with your trip dates.
- The Subway- this hike requires a permit if you plan to hike it between the months of April-October and is selected through a lottery system as well. Learn more here.
- The Narrows from top down– the narrows is one of the most incredible hiking experiences within the park! Many visitors hike this from the bottom up (I did!) but if you wish to hike the trail from the top down (16 miles total), you’ll need a wilderness permit. Learn more here. Check out my blog post about Zion National park here for more information on the park.
Mount Rainer National Park, Washington– last year the park decided to require a timed entry reservation for vehicles driving to either the Paradise Corridor and/or the Sunrise Corridor. Reservations were required each day from 7am-3pm from May through September for the Paradise Corridor and July through September for the Sunrise Corridor. Since the park tried this for the first time last year, they haven’t posted if they’ll be doing this again in 2025, I will update this post if they do. Learn more here.

It seems like more parks are trying to implement some kind of reservation system depending on the amount of crowds they see. I would recommend checking any park’s website you plan to visit prior to your trip to determine if any other decisions are made throughout the year to require reservations or permits to access areas.

National Park Checklist

Keep up to date with tracking what national parks you’ve visited! Download my free national park checklist below. I created two versions, horizontal and vertical PDF’s.

National Park checklist horizontal Download

National Park Checklist vertical tpdf Download

Tips & Back Up Solutions

If you don’t get a reservation or if you missed your window to purchase one, here are a few options to still be able to access reserved areas of the park:

Book the reservations as soon as you are able. On the park’s websites, there will be a time when you are able to book. Some parks allow you to book a couple months in advance, and if you miss out, they reopen more reservations 1-2 days before your visit for an additional chance. It can definitely be stressful so I recommend logging on to purchase tickets as soon as the window opens (for example, most tickets become available on the park’s website at 10am EST).
Book a campground. If you book a reservation for a campground within the park, the park counts this as your reservation for timed entry or vehicle reservations, depending on the park. Be sure to check exceptions to purchasing reservation tickets if you are camping in the park. Also note, your campground reservation will only serve as a reservation ticket if the dates you plan to access the park and stay at the campground are the same. (i.e., if you camp one night and move to a hotel, you’ll need a reservation ticket to assess specific areas the days/nights you’re at the hotel and no longer camping).
Enter the park outside the required time. If you can’t purchase timed entry tickets, find ways to experience the park outside of the timed restrictions (i.e., if timed entry reservations start at 6am, enter the park BEFORE 6am). Just keep in mind if you leave the park before the reservation time frame is finished, you won’t be able to go back in until after the time restriction ends. (i.e., if you leave the park at 12pm, and the time restriction ends at 3pm, you won’t be able to go back into that area of the park until AFTER 3pm).
Do some research to determine which areas, activities, and hikes you may want to do that require reservations.
Keep in mind, when timed entry reservation periods end, there are crowds trying to access the park, arrive early in kiosk lines to ensure you don’t have to spend too much time stuck in line.