Purple-toned illustration of the Golden Gate Bridge with mountains, a steamboat, and people on a wooden pier.
Colorful autumn fallen leaves in shades of red, orange, yellow, and green covering the ground in fall season.
A majestic bald eagle with white head and yellow beak stands alert against a blurred forest background.
A barn owl with white heart-shaped face and golden-brown wings perches on a wooden branch against a dark background.
Black and white low-angle view looking up a tall tree trunk into a canopy of spreading branches and leaves.
A winding mountain road cuts through rocky cliffs and pine trees under a bright blue sky with white clouds.
A bobcat stands on a fallen log surrounded by lush green grass in a sunlit outdoor setting.
Historic brick buildings line a street beside a steel arch bridge at dusk with dramatic purple clouds overhead.
A white budgerigar perched on a branch against a blue background.
Haystack Rock and sea stacks reflected on wet sand at Cannon Beach, Oregon under a blue sky.
Colorful pastel beachfront buildings line the shore of Capitola Village, California, with a pier and blue sky backdrop.
A wet dock extends over a calm mountain lake surrounded by autumn foliage under a cloudy sky.
Sunlight bursting through green sugarcane leaves against a bright blue sky, viewed from below.
A vibrant blue and white columbine flower blooms among lush green foliage in a natural garden setting.
A narrow dirt trail winds through a lush green pine forest with tall trees and vibrant undergrowth.
Close-up of an elephant's wrinkled, mud-covered face showing textured gray skin and eye detail.
A scenic autumn forest path with vibrant red, yellow, and green trees under a bright blue sky.
Rocky mountain stream flows under a rustic wooden bridge surrounded by lush green pine trees on a sunny day.
Misty foggy park landscape with green grass and trees fading into white fog on an overcast day.
Black and white winter landscape with snow-covered evergreen trees and a majestic mountain peak under a cloudy sky.
A scenic mountain peak rises above lush green meadows and pine forests under a bright blue sky with white clouds.
Stunning turquoise pool reflects multiple cascading waterfalls surrounded by lush green trees at Hanging Lake, Colorado.
An Inca tern bird with red beak and feet perched on a rock with rocky background.
Sunlit rocky canyon with lush green trees and a winding river below under a clear blue sky.
Black and white close-up photo of a blooming magnolia flower surrounded by lush green leaves.
A meerkat stands upright on its hind legs, alert and watchful, against a lush green bokeh background.
Babcock Theatre marquee lit up at dusk displaying The Land of Giants and Christmas shows in downtown Billings, Montana.
Autumn river landscape at sunset with golden trees, rocky shores, and purple sky in a serene mountain valley.
A misty autumn road winds through a dense forest with vibrant yellow and green foliage under an overcast sky.
A winding paved path leads through towering red rock formations at Garden of the Gods, Colorado, under a pastel sunset sky.
Black and white photo of a white swan preening its feathers, with its graceful neck curved downward.
Two prairie dogs standing upright near their burrow surrounded by lush green grass and wildflowers.
Stunning sunset over a vast autumn landscape with golden trees, rocky terrain, and sun rays bursting through dramatic clouds.
View from inside a cafe of the iconic Pike Place Public Market Center neon sign at dusk in Seattle, WA.
Black and white photo of a woman crossing a steep San Francisco street with city buildings in the background.
Red aerial tramway gondola glides over snow-dusted rocky canyon mountains against a clear blue winter sky.
Close-up of a Shoebill stork with blue-gray plumage and large bill perched among green tropical leaves.
Black and white photo of Seattle Space Needle towering above trees against a cloudy sky.
Red rock formations at Garden of the Gods with snow-capped Pikes Peak and dramatic cloudy sky in Colorado Springs.
Under a weathered ocean pier with algae-covered wooden pillars standing in blue-green shallow water at low tide.
A vintage street lamp post surrounded by blurred autumn tree branches against a pale winter sky.
Vibrant magenta peony flower with golden yellow stamens blooming in a lush green garden.
Soft pink rose in full bloom with a small bud beside it, set against a lush green garden background.
Colorful spinning carnival ride glows at night fair with crowds of people walking around illuminated amusement park attractions.
Silhouette of a lone pine tree against a vibrant purple and orange sunset sky over an open field.
Colorful ferris wheel and carnival rides light up the night sky at a busy outdoor fair with crowds of people.
A small bird peers out from a hollow cavity in a large tree trunk, surrounded by lush green leaves.
Blue ocean waves rolling in misty sea water, creating a serene and tranquil seascape with gentle whitecaps.
Black and white macro photo of two water droplets hanging from pine needles with soft shadow reflections.
Scenic two-lane highway winding toward a sharp mountain peak with snow, flanked by evergreen trees under blue sky.
Pink cherry blossom flowers and buds blooming on tree branches in spring.

Why USA?


Well, this one is an easy one for me to answer! I live here.


For those coming to visit the States, many people can only see a small percentage of the country with each trip. And I mean, it's huge! You can visit the beaches of the Carolinas, explore New York City, take in the beautiful fall colors of the Northeast, or visit some of Florida's famous parks—and that's just the East Coast!


And once you've seen one coast, you really haven't seen them all. The East Coast, Southern Gulf Coast, and West Coast are all vastly different, each with their own landscapes, cultures, food, and history. The United States has multiple mountain ranges, rivers ranging from tiny streams to massive waterways, and enough different ecosystems and regional cultures to make it feel like you're visiting several different countries without ever crossing a national border.


The land truly is beautiful, from sea to shining sea.


My advice for those visiting? Don't skip the small towns. Do your homework, of course, but give yourself permission to wander beyond the major destinations. Big cities offer countless reasons to visit, but smaller towns boast adorable boutiques, restaurants serving homemade dishes, unexpected little treasures, and some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.


Sometimes the best parts of a trip are the places you didn't know you were looking for.


PS the map below is only sharing bigger points of interest - this in no way includes all the places we have been!

Map of Greece highlighting travel destinations with text 'Where the journey took me.' on a teal illustrated map.

A few notes from our travels:


Places to Have Coffee

  • Milly's Community Café in Aurora, Colorado. This is our spot. Everything about it is amazing. Address: 15600 E Alameda Pkwy, Aurora, CO 80017
  • Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Company in Santa Cruz, California. They have, hands down, the best blended coffees we have ever had. Address: 1330 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, California 95060
  • The Pearl in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Delicious coffee in a quaint historical building with the old soda shop feel. Highly recommend you get their chocolate covered espresso beans while you're there. Address: 207 Pearl St, La Crosse, WI 54601

Places to Eat

  • Harriet and Oak in Rapid City, South Dakota. This place literally converted me from a pancake girly to a waffle girly. They also have great coffee. Address: 329 Main St #1, Rapid City, SD 57701
  • Gianfranco Ristorante Italiano in Snoqualmie, Washington. Huge portions of delicious Italian food. Address: 8150 Railroad Ave C, Snoqualmie, WA 98065
  • Crawfish Chef in Kent, Washington. When my husband and I say we want seafood, this is what we mean. Their crab boil lives rent-free in our memories. Address: 21022 108th Ave SE, Kent, WA 98031

Ready to explore the USA through my lens?