Favorite Tours & Activities

The experiences that made my trips — glacier climbs, sunrise lakes, via ferratas, and the helicopter rides worth every penny.

My audience has always booked experiences over hotels, so here are the tours and activities I’d do again in a heartbeat — every single one I’ve done myself. Where a booking link exists, it’s an affiliate link; a few operators only book direct, and I’ve noted those.

Some links on this page are affiliate links — if you book through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep the blog running. Thank you!

Alaska

5 experiences

Cassie paddleboarding in front of the icebergs at Knik Glacier, Alaska

Alaska

Knik Glacier Paddleboarding

We paddled across a glacial lagoon with the Knik Glacier towering over us. One of the wildest things I’ve ever done — a full family-trip highlight.

A brown bear near a floatplane at Redoubt Bay

Alaska

Redoubt Bay Bear Viewing by Floatplane

Bears, up close, from a floatplane. Watching brown bears fish and roam below us was unreal.

Cassie with her family in front of the glacier on the Kenai Fjords cruise

Seward, Alaska

Kenai Fjords Glacier Cruise

Calving glaciers, sea otters, whales — this cruise from Seward packs so much into one day on the water.

Cassie on the Bering Sea crab fishermen's tour from Ketchikan, Alaska

Ketchikan, Alaska

Bering Sea Crab Tour

I did the Bering Sea crab fishermen’s tour from Ketchikan — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

Cassie riding the White Pass railway from Skagway, Alaska

Skagway, Alaska

White Pass Railway & Emerald Lake

I rode the White Pass railway from Skagway toward Emerald Lake — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

Iceland

4 experiences

Group photo inside the blue ice of the Katla ice cave, Iceland

Iceland

Katla Ice Cave Tour

Walking inside a glacier’s blue ice cave felt like being inside a sapphire. Every Iceland winter should include this.

Ice climbing up a glacier wall in Iceland

Iceland

Glacier Ice Climb + Glacier Walk

I swung ice tools into a glacier wall on a girls trip — then we walked the glacier itself. Bucket-list in the truest sense.

Still dark water inside a rocky grotto at Sky Lagoon, Iceland

Reykjavík, Iceland

Sky Lagoon 7-Step Ritual

The infinity-edge lagoon is gorgeous, but the hot-and-cold 7-step ritual is what makes this feel like a full spa experience instead of just a soak.

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Wooden footbridge over the milky-blue water at the Blue Lagoon

Reykjanes, Iceland

Blue Lagoon

I stayed at the Silica Hotel, the Blue Lagoon’s hotel, and loved having the mineral-rich water right outside. The main lagoon is iconic for a reason.

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Banff (Alberta)

2 experiences

Crossing the suspension bridge on the Mt. Norquay via ferrata, Banff

Banff, Alberta

Mt. Norquay Via Ferrata

The Banff via ferrata climbs right above town with views across the Bow Valley. A great pick if a via ferrata sounds intimidating.

Group overlooking Moraine Lake and the Ten Peaks at sunrise

Banff, Alberta

Moraine Lake Private Sunrise Tour

We watched the sun light up the Ten Peaks before the crowds arrived. If you only splurge on one thing in Banff, make it this.

New England

1 experience

A rail bike on the Granite State Scenic Railway tracks in Lincoln, New Hampshire

Lincoln, New Hampshire

Granite State Scenic Railway Rail Bike

I rode this through the White Mountains in September 2026. The pedal-assisted trip follows the Pemigewasset River and turns a scenic rail route into an experience of its own.

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The West

4 experiences

Two climbers on the Telluride via ferrata high above the valley

Telluride, Colorado

Telluride Via Ferrata

A cliffside climb with serious exposure and Telluride spread out below you. I’ve done a few via ferratas now — this one holds its own.

Cassie paddling a clear kayak at Sand Harbor, Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe (Sand Harbor)

Clear Kayak Tour

I paddled a clear kayak over Sand Harbor’s crystal-clear water — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

Cassie riding an e-bike along Lake Tahoe's east shore

Lake Tahoe’s East Shore

E-Bike Ride

I rode an e-bike along Lake Tahoe’s east shore — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

Cassie off-roading on the Red Mountain tour near Silverton, Colorado

Silverton, Colorado

Red Mountain Off-Road Tour

I went off-roading around Silverton — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

Europe

7 experiences

The Colosseum in Rome under a bright sky

Rome, Italy

Vatican + Colosseum Skip-the-Line Tour

Skip-the-line is not a luxury in Rome, it’s a necessity. This combo covered both icons in one day without the hours-long waits.

A glass-roofed dinner boat cruising the Seine beneath the Eiffel Tower at night

Paris, France

Seine Dinner Cruise

Dinner on the Seine turned the city’s landmarks into the backdrop: the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, and the Louvre all lit up as we cruised past.

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The standing stones at Stonehenge beneath a wide sky

From London, England

Stonehenge Day Trip

Stonehenge is an easy add-on from London, and seeing the stones in person delivers a completely different sense of scale than any photo.

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Snow-covered peaks surrounding Jungfraujoch, the Top of Europe

Bernese Oberland, Switzerland

Jungfraujoch: Top of Europe

The ride up is half the adventure: cable car, cogwheel train, then glacier views from Europe’s highest railway station. It earns every bit of the Top of Europe name.

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Monet's garden in Giverny, France

Giverny, France

Monet’s Garden Day Trip

I visited Monet’s garden in Giverny on a day trip from Paris — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

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Cassie in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, France

Versailles, France

Palace of Versailles Tour

I toured the Palace of Versailles from Paris — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

Cassie in a Cotswolds village on a private day trip from London, England

London, England

Cotswolds & Bath Private Day Trip

I did a private Cotswolds and Bath day trip from London — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

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New Zealand

2 experiences

A helicopter landed below the hanging glacier at Earnslaw Burn

Queenstown, New Zealand

Earnslaw Burn Helicopter + Picnic

We flew by helicopter to a picnic beneath a hanging glacier — no hiking required, just jaw-dropping. Still one of my favorite days of travel ever.

Glowworm caves tour in Te Anau, New Zealand

Te Anau, New Zealand

Te Anau Glowworm Caves Tour

I did the glowworm caves tour in Te Anau — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

The Bahamas

1 experience

A swimming pig wading through clear turquoise water in Exuma

Exuma, The Bahamas

Swimming Pigs Tour

Swimming with Exuma’s famous pigs is every bit as fun as it looks. The boat day adds island-hopping, bright turquoise water, and plenty more than one photo stop.

Kentucky & Tennessee

3 experiences

Cassie on the limestone via ferrata in Red River Gorge, Kentucky

Kentucky

Red River Gorge Via Ferrata

Steep limestone, big exposure, Kentucky’s Red River Gorge. A legit adventure in an unexpected place.

Kayakers on glowing blue water inside a flooded underground mine

Red River Gorge, Kentucky

The Gorge Underground Crystal Kayaking

Kayaking through a flooded mine with crystal-clear water under you — eerie and gorgeous at the same time.

Burgess Falls waterfall in Tennessee

Tennessee

Burgess Falls Kayaking

A waterfall-finish paddle that’s pure Tennessee summer. Simple, beautiful, and worth the drive.

Finland

4 experiences

Dog sledding across the snow at sunset near Ivalo, Finland

Ivalo, Finland

Dog Sledding

Huskies, silence, and snow as far as you can see. Dog sledding in Ivalo was the Finland winter moment I’ll never forget.

Reindeer in the snow in Ivalo, Finland

Ivalo, Finland

Reindeer Sleigh Ride

A reindeer-pulled sleigh through the snow — quiet, old-world Lapland.

Snowmobiles lined up on a snowy trail in Ivalo, Finland

Ivalo, Finland

Snowmobile Safari

Full-throttle across snowy forest trails — and this one stops to meet and feed reindeer, with lunch included.

A driver racing an ice kart around a snowy circuit in Ivalo

Ivalo, Finland

Ice Karting

Sliding a kart around a frozen track was the most playful part of our Finland girls trip. It is fast, competitive, and absolutely worth bundling into a winter day outside.

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Hawaii

3 experiences

Cassie paddleboarding on a private Mahina outing on Oahu, Hawaii

Oahu, Hawaii

Mahina Private Outing

I did a private outing with Mahina on Oahu — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

Cassie on a doors-off helicopter tour over Oahu, Hawaii

Oahu, Hawaii

Doors-Off Helicopter Tour

I did a doors-off helicopter tour over Oahu — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

Wild Side boat tour on Oahu's west side, Hawaii

Oahu, Hawaii

Wild Side Boat Tour

I went out with Wild Side on Oahu’s west side — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

Switzerland

4 experiences

Cassie at the Schilthorn summit above Interlaken, Switzerland

Interlaken, Switzerland

Schilthorn Excursion

I went up Schilthorn from Interlaken, Piz Gloria and all — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

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Cassie riding a mountain cart at Grindelwald First, Switzerland

Grindelwald, Switzerland

Grindelwald First Mountain Carts

I rode mountain carts down from Grindelwald First — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

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Cassie on a boat cruise on Lake Brienz, Switzerland

Lake Brienz, Switzerland

Lake Brienz Boat Cruise

I cruised Lake Brienz — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

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Cassie riding the funicular up Harder Kulm above Interlaken, Switzerland

Interlaken, Switzerland

Harder Kulm Funicular

I rode the funicular up Harder Kulm above Interlaken — it earned its spot on my favorites list.

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