As a Swedish and Finnish travel writer, it is a bit difficult to get in the right state of mind to feature something Norwegian on anchored & adrift. They have an irritating amount of oil, impressively ugly trolls (compare this to, for example, Finland’s most famous trolls), some of Scandinavia’s best snaps, and an unfortunately high amount of Winter Olympic gold medals per capita. Generally I ignore their existence altogether unless something Nordic comes up on the world stage, and then we all amicably band together like an ABBA reunion tour. But, what I do in fact enjoy (and less-grudgingly admire) about that side of the Scandinavian Peninsula are the incredible fjords that dominate the coast of Norway. Here’s how to get your fjelltur, or mountain adventure, to the Norwegian fjords started. Continue reading “Fjelltur into the Fjords: A Starter Pack for Norway’s Most Dramatic Sights”
From anchored & adrift’s current HQ in San Francisco, it seems like everyone went to Hawai’i for the holidays. Some had a particular island or even a particular resort they always visited and continued to frequent, and some had the island chosen for them because of a wedding, a family gathering, or another event. But if you have never planned your own trip to Hawai’i, where should you start? With eight main islands (and 137 recognized islands total) it can be overwhelming to try to pick one lush, tropical oasis over the other. Continue reading “Hawaiian Holiday: There’s Something for Everyone in Blue O’ahu “
San Francisco is still developing its brand as turnaround port for major cruise lines, but it has always been a true destination city, topping travel bucket lists globally. With a new, convenient cruise terminal just steps away from the heart of the city -which, when occupied, also serves as an unavoidable reminder for all waterfront visitors to look into cruising- and all the attractions the City by the Bay has to offer, experiencing SF as a home port is a delight for any experienced or new cruiser.
Continue reading “From the Bay Area to the Open Ocean: Cruising from San Francisco”
Helsinki is truly a jewel in the crown of Nordic capitals, but is often overshadowed by its sister cities. Sweden gets billed as a socialist paradise, Norway gets name recognition through the cruise and airline, and Denmark is really pushing the hygge thing in an uhyggeligt fashion. So, what about Finland?
Continue reading “Oh Well, I’m Going to Hel…sinki”
Being Swedish, and Sweden being a popular tourism destination, I regularly get asked for recommendations on where to go, whether in a city or throughout the country. The issue? The people requesting recommendations usually want to “do Sweden” in about three days. I get it- vacation days, hard-earned travel funds, and limited points are precious commodities and the world is pretty big. So Sweden in three days it is.
anchored & adrift has temporarily relocated from Washington, DC to San Francisco for one month. In this Destination Deep Dive series I share what not to miss in SF from my after work and weekend adventures.
Sunshine, clear skies, and warm weather make for a good weekend. Add an all-terrain adventure and you’ve got a great one. Yesterday, I headed to East Bay to meet a friend and Oakland resident for an insider look at life on the other side of the Bay Bridge. Continue reading “Destination Deep Dive: SF – A Day in East Bay”
Washington, DC, a top destination for foreign and domestic visitors alike, is consistently at the top of listings of the fittest cities in the US. While sticking to a workout plan while traveling can be tough, the proliferation of gyms and boutique fitness studios in the city can be can be an opportunity to try something new or attend a destination class.
The keywords to describe health in northwest DC are luxury, boutique, and niche. In addition to local, multilocation gyms like Balance and Vida, group fitness classes are the name of the game. From Zumba and cycling to Piloxing and Pound, DC has it all. For travelers, the great thing about these classes is you can often take a free first class or week, or buy just a single class or a small class package if you’re staying longer, instead of subscribing to a monthly membership. Continue reading “Sign Me Up: Where to Work Out During a Trip to the Fittest City in the US”
From the title, it may seem like I have given myself an impossible task (the cold weather edition of visiting a city in Canada, really?), but in Toronto’s defense and from experience with many northern summers, the city is probably a very different place in the summer with an abundance of rooftop bars, open markets, outdoor events, a beautiful waterfront, and even a beach/dock fusion situation. So this fall/winter Toronto travel post focuses on what’s best for brief outdoor walks or activities with plenty of options to warm up inside. Continue reading “Toronto in 48 Hours: Cold Weather Edition”
The streetcar track runs through the center of St. Charles Avenue, on a grassy strip of land between each direction of the road. Joggers run on the narrow area of grass that separates the two streetcar tracks, because the sidewalks are too uneven to safely exercise on. After all boarding passengers have inserted $1.25, the streetcar jerks to life and heads toward the next stop. While our elevated seats provide great views of stately mansions on St. Charles, and tourists snap photos of the streetcar as it goes by, the old world ride is only graceful on film. Our ride is rickety and slow, and as the driver winds a joystick back and forth, the engine and breaks shudder and groan as we continue toward the bustling French Quarter. The lights flicker on and off, and the stop requested signal interrupts any streetcar-induced reverie like a blaring alarm. This is New Orleans. Continue reading “A Big, Easy Weekend: While City Systems Fail, New Orleans Culture Is Wonderfully Alive”
With my day already starting with Russian real estate development, it was time to head out to St. Petersburg’s countryside to observe the land use of the tsars. Our destination: Catherine’s Palace. Continue reading “A Catherine the Great-Inspired 36 Hours in St. Petersburg: Day 2 at Catherine’s Palace”
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