Ultimate Sightseeing Guide to Boston | TRAVELTOBER

Here's another personal highlight of mine in this little Autumn "Traveltober" series for you. Last year when we went to Boston, I totally fall in love with this beautiful city. So, I decided to write the "Ultimate Sightseeing Guide to Boston" with my favourite things to do in Boston. This post also includes some "you can skip that"-points.

Let's start with my favourites!

Sky Walk Observatory

Every time I visit a new City I love to climb on a high building and check out the view from above. Most of the time you get a stunning view and get to know the place from an different angle. And the side effect: you get a better orientation - what is where? So of course Boston offers also a very nice lookout: The Sky Observatory.
It's not very crowded, you have the most amazing view and the see the whole City - the airport, Fenway Park, Downtown, the Harbour and a lot more. 
My tip: go at sunset or when the sun rises - the light will be gorgeous!  

Freedom Trail

You're just a day or two in town and you want to see as much as possible? Than the Freedom Trail is your best friend. You can do this walk in a day or just in 2 hours if you're in a rush and see most of the sightseeing attraction in Boston. Start at Boston Common (Site note: it's America's oldest public park) and follow the 2.5 miles long red line through Boston to the Bunker Hill Monument. You will pass the Quincy Market, some really old cool building, the State House, the Paul Revere House and a lot more. You learn things about Boston itself, its history and about the history of the U.S. And it's a really fun thing to do. 

Down below I put together a mal via Googlemap for you. The purple line shows you the path of the Boston Freedom Trail and each important stop on the Trail I marked with a pink-organge pin. 

       

Quincy Market

So I mentioned the Quincy Market before in the section of the Freedom Trail. But I think it's worth writing about in an extra section. Go inside and checkout the variety of food stalls. You will find the typical Lobster from Boston or exotic Asia food. The building itself is gorgeous, go upstairs and checkout the sitting-and-eating-area. 

Beacon Hill

To get to know Boston without experience the elegant neighbourhood "Beacon Hill" is impossible! The old red brick houses are a must-see. Wander around or follow the Black Heritage way to lern something about the African American history. Beacon Hill still is in another century, every things slows down over here. You will love it! 
My tip: the most instagramable street is the "Acorn Street", it's the famous old street out of bricks (the one in the teaser above :)). 

Boston Harbor

Follow the Harborwalk and discover a lot of sight which are located here at the Boston Harbor. You will pass the Boston Tea Party Ship (more about that - scroll down!), the New England Aquarium and little sweet fisher boats. You can also get on a boat for some whale watching or a harbour cruise. There are also a lot of places where you can get a yummy snack on your way. Just enjoy the sea and the atmosphere. 

Boston Public Garden

This is my last sightseeing tip for you - visit Boston Public Garden, a green oasis in the middle of the city. You stroll around or have a litte picknick. Enjoy the nature and watch the squirrels chase a nut.  

Dont's

40 Berkley Hostel

Let's begin with where we stayed. I don't know if you have noticed, but Hotels in Boston are so freaking expensive. We decided to save the many and booked the "40 Berkley Hostel". We payed for two nights about 250$. The hostel was okay, but for this money there are much nicer Hostels and Hotels out there. It's nothing special and not the cleanest. The rooms are simple and have old furniture in it. Good location with a 7/11 right across the street. 

Bunker Hill Monument during the Freedom Trail

If you don't have a lot of time, but want to do the Freedom Trail you can skip the Bunker Hill Monument at the end of the trail (if you start at Boston Common). It's a nice neighbourhood with nice houses and the Monument is also nice to look at. But it's nothing too special. So, don't be afraid to skip this sightseeing stop. 

Boston Tea Party Ship

When you think about Boston one of the first things which come to mind is the famous Boston Tea Party. At Boston Harbour you will find a replica of the original ship of the Tea Party. But in my opinion $28 for adult ticket is definitely too much and it's not worth it. You can look at it from the outside and for me this was totally fine. 

Looking for a nice place to have breakfast - read here. Or want to see a little bit about the city - watch my travel vlog here.

My favorite places to travel to in Autumn | TRAVELTOBER

First things first: Sorry that there was no post on Friday. But my beloved laptop has gone bye bye. Kind of a funny story actually (...not), Friday was my first day of writing my bachelor thesis. I was ready to start the day and then my macbook decided to retire a bit too early. After a lot of cries I am back on my old laptop from 2010. 
So, there will be new blog posts, but no new videos in the next weeks. Just to let you know :).

Of course the first written post has to be about where to travel to during the magical time of autumn. So let’s get cracking, because I have a huge list of favorite places I love to visit when leaves turn red.

// USA //

Who am I kidding, who’s got the best autumn/Halloween decoration in the world? Right, the USA. Sometimes going totally overboard with it – but it’s absolute fantastic! So of course this country is at the top of my list. But the decorations aren’t the only thing I love in the US during autumn.

The landscape at the Northeast coast is pretty amazing too. Last year I fell in love with New England:  Boston, Acadia National Park and WhiteMountains. AMAZING! (By the way, did you watch Wednesdays new Travel Vlog? No? Than click here.)
This area is famous for a lovely autumn, and the reason is called Fall Foliage or Indian Summer. The leaves turn into the most stunning colors of red and orange. You have a lot of little Harvest Festivals and Fairs. Everybody is celebrating this time of the year and the light, especially in the evening with all the different colors is just magical.  

However, I love to visit New York City in the fall, too.  It gets cozier, the City snuggles up and get out the decorations. You still can have beautiful walks around (the Central Park happen to be a very good place to have a stroll around), get a spicy drink and wander around the bookstores to find a perfect book for the fall. 

// Europe //

But now let’s leave the States and have a look around Europe. Here you will find also some pretty cool places to visit during autumn.

UK

Of course we have to start in the UK. Famous for a lot of rain and foggy weather. Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes and a lot of other great movies are taking place in the rainy UK.  In autumn you can actually stroll around misty London through all the little alleys like the famous Sherlock Holmes does in the movies. You can have Afternoon Tea and a Roast Dinner. I really like London during this time of the year. The vibe in this city is changing, it gets a bit mystical and of course cozy, but also things are slowing down a little bit in the fog.

When you have a day to spare, hop on the train to Brighton. It’s an hour to an hour and a half long ride down to the seaside town. Even when you can’t get your towel out to have a little sunbath, you can wander along the beach and breath in the cold clear air (Life is better at the beach!). Afterwards you can head into town, have a look in the little independent shops and drink a hot chocolate to warm you up.

The next place I have to put on my list is Edinburgh. A little confession: I haven’t been there yet. We are heading there in November. However, I think I really really going to like this place and I can’t wait to share all of our adventures with you – we’ve got some cool stuff planned!

Germany

You shouldn’t forget to look around in your own country to find beautiful places. For me it’s Germany. So let’s start in the North of this country.

I was born and grew up in Bremen. A lot of my childhood memories took place during autumn. Having the time of my childhood life in the “Bürgerpark” (a reeeally huge park in the middle of the city, a bit like the Central Park), collecting chestnuts, visiting the boars and jumping in big puddles with my wellies. You can make a trip to cool museums like the “Universe” or the “Fogge Museum”. Bremen is very special to me during autumn.

The German island in the North Sea are really popular during summer. But if you a fan of cold wind and rough sea (like me) than you will be perfectly happy to be at Sylt or Amrum during a typical autumnal storm. I love the feeling to get back to our cozy holiday home after a long walk at the beach – you can feel the salt at your skin and put off your head. (…. see, I really don’t like the heat!)

Let’s take a huge jump to the very South of Germany. I lived in Constance for a few years and autumn at the lake is gorgeous. But of course you can see so much more: have a little trip to Constance, Meersburg or Lindau. You can also visit one of the many castles in this area, especially for kids it’s super fun. There’s for example the Burg Hohentwiel in Singen.

Last tip I want to share with you is actually right in front of me. When I look out my living room windows I see the Black Forest. You won’t find a lot of broadleaf trees, but instead you will see many fir trees – this why this forest is called the “BLACK forest”. You can go on a lot of hikes and have the most incredible overlooks. A lot of people come here for a weekend getaway all year around.

So these are  my favourite places to travel to during autumn. Which are yours? Tell me in the comments!

#traveltober ... if you want to see more cool autumnal pictures, follow me on Instagram: @travelwithsteffi 

Acadia National Park, Maine USA - Travel Vlog | TRAVELTOBER

Welcome back to another episode of TRAVELTOBER. Today I have another travel vlog for you: Acadia National Park, Maine USA. If you have already read my blog post about the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain, you know it was my absolute favourite experience during our journey through New England last year. 

So now, you can see the stunning sunrise yourself, I catched it with my camera (Yeah me :)). Besides that we explored the Ocean Path at the south end of the island. 

So don't hesitate and come along ...

H e l l o A u t u m n || #TRAVELTOBER

Lads and Gents I’ve got a special announcement for you today!

But first of all: for god sakes, the summer is over! HipHipHurra! For me autumn is my favorite time of the year. Pumpkin Spice Latte, candles, rain and autumn storms, more pumpkins, colored leaves and it’s pretty chilly outside. I really really really do not like heat, summer is hell for me. A lot of people do spa days in the sauna to relax – I go outside to feel the cold clear air on my face. So, this lovely new season is finally here. 

And what is better, than to combine two of my favorite things? Autumn and Travel. I really wanted to this for a long time: I will do a #TRAVELTOBER. What is that you may ask yourself. I will post a new blogpost every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during October. Starting on the 2^nd  and ending on the 31^th.

The post will be all about travel in autumn. I will show you some really cool places all around the world, you really shouldn’t miss during this time of the year. You may also find a few sneaky little videos. 
Also, come and join me on Instagram, I will post a lot of autumn themed pictures and we can share our favorite places.

Hope to see you W E D N E S D A Y! Xxx S

P.S.: if you want to see more cool fall things, follow me on Pinterest, there is a lot going on 😏🍂

➸ "The Birthplace of America" : Lexington & Concord, MA USA

Happy 4th of July everybody! For all the people who don't know what I am talking about: today is better known as the Independence Day in the US. 

For this especial occasion I have cool post for you: last year I've been to dragged by my boyfriend (he's a history and English major) to a little town called Lexington. But why is this town so special to the US history and why does it make to a special post on the 4th of July? Let me tell you ... 

The towns Lexington and Concord are famous for nothing less than being the "Birthplace of America". A pretty big burden right? But why is that? 

In Lexington took place the first fight in the American Revolutionary War between the British and the Patriots - "the Minutemen"- on the 19th April 1775. You can still visit the battle field today - the "Battle Green". Of course nowadays it's a beautiful well-groomed field with a statue of Captain Parker in the middle of the town. For everybody who's wondering: Captain Parker was the leader of the Minutemen in this battle. The first shot in this battle is known as the "shot heard 'round the world" (Ralph Waldo Emerson in his "Concord Hymn"). After this first battle, the British went on to the town of Concord. The road they took is called today "the Battle Road". 

When you walk through Lexington you will discover a lot of old (some more than 200 years!) and beautiful houses from the colonial era. For example the visit center is located in one of these houses. Also the oldest tavern in Lexington: the Buckman Tavern, which is open for tours from spring to fall. The interior today is pretty much the same as back in the days when the tavern was the headquarters of the Patriots. Another beautiful house is the Lexington Depot (the picture right after this section), which was built in 1847 and was once the social center of Lexington.

Are interested in a tour around the Battle Green? Than it's your lucky day! There are FREE tours on the weekends from April and May, and also daily from Memorial Day until the 30th October. For more information visit the website of the visitor center in Lexington. 

➸ Explore the Big Sur National Park, California USA

When you spend some time on Instagram or Pinterest, you have probably come across a picture with the wonderful view like the picture above. 

Did you ever wonder where that picture was taken? The answer is very simple: at the very instagramable Julia Pfeiffer Beach at the Big Sur State Park in the middle of California. The Big Sur is located right at the famous Highway No. 1 in the middle of Cali - THE road to take, when you're off to an road trip through California. 

What else can you explore at the Big Sur? 

Let's talk about the Highway No.1 at first. You're driving right next to the seaside at have the most stunning view at the breath taking colours of the ocean, the cliffs and just the nature. For all the drivers: don't be worry - you're not gonna miss something, there are plenty of lookout points with parking space, where you can enjoy the view, too. 

One gorgeous lookout is right behind the Bixby Creek Bridge. The bridge was built in 1932 and is 79m high. The bridge fits perfectly in the landscape and makes the view even more stunning. ... and of course it's a perfect spot to take breathtaking pictures. 

When you don't just want to be at the cliffs, but also down at the beach, I have a few options for you:

At the Jade Cove you can take a steep trail down to a nice bay. You wonder why the bay is called "Jade Cove"? That's because you can actually find jade down there - BUT unfortunately it is forbidden to take it home. 

At the Andrew Molera State Park you will not only find a lot of different hiking trails, but also sandy beaches which are 4 km long. 

Where to watch a good old sunset? 

Watching the sun saying goodbye is never getting boring, right? We watched a pretty one at the Pfeiffer Beach. The road down the is kind of adventures, but totally worth it. ( I have the feeling that I have a thing for beaches hidden like that :D ) It's not a big beach, but the sand is white and there are a huge rocks in the water. It's a cool vibe down there, so perfect to end the day with a pretty sunset.  

Where to sleep at the Big Sur?

This is also a very simple answer: at the Big Sur Campground & Cabins  - it's a beautiful camping side in the woods, some grounds are located right by the river. A little path will take you to the little "village" and with little I mean little. There are literally one store and a bar. 

If you want to read more about California, you will find here a post about the lovely town Carmel-by-the-Sea in Northern California. Feel free to leave any tipps for the Big Sur in the comments!