While I was traveling this past summer, I unfortunately did not have this blog at the time. There are definitely some places that I visited, that I would love to share more about.
One of my favorite places along Route 66 was a small mountain town called Oatman.
I had never heard of the place until I started doing research on different landmarks and places to visit along Route 66. The more I read, the more I knew I had to check it out. The town draws in over 500,000 visitors per year. Since the latest fascination with Route 66, it has caused the town to develop an ever-growing profit off of tourism.
Oatman is an old mining town located in the Black Mountains in Mohave County Arizona. 10 million dollars worth of gold was discovered there in 1915. The town was named after Olive Oatman, a young girl who was kidnapped and held as a slave by a Native American Tribe only to be later sold to a friendly Tribe, then released to her family. You can see her face plastered across many signs in Oatman.
It is quite the journey getting to Oatman. It's a very long, twisting road that goes up and down for miles until you finally reach the town. There are several shops, restaurants, and "museums" to check out. They also put on staged shootouts! The Oatman Hotel is also located here. It was the honeymoon destination for Clark Gable and his third wife Carole Lombard. It is also said to be haunted. Tours are available to see the hotel and the room they occupied. The part that stuck out the most to me were the burros. These burros roam the town on streets and walkways. They are the direct descendants of the burros who helped during the 1915 gold rush. They are pretty friendly and appreciate when you feed them. Burro food is available at most shops for $1/bag. Word of caution: if you take your pet along with you, I would be careful. Burros will attack dogs if they feel threatened in any way, otherwise they are very friendly. The baby burro in the picture below, I was able to touch. The mother didn't seem to mind. I left Ruby in the car with the a/c running. She was being a pain in the butt that day anyway lol
I went at the beginning of August (morning time) and there were not many people there. It was extremely hot. They had also recently experienced some heavy rainfall that left a lot of mess to be cleaned up. There are less than 150 people who actually live in Oatman. Most of the people that work there live in neighboring towns. The people there are very friendly and if you have any questions about the area, they are definitely the ones to ask.
Overall I really enjoyed it. I had breakfast at the Olive Oatman restaurant, picked up some baked goods at a local bakery shop, a couple souvenirs, and of course.. some alfalfa hay for the burros. I definitely hope to go back to Oatman one day. If you are ever driving Route 66 or just in Arizona, you have to go check it out!
To say I love to travel is a HUGE understatement. I've always said that you can find something beautiful in any place you go. You may have to search a little harder, but with a little patience, you'll find it! Sometimes it may not even be physical beauty, but the locals who live there. When people ask me where I want to go, I usually say "Anywhere!" However, I do have some favorites..
Here are my top 10 dream destinations (in no particular order):
1. CROATIA
This country is rarely talked about, but it is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in the world! It is home to 8 national parks, 11 nature parks, and 2 nature reserves. JS! Here I will be floating in the lagoon and taking mad amounts of photos.
2. FIJI - UNDERWATER HOTEL
I don't think this needs an explanation ;-)
3. BALI
My plans for this destination is to completely disconnect from all technology. A little yoga, some meditation, and beautiful sunshine 🌞
4. DUBAI
Dubai boasts some of the best shopping and dining in the world. It's a sprawling melting pot in the Middle East. One of the most "westernized" areas of the East. My main goal for this destination is to sky dive over the palms!
5. AMALFI COAST
The Amalfi Coast is located on the southern coast of the Salerno Gulf on the Tyrrhenian Sea of southern Italy. The views are incredible and look at that architecture!
6. GREECE
Water. Architecture. Picturesque. Mad amounts of selfies. Nothing else needs to be said.
7. SWITZERLAND
Not only are the Swiss blessed with some of the best living conditions in the world, but check out their view!
8. PARIS
I hate to be cliche, but Paris is a must see on my list. I could see myself strolling through Paris with my other half eating croissants and laughing at men wearing berets. Good times.
9. VIETNAM
You may be surprised to see this on here, but I have ALWAYS wanted to visit this beautiful country. While most of the country is poor, the nature around them is beautiful. The locals are known for being welcoming and friendly to travelers. I can't wait to visit!
10. ST. MAARTEN
Okay.. I have to admit, this destination isn't so much about the place itself as it is about the airport. The planes fly right over the beach and for a plane geek such as myself, this gives me goosebumps. Ready to experience this rush!
Traveling. It's a lot of fun with the right company, but not everyone can match your travel stamina. Sometimes you just have to embark on your own journey. I moved to Europe by myself in 2010 and traveled America this year, also alone. Come to think of it, every trip I have been on but one (shout out to Robby!), I have been by myself.
Here are my 7 suggestions when flying solo:
1. Photography Equipment ↱ You don't need to spend a bunch of money, but I would at least recommend investing in a tripod. Constantly having to ask strangers to take pictures of you gets old really quick. Even though I don't mind taking someones picture, I don't like asking someone to do it for me. Not to mention the fact that if you choose to go somewhere more remote with less people, you will find yourself with no one to ask anyway (not that a well positioned rock or tree hasn't worked for me lol). You can connect a digital camera to a tripod or get a tripod that will hold your phone. Some also come with Bluetooth remotes > These are the best! If you hate 'posing' for pictures, I'd recommend putting your phone on a tripod in video mode and just screenshotting anything you like later. A model in the making!
2. Airbnb ↱ This is great for solo travelers because it gives you a chance to meet someone local to the area. They can usually offer you really great insight on places to eat and things to do/see. Most Airbnb hosts are super cool and will help you if they can. An Airbnb host I had in California even offered to teach me to surf! Cool stuff. You will also notice that most Airbnb hosts are pretty well traveled themselves. The stories are abundant!
3. Share Your Location With Someone Back Home ↱ Even though traveling is relatively safe, things can still happen. It would be wise to allow someone to track your location through an app if possible. That way if something DOES happen, they know where to find you. Especially important if you are a solo female traveler.
4. Sign Up For a Tour ↱ This is really good for solo travelers, especially if you're more on the introverted side or terrible at planning ;) A tour allows you to be around other people (maybe make some friends!) and see what sites your destination has to offer. Unless you're super into reading and research, this will give you an opportunity to really learn about your destination.
5. Online Forums/Facebook Groups ↱ Lets face it, there are some activities that are better with company. Do you have a particular hobby that you indulge in that you want to enjoy with others? Try finding/joining forums and Facebook groups that show other solo travelers who want to do the same things. This is how I met all of my friends in Amsterdam!
6. Minimal Packing ↱ I definitely recommend this. I actually never pack more than a carry-on when I fly. I simply don't want to deal with checked luggage. This will prevent you from wasting time, the airlines losing your luggage, plus having to lug all of it by yourself. Keep things minimal and simple. Only pack the essentials.
7. Enjoy Being Selfish ↱ Ever traveled with someone who hates museums? Yeah, not cool! Guess where you're going to eat? Where you choose. Guess what you're going to do? What you choose. The world is your oyster. Gone are the days of having to debate over what to see next. You make your schedule and you see exactly what you want.
I hope this list was helpful. Traveling solo can be nerve-wracking at first, but you'll soon learn that it boasts a lot of really great benefits. Not only do you get to see the world, but you gain independence, strength, creativity, and funny private memories to look back on.
HAPPY TRAVELS ✈
While I was traveling this past summer, I unfortunately did not have this blog at the time. There are definitely some places that I visited, that I would love to share more about. 
