I just returned from a one-month home exchange, swapping my San Francisco condo for a house in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. Lately, I have been working remotely more often, and trying to build in more slow travel. As I get older I appreciate trips where I can experience a place instead of rushing through…
Where to Stay
Salt Lake City – Self Guided Downtown Walking Tour
The architecture in downtown Salt Lake City surprised me in the best way. I had passed through a couple of times before – once while road tripping with my dog and once on my way to Park City for a girls trip – but I mostly treated downtown as a quick stopover. On a recent…
Home Exchange Review: My First Experience as a Host and Guest
I recently returned from a month-long road trip where I used Home Exchange for the first time – both as a host and a guest. I stayed in homes in Portland and Boise, and while a Spanish traveler stayed in my San Francisco condo. Things didn’t go exactly as planned on either side of the…
My Relationship with Airbnb: From Love to “It’s Complicated”
After 12 years of using Airbnb—from magical local stays to disappointing cash-grab rentals—I’ve seen the platform evolve. These days, it feels more like a gamble than a guarantee. Here is how the relationship has evolved and what I am choosing now. Love at First Sight My first stay with Airbnb was in February of 2013…