August was a busy month spread out with travel along both the east coast and west coast of the United States. This month was also my first ever visit to California, marking my 25th state visited and meaning I’ve seen 50% of the United States, which is a fun milestone to get to. Otherwise August was all about soaking up the last days of summer with lots of time outside and by the water. Here’s what I got into in August 2017.

Destinations visited:

Lake Tahoe and Fallon, Nevada

Kent Island and Annapolis, Maryland

San Diego, California

Bluemont, Virginia

Favorite destinations:

San Diego, California – Beaches, great weather, and craft breweries – there’s not much to not like in San Diego! The city was a welcoming destination for my first time in California.

Bluemont, Virginia – I’m a sucker for the countryside and a good mountain view, both which I got to enjoy when I visited Twin Oaks Tavern Winery in Bluemont. The small town had a quaint feel and the area is dotted with wineries for a relaxing escape.

Highlights:

My first visit to California – Despite being a frequent traveler (and travel blogger!), I had never made it to California till this month. I was able to visit the San Diego area and start to gain an understanding of what the west coast is all about.

Meeting a fellow travel blogger – Travel bloggers often befriend each other virtually, but in this case, we actually got to meet in real life! Staci, owner of The Voyageer (who also guest blogged for me this month) and I met up in San Diego for a night out on the town. It was great to meet you, Staci!

Challenges:

Managing my time – As much as I love blogging, sadly my time is more and more consumed by my day job (gasp! yes, I do have one). This leaves me to balance writing and providing useful and interesting content, with managing my personal life and work. I’m just trying to make sure I find the right boundaries for all areas of my life.

Posts:

Twin Oaks Tavern Winery: A Mountaintop Haven in Bluemont, Virginia – Spectacular views and delicious wines delight at this winery in the Virginia countryside.

A Day Trip to Kent Island, Maryland – An often overlooked destination, Kent Island is a seafood haven and offer plenty of outdoor waterfront experiences.

3 Perfect Day Trips from London – From a former Londoner, three perfect day trips from London.

Locals’ Favorite San Diego Neighborhoods – A guest post by The Voyageer, a San Diego resident and blogger, on local’s favorite neighborhoods in her Californian city.

A Paddle Board Adventure on Kent Island, Maryland  – My first ever paddle board experience with Dragonfly Paddle and Fitness.

A Guide to 4 Days in Iceland  – A guide on what to see and do while visiting Iceland.

Hidden Caves and Petroglyphs: Grimes Point in Fallon, Nevada – Exploring thousands of year old Native American petroglyphs in Nevada.

Thanksgiving Farm: A Winery Escape in Anne Arundel County, Maryland – A wonderful winery visit on a historic property near Annapolis and Washington, D.C.

Coming up in September 2017:

The end of summer is sadly nearing, so my family and I are making one last trip to Colonial Beach, Virginia over Labor Day weekend. Later in the month, I’m planning on going to my first ever (minus as a kid) Renaissance Festival in Maryland. Other than that, September will be fairly quiet as October is going to be full of travel – including some overseas adventures!

What did you do in August? Where is your September taking you?