After my honeymoon in New Zealand in 2020, I realized I wanted to see more of the beauty within my own country; then, like millions of other Americans, the COVID pandemic further increased my desire to get outdoors . So when I scheduled a Labor Day trip to visit one of my best friends in Washington state, I was hoping we'd get to do a hike with stunning views -- and I lucked out with a thru-hike of the Enchantments! 

After visiting Europe for the first time in 2017 at the age of 29, I set a goal of visiting at least 2 new countries every year. So in 2018 I jumped at a last-minute chance to visit Ireland with my then-boyfriend -- with a name as Irish as "Sarah Quinlan," I was excited to see my ancestors' homeland!

I think this post may actually beat my New Zealand posts as my most photo-heavy post -- because Yosemite is one of the most stunning places I have ever visited.  Travel has made me so much more aware of how incredible our planet is. After visiting New Zealand on my honeymoon in 2020 and marveling at the beauty of the country, I became determined to see more of my own country's beauty -- and Yosemite lived up to the hype.