All Things Fadra

When people visit Richmond, Maymont is often known for its mansion and beautiful gardens, especially the Japanese and Italian Gardens.

But there’s another part of the estate that visitors might not know about: the Virginia Wildlife Trail.

This area feels more like a wooded nature walk, with native animals and shaded paths that show a different side of Maymont. It’s a nice contrast to the more formal parts of the estate and a good reminder that Maymont is not just about what was built here, but also what lives here.

So if you’re planning a visit to Maymont, make time for the gardens — but don’t skip the wildlife trail.

Almost everything in Washington, DC is free, so is it ever worth paying for a tour?

I think this is a good example of when it can be. I booked a Capitol Hill experience through Viator that combined a guided walking tour with reserved entry to the Library of Congress and U.S. Capitol.

Along the way we saw everything from Thomas Jefferson’s library and a Gutenberg Bible to the Capitol Rotunda, Crypt, and Statuary Hall—and learned a lot more than I would have wandering around on my own.

Yes, you can arrange visits yourself. But if you’d rather have someone coordinate the timing and reservations while giving you the history and context along the way, this makes exploring Capitol Hill a whole lot easier.

Book this exact tour: https://tidd.ly/4y79H3A

Viator

Planning a trip to Japan? You have my permission to steal my itinerary. 🇯🇵

Instead of doing the classic Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka Golden Route, I kept Tokyo and headed north.

I flew to Sapporo, traveled south through Hakodate and Sendai, took a side trip to beautiful Matsushima, spent time in the mountains of Nikko, and then finished back in Tokyo.

It was slower paced, less traveled and gave me a completely different look at Japan.

I’ve turned the entire route into a detailed itinerary on TriptoJapan.com so you can use it to plan your own trip.

🔗 Find the itinerary here https://upf.ai/zpmbbktm

If you’re looking for something a little quirky to do in Japan, Yokohama has an entire museum devoted to Cup Noodles. 🍜

The Cup Noodles Museum tells the story of Momofuku Ando, the inventor of instant ramen, and how his creation eventually became a global phenomenon.

One of the most popular activities is making your own custom Cup Noodles, where you decorate your cup and choose your soup and toppings. I didn’t get to try it because it was sold out when I visited, so that’s one experience you’ll want to plan ahead for.

There’s also a huge Cup Noodles-themed play area for kids and an upstairs food court with noodle dishes inspired by countries around the world.

Finish your visit outside on the balcony with a great view of Yokohama. It’s an easy and unusual addition to a day trip from Tokyo.

YOU’LL NEVER GUESS WHAT HOTEL THIS IS! It was my favorite stay in Japan and nothing like what you typically see in the US.

Let me know if you’re surprised!

I thought I’d already seen Nikko. Turns out, I’d barely scratched the surface. 🇯🇵

Staying overnight gave us time to leave the famous temple area behind and head up the VERY twisty mountain roads to Lake Chuzenji. The wind canceled our lake cruise, but with views of Mt. Nantai, Kegon Falls and Chuzenji Temple, I wasn’t exactly complaining.

Then we squeezed in an ukiyo-e exhibit, self-serve local sake tasting, and another walk through Kanmangafuchi Abyss.

Day trip from Tokyo? Absolutely. But if you can stay overnight, Nikko has so much more to show you.

If you’re visiting Sendai, don’t overlook this easy day trip.

About 40 minutes away by train, Matsushima is a beautiful coastal town overlooking a bay filled with hundreds of small pine-covered islands. We explored the temples near the waterfront, took a sightseeing cruise through the bay and crossed one of Matsushima’s distinctive red bridges.

It’s considered one of Japan’s Three Great Views, but what surprised me was just how easy it was to visit from Sendai.

Definitely one to add to a northern Japan itinerary.