No matter whether you are visiting Dallas for the first time or you have been many times before, there is no denying that there are so many things to see and do in this part of the United States. While Austin has gained a ton of popularity (stay weird, y'all), there's still a ton to do in good old Dallas. With that in mind, read on to discover some of the best places to visit while there.




The Sixth Floor Museum

The Sixth Floor Museum is a unique place that was once known as the Texas School Book Depository. It chronicles the death of JFK from an impartial point of view. It looks at his presidential history and documents events from every angle possible. If you are one of the 63% of Americans that still believe that President Kennedy’s assassination was part of a larger conspiracy, then this is definitely a museum that you won’t want to leave. Be sure to hang out in the area outside, too. There are generally people willing to give more individualized tours, and it experience is so surreal.



Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse

You cannot visit Texas without going to a steakhouse and Y.O. Ranch is considered the best steakhouse in Dallas by a lot of people. There's great atmosphere and steaks to die for. In fact, it's been described as one of the nation’s finest steakhouses by Food Network’s Jim O’Connor. Not only will you enjoy tucking into the delicious meat that is on offer but there is also a delicious array of cocktails, with the new special drink every month.



AT&T Stadium

The Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium is considered one of the most impressive stadiums in America. It's won a number of different awards thanks to the innovative design, which holds upwards of 85,000 fans. If you’re lucky enough to be in town while a Cowboys game on, this is definitely an experience to enjoy no matter whether you are an avid American football fan or not. (PS. There's a Panda Express right across the road, which is so yummy.)



The Katy Trail

When on vacation, it's always nice to take some time to unwind and relax, and the Katy Trail certainly gives you the ability to do so. It's popular with runners, in-line skaters, dog walkers, and cyclists alike. You can follow the path of the old Missouri Kansas Texas Road and take in all of the beautiful sights along the way.



Wild Bill’s Western store

Last but not least, you can’t have a Texan experience with about embracing the Wild Wild West in some capacity. The iconic Wild Bill’s Western store gives you the ability to do so. This store has leathered up everyone from Mick Jagger to Bon Jovi. When you arrive and see the life-size Longhorn cow, you'll immediately feel like you’re in Texas. If that's not enough, you'll even be served ice cold Texas beer while you shop.




As you can see, there is a lot to love about Dallas. If you’re planning on visiting this part of the world you should definitely try out some of the different activities mentioned above.












*This is a collaborative post. 

I've always been a Stephen King fan, and growing up I watched all his movies I could get my hands on. I started reading some of his novels around fifth grade, but have barely scratched the surface. This post compiles a list of his novels and novellas and I plan to continually update this as I purchase and/or read them. You can always come back here for updates on my progress, or use this as a checklist for yourself.


King novels

Carrie 1974 | Own - Read
Salem's Lot 1975 | Own
The Shining 1976 | Read
The Stand 1977 | Own
The Dead Zone 1979
Firestarter 1980
Cujo 1981 | Own
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger 1982
Pet Sematary 1982 | Own - Read
Christine 1983
The Talisman 1984
Cycle of the Werewolf 1985
IT 1986 | Own - Read
The Eyes of the Dragon 1987
The Dark Tower: The Drawing of the Three 1987
Misery 1987
The Tommyknockers 1987 | Own
The Dark Half 1989 | Own
Needful Things 1990
The Dark Tower: The Waste Lands 1991
Gerald's Game 1991
Dolores Claiborne 1992 | Own
Insomnia 1993 | Own
Rose Madder 1994
Desperation 1995 | Own - Read
The Dark Tower: Wizard and Glass 1997
Bag of Bones 1998 | Own
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon 1999
The Green Mile: The Complete Serial Novel 1999
Dreamcatcher 2001
Black House 2001
From A Buick 8 2001
The Dark Tower: Wolves of the Calla 2003
The Dark Tower: Song of Susannah 2004
The Dark Tower 2004
The Colorado Kid 2005
Cell 2006
Lisey's Story 2006
Duma Key 2008 | Own - Read
Under the Dome 2009
11/22/63 2011 | Own - Read
The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole 2012
Doctor Sleep 2012 | Own
Joyland 2013
Mr. Mercedes 2014
Revival 2014 | Own
Finders Keepers 2015
End of Watch 2016 | Own
Sleeping Beauties 2017 | Own
The Outsider 2018



King novellas

The Mist 1979
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption 1982
The Breathing Method 1982
Apt Pupil 1982
The Body 1982
The Langoliers 1990 | Own
The Library Policeman 1990 | Own
The Sun Dog 1990 | Own
Secret Window, Secret Garden 1990 | Own
Blind Willie 1994
Why We're in Vietnam 1999
Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling 1999
Hearts in Atlantis 1999
Low Men in Yellow Coats 1999
A Very Tight Place 1999
Elevation 1999
Gwendy's Button Box 1999 | Own - Read
N. 1999
Blockade Billy 2015
UR 2015



As Bachman

Rage 1976
The Long Walk 1978
Roadwork 1980
The Running Man 1981
Thinner 1984
The Regulators 1995
Blaze 2006

Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall ★★★★☆

Popsugar 2019 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book you meant to read in 2018

Brief synopsis: Our Kind of Cruelty follows Mike, a successful investor, who is so in love with Verity (V), he can hardly stand it. Yet they've hardly spoken in months and he recently received an invitation to her wedding to another man. But it doesn't phase Mike, because it's all a part of this game they play - The Crave. V flirts with another man until Mike comes to save her, then they sleuth away to have sex. This is just a more advanced version of The Crave, of course, and V is playing really hard to get.

Overall thoughts: This book was a lot slower than I expected. It's a psychological thriller, so I was expecting a page-turner, and this wasn't that. But by the time the novel wrapped up, I was pretty invested and it was a total mind-boggler. I really enjoyed the feminist undertones in the novel, and was surprised by them. I guess, overall, this book was full of surprises, but is definitely a slow burn. See the full review here.





Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid ★★★★★

Popsugar 2019 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book you think should be turned into a movie

Brief synopsis: Daisy Jones & the Six is a novel disguised as a fictional rock band's oral history and tell-all. The book is written in interview-style depicting the rise and fall of Daisy Jones and the Six. Daisy Jones began as a separate entity than the Six, then their musical worlds collided, then fell apart.

Overall thoughts: There was so much hype surrounding this book and I was worried that, because of that, I would be disappointed. But I was not. This book reads like a VH1 Behind the Scenes episode and the character investment gets so deep. I very much enjoyed this novel. TJR can do no wrong. See the full review here.






You Have Me to Love* by Jaap Robben ★★☆☆☆

Popsugar 2019 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book with "love" in the title

Brief synopsis: The novel starts with Mikael, a 9 year-old who's father disappears into the water one day when they're both out on the beach. After weeks of searching, his father is nowhere to be found. Mikael holds an incredible guilt, which forces him both further away from his mother while forcing him closer to her, as well.

Overall thoughts: The writing in this novel was so beautiful and poetic, but I was made so uncomfortable by this entire novel. I knew the direction it was heading, and when it finally got there - I just felt so icky. I was also nearly bored out of my mind the entire time. See the full review here.





The Woman Who Fed the Dogs* by Kristien Hemmerechts ★★☆☆☆

Popsugar 2019 Reading Challenge Prompt: A novel based on a true story

Brief synopsis: The novel itself is based from the perspective of real-life child molester and murderer, Marc Dutroux, who was convicted in Belguim in the late 1980s. Michelle Martin was his wife during the crimes and was also sentenced to prison. She was released in 2012. This story is a fictional novel based from the perspective of Michelle (Odette, in the novel) during the time prior to her release.

Overall thoughts: The plot of this book sounded really great, but I didn't feel the same while actually reading it. The book was pretty graphic and vulgar in a way that seemed unnecessary. I wasn't impressed with the book, but think it had potential. It just wasn't quite there for me. See the full review here.













** denotes I received a copy free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Road trips are one of the best ways to explore an area and pack as many experiences into a trip as possible. Just flying from city to city, it's easy to miss out on so many amazing opportunities that come along the road trip experience, but a long road trip provides a whole new world to explore. HOWEVER, it’s important to do what you can to make everybody comfortable and keep folks entertained, otherwise, a dream road trip can turn into a nightmare.

Here are some of the best ways to take the stress out of a long road trip.




Hire An RV

If it's in your budget, consider renting an RV for more room during a lengthy trip. Part of the appeal could be tripping in your maintained regular everyday car - and that may be a great option if it's just two or three folks. But if many people are in on the trip, a bigger vehicle could be a better option. That way, there's plenty of room for everybody to move around or even go to sleep if they like, and it’ll make driving more fun, not so much a chore. Not to mention - an RV is also a place to stay. Instead of having to check into a new place every night, you can just search for a place to park the RV. Before choosing an RV on a whim, check out some RV Rental Reviews to get a good deal and find one that has enough space for everybody.



Plan A Route

Planning a route is so important because if a long drive down an entire coastline or across an entire country is part of the plan, you'll likely have a ton of ground to cover. If you’re just relying on GPS on your phone or checking the road signs, you’ll be spending most of the time trying to work out where you’re going, when you could be enjoying the views and discovering new places instead. Not to mention, some of those backroads may knock out your cell service, and then you could be SOL. So consider getting some maps before you go and work out an estimated route/plan.

BUT...



Don’t Plan Too Much

While it’s important to plan a rough route before heading out, you don't want to go overboard with the planning. The magic of a road trip is that you can discover lots of places along the way that you never expected to find. But if you plan the whole trip meticulously and factor in all of the stops that you’re going to make, you’ll lose the magic of discovery. Instead, plan a general route and then leave enough time for visiting places you'll find along the way.



Pack Light

Most people assume you should pack loads of stuff so you’ve got all of the creature comforts that you’d normally have back home and you can bring plenty of things to entertain yourself. However, you’re going to see a lot of different places along the way and you’ll probably want some souvenirs to take back with you. You never know what you’re going to find along the way so you should always leave some room to bring things back and only pack the essentials that you need.



Talk To Locals

When you arrive in a new place, you should always try to speak with the locals as much as possible. They’ll be able to give you tips on the best places to eat and the best sights to see. You’ll get a much more authentic experience that way, and let's be honest - the hole-in-the-wall places are usually the best places.



















*This is a collaborative post.

I headed out to Mobile, Alabama for the first time just a few weeks ago for a conference. We were there for less than 48 hours, and we stayed within a few miles radius of our hotel (we stayed at the Renaissance Riverview Plaza) the entire time, but we were able to get some great little walks and experiences in. (The one full day we were there, we walked almost 10 miles!)






Honestly, Mobile was kind of weird, in a calming way. The area we were in was "downtown," but unlike other downtown city areas (hello, Atlanta), it was very calm and slow. We were there Tuesday through Thursday, so maybe the weekends are popping? We arrived a week after Mardi Gras (Mobile is the birthplace of the celebration), and there were beads everywhere. But the streets were clean, and we felt safe during our "excursions."

My friend, Brittney, who is avid cruise lover, was excited to be so close to a cruise port, and we even got to see a cruise ship during its hours docked across from our hotel. (To say she was excited is an understatement.) It was a pretty calm city and experience, but I honestly probably wouldn't want to go for more than a few days at a time. It would probably be a great location to spend a bit of time in prior to heading out on a cruise.



First stop, coffee.


Serda's Coffee Company was right next to our hotel, and we went there at least four times. They have lavender coffee (which is my favorite), though it's not on the menu. Not to mention you can sub your ice cubes for coffee cubes. Their hot coffee selection is pretty vast, with a variety of origins, so it's a great shop for a coffee connoisseur. Me? I mostly stuck with the lavender iced americano - which is my go-to every time. Serda's is also home to a variety of gelatos (max of five samples - I learned the hard way) and a killer breakfast burrito.








And check out the Trollies collection.







Dauphin Street.


Now, the place to go is Dauphin Street. It's basically a mini NOLA (coming from someone who's literally never been to New Orleans). There's amazing bars and restaurants, concert venues, art attractions, city parks (think: tiny Savannah, GA). This is obviously where all the Mardi Gras action took place. Check out some of my faves from the street.











Street art.


We happened to stumble across this amazing street art from artist DeAnthony Dulaney, so I obviously had to snap some pictures. How great are these?

















The cutest indie bookstore.


The Haunted Book Shop isn't actually haunted, but it boasts an upstairs and downstairs, a chillaxing children's station, and tons of local author selections. There's even an area upstairs to sit, read, and relax with complimentary coffee and tea.







I was sure to put a pin in from back home.











Dauphin Street eateries.


OK Bicycle Shop was my favorite place and I would've eaten there for every single meal. They're attached to a sushi place called Liquid Sushi Lounge (not the best name, I agree), so you can pick up a ton of craft beers, sushi, and tacos all in one place. I had a single unagi, a Chandeleur Island Brewery Gulf Coast Sour series sour ale (which are my favorite), and two fish tacos (one grilled, one fried). They were so fresh and incredible! Plus, the service was fantastic.








Another favorite was Panini Pete's. It was much closer of a walk, so we were able to visit a couple of times. We stopped by twice before they were actually open (once after 3, when we arrived and once around 6:30am after taking a wellness walk around the area). I presented at the conference we attended, and in celebration we headed to Panini Pete's to try to beignets. They're supposed to be the best, second only to Café du Monde's (but again, I've never been to NOLA so I'm not one to talk). I will say, they were amazing. I'd never had beignets before. I got the traditional "hip hop" beignets - squeeze the lemon over them, and they're basically soft, dough-y Savannah Smiles (I'm so mad at you Girl Scouts, for discontinuing them after this year, btw.). Brittney ordered the banana nut - we shared and they were both so delicious (and honestly, so inexpensive).

We even got to meet Panini Pete himself (though we didn't realize it until after the fact). He was so kind!






We even discovered this delicious hole-in-the-wall has been on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, which is always a selling point for me. Guy Fieri declared the house roasted turkey sandwich the "state bird of Flavor Town," so I obviously had to try it. And y'all. He was not wrong.







Moon Pie General Store.

Before we headed back home, we make a quick stop at the Moon Pie General Store, just off Dauphin Street. I will say I'm a bit confused on this one, because I thought Moon Pies were a big Chattanooga staple, but Mobile seems to be claiming it, too. Who knows? I ended up buying some mini pies for hubby though, because no matter how hard I try - I just cannot enjoy Moon Pies.






Bye bye, Mobile!




And for those of you who have seen the leprechaun, say YEAH! This sign cracked me up when I saw it. It was perfect timing since we were there right before St. Patrick's Day.