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Chontales Falls

Stunning Costa Rica Waterfalls and Hikes

Costa Rica is famous for beaches, rainforests, and those adorable little smiling sloths. But have you thought about Costa Rica's waterfalls? As a tropical country, Costa Rica sees a lot of rain–about 100 inches per year. In the mountainous regions (hint: where the rivers start) that can jump to 25 feet a year in some places! All that water makes for plenty of crystal clear rivers and some pretty impressive waterfalls.

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Badlands National Park
Badlands National Park

Beyond Mount Rushmore: Southwestern South Dakota

The area west and south of Rapid City is home to several national and state parks as well as the famous and frequently photographed Mount Rushmore. While Mount Rushmore draws a huge number of visitors every year, visiting this area and skipping the rest of the region would be like swinging through Paris to see the Eiffel Tower and visiting nothing else. The park areas around Mount Rushmore include large tracts of land where Bison roam freely, one of the largest caves in the world, unique geological landscapes not found anywhere else in the world, and fun cultural and historical attractions.

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Our Summer Road Trip: 2017

This summer, we’re headed west on a road trip through the U.S. and Canada. As the founders of BudgetYourTrip.com, our true passion lies in travel, but it’s been awhile since we’ve been able to "get out there." Beginning in June, for three months we’ll hit the road on a family camping trip visiting the big cities, national parks, and everything in between. And yes, we’re taking our 3-year-old daughter with us.

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Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park
Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park

Life on the Road: Wyoming & Yellowstone

From Devils Tower we drove west across much of Wyoming, seeing nothing but fields. Fields, fields, fields, some hay bales, an endless stretch of road, and more fields. What I did not realize was that we were also rising, approaching small mountains on the horizon. It wasn’t until we were up on the mountain’s side that I realized how high we had risen. So high that we could see the line of haze where the atmosphere of the great big sky touched the vast green fields of earth below. This was a god’s point of view, and we could not help but stop for a few moments to take in the view.

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Great Ocean Road, Victoria
Great Ocean Road, Victoria (Tourism Australia)

Australia’s Coastal Experiences

Australia is a destination that abounds with iconic sights, both natural and man-made. See the stunning Sydney Opera House, gaze at the changing color of Uluru Ayers Rock at sunrise and sunset and dive in and explore the Great Barrier Reef. Go beyond the iconic sights and discover a myriad of experiences to include during your Australian vacation.

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Uluru, Australia
Photo By Tourism Australia

Experience the Indigenous Side of Australia

The Aboriginal peoples of Australia are considered one of the world’s most ancient living cultures. With a history dating back more than 50,000 years, their culture is rich with spirituality and wonder. Their deep connection to the land is showcased through their rituals, art, dance, music and Dreamtime stories - the time when their ancestral spirits created the land and all life. A trip to Australia wouldn’t be complete without experiencing at least some of the cultural activities of the Indigenous peoples. Sure, Australia has beautiful beaches, the Great Barrier Reef, the Whitsunday Islands, and so on – but there’s a lot more to offer when you get a more cultural and historical perspective.

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Photo Friday: Sinai

The Sinai Peninsula of Egypt is truly a fascinating place. During our time in the area, we spent a few days near Mt. Sinai and a few more relaxing on the coast of the Red Sea. First, our journey took us from Cairo on a fairly long bus ride to the town of Katreen, near the base of Mt. Sinai and St. Katherine's Monastery. We slept at a small Bedouin camp and met some other travelers who had hiked to the top of the mountain the night before, starting at 2:00 in the morning. Supposedly this was the best time to hike in order to avoid the heat and also see the sunset from the top of the mountain.

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