2025, Can You Believe We're Still Alive? Travels Far & Wide From a Year That We Survived

Well, well, well; w-e-l-l. You know, that’s one of those phrases I picked up somewhere along the way that I return to again and again, but for which the source material is lost to the ages. Where the hell did I get it? Just like the number of licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, the world may never know. But can you guess what the world is about to know? That’s right! The deepest, darkest, most intimate thoughts, recollections, and reminiscences on the year that was right here on All Things Wanderful.

General TravelLogan T. HansenJanuary 6, 2026travel, travelogue, travel blogging, travel guide, travel recommendations, travel inspiration, travelspiration, travel ideas, travel writing, travel reviews, travel tips, travel appreciation, travel diary, travel planning, year-in-review, Universal Studios, Universal Studios Hollywood, Jaws, Steven Spielberg, Kai Ryssdal, Marketplace, NPR, Las Vegas, Sin City, Luxor Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Cajun, Beauvoir, Jefferson Davis, Biloxi, To Kill a Mockingbird, Nelle Harper Lee, Harper Lee, Monroeville, Monroe County, Old Monroe County Courthouse, Gregory Peck, Mrs. Teresa' Homemade Treats, Los Angeles, City of Angels, Santa Monica, Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Dodger Stadium, Freehand Hotels, Freehand Chicago, Freehand Los Angeles, Freehand, hostel, hostel stays, Boston, Boston Calling, Harvard, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, All Time Low, The Maine, Cage the Elephant, Avril Lavigne, Fall Out Boy, all-nighter, Disney World, Orlando, Florida, Tron, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Tower of Terror, Guardians of the Galaxy, Expedition Everest, Alice in Wonderland, Euro trip, cheap airports, cheap travel, Canada, Minnesota, Northwest Angle, Alert, Canadian Forces Station Alert, All Things Wanderful, Chicago, Miami, New York, George Washington Hotel, Flatiron District, Bourbon Street, French Quarter, Ruby Slipper, The Natchez, Oklahoma City, Dorothy Gale, Beverly Shores, Michigan City, Gary, Indiana, Michiana, Chicagoland, West Michigan, Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, South Shore Line, Maycomb, Maycomb County, Truman Capote, Confederacy, 2026, 2025, ten-year anniversaryComment

New Orleans: Four Days of Beignets & Foul Play(s) in the Big Easy, Pt. 2

There they went, walking down the street in a straight line, looking like a high school football team warming up before practice with some high knees. There was Andrew, James, Michael, Patrick, Lucy, Bernadette, and, oh my goodness, don’t look now, but it’s Francis of Assisi himself. That’s right: it was Thursday in New Orleans and the saints were marching in. Or was I just hallucinating?

North AmericaLogan T. HansenMay 17, 2025travel, travel blog, travel advice, travel guide, travel inspiration, travelspiration, travelogue, travel writing, travel recommendations, travel reviews, travel itinerary, travel ideas, travel diary, travel blogging, New Orleans, Big Easy, Louisiana, The Natchez, Ruby Slipper, Saint Francis of Assisi, Oklahoma City, Dorothy Gale, The Wizard of Oz, eggs cochon, Dean Martin, Caesars, casino, Titanic, Titanic: An Immersive Voyage, RMS Titanic, Antti Wiljam Sihvola, Finland, Idaho, Bourbon Street, Bourbon Street Drinkery, Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, Lafitte's, Jean Lafitte, Pierre Lafitte, Andrew Jackson, President Andrew Jackson, Battle of New Orleans, War of 1812, Purple Drink, Purple Drank, Sazerac, absinthe, Herbsaint, piano bar, Jason Kelce, Kylie Kelce, Kate Moss, Family Guy, Nicolas Cage, Adam Devine, Tennessee Williams, Jelly Roll, Miami Dolphins, French Quarter, French Quarter Ghost and Murder Tour, ghost tour, Ursuline Convent, Louisiana Supreme Court, Jacques St. Germain, LaLaurie Mansion, Delphine LaLaurie, Madame LaLaurie, American Horror Story, Kathy Bates, AHS, slavery, New Orleans Bee, Dr. Leonard Louis Nicolas LaLaurie, Pierre Trastour, Paris, Creole architecture, Creole cuisine, French architecture, French cuisine, National World War II Museum, World War II, Anne Frank, Campaigns of Courage, Road to Berlin, Road to Tokyo, The Original Pierre Maspero's, Napoleon House, Napoleon Bonaparte, Chicago, Northside Barbershop, Chartres Street, Governor Nicholls Street, Royal Street, Curio, Curio Bistro, beignets, Pierre Maspero's, Felix's, Felix's Oyster House, Hard Rock Cafe, Musical Legends Park, Airbnb, Deep South, Bon Jovi, Livin' on a Prayer, Jon Bon Jovi, Royal House Oyster Bar, MichiganComment

2023, Won't You Wander With Me? The Final Epistle From a Travel-Filled Missile

The year 2023, with all of its ups and downs, peaks and valleys, and trials and tribulations, has come and gone — as has another 365 days here on All Things Wanderful. So now it’s time to take stock. What caught people’s attention? What fell flat on its face? Were you, the loyal readers of this increasingly-sporadic travel blog, entertained, or at least mildly amused? Did you find the content contained within this digital rambling wreck informational? Enlightening? Perhaps even erudite?

General TravelLogan T. HansenJanuary 7, 2024travel, travel advice, travel guide, travel inspiration, travelspiration, travel writing, travel blog, travel blogging, travel recommendations, travel reading, travel reviews, travel ideas, All Things Wanderful, travel diary, travel bucket list, northernmost point, Canada, Great Lakes, Cal-Neva, Cal-Neva Lodge, California, Nevada, Michigan, Little Manistee, Little Manistee River, kayaking, Maine, ghost trains, Key West, Florida, New York City, Big Apple, Chicago, Oklahoma City, Flint Hills, Route 66, Historic Route 66, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Alum Cave Trail, The Sinks, Old Smoky Distillery, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Minnesota, George Floyd, George Floyd Square, Kansas City, Missouri, Crystal Mountain, Crystal Mountain Resort, Seattle, Twin Peaks, Powderhorn Park, Minneapolis, Kansas, Wichita, skiing, Mall of America, George Perry Floyd Square, Ground Zero, The Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn, Rockefeller Center, The Edge, The Edge NYC, NYC, New York, Hall des Lumières, Mediterranean food, Ernest Hemingway, Northern Michigan, Airbnb, Bering Strait, Diomedes, Diomede Islands, Little Diomede, Big Diomede, travelogueComment

This... is Oklahoma City? A Look at the Magnificent Treasures Lining OKC's Plaza District

One of Oklahoma City’s unexpected gems is the Plaza District, a quaint little neighborhood just northwest of downtown filled to the brim with vintage shops, various boutiques, a handful of bars and restaurants, and a few other ditties worth checking out. It’s honestly a spot where you could easily lose track of time and end up spending the whole day, if not the evening.

2021 Wasn't Exactly Wonderful, But At Least Some of the Wander Returned

Starting is always the hardest part, isn’t it? Taking that leap, acting on that big idea, staring at the blank page. But after you finally get the ball rolling, a new challenge materializes: keeping it rolling. It’s not enough to simply plant the seed; you’ve got to water it, make sure it has fertile soil to work with, give it a proper amount of sunlight. It can be a lot of work, but then again, nothing worth having comes easy, does it?

General TravelLogan T. HansenJanuary 6, 2022travel, travel inspiration, travelspiration, year in review, happy new year, All Things Wanderful, travel guide, travel advice, travel ideas, travel planning, travel writing, travel recommendations, travel appreciation, travel junkie, travel blog, travel blogging, Denver, Colorado, year-in-review, Cheesman Park, Logan's Run, 2020, 2021, Las Vegas, Detroit, Detroit Tigers, Six Flags, Six Flags Great America, Gurney, Illinois, Michigan, football, football season, College Park, Maryland, Ann Arbor, St. Louis, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Missouri, Northern Illinois, Maryland Terrapins, University of Michigan, Michigan Wolverines, Sooner State, Cessna, Cessna 402C, Chicago, Manistee, Windy City, Cape Air, Manistee County Blacker Airport, Airbnb, vacation rentals, Sin City, New Mexico, Old West, Old American West, Keystone, Keystone Resort, skiing, snowboarding, Centennial State, travel injuriesComment

Our Overly Outstanding, Out-of-the-Way Adventure in Oklahoma City

It’s the kind of place you probably wouldn’t go unless you had a specific reason. Like, say, if your youngest brother decided he wanted to go out into the world and try something new, and if, due to a range of factors, he wound up moving to Oklahoma City with one of his best friends from high school. If something like that were to occur, well you would have all the reason you’d need to finally check Oklahoma off the list, right?

North AmericaLogan T. HansenDecember 31, 2021travel, travel inspiration, travelspiration, travel ideas, travel itinerary, travel planning, travel recommendations, travel reviews, travel tips, travel guide, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OKC, Sooner State, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Topgolf, Lebron James, NBA, Bricktown, Bricktown Canal, U.S. News & World Report, 2021 Best State Rankings, Will Rogers World Airport, Hacienda Tacos, Midtown, carnitas, barbacoa, Dos Equis, Kaiser's, Kaiser's Grateful Bean Café, juke box, Remington Park Casino, casino, gambling, Remington, Riverwind Casino, Kickapoo Casino, Norman, Harrah, Black Bear Diner, Midwest City, Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City Dodgers, Bricktown Brewery, Bricktropolis, Whiskey Chicks, Mickey Mantle's Steakhouse, Lime, electric scooters, Santa, Santa's sleigh, Myriad Botanical Gardens, Paycom Center, Scissortail Park, Crosstown Expressway, Bourbon St. Cafe, Bourbon Street Cafe, Great Plains, gay bars, LGBTQ, LGBTQ+, Timothée Chalamet, Josh Giddey, 39th Street, The Boom, Tramps, Apothecary 39, Angles, Phoenix Rising, Jimmy's Egg, Home Alone 2, Kevin McCallister, golf, mini golf, Sticky Bandits, Wet Bandits, Cowboy Ranch, mechanical bull, mechanical bull ride, Pretty Please, Pretty Please Social Room Comment

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