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Continue reading →: san gimignano, italyI like to think of San Gimignano as somewhat of a secret. It is a lesser known medieval city in the Tuscany region of Italy near Florence but is such a lovely city to explore. They are apparently home to one of the “World’s Best” gelaterias! (But who really makes…
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Continue reading →: london, englandLondon was the first international destination I had an opportunity to explore without my parents. It is an absolutely massive city to explore and is great for new (English-speaking) travelers to get a taste of a new county and culture. While it is not particularly notorious for its food, it…
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Continue reading →: amsterdam, netherlandsAh, Amsterdam. Such a gorgeous and fascinating city. What’s not to love about a place that welcomes marijuana and prostitution? Maybe that part’s not for everyone… Regardless, it’s reputation completely leaves out the fact that the entire city is a web of canals (similar to Venice), which is perhaps one…
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Continue reading →: milan, italyMilan is a heavily crowded tourist destination but in my opinion there isn’t a whole lot to do here. Known for luxurious fabrics and shopping, it has been referred to as the fashion capital of the world (although this is technically just an opinion and Paris is also notable here).…
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Continue reading →: my worst flight-mare (story time)Long flights aren’t the most exciting thing in the world. Usually one will board their plane, sleep, eat, watch movies and arrive at their destination with no major issues; myself included. This is a story about one time that didn’t go so smoothly. It started off bright and cheery and…
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Continue reading →: a california girl in iceland (story time)I have only been here for 6 hours and I’m already sopping wet and freezing cold. It’s truly comedic. And, quite frankly, a little sad. But here I am, sitting at the hostel recharging my phone and writing. I have already given up on trying to fake that I enjoy…
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Continue reading →: the hague (den haag), netherlandsThe city of The Hague/Den Haag may not be as big of a tourist attraction as Amsterdam, but it is absolutely worth the visit. It is less than an hour’s train ride away from it’s perhaps more well-known neighbor, and it actually used to be the capital of the Netherlands…
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Continue reading →: ten things i’ll always keep in my carry onLong flights can be a time to read and relax, catch up on movies you may have missed in the theatre, and get some extra Z’s before your next adventure. I’ve always been the kind of person who is prepared for any and every situation. Here’s a quick list of things I will…
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Continue reading →: be camera happy :)One of my favorite things to do while traveling is to take pictures of literally anything and everything; whether it be a flower, my lunch, a building, or a crowd of people. I believe everyone should get into photography and here are a few reasons why… (1) to preserve important…
“travel isn’t always pretty. it isn’t always comfortable. sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. but that’s okay.
Anthony Bourdain
the journey changes you; it should change you. it leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body.
you take something with you. hopefully, you leave something good behind.”
Laura the explora: the blog
your unofficial travel agent and tour guide
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hey there!
i’m Laura
welcome to my little corner of the internet where i share my travel tips, stories, and photos of the places i visit. i’ve been fortunate enough to set foot in all fifty of the united states as well as nearly 20 different countries over the past decade. my goal is to make traveling affordable and accessible for everyone by giving you the tools you need to plan your own vacation for free. i hope these posts inspire you to get out into the world and see it for yourself! :)
[Note: I do not make any revenue from this website. If any of these posts helped you plan your trip and you’d like to support my work and website operating costs by tipping me as your unofficial tour guide, click the little black triangle to see my Venmo ID.] 😊
Venmo: @Laura-the-explora (#0324)
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Laura the explora: the blog 