Balabanova All Over
#TakeYourTimeOff
About Nadya
Hi there! I am so glad you found me! My mission is to empower you to #TakeYourTimeOff and explore the world. I started this blog as a way to keep family and friends in the loop when I went on a 3-week trip to Asia in 2011. Although I’ve always enjoyed traveling, it wasn’t until a trip to Peru in 2012 that I started to think about ways to make travel a… Read More
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Top Posts
For my second trip to Alaska, I wanted parks that are not terribly hard to plan for or expensive to get to. Kenai Fjords is a breeze due to its accessibility by car. Denali would have been my next choice, but the main road through the park is partially closed due to a landslide through at least 2027. The only other park accessible by car is Wrangell-St Elias, but “accessible” is a… Read More
[Shaniko / Mitchell, OR, Oct 17-19, 2025] With October weather continuing to hold steady, I took my second last-minute trip of the month to John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Just like with the golden larches, we booked this trip just the week before when we realized the weather will cooperate. I was excited because John Day had been on my list for a while. When to Visit John Day is located… Read More
I had three days for New River Gorge national park because I visited in the spring and wanted extra time in case the weather didn’t cooperate. But I found that it’s very easy to fill the days, especially once you combine some excellent nearby state parks, not all of which I even had time for! How to Get There I flew in and out of Charlotte, NC, which is about 3 hours… Read More
I had been wanting to see the golden larches – the unique deciduous conifers that lose their needles in winter, but not before they turn a gorgeous golden yellow – ever since I started spending more time in the Pacific Northwest. Back in 2024, I saw plenty of reels on Instagram that showcased their beauty. But their popularity also came with unbelievable traffic jams on Highway 20 and at the most popular… Read More
North and South Dakota are not top of mind when it comes to travel destinations, but I was surprised by the number of things to do in these two oft overlooked states! Although my focus was on the 3 national parks, I found there were plenty of other things to do. There are even a couple of sites on the list should I ever return to this area. How to Get There… Read More