Diving into the world of blogs is intimidating. I'm a professional in the field, studied abroad in Europe and worked for two internships at Disney World. I've been to places that people dream about going to their whole lives. In fact, I've visited places that 13 year old me didn't even dare to dream of. Paris seemed achievable, but Greece, Prague, Budapest? They weren't even on my radar.

Now I've been to 12 countries in Europe (and counting) and several more in the Caribbean. I've walked the same halls as Marie Antoinette, I've looked on from the balcony of a cruise ship as I approached the port in Istanbul. I've held back tears of sorrow and grief in Anne Frank's house. I've traveled more in my young life than both my parents and grandparents have in all of theirs combined. Yet all it takes is ten minutes on a popular travel blog for me to feel like my travels have been inadequate and pedestrian.

For every historical site I've seen in Europe, these bloggers have seen them all and then somehow talked their way in after hours to get amazing pictures. For every colorful cocktail I've had in the Caribbean they've ridden elephants in Thailand. I've tried escargot in Montreal, they're eating from the carts in the backstreets of Kathmandu.

There's nothing wrong at all with these experiences. I adore reading about them, marvel over their pictures .I laugh over their funny stories and take their advice to heart. I love all the bloggers, so in no way am I putting them down. I’m jealous of them, of course. Who wouldn't be?

As much as I would love to do those things, I can’t. Or at least I can’t YET. I have so many places left that I want to visit, but as a young twenty-something with student debt (and other debt) I spend a lot of months with my head only just above water. I’m so incredibly grateful for the amount of traveling I've been able to do, however most of that has been pure luck on my part. Luck that I was chosen for a study abroad program, luck that my work let me travel to visit other offices, luck that my Dad likes the Caribbean as much as I do and has taken me there!

All things considered, I didn't want to stop being a tourist, a traveler, an adventurer. If i can’t go far away, I’ll just stay close!

That's when I came up for the idea for Wandering Western New York. I am a born and bred die hard chicken-wing loving Buffalonian. I’ve lived here my entire life besides the short time I spent abroad and my two internships in Florida. Buffalo is famous mostly for snow and our professional sports teams that never win championships. (I really apologize to any fellow Buffalonians reading this, but it’s true!)

Buffalo has a lot to offer, besides the proximity to the world-famous Niagara Falls. I wanted to remind myself why I love this city so much. I wanted to dive into all it has to offer, in all the seasons. I am deciding each location based on a myriad of things. My childhood, my interests, Buffalo’s history, places I’ve never bee, and my favorite places, as well as a little help from tripadvisor's Must Sees in Buffalo.

So, if you're ready, let's start Wandering Western New York!

About the Series