Getting Ready for Toronto

It’s almost time! Friday I’m flying out for a weekend of networking, workshops, and adventure for the TBEX Travel Bloggers Conference. I’ve been counting down the days since I registered in April. My new business cards have arrived, my media kit is ready (both digital and hardcopy), and I’m excited to meet my fellow travel bloggers. See you soon!

 

I’m packing my suitcase with chic, comfy clothes, scarves to keep warm during workshops, a couple of fun spring dresses for nights out, and clothes for my biking adventure around Toronto courtesy of Tourism Toronto!

 

 

HUGO winter white blazer / True Religion jeans, / Michael Kors high heel shoes / Michael Kors travel tote, / Hair accessory / Accessorize Heritage Mechanical Pen

 

 

Check in with me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to see how the conference is going, info on the beautiful city of Toronto, fab updates, and a giveaway!

Travel Tuesday: Best Hiking Destinations

 

Best Places to go Hiking in the US

Kaui –  Scenic cliff-side trails will test your stamina on the 11-mile Kalalau Trail. Nature lovers should head straight to Waimea Canyon‘s verdant trails.

Yosemite National Park – The most popular trails are in the  valley area (including the daunting Half Dome), but you’ll find more space and tranquility in the backcountry.

Yellowstone National Park – Spanning over two million acres of land, Yellowstone National Park offers more than 1,000 miles of hiking trails. Some of the most popular routes include those in the Canyon and Norris areas and the Continental Divide Trail. Visit during the spring months for mild weather and optimal hiking conditions.

Yosemite National Park

Arcadia National Park – Offers a variety of expeditions for hikers. With numerous rugged paths traversing the wilderness you’ll even spot harbor seals sun themselves on cliff-side rocks.

Portland, Oregon – Portland brims with natural splendors. Forest Park features over 70 miles of trails within the city boundaries.

Zion National Park (Utah) –  a hiker’s and climber’s paradise.  The park is very well organized and even has a shuttle system that passes many of the trailheads.

Grand Canyon – While wandering around the rim and seeing the Grand Canyon from above is certainly amazing, it’s even more spectacular to see the power of the Canyon from the bottom.

Rocky Mountain National Park – The highest peak reaches over 14,000 feet –  there are plenty of amazing trails to really experience the wild of the Rocky Mountains.

Great Smoky Mountains

Great Smoky Mountains – With over 800 miles of trails, hiking in the Smokies leaves you with tons of options.

The Oregon Trail – Extending from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, Oregon, this historic trail was the way west for some 300,000 emigrants for more than 20 years from 1841. Remember learning about this in school?  Today the trail, traversing 2,170 miles of road, includes 125 historic sites and many opportunities for walks and hikes.

Appalachian Trail – stretching from Georgia to Maine, passing through 12 other states along its 2,178 miles (3,505 kilometers), making it the longest marked trail in the Unites States. It was completed in 1937 and passes through six national parks and eight national forests. More than 6,000 volunteers help to maintain the trail and its 165,000 blazes — painted markers that show the way along the trail.

Curious to take it a step farther? Check out more places to go hiking!

Best Places to go Hiking in the World

Annapurna Circuit, Nepal

Inca Trail, Peru

Inca Trail – Peru

Tiger Leaping Gorge, China

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Reference: 1, 2, 3, 4

Heading to Toronto for Tbex!

At the end of May I’ll be hitting the streets of Toronto to explore, then attending TBEX (Travel Blogger Exchange Conference)! This will be my first blogging conference, and I’m really excited to learn ways to improve my blogging skills, meet and network with fellow travel bloggers, and to have an opprotunity to meet and network with companies interested in working with bloggers.

I’ve taken care of my registration, now I just need to set up my hotel and flight. I was thinking about driving (I’m always up for a roadtrip), but I don’t want to spend 8-9 hours in the car to get to Toronto and only be there for 3 days.

Pre-Conference To Do List:

• Define my blog….my niche in the travel blog world
• Practicing pitching A Girl Travels
• Order new business cards
• Build my media kit

I want to be able to provide you with great products, inspire you to take new adventures, and to build my network so my goals while I’m at the conference are to:

• Meet and network with fellow travel bloggers
• Meet tourism boards who are interested in showing off local’s favorite spots (places that make people want to stay in, and move to, said destinations).
• Network with people looking for writers and photographers.
• Meet companies who offer unique travel/adventures/products that would like to sponsor posts on A Girl Travels
• Talk with tourism boards interested in providing press trips to promote new destinations or events that are not popular with tourists yet (or promote sides of  destinations that tourists rarely see).

I’m very excited to be attending the conference this year, and to have the opportunity to explore Toronto. Do you have any recommendations on things I should do while in Toronto? What types of things would you like to read more about on the blog?

Love AGT :)

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