Talley Your Adventure – The Blog

Adventure Awaits!

At Talley Your Adventure, we don’t just plan luxury and culturally rich travel experiences—we live and breathe them. Our blog, travelingtalleys.blog, is where we share the real stories behind our adventures: kayaking alongside glaciers in Alaska, exploring temples in Japan, chasing waterfalls in Iceland, and wandering through storybook towns in Germany. If it’s unforgettable, chances are we’ve done it—or we’re planning it next.

Nicolette brings deep experience in travel and heritage. With a Master’s in Public History, she’s worked as a Supervisory Park Ranger, Revenue Manager, and Program Analyst across multiple national parks for over a decade. Her career has taken her from managing interpretive boat tours in Alaska’s wild backcountry to overseeing large-scale visitor service projects with million-dollar budgets. And yes—she’s also a licensed 100-Ton Inland Master Boat Captain who’s led cultural and ecological tours from riverboats to remote beaches.

Clinton’s travel roots run just as deep. He’s worked in logistics and operations for the National Park Service and was a key member of the hospitality team aboard National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions. From managing guest services on remote international voyages to coordinating facility software systems stateside, he knows what it takes to deliver seamless, high-end travel experiences—even in the most unpredictable places.

Together, we created Talley Your Adventure to bring our experience, passion, and attention to detail to your travel planning. Whether it’s a fully curated group trip or a personalized vacation built just for you, we combine expert-level service with insider know-how—so you can focus on the magic of the journey.

Want us to help you on your next adventure? Head over to www.talleyyouradventure.com!

@talleyyouradventure_dv
Sakura Blooms – Inuyama, Japan

  • #TalleyYourAdventure visits Barcelona, Spain – during OFF SEASON! #travelsmart #berespectful #offseasontravel

    Traveling around the world can be thrilling and, in a lot of cases, a ‘once-in-a-lifetime-experience’, but that doesn’t mean that traveling does not come with respect for other cultures, lifestyles, and customs. Clinton and I visited Barcelona, Spain, in December 2023 – definitely the off season for the country! I’m sure many of you who are considering visiting popular Eastern European countries might be a little nervous to travel after reading what is currently going on in many countries as a reaction to over-tourism. Talley Your Adventure is here to help you navigate this, even if you do want to travel during peak season! Typically, Europeans celebrate their ‘holiday’ season (not to be confused with the US holiday season, which is usually Thanksgiving/Christmas) between July – September to enjoy their own country or neighboring areas.

    We had decided to visit friends and family in Germany for Christmas, and took the week before to add a new country to my list- Spain! Barcelona was chosen because we wanted an ‘artistic’ experience. And boy, did Barcelona deliver! We stayed at the InterContinental Barcelona, which was absolutely fabulous! It had the InterContinental lounge, which was the main reason we booked it, and it was so nice to be able to relax at their spa! The spa was out of this world and completely European – steam shower, scent room, hot/dry sauna, and a circuit pool with blue lights for true relaxation. We were able to get a massage as well as luxury hotel amenities for skin care. They had a Michelin Star Chef on site, the youngest in Spain, who treated us to a 12 course dinner – heads up, if you get the wine flight it is 6-8 GLASSES! Because the restaurant was in the hotel, Clinton just had to walk to me upstairs! 😉

    Barcelona was host to the Summer Olympics 1992 and while visiting, we were able to see many of the sites where the various trials took place as well as the football stadium for the FC Barcelona. You are able to walk into a viewing area to see the historic stadium even when there is no ongoing game!

    The InterContinental Hotel was also great because the lounge access we had, because we are Diamond Elite members, allowed us the opportunity to talk directly with their concierge service. They helped us book a tour the next day to see the art museums and cultural sites in the city! Our guide not only brough us to the stadium, but also to the Sagrada Familia, which is still under construction! It is slated to be completed in 2026. The church is a wonderful display of culture meeting architecture and is breathtaking to view. We highly recommend taking time to visit the Sagrada Familia, even if it is still under construction. For starters, being part of the creation of historical places and artifacts is in itself pretty cool, but we also don’t want anyone thinking they should delay travel for any reason! Like we stated before – visit Barcelona, just visit during the off-season and be respectful of the locals! This is this home all year round.

    It is really hard to put into words how majestic it is to be in the city of Barcelona, even for just a week. It is such an amazingly cultural and artistic city. Murals plaster the walls and buildings as you walk from art museum to art museum, and their appreciation for expression in many different forms – written, spoken, drawn – is refreshing. We were able to visit MACBA Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona and the European Museum of Modern Art. Between the contemporary art of Banksy to the modern art of Picasso, I felt inspired with each new piece of art or room. Picasso is one of my favorite artists, and seeing his early work – the blue era – and other pieces that defined the artist he would eventually be known as for the majority of the world, was absolutely fantastic. It was also nice to be able to see other artists that I love – Guillermo, (Banksy), and Dali – in one gorgeous location. The museums continue to celebrate local artists and new art, with many different exhibits and displays peppered through the museums for you to view. We both had a great time spending a day visiting museums!

    Strolling along La Rambla was part of the experience when visiting Barcelona and be sure to take half a day for the visit! We were able to explore the entire street, from sampling restaurants and taking in the sights, truly being part of Barcelona. Our hotel was not on the street, but if you considered a stay along the street, it would not be a bad idea. The best part of Barcelona was the food. Tapas is a real thing here – pretty much an origin story! – and it does not disappoint at all! It was a bit of an adjustment for us as early risers as most of the city does not start until later in the day. Dinner is usually around 9 or 10 p.m, which is pretty late for us! They do ‘celebrate’ siesta time between 2-5ish, so many places close down. We had to move our schedule back a few hours, but well worth it! Walking around the vibrant city vs. a quieter morning is such a difference! Smaller portions, tapas, is very nice to have with this walkable city. You can really try and sample many different types of food without needing to consume an entire meal. It is highly encouraged to think outside the box and try something different – trust your waiter! You really can’t go wrong with the majority of choices in Spain for tapas.

    While we were in Barcelona, we did a day trip to France. I’ll write about that more in a later blog post! If you are considering a trip to Spain and want advice, make sure to contact us at talleyouradventure@gmail.com!

  • Talley Your Adventure – Kiki’s Korner – Nevada!

    The desert for a pup can be one of the most exciting experiences of their lives. Vast, seemingly unending space for little legs to sprint, clouds of sand and dust showcasing their incredible speed as they race along the hot ground…I can see it now! And I have seen it! Pups cannot help but wiggle as you pull up to an area to off load them for a romp or walk – just remember a couple important things!

    For starters, it is HOT. We usually tested the pavement by touching it with your palm to see how truly hot the pavement or asphalt was before letting the dogs touch it with their paws. Because of this, we always traveled with little dog booties. I’m not saying you need to buy them – I know people have strong opinions about clothes on dogs! -so the alternative is finding a grassy spot or shaded spot to let them out on. Pack water and then double it! Between you and your dog, you’ll be happy you did so! Remember to also pack something salty and this includes for your dog. We usually pack treats that are very basic so that they don’t get overheated by the treats themself on our trip. If you are hot, there is a good chance that your dog is hot. They do not sweat the way we do as human so pay attention to their panting. If you are driving with them in the car, you might need to take a bit longer getting from one place to the other. Heat exhaustion can creep up very quickly by just sitting in a hot car or in a hot environment. Make sure that you are looking out for your furry friend!

    Kiraly loved running around on the sand and enjoyed playing with us as we strolled the trails in Nevada. We usually would walk in the early morning or late afternoon when it was a bit cooler. What we really loved about Nevada was the number of open spaces and unpopulated areas that we could freely roam with the dogs as well as experience the state without intervention. The state parks and national parks usually have BARK Ranger programs that encourage your pet to visit the park while following the rules. It is engaging and nice to have a cute badge given to your dog while they are sworn in as BARK rangers! Ask a ranger at the front desk when you are visiting to see if they participate in the nationwide program and reward your little one for a job well done. 🙂

  • Memories of Working for America’s BEST Idea!

    It truly seems like yesterday that I was walking into the Central High School National Historical Site Visitor Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, to interview as an interpretation intern with the Pathways Program. Discussing important topics such as integration, while facilitating discussion about oppressive measures such as segregation and the eventual closure of the public schools in the Little Rock area in protest of allowing equal rights to African American students was my daily task. I will always look back fondly on the relationships I observed between the Superintendent of Central High School and our leaders at the Historical Site – not just for their dedication to education, but their inspiring voices that continued to ring regardless of attempts at suppression. I loved my time in Little Rock, where I also was able to graduate with a masters in Public History from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, with incredible fondness.

    I was only able to spend a little over a year working for Little Rock Central High School NHS before I graduated and my internship ended. I was fortunate to receive a call from Fort McHenry before my official Pathways term ended asking if I was interested in taking a permanent job as their Fee Manager. Though it was no longer in interpretation, I accepted! The next three years of my life at Fort McHenry turned out to be the most influential in my entire career in terms of understanding the nuances of federal government work. I was also assigned special park use permits and commercial use authorizations – which is a fancy way of saying I helped businesses ‘do business’ on federal lands and worked with the general population to do things outside the scope of the park service – such as a wedding, 5K, allowing professional photography, etc. Lots of training, lots of learning, and lots of exciting opportunities to expand the definition of ‘permitted activities’ and raising revenue collection, all based on newly learned federal laws and regulations. I know it sounds nerdy, but this was very exciting! Towards the end of my time at Fort McHenry, the Star-Spangled Banner National Historical Trail was created. Working on a Junior Ranger program was a highlight of my time at the Fort!

    Unfortunately, there wasn’t opportunities at Fort McHenry when I was there for me to promote up to a supervisor, and that was definitely my goal for my next step in my career. I accepted the Fee Manager position for Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. My greatest achievement while working for this beautiful park was the establishment of fee collection machines that helped increase our revenue even with a smaller staff due to COVID-19. I learned a TON about hiring authorities, leading a team over a vast distance (many of my employees were in another state and I didn’t see them daily!), and working to increase our revenue collection. Not only did our family have an amazing time camping in the beautiful red rock country of Utah and Northern Arizona, but we also were able to explore so many wonderful remote locations that many only see in books or online. We were truly spoiled during our time living in Page, Arizona for Glen Canyon!

    I spent most of my career working at Glen Canyon during COVID-19 and was thankful we were in such a remote location to avoid the harshest cases of the virus. It also allowed me to learn how to be a leader during a national pandemic. Keeping your team calm while also caring for their safety is a whole new level of management that I had no experience in before 2020! What was amazing was the level of teamwork that came out of this experience. Working with people who had a similar mindset when attempting to understand policy in order to enforce it with the public can create a lot of confusion and, eventually, resentment (on both sides of the argument!) Making sure our team kept their head held high even with the many different voices shouting through the fog helped all of us succeed in the end. Those unprecedented times showed how the National Park Service is able to hire like-minded people who care not only about their public lands, but about their fellow human and ranger.

    My time in the park service to this point had exhausted many of my avenues for additional experience with the Recreation Fee Program in the park setting. I applied for and was hired into the Pacific-West region as a Recreation Fee Project Analyst. Hooray – I had reached my proverbial ‘top of the mountain’! The next three years was filled with travel through Hawaii, Washington, and California as I helped parks write projects to meet the FLREA authority for funding. Many cool projects came out of this – fixing the dock at Channel Island for safer boat operations; working with Hawaiian parks to help their fee collection related to natural events such as Kilauea lava flow; and other cool projects that regular base funding would not cover. The team for four I was part of was also amazing – it was just us four for the entire region. This small team was able to tackle over thirty fee collection parks and keep them all in ‘legal line’!

    My last 2.5-3 years working for the park service was at the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park in Potomac, Maryland, where I was truly able to go back to my interpretation/history roots. I was the District Supervisor for an amazing staff of two – three rangers and four-five interns. My last year there I had the pleasure of hosting a Community Volunteer Ambassador – who not only helped me learn much about myself as I did as a mentor/advisor to them. At least, I hope I was seen as a mentor! It was my first true experience training a young individual on work experience/park service/government work, and while last year did throw a lot of curve balls, I think we were pretty successful as a team! I was able to hone my supervisory skills while working on interpretive programming. One of my biggest successes was bringing “music to the canal” with a partnership with the Northern Virginia Dulcimer Group. I loved working with Bill and Linda, a wonderful couple with an enthusiasm for music that I found inspirations. I also enjoyed working with mules! We had four ladies who were not just part of our team, but part of our interpretive programming. I had such a great experience coming back to Maryland!