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. Impact-Site-Verification: 8a69d429-4a55-4b53-b8f6-72c437661af5

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

  • The Lloyds visit #USSConstellation #FindYourShip

    July 4th has always been a favorite holiday of mine. Between the joyous parades and the amazing fireworks throughout entire day, or even week,  it is a time to celebrate and enjoy the country’s patriotism. More importantly – learn more about our country’s history! I’ve never had the chance to explore the historic ships that are docked in the Inner Harbor. This week was our chance when my parents visited for the holiday. Constellation has always been high on my list of historic ships to visit, as well as Torsk – a submarine! This post will focus on the Constellation, and stay tuned for another post on Torsk.

    There are a few different types of ships named Constellation and each have their own unique history. The Constellation that is currently docked in the Inner Harbor is a restoration of the second Constellation, designed by John Lenthall and constructed at the Norfolk Navy Yard as a sloop. Commissioned on July 28, 1855, Constellation was taken to her permanent berth in Baltimore, Maryland on July 4th, 1961. Her first cruise lasted for 3 years as part of the Mediterranean Squadron near Malage, Spain under Captain Charles Bell. She was recommissioned in June 1859 to serve as part of the United States abolition movement as a member of the African Slave Trade Patrol near the Congo River. For each slave that was freed, a $25 bounty was paid. One of her largest captured vessel was in September, 1860 with Cora, a barque which had 705 slaves aboard. The former slaves were released in Liberia, and the Navy impounded Cora to be sold later at auction.

    During the American Civil War, Constellation was sent on patrol for Confederate commerce raiders near the Mediterranean. Commanded by Captain Henry Thatcher, Constellation arrived in April 1862 and patrolled for two years blocking the commerce raider CSS Sumter and stopping the Confederate Navy from taking the SS Southerner in Italy. She returned to Norfolk in 1864 and served the remainder of the war as a receiving ship until 1869. After the Civil War, she was used as a training vessel with occasional trips to a repair yard or an excursion. After the Navy discontinued sailing training in 1929, and retained as a historical ship, Constellation was designated a National Historic Landmark on May 23, 1963 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. As the last intact naval vessel from the American Civil War and last wind-powered ship built by the U.S. Navy, you can visit her with a self-guided tour like we did one day while you are in Baltimore!

    Baltimore was and still is a major port in the United States, and learning more about the historical ships only highlights the unique and long history that Baltimore enjoys today as a port destination. Hope you enjoyed a quick introduction to the city’s vast history and stay tuned for more historical ship knowledge!

     

  • Battle of Gettysburg – 155th anniversary #FindYourPark

    When it was confirmed that I would be moving from Little Rock, Arkansas to join the staff at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland I was very excited. Clinton and I welcomed the chance to not only truly start my career with the National Park Service, but live in a bigger city close to many different parks. I took a break from this blog during that time so that I could learn my new job and settle into the new city I still call home today. We FB_IMG_1526764471269didn’t sit at home during that time, however. We decided to visit some of the places we both had seen when we were younger with our families. This decision led us to Gettysburg in May of 2016.

    The Civil War was the first war I studied that made me fall in love with history. Visiting Gettysburg when I was a teenage one summer was one of the most memorable times in my life. Seeing a battlefield and bringing to reality a history that had only been viewed through ones imagination while reading historical documents cannot be explained in words. Placing yourself in a modern era battlefield and visualizing how it looked during the battle is difficult, but because of the hard work done to preserve the landscape and history at that exact location it isn’t impossible.

    Clinton and I were able to visit Gettysburg one weekend when we first arrived to Baltimore as it is a relatively short distance away. Following our normal pace, we opted FB_IMG_1526764515964to skip the visitor center and tour the battlefield ourselves. I should mention that I have also been back to the visitor center and have viewed the fantastic film and the Cyclorama. There is a fee that is charged for this, but it is recommended if you like to get a general history lesson outside of a self-guided tour, or if you don’t know much already about the battle or the Civil War. The Cyclorama is one of only two in North America and is very interesting. It is more than a football field long when stretch out, and the painting itself was made in the 19th century!

    The Battle of Gettysburg took place July 1 – 3, 1863 between Union forces under General Meade, who were pursuing Confederate General Robert E. Lee. General Lee’s goal was to FB_IMG_1526764502188shift the war north and hopefully influence the Northern politicians to give up their war effort by bringing war to their doorstep. While General Lee remained in command throughout the battle, General Joseph Hooker was relieved of command and replaced by General Meade three days before the battle. General Lee would push his troops day after day, but ultimately the Union prevailed. Thousands lost their lives, many more were wounded or missing after the battle. The war had been waging for two years, and two more years would pass before the war ended. This Union victory would solidify the attitude from the Union that the rebellion would be squashed.  I recommend you read this link and this link for more information on the battle specifics.

    Conceptually, Gettysburg has been considered a turning point in the war as it was the last time General Lee attempted to “invade” the Union. Another important thing that came out of the battle is the short speech that President Abraham Lincoln gave on November 19, 1863 at the Gettysburg National Cemetery – the Gettysburg Address.  One important theme addressed in the speech was the belief that the Declaration of Independence was the true reflection of the new nation, not the Constitution. As a new country less than 100 years old, this war was a test of survival. Failure would not just mean a division of North and South, but the destruction of a great nation. Lincoln’s FB_IMG_1526764484618words would resonate with many, and would divide easily along political loyalties, but ultimately would forever change the tide of the war to one of preservation and equality. The 13th Amendment passed through the Senate on January 31, 1865, legally destroying the system of slavery, and assisting in the effort to end the war.

    Gettysburg is a powerful battlefield to visit. It is different than the other battlefields I believe because of the vast amount of monuments that dot the landscape, but it is just a memorable. Once you get a map of the stops, I recommend you take your time and actually stop when you can. There is much to be said about standing on a battlefield than just driving by in your car. Get out there and #FindYourPark!

     

  • #FindYourTrail @The Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail!

    Hello! Welcome back! Last month was #GreatOurdoorsMonth and to celebrate you read many great adventures in newly visited places. This week I’ll talk about FB_IMG_1528678670136#NationalTrailsDay, which was June 2, and the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail.

    The history of the Battle of Baltimore in 1814 is only one of the stops along the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail. Commemorating the Chesapeake Bay Campaign during the War of 1812, the trail is over 560 miles long, stretching over both land and water. The trail runs through Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C.  Historically, the Chesapeake Bay region was a political and governmental center for the country starting around the American Revolution. The British military, realizing that the region was also the center of trade and commerce, targeted the area heavily during the War of 1812. Baltimore’s growth, in particular as a shipbuilding and maritime-related commerce trading port, was well known. The deep-water available in Baltimore’s port led to an increased presence of privateers, who were legally licensed to attack enemy ships and caused considerable havoc during the war. Ships were built specifically for easy manipulation of the seas in Baltimore and sold to FB_IMG_1527962545131the privateers. After the British success at the Battle of Bladensburg and the burning of the White House, the British moved north to Baltimore. The British sent troops to attack Baltimore via land at North Point, while the British Navy attempted to bombard Fort McHenry into surrendering. The British were unsuccessful, and the Chesapeake Campaign ended.

    The trail itself tells more than just the story of the battles during the War of 1812: it connects landmarks, properties, and even nature parks. It connects the cultural and archaeological history of the Bay. In Baltimore, for example, one can visit the Flag House where Mary Pickersgill sewed the flag made famous after Francis Scott Key witnessed it aaa1flying after the bombardment. Nature landmarks include the Potomac, Patuxent, and Pataspsco Rivers; all were important routes during the Chesapeake Campaign. The Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum is a state museum created out of a land gift in 1983, from Mary Marvin Breckinridge Patterson. The archaeological history here spans thousands of years, and even though less than one percent of the potential sites have been excavated, there has already been so much history and culture uncovered! Learn about the Chesapeake Bay region through its maritime history at the Calvert Marine Museum or travel via vehicle along Maryland’s Scenic Byways, which cover the Historic National Roads that are included in the trail.

    The 50th Anniversary of the creation of the National Trails System is this year, and we were able to celebrate by highlighting the kayak program that is run at Fort McHenry for the Star-Spangled Banner NHT! Unfortunately, the weather and water quality cancelled the water portion of the program that day, but we were still able to educate many visitors on the importance of water safety, water quality, and of course, water FUN! I encourage you to get out there this month and #FindYourTrail!