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

  • Ciao, Bella! Talley Your Adventure visits Venice, Florence, & Pisa, Italy #DreamVacations

    High on most people’s bucket list is crossing off the magical land of Italy. Talley Your Adventure was able to do this back in 2010, and boy! Did we have the time of our lives!

    Italy is a large country that will take you more than just a couple days to explore. At the time, we had the Eurorail Unlimited passes for those under the age of 30, and it was an amazing experience. We upgraded into first class tickets, which really meant for us we were guaranteed a place to put our backpacks. Many of the trains that are used throughout Europe, while fast and reliable, don’t necessarily account for space for a large backpack. If you do plan to travel internationally out of a backpack, be sure to take these things into consideration.

    To visit Pisa, we ended up taking a train for a day trip to the town and walking around until we found the leaning tower. It was a little strange to walk into an open field while navigating through a busy neighborhood to see a leaning tower that really isn’t as big as it seems in the pictures…but definitely worth the experience! Don’t be afraid to take the local transportation for a day trip to see sites near large cities. We only stayed in Venice, Florence, and Rome when we visited Italy but still were able to go out during the day to see other parts of Italy. Find a home base!

    One of our home bases was Venice, which was a gorgeous city with winding stone streets and gorgeous building facades. The store fronts hold majestic Italian leather purses from all sorts of designers – and you know they are authentic. I could really believe that the designer himself was living behind the stone walls of the store, waiting for an independent order to come through for a personalized designer purse.

    Walking is highly encouraged in the city of Venice – and try not to be on an agenda. Strolling through the streets and getting truly lost is part of the experience of visiting Venice. You feel like you end up on different parts of the city or maybe circling for a period of time – in any case, the people, the sites, and smells are worth the adventure.

    One of the places that your strolling should bring you is to the Rialto Bridge. This expansion of stone covers the Grand Canal. Spend time not just next to it, but walking over it and stopping to watching the gondolas float by is amazing! We did not end up going on a gondolas ride, but we did enjoy watching them in various places during our time staying in Venice.

    Another city on our list while spending a couple days in Italy was the beautiful city of Florence. Some tips – even if you do buy the Eurorail pass, be sure to make sure that you know which train or bus to take and be very patient and understanding if you end up in the wrong place and have an officer approach you. This happened to us while traveling through Italy – they simply want to check your ticket and if you are in fact on the wrong train or bus, they will direct you accordingly. You can always get off at the next stop and wait for the correct transportation! This is part of the travel excitement, but don’t let it bring you down during your travels. Even if you get a ticket or charged extra or end up in the wrong place (we have stories!) it will be okay! Keep calm, cool, and collected when trying to solve any of your travel problems.

    When we did end up in the correct city, one of our goals was to see the statue of David. We ended up standing in line, chatting with travelers from all over the world as we waited about two hours to finally enter the Accademia Museum to see Michealangelo’s masterpiece. While we ended up waiting in line, you could take a faster approach and book a tour where you usually get to the front of the line with a group. We have done this in many different cities, but chose to wait in line and chat with people in line this time around. It was a lot of fun getting to know Italians from across their country and other international travelers during our wait.

    Italy, even in the winter months, is a busy place that is popular not just for Americans, but for fellow Europeans as well. Say ‘excuse me’, be polite, and don’t be afraid to wait in a line – you might see something really cool! I still need to write about our time in Rome – make sure to continue following us so you can read more about our adventures!

  • Mountains, Waterfalls, and Wildlife – Visiting Yosemite National Park!

    Clinton and I have a long history with Yosemite National Park. Back when we lived and worked in Death Valley, we would frequently stop in Bishop before heading north to Tuolumne Meadows. The drive was gorgeous – depending on the time of year, snow capped mountains and crisp, cold air met us as we continued to rise in elevation. It was a relief during the summer when attempting to escape the dry desert heat. Yosemite always seems to show her true beauty with each visit. I’ve never been disappointed visiting Yosemite! 

    Travel was a bit easier since the team was flying into Fresno, meeting up to rent a car, and driving directly into the park. The Fresno airport is small and easily navigable – rental car companies are in the vicinity and uber/lyft is available if you plan to spend more of your time hiking or walking in the park. 

    Usually, Clinton and I are found camping in the National Forest. Sierra National Forest and Inyo National Forest are highly recommended if you are considering a camping trip, especially if you plan to visit with dogs. Remember that at National Parks, dogs must remain on leash at all times and they are not allowed on most trails, inside buildings (unless they are a service dog), or left unchecked at viewpoints. Plus, camping in a National Forest is remote and secluded! 

    Since it gets busier the closer you get to El Portal and Yosemite Valley (and it is a drive from one side of the park to the other), this part of the park has been less visited by Clinton and I. We tend to go to the less visited areas of a park if we are visiting during the busy summer and go back at another time to see the iconic parts – ie, Half Dome. It was nice that this time around we were staying in the Yosemite Valley Lodge and had only a quick trip on the bus or to a short hike to see the busier parts of the park. The Lodge is pretty basic – no AC, older buildings, limited parking – but the location cannot be beat. Even during the summer it is colder – I left my window open most nights. It became incredibly dark at night. Just a short walk away from the building lights lets you glimpse a mesmerizing night sky. You are also within walking distance or a short drive to multiple restaurants within the park (or just outside it.) Spend some time outside at night to see the sky – try for after 11 p.m. to get a true dark sky. It will be worth staying up to see!

    Another must-do is a hike, even if it is only a short one to a viewpoint. Sure – also make sure to get your picture at a drive up viewpoint. But take the time to really experience the reason that John Muir said “The mountains are calling, and I must go”.  I recommend the Lower Yosemite Fall Trail, which starts out of the Valley Visitor Center. It is a popular one mile hike, but it will bring you into the heart of Yosemite to see some of the most spectacular reasons visitors come to Yosemite – waterfalls! Early summer/late Spring is the best time to visit the park and see the waterfalls, but we were still able to see some when we visited in September. For those that want a more intimate experience with the beauty and serenity of Yosemite, try the Yosemite Falls Trail. Make sure your water bottle is full!

    Wildlife is in abundance throughout Yosemite, so drive slowly and be aware of your surroundings when hiking in the backcountry. Don’t put your headphones in and walk through the brush silently – remember that bears and other predator-like animals live in the area and need a warning that you are approaching. I usually hang my phone or speaker from my backpack and play it outloud while hiking – turning it down when coming up on other people or passing slower hikers. If you do end up stumbling upon bears – back up slowly, do not run, and make your way back the way you came. Don’t be THAT person!

    Yosemite should be on your bucket list if you have not already visited the park. Either camping or staying in a lodge, make sure to experience all there is at the park. Take a few days to truly absorb the beauty of Yosemite and don’t forget to see Half Dome!

  • Day Trip w#CuzUK @Cardiff, Wales to visit #CardiffCastle #CastellCaerdydd

    I’ve always wanted to visit Wales to see the Lloyd side of my family, and with the addition of Talley when I married Clinton it was basically inevitable! While Emily and I visited Cardiff Castle as a day trip to see the landscape, I did try to take an extra look for anything that may give me more information about the Talleys. While I didn’t find really anything, I did actually find a key-chain with the name! That is pretty rare!

    Cardiff Castle is a medieval castle located in the city center of Cardiff, Wales. The trip from London took a little bit of navigation as we had to take a 3 hour one way bus, but it was not difficult to purchase only a few days ahead of time for pretty inexpensive. The bus station was confusing to find because London does not like to label the difference between a bus, rail, or subway (at least to the average visitor) but we managed! Exiting from the city center stop is only a short walk to Cardiff Castle and the actual city center. We looked up a few places to visit while we were in town and settled on The Alchemist, a cute restaurant not for it’s Welsh food but for its unique flare and amazing drinks. We walked around the town for a few hours before heading back to London. A highly recommend a day trip if that is the only time you have left to visit the country! The bus was extremely easy – once we found the location, finding the correct bus line was very easy and our driver was friendly. We had a nice basic seat with room for our legs to stretch and baggage to be placed above our head. The bus wasn’t full so we were able to stretch out a bit, which was nice for such a long trip back and forth. It was also nice to have someone else drive since by then we were kinda over driving around England and Scotland. Cardiff Castle does charge a fee but it is well worth the price. Of all castles I have to admit – Cardiff was one of my favorites. Not only was it open to the public to view without problems (I felt in London it was rather difficult and not easy if you didn’t play it ahead of time) but there was so much history to view I doubt we learned it all. We paid extra for a historic tour and learned a lot – another thing I recommend spending a little bit extra on!

    One of the most interesting things I learned was about the 4th Marquess of Bute, who inherited the castle early in the 20th century. The vast wealth is on display throughout the house – in one room there is paint that is actually gold! The Marquess of Bute was extremely religious, which is evident is the design of the house such as the Roof Top Garden. This area has both an open “roof” as well as a shallow step down into an area that would fill up during the wet season but still allow for meditation in a lovely garden. The bedrooms are breathtaking with their hand painted portraits and paintings, mostly of religious figures from the Bible. By the time World War II started most of the land was either commercialized or nationalized until little was left of the castle. Extensive air raid shelters were built in the walls and when you visit, you can walk through them to get a sense of what it would be like to walk around them in the modern era. When the Marquess died the castle was left to the citizens of Cardiff, who are able to enter the public land free to charge as long as they remain a resident of the city.

    We didn’t have a lot of time left over after touring Cardiff Castle, not enough at least to travel further than about a mile on foot around the immediate area. We walked through Bute Park, which was very quaint and beautiful. Surrounded by the city of Cardiff, it reminded me of Baltimore and Patterson Park. You could easily disappear into the park even though if you took a minute to think about it, there was traffic and city noises all around you. They did a great job of removing that atmosphere. We stopped at a little cafe where I got tea (I tried to order that as much as possible, and discovered I like it with milk. Who knew?). It was different than the cafes I was use to in the Netherlands and Germany but I was trying to get use to it. Instead of a variety of breads and cheeses it was mostly teas and coffees juices. Sandwiches were big, but for some reason only flavors that I knew for sure I liked I actually liked – experimenting was hard. I didn’t like the reliance on mayo or fish and chips (super disappointing, I thought it was something I’d like!) but overall I’m glad I tried all the things I did during our travels. I drank a lot of juice smoothies so I didn’t get sick since I didn’t feel like I ate a lot food with substance, and we tried to remind each other daily to eat because there didn’t seem to be much of a variety with restaurants! I digress…Bute Park was a nice, close diversion from the city and a nice walk through nature. The tea was great! 🙂

    This post ends the travels of #CuzUK but we hope you enjoyed the ride along the way! Traveling is stressful, logistically difficult at times, and complex. But it is overall enjoyable, breathtaking, and amazing…and worth it. Be smart, but don’t let simple things or the fear of travel stop you from taking the leap for adventures. I hope this blog encourages you to think outside the box and keep traveling!