Enjoy guest posts from IGE readers describing their best vacations ever while I’m away on mine! Check out my Italy travel page which I’ll be updating with links to videos, pictures & posts throughout my trip!
Italy
Name, Blog: Hi, my name is Amanda and I blog over at Two Boos Who Eat.
Who, what, where, when and why: My husband and I went to Rome, Florence and Venice, Italy for our honeymoon last summer.
My favorite part of the vacation was: I loved visiting Rome. We stayed in Rome for a week and spent hours walking and sightseeing. It was great but after a week of intense sight-seeing, I just wanted to RELAX! We went to Venice for a week afterwards and I finally was able to relax. I loved walking around Venice and just getting lost in the maze of shops, canals and great places to eat.
My best travel tip for this location: If you get to Venice, please take my advice and just walk around and get lost. There are so many wonderful things to do and see here. You won’t be sorry. I say lose the guidebook and tour around on your own. Eat pizza too.
The thing you MUST do at this location: You must try gelato. You just have to! Especially if you travel during the summer, you’ll thank me.
The thing I want to do next time I return: I want to see the Cinque Terre next time I get to Italy. I’ve heard it’s absolutely breathtaking.
Western USA
Blog: Adventures in Cooking
Who, what, where, when and why: My now fiancé and I. It was a complete surprise! He just told me what to pack. It was supposed to be my “birthday trip” (a month early!). It was last month, July 2010. We went to Jackson Hole, WY, then to Yellowstone, and then to Great Falls, MT for the Darius Rucker show on the final day.
My favorite part of the vacation was: Our breakfast picnic at Yellowstone National Park, on a CLOSED trail overlooking Canyon Falls. That’s where he proposed!
My best travel tip for this location: Buy a map! We used a good old paper map to explore the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. Also, ask locals about the best restaurants- it’s always a great tip wherever you go.
The thing you MUST do at this location: Hike in Grand Teton Park. There are gorgeous lakes and mountains! Also, you have to visit the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. They have horse saddles for bar stools 
The thing I want to do next time I return: There are soo many things! We packed a lot of them in though – he did the best job planning! White Water Rafting, Hiking, Old Faithful, etc. I would definitely want to do more hikes in Grand Teton if we go back- it’s so gorgeous!
Beautiful images, Amanda! Keep traveling far!