Minneapolis Travel Guide

Hey y'all! I'm coming back with another travel guide, this time I'm talking all about Minneapolis! Minneapolis is a quick four hour road trip for me, so it's always a good destination for a little weekend getaway. This time I stayed at The Graduate Hotel and I have to say I highly recommend it to anyone looking to stay in Minneapolis! It was such a cute boutique hotel with the coziest furnishings. It really felt like a place you'd want to snuggle up by the fire (preferably the one in the lobby, which is gorgeous). It had a very luxury ski lodge vibe that we really enjoyed!

First Stop: Total Wine & More
So this stop is technically a little outside the twin cities but it's definitely worth swinging by. They have great deals on wine, most of it at wholesale prices. This means you can pick up some great quality bottles for under $20! They also have a huge selection of beer and spirits, I'd totally recommend stopping if you have time!

Second Stop: The Mall of America
Anyone who knows me or reads this blog, or even anyone who has seen the inside of my closet knows I love to shop so this was a fairly obvious place to spend half a day. The Mall of America is the largest shopping mall in the United States so if you're in need of a shopping fix.....enough said.

Third Stop: The Graduate Hotel
After a shopping spree we stopped by the hotel to drop off our luggage and check in. The Graduate is located in the heart of the University of Minnesota campus which puts you right within walking distance to some really neat shops, restaurants, and more. They also have a restaurant and bar attached, as well as a Starbucks!
Bonus: Not traveling to Minneapolis? No problem! The Graduate is a chain of hotels in college towns all across the country!

Fourth Stop: Sencha Tea Bar
This is a place we just happened to notice on the way to the hotel. It's about a block and a half walk from the hotel so it made the perfect pre-dinner relaxation spot. They had a massive selection of teas to choose from, as well as some light food offerings. This was a really quaint and unique place and I'm so glad we happened upon it!

Last Stop: The Melting Pot
If you haven't been to The Melting Pot at least once in your life you need to give it a shot. It's definitely an experience. They offer a huge variety of different fondues such as cheese, and chocolate fondues. If you feel like playing it safe try the Classic Alpine cheese fondue. For the chocolate fondue you can choose what type of chocolate you want and if you're 21 and over you can choose a type of alcohol to mix in as well. We went with dark chocolate and Bailey's and it was FANTASTIC.
Pro Tip: Plan on spending at least two hours here, this isn't a quick meal but it's totally worth the time investment!

Hopefully you've gotten the travel bug from reading this! Have you ever stayed at a Graduate Hotel? What's your favorite place to visit in Minneapolis? Let me know in the comments!

What's in My Carry On

Hey y'all! So I am packing to head out for a trip and I figured I would share what I pack in my carry on! I am someone who is super organized and obsessive when I pack so this is a pretty complete list for the perfect carry on bag!

• Makeup Bag
• GM On-the-Go Skincare Kit
• Herbal Hydrating Mist
• Herbal E Oil
• Rejuvenation Creme 
• Nutrient Serum
• Marine Mint Mask
• Burt's Bees Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm 
• Hand Lotion
• Loreal Lash Paradise Mascara
• Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes
• It Cosmetics Celebration Foundation Compact
• Oil Blotting Papers
• Hair Ties
• Dry Shampoo
• Hair Brush 
• Laptop Bag
• iPhone & Charger
• Macbook & Charger
• Notebook & Pen
• Tech 
• Camera & Charger
• SD Cards
• Headphones
• Power Bank
• Accessories 
• Scarf
• Cardigan
• Socks
• Umbrella
• Glasses
• Sunglasses
• Wallet
• Miscellaneous
• Tylenol
• Book
• Hand Sanitizer
• Snacks
• Kleenex
• Water Bottle (empty)

National Wear Your Lilly Day + Nashville

Hey y'all! I wanted to share my really great trip to Nashville with everyone because it was so much fun! We had great food, great music and family. I went with my mom, my aunt, and my great grandma and it was a blast. I took a ton of pictures so don't mind how long this post will be. I'll be sharing all the things we did and my favorite restaurant we stopped at! First of all I just want to say how in love I am with Nashville. It is such a great city and if you ever have the chance to visit do it. Everyone is so friendly and there are so many things to see, do & eat!

First off, I want to give a shoutout to the most beautiful hotel The Gaylord Opryland Resort for being so wonderful. The staff is incredible and were very accommodating about allowing us to take the wheelchair out and about for my grandma. I will stay at this hotel any time I find myself in Nashville because it is just stunningly beautiful and just an all around great experience. It's even more beautiful at Christmas (if that's even possible) There are various restaurants, a coffee shop, and so many other great things housed here, you have to stay when you find yourself in Nashville. By far my favorite part about the resort is the atrium and gardens, you can see from the photos below they are gorgeous. I am actually headed back in August if anyone wants to meet up! Advice: Stay in a room with a balcony you absolutely will not regret spending the extra money, the view is impossible to beat. Also, take a boat ride through the gardens!

Next up we stopped at The Parthenon, which was just a fun and quick stop during the day to keep us busy. My grandma thought it was just the coolest thing, she's so sweet.

We swung by Biscuit Love in The Gulch for breakfast and it was so good! I naturally had to have grits and they were delicious. Everyone's food was fantastic and the service was great too, I highly recommend stopping by!

Since it is Nashville we obviously had to make a trip to the Grand Ole Opry. My grandma has been wanting to go her entire life so we were really excited to surprise her with tickets! We all had a great time and the music is always great.

Last, but not least, we toured the beautiful Belle Meade Plantation. It's a must see if you're in the area. The home and grounds are gorgeous and the history is amazing. There are bullet holes in the front columns! Why? You'll have to stop by and find out! Bonus: They have an amazing winery on site, try the Blackberry wine!

As always, I had to pack some Lilly, so it's only appropriate to share this on National Wear Your Lilly Day & the first official day of summer! I've been in love with the Palm Reader Rossmore Dress because it's so perfect for every occasion! It's the perfect casual day dress! I've linked a couple of my favorite casual Lilly dresses below, check them out! 

    Lilly Pulitzer Riva Dress | Lilly Pulitzer Sophie Dress | Lilly Pulitzer Marlowe Dress

      Lilly Pulitzer Painterly Dress | Lilly Pulitzer Emilia Dress | Lilly Pulitzer Lowe Dress

I hope you enjoyed my first travel post, I'd love to share more of my travels with y'all! Let me know what you think! I've shared links to all of the places I talked about in this post so you can visit if you'd like! Let me know if you've been anywhere in this post, I'd love to know what you thought!