Anyone that knows me knows I am the biggest thrill seeker. I may use the lines "I don't know if I should do this" and "I can't do it" a few times but I always end up going for it. After researching many different amusement parks and the most popular around, I noticed that Cedar Point managed to always be in the top five of any list I saw. Meaning, I had to go! My boyfriend and I ventured out on this eight-hour drive to Sandusky, Ohio last year for my twenty-first birthday. (These pictures were taken off my iPhone and not my regular camera).

Crappy quality photos. If I had known I would eventually be using these pictures, I would have planned more accordingly!

When we visited, Gatekeeper was their newest ride. Instead of riding along the tracks - you're riding beside them. I love sitting front row of any roller coaster because before the big drop, you always hang at the top for a few seconds while waiting for the rest of the train to meet you.

The closest amusement park to me is Six Flags Great Adventure where they have Kingda Ka - the tallest, fastest coaster ever. This ride is its twin (literally) - Top Thrill Dragster. Everything about the two rides is identical except their harnesses. Kingda Ka has an overhead harness while Top Thrill Dragster only has a lap bar. Clearly I enjoyed the freedom of only having a lap bar much more than an overhead harness.

Millenium Force is easily one of the longest, tallest, SMOOTHEST roller coasters I have ever been on. If I had to come here and only ride this coaster for an entire day - I wouldn't mind a bit!

These are the seats of Gatekeeper.

Tips:

- When I visited Cedar Point, it was a Friday right in the middle of summer. It was busy but could definitely have been busier. I bought a fast pass because I wasn't sure what to expect but by the end of the day I was so happy I did. At Six Flags GA, you can buy a fast pass and "reserve" your spot in line by picking a time to come back to the ride. For example: Kingda Ka at 4:45PM. I prefer Cedar Point's fast pass MUCH more - it's a wristband that you show to the ride operator and cut half the line - no choosing times! I would recommend it to anyone that is visiting this park for only a day, like myself. I wanted to get as many rides as I could as many times as I wanted and the fast pass made sure I did that.

- I booked a package through Cedar Point's website that included hotel, park tickets, and my fast pass. It could have also included dining but my boyfriend and I chose to dine outside of the park. I saved about $100 booking through the website instead of booking each separately. Also, if you stay on Cedar Point property, you get to enter the park an hour before it opens - also very convenient for someone who is making a quick day trip as I did.

I would absolutely recommend this amusement park to any thrill seeker but also say that it is manageable in a full day so don't plan for more than that!

About an hour away from Raleigh, North Carolina sits a quiet town named Goldsboro. One of my closest friends moved there a few months ago and I finally decided to take the trip down and visit her neck of the woods. Both of us grew up in congested New Jersey so, coming to North Carolina and experiencing its openness was definitely much needed. Goldsboro was a town that consisted of mostly mom-and-pop restaurants, a handful of chain restaurants (Longhorn, Applebee's), and a Wal-Mart.

This is my friends' parents home about ten miles away from Goldsboro. The closest strip mall to them is a good twenty miles! I guess I take for granted the strip mall that is less than a mile away from my house.

I was also happy to know the beaches in North Carolina are free to get onto! Why pay to get onto a public beach? Wrightsville beach looked like a mini-version of Long Beach Island. It had all the necessities a block away from the beach.

Warm, blue water! Nothing compared to the cold Jersey brown water.

The only downside to living in a town like Goldsboro would probably be how far you need to drive to get into a "city" setting. The closest city-like town and outlet mall was a half hour away. I'm surrounded by hustle and bustle living in New Jersey so I truly appreciated and took full advantage of the slow pace that North Carolina had to offer. I'll also mention this - the fruit is AMAZING! I lived off of peaches throughout my four days because they were perfectly ripe. This is where I would prefer to go on a quick getaway.

My friend was dying to take me here because she was so sure that I would fall in love with their styles - and she was right! I was sold the second I walked into the store. This is Emily's Boutique; it opened about a year ago and is run by a mother and daughter. I usually see similar versions of pieces on various websites but all the clothes here were so unique! The best part about Emily's Boutique is you can shop them on Instagram (Emilys_Boutique) and if you see something you like, you can actually call them and place an order! First time I've heard any shop do that so that is definitely a plus.

Just a couple places my friend knew I would like while visiting:

I have a love/hate relationship with zoos, aquariums, anywhere all these magnificent animals are put on display. I have the softest spot in my heart for animals of all types and I love being able to be so close to them. However, my hatred comes from knowing that they obviously do not want to be there; they've been taken away from everything they know and shoved into these little quarters - I don't believe that's how they should live. Employees at any zoo or aquarium probably hate me because I spend a good amount of time asking how well these animals are taken care and so on (I'm an extremely curious person).

I've been to the Philadelphia Zoo several times and each time it has gotten a little more unmanageable. The first time I went a few years back, I remember the atmosphere being extremely relaxed and no one being in a hurry. Since then, it's been a little busier and little more hectic each and every time. In my opinion, people visit zoos to see animals they normally would not see stepping outside their home. With that being said, why is there an entire section of the zoo dedicated to pigeons? They have the usual giraffes and rhinos and whatnot, but I think they did the best job on their reptiles.

They had a few signs such as this one for any animals they have rescued. Comforting, yes, but with all the variety of animals and the very few that were actually rescued - unsettling for someone like me.

After seeing giraffes at many zoos, I've noticed that they seem to be the most social animal. Am I the only one who has caught on to that?

Tips:

- I suggest when going to the zoo to start at the back of it and work your way up. This visit, I started by the "Frog Parking Lot" which is the end corner of the zoo and took my time - making it that much more enjoyable. Also, if you don't mind walking - you can avoid the $20 parking by parking a block or two away from the zoo!

- This just so happens to be a pet peeve of mine that I thought would help everyone out: if you're someone that hogs the entire window when an animal is moving around - move. I noticed the same crowds standing in front of tigers or polar bears for minutes on end when there are plenty of other people that want to see as well. I saw what I wanted to see, I got my picture, then I let the next person have their fun. Do the same.

- Bring your own food. The food is nothing to rave about - not that it should be, we're all going for the animals.

(I plan on venturing to the Bronx Zoo in the upcoming weeks and hope to compare the two, stay tuned!)

So, there are two (of many) things that I am extremely passionate about: fitness and traveling. However there are far too many fitness blogs out there claiming to be “the real deal” and I would rather not bore the Internet with stuff that works for me because it may not work for everyone. That being said, I figured every now and then when I visit a new place or town I would write about it - my experience, tips, anything incase someone taking the time out to read this plans on visiting the same place. I am in no way apart of any travel company or magazine (as much as I would like to!). Here we go:

My favorite place in the whole land: Walt Disney World.

I’ve been lucky enough to frequently visit here during off-season (March) and prime time (Christmas). I’ve always been a fast-paced person so the overwhelming crowds of December didn’t bother me as much as they would bother most people. The atmosphere is COMPLETELY different each time: March everyone is pleasant and talkative while in December families are struggling to keep their kids by their sides at all times. Anyway, there’s always something going on at this magical land so either time you go - you’ll experience something new. When I went in March, it was time for the Flower and Garden Festival and of course, going for Christmas and New Years was truly a magical experience.

Tips:

- Know before you go! Know which park you are going to go to each day of your trip before you even get to the airport. It’s a blessing that Disney lets you plan your vacation so early and book reservations 180 days in advance so take advantage of it. Whether I went in March or December, everything was booked. In March I figured I would be able to squeeze my way through to a restaurant - nope! Unless you want to eat dinner at three in the afternoon or ten at night, I highly suggest doing dinner reservations at home.

- FastPasses are available on basically every ride and they’re free which I’m surprised to hear many first timers don’t know that. They’re super convenient and this way you skip the entire line and don’t have to miss a parade or fireworks. All the parades and fireworks are absolutely a sight-to-see.

- Don’t forget about Downtown Disney! I feel like so many people look past it and I don’t know why. They have the largest souvenir store in all of Disney along with a ton of restaurants, more shopping, Cirque De Soleil, and even bowling. It may not be something to do all day but it’s definitely worth a walk through.

- Walt Disney World is not the 'sit-back-and-relax' vacation. You will be up early, you will be on your feet all day, you will be tired.
- Something that I found a little disappointing was the lack of accommodations for vegans. I am not a vegan, however, I know a few people who are and who have traveled here with very limited options as far as food. I decided to test it out myself and asked a few restaurants what my options were if I'm vegan. Unfortunately, the responses weren't so great: a few restaurants had only left me with options such as fruit while others didn't even have a clue what I meant by "vegan." In our ever-changing world, I hope all the parks make an effort to satisfy every foodie.
- One place I would avoid altogether is The Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom. You have a ton of options throughout this park so leave this average choice as one of your last. It is a buffet and the food is average. It is all you can eat but simply just not worth it.
- Staying on actual Walt Disney World property is the best way to go. It may be a bit more pricey as opposed to staying off property - but you get so many amazing offers that you can't pass up. For one, free transportation to and from the airport to your resort - they even bring your luggage to your room for you AND you don't need to be in the room. That was perfect for someone like me because the second I got there, I was off to the parks. You also get access to the parks earlier or get to stay later than people who aren't on Disney property. Every time I've visited, I've stayed at the Pop Century Resort. I don't need a fancy room with all the extras because I'm hardly ever in the room unless it's to sleep/shower. Pop Century Resort is quick and convenient and never fails. Disney World has some great packages that include hotel, airfare, park tickets, and dining plans that I always use because it's much easier than booking everything separately. 

***All of the pictures I post are mine and please feel free to ask questions if I might have missed something***

Be Our Guest in the new Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom was somewhere I felt was mandatory to go because Beauty and the Beast is my favorite movie. As always, Walt Disney World does a remarkable job keeping everything so precise; the snow flakes that fall outside of the window in the Grand Ballroom are identically shaped to the flakes that fall in the movie! Here, I had the layered ratatouille entree which of course I had to finish off the grey stuff!

Via Napoli in Epcot.

50's Prime Time Cafe in Hollywood Studios where we stopped for lunch. So warm and inviting!