Travel notes from Xuenan — what to eat, where to stay, how to get there, and whether to go back.https://leavesnotes.com/en-ushttps://leavesnotes.com/posts/southwest-six-day-loop/https://leavesnotes.com/posts/southwest-six-day-loop/Vegas, Zion, Bryce, Page, Monument Valley, and the Grand Canyon in a tight six-day loop. Where to spend your time and money — and where not to.Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMTroad-tripvegaszionbryce-canyonpagemonument-valleygrand-canyonhttps://leavesnotes.com/posts/hawaii-big-island-week/https://leavesnotes.com/posts/hawaii-big-island-week/A Kona–Hilo loop with manta rays, sea turtles, a Mauna Kea sunset, and — if you time it right — an actual eruption at Volcanoes National Park.Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThoneymoonkonahilovolcanoes-npsnorkelingmauna-keahttps://leavesnotes.com/posts/kilauea-eruption-timing/https://leavesnotes.com/posts/kilauea-eruption-timing/Most people catch a Kīlauea eruption by luck. This is the USGS data, the tilt patterns, and the booking window we used to improve the odds — and what we did when the moment came.Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMTvolcano-chasingkilaueavolcanoes-npusgshawaiihttps://leavesnotes.com/posts/eastern-canada-fall-loop/https://leavesnotes.com/posts/eastern-canada-fall-loop/Six days across Montreal, Quebec City, Mont Tremblant, and Parc Omega. The leaves were too green, the cities were fine, and the deer cabin saved the trip.Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMTroad-tripquebecmontrealparc-omegamont-tremblantfall-foliagehotelshttps://leavesnotes.com/posts/yukon-tombstone-five-day-loop/https://leavesnotes.com/posts/yukon-tombstone-five-day-loop/Five days from Whitehorse to Dawson and back over Labor Day. Stack the activities low to high — hike, then drive, then helicopter — and let each day raise the bar.Sat, 30 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMTroad-tripyukontombstonedawson-cityfall-foliageaurorahikinghelicopterhttps://leavesnotes.com/posts/toronto-niagara-no-car-loop/https://leavesnotes.com/posts/toronto-niagara-no-car-loop/Two days in Toronto and at Niagara without a rental car. The boat tour at the Falls is the only ticket worth its own day; everything else is good-enough.Sat, 26 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMTcity-guidetorontoniagara-fallspublic-transithotelswalking-tourhttps://leavesnotes.com/posts/yellowstone-vancouver-loop/https://leavesnotes.com/posts/yellowstone-vancouver-loop/Three sunny days inside the park, three hotels worth picking carefully, and the cell-signal myth busted from a bed at Old Faithful Inn.Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMTroad-tripyellowstonemammothlamar-valleyold-faithfulspokanehotelshttps://leavesnotes.com/posts/cancun-christmas-week/https://leavesnotes.com/posts/cancun-christmas-week/Six days at Riu Kukulkan over Christmas with the two day tours that turned the trip around — a self-drive speedboat snorkel and a full day at Xplor — viewed from the perspective of a non-swimmer who's afraid of heights.Wed, 25 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMTbeachcancunmexicoall-inclusivehotelsjungle-tourxplorsnorkelhttps://leavesnotes.com/posts/banff-vancouver-loop/https://leavesnotes.com/posts/banff-vancouver-loop/Seven days from BC to Alberta and back, overnights in five towns, plus ten things that made the October weather bearable.Sun, 29 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMTroad-tripbanffcanadian-rockieskelownacalgaryhotelssnow-tires