The Travel Oracle

The Travel Oracle
  • Who is the Travel Oracle?
    • Contact us!
    • The places we’ve been
    • The Oracle Recommends…
    • Our City Guides
    • Travel Booking Services
  • Our World Famous Kidney Donor Athlete
    • Running Stories
  • Subscribe
  • The Golden Pelican Awards of Excellence
  • Newsletter
  • Who is the Travel Oracle?
    • Contact us!
    • The places we’ve been
    • The Oracle Recommends…
    • Our City Guides
    • Travel Booking Services
  • Our World Famous Kidney Donor Athlete
    • Running Stories
  • Subscribe
  • The Golden Pelican Awards of Excellence
  • Newsletter
The Oracle Recommends...
The Oracle Recommends...
Running the World
Running the World
Feeling Spooky
Feeling Spooky
  • Cellblock in the Ohio State Reformatory

    What’s Left of the Ohio State Reformatory

    If you’re anything like me, as the weather cools and the nights get longer, your mind turns to things on the spookier side of the spectrum. If you’re not anything like me, I get it. Let me suggest you check out our most awesome collection of Running Stories for inspiration. But for those of you who are still here, why don’t you grab a cup of something warm and spicy and join me. This week we’ll find out what’s left of the Ohio State Reformatory. But remember, you’ll need to leave your ghost hunting equipment behind! Hustlin’ to Shawshank You may wonder how we decided to visit this location. It…

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Adventure at the Famous Eloise Asylum

    October 20, 2022
    White cottage with three rear facing windows and a small slanted shingled roof

    Who Was on the Stairway Each Night?

    October 12, 2023
    Stone tomb of the Couch family in Lincoln Park, Chicago

    Some Dark History Built Over an Old Cemetery

    October 16, 2025
  • Woman standing in front of a statue of a witch. Behind her is a sign that reads “Salem Witch Village”

    Witch Way to the Brewery?

    I love the brightly painted wooden homes and bays filled with sailboats in New England. And if you know me, you know I ADORE October – with the leaves changing colors and the fresh cool air in the mornings. I must say, there is nothing like Salem in October – and it may not be for the reasons you think! While my friends and I were determined to find our way to the museums, Stephen asked an even more important question…”Witch Way to the Brewery?” Join us this week for a spooky tour of Salem, Massachusetts. So What’s to See in Salem? Most people only know Salem for it’s ties…

    read more

    You May Also Like

    The Mystery of The Winchester Mystery House

    October 6, 2022
    Cellblock in the Ohio State Reformatory

    What’s Left of the Ohio State Reformatory

    October 17, 2024

    Adventure to the Most Haunted Cemetery in Michigan

    October 13, 2022
  • Woman in a dress, touching the image of Edgar Allan Poe on his tombstone in the Westminster Burial Ground

    In the Footsteps of E. A. Poe

    Since I was young, there was just something about the stories of Edgar Allan Poe that compelled me. I don’t know if it was the way he could foist a surprise on the reader. Or the way he portrayed loss with such touching tenderness. More recently I discovered the details of his life and his bizarre and unexplained death. It was this as much as his writing that compelled me to follow in the footsteps of E. A. Poe. For many years, E. A. Poe shared this little home with his grandmother, Elizabeth Cairns, his first cousins, Virginia and Henry Clemm, and his aunt, Maria Clemm. For perspective, the main…

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Adventure to the Most Haunted Cemetery in Michigan

    October 13, 2022
    Cellblock in the Ohio State Reformatory

    What’s Left of the Ohio State Reformatory

    October 17, 2024

    Adventure at the Famous Eloise Asylum

    October 20, 2022
  • Cathedral Saint Louis from the wall of Fort Saint Louis

    Like a Taste of Paris in the Caribbean

    This week we’re giving you a two-for-one! We’re going to visit the island of Martinique, which was like a toast of Paris in the Caribbean, and Antigua, where we’ll go swimming with sting rays. Why sting rays, you might ask? Well, it’s the Caribbean so…why not! Grab a cool glass of something tropical and join us on the last leg of our journey. The Catch Up This May, we traded our plans to visit northern Italy for an even better plan B, cruising though the Caribbean with our dear friends, Jerry and Shannon! First we got the gear we needed to make our journey easier. Then we visited St. Thomas…

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Three people at a bar on a ship

    To Drink or Not to Drink, That is the Question

    August 8, 2024
    Cast of the Love Boat inside a life ring, with the ocean behind it

    Set Sail on the “For Real” Love Boat

    August 15, 2024
    Lush, green mountain with two waterfalls coming off either side

    Let’s Go Chasing Waterfalls in the Caribbean

    August 29, 2024
  • Caribbean island of St. Lucia from the water

    Looking for Mercy in the Caribbean

    Have you ever had an idea about how your day would turn out, only to have something much better happen? This was the day we had on the island of St. Lucia. Why don’t you grab a cup of your favorite bevy and join us as we go looking for mercy in the Caribbean? The Quick Catch up We were in the Caribbean on our very first cruise. Not knowing what to expect, we did a little research to find things to make the experience much easier. We did excursions on the island of St. Thomas where we found pirates and swam with sea turtles. And we did an excursion…

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Group of people fooling around in a pool

    Plan B-eautiful – Setting Sail to the Caribbean

    August 1, 2024
    Cathedral Saint Louis from the wall of Fort Saint Louis

    Like a Taste of Paris in the Caribbean

    September 26, 2024
    Man in running clothes, standing in front of a pirate statue and the tower of Bluebeard’s castle

    Finding Pirates in the Caribbean

    August 22, 2024
  • Medal for the Tunnel of Light marathon in front of the Snoqualmie Falls

    Looking for the Light at the End of the Tunnel

    Join us this week as we unpack the incredible journey our kidney donor athlete underwent to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Through a tough path, he went looking for the light at the the end of the tunnel at the Tunnel Light Marathon. The Long and Short of it “Great moments are born from great opportunities.” – Herb Brooks The Short Version: Did the work. Believed. Crushed the goal. The Long Version: Although the short version sums up what happened, I hope you’ll take the time to read this. So many feelings and emotions about the buildup and this race that I’m not sure I have the words to adequately…

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Man standing with 6 Disney themed racing medals

    The Dopey Challenge

    January 19, 2023
    Man wearing a hat and shirt, covered in cartoon donuts who is standing before a road sign that reads “Gladstone City Limit”

    Pacing with a Purpose: A Marathon Weekend in Gladstone

    June 19, 2025
    Steam train with a black and red engine car

    Checking out the Wizarding and Surreal Worlds

    December 22, 2022
  • Lush, green mountain with two waterfalls coming off either side

    Let’s Go Chasing Waterfalls in the Caribbean

    Sometimes it’s good to have a plan and sometimes it’s even better to wander and find a new path. This week we’ll do a little of both. Come with us as we visit the island of Dominica. Let’s go chasing waterfalls in the Caribbean! The Catch Up In case you missed it, we went on our very first cruise with our wonderful friends, Jerry and Shannon, in May. But wait…there’s more. This week we’re visiting Dominica – where we had an excursion booked and we got a little off the beaten path. Surprise – Dominica! The cruise line does a great job of reminding you about your schedule for the…

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Caribbean island of St. Lucia from the water

    Looking for Mercy in the Caribbean

    September 19, 2024
    Group of people fooling around in a pool

    Plan B-eautiful – Setting Sail to the Caribbean

    August 1, 2024
    Man in running clothes, standing in front of a pirate statue and the tower of Bluebeard’s castle

    Finding Pirates in the Caribbean

    August 22, 2024
  • Man in running clothes, standing in front of a pirate statue and the tower of Bluebeard’s castle

    Finding Pirates in the Caribbean

    When you go on cruise, you’re given an itinerary of ports and excursions you can take. What you don’t really know is how beautiful the ports are. You won’t know how fun the excursion will be or what you’ll find when you get off the beaten path. Join us this week as we take the road less traveled where we set about finding pirates in the Caribbean! (Arrrr!) The Quick Catch Up In case you’re new here, welcome! Also, let’s get you up to speed. This May we had the opportunity to go on our very first cruise. We bought all the gear we needed for a frictionless experience. We…

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Three people at a bar on a ship

    To Drink or Not to Drink, That is the Question

    August 8, 2024
    Lush, green mountain with two waterfalls coming off either side

    Let’s Go Chasing Waterfalls in the Caribbean

    August 29, 2024
    Caribbean island of St. Lucia from the water

    Looking for Mercy in the Caribbean

    September 19, 2024
  • Cast of the Love Boat inside a life ring, with the ocean behind it

    Set Sail on the “For Real” Love Boat

    If you’re as old as we are, you may have spent part of your childhood with Captain Stubing, Gopher, and Julie, the Cruise Director. Thought I’m sure we’d find this show mostly cringe-worthy now, why not join us as we set said on the “For Real” Love Boat – the Emerald Princess? Come aboard! We’ll find out together if it is really exciting and new. Quick Catch Up In case you missed it, we had the opportunity to go on our very first cruise with our wonderful friends, Jerry and Shannon. We went on a pre-cruise shopping spree and decided to upgrade our voyage with the balcony room and the…

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Cathedral Saint Louis from the wall of Fort Saint Louis

    Like a Taste of Paris in the Caribbean

    September 26, 2024
    Lush, green mountain with two waterfalls coming off either side

    Let’s Go Chasing Waterfalls in the Caribbean

    August 29, 2024
    Group of people fooling around in a pool

    Plan B-eautiful – Setting Sail to the Caribbean

    August 1, 2024
  • Three people at a bar on a ship

    To Drink or Not to Drink, That is the Question

    Those of you who follow us know we went on our first cruise in May. It was a 10 day eastern Caribbean cruise that our friends Jerry and Shannon invited us to go on since they each won a free cruise. That being said, it was more of a “free” cruise than a free-free cruise, because there were extra costs that can’t be avoided like port fees and taxes. And then there are extras to consider – like excursions and whether or not to get “the drink package”. To drink or not to drink, that is the question we will explore this week. Offer to Upgrade…for a Small Fee With…

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Man in running clothes, standing in front of a pirate statue and the tower of Bluebeard’s castle

    Finding Pirates in the Caribbean

    August 22, 2024
    Cathedral Saint Louis from the wall of Fort Saint Louis

    Like a Taste of Paris in the Caribbean

    September 26, 2024
    Lush, green mountain with two waterfalls coming off either side

    Let’s Go Chasing Waterfalls in the Caribbean

    August 29, 2024
 Older Posts
Newer Posts 
Ashe Theme by WP Royal.