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Traveling with Sweeney

Traveling with Sweeney

Inspiration and information for the best in luxury, cultural, and active travel

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california

California, Destinations, North America, USA

Paso Robles Wine Country Getaway

Catherine Sweeney
April 25, 2025
Paso Robles Wine Country Getaway

Summer getaway in Paso Robles wine country

california, paso robles, wine, wine country
California, Destinations, North America, USA

I Left My Heart in Northern California

Catherine Sweeney
July 21, 2021
I Left My Heart in Northern California

A sentimental and rejuvenating road trip in Northern California

california, food, healdsburg, northern california, san mateo county, sonoma coast, sonoma county, USA, wine, wine country county
Destinations, Europe, North America, Special Feature

Scary Travel Tales

Catherine Sweeney
October 30, 2020
Scary Travel Tales

Stories of a frightened traveler

california, connecticut, halloween, madame tussaud, mendocino, paranormal, puglia, salem massachusetts
Destinations, North America, Special Feature

Traveling Sisters — A Sentimental Journey

Catherine Sweeney
October 11, 2020
Traveling Sisters — A Sentimental Journey

Memories of shared travel experiences with my sister, Chris

california, family travel, north america, road trip, special feature, travel, USA
California, Destinations, USA

First Flight: Traveling with a Five-Year-Old

Catherine Sweeney
April 16, 2016
First Flight: Traveling with a Five-Year-Old

An early morning wake-up call couldn’t dim our enthusiasm for taking my five-year-old great-nephew Elijah (we call him Eli) on his first plane trip. I’m not sure who was the most excited — Eli or us.

california, family travel, traveling with kids, USA
California, Destinations, Europe, France, USA

A Taste of Burgundy in California Wine Country

Catherine Sweeney
April 15, 2015
A Taste of Burgundy in California Wine Country

Sometimes the recipe for a special evening is created in a surprising and exceptional way. French flavors, California wine, charming hosts, new friends, and a remarkable venue provided the ingredients for our lovely evening in Santa Rosa, California hosted by Fallot Mustard and DeLoach Vineyards.

california, food, france, wine
Accommodations, California, Destinations, USA

Wining, Dining, and Mining in El Dorado County

Catherine Sweeney
January 26, 2015
Wining, Dining, and Mining in El Dorado County

El Dorado County is just a two hour drive from my house and yet I had no idea that it was a gold mine of a getaway.

california, USA
Accommodations, California, Cruise Travel, Nevada, USA

South Lake Tahoe: Sail, Spa, and Spin(ners)

Catherine Sweeney
January 14, 2015
South Lake Tahoe: Sail, Spa, and Spin(ners)

By Mr. TWS — Sweeney and I love to go to Lake Tahoe, usually to ski or enjoy a summer break. Since it’s only a bit more than three hours’ drive from our home in the San Francisco Bay Area, we’ve been there many times. This time, there were a few firsts that we enjoyed.

california, Cruises, Nevada, USA
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About Catherine Sweeney

Catherine Sweeney is a travel enthusiast with a lifelong passion for going places. A weekend getaway, an international journey, a cross-country road trip, or a local jaunt — they’re all on her radar. And it’s all made extra special when she’s enjoying the finer things in life with Mr. TWS, her husband and co-blogger. Get inspired as they share photos and stories highlighting the best of destinations, food, wine, history, culture and the arts.

Thank you, Getting on Travel!

Traveling with Sweeney, Best Baby Boomer Travel Blogs 2022, Getting on Travel

2018 NATJA Silver Award Winner

Recent Posts

  • Natural Beauty and Awesome Wonders of Iceland
  • Paso Robles Wine Country Getaway
  • Travel Destinations for Romantics
  • Exploring Treasures of the Mediterranean from Istanbul to Athens
  • Six Days in Zurich for a Holiday Kickoff

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travelingwithsweeney

Iceland! What a natural beauty! First post on the Iceland! What a natural beauty! First post on the blog (link in bio) about our small group explorations tour with @gocollette to the land of fire and ice. This one focuses on its natural beauty and amazing wonders. #gocollette #catherinexcollette #iceland #naturalbeauty #traveliceland #visiticeland🇮🇸 #waterfalls #travelblogger #guidedtravel #beautifuliceland #traveltuesday
Meet Luciana, Collette Tour Manager! What a joy it Meet Luciana, Collette Tour Manager! What a joy it was to travel with her in Iceland! Originally from Italy, she has an infectious passion for Iceland and is always enthusiastic about sharing her extensive knowledge of the country’s culture, history, natural wonders and sites. Luciana genuinely cared about each person in our group and did everything possible to ensure a great Icelandic experience for all. Thank you for a fantastic trip, Luciana! (Stay tuned for a blog post coming soon.) #gocollette #catherinexcollette #iceland #traveliceland #guidedtravel #tourmanager #bestoficeland #icelandicadventure #smallgrouptours #travelgram
Icelandic High School grads are looking to the fut Icelandic High School grads are looking to the future and celebrating now. Did you know that in Iceland high school students who will be graduating (if they pass their upcoming final exams) before celebrate a tradition called dimmisjón. The students get together with groups of fellow students and dress in costumes (cute, crazy, fun – whatever they decide) and engage in scavenger hunts in their towns. They eagerly engage others in the fun. When we were in Reykjavik, we saw many (lgrads running running around the city and having a blast. We even got pulled into one of the group’s activity and brought into their parade. The fun things you learn about a place when you travel! #gocollette #catherinexcollette #travelblogger #travelgram #icelandtrip #icelandicculture #dimmisjon #icelandgraduates #reykjavík #reykjavikcelebrations #traveltoiceland
Meet Icelandic farmer Jóhanna Bergmann Þorvaldsd Meet Icelandic farmer Jóhanna Bergmann Þorvaldsdóttir and her totally cute and fun goats. Jóhanna is credited with helping to save the Icelandic Goat from extinction. On our Best of Iceland tour with @gocollette we visited her farm, Háafell, in Borgarbyggð, Iceland. One of the great experiences to have when you travel. #gocollette #catherinexcollette #travelgram #iceland #icelandicfarm #haafellgoatfarm #guidedtravel #visiticeland #goatfarm
For #foodiefriday -- a little taste of Iceland for For #foodiefriday -- a little taste of Iceland for you. I'm not usually a seafood person, but it is so fresh and so good in Iceland that I had it often. Lamb is also a specialty there and is delicious because of free-range lifestyle and grass-fed diet of sheep. We also sampled several special Icelandic treats. Link in bio to more about Iceland tour. Clockwise from top left: Carrot soup (Kopar), mashed cod (Naustið in Húsavík), fermented shark, lamb (Höfnin), river trout (Naustið), lava bread (Laugarvatn Fontana), wolffish (Seabourn), and ling fish (Kopar). More tastes to come! #gocollette #catherinexcollette #iceland #icelandicfood #seafood #visiticeland #lavabread #icelandiclamb #reykjavikfood #fermentedshark #traditionalfood #travelgram #traveliceland
On the shores of Lake Laugarvatn in Iceland we vis On the shores of Lake Laugarvatn in Iceland we visited the geothermal bakery of @fontanaiceland Have you heard of lava bread? It’s an old Icelandic recipe that’s baked in the hot black earth of this volcanic area. It’s fun to watch the process and the bread is totally delicious — served hot right from the ground with Icelandic butter. #gocollette #catherinexcollette #lavabread #laugarvatn #travelgram #foodiefriday #icelandtravels #guidedtravel #visiticeland #geothermal
An Icelandic adventure with @gocollette! We took a An Icelandic adventure with @gocollette! We took a special mountain truck to the top of Langjokull and then went into the glacier carefully walking through the ice tunnels. Very exciting! #gocollette #catherinexcollette #icelandicadventure #glacier #langjokull #intotheglacier #travelgram #visiticeland🇮🇸 #traveliceland #guidedtour
Can’t believe our @gocollette Icelandic adventur Can’t believe our @gocollette Icelandic adventure has come to an end. Our farewell dinner was at Kopar Restaurant on the harbor in Reykjavik — perfect place to say goodbye to our new travel friends. Great casual and cool vibe, delicious food (I had local Ling Fish, carrot soup and chocolate mousse), friendly service, and terrific views of the harbor. #gocollette #catherinexcollette #reykjavìk #iceland #guidedtravel #farewelldinner #recommendedrestaurant #icelandicrestaurant #foodiefriday
This morning we say goodbye to @hotel.hamar in Bor This morning we say goodbye to @hotel.hamar in Borgarnes, Iceland as we head back to Reykjavik for our final day on tour with @gocollette (and lovely guide Luciana shown in pic). Everything was great — our spacious room, dining, and awesome views! #gocollette #catherinexcollette #iceland #hotelhamar
Totally enjoyed a scenic cruise on Breiðafjörðu Totally enjoyed a scenic cruise on Breiðafjörður Bay Iceland. Our boat got up close to the cliffs of the islands for us to see wildlife. We also sampled scallops and sea urchins that had just been brought up from the water. #gocollette #catherinexcollette #iceland #visiticekand #traveliceland #travelblogger #europeantravel
Scenes from an evening walk on the grounds of our Scenes from an evening walk on the grounds of our home for the next two nights — @hotel.hamar in Borgarnes in western Iceland. It’s such a lovely property! #gocollette #catherinexcollete #Borgarnes #Iceland #visiticeland #traveliceland🇮🇸 #hotelhamar #springiniceland
In the scenic Norourland Vestra region of Iceland, In the scenic Norourland Vestra region of Iceland, we enjoyed a visit to a family-owned farm. Farmer Jon introduced us to his sheep and horses (the area is famous for horse breeding) while treating us to homemade traditional Icelandic treats. Many of the little lambs were under four weeks old and two were just two hours old. Thanks for a great experience, @gocollette! #gocollette #catherinexcollette #iceland #farmlife #horses #sheep
A day in northern Iceland with @gocollette — cha A day in northern Iceland with @gocollette — charming village of Húsavík, whale watching on RIB boat, drive through scenic landscapes to see turf settlement homes, spa time, dinner at Naustið (the yellow house) #visithusavik #gocollette #catherinexcollette #lovetotravel #visitnorthiceland #travelblogger #travelgram #icelandtrip #traveltuesday
What a fantastic day for whale watching in Iceland What a fantastic day for whale watching in Iceland! Thanks @husavikadventures for the exciting ride on the RIB to see the magnificent whales with our fellow @gocollette travelers. #gocollette #catherinexcollette #visiticeland🇮🇸 #whalewatchingtours #happytravelers #travelcouple #icelandicadventure
One for me, one for @MrTWS1 — enjoying drinks fr One for me, one for @MrTWS1 — enjoying drinks from the swim-up bar at Mývatn Nature Baths, a geothermal pool in northern Iceland. Perfect for relaxation after a day of exploring the area with @gocollette #gocollette #catherinexcollette #travel #iceland #travelgram #visiticeland🇮🇸 #geothermalspa
A very short flight from Reykjavik to Akureyri ove A very short flight from Reykjavik to Akureyri over the stunning Icelandic landscape was the start to a full and busy day of discovery. Stay tuned. #gocollette #catherinexcollete #iceland #icelandfromabove #travelblogger #lovetotravel
Our day trip from Reykjavik was all about nature o Our day trip from Reykjavik was all about nature on a tour of Iceland’s Golden Circle. We walked alongside Gullfoss (Golden Falls), sometimes getting quite close to the falls and feeling the spray of the water. Gorgeous pkace! #gocollette #catherinexcollette #icelandicadventure #iceland #travelgram #wayerfalls #gullfoss #nature #beautifuldestinations
Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital city, is lovely and Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital city, is lovely and full of character. A walking tour with our @gocollette local guide took us to the old town and city center to get a glimpse of its history and culture. Here’s a little look! #gocollette #catherinexcollette #reykjavìk #iceland #visiticeland🇮🇸 #travelgram #europeantravels #lovelycity #lovetotravel
A Paso Robles wine country tip for the wine enthus A Paso Robles wine country tip for the wine enthusiast in you. Experience a taste of France at @laventurewine in Paso Robles. @mrtws1 and I had a lovely time there with friends on a summer getaway. More to come on the blog. #pasowine #pasorobleswinecountry #pasorobles #wineries #travelblogger #vineyards #laventurewines #visitcalifornia
And this is where I stand. #handsoff #phoenixarizo And this is where I stand. #handsoff #phoenixarizona #desertridge #savedemocracy #50501
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