You don’t pass through Virginia’s Northern Neck. You need to go out of your way to get there, crossing many a bridge. On our visit to the area, we were pleasantly surprised by the amount of activities and sights for such small, sparsely populated towns. For instance, Irvington, our home base, has just under 700 people. After a weekend in the Northern Neck, we realized we needed more time to explore. Here’s the activities we were able to pack in during our two-day stay. …

After writing about how to pack the perfect carry-on, I was inspired to share other valuable lessons I’ve learned about flying, including the best approach to packing checked luggage. With the right tools and a minimalist mindset, you too can pack the perfect suitcase. …

Two of my favorite things — dogs and wine — just happen to be the main attraction at The Dog and Oyster Vineyard in Irvington, Virginia. This past weekend Breathe Magazine visited Virginia’s Northern Neck for some rest and relaxation — and to do some travel research for our July/August issue. After a day of shopping, visiting the Steamboat Era Museum, lunching, and exploring the Hughlett Point Natural Area Preserve, we saddled up on our cruiser bikes at our boutique hotel, The Hope and Glory Inn, and made the 0.2-mile journey to the inn’s vineyard, The Dog and Oyster Vineyard.

Cruising up to the vineyard’s entrance, we were greeted by two 40-foot corkscrew art fixtures flanking the front drive. Dudley, the owner of the vineyard and inn, told us that the previous vineyard owner installed the art fixtures as a “corkscrew you” to the town council after an ordinance prevented him from getting a larger sign. This loophole now adds to the vineyard’s quirky charm. …

This weekend Breathe Magazine visited Irvington, Va., a small town on the Northern Neck, where the Rappahannock River meets the Chesapeake Bay — a two and a half hour drive from our headquarters in Charlottesville, Va., and from the D.C. area. We left Charlottesville early Friday night and arrived to quaint little Irvington after dark. Five minutes outside of Irvington, we came to the two-mile Norris Bridge, which crosses the Rappahannock River. The bridge was eerie and narrow, and driving across it made us a little weary, but three minutes later we hit shore again — and the town of White Hall — and we were only two miles from Irvington. …

In my 20 plus years of flying, I have learned countless valuable lessons in packing the ideal carry-on. Air travel at times can be unpredictable, but if you plan ahead and pack strategically, you can handle just about any situation.

First, you’ll need to decide what bag you want to carry on. Most airlines will allow you to carry on one bag (e.g. a backpack or a tote) and one personal item (e.g. a purse or a laptop case), but visit the airline’s website before you pack to verify the requirements. I prefer to carry on a backpack and a cross-body purse because they are easy to carry when moving from terminal to terminal.

Next, make a packing list. By figuring out ahead of time what you need to pack, you’ll avoid both forgetting something important and overpacking. Here’s a list of things you always should carry on…

This week Breathe was in Savannah, checking out the city for a future travel story. While I was there, I got to meander about the city with a few other writers — one who has written a few travel stories for past issues of Breathe. I found myself hanging out with a fun group of travel writers. We shared laughs, city maps and a big ol’ ice cream cookie on our last night in town. Here are some of my favorite memories in Savannah with these fabulous ladies.

It’s Breathe’s second day in Savannah, Ga., and so far, I am loving it. This morning a few of us writers went on a historic bed and breakfast tour — visiting the Green Palm Inn, Dresser Palmer House, Azalea Inn & Gardens and Zeigler House. From there, we headed by trolley to the famous Mrs. …

Breathe Magazine is in Savannah, Ga., this week enjoying food, fun and some Flannery O’Connor. I just arrived today, greeted by beautiful sunny and breezy weather. A high of 69 today. And to think I left behind snowy Charlottesville, Va., this morning. …

I’ve never been very good at sitting still. In kindergarten, I was often called out for fidgeting in my seat, and I was never where I was supposed to be. Back then, I was exploring the outermost reaches of the playground and searching through all of the unclaimed literary treasures that lay undiscovered in the book nook in Mrs. Johanson’s kindergarten class. That is how it started.

As I got bigger the world got smaller and the limits to my exploration expanded to incorporate foreign and exotic lands. Traveling was just the natural outlet for someone with such a short attention span as mine; albeit an expensive outlet.

What says “love” like a giant sculpture of the word love? Not much, I’m guessing. Tomorrow, Virginia is for Lovers is installing a love sculpture in downtown Waynesboro in cahoots with the city’s “Love is in the Air” festival. The installment is part of Virginia Tourism’s campaign to spread love throughout the Commonwealth. The sculpture …