Marrying Your Passions

Chicago and Nashville Travel Guide: The Final Leg of Our Epic 11,775-Mile Cross-Country Journey  This post is from Marrying Your Passions: The DINK Travel and Adventure Podcast . If you're a childfree couple who loves travel, road trips, and turning work trips into adventures - you're in the right place. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! In 2024, we logged 11,775 miles across the country - and our latest episode reflects on the final stops of that epic journey: Chicago and Nashville. This wasn't just a vacation. Alicia had a week-long work conference in Chicago, and instead of her flying in solo while Nathan stayed home, we turned it into an adventure. We figured out how to make it work - Nathan explored the city while Alicia was in meetings, and we turned what could have been a boring work trip into an unforgettable part of our cross-country journey. Chicago: Where Deep Dish Dreams and Lakefront Runs Meet We spent a full week in the Chicago area, camping at the...

After leaving Branson, Missouri, we headed back west with stops in quirky Wamego, Kansas, and our former home of Denver, Colorado! Wamego, Kansas: Welcome to Oz! This charming 5,000-person town in eastern Kansas (about 20-30 minutes from Manhattan) has fully embraced The Wizard of Oz theme. We first discovered Wamego in 2017 when Nathan ran the Wicked Marathon, and we've returned five or six times since—it's perfectly positioned between Denver and Branson. What We Did in Wamego Wamego Historical Museum & Village - After years of bad timing, we finally caught it open! The $3 admission gets you access to relocated historic buildings (cabin, general store, jail, chapel, school) and an incredible collection that feels like exploring your grandparents' attic. Well worth it! Wamego City Park - Impressive for a small town! Features the iconic Dutch Mill windmill, a miniature train for kids, a beautiful lake, playground, and great facilities. Oz Winery - We enjoyed win...