Hi I’m Kerri,
Just an average girl, trying to live an above average life.
Welcome to Always Grab a Map!
A travel and tourism blog dedicated to showcasing micro-adventures throughout Massachusetts, New England, and (when life allows) beyond.
Blogging is something I have wanted to pursue for quite a while now. Truth be told, I’ve sat down what feels like hundreds of times over the past few years to try my hand at it.
Yet things just never seemed to fall into place…until now.
So without further ado, allow me to tell you a little bit more about myself and how Always Grab a Map came to be.
A Young Map Collector
Born and raised in Massachusetts, my interest in travel first began as a kid while growing up in New England.
Coming from a larger family, we didn’t go on vacations to Europe or cruise around the Caribbean but, rather we road-tripped our way through the Northeast.
I like to think it was while on these trips the travel bug initially “bit me”.
You would always find me crammed in the back seat of our family’s Chevy Suburban, who we lovingly refer to as “Ben”, studying maps and brochures.
I used to grab them from tourist information displays at the hotels or local visitor’s centers of whichever destination we were passing through at the time.
Fast forward to present day and now as an adult not much has changed. I continue to collect maps throughout all of my travels.
Although, I’m proud to say since those days of family road trips, my map collection and travel portfolio have both grown to include destinations not only beyond New England but, the United States as well.
In fact, I think the tally currently stands at a whopping: 17 states, 3 countries (including Sicily, South Africa, Canada), and counting!
I know to some those numbers may seem small but, it’s like my dad used to say: “I’ve (still) got places to go…”
So Why Start a Blog?
After finishing my degree back in 2017, I put off joining the real world for a little while longer.
Instead I chose to indulge the inner seven year old in me who grew up loving all things Disney.
As a result I found myself on a plane headed down to Florida where I would spend the next five months at the Most Magical Place on Earth as a part of the Disney College Program.
Although it was an amazing experience, when my program ended, I ultimately returned to the Northeast.
I accepted my fate and joined the post-grad, 9 to 5 work grind where I have been ever since.
I’ll admit, I spend my days longing to travel but, simply can’t afford to give up the 9 to 5 lifestyle just yet.
So in the meantime, I’ve gotten creative with my travels, despite being limited to a 40 hour work week and 2 weeks vacation.
If there’s one thing I’ve realized, it’s that one does not have to travel thousands of miles away though to find adventure.
In fact it can be hiding right in your own backyard!
I started Always Grab a Map to help rediscover my love for travel on a more local scale, and help incorporate it back into my daily life.
Here on the blog I hope to share my passion through posts that will highlight the best places to go and things to see and do in the Northeast and beyond.
I’ll not only provide helpful information about the destinations and attractions I visit but, also first hand insight from a local’s perspective.
All while trying to collect as many maps as I possibly can along the way!
Who knows? If I do my job right, those of you reading may be inspired to go out and have adventures of your own.
Whether they may be down the street, to the next town over or halfway around the world.
More About Me
When I am not searching for a new adventure, you can find me:
- Watching (and re-watching) Movies
- Catching up on Chronicle on Boston’s WCVB Channel 5
- Spending time with loved ones
- Reading up on the latest Disney news
- Playing Soccer
- Eating Ice Cream
The Journey Continues…
If you’ve made it this far, I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you all for joining me on this new endeavor of mine.
In the past, I only ever documented my travels by journal, so I’m excited to be pursuing this new creative outlet and sharing it with you all.
If you want to stay up to date on all of the adventures, you can follow along with Always Grab a Map on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/alwaysgrabamap/
Here’s to living an above average life, now let’s have some fun!
Kerri