Circa Wanderlust

A husband+wife duo who love roadtrips and hole in the wall BBQ joints. CircaWanderlust is a product of a thirst for travel and love of history.

09/15/2026

Elevation gain? No idea.

But would you like to see 47 slightly different photos of the same wildflower? Because THAT I can help with. 🌼😂

My camera roll after every hike is basically just flowers, trees, more flowers, one blurry wildlife photo, and approximately three photos of the actual trail.

Priorities.

09/12/2026

Fall in the Smokies is one of those things I wish everyone could experience at least once. 🍂

We lived in the Smoky Mountains for a few years, so fall meant watching the mountains slowly change color, cooler mornings, scenic drives, weekends in the national park, and finding any excuse to be outside.

If you’re planning a fall trip to the Smoky Mountains, these are some of the things I’d make time for.

Drive Cades Cove. Get into Great Smoky Mountains National Park early and go for a hike. Take the long way through the mountains just because the views are good. Spend some time in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, but make sure you leave room in your itinerary to get away from the crowds too.

And one thing I learned from living there: don’t get too hung up on trying to perfectly time “peak” fall color. Elevation makes a huge difference, so the colors change at different times throughout the mountains. There’s usually something beautiful to see even if you’re a little early or a little late.

There really is nothing quite like fall in the Smokies. 🍁

Save this for your fall Smoky Mountains trip, and swipe through for some of our favorite things to do while you’re there.

Great Smoky Mountains NP

09/07/2026

When we lived in the Smokies, a trip to Dollywood was never really a one-and-done kind of thing. We went back again and again, through different seasons, festivals, busy summer days and quieter visits when we could slow down and wander.

And after enough trips, you start to realize that some of the best parts of Dollywood aren’t necessarily the things you rush to first.

Of course, there are the roller coasters and the famous cinnamon bread, but there’s also riding the Dollywood Express through the foothills, watching craftspeople at work, catching a live show, learning more about Dolly’s story and simply taking your time in Craftsman’s Valley.

So if you’re planning your first trip to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, consider this our bucket list of the things we think are actually worth making time for.

And yes, get the cinnamon bread. 🍞

Save this for your next Smoky Mountains trip, and tell us what you’d add to the Dollywood bucket list.

08/25/2026

Add this stop to your next Northern California road trip.

Donner Memorial State Park sits just outside Truckee, where you can explore the history of westward migration, visit the Pioneer Monument, walk through the visitor center, and then head out to the trails and shoreline of Donner Lake.

It’s history, hiking, and one seriously beautiful piece of the Sierra Nevada all in one stop.

Save Donner Memorial State Park for your next California road trip.

08/16/2026

Virginia City is one of the best preserved Wild West towns in the country. Built on the legacy of the Comstock Lode, this former mining boomtown is packed with historic buildings, old saloons, mine tunnels, museums, local makers, and plenty of stories from the Wild West era.

If you have a weekend, here’s how to spend it:

⛏️ Go underground on a historic mine tour
🏛️ Explore museums that tell the story of the Comstock
👢 Meet local makers keeping Western traditions alive
🍻 Grab a drink in one of Virginia City’s historic saloons
🚂 Wander C Street and the surrounding historic district
⚰️ Walk through the old cemetery and learn about the people who built the town
📖 Dig into the stories of mining, boomtown life, and a young Mark Twain

The best part? Virginia City isn’t a place where history feels tucked away behind museum glass. It’s built into the streets, buildings, businesses, and landscape around you.

Save this Virginia City weekend itinerary for your next Nevada road trip.

08/10/2026

add Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park to your list. 🤠

Just outside Minden, the ranch tells the story of four generations of the Dangberg family and more than a century of life in Carson Valley. But what makes this place so special is how much of that history is still here.

The house is filled with photographs, furniture, clothing, documents, and everyday objects collected across generations. Walking through it feels less like visiting a historic house and more like stepping into a family time capsule.

The Dangbergs were deeply connected to the development of Carson Valley, from ranching and agriculture to the growth of the surrounding community. Today, the preserved ranch gives you a chance to see that history through the people who actually lived it.

Come for the Nevada history. Stay for the ranching stories, mountain views, and all the little details that make the past feel surprisingly close.

📍 Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park
Minden, Nevada

Save this one for your next Nevada road trip.

08/09/2026

They don’t call it the Wildest, Richest Rodeo in the West for nothing 🤠

For more than 100 years, the Reno Rodeo has brought ten days of rodeo action, Western tradition, and Northern Nevada culture to Reno. From bull riding and barrel racing to the carnival, food, and packed grandstands, it was our first rodeo and such a fun introduction to this side of Nevada.

Another reminder that Nevada is full of surprises.

Address

Nebraska City, NE
68410

Website

https://www.circawanderlust.com/

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