Seconds to Go

Mother-Daughter Travel Bloggers

Exploring New England, Oregon and Everywhere in Between

Get Out and Explore with Seconds to Go

We’re a mother-daughter travel blogging team, sharing our experiences adventuring, from coast to coast across the US. Although we're a travel blog, we aim to help the last-minute day tripper as well as those planning a vacation.

We’re turning our experiences into a series of “trips”, to help like-minded travelers easily find things to do. Explore each “trip” individually or string them together for a longer adventure.

If you need Disney World vacation planning advice and tips, we’ve got you covered as well. We’re drawing from over a decade of Disney World travel to provide you with all of the planning information you’ll need.

So, why not take a look around, and then, Get Out. Explore

ABOUT

Meet Kat and Ali

Mother-daughter travel bloggers exploring the U.S. coast to coast.

In the Solitude of Nature

Oregon Travel

dogs walking at MInto Brown Island State Park

Explore Minto Brown Island Park: The Most Dog-Friendly Place in Salem

Minto Brown Island State Park is the perfect dog lover’s paradise. This riverfront West Salem park offers walking, hiking, jogging, and swimming, all with the option to take man’s best friend with you! The Search for Dog Friendly Parks at the Halfway Point When I stumbled upon Minto Island Brown Park in Salem, I was … Read more

views from Rim Drive are what to do at Crater Lake

What to Do at Crater Lake-Best Bets for Your Visit

When thinking about what to do at Crater Lake, many people go right to the pristine, blue water of the lake itself, but the over 180,000-acre park has much more to offer. With historic lodges, dining, sightseeing drives and endless hiking trails, Crater Lake National park is an experience, not just a destination. We visited … Read more

Valley of the Giants: Oregon’s Tallest Hidden Secret

When it comes to visiting the Pacific Northwest, adventurers have a lot of choices, but none are as humbling as the Valley of the Giants Oregon trail near the now defunct town of Siletz. Accessing this special, sacred old growth grove requires an intrepid spirit, perseverance, and if traveling on a weekday, possibly a death … Read more

Silver Falls State Park in Oregon: 10 Awesome Waterfalls in a Single Day

Silver Falls State Park in Oregon is the largest park in the state at close to ten thousand acres. It features moderate trails through dense Oregon forest that bring you to a total of ten different waterfalls. The well-maintained trails, paired with the uniquely beautiful falls, make Silver Falls hike in Oregon a popular place … Read more

Visiting Oregon: 11 Things to Do When You Get There

When visiting Oregon, it may be hard to narrow down a list of things to do. So, we’ve put together this simplified visitor resource, a companion to our Oregon travel guide, to help you discover the top attractions, and scenic places in Oregon this magnificent state has to offer. Exploring the Outdoors: Scenic Places in … Read more

Royal Terrace falls on the McDowell Creek Falls trail

McDowell Creek Falls- A Mythical Oregon Hike

McDowell Creek Falls Oregon is a moderate hike located north of Sweet Home. It features beautiful forest views and serene boardwalk stairs leading to the base and summit of two waterfalls. Oregon Hike Views For us, the McDowell Creek Falls trail started out in a small gravel parking lot at the Royal Terrace Trailhead in … Read more

A Wild and Woolly Weekend

Yellowstone National Park

Exploring the beauty and majesty of Yellowstone in a single weekend.

History and Charm

Things to Do in New England

girl and golden retriever look inside Dover Stone Church

Dover Stone Church, Our Gateway to New York’s Abandoned History

By Kathleen Hesketh | January 22, 2023

As the fall laid down a blanket of leaves and blazed in glorious colors, it seemed a strange time to leave New England, but New York state is a magnificent bastion of historical references all rolled into one endless sweep of stunning terrain. And it’s just over the Connecticut border, where a place called Dover … Read more

Best Connecticut Hiking Trails: 7 Hikes that Will Knock Your Socks off

By Kathleen Hesketh | January 17, 2023

You don’t have to search long to come up with dozens of Connecticut hiking trails, but narrowing in on the best hikes in Connecticut often requires a little determination. Many are short, flat jaunts with little to pique your curiosity, while others dig deep into history or the ecological wonders of the state. These are … Read more

Sad Tales, Historic Remains: Lovers Leap State Park in Connecticut

By Kathleen Hesketh | January 16, 2023

Many of New England’s hikes blend history with the modern day, but few do it as seamlessly as the trails at Lovers Leap State Park in Connecticut. Explore history against the modern backdrop of the state’s rural New Milford countryside and learn a thing or two about local legends. It’s up to you to decide … Read more

6 Connecticut Winter Activities: The Perfect Way to Spend a Cold Day

By Kathleen Hesketh | January 2, 2022

Connecticut day trips are a great way to bust the boredom of gloomy winter weather, but if you think you’re limited in options by the snow or cold, don’t worry. We’ve put together our top 6 Connecticut winter activities for non-skiers, to help you get out and explore this winter. These experiences offer some great … Read more

Historic drum factory surrounded by New England fall colors

New England Fall Color, Incredible Ways to Enjoy the Season

By Kathleen Hesketh | September 26, 2021

When it comes to autumn spectacles, New England fall color is unbeatable. While many areas of the country sport their most dazzling displays in autumn, few come close to creating the same majesty as the tiny northeastern states. However, if you think we’re just being biased, why not put our claim to the test, and … Read more

A Former Stage Actor Builds Gillette Castle in Connecticut, Hides Its Secrets for Years

By Kathleen Hesketh | September 10, 2021

Traveling across New England, it isn’t uncommon to find historical residences, but Gillette Castle in Connecticut sets the stage, so to speak, for a unique experience and day trip. Entering the twilight years of his life, actor, playwright, director and innovator, William Gillette, built a stone house atop the Seven Sisters mountain range overlooking the … Read more

Our Sidekicks

Dog-Friendly Travel

Places to go with your furry friend and the gear you need when you get there.

Our Happy Place

Walt Disney World monorail over EPCOT

Disney World Transportation: Comparing Disney Buses, Ride Sharing and Minnie Van Service

By Kathleen Hesketh | February 13, 2019

If you’re staying at a Walt Disney resort, you may be wondering what the Disney World transportation system has to offer. Rest assured, that Disney has several free and reliable options to take you from your resort and back again, including buses, boats and the monorail, but you may be wondering how they stack up … Read more

The Top 6 Things You Must Do BEFORE Your Disney World Vacation

By Kathleen Hesketh | February 3, 2019

A Disney World vacation can be a magical experience, but too often travelers miss out on what makes a trip to the house of mouse special. Even if you aren’t into planning every minute of every day, there are six essential steps you should take to get the most out of your trip. Follow these … Read more

Why You Might Want to Use FastPass+ During Your Disney World Vacation

By Kathleen Hesketh | January 27, 2019

UPDATE 9/10/2020 Fastpass+remains unavailable in Disney World Parks. As Disney continues to manage crowds under Covid-19 mandates, FP queues are being used to socially distance guests. At present, there has been no information as to when FastPass+ will be available again. It’s likely that the system will be reopened with little warning, so it’s a … Read more

Space Mountain in the sunlight

Exploring Disney World Innovations

By Kathleen Hesketh | January 15, 2019

Walt Disney never intended for his Florida land purchase to be just a theme park.  Instead, he envisioned a vast city where modern marvels transformed American lives and set precedents for communities around the world.  Sadly, Walt’s city of the future was never built, but his love for progress remains stamped across the Orlando land … Read more

Exterior shot of Pinnochio Vilage House where Disney World Free dining can be used.

Is booking the Free Disney Dining Plan Promotion Right for You?

By Kathleen Hesketh | May 1, 2018

If you’re new to Disney, or you’re a more carefree Seconds-to-Go type traveler, you may have never heard of the Disney free dining promotion. In that case, you’re wondering what all the hoopla is about and if you’re missing anything by not booking this special offer. Stick with us, and we’ll take you through the … Read more

Incredible Hikes

Explore 16 of the Best Oregon Hiking Trails

We love to get out and explore the unpaved path and even some paved ones. We've found some of the best hiking adventures in Oregon.

What Is Seconds to Go?

Travel Tips and Trips for people on the go.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you have time to adventure out and explore, or maybe you want to take a trip, but don’t know what to do or where to go?

It used to happen to us all the time. We’d scour the web for ideas and suggestions but could never get the level of detail we needed to know if the experience was right for us.

As a result, we started “exploring”. That’s what we called our adventures when we’d get in the car and head out on a drive, just looking for something new and unique to do.

After years of traveling New England, Oregon and taking vacations to Disney World, we decided to share the knowledge and insights we gained from our adventures in a coast-to-coast blog of the U.S.

The result is a series of blog posts, each providing a no-hassle “trip”.

We are dedicated to low hassle travel, so even if you only have a few seconds before you go, each trip will quickly explain:

  • The time it takes to experience each trip
  • Special tips for making the most of each trip
  • Nearby destinations that you can visit

What you won’t find in a Seconds to Go trip:

  • Trips written about places we’ve never been
  • Trips based only on internet research with no personal point of view

So, if you’re looking for something to do, or want to plan a vacation, take inspiration from our trips and travel tips. You can even string our trips together for a longer day on the road. Maybe even a full vacation.

As coast-to-coast travel bloggers, it’s our goal to inspire you and provide the knowledge you need to quickly and easily create your own travel adventure.

We currently have a number of "trips for New England and Oregon. Look for detailed itineraries covering our other adventures coast-to-coast.

dogs walking at MInto Brown Island State Park

Explore Minto Brown Island Park: The Most Dog-Friendly Place in Salem

By Ali Patton | March 16, 2023

Minto Brown Island State Park is the perfect dog lover’s paradise. This riverfront West Salem park offers walking, hiking, jogging, and swimming, all with the option to take man’s best friend with you! The Search for Dog Friendly Parks at the Halfway Point When I stumbled upon Minto Island Brown Park in Salem, I was … Read more

views from Rim Drive are what to do at Crater Lake

What to Do at Crater Lake-Best Bets for Your Visit

By Ali Patton | March 5, 2023

When thinking about what to do at Crater Lake, many people go right to the pristine, blue water of the lake itself, but the over 180,000-acre park has much more to offer. With historic lodges, dining, sightseeing drives and endless hiking trails, Crater Lake National park is an experience, not just a destination. We visited … Read more

Valley of the Giants: Oregon’s Tallest Hidden Secret

By Kathleen Hesketh | February 26, 2023

When it comes to visiting the Pacific Northwest, adventurers have a lot of choices, but none are as humbling as the Valley of the Giants Oregon trail near the now defunct town of Siletz. Accessing this special, sacred old growth grove requires an intrepid spirit, perseverance, and if traveling on a weekday, possibly a death … Read more

Silver Falls State Park in Oregon: 10 Awesome Waterfalls in a Single Day

By Ali Patton | February 8, 2023

Silver Falls State Park in Oregon is the largest park in the state at close to ten thousand acres. It features moderate trails through dense Oregon forest that bring you to a total of ten different waterfalls. The well-maintained trails, paired with the uniquely beautiful falls, make Silver Falls hike in Oregon a popular place … Read more

Visiting Oregon: 11 Things to Do When You Get There

By Ali Patton | February 1, 2023

When visiting Oregon, it may be hard to narrow down a list of things to do. So, we’ve put together this simplified visitor resource, a companion to our Oregon travel guide, to help you discover the top attractions, and scenic places in Oregon this magnificent state has to offer. Exploring the Outdoors: Scenic Places in … Read more

Royal Terrace falls on the McDowell Creek Falls trail

McDowell Creek Falls- A Mythical Oregon Hike

By Ali Patton | January 25, 2023

McDowell Creek Falls Oregon is a moderate hike located north of Sweet Home. It features beautiful forest views and serene boardwalk stairs leading to the base and summit of two waterfalls. Oregon Hike Views For us, the McDowell Creek Falls trail started out in a small gravel parking lot at the Royal Terrace Trailhead in … Read more