Before showtime, we walked around the venue's large merchandise shop. I'd heard about the dinner show's famous soup, so I couldn't resist purchasing an at-home mix and branded soup bowl.

Before heading into the theater, we also passed a bar selling alcoholic beverages, like moonshine cocktails.

After we checked in, we were seated in the theater. The seating was stadium-style, meaning you could have a great view of the stage from just about any vantage point.

We were immediately greeted by our server, who offered unlimited Coca-Cola, tea, or coffee, included in the cost of the experience. Dinner was promptly served after.

I couldn't wait to try the show's famous starter, which is simply called the original creamy soup.

It was deliciously rich and savory without being too heavy.

The main course was a homestyle Southern meal featuring bread, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, buttered corn on the cob, fried chicken, and pulled pork. I couldn't believe how large the portions were.

Dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free meals were also available by request.

I enjoyed everything but was especially impressed by the fried chicken, which was crisped to perfection with a juicy interior.

It ended up being my favorite of the main course, along with the extra creamy and garlicky mashed potatoes.

The elaborate stage was impressive, featuring water and fire elements, as well as a 24-foot-deep diving pool.

The show, which featured dozens of talented performers, was engaging and funny. It also had pyrotechnics, stunts, dancing, and live music.

At the time of booking, diners choose which side they'd like to be seated on, either Hatfield or McCoy. So, the audience was split and encouraged to root for their respective side.

Overall, the content felt family-friendly, making it perfect for audience members of any age.

By the time we got to dessert, I was pretty full.

Still, the pudding and whipped cream were refreshingly light, which was perfect after a heavy meal.

I've dined at Parton's other shows, including Pirates Voyage and Dolly Parton's Stampede, but the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud show is now my favorite.

From the delicious food — especially that fried chicken — to the engaging entertainment, I thought it was worth the $165 price tag for two tickets.

I definitely recommend checking it out if you're in Pigeon Forge.

I like to take pictures of myself traveling, whether to post on social media or send to my boyfriend. I'm not into selfie sticks, and unfortunately, I can't always rely on strangers to take photos for me. So, having a cellphone tripod is a good compromise.

I love my ToneOf universal cellphone tripod because it easily slips into my carry-on luggage and expands when I need to snap a picture. It also includes a rechargeable remote control for the shutter.

When I'm traveling by myself, I always carry my LectroFan Bluetooth speaker with me. The sound is incredible considering its tiny size, and it has several white-noise settings to drown out noisy neighbors or street sounds.

When I'm feeling lonely, I also like to use it to have a solo dance party in my room.

Since I often travel to tropical places, I prefer to pack bottles of sunscreen lotion since the coverage is heavier than spray. However, it's tricky to apply the lotion to my own back and shoulders.

Foam brush applicators are clunky to pack, but luckily, I found a cloth applicator from Steugo that folds up and doesn't take up much room in my suitcase.

I pour some lotion onto the fabric and then use the handles to rub it onto my back as if I'm drying myself with a towel. I rinse or hand-wash it between uses and throw it in the washing machine once I return home.

When I get injured or start to come down with something while traveling alone, there's no one to run out to the drugstore to get medicine or first-aid supplies for me.

Sometimes, I'm not even in an area with a nearby drugstore, so I make sure to bring along any items I might need.

My first-aid kit is stocked with bandages, cleaning wipes, gauze, tick removers, nosebleed plugs, sting relief, burn ointment, and a thermometer.

I also pack some over-the-counter medicine for pain, gastrointestinal issues, motion sickness, and congestion.

One of my biggest concerns when traveling alone is my cellphone battery running low.

After all, I need my phone to navigate cities, book Uber rides, make restaurant reservations, and research tourist attractions. That's why I always carry a USB portable charger with me.

When TSA PreCheck isn't available, I often have to remove my shoes and coat and take my laptop and liquids out of my bag when I go through security.

Without a travel partner to double-check I grabbed everything, I like to make sure the process is as quick and easy as possible. That's why I always wear my favorite slip-on sneakers from Kizik.

They're also incredibly comfortable even after a long day of exploring.

I never check my luggage, and being a single traveler means I can only bring one carry-on with me. Even though I can fit a lot in my bag, I sometimes need to re-wear and freshen up my clothes.

Because hotel laundry service is often expensive, I bring my own Scrubba portable wash bag with me.

To use it, I fill the packable bag with socks, underwear, and t-shirts and then add water and a laundry sheet. Then, I deflate the bag and rub my clothes along the inner washboard before rinsing, wringing, and hanging my garments to dry.

During my trip, I loved talking a ride on the Alaska Railroad, which just celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023.

Since I was staying in Anchorage and wanted to see Kenai Fjords National Park, I took the train from Anchorage to Seward and back.

If you have the means to splurge a bit, I recommend opting for the GoldStar service, which featured glass-dome ceilings and incredible panoramic views of Alaska.

Taking a boat ride through Kenai Fjords National Park is a terrific option for anyone who doesn't want to spend their entire trip on a boat. I loved seeing the fjords and watching the playful sea lions and orcas.

Our ship even stopped for lunch on Fox Island. Although there isn't much exploring to do on the small island, it was nice to get off the boat and warm up with some soup and salad.

I knew booking a flightseeing tour to Denali was a gamble because of how weather-dependent the activity is.

When I arrived at the office, though, I was disappointed to find out the cloud cover would prevent us from seeing Denali, the tallest mountain in North America.

However, the pilots had a backup plan, and I still got to see lots of gorgeous glaciers and breathtaking snow-covered mountains.

If you're looking to enjoy some fresh air and see different species of birds, Potter Marsh is the place to go. I loved walking along the wooden boardwalk and having close-up views of the wildlife.

Although there are tours of Potter Marsh, I'm glad I drove myself and could take my time soaking in my surroundings.

At 19, in the 1990s, Ramsay began his career apprenticing under famous chef Marco Pierre White.

By 1993, Ramsay was the head chef at the London restaurant Aubergine, and he'd go on to earn the restaurant two Michelin stars.

In 1998, he founded Gordon Ramsay Restaurants with the opening of his first eatery. Today, the company has more than 80 restaurants around the world — many of which have continued to garner acclaim.

In 2001, Ramsay's flagship restaurant, Gordon Ramsay, received a three-star Michelin rating, which it still holds today. Most recently, his Restaurant 1890 in London earned its first Michelin star in February.

However, not all of his restaurants are fine-dining establishments. Ramsay also owns casual eateries like Street Pizza and Street Burger, along with Gordon Ramsay Burger — which has locations in the United States, Canada, Qatar, South Korea, and more.

Although it's unclear how much Ramsay makes from his restaurants, Fortune reported in 2023 that his restaurants had brought in £95.6 million (about $119.8 million at that time) that year.

Ramsay's first introduction to television was on the British documentary series "Boiling Point" in 1999. He went on to judge and host British shows like "The F-Word," "Hell's Kitchen," and "Kitchen Nightmares."

His foray into American television began in 2005 with the US debut of "Hell's Kitchen" on Fox. The US version of "Kitchen Nightmares" followed, debuting in 2007.

From there, he's starred on many other shows and has appeared as a judge on several competitive cooking series on Fox. Perhaps most notably, he's served as a judge on "MasterChef" throughout its 14 seasons. He also judges "MasterChef Jr." and "Next Level Chef."

Although it's not clear what Ramsay has been paid for his shows and appearances, Forbes reported in 2020 that his shows generated more than $150 million yearly in ad sales for the Fox network.

In 2018, Ramsay began opening Hell's Kitchen restaurants based on the series of the same name. There are now seven locations across the US in cities like Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and DC.

The flagship restaurant in Las Vegas is one of Ramsay's highest-rated US restaurants. It also took the No. 3 spot on Yelp's list of the most photographed restaurants of 2024.

It's not clear how much revenue the Hell's Kitchen restaurants bring in, but the Las Vegas location sold 129,554 beef Wellingtons and 135,000 sticky toffee puddings — two signature Ramsay dishes — in its first year alone, according to Forbes.

His first and only cooking school, Gordon Ramsay Academy, opened in September 2021 in Woking, England. Gordon Ramsay Academy offers hundreds of cooking courses for all ages and skill levels.

Classes range from £70 (or about $90) for half-day and junior classes to £485 (or about $615) for full-day courses that offer qualifications.

A second location is set to open in London in 2025.

Further expanding his food empire, the celebrity chef also has a few product lines.

In 2023, he launched By Chef Ramsay, a frozen-food line sold exclusively at Walmart. The collection includes some of Ramsay's favorite dishes, such as shepherd's pie and fish and chips.

He also launched a Gordon Ramsay wine label in 2021.

The line was also featured on his show "Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars" — a reality competition where he offered to invest $250,000 of his own money into entrepreneurship. On it, he and TV personality Lisa Vanderpump served as judges

In 2021, Fox Entertainment and Ramsay launched Studio Ramsay Global, which produces several of the chef's shows, including Fox's "Kitchen Nightmares," "Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars," and "Next Level Chef."

It also produces shows starring other chefs, like National Geographic's "No Taste Like Home."

Before this, in 2016, he'd launched the production company Studio Ramsay in the UK. It produced projects like "Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours To Hell and Back," "The F-Word Live With Gordon Ramsay," and "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted."

Ramsay and Fox Entertainment joined forces in 2024 to launch Bite, a global food brand and platform offering a range of culinary content, products, and experiences.

The brand's digital and social content hub, Bite Digitial Network, features multiple original series, such as "Idiot Sandwich" — a digital culinary competition series based on Ramsay's viral meme.

Among his numerous business ventures, Ramsay has partnered and invested in several brands.

He invested in HexClad in 2021 — and, in July 2024, Studio Ramsay Global agreed to invest $100 million in the cookware brand.

In 2023, Ramsay joined Borealis Foods, a food tech company, as a shareholder, advisor, and brand ambassador. In September 2024, he also partnered with THOR Kitchen to launch an exclusive line of kitchen appliances.

At the time of writing, Ramsay has 40.8 million followers on TikTok and 21 million subscribers on YouTube — so social media could be another source of income for the chef.

In addition to clips from his hit Fox shows and various miniseries, Ramsay's YouTube channel and TikTok account feature him cooking with celebrities like Matthew McConaughey and Selena Gomez.

The chef is slated to open his first Ramsay's Kitchen restaurants in Virginia later this year and one in North Carolina in 2025.

Additionally, Ramsay has plans to open five new culinary experiences in one of London's tallest office buildings in 2025.

He also announced his show "Kitchen Nightmares" is set to return with a new season in January.

Dōgon is located in the DC-area Salamander hotel, close to the city's southwest waterfront.

I had to make my reservation at Dōgon nearly a month in advance. Although 5:15 p.m. felt early for dinner, it was the only time I could get so I happily took it.

The lobby's subtle yellows, browns, and blues contrast greatly with the chain-link curtains that beckon diners into the hotel's restaurant to the left.

Upon entering, I was immediately struck by the dark atmosphere. Music blared from the dining room to the hostess counter.

But once I was seated across from the bar, an illuminated glass ball provided sufficient light for me and my camera.

When I walked to the back of the restaurant, I was drawn to the view of the open kitchen.

A large group of chefs appeared to be working in harmony to bring the menu to life.

Onwuachi's menu includes dishes with influences from Nigeria, Jamaica, Trinidad, and New Orleans.

Several staffers helped throughout my meal, but my primary server, Andrea, especially stood out. When she found out it was our first time dining at Dōgon, she walked us through her favorites.

Our party had an allergy, which eliminated a few options from the menu. However, Andrea offered to adjust some dishes so that we could enjoy them.

Andrea suggested we order the coco bread, and although the $15 price tag of it horrified me, I'm glad we did.

The five petite balls of sweet, buttery dough were far lighter than coco bread I've had at Jamaican restaurants. I was impressed with the bread's cloud-like texture and how easy it was to spread the malted-sorghum butter that came with the dish.

The piri piri salad was smaller than I'd hoped for, especially given its $22 price tag. But any complaints I had quickly vanished when our server arrived to pour papaya dressing over the flower-adorned salad.

The thick papaya sauce was flavored with garlic and chiles — the same mixture used in the hot sauce that Andrea had already brought to our table.

The sauce helped accentuate bites of cucumber, tomato, cape gooseberries, and grapes, along with the almond-butter-filled avocado half.

The salad's balance between creamy and crunchy textures and spicy and sweet flavors made it extremely compelling. Once I'd eaten all that I could with my fork, I spooned the remnants into my mouth, savoring every last bite.

For years, I lived and worked in Houston, where I frequently indulged in food from the Nigerian community and became mildly addicted to skewers of suya and jollof rice.

Although Onwuachi's $63 chicken wasn't as spicy as the dishes at the mom-and-pop restaurants I used to frequent, he still brought some heat to the dish.

The roasted half chicken that dominated the plate barely required a knife. The tender meat was rubbed in a paste flavored with an earthy spice mix known as berbere and crowned with an herb salad.

The rice — made with tomatoes, chiles, and complex spices — tasted just like a grandmother's comfort food.

The deceptively simple dish was also plated with half a lime, more berbere paste, and a sweet-and-creamy mix of ricotta and honey. It was fun to mix and match these toppings to make each bite taste slightly different.

The Caribbean-style oxtails that Onwuachi made at Kith/Kin returned to DC on November 1, just days before I dined.

At $65, they weren't cheap, but I ordered them over the $110 wagyu short rib I'd been considering. The sugar and collagen in the sauce made it delightfully sticky — the dish felt like a beefy dessert.

Extracting the pillowy meat from the bones reminded me of gamja-tang, my favorite Korean stew made from a pig's neck bones. It was tougher to get the meat off without the chopsticks or gloves usually provided at Korean restaurants.

However, I did my best to finish every bite, spooning the sauce over the coconut-infused rice and peas to experience the unique flavor combination of sweet heat and flesh.

I didn't get any pressure from Andrea or the other servers to order dessert, but I didn't want the meal to end just yet.

There were only two desserts on the menu, so I chose the $17 rum cake over the spiced cherry sorbet — and I'm glad I did.

Although the sweet treat sounded a little boring on paper, the crisp edges and fluffy center of the two slabs of cake made it a textural delight. It was squiggled with a vanilla whip and then finished with mint leaves and boozy, blistered cape gooseberries.

Dōgon took some of my favorite dishes from around the world and elevated them to levels I had never imagined.

I can imagine the dining experience will be even more eye-opening for guests who haven't tasted as many world cuisines.

Either way, Dōgon is a must-visit restaurant in DC. I spent $244 there on dinner for two with no alcoholic beverages, and I would happily do it again.

With beautiful beaches and plenty of theme parks, the Gold Coast in Australia's Queensland is filled with things to do.

The Gold Coast has a sub-tropical climate with about 300 days of sunshine a year, so you're likely to encounter optimal weather for outdoor activities.

My favorite activity here was walking the trail from Tallebudgera Creek to Burleigh Heads, which goes through Burleigh Head National Park. I witnessed plenty of scenic ocean views along the way and often stopped to watch the surfers catch a wave.

If chill island vibes, monkey spottings, and melodious insect cacophonies appeal to you, Ubud is the place to go.

One of the top attractions is the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, home to more than 1,200 monkeys. You can explore ancient temples and meet the local long-tailed macaques in their natural habitat.

Just make sure you follow the rules and don't take any food or water bottles with you. I learned that lesson the hard way when one enormous monkey leaped on my backpack, giving me the fright of my life.

Another highlight for me was sitting on our veranda at the Green Field Hotel while overlooking the rice fields at sunrise and listening to the cricket orchestra.

My 8-year-old son and I sat out there one morning for about two hours while everyone else was asleep, chatting and enjoying the sounds of nature around us.

For a nice, easy nature hike, check out Campuhan Ridge Walk. I loved the scenery and took my 4-year-old with me. At one point, we stopped for a rest on the trail, and I looked up to find the biggest spider I'd ever seen lurking right above us — so keep your eyes peeled.

Bonito, which means "beautiful" in Portuguese, lives up to its name. The town is in the southern region of the Brazilian Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetland. We stopped here on our way from Rio de Janeiro to Bolivia and fell in love with this hidden paradise.

Surrounded by lush forests, Bonito has amazing crystal-clear rivers where you can spot an abundance of fish while snorkeling.

During our trip, a massive thunderstorm rolled in above us when we were snorkeling. Watching the fish dart around underwater as raindrops landed on my back was such an awe-inspiring experience.

When it comes to epic coastal scenery, warm people, delicious food, and historical sites, Cape Town delivers.

One of our favorite spots was Groot Constantia, the oldest wine estate in South Africa. We had a mouth-watering lunch and did a wine tasting before learning about the history of Cape farmers at the Manor House Museum and walking through the grounds.

Cape Town's sun-soaked beaches were also postcard-perfect. The water can be pretty chilly, however, even in the summer. I only dipped a toe in, but if you enjoy a little cold-water therapy, feel free to dive right in.

When envisioning a safari, the image of a hot, sunny African day probably comes to mind. Although that's often the case, weather on safari can be unpredictable and have a huge impact on the overall experience.

South African winters — which last from around June through September — can be surprisingly cold, especially on early morning game drives. That's why I recommend bringing a warm jacket, hat, and gloves during these months.

The good news is that the best wildlife-viewing opportunities often occur in cooler weather. The lack of rain usually makes the animals easier to spot since scarce water forces them to gather around watering holes.

Self-driving in places like South Africa's Kruger National Park is a fantastic experience — if you know what you're doing.

For a first-timer, hiring a game ranger or opting for guided drives can be an invaluable experience. This is because these guides are wildlife experts trained to spot animals the average viewer may not notice by themselves.

Countless times, I've had rangers spot big cats and even elephants that I would've driven right past because they were camouflaged with the trees. I've learned plenty about the terrain, animal behavior, and history of the park from these guides.

Private reserves are protected wildlife areas owned by individuals or organizations. They usually offer the same wildlife-viewing options as national parks, but a few key differences can make going private a better option.

In some reserves, rangers are allowed to drive off-road to get you closer to the action, whether that's a pride of lions or a herd of elephants.

You're also less likely to encounter large crowds at a private reserve. For example, in some popular national parks, it's not unusual to find 10 or more vehicles jostling for a view of an animal sighting. However, in private reserves, the number of vehicles is limited.

The catch is, of course, that private reserves are more expensive. But in my opinion, the intimate and exclusive experience is well worth the extra cost, especially for a first-time safari-goer.

Before my first safari, I didn't give much thought to the smaller animals. I was focused on the Big Five — lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffalo.

But one of the unexpected joys of safari is witnessing the incredible variety of smaller creatures that call Africa home.

For example, Africa is a birder's paradise, and even if you don't consider yourself a bird enthusiast, it's hard not to get caught up in the excitement.

Some of the less-famous animals — like wild dogs, cheetahs, servals, and hyenas — are stunning to see, too.

People often underestimate the importance of a pair of binoculars.

The guide will typically have a pair and offer to let you have a look, but that typically means sharing with five other people who are all trying to check out the same thing.

When you board the safari vehicle, you'll usually have a chance to chat with your ranger beforehand. If it's your first time, let them know.

If your guide thinks you've seen the "everyday" stuff, they might whizz past zebras or skip talking about some basic animal behaviors and fun facts.

However, for a first-timer, these are magical and exciting experiences. If you let them know you're new to this, game rangers will usually want to make your first time as memorable as possible.