Hello and Welcome!
We are Mark and Kris. A Minnesota couple with no kids, a dog, and a serious love for “out of the norm” travel experiences and photography. We want to fill our lives with unique travel experiences and share that information with you.
Our Mantra is Simple....
Experiences over stuff. While some may find our lifestyle a bit unconventional, we believe there’s no greater investment than in the memories we create together. Whether it’s diving into the heart of a bustling city or venturing off the beaten path to uncover hidden gems, we’re always up for an adventure. One of our favorites will likely always be our time on the Camino de Santiago.
What is our Travel Style?
We’re not tied to any one style of travel – from budget backpacking to the occasional splurge of luxury, we love it all.
What drives our destination choices? Hiking, geocaching, photography, Atlas Obscura locations, sleeping in pod-style hotels in Singapore, an opportunity to splurge on luxury over-water villas in the Maldives… We aren’t ones to typically book the standard, round-trip, peak season destinations. We don’t love crowds and places that EVERYONE seems to have already seen and written about. Not that we don’t visit them when the opportunity is there.
As avid photographers, we’re constantly seeking out unique and picturesque locations to capture the essence of our journeys through Mark’s lens.
Our Domestic Travel Companion
Adding to the excitement of our travels starting in 2023 is our furry companion, Mylee. She’s our loyal sidekick, who will be accompanying us on domestic adventures and bringing endless joy to our explorations.
Why the Name, Coffee Cups and Wanderlust?
Well, the short boring answer is that we love coffee and travel.
The slightly longer answer is that, the day we first met, there were sparks in a coffee shop as we got to know each other. We were also avid marathon runners and triathletes at the time and the below photo we took of our coffee cups together on our first destination race in Sun River, Oregon. We loved it so much, we framed it and hung it on our wall <3
I (Kris) had really never traveled internationally until after we got married. In 2012, we were floored to have won a trip off of Twitter. An all expenses paid adventure to Jamaica for the Reggae Marathon. After that, it was clear we both had the bug to explore the world.
No matter where we go, we start our days with coffee. So that’s enough to name our blog, Coffee Cups and Wanderlust, right? 🙂
