Brit Morin’s 5 Most Underrated Travel Destinations

Brit Morin
Sep 25, 2016

When I was in my first job at 20 years old, I distinctly remember my old boss giving me life advice. One of the key nuggets of wisdom she shared with me that day was to use my younger years to see the world.

To say that I heeded her advice would be an understatement. In the 10 years that have followed, I’ve been to almost every continent and explored dozens upon dozens of cities. From Rome to Tokyo, I’ve been lucky enough to travel to destinations all over the world.

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Au revoir, Europe! Home to Snowpocalypse and El Niño I go. 😬❄️🌧

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While I’ve tried to hit up most of the spots on all of my friends’ “must-visit” lists, I’ve found it’s also exciting (and more private) to travel to less explored locales. So, though they might not be top of mind, I highly recommend you check out a few of the more underrated destinations below to add to your wanderlust list.

1. Yosemite National Park in California: So much to see and so much to do in this sprawling national park! If you’re a local Californian, you’re in luck, as you can visit often and return again and again, experiencing something new every time. If you’re visiting from out of state, I highly recommend coming during the summer months and staying overnight. The hikes are breathtaking — both literally and figuratively. (Bring granola bars and water.) It’s no wonder Ansel Adams spent so much time taking photos here. (Side note: It’s because of my adoration of these photos that my oldest son is named Ansel!)

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In Ice(land). ❄️😜

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2. Iceland: You guys, Iceland may win my #1 pick for favorite place in the world. Yes, I just said that. It’s SO legit. Nicknamed the “land of fire and ice,” you can spend the morning repelling into a volcano and the afternoon traversing a glacier. You’ve got to make sure to also spend some time road tripping around to all of the hot springs! They are everywhere (the Blue Lagoon is the most famous). Stay in the capital, Reykjavic (there are tons of amazing Airbnbs), and be sure to try one of their world-famous hot dogs. I don’t even like hot dogs but I had FOUR of them on this trip! I wish I could go back every year.

3. Vancouver, British Columbia: If someone forced me to move away from San Francisco and to any other city in the world, I’d probably move to Vancouver. It’s got everything I love: mountains, water and city life. All in one! Whether you go in the summer (hiking) or winter (skiing), the views are beautiful year-round and there’s tons to do. The city itself has some incredible artisans with cute boutique shops, some of the most delicious food I’ve ever eaten, not to mention a thriving tech community. Didn’t I say this place has got it all?!

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Kicking off our California architecture, nature and design themed #babymoon trip with a tour of the famous Eames Case Study #8 house. Can I please move in?? 🏠 #midcenturymodern

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4. Road trip through California: As I previously shared, Dave and I went on a babymoon before our second son was born, traveling along the California coast to visit some of the most famous architecture and design spots. Not only were the homes we visited stunning, but the coastal drive was a reminder of how beautiful the Golden State is. If you haven’t done it yet, I highly recommend taking a drive on the Pacific Coast Highway in the near future.

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Day two in Copenhagen. What a cool little city: modern design, amazing food, and soooo many bikes! 🚴🏻🚴🏻🚴🏻 #reallifesoulcycle

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5. Copenhagen, Denmark: Copenhagen is paradise for design fanatics, outdoor enthusiasts and foodies. The #1 restaurant in the world (Noma) is located there, and even if you don’t get a chance to reserve a table, know that many of the Noma chefs have come and gone to open up all kinds of other restaurants in this town. So, there are tons of places to treat your taste buds. We were only there for three days and I couldn’t get enough good food! Separate from that, Danish design shops are EVERYWHERE and I was literally almost dying from eyegasms over all of the incredible things to buy. Sadly, I did not bring a big enough suitcase to transport it all home with me and shipping costs a fortune, so my biggest tip is to bring an extra bag to take things home with you! Lastly, one of the most charming parts of Copenhagen is that the people in the town ride bicycles everywhere, most often in favor of driving. It’s a great way to get a bit of exercise and also explore one of the coolest cities in the world. Go!

Planning your next trip? Where are you headed? Is it to one of these underrated destinations? Let me know on Twitter, @brit! And make sure to head to my Pinterest page for even more dreamy travel inspo.

“Protective” Peter Gallagher Is “So Grateful” Mischa Barton Survived “Toxic Fame”

No matter what kind of day you're having, Marissa Cooper's having a worse one. Mischa Barton's The O.C. character went through the ringer during the first three seasons of the teen drama (remember how she overdosed in Tijuana...and also saw her parents post-hookup after their divorce?).

And during her time on The O.C., Mischa Barton struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. She was arrested for a DUI in 2007 and eventually received involuntary psychiatric hospitalization in 2009 after allegedly threatening to end her own life. And in a new interview, Peter Gallagher (who played Sandy Cohen on the show) says he's "just so grateful" for "the fact that she’s still alive."

  • Mischa Barton starred alongside Peter Gallagher in The O.C. from 2003-2006.
  • The actress has revealed the "trauma" of being a star at that point in her life.
  • Peter recently opened up about how he's thankful "she’s still alive."


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The O.C. follows Ryan Atwood, who moves in with the Cohens after getting kicked out of his mom's house, and starts a relationship with Marissa shortly after. While Peter Gallagher played Adam Brody's TV dad instead of Mischa's, Sandy was a definitely father figure for Marissa, and it seems like Peter felt that same responsibility off camera.

"I’ve always felt very protective of her," Peter told The Independent. "First fame is toxic. First fame can kill you. She was 16 years old when she started working with us, so just the fact that she’s still alive, I’m just so grateful."

“You can go to therapy every day for the rest of your life,” Mischa said in a 2023 interview with The Sunday Times. “There’s just a certain amount of trauma [from] all that I went through, particularly in my early twenties, that just doesn’t go away overnight.”

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage revealed that season 1 overdose not only served as a cliffhanger, but gave “network executives an escape hatch on a performer they had been wary about” (via People). But Mischa Barton got her big break, becoming "how people knew the show," and (thankfully) Marissa recovered — only to die after a car crash in season 3.

As hard as that season 3 ending is to watch, Mischa did have the opportunity to watch it with Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke for the first time on their rewatch podcast. "It needed to be a thing, after everything she's been through, but if it's here I'll watch it with you," Mischa says.

"I couldn't do it, Mischa, I couldn't do it," Rachel adds. "But I'm going to do it if you're going to do it."

Mischa says even though being written off the show "was a little bit of a bummer," it wasn't necessarily a surprise. "The character was just doing too much," she told Vanity Fairin 2023. "And I think they ran out of places for her to go. It was not the best thing in the world, [but] there wasn’t much you could do at that point. It was whether she could sail off into the sunset, or die. At that point, I guess it’s better to have the more dramatic ending.”
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See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Dreamy Halloween Costume: "My Forever"

Former Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse and model Barbara Palvin are certainly living the sweet life after tying the knot in Palvin's native Hungary. The couple, who have been together for nearly five years, have always been pretty low-key — except for the occasional and undeniably adorable Instagram post (and a stunning wedding!). We are simply ~obsessed~ with this celebrity couple, especially after they pulled out all the stops for their couple's Halloween costume. Keep scrolling to see some of their best moments :').

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Halloween Couple's Costume!

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For Halloween Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin stunned as the Phantom and Christine from Phantom of the Opera. Dylan wore a mask and a black cape, while Barbara wore a beautiful white dress. While the costume is obviously a nod to the musical, it also totally reminds us of their day as bride and groom.

"In Sleep He Sang to Me," Barbara said in a post, quoting the musical's titular number. "@dylansprouse my forever Phantom."

Who did Dylan Sprouse marry?

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On the couple's wedding day (July 15, 2023), Barbara wore a Vivienne Westwood wedding gown to celebrate her Hungarian nuptials, bringing together their nearest and dearest for an intimate(-ish) celebration. Barbara and Dylan tied the knot on her parent's property, which conveniently doubles as an event venue, with plans to host an larger wedding in California in the fall.

"This past weekend was supposed to be an intimate event, but we ended up having 115 guests in the end because there are a lot of people we care about, and we wanted them all to be there," Barbara told Vogue.

When did Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin get engaged?

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Barbara Palvin on Instagram: "♥️"

After months of speculation surrounding the couple's engagement, Dylan and Barbara confirmed their engagement in conversation with Sprouse's twin brother, actor Cole Sprouse, for V Magazine in June, sharing that they got engaged last September.

"We didn't necessarily feel the need to be fully transparent with the public about that aspect of our engagement," Dylan said. "What we wanted to do with Stephen [Gan, V editor-in-chief] and the V team is make something that was kind of tongue-in-cheek about the nature of private versus public. We're playing with the idea of perception."

Barbara noted that the lovebirds wanted to announce the news "on our time," adding, "When some people leaked the information that we got engaged, our PR team was like, 'Hey, so you guys should do maybe a post about it or talk to this magazine or talk to that magazine…' That really annoyed me because I knew we were building this story up. So, I'm very happy that we ended up doing it our way."

When did Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse start dating?

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See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Dreamy Halloween Costume: "My Forever"

According to People, the couple met back in 2017 after a party when the Suite Life On Deck star slid into the model’s DMs (and as they say, the rest is history). The duo made their relationship Instagram official back in 2018 with Barbara’s sweet birthday tribute for Dylan’s 26th birthday.

Let’s be real here for a second though, we all knew they were endgame the minute Dylan went above and beyond to support Barbara at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show that same year (remember this viral video?). Three days after the fashion show, the Hungarian model told Vogue Australia that she hadn’t had a boyfriend in six years, but had now found “the perfect guy” in Dylan (we aren’t crying, you are).

How old are Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse?

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Barbara Palvin was born on October 8, 1993, making her 31 years old. Dylan Sprouse was born on August 4, 1992, meaning he's 32 years old. So there's only a one-year age gap between them!

Stay up to date with all of Brit + Co's favorite celebrity relationships. Let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

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Elle & Dakota Fanning Will Collab On Apple's 'Margo's Got Money Troubles'

2017's The Beguiled gave us one of the best groups of people of all time: Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Sofia Coppola, and Kirsten Dunst just to name a few. And we're finally getting an Elle and Nicole reunion thanks to Apple TV+! "THRILLED to bring @rufithorpe genius hysterical heart-wrenching heartwarming book to your TV screens alongside a dream group of people!" Elle says on Instagram. Rather than having to test the success of its pilot, the series has already been ordered — even though the book it's based on isn't even out yet! Here's everything you need to know about the series.

  • Dakota and Elle Fanning will produce the upcoming Apple TV+ show Margo's Got Money Troubles.
  • The series follows Margo, who signs up for OnlyFans after learning she's pregnant.
  • The cast includes Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nick Offerman.

Who's in the Margo's Got Money Troubles cast?

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Margo's Got Money Troubles Cast

We couldn't contain our excitement when we learned Margo's Got Money Troubles will star Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, but knowing Michelle Pfeiffer is also joining the cast is too much to bear! This is the first time the actress will collaborate with her husband, TV creator David E. Kelley, so we can't wait to see the magic they'll create (via Deadline).

Nick Offerman from The Last of Us and Parks and Rec will also star.

When is Margo's Got Money Troubles coming out?

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Margo's Got Money Troubles Release Date

We don't have an official release date for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV show yet. I'm thinking if the TV show is in the early stages of planning, we could see it in 2025! Check out all of this year's best New TV Shows to hold you over until then.

What is Margo's Got Money Troubles about?

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Margo's Got Money Troubles Plot

Margo Millet is the daughter of a Hooter's waitress named Shyanne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and an ex-wrestler (via Deadline). She's always had to make it on her own, even though she's not sure how. When she enrolls in her local junior college, she's totally unprepared to get swept up into a torrid love affair with her English professor — or to get pregnant.

Now at 20 years old, Margo needs an income and fast. She decides to experiment with OnlyFans and ends up taking some of her estranged father's advice from the world of wrestling to create a character users will fall in love with. You can order the book now!

What is Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's new TV show?

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Margo's Got Money Troubles is coming soon to Apple TV+ thanks to a bunch of different producers. A24 is backing the film, as well as Elle and Dakota Fanning’s production company Lewellen Pictures and Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films, to name a few.

What else has Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in?

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Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in 2017's The Beguiled. The movie follows John McBurney, an injured Union soldier, who winds up at a female Southern boarding school after deserting the Civil War. But soon, as the women help him, tensions turn to rivalries and friends turn to enemies.

Are you excited for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV reunion? Let us know what other New TV Shows you're watching in the comments.

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