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Cortney Fries

Family Travel, Outdoor Adventure & Wellness

Family Travel, Outdoor Adventure & Wellness

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Best Spa Services at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa

Grand Geneva is home to the WELL Spa & Salon, a tranquil and rejuvenating environment to restore your balance. Soothe sore muscles in a relaxing massage or indulge dry skin with a facial.

Accomplishments

My AAA Explorer story "Breaking the Grass Ceiling" won a 2024 Mark Twain Travel Journalist Award.

My AAA Explorer story "Birds of a Feather" won a 2023 1st Place Mark Twain Travel Journalist Award.

I won a 2022 Society of American Travel Writers Central States Writing Contest award in the category of Best Magazine Travel Article on an International Destination.

I won 1st place in the 2022 Mark Twain Journalist Contest Awards in the Midwest category.

I won a national Parenting Media Association award for service feature.

I am a proud member of the following organizations:

Cortney Fries

cortneyfries

Chicago-based #travelwriter
#familytravel #satw #outdooradventures
@usnewstravel @chicagoparent
📧 cortneyfries@yahoo.com
My 2024 award-winning story:

We dined at The Landing and drank in the 360-degre We dined at The Landing and drank in the 360-degree views 🏔️ 

#bigsky #montana #mountains #skivacation #ski @oneandonlybigsky #visitbigsky #travel #travelwriter
We swam with 🐖 on Treasure Island. What’s be We swam with 🐖 on Treasure Island. 
What’s been your favorite cruise excursion?
What a pleasure to be aboard the brand new @norweg What a pleasure to be aboard the brand new @norwegiancruiseline Aqua. Such an elegant ship 🚢 
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#cruise #cruiseship #cruiselife #cruisetravel #cruisevacation #norwegiancruiseline #norwegianaqua #cruisenorwegian #cruisegram #vacation #travelwriter
Lots of fresh air, mountain coasters, banana puddi Lots of fresh air, mountain coasters, banana pudding and bonding time with the teens. We stayed and played at Sanctuary Treehouse Resort in Sevierville, rode coasters at Dollywood and slept at HeartSong Lodge, then enjoyed a streamside cabin at Roamstead. The Smoky Mountains and sunshine were good to us. 🏔️ 🍌 ☀️ 🎢 🥾
Stayed out past my bedtime last night Stayed out past my bedtime last night
Birthday weekend shenanigans included pickleball, Birthday weekend shenanigans included pickleball, axe throwing, and a staycation at @sheratongrandchicago with the biggest crème brûlée 🍮 I’ve ever seen. Thank you, friends and family, for all the love ❤️
Weekend in NYC recap: 🖼️ The Met was crowded Weekend in NYC recap:
🖼️ The Met was crowded but packed with more than we could possibly explore in one visit.
🎭 The Outsiders and Hadestown are both fantastic. We preferred The Outsiders for its youthful energy and multi sensory experiences.
🥘 Pastrami Queen, Russian Tea Room, Becco, Keen’s Steakhouse and Lillian’s Victorian Establishment all served memorable dishes in elaborate surroundings.
🍹Sipped the best and worst NA cocktails I’ve ever had at a speakeasy by the subway, Nothing Really Matters.
What are some of your favorite NYC experiences?
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#nyc #newyork #broadway #weekendgetaway #newyorkcity #travel #nyctrip #foodie #travelwriter
Beautiful bathrooms, cute cafes and good girl time Beautiful bathrooms, cute cafes and good girl time. 

#motherdaughter #weekendgetaway #kohlerwisconsin #kohler #wisconsintravel #wisconsin #midwesttravel #travel @kohlerwi
Great bonding time with my girl at Kohler for Froz Great bonding time with my girl at Kohler for Frozen Fairways 
Ice skating ⛸️ 
Chocolate 🍫 
Curling 🥌 
Live music 🎶 
Swimming 🏊‍♀️ 
Excellent food 🥘 
Love ❤️ 

@kohlerwi #girltime #motherdaughter #wisconsin #familytravel #frozenfairways #kohler #winterfun #wintervacation #midwesttravel #travel
Winter weekend in Wausau, Wisconsin Nordic spa, R Winter weekend in Wausau, Wisconsin 
Nordic spa, Rib Mountain hike and downtown shopping for me
@granitepeakskiarea thrilled my son with steep verticals and swift chairlifts 
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#wintertravel #ski #midwest #skitrip #wausau #wisconsin #familytravel #midwestwinter #skivacation #skiwisconsin
2024 was another year of traveling and writing for 2024 was another year of traveling and writing for which I am incredibly thankful. These are just a few of the highlights:
1. Sunny Riviera Maya is full of smiling faces
2. Cenotes are the most incredible natural swimming holes
3. Royal Caribbean is our favorite cruise line so far; but we haven’t tried them all. What would you recommend?
4. I love writing about my home city of Chicago for @usnews 
5. We made our dude ranch dreams come true at @whitestallionranchaz 
6. E-biking and line dancing were our favorite activities in Tucson
7. Visiting @clubmedpuntacana with my daughter was such a treat. She swung on the flying trapeze and we savored the most exciting excursion

#familytravel #travelwriter #outdooradventures #travel #travelhighlights #travelgram #instatravel #traveladdict #familyadventures
Happy holidays from adorable Franklin, Tennessee. Happy holidays from adorable Franklin, Tennessee. Wishing you and yours the merriest of times together. 
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#holidays #smalltown #tennessee #franklintn #franklintennessee #holiday #holidaydestination #holidaytravel #familytravel #travelwriter
Staying at @darkhorserecording in Franklin, Tennes Staying at @darkhorserecording in Franklin, Tennessee. It’s wild to wake up and walk around where Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton, Jack Harlow, Carrie Underwood and countless other creative geniuses have recorded. Hoping some of that good energy will stick 🤞🏻 
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#travel #tennessee #franklintn #recordingstudio #musician #taylorswift #dollyparton #carrieunderwood #airbnb #uniquestays
Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and are getti Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and are getting ready for a relaxing holiday season ♥️ Is this week crazy for you?
Winter family fun in Traverse City. Do you prefer Winter family fun in Traverse City. Do you prefer indoor or outdoor activities when it’s snowy outside? 
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#traversecitymichigan #michigan #traversecity #familyfun #familytime #traversecitymi

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