We’re back again with our 8 Weeks of Connection series!
For the 8 weeks leading up to the new year, PPR highlights different team members as they share how they’re building connections into their holiday season!
Today, PPR’s Media Relations Specialist, Mia Vaccaro, finds joy in connecting with her family and the vibrant businesses that bring a new place to life.
Over to you, Mia…
The holiday season is officially here—a perfect time to reconnect with family and explore new places.
As someone who loves to travel, I’ve had the joy of taking many trips—both near and far—and sharing these experiences with my friends and family. On each trip, I’m the “go-to” person for recommending the best day trips and hidden gems to discover along the way.
One of my favorite parts of traveling is the connections that you make along the way. Whether it’s striking up a conversation with a local vendor while purchasing a handcrafted treasure, picking out a magnet from a coffee shop to put on your fridge back home, or capturing photos to help hold onto the moment—small interactions like these are just a piece of the journey.
This year, I decided to use my 8 Weeks of Connection as an opportunity to explore a new place! For my family’s annual “day after Thanksgiving” trip, my mom, aunt, cousins, and I made the quick(ish) drive to the City of Brotherly Love: Philadelphia.
We kicked off the day with a visit to Christmas Village in LOVE Park, where we walked through rustic wooden cottages, each decorated with festive lights and filled with a wide variety of vendors. Each vendor sold unique crafts and goods, often sharing stories about where their creative inspirations and how they got started. Many of my family members will get gifts from these vendors this year, each accompanied by a special story!
To mix things up, we ventured into Center City, exploring local coffee shops, quaint stores, food stands, and more—embracing just a handful of the city along the way. Putting on my PPR hat, I couldn’t help but appreciate how seamlessly Philadelphia combines its historic character with such lively, modern energy—making it an ideal place to experience in so many different ways.
Whether you’re discovering a new destination through the eyes of a tourist, exploring it like a local, or finding fresh ways to experience and enjoy your own surroundings from a new perspective, there’s always something exciting about seeing a place in a different light. Every journey offers the chance to uncover hidden gems, make new memories, and gain a deeper appreciation for the world around us.
Do you enjoy immersing yourself in new places? I’d love to hear from you. Click here to share some favorite spots you’ve discovered in 2024!
