Hi, I’m Ashley, a full-time travel writer, tour guide, and World War II historian based in Boston, MA. I’ve traveled to 39 countries on 5 continents and I formed Destination: WWII from a desire to encourage and help travelers visit WWII sites around the world.
I currently hold a master’s degree in World War II Studies from Arizona State University as a result of their unique partnership with the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. I continue to participate in related continuing education courses through ASU, with specialties in the European Air War and Holocaust origins.
Why World War II?
I’ve been interested in World War II history ever since high school when we had to read Night by Elie Wiesel. After reading, I couldn’t help but want to know more. How could these things have happened?
A couple of decades later and I still haven’t digested enough information; I still feel a pressing need to keep these stories alive and to learn as much as I can to do so.
World War II travel
As far as World War II travel goes, I visited my first World War II site in 2007 when I visited the Pearl Harbor memorial site and Battleship Missouri in Honolulu. The desire to visit the places I’d read about in so many books and seen in so many movies instantly struck me. However, it was when I visited Dachau Concentration Camp in Germany a few years later that my otherwise passive interest evolved into something to which I knew I wanted to dedicate more of my time and travels.
Since then, I’ve visited World War II sites at home and abroad and my WWII bucket list continues to grow. World War II may have ended in the ’40s but it’s still very much a part of my life and travels here in the… ’20s? Is that what we’re calling this decade?
About Destination: WWII
I formed Destination: WWII as a means to encourage travelers to visit World War II sites around the world and to help them in doing so. Visiting these destinations helps this incredibly complex time in history–and the millions who lost their lives–to not be forgotten, especially by younger generations. I’m fully convinced there’s no better way to learn about World War II than to experience these places for yourself.
Through this website and social media channels, I aim to help you discover and visit these sites yourself and to get the most out of them that you can. I do my best to accomplish this through research, logistical assistance, inspiration, and more.
More about me
I currently live in Boston, Massachusetts and am the owner, writer, and photographer of My Wanderlusty Life, an international travel blog focusing on what I call “Time Budget Travel”—helping you get the most out of a destination regardless of how little time you have available for travel. In other words: let’s move, move, move!
I’m also a researcher and graphic designer for a museum design company where I design both temporary and permanent exhibits for history-centered museums.
How to contact
- Looking to get in touch? Check out this page, leave a comment directly underneath a blog post, or reach out on social media (look for the icons on the top and bottom of this site).
- Looking to work with me? Fantastic! Head here.
- Wanna stay on top of everything Destination: WWII related? Subscribe here: