Culinary travel isn't new, but in recent years it's been kicking up in popularity. Travelers are looking to experience the local culture through their palette. And trying new foods is a great way to make the most of your vacation.

So how do you go about trying new foods while you're out and about on your trip? It's easier than you think. Here's how you can eat like a local on your next vacation.

10 Stunning Eco-Friendly Hotels

Each of these hotels merges modern design with sustainable materials and baller amenities that go easy on the planet

In Part 1 of our benefits of nature vacations series, we talked about nature vacations can improve your attention span, creativity, and sense of awe. But these aren't the only benefits that nature vacations can offer.

Here, in Part 2, we'll dive deeper into the physical and mental benefits that extended periods of time spent in nature can have on the body.

Vacations are crucial for stress relief and clear-headedness. But if you're looking to really boost your health and reduce stress, a nature vacation is the type of trip you want to take.

Passionate.
That's the word we use to describe our friend and Homer, Alaska local, Susan Houlihan, founder and mastermind behind the locally made Alpenglow Skincare products found throughout our facilities at Stillpoint. If you've already visited our boutique resort lodge, you already know... because you've delighted in washing and rewashing your hands with Susan's Arctic Sun liquid gold hand and body wash, you've taken time for yourself in our in our self-spa to sample all of her exquisite, highly-concentrated  lotions and sumputous face creams (the rose germanium face cream is our favorite), utilized her Alaska's best insect repellant bug spray out on the trail with our guides, washed body and hair in our warm and luxurious showers with Susan's unforgettable Midnight Sun liquid shampoo... and maybe you even purchased a mini cottonwood balm or bar of local goat milk soap to take home with you.

But it's not just the irresistible scents and attractive labels of Alpenglow Skincare that drew us to feature Susan's products at Stillpoint Lodge... we love that they are all natural, locally made, and hypoallergenic for even the most sensitive guest.... and Susan's personal passion for sustainability makes Alpenglow a perfect match for our guest amenities program. Alpenglow's mission: To create 100% natural, entirely handmade from scratch, superior quality skin and hair care products using organic, wildcrafted and home-grown herbs and flowers. Sign us up!

Clearly, we’ve been a fan of Alpenglow for a while, and we continue to expand our support and utilization of their entire product line. Susan is an expert at growing and harvesting beneficial plants such as Alaskan Rose petals, yarrow flowers, horsetail, nettles, fireweed, and cottonwood buds for their scents and therapeutic properties. She's also a lifelong learner in sourcing cutting edge, earth-friendly and safe packaging.

We've asked Susan Houlihan of Alpenglow Skincare to be a guest on our blog... so let’s all sit back and learn something from this wise woman. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us!