The first travel story Carolyn ever wrote was a feature for The Baltimore Sun, Carolyn's hometown newspaper. She persuaded the Sun's travel writer to take a look at a piece on one of her favorite places in the world, California's Cambria, and it was the first of many pieces published. Following were numerous magazine and newspaper features focusing on America's mid-Atlantic, from best romantic country inns to discovering Maryland's Chestertown, which ultimately became her new hometown. She first wrote about cruise travel for The Washington Post, originally as a freelancer then a staff writer. where she also covered regional travel, global spa destinations, the Caribbean, and authored its Coming & Going, a weekly news column. Before, during and after her 16-plus year tenure at Cruise Critic, Carolyn also contributed to Conde Nast Traveler, The Washington Post, Town & Country, and the UK's Sunday Times.