I visited a country I'd never heard of after seeing it on a reality show — now it's my favorite travel destination

• After seeing a stunning aerial shot of Lake Bled on "The Amazing Race," I booked a trip to Slovenia.
• I spent 2 weeks driving through Slovenia, visiting beautiful towns, hiking alpine gorges, and more.
• The country's kind locals, diverse landscapes, and peaceful charm made it my top travel destination.

My husband and I were halfway through an episode of CBS's "The Amazing Race" when a brief aerial shot of a glittering alpine lake stopped us cold.

The water shimmered in a perfect shade of blue, a tiny island church sat at its center, and towering green mountains framed the scene like a painting. We looked at each other and said, "Let's go there."

The destination? Lake Bled in Slovenia, a country I couldn't have placed on a map at the time. Within weeks, we'd booked the trip.

I thought this would be a one-off adventure to a pretty spot we'd seen on TV. I had no idea Slovenia would become my favorite travel destination.

We based parts of our trip on 'The Amazing Race' episode

Although there's an airport in Slovenia's capital city, Ljubljana, we opted to fly into Vienna instead, then take the train into Ljubljana, just like competitors did on "The Amazing Race."

The ride through the countryside was cinematic, with rolling hills, dense forests, and snowy mountains in the distance.

We then rented a car and spent two weeks tracing the show's route, filling in the gaps with places that caught our attention along the way.

Ljubljana felt like a fairytale come to life, with pastel buildings, pedestrian promenades, and a calm river that split the city center. We searched for the famous locks and dragon statues we'd seen on TV, ate pizza, and enjoyed local beers at cafés lining the water.

From there, we drove to Lake Bled, where the island church and emerald water looked just as magical in person as they did on our screens.

The nearby Lake Bohinj, quieter and more rugged, felt like a local secret.

We hiked through Vintgar Gorge, where wooden walkways hugged the cliffs over rushing water, and explored the medieval clifftop Predjama Castle, which looks like it was carved straight into the rock.

In the Soča Valley, we based ourselves in the mountain town of Bovec.

The Soča River shimmered in surreal shades of blue, and we spent hours walking along its banks, dipping our toes in, and soaking up the mountain air.

We hiked through Tolmin Gorge, crossed hanging bridges, and attempted to paraglide, though the weather didn't cooperate.

Before heading home, we detoured to explore the Škocjan Caves, a jaw-dropping underground world with echoing caverns and waterfalls thundering in the dark.

We then ended our trip on the coast in Piran, a tiny seaside town where cars aren't allowed in the historic center.

We wandered narrow alleyways, climbed to the city walls, and watched the sun dip into the Adriatic while church bells echoed in the distance.

The locals we encountered were so friendly, too

As beautiful as Slovenia is, the people left the most profound impression.

When I got sick mid-trip, my husband drove to a nearby village to find a pharmacy. The pharmacist didn't speak much English, and my husband spoke no Slovenian aside from "hello" and "thank you," but she still managed to get him everything I needed — and even sent him off with well wishes for me.

Later, we hired a boat captain for a sunset cruise, and he went so far above and beyond that he offered to drive us to the train station the next morning. He still checks in with us to this day.

That level of kindness wasn't the exception — it was the norm. People we encountered everywhere we went in Slovenia seemed patient, welcoming, and eager to help us enjoy their country.

They helped us learn small bits of Slovenian, provided us with suggestions and ideas on how to spend our afternoons, took the time to chat with us, and never made us feel like unwanted tourists.

Now, Slovenia is my favorite travel destination

Slovenia wasn't on my radar before that random episode of "The Amazing Race," but now it's the first place I recommend to anyone looking for something special.

It gave us adventure, peace, stunning scenery, and meaningful connections, all without the crowds or chaos of more popular European spots.

But more than anything, it just felt good to be there. Slovenia reminded me that sometimes the best trips aren't the ones we plan for months, they're the ones that start with a single, unexpected moment that makes you say, "Let's go."