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APRIL 10, 2024

After posting about how I packed a week's worth of clothes in a backpack , I promised you a post on how to pare down your toiletries. I have been working on bringing fewer or smaller things on my trips when I travel, which might be difficult for those who want to take their whole routine on vacation with them. Even when I do more than usual, I still don't use too many products.

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APRIL 6, 2024

I don't know about all the other ladies out there, but I'm so tired of pockets in women's clothing either being super shallow or non-existent. Sometimes, you just don't want to carry a purse or other bag, or you aren't allowed to bring one into a venue, but your pockets are insufficient for keeping things inside or secure. More than once I've put something in the pocket of my jeans only to sit down and for it to fall right out.

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APRIL 3, 2024

Last month, I took one of my yearly trips to Vegas. This was a short trip, because I was there for the Travel Goods Show, but I still took time to do some of my favorite free things and also splurge on some food and attractions I wanted to get to. If you're headed to Las Vegas, or thinking about visiting and worried about your budget, let me take you through some great free things to spend absolutely zero dollars on, except in gas or via Uber (or the Monorail, which I highly recommend): Bellagio

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MARCH 30, 2024

It's been a while since I did a pack with me post. Earlier this month, I flew to Las Vegas for the Travel Goods Show and I packed everything I needed in a backpack, because I'm a short, weak person, and I don't like to struggle to get my bag into the overhead on the plane. Now, I also brought a roller bag with me, because I knew that I would be bringing quite a bit of stuff back, but it literally only had a rain jacket in it.

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MARCH 27, 2024

Did a moth just fly out of your wallet when you opened it? Believe me, I've been there. A lot. Most of us travel on a budget, because we have to. We aren't independently wealthy (if only!), so we can't just spend a bunch of money we don't have. When you don't have a big budget, you learn to be creative, but you find there are small things you can do that can really add up, too.

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MARCH 23, 2024

Every time I'm in Las Vegas, I marvel at the wonderful art there is around the city. There's almost nowhere as packed with the variety of art, be it wall murals, sculptures, signs, there is in the downtown area of Las Vegas. They have a designated arts district and you can see some of the most diverse and interesting artwork wherever you walk. You've probably seen some of my other art posts about Las Vegas*, and though I didn't get to spend a ton of time in the city this time, I did get to see q

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MARCH 20, 2024

More and more women are traveling solo. In fact, more women than men are willing to go on a trip on their own. We don't always travel alone because we are single. Sometimes we go for work. Sometimes we can't get our friends to coordinate their schedules. Sometimes our spouses don't like to travel (this still seems crazy to me). Sometimes we just want some alone time. source I just came back from 4 1/2 days in Las Vegas alone and I had the best time.

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MARCH 16, 2024

I've just returned from the Travel Goods Show, which I haven't been to since 2020 (it was cancelled the following two years and I couldn't justify a trip to Chicago last year) and it's back in Las Vegas and under a new group of organizers. There were new things, like panels and workshops, the last day was a short day instead of a full day, and a ton of new brands.

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MARCH 13, 2024

Men may dominate most travel careers, like being pilots and explorers and mountain climbers, but women have always pushed their way into all facets of the industry, from flying planes, to becoming essential crew on commercial flights, to captaining cruise ships. Here are just a few women who paved the way for the rest of us to be travel writers, solo travelers, and tour operators.

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MARCH 9, 2024

Right now everyone is getting ready for Spring Break, but if you're looking to save money, maybe skip all that in favor of a getaway in May. Not only will you be traveling in between two really popular times of the year - Spring Break and Summer - but it also means you'll save money by going when the crowds are lower and airlines and hotels are looking to entice people with deals.

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MARCH 6, 2024

One of the easiest ways to save money (and time) on travel is by traveling with just a carry-on. Not only that, but it also saves your sanity and your back, because you have fewer things to keep track of and less weight to drag around. Before I started packing small, I brought entire outfits for every day of my trip, plus a bunch of random pieces and 4 or 5 pairs of shoes.

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MARCH 2, 2024

St. Patrick’s Day will be upon us in a few short weeks and you know what that means? Green beer and stupid hats? Maybe, but that’s really only if you’re an American and can turn any holiday - traditional or obscure - into a reason to get drunk and cause a ruckus. At least you’re fun and know how to party! In Ireland , you will likely find NO green beer, shamrock sunglasses or green felt leprechaun hats, unless it is marketed solely to tourists.

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FEBRUARY 28, 2024

While in Los Angeles last summer, we decided to spend half a day exploring the city before moving from our hotel at Universal Hollywood to our one in Anaheim. We spent half the day at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which is amazing if you love movies. Not only do they have a whole exhibit dedicated to The Godfather movies, but they also have one of the surviving prop sharks Bruce from Jaws.

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FEBRUARY 24, 2024

I don't know about you, but I try to support and learn about local businesses in my home city and wherever I travel. I want small businesses to succeed and in particular Black-, Asian-, and women-owned businesses are at the top of that list. I seek those out at home and when I'm when I'm on vacation, so I know my money is going into the local economy instead of some big conglomerate.

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FEBRUARY 21, 2024

Black History may get a whole month, but you can actually learn about Black History all year and traveling is a great way to do that. I've learned so much by just doing things I normally do on vacation: enjoying art, architecture, fashion, and food. If you're looking to specifically learn about Black History when you travel, there are great places to do so.

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FEBRUARY 17, 2024

I read quite a bit about Black travel, including the obstacles people face traveling, how they constantly do more research than the rest of us on the safety of destinations, and where they're going on tours. It's interesting to read about their travel trends as well. I follow a lot of travel influencers and probably half of them are people of color, because I find that they have more interesting content and have a different perspective on even the most popular destinations.

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FEBRUARY 14, 2024

Happy Lunar New Year! It's the Year of the Dragon. Those born during the year of the dragon are said to be popular, happy, clever, compassionate, but also over-thinkers. They attract abundance or wealth, and the year is said to bring wealth and good fortune to all. Let's hope that's true, because we can all use a good year. We have done a mix of home celebrations and outside activities this year, since more places are doing things.

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FEBRUARY 10, 2024

"EVERYTHING is jazz: snails, jails, rails, tails, males, females, snow-white cotton bales." - James Emanuel, poet Paris has so many cool neighborhoods, but an unusual and unofficial neighborhood resides inside the walls of Père Lachaise, the city's biggest and most visited cemetery. We have gone two out of the three times we've visited Paris and are always in awe of the gorgeous tombs.

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FEBRUARY 7, 2024

Valentine's Day is already next week. If you haven't planned anything yet, it's okay, there's still time to get the most coveted reservation, the one at home with your sweetie. If that doesn't sound all that exciting to you, what if I told you that you'd be taking them to Paris (or really any city they've been dreaming of)? In 2022, we took a vacation to Paris, and it was awesome, but not every year can be a Paris year.

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FEBRUARY 3, 2024

Most of us are not going to headed to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, but that doesn't mean you can't get in on the celebrations. There are tons of places that have festivities and you can even do your own at home like we have for several years. Here are some ideas for your Mardi Gras staycation: Throw your own Fat Tuesday party Invite all your friends and celebrate the last day before Lent with food and beads and drinks and photos.

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JANUARY 31, 2024

Still looking for a great getaway for your Valentine? Travel is a great experience, and many times experiences are better than things. Candy and flowers last only so long, but memories last forever. If you can swing a trip in February with your sweetheart, I guarantee it'll be more exciting than one fancy dinner. Not sure where to go on a budget? Well, here are 5 destinations for you: Chicago Bring your big coat and layers, because it will be cold, but you can easily escape the rough weather by

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JANUARY 27, 2024

When people celebrate things, like Valentine's Day or weddings or anniversaries or accomplishments, they often do so by popping open a bottle of bubbly. Sometimes it's sparkling wine or prosecco, but we almost always say champagne. By now, you probably know it's not champagne unless it comes from the champagne region in France. If you love a good glass of bubbles, you're not alone.

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JANUARY 24, 2024

Are you ready for Valentine's Day and beyond? We don't celebrate the day, because everything is so expensive, and we try really hard to do special things all year. If a romantic getaway sounds like something you want to jump on, I'll be bringing you several posts just in time for Valentine's Day. Some places are just more romantic than others, so if you're looking to go to one of those destinations in the U.S., Fodor's has a list of 15 small towns to check out, from the surprising Eureka Springs

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JANUARY 23, 2024

I'm coming at you mid-posts to ask you for your struggles. I want to help you all more in 2024 and to do that, I need to know where you're falling short on your travels or what could just help you more. photo credit I'll be addressing these via blog posts and newsletters , and short ones may get put into compilation posts and Facebook posts. No matter what you have questions on or need a little bit of help to do better, let me know: Need help learning to plan better?

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JANUARY 20, 2024

Hunt For Happiness Week is almost here. January 21-27th is your time to find and do the things that make you happy. For most of us, a big contributor to that is travel. Whether you travel alone or with friends, you can really up your happiness quotient. Even just the act of planning or booking a trip is helpful to your mental health. Traveling rewires our brains.

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JANUARY 17, 2024

Solo traveling can be very fun and beneficial. Maybe your partner doesn't want to go on a trip. Maybe your friend dipped out on you. Maybe you just do most things alone and this is no different. Whatever the case, sometimes it's either go alone or stay home. I don't know about you, but I hate the stay home option. We usually travel as a couple, once a year I go somewhere with my mom, and other times I get a friend to go with me, but sometimes I am happy to explore on my own.

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JANUARY 13, 2024

Did you know that you can basically get paid to travel and shop [for your travel gear and clothing] for things you buy everyday? You can and Rakuten will pay you for it. I never buy or book anything without first checking Rakuten. So, what IS Rakuten? It's a fantastic - and free! - site that offers you cash back for purchasing from online merchants.

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JANUARY 10, 2024

January is Be Kind to Food Servers Month , so it feels like it's time to bring back some tips for saving money while dining on vacation, along with some suggestions on how you can inject a little more kindness when you're somewhere that you are being served food or beverages. I love food, and I travel to try new things. I know there are a lot of Americans who try their best to only dine at restaurants they recognize when they vacation, and that's very odd to me.

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JANUARY 6, 2024

I love looking ahead to the coming travel trends so I can see how travel is expected to change in the coming year. Since 2020, people have been vacationing differently than they did before. I know that I savor the ability to explore the world more than I did, while other people have finally discovered that slow travel (taking their time in a destination) is more rewarding than spending 1-2 days in a city before moving on. photo credit I may not be going anywhere super original this year, but I a

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JANUARY 3, 2024

Happy New Year! It feels like 2023 just started and now it's a whole new year. Usually, we try to travel during this time, but we've been doing so much local stuff, that it has felt like a mini vacation. Plus, there weren't any flight deals for the places we were thinking of going to, so we just skipped it this year. As you know, the majority of my resolutions are travel-related , non-specific, and pretty easy to achieve, because making resolutions like "going to the gym" or "losing 10 lbs" or "

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DECEMBER 30, 2023

Can you believe it's already 2 days to the new year? Crazy! Everything feels like it went by so fast. I both don't remember what was this year and last, and also feel like I did a ton of stuff this year (which I did). This December has been a whirlwind of activity, while we tried to get to a lot of the special holiday markets, pop-ups, and other activities we usually miss.

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DECEMBER 27, 2023

A lot of people love to visit National Parks when they travel, and I know some people who specifically travel for National Parks. If you're one or both of these types of people, then I've got free admission days, the best parks for winter, and more. I'll readily admit that I'm not an outdoorsy person. I don't like hiking or enjoy wandering around in the woods, even for a cool view from the top.

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DECEMBER 23, 2023

I know it's only the 23rd, but I'm taking some time for myself and family over the holidays. I hope you all have your gifts taken care of, or you had a great Hanukkah, or you just have a wonderful weekend if you don't celebrate. I'll be back after Christmas to bring you more travel tips, but for now, here are some quick, last-minute tips for traveling at this time: Wear a mask on the plane and probably in the airport.

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DECEMBER 20, 2023

December is my birth month and we've been doing a lot of magical things during that time. As you know by now, I'm a huge Potterhead. I follow the many Harry Potter events that travel. Years ago we went up to Seattle to see the Harry Potter Exhibition, because that was a close as it was coming to us in Portland. Last year, Yule Ball fell on my birthday.

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DECEMBER 16, 2023

Now that everyone is traveling again, now's the time to stock your travel bag or help others stock theirs. I travel mostly the same way every time I go anywhere, no matter where I go. I have perfected my packing list and having a packing plan that works for me and makes life so much easier. Part of my plan is taking the same things every trip, because it's familiar and it works.

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DECEMBER 13, 2023

Winter is right around the corner and some places have gotten colder already, which can make doing activities outside not that fun. We've been trying out a lot of things over the last couple of months to stay warm, but also have a good time. Here are some things you might like when you travel this time of year or to just do at home when it's cold or rainy or snowing out and you just want to be warm, but also out of the house/hotel: Go to all the winter markets I hit up a bunch of markets lately,

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DECEMBER 6, 2023

Traveling during the holidays is tradition for a lot of people. We tend to stay close to home during November and December, but we are lucky to have our family in town. People often plan to travel for the holidays all year long, for different reasons and occasions. Looking for holiday cheer? Here are the states with the most and least. infographic credit Last year, New Hampshire ranked #1 for the second year in a row as most spirited, and Wisconsin moved from #16 to #2.

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