Travel Archives - Page 3 of 27

Packing Essentials for the Weekend Getaway

October 23, 2020 by Mandy

There are times when packing for that upcoming weekend getaway can be more difficult than packing for longer trips. Most of the time, you end up not packing enough and leaving essential items behind. For the ideal weekend getaway, you’ll need to pack enough clothing without taking your entire wardrobe along. The trick to this is to pack smart. As an example, instead of packing sandals and slippers, pack a pair of sandals that can pull double duty. Here’s a quick look at a few more tips.

For the Night Out

Any weekend getaway might include a night out. For that reason, be sure to pack a plus size little black dress or a nice pair of khakis and a button-down shirt. Come rain or shine, these items are weekend getaway must-haves.

Sunglasses

Another of the must-have fashion items for weekend getaways, or any type of trip, is a great pair of sunglasses. These are critical for eye protection when you’re outside. Additionally, they can add a bit of panache to simple outfits, and are always a fantastic accessory.

Cologne/Perfume

Whether you’re packing light or packing heavy, just because you’ll be away for a couple of days doesn’t mean that you need to be without your favorite scent. If your bottle is a bit bulky, why not purchase a smaller one just to keep in your overnight bag? Just make sure that it’s permissible if you’ll be traveling by air.

Jacket

For fall getaways, a jacket is a necessity – especially anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Keep in mind though that a single jacket is all you’ll need for those nights at outdoor events or even just a night spent on your balcony. Even if you’ll be south of that famous Line, the weather can be a bit damp and chilly at night, so it might be a good idea to have a light jacket just in case. Depending on your destination, you might need just a light one or one that’s a bit bulkier, like a leather one.

White Shirt

It doesn’t matter if you prefer a plain white t-shirt or a button-down, this item is essential for a weekend getaway. This item of clothing is versatile and can look great regardless of what you pair it with. You can dress it up or down with ease.

Swimsuit

If you’re traveling in the warmer months, or to Florida, you might want to remember to pack a swimsuit. The chances are good that there will be a pool at your hotel. Even if you aren’t planning on getting into any water, you might just want to chill by the pool and catch a few rays.

Lounge Clothes

Weekend getaways are typically meant for unwinding and lounging. For that reason, lounge clothes should be right at the top of your list of things to pack. Don’t forget things like sweatpants or leggings and overly large t-shirts. Just be sure not to pack things you wouldn’t want anyone to see you wearing.

Footwear

For shoes, you’ll need something comfortable enough for you to walk around a lot in. Whether these are sandals or sneakers, make sure that they’re both stylish and durable. You also need to remember to pack nicer shoes for your night out.

Finally, pack a nice book for you to get into in your downtime. Also, if you always have a bag of toiletries ready to go, you’ll avoid forgetting the essentials. This bag should contain things like lotion, underwear, toothbrush, brush, shampoo, soap, conditioner, feminine products, etc. Having everything you need will make your weekend that much more relaxing.

Traveling with your family during the pandemic

September 23, 2020 by Mandy

Traveling during the global pandemic is not advisable but it is possible so long as you are cautious. It is critically important that you take every possible precaution in order to keep yourself and your family safe as you travel during these unsafe times. Odds are you will only be able to travel within the United States because international travel is near impossible due to travel bans or restrictions in almost every country.

The one upside to traveling during the pandemic is that travel right now is very affordably priced. Airlines, train companies and the hospitality industry at large are all unfortunately suffering big profit losses because no one is traveling right now. Thus, they are offering big discounts for anyone willing to travel in order to recoup their losses.

You should also consider waiting to travel for a few months. As time has progressed the overall management and rate of the spread of the virus has slowed as the world, the United States included, has gotten a hang of social distancing and overall containment. In a few months’ time it might be even safer to travel

Your options for getting to your destination

As was mentioned earlier, your options for traveling during the pandemic will be cheap but there might be restrictions on where you can travel. Once you figure out where you are going and if you will be forced into a mandatory quarantine when you get there or not, you can look into your travel options.

Many experts say that driving with your family in your own car will be the safest option because that will cause the least amount of potential exposure to other people. With methods of transportation like planes and trains, you will inevitably be exposed to other people. However, you might not want to drive for several hours or days depending on how far you are traveling.

If you choose to travel by plane or train just be sure to follow whatever instructions you are given in terms of safety protocol. All public travel including a train trips or flights are under the strictest supervision to ensure everyone’s safety.

If that is what you end up choosing to do, you can avoid using any public transport, cabs or ride shares at your destination by having your own vehicle to drive. You have two options for this. The first is renting a car. Unfortunately, there are some issues with this. The first is that the car has already been used by other people, so even though the cars get cleaned, you will be at a small risk of exposure to the virus. Also, rentals can get expensive quickly as you have to pay for it every day that you have it.

That is why you should definitely consider shipping your car to your destination instead. This way you will have your own car that has not had any contact from other people. You also will not need to continuously pay for use of your own car.

How to keep yourself and your family safe

Keeping yourself and your family safe as you travel during the pandemic will entail all of the obvious steps as well as a little bit extra. This will include wearing masks any time that you are around other people, keeping yourself and your family socially distant from others, and making sure that you keep your hands washed and sanitized.

You should also only travel to and from states where the covid-19 crisis is under control. You can find more information about that here. In fact, if you travel from a state where cases are on the rise, you might be forced to quarantine for two weeks when you arrive at your destination, so be sure to do your homework before you start traveling.

Conclusion

Traveling at the moment is still not the greatest idea. However, some of you may need to for a variety of reasons. The upside is that travelling is very cheap right now because of the low demand for travel. If you and your family do travel during the pandemic, be sure you take every step possible to keep yourselves safe. If you choose to take a flight or a train ride instead of driving yourself, remember that it will be safer to have your own car when you reach your destination rather than using a rental.

The Best Type Of Vehicle To Travel In

September 16, 2020 by Mandy

Travel is on everyone’s minds lately. This deep-seated urge to go as far away from home as you can until you miss it enough to come back. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to travel and get away from home. The only problem that arises is how to pick which one?

Here’s a list of the top vehicles to travel in and some notes on where you’d go with them.

By Car

This mode of transit is by far the most common type of travel you can do. Most people vacation and trip relatively close to home, which means they don’t have to go far away. The good thing about traveling by car is it’s incredibly inexpensive, which means while you’re checking out St Albert real estate, you’re also ensuring you’re not pouring cash into a plane ticket. Traveling by car also means you can go on your schedule, and stop and sightsee anywhere along the way. You absolutely can’t do that on a plane.

By Bus

Travel by bus has been picking up in popularity again. This mode of transit is more expensive, time-consuming, and less safe than travel by car. The only time this should be taken instead of driving is if you either don’t own a car or can’t drive that far and can’t afford a plane ticket. It’s important to consider how much time you’re giving yourself to travel and if the tradeoff of not working for that day or two is worth it. Buses are fantastic, less expensive than planes, and offer a chance to travel without driving- but they have a lot of cons.

By Plane

Plane travel is the kind most people think of when they’re considering a vacation. This type of travel is a very high-speed option, but it can also be more expensive, and if you’re immunocompromised, there’s a higher risk of coming home with some bug. If you’re traveling with many things, going by plane can rack up an even higher price since you’ll have to deal with luggage fees and overweight fees for large luggage.

By Boat

Traveling by boat isn’t as common as it used to be, but it’s still an option many take on. Whether you’re ferrying from Victoria BC, to Seattle WA, or on a cruise from Alaska to Mexico, this is a prolonged mode of transit that’s more about the trip than the destination. It can be expensive, but it’s also more fun and has views that are far more rewarding.

Other Options

There are, of course, tons of ways you can travel besides these main four. Some travel on their motorcycles from state to state in America, while others take up riding on trains where they’re available. These are less common but still available in some areas. When traveling, you need to balance the amount of time you have, the amount of money you have, and the distance you need to cover. If you can’t afford one mode of transit but are willing to give up time for a lower price point, don’t be afraid to try the bus or a train! They’re great conversation starters, and you’ll still end up at your destination.

The first-time guide for taking kids to the beach

August 25, 2020 by Mandy

It is one of those memories that never leaves us. Going to the beach as a child is something that we savor forever – and we want to recreate those memories for our own little ones.

However, while you might have glorious memories of yourself making sandcastles, life as a parent at the beach is somewhat different. Sure, it’s as rewarding as it gets, but at the same time it can be stressful.

Particularly in the current climate, this is one of the few so-called safe activities what kids can do. Whether you are in Bournemouth, or have taken the plunge to go abroad, today’s guide will showcase some of the best tips for that first-time beach visit with your little ones.

Apply the sun cream before arrival

If you’ve never visited the beach with the family before, here’s how it goes. The car journey is long with a lot of “are we nearly there yet?” questions, before immense excitement kicks in as soon as the sea is spotted. Ultimately, trying to catch your child and apply something as mundane of sun cream is out of the question.

As such, apply in advance (and then re-apply later through the day). This way, you’ll avoid the creation of sandpaper skin, and from a safety point of view you’ll ensure that the cream absorbs if they are heading straight to the sea.

Set up camp

Here’s something that should get everyone excited. As we all know, kids love dens. In the peak of summer, they’ll love refuge as well. Setting up a shaded den can work wonders for everyone and keep stress levels down to a minimum. Granted, it’s unlikely that they will resort back to it for a mid-afternoon snooze, but it can act as temporary rest bite against the sun.

Towels will be your best friend

If you’ve set aside a collection of towels ready for your seaside extravaganza, then double the amount. You’ll realize that you can never have too many; you’ll need some to lay on, others to act as a cover, while you’ll naturally need some for their main purpose of drying! The more you have, the easier the seaside is to manage.

Make sure lunch travels with you

Sandy sandwiches are not anyone’s choice of banquet, but by the same token the last thing you want to do is leave the beach halfway through your day. After all, you’ve probably needed a shopping trolley to cart all of your belongings there; going there and back multiple times in the same day just isn’t anyone’s idea of fun. Bring along a picnic and the kids will appreciate it, and you can stay based in one place.

Consider a sunsuit

Something that we have made a big point of through today’s article is shielding your children from the sun – for obvious safety reasons.

While sun cream can help with this, an even easier solution comes in the form of sunsuits. Sure, they don’t cover everything, but they do make it easier to re-apply sun cream and provide immediate protection for most of your child’s skin.

Also, for those who find the sea a little cool, they can make it a little easier to acclimatize to!

Birthday party venues for games

August 10, 2020 by Mandy

Do you have a gamer brother or friend whose birthday is approaching, and you want to give them the best party with their favorite theme, i.e., gaming? Then you are in the right place because we are about to give you some party venue ideas which are ideal for throwing your gamer pal an unforgettable party.

The venue will exclusively for the birthday boy or girl, so you need to make sure that they enjoy their special day to the fullest. So, read on to get some of the best ideas:

4 Birthday venues for gamers:

Gaming Arena:Even though the gaming arena is not directly related to the VR or Entermission Sydney But it still has a nice ring to it. You can arrange various games and activities in the arena and set up the birthday person’s favorite game. You can bring in some of their favorite characters in costumes and get the cake and other food items made into their favorite things from the game.
Arcade:Arcades are every gamer’s dream place. If you have ever seen your friend show the slightest interest in arcades, then this is your chance to prove to them that you notice the small things. You can book your friend’s favorite arcade for the day and get it decorated according to their interests and likings. You can also gift your birthday girl or boy a whole day of free games at the arcade (they can play their favorite game without working about money). It will be the happiest day for your friend!
Escape Rooms:This is one of the best ideas of a birthday for a gamer. You can gift your sibling or friend ticket of the escape room, which they can play on their birthday. You can get great escape room discounts at groupon Chicago, so don’t forget to buy such a fantastic gift for your gamer friend!
Gaming Museum:It is a long shot but definitely worth trying. You can talk to the gaming museum’s management and book it for an evening for an exclusive event. It might cost you some handsome money, but it will be worth it at the end of the day because your birthday boy or girl will be super happy. They can enjoy looking at everything related to gaming in the museum.

These four birthday venue ideas are basically every gamer’s dream, and if they can’t enjoy these venues on their own, then you can gift this to your friend as a group present.