Shereen Rayle's Blog, page 111

My New Orleans Wish List

This Fall I'll be traveling to New Orleans for the first time and I'm super excited. We had originally planned a two-week trip, but have cut it in half so we can also go to LA in December to check out the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. Being our first trip to Nola, there are a lot of things we want to do. Number one is to not rent a car, except to take a day trip. So, let's look at our must-dos and must-eats and then you can tell me your suggestions, whether it's wh...

Travel Gifts for Dads and Grads

Father's Day is just next month and soon all the kids will be graduating from high school and college, which means you need to buy gifts of gratitude and congratulations for those you know and love. If your dad likes to travel or your grad is planning a gap year, then why not get them something truly awesome to help them save money and make their travels better? Here are some ideas for gifts in all budgets.

BudgetMake sure you can follow your grad's travels on Instagram or Facebook by getting...

48 Hours of Fun on a Budget in Toronto

In this blog series I show you how easy it is to budget travel anywhere and I also give you a quick overview of a new city each time in a brief 48-hour itinerary.
Next year we’ve decided to vacation in Toronto. We’ve only ever been to B.C. in Canada, so this will be a new experience, plus an interesting destination that I doubt many people think about. We were going to make this a friends vacation, but they can’t make it, so we are going to go anyway and maybe do a second leg in NYC, because w...

How To Eat More Healthfully When You Travel

One of my favorite things about traveling is eating and trying new foods. This isn't always a great plan, especially when you find that none of your pants fit at the end of your trip. I am not an exerciser, but when I am on vacation, I walk a lot and climb all the stairs. Of course, I also eat more than I do at home, because...yum. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that I will plan whole days around where I want to eat. More than once I've gained some weight on my...

Doing Summer Travel On a Budget

Summer is creeping up on us and before you know it, it’ll be sunny and the kids will be out of school and you’ll realize you haven’t starting planning a summer getaway yet. Don’t wait until the last minute, because that’s when you’ll pay the most. Airfare alone can jump as much as 40% during the summer months, so here are some tips to help keep you in the black this year and have an amazing time:

Shop for airfare on Tuesday and Wednesday and look for flights that depart on Tuesday, Wednesday o...

My Las Vegas Wish List

So, as you know, I've been to Vegas many times. It tends to be a yearly thing and sometimes it's twice yearly, like this year and probably next. We have family that lives there, we have 4 timeshares to choose from, the NBA Summer League plays there and the Travel Goods Show takes place there as well. The fun thing about Vegas, besides the obvious, is that things are always changing, so what was there last year may not be there the next. This can be annoying if you really liked something, but...

10 Tips for Getting Rental Car Deals

Most of the time when we travel, we rent a car, but it depends on where we go. Some destinations are easier to get around by car, like Orlando or Los Angeles, and some places are not or it's just more convenient to use public transportation. Of course, there are those destinations we've rented a car in and either wished we hadn't or did a little more research before we went, like Ecuador. It's always smart to know how things work in the city you'll be traveling in. Security and roads wit...

Prepping for Your Next Road Trip

I'm getting geared up for my next road trip, you guys. In March, I drove alone from Portland to Vegas and back. I was basically just trying to save money, so I did the drive each way in one day. I don't know that I'd recommend it, as it's very long and much of it is boring and out in the middle of nowhere. Next year I'll be flying, but only because it'll be snowy in February. I like my alone time and had fun on my own, but it would have been nicer to spend less time in the car and more time c...

Travel Gifts for Mother's Day

Mother's Day is right around the corner and if you haven't come up with a great gift for your mom (or sister, wife, grandma or daughter) who loves to travel, then you still have some time to snap up something good that'll make you look like a hero that knows her so well. No matter what your budget, your gift can be useful, thoughtful and something she'll love. 


BudgetYour mom loves having great hair. You know how I know? Because everyone loves having great hair. Help her get awesome...

Review: Cosmetic Organizer from Lewis N. Clark

When I travel, I'm always looking to get more organized and simplify. I mix and match my wardrobe for maximum wear, I take only two pair of shoes, I pare down my toiletries so I only take the necessary items. Lewis N. Clark is helping me organize my toiletries in style and letting me leave the ugly quart zip-top bag at home, too. Their Plaid Cosmetic Organizer is everything you need, especially when traveling solo.

This new toiletry bag is part of a new line they have put out this year and is...