Shereen Rayle's Blog, page 122

7 Ways to Save on Your Accommodations

There are plenty of things to consider when finding a place to stow your belongings and close your eyes at night. Price may be the biggest factor for you, but that doesn't mean the less you pay the worse your stay. There are plenty of budget and moderate hotels that offer wonderful service and surroundings if you know where and how to look. It's important to weigh all your options when deciding on where to sleep. Does it have a restaurant? Is it close to fun activities? Is it convenient to pu...

Preview of Travelon Items For Summer Travel

Happy Friday! Summer is out in full force here in Portland. It's supposed to hit triple digits this weekend, which we are not prepared for. We're heading to the beach instead, where the temps will be much cooler. I know many of you are still planning a trip to ether escape the heat or get more of it, which means you might be looking for some products to help your travels go smoother. Well, as always, Travelon has anticipated this and come out with some new stuff that I'll be reviewing on...

Dining On a Dime (Or At Least On a Budget)

When I travel, I’m almost always thinking about when and where we’re going to eat next. I want to eat my way through a city. It must be the combination of all the walking and the fresh air, or just the excitement of being in a completely new environment. I know it’s impractical. Not just because it’s unhealthy, but also because it’s totally unaffordable. If I did stop to eat a bunch during the day, I’d never get any sightseeing done either! If you’re like me and want to eat all day long, you’...

How to Be a Courteous Tourist

Sometimes you can avoid being the "Ugly American" only to commit some other faux pas when you travel, because you didn't know some obscure thing that is culturally unacceptable. Make sure you read up on your destination before you go, so you know how to behave in most situations. For a quick look at what not to do in different destination, check out this infographic of some common misunderstandings that can easily be avoided.
photo credit

Have you ever made a major faux pas while traveling? ...

Why North Dakota Should Be On Your Travel List

What's the extent of your knowledge of North Dakota? Is it only that it's not where Mount Rushmore is located? (Did you even know that?) Well, I'm going to change that for you right now, because North Dakota has a huge array of activities and attractions for you to choose from, especially if you're traveling with kids and you're on a budget. Also, did you know that North Dakota has been crowned Happiest State in the U.S.? To me, that's enough of a reason to plan a trip there. You probabl...

Cruising Isn't As Cheap As It Seems

Do you dream of getting on board a cruise ship with your bag full of shorts and bathing suits and sailing the seven seas, all while being completely catered to and visiting new ports of call? With Summer fast approaching, there are cruise deals galore! Of course, not all of them are for Summer, many are for late Spring and even Fall. Luckily, with the exception of Alaskan cruises, the weather will be warm and (hopefully) beautiful. I learned a lot on my first cruise, both while I was planning...

6 Steps to Carrying On Like a Boss

Do you ever see those travelers who have one bag – that’s not even bulging! – that look super put-together and get right off the plane and into a cab and you wish you could be more like them? So often I’m walking through a hotel lobby or past the check-in desks at the airport and watch families that seem to bring everything they own on vacation with them, and I wonder how much they paid in baggage fees and chiropractor visits. It was not all that long ago that I thought I couldn’t live withou...

Taking an Affordable Las Vegas Vacation

So, I'm totally going to Vegas next month. NBA Summer League is happening and we are going to hit up some games, do some sightseeing, visit family and eat so much food. It's going to be a billion degrees, but whatever. I'll be working with Smart Destinations and their new Las Vegas GoCard, which is very exciting, because I'll be bringing you cool reviews of things I probably wouldn't get to do otherwise, and certainly not at such a discounted rate if purchased on it's own. Did you know that a...

14 Ways to Stay Healthy When You Travel

This week I've been really sick with a disgusting stomach flu. I'll spare you the details, but it reminded me of how I used to get horribly sick every time I traveled anywhere. It's a total bummer, but I've finally gotten over that and learned to take care of myself before leaving, while flying and during my trip, so that I can make the most of my time and not be all gross and sickly when I'm away from home. If you worry about getting a bug or picking up all those foreign germs everywher...

Dad and Grad Travel Gift Guide

So Mother's Day has come and gone {Did you get your mom something awesome? Did ya?} and now we're looking at high school and college graduation and Father's Day celebrations. If the dad(s) or grad(s) on your list is into travel - I mean, who isn't? - then something fun and travel-related that will last them on many vacations is way better than, say, that engraved pen, briefcase or tie you were thinking about getting. You know one of those was on your list. Wouldn't you rather have them equate...