Shereen Rayle's Blog, page 127

Budget Spring Break Ideas

Spring Break is almost here and that means you have a whole week to think of how to entertain your children (if you have them) or worry about your college student (if you have one) or figure out how to fit your travel plans into your budget (if you have one). Spring is a great time to travel; however, it can get a bit dicey during the month of March, because Spring Break varies across the country, making it impossible to know when you will have to share your space with a bajillion hard-partyi...

Take a Valentine’s Day Staycation

Some of us either don’t have the money to take a romantic getaway or want to spend that extra cash that you could use for a larger vacation later. That doesn’t mean we don’t want to enjoy a Valentine’s Day that will impress and create lifetime memories. Believe it or not, some of the best things in life really are free or at least cheap. Show your significant other that you care by doing something a little out of the box and unexpected that won’t empty out your pockets.
photo creditHave a Picn...

Long Layover? Fill It With Art!

Find yourself between flights with more time to spare than you’d like? There’s only so many gift shops you can look at and you can probably only eat lunch or dinner once. What’s a weary traveler to do when getting up and doing something seems more appealing than sitting near your gate and answering endless emails or playing Candy Crush? Try wheeling your bags over to the nearest art exhibit. Many airports now have permanent art installations to show off local artists and expose travelers to a...

Exploring Oslo’s Fjords Waterfront

As an adult with no children, we kind of take all of our vacations as “romantic getaways”. On Tuesday, I gave you a list of great ideas for free things to do in Oslo and today I’m going to talk about what to do on and along the Oslo Fjord, because we all know that the seaside can be pretty romantic.
photo creditAstrup Fearnley Museum of Modern ArtI know I’m not the only one who doesn’t really get modern art, but there are a lot of you that love it, so why not check out this amazing museum hous...

Infographic: Cell Phone Etiquette Around the World

Did you know that there are places with special cell phone laws? Obviously, smartphones and their owners who are glued to them aren't going anywhere soon, so it's important to know how to use them correctly and what to expect from other users around the world. I like to use apps and the internet as much as anyone else (well, maybe a little less, because I like to actually see where I'm going and not run into a bunch of strangers), but there's a time and place for texting and talking. Her...

Awesome Free Activities in Norway’s Capital

Though Oslo has been said to have some of the most expensive public transportation anywhere, I can’t say that I would declare it too expensive to get away with taking taxis to points of interest, since taxis are, inescapably, still easily sky-high in comparison. So, you have three choices:
photo credit     1. Stay home or travel elsewhere     2. Rent a car instead
     3. Walk as much as possible, take public transportation when needed and save...

Your Cheap(ish) Valentine's Getaway

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, many people are racking their brains for what to get for their sweetheart. You want to show them how much they mean to you, but coming right off of the Christmas holidays, money can sometimes be tight this time of year. Maybe you’ve even socked some money away, but still haven’t come up with any great ideas with what to do with it. A romantic getaway is always an appreciated gesture and enjoyable for both of you. It doesn’t have to bust your budget to be...

Orlando Wish List

My big vacation is 9 or so months away, but I keep seeing Universal Orlando promos on my TV and it's making me giddy. Diagon Alley is officially open and I'm officially excited already. (This is going to be me come summertime.) Past experience has prepared me for it not going away. Even Eric is excited already, which usually doesn't happen until we get on the plane. We'll be splitting our time between Orlando and Tampa, but the majority of our time will be spent near Disney, since that is whe...

6 Cheap Eats in Minneapolis

Minneapolis has some cool stuff. You don’t have to spend your whole trip there in nearby Bloomington and the Mall of America. Shocking, right? As you know, I tend to look for fun things everywhere I go. Even if a place doesn’t sound all that interesting, it doesn’t mean it isn’t. Use Hipmunk to find a nice affordable hotel near where you want to do things and then start planning your trip. Here I want to give you some ideas on where to eat while you’re in town and not empty your wallet.
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48 Hours of Fun on a Budget in Manchester

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.
photo creditWhile London may be at the top of a lot of travel lists, it’s not the only cool place to stay in the UK. Even if you are planning a trip to London, you may want to take a little break somewhere else. If I were you, Manchester would definitely be on my mind for a short break. It’s cheaper than going to Paris and you can ju...