Shereen Rayle's Blog, page 158

My Favorite Travel Souvenirs 12.19.12

When traveling, I can't always justify spending money on random souvenirs that aren't useful, like t-shirts with the city written across the chest that I'll never wear or shot glasses or any number of other things sold in airport gift shops around the world. The one thing I always buy on my trips is an ornament for my Christmas tree. It make my holiday even more special and gives me a clear goal for shopping on my trip - plus I don't feel like I'm wasting money on something just to say I bo...

Cruising For the Budget-Minded 12.15.12

Cruise lines and booking sites are doing everything they can to entice cruisers to go right now. With all the deals flying around, it’s hard to not find one that fits your budget. Now you can be the one that comes back home with a tan in the middle of January and make all your friends jealous of your globetrotting. While cruising seems like a luxurious and expensive endeavor, it can be really affordable if you know when to go, how to cruise and what to book where. Of course, cruise shopping...

Afternoon Tea Isn’t Just for the Brits 12.12.12

Finger foods (or hors d’ouevres or appetizers or tapas) are high up on my list of favorite things. Like ever. On my birthday we went out to a French bistro that had small plates – that we ate way too many of. Every party I throw is finger food central. You’ll come to my house to a buffet of tiny foods. When we got married, everything on the food table was fork-free friendly. I just think food should be convenient to eat and mingle over if you are in a group. I shouldn’t have to juggle my p...

CityPASS Winter Special 12.10.12

CityPASS is offering such a good deal for the holidays, that I didn't want you to miss it, even though I've highlighted it on the sidebar earlier. I felt it deserved its own post, in case you are looking for stocking stuffers, a fun gift for a traveler on your list or something to use on your own travels. 











Boston, Hollywood, Houston, New York City, Philadelphia and Seattle usually are valid for 9 days from first date of use, but CityPASS has decided to extend t...

Infographic: Where to Go For the Holidays 12.8.12

I love an infographic and I especially like lists of destinations, because I have an ever-growing list of places I want to visit. If you're still looking to get away for the holidays, here are your top 9 destinations to get away to, courtesy of CityPASS. Don't forget to pick up your CityPASS for U.S. destinations and save a ton on your sightseeing. Need another reason to use CityPASS? Check out my review when I used it in SoCal.



















For more holiday travel tips, check out my new ebo...

Los Angeles Landmarks 12.5.12

When I was in Los Angeles in September and October, I had the fortune of visiting (and seeing) a ton of landmarks. Amazingly, you can do this for cheap. Many of LA's famous landmarks are free or cheap, making it a super budget sightseeing trip. In fact, we rented a car and found parking in the middle of the city for even less than Seattle. I found that surprising. Just $10 for all day? Crazy cheap! You can barely find that kind of deal in downtown Portland. Here are some of my favorite sh...

How to Travel Like a Pro 12.1.12

For more holiday travel tips, check out my new ebook - How to Survive Holiday Travel on a Budget - to keep money in your pocket and your sanity intact. Visit your family and save enough money to take your own vacation, too







The holidays are officially upon us and that means more travelers hitting the airport to visit friends, families or possibly just take advantage of a rockin’ travel deal. There’s no doubt that the airport will be crowded with travelers and lovely people p...

The Beach in Winter 11.28.12

Here in Portland we don’t get a
lot of sun, even outside of Winter. Much of the time you go to the beach, you
still have to wear long sleeves or a rain jacket. Going to the beach can be
super-relaxing and gives your body much-needed vitamins. Mostly I like to go to
the beach to walk along the sand and then go shopping, but my husband likes to
go and attempt to swim, then run back and lie in whatever sun there might be,
which usually isn’t much. So, instead of wasting 3 hours driving to and...

Surviving Holiday Travel Ebook 11.24.12

Congratulations to all of our winners in the Best of the Best Holiday Travel Giveaway!





Today, if you haven't heard, is Small Business Saturday. It's your chance to help small businesses by shopping with them. Shopping small is the best way to help the economy and keep the family-owned businesses going. I know many of you did your part yesterday for Black Friday and getting deals. Well, I'm contributing to the deals today by offering a ton of my best travel tips for the holidays in an eb...

Doing Disney on a Budget 11.21.12

Today, I’d like to talk about getting the most out of your money on your Disneyland adventure, making the most of your time in the parks and share with you some rockin’ deals to both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Even though I know Disneyland the best, I can’t fault anyone for choosing WDW, with their massive amounts of parks and new variety of rides, shows and parades. Please keep your arms, legs and hands inside the blog at all times. Remain seated until the blog comes to a complete s...