Shereen Rayle's Blog, page 23

Where to Spend Pride Month

Happy Pride Month! I'm a proud ally that does their best to support LGBTQ+ friends, family, and those who I don't know, but deserve equal treatment, because people are people, no matter how they identify or who they love or what they want to be called. It seems like the easiest thing for me to do, but I know it's hard for people every single day, facing discrimination and threats. 

So, why would you visit destinations that aren't inclusive or accepting? Anytime I travel and see overwhelming suppo...

Finding LGBTQ-Friendly Cities In Red States

Pride Month is upon us, but being queer isn't easy, and in a lot of states, it can be downright impossible. With anti-trans and anti-gay laws going into effect across red states in this country, it can be dangerous as well. While there are lots of people fighting hard to reverse these laws and even make progress over previous wins, people still need to live their lives, too. If you're queer, and in a red state, or find yourself in one, know that there are cities that are a lot more accepting tha...

My 5 Favorite Road Trip Items

Summer is coming and that means hitting the road with your special person or your family or your best friend. I love a good road trip and I'm days away from taking the first of two this year. I have a few items that I always take with me when we start traveling, whether it's 6 hours or several days in the car.

I want to save money and also be comfortable when I'm traveling by car, so I like to pack my own food and drinks, as well as items that will help in emergencies (i.e. spare tire, jumper cab...

Dad & Grad Travel Gift List

It's that time again! Time to celebrate fathers and kids becoming adults and venturing out into the world. We like to honor them with gifts, letting them know how special and proud we are of them. If you've got a dad, grandfather, brother, son, or graduate in your life that likes to travel, I've come up with a list of suggestions for you that can all be here before June 18.

Photo credit
When my dad was alive, he and my mom loved traveling on his motorcycle. Even growing up we did tons of road trip...

10 Ways to Stay in Shape While Traveling

When you’re out and about flitting from tourist attraction to subway station to lunch, it’s hard to keep up with your diet and exercise regimen. Even though you’re out walking all day, and it may seem like you’re getting a lot of exercise, you’re probably also eating a lot of high-calorie and fatty foods that pretty much negate all the good you're doing with the walking, hiking and stair-climbing. Those extra pieces of cake and pie for dessert aren’t helping either. 

Contrary to popular belief, c...

Drinking Coffee Around the World

If you've been a reader for a while, you know how much I love a coffee drink. When I had more time on my hands, I did a coffee series where I tried a bunch of local Portland coffee shops every month. I don't get to as many now, but I do post my visits on Insta when I try a new one, or visit my faves. You'll also see me post about coffee shops while on vacations, because every morning - and afternoon and evening - should start with a good coffee in my book.
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I'm a big fan of Turkish cof...

Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month Through Travel

Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Now, in my 40s, I'm getting more into immersing myself in my Japanese Heritage, but I've also been learning more about other Asian cultures and have found a handful of favorite AAPI-owned businesses near my home that I frequent often. When we travel, I am always looking for women-, BIPOC-, and AAPI-owned restaurants and stores. 

On our very short visit to San Francisco, I knew I had to visit Japantown. We didn't get to a lot there, but the...

8 Summer Travel Hacks

Are you planning to travel this summer? It's likely you won't be the only one. 60% of Americans travel in the summer, which means you'll want to be ready. While it can be difficult to find deals during this time, you can travel more efficiently, and that can save you money in the long run, too.
Infographic from Travelocity
If you're looking for more tips and places to visit during the summer months, download my ebook and/or subscribe to my newsletter. You'll get product reccs and free packing list...

7 Ways to Save Money At Disney Parks

It's official, Disney has priced a lot of people out. It's definitely not a budget-friendly trip, but I know many of you are still looking forward to going sometime in the future. The last time I visited Disneyland was in 2018 and the same tickets I bought then are a full $100 more now. Unless you're visiting for 5 days, there's not really a decent savings on admission, so let's talk about other ways you can save, so you can, you know, eat food...or pay for Genie+ (the new system that has replac...

Helping the Local Economy When You Travel

When I travel, I like to make sure I visit local businesses and restaurants, so my tourist dollars go where they are needed most. Unfortunately, there are a lot of reasons why your money may not stay local. This concept has been dubbed tourism leakage, which sounds kinda gross, but there's not too many better names for it, because your dollars, literally, leak out of the local economy.

Most of your travel budget is going to go to big things, like airfare and accommodations, and you can't possibly...