Shereen Rayle's Blog, page 28

Last-Minute Holiday Travel Tips

If you're traveling this week, I wish you good luck. I'm sticking close to home until after the new year, but we've traveled quite a bit during this time and it can be pretty hectic and stressful. Let's make the most of your time getting through the airport, packing, or setting out on a road trip with some of these tips. 

Pack light

I know it's winter and you need some sweaters and a jacket and maybe boots, but that doesn't mean you have to take a giant bag. If you've been proactive, you've alread...

My 10 Favorite Travel Items

Now that everyone is traveling again, now's the time to stock your travel bag or help others stock theirs. I travel mostly the same way every time I go anywhere, no matter where I go. I have perfected my packing list and having a packing plan that works for me and makes life so much easier. Part of my plan is taking the same things every trip, because it's familiar and it works. Here are the things I'm always packing, wherever I go.
Ziploc bagsYou  never know when you'll need to separate somethin...

Simply Having A Magical Birthdaytime

This past weekend was my birthday and I've basically been celebrating for a few weeks, in the most magical ways possible. On the 3rd, we had a Hufflepuff/Ugly Sweater party, where everyone ate, drank, popped Christmas crackers, and then did a mini escape room that I set up in the "Hogwarts greenhouses". 

I turned 45 this year, so I wanted to go all out, but in a smaller way than we did on my 40th, where I made everyone dress in 80s gear and we rented out a hall. I surrounded myself with all my be...

Gift a Foreign Language This Year

We are big fans of giving and getting experiences for the holidays. Not only do we not need anymore stuff, experiences generally let us spend more time together. It's like giving memories. We've given tours, escape rooms, and more over the years. With so much about on-time delivery questionable right now, giving an experience is also easy to print and put into a card or send by email. 

I got excited last year about going on bigger trips this year, including going to France, so I gifted ourselves ...

25 Best Christmas Markets Around the World

Every year I think about traveling for holiday markets and one day I will make that a reality, but until then, I will be making do with the markets around here that I usually frequent or am trying for the first time this year, like the Scanfair (a Scandinavian holiday market with food, gifts, and music). I love the idea of bundling up, sipping on a hot chocolate or coffee, and finding awesome things for my home and to gift to others. If you also think this sounds amazing, planetcruise has put to...

Heading to Palm Springs in Winter

We've started a new tradition where we get away from the cold, rainy weather in Portland and spend a week somewhere warmish. Last year we went to Tucson, and this year we're heading to Palm Springs. 
Photo by Taylor Simpson on Unsplash

Though Palm Springs is definitely known for its golf courses – it hosts many tournaments each year – it has much more to offer, especially if you love outdoor activities. The desert location makes it an ideal destination for hiking and biking. The city has a long li...

How to Stay Healthy While Traveling

It's flu season, and Covid is still making the rounds, and there's now some new terrible respiratory thing (respiratory syncytial virus) out there. All of those things, including just a regular cold, suck. If you're traveling, there's a good chance of getting sick, so you may want to stay vigilant. 
I used to get sick any time I went on vacation, but I've since learned how to stay healthy on all my trips, including while flying. If you're worried about getting ill and ruining your whole vacation,...

Hitting the Road for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is coming and this year might be one of the busiest travel days in years. You're going to want to plan your road trip well ahead of time or be prepared to hang at the airport for long hours, as delayed flights are expected. AAA has put together some helpful tips and facts to help you along.

We haven't traveled for Thanksgiving in about 5 years now, unless you count driving to our favorite casino to eat at the buffet. We have been going out instead of spending all day cooking and clea...

Winter Travel Packing Tips

Packing even for a beach trip in just a carry-on can be a little tricky if you aren’t used to packing light. Carry-on travel has become more and more popular as baggage fees have become the norm among most airlines. 

Not only does packing light save money, but it also saves time, because travelers don’t have to stand around the baggage carousel waiting for their luggage to (hopefully) make it off the plane. Having minimal baggage can save your back, too. Not sure where to start when planning your...

Hit & Miss List For 2023

I gave you the top 5 wish list destinations in my last post, now let's talk about where to actually go and where to skip for 2023. Tourism is ramping up, which is good and bad, because there are places that were struggling and trying to get back to they were pre-pandemic, and there are places that are trying to do things differently. Let's take a look:

Photo by Matheo JBT on Unsplash

Skip: Lake Tahoe, CA/NV 

Go Instead: Saskatchewan, Canada

Lake Tahoe has become so popular that it's basically just y...