Shereen Rayle's Blog, page 5

Planning Your 2025 Summer Vacation

If you haven't planned your summer travels yet, that's okay, but you also need to get on it. The closer we get to June, the more expensive flights and hotels are going to get. Do you need a little bit of a kick in the pants? Maybe some suggestions for where to go? Or some tips to make your trip more affordable?

If you're still hoping to go somewhere when the kids get out of school, and not spend every dollar you have, then I've got some great tips for you:

Book ASAPMake sure you're getting on book...

Beat Jet Lag Like a Pro: 5 Game-Changing Tips for Long Flights

Long-distance travel can really wreak havoc on a trip. No matter which direction you're flying, you either lose hours getting there or feel completely wiped out coming home. I’ve learned I have to pack way more intentionally, especially for international trips where the little things matter. But honestly, the hardest part is the jet lag—it’s the worst. I’ve had trips where I lost whole days just trying to get my body to catch up. Not anymore!

So, how do you beat jet lag? Because there are ways of...

6 Affordable U.S. Summer Destinations

I don't always travel during the summer, because it can be really expensive. If I do, it's usually to Las Vegas for NBA Summer League games. Last year we went to Sacramento for a family reunion, and then to Denver for a few days before Eric's work conference. Those were both fairly affordable, since they were short breaks. 

If you also want to get away this summer, head to one of these destinations that can be perfect for families, as well as singles, couples, and friends who are looking to save ...

Affordable Ways to Make Your Trips More Eco-Friendly

As a budget traveler, it can be difficult to know how to save money and also do good by the planet. For Earth Month, I wanted to talk about some ways you can feel better about your travels and your carbon footprint, because we'd still like to be traveling decades from now. 

If you care about the Earth like a lot of us do, you probably worry how your trips are contributing to a lot of different kinds of pollution, including air, ocean, and even trash. Not everyone is going to be like me and pack h...

Taking Some Time to Recharge in a City

It can be hard to find the time to relax and recharge in a city. But it is often necessary given the fast pace and hectic nature of larger towns such as London, New York or Paris. There are a few things you can try when you have the time, from visiting a city park to appreciating the city.

CC0 Licensed Image Courtesy of Pexels
Right now, things are pretty stressful everywhere you look and even taking a trip won't always get us away from those issues. It's also in the middle of Spring Break, so you...

Little Ways To Save Money For Travel

Are you freaking out over the economy, but still need to travel to save your sanity? I understand. I'm not rich. I travel on a budget. I have always traveled on a budget. Every once in a while, I get freebies by working with cities and attractions, but I never work with places that I wouldn't spend money on myself. There are lots of little ways you can save money for travel, in addition to putting money away

When you don't have a big budget, you learn to be creative, but you find there are small ...

New Travel Trends from the Travel Goods Show

Last week I attended the Travel Goods Show to see all the new travel bags and accessories that are coming over the next year. While some things didn't seem to change, other things have been getting better and I saw some things that are definitely going to make travel more convenient in ways. 

Let's talk about some new trends coming to your internet or local travel shop: 

Better wheels

We all know what it's like to try to drag your roller bag from nice smooth flooring to carpet of any kind. It sucks...

Women's History Month Round Up

As you know, March is Women's History Month and I've been doing quite a bit of research into women who made, and are making, history in the travel world. Women are the majority of travelers and make most of the decisions about where to go and what to do. It's just one of the many pieces of emotional labor that is part of our lives. 

We have had to fight for every right we have, including getting passports separate from a husband - they used to just say "and wife" like a plus one on a wedding invi...

Portland Coffee Tour 2025 - Part 3

I'm back with another round of Portland coffee shops, because there are a ton of great ones out there. Today I have a very eclectic selection of shops that were all fantastic and represent their niche really well. I really enjoy being able to show you the many different sides of Portland through its coffee culture. 

This month, you get 4 shops, because I did a mini review last week of the second location of Deadstock, so now I want to bring you a little more info and actual pics. If you already s...

7 Of History's Badass Travel Ladies

I love reading about women who did awesome things, because women are still being held back in a lot of ways across the globe, so it's always cool to learn about women who just defied everyone and did their own thing. Were they scared of failure? Were they scared for their safety? How were they perceived by the public? Are these the women that would be called "crazy cat ladies" now, because they preferred to enjoy life on their terms? I bet, like today, they were happy, so wouldn't care. 

Here are...