Travel Tips + Packing Lists Archives

July 24, 2017

3 Days in England

Travel/Travel Tips + Packing Lists/Trip Itineraries

This past June, I had the trip of a lifetime and was able to spend almost 2 weeks in Europe with some of the greatest gals I know. We split our time between the U.K. and Greece (check out our full Europe itinerary here), and today I wanted to give you a peek into our time in Great Britain. If you’re headed over the pond anytime soon, I hope that you find this post helpful! Here’s what I experienced during my 3 days in England. 3 Days in England Day 1 Mary Kay and I arrived around 10 AM and were so happy to be reunited with our ex-pat friends, Rachel and Jared. They picked us up from Gatwick airport and we headed back to their town of Reading. After having some snacks and catching up, we headed out to explore their city of the past 2 years. Reading is located southwest of London on the river Thames and is about a 30 minute train ride away from the city. It has a really cute main street with lots of shops, restaurants and pubs. We stopped at Bill’s for a quick dinner and tried fried haloumi…aka the British version of mozzarella sticks. Reading felt […]

July 11, 2017

Island Getaway: Put-In-Bay Day Trip Itinerary

Cleveland/Travel/Travel Tips + Packing Lists/Trip Itineraries

As many of you know, I recently returned from visiting Greece. The islands entranced me with their white-washed buildings, bright blue domes and magenta bougainvillea. While I thoroughly enjoyed my European adventure, it’s always good to come home to Cleveland. This past weekend, I decided to take a quick island getaway…CLE style. I want to share my Put-In-Bay day trip itinerary with you so that you can do the same sometime this summer! Put-In-Bay Day Trip Itinerary 9:15 AM Leave Lakewood, OH & drive to Port Clinton, OH. It takes a little over an hour to get from point A to point B. There is parking right outside the Jet Express ferry. We paid $12 for almost a full day. 11:00 AM Depart Port Clinton via the Jet Express & head to Put-In-Bay. Be sure to check out the ferry schedule and plan your day accordingly! Don’t forget to bring sunscreen, your bathing suit and an extra set of clothes. There are relatively nice public restrooms in downtown Put-In-Bay where you can shower & change if necessary. 11:30 AM Arrive at South Bass & commence island time, drinks & feels! Rent bikes (or golf carts) at Island Bike Rental which is located right […]

July 6, 2017

My (Almost) 2 Week Europe Trip Itinerary & Planning Tips

Travel/Travel Tips + Packing Lists/Trip Itineraries

Happy summer, friends! After almost a 2 month hiatus from writing blog posts, I’m back! 🙂 Life gets busy and unfortunately blogging is one of the first things to go when that happens to me. I’m sure many of you can relate. Anyways, quite a lot has happened since the last time I wrote a post. More specifically, I went to Europe and back! About two years ago, my good friends Rachel & Jared up and moved their lives to the UK. I asked Rachel before she left, “If I come visit you in London, can we take a trip to Greece too?” Her answer was yes, of course. How do you say no to Greece!? Well yes, it is expensive, and yes, I did use up almost all my vacation time for this trip…but it was worth it! When else will I have good friends living abroad? I kept telling myself this and decided that yes, I needed to go and it needed to happen this summer. With that being said, I wanted to share my trip itinerary with you, as well as a few planning tips. In upcoming posts, I’ll share more specifics (and pictures!) about each city […]

May 13, 2017

Itinerary for a Long Weekend in Seattle

Travel/Travel Tips + Packing Lists/Trip Itineraries

My roommate Molly and I have been wanting to go to Seattle for almost 2 years and finally the timing worked out to go together! In late April, we had the opportunity to visit this rainy but fun Pacific Northwest city that we had heard so much about. If you’re interested in visiting or are currently planning a trip to the Emerald City, I hope that this will provide you with an ideal itinerary for a long weekend in Seattle (or at least some fun ideas). Enjoy! Itinerary for a Long Weekend in Seattle Friday Getting There: We departed CLE at 3:25 PM and arrived in Seattle at 5:33 PM. I would definitely recommend trying to get a non-stop flight if you’re coming from Cleveland or the Eastern Time Zone. It’s almost a 5-hour flight, so with a long flight and a 3-hour time change, it’s beneficial to opt for the non-stop flight! We found a deal on Frontier Airlines for less than $200/per person round-trip. Go budget airlines! Where To Stay: Molly and I stayed at the Belltown Inn. While this definitely wasn’t the fanciest of places to stay, it was clean, had friendly and helpful staff and was in our price range […]

March 27, 2017

Adulting 101: What To Pack In Your Carry On

Adulting 101 Series/Travel/Travel Tips + Packing Lists

If you’ve never lost your luggage, you don’t know the anxiety that one feels while waiting around the baggage carousel and not seeing your belongings appear. The first time I lost my suitcase I was at the Fayetteville/Bentonville airport in Arkansas on a business trip. As I stood impatiently at carousel 4, I noticed that bags were dwindling and mine was nowhere to be seen. That’s when it hit me that I hadn’t packed an extra set of clothes OR my makeup OR my toiletries in my carry on. Then a wave of panic rolled over me as I spoke to the airport attendant and realized I wouldn’t be getting my bags until tomorrow afternoon…AFTER my presentation. Did I mention I was wearing athletic clothes? Granted, they were my “nice athletic clothes”, but definitely not appropriate for the conference I was presenting at early the next morning. After that trip, I realized what was essential to pack in my carry on (and wear on a business trip flight). If you don’t want to learn this lesson a hard way, I suggest you read part IV of my Adulting 101 series on what to pack in your carry on! P.S. An awesome giveaway is detailed at […]

February 20, 2017

10 Tips on How To Plan the Perfect Girls Getaway Weekend

Travel/Travel Tips + Packing Lists

Two weeks ago I spent my Saturday afternoon strolling around JCPenney’s and ended the evening sitting around a high top table at Outback Steakhouse in Charleston, West Virginia. Yep, I was enjoying one of the best weekends I can remember in a long time because I was on a quick girls getaway with four of the greatest gals I know. You’re probably thinking, “Why Charleston, WV?” Don’t worry, I asked myself the same question :). The answer is that this city is smack dab in the middle of Charlotte, NC and Cleveland, OH which is where my friends and I call home. While Charleston, WV is not the trendiest option for a girls getaway weekend (neither is dining at Outback Steakhouse), I was reminded of the fact that it really doesn’t matter where you are or what you are doing, it matters who you are with. Regardless of where you are going to explore, I’ve come up with the below ten tips on how to plan the perfect girls getaway weekend. I hope that you send this post to a group of your best friends and use the below ideas to plan your next reunion! Treat yo’self, ladies! 10 Tips on How […]

January 9, 2017

Five Tips on How to Maximize Your Limited Vacation Time

Travel/Travel Tips + Packing Lists

An article recently popped up in my inbox entitled, “How To Work Only 40 Hours A Week This Year” and it made me want to scream. Why are we so zeroed in on work? Why is there such pressure to work > 40 hours per week?! Your life, identity and purpose should not be solely focused on your career…even if you love what you are doing! You are not 100% defined by your job. Period. The funny thing is though, a majority of us will spend most of our waking hours at our jobs. {Insert sigh} One of the benefits that most full-time employees enjoy is paid time off. If you’re like me (and millions of others), that time is short but sweet. I get two weeks of paid vacation. While I’m grateful for that time off, I’ll be the first one to tell you that between weddings/bachelorette parties/showers, sickness, and a myriad of other “life” reasons, two weeks off really turns into one week off. I’m sure many of you can relate! In order to actually take a vacation, I have learned to be crafty…and very organized. Below are five tips on how to maximize your limited vacation time. Five Tips on […]

December 8, 2016

How To Save Money On Airfare

Travel/Travel Tips + Packing Lists

As 2016 comes to a close, I am torn with the feeling of saying ADIOS to this year. See ya never! I haven’t liked you very much. At the same time though, there is so much to be thankful for. While mixed emotions swirl through my brain, one thing that I am looking forward to in 2017 are new trips and destinations to visit. Flight prices are usually one of the biggest expenses when booking a trip. While I am by no means a “frequent flyer” (even though I wish I was), I have learned a few tips and tricks that have helped me save some major dinero. Below are four ideas on how to save money on airfare. I hope that they help you pocket some cash on your next flight booking! How To Save Money On Airfare Location, Location, Location: Need to fly somewhere but it’s super pricey? Check other nearby airports, both to and fro. It might be cheaper to fly into a city an hour away and rent a car to your final destination. I’ve done this multiple times and it has saved me hundreds of dollars! Example: My friend recently had a destination wedding in Bluffton, SC. At […]

December 1, 2016

Three Travel Tips for an Enjoyable Road-Trip

Travel/Travel Tips + Packing Lists

Can someone please tell me how it is already December?! These past few months have flown by! With Thanksgiving just past and Christmas coming up, I’m sure that many of you have to travel for the holidays. In order to arrive at your final destination with a happy and content heart, I recommend that you read my below travel trips for an enjoyable road-trip. This advice is beneficial for solo-travelers, as well as travel with family, friends, and kids. 3 Travel Tips for an Enjoyable Road-Trip Travel Tip # 1: This may seem like a no-brainer, but bring your own food & drinks. Snacks: I always bring my own snacks, some healthy and some not so healthy. My advice is don’t eat fast food! Do I always follow this advice? No, but I’ve learned that you’ll end up feeling horrible and your car will smell! Plus, it’s cheaper and saves time to bring your own goodies. Water: Fill up a water bottle and put it in your cup holder. Staying hydrated will help keep you alert and feeling good. It also helps curve the desire to keep drinking coffee or sugary drinks. Coffee: Now, isn’t it ironic that I’m now mentioning coffee? […]