Are You Packed for Your Fall Travel?

Fall is coming and many people, including myself, will be traveling. The most annoying part of traveling in the Autumn is figuring out what to pack for the everchanging weather. We've gone where it's been much colder than expected and also when it has felt like the middle of summer. So, what have I learned? Layering is important and necessary.

This is a staple outfit for my travels

When I travel during the fall, I choose mostly lightweight fabrics that breathe and then pack a few pieces that can be worn over the top if I need extra warmth. I choose a neutral palette for bottoms, so all the tops I wear will go with them. I also usually bring a dark cardigan for layering. It won't show most dirt and it won't matter if I wear it multiple days in a row and it won't look grungy if I end up just slinging it over my purse. 

Here are my suggestions for a mix and match wardrobe for feminine dressing travelers:

top to bottom left to right: Prana pants, Prana lightweight pants, Columbia PFG button-
down, moisture-wicking long-sleeve shirts, Prana sweater dress, Pact v-neck tees, chunky
cardigan, long packable rain jacket, Skechers ballet flats, Skechers walking sneakers 

You can look good on vacation, be practical, and still be comfortable, too. This is what I want for every trip, because walking all day long can be tiring and you don't want to feel restricted when you're in the middle of a city and can't run back to the room to change. I bring a pair of plain black pants, which are stretchy and can double as dress-up pants. These are normally the ones I wear on the plane. They're the lightweight pair that are perfect if it's warmer out. 

My second pair of pants will either be a heavier black pant or a pair of stretchy jeans. I'm partial to the Denizen or Signature skinnies from Levi, but if you prefer a straight leg, because you're not an old person like me, you do you. They're affordable, often come in darker washes or even black, and they have elastane, so if you eat a big meal, you won't feel like circulation to your legs has been cut off. (Tip for traveling with denim: they take a looooooong time to dry, so unless they are visibly dirty - another reason to go for dark wash or black - don't wash them. This is the same rule that applies at home.)

For tops, I opt for a couple t-shirts, one or two long sleeve tops that will work to layer over those t-shirts, and a nicer looking shirt that is still practical. I plan to do laundry when I go anywhere, so I try not to take more than 5 shirts in total (usually, including my travel day top). I like the long-sleeve shirts above, because they come in a pack of 4 for less than $30, so there's always a new color you can rotate in, depending on your trip. I add a cardigan for when it gets chilly. I love a chunky one, but if you aren't sure it's going to be that cold, a lighter one (like this) is a good alternative and isn't too bulky to wear under a coat.

If you're a dress person, throwing one (or more, if you don't really do pants) is an easy outfit for the day and can be dressed up for a more put together look with a few accessories, like a statement necklace. Prana makes great ones that are breathable and super comfy. I have several summer dresses from them that I could throw a jacket over and add some tights to make them more fall-ready.

You never know if it may rain or get colder than expected when you travel in the Fall, so I never leave home without a rain jacket. I look for one that's longer than your standard jacket, so it not only covers your butt if it's really coming down, but it looks nice with a dress, if you're wearing one. They are more user-friendly than an umbrella, because they serve more than one purpose (you can wear it as an outer layer for extra warmth), leave your hands free for things, and don't leave a drippy trail of water all over the place. 

When it comes to shoes, I try to get away with only two pair (though I will throw a pair of flip flops into my bag if I think I'll be able to hit up the pool or hot tub on my trip). You want them both to be good walking shoes, because there's nothing worse than your feet hurting halfway through the day and then changing into even worse shoes for the evening. I always bring a pair of sneakers, which I wear on the plane, and then either a pair of packable booties (I have these and they are wonderful) or ballet flats for when you need something less casual. All of these pieces can be packed into a small carry-on, or even a larger personal item like a backpack. 

top to bottom left to right: lightweight Columbia pants in two colors, a Columbia button-
down casual shirt, a sweater hoodie, a light cardigan, a polo, 2 moisture-wicking t-shirts,
a rain jacket, reversible belt, Skechers sneakers, Skechers loafers 

 Are you a masculine dressing person? Then here is my packing list for you, and pretty much what I pack for Eric when we go anywhere during the cooler months: 

Two pairs of pants. He doesn't wear jeans, so I have him wear a pair of khakis, or similar lightweight pants, from Columbia or another company that makes moisture-wicking clothing. Then I pack a darker pair that can be worn as dress pants. Most men wear belts and I purchased a special travel belt that is reversible, so whatever your color palette, your belt can be black or flipped over to be brown, allowing it to match everything.

A casual button-down shirt is a must, as is a couple of t-shirts (the blue ones in the pic come in a pack of 2 and are quick-drying), then a nicer shirt, like a polo for a nicer dinner out or a theater performance. 

Eric loves a hoodie at home, and since I like everything to do double-duty, I have replaced his daily fleece ones with a nice knit black one. It's nice looking for an extra layer and is still comfortable. Another option, or a second option, is a cardigan. These look great on almost everyone and can give the illusion of being put together without much effort. 

A packable rain jacket is great for every traveler and this one is a bit longer than the usual rain coats for men, so your entire backside isn't soaked through while out sightseeing in the rain. 

Again, I limit shoe selection to two. I know most guys are happy with just one pair, but a backup is always good, plus a nicer pair are needed if you're going somewhere that you're dressing up a bit. Luckily, a lot of walking shoe companies make loafers for men, so if they really only want to bring one pair of shoes, this would be the ones to wear. Otherwise, I suggest a good sneaker for everyday walking.

All these pieces can also fit in a small carry-on or a backpack, giving you the option to just get off the plane and go. You can view the whole list in one place on Amazon.

I don't generally travel alone, but when I do, I always opt for packing into a personal-size item that can fit under my seat, because I'm short and I have anxiety with getting things in the overhead on my own when people are waiting for me to get in my seat. This has helped me to be a better lightweight packer overall. If I'm traveling with Eric, depending on where we go ,we've been known to pack in two small bags that can fit under our seats or one bigger carry-on and a personal item (so I can bring my laptop). The key to packing this way is to make a packing list, like the one above, make sure every top you pack goes with every bottom, and practice. 

The more you practice packing fewer things, the easier it gets. Each trip, you'll find you took things that you never wore and you can leave it out next time. This will go on until you have the perfect travel capsule wardrobe and you know how to swap out things for seasons and when things get too worn or you purchase new things. I always buy a few new things for each trip, but I also find that I gravitate towards some of the same pieces every time I pack, so I definitely know my own travel style now.

What are some of the things that you have trouble with packing light when you travel?

Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links. Any purchase you make through them may result in me being compensated monetarily. This helps me continue to run this blog and bring you travel tips and recommendations, so thanks in advance. 

How to Save Money for Travel ON Travel

Did you know that you can basically get paid to travel and shop (for your travel gear and clothing) for things you buy every day? You can and Rakuten will pay you for it. I never buy or book anything without first checking Rakuten. So, what IS Rakuten? It's a fantastic - and free! - site that offers you cash back for purchasing from online merchants. If you plan to make a purchase anyway, you might as well get something for being a loyal (or even a new) customer. 

Here's how it works: Sign up is quick and easy, then you're ready to shop! When you have a hankering to buy something, say, at Sephora, go to Rakuten, sign in, click on Sephora and it takes you straight to the main website. You must go through Rakuten, so they can track your purchase. At checkout, make sure you use the same email address you used to sign up on Rakuten and within a few days, your purchase will show up in your account. 

You can track your cash back total to see how much you saved and then every quarter, Rakuten sends you a Big Fat Check (if you choose that method) or a Big Fat Payment via Paypal. Normally, you get $5 for signing up, but right now get $30 once you make your first qualifying purchase! Who else does that? If there are coupon codes available or special sales, Rakuten will show them to you, helping you save even MORE!

I like to use my cash back as a travel savings supplement. Each time I make a purchase, I rack up cash and then it gets deposited right to my Paypal account. I use that money to purchase travel stuffs, like Groupons, clothing, tours, and more! If I can get more cash back with it, even better! Of course, you can use it for whatever you want. 

Heart your favorite stores for easy access to them on the site.

Stores you can shop at: Rakuten has, literally, hundreds of online merchants you can choose from, including a long list of travel merchants. Just a sampling of those include: TravelSmith, Holiday Inn, Avis, Alaska Airlines, Camping World, Orbitz, Air France, Delta Airlines, HomeAway and even SkyMall! Keep your eyes out for the Daily Double. Each day one awesome merchant offers double cash back on your purchases for the day. 

And now, you can easily get cash back through Rakuten by downloading the Chrome extension on your computer. When you go to a website that accepts Rakuten, the app will add a banner to the top of your screen letting you know, then you can can click on the banner and it will automatically put you through your Rakuten account and straight back to the site. That's it. One click and you're on your way to getting money back. I always like to check out the Rakuten site anyway, because they include any active coupon codes, so you can save even more. 

If you spend a lot of time on your phone, download Rakuten there, too. It's a bit of extra work, since you have to open the app and then find the store you want to shop at from there, but it's always worth it. It's easy to get around, see your account, find your favorites, and see all the places you can get cashback on one screen.

Haven't signed up for Rakuten yet? Do it now.

Shereen Travels Cheap Turns 13

I'm a little behind this month, because so much has been going on, but I couldn't let my blog birthday go by (too much) without acknowledging it. My blog is, officially, a a teenager now! We're finally back to pre-pandemic levels, though this year has been almost 100% trips to California (Palm Springs, San Francisco, Los Angeles), but we're doing our fall trip to Vancouver, BC, and we'll see if there's another short trip before the end of the year. What else can you look forward to?

Photo by Deva Williamson on Unsplash

Our trip to Paris last year really got us back into big travel, but those road trips we did have given us back our love of packing up the car and going a bit closer to home. We road tripped to LA this year and will be doing the same to British Columbia. This saves us money on airfare and car rental. 

We had originally planned to go to Toronto this year, but flights were kind of too much after we spent so much going to Disney and Universal, and we also weren't sure Eric's renewed passport would arrive in time, considering the long wait times right now. I did arrive last week though, so we didn't have to go to our backup plan.

So, perhaps Toronto will be on for next year. We are also tentatively looking to go to The Big Island early in 2024, take at least one trip to Vegas to see family, a possible short trip to Chicago (since they moved the Travel Goods Show there), and maybe another trip TBD. Lots of up in the air stuff, which is usually something that gives me anxiety, but I'm looking at it as a fun, surprise year, because we have so many options. 

Coming up on the blog:

• How to travel light when you're afraid you're going to leave important things behind
• A tribute to Harry Potter, containing all the Potter-y things we've done this year (we'll just ignore that I was too busy to post a birthday post and do a back to Hogwarts one instead) with our non-profit's Wizarding Weekend, my annual Potter party, my visit to Hogsmeade, and other stuff
• Throwing an EPCOT staycation birthday party
• Mix and match packing lists for your fall travels
• Academy Award Museum in Los Angeles
• How to be safe and avoid being robbed on vacation
• Crowdsourcing your trip itinerary

And here are some of the most popular past posts that you may have missed:

• Essential Barcelona Travel Tips
• Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month Through Travel
• Travel to Learn LGBTQ+ History
• How to Plan + Budget for Big Trips
• How to Pack Your Road Trip Cooler

Thanks for following along on my travels and allowing me to give you my favorite travel tips and recommendations for what to do in travel destinations. I hope you will continue to tune in and learn how to travel more, for less, to exciting destinations! In the next couple months, I hope to be launching something new, so watch for that, too. 

Where are you hoping to travel over the next year?

Travel Advisory: Help Maui By Not Traveling There

By now, we've all heard about the horrible wildfires in Maui. The historic cities on the island are being evacuated and many people are facing homelessness, because they have nowhere to go. If you have plans to travel to Maui, change them, and if you were thinking about going to Maui, don't. So, what can you do? 

Photo by Logan Armstrong on Unsplash

Traveling enables us to see new places and help preserve them by putting our vacation dollars into those communities. While you can't see Maui right now, you can still help the communities effected by the wildfires and hopefully preserve the culture and history before it's completely destroyed, ensuring others are able to enjoy it in the future. 

If you want to help those in need, you can do so by donating to the following organizations:

• The Hawaii Community Foundation– Supports communities affected by the wildfires.
• Maui United Way– Provides immediate financial assistance through grants to nonprofits spearheading relief efforts, and to individuals who have been affected by the fires.
• American Red Cross– Disaster relief for those forced to flee their homes.
• Maui Food Bank– Accepting money, food, toiletries, and other household items for those in need.
• Maui Humane Society– Looking for volunteers to foster dogs displaced by the wildfires, as well as donations of pet food, litter, and pop-up kennels.
• Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement– This nonprofit organization that supports Native Hawaiians is raising support “for ‘ohana impacted by the devastating wildfires on Maui.”
• ‘Āina Momona– A Hawaiian nonprofit aimed at providing environmental sustainability, food security and resilience, and social justice to Hawaiians.
• Malama Maui– Here are other resources for helping Maui and Hawaiian families, including resources for residents and where you can donate supplies directly if you're on the island.

What you need to know right now is that all non-essential travel to the island is suspended and people are being asked to postpone or even cancel their trips amid the evacuating and disaster response. Visitors to the island are trying to figure out how to cope, with many staying in the airport and some sleeping in their rental cars and having to flee their hotels with the bare minimum. You don't want to add to that, especially with so many fires burning and spreading across the island. The historic city of Lahaina has been mostly decimated, and there are also wildfires burning on The Big Island, though not as severe.

Photo by Logan Armstrong on Unsplash

Unfortunately, like much of the country, Hawaii has faced a very dry season and high winds, so any sort of spark can use those two things to its advantage and cause a fire to rage out of control. This has happened on a larger scale than Hawaii is used to and the damage has been surprising and devastating. 

The wildfires aren't just affecting those on the islands, but there are many Hawaiians living on the mainland who don't know if their loved ones are safe or not, because they can't get in contact with them, and others who have the same issues with their family and friends traveling amid a disaster. 

If you still want to visit Hawaii, you can still go to the other islands and you can enter to win a trip for 2 to Kauai from Fodor's and Dollar Flight Club. And if you're looking for an alternative to Hawaii, check out these 8 destinations.

Have you ever been to Hawaii? We last went in 2013, but were looking to go in January next year.

Family-friendly Las Vegas Attractions

A friend of mine said she was taking her daughter for the first time to Las Vegas. She's under 21, so going to the casinos or bar is not a thing. I haven't been to Vegas this year, which means I didn't actually write any updated lists for cool things to do for all ages, because Vegas is a town that has something for everyone, if you know where to look. 

You can take an elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower

Usually, people only know about Circus Circus, which is not the best hotel to stay at, but it has circus acts throughout the day and in the back is the Adventuredome, an indoor theme park that feels like it's outside that is for big and little kids. Eric and I spent an afternoon there on one visit and we had a great time.

The Fremont Street Experience canopy show

Here are some other ideas for your trip with those that are under legal drinking age:

• Pinball Hall of Fame on S. Las Vegas Blvd moved a few years ago from their nondescript location on Tropicana. The new location is larger and very easy to find. You can learn a little bit more about it here.

• Springs Preserve, which is part living history, part zoo. They have hands-on exhibits, videos, walk-thru exhibits, animal talks, and a hiking area, or you can take the tram around. The restaurant is fantastic, too. Check out my whole post on it here.

• The Mob Museum downtown has a bunch of interactive exhibits that gives you the history of Las Vegas. I've been here several times and it's a perfect place to beat the heat and learning about where you're visiting, and it's literally one block from the excitement of Fremont Street. If you aren't traveling with kids, head downstairs to their speakeasy, where you can get some of the best drinks in the city based on prohibition times. Here's a link to my large post.

• The Neon Museum is great for seeing retired neon signs from hotels and The Strip in general. They have a night tour and a day tour. Both are great and are a bit different. Only about 5-6 signs are wired to light up at night, but the whole space has lighting, so you can still see all the others well, too. Here are links to my full nighttime tour and daytime tour.

• Ethel M’s Chocolate has a free little chocolate-making viewing and outside has a free cactus garden that’s really beautiful. We try to go see this every trip, because it's free and chocolate is awesome. Many nights you can visit the cactus garden all lit up. I have yet to make it there after dark though. Check out my post on that here.

• Mandalay Bay's Shark Reef has a ton of cool aquatic animals. You will have to walk all the way to the back of the hotel, which seems like a mile, but it's probably not. I do this every 5 years or so and it's always worth the price and you completely forget you're in Las Vegas.

• Downtown on Fremont there’s a vintage toy shop that is like a museum, but they sell everything there, called the Toy Shack. I spent a good hour here wandering around and marveling at everything. We bought a few things as well. The prices were really reasonable, even for vintage items. You can view my post with this included here.

• Fremont Street also has free concerts on certain days, with a lot of well-known artists, and it’s free. There's a bit of a more adult vibe here, but I still think it's worth the visit. If you aren't going there during the summer, you can still enjoy free concerts, and the canopy lights up every night with random dance parties, so I highly recommend it.

• I definitely always recommend people walk around downtown (Fremont St and then a couple blocks on both sides) to see all the street art and sculptures that came from Burning Man festivals over the years. It’s particularly great to go as the sun is going down and you can end at the Container Park to see the mantis spit fire every 15 mins or so. He dances to music. You can see my post on the downtown arts district here.

• Everything at Area 15 is awesome, but absolutely Omega Mart. It’s an interactive museum experience with a mystery you can solve. We were there for 5 hours and only left because we were hungry. There is a lot of crawling and climbing steps, if you want to do that, so wearing comfy clothes and shoes is important - You can also just go to Area 15, but you need to have a free ticket that you can reserve online. There’s a little art park out front with amazing stuff. See my post about Omega Mart and BTS (behind the store) of Omega Mart.

• The Park between the MGM and New York New York has some really fun places to eat, including a Hello Kitty Café, and you can see some wonderful art pieces here as well as see musicians play live music in the evenings. Here's a little piece I wrote on it in my post on freebies, which might give you other ideas for your kids.

10 Tips For Saving On Travel Food

Food isn’t like souvenirs. No one goes on vacation without buying it. You have to make room in your travel budget to eat, but there are many ways you can make that part of your expenses smaller. Just because you are trying to save money doesn’t mean that you have to eat fast food or sandwiches for every meal or can’t experience the best cuisine a place has to offer. Below is my top 10 list of ways to stretch your food funds.

Ask the locals where they eat

Odds are, people who live where you’re traveling don’t eat at the fanciest restaurant in town. You know who eats there? Tourists and people celebrating their anniversaries. The “normal” people eat at affordable dining establishments that are also delicious and serve food from the local area. They are going to want to point you towards some of the city’s gems and impress you because, unlike hotel staff, they don’t get paid for recommending the crazy expensive steakhouse down the street.

Look forward to lunch

You probably aren’t always frugal. While on vacation, it’s okay to splurge sometimes. If that includes going to a top-rated restaurant that you know is spendy, make reservations for lunch instead of dinner. The food will be just as tasty, but cheaper than at dinnertime.

Split an entrée

Most restaurants serve you at least twice as much food as you can eat. Don’t be weighted down having to carry around leftovers or feel bad about food left on your plate. Share a main dish with your travel companion. Most hotels will split an entrée for no fee, but even if you have to pay for an extra plate, it only costs a few dollars, which is cheaper than paying for a whole other meal.  

Order an appetizer for a meal

Most appetizers can be plenty to fill you up and can be as little as a third of the price of an entrée. This is also a great option for you if you like to try many different dishes. Order two to three for the same price as a meal.

Hit up the food carts

Food carts can offer a huge variety of different local and international foods, but can be half the price of (or less) than dining at a sit-down restaurant. With this kind of savings, you can try fare from several carts with no regrets.

Shop the farmers market

There’s no better way to experience local cuisine and interacting with residents than a visit to the closest farmers market. You will find a variety of food, including meats, fruits, vegetables and cheeses. Purchase enough for lunch and enjoy the afternoon having a picnic in a nearby park.

Rent a vacation home or stay in a hotel with a kitchen(ette)

This is my favorite way to stretch my food budget, because there are so many options. Renting can be a great value over hotel stays if you’ll be visiting for a week or more, plus it gives you the chance to check out the local grocery store. Make many of your own meals and save considerably. I don’t often like to spend money on eating breakfast out, so I love to buy new cereals and pastries I can enjoy in my room.

Sign up for Groupon

If you haven't been using Groupon, what are you even waiting for? Save 40-90% off food and more, meaning you can eat for way less than you originally planned, meaning you can splurge on a fancy meal, spend that money elsewhere, or actually just stay on budget. Sign up at Groupon for the destination of your next vacation (they cover many international locations as well as the United States) and eat for less!

Stay at a hotel that offers free breakfast

You don’t realize how much dining out can cost until you go on vacation. A reasonable breakfast can cost between $8-15 per person. If you multiply that by the number of people you’re traveling with and the number of days you’ll be staying, that number can be huge. If you find a hotel in your price range that offers free breakfast, you’ve hit a jackpot of savings.

Don’t order off the kids’ menu

If you travel with children, you’ll notice that most kids’ menus seem to have the same small rotation of foods. Obviously, little ones don’t just live on hot dogs, pizza, chicken nuggets and PB&J sandwiches. Not only do they charge an outrageous amount for these “staples” that cost hardly anything to make, but they offer hardly any nutritional value and your kids are likely to eat only half of it before declaring they’re full. Instead, order a meal that you both will eat and share. This saves you money and might get them to eat a vegetable or two.

While there are other ways to save on dining, these have proven to be the most useful for my travels and are my first suggestions to anyone asking how to cut costs on their trip. They are easy to do and will enable you to try a bigger variety of foods, too. You’ll experience more of the city and its people, giving you a greater vacation experience.

How do you save money on dining out when you travel?

Apps for Connecting With Home

When you travel, it can sometimes be hard to keep in touch with home, especially if you're traveling out of the country.  I'm not about to just cut off all communication for a week or two just because I don't want to pay $.60 for a text message or much more than that per phone call minute. Some international phone plans are better than that, but a lot still aren't. Here are the ways I stay connected with home when I travel. 

Photo by ROBIN WORRALL on Unsplash

You could rely on email, but if you're traveling solo or actually want to speak to a human being, that's a bit impersonal, though you can also call/text people in addition to emailing them all the fun details of your days. I tend to do both, but I like for people to know that I haven't died, and I want to see my dog while I'm away for more than a few days.

Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash

Voxer

Instead of texting, I use Voxer. Not only is it free, but it works off WiFi, so it can push through your "texts" when you have a signal, but will timestamp it when you actually sent it. It will also tell you when your message was delivered and when it was read. If the recipient clicks on it, can see exactly where it was sent from. This way you save money and people know you're alive, and if you go missing, they know where you were last. Voxer allows you to send/receive messages, videos and voice recordings, and it's free, unless you upgrade for more capabilities. Then you can also use the walkie-talkie feature with your travel companions. You could use WhatsApp instead. I just didn't think it was as user-friendly.

Photo by Glen Anthony on Unsplash

Skype

Yes, I'm old, apparently, because the kids all snicker when you mention Skype instead of Facetime. One, I don't have an iPhone, and two, I don't want one. Skype is mostly free, easy to use, and allows you to actually see another person, even if you think you look like a hideous beast on camera like I do. 

Trying to figure out a time to talk to someone when there's a very significant time difference can be difficult, but I generally send a Voxer to my mom (or whoever I'm going to call), to let them know when I'm planning to Skype, so we can have the app open. I use it on my phone, so I can give them a walk thru of my Airbnb. Ha! (Most of the cooler kids are using Discord, which is a good way to talk to people for free if you both know the time to meet there. We use it for D&D and meetings for a non-profit group I'm in.)

Photo by Guilherme Stecanella on Unsplash

Swarm

This doesn't strictly help you stay in touch, but it does let people know where you are at any given time. I check in to most places I go, because I like a record of things I did, in case I forget, but I also like my friends to know where I am, just in case. If I'm away and I don't check in somewhere for a day, they probably know there's something wrong. Plus, Swarm check-ins are fun and you earn points and stickers. 

Photo by Oleg Magni on Unsplash

TripIt

This is another way for me to allow people to keep tabs on me. I upload my entire itinerary to TripIt, including my flights and where I'm staying, so I have something with all my confirmation numbers and addresses and phone numbers in one place (which also saves paper) and then I share it with one or two other people who like to know what I'm doing and who I want to check in with.

These are just a few of my favorite apps, but they are especially useful for keeping up with people wherever you are. If you have a favorite app to stay in touch with home, I want to hear about it. Let me know about it in the comments.