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 invitation - and proving ourselves as independent and worthy travel companions. So, this month I really wanted to showcase women who have carved out a space for themselves in the travel industry, paving the way for the rest of us, and those making their own history right now. This is a round-up of the daily posts I made on Facebook to celebrate those women:

March 1

After traveling to every country in the world, the fearless Jessica Nabongo opens up about her biggest takeaways, favorite underrated destinations, and what it's like to be a solo Black female traveler.

March 2

Today seems like a good time to post this: There are many women who have been pioneers in one aspect of travel or another including these women of our National Parks Service.

March 3

Women are amazing! Here are 10 that shaped the way we travel.

March 4

It's Fat Tuesday! Happy Mardi Gras! Let's look at the history of all-women krewes during this celebratory time, because for the most part, it has always been dominated by men.

March 5

Women are doing great things all over the globe, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the Japan food scene. These women are literally leading foodie and bar culture.

March 6

Women make history every day. If you wan to travel to places where important things happened, check out the 'Travel Where Women Made History' page, so you can add places whenever you travel.

March 7

Women make up a majority of solo travelers, so I thought it might be fun to give you 5 tips on how to do your best solo travel, no matter your gender.

March 8

We can learn a lot from travel, but we can also learn a lot from travelers who came before us, like these three iconic women that lived their dream of traveling the world, even when the world thought they should stay at home.

March 9

"Despite obstacles, an increasing number of women are creating opportunities for themselves in tourism, and that creates opportunities for us as travelers: we can support women’s economic empowerment as we explore the world."

March 10

As a woman, it's always wonderful to me to travel and learn about women who made history wherever I am. Women were told to stay home and cook and clean and take care of the kids they may or may not have wanted to have. While life is not perfect for women now, imagine how much harder it was to have almost zero opportunities to have a job, own property, or even travel. Take your own trip inspired by one of these amazing women, including the first female self-made millionaire in Indianapolis.

March 11

Did you grow up with a profound interest in Egypt? Many of us went through that phase in life. Some are truly lucky enough to keep that interest and turn it into a job. In the 1800s, a trio of women forever changed the study and understanding of ancient Egypt. So, why don't we ever hear about them?

March 12

Marie Grosholtz, better known as Madame Tussaud, broke the mold of what women should be by indulging in her love of art. She particularly made death masks and at one point was forced to make realistic wax renderings of decapitated aristocrats. Her ability to find her niche, follow her dream, and be unaffected by death really helped her become a household name. If you want to learn more about her, check out Atlas Obscura's podcast episode on Madame Tussaud (Feb 29, 2024).

March 13

The perspective of women in travel has evolved over time, as many things do, but learn how this view has changed through history.

March 14

With March being Women’s History Month, it’s only right to celebrate a few Black women making history right now. These ladies are making major moves in the travel sphere, setting the tone for more diversity and keeping Black travelers informed on tourism developments.

March 15

It can be scary to travel alone as a woman, but that doesn't mean you should keep that from going. Here are some tips on how to feel safer.

March 16

It’s not just pharaohs that had large Egyptian burials. In fact, the most lavish Mesopotamian tomb ever found belongs to a woman.

March 17

Women are traveling more than ever before – with partners, in groups, and even solo – so it was about time they had a travel festival just for them. Beth from Wanderful not only advocates for more women in travel, but created a dedicated space for them, both online and off.

March 18

If you’re a woman traveling alone, you’re probably wondering what are some of the best destinations to go to alone, especially if you’re just starting out.

March 19

Women who travel together have a special bond and often feel more relaxed and safer on a group tour. So, what are the other benefits of traveling on a women-only tour?

March 20

“If equality is a journey, then it should come as no surprise that passports have helped American women to cross some of society’s most entrenched cultural borders for more than a century.” Check out these 1920s women who fought to get women their OWN passports to travel on their own.

March 21

”If I search “female traveler,” the results prove completely devoid of diversity, race, age, body type, or personality. The photos paint a picture; one that seems to say traveling is limited to the young, beautiful, and white.” The travel industry somehow excludes the diversity of real-world women travelers.

March 22

Women permeate every facet of travel and tourism. If you’re looking to visit Napa, you can book a Women In Wine tasting, where you learn about the women behind some of your favorite wines. (You can find these tours in other wine regions, like the Willamette Valley in Oregon, too.)

March 23

Women are badass, and never is that more apparent than when they are protecting something they love. You may have heard of the Black Mambas in South Africa, but there is also the Akashinga in Zimbabwe and Team Lioness in Kenya. These all-female anti-poaching teams protect their country's most important and endangered animals, while also redefining ecofeminism and promoting gender equality.

March 24

If you're a woman who travels alone, congratulations! You're making travel history right now. Women are redefining travel and are doing things the way they want to do it and not waiting for a partner, friend, or for the trip to make it out of the group chat. And women over 50 are embarking more and more on adventure tourism, too.

March 25

Since we know women are redefining travel, we also know how much of an impact our travel has been and can be. With the majority of women making the travel decisions (80%) and being travelers (2/3 of all travelers), these 5 women in tourism show us how we can make travel better for ourselves and the future.  

March 26

In the 1800s, Nantucket was home to more history-making woman than most other places in the country. To honor some of those inspiring females, each of four new suites at the Jared Coffin House are named after influential women from the area, including Anna Gardner, instrumental in calling an anti-slavery meeting in 1841; and Lucretia Coffin Mott, who participated in the country’s first meeting about women’s rights in 1848.

March 27

"Walk in the footsteps of the women who made Harlem the cultural capital it’s venerated for on the Radical Black Women of Harlem Walking Tour." This tour takes you through the lives of Billie Holiday, Audre Lorde, and other women who shaped the Harlem Renaissance. 

March 28

In a lot of ways, Portland is very progressive. We have women's soccer, we might be getting a women's basketball team, we have tons of women in business, we support the queer community as best as we know how. In fact, Jenny Nguyen is pulling all of those things together in the city. She has opened the nation's first women's sports bar called The Sports Bra. It has been so successful, you can often not get in, and she's now helping other women in the U.S. open their own. 

March 29 

Women who were strong enough to blaze trails when they had little to no rights if they weren't rich are fascinating to me. They were willing to risk everything to do things they wanted and I guess the worst thing that could happen was being told they weren't allowed to do it and sent to jail, so they went for it. These 5 women did their own thing and made history for themselves.

March 30

I travel alone sometimes and it can be scary, depending on where you are, but don't let that stop you from being a trailblazer in your own right. Learn some tricks on how to be safe on a solo road trip. I always let other people know where I am and check in regularly. I mean, we want to make history and not be history.

March 31

Don't forget that supporting women- and minority-owned businesses is always a win-win. We uplift those that need it and celebrate their successes as a success for the community. Here are some more amazing women in the travel sphere right now.

Tell me your favorite woman-owned business, woman-friendly travel destination, or woman-owned/developed travel product

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 saw my post on IG, you can skip the review at the end.

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Mutts Coffee Roasters

If you like dogs and you like coffee (and possibly a trip to the farmers' market), this little neighborhood gem is a great stop to fuel up. When you make a purchase from Mutts, you are helping dogs. 25% of their profits go to help rescue dogs. They have a lovely outdoor patio where you can sit and enjoy the nice weather, with or without your dog, plus they have ice cream and other treats. 

We hit up the Beaverton farmers' market to buy some goodies and support our local farmers and artisans, then walked a few blocks to Mutts, since it's really close to us, but it's easy to forget, since it's a house in the neighborhood. The baristas are lovely and the prices seem pretty normal. I liked their interesting flavors that you don't see on most other coffee menus. We got a sugar-free salted caramel latte, a blackberry iced latte, a bagel breakfast sandwich with egg & bacon, and the turkey bacon ranch bagel sandwich. It was a great break from the market and a perfect little breakfast or lunch.

As you can see, the inside is cute and sort of reminiscent to the cleanliness you associate with a veterinary waiting room. I love the dog photos and stories scattered around. You can also buy bags of coffee here.

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Memento Mori Cafe

This goth coffee shop has some real fun vampy vibes, but it is also a vegan cafe. It's not unusual to find a vegan eatery in Portland, but for it to have a cool theme is. I had been following this cafe for a bit on Instagram and talked Eric into checking it out one Saturday morning. I say talked into, because it's located in the very popular NW 23rd area of town, where it's almost impossible to find a parking spot (everything is street parking). 

We were able to get a spot on the backside of the block that Memento Mori is on (on 25th) and grabbed a corner of a communal table until we were able to snag a coveted 2-person table. 

I think all of their food options are creative and not boring like the norm-core twist of food many vegan restaurants/cafes have. They have a lot more sugar free flavors than most, and the food offerings are interesting. I ordered the Wolfsbane (lavender & hunny latte) and the Wednesday bread of the dead (sesame paste & cream cheez on toast) and Eric ordered a sugar-free peppermint mocha and a blueberry skull muffin. I learned that I greatly enjoy sesame paste and we stopped to pick up a jar on our way home. Eric said that my toast was better than his muffin, but I honestly think they sell those for the novelty of the skull mold. They come in a variety of flavors, but they aren't anything special. 

Will I make a special trip over there again? Probably not, but they are absolutely a neighborhood favorite, because it was packed in there. If I find myself over in that area, I would be willing to walk a few blocks to grab something there. To be fair though, I feel like that about most of the shops and eateries in this area. Know that you will be paying a bit more than expected, because items are vegan and take a bit more time, and the area of town is more upscale.

La Floridita PDX

A Cuban coffee shop in Beaverton? Um, yes please! The minimalist, but colorful vibes here are everything I love. I ended up visiting this shop right before closing, which I didn't realize until I got there, so I took my food and drink to go. I wanted a little bit of everything, and I kind of lucked out, because I got more than I asked for.

They have a huge selection of pastries and other food. The case is so beautiful and everything looked delicious. I picked up a Cafe Bombon - an iced espresso with condensed milk - a guava pastelito, and asked for a ham and a spinach croqueta. They only had one spinach one left, and the barista sent me off with that and a free beef rellena. 

I need to return here to try more things. The food was all very flavorful and the coffee was bold and refreshing. Next time I visit, I want to sit and just soak in the atmosphere of the dining area. You could tell that the other patrons that had come in were frequent visitors, because they knew exactly what they wanted. 

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Deadstock Coffee - Beaverton

If you just want a good coffee shop with great sneaker vibes and a chill place to sip your coffee (they DO have a basic menu here with all their originals - because the original has no menu and will make whatever you ask for, if they have the ingredients). 

Sign in the bathroom

We ordered a dirty chai, sugar-free chocolate cappuccino, and a slice of butterscotch pound cake. The cake was nothing special, but the coffee was superb. The one in Chinatown will stencil a shoe on your coffee top, and they brought that energy over here with the Nike swoosh (the owner is a former Nike designer).

If I didn't know this shop was here, I wouldn't know by walking or driving by either, because this is their shopfront. You can't tell from the street what's inside. There's just the logo with no name, but it's worth going in. I can't wait for warmer weather when they will open up that large garage door to let in the sunshine and warmth. Make sure you look at everything and don't miss out on the basketball hallway to the restroom.

I have a short list of other shops I want to hit up over the next couple of months and I have two in particular that I plan to visit while I'm in Vegas. I'd love to know your recommendations from where you live or your travels, too.

Tell me your favorite coffee shops from Portland or where you live, or one you'd like me to try for a future review.

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 7 badass women that I learned about recently and wanted to bring to you for Women's History Month:

Who are some of your trailblazing women in travel heroes?

Getting Ready for the Travel Goods Show

It's that time of year again. The time when I head to Las Vegas and split my time between seeing and eating some new things in the city and checking out the new travel items and chatting with peeps in the industry. Unfortunately, I won't be in the city for too much more than the show, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to enjoy some new things.

I will have a day and a half free to wander around the city and have dedicated one whole day to doing just that. So, let's look at what's on my list:

Food:

I always look for new dining opportunities when I'm in Vegas. Last year I went to NoMAD, because I really wanted to eat in the library. It was beautiful and the food was delicious. This year, I've made reservations at two very new places and am looking to go more budget-friendly than the fancy NoMAD or Catch LV.

Breakfast at Netflix Bites - This pop-up eatery at the MGM has foods all themed to Netflix shows, including Stranger Things, Bridgerton, Glow, and Emily In Paris.

Coffee break at Mothership Coffee - I've been wanting to get a coffee and pastry or other food at Mothership. I love the shopfront vibes, and they also have several drink specials that go toward local charity. They call this Sip With Purpose and I adore companies that give back. 

Dinner at Pinky's by Vanderpump - Lisa Vanderpump has a few dining locations, including her champagne bar at Caesars. Now, I'm not a watcher of the Real Housewives, but I love Lisa's esthetic for her places and Pinky's in the Flamingo has all that and affordable dishes, too. While I wanted to go for brunch, I won't be there on a Saturday or Sunday, so I booked a dinner and will return in the summer for brunch.

Culture:

Street art in the Downtown Arts District - Downtown is full of awesome art. Between murals, statues, and large pieces from past Burning Man festivals, there's something everywhere you look and you can basically stay just on Fremont Street. I notice a block south there's a art alley, called DT Alley, and I'm really interested in seeing what is being showcased.

Las Vegas City Hall - A few blocks from Fremont Street Experience is Las Vegas City Hall. I didn't know that it was open to the public, but they are and they have exhibit space that rotates. Right now they have Stories from Backstage: Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas with a bunch of props and costumes. And on a different floor, they have People of Color, featuring local African artists' work of the Black experience in America.

Activities:

John Wick Experience at Area15 - After seeing all the art, I'm heading to Area15 for even more art, but also an interactive experience based on the movies of John Wick. Do I know what it is exactly? No, but I'm excited to find out. I'm also going to grab a drink at The Continental Bar. If I have time before dinner, my entry to Area15 also includes a virtual scavenger hunt, so I'll check that out while I'm enjoying the giant interactive art there, too.

On my last day I'll be doing dinner with family and seeing my cousin in a musical, which is super exciting to me. If I have time to fit in some other activities, I for sure will. I'd love to visit Ghost Donkey at the Cosmopolitan, hit up the Conservatory at the Bellagio (where I'd also like to go back to the Gallery), see the Princess Diana Exhibition, and try another place to eat at Resorts World. 

Stay tuned for a packing post as well, because I will be packing a bag inside another bag to bring home things from the show, so we'll talk about packing light and a small capsule wardrobe.

Is there something in Vegas you think I should do? Or a restaurant you'd like me to check out?

Keep Going After Small Injuries with KEEP>GOING

Spring Break and Summer vacations are coming and usually that means trips with the kids. I don't know about you, but as an adult, I can be clumsy, so I often pack a bag like I have children: snacks, bandages, plastic bags for trash, snacks, or wet items. You never know what might happen, especially when you're away from home. 

This time of year is popular for road trips to theme parks, National Parks, and the beach, all of which can be places for spills, falls, and scrapes, so you absolutely want to be prepared, whether you're traveling with kiddos or not. 

One of the things I like to keep in my car during a road trip is a basic first aid kit, but what if you need more than just some antiseptic wipes and a bandage? Enter KEEP>GOING First Aid. They have a variety of first aid kits, including this GoKit that's a compact kit full of all the stuff you need for all your adventures. No matter where you go, from Disneyland to camping in the woods to your child's soccer game, this kit contains over 100 items to fix everything from chapped lips to mild burns. 

KEEP>GOING is a small business started by the Pepper family, who have 4 active kids. They're family wants to keep your family safe through these cute and useful kits. The first thing you'll notice is how adorable the prints are, but also that they are pretty chic looking and have a wrist loop, so you can take it with you wherever you go. Wear it, hang it on your stroller, or slip it in your backpack or day bag.

It's hard to find a first aid kit that isn't bulky and doesn't take up half your carry-on or purse. This has all the necessities, but in a compact cube. Inside is a waterproof zipper pocket, two "pages" with convenient slip pockets on both sides, and a mesh slip pocket. It's laid out so you can see everything inside easily. You won't be pulling everything out to find something specific, which is very important when you need to be quick.  

So, what's included?

• A mini sewing kit and safety pins for wardrobe malfunctions
• Scissors and tweezers, which have endless uses
• A tick remover with step-by-step instructions
• Splinter removers
• A finger splint
• Cotton tip applicators for cleaning up wounds or applying salves
• Bandages in a range of sizes, including ones for knuckles and fingertips, because regular bandages never work on those
• Butterfly closures for places where a bandage doesn't fit
• Alcohol pads and sting relief pads
• Antibiotic ointment to stave off infections
• Hydrocortisone cream for bug bites and other itchy things
• Burn gel for when you get a little too close to the fire (or oven or iron)
• Nosebleed plugs, so you don't have to use tampons or rolled up toilet paper
• Gauze for bigger scrapes or when you can't use a bandage
• Moleskin has a lot of uses, like to cover blisters
• Tape roll for keeping gauze and splints in plane
• Small polybags for small things or to keep medication in
• Disposable thermometer to check for fever
• Lip balm for chapped lips
• and the all important instruction guide on how to use anything in here that's not familiar to you

Now you have peace of mind for any non-serious injuries on your trips around town or across the world, though sometimes high drama can make even a papercut seem serious. Be the hero any time there's a cut or scrape with KEEP>GOING.

Get your own either on Amazon or the KEEP>GOING website for $39.99. Your purchase will support a small family business. You can also purchase larger kits (that have 2x as many items in them) and refills for the kit you have. If you don't like the travel print of mine, there are a lot of fun prints to choose from, like rainbows, cheetah, and dinosaurs!

Show KEEP>GOING some love by following them on their socials:

Facebook | Instagram

Have you been looking for the best way to bring all your first aid supplies with you everywhere you go?

Disclaimer: I was given the the GoKit for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are 100% my own. ***  Support Shereen Travels Cheap by using the links in my posts to shop. I receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) so I can continue to create helpful free content. I appreciate your support!