Spring Travel in Style 3.19.11

While I go on and on about packing light and buying clothing made specifically for travel, it doesn’t mean that I don’t also want to look good and be fashionable (and also comfortable) on vacation. It can sometimes be a struggle between pretty and functional, but with the new selections in travel clothing, you can now bring functional and attractive clothing with you, wherever you go. With Spring almost here, it has put me in the mood to talk about lightweight clothing for your Spring and Summer travels, including those for men.

Photo provided by Magellan's

You may have noticed that the stores are moving out jackets and sweaters and replacing them with bold-colored items and swimsuits. You may want to look the other way before thinking about putting on a bikini or swim trunks (as I find I do after the winter), but drawn to the brighter colors of everything else. It’s okay. We all slightly panic when faced with racks of tiny bathing suits and our lack of winter exercise and extra calories. Take a look at the new trends for clothing: flowing fabrics (linen and lightweight knits), brighter colors, bold patterns (including florals and polka dots), khakis, wedges (for the ladies) and safari-inspired pieces. Of course there are more that I probably haven’t mentioned or haven’t even noticed, but these are ones that are easiest to bring into your Spring travel wardrobe and, with some staple pieces, can be worn for many vacations to come.

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Fashion 'Fraidy Cat

If you’re really reserved and a bit scared to bring new prints and colors to your travel bag, you can start off slow by purchasing a nice range of khaki and neutral colored pieces. They are always going to be in style. Ramp it up a bit with a bright item, like a scarf, belt or shoes. If you love color, but don’t want to overdo it, find a few tops that have some brighter colors, like orange, coral, yellow or spring green and pair it with neutral bottoms. TravelSmith, Magellan's, Lucy, Columbia, LL Bean and other retailers can help you incorporate neutral OR spring colors/patterns into your collection with their stylish lines.

     

 

I Just Need a Little Oomph

Already have a great travel wardrobe, but think it’s looking a little bland, because the colors are all in the same family? Grab some bold and colorful jewelry (or ties) to keep it looking fresh and for a pop of color. It’ll renew your confidence when you go out sightseeing and make you feel like your travel pieces got an overhaul, when it really only needed a mini-makeover.

It’s lucky that almost all travel clothing and activewear is lightweight and contain moisture-wicking fibers, so you always look your best, even when the sun is beating down. Many pieces even include omni-shield (or similar) that incorporates fabrics treated with SPF so you can look great and also avoid a nasty sunburn. They are usually also quick-drying (so you can pack less and do a bit of laundry), pill-resistant and wrinkle-resistant. With shorts and tanks (and often many short sleeve items) you may even find bug-repellant pieces that work great in a tropical setting.

No More Stinky Clothes

Look for clothing made of bamboo or soy, as these pieces are cool to wear, wick moisture from the body and don't retain odors, so if by some chance you can't wash your clothes and need to rewear a piece, you will still smell fresh and look as good as the first time you wore it.

Pack Twice The Clothes in Half The Space

Double your travel pieces by finding attractive reversible clothing. TravelSmith, GoLite and other companies have affordable and stylish items that can be used two ways. It's especially useful when cruising or when you know you will be going out several times. You can pack less, but still wear different outfits.

Some of my Frugal Living fashion buddies have told me that an absolute must for ladies who travel is a pashmina/shawl. They are fantastic for keeping warm on the airplane and chilly weather conditions and you can use it for a multitude of other things: beach blanket, emergency towel, skirt, picnic blanket and more. They can also pack down into a small space.

Want more deals and tips everyday? “Like” Shereen Travels Cheap on Facebook and follow me onTwitter. You never know what great deal will pop up! Keep up with current sales, new products and websites and get more awesome tips in between blog posts!

My Feet Hurt Already!

Fashionable walking shoes can be found. You don’t have to rely on just your trainers anymore for a decent shoe to keep your feet comfortable all day. Find pretty loafers, wedges, sandals, mary-janes and more. You can go from sightseeing to dinner and still look stylish. If you are limited to 2 pairs of shoes (as I limit myself), it’s always good to have a pair of comfortable and nice looking shoes that can work with a dressy outfit as well as your normal walking around clothing (whether that’s khakis, a skirt or shorts). You don’t want to take shoes with you that are going to look great, but kill your feet after just a bit of walking. It will ruin your day and make you hate your vacation…and yourself for bringing those shoes. Find wonderful options with brands like Clarks, Born, Aerosoles, Columbia and more.

Once you get them home, make sure to break them in and test them out before packing them in your travel bag. I make sure to wear them during a variety of activities for a couple of weeks. In that time you can see if they hurt your feet, have too much stretch, pinch, become less cushy, receding arch support or any other problems that can occur on vacation. Believe me, no one wants to feel like cutting off their feet on a trip, no matter where you are, so do everything you can to prevent foot soreness by getting the right shoes. You may have to pay more for a good pair, but that pair can last you for years, so it’s well worth the money you spend. Don’t forget that not all shoes in a brand’s line will be the same, so just because you got some wonderful Clarks sandals that you can walk all day in, doesn’t mean that you’ll have the same experience with a pair of their loafers. (This is just an example, not a dig at Clarks. There is never consistency with any shoe or clothing brand with the variations of styles. It’s virtually impossible.)

Do you still need help on packing? Check out my previous posts on packing lists and packing light. Remember: the more you practice, the better you'll get and soon you'll be able to pack faster and lighter and more efficient. For links to other travel clothing sites, see my list of favorite sites on the right sidebar.

Take Shereen Travels Cheap with you everywhere with Kindle! Subscribe on Amazon and get each blog post sent right to your Kindle the instant it gets published. Don't have a Kindle? That's okay, too. Download the free Kindle reading app on any of your web-enabled devices, like your iPad or Android, and it works just as good! (or you can buy yourself a brand-new fun gadget!)

 Always look your best and save time by bringing along a canister of dry shampoo. Instead of taking the time to wash your hair every day (which is bad for your hair anyway) or to give yourself a quick new slate for a night out, spray some of this dry shampoo from Tigi on your roots to pull out excess oils and keep your hair looking just washed for an extra day or for a few more hours when hitting the clubs. Keeps the shine, but eliminates the oil that makes your hair look limp and dull.

Don't forget that booking travel through merchants on Ebates also saves you money with their fancy cash back program. While Travel Week is over and double cash back has come and gone, you can still get discounts on many of your favorite travel websites...and this week is Spring Fashion Week, which means double cash back on many clothing merchants, including LL Bean, which has fantastic clothing for travel as well. If you're not signed up yet, do it now!

Join in the discussions on Spring Fashion on the Frugal Living Community over at Blog Frog or right here! There are several great members over there that are fashion experts and can also tell you how to look great for less! Join in some of the conversations, including my latest on Spring Travel Fashion. Do you have a favorite piece of Spring clothing? Tell us about it!


New Discussion: 

             

By Shereen
author of Shereen Travels Cheap

When you're on vacation you want your feet to be comfortable with all the walking, but you also want to look good and get something that will work for the weather and all your outfits. 

I find that Easy Spirit, Aerosoles and Clarks have great shoes that are stylish and comfy, plus you can get cash back on all your favorite brands with Ebates! I try to find a new pair of walking shoes each time I travel (mostly because after my vacation, I love them so much that I wear them out). 

Do you go for style over comfort when you travel, comfort over style or do you try to find a good balance between the two? 

Visit the "Fashionable Travel Shoes" Discussion

Panama Hats Are Made In Ecuador 3.16.11

This is an odd, but true fact. Another one you may not know, Ecuador produces a lot of cocoa beans, but because of the cost to run a factory, rarely is chocolate manufactured in the country. This month on my frugal travel destinations series, I’d like to talk about why Ecuador makes such a wonderful vacation stop and how it can save you hundreds of dollars off your normal trip for the year. My husband and I traveled to Quito and some of the lesser known cities in 2008 and have put it back on the list for a future destination. We did have some obstacles on our trip, but that can happen most places (and probably has to us), so we forgave Ecuador and are willing to give it another go.

Most people are interested in visiting the Galapagos Islands, which, while very awesome and educational, can be very expensive. Since you have to fly into Quito and then take another flight to the islands, that raises your airfare. Hotels and cruise tours are often much more than you would expect, because the tours are small and there are only so many boats and accommodations to go around. Meaning they can charge top dollar for these in-demand destinations. Now, I’m not telling you to give up on your dream to see amazing Darwinian creatures in your lifetime, because I have those dreams as well. We’ll just have to create a savings plan for such a trip. In the meantime, a nice trip to Ecuador’s mainland is a great distraction from our disappointment.

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There are many different landscapes to visit in Ecuador, from beaches to the rainforest to a thriving city. This can vary climate widely, depending on your altitude (which is very high even in Quito, BTW). If you aren’t doing serious mountaineering and the lowlands and valleys are more your speed – like mine – then you will have a nice tropical climate which is suited to wearing lightweight clothing, like t-shirts and shorts. Because of its location on the equator, Ecuador gets the same amount of sunlight all year round, so whenever you go will be exactly like any other time of year you go. You can expect sunlight from 6am to 6pm, which is pretty easy to get used to. If you’re visiting the city, be aware that almost all shops close down at nightfall. This gives you an excuse to go have dinner and relax before bedtime.

Ecuador is one of those places that you can easily find deals, because the economy is not strong and very dependent on tourism (as well as their many exports). Airfare is really the only variable, so signing up for airfare alerts will get you the best fares.

All over the country, you can stay in gorgeous hotels for a fraction of what you would pay in other countries. We found a lovely hotel in Quito (San Francisco de Quito) that was recommended by many other travelers, included breakfast and was right in the center of the city. We stayed for 6 nights for less than $250. They had a beautiful courtyard where you could sit in the sun and have breakfast, do some shopping or write emails on your laptop.  There wasn’t a lift, which was fine, but if you take a lot of luggage, you might have a hard time. With the thin air and the possibility of being on the 3rd floor there might be a lot of stopping to catch your breath.

The hotel has its own tour office and also a delicious restaurant. We made friends with the head chef and he gave us excellent advice and made us many great things from his menu. Oddly, it didn’t seem like many guests were taking advantage of the local food provided a few steps from their rooms. Even if you don’t stay at the San Francisco de Quito, I would suggest stopping by to eat here. The restaurant is called 1698 Camino Real.

Make a reservation to go up on the roof to see the whole city from the “viewpoint”. We went at night and it was breathtaking…and not just because we had to climb up many steps and ladders!

Taxis are amazingly inexpensive as well. After getting lost a million times in our rental car, we decided to take a cab on the last day to the teleferiqo (a crazy cable car that takes you to the top of mountain in the city and allows you to see all of Quito (and probably other cities). The cab ride would have cost us over $40 each way in the U.S. and other places we’ve gone, but we were charged just $5 each way, and that was the longest ride we’d taken. The teleferiqo is a must-do. If you get their earlier in the day, you may not have to contend with the fog like we did and you can spend the day at the Volqano Amusement Park next to it. If you’re afraid of heights, this may not be the attraction for you, but it is simply an incredible experience to travel almost straight up the side of a mountain. At the top you can buy souvenirs, take pictures, have a hot chocolate or just enjoy the view. You’ll never do anything like it again.

Take a guided tour. We paid a very reasonable price for a half-day tour of Quito. It was just the two of us and our tour guide and he took us to the capital building, church, a museum and walked us along the street while giving us fabulous historical information about the city and answered our questions as well.

Haggle! If your Spanish is passable, there are many shops that are not retail stores. They will haggle with you on prices to get you to buy more. This is how I ended up with TWO Panama hats and a handwoven scarf made from alpaca wool for much less than I would have paid at home for 2 baseball caps and a cotton scarf. While I got an excellent deal on them, I didn’t insist on prices that seemed crazy cheap, as I know a lot of people do. They depend on their sales to live, so even though I love to get a bargain, it’s sometimes just fun to interact with people.

The retail shops are quite affordable as well. We did some shopping at a few grocery stores (which is always fun) and bought fun things like shoes and chocolates and coffee and other souvenirs. Near the end of our trip we stopped in one of the many jewelry stores in Quito and snagged a set of wedding bands for probably 1/10th of what it would have cost at home. Even with this purchase, we still ended up spending less on our vacation than others we’ve taken.

Want more deals and tips everyday? “Like” Shereen Travels Cheap on Facebook and follow me onTwitter. You never know what great deal will pop up! Keep up with current sales, new products and websites and get more awesome tips in between blog posts!

Funky stops to do along the way:

• Guayllabamba Zoo – I’m always a sucker for a zoo or an aquarium and we visit them all over the world. Just 25 minutes out of Quito, this zoo has many different animals than I’ve seen at other zoos, including kangaroos and Galapagos tortoises. It’s a good walk and can take up 2-3 hours of your time, depending on how fascinated you become by new species or if you have children with you. You might even witness an alpaca break out like we did.

• Mitad del Mundo – It’s the middle of the world! Literally. Located on the equator, you can get your passport stamped here and witness the strange phenomenon that can happen there. Balance an egg on a nail, watch water run straight down a drain without a clockwise or counterclockwise direction and learn how your strength can be different on the equator than anywhere else. Even more things to see on the tour here, including the history on the natives of Ecuador.

• Cloud Forest – Also known as the rainforest. You will see so many interesting plants and animals! Make sure you pack plenty of fresh batteries for your camera. (I had bad luck with all the batteries I bought on this trip from several different places.)

• Otavalo Animal Market – You may find this a sad thing to witness, but it’s a fact of life in Ecuador. You need animals to farm and make food. An auction goes on here every weekend for livestock and on the outskirts, you can buy food from the cooking stalls or purchase handmade goods from others peddling their wares. After you’ve tired of watching American’s coo over baby ducks and pigs, walk down into main Otavalo for the street markets, where you can buy alpaca goods like sweaters and ponchos, Panama hats and also spices, flowers, vegetables and more!

You can take a bus to almost any destination in Ecuador, but you will be on their schedule. If you prefer to rent a car, like we did, make sure to rent a GPS, too, if you don’t have your own with South American maps. Navigating the streets can be tricky and in some places, like Otavalo, many streets aren’t marked. In fact, we never got lost while driving between towns, but we got lost several times that cost us 2-4 hours each time. It was really frustrating. We could never find a street map and then when we did, it still only showed us the immediate downtown area of Quito. Finding a way to get onto the highway the right direction was another challenge.

And if you do take a chance on renting a car, I would maybe rent it only for the few days that you want to do day trips, make sure you don’t park overnight on the streets in Quito. While there is very little crime in the city that involves bodily harm, thieves will immediately target any car left on the curb. There are many overnight parking lots that you can park in for very reasonable costs. We learned that the hard way, as our car was broken into the first night in the city, because the woman at the front desk must not have understood our question when we asked if it was safe to park on the street. We didn’t ask if it was safe to park overnight. Luckily, we did get a knock on our door bright and early the next morning to alert us and, even though it took most of the day to take care of, we were able to get the window repaired without much hassle or money.

There is a very touristy beach area in the north of Ecuador, which might be more your speed. We didn’t make it that far in our travels, but might check it out on our next trip.

Take advantage of affordable prices on lodging and try spending time in a mountain lodge. We did this in Otavalo at the Ali Shungu Mountaintop Lodge and could have brought 6 more people. Our “bungalow” was really a house and about the same size as our current one. It had a kitchen and a huge dining room, a big bedroom with two queen size beds, a shower big enough for 5 people and huge picture windows to enjoy the view of the trees and other foliage. We paid about the same per night as you would for a regular room in a nicer hotel. I think at that time it was around $130/night and we stayed for two. The rate included 3 meals a day, free WiFi, a drive into the town to see the markets and horseback riding for one of the days. I really don’t know how many other places you could go that would have such amazing deals.

Take Shereen Travels Cheap with you everywhere with Kindle! Subscribe on Amazon and get each blog post sent right to your Kindle the instant it gets published. Don't have a Kindle? That's okay, too. Download the free Kindle reading app on any of your web-enabled devices, like your iPad or Android, and it works just as good! (or you can buy yourself a brand-new fun gadget!)

While this isn't really a gadget, it's a must to get you ready for your trip to Ecuador if you aren't great with your Spanish. My Spanish Coach is an awesome language teacher that incorporates repetition and games to get you to remember words and also put together sentences. Great for kids and adults alike and you can easily take it with you on your trip to practice in your downtime and on your plane ride.

Win This!!!

That's right, we have another giveaway. This time, it's for a travel folding blow dryer. I know a lot of you like to take your hair dryer everywhere you go, now you can take up less space in your bag with this great one from Vidal Sassoon. It has two heat settings, a cold setting, dual voltage settings (so you can take it all over the world) and has maximum wattage, for maximum effectiveness! Enter to win HERE! Winner will be chosen on Sunday the 20th, so get your entries in now. There aren't many entries, so you have a good shot!

You've heard me talk about Minimus.biz before and all their super cool travel-sized products. Did you know that spending money can actually help you SAVE money? Well, Minimus let me share my thoughts about this on their blog this week. Come check out my new post HERE.

Don't forget that booking travel through merchants on Ebates also saves you money with their fancy cash back program. While Travel Week is over and double cash back has come and gone, you can still get discounts on many of your favorite travel websites. If you're not signed up yet, do it now!

Alternative Spring Breaks 3.12.11

Spring Break is upon us this month and, while you may cringe at the very phrase, I know many of you are planning getaways. Maybe not for Spring Break, but certainly for Spring season or the following months. Hundreds of thousands of college students have been saving their pennies to be able to afford a trip with their friends where they can let it all hang out (literally and figuratively) and not think about school for a week or more. Of course, it's hard to think about much in an alcohol-fueled daze, but more to the point, you aren't going to want to take a nice, relaxing family vacation or romantic getaway where there is a crush of sex-crazed, drunken monsters running around. Alternative Spring Break is for you.

What IS ASB? I'm glad you asked! While beachy destinations sound fun almost any time of year, it's really not a great option when traveling in March or early April, unless it's to a more expensive destination, which, let's face it, you don't come here to learn more about unless I can make it seem much more affordable than it really is. So, Fiji is usually out, as are many all-inclusive resorts who take advantage of non-college travelers. Hawaii is on the edge of madness, but with it being on everyone's list, we'll toss that one, too. What's left? Plenty of awesome vacation spots that aren't known for doling out gallons of margaritas and Coronas per second. You can probably still get those things if you were hoping they were included in your own trip, just maybe with a different view.

If you like what you read on the Shereen Travels Cheap blog, make sure to subscribe on the right with the handy-dandy drop-down menu.

Did you get 32 emails this week with amazing deals to go to the Caribbean or Mexico in the next five weeks? Close the browser and step away from the mouse! You will honestly just be sad you wasted your hard-earned money on a trip you couldn't enjoy. You will still be able to take advantage of rock-bottom prices other times of the year, maybe even soon. If you must travel in the next month or so, let's look at some options that might not have been on your radar.


San Juan Islands, WA - Waterfront lodgings for a relaxing stay near the sea. You can fish, dive, bike, hike, whale watch, observe wildlife and more! If you just want to enjoy the landscape, that's okay, too. Use your time to go shopping and exploring new restaurants.


Boston, MA - Another seaside destination that is often overlooked. While Boston has some wonderful historic sites and museums, but it is also home to Fenway Park, an awesome aquarium and the famous Cheers bar. 
                       

Save money on sightseeing with the Boston CityPASS. Valid for 9 days from first 

use and covers the top 5 Boston attractions for just $46 per person (adult).

Like beer? Take the Samuel Adams Brewery Tour. At just a suggested donation of

$2 per person, it's likely the most affordable tour you'll ever go on.

Easter airfare now on sale with Southwest Airlines. One way fares as low as $58. Book by March 14, travel April 20-26.

Want more deals and tips everyday? “Like” Shereen Travels Cheap on Facebook and follow me onTwitter. You never know what great deal will pop up! Keep up with current sales, new products and websites and get more awesome tips in between blog posts!

Hershey, PA - Are you a chocolate lover, like me? Why not visit the birthplace of the Hershey Kiss? Visit the Hershey factory, Hershey Park and eat chocolate until your heart's content.  

Visit Hershey on two consecutive weekends this Spring for Springtime in the Park

 for previews of the summer fun. This includes rides, entertainment and more!

Lake Tahoe - If you were thinking of maybe taking a trip to Vegas, think again and reconsider a trip to Lake Tahoe instead. With the high stakes of Vegas, but with the added bonus of lakeside activities, hiking trails and skiing. Depending on where you stay around the actual lake, you can have totally different experiences. New and interesting shopping and dining, as well as the option of a fantastic day drive around Lake Tahoe. 

Enjoy a lake cruise with or without dinner or check out some of the fun historical sites like Vikingsholm Castle with costs $7 to park and $5 for the tour. If you can handle

the steep 6,300 foot trail to get to the castle, this should definitely be on your list. 

Want bonus frequent flyer miles? Book a hotel stay along with your Alaska Airlines airfare and get 1,000 bonus miles if you travel by May 9. That's miles for your airfare, miles for your hotel, plus 1,000 miles. That's a few steps closer to a free flight!

Take Shereen Travels Cheap with you everywhere with Kindle! Subscribe on Amazon and get each blog post sent right to your Kindle the instant it gets published. Don't have a Kindle? That's okay, too. Download the free Kindle reading app on any of your web-enabled devices, like your iPad or Android, and it works just as good! (or you can buy yourself a brand-new fun gadget!)

Europe - Spring is a fantastic time to visit Europe. Airfare can be found for much cheaper than in the summer and tourism is down, so it's much easier to find low hotel rates and you won't have to fight the crowds, meaning you can do more in less time.

Fly American to Europe for as low as $219 each way. Book by March 31 and travel 

by April 17 to enjoy trips to cities like Manchester, Zurich, Paris and Madrid.

Take a Cruise! - While not destination-specific, right now is one of the best times to take a cruise. Rates are slashed to entice more people to book a cruise before summer. This is true whether you are looking for a Western Caribbean cruise, one that goes to New England and Canada or a Mediterranean sailing.

2-for-1 cruise blowout from Priceline! Get more fab incentives like free hotel stay, up to

$300 onboard spending, cabin upgrade, 50% off deposit, up to $1,600 air credit and

balcony upgrades! Cruises start as low as $42 per night and come with a 110% +$50

credit price guarantee! These deals are going fast, so book as soon as possible! 

Ecuador - Ecuador is a beautiful country and affordable all year round. With it's constant warm weather, friendly people and amazing history, there's no way to go wrong with a trip here. If you're not interested in a city vacation, you can travel to the beachside or stay in the cloud forest. While airfare may not be the cheapest, you will make up for it by saving on everything else. 


New Orleans, LA - Here's another destination that no one really thinks about outside of Mardi Gras. With so much interesting history, architecture, music and delicious food, New Orleans should be a must for any culture junkie. For those that don't care about culture, take a walk on the dark side with ghost tours.

Save on your trip to New Orleans with the Power Pass. Starting as low as $28 per day, 

gain entry to the must-see attractions of the city. Choose from places like the 

Musee Conti Wax Museum, Audubon Zoo, Cajun Pride Swamp Tour and 

much more! Available in 1, 2, 3 and 5 day durations. Add a 1-3 day MealTicket

to eat at awesome restaurants for one low price.

Victoria, B.C. - Technically, also by the water, Victoria offers a little bit for everyone. Whether you're interested in architecture, flowers, boating, tea or animals, Victoria will captivate you with it's beauty and charming residents. Save money on gas and ferry rides by taking Amtrak Cascades and sit back and enjoy the ride. Victoria is a very walkable city. 

Want to learn about other deals this Spring and talk to other travelers who are looking to save money on their trips? Join me on the Frugal Living Community on Tuesday (3/15) from 5-6 PST for a live chat. We'll be talking travel tips, destinations, budget ideas and answering questions. These chats are really fun and laid back. Come jump in if you want to share your opinions or get suggestions for your own travels.

Win This!!!

That's right, we have another giveaway starting. This time, it's for a travel folding blow dryer. I know a lot of you like to take your hair dryer everywhere you go, now you can take up less space in your bag with this great one from Vidal Sassoon. It has two heat settings, a cold setting, dual voltage settings (so you can take it all over the world) and has maximum wattage, for maximum effectiveness! Enter to win HERE!

You've heard me talk about Minimus.biz before and all their super cool travel-sized products. Did you know that spending money can actually help you SAVE money? Well, Minimus let me share my thoughts about this on their blog this week. Come check out my new post HERE.

Don't forget that booking travel through merchants on Ebates also saves you money with their fancy cash back program. While Travel Week is over and double cash back has come and gone, you can still get discounts on many of your favorite travel websites. If you're not signed up yet, do it now!