Presidential Day Trips 2.11.12

Presidents’ Day is fast approaching and I know that many of you are wondering what to do with your three-day weekend. Not like you don’t have a million ideas for what you would like to do and then when you realize you can’t fit your whole list into just three days, you just decide to rent a movie and sit on the couch. I know the feeling. I do it many weekends, though I’m always planning a trip of some kind on the side or doing one of my many things off my to-do list to help you guys take fun and affordable trips. So, your “Woohoo! Three-day weekend!” isn’t followed by “meh…” and instead by “Let’s go do this awesome thing I read about…” Better, right?

I know Presidents’ Day doesn’t sound all that exciting, but since we can’t make every president’s birthday a national holiday – well, I suppose we could, but then no one would work half the year – we celebrate with the first president’s birthday, George Washington, on the third Monday of the month, which is almost never on his actual birthday. And, I should add, we throw in a bit of honor for our awesome 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, because he freed the slaves and was pretty amazing…and because his birthday is on the 12th, making it an easy tie-in. He may not be the father of our country, but he made the most of his years in office, which I think deserves quite a bit of credit.

If you aren’t plotting your course for hitting as many sales as you can next weekend, then possibly you would rather spend your money on something a little more enriching, like a trip that can be fun and educational (super for kids!). Today is all about things to do for fun and cheap in our nation’s capital: Washington, D.C. I have been there once, in my former years, and it was a disappointing trip all around. We drove from Virginia, mostly without stopping, only to get stuck in rush hour traffic and see very few buildings as we inched along at 3 mph. I did see the White House, but as there were renovations being done, the majority of it was covered in plastic. The next thing I remember was turning around and going back home. I didn’t even get to go to the zoo, which I distinctly recall being asked about before we left. You don’t want your trip to be like mine, and I hope that my next trip – which is something that will happen – is a lot more fun and I even get to get out of the car at some point!

Get half-price and discount theater tickets to performances at the Signature Theatre, the Kennedy Center, Folger Theatre, Imagination Stage and more. You can get them same-day or in advance.

Take a free tour of (some of) the White House. Get there early, though, because this is always a popular activity and wait times can be long. You might even catch a glimpse of Obama doing presidenty stuff: taking phone calls, concurring with people ideas, signing documents, wearing a suit, walking purposefully down the hall. Things like that!

Pay homage to our veterans who have passed on with a visit to Arlington National Cemetery. You can visit John F. Kennedy’s grave, along with Jackie O, their two children and his brother Bobby, the Unknown soldier and see the changing of the guard throughout the day.

Wish our 16th president Happy Birthday with a stop at the Lincoln Memorial. Then take a tour of the other famous stops in DC: the Washington Monument (closed for renovations due to earthquake damage), the reflecting pool, the Vietnam Memorial, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, DC War Memorial, Eisenhower Memorial, Franklin D Roosevelt Memorial, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Women in Vietnam Memorial and a whole lot more. You could spend three days just visiting these sites. Go here for a map of the most popular and to start planning your trip.

Print out free walking guides for your trip. Almost 20 different guides are available, so whether you want to stroll the Botanic Garden or visit the Smithsonian, you are covered!

Save money and skip the ticket lines by purchasing a DC Power Pass. Valid from 1-5 days, it enables you to see Washington DC to the fullest. Over 20 attractions are included in your price as well as discounts for shopping. Passes start at just $64.99 and if you buy before day end on February 13th, you can receive 5% off!

About.com for DC has some fantastic solutions for dining on the cheap. For info, including addresses and phone numbers, view the whole list here. The following are local favorites, so you won’t be eating at Burger King or similar fast food venues. You’ll be saving money and eating like the locals do:

·         American City Diner

·         Baja Grille

·         Ben’s Chili Bowl

·         Bullfeathers of Capital Hill

·         Cactus Cantina

·         Capital Q BBQ

·         Couscous Café

·         Hanks Oyster Bar

·         Lauriol Plaza

·         Surfside Restaurant

·         Zorba’s Café

·       And if you’re looking for late-night dining: The Diner 2453 18th St NW Washington, DC (202) 232-8800 An upscale diner that’s open 24 hours.

Stroll along the C&O Canal. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal used to be a waterway where goods were shipped to the Potomac River. Historic!

Ever seen an aquatic garden? Technically, it’s a marsh, but Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens sounds a lot better and prettier than Kenilworth Marsh. It’s the last natural marsh in Washington DC and you can see amazing water plants and flowers, as well as dozens of species of birds…and it’s all free!

Let someone else show you around the city with the Hop-on Hop-off Trolley. I’m dying to go on one of these and think that my next trip to a big city that has one at a reasonable price might be reason enough to hand over my hard-earned money. For $35 per person ($25 for kids) you can sit back and take pictures and listen to the narration, then get off and back on at any of the stops all day long. The ride covers over 100 points of interest and stops at 20 locations, including the White House Visitors Center and Ford’s Theatre. The full loop takes 2 hours if you don’t get off anywhere, but why wouldn’t you? Book your tickets before March 15 and get use of the trolley for three days instead of just one!

Here’s one to splurge on: Have you ever wanted to be a spy? I mean, like not get shot at and stuff, but be secretive and carry important information? The Washington DC Spy Tour will have you itching to get your hands on that Top Secret envelope full of the country’s secretest secrets! You’ll discover the city’s spy secrets, mysteries and deceptions on this tour and then take part in a secret “mission”. I’ve been dying to do this tour since I saw Samantha Brown do it on her Weekends show. Your $58.99 will also get you VIP admission to the International Spy Museum for more about espionage, traitors, gadgets and more…if you know the secret password! You even get to meet former intelligence officers. Awesome, right?

Even if you aren’t planning to travel to DC over Presidents’ Day Weekend, don’t forget that there are so many amazing things to see and do there for the next time you’re stumped for an affordable trip. Make DC your home base and then take day trips to Maryland or Virginia, too. But, for the love of travel, wherever you go, get out of the car!

Do you live in the DC area or have you vacationed there? What are your favorite tourist spots and eateries?

Pack Like a Pro 2.8.12

Ugh! Do you see the word packing and cringe? There are a lot of things about travel that can be annoying, but packing is one of my favorites. Of course, I know most people would be happy to have someone else do it for them. My husband doesn’t mind so much, but then he really never has to pack anything. At most, I make him pick some outfits that he wants to take, then they are miraculously at our destination. Lucky! Who else wishes this was your situation? I can’t personally come to each of your houses and show you what to bring and then pack it all for you. The best I can do is give you the best tips I have and wish you luck.

I’ve shown you how to whiz through airport security, but you have to get there first, and packing is one of those steps. It's not that difficult to pack light, but it DOES take some practice. You don't want to spend up to $70 for your bag to fly round-trip with you, do you? Just think what you could do with that money instead. (Need more convincing that less is more? Check out My Melange's 7 reasons to travel carry-on only.)

Start with your packing list. I like to make a master list and then fill in specifics for each trip (example: t-shirt - black and white stripe, sweater - teal 3/4 sleeve). Things like your necessities aren't going to change. You're always going to need underwear, shampoo, soap, toothbrush and so on. That will be the easiest part of your list. If you don't know where to start, then you can sign up for my newsletter. Starting this week, you will be able to link to downloadable packing lists only through the newsletter. It's free to subscribe to and there are some fun updates, too. Even if you have a good idea of what to pack after reading this post, it is always a good reminder and can help you to not overpack.

Okay, so you made your list of essentials. If you feel like your 3-1-1 bag could use some creative packing, you might check out my post on how to lighten up your toiletries and makeup selection for travel. Now what? Well, now you start finding clothing items that match and pack well. Lightweight fabrics that breathe and dry quickly will be wonderful travel companions. I especially look for items made with soy, bamboo or coolmax. They are odor-resistant, pack well and feel great. I love shopping Columbia Sportswear's outlet online, as well as REI and ExOfficio. I almost never pay full price for anything at any of these retailers, since I am not all that concerned with specific colors. Discontinued colors and styles go on sale often and you can save big on these. Backcountry has a great selection of all of the best "active wear" at full and reduced prices. These types of clothes are not cheap by any means, but they are more reasonable on sale and they are really well made and can last you a long time, even with everyday wear, making it a great value.

Look to take clothing within the same color palette, so you can mix and match tops and bottoms. I  take neutral bottoms and then more colorful tops that go with all the bottoms. Keep in mind that your shoes will need to match (unless you don't care), so if you are bringing brown ones, make sure you aren't bringing a bunch of black or gray clothing items. You get what I mean. You don't want to get there and realize nothing goes together. If all the tops will go with all the bottoms you bring, then you can make way more outfits with fewer pieces. For 3 bottoms and 5 tops, you can make 15 outfits! And yes, you will have to do laundry, but I promise it'll be fairly painless and you can do it in your downtime, which you need and making time to wash clothes will force you to take it at least once or twice during your trip.

Don't bring all your shoes. Bring two pair. Wear one pair on the plane and then  another, less bulky pair, can be packed in your carry-on bag with your clothing. Look for a really good pair of walking shoes and then a pair that will go with a dressier outfit that you can still walk comfortably in. You can find attractive "dress" walking shoes at places like The Walking Co, Born, Clarks and Aerosoles. Of course, there are plenty of other brands of shoes that are great. Find a good pair and then you'll be a lot happier when you're walking around for hours. Nobody wants ouchy feet while they're on vacation. I always throw a pair of flip flops in my bag, too, because they are handy for everything and take up hardly any space.

Accessorize! Make any boring outfit ready for a night out with accessories. Whether it's a bold chunky necklace, a great tie or even a fancy belt, you can make a new outfit in no time flat. It eliminates he need to pack extra clothes for a night out that you may or may not wear and saves space in your bag. Why pack a sparkly mini skirt or fancy dress that you will only wear once, when you can throw a cardigan and a couple shiny pieces over a tank top and look just as good...and probably be more comfortable?

Bring gadgets that do double duty, like an iPod touch, tablet or netbook. I love gadgets, but they can take up a lot of room in a bag. We swapped out our large laptop for a netbook and iPad for travel. Those two items take up about half the space and allow both of us to get online and check email. We can also play games, watch movies and read books. If you have a smartphone, you can use it as a GPS, send and receive email, look up bus schedules, make dining reservations and more. My favorite travel gadget is my iGo multi-charger. It charges all my electronics (accept for my netbook) with different tips, so I don't have to take nine different adapters and waste all that space in my bag. Even if I take the car adapter, it still takes up about the room of an apple. You can put it in a small case and stuff it inside a shoe.

This brings me to using the inside of your shoes for packing. It's wasted space otherwise. Shove socks in there, or your charger, fragile items on your way home and even a belt. I've used shoes for all these things and it works perfectly and makes room for other things in your bag...or just saves space for when you are returning home with more items. Tip: Don't put snacks in your shoes, unless you want them to smell/taste like feet!

Okay, now you've pulled everything together that you have on your packing list and you think you are good to go. Will it all fit in a carry-on? Of course it will! The best technique? Roll it! Not only will you be able to get more in less space, but it will also help keep wrinkles to a minimum. Any that don't fall right out when you unpack can be remedied by hanging up in the bathroom while you take your hot shower. Don't get excited about all that unused room in your bag, though. You will need some space for goodies you bring back, even if it's just a stack of brochures and menus.

Do you have any other packing light tips or have you been afraid to travel with just a carry-on?

Romantic (and Reasonably Priced) Getaways 2.4.11

Feeling like a little escape might be a good thing right about now? Get some one-on-one time with the love of your life and also rack up some bonus points by giving a surprising and amazing gift for Valentine’s Day. I’ll let you in on a little secret: You don’t have to plan your getaway for the weekend or the week of the 14th! You don’t! Plan it for March or May or even September. The point is that you think of it and do all the legwork for it now. Take your better half out to a romantic dinner at one of their favorite spots and give them a cute little card with a note proclaiming your love and impending vacation plans. They will LOVE it (and you) and also have something awesome to look forward to. If they ask why you aren’t leaving right away, tell them you wanted to prolong V-Day and also make sure you could get off work. It’s probably true.

Now, on to my list of vacation spots for young (and old) lovers that will make you the hero this year, while you rejoice in keeping some cash in your pocket, because, after all, you don’t need to spend every penny you have to give a great gift. All the smart people know this, like the ones who hand make gifts for those that appreciate such things. You can be frugal and still make a big impact.

Take to the seas! Caribbean cruises are all on sale right now and there’s nothing more romantic than all-you-can-eat buffets, a floating casino, limbo contests and $42 mojitos. Seriously though, cruises can be a great way to reconnect, pamper yourself and just relax. While the booze cruisers are drinking away their college tuitions, you can enjoy late-night adult entertainment (dancing, comedy, Broadway-style shows), stroll the streets of a new city each day and then hole up in your cabin for hours on end, if you so desire.

Dress up and splurge a bit by taking your date to one of the fancy restaurants that are not included in your cruise rate, or request a nice table for two in the main dining room. And take all those free photo ops! While most will be awful, in the most hilarious way, there’s bound to be one or two that you’ll actually want to take home and show people you know. Right now, CruiseExperts has some dandy deals on 3-14 night cruises in the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, Hawaii, Europe and the Panama Canal. They start from just $219pp, so if you can cruise close to home, you can save even more.

All-inclusive resorts are all-inclusive. I mean, that’s like 95% true. Spa treatments, some motorized activities and anything you buy at the gift shop are not included. I also hear that many resorts make you pay for WiFi, but if you’re there on a couple’s getaway, checking your email probably isn’t on the top of your list anyway. All-inclusive resorts can be found throughout Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, the Bahamas and also the Gulf Coast. So, if you either don’t own a passport or are looking to make your trip a little cheaper, look at great destinations like Destin and Panama City Beach in Florida. The same white sandy beaches and fantastic service, but a shorter plane ride and a smaller bill. The two best places for finding lower rates? CheapCaribbean and BookIt. Both are amazing for finding package deals that include airfare, but you can also book without airfare, so it’s convenient for any travel you want to book. CheapTickets even has this lovely list of deals where you can save up to 55%.

Did you see my post on New Orleans? It’s not just for Mardi Gras anymore! Take a free ferry ride, eat oodles of yummy Cajun food, tour the historic homes and learn about the ghosts that haunt The Big Easy. How are you not planning your trip RIGHT NOW?

If you and your honey are adventurous types that aren’t really into the whole squealing in delight over jewelry and PDA that everyone averts their eyes from while muttering “get a room!” at, and instead you like to try weird foods, climb things and explore ancient ruins (and historic buildings), then South America may be exactly the kind of trip you have been looking for. Peru, Ecuador, Brazil. There are plenty of things to see and do that are also crazy cheap. In fact, South America is my top pick whenever you’re looking for a budget destination. You can make it outdoorsy and cheap or luxurious and pampering for (a little less) cheap. Sleep in a rainforest or the Radisson. Honestly, if your partner is into traveling to cool new places, then you need to go. It fits any budget. Aside from airfare, you can expect to spend 33-50% of what you spend on your normal vacations.

Live large for a few days in Sin City and do a bunch of free things and a few expensive things and still go home with some money in your bank account. Las Vegas has a lot to offer those that aren’t eloping or trying to “win it all back”. Here’s a short list of freebies followed by a way to get crazy cheap show tickets:

·         Sirens of TI show – What used to be called Treasure Island, now is hip and “with it” and has scantily clad lady pirates traipsing around a ship, sword fighting and walking the plank.

·         Fall of Atlantis – Behind Caesars Palace in the forum shops you can eat at the Cheesecake Factory and then watch this animatronic show that happens every hour that shows the struggles between the Gods and how Atlantis ended up on the ocean floor. At least, I think that’s what it was about.

·         Lions at MGM – My favorite activity is totally free and amuses all day. Smack dab in the middle of the MGM is a plexiglass home of the MGM lions, where they lounge about and sometimes yawn or play with trainers. Watch from outside or inside the tunnel and then peruse the gift shop.

·         The fountains of Bellagio – Every night you can be entranced by the dancing water that is put to lights and music. This can be romantic.

·         The conservatory and botanical gardens of Bellagio – If you’re biding your time until nightfall to see those amazing fountains, take a trip into the botanical gardens to check out some awesome plant life. Hold hands and marvel at flowers. Chicks dig flowers.

·         Hawaiian Marketplace – Modeled after the marketplace in Honolulu, you can browse vendor booths with cool products you’ve never seen or just saw two kiosks away and then enjoy a bird show and also Hawaiian dancing.

·         Fremont Street Experience – If you like shiny things, or travel with someone who does, then make a point to visit Fremont Street. The entire canopy lights up and makes you dizzy after staring upwards for so long. This may also be the best time to spend some money and go for a zipline under the canopy of lights. Fun!

·         Stroll through the “streets” of Paris or New York.

·         Ready to show your Valentine a bit less of a frugal time? Take a trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower, eat at a celebrity chef’s restaurant, sit at a sidewalk café and then take in a show or two. Use Broadway Box to find discount codes on many of the popular shows in Vegas. Sometimes up to 50% off and sometimes inclusive of dinner.

·         Need to find a deal on getting to and staying in Vegas? Again, this is the time to check out BookIt.

Want more ideas on spoiling your Valentine on a budget? Sign up for Groupon Las Vegas and get 50-90% off dining, entertainment, activities and more. Or follow me on Facebook or Twitter to see the deals rolling out each day.

Do you have more ideas to add to this list? I want to hear your romantic getaway destinations!