How to Amuse Yourself on the Airplane 8.15.12

Unless you find yourself on some super short flights, chances are you are going to find yourself getting kind of bored flipping through SkyMall for the third time on your trip. That is, if your flight even has SkyMall. Or you have that same shopping addiction that Jonathan Coulton sings about. That’s definitely not going to save you any money, even if it saves your sanity. You want money left to be able to go on another vacation, so let’s look at some affordable ways to amuse yourself en route.

Solo amusements:

Low tech     

·         Bring along a good book or a few magazines. They won’t take up that much space and they will certainly keep you busy for a while, including those dreaded times when you must switch off all electronic devices.

·         Puzzle books are fun, can keep your brain active and can last for minutes or hours, depending on your attention span. I always have one of theseposh logic problem books with me, but they also have them in Sudoku, crosswords and more. They are compact and totally full of fun.

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Mid tech

·         Play games on your phone on airplane mode. This may or may not take you through your whole flight unless you have some back-up battery for it.

·         Watch a movie on your laptop/netbook, catch up on homework or do some regular work that doesn’t require the interwebs (because we all know that in-flight WiFi is crazy expensive for what it is).

·         Bring your favorite handheld gaming device – I’m partial to the Nintendo DS, but I’m hoping to also get a PS Vita at some point – and a few of your favorite games. This works for kids and husbands!

High tech

·         If you read a LOT, invest in an ebook reader like the Kindle or KindleFire. I am never sure what exactly I want to read or find that I finish a book in the middle of my trip, so I can carry thousands with me, as well as magazines, graphic novels and blogs in the space of a regular paperback.

·         Watch movies, play games or journal on your iPad/iPod. These are multipurpose gadgets that pretty much do everything to keep you entertained forEVER…or until your battery runs out.

Couple/Group Amusements

Low tech

·         A good deck of cards is versatile. Play rummy, go fish or any other number of games with your travel companions. There are also:

·         Card games. My favorites are Fluxx – it’s the game with ever-changing rules! – WeDidn’t Playtest This at All – a completely ridiculous and awesome game for up to 10 – and Zigityby Cranium – a game with multiple ways to win and great for little ones, too.

·         MagicInk activity books hold a special place in my heart. When I was little, my mom and I traveled often and always bought these for our plane trips. As an adult, I still think they are fun, but probably kids will like them more than adults. Purchase them before you get to the airport and you’ll save. While you can do them alone (hence the magic ink), they are always more exciting with more, especially if you get the one that is trivia or games.

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Mid tech

·         Another vote goes to watching a movie on your laptop or netbook. Two to three people can watch it if it is situated in the middle. It also eliminates having to watch the crummy movie they may be playing on the overheads.

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High tech

·         Go head-to-head in a heated Mario Kart race or similar when you use the WiFi connectivity of two or more DSdevices. You don’t need actual WiFi, just to be close enough together for each device to detect the other.

Of course, there are a billion other ways to amuse yourself on the plane, but these are inexpensive (unless you don’t own a laptop/iPad/handheld gaming device, though they make great investments) and are easy to pack, too. We have done all these things in our travels and find them to be tried and true ways to keep from becoming bored and have also started some good conversations with other travelers.

What’s your favorite way to pass the time on the airplane?

It’s Our Second Birthday! 8.13.12

Yes, it’s true: Shereen Travels Cheap is TWO today. I hope over this last year I’ve been able to help you travel better, more or cheaper. Bonus if I did all three! I’ve had some fun vacations this year and am planning more for this next year including a trip to Southern California, a possible trip to Vegas and a tentative trip for next fall either to London or New Orleans. Since we don’t really know what will be coming up for us in the next year, we have a back-up plan. Although, you never know how things will turn out and both of those trips might happen. I’ve also gotten several new travel writing gigs this year and hope to have even more in the near future.

I thought it would be fun, as always, to take a trip down memory lane and check out our top 5 most popular posts this year:

Creating Your Grab and Go Travel Bag – I’m always asked about packing and how to do it better or make it easier, and in some cases I’m asked how I am able to do it so well. The answer is in this post and practice, practice, practice. You can’t be afraid to leave something at home. Think back on trips you’ve taken in the past and what items were never used or worn. Those are the first to leave out of your bag.

Morocco For Less Cash-O – All puns aside, everyone dreams of taking exotic vacations to far-off lands. I know I do. Morocco just seems like a place of magic and wonder to me, and I see I’m not the only one!

Ack! I Missed My Flight! (JetBlue is Pretty Awesome) – I guess I’m not the only one who figures that random things happen and also happen on random airlines, so marking JetBlue down for something that may have been out of their control was not necessary. I mean, all their other flights turn out just fine and I had a fantastic experience my first time out and love, love, love their customer service. It rocks.

Frugal Guatemalan Adventures – South America is always a budget traveler’s paradise. You can do more, see more, eat more, stay longer and spend so much less! You’re also guaranteed a whole new travel experience from your traditional “let’s go to Disneyland” trip.

Following the Torpedo of Truth – Yes, Charlie Sheen was everywhere this past year, including Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus and New York City. Even you weren’t sick of hearing about his misadventures and figuring out how to get tickets to his shows and where to go to save money on the rest of your trip. With his new show Anger Management doing so well, it seems he doesn’t have too much to rant about these days. You know, except for how Twitter doesn’t help him and he’s quitting it – for now. That’s not so much a rant though...

I hope you all are as excited as I am for this next year and looking forward to more awesome travel tips, destination overviews, amazing travel products and my wins and losses whn it comes to my own vacations. What do YOU have in store for yourselves this year?

48 Fun Hours on a Budget in Los Angeles 8.11.12

In this blog series I show you how easy it is to budget travel anywhere and I also give you a quick overview of a new city each time in a brief 48-hour itinerary.

So, when you think of LA travel planning do you just say “Disneyland. Done!” and move on with your life? Well, that’s cool and all, but Anaheim isn’t really Los Angeles and there’s so much more to do there beyond the Mouse. Let’s talk about what you would do with two days in the Los Angeles/Hollywood area either as a standalone trip or as an addition to a trip to Anaheim (like I’ll be doing next month). I am going to definitely suggest buying a GoCard for this trip. $110 per 2-day card is going to save you and also give you a chance to see SO MUCH more.

This photo of Roscoe's House of Chicken & Waffles is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Day 1

Start your day off right with protein and carbs…at the affordable American classic Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles. I’m pretty sure anytime is a good time for fried chicken. For those of you who are wrinkling their noses, you don’t have to get chicken. You can just get breakfast foods for breakfast and save even more.

Do something totally touristy and take a guided bus tour of movie star homes. It’s funner than driving around yourself with one of those rip-off star maps and you can even make friends on the bus! Your knowledgeable guide will take you on a 2-hour tour of celebrity homes, LA hotspots and not-to-miss destinations for you to get photos of. Without your GoCard, you would pay $49 per person.

This photo of Hollywood Museum is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Love Hollywood Memorabilia? Head over to the Hollywood Museum after your tour and see an amazing array of Hollywood costumes and props. Over 10,000 on display, including Cary Grant’s Rolls Royce, Marilyn Monroe’s dresses and Indiana Jones’ bullwhip. I would allow a few hours here, in case you get sucked in by the awesomeness. Regular admission is just $15.

Hit up another historic place for lunch. Mel’s Drive-In is literally steps from the Hollywood Museum and offers up classic staples for decent prices and throwback atmosphere. They serve up big portions, so if you’re still stuffed from your waffle breakfast, maybe split something with your travel partner. Look to spend about $20 per person with tip.

Walk off your calories by wandering just a block up the street to the Kodak Theater. Get a behind the scenes look at this famous building from your guide who will take you on a 30-minute tour. So many awards shows have been filmed here and you will get so see who sat where and what big names performed on stage! This tour would normally cost you $15.

This photo of Red Line Tours - Hollywood Behind-the-Scenes is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Do more walking and see the Hollywood Stars by getting in on walking tour by Red Line. The Hollywood Behind-the-Scenes Tour gives you a personal headset, so you can always hear your tour guide, and gives you the history of the city, but shows you some of the most famous sites in town like Grauman’s Chinese Theater, the Walk of Fame and the Roosevelt Hotel! Pay separately and it will cost you $24.95.

By now you’re probably tired of walking, so go freshen up and change into something a little less casual and splurge on dinner at The London West Hollywood where you can dine on delicious entrees dreamed up by Gordon Ramsay at the Boxwood. Make sure you’ve made reservations ahead of time on OpenTable, so you aren’t turned away. It’s spendy and you may be shelling out around $40 per plate, but it receives rave reviews from diners.

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Day 2

Toss your swim suit in your bag and drive out to Santa Monica early in the morning and sit down to a downright cheap breakfast at Café Crepe. For just $9 you can get a plate heaped full of morning goodies, including eggs the style you choose and honey coconut crepes. Sounds divine to me!

It’s time to check out some awesome scenery of Santa Monica and Beverly Hills on a double decker bus. The Hop-On Hop-Off bus starts in Santa Monica and will take you on a fantastic tour of Rodeo Drive, Marilyn Monroe’s gravesite, Fox Studios, 3^rd Street Promenade and more! The Yellow Loop takes 2 hours to complete, but you can get on and off anywhere along the way to see more and take photos. Usually, a seat on this bus would set you back $40.  

This photo of Pacific Park is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Walk along the pier while you enjoy the scenery and then get down to Pacific Park where you can ride the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel and a handful of other fun rides. There’s only a dozen, but they are definitely worth your admission. Try your luck at midway games if you have some spare money to spend. Where else, outside of the State Fair, can you play these things?! Usual admission is $22.95.

If it’s warm enough, get some sun in on the beach or while you browse the shops lining the sand, then get yourself something horribly bad for you at the park to eat for lunch that you can enjoy on a bench and watch people go by.

After your meal of funnel cakes and corn dogs (or whatever else seemed appealing at the time), go visit the cute little Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. It only costs $5 to get in and is only home to 100 species, but you can’t beat it for a frugal attraction at the beach. It’s the perfect activity if you’re traveling with little ones, but also fun to just duck in and put your hands in the touch tank and ask the knowledgeable staff any questions you have about marine life. On Sundays they have a bunch of shark-related activities.

This photo of Venice Canals Walkway is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Jump in the car and drive the 4 miles to Venice to walk the Venice Canals. Originally meant to be an exact replica of Venice, Italy, only some of the canals still exist. This is certainly a unique tourist attraction that I’ve actually just recently heard about. Not only can you cross the bridges over the water, but you can see some of the most impressive houses in the LA area. It costs nothing to enjoy the scenery, so imagine you’re rich and in Italy, then go find dinner.

Continue feeling like you’re in Italy at the C&O Trattoria with great open-air dining at great prices. An average pasta dinner here will cost you around $16 and it’s like everyone is celebrating all the time. It’s not a spot for a romantic meal, but a great place to enjoy heaping helpings and good times. Sing along with the waiters and eat as many garlic rolls as you can. Make sure you don’t fall asleep on your drive back to the city.

What do you think? Sounds like two days may just not be enough for a Los Angeles getaway, but at least you’ll never be bored! Your GoCard would save you a good $62 off this trip per person and has even more activities to add if you want to really pack your days full of LA goodness. We’ll be buying a 5-day card and using it to also get into Legoland, Universal and Knott’s Berry Farm for way less! If a two-day trip sounds right up your alley, this trip would cost you around $220 per person, which makes for a very doable escape.

Do you have a favorite attraction, activity or restaurant that I missed?