Super Useful Travel Posts

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Happy Friday! Can you believe June is almost over? It seems like it was just June 1st and now it’s the 21st. How’d that happen? Maybe I’ve been having so much fun planning my trip to Vegas that the time just slipped by. Somehow, I don’t think that’s all of it, but that just means it’s time for me to show you the fun stuff I found over the last few weeks.

Have you ever bought luggage at the airport? Seems a bit odd, right? It’s no secret that I love to shop at the airport, but I’ve yet to buy a bag of any kind while there. I did once by a carry-on while in my last days of vacation in order to bring goodies back from Europe, but even when my wheel broke on a bag, I just suffered until I got home and replaced it after some comparison shopping. So, if you also wonder who buys luggage at the airport, Harriet Baskas from Stuck At The Airport has an enlightening article about it.

Photo credit

Do you hate it when you have a nice manicure or pedicure on your vacation and two days in you chip it? I know this irritates me all the time. I either take a bottle with me of matching polish or just go au natural. This new pen can help you fix your chippy nails and also save space in your 3-1-1 bag. LAQA & CO. knows that we like to keep our fingers and toes looking great no matter where we are. You can also slip it into your purse when not traveling.

Photo credit: Smarter Travel

Sitting on the airplane can make you all stiff and cranky. You can’t very well get up and do jumping jacks, and even if you could, you probably wouldn’t, because it’s weird, right? It’s a good idea to stretch and move around when on flights, long or short. You don’t want to annoy your neighbors or make people stare at you though, so why not try these suggestions from Smarter Travel for in-flight exercises that aren’t totally embarrassing.

Almost everyone loves the beach. If you are taking a trip to Europe this year and think that all the beaches you know about will be bursting with sunbathers, you’re probably right. That’s why you need to find a lonely stretch of sand to call your own. Travel + Leisure brings you Europe’s Secret Beaches, which may not be a secret for much longer now that they’ve let the cat out of the bag, so pack your suit and sunscreen and plan a few days near the water and soaking up the rays.

If you have been sad that you have to go all the way to Orlando to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you can now look forward to a cheaper trip (for us West Coasters) when it opens at Universal Studios Hollywood at some future undetermined date.

Are you a vegan traveler and have problems finding places to eat when you go on a trip? Chicago Tribune brings you the top 10 most vegan-friendly cities. Surprise! Portland is on this list, but actual surprises are Las Vegas and Austin, Texas.

Summer weather isn’t always sunny and hot. And sometimes it’s too sunny and too hot. For unpredictable summers, take a trip to one of the 10 best indoor water parks brought to you by Tripomatic. Personally, I have Germany’s Tropical Islands on my list, because it looks super cool. 

As always, I hope you enjoyed some of these posts I've found. If you've found anything fun that's travel-related, feel free to share in the comments.

Gevalia: A Coffee to Travel With

We are coffee drinkers. At home, that's pretty easy to deal with, because we have our Keurig* brewer in the kitchen and all-day coffee at work. When we travel, you don't have too many options, especially if you're trying to stay on a budget. Going to the coffee shop every morning is not an option if you want to save money. Most hotels and vacation rentals have a coffee machine, but the blend they supply you with is some of the cheapest coffee available. It can get you through, but it's definitely not high-quality. You do have a third option, and that is to bring your own coffee. We have started doing this, because we almost always have breakfast in our accommodation.

Wat's the point of all this coffee-talk? So, I can tell you about an awesome coffee brand that you can enjoy at home and on-the-road. It's so yummy, you'll find yourself making room in your carry-on bag to be able to pack it. It's not just perfect for breakfasts on your trip, but the rich flavor complements any treats you pick up at the bakery or that dessert you were too full to finish off, but had to order anyway. (You know who you are.)

Dessert-inspired birthday wrapping

This past weekend, we had a group party where we celebrated three birthdays, a graduation and Father's Day. (There were a lot of gifts involved!) My part was desserts, because I love to bake, and I decided to make something special for each person we were celebrating. And what goes best with dessert? Coffee! That's what! I stopped by Safeway to get everything I needed, including some chocolate mocha Gevalia. Chocolate goes better with more chocolate after all. As soon as I unpacked all my goodies, my mother-in-law made a point of saying "That's my favorite coffee!" And it's no wonder. Gevalia is bold, never bitter and full of rich flavor. It was the ideal partner to each goody I made. 

While I was at Safeway getting my baking essentials, I grabbed a box of new Gevalia Keurig® K-Cup®* coffee for home, too. The Swedes really know how to make their coffee, but I suppose that makes sense - They've been doing it since 1853. Their experts pick the best beans, cast-iron roast them, grind them super-fine and the result is a delicious, delicious coffee experience. Want to see my final dessert buffet?

Salted Caramel Brownies and Espresso Cupcakes

Carrot Cake Roll, Smores Pops and Lemon Basil Poundcake

The desserts were a big hit (surprise!), but the coffee was also a favorite and I'll be finding some room in my carry-on for it on my big trip to London and Paris this fall. Not only because I love, love, love to start my day off with an awesome cup of coffee, but also because most accommodations there don't include coffee and I can't afford to buy one every day for two weeks - a cup can run you $5-6 at a cafe or even a corner coffee shop. Multiply that by two of us and we could eat two (or more) actual meals out instead. Gevalia's richness will add a new level to the quick meals we make ourselves and help us start our days off right. 

Fun opening gifts

Maybe one of our future trips to Europe will take us to Gavle, Sweden where we can tour the factory and sample more premium blends made by the pros. (You  might see a 48 hours post soon!) In the meantime, we can sip our own steamy mugs and imagine what that vacation will be like. It will be a staple at all of our future get togethers, too. Not only was it fun to gather everyone for food and gifts, but it's always lovely to catch up with family and good friends. So, next time you're at Safeway, or your favorite local food store, stop by the coffee aisle, pick up some Gevalia and invite a friend over to catch up. And buy an extra bag for your upcoming trip.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

*Kraft Foods is not affiliated with Keurig, Inc. KEURIG and K-CUP are registered trademarks of Keurig, Inc. 

My Disneyland Paris Wish List

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Well, I'm on schedule. We officially have airfare to London and Paris, so this fall is going to be an amazing traveling experience. If you missed my last wish list posts, you can view my London list and my Paris list. Though we have been to Disneyland Paris before, we were rushed and only had one day to see both parks. Now there are new things to see and do and we are taking 3 days to see it all, including exploring Disney Village. I'm super excited for this trip, as you can imagine. Here are some of the things I consider must-see highlights at Disneyland Paris and the surrounding area.

This photo of Disneyland Paris is courtesy of TripAdvisor

In the dungeon of Sleeping Beauty's castle lies the dragon. It breathes fire, even! It's one of the coolest things we've seen at a theme park and we definitely won't be missing this when we go back.

This photo of Disneyland Paris is courtesy of TripAdvisor

You know how I love a Halloween Party. Well, Disneyland Paris has one, too, though it's only one night. If I can get tickets, we're going to dress up and be there to see special parades, fireworks and shows.

This photo of Disneyland Paris is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Everyone loves Space Mountain, but Space Mountain Mission 2 is a whole other adventure. It's a traditional roller coaster that goes upside down. It's crazy fun and worth waiting in line for...though the line is still never as long as the original ride at Disneyland.

This photo of Disneyland Paris is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Cars Land is a thing in Paris, too. We're hoping it's less crowded than California and we can enjoy it more this time. Don't you love Luigi and Guido?

This photo of Walt Disney Studios Park is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Instead of just a show, Crush has his own ride! It looks a lot like the Matterhorn, but we love that ride, so we are excited to test it out.

This photo of Walt Disney Studios Park is courtesy of TripAdvisor

I wish Disneyland also embraced more of the Toy Story franchise. We're going to be getting on the new (to us) RC Racers, Slinky Dog Coaster and Army Men Parachute Drop.

This photo of Walt Disney Studios Park is courtesy of TripAdvisor

No trip to Disney is complete without a few meals out. I've read such good things about the Earl of Sandwich, though it won't be the only place we eat at Disney. I'm looking forward to making reservations for some actual sit-down restaurants, too.

This photo of Disney Village is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Have you been to Disneyland Paris? Did you have a favorite ride?