Budget Valentine's Day in Paris

It's that time again: Valentine's Day is coming! I’m sure some of you are racking your brains still for things to buy your Sweetheart. If you had a plan and are totally prepared, why not start thinking about a romantic getaway later in the year or even as an anniversary, birthday or next Valentine’s Day “Wow” vacation? I’m talking, of course, about the most romantic city in the world: Paris. While others may disagree with this title, I think more people than not still want to travel to France to see what they’ve been missing all this time. From the sidewalk cafes to Notre Dame, Paris is really a magical city. There’s so much to see and do that even if you don’t find it extremely romantic, you will find it extremely tourist friendly, with something to see or do around every corner.

The only drawback to this great city? Price. Paris can be very spendy if you don’t plan out your trip ahead of time. And don’t let the fact that Euros sound cheaper than British Pounds fool you. Currently, the dollars to Euros exchange rate is 1.09 : 1, meaning 1 Euro = $1.09. This is the best rate in years, making Paris super affordable as it is almost the same as the dollar. 9% is much better than the 30-40% it has been when we have visited, so if Paris is on your wish list, I'd suggest visiting sooner rather than later.

Spring, Fall and Winter are good times to travel to France. Anything, but Summer, really. Fall and Winter are going to be the least expensive times and also the least crowded. While shops and museums may be open shorter hours, you will be able to do more than you would in Summer, since tourists are sparse. Another upside: The air will have a chill, meaning you and your sweetie will spend a considerable amount of time snuggled together for warmth.

If you plan to do any real sightseeing in Paris, you should get yourself a Paris Pass. For one reasonable price, you can then skip the lines at many attractions, such as the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre, and go right in. In fact, over 60 attractions are included with your Paris Pass, making it the most valuable thing you can take with you, besides your passport and loved one. Gain entrance to 55 museums and monuments (unfortunately, the Eiffel Tower is not included), amazing attractions, like the Seine River Cruise, unlimited travel on the metro, buses and RER within Central Paris, an awesome guidebook and coupons for dining and shopping.

Just looking to take a few relaxing days out wandering the streets? Well, that’s a great way to save money, especially since there are so many things to walk around and see without having to pay entrance fees. Stroll the Champs de Elysee, take pictures of the Arc and the outside of Notre Dame, cross the bridges over the Seine, buy a baguette or crepe from a street vendor, enjoy the sculptures outside of the Louvre and on and on. 

photo credit

One of my favorite memories, which may seem odd, was our trip to Pere Lachaise Cemetery. Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Marcel Proust and other notable historical figures have been buried here. It’s free to enter and they’ll even give you a map to guide you around. There is a donation box, and I suggest tossing in a couple of Euros, just for being able to walk among the mausoleums, tombstones and memorials. It’s simply amazing, the money and craftsmanship that went into the houses of the dead. We spent around three hours walking up and down the pathways and taking pictures of the magnificent structures and reading about those who were buried there and didn’t even see half of the grounds. It’s definitely a cheap day, but also very interesting. I plan to make another trip when I return. (Kudos to my husband for planning that day and including the cemetery, otherwise I would never have seen it.)

It’s pretty easy to get around town on public transportation. While it’s not as easy as it is in London and other big cities, mostly just because there aren’t as many stops, it’s still a great way to get from one place to another and also get your walking and exercise in once you arrive at your destination. Paris is a wonderful walking city. With everything to see, you won’t even realize how many miles you’ve put on your walking shoes…until you finally decide to sit down and get lunch somewhere. If you don’t invest in a Paris Pass, get yourself a daily or weekly Metro pass. It will save you money from buying each pass individually and make it much easier to keep track of.



Find delicious places to eat on a budget! This one is so easy, I wish I had the options last time I was there. Food can really add up, especially if, like me, you didn’t do your homework and assumed there would be amazing food everywhere you turned. Unfortunately, it wasn’t so. Check out these options for finding and booking meals in Paris and saving money while doing it!

• Book a Table: Not only can you make reservations online with Book a Table, but you can see diner reviews, menus, get big discounts and accrue points for each reservation you complete to earn your way to a free dining certificate. Even if you’re already in the city and want to have lunch in an hour, make your reservation just to get the points credited to your account when you check in.
• Groupon: Sign up for this deal-a-day site and get emails each day with the new deal. It can be entertainment, dining, personal services, shopping or more. The point is, there is plenty that Groupon has to offer that might be relevant and useful to your trip. Many of the selections are 50% off, so already that’s a significant saving on one aspect of your travel day.
• Eat on the street. Paris is full of food carts and much of that food is better than any sit-down restaurant and is a fraction of the price. Do yourself a favor and get a tasty baguette sandwich while walking around. And don't miss out on crepes and French cup of coffee. Just remember these words: Un café au lait, s'il vous plaît. 

So, you didn’t already plan a getaway or buy a gift and you can’t put together a trip to Paris in two weeks? What’s that? You’re not made of money? Don’t worry. Most of us aren’t, which is why this blog exists. So, for those of you that need a little help to stretch your dollars further, I'll be posting deals on Facebook and Twitter in the coming weeks, and next week I'll have a post on romantic staycations. 

In the meantime, check out the 10 best budget boutique hotels in Paris from MrandMrsSmith and GlobalGrasshopper's list of 10 best budget hotels in Paris. I totally want to stay in all of these and the rates are super reasonable. Of course on our last trip we opted for a cute Airbnb that was close to the Metro. 

Do you have plans to visit Paris in the future?

Mermaids Are Real in Weeki Wachee

It's been 20 or more years since I've watched a special on the Travel Channel on the mermaids of Weeki Wachee. For those of you who don't know, this is in Florida and it's a kitschy roadside attraction that's been a landmark since the 1960s. I was so interested in these ladies who could stay underwater and do tricks and swim like mermaids that it was put on my life list of things to see. I had no idea where Weeki Wachee was, but since we were doing a fall trip to Florida, I decided to look at it on the map. I was amazed that it was somewhat on the way from Orlando to St. Petersburg, so we planned to use our day driving between the two to make a stop there. 

There's nothing much that sets Weeki Wachee apart from other small Florida towns. It's bigger than I expected and had quite a few big box stores, but right at the edge of town you'll see big signs for the "Live Mermaids" turn-off. Had you not known it was there, you'd probably think it was a little odd. There's no missing this attraction though. 

When we rolled up, there were hardly any cars in the parking lot, but walking up, it was hard to understand why, as the beautiful fountain in the front was very beautiful and welcoming. I was really excited to get inside. Unfortunately, much of the park was under construction, which was not specified on the website, and the activities inside didn't run as often as the schedule available before we arrived. This didn't deter me though, because I was here to see mermaids. 

We had just missed the first mermaid show, so we decided to see what else was available. Usually, there is a beach and small waterpark that you can visit, but they were refurbishing that. For a straight $13 admission price, that seems pretty cool to be included. There was also an animal show, which I was not about to leave without seeing. It ran about 20 minutes and the guy running it brought out several animals native to the Florida area and was highly knowledgeable and funny. It was a great show for kids and even I learned some things. At the end, you have the chance to touch an alligator, which I eagerly waited for with a few of the kids. They're very soft, but you can feel the power in their tails, even a small one like the one you see above. 

One of the big draws of Weeki Wachee is the included river boat tour down the Weeki Wachee River. It runs all day and lasts around 20 minutes. On the boat you will see fish and beautiful scenery. You may also see gators, manatee, kayakers, eagles and other cool stuff. 

We were lucky to catch a glimpse of a pair of bald eagles. How awesome, right?

The water is crystal clear and you can see almost everything in it.

There are a few places to sit and get something to eat. The Galley was the one open when we were there, so in between shows we went inside and ordered a drink and some nachos while we relaxed, looked at a map to see what was in between Weeki Wachee and our final destination and if there were any discounts we could use on the rest of our trip. There's a decent variety of foods, drinks and desserts available at the Galley at reasonable prices. When it's warm out, there's also outdoor seating.

We couldn't pass up a fun photo op, especially when it was becoming a mermaid! How can you not? I'm not saying we make great mermaids, but it was hilarious and we had a good time doing it and goofing off.

And then it was time for the mermaid show!

The mermaid theater was small, but could seat several hundred people. All seats are good and have the ability to see everything going on in the water. While you wait, you can enjoy videos of the older shows that have been performed there, including the original shows in the 60s.

Because we were visiting in the off-season, the show was fairly short (around 20-30 minutes) and only featured two ladies and a man. You can see the mermaids perform in tails and also in other costumes. In between the separate themed performances, you learn (and see) how the "mermaids" are able to rise, sink and stay in one place while underwater. They tell you about the tank, the air hoses and the changing station (kind of like the backstage area where the mermaids change outfits). Then you are treated to some of their visual tricks, like drinking a bottle of soda while underwater.

The skill it takes to be a Weeki Wachee mermaid is pretty involved. I could never do it, but then I'm not great at underwater things and am not fond of things like diving. It's impressive seeing them do their shows while not freaking out and not getting tangled in their breathing hoses. Here's a quick video of the mermaids in action:

Even though I was disappointed with the length of the show, I can't complain since I was the one who visited during the off-season. We were blessed with little to no crowds throughout the park though, which I doubt would happen anytime during the summer. It's something I can cross off the list of awesome things I've wanted to see in life and I would even go back again. For the price of admission, I'd definitely recommend it, especially if you're traveling with little kids who would be amazed by seeing a "real live" mermaid. At the end of the show, they can visit with a mermaid and get their picture taken with her.

Have you been to a cheesy roadside attraction that you loved?

Coffee, Cranberries and Chocolate

If you thought Epcot's Food & Wine Festival was just about getting your extra money for trying all the fun foods from around the world, you might be surprised. While that is the big part of the festival, they also want to educate visitors on nutrition, growing and harvesting. Each year they tend to focus on different things, but they tend to present things that are universally appealing. The great thing about these extras are that they are included in your admission and often give out freebies.

I love learning new things, especially about food, because...FOOD! If I eat it, it's fun to know where it comes from. Epcot knows that education and awareness helps people make better and more informed decisions about the things they buy, so even though you're excited to get to the Greece kiosk to get all that delicious baklava in your face, take a few minutes to check out these other areas and wander around the Festival Center, too.

I'm a fan of a great cup of coffee. Of course I was going to check out this little set-up that takes me from plant to cup. Not only is the area beautiful looking, but you can also get up close and personal with actual coffee plants to see what your beans look like. And there's that guy standing there to answer any questions you may have. He knows all about the coffee-growing process, so ask away.

There are always great signs with a bunch of cool info on them, which will probably answer a lot of questions for you if the expert on the scene is otherwise engaged - I find this is hardly a problem, since most people are too busy eating and drinking to stop at these areas. 

Here are a few things I learned here: All those green sprouts on the map above are where coffee is grown in the world. it shouldn't be surprising that almost all of it is on, or close to, the equator. The darker the roast, the less caffeine you're actually getting, because it takes longer to roast. So, when you order your double-espresso to wake up in the morning, just know that it's not hugely different from decaf. This is also why the dark roast cost more than the lighter roasts. Want to taste it for yourself? There's a coffee stand nearby and the expert is more than happy to give you a coupon to make it little cheaper.

What do you know about cranberries? They're sweet and tart and taste good in vodka? Sure, but if, like me, the most you know is that and whatever you see on those cranberry commercials, this set-up was fascinating. Apparently, cranberries grow on bushes (the very bushes you see growing around this bog) and the bog is only flooded for a few days when they are ripe. The water causes the ripe berries to float to the top, so they can be easily harvested. I don't like cranberries, really, but I was insanely interested in the growing process. Nearby was a kiosk that would give you more info if you wanted and bags of samples of dried cranberries and covered cranberries, so you could enjoy what you just learned about.

Chocolate. Who doesn't love it? I barely know anyone and am a bit sad for the few people I know that are allergic to it. Inside the festival center there was a spot set aside for learning about the growing and harvesting processes of chocolate and cacao plant. Obviously, there is a Ghirardelli guy on-hand to answer your questions and give you some samples and coupons (because who doesn't want free chocolate?). 

This past year had a wonderful display of chocolate Disney scenes which were amazingly detailed, including this one from Frozen. It's all chocolate. Pretty amazing, right? There were several Star Wars themed ones, as well as the Jungle Book and others. I wouldn't even be able to do this with clay, but these masters could bend chocolate to their will and were talented enough to make it look like something awesome. It was crazy impressive and detailed. I wonder who gets to eat the mistakes. 

So, while you can spend your days at the Food & Wine Festival in Epcot stuffing your face and getting drunk (there is a never-ending supply of beer, wine and other libations), don't forget that these other freebies are there and can save you money, give you a great education on foods/beverages and are a fun way to pass the time while you wait for your small plates to digest. I love the chance to ask an expert about things, especially when there's not another line to stand in. Extra tip: The Festival Center has nice bathrooms that you usually don't have to wait for in the evening, plus it's usually deserted, so you don't have to fight the crowds to do a bit of shopping of festival merchandise and wine-related products.

Have you ever been to the Epcot Food & Wine Festival? If so, what was your favorite part?