Summer Travel Trends Infographic

Summer is in full swing and a lot of people are still planning vacations right now. In fact, many travelers are spending more on summer vacation this year than during the rest of the year, and some are taking more than one trip. Summer is family travel season, so even though solo travel is on the rise, it's more likely to take place throughout the rest of the year. See what other trends are "hot" right now:

Infographic by MDG Advertising

Where will you be going for summer vacation? Or where did you go already?

Happy Birthday, Harry Potter!

It's July 31st, which means it's Harry Potter's birthday! The boy wizard is getting a long celebration this year, as we had a great (annual) party this year and also participated in a local Wizarding Weekend last weekend. Over the next two weekends, we'll also be doing some other magical things, which you will be able to follow along to on Instagram, or you can wait for the post (but why wait? Or enjoy both!)

So, for the last two weeks I've been killing myself to put together my house and backyard for our 6th Annual Harry Potter party. This year's theme was Weasley Wizard Wheezes, so there was quite a lot of candy and high jinks.  

{You can click on these to see them bigger.}

In case you don't get it, this year I dressed as the Fat Lady who resides in the portrait that hides the entrance to Gryffindor tower. I found this amazing dress on Etsy and made my own headpiece and necklace. I got a lot of compliments, so I'm guessing I nailed it.

Eric brought back a previous character with an all new costume that I made for him. Ludo Bagman (who is banned from Weasley Wizard Wheezes) played an integral part in the twins' life during book 4, yet they persevered and were still able to open their crazy popular shop. 

Witches and wizards arrive to a feast made by the Hogwarts House Elves (don't worry, they get paid and vacation days). I choose the menu from the food and drink listed in all the books. This year we had pork loin, sprouts, buttered peas, sausage rolls and French onion cups (in honor of Kreacher's best soup). 

We also had chocolate frogs, peppermint toads, licorice wands, and all the sweets from the Skiving Snackboxes.

As always we gave out wands, but since The Wand Chooses the Wizard, it's a mystery until they pull it from the Ollivander cauldron. Then we sort. Everyone gets a pin with their House on it and then we divide everyone up into those respective houses so they can start competing for the House Cup. And everyone gets a goodie bag as a consolation prize.

If you want to see more pics from this party, go check out my Instagram. In the meantime, check out this video walk thru.

Do you like my new House Points board?

And congratulations to the Hufflepuffs who were able to break the 3-year winning streak of Gryffindor!

The cutest family! Colin Creevy, a tiny Luna, and a 50s Puff. Adorable!

On Sunday, we volunteered with the Harry Potter Alliance for their annual school supply drive. We also helped with a costume contest, selling buttons and gave out House Points for a Horcrux hunt throughout a school-turned-hotel.

Eric had Butterbeer, but I opted for this alcoholic Pumpkin Juice.

There was a small, but mighty (and super magical) Diagon Alley where I purchased some some awesome artwork from one of my favorite artists, Sarah Cosico. The hotel even had themed food and drink. 

So, that was my packed weekend. Are you doing (or did you do) anything for Harry's birthday?

How to Use Freebies to Make Your Trips Amazing(ly Affordable)

No matter where you go on vacation there are bound to be free things to see and do. These things are a great way to make your trip dollars go further and allow you to do even more.

As a fellow budget traveler, not only am I looking for fun and exciting stuff to do on my trips, I'm also looking for affordable ones. While I may want to cram as much in as possible, my bank account doesn't particularly allow it, so free things are an excellent way to pad out my schedule. If you know where to look, you can do the same.

Free museums

A few years ago, we visited San Diego, where Balboa Park is a huge resource for culture. We purchased an Explorer Pass for the museums there, because we knew we wanted to visit at least half of them. Several of these we're free anyway, but our pass gave them a piece of the profits as a donation when we visited, which we would have done anyway.

A lot of cities we've visited have had free museums, including large ones like London. Some only have certain free admission days, while others run on donations. Keep a couple bucks in your pocket to spare for those. I know it's technically not free this way, but two dollars is still way cheaper than $18+ that lots of museums charge to get in.

Parks

Got kids? This is a great way to give them a way to burn off excess energy and give you a bit of a break, but parks are awesome for adults too. Tons of large parks have more to see and do than just a playground. You might find a duck pond, sculpture garden, botanical garden, etc. Balboa Park is full of such things, plus wildlife, bocce ball courts and more.

Think ahead and get yourself a takeaway meal and enjoy it al fresco. You can't beat that, especially on beautiful days. Some hotels will loan you sports balls, bikes, or other ways to take advantage of the outdoor space. Don't be afraid to take them up on it.

Zoos

While most zoos cost an admission fee (some quite a hefty one), others are totally free. Check online to see what your destination zoo charges. 

If you have a zoo membership at home that participates in AZA, you might be able to use it elsewhere for free admission or at least a discount. Just don't forget your card. Same goes for children's museums and gardens. Some member benefits extend to travel.

Outdoor historical sites

We walk on vacation. A lot. So, I'm always looking for outdoor attractions and landmarks, like ruins, statues, historical walks and more. It's a fantastic way to learn more about the city and most of them are free. 

We went to Old Town San Diego and explored a cemetery that was discovered with radar equipment. We were able to read some of the stories of those people laid to rest there from old obituaries in the newspaper and from a history book (posted at the gravesites).

Street art

I love nothing more than an excellent mural or a street performer. You never know what you'll find around town, so keep your eyes peeled for cool stuff just waiting to be discovered. A lot of cities are partnering with local artists on beautification projects, so this is more and more common in downtown areas.

Think of how much money you can save by adding free things to your trip. You can do more and then put that extra money to a meal (or meals!) out to make it even more memorable. What are your favorite free things to do in a city?