My Tucson Wish List

I know we're all travel-deprived. I can feel it in my bones. Every day that I don't have a trip planned has a sense of everlasting doom. Now that Covid boosters are becoming available and kids are able to get vaccinated, I'm really feeling like we're on the track to getting out of pandemic and into endemic territory, so I've done what I do best and have started planning in earnest again.

Listen, I know I won't die from not getting to travel, but it's also a thing I need that makes me happy. I have been doing really well and being a safe and practical as possible, but next year is the year I get back on a plane. I will have gotten a booster by then and in early January, Eric, my mom, and I will get on a plane and head to Tucson. We lived there for 13 years and Eric has never been there, so this will be a quick trip to introduce him to things we loved and experience things together we never got to do. Believe me, after 23 years away, I have a list.

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Biosphere 2

Have you seen that great movie Bio Dome with Pauly Shore? (If not, you totally should.) This is the actual real life version of that, but without the partying. Biosphere started as a way to see if man could create independent ecosystems in an enclosed sphere. It worked and now you can take tours of Biosphere 2 and learn all about how it is used for research and education.

Photo by mohammed alorabi on Unsplash

Reid Park Zoo

I've been to a lot of zoos and there are few that stand out, like San Diego Zoo and the Honolulu Zoo. While we have a large, sprawling zoo here in Portland, I miss the more relatable, easier to navigate zoo in Tucson and am looking forward to how much it has changed.

Photo by Dan Cutler on Unsplash

Old Tucson & Tombstone

If you're a fan of westerns - and even if you're not, because I definitely fall into the not category - you'll love seeing where some of them were filmed. Old Tucson has been a staple in western filmmaking forever, and though the sets have burned down more than once, they have always been rebuilt to bring more to the entertainment industry and to give tourists a thrill.

Tombstone was considered one of the last boomtowns in the American frontier, and was one of the largest silver mining districts. It was also the site of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, which has been preserved for history, and is the site of daily reenactments for tourists.

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Sonoran Desert Museum

Learn about all the animals and plants and the landscape of the desert with a museum, interactive exhibits, and native animals at this great museum for the whole family. We went several times while living in Arizona and I, honestly, can't wait to go now that it won't be 4,000 degrees outside. 

Tucson Botanical Garden

I don't know if this is new or I just didn't know about it when I lived there, but the Botanical Garden is just that: a place to view all the interesting native plants of the region and marvel in how different they can be from everywhere else you've lived and visited. Now that I no longer live in the Southwest, I have had enough time to learn the appreciation for cactus and succulents like I never did when I was surrounded by them.

Photo by Andrew Ling on Unsplash

Stroll Around Downtown

We were always pretty busy and didn't have much interest in shopping outside of the mall when we lived in Tucson. In fact, it could get so hot out that we just waited until it got dark to do things, so going downtown was never high up on our list. On my last visit, we went down on a weekend and things were really hoppin', so I'm looking forward to checking out all those little boutiques and cafes. 

Eat All the food

We'll only be in town for 4 days, but that's enough time to stuff my face full of my favorite things and then try some new stuff. Just a few of the places I hope to eat are:

• Little Anthony's - our favorite 50s diner
• Magpies Pizza - you can't go wrong with pizza that's been named best in the city for two decades, and your taste buds still remember it
• Eegee's - an Arizona institution! They specialize in a drink that's sort of like if shave ice and a Slurpee had a baby. They have 3-4 regular flavors and then a flavor of the month, made with real fruit. We used to get a cooler of this for parties. Like, I considered driving an hour to get one that time the Travel Goods Show was in Phoenix
• Bobo's Restaurant - this was a highly recommended restaurant to replace my favorite breakfast place that has closed
• Tito & Pep - honestly, I kinda just want to go here for the mid-century modern decor, but the food sounds delish and it's supposed to be one of the best restaurants in the city
• 5 Points Market & Restaurant - you know I have to check out some great coffee places and this is one that just happens to have yummy food and baked goods
• Savaya Coffee Market - the Google reviews of this coffee shop are all amazing, plus it's right down the street from where we're staying in Oro Valley.

While I'm sure there are more food places I want to try or revisit, these are top of the list. 

I'm looking forward to finally getting to travel in earnest again and getting away when the weather here starts to feel intolerable 24/7. Tucson can be incredibly affordable and while it's cold and rainy or snowy everywhere else, it's between 60 and 70 degrees in January, meaning you can get by with a light jacket or cardigan over t-shirts. 

Have you been to Tucson? What are your favorite things to do or eat?

How To Pack for A Weekend Getaway

Most travelers aren’t content never taking a vacation or even slaving away all year to wait for their annual trip. In fact, aside from the usual two weeks, it’s hard to make it through day-to-day without getting away a few other times throughout the year. We tend to take a few days here and there a couple times a year. You might not think you have the funds to do it, but if you step back and take a look at your travel style you can find ways you can cut corners, meaning you’ll need a smaller budget to fund these long weekends. There are plenty of ways to save money, no matter where you go or how you get there. 

Inspo on Polyvore

When you fly to your destination, one of the easiest ways to save – time and money – is by traveling carry-on only. You don’t need much for a few days, which means you can pack quickly, skip the airline counter check-in and ignore the baggage carousel upon arrival. I always have a packing list to help me keep the number of items down and also to make sure I don’t forget any of the essentials. I know when I get to my destination I can probably buy whatever I missed packing, since a weekend getaway isn’t going to take me that far from home (like, I probably am not going to Bali or Columbia), but I’m adamantly against spending money for things I already have. Here’s how to build your packing list:

Instead of even travel-size shampoo/conditioner, these samples can work for a weekend getaway

Normally, I take this 3oz hand cream, but these two sample packs are more than enough for 3 days

Save those samples

I know I’m not the only one that has a bag full of samples and trial-size health and beauty items. Every purchase I make from Sephora or other department store makeup counters comes with mini sizes of beauty products. I also sign up for many freebies online. When I travel, I go through and see what I can use and then pack it in my 3-1-1 or toiletry bag. I’m never going to use a full-size thing on a two-week trip, much less just a few days, so there’s no point bringing a whole container of anything, be it toothpaste, moisturizer or shampoo.

Pare down your beauty routine

Even with all your travel-size items, it still smart to take less. If you have an extensive morning routine at home, see what you can just get away with. I don’t load up on the makeup normally, so I figure there’s no point in taking a bunch of unnecessary items that I’ll probably not use. I know when I wake up I’m going to do the bare minimum so I can hurry up and get on with my day. Four or five products are all I need: moisturizer, foundation, powder, blush and mascara (optional). See what things you can do without. If you are an eye makeup kinda girl, look for makeup palettes that have everything you need in a neat little package, so you don’t have to pack everything separately.

Decant, decant, decant

Sometimes you can't find samples of your fave products, but you don't need to waste space by bringing even a large travel-size container. In this case, I say decant. Eric has a fantastic shave cream from Kiehl's, but it takes very little for each use, so I put some in a travel pot and kept the actual container at home. This makes it doubly perfect for traveling.

Pack multipurpose items

I love it when things do more than one thing. Cheek tint that is also a lip stain. Tinted moisturizer with SPF instead of sunscreen, moisturizer and foundation. A maxi skirt that can also be worn as a dress. A tablet for games, books, email and internet. All these things are perfect companions for your carry-on bag, because they take up less space.

My previous summer Vegas attire: shorts, capris, dress, 3 tops, fancy sandals and a
pair of  ballet flats (to be worn on the plane)

Mix and match

As always, when you coordinate all your clothing, it’s super easy to pack in a carry-on. Two bottoms and three tops can mix and match to make SIX outfits. That’s way more than you’ll need for a long weekend. Don’t forget that what you wear in transit can also be rotated in as needed. And shoes! You should take two pair – max. Make sure they are both comfortable enough to walk in all day. I had a coworker who told me that she had 16 pairs of shoes she wanted to take with her to Mexico on a four day trip. Sixteen! I don’t even think that many shoes would fit in my carry-on and if they did, there would be no room for anything else, except maybe socks and underwear. Her trip was for a wedding, so aside from what she needed for the ceremony, she could have survived with a sun dress, a pair of shorts, her bathing suit and some flip flops. Learning to pack efficiently is important and can save you a ton.

That’s it. Think about what you truly need with you for three or four days and be realistic. Don’t play the “what if” game. What if I go out to a fancy dinner? What if it gets really cold? What if I want to go clubbin’? Did you plan for those things? Do you normally just change plans at the last minute? Sometimes it seems like it might be harder to pack for a short trip than a long one, but with some practice, it can be super simple. Just think, if you don’t bring something that you thought you could live without, by the time you miss it, you’ll probably already be back home.

Yup, that's my actual packing list!

My next trip will be a 4-night stay in Vegas to visit the Travel Goods Show and hang out with some friends. My bag is already packed and it consists of one pretty slim backpack that fits my clothes, toiletries, laptop and snacks. I've packed 4 tops, a pair of joggers and a t-shirt for pajamas, and a spare pair of shoes. 

Since the weather will be pretty mild during the day and chilly in the evening, I think one pair of jeans will do me. I'll be wearing a cardigan on my flight that will work for all the tops in my bag, so I'll be set for layering as well. I skipped my bathing suit, because I know me and I won't end up using it. There's no point in wasting space.

I even have a spare tote that I can use for any items that I pick up on my trip. That way I don't have to bring a bigger bag I don't want to carry and could overpack, plus it can be used as a shopping bag or laundry bag during my stay. I'll be carrying the smallest purse I can get away with, just so I don't have extra bulk.

What are some of your favorite ways to travel light?

Saving On Your Next Road Trip

Are you planning a road trip? With demand for gas up and price up along with it, you may be thinking it's not entirely affordable. Well, we traveled well on our road trip and though gas prices varied widely across 3 states (it was still between $3.79 and $4.69/gallon) we didn't feel like we were paying more. I also found a great gem of an app to save on gas through cash back. 

If you've been following me for a while, you know how much I love cash back apps. Get Upside is no different. I was able to find participating stations much of the time when we needed to stop for gas and I'm building my balance to cash out without a penalty (the threshold only $15), though you can cash out at any time you like.

Here's how it works:

• Sign up for free (but if you use my link or promo code: SHEREEN2633 you can get a bonus of 15 extra cents per gallon on your first gas purchase).
• When you need gas, open the app and see participating stations near you. You'll be able to see how much gas is and how much you'll save per gallon. 
• Choose the station by clicking on the claim button.
• You'll have 3-4 hours to get gas to redeem your offer (each participating station only has a limited amount of claims to be made).
• Once you arrive at your station - the app can also give you directions - you will need to check in. Sometimes this is just clicking the check-in button in the app and sometimes you have to put in partial credit card information for them to verify your purchase.
• That's it. Your cash back will be added within a day or two.

I received between 7 cents and 23 cents off per gallon while road tripping, which doesn't sound like much, but it can really add up. If you find yourself on a route that may have iffy cell service, remember that you will have, on average, 3 hours to complete your offer, so before you head into a dead zone, search for deals, claim one that seems doable, and then you're set for when you get there.

I'm sure you're thinking "70 cents is all good, but it's not really going to save me enough to make a difference on my trip." You might be right, though if you're filling up 10 times on a trip, that's several free gallons of gas. Also, Get Upside has now added hundreds of restaurants to their app that average 7% cash back. And soon, there will be grocery stores and convenience stores added as well, saving you on those snacks, cooler staples, and meal items for your destinations.

I know it'll take a little extra effort to get a bit of a deal on much of your trip, but it can be worth it. The person not driving can have the job of finding the stations and calling out directions for your trip. 

What are some of your favorite travel apps? 

Disclaimer: when you sign up with my link, I get a bonus just like you get a bonus. Thanks in advance for helping us both.