Tag: National Park

Five Types of Suitcases You Absolutely Must Have

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Different trips call for different luggage. Here are a few suitcases I own that I adore and how I decide which I will use:

  1. Duffel bag. An overnight bag is like a little black dress for travelers. Everyone should have at least one. I like to use a duffel bag for this, I have three different ones. The key is to find one that has enough storage space as well as pockets on the inside and out to fit everything you need and keep it organized. In addition you can also use a large back pack or oversized purse.
  2. 15″ rolling under the seat luggage. For longer weekend trips, whether you are driving somewhere nearby, or flying out on business, a small rolling suitcase that can fit under an airplane seat is my favorite thing in the world. It is slightly smaller than carry on bags and fits under all airplane seats. Brandon and I both have one for short trips back to NJ to visit our families. The suitcase is roomy enough to fit everything we need yet compact enough to fit on smaller commercial airlines.
  3. Standard carry-on rolling bag. If you are like me and need to bring 3 pairs of shoes on every trip longer than 24 hours, the standard sized rolling bag is a great addition to your luggage collection. One reason I love this is because a standard sized commercial aircraft has room above your seat to store these. Modern technology has made me so lazy. I only fly on airlines I can check in from my phone so I can skip the lines at the gate. Very rarely do I ever check a bag. I hate standing in lines with people who don’t know how to navigate an airport or hardly ever fly. I am inpatient and love being able to get out of my car and walk directly to security so I can grab my Starbucks and relax once I get to the gate.  I hate standing in baggage claim waiting for airport employees to unload the plane and get me my luggage. I’ve also seen one too many suitcases lost or contents stolen in airports. If I can keep my possessions with me at all times I am a happy gal.
  4. Large sized luggage. Buy a nice large luggage bag with a good lock, and don’t skip out on the toiletry bag. When I am going on longer vacations like when we were in Hawaii for 2 weeks, I like to bring a large enough suitcase that I have everything I would need for one week including shoes. You’ll have to check your bag, unless you are lucky enough to live near an airport with curbside check in. In addition, you will need to stand around and wait for your luggage to get off the plane and you’ll run the risk of items being stolen. As long as you are careful, have a good lock on your bag, and pack smart you should be alright. Finger crossed and let’s hope that everything makes it home with you! Luggage sets are nice because they are usually roomy are made well, and come in a matching set which makes it easier to spot on the conveyer belt.
  5. Laptop bag. If you’re like me you’ll want to bring your laptop on the flight with you. I have a laptop bag in the form of a backpack which I found on Amazon. There is a ton of cushion so your laptop doesn’t get damaged and they are really nice and well made. I own the HFSX Vintage Laptop Backpack. You can buy ones with built in phone chargers and a place to store your phone, keys, wallet, and passport. Plus, it will fit under your seat.

Geniuspack.com is my favorite place to shop for luggage. They have great luggage that makes travel easy and organizing natural. Their hard side carryon is amazing. You can also find packing tips and lots of travel related gear other than luggage. You can all of the above INCLUDING universal travel adapters which work in 150 different countries. Another great thing to do if you can invest is to buy a luggage set that includes all of the pieces above. You will save money in the long run and everything will match (if you have OCD like me than that’s really important). Don’t forget to comment below with links to your favorite pieces of luggage and why.

 

Happy travels!

The Cone Heard Around the World

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IT STARTED OUT AS INNOCENT FUN.

In the fall of 2013 my dad convinced my mom to join us on a cross country road trip from New Jersey to Los Angeles in a C3 camper. I was stoked to be able to explore so much of the country that I have never seen. We were going to go to all of the big state parks in the north west like Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Badlands, Mount Rushmore, the Redwood national forest, and more. I could not wait to get out and see everything I had read about in social studies classes all through elementary school.

My dreams were crushed when two days into our trip. I was staying with my sorority sister from Ohio State on my parent’s anniversary and I got a news alert that the government had shut down. I was devastated. Not only were we not allowed in the parks now, but what was the point of driving all this way for nothing? We had only made it to Ohio so far and we were at least a day or two out from South Dakota depending on where we would stop to sleep. My parents picked me up the next morning, I was hung over, wearing the same clothes as the night before, and I probably smelled.

I went into the camper bathroom and tried to puke but couldn’t so I put my head phones in, sat in the passenger seat next to my dad and giggled to myself as I listened to “Iowa Stubborn” from the Music Man while we drove across Iowa (Don’t worry you can click the link to see what song I am talking about so you can laugh too). As beautiful as fly over states are, there is a reason when you are trying to get from point A to point B you fly. Highways in flyover states are seriously a drag. Although the first hour and a half was pretty entertaining, that shit gets old quick and you can only make so many “corny” jokes.

THINGS STARTED TO GET WEIRD.

We stopped briefly at the Corn Palace just to say that we did it and then made our way to the Badlands National Park… even though it was closed. Here is where things got a bit interesting. My dad slowed down when we came up to the entrance and realized there was not a single person around. With the rangers all off work we decided to take our chances and my dad drove over the cones and into the park. We hadn’t come all this way for nothing.

We pulled off at a parking lot that was coned off and my dad and I started snapping a few pictures. I snapped a photo of myself giving a thumbs up next to the “this national park service is closed” sign and said it would be funny if my dad threw a cone and mom took a photograph. My dad started laughing and we took a few action shots of him throwing the cone until we got the perfect picture with the cone in the air above his head.

MY DAD THINKS HE IS A CELEBRITY.

My mom and I posted a photo on Facebook and I captioned it “‘This national park service is closed. Oh yeah? You and what government workers are going to stop me?'”. A family joke meant to be shared between us and friends would soon be plastered all over Facebook and we had no idea.

First, someone made a meme out of my caption and the photograph. Then, the meme was posted on twitter and Fox News was tagged in the photo. By the time we reached California someone from Fox News had tweeted it, put it on Facebook, and wrote a blog post about it. Over 100,000 likes and shares later, my mom’s phone had imploded from constant messages, likes, and shares. The entire time we were in Los Angeles my dad kept talking about ‘getting an agent’ and saying he was being ‘recognized’ everywhere to make my mom and I laugh.

I am not even joking with you when I say how serious it is that you pay attention to what you put on the internet because one embarrassing photograph could very well be EVERYWHERE within 24 hours. One thing most people don’t even consider when they think about people in the spot light, is that you receive a massive amount of hate mail. People who have never met you have serious personal opinions about you. If this should ever happen to you, the best thing to do is to not read any of it. The negativity seriously isn’t worth any of your time at all. Don’t waste your energy and give in to angry people sitting behind a computer.

If you think I was joking about any or all of this story I am not because here is a direct link to the twitchy site written by a Fox News journalist who shared everything on her Facebook page.

First-Timer’s Guide to the Gateway Arch

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One of the coolest things to do in St. Louis is visit the Gateway Arch. Built in the 1960’s this giant is 630ft tall in the center and towers over the Mississippi river . One side of the arch overlooks Illinois and the Mississippi, while the other overlooks the city of St. Louis. You will want to have a plan before arriving at the park. If you visit the arch on a nice day, you will want to take a stroll before exploring the arch itself. You can get some pretty epic photos within the national park so definitely allow some time for a photoshoot with your friends and/or family. Below is a First-Timer’s Guide to the Gateway Arch with some important things you’ll need to know.

First-Timer's Guide to the Gateway Arch

buy tickets online

You’ll want to buy tickets online if you want to skip the ticket line. The line can get really long, really fast so make sure you buy tickets online so all you have to do is wait in the line for security. School trips and tours are frequent visitors so make sure to get to the arch at least 45 minutes before your ticket time.

the security line

The security line is pretty lengthy. You won’t be allowed to join this line until 30 minutes prior to your tour time. The security here is just like TSA at the airport. The only difference is that you don’t need to take your shoes off at this one. They have an X-Ray machine for your coats and bags. The park does not allow pets, luggage, weapons, or alcohol on the premises so don’t bring your beer either. The line moves fairly quick but in bad weather it can be a drag so dress accordingly.  The line begins right at the front doors and you will be standing in line outside the building. Once you get through security you might want to use a bathroom before you take the tram to the top. There are no bathrooms until you come back down.

the tram ride

Did you know you can take a tram ride to the top of the Gateway Arch? If you want to get a birds-eye view of the city and Mississippi river you can ride to the top. Warning: If you are easily claustrophobic you may not want to ride to the top of the arch. You will need to sit in a small pod with 4 other people (your knees will be touching the person’s across from you and beside you). You will also bump your head (if not almost bump your head) a few times trying to sit down inside. The doors are clear and you can see the iron work from the inside of the Arch. Don’t worry, there are stairs all the way up incase you get stuck.

the top of the arch

Once you get to the top they will tell you to skip the first 4-6 viewing windows so that everyone can get into the arch easily. The trams run continuously so you won’t be stuck up there for long. The very top is about the width of a small passenger aircraft with small windows on each side. You may have to wait a few minutes to be able to get to a window, but the view is amazing. The Mississippi River is viewable out one of the sides, and there is an amazing view of the city of St. Louis out of the opposite side. You likely will not be able to move around very quickly due to the amount of people a the top, but you won’t need to hang out long. Once you finish continue across the arch to the opposite side and descend down the other leg of the arch.

the gift shop

If you need somewhere to grab a gift or two for friends or family the gift shop has loads of merchandise as well as some pretty awesome fudge. There is a section near the back that has native american history as well. There are books, tumblers, coffee mugs, magnets and more to choose from. The staff was very friendly and there was a lot to look at.

If you choose the option for the riverboat ride along with your arch tour, it is located on the east side of the arch down the steps towards the Mississippi river. You can also visit the Old St. Louis Court House within the same National Park, but you will need to walk a bit to get there.

Share your own Arch stories in the comments below
Check out my day trip suggestions for S. Louis here.