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3 instagram famous locations in Chicago

Instagram Famous Locations in Chicago

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Social media has taken over the world and platforms like Instagram are inspiring millennials to travel. As a fellow millennial myself, I understand the need to have a “show off” Facebook profile picture. In a world that revolves around our social media profiles and the way that we are portraying our lives online, there are now famous locations people are traveling to just for a photograph to post on social media. Below are three hot spots in Chicago that people are traveling from afar to get to. Some locations have over a three hour wait just for a photograph! Is the wait worth it? I’ll enclose my own photographs and let you be the judge.

the Willis Tower (Sears tower)

Instagram famous locations in ChicagoWhat was once the tallest building in the world, the Willis tower or Sears tower can be found in down town Chicago, Illinois. With 103 floors, the views of the city are simply magnificent. Even in the dead of winter and below zero weather, people stand in line outside around the block to get a chance to ride the elevator to the top. On the top floor there is an attraction called “the Ledge”, a glass look out point where you can look down at the street below through your feet on the floor. There are three look out points made completely of glass with 8 lines for tourists to take photos on the glass floor. The entire wait can take over 4 hours on a Saturday afternoon. Your best chance to get through quickly is to check it out in the middle of the week when they first open. You will also need to walk through a metal detector and have your belongings placed on an Xray belt, so leave your pocket knife at home.

 

John Hancock Building

Instagram famous locations in ChicagoOne of the newest favorite spots to experience in Chicago is found on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Building. TILT! is a brand new attraction that leans thrill seekers at a 30 degree angle over the side of the building so you are looking straight down at the Magnificent Mile below. You will stand in line for about two hours to get to the top and then stand in line for an additional 30-45 minutes to get onto the ride. The view is worth the wait. You get to TILT slowly and view the city from over 1000 feet.

Make your ascent to the top at dusk and enjoy the lights of the city and the neon lights in the windows of the ride. Head to the top of the Hancock building during the day for a view closer to that of the Willis tower, but still jaw dropping. You can stop at the bar on the 94th floor of the building for some “liquid courage” if you are a little nervous about the ride. Anyway you swing it, this is a definite must see on your next Chicago trip.

3 instagram famous locations in Chicago3 instaram famous locations in Chicago   

Navy Pier

Instagram famous locations in ChicagoIf you are looking for a gorgeous skyline and beautiful views of Lake Michigan Navy Pier is a great place to see. There is so much to see and do at this location. If you have young kids there are many attractions inside of the pier year round. During the spring, summer, and fall the Ferris wheel is in operation as well. There are cruises on Lake Michigan offered that dock at Navy Pier which are used as party boats, dinner cruises, and sight seeing cruises. Even in the winter, the views are breathtaking. You can walk to the end of the pier inside, but you can also walk the full length of the pier outside if weather permits. Definitely don’t miss out on everything this location has to offer. Head over just before sunset to get amazing photos with the sun setting behind the Chicago skyline.

3 Instagram famous locations in Chicago3 Instagram famous locations in Chicago3 Instagram famous locations in Chicago

One additional location that I did not visit due to the frigid temperatures (negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit wind chills. BURR!) is Cloud Gate. We will most definitely be making our way back this summer to explore Cloud Gate and the rest of Millennium Park. Stay tuned for updates once it gets a little warmer outside!

Comment your favorite places to eat in Chicago below!

Halifax

Halifax, Escalators & Fog

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Halifax

 

I’ve learned a lot of things while traveling with my parents. Conversely, I’ve also learned a lot of what NOT to do when traveling. One of my favorite stories regarding my parents is one starring my mother. My mother, Noelle, is a gorgeous dark haired woman who is ALWAYS put together. I don’t think she has ever left the house without a full face of makeup or a complete set of jewelry in her entire life. On the other hand, I frequently leave the house without even showering and still wearing the same clothes I wore to bed. I suspect the fact that my mom forced me to wear make up every day to school made me rebel as soon as I went to college.

Naturally, my mom packs three bags just for herself when we would go on long trips. I remember one instance particularly well. We were packing for a cruise to Canada  that would leave out of New York. Growing up in New Jersey, the drive up was not all that far and we had been to the city many, many times. Most of my trips with my parents consisted of going towards the equator, not away from it. My dad spent some time living in Florida as a teenager and I think the fact that he still considers that year, “the best year of his life” influenced every single one of our vacations to go south.

I was actually really surprised that we were going to Canada. I had never thought in a million years we would take a cruise into colder weather I didn’t even know those existed. We boarded the boat and like every other vacation we all argued. In hindsight, this was the worst vacation we ever took together, but there were still some highlights so I will showcase those first.

mist, fog, and more fog.

We arrived in the port in Halifax and were able to see what was a pretty close picture of what my grandfather would have seen 50 years prior stopping in the same port as he came to America from Italy. I imagined him peeking through a door for only a minute to look outside. It would be cold and snowing so he’d quickly shut the door and go back inside the ship.

I remember I stood on the deck and looked out at the large white building with hundreds of windows at the port. I tried to take in everything around me and I wondered if this was the same exact spot my grandfather stood and looked out at Halifax. There were tents set up with vendors and a museum with thousands of photos of ships that had pulled into the Canadian port.

My dad looked through mounted black and white photos looking for one that looked familiar. He stopped when he found a black and white photo of the exact ship in the Halifax port that my grandfather took to America. I was amazed that there was actually a photo of the ship, the M.S. Vulcania. It looked so incredibly old to me. I tried to picture my grandfather as a young boy with his sister trying to navigate the narrow halls. He was hopeful of the future and had no idea how successful he would be all because he made that step and left his home and everything he knew behind him.

It was really foggy for the remainder of our trip and of course it wouldn’t be a “Bruno family vacation” without a good old fashioned shake up. My sister spent 90% of the entire cruise crying in her bedroom over her boyfriend who she had just broken up with. My sister was hysterical for almost the entire trip. My mom was understanding and my dad was livid. Mainly because the amount of money that the cell phone bill was about to come out to with all the long distance phone calls was astronomical.

I can’t really blame him for being pissed off. So the majority of the time I spent wandering the ship in more or less darkness from all the fog. I remember texting and eating a lot because there was’t much to do. It was kind of cold so there was no way we could swim and I was only 17 years old so I couldn’t drink. That left very little to occupy my time.

that one time i disobeyed a security guard and almost got tazed.

My fondest memory from this trip came as a surprise to me. Like I said previously, my mom packs multiple suitcases when we go on vacation. One other thing you should know about her is that she also has a completely irrational fear of escalators. I’m not quite sure what it stems from because I never asked her, but for what ever reason it’s there. We were going down the escalator into customs my entire family in a single file line. First my dad with his bag, my sister with hers, me with mine, and in the back was my mom with 2 rolling suitcases and a bathroom bag. I didn’t realize until we got to the bottom of the escalator that my mom had not followed us.

I took a step back and saw her standing at the top rustling with her bags, crying, and panicking. She had no idea how to approach the escalator with all of the luggage. She was shuffling the bags around and then eventually I realized she needed help. There were two security guards, one that was at the top of the escalator and one that was at the bottom of a different escalator. You would assume that out of all the people standing in customs, SOMEONE would have helped her, but no. So, I looked at my dad and said “I’m going to help her.”

The security guard started yelling at me something about not being allowed to go back upstairs once you come down. Annoyed at the entire situation and the fact that they were yelling at me instead of just helping my mom so I didn’t have to help her myself pissed me off.

Anyone who knows me, knows I also have a short fuse. I assume it comes from my Italian family because I have zero patience when it comes to stupidity. If you are in a position to help someone, HELP THEM. So naturally 17 year old me yelled back at the female security guard who was yelling at me to “STOP OR I’LL TAZE YOU”.  I could feel the blood rush to my face and my ears started ringing.

“I AM GOING BACK UP THESE STAIRS TO HELP MY MOTHER. I WOULDN’T HAVE TO IF YOU WOULD HELP HER YOURSELF, BUT AS WE CAN SEE, YOU AREN’T DOING SHIT.” It just burst out and I couldn’t stop it.

I ran up the stairs and the security guard started to move towards me then, she looked over at my mom, then back at me, and stared in disbelief as I completely ignored her. Grabbing both of my mom’s rolling suitcases I ushered my mother onto the escalator behind me. She followed me down the escalator and we continued into customs. I don’t think she ever thanked me, but I also think she was too embarrassed to think straight at the moment so I understand. It was unspoken. I was pissed off for the rest of the trip home from New York, but I guess it could have been worse.

That security guard could have actually tazed me.

Giant’s Causeway

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A REVIEW OF GIANT’S CAUSEWAY:
WHAT IS IT? AND WHAT TO EXPECT.

the legend

Giant’s Causeway is one of the top 10 tourist destinations in Norther Ireland. In Ireland there is an old legend that speaks of the giant responsible for the rock formations at this site. Many years ago, a giant, Finn McCool had a problem with another giant in Scotland named Benandonner. Finn decided he would go over to Scotland to teach him a lesson, so he grabbed chunks of rock from Antrim Coast and formed a bridge allowing him to cross to Scotland. When he got there he realized Benandonner was massive and larger than he was. Before Benandonner could get to him, Finn crossed back over to Ireland. Finn’s wife quickly dressed him as a baby and when Benandonner came looking for him, he was terrified when he mistook Finn for a baby and thought “if the child is this big, then Finn must be huge.” Benandonner went back to Scotland and Finn was saved thanks to his wife’s quick thinking.

Giant's Causeway

The science

While some choose to believe the story of Finn McCool, there are also scientific explanations for the rock formations at Giant’s Causeway. An old volcanic eruption and millions of years of erosion is responsible for the way it looks today. The column rocks are called basalt columns and are formed using volcanic or igneous rock. Originally, it was a mystery as to how these columns formed in perfect hexagonal structures as opposed to anything else. Today, we know that when basalt lava cools at a perfectly uniform pace it forms hexagonal structures. This is what we see today at Giant’s Causeway.

Giant's Causeway

what to expect

Giant’s Causeway is found not far from the Bushmill Distillery, which happens to be another great tourist stop. You will need to hike about a mile down onto the rocky shores to see everything, although the views from the top of the cliffs are also beautiful. Be ready for whipping winds and and sea spray. It may be advisable to dress for a misty day even if it isn’t raining. Leave enough time to explore the gift shop and cafe as well, located next to the parking lot. The bathrooms are also located here. Conveniently, there are quite a few hotels near by as well as a hostel if you are looking for cost effectiveness.

Giant's Causeway

worth the visit?

Absolutely. Giant’s Causeway is one of my favorite places on the northern coast of Ireland. You honestly can not snap a bad picture. Be careful near the cliffs as there have been many people who have fallen. If you are in the Bushmills area be sure to make a stop by this location. If you are aware of the legend and enjoy great views, this place is very interesting. The hike is fairly easy and the path is easy to follow. Have your camera ready and take in the fresh air and scenery around you.

Giant's Causeway

5 Places that Serve Thanksgiving Dinner

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Being on the road all the time and being away from home can be extremely hard during the holidays. My husband and I moved away from all of our family in New Jersey two years ago and Thanksgiving has become a weird day for us. One thing I wish I knew before now was where I can get a great thanksgiving meal on thanksgiving on the go. Here is a list of places that serve Thanksgiving dinner.

Places that serve thanksgiving dinner

bob evan’s

Bob Evan’s is well known as one of the best places that serve Thanksgiving dinner. This chain is found mainly in the north east, parts of Florida and parts of the midwest. However, they are highly rated and recommended for Thanksgiving dinner. Order the farmhouse feast and you will enjoy turkey, gravy, mash potatoes, green beans, cranberry, rolls, pie and more! You can either dine in or take out! They can cater large groups and pick it up hot or cold if you place your order ahead of time on their website.

Boston Market

Boston Market gives Bob Evans a run for their money with their Thanksgiving dinner option. Like Bob Evan’s you can pick up or dine in, but you can also have it delivered to your home at select locations. Their menu is very close to all other chain restaurant menus and I urge you to compare. Prices, quantity, and choices will vary depending upon location, but Boston Market gives a great selection with yummy quality.

Denny’s

Denny’s does not serve a completely traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but it’s not bad. Plus, there are plenty of Denny’s accessible all over the country. They have a featured seasonal menu that is updated here. Check it out, there are holiday breakfasts, dinners, and desserts to choose from including pecan or pumpkin pies.

Perkins

Of all the places that serve Thanksgiving Dinner, Perkins is probably the least advertised. This is mainly due to the fact that not all locations are open on Thanksgiving. Some however, are and their menu in past years isn’t all that terrible. Definitely check with the Perkins you plan on spending your Thanksgiving at what their hours and menu will be that day. Trip Advisor however has rated them pretty highly for their Thanksgiving dinner so it might just be worth it. Unfortunately, there is no menu available on their website to check out what they will be serving this year.

Cracker Barrel

Of all the places that serve Thanksgiving dinner this is one of our favorites. With Cracker Barrels all across the country and accessible to major highways this is one of the best. Cracker Barrel is already known for their “just like mom made” comfort foods. If you are looking for a good sit down Thanksgiving dinner than this is the place. They offer all the Thanksgiving favorites so you don’t feel like you missed out. Don’t worry, the plates are large so you won’t leave hungry, although you might be a little bit tired from all the tryptophan in the turkey! Like most other places offering Thanksgiving dinner,  you can also order to pick up hot or cold!

Is there a chain restaurant you enjoy for Thanksgiving, or have your tried any of these? Leave your recommendations below!
Want some road trip advice? Check out this article about essential items you’ll need

Suck It Up And Bike Your Volcano.

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 step out of your comfort zone.

I could feel the adrenaline pulsing through my veins as I stood at the entrance to the Haleakala national park and tried not to think about the descent down the side of the volcano. The ascent was easy mainly because it was before the sunrise and I couldn’t see just how high we really were. Post sunrise, you could tell we were at least 8,000 feet above sea level. My knees buckled as they called my number and handed me my old rickety bike with worn out brakes. “I’m suppose to ride this all the way down!? You have got to be joking,” I thought to myself. 

Up until the last 3 years of my life I didn’t do anything outside of my comfort zone. I have severe and crippling anxiety at times and my whole life I played it “safe”. Something changed when I turned twenty four years old. I did everything my parents had told me to do my entire life. I never paved the way for myself and I didn’t really have to fight for anything on my own ever. On my 24th birthday I realized I felt kind of cheated out of that experience in life. How can you truly be successful if you didn’t fight for what you want? When my now husband asked me to move one thousand miles away I instantly knew I had to say yes. So I did.

Just give in.

“LET’S GO!” Our guide screamed.  I wanted to cry and scream and laugh all at the same time. I was all the way in the back, that meant I would have to keep up with everyone else. Part of me wanted to throw my hand up and jump in the van for the ride down. The other part of me was screaming to just let go and enjoy the ride. One by one the bikes started to move and I had to make a decision, give up or give in. So I thought of my spin instructor’s favorite tag line “Don’t give up, give in”. I strapped on my helmet, took my feet off the ground and gave in.

Deciding to move a thousand miles away from my family and friends was hard. I had already committed to going, but I was still silently looking for an out. Instead of letting myself be upset, I thought about my life. I was trying to figure out who I really was, and in order to do that you need to push yourself. I had Brandon as an amazing support system and my family would still be just a phone call away. This would be my chance to make it on my own. I had to let go of my fear and push my boundaries.

there is nothing more satisfying than facing your fears.

Once we got going, I realized all the anxiety and fear of biking Haleakala was in my head. The scariest part of the entire ride, was everything I was telling myself leading up to it. The ride itself was relaxing, beautiful, AMAZING, and awe-inspiring. We rode through a lavender farm, a pine forest, sugar cane fields, and towns. Ending the route with an awesome view of the beach and pacific ocean. In a total of 6 hours I had froze my butt off at over 10,000 feet, watched the sun rise from above a volcanic crater, biked down about 24 miles of volcano, and stood on the beach. If you want to talk about exhilarating, THAT is exhilarating. 

Moving to Wisconsin and away from everything I knew and loved was one of the best things I have ever done. I still am searching to find out who I truly am. I’m constantly growing as a person and I believe travel is one of the best ways to do that. There were 3 major turning points in my life that have made me who I am today. The first, was a cross country road trip with my parents in 2013. The second, was the day I met my husband (ultimately  leading to the day I chose to marry him and move 1,000 miles away). The third, was the day I chose to face my fears and bike down a volcano on a bike that was about 25 years old and falling apart.

do not let your fear hold you back.

If there is something you want, do not let the fear of anything hold you back. Fear is the opposite of love. Love makes your life better, fear will keep you from doing the things you love. Give yourself enough credit to know that you will come out on top, and fear is only an emotion. Face your fears. Fear cannot hurt you, so find your volcano and bike the hell out of it.

face your fearsface your fear

[The company we used for our tour we found through Viator, the price was fair and the service was fantastic. We had a great time with our guides and enjoyed every minute of our trip. We enjoyed coffee in a small ‘cowboy’ town about halfway down the volcano. Everyone was really nice and our instructors seemed to be having a great time too. We definitely recommend using Mountain Riders if you decide to book.If you have a little more experience riding, you can also solo ride the same route. Experienced biker? Try biking UP the volcano and do the Cycle to the Sun ride.]

Our Non-Stop Honeymoon in Kauai

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Excited for the second leg of our honeymoon and exhausted at the same time, Brandon and I stepped off the plane in Kauai. I had been so busy with wedding planning that I honestly didn’t even look up what to do hehoneymoon in kauaire. I knew I had booked excursions for various days of the trip, but I wasn’t sure where they were. Luckily, Brandon was a little less occupied with the wedding than I was and he looked into the best things to do for our honeymoon in Kauai.

One thing I will say about Kauai is that we learned the power goes out quite frequently. When we arrived, the entire island was in an outage. There was no way to purchase anything and everyone was on hold. In other words, if you are traveling here, make sure you have cash on you at all times. Neither Brandon or myself drink very much, so we tend to explore and stay active often.

beautiful sights to see

Honeymoon in KauaiThere was so much to see and do on this island even though it is the smallest Hawaiian island. We booked most of our excursions online through Viator which is a pretty cool and easy website to use. We saw multiple state parks, we hiked and even took a helicopter ride. If you do any excursions at all in Kauai, the best one to do is to take a helicopter. Kauai contains some of the wettest places on the entire earth, so by mid morning clouds tend to cover the top of the island. Make sure that if you book a helicopter tour it is one of the first ones to leave. You might be really tired, but the views are worth it. We used Island Helicopter tours and they were really great and accommodating.

The helicopter tours are breathtaking. You will definitely want to bring a good camera and brace yourself for one of the most thrilling views of your life. The tours are one of the only ways to see the Napali coast, other options include; sunset cruises, hiking, and fishing boats. There are no roads that go all the way around the island so you will need to hike from Hanalei.

great food to eat

One of our favorite places to eat was Little Fish in Poipu. We stayed at an amazingly beautiful resort; Kiahuna Plantation which happens to be across the street. At Little Fish, you can order ahead of time online and then pick it up if you have the app. The acai bowls and the coffee shakes were healthy, delicious and filling. We were in absolute heaven and enjoyed many a morning breakfast here.

honeymoon in kauai

Kona Coffee is another really awesome place we enjoyed on our trip to Kauai. Since we don’t drink a lot of alcohol we thoroughly enjoyed the coffee tasting on the deck. They have a store with really cool souvenirs and coffee to take home and you can order food, drinks, or ice-cream. The coffee brewery also offers tours of the plantation and the history of Kona Coffee. The last tour usually leaves around 4pm during the week so make sure you get there early.

 

what the heck happened here?

Like I said, my husband and I do not drink very often and so it does not take much to get us drunk. The first day we arrived in Kauai we decided to check out the resort restaurant which was rated very highly. The food and drinks were amazing. However, things started to go downhill when I decided “one drink won’t hurt right?”. Well, one drink turned into 3 strong drinks off the cocktail menu because our server completely forgot to put our food and appetizers in. We waited for over 2 hours for our food watching people come and go all around us. Instead of the manager comping a dessert or a drink or anything on our receipt he stood 5 feet from our table and stared at us. He never said a word, just stared. Needless to say we never went back. I worked many jobs in restaurants for over 8 years and never had I ever been treated that way. Regardless of how good the food was. We would recommend take out over that experience. The food was great, but completely overpriced and the service was terrible. No thank you.

exploring the hidden falls

Honeymoon in KauaiOn one of our last days in paradise, we had an excursion to Wailua River and secret falls. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, but Duke’s Kayak was a great guide. The hiking portion was beautiful and the falls were amazing to see. If you go with a tour guide, you will most likely be there with many other groups and it can get crowded. Check it out later in the day if  you are knowledgeable of the area and there are a lot less people around. Be careful though, because you can get lost easily while kayaking.

Our tour guide had a small dog who kayaked and hiked with us the entire day. He kept us entertained and made sure the group stayed together. There are really awesome views and cool historical information shared about Hurricane Iniki and the damage on the island. Like everywhere else on the island, there are roosters and chickens everywhere. Brandon and I enjoyed our lunch by the waterfall and then jumped in the water. One thing we should have been aware of was the amount of large unforeseen boulders under the water. Brandon and I both banged ourselves up pretty good. Luckily, no blood just large bruises, but they still hurt. We were so glad we invested in waterproof Keens for this hike.

waimea canyon

Honeymoon in Kauai

One of the most beautiful views on the entire island are of Waimea Canyon. Brandon and I took the long drive up to the top of the national park one early morning and were one of the first people there. Nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, Waimea canyon is a popular attraction in Kauai. There is access to hiking trails along the way, but for the sake of time we chose to drive to a look out point and just take in the view. We bought fresh fruit and banana bread from the fruit stand nearby and tried to take in the view. Our photos do not do it any justice. The canyon is gorgeous and definitely comparable to the grand canyon. On a future trip we would definitely hike this awesome attraction, no matter how difficult it may be.

Polihale State Park

Honeymoon in KauaiBrandon decided on our second to last day of our honeymoon in Kauai that he wanted to take me to the Polihale State Park. I had no idea what it was and when we arrived I was even more skeptical. We drove down atleast a 5 mile dirt road to get into the state park and on the beach. The road was note graded and it was extremely rocky. We did this in a ford mustang convertible so it was a little risky for us, but it was totally worth it. The sand is extremely hot (like all other beach in the dead of summer) and the beach is large so you’ll have to run to the water. Although we didn’t do it, you can also camp here by the beach or under the trees further off shore.

There is a beautiful view of the start of the Napali Coast Park. We chose to sit on the beach for a few hours watching the Navy Battleship off the coast. A lot of people were sunbathing on the beach in their bathing suits. The park was not crowded at all and the beach was huge, this place is high on the recommendation list if you have a Jeep. Or if you don’t have a Jeep and you just wing it like us.

pizza in lihue

To our surprise we found a New York pizza counter in Lihue called Pietro’s. We were so overjoyed it was insane. Not only was the pizza actually affordable, but it was just like home for us. We can never find great pizza out in the midwest and deep dish is too greasy and messy. It’s always a pleasure to find good tasting regular crust pizza we can fold in half and enjoy. We stopped at the pizza place just before we head over to the airport in Lihue for our connecting flight to Arizona. We sat outside and in the shade enjoying our slices with a slight breeze. Pietro’s is definitely on our list of need to visit places if you want authentic New York pizza.

lihue airport

We didn’t quite get the memo that the first American Airlines flight out of Lihue was ours. When we arrived at the airport we returned our rental car and walked over to the ticket counter. It was completely empty and the lights were off. It was 4pm. We thought we would get there early, go through ticketing and security, eat and then catch our flight. Unfortunately, we were not able to go through security until 7:15pm. We sat out front of the airport counters for three hours before we could check our bags. Since we had to check out of our condo so early in the morning we had nowhere to go. The rental car was sent back to the rental place so we couldn’t leave and we were stranded. It was a rookie mistake. ALWAYS check your airline’s schedule before you head over to the airport. You might want to have dinner in the city.

Visiting Hawaii soon? Here are some tips we have for saving money.
Leave a comment below of your honeymoon or vacation experiences on Kauai!

5 Ways to Save Money for Travel

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It can be really hard to save money when we all have so many things we need to pay for. Keeping  a fund going so that you can see and do everything you plan takes a whole lot of sacrifice. I have compiled a list of the best ways to save money for traveling that Brandon and I practice everyday. You will ideally need to prioritize your life and depending on your financial situation you may need to cut back on material things. Here are a few of my tips and advice to help you, so you can get out there and start exploring.

1. open up a separate bank account

Open up a new bank account to help you save money. Here are a few reasons why I recommend this. For one, you will have a card especially for your travel money so you can still save separately for your family or future. You can easily differentiate how much you have to spend on your next getaway. It is painful to watch your savings drop a couple thousand every few months from all your hard work. This can discourage you, but travel is an investment in your life and your wellbeing. You should not feel this way. Creating a separate account that you put a set amount of money in weekly or monthly helps ease that. As a piggy back to this recommendation, open up a credit card and hotel rewards card so you can receive miles and free rooms.

2. try 365 days of saving

Pick out a large jar to start saving with. Put the jar in a kitchen cabinet or in your closet or nightstand and in view so you know it is there. Starting on January 1st (or whatever start date you choose) put in one dollar. On week 2 put in 2 dollars. You can continue to increase this until you reach the last day of 52 weeks. If you can not afford to start at 1 dollar, try starting with just a penny and increase it from there (weekly). To add to this, you can have a weekly board game night where the loser has to put a dollar into the jar. If anyone in the house swears than you can also make them put a quarter or a dollar into the jar. You can have fun with this and come up with your own games.

3. eat out less

You can save loads of money by cooking at home. Brandon and I love to go out because we both don’t really want to cook, but when we need to save money that’s the first to go. We usually decide to go out once a week and the rest of the time we have to make something at home. We save over $300 dollars every other week by doing this. Believe it or not, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and canned soup go a really long way if you don’t want to really cook.

4. cut out unnecessary buys

Instead of buying a new dishwasher, try fixing whatever you already have. American no longer makes long term investments in what they buy. The quickest fix is to throw out what is broken and buy it new. Try to fix it yourself first, youtube is amazing and you’ll be surprised at what you can do yourself. If you can not fix whatever it is yourself, then try to hire someone. Usually whoever you are hiring is going to be cheaper than buying an entire new dishwasher, and if it isn’t? Buy the dishwasher, but shop around first.

5. make your money go a long way

When you decide on a destination and you have the money you want to spend ready, be smart. Shop around using different sites like cheap-O air, expedia, travelovity, hotels.com and more. Some of their prices will be relatively equal, but others will be quite different. Also, keep in mind when you are booking that if you book your hotel or airline between 3 days-24 hours of the flight, it is MUCH cheaper. If you can wing it, the best thing to do is just go to the airport and book your flight the day of. Check out what is leaving and go from there. If you are willing to stay in hostels they are pretty cheap, couch surfing or airbnb is also pretty affordable.

Do you have your own Money Saving tips? Comment yours below!
Want to check out my money saving tips for hawaii? see here.

Tricks to Help Pass the Time on Long Road Trips

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I love taking long car rides to nowhere, but it can be really dull if you are doing a lot of your traveling without being able to stop anywhere along the way. Here are a couple tricks to help pass the time on long road trips. Check out some road trip essentials I can’t go without here.

play a game

My parents use to always play games with me in the car growing up and we frequently would play “I Spy” which is a fun one for the car as well. One game that my sister and I were particularly fond of was the alphabet game. If you don’t know what I’m talking about it is really simple. You start at the top of the alphabet and try to find signs, billboards, stores, etc. that start with that letter. Once you find a word beginning with ‘A’ everyone needs to move on to the next letter and you cannot go backwards. The game isn’t over until your car finds a word that starts with every single letter of the alphabet. Then you just start over!

If this game isn’t a good enough distraction, there are also travel size games like Guess Who you can bring with you on the trip if you check out Toys-R-Us or a book store.

sing-a-long

I like to make playlists in my car for long road trips (although my husband is not fond of my taste in music, sometimes he plays along). Try to make playlists with popular songs that everyone will know. An example of a popular song might be “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey or “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. If you can come up with a really long playlist you can probably kill two or three hours just singing your favorite lyrics.

sleep

This is my husband’s favorite thing to do on long care rides (although it isn’t really safe). If I drive he is probably popping a Z-quil and sleeping for the majority of the ride. For some people this isn’t an option, personally I get really nauseous when I try to sleep in a car but if it works for you then it is a great option. You can literally skip a few hours and it’ll feel like you didn’t miss a thing.

read

Some people love to read in the car on long road trips and can read entire novels while on the road. I have some trouble doing this, but I know a lot of people that find it very relaxing. You are awake and alert incase there is something cool to see on the side of the road, like a quirky attraction but you can also tune a lot of things out.

brainstorm/think about your goals

If you are an artist or have a lot of ideas like me, I do a lot of thinking in the car. I can brainstorm post ideas for hours without feeling bored. I usually bring a journal or something with me to help me organize my thoughts and also to jot down any unique ideas I can come up with. I’ll also journal a lot of our trips to keep things fresh in my head incase I want to write about it down the road. This is also a great time while you have a journal out to think about your goals. Write down some short-term goals, long-term goals, and life-time goals. The best way to achieve your dream is to put it in writing.

 

Have any other good distractions? Comment some of your tricks for passing the time below.

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.

St. Louis Day Trip Itinerary

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Looking for the best places to see and things to do in St. Louis? Look no further! Below I have come up with the perfect St. Louis day trip itinerary for a first timer. Keep in mind there are SO many more places to see and things to do. This list is mainly just an over view of the most famous places to check out. One thing we were unable to do on our weekend trip was check out the Budweiser brewery and Blues Museum, so don’t forget they are there too. St. Louis is full of history and there is so much more to it than most people know. The itinerary below is made up merely of suggestions and can easily be tweaked to fit your personal needs. Happy travels!

St. Louis Day Trip Itinerary

7AM- Wake up and get ready for the day

If you are driving from far away, or if you stayed over night in the city you will want to get an early start. So I recommend trying to get there the night before and staying overnight to get a fresh start. If you can, valet your car for the whole day. You won’t need if you have an Uber or Lyft app. There are literally Ubers everywhere and we had a wonderful experience with all our drivers. Get up early and take some time to get ready, you will be out all day so pack smart.

8Am- the mud house

St. Louis Day Trip ItineraryCall on an Uber or Lyft and take a ride over to The Mud House for breakfast and coffee or tea.
This is rated one of the best places to have brunch/breakfast in the city. Get there during their busiest time and you might be standing in a line clear out of the front door. You may have trouble finding a table due to the limited space, but the coffee is delicious. In the warmer months they have tables for patrons to use out front of the cafe as well. The atmosphere is welcoming and has an urban feel. The walls are covered in eclectic art and instead of order numbers you’ll receive a funny photo or meme to mark your table for the runners. We didn’t try it, but the french toast looked amazing. If you aren’t one for french toast try a breakfast platter. The jam is delicious.

9am- The gateway arch and tram ride to the top

St. Louis Day Trip ItineraryWe recommend checking out the gateway arch as early as possible. They start tours of the arch
at 9am. Be sure to buy tickets online before your visit as ticket lines can get pretty lengthy. This is a national park service so there are park rangers and you will need to go through security. The line for security is the longest line you will stand in today. It’s a lot like airport security except you won’t need to take off your shoes. Try to get to the arch about  45 minutes to an hour earlier than your scheduled tour time. You can enter the security line 30 mins prior to your tour time, and the extra 15-30 minutes will allow for you to take a walk around and take photos of the arch and Mississippi river. Take the ride to the top and come down the opposite side. You may get claustrophobic from the tram ride since they cram 5 people in a tiny capsule. The ride is about 4 minutes up and 3 minutes and 30 seconds back down. The top of the arch is like being in an airplane, it is extremely stuffed and there are a lot of people. Take a quick look around both sides of the arch and then descend.

11pm- Riverboat cruise on the mississippi river/courthouse

St. Louis Day Trip ItineraryOnce you are finished checking out the Gateway Arch head down the stairs towards the river and board your boat and get a tour of the Mississippi. They serve snacks and drinks on the riverboat so you can also grab something small to eat since you might be a little hungry. Hear about the famous Louis and Clarke crossing the Mississippi in St. Louis and expanding our country westward. (There is also a Great Westward Expansion Museum in this park but in 2017 it has been closed for renovations).

If it is a little too cold for a Riverboat cruise you can also check out the old Courthouse where the Dred Scott case was heard. The court case that arguably started the entire civil war was originally fought right here in St. Louis. If you are a history buff and love Civil War history (and even if you don’t) this beautiful building is a good place to stop and walk around.

2pm- anheuser-busch brewery (BUdWEISER)

We did not find the time to check out the Budweiser Brewery during our day trip to St. Louis, but we wish we had. We heard great things about this one from our Uber driver and friends who have visited before. The brewery is located very close to the Mud House, but on the opposite side of the highway. You can see the big brick building from the street. They offer tours to see how the beer is made and they also keep their stables with the Clydesdale horses from the commercials. At the end of the tour you can sip your beer and check them out. This is definitely one spot you don’t want to miss.

4pm- pappy’s smokehouse

St. Louis Day Trip ItineraryEver had Memphis BBQ? Missouri is home to some of the best BBQ in the entire country. Pappy’s has been featured on the Travel Channel and is well known in St. Louis for amazing ribs. You’ll be able to see the smokers out front of the restaurant under an awning right next to the street. There is a parking lot directly behind the restaurant and what looks like a side door is actually the front door. You will stand in line for 30 minutes to an hour or longer to be able to order, but it is VERY worth it. The fall off the bone ribs are some of the best we have ever had and you can choose your own BBQ sauce or try them all. Every table has four flavors of BBQ sauce to choose from. My favorite was the Pappy’s Original BBQ, but there are sweet and spicy sauces as well. Keep in mind, Pappy’s sells out daily and they stay open until everything is gone. It is best to get here as early as you possibly can if you want a large selection to try.

Before or after dinner I recommend heading back to the hotel for a bit and freshen up, it’s been a long day.

7pm- city museum/bowling

St. Louis Day Trip Itinerary
If you have kids, and even if you don’t, the city museum of St. Louis is a really cool place to check out at night. The museum is geared towards kids with tons of slides, tunnels and really cool exhibits to play in. There is even a ginormous ball pit and a huge section of caves to explore. After 5pm kids start to disappear and young adults come to have a drink and walk around the museum. There is a 10 story spiral slide that starts on the 10th floor and spirals all the way down to about the 2nd floor. If you get roof passes there is a huge ferris wheel and some additional slides you can try out. One in particular faces the river and you can get a really cool view of the bridge. There are three bars in the museum including one on the roof so if you are afraid of heights and a little nervous about the slides, have a few cocktails. We recommend a “Mama’s Lemonade” made with blueberry vodka, lemonade, and blueberries.

There are also some really cool bowling alleys in St. Louis. One in particular we saw and wanted to try but did not have the time was Flamingo bowling. You can see the bowling alley from the street and it is full of pink neon with a bar and large glass windows. It was packed when we drove by after 8pm and looked like a pretty popular place to hang out.

other awesome places to see

It is really hard to do absolutely everything in St. Louis is a single day, but you can at least see the big things. If you can stay longer we recommend trying all of the above places as well as the Blues Museum on Washington Avenue. There is so much to see and do in a city full of so much history as this one. If you would rather check out the Riverboat rides at night, they do nightly cruises as well as dinner cruises. City Museum also hosts wedding receptions and parties. Be sure to stop in the gift shop in the Arch for some fudge as well.

Comment below with your favorite places to visit in St. Louis. Where can you get the best BBQ?
Check out some carry-on bag packing tips here