Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Perfect One Day Itinerary: Bryce Canyon


I think the best part about living in the West Coast of the United States is the proximity to some of the most beautiful natural wanders and parks the country has to offer. 

Peekaboo Loop

I have fallen in love with Utah’s “Big 5” as they call them. The “Big 5” consist of Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef National Parks. They are all so different and even though spending one day in each, is not enough to see to explore them at a great extent, it is enough to explore at least a little.

I wanted to give you the perfect one day itinerary for my favorite park which is Bryce Canyon. I am not sure why but the rock formations and colors of the canyon left me in awe.
We usually try to do one easy, one medium and one hard trail. 

Sunrise Point .5mi
We started the day really early and went to see the sunrise at Sunrise Point. It is truly magical and definitely recommend going early. We walked the rim a little and made our way to Sunset Point. Walking the rim feels like a dream. I definitely appreciate it more after I did the other trails and worked for those views. 


Queen’s/Navajo Combination Loop 2.9mi
This is such a stunning loop and it starts at Sunset Point and ends at Sunrise Point. They recommend doing it in a clockwise direction, so if you park your car at sunrise point, walk to sunset and do the Queen’s/Navajo Lopp, you will be right back to your car. 

Navajo Loop
After the loop we had some food and headed over to Bryce Point 

Peekaboo Loop 5.5mi
This was definitely my favorite of all. I absolutely loved Peekaboo trail. It was challenging considering the fact that there was some snow on the ground and Nick may or may not have fallen. The snow/ice was not everywhere though, so you should be fine. It is a steep and ever changing hike. We were so tired. Every time we ascended and thought alright this is it, we are coming to the top, we would go back down to almost the bottom…again. I am pretty sure we did this hike the wrong direction and went counter-clock wise. They recommend clock wise but we were too distracted by the beauty to realize it.  

These are the hikes we did in one day and we would have done more but the cold weather was against us. We visited during Thanksgiving, so I definitely recommend going when the weather is a little warmer and you have more daylight to explore.


We made it back right as the sun was setting and we rushed to go to sunset point, but unfortunately we did not make it. I actually cried because I really wanted to see it but maybe next time.

Let me know if you have been to Bryce Canyon and have attempted any of those trails. 
Happy Hiking!

Monday, February 4, 2019

How to Save Money and Travel the World


Tips to help you save money and travel more.

A lot of people keep asking me how I am traveling so much and most importantly how I have the money to do it. I would like to share with you guys some of the things that I have implemented in my life that have helped me save up for all my trips.


It really helps having a well-paying job, but even if you don’t have one and you still want to travel and see the world, you can try applying some of these tips that have helped me.

1) Don’t eat out! Eliminating eating out is a great way to save some money. Most people eat out 1-2 times per week or even more. We eat out about once a month. It usually costs about $20-$30 each time you eat out and if you do it twice per week, that adds up to 160-240 per month. This is enough for a plane ticket or even an Airbnb for almost one whole week, if you are not picky and buy cheap airbnbs. 
San Diego Adventure
2) Don’t go out Drinking! Drinking is really expensive. It usually costs about $8-$10 per drink. Most people buy on average 4-5 drinks, if not more. I am just being conservative. This brings us to a grand total of $32-$50 each time you go out. I am not even including cover charges. Even if you do that every other week, that is still up to $100 that you can save. 

Death Valley
3) Book cheap flights! I am not a very picky person when it comes to travel. My goal is to visit every country in the world. Even though I have some specific places in mind each time, I usually just book the cheapest flight I can find and save some money. I was not planning on going to the Philippines but the tickets were on sale, so I booked them. Being flexible can save you a lot of money in the long run. 

Pro Tip: I use google flights to find my flights. I input the dates that I want to travel and the airport I am closest to, then search and book whatever is on sale. If you live in San Diego, it might be cheaper to fly out of LAX and park your car for $12 each day. Also, Tijuana is great if you are trying to visit South America. Use the walking bridge to bring you right in the airport. 

 4) Book cheap accommodation! We usually use Airbnb to book our accommodations unless we find something cheaper on Expedia. Look at the reviews and make sure it is a safe and clean place to stay. Airbnb also provides a lot of flexibility. For our last 2 road trips, we booked our rooms the day of our stay and each was about $30. 

Paris Love
5) Bring a backpack instead of luggage. We each have very big backpacks that we bring everywhere and they fit more than a suitcase would. This will save you money in checking a bag. Travel light. 

6) Do not buy expensive things. We do not buy many things. Honestly, all we have in our house are the essentials. We only buy things we need, not want. Nick still has his old car from college, a 2001 red Honda Civic with a different color door because the original one broke and we didn’t want to buy another car yet. My car barely works as well, but I would rather spend the money on a trip. 

Boston in the Winter
7) Food Shopping Sales. A great way to save is to look at the sales. I only shop whatever is on sale that week and make food with the items I bought. Cut down on snacks, since they also can be costly. I spend about $50 per week on food and it is plenty to feed 2 people. However, do not buy things you will not eat just because they are on sale. 

Checking out the Red Woods
8) Stop spending money shopping. It is a very simple idea but a lot of money is spent each year on clothes we do not need. I have completely cut down on spending money on clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc. Even if I do go shopping, it will probably be Tj Maxx or somewhere cheap. I have realized that the more clothes I have, the more indecisive I become when it comes to what to wear. I eliminate the waste of money and time by not buying more clothes.

9) Credit cards. Opening the right credit card can help you immensely when traveling. It can pay for flights and accommodation. I always use my credit card for any purchase and then take advantage of the points. I mostly use Chase Sapphire Reserve. I have found this card to be the best one for travel perks, so take advantage of the $300 annual travel credit and the 50,000 bonus points when you first sign up. You have to spend 5k in 3 months to get the bonus so make sure you have those expenses. A good way to ensure you get the points is using your card to pay your rent. It also does not necessarily have to be credit cards. Every company has perks when you open a simple checking and savings account. Do not spread yourself too thin and make sure that you are no accruing debt on your cards. Be smart with your money. 

10) Travel for Work. If you work for a big corporation, or even a small company, there is always traveling that is happening, even if you do not know about it. Make friends with the right people and let them know that you are interested in traveling. Next time there is an opportunity, they will let you know. Use the destination as a base and explore the area around or take a flight somewhere close during the weekend before you head back. 

11) Invest. Investing can be a great way to make some extra money. This is risky but it has worked out for me in the past. A good return on an investment can help with the financial burdens of traveling. The stock market is very unpredictable and may hurt you so be cautious. 

Hanging out in the Philippines
12) Military Only* Take advantage of Military Discounts. For example, most credit card fees are waived and you can get into all national parks and historical sites for free. You have a great opportunity to explore the States and some of the most beautiful sites of the country for FREE. If you are renting a car and are under the age of 25, the hefty fee is waived. 

These are some simple things you can do to help you save up for your travels. I know that some of the things that we are doing may be a little extreme and not everyone would want to do the same, but even if you start small, it will add up to more money available to travel. 

I will make a part too of how to save money during your travels! Stay safe and happy traveling!

***This Post is not sponsored! These are just some of the companies that I use and love and hopefully can help you too

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Boston Day Trip


What to Do in Boston in One Day

Boston is such a beautiful city. I spent 10 years living in Massachusetts and never really took the time to fully explore this city.
This past week that I was home with my family I decided to change that and spend a full day seeing as much as I could with the help of my friend Des who has basically been everywhere and knows everything.
I am going to break down everywhere we went and the best way to see the most.

  1. Visit the North End. The North End is Boston’s Little Italy and the moment you step on Hanover Street, you can see, smell and feel it. It is filled with pizza, coffee, cannoli, pastries and just amazing people all around.
    Pro Tip: I recommend trying either Mike’s Pastries or Modern. I prefer Modern for cannoli. Also try going to Bricco Salumeria & Pasta Shop. Everything is imported from Italy and they make some of the best sandwiches I have ever had. They have octopus too but I didn’t love it. I lived in Greece for 12 years though. Also make sure you get drinks at Earls and BRING CASH for cannoli.
  2. Boston Public market. Every weekend the street is full of local fruit and vegetables and even fish. My parents had never been and I soon as they saw the prices, they spent the majority of their time there.

  3.   Holocaust Memorial. Walking through the glass towers of remembrance will give you chills. The towers also stand tall to remind us to stand together, stand up for others and hope that the world will never have to endure such tragedy ever again. Seeing the numbers of all the victims, engraved on the walls and reading a small part of what they went through makes you realize the magnitude of this tragedy.
  4. Faneuil Hall and Quincy market. Try some local chowdaaa at Quincy Market. Some of the best food in Boston. My favorite is the mac and cheese stand just because I am obsessed with mac and cheese. Also make sure you enjoy the street performers. There is always something happening around there.
  5.   Acorn Street. Go to Acorn street and take a picture in the most photographed streets in Boston. It is a stone walkway that reminds you of colonial Boston. It was on this lovely street that 19th century artisans and trades people lived.
    My not so little bother and I

  6. Boston Common. Visit Boston Common and hang out in the oldest park in the United States, dating back in 1634. There is also ice skating you can do there.
    Pro Tip: Get a Groupon to save you some money if you want to go ice skating.
    I love this city!

  7. Did someone say shopping?? If you love shopping, you will love Newbury Street. High end shopping or (window shopping) for me. It is an iconic Boston spot so walk around and then head over to the Pru.
  8. Visit the Prudential Center Tower. Other than the mall and amazing food you can find here, head to the skywalk for the best views of Boston. It costs 20$ for adults.
    Pro Tip: Some of the best pizza I have had in the Prudential is located in Eataly

I hope you have a better idea of how to spend your day in Boston. It may be a lot to do in one day, but it is worth it. I did it in the winter with my family, so you got this.

Noteworthy places to visit:

If you want a fancy dinner with a view go to the Top of the Hub.
  1. Visit Boston Public Gardens
  2. Museum of Science
  3. Museum of Fine Arts
  4. Catch a Game at Fenway Park
  5. New England Aquarium
  6. Copley Square
  7. Boston Harbor 
  8. Get Drinks in the Financial District or South End 

And Finally Follow the Freedom Trail which starts at Boston Common and goes through 16 Landmarks. 

I have attached a link where you can go and do a self-guided tour. I do recommend an actual tour though. I learned so much about Boston and I thought it was worth it. Check out Groupon. You might find some deals

https://freetoursbyfoot.com/the-freedom-trail/ 

Do not forget to have fun and enjoy your time there. As always leave each place better than you found it! Thanks for traveling with me.