Travel the world
The casas particulares system in Cuba is actually pretty simple. It's basically an Airbnb, plus homecooked meals (if you choose). You can stay in accommodations where you have a whole apartment to yourself, where you stay in the room of a home with a host family, or where you stay alone in a private room [...]
An action camera (a.k.a. a GoPro-style camera) is the perfect travel accessory... for certain kinds of travelers. No, I really don't think they're for everyone. And honestly, when I bought mine, I had no idea what I was getting into. I did so much research on the tech specs and the mounts, but I didn't really know how well an action camera would work for me and my travel style. I wrote this post hoping to create a resource that's just that: a clarifying guide for anyone still on the fence.
With cheap airfare to destinations all over the world, choosing a travel destination is harder than ever. You really can go almost anywhere (which is a great problem to have) but then where should you start? The truth is, a quiz really can't tell you where you should go. And neither can your friends and family. I really, truly believe that, deep down, you know exactly where you want to go. And in this post, my goal is to help you realize exactly where that is.
There are lots of ways you can save money both while you're traveling and while you're home. You just have to know where to look. As you would probably expect, saving money means giving a lot of things up. But, as lots of experienced travelers know, it's also really liberating. What's so cool to me is that many of these tips for saving money to travel coincide with minimalism and eco-friendliness—life practices many of us travelers also truly, deeply value.
I spent hours researching study abroad packing lists. The two main takeaways? Pack minimally (because you will buy items when you're there) and to bring lots of proper rain gear.
I find the Aran Islands, a group of three islands not far from Galway, fascinating in every way. Locals continue to live the traditional way and speak the Irish language to each other. Local livestock owners still use stacked stone walls built in ancient times as animal enclosures. Meanwhile, ancient history covers every inch of the Aran Islands. Monks settled the islands long ago, seeking solitude. Tons of pre-Christian and Christian historical stone structures can still be seen in beautiful, poetic ruins. The sense of distance from mainstream culture remains.
Depending on which side of the city you visit, Hamburg, Germany can be either a very wealthy or a very gritty place. The walking street art tour I did was definitely on the gritty site.
Hostels are the cheapest, and maybe even the best way, to stay during a backpacking adventure.
When I began researching and creating a list of things to do during my week-long vacation in Portland, I had no idea where to start. There were just so many options I found interesting. I didn't want to miss anything! There's so much to eat, drink, and do in this city. After staying a week in Portland, I can the things I did and ate and drank all exceeded my expectations. Here's my list of all the things you need to do when you visit Portland, Oregon.
When I traveled internationally for the first time to study abroad, I spent hours researching what I needed to bring. Unfortunately, the following items showed up on few of the lists I found online though I found them completely essential. I spent way too much time worrying about which clothing items to bring and how many but missed many of the most practical items. Pack these six items for stress-free travel.