When you think of Quebecois food, does your mind wander to old fashioned fare with a heavy emphasis on maple syrup and local delicacies? Or maybe you're craving less wholesome treats like a heaping plate of poutine? Perhaps your tastes are a bit more refined, with a eye towards wine and French joie de vivre? If you're like me and want a little bit of everything, your best bet is a Quebec City food tour so that no category is left out. Happily, when I was in Quebec City for the Women in Travel Summit, I participated in not one but two fantastic foodie experiences. Read on to hear about each tour, including what I loved, what I felt could have been improved, and my favourite stop on each. Plus there's a bonus review of my favourite Quebec City bed and breakfast which I know you'll like as much as I do!

What does summer vacation look like for a travel blogger? Probably a lot like it looks for everyone else! First, there are plenty of indulgent snack foods (hello there, poutine, ice cream, and popsicles). Next, there's a lot of laziness and lounging about in the sun, enjoying the breeze and watching the leaves ripple on the trees. There's even a good amount of time hanging out by the shore, collecting feathers and shells, and generally being thrilled to put social media on snooze. 

Of course, there's also the unexpected rain - but we'll get to that in a moment!

This year, our summer vacation brought us to Craigleith Provincial Park for four nights of southern Ontario camping. Ryan and I stuffed our car with camping gear, beer, extra beach towels (but no pillows.... not our finest moment), a backpack brimming with books, magazines, and board games - and, of course, our dog, Oliver! Aside from the pillows, just one thing was missing and this one was intentional. My laptop was left at home and I couldn't have been happier!

But while I had officially banished work, I couldn't turn off the blogging side of my brain. Case in point: while camping, I was able to try out an incredible travel scarf with pockets, something I've been enamored with ever since I first heard about it. And I couldn't wait to tell you all about it! An infinity scarf with pocket features has been on my travel wish list for a while now. Originally I had visions of cuddling around the campfire in a chic scarf, looking glamorous while keeping my phone and keys safe, but Mother Nature delivered a heck of a rain storm that really let me put things to the test. 

Check out our video showing just how gorgeous Ontario camping at Craigleith Provincial Park really is - on clear days and stormy ones alike! Then read on to learn more about my new favourite travel scarf (and enter to win one for yourself....)

Curious about learning French for travel? That's a great idea! French remains one of the most popular languages to learn in the world. There are around 63 million French speakers in France alone, and approximately 285 million speakers worldwide. So if French is the language you're considering next, then you're going to be in good company!

Here are some tips and tricks to consider when you first begin to learn French. So for now, bonne chance!
​
French of different flavours
The first thing that is probably worth mentioning is that, like English, French will be different depending on where you are hearing, learning, and using it. And this is especially true because French is actually spoken as an official language in 27 countries around the world aside from Canada and France. But don't let that put you off! Standard, or Metropolitan French, as it is sometimes called, will still get you far. The question, then, is where do you start?

Do you dream of visiting the Little Mermaid - or something a little bit more obscure? Does sleek Danish design call your name - or perhaps unpolished green spaces are more your thing? Are you eager to pound the pavement in search of Copenhagen's most beloved tourist attractions or are you looking for something that just screams "local"? It's really hard to choose! For a small city, Copenhagen has a seemingly endless list of things to do. Even if you have just 2 days in Copenhagen like we did, you're going to want to try and take it all in.

My idea of 2 perfect days in Copenhagen might look very different than yours. So I've devised a bit of a system for travelers to enjoy everything the city has to offer while still maintaining some flexible time for what you best love. I've broken Copenhagen's best spaces, attractions, and activities into five categories (you know how much I love lists!) and I suggest that you try one thing from each category - and then add in two or three extra things from whatever area feels that most *you*. Assuming that most people would tackle about eight activities in two days (two in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening each day), this makes for 2 rather full days in Copenhagen but hopefully you leave feeling as energized as we did.

​Here's the best of the best of this beautiful city. 

When I announced my intentions to tackle budget travel in Washington DC in 2 days, people were skeptical. REALLY skeptical. When I further clarified that I was targeting the city for my next $200 Challenge (two people travel for two days and just spend $200), folks were downright incredulous. In fact, one friend warned me that she once had to spend $600 for a "cheap" hotel in the city center! But I wasn't worried. For when it came to Washington DC sightseeing on a budget, I had an ace up my sleeve. After all, I live and work in a capital city. I figured I knew all the secrets to cheap eats and free activities in a political town.

But did I? Planning a 2 day trip to Washington DC was about to test my budgeting chops! With my good friend and fellow blogger Hannah from Eat Sleep Breathe Travel by my side though, I was up for the adventure.