Washington DC sightseeing is budget friendly travel! Here's how we explored Washington DC in 2 days with just $200 on hand.
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. Saguenay is the best place to go kayaking in Quebec - even if there are a few misadventures along the way.
Brimming with confidence and cutting a dashing, athletic figure, I nimbly slid into the stern of my sea kayak, ready to embrace the elements and be one with nature.
Wait a minute.... that's not me! I've never been nimble at anything I do, let alone anything to do with boats! But when I had the opportunity to kayak the Saguenay, Quebec, Fjord - and specifically be in the Saguenay St Lawrence Marine Park, adjacent to Fjord National Park- I WAS truly ready to be one with nature. The chance to navigate a fjord here in Canada was a rare travel experience I couldn't miss. As for the confidence.... well... let's just say that I was about as confident as I was nimble. But it didn't take me long to hit my stride, with only a few minor mishaps. And it was all worth it to be better acquainted with an absolutely incredible corner of the world. Here's why I think sea kayaking is among the best things to do in Saguenay (even if there were a few awkward wetsuit moments along the way). Beluga whale watching in Quebec is an exhilarating travel experience - but what would a queasy girl like myself think about it?
Vomiting. Vomiting on people. Toppling over furniture. Quietly crying. Some of my most woe-begotten travel moments have involved motion sickness and many of those have involved boats. Who can forget when I had motion sickness while on the Houseboat Museum of Amsterdam? I'm not an adventurous girl and, on the rare times that I am, that adventurous spirit does NOT involve boats. But all that changed when I had the chance to go beluga whale watching in Quebec; Tadoussac to be exact. "Whale watching: Quebec" has been on my travel bucket list for a long time, and for good reason. Whale watching in Tadoussac is reputed to be among the best in the world and there was no way that I was going to miss it - no matter what my stomach wanted to do!
We discovered the Fjällträdgård, Sweden's Arctic Garden and the northern most botanical garden in the world. With busy bees, periwinkle blooms, and delicate curved branches arching over a river, the Fjällträdgård (or Mountain Botanical Garden) of Jokkmokk, in Swedish Lapland, wouldn't look out of place if it were situated thousands of miles to the south. Instead, this Arctic Garden has the distinction of being one of the northern most (if not THE northern most) botanical gardens in the world. It's home to plants and flowers often found only in the country's far north and the tundra. Here's what we loved about our visit.
Updated 2022! Wondering how to plan a trip to Hawaii on a budget? Need to figure out what is the cheapest way to travel to Hawaii? This is what value-minded travellers can expect to find in terms of savings, splurges, and steals. Ten thousand dollars. They were wondering how to plan a trip to Hawaii and that's how much a friend told me they thought it would cost. Ten thousand dollars - EACH. This breaks my heart. Hawaii is one of my favourite destinations. We've just returned from our third trip and I don't think we've spent ten thousand dollars on all three excursions combined. And we're not slumming it either - no illegal camping on the beach, no stealing fruit from private gardens!
Is Hawaii a bargain-basement priced destination? No. Are there plenty of expensive temptations at every turn? Yes.Is Hawaii travel affordable? YES. Can the average person, on a modest budget, still afford to go there? YES. YES. YES! Here's how Ryan and I plan a trip to Hawaii without breaking the bank. If you're wondering what is the cheapest way to travel to Hawaii and how much you save money when you're there -this is the post for you! Inside our sentimental visit in a place of peace and reflection. Here's how you can visit St Symphorien Military Cemetery, Belgium. (Updated 2022).
It's difficult to drive down a road in rural Belgium without encountering one of the subtle green signs of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Belgium suffered terribly during the First World War, as did the millions of troops from around the world who fought in the water logged trenches. But as I was to learn, visiting a war cemetery is not just an experience of sadness but also one of inspiration. If you're interested in history, you'll be keen to learn how to visit St Symphorien Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Porter Airlines now flies to Orlando Melbourne International Airport, Florida - where kayaking and oceanfront adventures await.
Did you know that the trick to not spooking a pelican is to calmly talk to it... almost like it's a dog? I'm not entirely sure this information is completely accurate, but it worked for me as my kayak glided towards a mooring post in the lagoon of Indian River, part of Florida's Sebastian Inlet State Park.
The pelican - much larger and broader than I had imagined while on land - showed no signs of abandoning his perch as the boat drifted closer but he did fuss about nervously. "Good pelican" I purred. "Who's a good bird? You are. Yes you are. You're a good bird and you have very handsome feathers". The cooing and coaxing worked; the pelican settled down and relaxed, and I breathed a sigh of relief that I another travel day had passed free from animal attacks. The best things to do in Bern, Switzerland, include bears by the river and epic chess battles. Check out all the fun and frivolity we found in the Swiss capital! Updated in 2022.
Is Switzerland a serious travel destination? The images of the stoic Swiss banker or the studious clock maker certainly don't suggest a fun and frivolous destination. But the Swiss capital of Bern is a city of charm, whimsy, and wry good humor - and I've had more fun here than just about any other spot. Whether it's discovering a cheeky giant flower arrangement designed to mimic a Christmas tree (above) or a jaunty frolic with make-believe bears, Bern has amusement and diversions for every traveller. These are some of my favourite things to do in Bern, Switzerland.
Canada's most ambitious landscape art project takes several heartwarming turns in Gatineau.
A prairie buffalo looks up from his meal of tender grass shoots, looking calm and serene despite the heat of the day and the thickness of his woolly coat. He's perfectly at ease and utterly unperturbed by the proximity of a nearby polar bear, whose sleek, silvery-white fur glistens in the sun. An enormous, stately inuksuk stands between them and presides over their affairs.
Anywhere else, this would be a most curious trio but in downtown Gatineau, Quebec, they couldn't be more at home, for the buffalo, the polar bear, and the inuksuk are made entirely of plants, the latest spectacle from Montreal's innovative landscape art company, Mosaicultures. And in their most ambitious project yet, "MosaiCanada", Gatineau's waterfront Jacques Cartier Park is transformed into "a beautiful historical bouquet" for Canada's 150th anniversary. (Update: This project has concluded and I hope this post inspires you to search out MosaiCanada installations in the future). |
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