Travel Resources
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Flights
I’ve been using Airfare Watchdog, a discount flight search tool, since the early 2000s. It’s my secret weapon when friends ask me things like “Can you keep an eye out for cheap flights to Ireland?” I use their fare alert tool to email me when prices drop below a certain threshold.
I’ve been using Airfare Watchdog, a discount flight search tool, since the early 2000s. It’s my secret weapon when friends ask me things like “Can you keep an eye out for cheap flights to Ireland?” I use their fare alert tool to email me when prices drop below a certain threshold.
Accommodations
One of our very first blog posts talked about how we rented the coziest ohana imaginable in Lahaina, Maui, for less than $100 a night and it’s all thanks to VRBO (that’s “Vacation Rental By Owner”). We always check VRBO for deals before our long term travels - especially when we want to be by the beach.
Hotel fans can compare prices and package deals at Hotels Combined and Expedia (.com for my American friends and .ca for all the Canadians!)
If you’re searching for last minute deals and bargains, this page at Hotels.com is a good place to start your search.
One of our very first blog posts talked about how we rented the coziest ohana imaginable in Lahaina, Maui, for less than $100 a night and it’s all thanks to VRBO (that’s “Vacation Rental By Owner”). We always check VRBO for deals before our long term travels - especially when we want to be by the beach.
Hotel fans can compare prices and package deals at Hotels Combined and Expedia (.com for my American friends and .ca for all the Canadians!)
If you’re searching for last minute deals and bargains, this page at Hotels.com is a good place to start your search.
Travel Insurance
Visitors Coverage is my go-to insurance company for affordable plans - including for my senior citizen mother to travel from Canada to the United States. If it’s good enough for mom…. You can get a free quote here.
Visitors Coverage is my go-to insurance company for affordable plans - including for my senior citizen mother to travel from Canada to the United States. If it’s good enough for mom…. You can get a free quote here.
Attractions
I get *very* excited when I find a travel bargain - like saving big bucks on attractions that are on my bucket list. CityPass is a great program that lets travelers save up to 50% on events and activities. It’s especially frugal-tastic for pricier cities where there aren’t many free museums and galleries. Bonus: Tickets through CityPass help you skip long lines too.
I get *very* excited when I find a travel bargain - like saving big bucks on attractions that are on my bucket list. CityPass is a great program that lets travelers save up to 50% on events and activities. It’s especially frugal-tastic for pricier cities where there aren’t many free museums and galleries. Bonus: Tickets through CityPass help you skip long lines too.
Group Tours
I’m thanking my friend Janice for this recommendation. She traveled to the Galapagos with G Adventures and loved their small group tour so much she is already planning her next adventure to Peru. I love her enthusiasm - and the fact that G Adventures puts a strong emphasis on supporting the economic independence of the communities they visit and minimizing their environmental impact. You can find their last minute sales page here.
I’m thanking my friend Janice for this recommendation. She traveled to the Galapagos with G Adventures and loved their small group tour so much she is already planning her next adventure to Peru. I love her enthusiasm - and the fact that G Adventures puts a strong emphasis on supporting the economic independence of the communities they visit and minimizing their environmental impact. You can find their last minute sales page here.
Audiobooks
Blog readers know two key things about me: I love to read and I get really, really motionsick. Listening to books instead of reading them is key for me when traveling by car, bus, train, plane, boat….. You get the picture. Get two free audiobooks with this link.
Blog readers know two key things about me: I love to read and I get really, really motionsick. Listening to books instead of reading them is key for me when traveling by car, bus, train, plane, boat….. You get the picture. Get two free audiobooks with this link.
Travel Gear
Carry-on Luggage, Backpacks, and Bags
Checking a bag? Never! No matter what, we travel with carry-on sized bags. A good place to start to compare your options for classic suitcases is LuggageGuy.com. They focus on discounted designer brands.
Our go-to backpack is the trusty, affordable, just-won’t-quit Osprey Porter 46. No other piece of gear has taken such a beating as these dynamic packs and both of our bags are still going strong.
When I want to change things up, I go for the Eagle Creek Global Companion. Its carrying capacity is just a wee bit smaller than the Osprey but it has pockets, compartments, and organizational features that the Osprey lacks.
I’ve been using PacSafe Metrosafe cross body messenger bags as my go-to day pack for seven years now. I love all the security features and how it keeps all my gear well organized.
No matter the bag, we use Eagle Creek’s “Specter” line of Pack-It Cubes. The Specter line is made out of ultra-thin parachute style fabric. Unlike other cubes, you aren’t losing space or weight due to bulky fabric. We also use Eagle Creek’s classic “Wallaby” style toiletry kit in the Specter line. And, yes, we do have the eye-watering, bright lime green one!
Checking a bag? Never! No matter what, we travel with carry-on sized bags. A good place to start to compare your options for classic suitcases is LuggageGuy.com. They focus on discounted designer brands.
Our go-to backpack is the trusty, affordable, just-won’t-quit Osprey Porter 46. No other piece of gear has taken such a beating as these dynamic packs and both of our bags are still going strong.
When I want to change things up, I go for the Eagle Creek Global Companion. Its carrying capacity is just a wee bit smaller than the Osprey but it has pockets, compartments, and organizational features that the Osprey lacks.
I’ve been using PacSafe Metrosafe cross body messenger bags as my go-to day pack for seven years now. I love all the security features and how it keeps all my gear well organized.
No matter the bag, we use Eagle Creek’s “Specter” line of Pack-It Cubes. The Specter line is made out of ultra-thin parachute style fabric. Unlike other cubes, you aren’t losing space or weight due to bulky fabric. We also use Eagle Creek’s classic “Wallaby” style toiletry kit in the Specter line. And, yes, we do have the eye-watering, bright lime green one!
Guidebooks
We never travel without a guidebook. In fact, some trips demand several of them! In our experience, the relatively small cost a guidebook pays for itself several times over, giving you the information you need to take public transportation and find value-priced restaurants.
Lonely Planet is a good brand that’s suited to free spirits AND planners. We’ve used their guides in Greece, Myanmar, Zimbabwe, France, Hawaii, and many, many other destinations.
I am a big fan of finding the right guidebook for your travel style and for reading more than one guidebook brand to get a well rounded sense of your destination. You can find multiple titles and good sales at eBooks.
My Canadian readers in particular will love Chapters/Indigo - you can find a curated list of their best travel gifts and books here. Fun fact: I used to work part time at Chapters - and I LOVED organizing the travel section!
We never travel without a guidebook. In fact, some trips demand several of them! In our experience, the relatively small cost a guidebook pays for itself several times over, giving you the information you need to take public transportation and find value-priced restaurants.
Lonely Planet is a good brand that’s suited to free spirits AND planners. We’ve used their guides in Greece, Myanmar, Zimbabwe, France, Hawaii, and many, many other destinations.
I am a big fan of finding the right guidebook for your travel style and for reading more than one guidebook brand to get a well rounded sense of your destination. You can find multiple titles and good sales at eBooks.
My Canadian readers in particular will love Chapters/Indigo - you can find a curated list of their best travel gifts and books here. Fun fact: I used to work part time at Chapters - and I LOVED organizing the travel section!
Cameras
Cameras come and go in our world but we’ve been using the Olympus Tough for years. And it is TOUGH. Waterproof, dust-proof, shatter-proof, freeze-proof - it’s what we use when we take a hot air balloon ride, hang out at a winter festival, or head out on a city bike tour.
Cameras come and go in our world but we’ve been using the Olympus Tough for years. And it is TOUGH. Waterproof, dust-proof, shatter-proof, freeze-proof - it’s what we use when we take a hot air balloon ride, hang out at a winter festival, or head out on a city bike tour.
Blogging Resources
Website Domains
If you’re thinking of coming over to the dark side and joining the nefarious underworld which is travel blogging, you’re going to need a website. And to have a website, you’re going to need a domain name. You can save up to 30% at GoDaddy with this link.
Resource Books
I highly recommend Gabi Logan’s The Six Figure Travel Writing Road Map. Budding bloggers and freelance writers alike will find it very helpful.
Bookkeeping
I have been using Quickbooks to track my travel expenses and blogging income since my first month of blogging back in 2012. With this link, you can get 50% off your monthly costs for your first three months (sometimes more!)
Email Marketing
Sharing your content and reaching a new audience is a big part of being a blogger. AWeber is a great tool for that and new users can sign up for a discount here.
Writing
I use Grammarly on my phone, tablet, and laptop to check for spelling and grammar problems on all my blog and social media posts. Best of all - you can start for free!
Disclosure
If you’re thinking of coming over to the dark side and joining the nefarious underworld which is travel blogging, you’re going to need a website. And to have a website, you’re going to need a domain name. You can save up to 30% at GoDaddy with this link.
Resource Books
I highly recommend Gabi Logan’s The Six Figure Travel Writing Road Map. Budding bloggers and freelance writers alike will find it very helpful.
Bookkeeping
I have been using Quickbooks to track my travel expenses and blogging income since my first month of blogging back in 2012. With this link, you can get 50% off your monthly costs for your first three months (sometimes more!)
Email Marketing
Sharing your content and reaching a new audience is a big part of being a blogger. AWeber is a great tool for that and new users can sign up for a discount here.
Writing
I use Grammarly on my phone, tablet, and laptop to check for spelling and grammar problems on all my blog and social media posts. Best of all - you can start for free!
Disclosure
- I wrote a book on GDPR and Compliance for Canadian Small Business Owners and Bloggers available on Amazon.
- For a shorter intro to GDPR, visit my other site Sculpt Social. Additional resources can be found on other sites: Smart Blogger as well as A Cork, Fork, and Passport.
- Intro on Privacy Policies from Cookie Policy Generator and from Black Box Design.
- Federal Trade Commission (US) Advertising Guidelines can be found here.
- The FTC (US) also covers Blogger FAQs.
- Ad Standards Canada Blogger Disclosure Guidelines can be found here. (Canadian Ad Standards guide also contains links to relevant information for Australia, Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Philippines, Romania, Sweden, The Netherlands)
- Competition and Markets Authority (UK) provides an Online Endorsement Guide.
