What Kind of Traveler Are You?

December 9, 2014

Travel is one of those things that each of us does a little differently. We all head to places that fit our lifestyles and personalities, we find hotels that meet our requirements which are all different and we all get to our destinations differently and on different budgets. And as travelers, we are all different and that’s what makes the world such a great place, that we can each be the type of travelers we want to be. There do tend to be groups of types of travelers though and depending on what type of traveler you are, you might like certain places over others. So today for each type of traveler you are, here are some places you might enjoy!

You love the feel of cities, of buildings rising up around you. You love all that cities have to offer: shopping, restaurants, parks and entertainment. You love a nice hotel, a chic outfit and an afternoon to wander. You love the electric energy of a city and the gathering of lots of different types of people.

You’ll love Paris, London, New York, Seoul, and Dublin.

You love the feel of exploring the unknown, of wandering through temples or empty streets at dawn. You like to travel in cargo pants and a backpack, to mingle with the locals and experience everything a place has to offer.

You’ll love Cambodia, Thailand, India, New Mexico and Morocco.

You love the feel of bare earth beneath your feet, stunning scenery and the sites and sounds of wildlife. You enjoy roaming places without habitation, the bare coast or open ocean or open expanses of land.

You’ll love Iceland, Oregon Coast, Newport RI, Jackson Hole and the San Juan Islands.

You go with the flow, have no plans and enjoy places that have a laid back atmosphere. You love to experience nature or a long evening at a cool restaurant, but you go on your own time. You like a down to earth lifestyle and like places that don’t try too hard.

You’ll love Nice, Southern California and Hawaii.

You love a chic B&B in the middle of nowhere, a fireplace and a cozy blanket to curl up and read a book. You don’t need cell reception or a TV and you’ll spend your days wandering the local towns, drinking tea and mingling with the locals.

You’ll love Northern Ireland, St. Andrews, Edinburgh and Bruges.

You love to get your feet wet with history, wandering among ruins and taking in historical sites. You love guided tours to get your fill of historical facts and wandering the same halls that people wandered years and years ago. You love the stories of a place and what came before.

You’ll love Rome, Amsterdam and Washington DC.

8 Places That Take You Back in Time

December 8, 2014

There are certain places in the world that just seem to exist in their own time, places that seem to defy the notion that it’s 2014. The places out there that you wander through their narrow streets or drive through ancient villages and you wonder if you went back in time. Those places are often the charming spots in the world, places to escape the current age and enjoy some time away from the modernity of our everyday lives. And often, these places will leave you wanting more and more…

Amsterdam seems to exist in its own era, with more bikes than cars, old brick buildings standing crooked along cobblestone streets and lamp-posts that look like they could be straight out of Harry Potter. The charm of the waterways and old buildings in this Dutch city will leave you wanting more and with a feeling like you’ve been to another time and place.

This charming Belgian city situated on waterways and filled to the brim with old world character is a place that will make you feel like you’ve time traveled. Wander the back streets here and indulge in old-world Belgian chocolate, or grab a fresh waffle from the street markets that feel like they are from 100 years ago and you’ll wonder why you need to return to the modern world.

Perhaps the most picturesque towns in all of Europe are those situated in Ireland. My favorites are the small towns you drive through in Northern Ireland, white washed stone houses, tiny main roads through town, one pub for everyone to gather at, these towns surrounded by the lush greenery of the countryside make you feel like it’s still 1950.

Nothing makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time like exploring ancient ruins. Siem Reap and the Angkor Wat complexes in Cambodia fit that bill and as you wander around the temple grounds, exploring ruins that one day were alive with activity, it makes you feel somehow transported to another place and time. It’s always incredible to me that you can wander these ruins today that once upon a time, people hundreds and thousands of years ago wandered just the same.

The little town of St. Andrews on the Scottish coast is one of those towns that you feel like just shouldn’t have cell phones or cars. You should huddle by a warm fire and enjoy some Sticky Toffee Pudding as the fire crackles and the wind howls outside. The town just oozes charm and with its tiny roads and stone buildings, it seems to exist on its own timeline.

With multiple palaces, colored stone houses and an incredible landscape, Udaipur is one of those places in the world that you feel like you’re living in India’s own little world with maharajas and monkeys and sparkling jewels. It’s the India of movies, with an incredible backdrop of landscape, lakes all over the place and insanely ornate palaces, Udaipur will transport you into its own little world.

While Italy in general takes you back in time, Verona is one of those rare spots in the country that makes you truly believe it. With many pedestrian only roads, cobblestones everywhere, buildings that you wonder how they’re still standing and open squares at every turn, Verona is straight out of medieval times.

The Palace at Versailles just outside of Paris is one of those places that just blows my mind every time I visit, wandering the same halls at the kings of France, of Marie Antoinette, as all those people that came before us, it’s a crazy thought. No where takes you back in time in France quite like Versailles.

The Truth About Traveling : Why Are People So Weird on Airplanes?

December 3, 2014

Do you ever get on a flight and immediately know your neighbor crammed into the seat next to you is just going to be a problem the whole flight? Yea, I think we’ve all been there a time or two and really, more than not, the question is why are people so weird on airplanes? Nick and I have so many stories of weird people sitting next to us for the usually 8+ hours while traveling, crammed into seats within inches of these people. And over the years, I swear people’s boundaries and etiquette on airplanes just gets worse and worse. So today we’re reminiscing on some of my favorite bad airplane neighbor experiences over the years and yes, these all legitimately have happened, at one point or another.

Socks on my Seat Guy

On our way home from our layover in Iceland on this last trip in October, we loaded into our middle and aisle seats, got settled and waited to see who the lucky winner was for the window seat next to us. Low and behold our neighbor gets on towards the end of boarding, tries to find space for his luggage, grabs a huge pile of stuff from his bag (loading it into his arms), and proceeds to squeeze over to the window seat. Within minutes (before we’d even left our gate), he had his shoes off, feet with socks literally sprawled over to the back of the seat in front of me. No joke, this guys feet were directly in front of my legs, with his toes sort of resting on the top of the back of seat pouch. Long story short, I knew I couldn’t handle that for long, so when we happened (read: purposely) to take the water bottle out of that back seat pouch and it snapped on his toes, I couldn’t help but smile.

Disinfect Everything Lady

On our trip to Iceland a few years ago, we encountered a few different hilarious stories with our seat mates. This is the first and to this day Nick and I still joke about it whenever we get on an airplane. Our neighbor on this flight got in her seat, took our a giant tube of disinfecting wipes and proceeded to wash everything down. Literally everything from the armrests to the window shade, to the actual window. The tray table, the wall next to her, the top of the seat, literally nothing within a foot of her didn’t get disinfected. And I get wanting to wipe down your tray table and armrest, places you’ll be touching but this lady disinfected her seat so far that I guarantee you’d never actually touch any of those spots.

Condensation on my Window Woman

On that same trip to Iceland, we encountered something I’ve never quite seen before or since. The woman next to us in the window seat started freaking out upon our descent when ice crystals started forming on her window, which them proceeded to start dripping as we landed since we were going from very cold to warmer air. This is a pretty common thing on airplanes by the way and happens to me a lot when in a window seat. However this particular woman literally started hyperventilating, pressing her flight attendant call button a bunch of times, during which the flight attendants came to tell her that’s normal. She didn’t like that and proceeded to keep saying that her window wasn’t fitted properly if water was coming in. Long story short, the woman really never got over it until we were on the ground, which means it was a lovely descent for us next to her while she was freaking out.

Let’s Yell to Our Family Over Multiple Rows People

This particular incident happens a lot on my flights to Hawaii when you have large groups of people traveling together. Needless to say, it really isn’t necessary to yell over multiple rows of plane seats to people you know sitting rows back. Get up, walk back there and say what you need to say and then sit back down. The rest of us really don’t need to hear your life story while you shout over us.

A Quick Guide to Saving Money on Airfare and Hotels

December 1, 2014

We are back from Southern Oregon and our holiday weekend and I can’t wait to start posting again, with lots of great posts I’m excited for this week and coming in the next month! I hope all of you (Americans) had an amazing Thanksgiving and I can’t wait to head into the Christmas season now, with lights sparkling and temperatures dropping. I’m also hoping all my feeds are updated by now from the switch to WordPress and everyone is getting posts, if not let me know, but to get going again, here we go!

While travel can definitely add up very quickly when looking at a budget for a trip, there are also some great but lesser known ways to save quite a bit of money. I’ve been traveling for many years now and over time, I’ve picked up numerous ways to save here and there on travel so that you can do more with the money you’ve budgeted for a trip. When you’ve saved a chunk of money and are ready to start booking your trip, here are some great ways to save money on hotels and airfare.

Sign up for email notifications from airlines and hotel sites

This is perhaps the most under-acknowledged and unused way to save money on hotels and airfare. Whichever airlines you use the most often or the sites you like to book with, sign up for their email newsletters. I subscribe to 10+ different airlines and websites I like to book travel with and watch for their emails that advertise sales. You’ll be shocked at how much just watching the websites’ emails will help with finding amazing flight and hotel deals. You’ll also be the first to know when a sale is happening to make sure you get the best deal possible.

Follow Travel Blogs

Many of the incredible flight deals I’ve gotten over the past few years have been because I’ve seen them mentioned on large travel blogs I follow. My favorite is The Points Guy, who has amazing advice for using miles and posts amazing flight deals as soon as they are shown.

Fly on Tuesdays or Thursdays

When booking, if your dates are flexible, you’ll be amazed at how much cheaper airfare is when you fly on off days. This means trying to avoid Fridays and weekends and Mondays. Middle of the week is best and I’ve had best luck on Tuesdays and Thursdays over the years for the best airfare deals. Flying on off days also helps with your chances for upgrades as well when there will be more seats available since fewer people are traveling.

Buy your airline tickets mid-week, in the morning

This still blows me away and I can’t believe that companies still do this, but believe it or not, you could pay a ton more when booking on weekends or evenings. Websites raise their prices during peak booking hours, that means that whenever most people are booking (ie. when they are home on weekends or evening) fares and costs can be way higher. I’ve had them sometimes $300 more during those times from when I’ve looked at other times like on weekday mornings. I try to do all my fare research in off hours to see what the lowest fares are and then make sure and go back and book during off hours as well.

Book award travel more than 6 months in advance or last minute

If you’re thinking of booking travel with your points, it’s best to either book way far in advance (6+ months before travel) or last minute. Many airlines only open so many award seats (especially internationally) on flights early on and then may open up a few more last minute to fill seats. I prefer to book ahead of time to confirm dates, so make sure to plan ahead when using miles. But it is also often easy to get award booking seats a few days prior to departure, so if you can do it last minute, that works often too.

Don’t travel during peak times (yearly and daily)

You’ll find way cheaper fares in non peak travel times during the year, such as fore-going travel in tourist seasons like Summer or during holidays, specifically Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you can be flexible, it’s best and cheapest to fly and travel in early Spring (February-April) and late Fall (October-November).

Another great thing to keep in mind if you want to travel over the holidays is to travel to regions that won’t be celebrating whatever holiday it is. For example, traveling to Europe over Thanksgiving you can find pretty good deals since it’s not a holiday there. Same with Christmas, traveling to places like the Middle East that won’t be celebrating Christmas, you can find better deals than traveling to places where everyone will be traveling.

This also relates to flying in off peak times during the day. For example, fares are going to be more expensive in the morning and evenings since that’s when most people travel. But looking into red eye flights or mid day flights can often cut back your expenses drastically.

5 Totally Underrated Spots in Europe

November 20, 2014

Before we get into today’s post, just a little note to let all you lovely readers know that I made the switch from Blogger to WordPress this week, so if you notice any glitches or little formatting issues, please excuse them as I get to know WordPress and the new layout. So thank you for your patience! And now on to today’s post…

Europe is full of tourist spots, cities that everyone knows of and are the places that most people head to. But the continent is also full of places that are still relatively unknown, or at least not bogged down by tourists like some of their counterparts. There are lots of spots that are totally underrated in Europe but here are five of my favorites!

The Scottish city is one that often gets overlooked for busier and more well known London. Edinburgh though is a gem not to be missed, from stone buildings that look straight out of Harry Potter to an old world feel that feels unique to Scotland, from the heavy Scottish accents to amazing countryside that surrounds the city. The city is becoming more and more of a tourist destination but in the off season you can still wander the streets alongside the locals.

Perhaps because of its fraught history or because most tourists block to Dublin and the Irish countrysides of County Kerry, but Northern Ireland is still a relatively unknown spot for tourists. Home of the Giant’s Causeway and the tiny town of Bushmills famous for its whiskey, Northern Ireland is gorgeous and quiet. Rent a car and drive the countryside, through tiny towns and green fields full of sheep. The North also boasts incredible cliffsides above the ocean and incredible food.

Often overlooked for its famous neighbor, Cannes, Nice in the South of France is still fairly quiet in the off seasons. While the Summers stay busy with tourists, an escape here in the early Spring is the perfect time to wander the Riviera city without being overwhelmed. The mixture of a laid back lifestyle and French food and culture makes Nice a fantastically underrated spot.

While Iceland is becoming more and more popular, there are still a ton of people who say, “why would I go to Iceland?” An untouched world of beauty and superstitions, Iceland is one of those places that you’ll leave saying “why haven’t I been to Iceland sooner?”

The Scandinavian city is often overlooked by tourists who tend to stick to mid to Southern Europe, Denmark’s capital is a great spot to experience Scandinavia and Northern Europe. With a definite charm and super walkable streets, Copenhagen is a great escape from the typical European cities like London and Rome.

What to Wear in Northern Europe and Paris in October

November 19, 2014

Travel Style for Northern Europe and Paris in October

More What to Wear posts for more destinations here!

Packing for Fall in Northern Europe can be unpredictable and knowing what to wear can be challenging. Traveling through Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Bruges, Brussels and Paris in October, we encountered everything from gorgeous blue skies to pouring rain to cold temperatures, so it’s important that you pack to layer for your trip through Northern Europe in October.

And if you need advice for visiting the spots we traveled through – here is everything you’ll need to know:

Copenhagen | Amsterdam | Bruges | Brussels | Paris

What to Pack:

A couple options for coats – I packed a raincoat with a hood and a trench coat for this trip to cover all types of weather.
Thick sweaters that you can layer with – I wore a few think sweaters throughout our trip which were perfect when the weather was a little on the warmer side without a jacket, but also kept me warm under a jacket once the temperatures dropped.
A crossbody purse – This will save your arms from carrying a heavy purse while exploring.
Comfortable Boots – I like traveling in boots in the Fall months as they keep your feet warm but also are comfortable to walk around in.
A few options for scarves – I like to switch up my scarf each day and feel like my outfit has changed while traveling, plus they’ll keep you warm!

What I Wore:

Travel Style for Northern Europe and Paris in October

Outfit Details:

Gap Tan Trench Coat (similar) | Paige Flare Dark Denim (similar) | J Crew Sweater (old) | Tan boots (similar)

Dooney & Bourke Cross Body Purse (similar)| Lumix Camera

Travel Style for Northern Europe and Paris in October

Outfit Details:

Gap Tan Trench Coat (similar) | Madewell Scarf (similar)

Travel Style for Northern Europe and Paris in October

Outfit Details:

Long Black Cardigan (similar) | Bandana Scarf (similar)

Travel Style for Northern Europe and Paris in October

Outfit Details:

Black Calvin Kline Raincoat (similar) | Madewell Dark Denim | Madewell Scarf (similar) | White Low Top Converse

Dooney & Bourke Cross Body Purse (similar)| Lumix Camera

Travel Style for Northern Europe and Paris in October

Outfit Details:

Long Black Cardigan (similar) | Bandana Scarf (similar) | Madewell Dark Denim | Lumix Camera

Madewell Gray Long Sleeve T-shirt (old) | Tan boots (similar) | Dooney & Bourke Cross Body Purse (similar)

Travel Style for Northern Europe and Paris in October

Outfit Details:

Long Black Cardigan (similar) | Bandana Scarf (similar) | Madewell Dark Denim

Tan boots (similar) | Dooney & Bourke Cross Body Purse (similar)

5 Times When It’s Worth the Extra Money

November 17, 2014

Travel is expensive, it really isn’t worth in saying it isn’t. Even if you employ techniques to save money and even when you get deals, it’s still expensive. And while I do my best to cut back where I can while traveling and use as many miles and points as I can, there are also time when it’s worth the extra money to splurge on your trip.

It’s important to know though when it’s worth the extra money and when it’s not. For Nick and I, we like to splurge in certain areas of our trips but over the years we’ve realized when we can handle cutting cost and when we really should spend a little extra. Here are the areas I would suggest splurging on and when it’s really worth the extra money.

Plane trips over 10 hours.

The majority of the time, we’re just like everyone else and smashed into economy seats on airplanes with bad food, no leg room and the person next to us taking up half our seat. Isn’t that always the case?! However, there is a limit to what we’re willing to endure aboard an airplane. When we’re traveling somewhere on a plane for over 10 hours, that’s sort of my limit. Over 10 hours is worth upgrading, even if it’s just to Premium Economy which is becoming more and more affordable.

A good night’s rest.

One thing I’m not willing to skimp on when we travel is a good hotel or apartment. My sleep is really important to me and I’m always willing to pay more for good accommodation. Especially towards the beginning of your trip and at the end when you’re tired from traveling or feeling ready to head home, it’s important to get good rest and spend the money on a decent place.

Train rides over 4 hours.

I love traveling by train and particularly in Europe, the trains are pretty good and comfortable for quick trips. Though when you’re spending 4+ hours on a train, it’s often worth paying not much more for a first class ticket. We did this on the 5 hour journey from Milan to Nice a couple years ago and got our own first class cabin. It was by far worth it for not that much more money.

Special occasions.

I’m a big fan of celebrating special occasions and trips can be a great way to commemorate birthdays or anniversaries. But don’t skimp on these trips, these trips are the ones that everyone will remember for years to come and it’s worth spending a little extra for a special memory.

Amazing Views.

My one major weakness when we travel are hotels that have amazing views. There is something about waking up and opening up your windows to see Notre Dame across the street or panoramic views over Brussels or seeing your private infinity pool overflowing down the hill into Lake Pichola in Udaipur or watching a lightening storm behind the Taj Mahal from the privacy of your hotel room. A fantastic view from a hotel room is always worth the extra money and will often make your whole trip.

7 Cities You Must See in Europe

November 14, 2014

There are certain cities that whether you fall in love with them or not, you just need to visit in your lifetime. Europe has lots of those cities and while I have so much more to see still throughout the continent, there are spots I have seen so far, that I would say you need to see, to take them in, to feel their charm, to feel their identities and experience them. So here in no particular order are 7 of those cities that you must see in Europe at some point in your life and you won’t regret a single one.

There isn’t another spot quite like Amsterdam anywhere in the world. With waterways and canals at every turn, tree-lined cobble-stoned streets and a charm all its own, Amsterdam is a not-to-miss destination in Europe.

Oh Dublin, a city with an electric energy, beautiful colored stone and brick buildings and a character totally unique to Ireland. I could wander Dublin for days, taking in everything it offers, with that quintessential Irish charm.

Edinburgh surprised me, in the best possible way. It’s magical, it’s old-world, it’s so unique and yet at the same time, so Scotland. It’s one of those cities that you feel like you’re in another time and place, with stone buildings that seem straight out of a magical land, views of the city from multiple points and a landscape that is literally gorgeous, Edinburgh will surprise you too.

London, London, what is there not to love. A wonderful city filled to the brim with culture, architecture and history, this English city is a must-see for so many reasons. Let’s just say there is a reason that it’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe and always has been.

While Italy and I have some issues we’re working through, there is definitely a reason Italy is so high on everyone’s travel lists. The thing is, each part of Italy is different, and so is the case with Milan vs. Rome (both of which are on this list). Milan is in the Northern part of the country and the differences are worthy of experiencing, add colorful but restrained buildings, brick and stone architecture and a chic charm to it and you have Milan, a spot worthy of adding to your list.

I don’t think Paris needs an explanation of why it’s on this list, but none the less, the French capital holds a unique position of being one of the most visited destinations on the planet. Add to that the charm of the city, the landmarks and the museums and Paris is definitely a must-see in Europe.

As I mentioned above, Italy has so many spots to see, but perhaps the most famous would be Rome. With culture, history and colorful buildings, Rome is a city that you really just must see and experience in your lifetime, enough said.

AirBnB Apartment in Paris : Review

November 13, 2014

See more Reviews!

For our stop in Paris on this past trip, we decided to do something different in terms of lodging. On our previous trips, we’ve fallen in love with a couple different hotels, our favorite being the Le Notre Dame Hotel and it had become our regular spot in the French city. Though with a $350/night price tag, we decided for this trip, since we were there for 3 nights, we wanted to save a little money and try something different by renting an apartment. Hence, our first experience with AirBnB was born and I can say overall, I was pleased with the experience.

APARTMENT on the ÎLE ST. LOUIS
Paris, France

A-

Photo by Nick Nieto Photography

When we stayed: October 2014 | Price Range: $220/night | Website: AirBnB Apartment

What I Loved
Decor – The thing that first caught my eye on this apartment was the lovely decor. The apartment is furnished perfectly with so much character. The rock wall, the wood beams on the ceiling, the furniture, the ladder, everything screamed “cool Paris apartment.” And in person, it did not disappoint. Come to find out, the owner’s dad is an interior designer and you can really tell.Location – The location of this apartment is another big reason of why we picked it. We love the Ile St. Louis and many of our favorite spots are on the island, our favorite boulangerie, our favorite restaurant the St. Regis Cafe and it’s also really central and a great spot to be based. Knowing the apartment is in that area, was really convenient and a great selling point.

The view from our windows.

Comfortable Bed – I was actually most nervous about staying in an apartment not knowing if the bed would be great. I really like a good bed and a long night’s sleep, particularly when traveling, and the bed in this apartment was great.

Good Wifi – Another thing I was curious about, but the wifi here was great. The owner’s gave us the passcode when we arrived and it worked perfectly the entire stay.

What I Didn’t Love
Stairs – The apartment is up 3 flights of wooden windy old stairs and believe me, by the last day we were swearing every step up. It’s killer, particularly with suitcases or heavy bags. Of course this is something you can deal with, but to keep in mind.

3 flights of these wooden stairs were hard to climb.

Towels – I wasn’t crazy about the towel situation in the apartment truthfully. There were no hand towels, only washcloths and only a few of those. I did miss having fresh towels every day like in a hotel, but it would be an easy fix to just bring a couple small towels of your own, which I would totally do next time.

Notes to Keep in Mind
Read the reviews of the Renter – I read through every single review from this renter before we booked because I wanted to make sure other people had good things to say. You can tell a lot by reviews, for hotels and apartments online, they are the best way to get real information about the place. But also keep in mind that you should take everything with a grain of salt, some people just complain to complain, so try to figure out what’s important that they’re saying and what’s not.

Be Comfortable but Polite – Particularly when renting an apartment, it’s important to make yourself comfortable but also be polite with the space and with your neighbors, even more so that in a hotel. Put things back they way you found them, don’t open cabinets you’re not supposed to or make an effort to clean up a bit before you leave.

Travel Tips : 5 Tips for a Better Trip to Paris

November 12, 2014

Paris is one of those cities that millions of people visit and yet, many times, asking those who have visited, they will tell you they either loved or hated it. Or that they aren’t sure how they felt about it because their itinerary was so jam packed while there, they didn’t really experience Paris itself, but instead just the tourist spots there. It’s a common problem with tourists to the gorgeous French capital, many people spend so much time trying to fit in seeing everything they are “supposed to” see, instead of just taking in the city and really “seeing” it. Paris is one of those places that is meant to be explored, not just seen, a place that is more about the feeling, the wandering, the insignificant sites around the city instead of the grand monuments. And while those grand monuments and tourist spots are still worth seeing, don’t base your whole trip around them. Instead, here are five tips for a better trip to Paris!

1. Don’t overdo your itinerary.
9 times out of 10, this is what I hear from people who visit Paris, they packed their days so full of seeing everything in the city from their guidebook, they didn’t actually see the real Paris. It’s important to mark down the things in your guidebook that you really want to see, I’d say pick your top 5. Then after that, don’t worry about seeing the other things. You’ll probably end up seeing them as you wander or walk around the city anyways, but it’s more important to spend your time really taking in Paris itself and enjoying the aura of the city instead of overwhelming yourself with too much on your itinerary.

2. Use the metro.
The metro in Paris (their Subway) is one of the best in Europe and is so easy to use and get around the city. We’ve only used a cab 1 time in Paris and that was the first time we went, since then we only walk or use the metro. It’s cheap, efficient, and will get you anywhere, often without a lot of changes. To get your true value out of the metro though, it’s important to know how many trips you’re going to be making per day to get the best value ticket. If you’re going to be using 6 or more one way trips per day, the day passes for around 10 euros are the best deal. If you’re making less trips than that, then the t+ tickets are the way to go for cheaper. Just keep your tickets handy as you’ll need them to enter and leave the station. Also, carry around a metro map with you at all times. Mine is 4 years old and is ripped and torn all over, but it’s my lifeline to getting around the city.

3. Don’t just see the tourist spots.
Paris is filled with tourist spots, but in truth, many of my favorite spots are not found in a guidebook. They are found by wandering the city, taking in places that you might never hit had you followed your guidebook and finding those spots that speak to you. While the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe are wonderful, there are so many spots in Paris that are just as beautiful and just as “Paris” as those, if you take the time to look for them.

4. Wander.
One of the most important things to remember when traveling to Paris. Take the time to just wander. I like to have a direction in mind, but on the way, you might venture off your path a bit or walk a zig zag path to your destination, but the journey is often more important than the destination in Paris. Pick a spot you’re headed to and then make up your path along the way. You’ll be amazed at what you come across.

5. Learn some French.
I would suggest this tip for any country you visit, learn a bit of the language. However, it’s particularly important in Paris. While a large majority of people do in fact speak English there, it’s polite and helpful to know a bit of the language. Just to be able to read signs, menus, ask for the bill, it’s easier if you can say certain things in French. After all, we are in a French country, why shouldn’t we make an effort to speak their language?

Headed to Paris?

Here are all my posts on the city.

Where to Stay in France

What Kind of Traveler Are You?

You’ll love Paris, London, New York, Seoul, and Dublin.

You’ll love Cambodia, Thailand, India, New Mexico and Morocco.

You’ll love Iceland, Oregon Coast, Newport RI, Jackson Hole and the San Juan Islands.

You’ll love Nice, Southern California and Hawaii.

You’ll love Northern Ireland, St. Andrews, Edinburgh and Bruges.

You’ll love Rome, Amsterdam and Washington DC.

8 Places That Take You Back in Time