Budget Travel Adventures

Northern California hiking is something that never interested me when I moved to California 11 years ago.  Since I’ve spent time exploring the area, I now have a passion for hiking. While I haven’t done as many hikes as I would have liked, this area is home to a number of incredible hikes –...

Who doesn’t love a beach vacation or a weekend beach getaway? The sand between your toes.  The smell of sunscreen and a warm summer breeze.  Sand castles and surfing. Summer is almost here and the beach is calling our name. According to a recent survey done by Expedia, almost everyone enjoys time on the...

Travel photography.  When it comes to photography, I am a novice.  When it comes to being a traveler, I’ve got a little more experience in that area. While I love traveling the world, the simple pleasures of life are just getting away from everything without having to go far from home.  For me, hiking...

As we head into the Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial summer travel season kicks off.  If you still haven’t made your plans for the weekend, there are still a number of last minute Memorial Day travel deals. This year, we have already seen a number of airfare hikes as the summer travel demand is...

The sun is shining.  The waves are crashing.  And the cares of the world are far behind you.  You are lying on a beach in Hawaii.  So why would you want to find things to do in Kauai when paradise is right in front of you? I like a beautiful beach as much as...

“So where are you from?” As a traveler, this is a question you get asked by many people when traveling in a foreign country or even close to home.  The answer to this question may vary based on who you ask – country, region, state, province, and/or city. Where we are from says a...

Mountains, trees, lakes, waterfalls, warm sunshine, and some of the best natural beauty in the world.  While this isn’t the Swiss Alps and you won’t hike to Mount Everest, northern California hiking trails offer some of the best scenery and views in the world. Picture a canvas with brushstrokes of green and brown going...

Can the people we meet on our travels or a once in a lifetime travel experience change our lives? In 2000, I saw him for the first time.  He didn’t look like much of a travel guru.  He was a bit dorky.  However, he inspired me. Back then, I didn’t get a lot of...

Ever since that trip to Eastern Europe, I have been fascinated with Slovenia.  The country isn’t very big and probably isn’t on the radar for many people when it comes to visiting Europe. I think part of my love for Slovenia has to do with where I grew up.  South Carolina isn’t a big...

With the recent news of a potential US Airways and American Airlines merger, this would be the third major airline merger in the US in the last two years.  In 2010, Southwest Airlines and AirTran merged while in 2011, United Airlines and Continental joined together. What effect do airline mergers have on passengers? Many...