One of my FAVORITE things to do is travel! State-side or international, I love it all. There are SO many places I want to go to on my epic long travel list! Each time I travel I pick up new tips along the way. I’m headed back to London later this week and before I go, I wanted to share with you some tips from packing to apps that help you while you’re out and about! and I want to hear all about YOUR tips in the comments!
- Let’s talk shoes- Click here for website – Normally this is a topic I avoid because I realllllly dislike shoe shopping. Probably because I’m a size 11 and there are never comfortable AND cute shoes in size 11. Well when you’re traveling and planning to do a LOT of walking (which is the best way to see any city) you need comfortable and supportive shoes. Last summer when I walked around London for two weeks, I brought my Teva “Zirra” sandals. They are SO comfortable! You may come back with SWEET tan lines but I promise you, your feet with thank you.
- Maps- no website here! 🙂 When I studied abroad I was probably the only one to buy an actual paper map of the city we were traveling to. I love the paper map because I can lay it out and circle things and see where things are… there’s just something about holding it IN your hands and seeing ALL of the little streets.
New Orleans – jazz, beignets, and bourbon street – nothing like it!
- Ulmon- Click here for website – I know I literally just sang praises about paper maps… but this travel guide app is amazing! Once you download the app, you can choose the city where you’ll be going and star locations where you’d like to go, make favorite lists, and so much more! The AMAZING thing about it is that it does NOT require WIFI!! So you can walk all around London or wherever with an interactive map and you’re not using the internet! It tells you things like how many miles it would take you to walk there or where the nearest tube/metro stop is. There are pre-made lists of top attractions and lists of restaurants and cafes. It’s really is an awesome app and even more amazing that it is FREE! I’ve used it in London and Chicago and it helped so much. While you’re walking, you appear as a little blue dot on the map and can navigate without a problem.
The Windy City did not disappoint! Amazing views!
- Duolingo- Click here for website- This is new to my list! I’m getting ready to travel to Paris with a friend and she mentioned it! It’s a language learning app! You choose the level of your experience and how many minutes a day you are willing to spend and you go through the little modules it has set up to teach words and phrases!
I really enjoyed my trip to Barcelona, Spain last summer! Amazing architecture!
- AirBnB– Click here for website– I just booked my FIRST apartment in Paris through this app! I’ve heard nothing but great things about it. You can literally search any city you want to go and see who has listed an apartment/home or private room for rent! Has anyone seen The Holiday? I feel like I’m in a movie. What is pretty cool is that you can select a variety of filters to sort through the listings like: location, wifi, non-smoking, etc. I like that each profile lists the reviews and the number of stars (1-5) associated with the space. The apartment I chose has 5 stars and over 200 reviews so I’m very excited to stay in the heart of Paris in an apartment with nothing but raving reviews… a completely different experience than my first trip to Paris in a busy hostel! I’ll be sure to report back!
- Viator – Click here for website – This app is VERY helpful in finding out what to do in each city! You can see a list of popular attractions and tours offered with reviews, pictures, and an overview about each one. I’ve been spending a lot of time on it for my upcoming London/Paris trip! I’ve found some neat things like an Eiffel Tower ticket AND river cruise bundle! You’re able to book straight from the app in a matter of minutes!