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Adventurous Andrea

The Solo Female Travel Blog

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vacation

Making Your Vacation Totally Worth It: Getting the Max from Your Time Out

October 21, 2017 by admin

Many a spouse has said or thought: “I like vacation N better than I like working N.” Vacations are precious times, both for you—for your mental, emotional, and physical health—and for any partner or family, you have. The chances are you that don’t get as much vacation time as you would like, so it is vital to make the most of the time that you do have.

Make Plans

Good vacations begin with good preparation…but in moderation. One of the problems with the internet is that we can research everywhere in minute detail—so we feel that, if something goes wrong, it must be our fault for not researching enough. Accept that bad luck happens, and don’t feel guilty about it.

Decide on your budget and plan accordingly. A vacation where you are worried about every dollar is a stressful holiday, so be sure that you can spend more than you expect to.

Plan your program with relaxation in mind. If you relax by climbing mountains in British Columbia, do that; if lying on a beach in Florida does it for you, then make that a priority. Don’t over-plan—you don’t want to exhaust yourself, and you must leave time for spontaneous discoveries.

Make Time for You

This is meant to be time away from work, so do what you can to make that a reality. It may not be realistic to have a complete cessation of communication but make sure that you are only contacted when you really need to be. Inform your colleagues that you are away and, preferably, establish one trusted gatekeeper who is allowed to contact you.

Keep your vacation time guilt-free. Not only should you be able to avoid worry about work, you should also not have to feel guilty about the holiday. So what if you go to Rome and don’t feel like visiting the Colosseum! It is what you want that counts, not what people will say when you get home.

Stay somewhere that is comfortable and within your budget. If you are taking a city break, you may want to be able to retreat to a base that you can rely on, away from the bright lights. The Marriott Montreal Airport hotel, for instance, makes a surprisingly convenient place to visit that city.

Make Time for Others

Vacations are the best times to nurture your closest relationships. Lying in bed late in the morning, or relaxing by the pool in the afternoon, are opportunities to share dreams and thoughts with your “significant other.”

If your kids are with you, the vacation provides new opportunities to relate to them. They will remember vacations throughout their lives if those are the times when they feel closest to their parents.

Make Memories

The best vacations are not always those where we accomplish the most bucket list ticks. They are often those where things happen spontaneously, and for that we need to allow space—space for ourselves, space for others, and space for the unexpected.

Filed Under: Travel Tips Tagged With: holiday, travel, vacation, vacation tips

Exploring Rome with a Twist

October 11, 2017 by admin

Rome is quite unlike most of the other big cities of Europe. Pretty much wherever you stay in Rome you are surrounded by history. From most locations, you can see the city´s iconic ancient landmarks. There are very few modern tall buildings to get in the way of the view.

At first glance, the city appears to be somewhere that only people who are interested in history would want to visit. However, in reality, this is far from the truth. As you will see, it has plenty to offer all types of visitors.

Cultural experiences with a twist

The city offers, new and modern ways to enjoy the ancient attractions. You can find a great example on this website. There you can buy yourself a ticket for an opera that takes place outside. The dramatic ruins of the Baths of Caracalla provide the backdrop. This is a stunning venue. Whether you are new to opera or a long-term fan, it really is a performance that should not be mixed.

Take a Segway tour

Riding a Segway is always fun, so why not take the chance to ride one to see the most important sights in the city. There are several to choose from, so you are bound to find one that fits in with your interests.

Take a Vesper tour

Another fun way to see the city is to do so from the back of a traditional Vesper scooter. It has the added benefit of being one of the fastest ways to get around. The foodie Vesper tour is an even better option. It is a great way to see the sights and enjoy some of the city´s hidden food haunts. These small cafes and food stalls cater mainly for the local residents of Rome, so the food genuinely reflects the tastes of the area and it is often far cheaper than what is on offer in the more touristy places.

Street art tours

If you like modern culture, why not take the street art tour. For many years, a local collective of artists and others have been using the hidden corners of the city as huge canvases. Over the years, they have created many truly unique artworks. The Museo di Urban Art di Roma (MURo) tours are a great way to experience a different side of the city and see some of the city´s spectacular murals. You can find out more about this organisation, their work and tours here.

Discover underground Rome

Surprisingly, some of the most interesting things to see and do in Rome are located underground. For many centuries, the inhabitants of the city have used the space below the buildings in a variety of ways. Oddly, amongst the most popular tours are those that take you into the catacombs where various religious groups buried their dead.

If that sounds a bit too morbid for you, do not worry because you can still enjoy touring the underground sights of Rome. There are also underground temples, churches, the remains of an ornamental canal for you to visit instead. There is even a whole wing of Nero´s spectacular villa that has been built on top of many times.

Filed Under: Destinations, Europe, Travel Tips Tagged With: city break, destinations, Europe, holiday, Italy, rome, travel, vacation

Live a warm Christmas in Puerto Vallarta

August 5, 2017 by admin

Food, adventures and fun in the Pacific Ocean

If you dream of a warm Christmas vacation on the beach, full of delicious food, adventures, and unique parties, spending Christmas in Puerto Vallarta is the first option you should consider for your next family holidays.

December is one of the best months to visit this paradisiac destination of the Mexican Pacific, since there is little rainfall, with an average temperature that oscillates between 73-86 ºF.

Is there anything better than swimming in warm waters? I don’t think so.

In Puerto Vallarta, there are multiple options for all ages and personalities. Here is a list of places to visit and activities to do, so you spend a unique and different Christmas in this Mexican paradise.

  • Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinner

Whether you want to eat traditional Mexican Christmas food or prefer an international dinner to celebrate, Puerto Vallarta has the best dining options that offer Christmas packages for the whole family.

Some of the best places that offer Christmas dinner are Daiquiri Dick’s, Kaiser Maximilian, No way José, The River Café, La Palapa, Vista Grill, Si Señor Beach and Oscar’s.

You will have a variety of options to choose from. If you want you can taste the Mexican Christmas food, such as romeritos, turkey, and punch, or, if you prefer, there are lots of international options like onion soup, spinach salad with pecans and goat cheese, grilled ribs and pumpkin pie.

You can enjoy the Christmas dinner and New Year’s Eve as you wish!

  • Christmas with pirates

One of the biggest attractions of spending Christmas in Puerto Vallarta is visiting a pirate ship, where you and your family will live an experience that you will remember for a lifetime.

You will enjoy a delicious four-course dinner, have an open bar all night long and countless activities for your enjoyment: singing and dancing contests and lots of fun games. You’ll also be part of a show, where you’ll be transported to the best pirate movies you’ve ever seen, with their swords and cannons.

To close the celebration, you will see fireworks show that will illuminate the whole bay and will become a precious moment to remember.

  • Meet the humpback whales

If you decide to spend Christmas in Puerto Vallarta, you have to be part of the humpback whale watching. These extraordinary sea creatures come to visit the coasts of Puerto Vallarta in December, where they find the optimal conditions for their reproduction.

You will be able to see these enigmatic giants of the sea very close, as they delight you with their songs and movements. You will also have the opportunity to see other curious marine animals such as turtles and dolphins.

  • Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Olas Altas

If your ideal New Year’s Eve celebration includes a lot of people, music, food, diverse cultures, fireworks and fun, then you will enjoy going to the free street party at Olas Altas in la Zona Romantica on December 31st.

The street of Olas Altas gets closed, so thousands of people can enjoy this outdoor party with joy. Minutes before midnight tourists love to visit Playa Los Muertos to watch the dazzling fireworks show that illuminates the entire city and Banderas Bay.

Filed Under: The Americas, Travel Tips Tagged With: destinations, holiday, Mexico, Puerto Vallarta, travel, vacation, winter holiday

Top 6 Virginia Beach Attractions for Millennials

May 31, 2017 by admin

You’ve heard that Virginia is for lovers. But did you know that Virginia Beach is for millennials?

With its close proximity to the ocean, which means swimming, sunbathing, surfing, fishing and playing sand volleyball, this coastal town is attracting millennials to visit here year after year for spring break, as well as being an affordable place for these young adults to live.

So whether you’re planning your next vacation or big move, here are six attractions to get you to Virginia Beach.

  1. First Landing State Park

 

[Image: Virginia State Parks/Flickr]

If you’re looking to enjoy the great outdoors without the coastline crowds, head to First Landing State Park—a park that got its name because it’s where the Jamestown colonists first landed in 1607. Today, you can easily spend a half or whole day swimming, fishing, biking or hiking, as it’s home to nine miles of trails covering more than 19 miles in this scenic area.

  1. Resort Beach Area

 

[Image: Tony Alter/Flickr]

For those who enjoy the beach and making friends with strangers, the Virginia Beach resort area screams your idea of a fun afternoon or night. On the three-mile oceanfront boardwalk, that’s made of concrete, you can walk, bike or roller blade and see a variety of local public art. Make sure to snap a selfie with the King Neptune Statue. You can’t miss him—he stands at 34-feet tall and is surrounded by large bronze sea creatures. The area also boasts outdoor cafes, live music and festivals throughout the year, as well as some hot nightlife.

  1. Beach Eco Tours

 

[Image: Beach Eco Tours/Facebook]

Besides the mainstream water activity of swimming, explore the waters, beautiful scenery and local marine life of Virginia Beach via paddle boarding. Beach Eco Tours is the city’s first stand up paddleboard company, offering tours, lessons, rentals and sales. They also give wave-riding lessons and can take you on dolphin and moonlight tours.

  1. Shaka’s Live

 

[Image: Shaka’s Live/Facebook]

Shaka’s Live is Virginia Beach’s premier oceanfront venue. Besides a mellow beach vibe (shorts and flip flops are totally acceptable), there are pool tables, a quick bar that serves up tasty drinks, live music and a lively dance floor all inside a spacious venue. Shaka’s always has great talent that puts on great shows every week, featuring local and touring acts from various genres. The live music show is an all-ages show, but once the show is over, the venue becomes a 21 and older nightclub.

  1. Leaping Lizard Café

 

[Image: Leaping Lizard Café—Shore Drive/Facebook]

There are two reasons locals and tourists alike love this eatery—low prices and farm-fresh produce. And as a bonus, this local joint was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Guy Fieri couldn’t get enough of the gourmet Panini-style chicken salad sandwich that’s made on homemade bread with fresh tomatoes, greens and curry yogurt. Other palate pleasers include their quinoa salad and fresh tuna salad. For fast, casual dining of delicious organic foods for lunch or dinner and amazing service, Leaping Lizard Café is where to go.

  1.  Coastal Edge

[Image: Coastal Edge/Facebook]

We’ve told you where to play and where to eat; now it’s time to get your shop on. For all things beach-related, from guys’ sunglasses to ladies’ tees and other surfing and skater gear, Coastal Edge is the shop to visit. Whether you need a long-sleeved shirt to keep you warm on those cool beach nights or a new hat to keep your wet, messy ocean hair covered, come check out Coastal Edge’s array of clothing, accessories and gear in one of their six locations in the Virginia Beach area.

Be sure to check out the Holiday Inn Hotel in Virginia Beach during your visit as well.

Filed Under: The Americas, Travel Tips Tagged With: destinations, holiday, travel, USA, vacation, Virginia, Virginia Beach

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Recent Posts

  • In-Depth Online Yoga as Taught by Glo Instructors
  • Most Expensive Handbags of 2019
  • Using The Internet To Bring Down The Cost of Your Vacations
  • 4 Global Walking Destinations for All Seasons
  • Viva Las Vegas: The Ultimate Las Vegas Girls’ Trip Guide

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I’m a 30-year-old girl originally from New York. After four years of establishing a career in online marketing and a lifetime dreaming of traveling the world, I decided that it was time to make it happen. I urge you to come along on my travels and explore with me :)