Only In

March 19, 2023 By Tori

Only In Budapest

Nothing says "you know nothing about this place" like finding out the city you thought you were visiting technically doesn't exist. While we may call it Budapest, in actuality each side of the Danube river is a different city -- either Buda or Pest! From the moment I landed and made that discovery, I suspected I had no idea what I was getting into. Fortunately, it turned out that my two friends ...

April 20, 2023 By Tori

Only In Barcelona

Ahhh Barcelona – the beach, the architecture, the food! Having done my masters there, it’s safe to say I’ve experienced quite a lot of what my home away from home has to offer. From mainstream to quirky, I've pretty much done it all and can confidently recommend some of the coolest things in city. With that said, it won't all fit into one post, so let's to get started with answering our ...

January 12, 2022 By Tori

Only In Porto

Storytime: Porto was my first ever completely solo international travel experience to a place I’d never been. I only had a long weekend to work with, didn’t want to spend too much on flights to and from Barcelona, and hoped to pick a place with great food and drink. My Portuguese classmates insisted Porto would check off all three points, and so I planned my trip knowing almost nothing about the ...

No matter the destination, here are my top five quick-and-dirty travel tips to help you plan the best vacation possible.

1. Plan downtime. Overpacking your itinerary will lead you to enjoy your activities less, leaves no room for flexibility if a cool opportunity comes up, and increases the potential that fights erupt between you and any potential trip companions.
2. Figure out a transportation plan. And by that, I mean figure out your primary and emergency transportation options. Different places have different public and private transportation infrastructure, so it’s important to understand the general landscape beforehand. As a side note, Uber doesn’t operate everywhere. Taxi apps or a local version of Uber might be worth looking into as an alternative if that’s something you want to use!
3. Check local laws, at least as they relate to the activities you’re planning to do. Don’t get a fine (or worse!) because you didn’t realize you couldn’t drive a moped with your normal license or bikinis are banned from public beaches! It’s easy to make assumptions or stereotype regions. For example, I was stunned to learn you’re not legally supposed to drink on the streets of Barcelona.
4. Plan one thing a little out of your normal choices. In general, I’ve found the activities I’ve enjoyed the most on my trips have been the ones I either had no expectations about going into or had heard was popular but wasn’t personally sold on. For example, I went caving under Budapest and saw a Shakespeare play performed at the Globe in London respectively. Both ended up trip highlights!
5. Hope for the best, plan for the worst. Bring medicine, some extra cash, zippable bags/pockets, a piece of clothing that’s opposite the normal weather, and whatever else you may need with you! I can’t tell you how many times a sweater I didn’t think I’d want, the duct tape I always toss in my bag, my extra pair of comfy shoes, or my bottle of Tylenol have saved me on a trip.

BONUS TIP: If you’re going to a major city and aren’t sure what a nice, central area to stay is, figure out where the Hard Rock Café is! In my experience, Hard Rocks are always in the center of the action.