Travel Tips
I've been traveling more than half my life, and have visited nearly 30 countries.
Along the way, I've learned a few tips to help make the process of traveling more enjoyable.
Scroll down to see them all.
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10 Essentials You Need to Pack for Portland in Any Season
For a long time, Portland, Oregon wasn't really 'on the map.' People in the Pacific Northwest liked Portland, and local residents were proud of their city, but were also glad to keep the secret of Portland's quirky nature and the variety of activities you could enjoy there...
The 9 Best Juneau Shore Excursions for your Alaska Cruise in 2023
As you plan your Alaska cruise, you'll see there are some destinations that almost every single cruise will visit. Juneau is one of those places. Nearly every cruise provider offers at least one cruise that goes through the capital city. The big cruise companies offer Juneau shore excursions you can take during your port stop there to help you fill the time (though you can certainly spend the time on your own)....
10 Essentials You Need to Pack for San Francisco
Maybe I didn't appreciate it enough when I called the Bay Area home, but San Francisco is a pretty special place. Each year, millions of visitors come to see the city's iconic sights – the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Powell Streetcars, and the Ferry Building, among them – and explore the city's streets and many hills (48 in total!). If you're planning to be one of those visitors soon, you might wonder what to pack for San Francisco. Is it sunny and warm like Los Angeles? Or, being 350 miles apart, do their climates differ...
An Epic Northern New Mexico Road Trip Across the Land of Enchantment
Is there any better feeling than setting your wheels on an open road? Maybe it's an American thing, but for me, the idea of a great road trip is thrilling to plan – and delightful to do. I find it's an especially good way to see a new region of the West I've never explored before, rather than just visiting one or two cities...
Seattle Bucket List: 25 Essential Experiences in the Emerald City
Tucked away in the upper left corner of the United States, Seattle is the largest city in Washington and a top destination for over 40 million travelers per year. Some are passing through on their way to/from an Alaska Cruise; others seek Seattle as their final destination. No matter what brings you to the Emerald City, there are some Seattle bucket list experiences you don't want to miss while you're there...
How to See California’s Sequoias on Two Redwoods Road Trips
Imagine standing among some of the oldest living creatures on the planet. The air is quiet, cool, and smells of the essential oils the trees naturally emit. You're among the Redwoods – two unique species of tree you can find almost exclusively in California. More importantly, they're away from the city sprawl and damaging development, so you have to plan a Redwoods road trip if you want to see them...
10 Travel Essentials I Never Leave Home Without
For many years, I've had a hypothesis: for people who travel even once per year, we pretty much pack 90% of the same things over and over. We all have travel essentials – and as I travel about 20x more than the average traveler, you can bet I have some tried and true travel essentials I never leave home without...
Alaska Bucket List: The 50 Best Things to Do in Alaska
So you're planning your bucket list trip to Alaska? Surely you've got a bunch of experiences you want to have – and I'm here to make all the planning even more difficult. How do you choose which things to do on your trip – and which you might need to plan a return trip to enjoy?...
What to Pack for a Weekend Away: My 3-Day Packing List
When I started Valerie & Valise, I had one mission: help people travel better on the weekends. I had spent a year traveling many weekends across Europe while living in London, so I wrote weekend travel itineraries and tried to help convey my passion for getting out there to travel as much as you can...
