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Two Days in Scenic Queenstown, New Zealand

New Zealand is a country known for its gorgeous landscapes and heart-racing thrills, and the South Island is especially breathtaking. No city embodies this allure quite like Queenstown, with its mountainous vistas, winding canyons, and nearly endless opportunities for adventure sports. While you could easily stay longer, two full days in scenic Queenstown is enough to get a taste of what makes this spectacular city so special. We’ve compiled the perfect itinerary— a nice combination of action-packed and restful relaxation that will make it hard to leave.

Queenstown is a growing resort town, with booming tourism, and while no one wants to be a tacky tourist, there’s some things that are worth being just a little touristy for. I mean, how many opportunities in life will a gal get to go bungee jumping into a canyon?!

dog in the water in front of boat, with scenic Queenstown backdrop

When Delta slashed Skymiles prices and made a round-trip flight to New Zealand 50k miles, we didn’t think twice! The long flight is more than worth it to experience all New Zealand has to offer– particularly the lovely and lush South Island. While the nearby mountain range, The Remarkables, is known to be great skiing in the winter, we visited in the summer, enjoying the vibrant colors and warmer temps of February. Could not recommend this time of year more highly! The weather was just absolutely perfect for all the fun we got into. 

Where to stay?

Downtown Queenstown! You cannot beat the convenience of being walking distance from everything– plus you can avoid renting a car by using your own two feet. Uber runs in Queenstown, which makes it easy to get to and from the airport, when necessary. While it’s possible to snag a cheaper hotel or Airbnb a bit farther away, you’ll spend a dime on ubers or a rental car, so the slightly more expensive hotel is likely worth it! 

To Drive or Not to Drive

If you plan to stay downtown (which we recommend) you don’t need a car. Everything is pretty walkable, plus most tour services have complimentary shuttles that run, so having your own car isn’t a necessity. Also, not all hotels have free parking for vehicles, so this gives you one less thing to worry about. If you plan to drive around and explore outside of Queenstown, we recommend just renting your car for the days once you leave! 

Time Flies

Queenstown really is set up to be quite the year-round destination. Their summer months are December through February, so this tends to be the best time to go for warmer days and maximizing sunlight hours. We visited in February and found the weather to be nothing short of delightful— almost chilly for these FL girls.

The winter months of June, July, and August are filled with snow and the joys of shredding the gnar for any skiing or snowboarding visitors. We loved the vibrant allure of the summer months, but there’s much to be said for the untouched beauty of winter!

DAY 1 
Odd Saint

To start the day off strong, swing by the cutest neighborhood eatery: Odd Saint. Not only is the breakfast delish but they also sell coffee from a local roaster. Even if you’re feeling a bit jet-lagged, a cup of eighthirty coffee will get you powered through your day. When we visit new places, I’m hard pressed to frequent the same spots twice… there’s so many new things to try; however, Odd Saint was so good, I found myself back here a couple times while we were in Queenstown. 

Queenstown Hill 

Once you’re fully caffeinated, it’s time to get your blood pumping and muscles burning! The Queenstown Hill Hike starts not far from the city and despite being convenient to access, it’s a bit steeper than you might initially assume, but not too technical. The view at the top makes the sweat equity more than worth it! The Queenstown panoramic landscape really is unforgettable!! Plus, there are 6 informational plaques to stop and read along your climb, to give you a little more background on Queenstown’s history.

As with any hike, it’s always a good idea to ensure you have enough water and a snack or two to enjoy at the top. Once you make it up there, you’ll never want to leave!

Fergburger

All that hiking’s going to have you ready for a big lunch! Generally speaking, ordering a burger outside the good ‘ole USA is a rookie move– almost guaranteed to disappoint; however, we’d heard so much hype about Fergburger, we figured we had to give it a try… and it lived up to the hype! Hands down the best burger we’ve ever eaten abroad! The line can get a little long, so either call and put a pick-up order in ahead of time, or arrive with a bit of a patient mindset. The burger will be worth the wait! 

Whimsical Wandering 

Fergburger is in the downtown Queenstown area, so when you’re finished eating, it’s nice to just wander a bit, check out the shops… or perhaps snag an ice cream cone and just look out across Lake Wakatipu.

Skyline

Everything in the downtown area is pretty close, so it won’t take long to reach Skyline… or at least the base of Skyline. Getting up to the Skyline complex means taking a dreamy gondola ride up to Bob’s Peak. As you might imagine, SkyLine offers a breathtaking view of the horizon and local landscape while also affording all kinds of fun. 

If you’re feeling a little competitive and ready for a racing rush, going on the luge is an absolute MUST. You might be thinking to yourself ‘What is a luge?’ The best answer would be ‘part go-kart, part toboggan’. Powered by gravity and the giddy excitement of flying downhill, luge rides are an even-more-fun-than-expected way to end the day. 

While the luge is arguably their most popular attraction, there’s all kinds of fun to be had up here. Time of year can dictate availability, but there’s also stargazing, mountain biking, guided walks, paragliding, and ziplining if you’re keen to sneak in additional adventures for day one. 

DAY 2
Shotover Canyon Swing 

Start the day off right with the ultimate adrenaline rush! Queenstown is known for being home to all kinds of adrenaline junkie hobbies, and the bungee-jumping-esque Shotover Canyon Swing will send you on a wild ride and get your heart pumping in the best way. This was our favorite thing we did while in Queenstown because you just can’t beat the rush!!! After your initial jump, you can go again for a fraction of the initial cost. As you might guess, we couldn’t resist a second round of the thrill, and we both went soaring a second time!  

As an added bonus there’s loads of different ‘jump styles’ to rock n’ roll with as you plummet into the canyon. We both got a little more brave on our second swinging jump and went down backwards from a handstand….. yeeeeee haw!!!

We didn’t do any boat exploration, BUT if you’re interested in zooming around in the canyon itself after you finish soaring through it, booking the Canyon Swing and the jet boat ride together can save you some pennies! 

Queenstown Gardens

The Queenstown Gardens is an easy, short walk from the center of town and makes for a gorgeous afternoon saunter. If you’re visiting in the warm spring and summer months, you can expect to find colorful flowers in bloom and  stretches of trees reaching for the sky. There’s also loads of different sculptures to check out as well. In addition to all the lovely flora, the gardens also provide quite the view of the surrounding lake, beach, and mountains. Holy moly, what a sight!!!

If you disc golf, and have room in your luggage, you might want to pack a disc or two… there’s a the course through the gardens!

Onsen Hot Pools

Wind down for the day at Onsen Hot Pools! Life is all about living and learning, and while we really enjoyed our hot pool relaxation, if we were to do it again, we would book an evening slot to take in the stars. The pools are so luxuriously relaxing, and the open roof would make for an incredible stargazing spot!! That being said, the view during the day really was rather remarkable, so you can’t go wrong– regardless of the time you visit. 

There’s a few different room options, but we did the Original Onsen and loved it— would definitely chose this option again. The room includes a couple different beverage and snack choices, which was refreshing. If you’re feeling like you could use some extra relaxation, they do offer some spa services as well!

No car? No problem! When you make your booking, you can request a free shuttle service from central Queenstown. 

Two days goes fast but it’s enough to get a nice glimpse of the highlights of Queenstown… and experience some of her thrills! It’s certain to leave you eager to come back one day– even just to take in the panoramic scenery one more time. Happy travels! 

written by McKenna 

If you look up diva in the dictionary, you will find a picture of McKenna Lee. Loud-mouthed and overly opinionated she may have the biggest personality (read: attitude) of us all. McKenna is in college at FGCU, but her passion lies in her small business Mack Swimwear and running her small group through church.  She lives for days spent in a bathing suit, and tries to go surfing in every new beach town she visits. 

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lifestyle

Packing for Europe in a Backpack This Summer

packing for europe in a backpack in the airport, in a train station, and in a hotel room

Packing for Europe in a backpack isn’t only for gap year students hostel-hopping! Not only are international checked baggage fees expensive, but who wants to risk their bag becoming lost luggage?! While a carry-on bag also fits the bill here, some of those old cobblestone streets are rough on the ‘ole spinner wheels. A nice backpack will be able to fit everything you need, while also affording you flexibility and easy mobility. Even if you plan to be gone a couple weeks, it’s sooooo possible to master packing in a backpack this summer. To make it even easier, we’ve included a handy checklist below!

First and foremost, what bag to pack in??? I’m obsessed with my Cotopaxi Alpa 42L backpack, and between the five of us sisters, we own four different variations of this fun and functional pack. The bag is designed perfectly to help maximize space and keep you organized while traveling. 

The most important thing about packing a capsule wardrobe is planning pieces that can mix and match seamlessly. Having nice basics is the perfect way to rework your outfits, and have everything feel fresh. As someone that’s a big champion of leisurewear, I also love finding pieces that I could wear on a hike but I could also dress up and look nicer in as well. Below I’ve detailed everything I packed for our 11-day trip.

TOPS
Basic tees (3)

I own this cropped cotton tee from Old Navy in three different colors, and I’m nothing short of obsessed with it. It looks as perfect with a skirt as it does with leggings. Something like this is a nice staple that’s easy to mix and match between outfits. 

Tank tops (2-4)

A couple tank tops are nice to have as Europe can get a bit toasty in the summer. I packed a reversible (can be worn high neck or scoop) white lululemon tank and a fun one shoulder cropped tank from Beyond Yoga. They’re versatile, breathe well, and keep you comfy. 

Thin Long/Short Sleeve shirt (1-2)

While summer days do warm up, they can sometimes start a bit chilly. A thin shirt to cover your shoulders and/or arms can be nice to have!

Linen shirt (1)

Nothing beats a slightly oversized white linen shirt. It’s the perfect layer for almost any outfit! I actually tied my linen shirt to my fanny pack, which made it easy to have on hand when I got chilly 

BOTTOMS
Leggings (3)

Perhaps this is a lazy girl packing ethos, but I’m just not one to pack jeans. This of course kinda depends on where you’re going, but much of Europe will get into the 80s and above during the day. If I’m not wearing a dress or skirt, I want my pants breathable! Leggings are also rather nice to have if you plan to go hiking at all! 

Skort (1-2)

I personally could not be a bigger fan of skorts… it’s a way to elevate your look a bit, while still staying comfy and being able to walk, wander, climb, etc with ease.

Midi skirt (1)

Flowy and casual, a nice mid-length skirt will be short enough to let the breeze through, while still having you look rather nice. The perfect skirt could be worn all day exploring, dressed up for a fun dinner, and thrown on with a bathing suit the next day for the beach. 

Denim shorts (1)

These are super versatile! You can wear them out exploring the city but you can also throw them on over a bathing suit at the beach. 

Joggers (1)

Whether it’s for a plane ride or a train ride or just some time in the car, you’re almost assuredly going to have some time that gets spent traveling to your destination or from one place to another. Not every outfit you pack is going to be your hot girl summer ‘fit, and sometimes it’s nice to have a comfy pair of joggers when you’re traveling

OUTERWEAR 
Light Jacket (1)

While summer days can be warm, mornings and evenings can get rather chilly. A nice light-to-mid-weight jacket is the perfect layer to keep you warm without being too bulky in your bag.

Cropped hoodie (1)

This is another piece that’s nice to have on your travel day. Perhaps a bit slouchier and cozier than your jacket. While summer days can get quite warm, it does cool off in the evenings… and it never hurts to have something comfy, cozy for those longer train rides. 

DRESSES
Dealer’s choice (2)

Honesty, everyone is a little different, but I’d suggest 2 somewhat flowy dresses. Depending on what activities or dinners you have planned, you might want something a bit more dressy… or perhaps you’d get more use out of a sporty athleisure dress. Anything you pack should be something you’d be comfortable walking at least a mile or two in, but exactly what you go with can depend on your comfort and itinerary.

SHOES
Sneakers (2)

Not all sneakers are created equally, so I recommend packing two different pairs… one that’s a bit cuter– something you could wear with a dress but also wouldn’t mind walking a couple miles in. The other pair would be a pair of tennies you don’t mind getting dirty. This past summer I packed a pair of old black & white Brooks that I’d pretty much worn through the sole, and then just donated them the day before we left to leave room for a couple purchases on the way back. 

Sandals (1)

Whether it’s your worn-in Birks or perhaps your favorite Target sandals, it’s nice to have something easy to slide on sometimes. They should still be comfortable enough that they could take you on a longer walk if necessary, but something you’d be okay taking to the beach as well. 

ESSENTIAL EXTRAS
Underwear (12)

Can you ever pack too many pairs of underwear?? Even if I plan to do laundry while I’m gone, I almost never leave home without enough underwear to get me through… just in case! 

Socks (7)

If you have access to a washing machine during your adventuring, 7 pairs of socks should do the trick– especially if you’re not wearing your sneakers every day. 

Sports Bra (5)

I didn’t pack even a single a ~real bra~, but that’s just my style. I live in sports bras, and ~5 is enough. Depending on where you end up and how warm the weather ends up being, you might want an extra if you’re worried about getting sweaty, but 5 should do the job. 

Bathing Suits (1-2)

Perhaps it’s the Florida girl in me, but you ALWAYS pack a bathing suit when you leave town… you never know when there’s going to be a beach or pool that needs adventuring. Depending on how much time you plan to spend at the beach it may be nice to have a second suit– plus they don’t take up too much space! 

Pajamas (1-2)

Unless you’re a real sweaty sleeper, one or two pairs of pajamas should do the trick. Getting good sleep is essential when you’re traveling, so make sure you stay big comfy. 

THE NON-ATTIRE ESSENTIAL EXTRAS
  • Toiletries 
    • Never leave home without your toothbrush and (at least) the basics of your skincare routine. There’s nothing worse than getting ready for bed after a long travel day and realizing your toothbrush is sitting on the counter at home.
  • Chargers 
    • Unless you’re going for a very unplugged, eat-pray-love kind of trip, you’ll want to ensure your chargers are in your bag before you leave for the airport!
  • Converter plugs 
    • Your chargers won’t do you much good if you don’t have a converter. These are easy to snag at Target or on Amazon. Some hotels and Airbnbs might have a USB port you can plug directly into, but that’s not always a guarantee.
  • Fanny pack
    • Belt bag, waist bag, fanny pack… whatever you want to call it, it’s convenient to have. I’m not one for carrying a purse around, and I can fit my phone, a small wallet, hand sanitizer, chapstick, gum, and hand lotion in my pack. That’s everything I need! If I’m worried about getting cold, it’s easy to tie a long sleeve shirt onto the strap too. My go-to fanny pack is black, so it matches practically everything!
  • Small 12L hiking backpack 
    • Even if you don’t plan to go hiking, most hiking day packs are light, quick-drying, and quite compact. Whether you’re going on a hike or a day trip, it’s nice to be able to have all your important things with you. The only “purse” I packed was a fanny pack, so the hiking backpack was perfect when I wanted to bring the tripod, an extra layer, not carry my water bottle, etc.
  • Water bottle 
    • Ugh, my biggest gripe with (most) European travel is the lack of free tap water availability. Even in the US, I never go anywhere without my water bottle, so I always made sure it was filled to the brim before we set out in the morning. You won’t regret having your water bottle with you!
  • Sunglasses 
    • Full disclosure, I actually brought two pairs of sunnies because I wanted to have a backup just in case I lost one of my pairs. Sunglasses are a gal’s best friend on a bright day!!
  • Sunscreen
    • Even just a small, travel sized sunscreen can be just what you need to keep your shoulders, chest, back, or whatever else from burning.
FRIVOLOUS & NON-ESSENTIAL
  • Small scarves
    • A small scarf or two is the perfect way to help add a bit of pizazz to your basics. You can wear then around your neck, you can turn it into a headband, or you can tie it to your bag as a splash of color.
  • Towel 
    • Your fluffiest robe will have to stay home, but packing a quick-dry camping towel will fit in you bag easily. While it’s not quite as luxe, it does the job when you need to dry off after the pool, beach, etc.
  • Tripod
    • Very tacky tourist, but honestly not every random stranger ~understands the assignment~, and I’ve never regretted a single cute sister pic
  • Mini straightener
    • Definitely not an essential, but depending on how crazy your hairs get (or how cute you’re trying to look on vacation), some of the mini straighteners take up a pretty minimal amount of space, and just might be worth it for your hot girl summer.
  • Travel pillow 
    • This is less of a necessity and more of a nice-to-have— especially if you plan to take any evening flights or early morning train rides. A little bit of comfort goes a long way when you’re trying to catch some zzzz’s.
  • Eye mask
    • This sounds like a bit of a prima donna packing list item, buttttt a nice eye mask can go a long way to help you sleep on an overnight flight. Plus, depending on where you’re staying, it can be nice to ensure you have complete darkness when it’s time to hit the hay.
packing for europe in a backpack sometimes means taking fat naps on the train as dana has demonstrated by staying slumped in her tan sweatsuit
on the other hand, some people can just pass out anywhere
THE LIST

If you do better with a nicely condensed packing list, we have it all spelled out for you here below! After a lifetime of being a last minute, throw-everything-I-might-need-in-the-bag packer, I can say, planning a capsule wardrobe can sometimes take a bit more time but it’s time well spent! It’s possible to have enough items for all your activities and still look cute and trendy while carrying everything you need right on your back.

Full disclosure, this summer I traveled with my Cotopaxi and a personal-item sized tote bag I used as a personal item. Since my travel pillow doesn’t really compress, I ended up keeping the pillow and my light jacket in the tote on my travel days. I either carried my water bottle or tossed it in the tote, but everything else fit in the backpack! Since my bottle was too big for the side pocket of the backpack, I slid the tripod in there, which was a perfect way to bring it along without taking up too much space. 

The ultimate travel hack? Traveling with your little sister so you can swap clothes throughout the trip! Between the two of us, we had more than enough clothes and outfits for our 11 days. Also, if it’s possible, it’s nice to book an Airbnb or hotel with a washer/dryer, to ensure you’ll be able to do laundry somewhat easily, if necessary. We did one round of mid-trip laundry, and it was more than enough to keep us clean and comfy the rest of the trip!

written by Hannah 

Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest.  Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin,  Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes.

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lifestyle

A London Stopover: Making the Most of 24 Hours

London is not only the capital of England but of all of the United Kingdom as well, making it quite the historic city to visit. It’s also a booming metropolis, with heaps of commerce and culture just waiting to be experienced. While it would be easy to spend a few days here exploring sights, sounds, and smells, sometimes the cars don’t quite shake out that way. Perhaps you just have a long layover? Or maybe you intentionally booked a stop-over in London, just to catch a glimpse before you jetset to your final destination. Whatever the reason, there’s loads to see and do, even if you only have 24 hours in London. 

This past summer Dana and I were looking to use points to catch a flight back home. There was no availability for our dates out of Portugal or even nearby Spain, so we decided to check out some of the other bigger airports in Europe.

When we saw London had ample availability, we decided to book a cheap flight from Faro (check out the Algarve coast blog post here) to London and spent a day exploring a new city. We technically stretched it out into a 33 hour stop-over as we spent two sleeps in London, but this itinerary works just as perfectly for anyone that arrives early in the morning one day and doesn’t depart again until the following morning. 

CATCHING ZZZZZZs

If you’re truly just in London for a long layover or stopover, it’s easiest to just stay at a hotel in the airport. This tends to streamline things for you as it’s easy to get to your hotel immediately and easy to fly out of there upon departure. 

There are hotels located in all five terminals at Heathrow, and by and large, the most convenient will be whichever is attached to the terminal you’re flying out of. That being said, The Heathrow Express train, which gets you down to Paddington Station, leaves out of Terminal 2 & 3. So regardless of which terminal you arrive or depart out of, getting a hotel near this transportation point will make your adventure day easier. 

Best Location

Hilton Garden Inn – Located in terminals 2 & 3… a little spendy but the cost just might be worth the convenience. This hotel is going to be the most convenient for anyone arriving or departing out of terminals 2 and 3, but it also makes catching the train into London suuuper easy. Plus you can watch planes take off from the hotel bar! 

Best Value

Premier Inn London Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 (there is one at Terminal 5 as well) — Located in Terminal 4, the price is hard to beat, while still affording the convenience of being in the airport. This is prime for anyone flying out of Terminal 4, but it was also extremely easy to get to from Terminal 2. We found the train to be pretty straightforward to use, with plenty of attendants around to help shepard people in the right direction. 

That Cash Money

When looking at European travel, it can be easy to forget that England uses the pound as its currency. This is only worth noting because the conversion rate can be very different from the euro at times, so just keep an eye out. Nothing’s worse than checking your credit card statement to discover you went way over budget! 

If you’re just visiting London for the day, there’s no need to pull out cash. Generally speaking, you should be able to see and do everything you’d like, using your credit card.

Transportation 

The train and the tube will be your friends!! We stayed at a hotel in the airport to make our departure as convenient as possible when the time came, but taking the metro from the airport into the city was pretty smooth! If you happen to have a longer stay in London, it certainly makes sense to find accommodations in the city, but if your stay is pretty brief, we definitely recommend staying nice and close to the airport. 

We stayed at the Premier Inn in Terminal 4, which means we caught a train from Terminal 4 to Terminals 2 & 3. While the intra-airport train is free, you will need to either tap your card (as it’s enabled) or snag an Oyster card to grant access onto the train. The train between the Terminal 5 station and Terminal 2 & 3 station departs every 30 minutes starting at 5:16am, so make sure you show up a little early for your train, otherwise you might find yourself sitting with a long wait for the next train. From the Terminal 2 & 3 station, we hopped on the Heathrow Express and were in Paddington Station a mere 15 minutes later! 

Regardless of where you arrive from, you’ll likely want to take a connecting tube ride to St. Paul station, which is where the walking tour begins. If you find public transportation overwhelming, taking a taxi or uber is always an option as well! 

Pro tip: If you plan to use the Heathrow Express buy your tickets as soon as your plans are concrete, because the earlier you buy your tickets, the cheaper they are! As an alternative, the Elizabeth line is a slightly slower but also less expensive train service line. 

Hot Packing Tips

While this is far from an all-inclusive packing list, we have three packing recommendations to make! London has a well earned reputation for its grey and rainy days, so packing a weather-proof jacket or poncho juuuuust might come in handy. At the very least, you won’t regret having clothes that dry rather quickly.

Secondly, dressing in layers is never a bad move. Even in the middle of summer, I walked around with a jacket all day long, so don’t assume summer means warm and sunny! Third, but perhaps most important, it’s a full day of wandering about, so definitely make sure you have a good pair of walking shoes packed. Depending how many extra detours you make, you will find yourself walking over 6 miles!

THE ONE DAY ITINERARY 
St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Paul’s Cathedral is an illustrious Anglican cathedral in London. It sits atop Ludgate Hill, perched at one of the highest points in the city. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see the iconic dome and spires. While the church is named after the Apostle Paul, it has celebrated the lives of many prominent Englishmen (and women!)— perhaps most notably the wedding of Prince Charles to Princess Diana. 

When you’re squeezing a whole city into one day, there may only be time for one cathedral tour, and the two you’ll really be between are St. Paul’s and Westminster Abbey. Each has their draw, but we doubled down on tickets to St. Paul’s Cathedral because you get both the historical significance as well as an amazing view! It is absolutely amazing to explore this jewel of the London skyline. 

Sky Garden 

Sky Garden is a short walk down the road, and holds the title for highest public garden in the city! Not only is it home to endless shades of green, but it also makes for a fabulous overlook of the city. The best part? This charming garden is free to visit!!

While they will allow visitors in without a ticket during less popular visiting time, you will want to book tickets in advance to secure entry– especially if you’re planning to roll through during high season. This is the best way to ensure you’ll be able to get in. You can book tickets up to 3 weeks in advance, so we recommend setting a reminder on your phone to ensure you don’t forget!

Tower Bridge

While the London Bridge is heralded in nursery rhymes sung by children everywhere, the Tower Bridge is arguably a more beautiful architectural design piece– with loads of history as well. Not only is the bridge lovely to see from the bank of the Thames, but it’s a pedestrian bridge, so you can wander right across and take in the river as you stroll. The bridge is free to cross, but you can pay to go up into the towers. While this would potentially be a fun vertical detour on a longer trip, there will be other spots you can take in the views, so we recommend taking in the river as you pass to keep on moving and grooving. 

Borough Market

The Borough Market is nestled under the railway lines, and makes for a wonderful multi-purpose stop. First and foremost, it should be about lunchtime at this point in the day, so grab yourself a bite! Whatever cuisine you have a hankering for, they almost assuredly have someone selling your desired plate. Even after you’ve had your fill, this vibrant marketplace is teeming with unique stalls to discover— just a cornucopia of cuisine, color, and culture. 

Tate Modern 

Time for a fun this-or-that option. When you only have one day, it’s hard to squeeze EVERYTHING in– especially if it’s an activity that eats up more time. Option #1… the ever stately Tate Modern! This contemporary museum along the Thames River will have you wandering around with no regard for time. Not only are the exhibits equal parts thought-provoking and awe-inspiring, but the building itself is an architectural delight. The museum is free to enter, which grants you access to some exhibits, but not all. If there’s anything extra that catches your eye, admission tends to be pretty reasonable, so it’s a fun way to explore the art culture and scene here. 

London Eye

Coming in hot is our Option #2, the London Eye. When it opened in 2000, the London Eye was the tallest ferris wheel in the world. It has since been surpassed by four other towering, gravity defying wheels— making the London Eye a respectable 5th place holder. Riding this massive ferris wheel makes for both a fun ride as well as a fabulous overlook of the city. Definitely a little touristy, but something you certainly can’t do at home (at least not for most!) 

While it would be ideal to hit both the Tate Modern and London Eye in one day, even the most intentional planners might have a hard time squeezing both stops into the itinerary— especially in high season! When visiting the London Eye, you’ll want to account for a certain amount of time spent waiting in line to get up (think 20-30+ minutes)… plus the ~35 minutes it takes to complete the revolution. 

Big Ben

As far as renown clocks go, Big Ben pretty much takes the cake. Interestingly, the nickname ‘big ben’ actually refers to the bell in the clocktower. The eye-catch timepiece was previously named the Clock Tower, but was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. It’s not necessarily a long stop, but definitely worth stopping by to see for yourself! 

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is an important historical spot, for numerous reasons. The Westminster Abbey was founded in 960 AD by Benedictine monks, and has been an enduring place of worship ever since. This is where the coronation for the monarchy occurs– with King Charles being rather recently appointed. As a matter of fact, the Abbey has been the coronation church for the UK since 1066. You’ll also find 17 previous monarchs settled here for their final resting place. It’s no surprise this extravagant church has been named a World Heritage Site… for any eagle-eyed royal wedding watchers, this is also where Prince William married Princess Kate. 

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is a rather stately embodiment of the monarchy, and so very worth stopping by. If you have time, you might be able to squeeze in a tour! During the high season, this will be hard to squeeze in on the fly, so if you’re feeling rather passionate about wanting to wander the halls of Buckingham Palace, you will need to book a tour in advance. They will sell out! 

Even if you’re not itching to see Buckingham Palace from the inside out, watching the Changing of the Guard can be a unique experience. Thus occurs every day at 11:00 am in June and July or Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, August through May. Our walking tour forms a rather oblong ‘U’, but if you do it backwards, the timing should be perfect to catch the guard change. 

Trafalgar Square 

Trafalgar Square really makes for quite the smorgasbord of London culture and art. There’s statues, fountains, and sculptures as well as the National Gallery…. plus London’s smallest police station. What more could you want? A bathroom perhaps?? Right about this time in the day, a public bathroom was quite the welcome sight, so just know that’s here as well– you do have to pay to use the bathroom, but it’s very cheap and well worth it if ya gotta go! 

Piccadilly Circus 

Piccadilly Circus isn’t quite animals and acrobats… think Times Square meets Bethesda Fountain. This massive intersection of streets has become an attraction for its digital screens and billboards, fountain, and nearby shopping. While there’s going to be the expected tourist trap haunches, there’s loads of other shops to wander through, making this a perfect final stop. 

Beep, Beep — Back It Up

From Piccadilly Circus, it’s not too hard to backtrack to the hotel. While there’s loads of apps to help navigate transportation, we already had Google Maps downloaded, and felt it did a fab job getting us where we needed to go.

A chock-a-block day, full of sights, sounds, smells, and more than your fair share of walking can leave you feeling pretty tuckered, it’s easy to power through knowing you only have 24 hours in London to take it all in! Cheers to making the most of your layover.

24 hours in London goes by quickly as two sisters hug goodbye
written by Hannah 

Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest.  Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin, Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes.

Categories
lifestyle

The Only Travel Backpack You’ll Ever Need

Between budget airlines with expensive baggage fees and the headache of dealing with missing checked bags, there’s never been a greater need for the elusive perfect travel bag. While perfection is a moving target, we’ve found the ultimate travel backpack that’s going to be on the top of your must-have list. It’s carry-on compatible and the intuitive design has room for all your trip essentials.

Whether you’ve booked a last-minute weekend escape or you’re spending a couple weeks abroad, you will be impressed with the range and versatility afforded to you with this backpack. The closest thing to a perfect travel backpack we’ve discovered to date!

The Brand: Cotopaxi

You’ll notice the backpack might not fit a cohesive monochromatic aesthetic, but the color chaos is so meaningful. Integral to Cotopaxi’s mission is the creation of sustainably designed outdoor gear. Almost 95% of their products contain repurposed or recycled materials to produce truly eco-friendly bags. Their ‘Del Día’ collection uses remnant fabric, left over from other companies’ larger production runs to create each bag– hence the multi-hue ensemble. Each bag is unique, created with unused, high-quality nylon that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill. Through Cotopaxi, these ‘scraps’ are reassembled and given new life!

Features on Features

This travel bag has 42L or 2,563 cubic inches of space for all of your stuff and things. The bag itself is designed with maximal space economy to ensure you will be able to fit everything you need. Whether you want to wear it as a backpack, an over-the-shoulder duffel, or carry it briefcase style, you have an array of transportation options. You’ll also notice that all of the zippers have an anti-theft feature that makes it difficult for someone to snag something out of your pack on the fly.

the ultimate travel backpack by Cotopaxi

A Suitcase Backpack

While I love all of the thoughtful features in this pack, the suitcase-style opening and interior sectioned zipper pockets are my favorite features. Not only does it make it easier to ensure all the nooks and crannies of the backpack are filled, but it’s like packing cubes are built right into the bag. You can sort it however you like, but it seems to be a perfect space separation for clothes, shoes, and toiletries to all have their own spot!

The Front Pocket Pouch

While all of your trip essentials are stored away inside, the top zipper pocket is the perfect place to store everything you’ll want to access during your flight. This compartment is larger than it looks as it has space to hold all your snacks, hand sanitizer, a book, your wallet, headphones, and more. Plus, if you’re leaving home, the little clip sewn into the bag makes for the perfect spot to attach your keys so they don’t get lost along the way.

A Strong Strap Game

Lots to break down here on the back of the bag! First and foremost, a 42L bag packed to the gills can feel heavy, so the adjustable hip-belt can come in handy big time if you’re planning to do a bunch of walking with your bag. If you’re not so keen on using this belt, it IS removable. Similarly, if you want to carry the bag by a duffle strap or handle, you can unclip the backpack straps and tuck them into the moisture-wicking lining. So much customization, so little time!

There’s two zipper pockets on the back-side of the bag— parallel to one another, on either side of the backpack straps. One zipper opens up to well-padded ipad and laptop sleeves, while the other serves as a short-cut access point to the large compartment in the bag. This can be super convenient if you want to grab a jacket without fully opening the main zipper.

But Wait, There’s More

A side pocket for your water? That’s a given, to keep you hydrated! There’s also carabiner lash points all over the bag, so if you run out of room inside, there’s ample space to clip miscellaneous items on. Perhaps the most groovy of all, the bag comes with a rain cover to keep your goods protected from the elements. What more could you possibly need?

See It for Yourself: The 85-Second Scoop

A Confident Purchase

Cost: $210

This is a bag you can purchase with confidence, because if anything happens to it, Cotopaxi has an awesome customer service policy that ensures your bag will be repaired or replaced, if it’s defective. As a bonus, if you’ve had your bag (or any of their gear) for a while and want to trade it in for a store credit, that is an option as well. Cotopaxi is all about sustainable solutions, so they go above and beyond to maximize the life cycle of their products and reduce their overall environmental impact. You can read more about their Guaranteed for Good policy here.

The biggest problem with this backpack? It sells out! You can find it on the Cotopaxi website and REI, but if it’s out of stock, the 35L bag is designed extremely similarly and doesn’t seem to sell out quite as quickly.

Disclaimer: All product photos used in this post were taken directly from the Cotopaxi or REI website, in which the bag is linked. None of these product photographs are our own.

written by Hannah 

Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest.  Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin,  Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes.

Categories
lifestyle

Turo: A New Take on Car Rentals

When traveling someplace new, the best way to get out and explore with freedom and flexibility is by renting a car. With travelers venturing back out into the world, there have been shortages in car rentals leading to a lack of vehicles and an influx in overpriced options. The solution? Turo!

What is Turo?

Turo is a peer-to-peer car sharing service. In the same way people use Airbnb in lieu of a hotel stay, Turo is an alternate option when you’re looking to rent a car. Prefer a specific make? Need all wheel drive? The easy to navigate website makes it simple to search for exactly what you need.

turo for peer to peer car rentals

Cancellation Policy 

All vehicles listed on Turo have free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your reservation. This is beyond convenient as it affords you the flexibility to lock in your best option, with the comfort of knowing you’re not going to lose money if your plans change. 

Mileage 

Mileage varies from host to host. Some cars will have unlimited mileage while others will have a cap. This is something to note before you make your reservation as there is usually a per mile charge if you go over your allotted mileage. In our experience, mileage limits are generally pretty reasonable and far exceed our planned trip mileage; however, it’s something to note before booking. 

Pick-Up and Drop Off

If you’re not taking a shuttle to the car rental agency, how are you getting your car? This varies from host to host. All hosts have a pick-up location that it automatically select as this is likely most convenient for the host. For some Turo listings, this is the only option; however, for others they may be able to offer you additional flexibility. Convenience can cost ya… an airport pick-up/drop off may be complementary or it may cost you anywhere from $25-$100. 

Extras

Extras are never guaranteed, but always worth checking out! An ‘extra’ is an item or service the host offers as an add-on to the car rental. When we were checking out options in Hawaii, it was common to see people offering beach chairs, snorkel gear, or beach towels for a nominal trip fee. When looking at options in Alaska, various rental’s ‘extra’ options included camping equipment, coolers, car seats, strollers, and more. If a host offers any fun extras, they will be noted in the description, with their associate price. If you decide to utilize an offered ‘extra’, they are easily added when you check-out. 

Insurance & Liability 

Since Turo is considered a peer-to-peer car sharing service, the rental car insurance provided by some credit card companies will not cover you in the event of an accident. What are your options for insurance? Turo provides the option to include coverage from Travelers when you’re checking out. This is offered at three different coverage levels or price points.

That being said, before you opt into the coverage, check with your car insurance agent. Between the five of us, we are on three different car insurance plans, and they all cover a Turo rental! When you’re booking your car for a trip, it’s certainly worth knowing if you’re already covered. It could save you hundreds of dollars! 

Young Driver Fees

Renting a car can be quite the headache if you are under 25. When booking through Turo, you must be 18 or older to book a trip. Also, if you’re age 18-21, you can’t decline a protection plan or choose Premier protection. This hold true regardless of what your car insurance policy covers. You must choose either the Minimum or the Standard protection plans.  

If you’re age 18-20, you’ll pay a minimum young driver fee of $50/day, and if you’re 21–25, you’ll pay a minimum fee of $30/day. A peculiar wrinkle, but renters must be 21 or older to book a car valued over $20k.

As a note, the age requirements are based on your age at the time of booking, not the age you’ll be when the trip takes place. 

You can read more about the age requirements for drivers here.

we rented this Jeep when adventuring around Kauai

Pros & Cons

When you rent a car, you have a general idea of what you might end up with, but you never really know until you arrive and someone hands you the keys. When you book through Turo, you know exactly what you’re getting. Additionally, the options for ‘extras’ may be a streamlined way to rent items you were struggling to figure out how to pack (i.e. camping supplies or beach chairs).

While this doesn’t necessarily benefit you specifically, when you rent through Turo, part of your money will always goes to Turo but the majority goes to the person or family you are renting your car from. As such, renting your car through Turo can be a unique way to support the local economy.

The cons? Turo does not guarantee you an alternate option if the vehicle you rented become unavailable last minute. For example, if the Turo you rented needs to be taken into the shop because the radiator broke, you may be out of luck or scrambling to find a last minute replacement. We usually aim to mitigate this by sticking to newer models of cars as they should theoretically have less wear and miles.

Overall Impressions

Turo is an awesome option for your next trip. Whether you’re planning on zipping through the city, car camping in the back of a truck, or yearning for breezy rides with the top down, Turo has a wide array of options to choose from.

Cheers to your next adventure! Let us know how your first Turo experience goes!

written by Hannah 

Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest.  Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin,  Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes. 

Categories
lifestyle travel

Making the Most of Your Hyatt Points

One of the great joys of life is traveling. Money spent exploring the world is money well spent, but money saved while traveling is even better. One of the easiest ways to cut costs while traveling is to use your points… more importantly, your World of Hyatt points. This is literally free money you accrue just by using (and paying off) your credit card each month! 

One of our favorite hotel companies to book through when traveling is Hyatt. Not only have our stays here always been more than satisfactory, we have found we love spending the points we accrue through our more mundane stays to enjoy visiting some of their luxurious properties. Compared to other hotel partners, the redemption rate for even the most posh of the Hyatt brands is beyond reasonable for what you receive in return. Hyatt’s portfolio now includes more than 1,000 properties in 69 countries. These range from boutique hotels to all-inclusive resorts and everything in between. 

Rack ‘Em & Stack ‘Em 

Are you dying to travel but just can’t justify spending the money? It is time for you to up your credit card game. There’s two ways to accrue points for redemption at Hyatt properties.

World of Hyatt Credit Card 

There’s two ways to accrue points for redemption at Hyatt properties. The more obvious of the two is signing up for a World of Hyatt credit card. This card offers a 30,000 point sign on bonus for spending $3,000 in the first three months of opening the card. Eager spenders and travelers can accrue up to an additional 30,000 points by earning 2 bonus points per $1 spent (up to $15,000) in the first 6 months of opening your account. You also receive a free night at any Category 1–4 Hyatt hotel or resort every year on your cardmember anniversary…. ca-ching!  

The more you spend with your Hyatt card, the faster you accrue points and the elite levels of World of Hyatt membership exponentially increase your benefits. You can learn more about the levels of elite membership and milestone rewards here. 

Chase

Chase is the only credit card company that maintains a partnership with Hyatt for transferring point balances. In order to do so, you must have one of Chase’s premium cards: Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Chase Ink Business Preferred. These cards offer some pretty eye catching sign-up bonuses, easily transferred they equate to a couple nights in a lux hotel. If you travel often, one of these cards may generally be a good choice for you as they also have 2 other hotel partners and 13 airline partners as well. 

It Takes Money to Make Money 

While there’s both nuance and simplicity to earning Hyatt points, we’re here to help you make the most of them. Here’s a handful of tips we have learned over the years. Points are free money, so you have to make the most of them!

TIP #1

For the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, a 60,000 point sign up bonus is nice, but if you’re on the fence about it, you can always wait for Chase to sweeten the pot. In 2021, with travel beginning to resume, the sign-up bonus rose up to 100,000 points for a couple months over the summer. With almost double the usual benefit, the $95 annual fee is even more worthwhile, when considering the value of that quantity of points. 

TIP #2

Ready for a trip? Points burning a hole in your pocket? Being able to transfer your points opens up some exciting point-saving opportunities. Before you book anything, check both the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal as well as what it would cost you in points to book directly through Hyatt. 

When booking our stay at the Grand Hyatt Kauai we noticed that booking through the Chase Ultimate Rewards account was going to cost us over 52,000 points per night, while booking through our Hyatt account would only cost 33,000 points per night (and included Grand Club Lounge access). Your Chase points transfer in a 1:1 ratio, so by transferring your points, you could be saving yourself big time! 

Below we have detailed an example with the comparison for travel to the Andaz in Costa Rica. Through World of Hyatt, the room runs at 17,000 points/night, for a total of 34,000 points. By comparison, the Chase Ultimate Rewards cost is 59,132 points PLUS another $346 dollars, just for the room and an additional $96 resort fee. It’s a no-brainer that you would be so much better off transferring your points over in a case like this!

redemption through Ultimate Rewards account
redemption through World of Hyatt account

[Just an FYI, you do not need a Hyatt credit card to transfer your points to Hyatt– signing up for a World of Hyatt account is free.]

TIP #3

When you are awarded a free night’s stay, it can be tempting to use that night for any random travel you might be doing, but give it a second thought before you book. Instead, save it for booking a category three or four property to get the most “bang” for your free-night-buck. 

redeeming your world of hyatt points at a category four hotel
If you click on “Hotels & Resorts” and filter by hotel category, you can check out your best options.

TIP #4

Piggy-backing off that save-the-free-night-for-a- fancier-resort mentality, with Hyatt, when you book a resort entirely with points or redeem a free night, you do not have to pay a resort fee. While these fees vary from one property to another, they can add up to hundreds of dollars, depending on your length of stay. 

TIP #5

If you have a World of Hyatt account, you receive a complimentary night at a category 1-4 property after you have stayed at five different brands under their Hyatt umbrella. What makes this especially enticing is that stays booked with points or other award nights are included in this count. 

For example, if you used your points to book a couple nights at Andaz Maui, that would count as one of your five brands visited. This is essentially a fun game of Hyatt bingo. It certainly is not a primary factor in informing your hotel selection, butttt if you’re staying in a city with two different Hyatt brand hotels, this could be an easy deciding factor in which one to book. 

TIP #6

Do you have an American Airlines AAdvantage Miles account? If you are an elite World of Hyatt member– this means you are a Discoversit, Globalist, or Explorist– you can earn 1 World of Hyatt Bonus Point for every $1 USD spent on qualifying American Airlines flights. This is *almost* like double dipping as you still received the AAdvantage miles you would already earn as an AAdvantage member. Who doesn’t want extra free points?

How Does It Stack Up?

If you are accustomed to using your points at a Hilton or Marriott hotel group, 30,000… or even 100,000 points might sound like it won’t get you very far. It’s important to recognize the difference here, because Hyatt point thresholds for redemption are much lower— for similar quality stays— as some of their competitor brands.

It’s also worth noting, if you sign up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and receive the 60,000 point bonus, you can transfer it to any of their three hotel partners: Hyatt, IGH, or Marriott. The points transfer in a 1:1 ratio to all companies, so unless you are highly preferential towards one of the other two brands, the 60,000 points are going to afford you more travel and luxury through Hyatt than either of the other options.

Have you ever visited a World of Hyatt resort? When we vacation, we find we enjoy adventuring around a bit more independently to truly get a feel for the culture of a given area, but we LOVE ending the last few days of vacation at a cushy Hyatt resort. Most recently, we visited the Andaz Costa Rica Resort on the Papagayo Peninsula and had a truly amazing time.

What’s your favorite World of Hyatt property? Do you have any other tips or tricks for making the most of you Hyatt points? Let us know!

Disclaimer: All photos used in this post were taken directly from the World of Hyatt or Chase website. None of these images are our own.

written by Hannah 

Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest.  Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin,  Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes. 

Categories
lifestyle

Warm Layers in a Winter Wonderland

Born and raised in Florida, there was nothing like experiencing my first real winter to truly understand the meaning of the word COLD. Sure, it’s one thing to go on a rowdy ski trip or go visit your family up north for a week, but it’s a whole other to endure the months-long marathon of cold. It doesn’t happen overnight, but you will start to build a whole new wardrobe of warm layers. I’ve lived in Wisconsin for a couple years now, so here’s a few things I’ve acquired over the years that have made winter survivable! From coats to mittens and everything in between, cheers to finding your best warm layers.

COATS

A good winter coat is THE staple of mandatory winter attire. This is what is going to get you through winter, and you WILL wear it every day of your life for at least three months. For this reason, it’s important to just accept the fact that a good winter jacket is going to be spendy. The purchase may feel frivolous, but when you encounter sub-zero temperatures for the first time, you will feel nothing but grateful that you splurged on a nice jacket. 

BIG PAPA

The bread and butter of winter warmth is your long coat. There’s no two ways about it, you want your fanny covered. In my personal opinion, the longer the jacket the better. From November to April, I have this out and at the ready to keep me warm from the top of my head to mid-calf. I personally love having the longest jacket possible, as I am all about covering maximal surface area.

Winter gets cold— like I’m-trying-to-stay-warm-but-it’s-BELOW-ZERO-out-here cold. You want to make sure you’re looking out for your late January and early February self when you purchase this jacket. I am in love with my jacket from Helly Hansen jacket; however, it’s currently out of stock, so I have included a few similar jackets from go-to winter survival brands. 

A Shorty on the Side

Potentially the strangest concept of winter jackets is that there’s different “levels” of cold, if you will. In late fall and early spring, you may not need your big, bad jacket. For me, this waist-length coat is perfect for when the weather is in the 40s and 50s….. a born and raised midwestern may find this laughable, so it’s important to note, this is a sliding scale. This is your “a hoodie isn’t warm enough but I don’t really need my big coat yet” jacket.

Run Forest Run

One of the first times Salvador tried to take me running with him in 40 degree weather I had what can only be described as an adult temper-tantrum a quarter mile in, protesting that it’s “just too cold outside to be going on a run!” I am proud to say I have grown since this very Floridian outburst, and will willingly go on runs in the 30s, 40s, and even upper 20s.

If you enjoy running outside and are slightly more hardy to the cold weather than I was (it’s a low bar), a running jacket is something you’ll be glad to have. It’s warm enough to keep the cold at bay but not so insulated that you’ll feel the need to shed layers five minutes into your run. 

PANTS

Snow Pants

If you’re considering participation in any sort of winter sport or outdoor adventure, you’re going to want some snow pants. I have both pair of snow pants below, and recommend either pair! The North Face pants come in short and long, in addition to the usual regular, so that if a helpful option for anyone of above and below average height. Pro-tip (from a novice winterer): you definitely want them to have an internal leg gaiter to keep the snow from making its way up your pants or into your boots. 

Most snow pants come is small, medium, large, etc. sizing, so in the event that you too have the #slimthicc body type, a snow pants belt is nice to have.

Base Layers

Perhaps you’re familiar with base layers or thermals, but prior to spending much time in Wisconsin, I had never heard of such a thing…. I actually thought Salvador had bought me pajamas for Christmas when he gifted me a pair. The function is right in the name, these layers are the first to go on. They help wick away sweaty moisture and regulate your body heat once you get moving.

Fleece-Lined Leggings

If you exist in leggings 95% of your day, fleece-lined are a MUST PURCHASE. Winter isn’t just about fighting the cold, it’s about escaping the wind as well. The wind will cut through most regular leggings, but that layer of fleece will have your legs and bum staying nice and warm.

BOOTS

A gal’s gotta protect her feet!! In the description of any given pair of boots, it should tell you how insulated they are. Most winter boots shouldn’t have less than 100 grams of insulation, which is sufficient for a fashionable yet functional boot. If you’re hoping to take your boots on some rowdy outdoor adventures, you’ll want a cool 200g or more of insulation.

GLOVES

Walking Gloves

This will be your “lighter” pair of gloves. You want something that will certainly keep your hands warm as you go on a walk, but doesn’t necessarily have the bulkiness of some of the more waterproof gloves. Most of this style of glove will have a finger tip or two that is touchscreen compatible, which makes it a bit easier to use your phone if necessary while out and about.

Snow-Ball Fight Ready

Whether you’re building a snowman, dominating a snowball fight, or shredding the gnar, you’ll want some gloves with a bit more gusto. These gloves are going to be a bit thicker and have more of a waterproof shell. Gloves vs mittens? Gloves allow you a bit more dexterity in your hands; while, gloves allow your fingers to share their warmth and maybe sneak a little hot hands in for added extra heat.

To Beanie or Not to Beanie

As a gal with her hair in a perpetual ponytail or bun, I find that beanies aren’t always my favorite way to keep my noggin warm. In my opinion, knit head bands are the way to go when you’re on the go. Whenever I go on a run in the cold, I bring this guy with me as it keeps my ears protected while still allowing me to dissipate heat. I usually only don a beanie if my hair’s down or in a braid… accepting any and all tips on how one styles a beanie without looking like a little egg-head.

FANNY PACK IT OUT

Perhaps I just lack coordination, but I find that when I’m wearing a coat, I either don’t feel my purse as well or it slips off my shoulder more easily since I’m just bulkier than usual with my 27 layers. Thank the lord fanny packs are back in style, because I have found it super convenient to either wear it around my waist or as a crossbody, so I can have all the essentials right where I need them. Kate Spade no longer sells my go-to fanny pack, but this one is similar!

SCARVES

My go to scarf is the Vinyasa scarf from Lululemon because it’s a perfect weight and can be styled soooo many different ways. It will definitely keep you warm, without feeling too bulky— all the colors and patterns are fun but neutral enough that they’ll match almost everything.

This is by no means an all inclusive list of everything you’ll need to make the most of winter, but it should be more than enough to get you started. Let us know if there’s any winter essentials we missed!

My best tip for surviving winter? Plan a trip! There’s no time like January or February to head somewhere tropical. You won’t regret saving all your PTO days to go be warm for a couple weeks in Hawaii. The seasonal depression gets real when it’s both cold and dark, so having a fun, warm trip planned is something exciting to look forward to, while also providing a much needed reprieve from the cold and snow!

Disclaimer: All photos used in this post were taken directly from the site to which the item is linked. None of the product photographs are our own.

written by Hannah 

Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest.  Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin,  Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes.

Categories
lifestyle

Our Favorite Dupes of Lululemon

Everyone’s favorite athleisure wear brand, Lululemon is known for the fantastic quality and fit of their clothing. While I certainly love all my Lulu pieces, sometimes it’s nice to have some clothes that fit similarly that I don’t mind roughing up. You know, your I’ll-wear-these-when-I-try-rock-climbing-for-the-first-time leggings. For this reason, we have scoured the internet and found all the best Lululemon dupes.

All of the almost-Lululemon pieces can be found on Amazon, so you still get that fast, free shipping. Even better, most of these items have thousands upon thousand of reviews, with an overall average rating of 4.5/5 stars. The quality might not be identical to Lululemon, but all of these dupes boast rave reviews.

On the Fly Jogger
amazon pant dupes for lululemon

A perfect casual work pant, the On The Fly 7/8 Pant costs $98, while this dupe from CRZ Yoga is only $32. I own multiple versions of this pant, and LOVE them! The dupe version is perfectly comfy and does the job. You can still move around with easy, but they look a little nicer than a pair of leggings or sweatpants.

Ebb to Street Tank Top

The sport tank is a favorite in our family— comfy enough that you could wear it all day but also supportive enough to work out in! The Ebb to Street tank costs $68, whereas the Attraco dupe will only cost you $26.99. There’s a dupe of the cropped version as well that’s honestly just as excellent… I may own more of the dupe in this lulu tank than I do of the original.

Stretch Luxtreme High-Rise Jogger

A go-to for running errands on the weekend, this jogger is both comfy and cute… in both versions! The Stretch Luxtreme High-Rise Jogger costs a cool $118, while the AJISAI dupe will only cost you $31.98.

Dance Studio Mid-Rise Jogger

I can’t pretend that I’m a dancer, but I do work as a PT, which means I need to be able to squat, lift, and jump around in my work pants and these totally do the job. The Dance Studio Mid-Rise Jogger will cost you $98, whereas this dupe from the Willit Store is less than a third of the price at $32.99.

Align Tank Top

Perhaps my favorite tank top from Lululemon, the Align Tank Top will cost you $58, while this The Gym People dupe is less than half at $22.99. We’re not the only ones to have discovered this lulu dupe… it’s a #1 Bestseller for Women’s Sports Bras on Amazon! If you don’t trust us, there’s over 30,000 reviews that just might convince you to give it a try.

Speed Up Short

I’m not a runner, and I don’t know that I ever will be, but I do stay dreaming of summer shorts weather (moving from Florida to Wisconsin has made me team #SummerIsTheBestSeason). Perfect for running, walking, or sitting outside on a warm day, the Speed Up Short costs $58. They may not be identical, but CRZ Yoga has a similar short for only $28.

Define Jacket

As classic piece from Lululemon, the Define Jacket has a perfect cut and sporty design, a perfect layer for in-between weather. The original costs $118, but QUEENIEKE sells a pretty dang similar jacket for $40.99.

Align High-Rise Pant 25″

The famously butter-soft align leggings are a favorite of nearly anyone that’s worn them. For the 25″ length, CRZ Yoga has a $26 legging that feels like it comes close to the Align magic… for less than a third of the OG price tag of $98.

Align High-Rise Pant 28″

If you’re looking for the slightly longer Align dupe, the 28″ legging from COLORFULKOALA is about as close as it gets.

Align High-Rise Short 6″

Biker shorts are hot right now, because they are perfect short for everything. From running errands to getting zen in yoga, the Align High-Rise Short is everyone’s favorite. If you’re looking to bring that $58 price tag down to $17.99, Lavento sell an eerily similar pair. The big difference here? The lulu aligns are sold in 4″ and 6″ inseams, while the dupe offers 3″ and 5″ inseams.

Tracker Low-Rise Lined Short 4″

The Tracker Low-Rise Lined Short costs $58, while Blooming Jelly’s similar short is $24.99. The most discernible difference is the dupe has a high rise cut, whereas the original is a low rise. I almost prefer the Blooming Jelly version as I am all about high waisted everything these days!

What did you think? Similar enough it might be hard to spot from across the room? Or are you a ride-or-die Lululemon gal? A little bit of everything, these Lululemon dupes may not be the real thing, but they’re still comfy and super functional! Great options if you love the fit but you’re ballin’ on a budget.

Stubborn for the real thing?

Lululemon is not known to largely markdown their items, but there are a few ways to get your favorites for a bargain.

Group fitness/studio instructors/private instructors of adult participants, personal trainers, professional run club leaders, studio owners/managers, athletes (eligible athletes include professional, Olympic, university/college (non-NCAA only), and elite amateur athletes), & coaches and team trainers/staff can receive 25% off both in store & online orders by becoming part of their Sweat Collective.

Health care workers can receive 15% off! This discount is available both in stores and online.

If you like Lululemon, and don’t mind lightly used items, Lululemon now has a Lulu Like New website that sells gently used apparel. Worth checking out! 

Disclaimer: All photos used in this post were taken directly from the site to which the item is linked. None of these photographs are our own.

written by Hannah 

Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest.  Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin,  Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes.

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lifestyle

All The Best Gifts for Him

the best gifts for him


In our family gift giving is almost a competitive sport. We love thinking of the most perfect, personal gifts to get each other, and will often buy them months in advance of Christmas or birthdays. No one is as hard to shop for as our father! We have curated a list of our favorite gifts for dads, brothers, and significant others. From functional to what-to-get-someone-that-has-everything, we have ideas for everyone. Happy gifting!

Baseball Stadium BluePrints 

If your husband gets all jazzed up about his favorite baseball team, this is the perfect print to rep his favorite team in the man-cave or office.

Price: $185

Whiskey Stones 

Get your best dude one step closer to the ever-unattainable perfect drink. No watered down drinks here, with these stone ice cubes doing all the work.

Price: $13.99

Cocktail Smoker 

Looking to elevate your boyfriend’s cocktail game? A cocktail smoker may just be the final spin he needs to perfect his old fashion recipe.

Price: $100

Personalized Whiskey Decanter Set

A perfect gift for whiskey drinkers of any shape and size. This gift works for all kinds of occasions: house-warming, graduation, Christmas, or World Whiskey Day (May 21st, FYI). Pairs perfectly with a bottle of their favorite whiskey.

Price: $57.98+

Bar Cart

Rounding out the alcohol-related gifts, a bar cart is a perfect entertainment piece. Not only are they a fun, stylish accent to any room, but it’s also the perfect way to be ready for a party at any time!

The Rustic Three-Level bar cart suspends up to four bottles of wine, maximizing available space on this beautifully functional cart. The West Elm Mid-Century Walnut bar cart has a retro character that is sure to make this cart the center of attention— even if no drinks are being served.

Price: $100 / $499

Personalized Gifts: Record LP Clock 

Sentiment meets functionality with this perfect gift for any music lover. All the words on the center of the LP are customizable to make it completely your own. Plus, it’s also a functioning clock!

Price: $100

Cotopaxi Allpa 42L Travel Pack

We are obsessed with this travel backpack from Cotopaxi! This is the perfect gift for the whimsical explorer in your family. The design is beyond intuitive as the bag is perfectly crafted to maximize space when packing all your essentials. As a bonus, Cotopaxi is a fantastic, environmentally conscious company with fab customer service… did someone say ‘lifetime warranty and repairs’?? We’re actually so keen on this backpack we wrote an entire blog post about it!

Price: $220

Grill 

A grill can be a deeply personal decision that takes loads of research and review-scouring, but if you have a general idea what you’re looking for, a grill can be a fantastic gift. The Pit Boss Sportman 500 is an versatile pellet grill, under $500. The Weber Genesis II is an awesome propane grill, for less than $1,000. Regardless what kind you get, he is SURE to be delighted.

Price: varies

Grilling Rubs

If you’re price range is less grill and more grill rubs, this set is sure to excite your favorite grill-master artisan. With rubs inspired from all over the country, everything is guaranteed to be finger-lickin’ good!

Price: $26.95 

Nespresso VertuoPlus

Hello coffee lovers looking to elevate their home barista game. A perfect espresso in less than 60 seconds? Yes, yes that is the best gift you can give a coffee addict.

Price: $149 

Slouch Potato

This lumbar support pillow is a perfect gift for anyone that spends an above average amount of time in the car or traveling. Its cushiony support makes even the longest rides far more comfortable. We’ve actually bought this for our dad twice now, because he likes it so much!

Price: $39.95

Pizza Maker

The perfect gift for your pizza-aholic friend. This magic hot plate will have your ‘za hot and ready to eat before your kitchen oven has even pre-heated.

Price: $42.99 

Duluth Trading Company Boxers 

Ahhhh underwear. The gift you hated as a kid and now cherish as an adult. These boxers are my husband’s favorite. Just spendy enough that you might not want to buy them for yourself, but you would be delighted if someone bought a pair (or two) for you.

Price: $22.50

Pet Portrait 

custom pet gifts

Who owns a dog and isn’t at least a little obsessed with it? If you’ve already sat through the entire camera roll of your friend’s MANY doggo pictures, you can give them one more to treasure as a sentimental wall art piece. Not guaranteed to make them cry but not unlikely!!

Price: $33.75+ 

Grandpa’s Weeder 

Taking pride in your yard is an honorable hobby, but pulling weeds can become a back-breaking endeavor, for even the most dedicated lawn artisan. Grandpa’s Weeder is a simple yet effective tool to make weed-pulling a breeze.

Price: $39.99

Hypervolt 2

The Hypervolt 2 by Hyperice is the solution your husband’s tight muscles have been waiting for. From low back pain after a long day of yard work to sore legs after the gym, this percussion massager has you covered!

Price: $299

Personalized Family Member Signpost

A perfect gift for a dad or grandpa with children that have left the nest and spread out. Nothing makes our dad happier than having all his girls at home, and this fun sign is a sweet way to remember that ever when everyone is spread out, they’re never too far to come home! It’s such a unique way to think of your loved ones!

Price: $155+

Mega Yard Games

Who doesn’t love being the host with the most?! Jumbo yard games are an enticing way to keep everyone entertained. From Cornhole to Dice to Jenga, these super-sized games will be the perfect addition to your next outdoor gathering!

Price: 39.99+ / $249.49 / $58.85

Audio-Technica Record Player 

Record players are back and they’re not going anywhere! This Audio-Technica model is a perfect nicer-end entry level record player for anyone interested in a throw-back auditory experience. Not only is it a different way to experience music, but once you have a record player, it opens up a whole new world for record hunting as you begin to curate your record collection.

Price: $149 

Disclaimer: All photos used in this post were taken directly from the site to which the item is linked. None of these photographs are our own.

written by Hannah 

Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest.  Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin,  Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes. 

Categories
lifestyle

The Best Wedding Keepsakes

Every girl LOVES her wedding day, and lives for small ways to hold onto the amazing memories of that day. As a newly wed, here are some things I loved that we did and others I wish we had done, to integrate memories from our wedding decor into our home decor and alternatively repurpose it in subtle ways.

Give That Bouquet a Second Life  

Eye-catching coasters and trays are already a fun and function way to decorate a coffee table… what better way to do so than with flowers from your wedding day. A subtle nod to your wedding day and a beautiful decor piece.

Dried and pressed flowers can make for a unique wall decor statement piece. If anyone asks, you can certainly fill them in on the sentimental backstory, but it’s a lovely way to nonchalantly put your wedding bouquet on display. Depending on your style, there are a few different small businesses that create these works of art. A few of my favorites can be found here, here, and here.

Put My Name Up in Lights

Last name signs are becoming a popular accent piece or photo op at weddings, but the advantage to choosing a wooden sign, it that it’s super easy to incorporate into your house decor.

Below I have included the wooden sign featured at our wedding, and it’s current home over the coat rack.

wedding sign

Long Live the Invitation

Not everyone has a sentimental attachment to their invitations, but if you were rather fond of yours, it can live on indestructibly as a handmade, wooden engraved replica. A cute decoration for your office or a sturdy memory for your wedding keepsake box… the choice is yours!

Forever and Always

What better way to remember your wedding vows to one another than to have them hung up in your bedroom? Such a sweet and aesthetically pleasing way to reminisce over the promises you made one another. This wood etched pair is one-of-a-kind… just like your love!

If you’re looking for some combined vows and picture action, this canvas print is an awesome option. The floating wood hangers make for a fun, different frame.

Cuff Links

Just a couple sentimental cuff link options to hold your sweetie close. The tiny envelope cuff links are like a men’s locket… perfect for a little extra love on your special day and any day after. Alternatively, you can opt for some simple, elegant cuff links that display a small swatch of you loved one’s wedding dress. 

Wedding Dress to Christening Dress

This one s a bit of a long con, since most newly weds don’t immediately have a tiny human needing a christening outfit, but it’s such a precious idea to keep in the back of your mind. So many wedding dresses sit in a box on a shelf forever, so this is a sweet way to repurpose it.

Personalized Wedding Photo Puzzle 

Who doesn’t love a good puzzle? It’s such a cute way to put one of your wedding photos to use. A fun activity to do on your anniversary! Also, imagine how much fun you potential kids might have doing a puzzle with mom and dad on it?? Just think, this could be the start of Sunday puzzle night.

Your wedding is such an exciting day in your life that goes by so quickly. These sentimental keepsakes are a warm reminder of the day you promised your lives to one another. We hope you found a new idea or two to make that wedding day last. Congratulations!

Disclaimer: Almost all photos used in this post were taken directly from the site to which the item is linked. With the exception of the two noted, none of these photographs are our own.

written by Hannah 

Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest.  Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin,  Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes. 

Categories
lifestyle

All the Best Gifts for Her

best gifts for her

In our family gift giving is almost a competitive sport. We love thinking of the most perfect, personal gifts to get each other, and will often buy them months in advance of Christmas or birthdays. We have curated a list of our favorites to share with you. From functional to what-to-get-someone-that-has-everything, we have ideas for everyone.

Since there’s five of us sisters (plus our mama), we have a diverse group of gals to shop for. Our compilation of gift ideas is almost entirely things on our Christmas list, ideas for one another, or some of our favorite purchases from the past year. We hope it gives you a little inspiration for your holiday shopping… happy gifting!

Cotopaxi Allpa 42L Travel Pack

We are obsessed with this travel backpack from Cotopaxi! This is the perfect gift for the whimsical explorer in your family. The design is beyond intuitive as the bag is perfectly crafted to maximize space when packing all your essentials. As a bonus, Cotopaxi is a fantastic, environmentally conscious company with fab customer service… did someone say ‘lifetime warranty and repairs’?? We’re actually so obsessed with this backpack we wrote an entire blog post about it!

Price: $220

Watercolor Print of Your Home

perfect artistic gifts

Everyone has a home that holds a special place in their heart. Whether it’s the first home you purchased together, your childhood home, or the lake house you went to as a child, this Etsy shop can turn a picture of home into a beautiful watercolor picture. This makes for such a beautiful, sentimental gift.

Price: $29.50+ 

Lindsay Albanese Hat Clip 

The worst part about traveling with a hat is figuring out how to pack it, and Lindsay Albanese has created the perfect solution. By clipping your hat to your bag, you can keep your hat close, without fear of crushing it!

Price: $48+

Lack of Color Hat 

The perfect hat to fill your hat clip! Besides, there is nothing like a hat to truly elevate your outfit. We’re loving this green right now, but they have all kinds of colors… from creamy neutrals to bold statement tones.

Price: $139

If you’re loving the hat, but are trying to find the look for under $50, Urban Outfitters has a pretty good dupe for Lack of Color hats. Not quite the same, but definitely similar.

Lululemon Belt Bag

Fanny packs are back baby!!! And this belt bag from Lululemon is a particularly big hit with women (and men) of all ages. Who wants to carry a purse when you can fit a surprising amount of your belongings in this little pack?? The only problem? It sells out quickly! Sold in 1L and 2L sizes, it’s a cute yet functional gift for anyone on the go.

Price: $38-48

Glass Cups & Straws 

Never thought I’d be the kind of gal to get excited about glassware, but here we are. I received these for my birthday this past year, and they are a favorite both for hosting as well as drinking a post-workout smoothie.

Price: $26.99 (cups) & $4.99 (straws)

Initials Necklace 

This is the perfect gift for a new mama looking to hold her littles close in a simple, meaningful way. Understated but lovely… a beautiful piece.

Price: $28.34+

Huzi Travel Pillow

Does someone have a long flight ahead of them? Travel often for work? Have a perpetual itch from the travel bug? Being able to catch some zzzz’s on a flight can be huge to help hit the ground running when you arrive at your destination. Sometimes a little outside the box thinking can be just what you need to stay comfy. The infinity loop design is versatile, allowing you to snuggle into any position during your flight.

Price: $45.00

Audio-Technica Record Player 

Record players are back and they’re not going anywhere! This Audio-Technica model is a perfect nicer-end entry level record player for anyone interested in a throw-back auditory experience. Not only is it a different way to experience music, but once you have a record player, it opens up a whole new world for record hunting as you begin to curate your record collection.

Price: $149 

Tile 

The Tile helps keep track of all your wandering valuables. They are prepared for all scenarios with a Tile card for your wallet, a fob for your keys, or a sticker for your camera (not pictured above). The best way to keep an eye on everything. A perfect gift for your most forgetful friend.

Price: $59 for wallet & keys Tiles

Sunlight Simulator Alarm Clock  

If someone you know and love is moving north, to the land of long nights and short days, this alarm clock makes all the difference in the world to help a gal get out of bed on time. An alarm clock may not be the sexiest gift, but you cannot beat the practicality here!

Price: $99.99 

Pet Portrait 

Who owns a dog and isn’t at least a little obsessed with it? If you’ve already sat through the entire camera roll of your friend’s MANY doggo pictures, you can give them one more to treasure as a sentimental wall art piece. Not guaranteed to make them cry but not unlikely!!

Price: $33.75+ 

Nespresso VertuoPlus

Hello coffee lovers looking to elevate their home barista game. A perfect espresso in less than 60 seconds? Yes, yes that is the best gift you can give a coffee addict.

Price: $149 

Paddy Wax 

This may look like just a candle, but it’s actually a candle with a built in secondary purpose. When the candle has lived its full life and burned out, this becomes the perfect margarita glass. The Paddy Wax go-to margarita recipe is on the back of the dust cover, to help get the good times started.

Price: $30 

Agate Coasters 

Nothing elevates a coffee table like some fun, fancy coasters. Not only do they protect the table from unsightly water rings, but they are a beautiful way to make any table look a little more posh.

Price: $16/coaster 

Electric Wine Opener & Preserver 

From a seasoned wino to your recently legal friend, nothing expedites a good time like getting that bottle of wine opened ASAP. Pairs well with a bottle of your favorite wine!

Price: $79.95 

Personalized Gifts: Record LP Clock 

Sentiment meets functionality with this perfect gift for any music lover. All the words on the center of the LP are customizable to make it completely your own. Plus, it’s also a functioning clock!

Price: $100

FabFitFun Box

I’ve been getting my FabFitFun box for years, and it’s truly the gift that keeps on giving. While it seems like there’s a subscription box for just about everything these days, FabFitFun have been sending out boxes since 2010. As such, they have expanded their company so much in the last decade! Their box is such a fun way to get exposed to new products and brands. Plus, with your subscription membership, you’re afforded access to a whole array of discounted products available as add-ons.

Price: $59.99/box or $219.99 annually

In the event the gal you’re shopping for isn’t quite the target clientele of FabFitFun, there’s so many different subscription options to choose from. Whether she’s into fishing, coffee, tech gadgets, knitting, candles, or something else entirely, there’s just about a box for everyone these days!

Disclaimer: All photos used in this post were taken directly from the site to which the item is linked. None of these photographs are our own.

written by Hannah 

Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest.  Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin,  Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes. 

Categories
lifestyle

Eleven Awesome Reef Safe Sunscreens

reef safe sunscreen

Sunscreen is an important product for anyone wanting to avoid the sun’s harmful rays, but unfortunately the chemicals that block out UV rays can also be harmful to aquatic ecosystems. A single person snorkeling may feel like they have no effect, but as a population, it’s estimated that approximately 14,000 tons of sunscreen are released into oceans and therefore reefs annually. With that much sunscreen sloughing off of people, small quantities of toxic chemicals add up quickly. For this reason, reef safe mineral sunscreens are an awesome alternative to protect oneself, while also minimizing the impact we as humans have on the ocean and its reef systems.

Bans & Bad Chemicals 

Hawaii was the first state to ban the sale of sunscreens containing the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate. While all of Florida has not followed suit, Key West, FL has also banned sunscreens with these ingredients as well*. As we dug into this, we discovered a few more harmful chemicals. In addition to being damaging to the coral reef, some of these compounds are harmful to marine life as well. The top eight offenders to look out for are listed below. Be sure to check the ingredients list for these dubious chemicals!

OxybenzoneOctinoxateOctocryleneHomosalate
4-methylbenzylidene camphorPABAParabensTriclosan
* The previously aforementioned bans in place exempt sunscreens prescribed by a doctor to patients for medical reasons. 

Eleven Excellent Options

It is widely accepted that sunscreen should be worn when spending sustained periods of time outside or in direct sunlight, but integrating a sunscreen into your daily skincare routine may just be the best thing you can do to prevent premature aging of your skin. Interestingly, the sun exposure from a 30 minute mental-health walk or the blue light reflected up from a computer or phone can have their own damaging effects over time. Whether you’re packing to go on vacation or just trying to stay woke about daily skincare, we’ve found some of the best options, at a variety of price points, to keep your skin protected. Don’t forget to cover your ears and neck too!

1. Dr. Jart+

Dr. Jart+ is an innovative skincare company based in Korean, that has mastered skincare staples. Whether you need a sunscreen for vacation or you’re more of a can’t leave-the-indoors-without-burning, this Every Sun Day sunscreen’s got you covered. Another reef-safe option from Dr. Jart+ is the fan-favorite: Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment— it not only neutralizes redness but also has a very reasonable spf 30.

​​2. Kate Somerville

Sunscreen and cosmetics can be assigned a PA value, to inform consumers of the level of protection a products offers from UV rays. The Daily Deflector Mineral Face Sunscreen boasts an impressive PA++++, the highest score possible. Additionally, it is compatible with all skin types and completely unscented for anyone that’s sensitive to fragrance.

​​3. Tula

This sunscreen was named Best SPF by Health 2020 Beauty Awards, and it’s not hard to see why. The protect + glow daily sunscreen gel has a non-comedogenic formula, to keep pores clear and skin happy. This is of course in addition to the probiotic extracts and pineapple, as well as wild butterfly ginger root that are integrated into this packed sunscreen formula— a sunscreen that’s not just protecting you, but improving your skin along the way.

4. Murad

Offering maximum protection from UV rays, this City Skin Age Defense Sunscreen has also received the esteemed PA++++ rating. In addition to it’s spf 50, this sunscreen has a soft peach tint, which serves to color correct and boost radiance on all skin tones​.

5. ILIA

If you’re searching for a make-up and sunscreen hybrid, look no further than the weightless Super Serum Skin Tint. By all accounts ILIA seems to be doing everything right. With 30 tints offered, this inclusive product is meant for everyone. It is silicone-free, fragrance-free, chemical screen-free, and non-comedogenic— while also incorporating hyaluronic acid, squalane, and niacinamide to keep skin hydrated. A perfect product for daily use!

6. Sun Bum

A universally recognized name in the sunscreen game, it comes as no surprise that Sun Bum offers a well-loved Sunscreen Face Lotion. This vegan, non-comedogenic, and fragrance-free product feels less like a chalky sunscreen and more like a primer, with it’s luxe matte finish. A perfect product for anyone with sensitive skin!

7. Native

Native is the epitome of a company with a conscience. They originally started as an anti-perspirant company to create an alternative to the mainstream aluminum-laden deodorants. As the company has grown they have expanded to a collection of re-formulated every day self-care products to maximize the safety and benefit for the consumer, while concurrently maintaining a mindfulness for the environment. This face sunscreen is offered in both a unscented and coconut-pineapple scents and boasts clean and effective ingredients

8. Supergoop!

A favorite in the world of high quality sunscreen, Supergood! has leveled up to offer their most reef-safe sunscreen yet: the Mineral Mattescreen. Mattescreen has a sheer tint to mask the white cast mineral sunscreens are sometimes known for. You love the blurring effect it has on pores, leaving your skin looking airbrushed and smooth.

9. Cetaphil

The Sheer Mineral Liquid Face Sunscreen from Cetaphil is a perfect option for anyone with sensitive skin. This fragrance-free, paraben-free and chemical-free active formula is hypoallergenic— plus it helps preserve your skin’s delicate microbiome. Another bonus, this sunscreen is water resistant for up to 80 minutes, making it a great option for the beach or longer outdoor workouts.

10. COOLA

reef safe COOLA sunscreen

The Sun Silk Créme sunscreen is the perfect combination of smooth, lightweight, and radiant moisture without a dreaded greasy finish. COOLA is known for their clean beauty products, so you can purchase with a clean conscience, knowing everything is crafted with at least 70% certified organic ingredients, from sustainable farming practices.

11. Dermalogica

Looking for some outside-the-box ingredients? The Invisible Physical Defense boasts some unique ingredients, with a bio-active mushroom complex to help soothe skin and reduce redness. You will also find antioxidant green tea in the mix to defend skin from free radical damage. All products from Dermalogica are free of artificial colors and fragrances, parabens, and microplastics, so you can purchase with confidence.

Haters Gunna Hate

This is intended to be enlightening in nature— certainly not a guilt-trip to anyone that wants to stick with a sunscreen brand they like. It can take ages to find a product you like, that doesn’t irritate your skin— especially your face.

With lots of outdoorsy travel on the horizon, we happened upon this sunscreen snafu, and felt it was important to share. Especially since we were previously unaware of the extent of harm the sunscreen can have on the environment. We hope you learned a little something as well!

We have done a cursory exploration into the topics of sunscreen’s environmental impact; however, we are far from experts in this area. If you have any contradicting or additionally informative knowledge to share, we would love to learn more!

If you are eager to earn more about what you can do to protect our reefs, you can visit Save the Reef .

None of the product photos in this post are our own as they were integrated from the associated linked website.

written by Hannah 

Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest.  Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin,  Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes. 

Categories
lifestyle

Seven Athleisurewear Brands We Love

It would not be an exaggeration to say we LIVE in athleisurewear. We could go weeks without fastening a single button. We wear it to work, we wear it to workout, and it’s what we choose to exist in for all the time in between. Field tested, Wherry-girl approved, these are our favorite pieces and best brands to rock.

BEYOND YOGA

Beyond Yoga has mastered the art of buttery soft fabric. This woman-owned business offers sizes XXS to 4X, so inclusivity is at the forefront of their model. Their free shipping & returns make it easy to purchase with peace of mind. They maintain a core collection of colors year-round, as well seasonal colors that are always fun. They go quickly though, so you have to grab ‘em while they’re available! 

These are the most comfortable pair of biker shorts I own. The length is perfect and you truly cannot beat the material they’re made out of! 

This cropped tank lives in more than one Wherry sister closet… in multiple colors. What can we say? When we love something, we really double down! The cut is flattering and the cropped length is perfect with high waisted leggings. 

Comfy and cozy, these leggings are perfect for so many occasions, but especially for travel days. Plus how fun is this stellar blue heather color? 

Fit

Beyond yoga is the epitome of athleisure-wear.  As the name suggests, the clothes are perfect for lower intensity workouts such as yoga or pilates. They are also a first rate choice if you’re looking to stay comfy while traveling, running errands, or lounging around the house. Generally speaking this would not be my go-to for a high intensity workout or long run. 

Our personal experience is that most of the tops and sports bras fit pretty true to size, but the leggings will sometimes run a little big. 

Bonus

If you are a medical professional, military personnel, educator, or student, you can receive 20% off every order. A discount just means you get to order more, right?

FREE PEOPLE MOVEMENT

You may know about Free People, but have you tried Free People Movement?! The loungewear and fitness focused take on this iconic brand delivers athleisure clothes just as well as they do boho chic. If you don’t own anything from Free People Movement, it’s time to give them a try. 

free people movement athleisurewear set

This set is just as cute as it looks. The sports bra has a fun square neckline, and the small cut-outs up the back of the leggings make for a cute design. The perfect outfit to rock for a quick pilates workout.

Kayla bought this cropped tank, and I liked it so much I had to have my own! It’s super versatile as it can be worn with matching leggings or you can rock it at happy hour with cutoffs. Get you a tank that! can! do! both! Available in a slightly longer length as well. 

If slouchy comfort is your style this reversible shirt and biker short set is a must have. The shirt is definitely oversized, so you have to dig the loose-style fit, but let’s be honest… all the best shirts are too big. 

Fit

My only gripe with Free People Movement is their sizing is a little chaotic when you’re ordering for the first time. Some of their leggings & workout tops are only offered in XS/S & M/L sizing, while others are offered XS to XL. That being said, once you figure out what sizing works best for you, you’re set!  

ATHLETA  

Athleta is the fab, fit company in the Gap Inc. franchise. This is an athleisure brand with range! Not only does their sizing run from XXS to 3X, but they also sell almost all their pants and leggings in regular, tall, and petite lengths! You love to see it! 

This crop top is a family favorite, with three out of five sisters owning this shirt in various colors. It is a perfect cropped length to wear with high-waisted leggings, without

While you don’t always think of dresses when you think of athleisurewear, this dress is the perfect combination of flattering meets effortless style. 

I recently purchased these shorts, and have been summer-lovin’ them. I am officially part of camo’s comeback. 

These leggings have just enough compression to keep everything in place while still feeling like jammies. The 7/8ths length is my favorite!

For Your Information

Athleta has mastered comfort for the whole wardrobe. If you live for days spent in loungewear, but ~work~ requires a certain amount of business casual, Athleta delivers some great crossover pants to keep you comfy while you’re working hard. 

LULULEMON

You know what you’re getting when you buy from Lululemon and that’s quality. Whether it’s for yoga, lifting, crushing your orange theory class, or running, they have you covered. Their sizing runs from 2-14, allowing for a bit more specificity than the usual S/M/L sizing. You can always count on their free shipping and returns to bring you your next treat-yo-self in a jiffy. 

The align leggings will feel like a dream for your next pilates class. I’m not sure what makes the Nulu material magical— I just know I never want to take these leggings off! 

The wunder train leggings are what you want on as you head to your next Orange Theory or Burn Boot Camp workout class. These leggings will fit like a glove and not move an inch as you hustle. 

I like to wear this workout top under my jacket at work, so I can get a little lunch time workout in with ease. It’s so comfortable you’ll want to wear it all day but still supportive for when you want to get your move on.

These are my FAVORITE joggers. They are the perfect crossover between leggings and sweatpants… incredibly comfortable but still makes your a$$ look great. Could never recommend these enough!! 

Fit

Generally speaking, most leggings and tanks fit pretty true to size. For sports bras and shorts we tend to go one size up. Everyone’s different, but that’s just how we’ve found things fit us best! 

Discount anyone? 

Group fitness/studio instructors/private instructors of adult participants, personal trainers, professional run club leaders, studio owners/managers, athletes (eligible athletes include professional, Olympic, university/college (non-NCAA only), and elite amateur athletes), & coaches and team trainers/staff can receive 25% off both in store & online orders by becoming part of their Sweat Collective.

Health care workers can receive 15% off! This discount is available both in stores and online.

Did you know? 

If you like Lululemon, but the price tag gets you down, Lululemon now has a Lulu Like New website that sells gently used apparel. Worth checking out! 

ALO YOGA 

I first learned about Alo at a Pure Barre in Miami, and my sporty style has never been the same. High quality leggings worn by all kinds of fit, stylish gals— including some celebs (check out their website!) Sizing runs XS to XL. Free shipping and free returns literally never gets old. 

If your largest biker short complaint is that they get annoying to re-adjust, these are the biker shorts for you!! I have a #thiccthighs body type, and I can even wear these running without an issue. This is a summer-time staple! 

I have been wayyy too into matching sets recently, and this set is no exception. How vibrant is this Ocean Teal color?! 

I have officially survived my first Mid-West winter, and my appreciation for a good hoodie/sweatpant pairing has never been higher. This set is the perfect combo of street style meets better-than-your-boyfriend’s-hoodie comfort. 

If you’re looking for an effortless, how-does-she-looks-so cute-in-sweats set, this is the set for you. The muted colors are all perfect to stay chic and comfy all through fall. The perfect traveling outfit! 

Discount Please

Certified fitness professionals who are actively teaching will be eligible to purchase Alo Yoga apparel at 25% off.

MISSION LOUNGEWEAR

This loungewear company is owned by none other than Dana and McKenna Wherry! Their mission is to create high quality, comfortable pieces that are ethically made and give back to organizations that aid people in extreme need. What’s better than a purchase that keeps you comfy and serves the greater good.

Say hello to my the best quarter zip I’ve ever owned. It runs big so it has that perfect I-stole-my-husband’s-hoodie feel, while still being wayyy cuter than any hoodie I’ve ever “borrowed” from Salvador.

These easy-to-throw on shorts have me wishing summer days would never end. These are my go-to to throw on when I need to run errands.

Who doesn’t live for a matching set? This crew neck sweatshirt and lounge-short is perfect for a day spent in the library studying. So in love with the color!

BOMBAS

Socks may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a leisurewear staple, but Bombas socks are about to elevate your comfort game! Not only will you never want to wear another pair of socks again, but they’re a company with an awesome mission. For every item you purchase, Bombas donates an item to someone affected by homelessness… they have donated more than 40 million items thus far!!!


Fit

Socks are available in no show, ankle, quarter, calf, and knee high lengths, as well as  small/medium/large sizes to accommodate feet of various sizes. They also sell compression socks for friends that spend all day on their feet!

written by Hannah 

Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest.  Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin,  Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes. 

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lifestyle

Easy No-Equipment Workouts for Travel

Whether you’re traveling for work or for pleasure, leaving the comfort of your gym or exercise routine can make it more difficult to get your workouts in. Now, in my opinion, the best way to combine exploration of a new area and an easy-to-plan workout is to go out on a walk or hike. If hiking is more your style, AllTrails is an awesome tool to help you discover local trails! It shows a trail’s difficulty rating, elevation, comments from recent hikers, and pictures of the view you’re hiking to. 

Perhaps hiking isn’t an option, or maybe you’re wanting something that gets the heart pumping. There are loads of free resources that are easily accessible from one’s phone. First and foremost, I have included individual workouts that can be found on Youtube. This is a collection of some of my favorites! Whether we’re traveling or I’m trying to get in a workout over my lunch break, these are my go tos! All the original content creators are listed in the description— we love supporting female led channels!! If you like the style of the video, most of these fit gals have hundreds of other workouts to peruse. I have also included a few easy-to-navigate apps, with a wide array of no-equipment-needed workouts! 

YOUTUBE

PILATES

A nice little 15 min workout with a focus on thighs & cardio from Sarah’s day. Checkout these pilates-chic sets to keep you moving in style.

This is a short and sweet 8 minute workout from The Balanced Life Pilates. It can serve as a nice warm-up to a longer workout or perhaps a quick movement moment before you start your day. It’s part of a 30-day challenge if you’re looking to integrate a little bit of pilates into your exercise practice. 

This 15 minute workout from Blogilates will make exercisers of any pilates experience level feel like they’re crushing it. It has both beginner and moderate/advanced levels of exercises demonstrated. 

This 18 minute core focused pilates workout from Sarah’s Day is sure to challenge anyone and everyone’s core!

FULL BODY WORKOUTS

This 23 minute circuit workout by Sarah’s Day flies by! No equipment needed! 

This 30 minute workout from SELF is sure to get the heart rate up! 

This 30 minute workout from GrowingAnnanas is perfect if home-workouts sometimes get boring for you. Here you’ll be doing a different exercise every minute of the workout for a total of 30 different exercises. 

This 40 minute workout from Sydney Cummings has a focus on cardio and abs, but your whole body will be ready for a break when the clock strikes 0:00!

LEG & BUM WORKOUTS

This 30 minute workout by Sydney Cummings is a fantastic leg workout that had me sore for days after the first time I did it. While she does use some bands, but it’s certainly still doable if you don’t have any resistance bands! She does an awesome job of showing alternate movement patterns if her primary exercise doesn’t work for you. 

This workout from Fitness Blender comes in at just under 30 minutes, but you better be ready to WORK!! 

No pre-amble, no introduction, this 30 minute lower body workout from GrowingAnnanas will have you feeling. the. burn. 

YOGA

This 10 minute yoga stretch routine from Yoga with Kassandra is a perfect flow to start the day with. 

This nearly 24 minute yoga strength workout by Yoga with Adriene is challenging in a way that sneaks up on you! If you’re looking to get more consistent with your yoga practice, this video is part of a 30 day series. 

APPS

Nike Training Club

This free app features 251 no equipment needed workouts, ranging from 5 minutes to 60 minutes in duration. Users can sort the kind of workout they’re looking for by workout format, duration, intensity, and focus. 



FitOn

As you create your account on FitOn, it asks questions about your fitness goals, how often you workout, the kinds of workouts you enjoy, etc to curate a workout program for you. If you’re not in the mood for the programmed workout one day, you can tap over to the workouts tab and sort through hundreds of various options. This app provides more than just workouts as it embodies more of a fitness lifestyle approach as it includes recipes in the ‘Meals’ tab and a wide array of wellness articles under the ‘Advice’ section. There is a Pro upgrade available, but a wide array of content is available to free users!  



Fitbod

If real-time workout videos aren’t your thing and you like to crush a workout in your own way, this app is perfect! Every day a new workout is prepared and waiting for you. It will design a workout according to whatever equipment you have available— even if that is no equipment! Before you begin your workout, you can click on any given exercise to see a video of how it’s done if you’re a little unsure. If you’re previewing your workout and see something you either don’t think you can do or don’t want to do, you can easily replace it or delete it! 

Peloton

While this company is widely known for their high-end spin bikes, their app has a huge collection of no-bike-needed workouts. Their categories include strength, yoga, cardio, meditation, running, outdoor, cycling, stretching, tread bootcamp, bike bootcamp, and walking. The outdoor collection features audio-only instruction, so you can enjoy an instructor-led run in the beautiful outdoors. Peloton has an awesome collection of pilates and barre classes that can be found under the strength section. This is my current favorite app to use for working out— I just love the range of exercises to choose from. Individuals that have already taken the classes rate how difficult they perceived it to be on a 1-10 scale, so you can factor that in when considering how hard you want to hustle for this workout. This app does cost $12.99/month, BUT they always have a free trial of at least one month (sometimes more, depending on the time of year), so you can decide if it’s for you before fully committing.

written by Hannah 

Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest.  Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin,  Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes. 

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