Discover Your Destination by “Treasure Map”

If you’re into finding non-traditional shops and dining while on holiday and having a great time doing it, then HiddenCity might be for you. Turn your holiday into a scavenger hunt, by signing up for a hunt and getting clues by text message. Your whole travel group can be a team or you can break up into smaller teams to be more competitive. Hunts cost just £16 per team/phone and are available for Brighton, London, Manchester, Newcastle and York. You can see more of each city by engaging in a hunt or even learn more about your own neighborhood with a variety of hunts for each city.

Each hunt has between 8 and 22 clues and can range from 2 to 4 hours. Solve the clues to get the next clue and get to your final destination and learn about awesome places that you may not find on your own when you visit. Get an answer incorrect? Incur a time penalty. Get a hint in addition for a short time penalty. HiddenCity is a fun way to sightsee and interact with the locals, too. You won’t find a more engaging way to explore a city. It’s a perfect way to make any holiday in the UK more exciting, especially when you have kids, because it will help them learn about your destination, while also having a great time.

HiddenCity locations are easy to walk to and free to enter, so you won’t have to pay more than your initial £16/team and any text message fees. Make sure to wear your best walking shoes. You don’t have a time limit to complete your hunt either, so if you want to hang around a location and get a pint or have a look around, you are free to do so at your leisure. Of course, if you’re in competition with another team, you may want to finish and come back to it after you win. Think someone you know might like to participate in a hunt? Buy them a HiddenCity gift voucher!

Travelling can be expensive, but as I’ve shown you before, there are many ways to cut costs and go on great holidays for less. One of the easiest ways to do this is by seeking out all-inclusive resorts that bundle all your meals, entertainment, lodging and, if you’re lucky, airfare into one manageable package. You know exactly how much you’ve paid and any leftover money in your budget can be put toward activities that aren’t included in your rate, like shopping and other things you want to do off-site. While some websites claim that an all-inclusive is cheaper than you could book on your own, it’s not always true, but if you do the math to see what it is per night per person, you may find that if you book separately, you would never be able to go for so cheap. 

Some of the best deals on holidays can be found on all-inclusive holiday sites geared toward travellers from the UK. You can find 3-, 4- and 5-star resorts that have packages to fit every budget. Choose your own dates and stay between 1 day and 3 weeks! Look at the offers of the week and find great holidays starting around £250 per person, including resort stay, round-trip airfare, meals, drinks and more. Most resorts are beachfront or very close to the shore, so you can splash around in the surf, too. If the ocean isn’t for you, all resorts have beautiful swimming pools that are perfect for everyone in your travel party. You also have the possibility of shopping at nearby, off-site stores at many resorts, so you don’t feel as if you are trapped on the premises. 

All-inclusive holidays are great for those travelling as a family and take the guesswork out of researching an entire trip to figure out if you can even afford to go. You will know right up front what the total of your holiday will be, including delicious multi-course meals that you may not have been able to find the money for otherwise. Isn’t that better than bringing your own food or eating at cheap restaurants that have a drive-thru the entire time you are away? The whole family will have so much to do; whether you travel for two weeks or just have time for a weekend break. Take the hassle out of holiday planning and just kick back and relax. Destinations vary widely and you will find something to everyone’s liking, whether you wish to holiday in the Canary Islands, Egypt or Cancun. Not only will you have amazing locales to choose from, but you’ll also enjoy amazing views when you get there.

  

Pricing and reviews can be found on many of the easy-to-use websites. A deposit often is required for booking, with the balance of your holiday costs due prior to your departure. Now, after finding your travel destination, all you need to do is pack your bags and be the hero of the family, because you saved so much money. You don’t need to tell them how easy it was!

Products We Love: Jack Black

Men travel, too, and like to look their best even while packing light. Jack Black products are certified organic, vegan and cruelty free, which are awesome in any product. There are no funky unnecessary additives like fragrance, colors or parabens. Shaving cream takes up a lot of room in your 3-1-1 bag and it’s not always great for your skin, especially when it’s dry from the elements and recycled air on the airplane.

The shave lather or beard lube is perfect to use for keeping your face smooth and moisturized and packs small. For extra luxury and skin care, add the double duty moisturizer, lip therapy and or Dry Erase Ultra-Calming Face Cream. They have a product for everything, whether you want your hair to look thicker, your wrinkles to appear less pronounced, your face to be protected from harmful sun rays or your hands to be softer. Who said beauty products are just for women? Though they can use Jack Black as well, it’s specially formulated for men.

My husband loves the thickening shampoo and the shave products save room in our carry-on and smell and work terrifically. Also choose from shower gels, facial cleansing, body scrubs, hair gels and more. Check out these fun travel sets for every jet-setting man or one that just  wants to sample the goods first. Look great, feel great and be environmentally conscious. What more can you ask for?

Exercising on Holiday

As much as the thought of exercising makes me want to grab a piece of cheesecake and curl up on the couch with the dog, I know it’s in my best interest to see it through. Somehow, I always come back from holiday with the best intentions to exercise more and walk everywhere, like I do while I’m sightseeing, but then come home and totally fall back into my eat-dinner-on-the-couch-watching-tv-and-playing-games-on-the-computer mode.

While I need help getting motivated at home, I know a lot of people need help getting motivated while on holiday. I know traveling is fun and you don’t want to think about exercise or eating healthy while you’re supposed to be relaxing and leaving “reality” behind. Unfortunately, as much as I claim that calories don’t count on holiday, they truly do. This is why I walk as much as I possibly can. If you have a regular routine where extra walking really won’t benefit you and you want to keep on track, here are a few ideas for packing equipment in your carry-on, without taking much room away from things you really want to take, like underwear and shoes.

Yoga – Many people are into yoga and it’s great for relaxation, working your core and increasing your flexibility. A yoga mat is easily transportable, but you can also bring along a DVD and some packable yoga items, like a block (though you can use things you’ve found in your room) and yoga socks and gloves that can prevent slippage. I recently bought a friend a yoga set that came with a resistance band for strengthening. I bring along a yoga strap that helps your stretch out and get into poses more easily. It’s great for helping you distress after a long day of walking.

Jump rope – This is an easily packable item and gets you great exercise anywhere you have some extra room. Not just little kids love to jump rope. It’s fun and helps you tone and keep in shape. Make sure you buy a nicely weighted one that will stand up to the rigors of the road, but will also do the job, like this one that has removable handle weights.

Boxing – You don’t have to bring along full gear and a punching bag, but a pair of weighted gloves is a fabulous way to tone your arms and legs. Bring along a DVD to pop in your laptop or just search for a few good training videos that you can use. I have a nice pair that I bought for a cardio game I play on Wii, but I have also used them when doing regular exercise and they are awesome. They are pink and sporty, but are adjustable, so they can be used by everyone in your travel party.

Running – You’re going to bring along a pair of walking shoes anyway, so why not make them running shoes that are also good for walking. If you run at home, then keep your routine set and get up early to run around the block or the hotel grounds.

Swimming – If you are a swim freak, like my husband is, then you might be way more interested in using the on-site pool for your workout. Early mornings are a great time to get in your laps without having to dodge waders and cannonballing children. Make sure you pack your suit, so you’re prepared! Even if the pool isn’t good, you may have a choice of a lake or the ocean, depending on where you’re vacationing.

Hit the gym – A lot of hotels, timeshares and resorts have free gym access. Use the treadmill, weight machines and more to get in as much exercise as you need. Packing a spare pair of running shorts and workout top is easy and you’ll probably already bring along your ipod (or similar), so you’ll have something to entertain you, whether it be your favorite music or an audio book.

Make your lodging a gym – There are so many exercise videos online that you can use to switch up your workout and do in your room with just a little bit of room to move. Another thing you can do is get a set of resistance bands which you can use to do many different exercises, as well as with the assistance of any sturdy door. Does your lodging have stairs? If so, then make some time to run up and down them several times. As long as you aren’t annoying your travel companions, this is super cheap and nothing to pack!

Go dancing – Enjoy a few nights out on the town while you dance to local music and maybe even make some new friends. What a way to exercise without realizing you are doing it. Some cities have free dance lessons on certain evenings, so you can learn new steps of the region your're traveling in.

Do you have some good travel exercise tips? Do you use any of the above ideas?