DIY travel project!!

Looking for a fun project to do over the summer... or something to keep your kids busy with? Take a world map and use colored push pins to mark the locations of where you've traveled. You could use different colors for each family member. You can also mark the places you would like to go in the future! When finished you can frame it and put it on the wall or you can pin it to a bulletin board. It definitely makes for a great conversation piece!

Fun Travel Gifts for Grads!!

Want to find a unique, stylish, fun gift for a new graduate?!! Check out www.travelingchic.com! We have cute luggage, passport covers, luggage tags and more...

Travel Tip #10

Don't forget that everyone traveling between the United States and Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda may be required to have and present a valid passport. Make it easy to find in your bag as you go through customs and keep your travel documents and currency organized with a cute, stylish holder! Check out our new styles at www.travelingchic.com!

Packing Tip #11 and #12

#11 If you are traveling with your spouse or a close friend I recommend cross-packing. This means that you pack half of your personal things and half of your travel companion's things in your luggage and pack the other half of both of your things in their luggage. Since there is always the chance that the airline may lose your luggage you will have much better odds with this packing method to at least end up with some of your stuff!!

#12 To help save room when traveling with children, I suggest packing your kid's shoes inside adult shoes. Another space saving tip is to stuff other little things inside your shoes, such as a small shampoo bottle or your jewelry!

Travel Tip #9: Avoid Vacation Pounds!

When you are on vacation it is hard to avoid the unwanted “Vacation pounds”! One thing I do to keep myself from having to hit the gym when I get home is keeping a food diary and using the book “Calorie King”. I know it may sound a little anal, but just jotting down what you have eaten really helps you keep everything under control. Having the numbers in front of you may help you opt out of that 3rd Pina Colada and move towards a lower calorie cerveza! The calorie king book is small enough to fit in your purse and helps give you a rough estimate of how much you've eaten. It also contains the calories and details of most chain restaurants in the US. However, don't let me spoil any of your vacation fun! Enjoying yourself by splurging on treats you don't normally eat at home isn't the end of the world! If you have to spend an extra day at the gym when you get back, so be it!

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Travel Safety Tip #2

Do you remember when you were kids at amusement parks or other busy areas and your parents would pick a meeting spot in case you got lost or separated? I don't think you are ever too old for this idea and I like to use it when I'm traveling with someone and using public transportation. The trains in foreign countries are busy and confusing, and unless you have an international cell phone it is very easy to lose one another!! I always set the meeting point at the final destination. That way if someone doesn't make it on the train you both will eventually end up at the place you were trying to get to!

Packing Tip #10

Want to help out the country that you are visiting, but don't know how?! Check out this website: StuffYourRucksack.com . This site is designed to help small organizations that don't typically receive support from international NGO's or their government. It lets you look up the country you are visiting and lists the supplies, clothing or toys needed. Instead of bringing that extra sweater, why not toss in a small donation! This site makes it easy for you to give back to the wonderful people you have met along the way!!

Frugal Travel Tip #1

If you are traveling in England don't change your money at the airport! Instead, use the British Post Office. Most locations will let you change your currency without a commission! Check out postoffice.co.uk to find an office near your hotel.

Travel Tip #7

Have you ever ended up in a hotel room where the curtains don't quite shut all the way and a little sliver of light finds its way right into your eyes?! I have a little trick to help you get the shut eye that you need! Use a hanger from the closet and attach the clips to both of the curtains to keep them tightly closed. However, if you really want to be prepared pack a sleep mask and you'll never have this problem! Check out some of our new styles at www.travelingchic.com!

Travel Tip #6

Before I travel abroad, I like to make a pocket sized "Travel Cheat Sheet". Usually it includes Fahrenheit to Celsius conversions and metric conversions. I also like to have the currency exchange rate and I'll write down how much $1, $10, $25, $50, and $100 are worth. This helps making decisions while shopping easier, faster and less stressful. If I know I will be shopping a lot, especially in markets, I bring a small calculator. This way I can ensure that I don't rip myself off with a silly purchase. Finally, I like to put important phone numbers on it such as, my hotel number, the police etc.

Travel Safety Tip #1

Be safe while in your hotel, especially if you are traveling alone. If the hotel clerk reads your room number out loud and others have heard, ask for a different room. Also, don’t answer your door to a stranger. If they claim to be hotel staff, be sure to call down to the front desk and ask if they have sent someone up. Although this may be a little neurotic, I also check closets, the shower and behind curtains to make sure no one is hiding in my room before I lock the door. For extra safety, sometimes I’ll bring a travel door alarm or doorstop if I know the hotel rooms aren’t very secure.

Packing Tip #8 - Cris Notti Cosmetic Bags!!!

This cosmetic tube is the perfect size for packers that like to roll their clothes. If you have never tried the roll-your-clothes method - it works great for keeping everything compact and wrinkle free; especially if you are traveling by backpack! This cosmetic bag fits nicely into any suitcase or bag and is coated with a durable plastic to help you wipe away spills! Check it out at www.travelingchic.com

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Packing Tip #4

If you aren’t a frequent flier, but still take a few trips a year, I recommend keeping a travel box that is filled with your travel-sized toiletries, a travel alarm clock, a money belt, a travel journal or any other travel items that you usually pack. Being a little more organized will save you from scrounging around for all of those items or from having to go to the store to get another travel-sized shampoo bottle!

Travel Tip #5

About 2 years ago I witnessed someone throwing up on an airplane…needless to say, it was not pretty. That is why I recommend ALWAYS making sure there is a barf bag in your row. You might be feeling fine, but you never know what the person next to you had for lunch! Consider yourself warned!

Travel Tip #4

If your flight gets canceled and you're stuck waiting in a nightmare of a line to speak with the gate agent, be sure to call the airline's 800 number. Chances are you will get your flight re-booked much quicker than you will reach the front of the line!

Travel Tip #3

When I travel to a destination where I don't speak the language I always try to grab a business card that has the hotel address and phone number on it, or I have the concierge write down a message that says "Take me to (blank) hotel and the address. That way if I get in a cab and we are unable to communicate the driver will be able to take me back to the right hotel.

Also, if you have food allergies, I would recommend using the concierge to write down a message such as, "I'm allergic to (blank)" or "(blank) will kill me!' in the local language. You can show this to a waiter and be able enjoy your meal rather than nervously eating and wondering whether you were understood!

Packing Tip #2

My favorite travel mantra is this: "Pack only as much as you can carry yourself!" Seriously, there is nothing worse than dragging a ton of luggage all over a city, on public transportation or having to ask your travel companion to carry some of your luggage on top of their own! When I'm traveling with my girlfriends, we try to assign certain things for each person to bring (ex. hairdryer, alarm clock, shampoo, etc) to help save room in our bags!

Travel Tip #2

Deciding what to pack is a pain. It's especially difficult because weather is so unpredictable! I like to check out www.worldclimate.com before I travel to get a sense of what the weather will be like. This site is great because of its large selection of cities around the world. I hope this helps make packing a little easier!

Fun Travel Journals by Sukie!

Always travel with a pen and a journal, to write down any thoughts, ideas or stories you'd like to remember. This beach scene journal by Sukie is fun, fresh, and fabulous for recording all of your travel memories. The journal has lined and unlined pages for writing and drawing. The journal also includes envelopes to store tickets, business cards and other travel tidbits you pick up along the way! Check out Traveling Chic for other funky Sukie Travel Journals!!

Packing Tip #1!

Unfortunately, airlines have a bad reputation for losing luggage. Although I fully believe in positive thinking- especially while on vacation, I also believe in being prepared! That is why I like to cross-pack with my travel companion. Pack half of their stuff in your suitcase and pack half of your stuff in theirs. This way if one of you does end up without luggage it won’t become a traveling nightmare!

Stylish Travel Umbrella!

If by chance bad weather accompanies your vacation, don’t let it rain down on your fun! Find room for a travel umbrella. This compact umbrella by ShedRain is small enough to go unnoticeable in your luggage and cute enough to take anywhere. Check out Travelingchic.com for other styles and colors!

Cute Travel Alarm Clock!

Don't forget to pack a travel alarm clock in your bag. You never know when you'll need a hotel wake-up call backup! This alarm clock is sleek, stylish and most important... reliable! Never again will you sleep through your check-out time or miss a flight! This chic design pops up to reveal a digital clock and pushes in to the tiny travel size of 2 inches! Available in pink, blue and white.

Welcome to Traveling Chic Blog

Welcome To Traveling Chic!

You’ve just landed at your final destination for all your traveling resources.

We look forward to "carry-on" about traveling tips, trip ideas, traveling safety, traveling destination guides, travel deals, and of course trendy luggage and travel accessories you can't "take-off" without.

So lets get started with a one-way ticket to Traveling Chic where you will find hip, trendy and cute luggage bags and travel necessities you'll board first class with!