{"id":733,"date":"2019-10-15T18:37:34","date_gmt":"2019-10-15T18:37:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.uwsp.edu\/adventuretours\/?p=733"},"modified":"2019-10-16T19:32:09","modified_gmt":"2019-10-16T19:32:09","slug":"student-travel-hacks-bucket-list-destinations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.uwsp.edu\/adventuretours\/2019\/10\/15\/student-travel-hacks-bucket-list-destinations\/","title":{"rendered":"Student\/Newbie Travel Hacks & Bucket List Destinations!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many of you are familiar with Adventure Tours and the incredible travel opportunities we offer; however, not many of you know the two students who help to make up our team! Graduate Assistant Ashley Borchardt and Marketing and Outreach Intern Arianna Anderson want to share their travel experience, favorite travel hacks and where they wish to travel next. Helpful for students and first-time travelers, their tidbits might spark some new ideas for your next adventure!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ashley’s Travel Advice & Enticing Adventures<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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During my travels, embarking to places such as London and Ireland, the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, Colorado and central Florida, I have always made it my goal to travel light. As a student traveler, I have always managed to fit all that I need in my carry-on suitcase, to avoid a checked bag fee. Talk about penny pinching! While my carry-on may have been packed to the brim, I always managed to leave my other carry-on item (backpack) empty for souvenirs I might collect during traveling. This packing tip may not be feasible for all, but has many perks, especially for those frequent travelers. Hello, no misplaced luggage! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For day trips or weekend trips, consider packing lunches and snacks from home to bring with on your adventure. Not only does packing food from home save on inflated dining costs, but also can be beneficial if you have a picky eater on your hands. Fun idea: have your friend or significant other pack your lunch\/snacks while you pack theirs. When you reach your destination, enjoy the mysterious lunch you packed for each other while enjoying the views and sounds around you! When was the last time you had a picnic with friends or family while exploring the great outdoors?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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While it is hard to pick my favorite traveling experience, I often gravitate towards mountain views with water features including streams, falls, lakes or rivers. Two of my favorite views to date include admiring the beautiful Cliffs of Moher in Galway, Ireland and embracing the beauty of the mountains atop Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Not only did I get to experience this incredible landscape, but our pooch was king of the mountain that day, too! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Often you can find me checking out a new favorite winery, brewery or state park to kayak, hike or bike with my husband, friends or family on the weekend. While Wisconsin has many hidden gems, my favorite Wisconsin adventures include hiking the beautiful, well-groomed Bearskin Trail in Minocqua (Fun fact: my first half marathon took place on this trail and was never short on wondrous views to keep my mind engaged) or biking from tunnel to tunnel on the Elroy-Sparta trail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2020 brings new opportunities and dreams. Along with both my husband and I completing our master’s degrees, we hope to travel to the Swiss Alps next summer as a graduation present for our accomplishments. We are drawn to the peculiar culture, scenery, food, village life and hiking opportunities this vast region sustains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arianna’s Travel Experience & Advice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As a college student, vacations are typically not within my financial means; however, with proper budgeting, planning and packing hacks, travel can be on anybody\u2019s bucket list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning how to budget and knowing when and where to cut corners is key when planning a vacation! First things first, determining roughly how much the adventure will cost, versus how much money you are willing to spend is important to outline. After you\u2019re set, start doing more research on flights. Using websites\/apps like Google Flights, SkyScanner, and Hopper are helpful for finding the best flight deals. Depending on the time of year you\u2019re traveling, prices can fluctuate as well, so look at multiple dates on each end of the trip. Accommodations come into play as well. If you can\u2019t afford a luxury hotel for an entire week, investigate hostels, inns, motels, and Airbnb for cheaper rates! Also, consider public transportation and bike rentals versus renting a vehicle for the week. This could save you hundreds of dollars! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For me, narrowing down outfit choices is the number one priority. Sticking with neutral colors and items that can be mixed and matched with other clothing items you have packed makes for the most effective packing! If you have a vacuum available at home and at your destination, I have two words for you: Space Bags! These vacuum sealed bags aren\u2019t just great for storing extra blankets in, they work wonders for saving space in your luggage as well. After your outfits have been narrowed down, stick them in these bags, seal tight, and vacuum out the excess air. Your luggage will fit more clothes, and you\u2019ll have more room for toiletries and souvenirs from your travels. Bonus tip: stick one or two fabric softening sheets in the bag before sealing, this adds a fresh scent to your clothes when you open it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traveling with loved ones makes for some of the best memories in life! From the concert-like car rides, to the bumps and bruises along the way, the giggles and photos are just small mementos of an amazing adventure. While I haven\u2019t traveled as much as I would like, I have had some incredible traveling opportunities thus far. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The summer of 2016 was one for the scrapbook! I was fortunate enough to travel to Bermuda with my extended family and sister for two weeks. The weather was beautiful, the colors were vibrant, and the views were unbelievable. Most of our days were spent at the beach, soaking up the sunrays and salty waves; others were spent eating fresh seafood, exploring the island, and even jet skiing around the island! *Pro advice: when jet skiing in the ocean, be sure to bring a backup pair of sunglasses, saltwater is harsh on your eyes! * <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also took a seven-day vacay with my grandma and mom with Royal Caribbean, Oasis of the Seas. We traveled to St. Thomas, Sint Maarten and Nassau. The views were incredible, the entertainment was amazing, but the company was my favorite part! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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My most recent trip was taken during the summer of 2018. I traveled with my boyfriend\u2019s family to South Dakota – spending time climbing in the Badlands, eating strange foods and exploring Mt. Rushmore. While this is a common destination for families, it was extra special for me. Normal \u201cHap\u201d Anderson, my great grandpa, was one of the hundreds of carvers of Mt. Rushmore. We spent an entire day listening to the stories of the workers, learning the history of this artwork and exploring the area. I was fortunate enough to find a plaque with my great grandpa\u2019s information on it, and later discovered a video that they had of him speaking of his experiences. I also got the opportunity to speak with today\u2019s only surviving Mt. Rushmore carver, Nick Clifford. I spoke with him about his experiences and he told me of the shenanigans that him and Hap had gotten into back in the day. He told me about Hap\u2019s personality, how he always had a positive attitude and always put a smile on his team\u2019s face. It was a bittersweet day, filled with gratitude for the opportunity to learn more about my family\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the opportunity arises, my dream vacation would be exploring Italy with my family. I have deep Italian roots in my family and would love to travel the countryside, eat authentic Italian dishes, drink amazing wine, and experiencing Italian culture. Of course, I would love to experience the Vatican with my mom and float on a gondola with my family as well!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many of you are familiar with Adventure Tours and the incredible travel opportunities we offer; however, not many of you know the two students who help to make up our team! Graduate Assistant Ashley Borchardt and Marketing and Outreach Intern Arianna Anderson want to share their travel experience, favorite travel hacks and where they wish…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":119,"featured_media":734,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uwsp.edu\/adventuretours\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/733"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uwsp.edu\/adventuretours\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uwsp.edu\/adventuretours\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uwsp.edu\/adventuretours\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/119"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uwsp.edu\/adventuretours\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=733"}],"version-history":[{"count":46,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uwsp.edu\/adventuretours\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/733\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":795,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uwsp.edu\/adventuretours\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/733\/revisions\/795"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uwsp.edu\/adventuretours\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/734"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.uwsp.edu\/adventuretours\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uwsp.edu\/adventuretours\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.uwsp.edu\/adventuretours\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}