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Canoe Pageant, Polynesian Cultural Center

If you’re traveling to Oahu, Hawaii, one destination that should absolutely be on your list is the Polynesian Cultural Center, located in Laie on Oahu. Why is it such a must-see? One of the things I wanted to make sure I got out of my trip to Hawaii was being exposed to the cultural traditions of the islands. I could have just hung out in Waikiki and enjoyed the sunshine and beaches and laid-back atmosphere, but I could get that kind of beach vacation in many places around the world. I’ve never been to any of the Pacific islands before, and I wanted to take this opportunity to learn more about them. Continue reading →

Bruschetta and Caesar Salad at the Pineapple Room

Before you go to Honolulu, Hawaii, you are likely to hear other visitors complain about how expensive the restaurants here are. I don’t know where those people are traveling from, but I didn’t find it to be excessively expensive at all; but then I’m used to spending money on food in Las Vegas, New York, Miami, etc. It’s all the same. If you’re on a super tight budget, you’d be wise to get a condo or hotel room that has a kitchenette, or at least a mini-fridge. There are some cheap breakfast deals out there—like $7 breakfast items at IHOP and the $5.99 breakfast special at Cheeseburgers, and many restaurants have happy hours with bar food specials.

One thing I will say I didn’t anticipate—and should have—was how you really need to make a reservation for dinner in Honolulu pretty much every night of the week if you plan to eat out. I found myself struggling on a couple of nights just to find a place to eat where the wait wasn’t half an hour or more. As a solo diner, I thought I would be able to easily just walk into a restaurant and sit at the bar—but no, the bars were packed, too. This unfortunately meant I squandered some of my precious few meals in Hawaii on chain restaurants just because they were the only thing I could get into. C’est la vie.

What were the highlights and lowlights of my dining experiences in Honolulu? Continue reading →

Today’s guest post is by one of my new favorite travel videographers, Sonia Gil. Here, Sonia makes the case in both words and video for learning some of the local language when you travel. Those of you who have plans to travel to Germany should pay extra attention–you’ll definitely learn some phrases you will use. Enjoy!

Sonia practicing her German in Berlin

There is no better way to get an insight on a culture than through its language. Ultimately, today’s German is the result of thousands of years of conversations by millions of people. Those interactions throughout history have shaped today’s Germany. And that’s the most powerful reason to learn a few words, a few phrases, and many times, the entire language.

While spending time in Berlin last summer I decided to do some sightseeing while practicing my German. And I chose to visit Kreuzberg, a Berlin neighborhood where some people are not as fond of English as you might imagine. All the better reason to do my vocab work while walking around. Continue reading →

Off Kilter

Many people go to Walt Disney World without realizing how much it has to offer beyond theme park rides. I’ve known people who have gone to the Magic Kingdom, assuming that was all there was to Disney World! When I inquired about how they liked Animal Kingdom or Epcot, they looked at me like they didn’t have any idea what I was talking about. They didn’t realize Disney World is actually four theme parks in one, plus the shopping/entertainment complex of Downtown Disney, plus the Boardwalk, plus two water parks! So it’s not really surprising, I guess, that people are unaware of what Disney offers beyond theme park rides.

I’ve always been impressed with the free live entertainment options at Disney World. Once you’ve paid your park admission, you can go on any ride or see any show for no extra cost.  Don’t get me wrong; I love the rides here. But after rushing all over a park, and standing in lines for a few hours, I just want to slow down for a little while. Shows allow you to do that.

I find going to shows as a solo traveler to be a great way to meet other people, too. It doesn’t take much to turn to whoever is sitting or standing next to you and make a comment like “Great music, huh?” Plus as just one person, you can squeeze into a seat right up front, where a party of four might not be able to. (There are advantages to going solo!) Here are just a few (my favorites, naturally) of the great entertainment options you can enjoy on Disney property, listed by park: Continue reading →

For many solo travelers, one of the biggest hurdles to becoming comfortable with solo travel is dining alone. Somehow, we can navigate foreign lands on our own, get ourselves from Point A to Point B, struggle through conversations in other languages, and get by just fine. . .until mealtime. What is it about eating alone that fills some of us with such dread? Well, now, for women at least (sorry guys!), there is a new website that may help you overcome the solo dining blues.

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to Cressida Howard, founder of Invite for a Bite, a website that allows women around the world to connect with other women to share a meal or an activity. Cressida is a former EFL teacher who taught in Tokyo, Barcelona, Granada, and London. She now teaches piano part-time, which has allowed her the time to set up and run Invite for a Bite.

Cressida Howard at Bredon Hill

SF: Please explain for my readers what Invite for a Bite is all about.

CH: Invite For A Bite aims to solve a problem for solo women travelers: What to do when you don’t want to eat alone. The evenings can be lonely for women who travel solo: on one travel forum a woman described it as ‘the biggest problem there is’. It’s tougher for women to go into a bar alone (in some countries it’s downright dangerous).

Invite For A Bite offers a way around that problem – create an invite to meet and eat and see who’s up for joining you. (A ‘couchsurfing for meals’ if you like!) But you don’t have to be traveling to use Invite For A Bite; you can use it to hook up with people who live near you, as well as those traveling through. That’s why we say ‘at home and away’.

SF: Where did you get the idea for this? Continue reading →