The Traveling Teacher

17/02/2025

Best of Cairns - my favorite experiences in Far North Queensland!

So many beautiful places here and unique experiences! The wildlife, the food, the beaches… I admit none of these are in downtown Cairns. You have to make day trips to make the most of your trip. Highly recommend renting a car (yes you will drive left side of the road) but traffic isn’t really an issue here so it’s an easy area compared to others I’ve been!

Also - go beyond the Great Barrier Reef. Trust me. 😌

07/02/2025

A few of my favorite moments from this past month.

And yes we’re dressed up in panda onesies to go see the Pandas in DC 🐼

18/01/2025

PUERTO RICO ❤️ love that PR is getting so much attention from Bad Bunny’s new album. It’s one of my favorite places in the world and I’ve been four (yes four) times in the last five years. It’s beautiful and the best way to explore is a road trip around the island. So much to do and see! A few of my favorite areas (and the pics that go with it)
1 - 3 Cabo Rojo: stunning beaches, pink salt flats, quiet and beautiful. Hike to the lighthouse!!!
4 - 5 Old San Juan: historic, colorful, great food
6 Luquillo: great public beach, gateway to El Yunque and close to the bio bay you cannot miss in Fajardo. Also check out the kiosks for great street food.
7 - 8 El Yunque: beautiful rainforest and national park. Hike to all the beautiful views and waterfalls.
9-10 Icacos: easy day trip to a close by island with a beautiful beach
11-12 Rincon: my favorite town in Puerto Rico. Perfect for sunset, surfing, diving and snorkeling. Stay at Hotel Villa Cofresi and get their famous Pirata drink (the one in the count in my pic). My favorite hotel in PR and remains family owned since opening in 1955.
13 Utuado: beautiful area perfect for outdoor adventures in the middle of Puerto Rico. So many pretty airbnbs with views and a river for exploring.

I need to plan another trip 👀 😭 ❤️

23/12/2024

Christmas in DC ❤️ unless you live here you may not know how festive DC gets around the holidays. It’s one of my favorite times of year in the city. So many events, so many excuses to see friends and family. A few places I explored this December are tagged in the photos.

Full guide to celebrating Christmas in DC on my website.

14/12/2024

08/12/2024

Searching for a great gift for the travel loving lady in your life? Here's a gift guide with plenty of ideas to make her smile this holiday season!

Looking for the best travel gifts for her? Check out this list of thoughtful and practical gift ideas for your globe-trotting friend or family member.

27/11/2024

Black Friday travel deals! I shared a few favorites with people in my last reel but swipe for a few more of my favorites worth aging attention to. Are you taking advantage of travel sales this year?

26/11/2024

If you’re shopping for a travel loving friend this week, I’ve compiled a list of things on sale! From trips to travel tools to gift ideas.

And I’ve personally already scored two hotels for over $50 off a night each for my trip next month thanks to one of the deals I posted. (It’s #1 on the list)

Don't miss out on the top Black Friday travel deals! Discover the best discounts on vacations and flights to plan your dream trip.

08/10/2024

No travel Tuesday tip this week because it's my wedding anniversary! Two years ago we said I do in the most special destination wedding in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Two years of adventures, fun, and love. 💕👩‍❤️‍👨

This man is so encouraging of what I do.

✨ He reacts and engages to my all social media posts (although he’s seen or helped me take the photos beforehand).

✨ He patiently listens to me talk about email funnel strategies and let’s me walk him through all my spreadsheets (guys… there are a lot of spreadsheets).

✨ He restocks my snack supply when I’m hours into working on something and forget to feed myself. (Thanks, baby x)

✨ He celebrates every little thing, like every win is my biggest achievement (although I’m always shooting for more).

Here’s to partners, family and friends who stand behind us as we chase our goals, even tho they might seem like pipe dreams from time to time 👏❤️.

06/10/2024

Travel credit cards, we all know about them, but sometimes they can be a mystery. There’s a lot of posts on social media about free trips and earning luxury stays – but how is it actually done?

Here is a beginners guide to travel credit cards from someone who was scared to start using them and who is now a huge fan of them!

https://meghanthetravelingteacher.com/beginners-guide-to-travel-credit-cards/

03/10/2024

Destination highlight: Arizona!

Arizona is an amazing destination in November. The weather is crisp, but warm, you skip out on the crowds, and the Grand Canyon looks stunning in the fall.

Start planning your Arizona trip with my posts: https://meghanthetravelingteacher.com/category/north-america/united-states/arizona/

02/10/2024

Travel Tuesday Tip: HOW TRYING NEW THINGS MAKES US HAPPIER

I love the data behind things and when I say travel it can be near home or afar. Trying new things locally, in another city, or abroad is good for you. Literally!

Trying new things is good for our emotional health, according to UW Medicine, the University of Washington’s medical school.

Juan Pablo Zapata, a clinical psychology resident in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at UW School of Medicine explains what happens to your brain when you branch out and try new things.

“Studies suggest that people who engage in a variety of new experiences are more likely to retain positive emotions and minimize negative ones,” says Zapata.

When we do or see something new, the novelty center of the brain is activated, triggering the release of dopamine, a chemical rush that makes us feel good and rewarded.

“We have all experienced this at some point or another. Each time you take a leap of faith and try something new, you’re training your brain to remember the positive rewards associated with a new and exciting experience,” says Zapata. “The adrenaline rush, the endorphins, the sense of pride; they’re all stored in your memory banks.”

So travel more and experience new things 💕

29/09/2024

"Happy travels" 🤗❤️ I use this every time I sign off an email and on my website often. But what does it really mean 🤔?

One of the ways I hope you find happiness is by have an amazing trip while keeping costs as reasonable as possible ⭐ 🙌 ❤️ In every piece of content, every post, every resource - I hope it brings you a little happiness too and will help you learn a thing or two 🤓.

What makes your travels happy? Drop a ❤️ in the comments and share!

26/09/2024

Desination Highlight: Italy

This might surprise you, but I think Italy is the perfect fall destination - especially Southern Italy!

You'll miss the crowds, get the opportunity to explore the beautiful places still, and enjoy great weather.

Start planning a fall trip to Italy with my Italy archives: https://meghanthetravelingteacher.com/category/europe/italy/

24/09/2024

When I'm not traveling, I'm cuddling on the couch with my dog, Oakley, and cat, June!

Today's Travel Tuesday Tip is about choosing the right pet sitter.

I love my pets and think it's really important to choose the right sitter for them while you're on a trip. So, how do you find someone you can trust?

1. I love Rover and have had good luck there. My big suggestion though is to pick someone with a lot of great reviews and make sure you do a meet and greet. You want to get to know them and see where your pet will be staying. Consider how many dogs they take at once too.

2. Find a friend with pets and exchange. They can watch your pet while you are gone, you can watch theirs! Often this means you're exchanging and won't have to pay each other and also if it's a good friend, you know it's someone you can trust.

3. Find first hand recommendations. Ask around in local Facebook groups or to other pet owners you know who they have found that is reliable and a great sitter.

Hope these tips help and happy travels!

22/09/2024

Funny thing about me: I love trying chips from different places around the world! Early on during a trip to a new place, I'm going to find a new flavor of potato chips to try!

I also love trying fast food in different countries, not because I'm a silly tourist, but because it always tastes different depending on where you are!

I do eat most of my meals at local restaurants, but trying chips is fun! Do you ever try things like this on trips?

20/09/2024

Destination Highlight: Shenandoah National Park

The perfect spot for a day trip from DC in the fall is Shenandoah National Park. The fall colors are stunning here and you can choose to spend the day driving, hiking, or enjoying fall activities along the way like apple picking and pumpkin patches.

Peak fall colors will be coming soon so it's the perfect time to plan your getaway. Check out my archives for more.

https://meghanthetravelingteacher.com/category/north-america/united-states/virginia/