I don’t know about you but my husband is not a fan of travel. No matter how enthusiastic I try to be, his reaction is often “meh”. I think it’s because he doesn’t want to travel after so much time at sea in the Navy. Maybe it’s because he had the chance to love overseas and he has a “been there done that” attitude to it all. I also wonder if it’s because he thinks that travel is just too much work to use that precious vacation time. Mostly, I think he doesn’t like change. So, what’s a girl to do?! C’mon! Escape with us!
Maybe the best way to get the loves of our lives to tag along is to choose the perfect escape. Here are our picks for some premium travel time with that reluctant
Part of Big Sky Country and adjacent to the great Yellowstone Park, Jackson Hole has lots of ambiance in their eateries and lodges. There are plenty of outdoor activities to do each day whether you take in skiing in the Winter or you hike a waterfall in the Summer. For our complete coverage on Jackson Hole and Yellowstone, click here.
Alaska
Epic vistas, massive glaciers, and a Summer season chock full of things to do make Alaska a premium escape. This northern most state has plenty of wildlife, fishing, river rafting and pond hopper experiences to fuel the most reluctant of travelers. The bonus? Sled dog puppies. Alaska offers perfect road trip conditions as well as being one of the most famous places to take a cruise. For more on how to spend time in Alaska, click here.
On June 6th, 1944, the world changed for the better right here in Normandy. Military buffs around the world will tell you that these fabled beaches along the coast turned the tables on evil and started the path toward ending World War II. The entire region of Normandy not only gives you that first hand glimpse but also offers orchards full of apples ready to provide you with Calvados. For more on everything Normandy has to offer, click here.
Belize
Turn the tables and head to the beach by escaping to Belize and it’s central American beaches. Belize offers world class everything from jungle excursions to surf side beaches. Look for SCUBA diving to be on the top of your list and follow that up with great food and some true down time. Click here for a great take on Belize from A Blonde Abroad.
One of the most amazing road trip the world has to offer is the western shore of Ireland. The wild Atlantic Way offers 1,500 miles of wind swept Irish goodness. Pick up anywhere and drive as long as you want. This part of Ireland is dotted with colorful villages, untamed castles, and once in a lifetime views. This rugged landscape delights with every person you encounter. So, pull up a chair, grab a beer, and listen in as the local musicians start tuning up and turning in. Click here to discover more about the amazing Emerald Isle.
Now, Escape With The Girls To These Places!
We all need a girls’ getaway and we here at TGC, know all about that! Check out our top 5 picks!
It’s us! We’re back! Yep! We are back for another look at how the plus size traveler can conquer any challenge that comes her way. Whether it’s trying to find the best spot to sit on a plane or the challenge of streamlining your suitcase, we are here to make plus size travel just a bit easier for anyone who carries just a little more with them than the clothes in their suitcase.
Plus Size Travel Writers That Are Keeping It Real!
Mary Fran is a plus sized woman who keeps the humor in day to day life as well as travel. She’s become so popular on TicTok that Good Morning America featured her in one of their human interest segments. Meet Mary Fran by clicking here to the original GMA article.
In A Letter To My Thin Friend by Lacie-Jade Christie, the author takes some time to give her friend her perspective on how a plus sized traveler feels dealing with big moments like hiking and little moments like sitting in an airplane seat. Read A Letter To My Thin Friend and link to more stories in this series by clicking here.
What are you self conscious about when you travel? For us, we are constantly striving to fit in and not impose on others. For us, embracing our size not only means caring for ourselves but also blending into the group we are with or the place that we are spending time. This balance may start with our mindset but always, always, finds its way to our wardrobe.
Recently, we’ve been working really hard to make sure every single thing we put into our bags has a good reason for being there. To test out our ideas, we’ve been giving our travel wardrobe a test drive. Here are some of the results! Note that some of the links below are affiliate links. I only recommend products & brands I love and that I think you would love, too!
The jumpsuit solution: jumpsuits are in style right now and plus size women can seize upon this great wardrobe choice to make going out comfortable whether its day or night! Jumpsuits can look sporty or give just the right glam vibe no matter where you travel.
Raincoat regrets: There’s always one item that makes its way to the top of the should or shouldn’t I list and that’s our raincoat. It can be a waste of space or the best thing in our bag. I went to Victoria Falls and never pulled it out even though it was recommended and was in the sunniest part of Germany wishing I had one! Take it or leave it, it’s awfully hard to find one in a plus size when you are out and about.
Leggings: Whether you use them to work out or to keep warm or comfy, leggings pack small and find so many ways to be part of any capsule wardrobe. We confess! We fell into the rabbit hole of LuLaRoe and we apologize for even thinking this was a good idea. These days, you can find leggings in our wardrobe that don’t include tacos or palm trees. Some of our favorite leggings include great finds from LuLuLemon and Lane Bryant.
The classic V-neck: Plus size tops can be so very difficult. They stretch across our boobs, hang too low or act like an unsightly crop top or simply make us look far larger than we are! We are always on the search for V-necks that compliments our neck line so we don’t look like we are strangling ourselves and are just the right length to cover without shortening our legs so we look like oompaloompas. Call us when you find them.
Bra Basics: The girls always need a lot of attention when you are plus size. Traveling brings a whole new set of challenges to lift, separate, and flatter. Bras need to be super supportive as well as washing and drying easily. It’s not an easy task! We love these super cheap strapless bras (with no clasp to break) as well as our Third Love bras. TL does a great job of fitting you correctly. Not always something that is done well. We are hoping that plus size bras become more readily available but we don’t expect this to be something that to be any time soon.
Scarves or pashminas: One way that we can save room in our luggage is to forego a jacket during fair weather travels. I mean, in the end, we barely use it especially when we’re ducking in and out of shops and museums. And when we do commit to the whole jacket thing we wind up in a sweat juggling a jacket with packages while my mother looks on in disdain. Can we say overheated?! Lately, our jacket alternative is a pashmina and a light scarf that both have a multitude of uses. It’s a blanket on the plane and a jacket that easily wraps around the handle of our handbag. A lighter scarf is a great accessory and a great way to add a little variety to a capsule wardrobe. Both pack small and both do a better job than a jacket.
Plus size swimsuits: Ugh. Can we just say this is one of our least favorite topics? We have, however, over the years picked up a few ideas that help. First, no matter what size you are, there is a two piece swimsuit for you. Two piece swimsuits offer plenty of coverage while being far easier to get on and get off whether you are dry or wet. Trust us! We’ve both been dealing with the swimsuit wriggle for far too long, we know what we’re talking about! The next thing that we highly suggest is to have a dedicated packing cube just for your suit. It will always be ready to go and it will take up hardly any space at all! Our cube is small enough to even fit in our bag.
Compression socks: This may be our favorite trip saver! Compression socks are known to help with swelling but did you know it also helps with fatigue which could aid in jet lag!? We’ll take it! Unfortunately, not all socks fit plus sized legs! Check out some of our picks below.
How Do You Streamline Your Luggage?
Pop quiz! If you raise your hand if your suitcase is always bigger than everyone else’s even though you have the same amount of stuff. We’ve come up with a few ways to help streamline the amount of stuff we pack up and here are just a few of those thoughts.
Staying Make up free is a great choice we’ve made to keep our skin fresh and our bags just a little lighter. Between both of us, we carry one gloss, a brow pencil and mascara. We are done.
Compression cubes shrink things down and can be a life saver when trying to stay organized. We use them for everything especially the “just in case” items like swim suits and rain jackets.
Laundry options including where the laundromats are where you are going and Tide sticks is a huge piece of the puzzle for the “my boobs catch a little of everything I eat” crowd. A few dryer sheets in our shoes are not such a bad idea either.
Let’s face it: travelers need their technology to do double duty. We need items that earn their keep in our bags. In fact, even though we podcast and we have definitely committed to leaving the big camera and computer at home. Instead we focus on making our iPhone earn its keep!
There is something magical about taking the globe off of a classroom shelf. The kids always lean in for the best vantage point. They never want the teacher to stop talking about places on the map. They simply love it. There is no other item in my classroom that evokes more questions than a globe. Last year, as I walked around our school, I noticed most of the globes we had were stamped with the U.S.S.R. A country that simply doesn’t exist. Hmmmm….. I do believe our kids deserved better. Our kids needed to know that there is a balance in understanding the world. I wanted them to know that in order to be truly proud of where you come from, you need to know about where others come from and value that knowledge. Thus, I developed a program at our school called World Wonders Day.
I wanted a day where kids could become globally literate and explore the world, pour over maps, appreciate their citizenship, feel the good that comes from being diverse. Kids were mesmerized by Paris and Japan. They built Acropolis’ out of paper rolls and Eiffel Towers out of spaghetti and marshmallows. Moreover, they listened to tall tales from Down Under and folklore from Erin’s green shores. As predicted, the kids ate it up! Additionally, they programmed Beebots to scoot across the continents and calculated how long it would take to fly from Peru to Poland. The idea was not to simply be a culture day.
Instead, to start seeing how the world works as one entity. I’m trying. I’m trying to be the teacher that lets kids see the potential around them, that walk away a bit more patriotic, a bit more impressed with another culture, a bit more understanding of something unfamiliar. After all, isn’t that the best kind of teachable moment there is? What does your school or community do to promote global citizenship? How do you instill those great lessons in your household?
Which world globe could work for you?
Check out these age appropriate globes that are perfect for exploring! Note that some of the links below are affiliate links. I only recommend products & brands I love and that I think you would love, too!
