MAY 2025

Adventures With Carli

A monthly round of tips, travels, adventures and what's next

Hello adventurers!

It's been a busy couple of weeks. I had a work trip to Alaska then booked myself a last minute trip to Stockholm for Memorial Day weekend (yes just a long weekend). Currently, I'm somewhere over Georgia as I fly to Louisville for a work trip after only 3 days at home 🙃

Where in the world is Carli San Diego?

Earlier this month I returned to Anchorage, Alaska for work. I didn't have time in my schedule to get to other cities, but there is plenty to do in and around Anchorage. I highly recommend:

Anchorage Museum - this is seriously one the most underrated museums in the country. It's got history, culture, and art throughout with multiple rotating galleries.
Eagle River Nature Center - just a short 30 min drive north of Anchorage, this provides easy nature trails to see the beautiful scenery and hopefully some wildlife
Alyeska Nordic Spa - about an hour south in Girdwood, this spa provides premium relaxation with hot, cool, and cold pools as well as saunas and optional add on massages. Bonus - they're open until 9pm, perfect for those long summer nights or to enjoy on a cold winter day.

I'm leaning into my reputation as that one friend you never know where in the world they're going to be at any moment. Since I didn't have set plans for Memorial Day, I decided to see what was available on Google Flights (see more about that below) and found I could get to Sweden for around 60K Delta miles rather than $900. So I bought my flight and a week later was on my way to Stockholm via Amsterdam.

I had an 8.5 hour layover where I went to visit the small town of Gouda and learn about the cheese making process. Then spent 3 incredible days in Stockholm. Spoiler alert - I absolutely LOVED the city and 3 days is not even close to enough. It's a city that I will definitely be returning to again in the future.

Reasons I loved Stockholm:

it's easy to get around
active but not crowded
super clean
really beautiful
if you are a museum lover, this is the city for you

How to travel more for less?

One of the best ways to travel more for less is by being flexible. This means with your dates, and also your location. Sometimes this can't be helped, if you have a birthday, wedding, or school vacation schedule. But for other times, flexibility can mean getting some great deals (especially for last minute travel).

Google flights is one of my go to sites for finding and researching flights. This free tool has tons of options from date calendars, researching by region, and setting price alerts to see if the price drops. This is a great starting tool, and there are plugins that will show prices in miles (for some airlines) as well.

There are also a number of different subscription sites available that monitor flight deals out of your preferred airports. One that I personally use is Thrifty Traveler which sends out deals for both cash and miles, and will send out "mistake" and "unicorn" fares via text message as these usually don't last.

Get $20 off a 1 year premium subscription

Travel Lessons Learned

One thing about me, I hate using cash. If I can use a credit card I will, because: I want to earn my points, it's easier to track where I'm spending my money, and I hate having leftover money that I likely won't be able to use again.

Traveling internationally can present a bit of an issue of whether or not you should have cash on hand. Fun fact: I haven't taken money out of the last 4 countries I visited (Sweden, Netherlands, Argentina, Australia). Why? Everywhere took credit cards.

When I recommend taking out cash? Certain countries are not as credit friendly. Many SE Asian and Central American countries are mainly cash based when it comes to food and shopping. Tips are also a big reason for having cash on hand, but you can tip most people around the world in either USD or Euros and they'll be happy to accept.

If you do plan to have local currency for your trip you should NEVER do a currency exchange at the airport (or really anywhere else) because they will not give you the best exchange rate. You *can* request money from your bank ahead of time, but honestly I think that it's more hassle than it's worth.

What to do instead? Take your money out of a bank specific ATM vs. the generic kind you might find in a convenience store. The banks will always have the best rates and you are less likely to have issue with their ATMs. But NEVER have the ATM do the exchange rate for you (if it's listed as an option on the screen), always select local currency. Otherwise you will be hit with added conversion fees.

Speaking of fees, if you travel internationally regularly, I suggest getting an ATM card that has zero foreign transaction fees, and will reimburse ATM fees. I got a no fee Charles Schwab debit card for this specific purpose and it has been great to use.

Blog Posts

Catch up on some of my blog posts

The Best of Spring: The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

The Best Things to do in Seward Alaska

Seward is a must visit destination for anyone visiting Alaska. Read along as I share the best things to do in Seward Alaska.

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Everything you need to know before hiking to the Goldmyer Hot Springs

Visiting the Goldmyer Hot Springs is a truly unique and fun experience, but you can’t just show up. I’ll break down what you need to know before you visit.

Read Article

Tips for Travelling Solo: How to Navigate Solo Travel

Solo travel can be intimidating but it doesn’t have to be. These tips for travelling solo will give you the confidence to book the trip & explore on your own.

Read Article

Travel Must Haves

Travel Fan

We're *finally* heading into summer which means it can start to get HOT whether you're at home or on the go. I love this little fan for traveling because it's lightweight and rechargeable. It's especially perfect when you're stuck on public transportation with no AC.

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