Happy Thursday!

I spent last week exploring a couple cities in Canada, and it was such a great time.

First, I was in Quebec City for a travel conference called TBEX where me and a bunch of other bloggers and travel creators learn, network, and most importantly, have some fun!

Then I met my mom in Toronto and I absolutely fell in love with the city. It reminds me of Chicago in a way, but more compact. If you're ever in Toronto, don't miss out on the St. Lawrence Market.

Now, I want to talk about how to build a simple travel itinerary. Having a plan helps you make the most of your time without feeling rushed.

When you’re planning a trip, the first thing to decide is how long to stay in each place. I recommend four nights in big cities and two nights in smaller towns. This gives you at least one full day in each stop and helps avoid burnout from moving too quickly.

If you have more time, slower travel is best. You get to know a place better, and it’s less tiring. But if you only have a week, stick to one to three cities depending on how far apart and big they are. You’ll enjoy it more if you don’t try to do too much.

I like to plan one or two key activities each day and leave time open to explore, relax, or follow tips I get from locals. You don’t need to fill every hour. But for popular attractions, book your tickets ahead so you don’t miss out or waste time in line.

When it comes to the order of stops, look at the map and check transportation options. Plan your travel based on how easy and cheap it is to get between places. Remember, travel days take away from time you could be enjoying/exploring.

You don’t need fancy tools to build your itinerary. I use a simple Google doc or note on my phone to keep track of where I’m going, where I’m staying, and what I want to see.

This kind of flexible but structured itinerary helps you experience more without feeling overwhelmed.

As always, you can follow along with my current travels on Instagram and Facebook, or reply to this email if you want to chat!

Have a great weekend :)

Sarah

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YouTube

My latest YouTube video is up! It's about my quick layover in Istanbul, Turkey. (Japan videos start next week!)

Check it out here:

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Travel Resource of the Week

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Travel News

Ready for the 4th of July weekend? Conde Nast and NPR both have tips for avoiding the worst of the airport crowds and traffic.

Check out the seven best new museums to visit in 2025 from National Geographic.

Want to take a vacation to one of the best small towns in the US for a summer getaway? Read more from Travel + Leisure.

Travel Insurance

One of the things I get asked about the most is travel insurance. Should you get it, and if so, which one?

YES, you should have travel insurance, as you never know when things may go wrong. SafetyWing is my go-to for travel insurance because it covers so much, is easy to purchase for days or months, and is affordable.

Many credit cards also include travel insurance. Personally, I get SafetyWing on top of my credit card insurance.

Learn more about SafetyWing and the benefits of using them in my blog post about travel insurance.