Travel

20 Things Nobody Tells You About Visiting New York by a native New Yorker

november 4, 2019 by Karen 113 Comments

Last Updated on november 20, 2019

I’m a proud New Yorker who was born and raised in New York City. When someone asks me what they should know when visiting New York for the first time, I don’t always know where to start as there’s so many things to do in New York. I’ve decided to take a different approach here with some NYC local secrets to help you navigate your trip better.

Expect some humorous tips for first time visitors to New York (although those on their fifth trip to NYC might find this travel advice helpful). I sincerely hope that these New York travel tips come in handy and help you avoid some of the mistakes that people make on their first trip to New York. 20 Insider tips for New York under the cut.

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Your Detroit travel guide: What to do in Detroit on a short trip

november 4, 2019 by Karen 1 Comment

Last Updated on november 6, 2019

After spending years in the Rust Belt and reading endlessly about the Renaissance of Detroit, I had to see Detroit for myself. This short guide to Detroit includes the highlights of Detroit within one or two days and what to do in Detroit for first-time visitors. Detroit definitely surprised me and I think that many American history lovers will fall in love with Detroit’s stunning art deco buildings. amazing street art, cool bars, and world-class museums.

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The best museums in Amsterdam and which museums to skip

november 1, 2019 by Karen 4 Comments

Last Updated on november 9, 2019

One of the best parts of visiting Amsterdam is to visit the many museums in Amsterdam. As an Amsterdam resident, I had the Museumkaart, which gave me access to the majority of the museums in Amsterdam (as well as the rest of the Netherlands), which meant that I’d often take an afternoon to explore a museum.

I hope that I can inspire you to visit some of my favorite museums in Amsterdam. I also include some advice about what ‘museums‘ in Amsterdam to avoid. (I put this in quotes as some claim to be museums, but I truly think that you can skip them as they are bonafide tourist traps.)

I’ll first go into the best museums in Amsterdam (in my opinion) with a note about who they’re suitable for and which museums in Amsterdam to skip.

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A free self-guided walking tour of the best chocolate in Brussels

november 1, 2019 by Karen 17 Comments

Last Updated on november 8, 2019

If you’re figuring out what to do in Brussels and you’re a chocolate lover, you must try Belgian chocolate—and do a chocolate tasting in Brussels. Here’s some advice for finding the best chocolatiers in Brussels on a self-guided chocolate tour in Brussels, including their addresses!

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Your perfect Ghent itinerary for Belgium’s most underrated city

oktober 28, 2019 by Karen Leave a Comment

Last Updated on oktober 29, 2019

Despite coming to Belgium so many times, I’ve definitely fallen in love with Ghent. This charming Belgian city has so much to do and after some day trips and finally a long weekend in Ghent, I’ve created an itinerary for visiting Ghent for first-timers highlighting the best things to do in Ghent. Needless to say, I’ll be back soon and I’m disappointed for not discovering Ghent sooner!

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17 best places to shop in New York on a budget by a New Yorker

oktober 28, 2019 by Karen 1 Comment

Last Updated on oktober 28, 2019

Shopping in New York is truly a classic activity. As someone who is pretty budget-conscious, but who loves a nice statement piece, I went big when I visited my parents recently. I went to a lot of my favorite places to shop in New York as well as some new places that I hadn’t yet been to.

I’ve tried to only discuss limit this post about the best budget shopping in New York City to places that have quality items for a reasonable price, e.g. designer clothes/shoes for 50-70% off retail and stores that simply carry good quality without charging you insane amounts. I also include secondhand shopping, which is a passion of mine. I also include some money-saving tips!

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Two days in New York City: Your perfect 48-hour NYC itinerary by a local

oktober 23, 2019 by Karen Leave a Comment

Last Updated on oktober 23, 2019

There’s so much to do see and do in New York City! If you have limited time in New York, you’ll definitely want to make the most of your time. As a native New Yorker, I’ve been asked by a few people for a weekend itinerary for only two days in New York City. I hope that this itinerary helps you see the best of New York in 48 hours!

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The best 10 Christmas markets in the Netherlands not to miss

oktober 21, 2019 by Karen Leave a Comment

Last Updated on november 14, 2019

Although the Dutch Christmas markets are not as famous as their German counterparts, the Christmas markets in the Netherlands are absolutely charming. I ended up not ranking these strictly as people look for different things in different Christmas markets, but I’ve grouped it based on the opinions of friends. I’ve included ten Christmas markets in the Netherlands and I’ll be updating this post with more experiences/photos this year!

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Valkenburg Christmas Market: The most unique christmas market in the Netherlands!

oktober 21, 2019 by Karen Leave a Comment

Last Updated on oktober 21, 2019

This past weekend, we visited the Valkenburg Christmas Markets. Although people assume that there’s only one Christmas market in Valkenburg, there’s a reason why Valkenburg is called the Kerststad Valkenburg…

There are three Christmas markets within this charming Dutch city that is extremely close to both Belgium and Germany. This post includes tips for visiting the markets as well as photos of the Geementegrot and the Fleuwengrot.

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Your guide to the annual Royal Christmas Fair in the Hague

oktober 20, 2019 by Karen Leave a Comment

Last Updated on oktober 21, 2019

The jolliest time of the year is coming! I’ve been finalizing my Christmas market plans for this year, so I felt it was time to tell you about one of my favorite Christmas markets in the Netherlands: the Royal Christmas Fair in the Hague. I’ll include tips for attending this annual Christmas market in the Hague as well as practical information about attending.

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