How To Get Your Life Together | The Ultimate Guide To A Productive GYST Day

I've recently been on a roll creating content for you all while working on an amazing project in the background. I wasn't always this motivated and organized. I used to over-book myself then get so overwhelmed with all of the tasks I procrastinated from. Thanks to the inspiration from Kalyn Nicholson, I have adapted her "GYST Day" practice to accommodate my lifestyle, helping me get back on track. If you are anything like me, you may enjoy creating your own GYST Day to help you get your life back in order. I also added some pro-tips at the end of this post to help you stay on task, get more done, and feel accomplished at the end of the day for getting your life together!

If you are unfamiliar with Kalyn's "GYST Day" strategy, it is basically the act of putting aside a day of the week to Get Your Sh*t Together. She breaks her day down into three categories: chores, beauty, and goals; then gets tasks done within those categories as the day goes on. To learn more about it, watch her YouTube video here.

Who Are GYST Days For?
- Anyone who gets overwhelmed with adulting
- Anyone who loves to procrastinate and has fallen behind
- Anyone who has too much on their plate and just needs a day to get back on track
- Anyone who struggles staying organized
- Anyone who is excited to create a more productive lifestyle.

If you fit any (or all) of these, I definitely recommend you giving a GYST Day a try. I feel like, unless you have your life 100% together (which is almost nobody, because nobody is perfect), you could benefit from trying a GYST Day at least once in your life. No matter your intention, implementing a GYST Day into your week definitely will have you feeling more organized, underwhelmed, and ready for what the next week holds. 

For me, having a GYST Day means setting aside a day of the week to complete all of the things I've been procrastinating from or have slipped behind the reigns due to other more important tasks and events. I am a person who puts way too much on my plate at one time. I am constantly brainstorming and coming up with creative projects while balancing being a husky mom, a girlfriend, a daughter, and a 20-something who has no clue what she wants to do with her life. Having a GYST Day helps me organize my thoughts and get back on track.

Usually my GYST Day is Wednesday. This is just most convenient for me because that is the day my boyfriend, Adam, doesn't have school or work; so he watches our dog while I try to get myself back on track. You obviously could pick whatever day of the week that works best for you and you definitely do not have to do this every week. Some people (like me) just need to do it every week to keep themselves on track; but you surely could just plan a GYST Day whenever you feel like you've fallen behind in life.

How To Organize Your GYST Day?
Similar to Kalyn, I also like break my day up into categories. Although I have a couple extra categories I have created to help me be more productive and get more done throughout the day.

• Chores
• Projects
• Self-Care
• Planning Ahead
• Relax

C H O R E S
I always like to start my GYST Day with doing chores. They are the quickest to complete and having a clean work space always makes me want to be more productive. These are typically chores that have been piling up while I have been trying to do other tasks, chores I only need to do on a weekly basis, or tasks I have been avoiding doing.

P R O J E C T S
After finishing all of my chores, I usually take some time to complete some projects I've been procrastinating from doing. Whether these are projects from school, my blog, my shop, or freelance work, I try to get them all done during this time.

S E L F - C A R E
After I complete all of the projects I needed to get done for the day, I begin some self-care. These are things I can't do on a daily basis that give myself the good ol' pampering I've been lacking from working so hard on other tasks and commitments throughout the week.

P L A N  A H E A D

I think it is most important to use your GYST Day is to plan ahead to so that you can continue to have your sh*t together. I like to spend some time filling in my planner with upcoming dates, tasks, and projects for the upcoming week that are noted inside of my calendar app. I will be sharing a detailed post, next Sunday, explaining how I plan ahead using my favourite calendar app on my phone and my planner! Keep an eye out!

R E L A X

Finally, after a long productive day of getting stuff done, I like to just relax! Here, you can do whatever makes you feel happy and relaxed. You worked hard, so you deserve to play hard too!

Pro-Tips For GYST Days:

• Keep your planner/calendar up-to-date throughout the week so that it will be super easy to identify what you need to get done during your GYST Day. You don't want to waste your day away just trying to figure out what needs to get done.
• For each category of your GYST Day, write a list of things you MUST get done that day.
• Schedule time-frames in your calendar/planner to do tasks. This will create pressure on you to complete everything in its designated time frame--allowing you to do more throughout the day.
• Do all of the things you hate or take the longest time doing first. When you have completed them, you will feel so much more motivated because they are finally out of the way.
• Try to have fun and keep a positive attitude during your GYST Day. When you are enjoying yourself, more gets done.
• Pick a day of the week that typically seems to be free every week. This will help you create routine. The more implemented a GYST Day is in your routine, the more likely you are to continue doing them and staying on track with your life. 

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This was my ultimate guide to a productive GYST Day. Have you tried a GYST Day before or have a similar routine in your life? Let me know in the comments below!

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How To Avoid Being Scammed On Airbnb

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know how much I love traveling with Airbnb. It is literally my Holy Grail of travel accommodations. I always get asked by friends and family how I find such beautiful Airbnb homes at such an affordable price (And trust me, I have stayed at some pretty gorgeous homes in the past without spending more than $200CAD for a full week). If you'd like to see photos and links of places I've stayed at, in the past, read my "Why I Stopped Booking Hotels For Airbnb's" blog post!

Unfortunately, with all of the fraud horror stories that follow Airbnb, I know several people who are scared of giving the service a try. In my experience, I have never had a bad experience with a listing. I have always been able to find stunning homes, at affordable prices, while always ensuring, from the beginning, that the home is legitimate. Today, I show you how YOU, too, can find beautiful listings to stay at during travel while avoiding fake, sketchy homes/hosts. 

Before we start, if you aren't an Airbnb member yet, you can use my referral link (click here) to sign up and get $40 CAD off your first trip!

Start Searching Early | If you really want to find the perfect Airbnb, you need to start searching for a place early. The earlier the better. This way, you have way more options to choose from. I suggest starting to sift through the listings AT LEAST a month before your planned trip. I repeat, AT LEAST. I typically like to keep it to three months before my trip, but I narrow down my options two months before my planned trip. This gives me a full month to decide which of the listings I did like is my favorite. 

Dedicate Plenty Of Time For Searching | As I said in the earlier point, I like to dedicate a month to searching and deciding which of my choices is the best of the best. Within that month of searching, I typically check Airbnb two to three times a day, spending a couple hours just looking through listings in that area and surrounding areas. New listings pop up every day. Popular listings re-appear as people cancel reservations. You never know when something new will pop up and, of course, you want to be the first to see it!

Use the "Wishlist" Function | I find this is the perfect way to organize my thoughts when looking for an Airbnb. I can save all the ones I really liked from my search in a single wishlist, then later go through the ones I liked to finally narrow it down. I like this option as well because it allows me to see, every day, which listings are still available for my chosen dates and which ones are not. 

Use Search Filters | I can't stress enough how important it is to use your search filters. They just make sifting through the listings so much easier. Here, you can choose your price range, the number of bedrooms, facilities, amenities, which neighborhood in that area you are interested in, languages, and more. Want a place with a pool? A fireplace? Free parking? This is where you state it all, to help you find listings focused towards your needs. As for price range, for anywhere in Ontario and Quebec (the only places I've visited with Airbnb so far), I never exceed $110 per night (on average, we spend about $60 - $80 a night) for a couple trip (Just Adam and I) and $350 (on average, we spend about $150-$200) for a group trip (4 - 10 people, including ourselves). These just seem like the most reasonable prices for my budget--and in the end, I still end up with gorgeous homes! While the numbers seem high at first sight, when you begin splitting the price between people, it actually turns out to be significantly cheaper than it would be to stay at a hotel. 

Thoroughly Read Through Description & Analyze Photos | When I have finally narrowed down which listings I really want to stay at, I thoroughly analyze the descriptions and photos. These are the first two places to recognize if a place is legitimate or a scam. Some places just look too good to be true--especially when you have a really affordable home that looks really upscale. If there are full, thorough, detailed descriptions of the unit, you can bet it is legit. I like to look for descriptions on the specific bedrooms details, what is available in the kitchen, what entertainment options they have in the home (Wifi, Netflix, Cable, Pool Table, etc.) and what is available in the surrounding areas. Genuine hosts tend to take the time to include all of these details because they know that the description area is the only place they are able to "sell" their place to searching travelers. Without a great description, how is anyone supposed to know how great a place is? A lot of the time, with professionally taken photos, it can be hard to tell if a person paid someone to take these photos or if they just stole them off the internet. To ensure they are real photos, Airbnb sometimes has "Verified Photo" under the photo caption. When "Verified Photo" captions aren't included, I like to avoid listings with places that have watermarks on the photos or look like print screens taken off a website. These places are more likely to be fake.

Read Traveler Reviews | Sometimes the Description and Photos aren't enough. Sometimes there may not be "Verified Photos". Sometimes the descriptions aren't very thorough. The next place to look is the review section. These are honest reviews from other travelers, like yourself. If the place sucks and is inaccurate, you will see that in the reviews, for sure. I try to avoid places that don't have any reviews. As tempting as it is to book a place without reviews even though it is so gorgeous, I'd pass because you are the guinea pig. It may actually be real (and you miss out on a nice place), BUT it could also be inaccurate and you waste money. If it is a real listing, it will always be there in the future to visit later on, after someone else has booked it and given an honest review. Also, if you see in the review section that the host has canceled multiple reservations, you may want to steer clear of them, as well. 

Pay Attention To Communication | I think communication with your host is very important too. If your host is genuine, you will find they reply rather quickly. I like to send a message to a potential Airbnb host before booking/paying for the listing just to chat it up a little bit. I ask any questions I may have, tell them a little bit about myself, and my reason for visiting. Majority of the time, they will message you back, thank you for choosing their home, and answer any questions you may have. When you finally book, most genuine hosts will provide you with a manual or some sort of information message with everything you need to know about the home (WIFI information, Parking Information, Directions, Local Recommendations, Etc.,). If your host just accepts your listing with no message, I'd call it a red flag and proceed to book a different place. 

SuperHosts | I don't always do this, but booking with Superhosts is a great way to ensure it is a legitimate listing. Super hosts have this badge over their profile picture that notifies everyone that they are a "Super Host". That typically means they have received multiple 5-star ratings. These badges are awarded to them by Airbnb, so you know that not only are they legitimate; but that they are also AMAZING hosts.

These are my fool-proof tips on avoiding being scammed on Airbnb. As long as you give yourself enough time and have enough patience, you will be able to find the most beautifully designed homes, at affordable prices, while finding genuine hosts. I can almost guarantee that!

Don't forget, if you aren't an Airbnb member yet, you can use my referral link (click here) to sign up and get $40 CAD off your first trip! Also, if you'd like to see photos and links of places I've stayed in the past, go visit my "Why I stopped booking Hotels for Airbnb's" blog post!

Happy (Stress-Free) Traveling, Friends!

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Do you have any awesome tips for avoiding sketchy/fake Airbnb listings? I'd love to read them in the comments below! Your tips may help others too!

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A Week Away In Ottawa | Ottawa Adventure Diary

Adam and I took a lovely road trip to Ottawa, ON. where we spent the week. For those of you who are unaware where Ottawa is (shout out to my international readers), it is the nation capital of Canada! We had so much fun exploring and living like locals (or at least trying) for the week! 

We spent most of our time in our Airbnbs. Our first three nights were spent in the neighborhood of Carlington where we stayed at Sonia's condo. It was very beautifully decorated and spacious. We spent a lot of our time here cooking, watching Netflix and YouTube on her big screen TV, and just relaxing. It was such an ideal location because it was located near several restaurants, grocery stores, and a mini-mall.

Even though we spent the first three days mostly relaxing, we had one major mission: try out some awesome local coffee shops that we cannot get back home. We visited Bridgehead Coffeehouse and The Ministry of Coffee. Bridgehead was okay (a bit over-hyped for our liking), but we really loved The Ministry of Coffee! In these two coffee adventures, we also got to spend a couple hours exploring the neighborhoods of Westboro (Bridgehead Coffeehouse) and Downtown Ottawa (The Ministry of Coffee). Both areas were so much fun to walk around and explore.

In-between check-out of our first Airbnb and checking-into our second Airbnb, Adam and I decided to take an adventure to Downtown Ottawa again. Originally, we were planning to park near Parliament, but ended up parking a couple streets down because we saw a HUGE Canada Computers. We spent an hour or so just browsing and checking out all the cool things they had that our local locations didn't have.

We, then, took a walk down to Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal. We did a lot of walking around and sightseeing. We even took a stroll over the Rideau Canal on one of those little extension bridges over the water. We actually weren't sure if we were even allowed to walk over them, but some lady ran over it, so we followed her (lol).

Then we spent the afternoon at the Rideau Centre, browsing all the shops. We also had lunch at Umi Sushi.

Our second Airbnb (Martin & Johnson's condo) was gorgeous! The decor was adorable and it really felt like home. Adam and I were even considering finding a condo like this in the future (maybe in a better location though).

After checking-in, we decided to just relax some more, since it was our last night in Ottawa. We took a trip to St Laurent Mall, where we bought Bourbon for dinner, then spent the evening eating our take-out while watching Vlogs and Anime all night.

On our road trip home, we decided to take the scenic route, and ended up in many small cottage towns like Westport. It was absolutely gorgeous!

We also made a stop at The Big Apple, where we bought lots of treats to bring home and hung out with some farm animals! I really enjoyed the Apple Stuffed Churros and the Apple & Caramel Biscotti the most! Adam also bought a bunch of apple fritters and other delicious apple pastries for his family.

I just can't believe it is over! We had such an amazing time spending time together, relaxing, and exploring. Adam and I both work full time during the summer, so little trips like these are always the highlights of our summer vacation.

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Travel Morning Routine | How I Stay On Top Of Work While Traveling

If you don't follow me on Instagram, you probably didn't know that I'm in Ottawa, Ontario right now and will be for the rest of the week for a little summer staycation. Even though I am away from home, that definitely does not mean my week is all play with no work. I have created a little routine for myself that I use every single time I am away to help me be productive while allowing some time for exploration too.

Today I will be sharing with you my Travel Morning Routine. 

Good Morning! I tend to start my mornings at 9:00am while on Holidays to ensure I have a little time to myself to get some work done. Today, I slept in a little bit and decided to wake up at 9:30am instead. Immediately after I wake up, I head to the washroom where I freshen up, brush my teeth, go through my skincare routine, and try to at least feel presentable. 

After freshening up for the morning, I usually head over to the kitchen where I make myself a big ol' cup of tea or coffee to enjoy while I do some work. Today, I opted for some tea because I knew I was going to go out and grab some coffee later on in the day.

After making my tea or coffee, I usually sit in the living room and try to get some work done. I like to do this instead of working in bed because it gives Adam some time to get a little bit more sleep while preventing me from wanting to fall back asleep. During this time, I will usually answer e-mails, get some blog photos done, write/edit a blog post, post on social media, write a newsletter to my readers or reply to comments. I will usually go for about an hour or two, depending on how much work I have left to get done. 

After I've gotten most of my work done (or I get pretty hungry), I'll head back to the bedroom to wake Adam up. We usually say our good mornings followed by me jumping on the bed to wake him up and dragging him out of bed because I want food (lol). If we are making breakfast from our Airbnb, we just head over to the kitchen to cook but if we plan on going out that morning, we spend 30 minutes getting ready then head out the door.

Today we ordered take-out from Bridgehead Coffee Shop. We wanted to try a local coffee shop that wasn't available back home. Bridgehead seems to be everywhere in Ottawa, so we decided to give it a try. We took a drive to the neighborhood of Westboro to visit a Bridgehead and ordered 2 caramel lattes & 2 cheese, egg and ham toasts To-Go.

And now, we are ready to start our day and conqueror any adventures we have planned!

That is typically how my mornings go about when I travel. What is your travel morning routine? How do you make time for work while you travel? I'd love to hear about it all down below in the comments!

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How To Plan An Epic Roadtrip

One of my all time favorite things to do in the summer is to go on road trips. Whether it be with friends or with my boyfriend, I just love long car rides, exciting new adventures and experiencing what it is like to live like a local in a different town. Through our many adventures, I think I've picked up a thing or two about planning an amazing road trip - that I'd love to share with you!

If you're thinking of planning a road trip with your friends, your significant other or your family, check out these 8 Simple Steps that will ensure everyone has an epic time!

Step One: Pick A Destination | This is generally how any road trip starts and is pretty straight forward. Where do you want to go? Think about what you would like to get out of this experience. Is it to enjoy some bonding time with friends or family? Is it specifically to go sight seeing? Is it to experience the culture of a new city? Or is it just because? Whatever your reasoning, pick a place and let the planning begin!

Step Two: Invite Your Squad | A road trip really is made based on who you go with. You will be stuck in a car with these people for a fair amount of time, so I'd hope you'd invite people you actually enjoy being around for long periods of time and have the same level of wanderlust as you do. Who you invite really does impact the type of trip you will end up having and can really make it or break it. 

Step Three: Find Accommodations | Depending on how far you plan on going and how long you decide to be away, you may not have to do this step. Typically, though, I like to go on trips for multiple days. I find that the easiest way to find affordable accommodations are through Groupon and Airbnb. I can't stress enough how much I love using both for when I go on trips! 

Step Four: Get A Car Check-Up | If you will be driving for long periods of time, you really should be bringing your car to the shop to make sure everything is good to go. Check your brakes,  get that oil change you've been avoiding, fill your tires, and whatever else needs to get done. Doing this will really ensure that despite your long drive, your car will be in tip-top shape to endure the distance. 

Step Five: Pick Attractions | What's a road trip without a couple stop overs? I think one of my favorite parts of road trips is the journey to the destination. There are so many places you can stop along the way. Also do some research on places to visit in the surrounding area of your destination. That way you have a couple of things to do if you are staying for a couple of days. I find just googling "Things To Do In ________" is a good way to start. I also like to look for local events that are happening on the dates I am in town. That is a great way to submerge yourself in the culture of that new city or town. 

Step Six: Meal Plan | Whenever I go on a trip, I love to meal plan. It really helps me save money on groceries and makes sure I don't blow all my money at one restaurant. Yelp and TripAdvisor are really good resources to find local restaurants that are actually worth your money. I typically just use Pinterest for recipes if I am planning to cook from the kitchen provided in my accommodations. You also may want to plan meals you can pre-make at home and keep in a cooler for the drive. Because this is a road trip, you may be going some-odd miles without places to stop and eat.

Step Seven: Put Together An Awesome Playlist | You can't have an epic road trip without some rockin' tunes! Have a chat with everyone going on the road trip with you and see what kind of music they'd like to hear for the drive--that way there will be a little something for everyone. The music you pick will really help set the mood of the trip. I like to pick really up-beat songs to jam out to in the car. It really gets me and everyone else in the car super hyped up for our adventure. 

Step Eight: Pack | Packing is straight forward, but you should thoughtfully pack when planning a road trip. You may be driving for some time without places to stop at. Make sure you have essentials like a first aid kit, a paper map, a AAA kit, a car charger for your phone, and little safety things like that on top of your clothes and electronics. These will really save you in a "1/1000 situation". 

And after you've completed these eight easy steps... let the adventure begin!

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Why You Should Book An Airbnb Instead Of A Hotel While Traveling

I love to go on adventures. I have a continuous longing to travel, explore, and live like a local in different cities. But as someone who travels multiple times a year, hotel prices aren't always budget friendly and worth the splurge. With all the expensive prices, hidden fees, and credit card debt to follow, sometimes hotels as an option (especially if I want a very luxurious hotel) just aren't in my favor. Because of this and many other reasons, I have gradually switched from booking hotels to booking Airbnb's whenever I go on trips and stay-cations.

The View Off The Balcony of Rio's Cottage in Sutton, QC

Disclosure: This post is NOT sponsored by Airbnb, but does include referral links. Nevertheless, my thoughts and opinions are that of my own and are not altered because of compensation. If you do use my link, though, I thank you greatly because it helps me continue to make awesome content on this blog for you! Photos in this blog post are from Airbnb's I've actually stayed at in the past. I have linked the listings in the photo captions in case you were interested in booking them for the future.

Whether we are looking for a big cottage to fit 12 of our friends or just an intimate condo for a romantic getaway, Airbnb has always been our go-to travel accommodation. I will be sharing with you the many reasons why we choose Airbnb over Hotels when we travel.

Martin's Condo In Ottawa, ON

You get more while paying less | Most hotels, on average, cost about $100 - $200 per night for basic accommodations (Bed/Bathroom + optional living space). In these instances, you tend to pay mostly for the luxury of being able to say "I am staying with The Sheraton/Marriott/Hilton/Fairmont etc." But in the bare bone breakdown of it all, you are only getting a bed, a bathroom, maybe some living space with a TV and pull out couch and some amenities like a hotel pool, small fitness room, maybe a sauna.

James' Condo near Toronto

On the other hand, you can easily find condos on Airbnb with similar if not better amenities at significantly lower prices. For example, in one of our past trips, we rented a condo in Toronto for $86 a night and it had a bedroom, office room (with a desk and office chair), full living room (with a TV, cable, Netflix and a Playstation 3), full kitchen, in-unit laundry machines, 2 bathrooms, free parking and access to the condo amenities including the pool area, the fitness centre, and the rooftop Terrance.

When you compare the price difference, we got significantly more staying with Airbnb at almost half the price of many hotels in Toronto.

Sonia's Apartment In Ottawa, ON

No hidden fees | Don't you hate when you get to check-out at a hotel and you see another $100 in fees added to your bill? With Airbnb that never happens. Your fees (Service Fee, Cleaning Fee, etc.) are all included in the price you pay when you book your Airbnb and are clearly stated on your booking receipt. You are even aware of the deposit fee at booking (which you do not ever have to pay unless you break something in the Unit). It is all located within the app in your Itinerary which is super convenient.

Katie's Cottage in Fort Erie

It is a home away from home | What I love most about Airbnb is that when you visit someone's home, it will never be like any other you visit (unless of course you visit the same place more than once lol). Each place is decorated with a sense of style to reflect a home-away-from-home feeling. Sometimes you will find little knick-knacks sitting around for decor. Sometimes the overall decor sheds some light on the host's personality or hobbies. Its amazing to see the different ways people view "home". I've stayed at places where the host even stores some of their own personal stuff in the home, as well. This kind of gave a sense of "I am a guest in their home, so I should respect their stuff". This is great because it creates almost a social contract (unless of course you have no manners) that we should all do our job to keep the place in tip-top shape while staying there so that the next person who stays there can also enjoy the luxury of the home we have enjoyed.

Tanveer's Studio Apartment in Oshawa

Full Kitchen Without The Cost | At many hotels, if they do offer some sort of kitchen option, it is usually a small kitchenette that certain suites have if you upgrade your room. Or they may add a mini-fridge to your room and let you use the microwave down the hall. At one hotel, for example, we had to pay $30/day extra to get a fridge added to our room. That $30 really added up at the end of the trip. On the other hand, at Airbnb's, many homes already have kitchens and it is generally a staple included in any place you will book. A lot of the time, if you read the descriptions and reviews, you will be able to tell if the home has a fully stocked kitchen (with pans, plates, spices, etc.) or if it is just a basic kitchen with just a stove top and a fridge. Either way, you have access to a kitchen at no extra cost or fee.

Ioana's Home in Mississauga

Some people may not care for a kitchen, but when I go on trips, having a kitchen is essential because it is a great way to save money. Instead of spending money on eating out every meal, I like to go grocery shopping and cook my own meals and pick out my own snacks. It is significantly cheaper and healthier. Not to say I don't eat out when I go on trips--because I really am a BIG foodie--but eating at restaurants is usually a treat for me and Adam; not an every day thing when we travel.

Melyssa's Cottage in Lac Sinclair

Personalized, 1-on-1 Guest Service | When you are staying at someone's home, you are treated like a guest, not like a customer. Because Airbnb is built on relationships, you really do get to know your host and they get to know you. If you are having issues with your unit, they are there to help and make sure you have an exceptional experience. Unlike in a hotel where the front desk is dealing with 100s of guests per night, your Airbnb host is probably only hosting yourself or maybe a small handful of people in other units. They have ample time and opportunity to get to know you and serve you to the best way possible. No more sitting on hold with a hotel front desk clerk waiting for them to help you figure out why the WiFi isn't working. Your Airbnb host is just a text/call/email/knock away.

We especially love this because most hosts want you to have the BEST experience possible in their Airbnb - so some will even go out of their way to provide custom touches to enhance your experience. At Melyssa's Cottage in Quebec, for example, she knew we were bringing our dog along, so she made sure the cottage had dog bowls and a dog bed!

Melyssa's Cottage In Lac Sinclair, QC

More Dog-Friendly Options | After welcoming Echko into our family, hotels have become less of an option overall. We are those dog owners who refuse to travel without our dog - and some hotels charge almost $50+ per night if you bring a dog (given, if you're lucky enough to find a premium dog-friendly hotel at all). On top of that, some hotels even have a weight requirement - which is hard for us to meet, considering we have a husky that weighs on the fence between a medium breed and a large breed dog.

On the other hand, many Airbnb hosts are very welcoming to you bringing your dog along for the adventure and will sometimes go out of their way to accommodate your dog as a guest as well (like we shared in the previous tip). And the best part? It's usually significantly more affordable (and sometimes, there aren't any additional fees at all!) and you have the option for LOTS of land for your dog to explore while on vacation! We especially love booking cottages when traveling with Echko because there aren't elevator weight times (like in hotels), he has all the land and water to explore, and the Airbnb, itself, tends to be a lot larger living space compared to cramped, small hotel rooms.

Ioana's Home in Mississauga

There's so many different options | With Airbnb, there are so many different options for places to stay. Cottage, houses for big groups, small condo, basement apartment, treehouse in the woods, beach house? You name it! The options are endless, leaving you with many different experiences ahead.

John and Laura's Tiny Cabin in Frontenac, ON

They are great for groups | Unfortunately, most hotels lack accommodations for big groups. What tends to happen is that, when booking with groups, everyone ends up separately booking a room. On the other hand, with Airbnb, you have the option to book a whole home to share with your group of friends or big family. That's typically what we choose to do with our group of friends or when we have family visiting and want to show them Ontario.

Katie's Cottage in Fort Erie

Skip The Credit Card | With Airbnb, you no longer have to put accommodations on your credit card! Airbnb--on top of Mastercard and Visa--also accepts Visa Debit & Paypal, so you can use your own money to pay for trips instead of putting it on your credit card and worrying about having to pay it off later.

No matter where we go, we have always had a phenomenal stay at Airbnb's. The hosts have all been amazing; the locations have always been ideal; and the prices are just right up our ally. So many amazing memories together and with our friends have been made staying at Airbnb's. If you have the patience to search for a place that meets your expectations, is in an ideal location, and fits your budget, you are almost guaranteed an amazing deal! Don't forget, if you'd like $40 CAD off your first adventure to use my referral link below! Happy Travels!

Have you stayed with Airbnb before? Where did you go?

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Niagara Falls (Winter 2017) Adventure Diary

I had such a fun time staying in Niagara Falls this past weekend! We had excellent service at a 4-star hotel, ate great food, and enjoyed amazing company. 

This isn't the first time we've visited Niagara Falls. It seems to be our number one destination spot to visit when we want a little stay-cation. Even so, this has had to be the best experience we have had, so far! 

We stayed at the Sheraton On The Falls Hotel in the Falls View Resort and booked a Deluxe Falls View King Room. The room was absolutely perfect! We had a beautiful view of the Clifton Hill strip, the Sky wheel, Queen Victoria Park, and both the Canadian and American sides of the falls! It was breath-taking to watch the view at night with all of the lights glowing. Beautiful!

We enjoyed our time with great company. This time, we visited the Falls with our group of friends. We spent all of Friday night, after enjoying dinner at The Works, staying in our Hotel playing video games until the late hours of the night. Then, on Saturday,  we used the Jacuzzi tub, enjoyed a delicious breakfast at iHop, bought treats at Hershey's Chocolate World, played games in the Canadian Midway Arcade, and played a couple of rounds of bowling at the Strike Rock N' Bowl. It was so much fun seeing all of our friends, hanging out, 

This was such an awesome trip! I hope to stay at the Sheraton again, in the future--hopefully for a longer duration--with my friends. The Falls is so much more enjoyable when you are staying at an accommodation you like!

PRICE UPDATE: Just for anyone who read my How To Stay In Niagara Falls Luxuriously While On A Budget blog post, there were no extra hidden fees when we checked out. I explain this more in my vlog; but our bill had no extra fees that we were not expecting. We were just charged parking. So, realistically, our accommodations didn't end up costing us $200 at all. We didn't use our Beer/Wine tasting vouchers, but since we visit so often, we are planning to save them for a later time. With the prices for food and going to the arcade, we ended up just spending an extra $100--just about. Which is amazing! We had such a fun, affordable, and relaxing weekend!

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LET'S SAVE SOME MONEY TOGETHER! 

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♡ Get Paid For Shopping with Ebates

♡ Get $40 CAD OFF your first trip with Airbnb