Lists

Lists

Staying Entertained while Staying Away

Posted on by volkmanadventures
As you’re aware, our world is going through an interesting time of needing to stay quarantined, clean, and away from each other. This can lead to feelings of isolation and boredom, if you’re anything like me. Especially now that spring is starting to appear around parts of North America, outside temperatures are warming up, which is usually when we like to gather and be around each other. But when we can’t, what do we do instead? Here are some ideas on how to keep yourself and your family entertained and away from boredom while needing to social distance and “quarantine.”

Adults & Teens

  • Go on a hike (interpretive trails are especially awesome as you get to learn along the way) 
  • Go for a bike ride 
  • Begin or continue journaling 
  • Write that book 
  • Read a book that has been on the shelf for a while
  • Complete a 1,000+ piece puzzle 
  • Create a bucket list
  • Paint something
  • Go camping 
  • Go canoeing
  • Go birding 
  • Go on a nature walk
  • Try scrapbooking 
  • Make your own photo scavenger hunt 
  • Bake treats 
  • Make jewelry 
  • Make a wood pallet craft 
  • Make greeting cards 
  • Make a household item like soap or cleaner 
  • Learn a new subject 
  • Organize (i.e. garage, cabinets, drawers, electronic files, etc.)
  • Create a budget 
  • Tackle that to-do list 
  • Play board games 
  • Learn an instrument 
  • Learn a language 
  • Take a virtual exercise or dance class 
  • Go geocaching 
  • Plant a garden or start seedlings inside 
  • Play virtual charades with a friend on Skype/FaceTime
  • Go on a picnic
  • Create a vision board
  • Go through your clothes to donate 
  • Try a new craft
  • Have an at-home spa day 

Children & Toddlers

  • Build a fort out of boxes, blankets, pillows, couches
  • Visit a local trail for a walk (especially an interpretive trail that will have signs to look and learn)
  • Go on a nature walk to identify leaves, bugs, animals, trees
    •  For the older children who can be alone: send them on a scavenger hunt
  • Go on a bike ride 
  • Color or paint boxes (i.e. Amazon boxes)
  • Color by number and paint by number activities
  • Create with pipe cleaners and Cheerios 
  • Put pipe cleaners through holes of a colander 
  • Play with Play-doh or modeling clay 
  • Color in coloring books 
  • Play learning games 
  • Play with a sensory tub or sensory table
  • Read unread books that have been on the shelf 
  • Fingerpaint 
  • Create an at-home treasure hunt 
  • Learn a new word or topic 
  • Learn an instrument 
  • Learn a language 
  • Make a time capsule to open 5 years from now 
  • Craft a sock puppet family and put on a puppet show 
  • Go on a picnic
  • Make up a dance to your favorite song 
  • Play board games 
  • Put a puzzle together 
  • Betsy adds: Crayola colors on the tub and bathtub paint soap
Thank you for reading! What ideas have you been doing to keep yourself or others entertained during this time? I’d love to learn more and add them to the list!

Lists, Tips and Tricks

Top 10 In-Flight Essentials

Posted on by volkmanadventures

Flights can be difficult to be on, especially if you don’t travel often or aren’t a fan of being on a plane. The number one thing you can do for yourself to make the flight more enjoyable is to focus on taking care of yourself! Below are my top 10 in-flight essentials to ensure the best and most relaxing flight experience.

1 – Portable charger

The night before every flight, we charge our portable charging bank. This portable charger has saved us so much grief when we are not only waiting at the airport and all of the charging stations are full, but have also been amazing to have when we’re listening to podcasts, music, or watching shows on our phones or iPad while on the flight. Plus, who doesn’t like to have a fully-charged cell phone when you walk right off that airplane and need to know where to go next?

2 – Headphones/earbuds

OMG. I can’t even tell you the amount of times I’ve taken off and realized I didn’t have my ear buds with. Oh, the humanity! Unless you have a notebook, newspaper, or non-electronic game with, noise cancelling earbuds or headphones are essential to having in-flight peace.

3 – cell phone/tablet plus these apps

It’s sort of a given that you’ll probably have some sort of cell phone or iPad or laptop or something with, so I won’t add that as a specific item; however, I will add that I would be so bored on flights without these apps: Google Play, Podcasts/Podbean, OneNote, Pinterest, The Weather Channel and (of course) Instagram.

4 – Notebook

I love writing. I write notes all the time, every day. Even when nothing requires a note to be written. BUT, how would I remember certain events or plans or memories without writing them down? I do often use the notepad app native to my iPhone, but nothing truly beats a good ‘ole pen and paper to jot down your thoughts. How else do I remember details for my blog posts?

5 – Reusable water bottle

These are great throughout your entire trip and not just on a plane. Trust me. Just went through security? Fill it up! Drank the whole thing mid-flight? Ask a flight attendant to pour some water in there instead of in their plastic disposable cups! Having a reusable water bottle has saved me from feeling parched onboard when you’re waiting for that drink cart to make its way to your seat. Some flights only bring the drink cart by once! In those instances, it’s best to be ready and have a full water bottle 🙂

6 – Travel neck pillow and eye sleep mask

Ready for a nap? If you’re like me, you planned to take the earliest flight known to man, meaning you’re probably exhausted before you even get to your destination! I’ve found an eye sleep mask helps block out enough light to take a great in-flight nap, and having a perfect neck pillow helps avoid that embarrassing neck bob we all do when starting to fall asleep, and keeps your neck comfortable while you are asleep! 

But even if you don’t plan to snooze during a flight, I’ve found it to be a major relief to have a neck pillow around my neck so I can relax. Maybe it’s just me and my giraffe neck, but it always tends to feel strained after a couple of hours of sitting on a plane, which tends to put me in a less-than-ideal mood. If not for my neck, I also often use the neck pillow as lumbar support since the seats also don’t support my tall torso. Sometimes being tall has its disadvantages. Will airplanes someday, just maybe, offer lumbar support? One could only wish.

7 – Snacks

I am always feeling snackie! Did you know you can bring snacks (including homemade!) onto a plane? I question this every time I’m planning a trip, and finally started remembering, which has drastically reduced my travel spend! My favorite snacks to bring are Annie’s Friends Bunny Grahams, crackers, and almonds. OMG, I almost forgot to add gum. Your seatmate(s) will thank you. Or you’ll thank yourself when you find out you’re stuck sitting next to someone for six hours who literally must have just eaten a raw onion before stepping on to the plane. Woof.

8 – Lotion

My favorite item to have on-hand (ha, get it?) and in-flight is hand lotion! Nothing makes my hands feel worse than being on an airplane. My friend Taylor gifted me the First Aid Beauty “Ultra Repair Cream” lotion a couple of years ago for Christmas and I have not stopped purchasing it every time it runs out. My favorite is the two ounce tube as it’s conveniently TSA-friendly and fits in the small upper-pocket of my personal item backpack. I apply this lotion probably 4-5 times throughout a flight to ensure my hands stay nice and don’t crack from that dry recycled plane air.

9 – lip moisturizer

Like my hands, my lips tend to constantly feel drier when I’m flying somewhere. Jack Black’s “Intense Therapy Lip Balm” is my absolute favorite. It’s so hydrating, I don’t feel like I need to re-apply every few minutes! It also has SPF 25, making it one of the strongest SPF lip balms around and is super versatile for on the plane and in my purse for visiting even the sunniest of places.

10 – eye drops

The theme here for the last three items is dryness. Is there anything worse than feeling all sorts of dried out and not being able to do anything about it? The last item for hydration is eye drops. I hate dry, itchy eyes from that recycled plane air blowing in your direction all flight. I bring the Target brand (Up & Up) eye drops with me on every flight—it’s easy to just drop some of the solution in before take off and again mid-flight to ensure your eyes don’t get irritated.

A bonus, late addition, thanks to Sarah for the reminder to have – hand sanitizer! This doesn’t really need explaining. With how germy planes are, you want to prevent from getting sick! Another bonus essential in my bag I forgot to add in my original publication, are packets of Emergen-C. Along with hand sanitizer, Emergen-C is in my bag just to ensure that recycled air doesn’t get me sick! Have you ever gotten a cold (or worse *cringes*) from being on an airplane? It’s the worst.

If you’re ever questioning what you can bring onboard, don’t hesitate to Tweet @TSA or download the app on your phone and search items there 🙂

What are some of your favorite items to have in-flight? Share in the comments below!

Lists, MicroAdventures

Kick that Cabin Fever with these Winter Weekend Ideas

Posted on by Elissa

I love winter. But about midway through, I begin to hate winter. And by “midway though,” I mean usually around the beginning of January. Assuming cabin fever is due to my lack of keeping busy with planning fun winter outings, I wanted to ensure we were prepped with some ideas for what to do on those snowy weekends where we just want to get outdoors. This post provides winter itinerary options for an activity-packed weekend in southern, central, and northern Minnesota, as well as within the Twin Cities. 

Let’s talk about these two scenarios: You just left work and are ready for the weekend to kick off… or HEY, you don’t work this weekend! What to do?! 

Though I’m writing about Minnesota specifically, a similar itinerary could be modified for anywhere with snow 🙂 Don’t hesitate to reach out if you would like help with planning a fun winter weekend in your area! 

Friday Night

What better time to stroll through some beautiful light displays than on a Friday night? We have so many great light displays in Minnesota, here are some that could be near you:

Southern Minnesota: Take a stroll through the Kiwanis Holiday Lights display in Mankato. Visit Santa & his reindeer, grab a cup of hot cocoa, and leisurely wander through the beautiful light display. If you’re not wanting to be outside and walk through the display, unique to the Kiwanis Holiday Light display is the ability to drive through it. Tune in to the designated radio station, take off your hat, and enjoy the views. 

Twin Cities: The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is one of the most beautiful Minnesota stops in the summer. Did you know, it’s just as beautiful in the winter? Winter Lights at the Arb runs as late as the first week in January, which allows ample time to visit before or after the holidays. This light display is walk-through only, so grab some hot cocoa, pull up your snow boots, and start to wander. Unique to this display, there is a night dedicated specifically to photographers, so if you’re a photography enthusiast, grab your tripod and head over to Winter Lights at the Arb to take some of the best light display photos you’ve ever taken! 

Central Minnesota: Take a leisurely drive and Celebrate the Light of the World in Willmar. With 900,000 (that’s almost one million!) lights, you’ll definitely drive away astonished. This display’s history is special: it started out in a family’s yard and has grown to be one of the area’s best must-see winter attractions. 

Northern Minnesota: Arguably the most well-known light display in Minnesota, and the largest light display in the US, is Bentleyville USA in Duluth. On the shores of Lake Superior, this light display will leave you in awe. Kids 10 and under who visit Santa can get a free Bentleyville knit cap, warm up by one of the 15 toasty fire pits, grab a snack or some candy, or look through the gift shop. Bentleyville is extra special as it is an official drop off location for Salvation Army donations. This year, they are offering a drive-through option due to COVID. 

Want to see more holiday light display options in Minnesota? Check them out here!

Saturday

Feeling energized from viewing some AMAZING light displays last night, you are ready to get out there and rock this Saturday with more outdoor activities! 

Southern Minnesota: Take a stroll through Rochester’s SocialICE festival. Dedicated to giving you the best ice bars Minnesota has to offer, feel free to wander about and try the various tasty signature drinks while looking at the ice sculptures and listening to the featured DJ. 

Central Minnesota: Frozen lake golfing! A winter carnival with golf? Whaaat? Bundle up and head to Brainerd for the Gull Lake Frozen Fore Winter Weekend for some ice golf, the pancake feed, a scavenger hunt, food, beverages, and so much more! Join the tent party on Saturday night and dance the night away. If ice golf and a snowmobile drag race isn’t cool enough (not sure how it couldn’t be), this festival also has live music each night and lots of warming areas!

Twin Cities: Cross-country skiing at one of multiple Three Rivers Park District parks. With 70+ miles of groomed trails, there are plenty of options to keep you busy all day (or enough trail for an additional weekend, too!)! With 11 of their parks having cross-country skiing options, you’re sure to find the trail that’s right for you. What’s great about cross-country skiing through Three Rivers is that you can rent your own equipment for $12 (adult rate) if you don’t have your own! Many of these parks even having a warming facility with hot cocoa if you need a break (our favorite is French Regional Park)!

Northern Minnesota: Fat biking on the Gunflint Lake Trails! You’ve seen those fat tire bikes around, and now is your time to try one! There are multiple fat bike trails throughout the state, but northern Minnesota has the most scenic. If you don’t have your own bike, you can rent one from one of the many outfitters in the area. I was able to try fat tire biking for the first time this year at Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area! I mean, how cool will it be to ride a bike directly to a waterfall?! 

Sunday

Southern Minnesota: Snowshoeing through the woods. Albert Lea holds a special place in my heart as it’s my hometown, so I can’t write about the awesome winter activities in Minnesota and skip over the great opportunities for snowshoeing the town has. If you’re able to walk, you’re able to snowshoe. I don’t yet have my own shoes, but they are on my wish list because this recreation activity was so, so fun when Eric and I tried it last year. Through the Albert Lea Community Education Rock Gym, you can rent snowshoes for only $10 (or $5 if you get a punch pass), and there are miles of hiking spots around! Note their website doesn’t reflect snowshoeing as an option yet. 

Central Minnesota: Did you know that ice drag racing is a thing? I had no idea! Luckily Eric loves winter activities and suggested we go to one of these. The Central Minnesota Ice Racing (CMIR) group has multiple events happening throughout central Minnesota cities where you can grab a blanket and watch the races. Adding extra fun to the event, the drag races held the weekend of February 22nd, 2020 included a pajama party. How fun is that?!

Twin Cities: What better way to end a winter activity filled weekend than to cozy up for lunch in one of the Twin Cities’ dining igloos! Freehouse Minneapolis has igloo reservations available through the winter so you can dine in the negative degree temperatures and not even notice how cold it is! Please note that, due to COVID, this is not offered this year.

Northern Minnesota: Of course, you can’t spend a weekend in Minnesota without skiing or snowboarding! Where better to hit the slopes than northern Minnesota? Lutsen Mountains offers awesome runs plus a gondola ride for those who prefer not to ski or snowboard. If you want to come here the night before, Lutsen also offers great lodging with ski-in/ski-out options so you can wake up and head out right away.

Skiing

Minnesota has SO MANY wonderful winter activities to offer! Even though it’s hard for me to deal with the frigid temps and lack of sunshine, I’m vowing to opt outside this winter to kick that winter-time blues.

What do you plan to do this winter to reduce cabin fever and promote happiness? 
Let me know in the comments, I am always up for new outdoor ideas!

Gift Ideas, Lists, Tips and Tricks

2019 Adventurer’s Holiday Gift Guide

Posted on by Elissa

Does anyone else struggle with finding the right thing to buy friends and family members for a present? Or is it just me? 

I feel like whenever the November month rolls around, my brain begins to fill with anxiety as to what to get people, whether it will be good enough, or will they even use it?! What about what to get those people who just don’t want anything? As a couple who just wants to live in the moment and enjoy “experiences” rather than “things,” the “I don’t want anything” couple is us. And we do apologize to those who feel like they need to buy us things! 

But, if you’re someone who loves giving gifts: With the season of giving coming soon, Eric and I wanted to share some gift ideas for those adventurous folks who just don’t want anything! 

1) Tied for FIRST: A parks gift card! The (US) National Park Service has gift cards that can be used on annual passes, gear, or park entrance fees. You could also purchase your state’s parks gift card (i.e. a Minnesota State Parks gift card) that would similarly cover camping, gear, and entrance fees where applicable. We LOVE the parks, and appreciate being able to view magnificent nature while learning some history. Don’t hesitate to check out your local, regional, or national park’s websites for more info and to compare which gift card is best for your adventurer. 

1) Tied for FIRST: A Hot Spot! Everyone loves a good WiFi connection. Did you know that with a Skyroam Solis hot spot you can have WiFi almost anywhere? To receive this device as a gift would be amazing. Then your traveler, for just $9 per day or $6 per month, could have WiFi in 130 countries! (As of November 2019, at least.) I have used a WiFi device like this in the past, and absolutely LOVED it. This particular device is on my wish list too. You can even have up to 10 devices being used at once! After doing the math, it saved my sister and I at least $50 in just a week and a half–money that we were able to use on food and experiences instead of paying an international phone bill. 

3)  Packing cubes! The single best way to pack your backpack, suitcase, or duffel. We have two types of packing cubes: regular, and compression. We have been using the regular (typical, zip-closure cube shape) packing cubes for years, and love those. The compression packing cubes, on the other hand? GAME. CHANGER. First, you zip your items in to close the packing cube, then you zip a second zipper that compresses the items into an even smaller space! These are 100% ideal for packing, whether you’re a backpacker or checked-bag traveler. If you haven’t tried packing cubes before, they will change your life. They are the best gift for those who love to travel!

4) Outlet adapter. Specifically, an international outlet adapter with lots of plug in options. We have the Saunorch Universal International Travel Power Adapter (can be found on Amazon), and it is amazing. Not only is it great for the obvious international travel where the outlets are different than here in the United States (i.e. we used it in Europe and South America), but it was also super helpful to have on our cruise! At least on Norwegian Cruise Line ships, they have one US outlet and one European outlet, so it was awesome to be able to use this adapter with its USB ports and charge our phones at the same time. 

5) A microfiber or Turkish towel. These types of towels are quick to dry, oh so soft, and super absorbent. They also are really thin, making them the perfect packable travel towel. We bring ours on every trip we go on, and I find them to be the perfect towel for drying my hair too. I wouldn’t go on another trip without one!

6) Wool socks. No explanation needed. Every adventurer loves a good pair of wool socks. Winter wool socks. Summer wool socks. Any kind of wool socks. Our favorite brands are SmartWool and Duluth Trading Company!

7) Inflatable outdoor couch. We received the Pouch Couch as a Christmas gift and love it. It’s a permanent resident of our RV, and is awesome to have at our campsite for lounging around after a great hike. Note you’ll have to keep it away from your campfire embers, so it’s best to be used during the daylight hours. 

8) A solar powered charging bank. We have the Hiluckey brand, and it’s been awesome! We wall charge it when we can because, like all solar items, that method is faster than charging with the sun. But it’s been so amazing to be able to strap it to our backpack or have it lying on the picnic table to charge when an outlet isn’t available. This charging bank also has a few USB ports so you can charge a couple devices at the same time. It’s great to have this charging our cell phones while we’re sleeping or just relaxing.

9) SteriPEN! Eric and I have one of these, and it was a godsend on our Peru trip! You get somewhere around 3,000 uses just from one bulb! There are many different types of SteriPENs, so be sure to check out all of your options. We have the SteriPEN Ultra. The only downfall (if there is one) of the SteriPEN is that the water tastes a little different after using, but that can easily be fixed by flavor packets (or Emergen-C for that extra immunity boost). 

10) Last, but not least, food! Food is always a great idea as a gift for someone who just doesn’t want anything. Or for those who are always on the go! This could include anything from a gift basket filled with food, or some snacks to munch on while out on adventures, or freeze-dried foods for backpacking! If you really aren’t sure which type of food to give, you could always use the backup plan of a gift card to the local grocery store. 



Lists

Our Top Ten Off the Beaten Path Road Trip Games

Posted on by Elissa

Road Trip Games

Love to play games at home? Wish you had something out of the ordinary to play while on the road? Of course, there are the more classic games to play while traveling, like Uno, Skip-Bo, Yahtzee, 5 Crowns, or the many games you can play with a standard deck of cards. But we want to share with you some of our favorite hidden gem games we take on our endeavors that you may not yet know about.

Let me first share with you the criteria we used to determine our list. Aside from the obvious criteria of being some of our favorite games to begin with, or being hidden gems, we also chose these games based on:

  • Quick set up (around 5 minutes or less)
  • Small set up (2′ x 2′ square space or less)
  • Short game play (around 30 minutes or less)
  • Easy to teach, and easy to learn
  • Minimum 2 players
  • Small storage space

So without further ado, our Top Ten Off the Beaten Path Road Trip Games:

01. Love Letter

Made by: AEG (our version; currently owned by Z-Man Games)
Game Length: 15-20 minutes

AEG describes this game as a “game of risk, deduction, and luck.” There are only 16 cards in the game total, and there are groups of cards that do different things. Each card’s objective gives you a specific objective that helps you win against the other player’s.

We love this game because of how fun it is, whether you play with two people or four. The rounds are super quick also, even with all four players. This is one game we consistently bring on every. single. trip. regardless of where we go. It comes in a cute, 4″x3″ little velvet pouch that fits anywhere in our bag.

Image from Amazon

02. Jaipur

Made by: Gameworks
Game Length: 30 minutes

Gameworks’s website describes this game as a “fast-paced card game blend of tactics, risk, and luck.” You either take or sell cards on your turn, which are your currency and are used to purchase tokens that help you win the game.

We love this game because it has a quick play time and is quick to set up. We like that you don’t necessarily need an intense strategy to win, and you don’t have to put as much thought into playing. We also like how, at 8″x4″, this slim the box is great for storage.

Image from Amazon

03. No Thanks

Made by: Mayfair Games
Game Length: 20 minutes

Mayfair’s website describes No Thanks as a “card game designed to be as simple as it is engaging.” The cards in the deck are numbered from 3-35, and each card is worth its number in points. You want to get the lowest score, and you do this by placing your limited number of chits on to a card to say “No Thanks” to pass on a card, or by taking that card without laying a chit, thus re-supplying as you then take all of the chits left from other’s saying “no thanks.” You win by having the lowest possible amount of numbers and runs (you only count points for the lowest number in a run you have).

We love this game because it’s a fast-paced, light, press your luck type of game. It’s simple to play and does not take much strategy. Plus, the small 5″x4″ box it comes in can fit in nearly every bag to pack easily.

Photo from Amazon

04. Sushi Go

Made by: Gamewright
Game Length: 15 minutes

Gamewright’s website describes Sushi Go as a “super fast card game where you’re trying to grab the best combination of sushi dishes as they whiz by.” You draft cards, then pass them on to the next player. Each turn is different from the last as each player has a different objective. Players are also able to deduce what cards are left in the game as less and less cards are available to pick from as the round goes on, which makes it fun, yet more difficult as time goes on.

We love Sushi Go because it takes some strategy and planning ahead to win. This small-boxed game packs a similar amount of strategy as a big-box game. We like how it’s easy to teach due to not having many rules, and it gets a lot of laughs as the game goes on. Plus, who doesn’t love yelling “SUSHI, GO!!!” before every turn? This game comes in a small, sturdy 5.5″x4″ tin that makes it great for traveling in any bag.

Image from Amazon

05. Ganz Schon Clever

Made by: Schmidt Games
Game Length: 30 minutes

Ganz Schon Clever is a German game, which translates to “That’s Pretty Clever.” Similar to Yahtzee, you roll dice to create dice combinations for points. Your score is better if your combinations are better. There are different categories in which you can score points, along with score multipliers along the way.

We love Ganz Schon Clever because it seems like a more advanced version of Yahtzee. You’re needing to plan ahead and think about each move in order to maximize your points. We also like how this game doesn’t take up much space on a table as you only need a spot to roll dice and write on your scorecard. The box is maybe 5″x7″ and small enough to fit in a backpack.

Photo from Wikipedia

06. Tunhell

Made by: Pixie Games
Game Length: 30 minutes

Set up as a game themed around Snow White, the characters are dwarves working in a mine. You either recruit or play a dwarf, depending on what you want your next move to be. Each dwarf card has different abilities that will help you reach the end objective, which is to find the monster at the end of the tunnel and defeat it while collecting the most treasure and defeating smaller monsters along the way.

We love this game because of the fun theme and unique game play. While you’re playing against each other, each player’s objective could be different or the same: defeat monsters for points and/or gather treasure for points. It’s fun because you don’t have to state your objective and it could switch as you play. This game doesn’t take a lot of strategy, but it’s favored to plan at least a few steps ahead. This game also comes in a 6.5″x4.5″ size box, easy enough to fit in a bag.

Photo from Miniature Market

07. The Oregon Trail
(card game version)

Made by: Pressman
Game Length: 30 minutes
Storage Size: 5″ x 7″

Pressman’s website describes The Oregon Trail as a game of survival. “Players work together to move along the trail, fording rivers, and playing supply cards to overcome calamities” to work your way to the end of the trail. This game is co-op, so you work together to win; however, even if you’re dead, you win because as long as one player survives until the end of the trail, you all win!

We love this game because, well, we both played it when we were younger on the PC, so we were super pumped when this game came out to begin with. We also like how it has big surprise moments where you may all need suddenly to shift focus to save a family member or livestock. While this game has a lot of luck, you also need to have a small strategy to survive until your next turn. The box size is only 5″x7″, making it small enough to fit in almost any bag or backpack.

Photo from Pressman

08. Spot it!

Made by: Asmodee
Game Length: 5 minutes, or as long as you’d like it to be!

The absolute best way to describe this game is mentioned on the back of the tin it comes in: “A sharp eye and a little bit of speed is all it takes to play the 5 quick party games included in this tin.” “There is always one, and only one, matching symbol between any 2 cards in this game. Spot it and you win!”

We love Spot it! because you can play one game in less than 5 minutes, or you can play in multiple rounds and make the game last as long as you would like! It’s a simple concept that exercises a different part of your brain. It’s hard to try to remember what’s on the card you have in your hand to be able to match with the card on the table. The game speed is determined by which player spots their match the fastest. We also love how this game comes in a round, 4″x4″ sturdy tin, making it durable enough to be packed in any type of bag.

Photo from Amazon

09. Anomia

Made by: Everest
Game Length: 30 minutes

Anomia is described as a game “where common knowledge becomes uncommonly fun.” It’s a game of speed and quick-wit, where players lay cards until they get a match. Once a player sees a symbol match, they yell out a word that fits into the category of the other player’s card.

We love this game because it makes everyone who is playing or watching it laugh. The longer you play, the harder it gets. This is an easy game to learn that really makes you use your noggin. It also comes in a small 4″x5.5″ box that makes it easy to carry in any bag.

Photo from Amazon

10. Fugitive

Made by: Fowers Games
Game Length: 20 minutes

Fugitive is described by Fowers Games as a “quick, two player game, where one player is the fugitive moving from hideout to hideout on his escape route, and the other player is the marshal trying to catch him.” Using a deck of cards numbered 0 through 42, the fugitive player will secretly move to higher numbered hideouts, trying to outsmart the marshal. The marshal, on the other hand, uses information available to him to determine at what number hideout the fugitive is hiding.

We like this game because it is deceptively simple, quick game that offers many ways to strategize. It’s fun because each player is a different character, which makes the game different for each person. You can play twice, once as the fugitive and once as the Marshall, and it’s as if you’re playing two different games. Because of this, it’s highly replayable and versatile enough to play while on the road. Fugitive also comes in a compact, 4.5″x6.5″ size box.

Photo from Fowers Games

What are some of your favorite games to bring on a trip?

As game enthusiasts, we are always looking to add more awesome games to our ever-growing collection!

How to, Lists, Tips and Tricks

How to Pack for a Surprise Weekend Getaway in 5 easy Steps

Posted on by Elissa

In April, Eric told me to take a few specific days off in September so we could go on an anniversary trip—a mystery location. He told me to pack my bags for a long weekend, but didn’t tell me where we were going. Could you imagine my anxiety? I LOVE planning trips! But I knew I was in good hands. Though I knew the weekend’s activities were being taken care of, I was still stressing about one thing—packing!

It’s so hard to pack for a weekend without knowing what the activities will be, let alone the CLIMATE. So, what do you do—how do you pack?

I will preface this post by saying I was told if the weather was going to be extreme (i.e. snowy vs. a heat wave), but wasn’t told if it would be chilly vs. beachy. I could have asked more questions, but I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could pack appropriately and try to move past my packing anxiety.

Step 1: Just breathe.

I know that picking out clothes and packing is the single most important thing to prep for a trip, but sometimes you just need to do things blind, and that’s okay.

Step 2: Start from the top

Without knowing what the climate will be, it’s best to start with tops, which I personally feel are the most stressful part of outfit planning. Or getting ready for the day even at home.

I went with two lightweight, long sleeved tops to be my staple items of the weekend. Not knowing if I’ll be at a beach or colder, windy weather, I thought this might be the most neutral option. Lightweight, long sleeved tops can not only be dressed up or down, but can also be layered to accommodate almost any type of weather.

Two short-sleeved tops were also brought along. These are perfect for warmer temperatures! Shorter-sleeved tops (i.e. a fitted cap-sleeved top or a simple t-shirt) are the perfect item to layer! You can wear a cute jacket, a sweatshirt, or a shawl over these if you are in cooler temps, or wear them without layers for warmer temps.

Step 3: The bottoms

This step was probably the easiest one for me. I’m pretty comfortable in jeans in almost any weather, but still wanted something lighter just in case we were going somewhere warmer. I opted to stick with a light-denim colored pair of jeans and a pair of capris should it have been a warmer day.

Jeans and capris are great because they can be dressed up or down. Jeans also work with nearly any type of weather. Jeans and capri pants also work with any top or shoe type. For this trip, I opted for a skinny jean, and a straight-cut capri pant.

Some of my packing anxiety went down also when I layed out both pairs of pants and all tops on my floor to make sure they would all match each other. Mixing and matching saves room in your luggage and allows for more outfit choices with less actual items of clothing.

Step 4: Accessories

Though I don’t accessorize my outfits too much, I do have two staple accessories that I never travel without: a scarf and shoes.

Fashion scarves are great in any weather and climate. Not only do they look good, but they are also great for creating shade or keeping warm. I packed a larger, medium-weight scarf that can be worn with multiple styles around my neck or even as a shawl around my shoulders when untied. The scarf I brought this trip was earthy shades of blues, greens, and tans. I’ve brought scarves of varying colors (i.e. shades of purple, green, white, etc.) on previous trips, but wanted to go with more neutrally colors since I wasn’t sure where I was traveling.

There are also really great infinity scarves out there that have a special pocket in them to conceal your passport, wallet, phone, or anything that is needing to be hidden. While I don’t yet have one, I am really excited about the Speakeasy Travel Supply scarves and am hoping to buy one soon.

Shoes! My favorite thing to have and my least favorite thing to pack. They are always so bulky and difficult to fit in any bag! This is why picking the perfect shoes are so important. For this trip, I brought my black, lightweight Nike Tanjuns and a pair of Sanuk Yoga Sling 2 sandals. I feel like I could walk for days in either of these shoes (though probably not recommended—maybe get some real hiking boots for that 😉 winky face). Plus, these Nikes and Sanuks work with the previously-mentioned outfits, regardless of which I was wearing that day. Woohoo!

Speaking of, does anyone have any tips on how to pack shoes better? I just wrap them up so the bottoms don’t touch the rest of my clothes and use them as storage as best as I can, but I feel like there’s gotta be a better way…

Step 5: Miscellaneous Items

Since I wasn’t sure where we were going, I probably definitely packed more than what was needed in the miscellaneous category. Here’s a list of a few random items I brought with juuuust in case.

  • Swimsuit
  • Lightweight gloves – i.e. small “one-size” knit vs. full-on winter
  • Passport – we flew within the continental United States, so I could have left my passport at home and brought my passport card instead
  • Lightweight jacket
  • Baseball cap – but with the Timberwolves logo-basketball 😇
  • Sunscreen! If you’re like me, you will sun burn even in the snow…
  • Camera

So where did we end up? Boston, Massachusetts! It was chillier, but beautiful and so amazing! Highly recommend visiting Fenway Park and taking in the town’s rich history. We even spent one day in Salem. In love!

What would you pack for a mystery weekend getaway?