My favorite places to travel to in Autumn | TRAVELTOBER

First things first: Sorry that there was no post on Friday. But my beloved laptop has gone bye bye. Kind of a funny story actually (...not), Friday was my first day of writing my bachelor thesis. I was ready to start the day and then my macbook decided to retire a bit too early. After a lot of cries I am back on my old laptop from 2010. 
So, there will be new blog posts, but no new videos in the next weeks. Just to let you know :).

Of course the first written post has to be about where to travel to during the magical time of autumn. So let’s get cracking, because I have a huge list of favorite places I love to visit when leaves turn red.

// USA //

Who am I kidding, who’s got the best autumn/Halloween decoration in the world? Right, the USA. Sometimes going totally overboard with it – but it’s absolute fantastic! So of course this country is at the top of my list. But the decorations aren’t the only thing I love in the US during autumn.

The landscape at the Northeast coast is pretty amazing too. Last year I fell in love with New England:  Boston, Acadia National Park and WhiteMountains. AMAZING! (By the way, did you watch Wednesdays new Travel Vlog? No? Than click here.)
This area is famous for a lovely autumn, and the reason is called Fall Foliage or Indian Summer. The leaves turn into the most stunning colors of red and orange. You have a lot of little Harvest Festivals and Fairs. Everybody is celebrating this time of the year and the light, especially in the evening with all the different colors is just magical.  

However, I love to visit New York City in the fall, too.  It gets cozier, the City snuggles up and get out the decorations. You still can have beautiful walks around (the Central Park happen to be a very good place to have a stroll around), get a spicy drink and wander around the bookstores to find a perfect book for the fall. 

// Europe //

But now let’s leave the States and have a look around Europe. Here you will find also some pretty cool places to visit during autumn.

UK

Of course we have to start in the UK. Famous for a lot of rain and foggy weather. Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes and a lot of other great movies are taking place in the rainy UK.  In autumn you can actually stroll around misty London through all the little alleys like the famous Sherlock Holmes does in the movies. You can have Afternoon Tea and a Roast Dinner. I really like London during this time of the year. The vibe in this city is changing, it gets a bit mystical and of course cozy, but also things are slowing down a little bit in the fog.

When you have a day to spare, hop on the train to Brighton. It’s an hour to an hour and a half long ride down to the seaside town. Even when you can’t get your towel out to have a little sunbath, you can wander along the beach and breath in the cold clear air (Life is better at the beach!). Afterwards you can head into town, have a look in the little independent shops and drink a hot chocolate to warm you up.

The next place I have to put on my list is Edinburgh. A little confession: I haven’t been there yet. We are heading there in November. However, I think I really really going to like this place and I can’t wait to share all of our adventures with you – we’ve got some cool stuff planned!

Germany

You shouldn’t forget to look around in your own country to find beautiful places. For me it’s Germany. So let’s start in the North of this country.

I was born and grew up in Bremen. A lot of my childhood memories took place during autumn. Having the time of my childhood life in the “Bürgerpark” (a reeeally huge park in the middle of the city, a bit like the Central Park), collecting chestnuts, visiting the boars and jumping in big puddles with my wellies. You can make a trip to cool museums like the “Universe” or the “Fogge Museum”. Bremen is very special to me during autumn.

The German island in the North Sea are really popular during summer. But if you a fan of cold wind and rough sea (like me) than you will be perfectly happy to be at Sylt or Amrum during a typical autumnal storm. I love the feeling to get back to our cozy holiday home after a long walk at the beach – you can feel the salt at your skin and put off your head. (…. see, I really don’t like the heat!)

Let’s take a huge jump to the very South of Germany. I lived in Constance for a few years and autumn at the lake is gorgeous. But of course you can see so much more: have a little trip to Constance, Meersburg or Lindau. You can also visit one of the many castles in this area, especially for kids it’s super fun. There’s for example the Burg Hohentwiel in Singen.

Last tip I want to share with you is actually right in front of me. When I look out my living room windows I see the Black Forest. You won’t find a lot of broadleaf trees, but instead you will see many fir trees – this why this forest is called the “BLACK forest”. You can go on a lot of hikes and have the most incredible overlooks. A lot of people come here for a weekend getaway all year around.

So these are  my favourite places to travel to during autumn. Which are yours? Tell me in the comments!

#traveltober ... if you want to see more cool autumnal pictures, follow me on Instagram: @travelwithsteffi 

Acadia National Park, Maine USA - Travel Vlog | TRAVELTOBER

Welcome back to another episode of TRAVELTOBER. Today I have another travel vlog for you: Acadia National Park, Maine USA. If you have already read my blog post about the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain, you know it was my absolute favourite experience during our journey through New England last year. 

So now, you can see the stunning sunrise yourself, I catched it with my camera (Yeah me :)). Besides that we explored the Ocean Path at the south end of the island. 

So don't hesitate and come along ...

H e l l o A u t u m n || #TRAVELTOBER

Lads and Gents I’ve got a special announcement for you today!

But first of all: for god sakes, the summer is over! HipHipHurra! For me autumn is my favorite time of the year. Pumpkin Spice Latte, candles, rain and autumn storms, more pumpkins, colored leaves and it’s pretty chilly outside. I really really really do not like heat, summer is hell for me. A lot of people do spa days in the sauna to relax – I go outside to feel the cold clear air on my face. So, this lovely new season is finally here. 

And what is better, than to combine two of my favorite things? Autumn and Travel. I really wanted to this for a long time: I will do a #TRAVELTOBER. What is that you may ask yourself. I will post a new blogpost every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during October. Starting on the 2^nd  and ending on the 31^th.

The post will be all about travel in autumn. I will show you some really cool places all around the world, you really shouldn’t miss during this time of the year. You may also find a few sneaky little videos. 
Also, come and join me on Instagram, I will post a lot of autumn themed pictures and we can share our favorite places.

Hope to see you W E D N E S D A Y! Xxx S

P.S.: if you want to see more cool fall things, follow me on Pinterest, there is a lot going on 😏🍂

➸ "The Birthplace of America" : Lexington & Concord, MA USA

Happy 4th of July everybody! For all the people who don't know what I am talking about: today is better known as the Independence Day in the US. 

For this especial occasion I have cool post for you: last year I've been to dragged by my boyfriend (he's a history and English major) to a little town called Lexington. But why is this town so special to the US history and why does it make to a special post on the 4th of July? Let me tell you ... 

The towns Lexington and Concord are famous for nothing less than being the "Birthplace of America". A pretty big burden right? But why is that? 

In Lexington took place the first fight in the American Revolutionary War between the British and the Patriots - "the Minutemen"- on the 19th April 1775. You can still visit the battle field today - the "Battle Green". Of course nowadays it's a beautiful well-groomed field with a statue of Captain Parker in the middle of the town. For everybody who's wondering: Captain Parker was the leader of the Minutemen in this battle. The first shot in this battle is known as the "shot heard 'round the world" (Ralph Waldo Emerson in his "Concord Hymn"). After this first battle, the British went on to the town of Concord. The road they took is called today "the Battle Road". 

When you walk through Lexington you will discover a lot of old (some more than 200 years!) and beautiful houses from the colonial era. For example the visit center is located in one of these houses. Also the oldest tavern in Lexington: the Buckman Tavern, which is open for tours from spring to fall. The interior today is pretty much the same as back in the days when the tavern was the headquarters of the Patriots. Another beautiful house is the Lexington Depot (the picture right after this section), which was built in 1847 and was once the social center of Lexington.

Are interested in a tour around the Battle Green? Than it's your lucky day! There are FREE tours on the weekends from April and May, and also daily from Memorial Day until the 30th October. For more information visit the website of the visitor center in Lexington. 

➸ Explore the Big Sur National Park, California USA

When you spend some time on Instagram or Pinterest, you have probably come across a picture with the wonderful view like the picture above. 

Did you ever wonder where that picture was taken? The answer is very simple: at the very instagramable Julia Pfeiffer Beach at the Big Sur State Park in the middle of California. The Big Sur is located right at the famous Highway No. 1 in the middle of Cali - THE road to take, when you're off to an road trip through California. 

What else can you explore at the Big Sur? 

Let's talk about the Highway No.1 at first. You're driving right next to the seaside at have the most stunning view at the breath taking colours of the ocean, the cliffs and just the nature. For all the drivers: don't be worry - you're not gonna miss something, there are plenty of lookout points with parking space, where you can enjoy the view, too. 

One gorgeous lookout is right behind the Bixby Creek Bridge. The bridge was built in 1932 and is 79m high. The bridge fits perfectly in the landscape and makes the view even more stunning. ... and of course it's a perfect spot to take breathtaking pictures. 

When you don't just want to be at the cliffs, but also down at the beach, I have a few options for you:

At the Jade Cove you can take a steep trail down to a nice bay. You wonder why the bay is called "Jade Cove"? That's because you can actually find jade down there - BUT unfortunately it is forbidden to take it home. 

At the Andrew Molera State Park you will not only find a lot of different hiking trails, but also sandy beaches which are 4 km long. 

Where to watch a good old sunset? 

Watching the sun saying goodbye is never getting boring, right? We watched a pretty one at the Pfeiffer Beach. The road down the is kind of adventures, but totally worth it. ( I have the feeling that I have a thing for beaches hidden like that :D ) It's not a big beach, but the sand is white and there are a huge rocks in the water. It's a cool vibe down there, so perfect to end the day with a pretty sunset.  

Where to sleep at the Big Sur?

This is also a very simple answer: at the Big Sur Campground & Cabins  - it's a beautiful camping side in the woods, some grounds are located right by the river. A little path will take you to the little "village" and with little I mean little. There are literally one store and a bar. 

If you want to read more about California, you will find here a post about the lovely town Carmel-by-the-Sea in Northern California. Feel free to leave any tipps for the Big Sur in the comments! 

➸ How to save money on flights

The other day I helped a friend finding a cheap flight to Los Angeles. And with a few hacks he saved about 400€ !! And today I wanna share these hacks with you guys - because saving money on flights is easier than you think! 

- Never book on the weekends -

My first rule is NEVER to book on the weekends, especially on a Sunday. The prices are higher on the weekend, because more people have the time to book their holidays. The best days to book flights are on Tuesday or Wednesday. 

- The thing about cookies -

My second tip is to delete your cookies before checking out the final price. On a lot of websites your searching history is tracked and the more you looking for something, the higher the prices are. I especially noticed that on websites for rental cars. 

- The seasons -

Know the seasons! When you can, always go right before or right after the high season. The prices are way lower and there often are special deals from several companies. And most times the weather is just fine. Or sometimes another season like spring or fall can be wonderful, too. For example, when you're heading to New England you should do it in the fall to experience the beautiful fall foliage.   

- Special Deal Websites -

There are a lot of cool websites, where you can find special deals. They collect error fares and other special prices on flights and hotels, even whole holiday packages. 
When you're from Europe or heading to it, you should definitely check these ones out: 
➸ flynder.com
➸ Urlaubspiraten.de
➸ Urlaubsguru.de

- Look around -

My next tip to save money is to look up the different low-budget airlines in the area you travel to. When you travel around in a certain area it can be cheaper to book them separately from your long-haul flight. What brings me to my next point: 

Sometimes long-haul flights departing from another country, are cheaper than departing from the nearest airport. So check the flights departing from the countries around you and book a separate flight from a budget airline to get there. Like you wanna travel to Los Angeles, you can travel with Eurowings to London and from there with Virgin Atlantic to LA. 
Of course this also apply for the other way around: the long-haul flight to one country with a separately booked connection flight is cheaper than flights booked with one airline. For example: if you wanna travel to Australia book a flight to Asia and from there with an low-budget airline like jetstar to Australia. 

"Zug-zum-Flug"

When you book directly on airline page keep your eyes peeled for "Zug-zum-Flug" tickets ("with the train to the airport") - you get your train ticket for free and don't need to drive with the car to the airport. So you can save gas and the parking fee. But I don't know if these tickets are available in other countries than Germany. Here in Germany a lot of airlines have a cooperation with the German railroad company "DeutscheBahn". 

I really hope you can use some of these tips! They are all tested in real life by me :) If you have any further tips please leave them in the comments. 

➸ Beach recommendation in PORTUGAL - Praia da Cordoama 🌊

Hey guys :) How are ya doing?? In the first time in forever i haven't booked or planned a holiday! Because I will graduate within the next months from university I have sooo much stuff to do and there are so many things I cannot plan, because I just don't know how my future will turn out - definitely terrifying, but also exciting!!! 

But just because I don't go on holiday anytime soon, it doesn't mean you will stay at home, too! And I know in many countries the summer break will began very soon - YEAH for that! So, I thought, maybe you need a little beach inspiration. Life is better at the beach, right?! Therefore, I wanna share with you one of my favourite beaches in Portugal: Praia da Cordoama. 

This beauty you will find at the Atlantic coast, 5km away from Vila do Bispo (in the south of Portugal) and only 13km away from Sagres. So when you wanna combine the beach with some culture, like the Fortaleza de Sagres - it's a perfect day trip. 

The beach is a surfers' paradise, so keep your eyes peeled for some hot surfers ;) ... or try surfing yourself, there are many surf schools around! When you're not up to surf, then bring a blanket, a picnic and some other fun stuff to have the perfect beach day (... please don't forget to bring your sunscreen!). And when you're tired of chilling in the sun, you can climb up the cliff to have a beautiful view or even watch the sunset from there! 

The only drawback: you can reach the beach only by car and be prepared, it's an adventurous road with a beautiful outlook! But totally worth it.