On this week's Just the Tip we details the benefits and the drawbacks of booking an independent tour. These packages come with your flights, hotels, and sometimes the rental car or other inclusions. We help you decide if a tour like this will align with your trip goals.

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In this flashback episode we are taking you with us inside the good, the great, the bad and the ugly of bathrooms around the world. You know we can’t do an episode without talking about the bathroom experience, so we dedicated a whole episode to it. Just try to listen without laughing!

We take it country by country telling stories from bathrooms in Thailand, Japan, China, The Philippines, Europe, bathrooms in Mexico, and more! We share some scary experiences, but we also share some of the best bathrooms in the world that we’ve been to – both intentionally, and those we fell upon by accident. You’d be surprised how many Instagramable bathrooms there are in some of the most inconspicuous places!

We also share what to expect from bathrooms in different cultures – like paying to use it, bringing your own TP, and squatty potties.

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Connect: ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. Submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising.

On this week's Just the Tip we're sharing three countries we are dying to visit! If you've been and you have any tips, please send our way and enjoy a few minutes of wanderlust with us.

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We’re taking you on an epic road trip through the Dakotas! In this episode we detail our 6-day road trip that takes you through both North and South Dakota as we explore new cities, state parks, national parks, and unique roadside attractions including:

• Mount Rushmore National Memorial
• Custer State Park
• Jewel Cave National Monument
• Wind Cave Tour National Park
• Badlands National Park
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park
• Crazy Horse Memorial
• Wall Drug Spearfish Scenic Byway

We even talk about add ons like Carhenge and Toadstools Geological Park

If you want to take this exact trip, you can download our 6 day Dakotas Itinerary. The Dakotas itinerary gives travel tips, restaurant and hotel recommendations, links to every activity we booked, packing list, and a day by day itinerary for you to follow. If you are looking for activities & experiences in the area, check out our recommended Viator list. We've listed hotel recommendations for this trip below:

• Bavarian Inn and Holiday Inn Express are both good choices for stays in Custer
• Stay at the Best Western or Cambria Hotel in Rapid City
• Choose to stay at AmericInn by Wyndham in Medora or the Bowman Lodge & Convention Center in Bowman when visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Find a great flight deal to the Dakotas by signing up for Thrifty Traveler Premium and watching the daily flight deals (points & cash) that are emailed directly to you! Use our promo code TS10 to get $10 off your first year subscription

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Connect: ⁠YouTube⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. Submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising.

On this week's Just the Tip we share 5 of our sneakiest tricks to lowering the price of flights. These tips has saved us hundreds of dollars on individual flights, with a little extra research you can save a ton of money too!

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In this week’s Travel Flashback Episode of the Travel Squad Podcast, we take you on an unforgettable 8-day journey guided tour through Morocco with Gate 1 Travel. From the bustling medinas of Fez and Marrakesh, to the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis and the breathtaking Atlas Mountains, and the metropolitan cities of Rabat and Casablanca, this adventure was packed with culture, history, and incredible experiences. If Morocco is on your bucket list, this episode is for you!

Highlights of Rabat Include:

• The Royal Palace
• Chellah Ruins
• Hassan Tower
• Oudaya Kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

• Roman Ruins of Volubilis

Highlights of Fez Include:

• The Historic Medina of Fez
• The Tanneries of Fez
• Attarine Medersa
• Jewish Quarter

Highlights of Marrakesh Include:

• The Historic Medina & Jemma el-Fnaa Square
• Bahia Palace
• Koutoubia Minaret & Saadian Tombs
• Traditional Hammam Spas
• Snake Charmers & Street Performers

Highlights of Casablanca Include:

• Hassan II Mosque
• Historic Medina
• The Ain Diab Corniche Beachfront Promenade

We were on a guided tour and had our hotels pre-selected by our tour company, but to make it easier to find your preferred accommodations if you are traveling independently, you can search for hotels in Morocco⁠here⁠.

Be sure to check out our⁠Viator Experience⁠ page for additional activities and things to do in the Morocco that may be of interest to you!

If you're looking for a flight deal to Morocco, or anywhere else, we recommend signing up for⁠Thrifty Traveler Premium⁠ to get daily flight deals (points & cash) emailed directly to you!

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Connect:⁠⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠, and⁠⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. Submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews

On this week's Just the Tip our nursing cohost shares the medications we always take on a trip. Get your first aid kits ready and don't be caught on the go without these.

Be sure to check out our favorite travel medication pill organizer: 8 Compartment Travel Pill Box

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We went on an outdoor adventure trip of a lifetime with ⁠River Expeditions⁠, the #1 lodging and adventure property & rafting outfitter in the New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia.

In this episode we're recounting every moment of the best three days kayaking and white water rafting on the New River, zip lining in the West Virginia forest, and living in luxury in the massive cabins at River Expeditions. We've also created a 3 Day New River Gorge Itinerary for you to replicate this trip!

The Exact Trip We Took with River Expeditions:

• 3 nights in a luxury cabin
• 1 zipline tour
• 1 Upper New River Full Day Float - option to ride in the raft or in the inflatable duckies, we recommend the duckies!
• 1 Lower New River Full Day Rafting

Tips for a Rafting Adventure in New River Gorge

• Rafting season is from May-October
• Bring and wear sunscreen and bug spray
• Wear a long sleeve shirt and pants to avoid sunburn, but pack aloe vera just in case
• Wear water shoes or Tevas during the rafting
• Research and confirm weather before your trip so you can pack accordingly
• West Virginia roads are narrow and windy in lots of places, especially as you are driving through the gorge
• Have cash to tip the guides

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Shop: Trip Itineraries ⁠& ⁠Amazon Storefront ⁠

Connect: ⁠YouTube⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. Submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising.

On this week's Just the Tip we share our best advice for saving money on the hotels you book! Accommodation costs can really add up and often is the top cost driver for a trip. Use our tips to save a few bucks without sacrificing any of the quality in your stay.

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Trip Meet Up: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠New River Gorge Rafting Weekend June 7-10, 2024⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In this weeks Travel Flashback Episode we are taking you to Mesa Verde National Park in Southern Colorado to experience the 800+ year old Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings. These incredibly well-preserved ancient ruins will really get you going as you walk through actual steps and pathways the Ancient Puebloan people did nearly a century before. We visited Cliff Palace, Long House, and Balcony House on this trip, all which require a guided tour. Guided tours can be booked on ⁠recreation.gov.⁠ In this episode we share what you’ll see on those tours, tips for visiting Mesa Verde National Park, and make you feel like you’re exploring the park with us.

Cortez, CO is the nearest town to Mesa Verde National Park, here are some hotels we either stayed in or considered, and that we recommend you stay in while visiting.

• ⁠Baymont by Wyndham Cortez⁠ - We stayed here and really like the indoor pool and terrarium look and feel of the levels and balcony walkways.
• ⁠Hampton Inn Mesa Verde/Cortez⁠
• ⁠Retro Inn at Mesa Verde⁠ - Super unique spot!

We did this trip in two days of tours, but you can fit it all in during one day! We recommend a ⁠Mesa Verde tour with Viator⁠ that gives you 9-hours through the park and dwellings with a tour guide to give you the history behind each spot.

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Connect:⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠⁠, and⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. Submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising.