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Things to do in Riyadh, Saudi (save and share this Things to do in Riyadh, Saudi (save and share this post)!

1. Visit historical Diriyah! This is the birthplace of the first Saudi state, its extremely well preserved and a must see UNESCO site. We did a 2 hour guided tour and I highly recommend.

2. Have lunch at Najd Village which is a restaurant that serves traditional meals in a traditional setting (sitting on the floor, eating with your hands). The entire restaurant is built in the old Nadj lifestyle so you can see the architecture of the past. The food was amazing and the ambiance is equally beautiful.

3. Explore the red sand dunes which I highlighted in my last reel. You can do dunebashing, sandboarding, ATVing and more.

4. Walk around The Boulevard- it’s an outdoor entertainment area with shops, restaurants and more. There’s an area that replicates Times Square and then other parts reminded me on the Vegas strip, perfect place to spend an evening for dinner.

5. Face your fear of heights and walk across the skybridge at the Kingdom Centre Tower. It’s 300 meters above the ground with amazing views of the city. Don’t worry it’s enclosed!

6. Visit the National Museum of Saudi Arabia.

7. Walk around the Masmak Fort, it’s free!

8. See the Edge of the World, one of the most famous spots in Saudi.

I’m very glad I got to see Saudi for myself, next stop, exploring the city of Jeddah! Would you do any of these activities?

📸 @chrispriestley__ and @nadjowa
Things to do in Riyadh, Saudi (save and share this Things to do in Riyadh, Saudi (save and share this post)!

1. Visit historical Diriyah! This is the birthplace of the first Saudi state, its extremely well preserved and a must see UNESCO site. We did a 2 hour guided tour and I highly recommend.

2. Have lunch at Najd Village which is a restaurant that serves traditional meals in a traditional setting (sitting on the floor, eating with your hands). The entire restaurant is built in the old Nadj lifestyle so you can see the architecture of the past. The food was amazing and the ambiance is equally beautiful.

3. Explore the red sand dunes which I highlighted in my last reel. You can do dunebashing, sandboarding, ATVing and more.

4. Walk around The Boulevard- it’s an outdoor entertainment area with shops, restaurants and more. There’s an area that replicates Times Square and then other parts reminded me on the Vegas strip, perfect place to spend an evening for dinner.

5. Face your fear of heights and walk across the skybridge at the Kingdom Centre Tower. It’s 300 meters above the ground with amazing views of the city. Don’t worry it’s enclosed!

6. Visit the National Museum of Saudi Arabia.

7. Walk around the Masmak Fort, it’s free!

8. See the Edge of the World, one of the most famous spots in Saudi.

I’m very glad I got to see Saudi for myself, next stop, exploring the city of Jeddah! Would you do any of these activities?

📸 @chrispriestley__ and @nadjowa
#Ad This summer I have plans to do a lot of outdoo #Ad This summer I have plans to do a lot of outdoor activities, and protecting my skin while being out in the sun is extremely important! Since I frequently travel with others, having a sunscreen that everyone can use is a must, which is why I’m loving the new @coppertoneusa Complete sunscreen! 

It passed the most important tests for me when looking at sunscreen, it leaves no white cast on my skin, is lightweight, moisturizing, provides UVA and UVB sun protection, and is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes! 

This new sunscreen allows me to pack light while providing the entire group with the sun protection we need. What sunny summer plans do you have? #Coppertone #ItsGreatOutdoors
Saving money anywhere we can is key to us being ab Saving money anywhere we can is key to us being able to travel frequently. @Priceline makes it easy to save on hotels with their Priceline Express Deals®, which can save us up to 60% off published hotel rates for all the major hotels and more. While you won't be able to see the hotel name until after you've paid, you can filter what you see by choosing your preferred neighborhood and amenities of your choice, then let Priceline do the rest. I used it to get an amazing hotel in La Jolla on one of our trips to San Diego, what trips do you have coming up that you're looking to save on hotels? Tap the link in bio to download the app now to save on your next trip. #PricelineExpressDeals #PricelinePartner
“There’s no dream too big or too small”, tha “There’s no dream too big or too small”, that’s the mantra of the girls favorite gymnast, Simone Biles, and one we personally live by. They’re in gymnastics and swim and outside of these regular activities you’ve all seen them try skiing, surfing, hang-gliding and more. None of these come easy but they know that there is nothing they can’t accomplish as long as they work towards their goals just as Simone Biles does. They were so excited to find out Simone has her own collection at @athleta and are now convinced these outfits give them super powers🤣. Which one of these outfits is your favorite? #PowerOfShe #AthletaGirl #AthletaPartner
There’s more to Jordan than Petra and Wadi Rum! There’s more to Jordan than Petra and Wadi Rum! We got to spend time in Feynan and one morning while there Jordyn and I woke up early to go on a hike through this nature reserve. Our @nike gear from @kohls was perfect for the climate. 

We both loved that we matched from head to toe in our #nikesportswear and we’re able to find attire in beautiful colors. You can actually walk from Petra to Feynan, it only takes 3 days 😅 and lots of people do it. While the two of us did not do that we loved exploring this land of the Bedouin. 

What have been the best/most memorable places you have hiked? #kohlsfinds #kohlspartner
Happy Carnival Tuesday! The wait is over, registra Happy Carnival Tuesday! The wait is over, registration for Trinidad Carnival 2023 has officially begun with a pop up registration today for those who played Mas in 2020. 

The world is absolutely crazy right now, there is so much turmoil and inhumane things going on. Obviously Carnival is not important in the grand scheme of things but today I’m happy to have it to look forward to because Carnival brings me lots of joys. I’m ready for di road!

Have you been to Trinidad Carnival or any other carnival? Which one(s)?

If you’re interested in Carnival but don’t know where to start I have a blog post on everything you need to know about planning a trip to Trinidad Carnival on my website, link is in my bio.

#trinidadcarnival #blacktravel #caribbeangirl #thetravelingchildintrinidad

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8 Tips to Guarantee a Great Airbnb Experience

August 7, 2018      Trip Planning Tips

This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more information. All opinions are my own.

We absolutely love Airbnb and have stayed in over 15 Airbnb homes! These include our $60/night Airbnb in Bangkok to our 15 person rental in Venice to our stays in Amsterdam, Costa Rica and Cuba. With all these booking we have become experts in picking a rental homes. If you haven’t joined Airbnb yet, sign up here and save $40 on your first stay. No need to be nervous about booking an Airbnb, just follow my 8 Tips to Guarantee a Great Airbnb Experience.

Woman sitting on a bed in a bedroom

Read the Airbnb Reviews

It is very important to read the reviews of the Airbnb host. While you shouldn’t let one person’s negative experience taint all the positive reviews be very diligent in reading as many reviews as possible. Unlike a hotel, there isn’t a manager you can go downstairs to speak with if something is not to your liking to get it fixed immediately.

Be Wary of Booking Airbnb Hosts With No Reviews 

I know that every Airbnb host has to start somewhere but I’m not interested in my family being a host’s guinea pig. I personally only book properties that have a minimum of 10 reviews with at least 3 being in the past 2 months. The only time I break this rule is if the host has other properties with excellent reviews. Airbnb has Super Hosts who have multiple properties and maintain a positive rating of 95% and above so I at least know the host is trustworthy and keeps up their properties.

Review the Airbnb Listings Photos

The photos are just as important as the reviews. They will show you exactly what to expect in the home, bedroom configurations, bathroom set-up, TVs, etc. If it looks a mess in the photos it will most likely look a mess in real life. When reviewing photos of the home check for consistencies in the listing. If you find there aren’t photos of the bathroom or the listing states 3 bedrooms but you only see pictures of 2 ask the host to provide there. If they’re reluctant it’s probably a bad sign.

This is the Airbnb we stayed in during our trip to Honolulu, it was half the cost of getting a hotel. Amenities included free parking, a washer/dryer, and restaurants on the same block.

Research the Location of the Airbnb

While Airbnb won’t provide the exact address of the rental until your booking is made it does give the proximity if you look at the location map. With this, you can typically find nearby cross streets that will allow you to figure out the neighborhood. Be sure to research this for safety as well as access to public transportation. If you’ll be without a car you’ll want to know how walkable the area is.

Message the Airbnb Host

Even if the listing is an Instant Booking I always message the host first. This allows me to see how quickly they respond and how helpful they are. If it takes them days to respond to your inquiry of when you’re trying to put cash in their pockets imagine how poorly their responses will be once they have it.

woman holding child in front of a green house

Ask for Any Special Requests Up Front

One of the things I love most about Airbnb is their hosts typically are much better at accommodating special requests. When traveling to Europe we typically take the red-eye landing us in our destination at 6 or 7AM. While most hotels won’t allow you to check in that early, most Airbnb hosts will and at no additional cost but ask in advance. As someone who travels with young children this is a huge deal as we usually need a nap before heading out to explore.

Determine What You Need to Bring and What is Provided

While unlimited towels, wash clothes, soap and other basics are expected at hotels not all Airbnb’s offer these. If it’s not clear in the listing ask your host if there are any basic amenities you need to bring.

Confirm the Check-In Procedure

Each Airbnb is different when it comes to checking in. In some cases, the host will meet you at the home to let you in and show you around. Other times there will be a lockbox with the key or a door with a keypad. We have also stayed in homes where we picked the key up from a neighbor or neighborhood store clerk. Just be clear of the check-in prior to your arrival so there aren’t any surprises when you get there.

Once you arrive to your Airbnb do a walkthrough of the place to check for any major issues. Look for things like misrepresented photos, an incorrect location, or cleanliness issues. If things are unacceptable take photos and be sure to contact Airbnb’s customer service immediately. Contacting them within 24 hours can make processing any necessary refund easier.

Why Stay in an Airbnb?

As a family of four Airbnb has saved us a lot of money and given our kids a lot more space to run around over a cramped hotel room, like our family-friendly Airbnb in Copenhagen. We get to live like locals and have a kitchen to cook meals when we don’t feel like eating out. Now sit back, relax and enjoy the savings and extra space booking an Airbnb has given you. Don’t forget to save $40 on your first stay by signing up here.

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The Traveling Child is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

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  1. 7 Days in Hawaii: The Big Island and Oahu says:
    August 28, 2018 at 3:14 am

    […] Related: 8 Tips to Guarantee a Great Airbnb Experience […]

  2. 7 Days in Costa Rica says:
    August 28, 2018 at 4:15 pm

    […] Related: 8 Tips for a Great Airbnb Experience […]

  3. 12 Ways to Earn Miles Towards Free Flights says:
    August 29, 2018 at 3:27 pm

    […] Delta Airlines also has an exclusive partnership with Airbnb and you can earn 1 mile per dollar spent on all Airbnb stays when booking through www.deltaairbnb.com. Don’t already use Airbnb? Sign-up here and get a $40 credit towards your first stay. Nervous about staying in an Airbnb, read this: 8 Tips to Guarantee a Great Airbnb Experience. […]

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Hey, I’m Monet!

Hey, I’m Monet!

A full time working woman, wife and mama of two. I use every last one of my vacation days traveling with my kids, hubby, friends or solo. Join me as I share my travel experiences and tips to make travel affordable and easier with the little ones. You can read more about me here.

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