The Talking Suitcase

Cruise & Curated Travel Specialist

Travel Gift Guide for Men: Gift Ideas for the Man Who Loves to Travel

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Looking for gift ideas for the man in your life?  My husband is notoriously difficult to buy gifts for and usually refuses to give us any ideas. So I’ve tracked down some fun and unique travel related gifts that the kids are just itching to buy.  No more “World’s Best Dad” mugs or power tools from us!

:: Get Lost On Purpose Tee –

  • Designed in California
  • Vintage Black Tee
  • 65/35 Polyester Cotton Blend

:: Bose wireless headphones

  • Great for flights and tuning out the kids arguing
  • Deep, immersive sound, improved eq-best-in-class performance for wireless headphones. Connectivity Technology: Wired/Wireless
  • Latest Bluetooth technology for easy connectivity and seamless audio/video syncs

:: Personalized Luggage Tag –

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Things to Do and Tips to Travel Helsinki, Finland with Teens and Tweens

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Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

Finland has been on K’s bucketlist for years. He saw a photo on Instagram and decided then and there he just had to visit. So when planning our Scandinavian Adventure, we knew we had to spend a few days in the Finnish capital.  Helsinki is a cool mix of old and new, family friendly, and is extremely easy to navigate via public transportation. If you’re visiting for the first time, we put together a list of things to do, places to eat, how to arrive and more tips to travel Helsinki with teens and tweens.

Despite the rainy and chill weather, we found Helsinki to be a beautiful city with friendly people looking forward to welcoming summer.  We had 72 hour Helsinki Cards but didn’t get to put them fully to use. We were about a week early for the seasonal  attractions to start opening. Lucky for us, the passes did include public transport. We took full advantage and jumped on the tram instead of walking to avoid the rain showers – plus we didn’t have to worry about any extra costs!

Helsinki has so much to offer families that you could easily spend more than 3 days enjoying the city, especially in the summer.  We’ve put together some of the best things to do in Helsinki with kids. The list includes activities we were able to do as well as activities we wanted to do but weren’t yet open.

Top 10 Things to Do – Travel Helsinki with Teens

1. Visit Fortress of Suomenlinna via ferry

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Suggested Itineraries for Stockholm, Sweden with Teens & Tweens {48 hours in Stockholm}

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Even if you only have 48 hours to dedicate to Stockholm, you can still see a great deal of the city in such a short amount of time. We spent three nights as part of our 2-week Scandinavian adventure and while we didn’t get to see everything on our list, we were still able to gain a great appreciation for the city. We put together suggested itineraries for Stockholm, Sweden that will be perfect for teens, tweens, their parents and grandparents. It’s never easy to find things 3 generations will enjoy, but we gave it our best shot!

English speakers will have no problem in the city as most Swedes speak perfect English. Many signs and menus are in Swedish and English, so it’s an easy European country to visit without fear of a language barrier.

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What to See in Oslo, Norway with Teens and Tweens {Fun Things to See in Oslo in 24 Hours}

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We started our Scandinavian adventure in Norway! Researching flights from both the USA and Nice, France, we determined that the cheapest city to fly into was Oslo. My parents snagged an incredible $900.42 round trip airfare from Dulles to Oslo for both of them by booking early. Once that was settled, it was time to start determining what to see in Oslo, Norway.  Traveling with a tween, a teen and my parents, we had to do a lot of research to ensure we were visiting places the entire family enjoyed. We’ve included all our recommendations for things to see in Oslo in just 24 hours as well as accommodation and food ideas.

What to See in Oslo, Norway with Teens and Tweens

We downloaded the Oslo Pass App and got our passes prior to arriving in the city. In addition to free access into many attractions, we were able to get free transportation as well, including the ferry (see below). We were only in Oslo for a short time, so we had to make the most out of our 24 hour Oslo Pass.

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10 Most Instagramable Spots in Nice, France: Photos to Inspire Your Visit

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Nice is a beautiful city full of sunshine, brightly colored buildings and a sparkling sea. While most of the city is picture perfect, we picked 10 of the most instagramable spots in Nice to help make your Instagram account pop.  Check out some of our favorite Nice, France photos to inspire your visit.

Castle Hill

Promenade View

Are you following us on Instagram?

Head up to Castle Hill (La Colline de Château) for sweeping views over the city of Nice and the Mediterranean Sea. It’s one of the most photographed locations, so don’t miss snapping a photo or three from this vantage point.

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