4 Smart Money-Saving Travel Tips to Help You Vacation More

Summer Vacation Ideas That Don't Require A Passport

New Orleans, Louisiana

It's an understatement to say that New Orleans is festive. While we all know about Mardi Gras, it's safe to say there's something fun going on all year round. Our favorite area to explore is the famed French Quarter, but we recommend booking a hotel in the slightly tamer Garden District or a haunted property elsewhere in town. Luckily, NOLA is highly walkable and Ubers are readily available, which makes it so much easier to see it all. Get spooked on a ghost tour with Free Tours by Foot (they offer a variety of other, non-occult tours too!). Dance the night away on Frenchman Street, where the best jazz musicians in the city play.

Napa Valley, California

It's hard to believe that Napa Valley is only 50 miles from San Francisco and the bay area. The region, which is made up of five towns (Calistoga, St. Helena, Yountville, American Canyon, and the city of Napa), is tucked between two mountain ranges. This means that the scenic views are endless, whether you're having a vineyard day or strolling through town. For a first visit, we recommend staying in Napa (colloquially known as Downtown Napa). Visitors will love the riverfront promenade and Napa Valley Wine Train. Yountville, the charming home to multiple Michelin Star restaurants, and Calistoga, which is a mix of Napa and Sonoma, are both absolutely worth a day trip while you're there, too.

Joshua Tree, California

Joshua Tree was designed with nature girlies in mind! It's made up of two different deserts, both with their own unique landscape, and dozens of picturesque hiking trails. The national park is just a two hour drive from Los Angeles, so flying into LAX is best if you're not a SoCal local. Make a list of your can't miss hikes (we recommend Hidden Valley) and get an early start. After a morning of hiking, cool off at a hot springs hotel (day passes are available for $8-$45, depending on the location).

Summer Vacation Ideas That Are A Short Flight Away

Toronto, Canada

Toronto is one of Canada's biggest (and most famous) cities. Fun fact: most NYC scenes in movies and TV shows are often shot in Toronto, thanks to the city's expansive skyline. Air Canada allows passengers to schedule a layover of up to 7 days in Toronto for free, but we think there's enough here to warrant a trip of it's own. One of the most iconic spots to visit is Casa Loma, a 98-room castle that's one of Toronto's most famous landmarks. Venture down Philosophers Walk, a scenic footpath, and spend the afternoon in Baldwin Village, famous for it's small shops and foodie-approved eateries.

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Montego Bay is a lazy girl's best friend. While it's a tropical paradise that any traveler would adore, the hotels go above and beyond to ensure you never have to (nor want to) leave. Check into the S Hotel and spend your days enjoying the crystal clear beaches, dreamy pools, and delicious restaurants located right on site (there are four of them!). If you're feeling adventurous, book a catamaran tour or go rafting down the Marta Brae River.

International Summer Vacation Ideas Totally Worth The Trip

Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu is one of the seven modern wonders of the world, and something you have to see to truly believe. To get there, fly into Lima and spend a few days in the coastal city. From there, take a domestic flight (1-2 hours) to Cuzco and begin making your way to the mountains. Getting around the small mountain towns of Peru is no joke, so I recommend joining a guided tour for ease. Stay overnight in a traditional hacienda to continue taking in the beauty of your surroundings, and consider extending your trip to visit the Rainbow Mountains.

Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town has a little bit of everything: pristine beaches, vibrant city life, and untouched natural wonders. An extremely walkable port city, every neighborhood has its own personality. Check out the street art in the Woodstock neighborhood and then enjoy a fresh seafood lunch near the V&A Waterfront. Visit Boulders Beach, where several species of penguins live in harmony right on the beach. Take a day trip to the regions famous wineries, like Stellenbosch or Franschhoek, both of which are just two hours out from Cape Town proper. Spend two days on the Western Cape, where you can go on an African Safari and get up close and personal with the best of South Africa's wildlife.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Within the past few years, Denmark's capital has emerged from under-the-radar locale to a must-see destination for in-the-know travelers. Copenhagen was named one of the happiest cities in the world and in our expert opinion, it's also one of the most beautiful, thanks to Nyhavn, the famous 17th century harbor. First time visitors should stay downtown in Indre By, which is centrally located to fun activities and some of the most picturesque parts of the city. We recommend Hotel Bethel or The Socialist, for a more luxe hotel option. Stroll down the waterway and explore the medieval architecture, like Rosenborg Castle. Wander into Tivoli Gardens, a small amusement park with aesthetic gardens. Embrace the playfulness of Scandi Girl style, by supporting CPH-based designers like Saks Potts and Ganni.

Santorini, Greece

When thinking about Greece, Santorini is the first thing to come to mind. And for good reason! The infamous white-and-blue buildings have made their way into (almost) every piece of media surrounding Greece, and for all the girlies who grew up on a diet of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants rewatches, it makes our Y2K hearts happy knowing that the idyllic island exceeds expectations IRL. Since others have heard about the magic of Santorini as well, we recommend visiting at the beginning or end of the season to avoid the crowds and high prices. Oia and Thera are the most popular towns, but staying on the eastern side of the island will offer a more low-key and secluded getaway. We love Imerovigli, which offers an unobstructed view of the volcanic crater. To get the full experience, stay in a cave hotel. We love Perivolas Hotel for a luxe option, or The Architects Cave for a midrange hotel.

Seoul, South Korea

South Korea is a small country with so much to see and do. Make Seoul as your home base, and plan day trips to other areas of interest. Start in Hongdae, Seoul's most vibrant neighborhood, where you can try the newest street food and see edgy fashion trends up close. From there, make your way to Gyeongui Line Forest Park, a disused railway line turned lush, 3.7 mile walking trail. Venture into historic Seoul with a trip to Gyeongbokgung Palace, which was first built in 1395.

Marrakesh, Morocco

Morocco may seem like a world away, but with a 7 hour flight from NYC, it's actually closer than most of Western Europe. Fly direct into Casablanca, where you should stay for 1-2 days until you get sick of quoting the famous film. From there, catch the high speed train to Marrakesh, which is even more aesthetic than Instagram would have you believe. Check into La Mamounia (Anna Delvey's hotel of choice) and take your time exploring the local markets. Plan a morning at the Jardin Majorelle, Yves Saint Laurent's picturesque garden, and take pictures at the famed Ben Youssef Madrasa.

Bikinis

Malai Tori Underwire Bikini Top + Malai Hella Cool High-Waisted Bikini Bottoms

This moody suit is fit with different shades of pink to amp up the feminine vibes this spring and summer. While the top is a bit more revealing, the bottoms are def more modest, with a high waist and generous bottom coverage.

Aerie Beach Babe Gingham Voop Bikini Top + Full Coverage Bikini Bottom

The multicolor gingham pattern on this swimsuit is unique and will make your look fully your own this summer! The top of this bikini features some light ruching to flatter and shape your figure. The overall silhouette is pretty basic, so you can be sure the fit feels great.​

Out From Under All The Roses Bandeau Bikini Top + Bikini Bottom

Rosettes are still all the rage, so embrace their trendiness with this bandeau swimmie! The aqua blue and hot pink combo feels wonderfully Barbie-esque. Let's go swim!

PacSun Eco Fruit Bre Triangle Bikini Top + High Cut Bikini Bottom

Little fruit illustrations dot this bikini, and it's too cute to ignore! Summer already makes us crave a massive fruit bowl, but with this swimsuit, you can amp up the fruity vibes even more! The straps on both the bottom and top contrast with the overall print, drawing some nice visual interest to your look.

Wild Fable Textured Striped Triangle Bikini Top + High Waist Cheeky Boyshorts

This set is just what we need for summertime. The bottoms come in boyshort form, which is honestly so nice for the days we want more coverage down there. The electric green color really speaks for itself, making you stand out amongst the crowd!

L Space Hazel Ribbed Bikini Top + Nora Bitsy Bikini Bottoms

This trendy piece by L Space is bound to be the swimsuit of the season! The limited color palette means there's endless matching potential, plus the suit itself is fairly modest so you can feel confident and comfy all (beach) day long.

Aerie Shine Rib String Triangle Bikini Top + Cheekiest Tie Bikini Bottom

Anything colorful, rainbow, or multicolor is gonna catch our eye, which is why we had to include this Aerie swimsuit! In addition to a tie-back design on both the bottoms and top, this suit features some sleek gold rings as hardware to keep the look chic as ever.​

Shade & Shore Triangle Ribbed Bikini Top + High Leg Side-Tie Bikini Bottom

This slightly-ribbed bikini comes in a handful of different colors, but we adore this blue. It just feels so serene, setting the relaxing tone for your spring and summer getaways. The stringy fit sees that you get a ton of sun!

Beach Riot Eva Colorblock Rib Bikini Top + High Waist Bikini Bottoms

The neon color-way on this swimsuit reminds us of the 80s (in the best way). Throw it back this summer by donning this colorful two-piece! The high-waisted bottoms ensure maximum comfort, no matter what activity you're doing. This is an excellent choice is you're searching for swimsuits that are more modest.

One Piece Swimsuits

Belle The Label Ruched Maillot One-Piece Swimsuit

The ruching on the sides of this suit will flatter your figure with ease! This one piece also comes in a wide range of other colors to match your summer vibe perfectly.

Sea Level Interlace Seamless Bandeau One-Piece Swimsuit

Chartreuse is one of our fave colors, and sporting it this spring and summer just makes sense. Especially if it's this lightly-textured one piece with removable, adjustable straps!​

Old Navy One-Piece Swimsuit

The nautical, tropical print on this Old Navy one piece will instantly send you into vacation mode, no matter where you wear it!

free-est Amber One-Piece Swimsuit

The open back design on this one piece swimsuit lets your beach or pool look breathe, allowing the opportunity for some more sun, too!

Anisa Makhoul Patchwork One-Piece Swimsuit

The graphics on this swimsuit are so adorable, and so picturesque. Show it off, gal!

Shade & Shore Square Neck Wide Binding One Piece Swimsuit

This chic square-neck swimsuit has the cutest amount of color blocking. The white pops against the green to make sure all heads turn toward you this season!

Billabong X It's Now Cool Gradient One-Piece Swimsuit

We're suckers for colorful gradients. Now, you can wear it on your swimsuits!

Old Navy Shine Wrap-Front Swimsuit

Keep shining all spring and summer long with this wrap-front swimmie from Old Navy! It definitely supplies enough coverage on the top and bottom, so you can feel comfy!

Is "thanK you aIMee" actually about Taylor Swift & Kim Kardashian?

There is plenty of evidence suggesting "thanK you aIMee" is about Kim Kardashian & Taylor Swift. The first and most obvious is that the title of the song only has three letters capitalized: "KIM." The song talks about "Aimee" (who Taylor admits actually has a different name in real life), a bully figure who beats Taylor's spirit "black and blue."

In the summer of 2016, Kanye West (Kim's husband at the time) released his song "Famous," in which he takes total credit for Taylor's fame following the 2009 VMAs incident. Taylor claimed she never gave him permission to call her a bitch in the song, a video leak from Kim seemed to show the opposite (the video turned out to be edited). At the time, Kim even told GQ that “[Taylor] totally knew that that was coming out. She wanted to all of a sudden act like she didn’t.”

#TaylorSwiftIsOverParty started trending on Twitter, Taylor Swift deleted all social media and stopped doing interviews for three years, then returned with a vengeance on the "Look What You Made Me Do" music video in 2017. The video starts off with a zombie Taylor burying the "nicer" version of herself.

Taylor Swift's "thanK you aIMee" mentions "It wasn't a fair fight or a clean kill // Each time that Aimee stomped across my gravе // And then she wrote hеadlines // In the local paper, laughing at each baby step I'd take." If you ask me, it definitely sounds like a reference to the music video and maybe even Kim's interviews.

Why does "thanK you aIMee" have random capital letters?

Taylor Swift loves hiding clues in her titles, lyrics, and messages. And historically, she's hidden words by using random capital letters. That means "thanK you aIMee" is supposed to draw our eyes to "KIM."

The Lyrics To "thanK you aIMee"

Verse 1: When I picture my hometown // There's a bronze spray-tanned statue of you // And a plaque underneath it // That threatens to push me down the stairs at our school

Pre-Chorus: And it was always the same searing pain // But I dreamed that, one day, I could say

Chorus: All that time you were throwin' punches, I was buildin' somethin' // And I can't forgive the way you made me feel // Screamed, "F*ck you, Aimee" to the night sky as the blood was gushin' // But I can't forget the way you made me heal

Verse 2: And it wasn't a fair fight or a clean kill // Each time that Aimee stomped across my gravе // And then she wrote hеadlines // In the local paper, laughing at each baby step I'd take

Pre-Chorus: And it was always the same searing pain // But I prayed that, one day, I could say

Chorus: All that time you were throwin' punches, I was buildin' somethin' // And I couldn't wait to show you it was real // Screamed, "F*ck you, Aimee" to the night sky as the blood was gushin' // But I can't forget the way you made me heal // Everyone knows that my mother is a saintly woman // But she used to say she wished that you were dead // I pushed each boulder up the hill // Your words are still just ringing in my head, ringing in my head

Verse 3: I wrote a thousand songs that you find uncool // I built a legacy, which you can't undo // But when I count the scars, there's a moment of truth // That there wouldn't be this if there hadn't been you

Bridge: And maybe you've reframed it // And in your mind, you never beat my spirit black and blue // I don't think you've changed much // And so I changed your name and any real defining clues // And one day, your kid comes home singin' // A song that only us two is gonna know is about you, 'cause

Chorus: All that time you were throwin' punches, it was all for nothin' // And our town, it looks so small from way up here // Screamed, "Thank you, Aimee" to the night sky and the stars are stunnin' // 'Cause I can't forget the way you made me heal // Everyone knows that my mother is a saintly woman // But she used to say she wished that you were dead // So I pushed each boulder up that hill // Your words were still just ringin' in my head, ringin' in my head

Outro: Thank you, Aimee // Thank you, Aimee