Travel Blog

Calling all cat people! In celebration of International Cat Day, we called on a global wild cat conservation organization to share where in the world we can get the best views of our favorite felines in their natural environment. And at the same time, support communities to rebuild the eco-tourism that supports big cats’ preservation in the destinations people and wild cats share. Panthera has shared a list of five destinations worldwide where eco-tourists are almost guaranteed to encounter jaguars, leopards,...

Prepared incorrectly, it’s 1200 times more toxic than cyanide! Yet this fish has been a treasured delicacy for nearly three thousand years - and foodies with a daredevil streak make sure to include it on their list of dishes they must try on a visit to Japan.Fugu is Japanese for various species of pufferfish or blowfish, as well as dishes prepared from these fish.Their English names reflect their ability to inflate into the shape of a ball up to three times their...

Smart selfie-taking isn’t about how to use your camera, or how to compose a nice shot that doesn’t make your nose look huge. Professional journalists and experienced photographers and camera operators learn safety and ethical guidelines for their work. And those same best practices should be used by everyone taking photos and videos on their trips close to home and around the world.As a professional journalist, and trained, experienced content creator, here are my top selfie-taking tips to keep you...

Are you worried about delayed, misplaced and missing baggage on your next trip. Don’t worry! We've got your back with essential tips to make sure your holiday isn’t ruined by baggage blues. Producer and host of BestTrip TV, Lynn Elmhirst, explains.  Carry On Heroes For many people, their first solution is to not check bags at all. I suppose there are some people making rather short trips with little variation in clothing who can do that, and if you are one of...

Looking for inspiration for your next holiday close to home? These new hotel openings are the perfect excuse for a short haul vacation in an all-new environment. From sophisticated urban centers to the Great Outdoors, from beaches to deserts, mountains to cityscapes, these diverse hotels give you the perfect excuse to call your travel advisor to plan a getaway soon!Massachussets Life House, Lenox, Berkshires, features a cozy library lounge with a crackling fireplace, an outdoor firepit, intimate cocktail club and a...

Ultra-luxury cruise line Seabourn has debuted its first expedition ship, Seabourn Venture. The newest ship in the Seabourn fleet set sail on its inaugural voyage from Tromsø, Norway, on the 27th ofJuly, bound for the Arctic and the Svalbard Archipelago with its complement of about 250 guests.Outfitted for AdventureSeabourn Venture was purpose-built for exploration and appointed with features and amenities to enrich and enlighten guests on board, on shore, and even beneath the waves.Seabourn Venture is a ‘Polar Class’ PC6 ship...

Blame it on irresponsible influencers or out-of-control bachelor/ette parties. But some of Europe’s most beloved destinations are cracking down on masses of visitors whose actions are changing the local atmosphere – for the worse. Authorities in these favorite European destinations are setting new rules for what they see as tourists behaving badly. Don’t be that guy. You’re not that guy… are you? By: Lynn Elmhirst, Producer/ Host BestTrip TV Venice’s Tourist Tax Venice has been one of the original poster children for what we...

One of the top reasons many travellers take a European river cruise is for the wine. The banks of many of Europe’s rivers provide the perfect combination of drainage and sun exposure for the cultivation of vines that produce some very famous wines. But one of the best wine river cruises in the world doesn’t require a long haul flight.Lynn Elmhirst, Producer and Host of BestTrip TV, explains.The Pacific Northwest’s increasingly-acclaimed wine regions have a river flowing through them. Oregon and...

Move over pumpkin patch. Step away from the apple bobbing booth. Harvest festivals aren’t limited to rural and small town traditions of northern climes memorialized in Norman Rockwell artwork. Almost every culture in the world with agricultural roots has some kind of harvest festival – and Barbados' ‘Crop Over’ heats up summer with a distinctly ‘islands’ way of celebrating its traditional conclusion of the sugar cane harvest.While the agricultural tradition dates back to sugar plantations in Barbados (and several other Caribbean...

The farther you have to travel, the more important comfort is on the way there. So it’s no surprise that the national airline of one of the most remote destinations in the world is championing in-flight sleep. Air New Zealand has unveiled plans for its new Dreamliner aircraft, scheduled for service beginning in 2024, with what it’s calling “the best sleep in the sky” – for everyone. 'New Zealand's location puts us in a unique position to lead on the ultra-long haul...

New bicycle routes across the U.S. have added 650 miles of possibilities for people who love to see the world on two wheels. The Adventure Cycling Association, the largest cycling membership organization in North America, has revealed three new cycling routes along historic Route 66 in Oklahoma, through Minnesota’s 10,000 Lakes, and along the Delaware River. The new routes in Oklahoma and Delaware are the first U.S. Bicycle Routes in those states, while the new route in Minnesota is its...

It’s officially summer, and the big holiday weekend of the season spells festive get-togethers and celebrations in the sun and the heat. Well, you can take a cue from a year-round hot-weather destination and spice up your summer salad with a salad recipe from Antigua and Barbuda that hits the spot this hot holiday weekend. This distinctly tropical salad is simple yet oh so delicious and refreshing – and adults only! It features a large watermelon and is infused with...

Kick off summer on a quest. For the very first time, a statewide trail helps active travelers get off the beaten path, connecting them to over two dozen waterfalls across the most scenic parts of West Viriginia. The 29 waterfalls of the official West Virginia Waterfall Trail are just a ‘drop in the bucket’ of the more than 200 waterfalls found in picturesque places around the state.Chasing Waterfalls in America’s Newest National Park Included on the trail are six waterfalls...

2022 is a great year to be an anglophile! Queen Elizabeth II’s history-making Platinum Jubilee, marking her remarkable 70 years of service, plus a new Downton Abbey film, have brought all things British to the forefront of popular culture. Interest in travel to Britain is at an all-time high to experience Britain’s storied pomp and circumstance, English culture and quirk, and immerse yourself in one of the world’s most adored and copied lifestyles, from cricket to rowing, afternoon tea to...

Koalas and kangaroos, beaches and beer and ‘bugs’ (lobster-like shellfish), deserts and mountains and rivers iconic in the Southern hemisphere, and that famous Aussie lifestyle and hospitality! There are so many reasons to put a trip to Australia on your travel list – including these new, luxury hotels that make a trip anywhere in Australia just a little more exciting with anticipation.  From the first-ever Ace Hotel in the southern hemisphere, to the biggest W Hotel in the world, Australia’s...

Global Wellness Day this year is June 11th, just as we are getting back into travel. Wellness travel has been a growing trend for several years, and the pandemic has given a whole new perspective to what we think about wellness, self-care, and good living.Travel plays a big part in a balanced lifestyle. As the Wellness Tourism Association explains, small changes and good new habits can have an impact on our health. And that’s where wellness travel can come in....

With so many celebrations put on ‘hold’ over the last couple of years, we knew when people started getting together to mark life’s great milestones again, it was going to be big.How big?Well, according to a new survey conducted by an online travel company, destination weddings and honeymoons are going ‘mega.’The survey of American couples found that a whopping 97% - nearly all – honeymoon plans over the last two-plus years were affected by the pandemic.  Plans were either downsized, or canceled altogether.And...

Or… why will foodies flock to Toronto this fall? That’s when Canada’s largest city becomes only the sixth destination in North America – and the first Canadian city – to be ranked among the crème de la crème of the world’s gastronomic locations. That’s when the first MICHELIN guide for Toronto will be published. It joins just a rarefied handful of destinations on the continent in getting the seal of approval from the ‘high church’ of culinary credentials. And those of...

The breakout TV series is the stuff of travel fantasy, but you don’t have to be a fictional character to have a dream trip to France.The good life, Parisian-style, eye-catching fashion center-stage and a thread of romance against a backdrop of one stunning City of Lights setting after another, Emily in Paris on Netflix follows the French adventures of a young American woman living the dream when her luxury marketing job is relocated to Paris.The pure escapism of the streaming series,...

A recent survey of the most popular hashtags in travel photo posts in social media wasn’t a scientific study. But it did generate a clear winner of the title “World’s Most Photogenic Beach.” That honor went to the seven miles of shorelines and sparkling waters of South Florida’s legendary Miami Beach. If it’s been a while since you indulged in the surfside views and epic lifestyle of one of America’s most famous beaches and beach towns, here are some experiences that...