Travel Blog

Mexico is more than beaches. It’s also a country rich in folklore, traditions, culture, history, nature and cuisine. And some of Mexico’s towns have such a concentration of significance and authentic experiences for visitors, they’ve earned the label “Magical.”  As of 2023, 177 towns in Mexico have been designated “Magical Towns,” or “Pueblos Magicos” by the Mexican government. The program empowers local communities to celebrate and share their unique characteristics, and towns are provided a budget to help maintain the special...

Black Friday is one of the best times of the year to book travel – for more than one reason! Not only will you find some of the best deals of the year, but they allow you to give one of the most precious gifts to your loved ones during the festive season.  Break free from giving things that become worn out, obsolete, forgotten or worse – landfill! – and think about how the gift of travel will enhance your relationship...

Not the Eiffel Tower. Not Rome’s Colosseum. Or even Barcelona’s magnificent Sagrada Familia cathedral by Gaudi. The attraction voted Europe’s best in awards dubbed the “Tourism Oscars” also earned the title of Europe’s Leading Beer Tour Visitor Experience 2023.  Ireland’s Guinness Storehouse is one of the highlights of a visit to Dublin, and walks visitors through the history and the making of one of the world’s most beloved beer brands and Irish cultural icon. Who doesn’t have a pint of Guinness...

The newest Four Seasons resort will change the face of one of the Caribbean’s most popular islands.  Famous for affordable, all-inclusive beach resort vacations, the Dominican Republic’s latest resort will put it on even the most discerning luxury traveler’s map.  The Four Seasons Resort and Residences Dominican Republic at Tropicalia is underway on 60 acres of pristine beachfront of Playa Esmeralda on the country’s northeastern Samana Bay. Scheduled to open in 2026, the 95-room resort will lead the way for a new...

Most of us are pretty careful about sun exposure when we travel on beach vacations these days. It’s hats and sunscreen all the way to protect our skin from the sun’s rays. But how about protecting the ocean we love to visit from the chemicals in our sunscreens?  The rise of "reef-safe" or "reef-friendly" or “ocean-friendly” sunscreen claims has a lot of travelers puzzled about what sunscreen to pack that protects skin without harming the aquatic environment. The Origin of Reef-Safe SunscreensA...

One of the world’s longest rivers, flowing through six Asian countries, makes for an exotic Emerald river cruise to remember – and one that will let you strike a few items off your travel bucket list!  The Mekong River is a majestic waterway that winds its way through Southeast Asia. Dubbed “the Mother of Water,” the Mekong river is the lifeline for millions of people in the region, providing water, nourishing the surrounding land, and supporting the livelihoods of the people...

With more cruise lines getting into expedition cruising, travelers have more options about how they want their expedition cruise experience. From the extremes of barebones to the ultimate in luxe? The choice is yours.  We sailed onboard a Seabourn expedition cruise to the Arctic this summer, and discovered that the ultra-luxe cruise line has perfectly adapted its celebratory style of cruising to the remote, active, and adventurous realms of expeditions. That includes turning memorable moments into ceremonies, and presenting guests with pop-up...

They like to make a splash Down Under. So it’s no surprise the long-anticipated opening of the new W Sydney hotel overlooking Darling Harbour is “making waves.” Its eye-catching, curving architecture adds wave-inspired drama to the harbourfront in Australia’s capital. And it’s the biggest W hotel among the 5 dozen W’s around the world, including two others in Australia, in Melbourne and Brisbane.  The hot, new, 588-room destination in Sydney has already become a new architectural icon for Australia, towering over...

The Czech Republic is already a bucket-list destination for beer lovers, with a beer culture dating back to the 10th century, and continuing today, with renowned brewing traditions and iconic beer styles.  Pilsner Urquell, the world's first pilsner lager, was born in the city of Pilsen, and visitors can explore the Pilsner Urquell Brewery Museum to learn about its history. Czech beer is known for its exceptional quality and flavor, thanks to the use of Saaz hops and soft water from...

The Moselle is one of the rivers less-traveled in Europe, and that’s just the beginning of the magical appeal of an itinerary that sails from Luxembourg, then the Rhine and Main into Germany. Three waterways with two wine regions, a famous stretch of castles, plus “Active” and “Discovery” shore excursions that give new ways to experience the countryside, cities and culture of the region fill a sunny week that also gives us time to relax.  Cruise/travel journalist Lynn Elmhirst sailed on...

It’s the best of both worlds. Part of the appeal of luxury, all-inclusive resorts is the array of dining options on the property where you can enjoy effortless, delightful dining you’ve already paid for.  But what about getting a taste of the local restaurant scene on the rest of the island? And how about supporting other local businesses? Sandals Resorts has come up with the perfect answer in its immersive, “Island Inclusive” dining program that now invites couples at two of its...

“The best morning of my life.” That was a cameraman’s reaction to filming in one of the hottest cruise destinations today. The Arctic’s icecaps, glaciers, icebergs and fjords are drawing intrepid cruise travelers who want to experience some of the most remote, pristine, – and epic – scenery in the world.  You may have already cruised to Alaska and experienced some of the wilderness along some of its Arctic and Pacific northwest coast. But that doesn’t even begin to touch the scale...

If you thought CERN, the renowned particle physics research facility in Geneva, was just for Nobel laureates and PhD’s, think again. The facility has inaugurated Science Gateway, a new, visionary hub with free admission for anyone from 5 to 95 to get involved in the next generation of human understanding of the universe at what may be the world’s most famous science facility.  CERN’s Science Gateway is an architectural achievement as well as providing a new level of access to the...

Til death do you party! Dia de los Muertos is a cherished Mexican holiday honoring the memories of loved ones who have passed away. Coming just a day after Halloween, and symbolized by an elegantly-dressed skeleton, Day of the Dead is often thought of as a similar celebration of the supernatural, but it is a uniquely Mexican holiday that’s more family than frightening.  A number of cultures honor their deceased family members, and Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos has its own...

It’s shorthand for luxury cuisine, but lobster eaten fresh at the source can be also be casual, street food, family dining and fun! That’s the premise behind lobster festivals in Caribbean destinations where they have access to an abundance of what may be the most popular crustacean.  Unlike some festivals, lobster festivals are not limited to a single month or season of the year, as lobster seasons vary. So chances are you can find a lobster festival that lines up with your...

Did you know there’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site that isn’t even finished yet? Many churches in Europe are World Heritage Sites… but most of them are hundreds, even a thousand years old. Only one of them is still under construction! And recently, Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia just achieved another milestone in its journey towards completion.  The idea of a work-in-progress UNESCO World Heritage Site runs counter to our concept of World Heritage buildings that reflect long history as well as exceptional...

Fans of ultra-luxury, all-inclusive boutique European river cruising have two reasons to celebrate. Uniworld has announced the addition of two ships to its fleet. Following the line’s tradition of naming ships after European queens, empresses and other royalty, the new ships names are S.S. Victoria and S.S. Elisabeth. The ships will begin sailing in 2024 and 2025 respectively.  We say ‘new’ ships, but they’re not newly-launched; however, they are new-to-Uniworld. Victoria and Elisabeth will be familiar to many fans of luxury...

Don’t wait til spring or summer to visit Austria’s capital. Some of its most unique experiences take place during the frosty months, where one-of-a-kind local events warm your heart and reveal a side of Vienna you can’t see any other time of the year.   Viennese Christmas Markets:Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas, is a magical time in Vienna, with the historic city center and shopping streets in their festive best. The city’s most beautiful squares, streets and parks are...

Hiking up the tallest freestanding mountain in the world is on a lot of people’s travel bucket lists. From BFF getaways to rewarding yourself for reaching fitness goals, climbing the highest peak in Africa is the adventure of a lifetime.  Unlike other of the world’s highest peaks, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro takes endurance and a certain amount of fitness, but no specialized skills, making it an attainable achievement.  Here are a few essential things you need to know about climbing Kilimanjaro: 1. World’s Highest...

Word this summer of the introduction of the world’s first phone-free tourist resort island in Finland highlighted a growing holiday trend: digital fasting.  You read that right. Wellness travel has offered vacationers opportunities to undertake juice and other fasts on retreat trips to benefit their physical health. Now, with growing awareness of the benefits of unplugging from our devices, we could be seeing more opportunities for digital fasting on our vacations. “We encourage visitors to put their phones away voluntarily and to focus...