Tagged: vacation

How to Apply for a U.S. Passport or Visa

Last updated April 6, 2022  Jump to: First-Time ApplicationsJump to: RenewalsJump to: Passport CardsJump to: FeesJump to: Passport AgenciesJump to: Passport & Visa Expeditors All…

What to Do in Marseille—and Planning Pitfalls to Avoid

As one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world, the port city of Marseille in southern France has a long and colorful history—and for a good chunk of that time,…

A Two-Fer Trip to New Zealand and Tahiti, with Hotels, That Costs the Same As Airfare Alone

A good deal saves you money.A really good deal does that, but also solves a problem.I'll put the surprisingly generous deal I found today in the second category.  It's for travel from…

New Nonstop Flights Put This Quiet Caribbean Paradise Within Easier Reach

As the crow flies, Anguilla is only a few miles from the Dutch/French island of Sint Maarten/St. Martin. But the two isles couldn't be more different. While Sint Maarten is a major…

The Most Dog-Friendly National Parks in the United States

It's a scientific fact that dogs are wonderful. Even so, they can cause damage to fragile ecosystems by trampling plants and bugs, can hurt themselves on sharp rocks and steep cliffs,…

50 Percent Off a Save-Now, Go-Later Mexican Luxury Beach Vacation

In normal times, it can be difficult to get a spot at The Fives Beach Hotel & Residences, a Playa del Carmen property that's popular with return visitors. The all-inclusive resort…

Hawaii's Resorts May Allow Visitors to Vacation While Quarantining

Hawaii has been ahead of the curve on coronavirus matters. It was one of the first U.S. states to institute a quarantine, and it's the state that has been most proactive about…

Spain's One-of-a-Kind Festivals Worth Traveling to See

Thanks to Ernest Hemingway, the most famous festival in Spain is Pamplona’s San Fermín hubbub, known the world over for its chaotic running of the bulls. But that event is dangerous…

How to Pick the Right Tour Company For You

Finding the right tour company shouldn’t be as difficult as it is. But multi-day tours are complex. Their success depends on a number of factors: the talents of the guide(s), the logic…

Where to Go Skiing and Snowboarding in the Southern Hemisphere

Summer in the Northern Hemisphere means winter south of the equator, and vice versa. So when ski season is winding down with spring’s rising temperatures and melting snow in North…

The Case of the Missing Gift Certificate: Flying in the Age of Monopolies

An airplane aisle separated the haves from the have nots. I’m not writing about the aisle separating business class and economy. No, in this case, the left-side of the plane, on a six…

VIDEO: The Natural Beauty of Northern Michigan

Are you suffering from “nature-deficit disorder”? That’s the term coined by author Richard Louv of the Children & Nature Network, an organization whose website points to dozens of…

Vacation in One of the Less Popular Destinations This Summer for a Fine Travel Experience

“Where shall we go for our summer vacation?” When those of us willing to travel a fair distance are asked that familiar question, the answer is usually a number of familiar…

Wetland Wonders: New Orleans’ Best Day Trips

"Drain the swamp."Is there any sadder phrase?And I’m not talking about politics. I’m talking about actual swamps, eco-systems that are crucial to the groundwater of North America; that…

The Travel Trends That Will Shape Your Next Vacation

Spin the globe: Where will you go in 2017? And just as importantly, what recent developments and coming events will shape your trip? It's prediction time again, so I spoke with nine…

Visiting New York City? The Top Pitfalls to Avoid

You've made the right decision in choosing New York City for your next vacation. Few places can beat its cultural diversity, historic sights, topnotch museums, world-class restaurants,…

How to Pick the Best Cruise for You

With cruises, your choice of a ship can make or break the vacation. But many times that decision has as much to do with who you are as a person—and who you will be traveling with—as it…

British Vacations Are Increasingly Affordable for the American Traveler

The big travel news of the current fall/winter season is the drop in the value of the British pound. As we go to press, the pound is selling for only $1.21.  It used to sell at…

Families With Children Are Now Being Welcomed Aboard (Some) River Cruise Ships

The evidence is fast accumulating that the number of river cruiseships is now more than equal to the demand for river cruises. Accordingly, several of the river cruiselines are…

Ideas for Romantic Mountain Getaways in North America

Cabins in the woods and mountaintop lodges spell romance at any time of year. Whether it's skiing in the winter, watching the mountains bloom in the spring, hiking in the summer, or…

Its Currency Selling at Unprecedented Low Levels, Its Drug-Related Violence Subdued, Mexico is Positioned to Enjoy Heavy American Tourism this Coming Winter

There no longer seems any doubt that the Zika scare has wrought havoc with tourism to Florida. In a study conducted by Allianz Travel Insurance, advance air bookings for the coming…

Though the Timid Tourist is Frightened by a Number of Adverse Travel Conditions, the Value of the U.S. Dollar is Not One of Them. The Dollar is Today Unusually Strong

Perhaps the biggest travel news of the current season is that the U.S. currency remains unusually strong against virtually every other currency. When you travel abroad in the coming…

A New Hotel Booking Engine Emerges for the "Text Only" Crowd

Today, more than ever, the medium is the message….as much as the message itself. If you have a friend (or child) who refuses to talk on the phone, but wants to have every interaction…

How to Make Time at the Airport a Bit Less Stressful

Check in online ahead of time. Printing your boarding pass ahead means one less line at the airport. 'Nuf said.Get to the airport early. This may sound counterintuitive, since who…

Priceline Ditches Its "Name Your Own Price" Program for Airfares. What's the Real Meaning of This Move for Consumers?

When Priceline launched its “Name Your Own Price” feature for airfare some 15 years ago, the effect was electric. A major company had pulled back the curtain, letting the public in…