Advice and destination guides for culture and adventure travelers
Baja California gets a lot of love as a spring break destination, but the small town of Todos Santos has been trending as a chic but laid-back getaway. Nestled into the western coast of the Baja California peninsula, Todos Santos is an hour drive north from Los Cabos...
I’ve been a fan of mid-century architecture and design as long as I can remember. As a kid, I used to beg my dad to take me to vintage furniture shops in Austin, Texas long before retro design was trendy again. So when the former TWA Flight Center terminal at JFK...
Just a 1-hour flight from Mexico City, Oaxaca is becoming known as a hotspot for arts, incredible food, museums, and culture. Oaxaca City is also packed with history: indigenous cultures including Zapotecs and Mixtecs, as well as archaeological sites at Monte Alban...
Oaxaca, Mexico is magic, especially during the Dia de los Muertos celebrations! Learn about the holiday’s traditions and get an itinerary for your own Day of the Dead trip to Oaxaca!
When I visited Oaxaca, I loved it so much I didn’t want to leave. My taxi driver and I chatted about it during my ride back to the airport. And even with my poor Spanish, there is one thing he said that I clearly understood: “Oaxaca es mágico.” With...
When I saw a new Tulum hotel called "Hotel Tiki Tiki" featured in Dwell Magazine, I knew I’d have to visit and review it since it combined so many of my favorite things: Tulum, mid-century design, and boutique hotels. Just the name, Hotel Tiki Tiki Tulum, had me...
Ten years ago, on my first international trip for work, I fell in love with traveling. I really wanted to see more of the world, but lacked the experience and confidence to strike out on...
Yay! You're going on your first international trip! But... how long does it take to get a passport? Will you need a yellow fever vaccine? WHAT ABOUT FOREIGN CURRENCY??? Don't worry -...
Morocco is a crossroads. Spend a few weeks traveling here, and you'll find people, cultures, foods, and languages from Arab, African and European traditions. Similarly, Morocco's landscapes...
ulum, Mexico is a hip vacation spot frequented by the stars. Get my best tips for an affordable Tulum trip: budget hotels, restaurants, activities & more!
My Tulum packing list will help you be ready for a perfect vacation in any season – including weather info and sample outfits!
Airport lounge access changed my life. (This is not a drill.) I traveled for several years before realizing that my work-issue Business Platinum American Express gave me...
Did you know that there is one location on Earth where you can see both flamingos in the wild AND pink lakes? It's in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula in the city of Rio Lagartos and the nearby Las Coloradas. Find out how to get there, where to stay, and if you need to book...
On my most recent flight to Cancún, a seatmate and I chatted about our travel plans. When I said I was renting a car and driving in Mexico solo around the Yucatán Peninsula, she was nearly speechless. I had to work to convince her I wasn’t a crazy...
One of my first Christmases after moving to Washington, D.C., I visited the National Cathedral. An Episcopal church of neo-Gothic design, it's the second-largest church building in the country and one of the tallest structures in D.C. I was expecting only to...
The first time I saw a manatee in the water, I mistook it for a rock. I first saw the manatee from the beach at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo, Florida. It had been surfacing for air at the edge of the swimming area, so eventually I put...
Located in the Andes Mountains, Machu Picchu is the ruins of a 15th-century Inca city. The Incas built it around 1450, at the height of their empire, but abandoned it a century later during the Spanish Conquest. UNESCO declared Machu Picchu a World Heritage Site in 1983. It was also chosen...
In recent years, hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu has become a rite of passage for adventure travelers. By hiking the trail, you enter the park from the "Sun Gate" at dawn and are able to see Machu Picchu from a high vantage point. Trekkers can snap some amazing Inca Trail photos of...
Liveaboard boat trips are an amazing way to experience snorkeling and diving destinations, but what should you bring? Grab these tips for what to pack for any snorkeling or diving trip, whether based on land or a liveaboard! I’ve used this list all over the world including Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and the Florida Keys.
I spent an amazing 3 days/3 nights on a Thailand snorkeling liveaboard trip. The excursion with Andaman Snorkel Discovery left from about 1.5 hours north of Phuket to the Similan and Surin Islands. The company has recently started trips to Myanmar as well, so I’m hoping to return for...
With its dramatic landscapes, fascinating history, and intersection of Berber, Arabian and European culture, Morocco should be at the top of every adventure traveler's bucket list. I spent two weeks there in its cities, winding medinas, mountains and coastal towns. And one night under the...
During a vacation to the Florida Keys, I took a day trip from Key West to Dry Tortugas National Park on Garden Key, about 70 miles from Key West, Florida. With its white sand beaches and a secluded location, Dry Tortugas feels like a hidden paradise. But by far the...
There is an entire industry trying to tell us we need to buy the latest and best travel gear on the market! Over the years, I’ve learned to keep the travel-specific gear to a minimum and save my money for the trip itself. Below are my favorites that help...
Shopping for a new piece of luggage and need to know airlines’ carry-on size limits? Want to avoid having to pay extra to check a too-big bag? Or did you get your old suitcase stuck in...
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