What's New in World Travel
Check this page for announcements on new pages or information added to this site, as well as travel news in the world beyond these pages!
June 30, 2017
Click here for some family-friendly travel tips for Québec City! And for anyone heading to Italy this summer, the Florence and Cinque Terre/Italian Riviera pages have been newly updated!
May 9, 2017
Click here to read about our March trip to Oman! In ten days, we played on the beach, snorkeled in the Arabian Sea, hiked in the Al Hajar mountains, visited Nizwa's Friday goat market, strolled villages and date plantations, camped and sand boarded in the Wahiba Sands desert, played games with Bedouin children, and toured Muscat.
February 23, 2017
Click here to read about our Alpine winter dreams coming true in Switzerland. We loved our December trip to ski Zermatt and visit the Christmas markets in Basel!
December 3, 2016
Airfares to Europe for travel between January and May have been at rock bottom prices, often between $400-$500 from New York or Boston. Buy your tickets soon!
A Thanksgiving trip to Washington, D.C., inspired me to update my D.C. recommendations and photos (the scaffolding is finally off of the Capitol!). Click here if you are thinking about planning a trip to the nation's capital.
October 30, 2016
Heading to San Francisco or the Bay Area? Click here for sightseeing, activity and restaurant recommendations!
October 18, 2016
Italy, Tuscany and the Cinque Terre pages have been updated with fantastic tips from my friends, Shannon and Rich, who ventured to Italy in July with their nine-year-old son. Shannon did an amazing job researching places to stay, finding affordable gems in both Bucine (Arezzo, Tuscany) and Levanto (near the Cinque Terre). Thanks to Shannon, you can save yourself hours of research and just stay where she stayed!
On another note, airlines have been running amazing deals for travel now through April or May of 2017. While summer fares will still break the bank, look now for spring break deals. Today and tomorrow, Jet Blue offers 30% off of all fares. Virgin America just ran a sale. To stay up to date on airfares, sign up for Scott Keyes's emails through scottscheapflights.com.
September 25, 2016
Click here to read about our August family expedition to the Galápagos Islands! On our way home, we had 24 hours in South Beach, Miami. For tips on your next stopover or vacation in Miami, click here.
September 5, 2016
August was a big travel month for my family. We visited the Galápagos Islands of Ecuador with National Geographic (page coming soon), and took a last-minute vacation to Bermuda at the end of the month (click here to read about our four days in Bermuda and how we nabbed a great deal).
August 2, 2016
If you have thought of visiting the Balkans, or even if it's never crossed your mind, click here and you will be booking a trip for next summer. Our trip to Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Slovenia was absolutely amazing! We had stopovers in Dublin (click here) and Munich (click here).
July 7, 2016
I have not done much writing because I've been busy traveling! Check back soon for tips on traveling to Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Slovenia, Munich and Dublin! In the meantime, thinking of heading to Maine this summer? Click here for destination, restaurant and excursion advice!
June 2, 2016
Several airlines have been running sales during the past week on fares from the U.S. to Europe and, in the case of Emirates Airlines, worldwide. Check United and LOT Polish Airlines this week for deals for travel to Europe from mid-August 2016 through April 2017 (December holidays excluded, of course).
May 30, 2016
After a day in New York with friends, I have updated the New York page with new restaurants and tips! Click here before your next visit to The City!
April 30, 2016
What's next on my travel list? Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia, the Galapágos, Botswana and Tanzania, and Iceland. Click here for Condé Nast Traveler's list of ten most beautiful places in Iceland, and catch Bill Weir's CNN "The Wonder List" episode on Iceland.
Is one of my childhood dreams coming true? Condé Nast Traveler recently reported that some airlines are purchasing LIE-FLAT SEATS IN COACH CLASS! Apparently the new design allows passengers to detach the headrest and clip it onto the base of each seat across the whole row of three, creating a couch that supposedly fits two adults snugly. It does sound too good to be true, and in a way, it is - it sounds like your ability to be horizontal on a red-eye in coach class will depend on how full the flight is, but it's a step in the right direction for the 99% who can't afford business or first class comfort.
April 20, 2016
Click here for tips for travel to Washington, D.C.
March 28, 2016
Last week, my family and I returned from Belize, where we snorkeled with turtles, sharks and rays, and visited a school. Click here to read about our trip!
February 26, 2016
Heading to coastal Italy in the near future? Cinque Terre's National Park President announced in February 2016 that visitors will be limited to a certain number on a daily basis. Check the park's website for updates and information on how to secure tickets in advance to access the five towns (http://www.parks.it/parco.nazionale.cinque.terre/Eindex.php).
February 18, 2016
Click here for tips on a weekend in Philadelphia, an often overlooked but undeniably lively city.
February 8, 2016
Need to escape the winter weather and head to an island paradise? Click here for a detailed review on a week in St. John.
January 30, 2016
Click here for insider tips on how to spend your time and where to consume your calories in San Diego.
January 25, 2016
Looking to spend a weekend in Boston? Click here for my tips on what to do in one of the U.S.'s greatest cities. If you are looking for a foreign city to explore, click here for my travel tips on Hong Kong.
If you are searching for a fun ski resort, try Sun Valley, Idaho. We just returned from a great week of skiing in this true winter wonderland. Click here for my travel tips for Sun Valley!
January 20, 2016
The New York City and Skiing the Northeast sections have been updated with new information. Plus, for a winter city escape with the kids, click here for travel tips on Montréal!
December 16, 2015
If you would like to learn more about traveling to Nepal, the amazing little country with the world's biggest mountain, click here.
December 3, 2015
Thinking of skiing somewhere different this season? Click here to read about my trip to Mont-Tremblant in Quebec, Canada, where you can have a European-style ski vacation at a fraction of the cost!
It's official! Travelers can now book a nonstop flight from Bradley International Airport, just north of Hartford, Connecticut and south of Springfield, Massachusetts, to Dublin, Ireland on Aer Lingus. Service starts on September 28, 2016. A search for a fare departing on inauguration day and returning a couple of weeks later yielded a round trip fare of about $920.00. Aer Lingus has good connections through Dublin to many cities on the European continent, as well. This new service means that New Englanders can avoid the hassles of New York and Boston airports when they crave a European adventure!
November 29, 2015
Anxious about traveling in the wake of recent terrorist attacks? Even though logic tells you the chances of you being caught in a terrorist attack are drastically lower than you being in a car accident near your home, rationality can be useless during times of stress. One tangible option for giving you peace of mind is registering for a Medjet Horizon Membership. A cut above standard travel insurance, Medjet claims it will evacuate members from trouble spots when members feel unsafe - even if no government-mandated evacuation is ordered. For more details, click here.
I love my email updates from trusted sources such as Condé Nast Traveler and Wendy Perrin. From both of these sources, I recently learned that as of January 1, 2016, the U.S. Department of State will stop allowing travelers to add pages to their passports. If you need extra pages, order them now! Note that for new passports or passport renewals, you will have the option of ordering a standard 28-page book or an extra-thick 52-page book. There is no price difference between the two sizes, but you will be adding bulk to your security neck pouch, waist belt, purse, or wherever you carry your passport while abroad. For more details, click here.
October 28, 2015
The Hawaii page is up! Now is a great time to book a winter escape to paradise. If you are going to Maui, be sure to read my Hawaii tips first for money-saving ideas on hotel costs, and for restaurant, beach and activity recommendations from a local. If it is snow you seek this winter, read my page on Skiing the Northeast, and stay tuned for an article on Montreal and Mt. Tremblant!
October 21, 2015
On this site: The Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha's Vineyard page is up, as is the Rhode Island (including Block Island and Newport) page!
October 14, 2015
$300 round trip nonstop flights from Hartford to Europe?! Norwegian Air currently offers competitive fares from New York to the Continent, but has announced that it plans to start flying from Hartford/Springfield and from Westchester, NY airports nonstop to Edinburgh, Scotland and Bergen, Norway, beginning in 2017. The airline claims that it will charge only $69.00 for a one-way ticket, and $300.00 for a round trip fare. Norwegian isn't the first low-cost European carrier to advertise low fares. For example, recently WOW Air advertised $99 each way from the east coast to Iceland, from which travelers could connect to various European cities. But when I ran a search for flights with various dates, I could not find a fare even close to that advertised low price. It remains to be seen whether Norwegian Air will be a true low-cost carrier to Europe. However, even if the airline offers nonstop flights from an airport that is less of a zoo than JFK and Newark, it will be a bonus for those living in the tristate area. Click here for more information.
Airline bookings: For the first time, I'm trying out a service I've read about in Condé Nast Traveler called Cranky Concierge. For $60 roundtrip for up to four travelers domestically, or $90 internationally, Cranky Concierge will book your airline tickets, track them and alert you of changes, and rebook if your flight is canceled, meaning I never have to talk to the airline! Other services are offered, such as urgent assistance with rebooking flights, and help with using your frequent flyer miles. Since I usually book airline tickets several months in advance, there are almost always changes to my itinerary by the airline, and I end up on hold forever waiting to see if the customer service representative I draw cares about my trip or not. Since four of us travel together, I'm happy to add $15 per ticket to have someone who does care handle the airlines for me. Every review I have read about this service has been stellar, so I will update this site with my experience!