Author: Keith Langston

Priceline has just released a list of the cities with the most hotel bookings during the Thanksgiving holiday. Using data from all their hotel reservations between November 27th and December 1st, the travel agency shared its list of the ten most popular cities for the holiday. If you’re heading to one of these destinations, be prepared for busy airports, enthusiastic Black Friday crowds, and a chance to celebrate the holiday with like-minded people. By Keith David Langston 10. HOUSTON, TEXAS It’s no surprise that Houston would make the top ten. It’s America’s fourth largest city, with a metro population…

Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that by January 1, 2020, their entire fleet will ditch single-use plastic bottles. Norwegian is partnering with JUST, a packaged water company that was conceived by Jaden Smith and his family. JUST packages it’s water in a plant-based container that’s lined with “plastic” made out of sugarcane, thus eliminating standard oil-based plastic. The package is also made from 82% renewable material. This isn’t the first step Norwegian has taken to go green (or rather, blue.) Back in 2018, the cruise line removed all single-use plastic straws from its fleet, and so far has found the initiative…

Travel Advisories are talked about a lot these days, but unfortunately people usually don’t know exactly what a travel advisory is. They’re talked about like big scary warnings that could cost you your life, when in reality the term has no real meaning. The USA has given every country (except ourselves, conveniently) a Travel Advisory. It’s more about how severe the advisory is, rather than actually having one, and even then a hefty dose of common sense should be used to discern fact from fear. By Keith David Langston WHAT IS A TRAVEL ADVISORY? A Travel Advisory is basically…

‘Tis the season for holiday travel. Thanksgiving and Christmas and rapidly approaching and that means Americans will be taking to the roads, rails, and skies. Travel Channel recently released a survey stating that a whopping 67% of Americans are planning to travel during the holidays. That means crowded airports, longer lines, increased security, and delays. But did you know that the airport you fly from can makes a huge difference? That’s right, CompareCards released a study on the best and worst airports to fly from during the holidays. The study used USDOT travel data from 2009 to 2018 to paint…

Priceline has released its travel data for the 2019 holiday season and the results may surprise you. The standard rule of thumb in travel has always been that prices for holiday bookings (especially for Thanksgiving) begin to rise mid-September, and only get worse the closer you get to the holidays. However, this new data reveals quite the opposite. According to Priceline, prices for Thanksgiving flights remain pretty steady until only eight days before the holiday! With Thanksgiving being November 28th this year, that means you have all the way until November 20th to book your flights without dealing with skyrocketing…

Did you know that many cities in America have some excellent, and quite large, natural wonders close by, or even within the city? That’s right. In some cities, a great hike in a beautiful natural setting may only be a short bus ride away. Join us as we experience some of the best urban hikes in the USA! By Keith David Langston CALABASAS PEAK TRAIL, LOS ANGELES Despite being America’s second-largest city and the poster child for urban sprawl, Los Angeles is loaded with outdoor opportunities. What separates “the city” from “the valley” is the Santa Monica mountains. This…

Aruba is known around the globe for it’s soft, white sand beaches; it’s waters that gracefully flow from cobalt and azure, to cerulean and emerald; and it’s stunning marine life beneath the surface, and wildlife above. Aruba has also realized that all of these can be threatened by pollution, over-tourism, and neglect. That’s why the island nation decided to do something about it… By Keith David Langston At the end of September, Aruba launched the Aruba Promise campaign, which invites visitors to the island to make a promise that they will be respectful and engaged travelers, and will work with…

Personally, I’m not religious. However, I can still appreciate beauty when I see it. There is just something about the spiritual that inspires great works of art, like the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and stunning architecture like La Sagrada Familia. But not every site on this list is manmade. Some natural formations have also become holy sites, and all are equally gripping, powerful, and awe-inspiring. By Keith David Langston Cologne Cathedral Cologne, Germany The cathedral, which began construction in the year 1248, is dedicated to St. Peter, and is part of the Roman Catholic Church. The building’s ornate…

It’s October, and that means ’tis the season of the spooky, the creepy, and freaky. And what better way to celebrate the coming of All Souls Day than a journey around the world to some of the creepiest cemeteries? From Marilyn Monroe’s grave to the catacombs beneath Paris, this list isn’t for the faint of heart. By Keith David Langston La Recoleta Cemetery Buenos Aires This giant cemetery in the heart of Argentina is comprised of over 4,500 above-ground vaults, tombs, and mausoleums. Narrow corridors make their way through the massive town of the dead, giving you the feeling…

Imagine this: You’ve found the perfect cabana on the top deck of the ship. The sun is shining, the weather is perfect, the water is blue, and you can see Cozumel in the distance. The only thing that could make the moment any better would be a nice chilled bottle of bubbly. But if you get up, you might lose your perfect spot. So, what to do? Well, Virgin Voyages has your answer! The new cruise line by Virgin has its own special app. If you shake it while its open, a secret “Save Water, Drink Champagne” button will suddenly…

Starting in October, SWISS will offer the Flight Pass from its Geneva Hub. The Flight Pass will provide 10 one-way trips to and from Geneva to other European destinations. From Geneva, SWISS flies to cities like Athens, Lisbon, Mykonos, Madrid, Florence, and more. With the Flight Pass you’ll be able to choose two options: The Discover Europe Pass and the City Pass. The Discover Europe Pass will allow a traveler to fly to any of the SWISS destinations from Geneva, whereas the City Pass will allow a traveler to choose one destination and be able to fly there numerous times.…

In The Little Mermaid, Sebastian sings, “Just look at the world around you, right here on the ocean floor, such wonderful things surround you, what more is you lookin’ for?” And you know what, maybe he’s right. Why spend your vacations above ground when you can spend them under the sea? Here are some of the best underwater adventures North America has to offer, so hold your breath, dive in, and have fun! By Keith Langston Cenote Dos Ojos Cave Mexico Like a scene right out of the new 47 Meters Down movie, the Cenote Dos Ojos Cave in…

There’s nothing better than great music… Actually, there is. Great music that takes you on a journey, transport you to a new place, and makes you feel like you’ve just had an adventure. Now that’s something awesome. As someone who loves to travel, I also love songs that invoke a destination (or multiple) as part of the travel experience. From the Beach Boys to Jay-Z, let’s travel the world with music. By Keith David Langston SOUTHERN CROSS Crosby, Stills, and Nash “She was makin’ for the Trades on the outside And the downhill run to Papeete…” https://youtu.be/Bw9gLjEGJrw Southern Cross is…

The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, has teamed up with the biggest names in travel to create the think-tank, Travalyst. The organization is determined to make travel more ethical for both the environment and local communities around the world. Along with Prince Harry, the other founding members are Booking.com, Skyscanner, TripAdvisor, VISA, and the Chinese travel site Ctrip. Together, they have started examining the fact that travel is a growing industry, and will only continue to grow. And with that continued growth, comes continued strain on the environment and local communities. Examples of this include the story from earlier this…

Actor and comedian, Kevin Nealon, best known for his long career on SNL and the popular Showtime hit Weeds, takes to America’s trails in the new season of Hiking with Kevin on YouTube. In the web series, Kevin, joined by some of his closest celebrity friends, hike through various trails around the country. They chat, they laugh, and sometimes, they actually have some pretty meaningful moments. In past seasons, he and indie darling Jeff Goldblum got into a deep conversations about being older fathers and wondering how it will impact their young children; and Caitlyn Jenner reveals her anger in…

The world is filled with beautiful, delicious, and even crazy plants. Some of these plants, however, are also deadly. One of the plants on our list could be located right in your backyard, and another could be on your dinner plate. From America, to Australia, to Argentina, deadly plants are everywhere. By: Keith David Langston DEADLY NIGHTSHADE Native to Europe, Northern Africa, Western Asia Those little juicy berries sure do look delicious, don’t they? Unfortunately, many children playing in the woods think so. The nightshade, which is actually a relative to the potato, tomato, and eggplant, contains deadly tropane alkaloids. When…

Walking through the untamed wilderness is an invigorating and exciting adventure. However, the same can be said for a well maintained garden. Plants can be selected, arranged, and pruned into pure artwork. A botanical garden is both sophisticated and inspiring, while also giving you fresh air and a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a day outside. Here are some of the best in the world! By Keith David Langston SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS Singapore may be known around the globe for its “Supertrees” and biodomes, but the city-state also has a beautiful collection of botanic gardens that are protected as a…

The Henley Passport Index just released their newest rankings of the most powerful passports in the world. The ranking, released in July, assesses the “power” of a passport based on ease of travel. A country’s passport gains points if the holder can enter a country without requiring permission, including:  No visa required; An automatic visa upon arrival; An electronic travel authority (ETA) granted upon arrival By Keith David Langston TOP 10 PASSPORTS 1.) SINGAPORE & JAPAN Score: 189 It should come as no surprise that Singapore and Japan top the list of most powerful passports. The two nations have…

Trains used to be the main means of travel between cities in the USA. They were also exciting experiences filled with ornate interiors, fine dining options, and even entertainment. To greet visitors, cities used to build opulent train stations. In more recent years, with the rise of cars and airplanes, train travel took a nosedive. Both the amount of passenger trains, and the hospitality they provided dwindled until trains became nothing more than slow-moving buses. With that, the train station went from being a city’s shining jewel, to a dusty, unused relic of the past. But that’s all starting to…

Stop signs, yield signs, speed limits—road signs can be so dull…but that isn’t true everywhere. In some places around the world, driving can be filled with more adventures than you can imagine. In certain areas, fascinating encounters lurk around every corner. Luckily for us, these handy road signs are there to let us know exactly what strange and mysterious things lie ahead! By: Keith Langston AUSTRALIA BEING…AUSTRALIA Nullarbor Plain, South Australia  Forget about a deer running in front of your car. When driving in the open South Australian plains, you’ve got bigger problems, literally. Camels, wombats, and of course, kangaroos can…