A great hotel room, vacation rental, or B&B can make or break a trip, and though you’ll hopefully spend most of your time outside your accommodation while traveling, it’s important to make sure you’ve got all the essentials for when your head hits the pillow. When booking accommodations, whether you’re using platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, Expedia, or even HostelWorld, you’ll want to make sure your lodging of choice checks all these boxes. Check the reviews! Before you even think about pulling out a credit card, check your accommodations reviews. These are honest accounts of previous stays from other…
Author: Lauren Mulvey
Lauren Mulvey
Lauren Mulvey is a freelance writer based in upstate New York who specializes in regional travel, culture, and sustainability across the Hudson Valley and beyond.
Planning a long trip or big vacation can be pretty overwhelming, not only do you have to figure out transport, accommodation, and activities, but all the little details in between as well. Here are seven important details you’ll want to research before embarking on your next journey. How To Get To And From The Airport Once you’ve got your flight it may be easy to think the hard part is over, but the next step is figuring out how to get to and from the airport. When traveling to a new city, you’ll want to look up the best ways…
Stories of U.S. residents hoping to flee the country are on the rise since Trump’s inauguration. According to NBC News, the day after Trump won the election last fall, Google Trends reflected a spike in searches for digital nomad visas and the best countries to move to. The outlet says that many reported the election win being a breaking point, the last push to finally start a life elsewhere. How-to videos detailing how to move abroad have gone viral across social media platforms, pushing those who may have already been considering expat life to finally take the leap. Jen Barnett,…
It’s time to start thinking about your plans for Valentine’s Day, and maybe trade in the chocolate and flowers this year for a romantic getaway with your partner. Whether you’re into beautiful architecture, culinary delights, beachside views, or mountain landscapes, there’s something for you and your partner to enjoy on this list. Prague, Czech Republic You may be surprised to discover how romantic the city of Prague can be. You’ll find a bit of romance in the mosh-posh of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture along the Vltava River and from overlooks on the city’s outskirts. Even though it…
Romania and Bulgaria have officially joined Europe’s ID-check-free travel zone, the Schengen Area, making journeys across eastern Europe easier for travelers. The Schengen Area encompasses all the countries in the European Union that travelers can move between without showing their passport. The area was established in 1985 and includes Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, even though they are not EU member states. Currently, the list includes 27 countries and is the world’s largest border-free travel zone. Many travelers from around the world may need a Schengen Visa before entering the designated zone, but others, like European, American, and Australian passport…
According to Punxsutawney Phil, spring is coming early this year, so it’s time to start making plans for spring travel. One of the best ways to celebrate the reemergence of flowers and greenery across the U.S. is taking a trip to embrace nature. This year marvel at some of the beautiful cherry blossom trees housed in parks, gardens, and public spaces across the country. Here are some the best spots to see cherry blossoms this spring. Washington , D.C. – The National Mall We couldn’t get more obvious with this one. D.C. is home to one of the most famous…
If you’re an avid traveler who is planning a European adventure, hoping to visit many cities during your trip, you may have heard of the Eurail Pass, which offers access to a majority of trains in Europe with just one ticket. So is this travel hack really all it’s cracked up to be? The appeal of this pass is that you can go wherever you want whenever you want. Paris to Rome, Amsterdam to Prague, etc. You can board any train in the Eurail system, flash your pass and you’re good to go. The system connects over 40,000 destinations, but…
Beginning January 8, 2025 U.S. and other world travelers will need to obtain Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETAs) ahead of traveling to the U.K. The U.K. is moving to fully digitize its borders by the end of 2025, according to Conde Nast Traveler. This means any visitors who are visiting or passing through airports in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, who aren’t citizens must obtain an ETA or eVisa. The news of this shift follows various delays of the implementation of the U.K.’s new ETA application portal. Now, travelers can apply for the U.K. ETA via mobile app or web…
From Airbnb and Vrbo stays to study abroad programs and group travel companies, new ways to travel are often emerging to provide those with wanderlust ample opportunities to explore new places. One of the newer arrivals on the affordable travel front are work exchange programs through platforms like Workaway or Wwoof. These applications allow you to find work in foreign countries in exchange for free accommodation. With these programs you can work on a farm in Italy, nanny in France, work at a hostel in Costa Rica, and essentially find work anywhere in the world. Users can sign up as…
If you’re a digital nomad who has set their sights on the Mediterranean you’re in luck because Italy and Turkey now offer digital nomad visas. In Turkey, the new digital nomad visa is available to citizens between the ages of 21 and 55 in 36 countries including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and France. Applicants for visas must earn a minimum of $3,000 a month or $36,000 a year. All required documents for this visa can be filed online. To prove you can make it in Turkey on your own, you must have a college degree, be employed with…
North Korea has announced it plans to reopen to international tourism by the end of 2024 after closing the country’s borders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Tourism companies including the Beijing-based Koryo and Shenyang’s KTG Tours have announced tour groups would be allowed to visit Samjiyon and other destinations in the country as of December of this year, according to CNN. Since closing its borders, North Korea was even hesitant to allow its own citizens living abroad to return home, which they only authorized in August of 2023, which even still required those citizens to quarantine for…
It’s another sunny day on your budget trip through France. You want to travel from Paris to Nice, but the train tickets are way too expensive. Instead you book a BlaBlaCar and soon you hop into a car or bus and set off on the road. BlaBlaCar offers a solution to a very real problem. Trains can be expensive, make a lot of stops, and are often crowded. Airports can be a hassle and cost a pretty penny, while rental cars can also eat up your travel budget. Established in 2006 and gaining traction in recent years, BlaBlaCar gives you…
If you’re a traveler looking to save on trips, points earned with travel credit cards can be redeemed toward travel-related expenses, including flights, hotels, and car rentals. Here are some of the best travel cards that will earn you the most savings on your travel adventures, according to Nerd Wallet and The Points Guy. As you peruse your options, be sure to compare each card’s annual fee and intro offer. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card With Chase Sapphire Preferred, making the list for both Nerd Wallet and The Points Guy, consumers get 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 within the first…
Early this month, MSC Cruises unveiled the new MSC World America, the largest ship in the company’s history. MSC World America is a 22-deck cruise ship that will dock regularly at a brand new terminal in PortMiami. After a naming ceremony featuring actress Drew Barrymore, the ship set off for a three-night inaugural trip to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the company’s Bahamas-based private island, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The ship will travel along the Eastern or Western Caribbean, taking guests to destinations including the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Honduras, and Ocean Cay. Trips will last one…
Navigating airports can be an intimidating feat, but once you know the drill for getting from the entrance to your gate, it should be smooth sailing (with the exception of potential delays). If you’re worried about getting to your flight on time, here’s a breakdown of the basics of navigating any airport with ease. Pre-Airport Prep Before you travel to the airport to catch your flight, you’ll want to check your flight information. Typically, the airline you fly with will allow you to check-in to your flight starting 24 hours before departure. We recommend you check-in before you go to…
JetBlue and Spirit Airlines announced the termination of their $3.8 billion merger agreement after losing a federal antitrust lawsuit challenging the deal. According to the New York Times, the decision to terminate the agreement is a “big win” for the Biden administration which has sought to limit corporate consolidation. The merger was blocked by a federal judge in January for fear it would reduce competition in the airline industry and raise ticket prices for travelers who are in need of more affordable flight pricing. The proposal for JetBlue to acquire the low-cost airline came in October of 2022 at which…
Miami Beach is officially asking spring breakers to back off their sand with a new advertisement claiming the vacation hotspot is breaking up with its college cronies by imposing new strict rules throughout the city. For years, spring breakers from around the country have made a culture out of spending a week off from school on the sunny beaches of Florida. And for years, spots like Miami Beach have become inundated with intoxicated 20-somethings, partying, being loud, and overall, being irresponsible in public. Those who attend are infamous for making a sport out of who can be the most reckless…
An iceberg three times the size of New York City is moving for the first time in nearly 40 years after being stuck to the ocean floor. The iceberg, named A23a, was historically connected to the Antarctic coastline before it broke off in 1986 and planted itself in the Weddell Sea, according to BBC. The enormous glacial mass spans 1,500 square miles or 4,000 square kilometers, and before it broke apart from Antarctica it housed a Soviet research station. Dr. Andrew Fleming, a remoting sensing expert from the British Antarctic Survey told the BBC “the time had just come” for…
The U.S. The State Department has issued a travel warning for China and Hong Kong that urges visitors to reconsider travel due to potential wrongful detention or “arbitrary enforcement of laws,” according to reports from Travel and Leisure. The warning designates mainland China and Macau as Level 3 destinations meaning U.S. citizens should “reconsider travel” there. It also identified Hong Kong as a Level 2 city which recommends that travelers “exercise increased caution” when visiting. Travel advisories are ranked on a scale of 1-4 in which level one suggests you “exercise normal precautions,” and level four recommends you do not…
If you’re planning to visit D.C. for WorldPride Washington DC 2025 (May 17 – June 8) we have discovered some of the best eateries, clubs, museums and activities for Pride attendees this year. Stay at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington DC, which is housed inside the former General Post Office, a stunning neo-classical building whose grandeur is reflected in the ornate and enormous hotel rooms with high ceilings and hallways as wide as the Palace of Versailles. Or try Hotel Zena, a 119-room boutique hotel that pays tribute to courageous and pioneering women. The LGBTQ-friendly Zena (parent company Viceroy boasts…