It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. . . no, I’m not talking about Paris in the Charles Dickens era, I’m talking about traveling with a group of family and friends.  Or even traveling with your spouse, partner, or best friend. If you want to lie on a beach and soak up some rays, does your spouse want to go white water rafting?  Do the kids want to move into an amusement park, while you want to check out some art and architecture?   Do you want to get in touch with your spiritual side while the rest of the gang wants to go the ballpark every day? If you only want to do what you want to do, traveling solo is your best option.  But since there are times you will share travel experiences with […]

When you’re traveling, the elements conspire against your body, skin and hair. Let’s face it, airplanes beat up our bodies as well as our spirits.  Fashionable and practical don’t have to be mutually exclusive!  Here’s my top 10 list that I think fit in both of those categories, proving that you can look good and feel good when you travel: Water – You’ll have to buy a bottle inside of security, or refill an empty bottle that you’ve brought from home, but this is the very best thing you can do for your skin, hair, and general well being.  The airplane sucks all the water out of you so remember — hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.  My current choice:  I’ve tried a variety of water bottles, trying hard to be green, but just haven’t found one that quite does the trick.  For […]

Looking for a way to combine family travel with a little educational and cultural experience as well?  There are a number of cities that can fill those specifications, blending lots of fun things to do with a quality cultural experience. There’s nothing wrong with combining plenty of relaxing downtime with an educational experience.  Learning can be fun, and when I see families who go the extra mile to make it, I know that the experiences will stay with their kids for a lifetime. These US cities meet the test of having both educational and FUN attractions and things to do.  If you can’t enjoy spending time in these destinations, you’re just not trying to have a good vacation! Here are my Top 7 U.S. cities for educational and cultural family travel: Boston: History tops the chart in this city, with […]

Active travelers know that if they want to enjoy their favorite activities while on vacation that it may take plenty of advance planning.  Whether you’re looking for a tee time, tennis lessons, or ski weekends, you’re going to have to do a little bit of research and planning. Here  are a few pointers to keep in mind when you’re selecting where to go and stay: What’s my skill level?  Do I want a black diamond ski run, or is the rope tow just fine? Are you looking for lessons, whether it be to learn a new activity or to hone and advance one that I currently enjoy.  Do you need to work on your backswing or to learn to horseback ride? Will there be any special equipment that you need to bring along?  Golf clubs, skis, snowboards, etc., can often […]