Travel Tips

The Components of a Tour Tours require the combined skills and resources of many people. What do they consider in choosing the components of the tour, and how are the pieces put together?  For a thorough examination of this topic, we enrolled in classes during the pandemic to become more familiar with destinations and group touring, so we are taking a quick snapshot of the all-important components of a tour. If you were considering a tour, what would you include? Obviously, the answer depends on the market and destination. Some tours offer a minimum of elements; others are all-inclusive. Let’s [...]

8 Tips on Dressing for a Cold Weather Cruise Until recently expeditionary cruises to the North Pole and South Pole have been out of reach for most of us. Your best bet in viewing the icebergs, penguins, and miles of isolation identified by frozen terrain as far as the eye could see was best viewed on television by some nature documentary.  While those European Christmas markets you heard about with the mulled wine, ginger cookies and handmade crafts were other trip ideas you tucked away for some other day.  Today, these are popular specialty cruise vacations which have picked up [...]

REAL ID Rules for Domestic Flights If you're worried about whether your driver's license is compliant with new REAL ID requirements for domestic air travel, you can relax for now, but not for long. Adult passengers 18 and over must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint in order to travel; a driver's licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent). Beginning May 3, 2023, if you plan to use your state-issued ID or license to fly within the U.S., make sure it is REAL ID compliant. If you are not sure if [...]

Refreshing and Inspiring Fall Foliage Vacations  As the dog days of summer wind down, you might start thinking about cooler climates, and the autumn season holds great promise. It’s the time of year when bed and breakfasts throughout the northern and mountainous states start filling to capacity, and leaf peepers rejoice. As you consider fall foliage vacations, you may have some favorite places you would like to travel to for optimum viewing. Certainly, what often springs to mind is New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest—the state’s number-one attraction when the maple and birch leaves reach their peak, usually from the [...]

Everyone Needs a Bucket List! More than ever before—we all want or need a bucket list. In 2020, vacations were canceled, families and friends were unable to visit one another, weddings and other family/social events were postponed. But, more than anything else, the pandemic proved that we need togetherness and adventure in our lives, and we need it now! That is why we are encouraging you and our radio listeners, to create a bucket list and know that it is so critical. A bucket list is a long-term plan about the places you want to visit…not just for the next trip [...]

The Grand Canyon - One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World As people continue to venture out of their homes, they will feel more and more comfortable spending time in nature and visiting natural sights, like those in America’s National Parks. One very large, internationally famous hole in the ground is the number-one natural sight in the United States: The Grand Canyon. It is also of a Biblical nature… As always, keep in mind the varying reopening dates, operating hours, and availability of attractions and accommodations and consult sources like Arizona’s Department of Health Services and the U.S. State Department before booking. The Grand Canyon, [...]

One Impressive Fact About Every State In America Alabama's Anniston is home to the world's largest office chair. Alaska has the world's highest concentration of Grizzly, Black and Polar bears - over 100,000. Arizona boasts the world's largest solar telescope in the town of Sells. Arkansas produces half of the world's supply of bromine. California's Sequoia National Park contains many of the world's largest trees. The world's largest flat top mountain is in Grand Mesa, Colorado. The first-ever nuclear submarine was built in Groton, Connecticut, in 1954. The Delaware Memorial Bridge is the largest twin suspension bridge in the world. [...]

All 50 States, Ranked by Their Food If you could only eat in one state for the rest of your life, what state would it be?  It's a complicated question informed by numerous factors -- cities with quality restaurant scenes, singular state specialties, variety of fresh seafood and produce -- and obviously the answer will vary tremendously from person to person. After all, one person's Maine lobster binge is another person's shellfish allergy-induced emergency room visit. Nonetheless, our intrepid panel (which is unbiased at least in this survey) put its best taste buds forward and devised this unassailable hierarchy of [...]