Ashford Castle Another Wow,Wow,Wow!!! We coined a phrase while on our trip in Ireland "Castle hopping" as that is exactly what we did. We were continually wowed on this experience starting with the beautiful Merrion Hotel in Dublin, (not a castle but a wow in town) then traveling to Dromoland Castle in County Clare and on to Ashford Castle in Cong County Mayo for 2 nights. We were treated like Royalty and got to experience the best that's on [...]
(photos and info courtesy of Belmond) HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE " BELMOND ROYAL SCOTSMAN"? All aboard a living legend. Sit back, relax, and uncover the wonders of Scotland in peerless style From the moment you step onto Royal Scotsman, you are swept up in a world of myth, legend and timeless luxury. Delve into a land of soaring peaks and deep valleys, mirror lochs and looming castles. Enjoy a tasting in a world-famous distillery, then enter the forest for [...]
Pura Vida - Have you heard this term? It means "Pure life" and is most often associated with Costa Rica. It's their greeting and used frequently there - like when you say "Muchas Gracias" the response will be "Pura-Vida"! Love it. We recently got to visit this AAAA-mazing country, and we fell in love here. Where else can you be on a beach IN the rainforest - I mean ....... There's so much to offer with several regions each one [...]
Being stuck at home is making us all stir crazy and while it's not safe to travel far afield right now - we can certainly look at our travel bucket list and make some revisions. Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast, have an adventurous soul, are culinary curious, love the big cities, want to rekindle the romance, have the ultimate family vacation, or just want a girlfriend/guys getaway, here are some of the top destinations closer t home to add to [...]
https://youtu.be/ZXAfr3b02rM Do you have a real "Athlete" or adventure enthusiast in your life? Do you shy away of traveling with them because you're not at the same level but would love to enjoy some amazing vacation experiences with them? Backroads give you the perfect combination of active experiences mixed with sightseeing and cultural experiences so there's something for everyone regardless of activity level. Tours for everyone: singles, couples, families (even kids), and private groups. Have you heard of Backroads [...]
This year more than ever families will want to get together and celebrate each other - we've probably missed lots of great family celebrations in addition to Mother's Day, Easter, and so on and families will be craving that connection. One of the experiences I personally would love would and would think of as a great "multi-generational family" experience would be to visit a "Dude Ranch" or that that type of experience - it's so "American" and for someone like me [...]
Have you heard of "Un-Cruise"? They are a Virtuoso preferred supplier and we have heard so many great things about them and finally did some of their specialist training this week - VIDEO HERE Un-cruise specialize in small ship adventure cruising with vessels ranging from 22-90 passengers max. Some of the destinations Un-cruise offer include: Alaska, Galapagos, Hawaiian Islands, Latin America, Mexico's Sea of Cortes, Pacific Northwest & the one we are focusing on this week - Columbia & Snake rivers USA. VIDEO HERE [...]
Do crowds of people appeal to you ?? Some of the top tourist destinations have become so crowded and busy especially during the high season, that it's not an enjoyable relaxing experience and people are looking for more off the beaten track destinations to travel to and want to enjoy the "essence" of a country. I don't know about you, but if someone says "it's a secret" I want to know more. Isn't there something really appealing about having "insider" info ?? [...]
(photos & itinerary cred: Backroads) If you’re the type of traveler who jumps for joy when the temps drop and the snowflakes start flying, you’ll love Backroads’ collection of incredible Snow Adventures. Whether you’re drawn to exhilarating activities such as snowshoeing and cross-country skiing or more easygoing pursuits like wildlife viewing and hot spring soaking—or all of the above—Backroads has an array of [...]
(Photo cred Travel Weekly, TCC Corp & Insight Vacations) What are your thoughts about guided vacations ?? In the history of travel, and before I got into the travel business, personally, I associated guided vacations with busloads of older tourists at top attractions with cameras & plaid pants.(I'm talking Ireland in the 80's :)) No more - these days, guided vacations are immersive, exciting, challenging, incorporating local hosts, cooking experiences and lots more. Today's [...]