It’s no secret that travel today is more challenging than ever. In fact, as events like the flight delays, cancellations, and pilot contract disputes currently overwhelming American Airlines increase, so too do the odds that your own travels will be impacted in some fashion.  The solution: protect your trips with travel insurance. 

Travel insurance covers many things that are not covered by credit cards, homeowner policies, and healthcare plans.  Here are ten clear-cut reasons consumers can’t aff

Jake Wellington

It’s certainly tempting to think of Grand Manan as God's shrug of land surrounded by a vast, changing and beautiful sea.

There is something about small fishing villages on islands that holds my heart tightly, especially those snuggled against rocky coasts with mists hovering like shifting shrouds.

Partly it's the pitched, jarring sound of gulls or the air heavy with the scent of salt and fish.

But I think it's the deep quiet, a stillness surrounding the colored, paint-pealin

by Nellie Huang

Mention Mexico and you often conjure images of mustachioed heroes roaming the Wild West on horseback, armed with rifles and big straw hats. While this era is long gone, legends from those revolutionary days have been passed down from one generation to the next.

The best representation from this period of Mexican history is Pancho Villa, a hero honored by people around the world. Known as the Robin Hood of Mexico, Pancho robbed the rich and distributed the wealth among peasants and

It's almost too easy: One of the most exciting snorkeling sites in the Caribbean lies barely 100 yards off the west coast of Aruba. The water there is calm, visibility is excellent, and the site features the World War II-era German ship Antilla – at 397 feet, the third-longest wreck in the Caribbean.

That such a splendid shipwreck is so accessible to snorkelers is unusual. That a vessel the Wehrmacht christened Antilla is spending eternity in the Antilles is poetic justice. Ditto for the fact

A CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA , TRAVEL GUIDE.

It is not much of a city – but the ocean has the more to offer. With water so blue that photos seem artificial afterwards, Cairns in northeast Queensland, Australia, attracts divers from all over the world to experience the most magnificent maritime environment nature has to offer.

Swordfishing and a gold rush built Cairns, looking much as an American small-sized city, but that era is long gone. 50 kilometers from the city’s seafront promenade, the Great Barr

The 72 steps leading up to the Philadelphia Art Museum are called the “Rocky Steps” after Rocky’s run up the flight in the movie of the same name. It became symbolic of the ability of an underdog to triumph. Today some tourists run up the steps in Rocky fashion.  Others walk.  The view at the top is great. A 10-foot tall bronze Rocky statue was originally at the top of the steps and then moved to the bottom of the steps where it became a popular attraction.  However, it was considered a movie p

In mid-September, France celebrated its cultural patrimony by opening buildings and gardens that are normally closed to the public. This year's theme was "Hidden Patrimony," and I profited from the occasion to visit a 600 m2 vineyard that is tucked away in the nearby town of Neuilly-Plaisance.

Getting there by public transportation was a challenge, but I was up to it: a metro ride to the Châtelet station, an RER train ride to Neuilly-Plaisance, a local bus ride to a spot several blocks f

Nick and Andrew, the newest Giants fan

As a  diehard San Francisco Giants baseball fan and native San Franciscan, if there ever is such a thing as a “sports bucket list” especially for a San Francisco native, mine was for the San Francisco Giants baseball team to win at least one World Series in my lifetime. The Giants moved to San Francisco after the 1957 baseball season. The great Willie Mays, quite possibly the greatest baseball player of all time, who roamed center field for the Giants, at wi

Most tourists to Costa Rica never see San José. They are whisked off from the Juan Santamaria International Airport outside the city to the “pretty” sights of the country; or they fly into the northern Guanacaste international airport at Liberia and don’t go anywhere near the Central Valley. That’s too bad. San José has a lot to offer … from museums to art galleries, plazas, walking boulevards, shady green parks, hidden architectural gems and great restaurants … you just have to know where to lo

A word of caution: The following material does not come from a lawyer nor is it meant to give legal advice.  Instead the information presented below is meant to stimulate thought.  Please do not make any legal decisions based on the information contained within.  Instead consult an attorney in your state or country before making any legal decisions.

The tourism world seems to become more complicated by the day, with both customers and clientele being aware of their legal rights and demanding sati

by José Balido

America’s famous “Windy City” might not be the first U.S. city to jump to mind when it comes to vacation travel, compared to, say, New York, Miami, or Los Angeles. But Chicago, the country’s third largest metropolis, offers a lot to the visitor – from Spain or anywhere else -  as I rediscovered on my most recent trip to the “city of the big shoulders,” as Chicago was dubbed by legendary 20th-century poet Carl Sandburg due to the industrial might that it built over the past cent

by Nellie Huang

It was his obsession with adventure that brought him to the interior of what was then known as Spanish Sahara, an overseas territory of Spain. In 1930, Michel Vieuchange, a French adventurer, set out on his journey to the largely unexplored region known today as Western Sahara. He removed his gold tooth and disguised himself as a Berber woman to sneak his way into the unknown. His goal was to discover the ruins of Smara, a walled city that was built centuries ago and then aband

When one thinks of paradise, Panama has to be near the top of the list.

In the 90s Costa Rica fast became the chic eco destination for Americans, Canadians and Europeans.  Many expats started buying land and relocating. In the last ten years, a new nirvana was discovered, Panama.

Countries with both beach and jungle are especially appealing. The world is full of small countries where you can view nature and perhaps surf in the same day. Panama fits the bill.

No, You’re not in Miami

The best means of

Fall is a beautiful time along New York St’s Hudson River. Plan a Columbus Dayate weekend at the historic hotel high above the Hudson. Savor the spectacular fall foliage as you boat, hike, take a carriage ride, mountain bike, play golf, or simply sit back and relax while savoring the view. The air is crisp, activities abound, and all that’s missing is you.

The Mohonk is the perfect place for a romantic getaway. Check out its couple’s special (Nov. 30- Dec. 2),  perfect for couples who crave time

The year was 1998. There was a very small flow of visitors coming to Costa Rica, about 100,000 according to the official numbers. A decade later, that number has increased up to 2 million tourists per year. This $1.9 billion industry is mainly based on Eco-tourism and has been driven by the green buzzword.

As congested beaches and theme parks continue to lose their novelty and decline into the inevitable "fad" categorization, the world's natural attractions are thrust into the spotlight, front an

In a previous post, New Media Travel  asked “Why Is Hotel Content So Boring?”
The point was that hotels, airlines, and often the entire travel industry, are inclined to present images of the perfect family: a leggy blonde mother, two gorgeous light-haired kids and a handsome, fit dad playing in the blue water.

Or, lest they offend anyone, their glossies and web images are full of empty hotel pools, empty dining rooms and empty lobbies.

Why?

Hotels report that showing a racially mixed family o

Preparing the first chapter of our new e-book, Golden State Eating, we did much first hand research. It's a tough job...I know...hitting bars from Sacramento to San Diego, searching for the perfect margarita, but someone's got to do it.

Along the way, we've had some pretty unspectacular versions. I swear, the one we had at a nationally famous rib joint had to have been poured from a bottle of pre-made Jose Cuervo Margarita bought at the local supermarket. Another one, a high-end restaurant overlo

por Cristóbal Ramírez

Hollywood la retrata como lugar de espías con microchips, políticos conchabados, guardaespaldas como armarios empotrados y conspiradores varios. ¿Miedo? Para nada. Relájese, porque la ficción no le hace justicia a Washington, la capital de Estados Unidos y, por tanto, la del planeta (con permiso de Nueva York). En ella todo es gigante: edificios, parques, monumentos. Una capital a la medida del poder global que ostenta.

Hay que empezar a admirar su grandeza en el Memoria