Tag: Arlen Benny Cenac Jr. Travel

The Perfect 3 Day Itinerary for Paris

Thinking about spending 3 days in Paris? That is an excellent choice because it is the perfect amount of time to spend in one of the best European cities, giving you the chance to see many of the top sights and attractions and really get a feel for the city. Of course, if you have longer, that’s even better, but three days is certainly enough to see a lot.

Let’s get started!

Day 1
1. Eiffel Tower
What better way to start of your trip to Paris than with a visit to the Eiffel Tower. This is without a doubt the most iconic landmark in Paris (if not France!). The construct is a wrought iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.  Constructed from 1887–1889 as the entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair, it was initially criticized by some of France’s leading artists and intellectuals for its design, but it has become a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognisable structures in the world. The Eiffel Tower is the most-visited paid monument in the world; 6.91 million people ascended it in 2015.

2. Seine River Cruise
Another must-do experience in Paris is a river cruise on the Seine. Enjoy unique views over Paris on a Seine River Cruise and pass under top attractions from the Orsay Museum, Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral. Get a unique perspective on Paris and take a majestic trip along the Seine River on the Bateaux Parisiens to discover the City of Lights from the water.

 

  1. Hop on Hop off Bus
    Talking of sitting back and relaxing, we find that a great way to get oriented in a new city and get an idea of the sights we want to see is to take a Hop On Hop Off (HOHO) bus tour.  Paris is no exception to this rule, and you can pick up a HOHO bus in Paris from right next to the Eiffel Tower, which will then take you around Paris’s key attractions. There are multiple operators running different routes around the city. We took this tour and enjoyed it – it’s both an easy way to get around the city, plus you can learn about many of the sights as you go.

 

  1. Paris Walking Tour
    All this sitting around on buses and boats is great for getting oriented, but at some point you’re going to need to put your feet on the pavement! The company Paris Walks has amazing tour guides who are all certified multilingual and very knowledgeable of the area.  All guides are university graduates and are enthusiastic about Paris and its history. Paris is an excellent city to tour on foot!
  2. Tour Montparnasse
    Last on our list for your first day in Paris is a trip up the Tour Montparnasse.  This is arguably the location with the best view of Paris and the Eiffel Tower. This is particularly the case at sunset, so if you can time your visit for sunset, you will get to witness a wonderful sunset across the Eiffel Tower, and then watch the city lights come to life.  The observation level is across two levels, one is inside and one is outside. The outside area is surrounded by glass, but there are cutouts so you can get reflection-free shots of the view. You can also bring a tripod up here!

    Paris Itinerary: Day 2
    Our second day in Paris takes in some more iconic sites including some of Paris’s most famous museums and churches.

  3. Saint Chapelle
    The Sainte-Chapelle is a royal chapel in the Gothic style, within the medieval Palais de la Cité, the residence of the Kings of France until the 14th century, on the Île de la Cité in the River Seine in Paris, France. Construction began some time after 1238 and the chapel was consecrated on 26 April 1248. This is a relatively small chapel that is not too far from Notre Dame, but the interior, which consists of almost floor to ceiling stained glass, is absolutely outstanding. It will definitely take your breath away.
  4. Notre Dame
    No more than ten minutes walk from Sainte Chapelle is Paris’s most famous religious building.  It is a medieval Catholic cathedral and is widely considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. The innovative use of the rib vault and flying buttress, the enormous and colorful rose windows, and the naturalism and abundance of its sculptural decoration all set it apart from earlier Romanesque architecture. Reserve your tour by using the “Jefile” app, available on iOS and Google Play.

 

  1. The Louvre
    The Louvre, or the Louvre Museum, is the world’s largest art museum and a historic monument in Paris.  This is one of the world’s most famous museums, and is home to an incredible collection of art, including Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and Michelangelo’s Dying Slave, to name but a few.  True art lovers could lose themselves for days in the vast collection here!

 

  1. Arc de Triomphe
    We’re going to finish off the second day of our three day Paris itinerary with a visit to the Arc de Triomphe, another of Paris’s iconic landmarks. From the Louvre you can either take public transport here, or you can walk up the Champs Elysees, Paris’s most famous shopping street.  The Arc de Triomphe, built in memory of those who died in the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, is wonderfully photogenic. If you arrive in time, you can go to the top for an excellent view of the city, which includes the roads spanning out into the distance and the Eiffel Tower.  As you journey up into the monument, you will also come to a museum which details some of its history.

 

Paris Itinerary: Day 3
On the last day of our 3 day Paris itinerary we’re heading out of the city center to take in one of Paris’s most famous Royal Palaces.

  1. Versailles
    First on the list for day 3 is Versailles, the incredible palace that was the seat of French political power and home to French Royalty, including Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.  There is easily enough to see here to fill an entire day. We suggest starting off by touring the Palace. You’ll want to get here for opening time, as this is a really popular tourist attraction and it get busier as the day goes on. Afterwards, head outside, where there is a great deal more to see. A walk in the incredible gardens is a must.
  2. Montmartre
    Head to the Montmartre region to finish off your day. Montmartre is a large hill in Paris’s 18th arrondissement. It is 130 m high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank in the northern section of the city.  This area of Paris was particularly famous as being home to artists, and folks like Dali, Picasso and Hemingway all either lived or frequented this area. It’s still popular with artists, and the Place du Teatre is the place in Montmartre is the place to go to get your portrait or caricature painted. Montmartre is a maze of cute little streets, cafes and shops.

For more things to do in Paris, click here.  For more general travel information, click here.

 

How To Survive Thanksgiving Travel

A lot of turkey wishbones – and travel records – are set to be broken during the Thanksgiving holiday this year. The following information from this article states,  AAA expects 54.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more away from home over the holiday, a 4.8 percent increase over last year and the highest Thanksgiving travel volume since 2005.  For the 48.5 million Americans expected to travel by car over the holiday, the best advice is: leave early. In the most congested cities, the Thanksgiving drive could take four times longer than on a ‘normal’ travel day, predicts INRIX, a mobility analytics company.  Traffic at airports and in the skies will break records as well.  The 12-day Thanksgiving air travel period is already under way, and trade organization Airlines for America predicts a record 30.6 million passengers will fly on U.S. airlines.  That’s up from the estimated 29 million passengers who flew during Thanksgiving last year. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 25 million people between Wednesday and Sunday, a 7 percent increase over last year.

 

HOW WEATHER WILL IMPACT TRAVEL

 

The weather will cooperate for a majority of those traveling by road or air for the Thanksgiving holiday, with some exceptions in the northeastern and western United States.  The American Automobile Association (AAA) is projecting that 54.3 million will travel 50 miles or more away from home for the Thanksgiving holiday this year. Even in the absence of disruptive weather, the sheer volume of vehicles on the road in congested metro areas may cause travel time to double, triple or quadruple, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.  People traveling for the holiday can download the AccuWeather app to find out exactly when the weather could add further slow downs to their journey.

Snowflakes to fly in Northeast

The early taste of winter is expected to continue across the Northeast with batches of snow sweeping through the area and possibly lead to slick travel on occasion in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.  Motorists should prepare for possibly slick and snow-covered portions of interstates 75, 81, 87, 90, 91 and 95 in the days ahead. The greatest disruptions to travel may occur Monday night into Tuesday from portions of Pennsylvania to Maine as a storm takes shape and lays a swath of accumulating snow.  Snow showers will also riddle the eastern Great Lakes and central Appalachians on Tuesday, potentially reducing visibility on the roadways.

Yet another round of snow is expected across parts of the Northeast on Wednesday.  “There is concern that snow squalls could greatly reduce visibility and quickly coat roadways on Wednesday’s busy travel day across the interior Northeast,” according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Steve Travis.

“These squalls may not just be limited to areas downwind of the Great Lakes but may streak eastward to northeastern Pennsylvania and/or the Hudson Valley and western New England.”  These type of weather situations are notorious for causing chain-reaction accidents. Meanwhile in the Midwest, patches of light freezing drizzle may break out later Wednesday and Wednesday night, creating slick patches for motorists, especially on bridges and overpasses.

Rain to dampen travel in southeastern Texas

Travelers in southeastern Texas may contend with reduced visibility and ponding of water on the roadways as downpours cross the area at the start of the week.  “There is the possibility of wet roads and perhaps minor airline delays in Houston,” Sosnowski added. This includes on Monday afternoon, which is the worst time for Thanksgiving travel in the Houston metro area, according to AAA.  A press of drier air will shunt the rainfall southward on Tuesday, leading to a good day for travel along the Interstate 10 corridor from San Antonio to Houston. This dry press may hold firm on Wednesday, with damp conditions likely being held to southern and coastal Texas.

Storm to arrive along West Coast at midweek

Reduced visibility from wildfire smoke will be the main concern for travelers in California on Monday and Tuesday.  However, a pattern change will bring needed rainfall to the state starting on Wednesday. While rain is not normally a welcome idea during busy travel times and near the holiday, any rain with a lack of strong winds would greatly favor firefighting efforts and reduce the risk of new fires igniting, according to Sosnowski.  Despite the good news of rainfall, motorists will face slick roads as oil buildup from weeks of dry weather mixes with the rain. Heavy snow is expected over the Sierra Nevada by the end of Wednesday. Travelers over I-80’s Donner Summit should anticipate snow-covered roads, reduced visibility and possible closures. Rain will also spread into Portland, Oregon, and Seattle at midweek, heightening the risk of minor travel delays.


TRAVEL TIPS FOR THE AIRPORT

As with driving or going anywhere over the holiday, the key advice for flying is: leave for the airport early.  That not only helps reduce stress, but builds in extra time for all those things that can go wrong, such as discovering your favorite airport parking lot is already filled up or there’s a hiccup with your airline ticket.  TSA officials say new screening technologies, coupled with additional canine teams and more than 1,200 more TSA officers will help with the increased volume of passengers at airport security checkpoints this year. But there may still be long, slow-moving lines at many airports.

To make sure you’re not the person holding up the line, take some extra time when prepping and packing to make sure your carry-on items are checkpoint-savvy.  Dress for success: Transfer small items, such as wallets, phones and keys, from your pockets to your carry-on before you get to the checkpoint. Wear shoes or boots that are easy to take off and put back on.  Download and print your boarding pass. Putting your boarding pass on your mobile phone means one less paper to keep track of but a paper version is good back-up in case your phone loses its charge while you’re waiting on a long line, or if the checkpoint scanner can’t read the downloaded version of your pass.  Review the rules. If you’re an infrequent traveler, find a quart-sized clear bag and take a moment to read TSA’s primer on the liquids rule. Charge up your phone and other travel gadgets, including one or more back-up chargers, before you leave home. While airports have added more power ports, finding an empty one can still be a challenge. Show up with a power cord with extra plugs, and you’ll be a hero.  Download the apps for your airline and all airports you’re traveling through and sign up for the alerts for each of your flights. Get numbers. Make a list of all the phone numbers you might need for your trip. The list should include not only your airline, but also the rental car or shuttle company you’ve booked with, your hotel, the person picking you up and the person who dropped you off (in case you left something behind). Put those numbers in your phone and on paper.
Pack extras. Bring along snacks, a hefty amount of patience, and your sense of humor. Add a stash of ‘mad money’ to your wallet. That way, if something goes wrong despite all your planning and preparation, you’ll be able to buy yourself or your family a stress-busting treat.
If you’re traveling with food to eat during your journey or with a turkey or something else destined for the Thanksgiving table, you will likely be asked to take it out of your bag and put it in a separate bin for a ride through the x-ray machine.  TSA allows turkeys, turkey sandwiches, pies, cakes and other baked through the checkpoints, but foodstuffs that are liquid, such as jellies and cranberry sauce, need to travel in checked bags. Unsure if your food is a liquid or gel? TSA’s “What can I bring” tool, available online and as an app, can help – and you can send a question about a specific item to @AskTSA on Twitter.

 

To read more on how to survive Thanksgiving travel, click here.  For more general travel tips, click here.

Best Holiday Travel Destinations

Has the Holiday cheer put you in a wanderlust mood?  Give in to it and hop on a plane for a trip during the time of year that many deem the BEST time to see a new place.  Here are our top 10 American holiday travel destinations for you to indulge in. Enjoy!

 

No. 1 Aspen, CO
A combination of luxe living and quaint charm helped this Rocky Mountain town capture the spot as the merriest of them all. Wandering along Cooper Avenue, you may chance upon cookie exchanges, public s’mores roasts, or elf meet-and-greets. But the two most famous hotels in town act as the nerve centers for holiday cheer. The lobby of the Hotel Jerome regularly hosts carolers, while the Ajax Tavern and Element 47 at the Little Nell both serve fabulous holiday meals, with indulgences like venison loin with huckleberries, black truffles, and chestnut-and-caramel profiteroles.

 

No. 2 Vail, CO
Ski season kicks into high gear during the holidays in this Colorado wonderland. December brings the festivities of Snowdaze—where the fresh powder is celebrated with live concerts every evening—and Holidaze, which includes the village’s tree lighting during the winter solstice and a New Year’s Eve torchlight parade down Golden Peak, followed by fireworks. Any time of year, readers love Vail’s liquid nourishments, ranking the town highly for its hot coffee (compare local favorites Yeti’s Grind and Loaded Joe’s).

 

No. 3 Ogunquit, ME
Readers may be drawn to this former artists’ colony in Maine as a beach getaway, but the holiday season brings the perks of winter on the sand: lower prices and overall calm, with just enough festivity to keep things humming. Mid-December’s Christmas by the Sea Festival typically includes a bonfire on the beach and a soul-warming chowder fest. From Ogunquit, you can also easily reach two shopping areas for getting through your list: the Kittery Outlets and, an hour away, Freeport. For distinctive local shopping, browse the Harbor Candy Shop, where the gift boxes include a Vegan Sampler, featuring soy truffles, marzipan, and orange peel enrobed in dark chocolate.

 

No. 4 Nantucket, MA
The banner event during the holidays in this island town started in the 1970s, because too many locals left to shop in Cape Cod. Today, during the annual Christmas Stroll—typically the first weekend in December—you can shop downtown amid dozens of seven-foot, decorated Christmas trees, and take part in wine tastings, ghost walks, and home tours. Pick up some gifts at Murray’s Toggery Shop (the mother ship for holiday-ready Nantucket Reds pants) and Jessica Hicks, the boutique of a local jewelry designer. For more tree-gazing, go to the Whaling Museum, which houses 80 trees decorated by local artists, merchants, and kids.

 

No. 5 Naples, FL
This Florida town lacks snowman-building material, but the snowbird-style winter wonderland still lures holiday revelers with its luxury stores, cool boutiques, and festive ambience. Third Street South is the headquarters for the official tree, evening “snow” showers during Thanksgiving week, and gorgeous window displays, like those at department store Marissa Collections in the Old Naples Historic District. Continue shopping along Fifth Avenue South, and check out whimsical clothing and gift shop Wind in the Willows, whose window won Best in Show at the 2013 local holiday decorating contest. Of course, the holidays are about more than retail; catch the Naples edition of the worldwide TUBA Christmas, a concert on Fifth Avenue South’s Sugden Plaza featuring brass tubas, euphoniums, and baritones.

 

No. 6 Breckenridge, CO
Breckenridge gets revved up during the holidays, as ski season swings into high gear. Indeed, this resort town skates the fine line between thrills and low stress, ranking well in the survey for both adventure and safety. On the first weekend in December, the traditional lighting of the town’s official tree coincides with the Running of the Santas, in which hundreds of red-clad, supersize elves take to the streets; on December 31, there’s a torchlight parade down the mountain, followed by fireworks.

 

No. 7 Lewisburg, WV
Grande dame hotel The Greenbrier is the epicenter of the holidays in the Lewisburg area. The 18th-century resort trims the lobby with opulent decorations, holds ribbon-tying seminars in its Christmas Shop, and offers weekday discounts on treatments at its legendary mineral-springs spa. While you can hear the West Virginia Symphony play at Lewisburg’s own Carnegie Hall, the town may otherwise win the Silent Night award, getting high marks for peace and quiet.

 

No. 8 Beaufort, NC
Winter weather doesn’t really kick in until January in this Outer Banks town, so the holiday season is typically still a good time to paddle a kayak or take a boat tour along Taylor’s Creek. The Christmas lights take to the water too: one of the biggest holiday events is the Crystal Coast Christmas Flotilla, a twinkling-lights-strewn boat parade held on the first weekend in December. Readers’ favorite cuisine in this low-key town are the sandwiches: try the double crab cake Cranky Crab at the Beaufort Grocery.

 

No. 9 Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
This California town with a rocky coastline doesn’t experience much in the way of winter, but the chilly air makes the crashing waves and neighboring wine country seem all the more enticing. Carmel has its own tree lighting—a huge resident tree at the corner of Junipero and Ocean avenues—and the quiet days of early December also make it a little easier to get a table at nearby restaurants like La Bicyclette and Flying Fish Grill. December also brings the Inns of Distinction Tour, which includes the Cypress Inn (dating back to 1929) and the cottage-style Wayside Inn, as well as wineries such as Heller Estate and Cima Collina. Carmel also ranked well for its distinctive shopping; pick up French linens and antiques at Jan de Luz.

No. 10 Park City, UT
The holiday season ushers in serious wattage—star-powered and otherwise—in this Utah mountain town. In late November, Park City holds its annual Electric Parade, in which locals light up their trucks, cars, and bicycles and crank up the holiday tunes as they parade down Main Street. On Christmas Eve, Saint Nick spends the day skiing the slopes and then leads a torchlight parade down the PayDay trail. January’s Sundance Film Festival draws a Hollywood crowd, yet Park City also scored well with readers for feeling family-friendly. During the holidays, kids and sweet tooths of all ages will love the life-size gingerbread house (nearly 13 feet tall, made with 11,000 cookies) at Montage Deer Valley.

 

For more travel news, click here.

 

DIY Trip Planning vs. Using A Travel Agent

Once upon a time, about 20 years ago, you needed to use a travel agent to book a trip. Your travel agency would book your flights, give you a stack of maps and brochures, and they might even highlight the roads to take on the highway map if you were driving to your destination. Then, the Internet came around. In the world of Google Flights, and better travel rewards credit cards, and the many different flight booking sites, do people still use travel agencies?  If you’re like many budget travelers, you probably started booking your own trips yourself online in the early 2000s and thought travel agents went extinct. That’s actually the farthest thing from the truth. Sure, travel agents and agencies are not as common as they once were, but, they are still in demand. In fact, 34% of Millenials used an offline travel agent in 2017 (and many others with some crazy travel requests)! You know, the same generation that can send you a text message or tweet but won’t have a face-to-face conversation with you. I’m surprised that many know what a travel agency is.

How to find a reputable travel agent?

You can perform a quick Google search for “travel agents near me” and you will most likely find at least one private office. Or, you can always look for your local AAA location as well.

Why would anybody use a travel agency when you book the same flight or hotel room as the agent and maybe even save a few dollars in the process?

There are a few reasons actually. Let’s break those reason down below.

By finding a travel agent who is an expert on the region you want to visit, they can book the best flights, hotels, and even make top-notch recommendations of where to eat and sight-see. If you have never been to another continent, what looks appealing on the Internet doesn’t always work out so well once you arrive and begin to play tourist. Since the agent has already “been there, done that,” they can immediately tell you where to go so you can maximize every minute of the trip.

Not every travel agent is going to know everything about every corner of the globe. Travel Leaders can help you find an agent who specializes in the area you want to visit. For example, you can find an agent that specializes in beach weddings, Riviera Mexico, or Hawaii.

Travel Agents Aren’t That Much More Expensive
The Internet has driven the cost down for many items and services, travel agents included. To remain competitive, travel agents cannot charge the same fees they did before anyone could book their own dream vacation themselves. Travel agents do receive a small commission from the airlines and hotels when they book your trip, but, this helps keep your travel costs down.

Some agents might not charge any additional fees, but, you can expect to pay anywhere from $30 to $50 per person to book your trip for you. If you can afford the convenience or simply do not have the time to research your own flights, hotels, and sightseeing itinerary this can be money well-spent.

If you own one of the best travel rewards cards like the Capital One Venture or a Chase Sapphire Preferred, you have complimentary access to the Amex or Chase travel concierge. You tell them where you want to travel or even what special event you want to attend in your hometown and they will make it happen for no additional fee.

You Have a Complex Trip
Many great free, online tools exist that make booking a complex trip look extremely easy. Any DIY traveler needs to use Google Flights, Momondo, or Skiplagged (hidden city fares) to research a one-way, roundtrip, or multi-city fare. But, buying your plane tickets is only one side of the equation.

If you don’t have the time to research or simply can’t seem to put all the pieces to the travel puzzle together, don’t be afraid to call a travel agent. After all, it’s their job to book these complex fares so that you can have the trip of a lifetime. How often would you regret not going on a complex trip because you were afraid to ask for help?

Why People No Longer Use a Travel Agency
There will always be a demand for travel agents. That doesn’t mean you will use one to book most of your trips though. Here are several reasons why you won’t use a travel agency.

You Want Rewards Flights and Nights
One reason why you might book your own travel is so you can redeem your credit card rewards points. For example, there you can transfer and redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points that you earn from your Chase credit cards to book award flights on just about any airline and you don’t have to pay a dime (okay, maybe fees and taxes) to fly or stay at a quality hotel. Travel rewards card benefits have improved so much, you can even buy your own ticket to the Emmys and other exclusive events just for owning an elite travel credit card.

When you use a travel agency, your only payment method will most likely be cash. That means you will have more rewards points to use next time, but, that doesn’t necessarily help you now.

If you need help booking an award flight, you can call the airline when you transfer your points or the credit card travel concierge when you try to redeem your points through their travel portal (i.e. AmexTravel.com or the Chase Ultimate Rewards Portal).

Plenty of Free Travel Advice Online
Not only can you book your travel directly from the airline or hotel, you can also research everything there is to do and even find the best flights from online travel blogs (like Johnny Jet!). Whether you want to research the best travel rewards card, things to do in Ireland (or anywhere else), and also the best award travel options, you can find all that information online.

Travel agents might know about the best places to stay and the must-see tourist sites, but, their job is to book a travel reservation that you pay for. If you want to book award travel or simply relish DIY travel, you can access all these resources online for free from travel aficionados that have witnessed the same sights and sounds that you will soon experience yourself!

Summary on Travel Agencies
People of all generations till use travel agencies. The Internet has made it easier than ever for you to book your own travel, and in a lot of cases, you may never need a travel agent. But, booking travel is the sole profession for travel agents and the good agents can be extremely helpful when you have complex routes or simply don’t have the time to research and book the travel yourself.

For more travel tips, click here.

 

Travel to The Great Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains was nominated as the third most valuable place in the world to travel.

The best-value list compiles destinations where travelers can go to both save money, and experience unique things that make their dollars worthwhile. Choosing destinations for the list balances the cost of going to them with opportunities travelers have when they get there.

The mountains appeared on Lonely Planet’s list of best places to travel for their value alongside the Maldives, a city in Poland, and Houston. They were only beat by the Southern Nile Valley in Egypt and Łódź, a city in Poland known for a vibrant cultural atmosphere.

The list compiles the travel destinations that provide the best experiences for the least cost, all of which were decided on by a panel of travel writers. They decided which destinations deserved a place on the list after compiling results from a survey handed out to people working with Lonely Planet and from ideas created during brainstorming events held in their offices, worldwide.

This year’s committee included Tony Wheeler, the founder of the company. Lonely Planet began in 1973, and has since produced a variety of guidebooks and posts travel-themed articles on their website. Their guidebooks are tailored for exploring different regions, such as a guidebook for exploring Australia or Asia.

Lonely Planet also publishes travel guides for across the world, including an annual publication ranking different destinations in a variety of ways. The 2019 Best in Travel guidebook also includes list for the best cities to travel to, the best countries and the best regions.

While other lists consider the opportunities a region offers travelers, the best in value list also takes into account the time and money it takes to get to a destination.

“The Great Smoky Mountains are so accessible,” said Trisha Ping, Lonely Planet’s Eastern U.S. destinations editor. “Other national parks are less accessible because it’s a long drive or you have to camp to see anything.  We wanted to call out and highlight the value of the Smokies,” Ping said. “The list provides the places which give the most utility to travelers.”

What’s great about the Smokies?
The Great Smoky Mountains earned third place on the list because it is beautiful year-round, according to Lonely Planet. The mountains are also free to enter, which helps travelers’ dollars go farther than other, more expensive travel destinations.

The Great Smoky Mountains cover 522,427 acres between North Carolina and Tennessee. Their highest peak at Clingmans Dome reaches 6,643 feet, and the mountains host more than 400,000 hikers every year

At the same time, its smallest mountain reaches only 875 feet and easier trails, like the 1.9-mile Gatlinburg Trail, take travelers’ breath away with their sights, not their difficulty.

“There are easy trails to walk with the kids or with grandparents,” Ping said. “And there are harder trails, too.”

Mountains on the rise
The area has had two years to rebuild after wildfires devastated the area, Gatlinburg in particular. The fires killed 14 people, burned more than 10,000 acres (15 square miles) inside the national park, and 6,000 acres in other parts of the area. At least 14,000 area residents and tourists were forced to evacuate, while over 2,000 buildings were damaged and/or destroyed.

The Great Smoky Mountains wildfires were the deadliest wildfires in the eastern U.S. since the Great Fires of 1947, which killed 16 people in Maine. In addition, the fires were also the most deadly and destructive of the 2016 Southeastern United States wildfires.

Now that the fires have been extinguished, the mountains have been on the rebound. In 2016, the park received 11.3 million visits.

As a result of the mountains’ popularity, Lonely Planet is planning a guidebook for the park set to be released late next year, according to Ping.

It will be the first guidebook the publication has made for a national park in the eastern U.S.

To plan your trip to the smokies, click here.  For more travel news and tips, click here.

 

10 Trips to Take In Your 30’s

Looking for some of the best trips to take? More and more 30 somethings are prioritizing travel time amidst the busy family time and career-building. You’re older and wiser. And hopefully more financially secure. Where to travel now that you’ve got your life together? (Relatively-speaking, of course.) Here are 10 trips that deliver the perfect mix of excitement, intrigue, adventure, luxury, and most importantly—fun!—from an off-the-grid getaway in Alaska to a bucket-list safari in Africa.

  1. Costa Rica

    Cheap travel and world-class swells brought you to Costa Rica in your twenties. Now, experience some of the country’s more grown-up pleasures—namely, its jaw-dropping natural scenery, inspired cuisine, and wellness-focused attractions—at the adults-only Oxygen Jungle Villas. The boutique hotel is nestled within a plot of protected Costa Rican rainforest and perched above the Pacific Ocean, so you truly feel like you’re living in the wild. You’ll spend your days lounging in your Balinese-style villa, going on countless outdoor excursions (hiking, whale watching, scuba diving), and exploring the restaurants and storefronts of neighboring town Ojochal.

    2.    Lanserhof Tegernsee, Bavaria

    Vacation days—and we mean real vacation days, sans work and family commitments—are hard to come by in your thirties. Which is why it’s important to truly relax, re-center, and recharge when you do get a few days to yourself. Enter the legendary Lanserhof Tegernsee detox resort in the Bavarian Alps. Here, spa-goers are retaught how to chew and sleep, forced to cut sugar and alcohol from their diets, and if the specialists deem it necessary, subjected to futuristic medical evaluations including sleep assessments. The amenities make up for the rigors of the program: we’re talking an 18-course golf course, a saltwater swimming pool, nightly classical music concerts and a monastically beautiful setting (all glass and stone and embowered by the forest).

 

  1. Stockholm, Sweden

    Your thirties are all about cultivating a distinctive sense of taste and style. And in Stockholm, you’ll have world-class museums, galleries, design stores, and concept boutiques at your fingertips. A few must-stops: Sven Harrys-Art Museum, a slick new art space that houses the private collection of collector Sven-Harry Karlsson; Malmstenbutiken, a storied Swedish brand known for its furniture and textile designs; and hotel At Six, a boutique high-rise with an art collection that includes big names like Sol Le Witt and Jaume Plensa.

 

  1. Amalfi Coast

    You’ve dreamt about Amalfi’s pastel-hued villages, cobbled streets, and cerulean waters for as long as you can remember. Now that you have disposable income to spend and (hopefully) more vacation days, it’s time to make those dreams a reality. Stay in Amalfi at the five-start Hotel Santa Caterina, set in a 19th-century, liberty-style villa above the sea. When you’re not lounging by the private pool or the beach club, explore the town’s charming maze of narrow streets, whitewashed buildings, precipitous steps, and bustling piazza.

 

  1. Sri Lanka

    If you’re celebrating a big anniversary or birthday, there’s no better place to do so than Sri Lanka. The exotic island offers out-of-this-world Indian Ocean coastlines, lush tropical vegetation, elephant-filled national parks, and plenty of luxury resorts like the Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort, spread across a 21-acre former coconut plantation on the southernmost coast of Sri Lanka. Splurge on a private villa—which comes with a private plunge pool, expansive deck, butler pantry, tiled rainfall shower—and you may never want to leave your guest room. But we’d recommend peeling yourself away for at least a few hours to indulge at an authentic Ayrvedic treatment at the spa, learn the ropes of Sri Lankan cooking at Anatara’s popular Spice Spoons Cooking school, or take part in a traditional high-tea service.

    6.    Chile

    With age comes wisdom—plus, an affinity for the finer things in life. And at Chile’s Viña Vik Hotel, a design-forward retreat and spa located two hours from Santiago, in Chile’s Millahue Valley, you’ll find plenty of amenities that will appeal to your refined tastes. We’re talking an award-winning spa, infinity pool, two restaurants, and high-design guest rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, original artwork, and curvilinear furniture (an homage to the property’s undulating titanium rooftop). Want to get outside and take in some of that jaw-dropping scenery? There are seven horses on standby that can whisk you around the property’s vineyard.

 

  1. Alaska

    There will come a time in your thirties when you just need to get away from it all (the job, the bills, the responsibilities) with a back-to-nature trip. And for this kind of escapist getaway, we’d recommend Alaska—a land of impenetrable forests, vast tundras, towering glaciers, and some of the world’s most awe-inspiring animals. To see the region’s wildlife up close and personal, hop on a guided glacier or wildlife walk with Salmon Berry Tours, where you might spot Dall sheep, mountain goats, and caribou as you explore the Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet. Then it’s on to the Kenai Fjords National Park, the smallest national park in Alaska, to see The Harding Icefield (almost 714 square miles of ice up to a mile thick) and Resurrection Bay. Make your home base The Hotel Alyeska, a rustic mountain lodge with direct access to hiking and biking trails.

 

  1. Shanghai, China

    It can be easy to fall into a bit of a vacation rut in your thirties, returning to the same hotels and destinations over and over again. To rediscover your love of travel—and immerse yourself in an intoxicating foreign environment—pack your bags for Shanghai. The cosmopolitan city has it all: sleek skyscrapers, high-end shopping, innovative restaurants, and cultural landmarks, from the French Concession and Nanshi to the riverfront Bund. Check into The Puli Hotel and Spa, a serene urban hideaway with a central address in city’s Jing’An district and Zen vibe.

    9.    Douro Valley, Portugal

    You did Lisbon and Porto in your twenties. Now, it’s time to see a different side of Portugal by spending some time in Douro Valley—a landscape of sun-drenched vineyards the blanket steep mountainsides, with the majestic Douro River as the centerpiece. Visit the historic Six Senses, a 19th-century manor house restored for the 21st century by New York-based firm Clodagh Design. Guests can unwind with treatments in the spa. Take a break from your education in viniculture at the property’s magnificent infinity-edge pool, which looks out over the winding river.

 

  1. Newfoundland

    If you’ve been to Canada, chances are it wasn’t to Newfoundland. The sleepy Atlantic Canadian province doesn’t exactly have the uh, international appeal as cities like Montreal or Toronto. What it does have? Quaint fishing villages, arctic wildlife, jaw-droppingly beautiful national parks, and plenty of Maritime charm—all things you likely have more of an appreciation for now that’s you’re older. Start your adventure in the capital city of St. John’s, a colorful little town with steep streets and clapboard houses.  Then hit the road in the direction of Fogo Island. The tiny, salt-tanged isle offers fewer than a dozen restaurants and cafes, but makes up for it with a burgeoning art scene and plenty of design-forward accommodations—like the 29-room Fogo Island Inn.

 

For more trips to take in your 30’s, click here.  For more travel news, click here.