I consider myself a minor league foodie. By this I mean that there is nothing very sophisticated or educated about my food obsession, other than the fact that I simply love good food. And because I wouldn’t say that I really love to cook, I’m a person who loves good food someone else cooks.  It doesn’t have to be fancy, or complicated, or even hard to pronounce… it simply has to be delicious.  

For this reason, I am a firm believer that every amazing vacation should include great food.  There are very few destinations on my list of places I have immensely enjoyed visiting that didn’t offer this component.  (Besides maybe the Czech Republic. I loved Prague...hated the food!) As such, I like to make it a point to discuss this topic with clients when creating custom itineraries.

I can still remember my longest flight delay... almost 24 hours in Paris and 10 of it stuck at the airport, before they finally let us in on the obvious secret that our plane wasn’t going anywhere that day.  The savvy traveler I am now would have never wasted such an opportunity, but all I did  then was fill myself up with McDonald’s and sit despondently by the gate.

Even when you are the best planner and have double checked your flight status before leaving home, sometimes the inevitable still happens— flight delays.  Nobody wants to start or end a vacation inside of an airport for extra hours, but the inevitable is just that. However, there are a few tips and tricks of the trade I’ve picked up over the years that are important reminders and just may come in handy for you. 

Is planning a vacation last minute a good idea? No. Not if you really are trying to have your best experience.  I think many people either don’t realize that planning in advance can work to their advantage, or they believe that all the best deals are found last minute. That’s simply not true. Planning in advance allows you to craft the perfect trip to suit your tastes, and gives you access to everything your trip should encompass. You aren’t settling, you are able to set the tone for your perfect trip. 

So, the question to ask is when is the optimal time to start planning your next vacation? There are 3 main things to consider when deciding how far in advance you should begin planning, and booking all the necessary components.

I have an entrepreneurial spirit.  I have always known that about myself, and it was further confirmed when I took a multitude of tests after I retired from being an athlete that were supposed to help guide me into my next career. It told me I was driven, self-motivated, unafraid of taking risks, resourceful, don’t need to actually get paid to work my tail off… and on and on.

I took that entrepreneurial spirit and paired it with my love for travel for two very important reasons. The first is pretty obvious — I am passionate about travel and love helping others experience more of the world in an authentic way. Planning and organizing is a skill set, and I pair it with my knack for understanding the desires of others and finding great joy in seeing their dreams come to life. The second reason that lights me up as well, is that it is a business I can build that allows me to have location freedom.

Here is yet another thing I love about traveling the world: You can literally pick the season you want to enjoy at any time of year, and go somewhere perfectly suited to experience it. Did you miss your opportunity for a summer vacation? Or are you like me, and jump at the chance to work on your tan any chance you get? Well, you’re in luck.

Since most people don’t start their winter travel until mid or late December, traveling in November and early December means crowds are small and your vacation dollar will go a lot further in huge sections of the travel world.

Today’s blog gives you some fantastic ideas to help you add a week or two of summer vibes toward the end of the year.

Is there anything worse than getting off of an international flight tired, cranky, and hangry, only to be met with a ridiculously long custom’s line, that inches forward at the slowest pace known to man?! Of course, the person right ahead of you will have forgotten to sign their paperwork and the agent will probably have about 17 extra questions for them. These are all first world problems, I know. But coming home from international travel and dealing with customs is by far my least favorite part of traveling. Unless you have Global Entry, you’re stuck- until now.

Enter Mobile Passport. Music to my globe-trotting ears.

Over the past week, continued tragedy has hit our world.  There hardly seem enough hashtags to keep up with all of the horrific events taking place around the globe and in our own backyards.

It’s pretty frightening, isn’t it? 

I happened to catch the story of what occurred in Nice, France right as it was unfolding.  I know people who live there.  I recall my own vacation in Nice, walking the same streets that were now making dark history.  I have clients who vacationed there only weeks ago. It hit close to home.

While events such as this one can very easily make us feel like it’s not safe to go anywhere these days, I don’t believe we should give them the power to prevent us from carrying on with our lives.

For the last two weeks I’ve been glued to the T.V. watching the Olympic Trials for Track and Field, and witnessing the life transforming moments of athletes seeing their dreams be realized as they become Olympians. There is not much more thrilling to me than the Olympics, and I become consumed every 4 years. 

If you have the opportunity to make your way to Rio this summer for the Olympic Games, let me first tell you that I am insanely jealous— in the best way. 

Rio is an amazing city that I have had the opportunity to visit a handful of times, and I know that it will add it’s special magic to the 2016 Summer Games. Because a trip like this is a fusing of my two biggest passions, I'd love to pass along some helpful information for anyone traveling there next month.

The Game of Thrones season finale may mean life feels a little empty but you can cheer yourself up with a trip to Northern Ireland and the dramatic locations where the series was filmed. 

I recently had a client depart for a month long trip to Europe, with half of that time spent in Ireland/Northern Ireland with—you guessed it—a focus on Game of Thrones sightseeing. Unbeknownst to me at the beginning of our vacation planning, some of the most majestic locations in Northern Ireland have become part and parcel of Westeros. 

Traveling by train in Italy is my favorite way to travel. Not only are their network of trains convenient and reliable, you also get some spectacular views of the countryside. Today, I wanted to answer a few of the most common questions I get about traveling by train in Italy, and hopefully guide you towards choosing the best mode of transportation for you on your next Italian adventure.

Overview: A visit to French Polynesia is about as close as it gets to experiencing paradise. Enjoy 7 beautiful sun-soaked days as you quickly slip into a slower-paced way of life and spend your days enjoying the turquoise waters and top of the line luxury accommodations in your own overwater bungalow. Bora Bora is considered one of the most the most romantic islands in the world. From the dramatic scenery to the privacy and amenities of the overwater bungalows, everything here equals a 10 on the romance scale.

Exploring a new city through it’s culinary offerings is pretty much my favorite thing ever. I like food. I hesitate to call myself a “foodie”, simply because I’m not fancy with it at all. I just like what I like, and what I love most of all is the experience a good meal can provide. It makes you savor and appreciate the moment. To me, that is what life is all about. 

So, what did I do while I was in Vancouver for an entire week? I ate my way through the city. Many of my favorites came from locals or visitors who passed along their favorites to me, and recommendations through my people on social media (thank you!). I am sharing my favorites with you in hopes that during your next visit to this amazing city in the Pacific Northwest you can tag me in your foodie photo on Instagram, and let me know how amazing your meal was as well!

Let’s face it: the selfie is so yesterday. Yes, they’re great for instant gratification, Facebook feeds, and fun Instagram updates. But couples are moving away from letting “the selfie” define their honeymoon. 

Couples are still taking impromptu snapshots while walking along the bridges of Paris or lingering over afternoon cocktails in Rome. But the selfie is now seen as a fun snapshot, a digital moment to share on social media. In addition to these fun self-portraits, couples are now craving something more. They want higher quality pictures that truly reflect their personalities. They also want pictures that are worth printing or using to make beautiful photo books of their trip. Because a honeymoon is such a unique and once-in-a-lifetime trip, couples now value honeymoon photography just as much as their own wedding photography.

Tulum is fast becoming one of the “go-to” Mexican destinations for many travelers.  It’s easy to see why this Mayan city built next to the sea is so popular.  It has a spectacular setting, and a laid-back, casual chic vibe that makes it an ideal place to relax and rejuvenate.

Here is my personal rundown of how to best enjoy this Caribbean beauty.

Living in Southern California my whole life sometimes makes me forget that it is also an ideal vacation destination. I frequent the best beaches when I have an afternoon free, meet my friends for dinner at some of the finest restaurants, and enjoy cocktails at sunset on some of the city’s most picturesque rooftops. These moments are actually what others consider a vacation—and a nice one at that!

Recently, I’ve explored some fantastic properties in Beverly Hills and wanted to expand on that and provide you with an easy and amazing way to have the perfect getaway in LA’s most famous zip code. 

This is a perfect itinerary for a girls getaway, or just an excuse to add a little glitz and glamour to your life with your significant other one weekend because life is too short not to enjoy it to the fullest.

There are so many things I love about the Tuscany region of Italy, that I consider it my top destination for honeymoons in Europe. And there is nothing I love more than crafting a perfect honeymoon experience.  There are two main ways you can do Italy— spend your time seeing a lot, or take your time having an experience.  For couples who appreciate the ability to soak in the true essence of Tuscany, and create lasting memories of special moments within a trip customized specifically for you, consider the following outline as a sneak peek into my version of la dolce vita. 

Begin in Florence…

I will never forget the first time I packed for a 3 week trip to Europe. I exited the airport with 2 full sized roller bags, a carryon roller bag, and a backpack.  Included in those suitcases were various outfit options for whatever might come up during my time abroad, about 10 pairs of shoes, and at least 6 pairs of jeans. I wanted to be prepared.

I then remember the moment when I needed to take the train from one city to the next.  I looked around anxiously for the elevator or escalator that would take me from street level to where the platforms were and saw nothing. So I made 3 trips up and down the stairs with two 50 pound bags, as frenchmen whisked past me with no offers of help.  

Never again.

When traveling I do my best to take photos that will properly tell the story of my experience.  Not only do I want memories for myself, I want beautiful memories I can share with others. That’s why it’s important for me to share my experience in a way that allows people an inside look at what I am seeing, doing, and eating (duh!), and allows for their own wanderlust to be sparked.  

I am by NO means a professional photographer, nor do I make any claims that my photos are outstanding in any way. However, I have gotten better! I am learning not only how to take better photos, but also which photos tell better stories, and which photos tell MY story. Today I thought I would share a few of my tips with you, and show you how those ideas have played out here in my first few days in Italy.

Last week I had the opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic with Fathom Travel as part of their pilot program. I took part in some of the activities that will be offered once sailing starts in just a little over a month, and see firsthand what the experience will look like for people choosing a travel experience whose main goal is making an impact in the destination where they are headed. 

Spring Break is the time of year where students in college get the opportunity to take a break from their studies, and enjoy time off in a beautiful locale that usually provides a ton of sunshine, and a few (or many) frosty beverages. I never actually went on a Spring Break vacation while I was in college, and I feared I might of missed out on my opportunity, but then I thought… Why shouldn’t grownups get a spring break vacation? 

Sure, studying for midterms is hard, but not nearly as hard as real life! Can I get an amen?!