A splashy, upscale resort with one of the best swimming pools on the planet. And a relaxing retreat that’s the epitome of old-time, Hawaiian charm. I loved my recent stay at both Koloa Landing in Poipu/Koloa and the Waimea Plantation Cottages on the lush, tropical island of Kauai. But for very different reasons. Here’s a look at two wonderful family properties with very different styles on what might be Hawaii’s most beautiful island. KOLOA LANDING RESORT AT POIPU, MARRIOTT AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION This is an upscale yet super family-friendly spot on the edge of the popular Poipu/Koloa region of south Read more
I’ve been to Australia a half-dozen times, and have been able to enjoy a wide variety of tremendous experiences. Of course, there are lots of things I’ve yet to do, and places I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing. So, here’s one Down Under lover’s list of nine great places I’ve enjoyed in Australia, and also at some fab places to stay. Okay, and a brief look at a few spots I haven’t been that might spark your interest in a future trip. LORD HOWE ISLAND This is a teensy, weensy between Australia and New Zealand. It belongs to the Read more
Flight Centre Travel Group Canada says leisure bookings to American cities have fallen off a cliff, dropping 40% in February when compared to the same month in 2024. The group also says one in five customers cancelled their trips to the U.S. over the past three months. The startling drop in Canadian interest in U.S. travel comes amid repeated threats from U.S. Donald Trump about making Canada a 51st state, and as talk of painful tariffs on the important of Canadian goods to the U.S. increased. It’s not unreasonable to think that Trump’s announcement on the morning of 04MAR that Read more
With the economy bouncing around like a yo-yo, travellers around the world are looking to save money wherever they can. A website called Hello Safe looked at the cost for accommodation, food and transportation, as well as tourist activities in 131 countries across the globe and came up with the average price for a traveller in U.S. dollars. (The average does not include transportation to the country). The most expensive country to visit? Hello Safe says it’s Barbados, with an average daily price tag of $471 USD. That was followed by Antigua and Barbuds at $443 and Saint Kitts and Read more
The Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board has just launched its new “We Love LA” campaign—a vibrant love letter to the city, showcasing the best of LA’s cultural, culinary, and entertainment offerings while reinforcing its position as one of the world’s most inclusive and dynamic destinations. “The beginning of the year was incredibly challenging for the Los Angeles community, and as we look ahead to recovery, we remain committed to the 543,000 Angelenos and more than 1,000 local businesses who depend on tourism for their livelihoods,” said Adam Burke, President and CEO, Los Angeles Tourism. “The best way that individuals Read more
This is a fun item. A website called Radical Storage took a look at nearly 100,000 Google reviews from the top 10 most-reviewed tourist attractions in 100 cities around the world and looked for words like “overrated” or “disappointing.” They then came up with a list of the ten most underwhelming/disappointing/overrated destinations around the world. They also published a list of the ten most surprising/underrated destinations. Here’s a look. OVERRATED/DISAPPOINTING Cancun, Mexico Antalya, Turkiye Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Beijing, China Orlando, Florida Mumbai, India Honolulu, Hawaii Johor Bahru, Indonesia Kyot0, Japan Playa del Carmen, Mexico UNDERRATED/SURPRISING Guangzhou, China Lima, Peru Read more
We might be seeing some of the first data that shows Canadians are, indeed, avoiding travel to the United States. Global News reports that numbers provided by a company called Cascade Gateway, which also provides border wait times, shows that in February this year so far, there have been on average 3,500 cars heading to the U.S. through the Peace Arch border crossing between British Columbia and Washington State. That compares to nearly 5,000 a day last February, and represent a significant 30% drop. Weather could be an issue, but officials in Washington State say the threatened, on again/off again tariff Read more