Over the last 20 years, I’ve traveled to Mexico more than 50 times. I’ve learned that the dreamy, filtered Instagram photos don’t always match the reality on the ground. However, the truth is that Mexico actually holds some of the best stretches of sand in the world. Some are incredibly easy to get to, and …

When you think of Portugal, chances are it’s the steep hills of Lisbon or the picturesque riverside in Porto that come to mind. They’re the country’s top two destinations, and the most obvious pick for first-time visitors craving a taste of Lusophone culture. However, they may not be the best pick if you’re averse to …

Remember the good ol’ days? It wasn’t that long ago that you could snag a seven-day, five-star, all-inclusive getaway south of the border for a couple of grand. Fast forward to 2026, and that exact same week-long luxury beach holiday is now routinely tipping the scales at $5,000 or more. Between the surging Mexican ‘super …

It seems Dubrovnik’s Golden Age of Tourism has run its course. Well, Game of Thrones—and now House of the Dragon—enthusiasts will still flock to the real-life ‘King’s Landing’ to retrace Cersei’s steps down the Walk of Shame and walk the ‘Red Keep’ ramparts, but we have a feeling the novelty has started to wear off. …

Every single year, millions of travelers head south of the border looking for a sun-drenched escape, and almost all of them end up funneled into the exact same high-energy resort strips. They book all-inclusive packages in Cancun or fight the spring break crowds in Cabo, spending their entire vacation trapped inside commercialized tourist bubbles. On …

Tired of the Parises, Londons, Barcelonas of the world? This lesser-known Eastern European city you’ve probably never heard of offers $3 jugs of beer, safer streets than your usual Western hub, equally stunning architecture… and it won’t be long before it finally goes mainstream. Romania is a pretty underrated country as it is. In fact, …

There’s a trap with the standard tropical vacation. You spend months looking forward to it, you fly down, and you spend five days straight doing absolutely nothing but sunning, drinking cocktails, and eating heavy buffet food. By the time you get back home, you feel exhausted—you basically need a vacation to recover from your vacation. …

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for this sweltering heatwave to finally pass. Enough of island-hopping around the Maddalena archipelago, gelato by the pier in Amalfi, and toasting in the sun like fried calamari in Menorca. I’m counting down the days until it’s sweater, fireplace weather, and it’s time to escape to the …

Right now, sitting in my office in Louisville watching the intense summer humidity roll in, my instinct is to immediately start looking for flights down to the Caribbean. If I’m going to be hot, I may as well be on a beach! For years, finding an island that wasn’t completely overrun by massive, walled-off mega-resorts …

After two decades of traveling and visiting over 100 countries, I’ve learned that safety isn’t about constantly looking over your shoulder—it’s about the ultimate luxury: the ability to actually unplug. When you know a destination is genuinely secure, you aren’t second-guessing your surroundings or overthinking a walk back to your hotel. You are just enjoying …

Before you try and second-guess it, no, this is not another regurgitated press release on Costa Rica, this, and ‘pura vida’ that. ‘Tica, we love you but… been there, done that. Gorgeous as Costa Rica may be, Central America has a lot more to offer, and after years of living in the shadow of its more famous …

Sometimes you just need a frictionless, easy getaway. When I switch gears from traveling the globe and just want a truly relaxing vacation where I know exactly what to expect, no place on earth delivers that better than Cancun. They have perfected the all-inclusive experience. For the American traveler, the logistics are absolutely unbeatable. You …