There is a specific, sinking feeling you get when you have to constantly check your pockets in a crowded tourist trap or nervously navigate dimly lit streets trying to find your hotel. When my wife Liz and I are plotting our escapes from the unpredictable weather in Louisville, we want to trade our daily stress …

Dreaming of an escapade to Venice but the surging crowds and crazy prices keep putting you off? Well, maybe you slept through it in school, but did you know Venice was, at one point in time, one of the most powerful countries in the Mediterranean? Including not only the city of Venice itself, located in …

If you’ve spent any time in a travel group or scrolling vacation comments, you’ve seen the debate play out. Someone asks if it’s safe to book a beach trip south of the border right now, and almost immediately, experienced travelers jump in with the exact same claim: “Honestly, I feel way safer hanging out at …

Had your fill of the Parises and Londons of the world? This epic Eastern European capital still feels like the Europe of yesteryear—no overpriced tourist traps, no hour-long queues—and even better, it’s arguably safer than your average major Western hub. Belgrade, in Serbia, has been the talk of the travel world lately, and for good …

If you’ve tried to navigate a major Western European capital recently, you already know the deal. The version of Europe you see on Instagram just doesn’t exist in the major hubs right now. Instead of enjoying a quiet espresso in an empty piazza, you’re dodging aggressive selfie sticks, paying twenty euros for a mediocre airport-quality …

There is a very specific travel nightmare that I actively avoid at all costs: waking up at 6:30 AM on vacation just to play the “towel game” so I can claim a plastic lounge chair at a crowded mega-resort. When my wife Liz and I are plotting our escapes from our hometown in Louisville, we …

Cobblestones, centuries-old tavernas, and a historic castle towering above it all: that’s the fairytale version of Europe most of us grew up dreaming about. These days, though, many of the continent’s biggest-name destinations come with overflowing bins, broken glass underfoot, and the uneasy feeling you should keep one hand on your wallet after dark. Europe …

Barcelona is the one city travelers casually thinking about heading to Spain instantly think of, perhaps even more so than Madrid. It’s home to the world-famous Sagrada Família, the beaches are genuinely stunning, and it’s this massive metropolis right on the sea. There are just two major downsides: it’s packed—not only in summer, but pretty …

As the summer sun brutally turns up the thermostat across the vast majority of the United States, an increasing number of travelers are totally rethinking their annual vacation strategy. Instead of naturally flocking to the nearest crowded beach to sweat through their favorite shirts while battling massive crowds for a tiny patch of sand, a …

Dreaming of long, lazy afternoons sitting by a trattoria by the pier, people-watching as you sip on that rosé wine? Or then driving down winding coastal roads that lead right down to glassy, endless seas? The Mediterranean’s calling—literally at like, every 2 reels you scroll past—and it’s time you answer. If you’re a bit taken …

For decades, trying to plan a completely secluded, off-the-grid tropical getaway meant dealing with a massive logistical nightmare. If an island were genuinely safe, entirely untouched by massive crowds, and free from sprawling mega-resorts, getting there was guaranteed to be brutal. You were looking at multiple exhausting layovers, terrifying flights on tiny commuter planes, or …

Every summer, millions of travelers pack their carry-ons and head to Europe, fully prepared to battle the insane crowds in Rome, Barcelona, and London. I love those major hubs, but spending your vacation elbow-to-elbow with thousands of sweaty tourists completely drains the magic out of the experience. When Liz and I are plotting our European …