A highly unusual and fast-moving crisis is unfolding right now in the heart of Spain. If you are currently vacationing in Madrid or planning to arrive in the coming days, you need to be aware of a severe situation developing just outside the city limits. Early this morning on July 24, the U.S. Embassy in …
I don’t just “do” Eurosummers. I live them. You’ve probably stumbled across a few of my articles here on Travel Off Path dissecting Europe’s hidden gems, from the remote Portuguese islands in the middle of the Atlantic to the least-polished, landlocked corners of the Balkans. I love Europe in all its crazy, messy, beautifully contradictory …
Every time my wife and I are packing for a Caribbean escape, there is always that frantic ten-minute scramble where we tear the house apart looking for our passports. It is the universal headache of international travel. But there is a massive travel loophole that completely eliminates that stress, and it’s about to get a …
Every time my wife and I step out the front door of our condo to head to the airport, we are always hoping for one thing from our trip: to find something that feels totally untamed and wildly authentic. When you travel as frequently as we do, the massive, all-inclusive mega-resorts start to blend into …
Over the past few years, a specific South American hotspot has exploded into one of the most sought-after destinations on the planet. Packed with incredible digital nomad hubs, world-class nightlife, and dramatic mountain backdrops, it has drawn millions of international visitors looking for an unforgettable adventure. But behind the vibrant culture and massive surge in …
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 …