Travel blog

Hollywood royalty and the political elite of the 1920s and 1930s would arrive at Hearst Castle via the estate’s airstrip, or aboard the private Hearst-owned railcar that regularly made the journey from Los Angeles to the sprawling oceanside estate in San Simeon, California. From Clark Gable to Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill to Charlie Chaplin, the politicians, movie stars, titans of industry, and other privileged guests of William Randolph Hearst were in awe of the jaw-dropping grandeur of the 90,000-square foot estate informally called “the ranch.”

New Zealanders—Kiwis for those in the know—are famous for speaking in their own unique dialect. Not convinced? Just listen to any local conversation. Fast and sometimes quite thickly accented, the regional speech is packed with local slang that often requires a translator. To get you started, here are a few phrases used in New Zealand. And always remember, should your conversation stall or you’re unsure what to talk about, rugby is always a safe place to start!

When packing your luggage for vacation, you’ll want to include appropriate attire and items that will make your travels comfortable. Packing the wrong things in your checked bag has the potential to turn a relaxing trip into a stressful experience. Once your suitcases are checked at the airport, you have minimal control over situations where it may get lost, broken, or roughed up by baggage handlers. However, you can prepare for these scenarios by making sure you never pack these 10 items into your checked luggage:

Alaskan vacation packages are a great way to explore all that our 49^th state has to offer. Many guided options even allow you to take a combined land and cruise tour so you can get the full tourist experience. When participating in Alaskan tours, you will need to prepare for all types of weather because it is common to have sunny skies, rain, and wind all within the course of one day, regardless of the season. Your packing list for an Alaskan cruise will require layers so you can put them on or take them off to match the changing weather. Here is a list of items to pack for your Alaskan tour:

Getting sick while abroad is unpleasant and can be very frightening. After all, you are way from the comforts of home, unfamiliar with the local health-care system, and may face a communication barrier if English is not widely spoken. However, there are things you can do before leaving home, and while abroad to ease the stress if you get sick on vacation.

Whether it’s your first visit to Greece or a return trip, knowing the customs and practices of the locals is always a good idea. Not only will you it help you make friends along the way, it will also allow you to avoid unwittingly committing embarrassing cultural faux pas. Here are some do’s and don’ts to know before traveling to Greece:

Booking an international vacation is exciting, but your trip will not be possible unless you prepare important documents ahead of your departure date. The last thing you want is to show up at the airport only to be denied boarding due to missing paperwork. And when you get to your final destination, you’ll need to protect these items to ensure they do not get lost or stolen – both of which will be an inconvenience on your big trip.

Trends within the travel industry tend to impact long-established procedures. This can take shape in the form of stricter state and federal regulations, changes to security, and shifts in the way airlines manage their boarding process. As a traveler, you may be used to the way things work today but be prepared for these new procedures that could affect your 2019 travel:

Still not convinced?

Here are 8 reasons why guided tours should be on your radar:

Unlimited vacation is becoming increasingly popular in today’s workplace. The idea behind unlimited paid time off (PTO) is that employees are allowed to take as much time off as they want, under the expectation that productivity will not suffer. While the concept is exciting, it can also be confusing. If your workplace has recently implemented this policy or you have switched to a company with unlimited PTO, expectations may be unclear on how to use it and how to communicate your time off. Here are some best practices when it comes to using unlimited vacation the right way: