Travel blog

A Trip for Every Mother



Mothers come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities. Some express their love quietly, while others shout it out for everyone to hear. All of them love us, and on Mother’s Day, we get to remind them we love them right back. 

This Mother’s Day, why confine yourself to gifts of flowers and brunch? Show the mom in our life you really care by giving her the trip of a lifetime. Perhaps she’d like a romantic cruise for two, or maybe a land adventure. It all depends on what type of mom you have.

While we can’t say for sure which trip your mom would like best, we do know a little about what certain types of moms like. So, here’s a list of the most common moms we see on our tours, and the type of tours we most often see them on.




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Topics: Asia, Alaska, Americas, Europe, Hawaii, Rose Parade, US National Parks, Balloon Fiesta, River Cruises, History


A Guide to Seeing Northern Lights in Alaska




While many travelers head to Iceland, Norway, and Northern Scandinavia in search of the phenomenon known as the aurora borealis, you can spot the northern lights much closer to home. The Alaskan Arctic offers clear skies and a superior viewing location to witness this spectacular light show. Here’s your insider’s guide to experiencing our nations own northern lights:




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Topics: Alaska


Alaska’s Iditarod: Experiencing The Last Great Race




It appeared the small town of Nome, Alaska was doomed. Isolated by bad weather and miles of frozen tundra, the diphtheria outbreak of 1925 would surely mean certain death for the men, women, and children trapped in this remote corner of Alaska. Racing against time, teams of heroic sled dogs tore across 700 miles of harsh, unforgiving terrain to deliver the medicine that would stem the outbreak and save the town.




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Topics: Alaska, Americas


Rail Travel is Trending



The nostalgia of rail travel is giving way to the rebirth of train-based tourism. From Europe to Alaska, the romance of riding the rails is attracting a whole new crop of train enthusiasts, and movies like Murder on the Orient Express are reigniting the allure. In fact, vintage train travel is one of the travel trends to watch in the upcoming year. Here are three unforgettable train excursions you can enjoy on a YMT Vacations package tour:





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Topics: Alaska, Europe


Journey For One: Five Tips For Traveling Solo




After years at home, many widows and widowers are now finding the courage to explore the world again. The tragedy of having lost a spouse, compounded by the toll of being a caregiver, often times makes travel seem like a luxury from a very distant past. However, the call of the open road eventually finds us all again. Here are some things to consider when making your first solo trip and some tips on how you can make traveling alone a rewarding and liberating experience:





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Topics: Alaska, Europe, Hawaii, US National Parks


5 Alaska Travel Tips: Making the Most of a Guided Tour




Journeys like YMT Vacations’ Alaskan Discovery Tour are a once-in-a-lifetime experience. To make the most out of your group travels to the Frontier State, keep in mind these five tips:




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Topics: Alaska


Visiting Kenai Fjords National Park: Exploring a Glacial Wonderland




Snow and ice blanket nearly 60 percent of Alaska’s Kenai Fjords National Park, one of the nation’s most fascinating and impenetrable wildernesses. The area evolved over time by glaciers, earthquakes, and ocean tempests that shaped and reshaped the fjords, constantly shifting the Earth’s topography. Intensely wild and somewhat foreboding, the area’s otherworldly landscape is as desolate as it is beautiful and a must-see for any visit to Alaska.




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Topics: Alaska


Visiting The Totems of Ketchikan, Alaska




The city of Ketchikan, Alaska gets its name from a Tlingit word which means “thundering wings of an eagle.”

Often called the “first city” for its location at the southern tip of the Inside Passage, Ketchikan is a charming harbor town with a bustling boardwalk, a peppering of stilted water houses and backed by the forested slopes of Deer Mountain. But perhaps what this small town is most celebrated for is its collection of more than 80 totem poles.




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Topics: Alaska


Popular Alaskan Food You Should Try



Before it became an urban trend in cities across America, Alaskans were consuming meat and produce no more than one step removed from the point of harvest. With some of the nation’s most verdant landscapes and pristine waterways, eating local in Alaska also means eating very well.

So if you’re planning a vacation to the Last Frontier, here are some tips on what you should be eating in Alaska.




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Topics: Alaska


100 Years of Wonder: Tips for Visiting National Parks In the US



As the United States prepares to celebrate the Centennial of the National Parks System, travelers will be heading out across our nation to explore the natural wonders of places like the Grand Canyon and Death Valley. We invite you to join YMT Vacations as we take a look at the history, the wildlife and the many fascinating things to discover inside our nation’s parks in this series: 100 Years of Wonder: Exploring America’s National Parks




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Topics: Alaska, US National Parks