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February Newsletter Now Available at ActiveTravels

In the February newsletter, my mind happily wanders to one of my favorite locales in the world, Chile, which is becoming an increasingly popular destination for clients. We break down the country into the five regions travelers enjoy. Lisa divulges four hotels we love in the Italian lakes district, a Quick Escape to one of our favorite inns in Vermont, Blueberry Hill, and the latest travel apps you should have on your smart phone. Finally, I want to introduce you to VOYAGE Charters and their upscale catamarans that sail the British Virgin Islands out of Tortola. Their 8 to 10-person yachts are comparable in pricing to staying at an all-inclusive resort. Only this time, you won’t have to share the sweeping stretch of beach, because most likely it will be on a deserted island.

 
We’re off next week on a college road trip with our daughter. I’ll be back the week of February 23rd. In the meantime, stay warm and safe travels!  
 
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Introducing Hopper

In my last column for Men’s Journal on the latest indispensible travel apps, I didn’t have the space to mention one app I recently came across. Called Hopper, the app analyzes data to tell you when is the best time to purchase tickets for a particular flight. For example, I just looked into a flight to Croatia and it told me that there’s no rush to purchase the flight in late April. In fact, they told me the price might drop in the next couple weeks. We shall see. In a recent press release by the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), they mentioned that booking a flight on Friday, not the weekend, is when rates are usually the cheapest. Also, George Hobica, the founder of Airfarewatchdog.com, recently noted in a New York Times story that Google Flight Search is “by far the best way to find a low airfare.” Use all these strategies the next time you book a flight. 

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Signs You Picked the Wrong Hotel

The original author of Lonely Planet’s Guide to Turkey, Tom Brosnahan is one of America’s most prolific travel writers. He has authored over 40 guidebooks for Berlitz, Frommer’s, and Lonely Planet covering Belize, Canada, Egypt, England, France, Guatemala, Israel, Mexico, Morocco, New England, Tunisia, and Turkey. He’s also the founder of the popular web pages, TurkeyTravelPlanner.com, FranceTravelPlanner.com, and NewEnglandTravelPlanner.com. Having reviewed thousands of hotel rooms, Brosnahan is well qualified to note the telltale signs your hotel choice might not be ideal. Here are his words as told to me for my latest Men’s Journal column. 

 
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Millennials are Driving the Comeback of Travel Agents

When my wife and I launched our travel agency, ActiveTravels, close family and friends scoffed at the idea—as if I just announced that I was becoming a blacksmith. After all, wasn’t it President Obama who suggested in a town hall meeting that travel agents were becoming obsolete? How could they possibly prosper against big-pocket online travel agencies (OTAs) like Expedia, Priceline, Travelocity, and Orbitz? There was just no need for them anymore, or was there? Since we opened in May 2012, without benefit of advertising dollars or a marketing department, there has been a steady stream of traffic. 

 
This past week, it was reported that in 2014, 18 percent of American travelers used traditional travel agents compared to 12 percent in 2013. That’s a big jump. And surprisingly, much of that increase is coming from the Millennial generation, not Baby Boomers. Indeed, 28 percent of Millennials used a travel agent last year. The main reason Millennials are using travel agents is that they are more adventurous travelers. They want to go to off-the-beaten track destinations and they want trusted local guides to help them feel safe and secure once they get there. This is music to my ears, especially as we continue to grow a network of reputable contacts around the globe, from Indonesia to Ethiopia to India to Argentina. All you need is the desire to travel overseas and we’ll arrange the rest with local guides around the world. If you need more reasons to persuade you to hire a travel agent, check out my story for Boston University School of Hospitality. 
 
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January Newsletter Now Available at ActiveTravels.com

With the economy back in full swing, hotel and cruise development is working at a breakneck pace this year. This is the reason why we’ve decided to dedicate our January newsletter to what’s new in the world of the travel. We are straying from our traditional format to offer you our curated collection for 2015. Read on for ideas for new hotels, family-friendly travel, cruise ship itineraries, romantic escapes, and several countries to visit this year before they get discovered. We’re here to help make your travel dreams come true in 2015! 

 
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5 Favorite Travel Days in 2014, Bathed in Tranquility on New Brunswick’s Grand Manan Island

I’m not sure why I waited so long to visit Grand Manan Island. Perhaps because the ferry to the island runs from New Brunswick, though it’s much closer to the Maine shoreline. Thankfully, I finally made it there in June and I could have easily stayed another week or two. I made the wise decision to stay at the Inn at Whale Cove Cottages, perched on a bluff overlooking a sheltered bay. The talented owner and chef of Whale Cove, Laura Buckley, whipped up a tasty meal when I arrived that included a creamy mushroom soup, almond crusted salmon, and an absurdly good sour cherry pie.

 
I was lucky to sit next to a large group, mostly New Yorkers, who return to Grand Manan year after year for the past 30 years. They recommended I climb back in my car after dinner and drive to the end of Whistle Road past the lighthouse to a spot locals simply call “The Whistle.” Wow, what a tip! Perched on a bluff overlooking the rocky shoreline, I spotted kids scouring the boulders for that nutritious New Brunswick seaweed treat, dulse. To my left, cliffs plummeted to the shores below, and directly in front of me was the great expanse of sea leading to FDR’s former summer home, Campobello Island, and the Maine towns of Lubec and Eastport. Within moments of arriving, I spotted seals in the water and shortly thereafter, the graceful arc and fin of the minke whale. The sun was setting, the whales were slicing the water, and local old-timers were handing me Moose Light beers. My first night on Grand Manan and I understood the magical allure. 
 
The following morning, I drove along lupine-lined roads to the southern tip of the island, the start of a glorious hike atop a bluff that led from the Southwest Head Lighthouse to a distinctive coastal rock formation locals call Flock of Sheep. The narrow trail snaked over roots and moss though a forest of twisted krumholtz and dwarf pines that cling precariously close to the cliff’s edge. I spotted lobstermen in the distance, but it was the exquisite shoreline that grabbed my attention. Usually, I sprint to the finish of a hike. This time I sat on several benches made of makeshift wood to drink in the stunning view. What’s the rush? 
 
That afternoon, I made the wise choice to stop for coffee at the Island Arts Café. Not only was the coffee good and strong, but within moments I was meeting an intriguing mix of locals. There was Wayne who spent the morning on the bay designing a herring weir, a fish trap that lures the herring inside a pen. The McCulleys, who fled Portland and moved here after a mere 4 days on the island. They now rent cottages to primarily writers and professors who desperately need to finish their books in quietude. And my personal favorite, Smiles Green, who just turned 101 this past November and still designs model boats. If I’m ever under a tight deadline and need two weeks or more to finish a book or script, this is where I’m headed!
 
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In 2015, Create a Travel Portfolio

Want the perfect New Year’s resolution? Design a travel portfolio with your travel consultant comparable to the long-term financial plan you have with a financial advisor. This idea comes from my friend Susan Farewell, owner of FarewellTravels.com, and it’s a brilliant one. I’ve been a professional travel writer since 1990 and I still haven’t stepped foot in Russia, Vietnam, Egypt, or China. So if you’re saving all your longer travels for retirement, you’re dreaming. You’ll also have to deal with declining physical health. When my father was 80, he visited Athens and told me that half the people on his trip couldn’t make the 20-minute walk up the hill to see the Parthenon. So don’t just think of your next winter trip to Florida, Mexico, or the Caribbean. Consider creating a 3 to 5 year portfolio that outlines when exactly you’re going to hit the big ones on your bucket list—India, South Africa, Bali, Thailand, Spain, Turkey, Australia, and Argentina to name a few. Travelers who plan well in advance have much better odds of visiting these far-flung locales. 

 
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TSA PreCheck Versus Global Entry, My Latest Story for Men’s Journal

By now, you may have witnessed (and hopefully experienced) the beauty of being in a TSA PreCheck lane at airport security. In blissful pre-9/11 fashion, passengers in the PreCheck line don’t remove shoes, belts, or jackets, and have the luxury of keeping their liquids and laptops inside their bags. The standard metal detector is used instead of the invasive full-body scanner. On average, security agents can process twice as many passengers in PreCheck line than the normal lines.
 
Originally launched in October 2011, the program has expanded to 118 of the approximately 450 commercial airports in the US. New TSA centers are opening around the country to process applications at a cost of $85 for a five-year pass. In April, Air Canada was the first international carrier to sign on to the program. Of course, getting to your gate faster sounds great until you realize that being enrolled in PreCheck doesn’t guarantee you’ll always get to go through the coveted lane, since this is American bureaucracy you’re dealing with. Even after signing on to the program, you still might not be deemed trustworthy enough to get on every other flight.
 
To read why I prefer Global Entry, please click here. 
 
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Escape to Alcatraz

It wasn’t until this last trip to San Francisco that I finally made it to Alcatraz. The ferry over to The Rock was always booked and even though I grew up on a steady diet of true crime books, there’s countless other sights in San Francisco to pick from. But I have to say that I loved it, especially the captivating 45-minute audio tour narrated by former Alcatraz prisoners and prison guards. “Move over to the next cell,” says a scruffy voice, “this is where Frankie planned his escape.” It really gives the empty prison cells so many more layers. A word of advice: book your ferry well in advance. 
 
Before heading to Alcatraz, we wisely chose to have lunch at Fog Harbor Fish House. Located on Pier 39, the second floor seafood restaurant overlooks the expanse of San Francisco Bay. Sourdough bread, fresh out of the oven, arrived at the table. Then we downed local oysters, a spicy garlic shrimp dish that was a hit at our table, fried calamari, and a wedge salad. Service was excellent and we easily made it to the Alcatraz ferry on time. 
 
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Download the Best Translation Apps

Fear of overcoming the language barrier is one of most common anxieties travelers face. One experience with a surly Parisian waiter who mocks your stab at French will only exacerbate the situation. Or the futile attempt to explain to your taxi driver in Bangkok the name of your hotel when he uses a vastly different alphabet. That’s why I’m downright giddy about the latest language translation apps, found in my latest column for Men’s Journal. Try one of these technological beauties and you’ll no longer be fumbling through the pages of the Berlitz guide.