The Grand Est Mondial Air Ballons is the largest hot air ballooning event in Europe, and it is held every two years in northeastern France. The Grand Est Mondial Air Ballons is held every other summer over 10 days and features the daily mass ascension of hundreds of hot air balloons. The festival also includes nightglows, flying competitions, and model air balloon demonstrations. In addition to the balloon events, the free festival also offers on-site family-friendly rides and workshops, a museum, aircraft displays and rides, exhibitors, and musical entertainment. We love hot air balloon events, so we were excited that we were able to attend the Grand Est Mondial Air Ballons event in France in 2019. We’ll tell you all about our own experience and share everything you need to know to attend this balloon festival yourself! Information on Attending the Grand Est Mondial Air Ballons Below we’ll cover all… Read the rest
Detailed 7 Day North Coast 500 Road Trip Itinerary
The North Coast 500 is the most popular road trip in Scotland and we’ve put together a comprehensive 1 week North Coast 500 itinerary to help drivers navigate this driving route. This detailed day-by-day North Coast 500 itinerary covers all the basic details (mileage, general route) and sightseeing highlights along the approximately 500 mile route. We’ve driven the NC500 route several times ourselves so we’ve been to all the highlights and many of the lesser known spots. In this guide, we cover scenic viewpoints, beaches, castles, museums, golf courses, natural wonders, whisky distilleries, historical sites, suggested detours, and so much more. We also provide suggestions for where to eat and where to stay each day along the drive with options for almost any budget. Use this 7 day North Coast 500 itinerary to plan your travels around this beautiful part of the northern Scottish Highlands and get the most out… Read the rest
A Comprehensive Guide to Visiting the Blue Lagoon in Iceland
The Blue Lagoon is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland. The steamy milky blue water against the black lava rock landscape creates an otherworldly setting like no other. Sitting in the hot waters of the geothermal spa can be a truly intoxicating and relaxing experience. Its proximity to both the Keflavik Airport and Reykjavik make it a perfect pit stop even if you are only in Iceland for a short layover. In fact, it is the mostly commonly visited paid attraction in Iceland. Of course, the Blue Lagoon is not for everyone and is an expensive spa considering that there are hundreds of less expensive spas and thermal pools in Iceland. If you are on the fence about visiting and wondering if the Blue Lagoon is worth it or not, hopefully this guide can help you decide if it is a good fit for you or not…. Read the rest
Ultimate Travel Gift Guide 2020: 75+ Gifts for Travelers
Buying gifts can be difficult, so we’ve put together a travel gift guide with over 75 different gifts for travelers. We have gift ideas suitable for all budgets, travel styles, and occasions. Laurence and I travel for a living and know a thing or two about what makes a good travel gift. We’ve also tried and tested so many travel products and services over the years that we wanted to share a list of what we think would make a good gift for a traveler. First, we’ll go over some tips for choosing the perfect gift for the traveler on your shopping list. Remember that thoughtfulness is key! Next we’ll share over 75 travel-related gift ideas that include everything from the typical travel pillows, luggage, and tents to things like automatic pet feeders, cocktail travel kits, and carbon offset gift cards. We have gift ideas that will suit just about… Read the rest
Noble County Travel Guide: 18 Things to do in Caldwell Ohio
Caldwell, Ohio might not be a top travel destination, but there are plenty of reasons to make a stop in Noble Country Ohio and the town of Caldwell. Noble County has a rich Appalachian history, beautiful countryside, and friendly people. It is a great place to experience a bit of small town America. Here you can learn about local history, see covered bridges, visit a state park, learn about the U.S.S. Shenandoah airship disaster, see North America’s first oil well, visit a glass museum, and much more! Outdoor activities include boating, hiking, fishing, and camping. Nearby, there is also a huge safari park where you can see zebras, rhinos, and giraffes roaming the Appalachian foothills! I am a bit of an expert on Caldwell as I was born here and grew up here. It wasn’t until returning to my hometown as an adult that I was able to appreciate the… Read the rest
Charleston Plantations Guide: 6 Plantations near Charleston South Carolina
Charleston’s plantations are a window into the area’s past. Here you will find tales of wealth and prosperity, of love and war, and of suffering and survival. Before the Civil War, there were hundreds of plantations located outside Charleston, growing indigo, cotton, rice, and other cash crops. Charleston became wealthy from these plantations, but these riches were of course made on the backs of the slaves who were forced to work the fields. Many of the plantations near Charleston were either destroyed during the Civil War or ceased operations soon after as many become unprofitable without the use of slave labor. Today, several plantations and plantations homes, ranging from farmhouses to mansions, have been restored and preserved as museums and tourist attractions. Each of the Charleston plantations offer different experiences. Whether you’re looking for an escape from city life, a walk in a beautiful garden, a glimpse of history, to… Read the rest
A Guide to Harry Potter Filming Locations in Scotland
Scotland is a magical destination for several reasons, one being that you can find many Harry Potter filming locations in Scotland. As any fan of the Harry Potter films will know, Hogwarts is located in Scotland and thus it is not surprising that a number of exterior scenes for the movies were shot in Scotland. Some of the most iconic are the Hogwarts Express train scenes and the location of Hagrid’s hut. Lots of scenes involving lakes were also filmed in Scotland with several Scottish lochs appearing across the eight movies. The dramatic Scottish scenery often provides a great backdrop for Hogwarts and the time the students spend at and around the school. The film crew often came to Scotland to shoot beautiful landscapes for the Harry Potter films as well as more wild and eerie locations. We provide a guide to all the top Harry Potter filming locations in… Read the rest
Complete Guide to Visiting the Eiffel Tower in Paris
The Eiffel Tower is one of the most iconic landmarks, not just in Paris, but in the world. The iron tower is both an amazing feat of engineering and an inspiring symbol of the City of Lights. It’s a must see for all visitors to Paris. The problem is, everyone else wants to visit the Eiffel Tower too! The Eiffel Tower is the most visited paid monument in the world and receives an average of 25,000 visitors a day! New security screenings can slow down the visiting process even more. If you value your time, you’ll want to do a bit of pre-planning before visiting the Eiffel Tower. We’ve visited the Eiffel Tower several times and our post has all the information you need to plan your visit to the Eiffel Tower, including how to get there, how to buy tickets, where to get the best views, how to book… Read the rest
Guide to Visiting The Alamo in San Antonio Texas
We’ve put together a guide to visiting The Alamo in San Antonio as well as the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. No visit to San Antonio Texas is complete without visiting The Alamo! We’ll give you a brief history of The Alamo and the Battle of the Alamo so you can better understand and appreciate this popular attraction. Then we’ll tell you everything you need to know in order to visit The Alamo in San Antonio, including how to get here, fees, tips for parking, what to see, and nearby attractions in San Antonio. We also give you an overview of the Spanish colonial missions in Texas and why these were constructed. In addition to The Alamo, there are four other Spanish missions that you can visit in San Antonio and these form the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. We share information on each of these missions and tips… Read the rest
Guide to the Best Places to Celebrate Burns Night in Scotland
Wondering where to celebrate Burns Night in 2021? We’ve put together a guide to the top places to join a Burns Supper or other type of Burns Night event to celebrate Robert Burns and his poetry. Whether you are a lifelong Burnsian or new to Scotland’s favorite bard, there are hundreds of ways to celebrate Burns Night in Scotland. We list Burns Night events in Ayrshire, Dumfries, Edinburgh, and Glasgow and information on when, where, and how to join these events. Whether you are looking for a formal Burns Supper, The Big Burns Supper festival, a poetry reading, a casual Burns brunch, or a family-friendly ceilidh, we have you covered. We also discuss each area’s connection with Robert Burns and Burns related attractions that you may want to visit. We also provide a brief history of Robert Burns and what happens at Burns Suppers for those who are celebrating Burns… Read the rest
Edinburgh Day Trips: 15 Best Day Trips from Edinburgh Scotland
After three years in Edinburgh, we’ve put together a guide to our favorite day trips from Edinburgh Scotland. There are so many things you can do and see on a day trip from Edinburgh, which include exploring castles, touring whisky distilleries, teeing off on a famous golf course, exploring historical attractions, birdwatching, hiking in national parks, and visiting filming locations for popular movies and TV shows like Outlander, Harry Potter, and Downton Abbey. We suggest ideas for 15 day trips from Edinburgh that cover a range of interests as well as a wide array of regions from the Scottish Borders to Glasgow to the Scottish Highlands. For each day trip from Edinburgh, we provide all the information you need about how to plan your day out, from how to get there to things you can do there. We provide information on traveling by car, bus, train, and as part of a… Read the rest
Belfast Travel Guide: Top 40 Things to do in Belfast Northern Ireland
Belfast is the capital and largest city in Northern Ireland, and there are so many things to do in Belfast! Belfast is probably best known for being where the RMS Titanic was built as well as for the violence and suffering here during The Troubles in the later part of the 20th century. However, today the city offers a lively historic city center, the famous Titanic Quarter, fun pubs, excellent museums, hundreds of street murals, beautiful gardens and green spaces, Victorian architecture, and a growing tourism industry. Belfast is perhaps not as well-known as Dublin to international travelers, but the reward of visiting here is a less crowded city where experiences feel more authentic. We’ll share our guide to Belfast attractions, highlighting all the top things to do in Belfast, from central Belfast to the surrounding area. We’ll also share information about how to get there, when to go, public transport options,… Read the rest
Travel Photography: Best DSLR Cameras for Travel 2021
DSLR cameras are a popular camera choice for travel photographers, as they offer great battery life, excellent image quality, a wide range of lens options, and full manual controls. They allow the photographer to take a lot of control over their travel photography and are available at a wide range of price points to suit most budgets. We’ve put together a detailed and helpful guide to the best DSLR cameras for travel. As professional travel photographers, we’ll help you decide if a DSLR camera is a good choice for you, provide advice on how to choose the best DSLR camera, and share a list of the best DSLR cameras currently available across various price points. We also give advice on how to make the most of a new DSLR camera, point out camera accessories that may be useful, and provide tips for protecting your camera while you are traveling. Choosing… Read the rest
Travel Tips: A Guide to Doing Laundry While Traveling
Travel is fun but doing laundry while traveling can be a tedious chore. However, washing your clothes during a trip gives you the advantage of being able to pack less, rewear your favorite travel clothing, and return home with less dirty laundry. If you are going on a trip of more than a week, you’ll probably be thinking of laundry options. It can be difficult to figure out the best way to wash your clothes on a trip, and you don’t want to waste much of your vacation time on laundry. We’ve done trips of 6 months or more at a time, so doing laundry while traveling was essential! We’ve put together a guide to washing clothing while traveling for all budgets, whether you are a backpacker or luxury traveler. We cover all your options from hotel services to laundromats to hand washing in the hotel sink to camping solutions. We… Read the rest
Top 20 Things to Do in Huntsville Alabama
Following a recent 5 day visit, we decided to write a travel guide to the top things to do in Huntsville Alabama. Although Huntsville is best known for its space-related attractions, we discovered that there is much more to see in this city than rockets and space shuttles (although rockets are awesome!). Huntsville is a city in northern Alabama that initially grew because of its cotton and railroad industries, but today it is best known for its military technology and aerospace industries. It was here that scientists designed and tested the Saturn V rocket that would send men to the moon for the first time. Today, the city is full of rocket scientists and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center continues to be at the forefront of U.S. rocketry research and construction, earning Huntsville its nickname “Rocket City”. Huntsville’s top visitor attraction is definitely the excellent U.S. Space and Rocket Center and… Read the rest