Here are a few of my favorite things that make life even sweeter … Inspiring memoirs by incredibly talented women who overcame challenges to do what they love. Stories that remind us of the power of human connection. Books that make us laugh. Sweeping sagas that celebrate courage and freedom. Stage and screen moments that […] The post Books, Podcasts, Movies, Music, and Products to Make Life Better in 2025 appeared first on Southern Girl Gone Global ..read more

This post contains affiliate links. Natural Beauty, Adventure, Happy and Healthy People Await Travel + Leisure named Costa Rica the 2024 Destination of the Year and already it’s topping lists for 2025. In the podcast above (audio version here), Andres Salgado who grew up in Costa Rica and his wife, Emily, show you why. Natural […] The post Insider Tips on Costa Rica: Destination of the Year appeared first on Southern Girl Gone Global ..read more

Feel like summer is almost over and you’ve yet to take a break? Even after Labor Day, there’s plenty of sunshine left, and taking a daycation is a good idea during every season. Resort Pass makes booking a mini getaway affordable and easy when you need to use PTO, escape for the weekend, or treat […] The post When You Need to Relax : Luxury Hotel Days Starting at $25 appeared first on Southern Girl Gone Global ..read more

Sharks in the Gulf of Mexico may have made headlines this summer, but lionfish are the real Jaws of the sea. The Indo-Pacific fish has devoured up to 90% of native fish in areas of the western Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. Destin-Ft. Walton Beach hosts the largest invasive lionfish collection […] The post The Lionfish Invasion and What To Do About It appeared first on Southern Girl Gone Global ..read more

Guests at Henderson Beach Resort and Henderson Inn enjoy a private, spacious beach that runs along the coastline of Henderson State Park. Photo Credit: Destin-Fort Walton BeachHenderson Beach Resort is a New England- style luxury complex in Destin, Florida. Photo Credit: Destin-Fort Walton Beach Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Disclosure: I was a guest of Destin-Ft. Walton Beach and partners, including Henderson Beach Resort. As always, the opinions here are my own. I was invited to be a judge at the Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament Restaurant Week and Festival ..read more

Why Rome I first met Rome in the movies in the ’60s when my family spent Easter week watching Ben-Hur and The Robe.  Later I sighed at her heroes in Gladiator and King Arthur, and still turn to Roman Holiday and Three Coins in the Fountain for escape, classic style, and fun frocks.  And though recently I giggled at Brit Wits Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon in The Trip to Italy based on their pilgrimage to places poets Percy Shelley and Lord Byron lived, I do love teaching literary legends —particularly The Romantic writers who lived in Rome.  Long before the Left Bank of Paris ..read more

Science shows that we need new experiences — new horizons — for wellness. Travel improves mental, physical, and emotional health. Our world expands — literally and mentally — when we explore wide, open spaces and try diverse diversions. Offering plenty of both, Denver, Colorado is one of my favorite US destinations. Neuroscientists used to believe that the brain could only change during childhood, but we know that our brain is continually changing through the process of “neuroplasticity.” Actually getting out of our comfort zone and embracing new experiences is integral to the experience of t ..read more

This summer I led a travel writing retreat based in Marrakesh, Morocco — the city where I lived for two years. Last week an earthquake took thousands of lives in the Atlas Mountains, one of the places we explored, and left thousands more Moroccans homeless. My heart breaks for families who are hurting there. Thankfully, my friends in the video below who live in Marrakesh and the Atlas Mountains are safe, but former students and friends I’ve talked with are still in shock. I appreciate friends on social media who have showed concern and asked about ways to help. I’ve worked with Amal, Project S ..read more

Last month before leading a travel writing retreat in Marrakesh, I took a three-day solo timeout to rest and reset. I arrived in Morocco after long flights and layovers … and a spring semester of teaching, editing, and caring for family. In short … I was spent. Those three days brought me back to life. Take a tour (above) of Palais Blanc Riad, and two nearby attractions, Bahia Palace and Jardin Majorelle and start planning your dream escape. If I can be of help, leave a comment or contact me at cindylmccain1@gmail.com. Use the photo essay below to see yourself on a dream getaway. Then make it ..read more

From the first year that I lived in Marrakesh, I dreamed of leading a travel writing retreat there. No country has been a muse to me like Morocco. I wanted to share inspiring experiences with women who also need to write and explore. The pandemic postponed my dream. But while waiting for borders to reopen, I wrote a memoir about my years in the Red City. Meanwhile, a woman named Laila Krattiger was trying to fulfill her dream — a haven for travelers that offers Morocco’s warm hospitality, Switzerland’s pristine precision, and Italy’s dramatic style. She opened the doors to Riad Luciano in Marr ..read more