“Just stand there and don’t move,” our guide instructed us. I looked down at the line he drew in the dirt with his stick and wondered why three lions would choose to pay attention to such an artificial device. My dogs don’t listen to me, why on earth would a lion? My brain screamed danger as the gate opened and the two females and one male lion scampered up the path, like puppies let out into the yard to play. This wasn’t their first walk though and they ignored us completely as they entered the bush. I’m naturally skeptical when it comes to animal experiences. I’m usually preoccupied with ..read more

I am once again partnering with Holland America, this time for this post as well as other social media posts. As usual though, all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own. Like so many people, I would love to visit all 50 states one of these days. Turns out, I’m fairly close (Just six more!) to finishing but one that I thought would be the last for me was Alaska. That all changed though just a few years ago when the premier name in Alaska cruising, Holland America, invited me to join them on a truly remarkable voyage in America’s last frontier. Cruising, like everyone else, has had a tough ..read more

Like many people, visiting all of the country’s 63 National Parks is a lifelong ambition that I sincerely hope to complete someday. There’s just something special about an American National Park that is hard to describe and impossible to quantify; you have to experience it in order to truly understand. Within the pantheon of parks though some, through personal preference or history, certainly rise to the top and for most visitors Yosemite is one of those elite-level parks. Prior to 2021 I had never set foot in this most revered of parks, yet the year had me visit this California treasure not ..read more

Even I would raise an eyebrow at the title of this blog post, yet here I sit writing it in all honesty and earnestness. It was just one of many surprises though during a week of fun exploration touring with Globus. With many decades of experience from which to draw, they were the ideal partner as I left my home/prison of two years and hit the road, this time trekking across gorgeous Northern California on Globus’ California Dreamin’ tour. Why partner with a tour company for this domestic trip? Through their other businesses (Monograms and Avalon) I have traveled with them before and knew I co ..read more

I really dislike starting off this blog post with the word COVID, but here we are. Like it or not COVID now defines daily life and that is especially true in the travel context. For me, the question has been how to balance safe traveling with actually traveling and it took me a while to sort out what that meant. Personally, it means traveling with health and safety in mind but the key part of that is traveling. I’m not going to stop traveling, that much is for sure. That being said, over the last couple of years the only trips I’ve taken have been short and easy as I got used to the new reali ..read more

One great thing about visiting Disneyland in Anaheim, California is that unlike its Florida cousin, one does not have to stay on-site to get the Disney experience. In fact, staying offsite IS part of the Disneyland experience in my honest opinion. I’ve stayed at several hotels and they’ve all been good, but I recently had the great opportunity to try the newest hotel in Anaheim, one known for its commitment to luxury and service  – the JW Marriott Anaheim. From previous experience at sister properties around the world I knew what to expect, but even those lofty expectations were almost i ..read more

Traveling for unique or annual events is one of the most popular reasons why people travel, so this week Patrick and Matt share some quirky examples of special event & celebratory explorations. You can listen to the podcast here on this page or on any of these services: iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher. Weird Travel is a podcast within a podcast and my effort to chronicle and share some of travel’s fun mysteries and odd places. Helping me on this journey of discovery is Patrick Kozicky, a fellow podcaster and good friend. About Patrick Patrick Kozicky lives in Minneapolis, MN. He ..read more

What people think about cruise travel varies dramatically and hinges on their own travel experiences. Past cruisers are usually head over heels in love with the travel style, while newbies have a certain level of skepticism that has always baffled me. I’ve had many opportunities to try a variety of cruise styles over the years, and while it’s not how I always choose to travel it is a way of seeing the world that I truly do enjoy. This week we’re talking all about the single most disruptive event to cruising in many decades, COVID, with one of the top cruise experts: Colleen McDaniel, Editor-i ..read more

California is shockingly and practically embarrassingly large. It could easily be split into three or four states without anyone batting an eye. That makes visiting and exploring the state a challenge at times, especially when one is caught up seeing only the major cities. While amazing, cities like L.A. or San Francisco don’t have what the state is perhaps most known for, its incredible natural treasures. On a recent trip along the Majestic Mountain Loop I had the great opportunity to visit some of these parks and to finally see for myself the destinations that sparked the modern conservatio ..read more

Like most of the country, California recently went through the methodical reopening of most businesses and activities following strict COVID restrictions. Since California is such a great option for travel in 2021, I wanted to devote an entire episode to exploring the state with a special emphasis on Disneyland. You can listen to the podcast here on this page or on any of these services: iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher. This week’s guest Jason Cochran Jason Cochran, Editor-in-Chief of Frommers.com, is the author of “Here Lies America: Buried Agendas and Family Secrets at the Tourist S ..read more