Are you tired of long lines, time-wasting procedures, and the whole the U.S. entry rigmarole? Here are a few federal programs designed to help trusted travelers skip the traditional lines at U.S. airports and other ports of entry.
Border with Mexico
The SENTRI program has been popularized across the land border with Mexico because it allows its members to avoid waits of up to several hours when crossing back into the U.S. by car. Participants go through special lanes that move more quickly and are generally shorter.
To join the program, applicants need to pass a criminal background check and provide digital fingerprints. They also need to be interviewed by an official from the Department of Homeland Security. There is a fee of $122.25 per person for a five-year, renewable membership.
The following are some key points about the program:
Traveling by plane
Travelers who want to avoid long lines when coming back to the U.S. by plane might want to consider enrolling in the Global Entry program. This program allows members to go through special lines or electronic kiosks at some airports, avoiding the traditional passport checks and customs booths.
To enroll, travelers need to fill out an application and, just like in the SENTRI program, pass a background check and provide digital fingerprints.
The following are some key points about the program:
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Do you wish you could travel lighter? The secret to setting off with less, as you might imagine, is as much about what to leave out as it is what to put in.
As a professional wanderer, I know a bit about living out a suitcase. In fact, my husband, action/adventure novelist Hank Barone, and I recently packed up and set off on a yearlong romp through Latin America.
So, when the editors at The Adventure Blog asked me to share a few tips on packing for adventure, I was more than happy to accommodate. Read more: Packing Tips For the Adventure Traveler
What about you? How do you pack for adventure? Share your tips below.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Should you add South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, to your Wanderlist?
(South Sudanese celebrate winning the referendum on independence)
Read what our partners at WorldNomads.com, global insurance experts, have to say on the subject in their recent article, Safety in the World’s Newest Nation - South Sudan .
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Nine Day Cacao and Culture Tour of Ecuador Follows Path of Gourmet Channel Documentary ‘El Cacao’ Released in May 2011
Gourmet adventure along the ‘cacao route’ is reason enough for anyone with a sweet tooth and penchant for offbeat travel to book a trip by this name through Equatortrekking to explore chocolate production in Ecuador.
by JackJelly for iStockPhoto.com“This is a must for foodies who can sample chocolate, learn how it‚s used in indigenous dishes, scrutinize its harvest and the supply chain,” says Mateo Ponce, founder of Equatortrekking. “Our travelers are always pleasantly surprised by the quality of Ecuadorian chocolate. This response inspired us to combine Ecuador’s rich chocolate history with the country’s people, landscape and culture to create this distinctively flavored tour.”
The per person rate for Gourmet Adventure in the Cacao Route is $2,430 (exclusive of air into Ecuador) for the nearly all inclusive, nine day-eight night tour. 2011 departures are June 20, July 15 and 30, Aug. 15 and 30, and Sept. 15.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
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The non-profit Yellowstone Association Institute (YAI) and lodge operator Xanterra Parks & Resorts are once again offering the popular Roosevelt Rendezvous this fall featuring exclusive use of one of the most popular lodges in the national park system.
One of the “Lodging & Learning” programs offering daytime field excursions followed by comfortable lodging at night, Roosevelt Rendezvous takes place in September after the historic lodge is closed to the general public for the season. Up to 52 participants will stay at the lodge for four nights. During the day they split up into groups led by YAI naturalists/guides as they enjoy wildlife watching as well as forays into areas with Yellowstone’s renowned thermal and geologic features. They will then reconvene at the end of the day for dinner and the opportunity to compare notes.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Autumn is a perfect time of year to travel. Temperatures are moderate, the crowds of summer vacationers have dissipated and the scenery in many parts of North America are bursting with vibrant colors. These annual displays of nature are the basis of many of Vacations By Rail’s popular autumn rail tours—where the only things more brilliant than the fall colors are the scenic train excursions that take travelers through the spectacular scenery.
One of the premier autumn travel destinations is New England, renowned for its spectacular red, orange and gold foliage on display. Fall foliage rail vacations visit popular New England sights like Boston, Mystic Seaport, the Breakers mansion, White Mountain National Forest and Cape Cod and include spectacular train excursions throughout the region including the Mt. Washington Cog Railway, the world’s first mountain-climbing cog railway with some of the steepest railway tracks in existence, the Conway Scenic Railroad, the Cape Cod Central Railroad, and the Essex Steam Train, among others. Some tours, like the 8-day fall foliage favorite New England Rails and Sails, also include scenic lake and harbor cruises, which offer a unique perspective on the stunning colors.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".