Cities buzz with excitement and a beach escape is always fun, but there’s nothing quite as soul-soothing as getting away to the mountains. From dazzling night skies to snow-capped peaks and evergreen forests, here are five reasons to head for the mountains on your next adventure.
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".
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".
by Marti Mayne with travel expert Eileen Ogintz
Where should we go?
With so many options the decision can send enlightened travelers either into a quandary or an adventure. From resorts and hotels to campgrounds and hostels, travelers have a myriad of accommodations options. Value is the buzz word in travel today, and when it comes to finding plenty of value, a B&B or country inn makes a lot of sense for some, but not all travelers.
The Avon Chambers at Manor on Golden Pond. Photo provided by Manor on Golden Pond, Holderness, NHWhen to B&B?
“If you thought B&Bs weren’t for you, think again,” says syndicated travel columnist Eileen Ogintz.
Of course you’ll find everything you need to celebrate romance at inns and B&Bs from king and queen beds with luxurious linens to deep double whirlpool tubs, double showers and ensuite fireplaces.
But they can also be a terrific place to visit with kids. Some inn owners welcome children with special dress up corners, children’s books and more. And they are a lot more homey than staying in a big hotel.
You’ll get a lot of bang for your vacation dollar too since homemade multi-course breakfasts, afternoon refreshments and evening innkeepers’ receptions at many inns are part of the deal. The extras can add up to more than $100 in value over the course of your stay. Add in fee-free wi-fi, parking, bottled water, DVDs and movies, and much more, and savings add up. “You won’t find those annoying resort fees,” said Ogintz.
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".
Are you planning to forfeit your hard earned vacation days this summer, even though you desperately need a break? Times are tough, you say, this is no time to be thinking about travel. WRONG.
Think back over the last five years of your life. What immediately stands out? Wasn’t it that trip to Yosemite, the cooking school in Italy, the wild flowers in early spring in Provence or the kind merchant whose hand drawn map helped you find your way when you got lost in Bangkok?
Now, more than ever, you deserve a vacation. Here’s why…
1. Doctor’s Orders: Studies confirm what any traveler already knows: vacations are good for your health. Among the documented health benefits of leisure activities are a diminished risk of disease, an enhanced immune system, reduced obesity, and increased life expectancy.
In addition, roughly one-third of employed U.S. adults (34%) reported feeling better about their job and feeling more productive upon returning from vacation, according to Expedia.com’s 2010 International Vacation Deprivation Survey. Take that, Mr. Scrooge.
2. The News Not Fit To Print: Thanks to a daily barrage of gloom-and-doom news headlines, one could easily conclude that life stinks, people are rotten and the world outside your door is unsafe. However, when I scan my database of travel memories, I see a world where kindness is the rule –not the exception.
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".