DREAM · PLAN · ENJOY
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Resources
We’ve learned a ton simply by reading books and articles, listening to podcasts, and watching videos. Check in here often; we’ll be updating this page constantly with new resources we think you’ll find useful.
General Travel Sites
These are great sites to poke around in to learn about travel trends, locations and the best ways to get there. Their editorial staffs literally scour the globe for interesting takes on travel today and tomorrow. We use Trip Advisor a lot, for reviews, trip reports and advice. Set up an account for yourself (it’s free), and you’ll be able to save information on hotels, restaurants, tours and more as you plan for your next trip (or trips!).
Additional general travel:
PlanetWare https://www.planetware.com/ For travel guides to specific places worldwide.
Voyage Tips https://www.voyagetips.com/en/ Good summaries of what to see and do in specific locales around the globe.
Books: 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, Atlas Obscura. A good way to help you build your bucket list.
Europe
Destination Specific Sites
Europe
Rick Steves: https://www.ricksteves.com/ If you’re thinking about a trip to Europe, start here. Yes, Rick is everywhere: Tours, guidebooks, tv shows, radio shows, podcasts, legal marijuana advocacy (bet you didn’t know that one!), and (probably) more. But he really knows his stuff, and has certainly been there and done that. Rick has a great focus on the social responsibility of travel, and it permeates everything he does. You can access it all through his website. If you think you’d like to go to Europe, but aren’t sure where, just watch a few of his tv shows. They’ll give you a taste of specific areas that will help you decide where you want to spend your precious travel time. We are big fans of all things Rick Steves.
Italy
Dream of Italy: https://dreamofitaly.com/ Kathy McCabe’s online magazine, podcast and PBS TV shows are all about Bella Italia, all the time. In addition to a wealth of free content on her website, a premium subscription unlocks even more info on every province in Italy. I suppose you could call her the Rick Steves of Italy. . .she’s interesting and accessible and should be your go-to resource for your next trip to Italy.
Girl in Florence https://girlinflorence.com/ All about Florence, Italy from the perspective of an American expat.
Books: Anything by Frances Mayes https://www.francesmayesbooks.com/, especially Under the Tuscan Sun, Always Italy and See You in the Piazza.
Greece
Santorini Dave, Greece and Beyond: https://santorinidave.com/ We used this site pretty extensively when we were planning our Greece trip in 2019. Lots of good, up to date advice about all things Greece, written like a crazy uncle that chucked everything and moved to Greece. Dave knows his stuff!
Caribbean
The official Aruba travel website: https://www.aruba.com/us This is a terrific resource for planning a trip to the One Happy Island. Unlike most “official sites”, this one gives you comprehensive info regarding every facet of an Aruba trip. It even has a few live 24 hour webcams you can access to whet your appetite to visit. . .especially on a cold winter day
Books: Daniel Putkowski https://www.danielputkowski.com/ has written four books set in Aruba. He’ll take you there with his writing.
One Happy Podcast: Available at http://onehappypodcast.com/ or on Apple podcasts. Aruba Curt Robinson hosts a great series of interviews with locals, travelers and business owners that touch on every aspect of hanging out in Aruba, from where to stay to where to eat to where to laugh! If you’d like to find out why we fell in love with Aruba, listen to episode 103 http://onehappypodcast.com/ep103/.Available at OneHappyPodcast.com or on Apple podcasts.