Thursday, May 27, 2021

Good morning! My family and I just returned from an amazing two-day trip to Legoland California (detailed post coming soon), something I couldn’t imagine doing with my little kids just a few months ago. Life is really getting better lately thanks to the successful rollout and effectiveness of vaccines. As more and more people get vaccinated and cases go down places are starting to open up and life is beginning to feel a bit more normal.

The First Big Cruise Ship Is Approved to Sail from a US port
Last night’s announcement that the CDC just gave approval to the first big cruise ship to sail from a U.S. port is great news for cruise lovers! Here are the details. 

This is My Favorite Weekend of the Year For a Few Reasons: 
1. It’s the unofficial kickoff to summer and growing up in Connecticut, that created a huge upswing in mood!
2. Where I grew up Memorial Day is celebrated with a parade, a moving ceremony to honor those that made the ultimate sacrifice, BBQs and reunions from my childhood friends and family.
3. It’s my birthday (May 31)

Worst Times to Hit the Road
There will be a huge surge of travelers and I will be one of them. AAA predicts a significant rebound in the number of Americans planning to travel this holiday weekend. “From May 27 through May 31, more than 37 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home, an increase of 60% from last year when only 23 million traveled, the lowest on record since AAA began recording in 2000.” I will be one of those traveling and here are some tips to avoid hassles including the worst times and corridors. 

DEALS OF THE DAY
10% off Anker PowerStrip Pad with 5ft Extension Cord
This portable power pad offers high-speed charging and its compact design makes it ideal for travelers. Don't you hate when there aren't enough outlets in your hotel room, especially bedside? 

25% off 2-Pack Tempered Glass Screen Protector
When you spend hundreds of dollars on a phone, why not spend a couple of bucks protecting its fragile screen?

12 Things in Travel You Need to Know Today
— The First Big Cruise Ship Is Approved to Sail from a US port
— European River Cruises Are Setting Sail This Summer
— This NYC Hotel Is Offering a Discount to Anyone Whose First or Last Name Is James
— Maui man says he was punched at eatery after reminding a Florida family to wear masks
— Vaccine tourists are coming to America
— Disneyland and Disney California Adventure will open to out-of-state residents in June
— Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says business travel is gone post-pandemic
— 6 mistakes you're making when visiting national parks, according to a traveler who's visited 400 of them
— Photos show Southwest Airlines flight attendant pummeled by passenger
— Americans want to travel again but some vacations are now way more expensive than normal, thanks to a 17% spike in flight fares and rising hotel prices
— Opinion: I was shocked by what border officials did when I returned from vacation 
— Yesterday's TSA checkpoint numbers
(Read it all here in today's travel news round-up as well as the 84 other top travel news stories from this past week!)

Travel Credit Card of the Week
New LTOs! Earn up to 180,000 points to use at these hotels, plus free weekend nights, Diamond elite status, and more with these new hotel credit card offers.

In Case You Missed It  

My dad is still in town and is having a great time! If you missed it, you can read a play-by-play of my trip and see the video of me surprising him below:
-Part 1: My First Class Flight on American Airlines 777-300 for 34,000 miles
-Part 2: The morning on the beach and video of surprising my dad
-Part 3: Traveling back to L.A. with my dad, almost getting a fight in MIA and their wheelchair service

The Trick to Getting Cheap American Airlines First Class Tickets
Now, I'm trying to find us cheap first class tickets to New York using miles and it's not easy like it was a few months ago. But I think I just cracked the code. Find out the trick for getting cheap American Airlines first class tickets here.

5 Reasons To Hold Off on Booking Europe Travel For This Summer
The big travel news this week is that the EU took another step toward relaxing travel for those who are vaccinated. However, I still think this is the year for domestic travel and here are 5 reasons why I'm not going to Europe this summer.  

The Secret Trick to Hawaii’s Safe Travels Program for Inter-Island Travelers
My Ibiza days are long gone but one of the trips I would like to book for a tropical getaway is Hawaii, especially an inter-island jaunt. You too? After reading this tip from a reader, you may want to wait until they figure out all the red tape. If you're heading to the islands, be sure to read this to avoid headaches and wasting valuable relaxation time. 

10 Air Travel Pet Peeves and What You Can Do About Them
After my flights last week, I was reminded of some of my top pet peeves while flying. Here they are, plus what you can do about them. What are yours? Leave a comment and let me know!

How To Avoid Sore Ears From Wearing A Mask
What I didn't include as one of my pet peeves is how wearing a mask for a long period of time hurts my ears. Thanks to a reader, that problem has been solved. Here's how.  P.S. I wear a World Map mask when I travel it's an inexpensive find available on Amazon. 

15 Tips For Renting A Car in 2021
This post is chock-full of rental car tips since there's a shortage and prices are through the roof. Here are my 15 tips for renting a car.

3 Websites To Cross-Reference Before Traveling Internationally
In light of the European Union now saying that they’ll welcome vaccinated Americans this summer, I recommend that before you travel internationally, you also consult these three websites. 

How I'm Protecting My CDC Vaccination Card
Last week, I wrote about using a protective sleeve to protect your vaccination card and so many of you were interested but they were sold out. Update:Amazon has them back in stock and ready to ship in a couple of days. 

Tips for Traveling to Hawaii During COVID
-10 Tips for Traveling to Hawaii (Oahu) During COVID 
-Maui Advice for Travelers
-The App Every Traveler to Hawaii Needs to Download 
-Live Hawaii Webcams