New Orleans’ iconic Pontchartrain Hotel is a top choice among travelers looking for garden district hotels. It sits on a quaint street corner , surrounded by 200-year-old oak trees, with Mardi Gras beads hanging on their branches from years past. It’s the prefect location, away from the hustle and bustle of the French Quarter, but still within walking distance to Magazine Street and the central business district. The original streetcar route runs right in front…

I’ve always thought that North Florida has the most beautiful beaches in all of the state. Perhaps in all of the U.S.  I’m talking wide, powdery, white sand beaches. And Atlantic Beach, just north of Jacksonville, has one of the best hotels in Jacksonville Beach offering a truly luxurious beach vacation experience. Despite living just a few miles inland, my husband and I would often just sneak away for a night or two to enjoy…

A few years ago, I sent my 21-year-old son off to backpack to travel abroad through Thailand and India for seven weeks on his way to a semester abroad. I’m the consummate trip planner; he is not. Today’s Millennials are adventurers with a strong sense of wanderlust who want to see the world. As more parents find themselves in my position of sending their children into the unknown, I’d like to share a list of…

Have you ever been traveling to a destination and you can slowly feel your breaths lengthen and your shoulders drop? You know, the kind of getaway that is going to force you to unplug and just enjoy a few laid back afternoons together as empty nesters. I recently felt this calmness on the short one hour drive from the Milwaukee airport to Elkhart Lake, a region that feels more like Mayberry than the mayhem of…

If you’re looking for the best all-inclusive resort in Mexico for families, head south of Cancun to the Riviera Maya. The Barcelo Maya Grand Resort, on the Yucatán Peninsula’s pristine stretch of Caribbean coastline known as Riviera Maya, is the destination for those families looking for the perfect mix of fun and tranquility. And the best news of all: it’s all-inclusive.  The resort is actually six resorts in one sitting on a mile-long stretch of white…

True confession: I didn’t even know where Patagonia South America was when I first agreed to go on the trip. Then the shellshock of the 26-hour journey to get there set in – flights to Patagonia are not that flexible. Then, the fact that I was embarking on a solo travel trip to Patagonia Chile kicked in so be sure to read my article at on the Lonely Planet Chile page. But all that quickly…

My husband likes to golf; I like to drink wine. But the two don’t have to be mutually exclusive. I originally wrote about some of the best golf and wine resorts for Orbitz, but I’m on the hunt to discover more. I’m happy to head off to the tasting room while he’s on the first tee, sprinkle in a few spa treatments, and then meet back up at the tasting room at the end of…

Whether you’re empty nesters celebrating your newfound freedom or someone just looking for a great destination where you can unplug and while away the afternoons together, I found the best Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin resort. As we drove past vast, wide open spaces on the one hour drive from Milwaukee airport, I could literally feel my shoulders drop and my breaths lengthen. Within minutes of arriving on the lakefront, I knew this place was going to…

It’s official. I have a new favorite city. Sydney. My adventurous son was studying at the University of Sydney and it gave us a great excuse to take a family trip to Australia. I dreaded the 15-hour nonstop plane flight, but my traveling companions (Xanax and wine) ensured that it was tolerable (I slept the whole way).  We packed a lot into our 10 day trip, but here are my Top 10 Things to Do on a…

In my never-ending anti-aging quest, I‘m becoming more and more dependent on my esthetician. I’m always tapping her for the best skincare products for over 50 and double-duty products. I recently asked my esthetician about some dermatologist recommended skin care products for aging skin and asked about the tips and tricks to having youthful skin, so I thought I’d share them here. I like to read magazines on the beach and I’m always turning down the…