The Honest Travel Advice Blog
Real trips, honest takes, and what I wish someone had told me before I booked. Italy, Greece, river cruises, safaris, grad trips, and the rest of Europe, from a travel advisor who’s actually been there.
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New here? These are the questions I ask every client, whether you’re dreaming about Italy, a safari, or a river cruise.
Which African Safari Is Right For You?
Africa isn’t one trip. First timer, wildlife obsessive, family, or repeat traveler: here’s where I send each one, and why the right safari depends on who you are.
You Don’t Book a Safari Alone. Here’s Who’s With You.
A safari isn’t a hotel and a flight. Bush planes, lodge age limits, migration timing, and camps that sell out a year ahead. Here’s how I plan it with my partner on the ground in Kenya, and what my $250 planning fee covers.
Which River Should You Cruise? Rhine vs. Danube vs. Douro (and the One I'd Skip Right Now)
Everyone wants to do a river cruise, but almost nobody knows which river. The Rhine, Danube, Douro, Seine, Dutch Waterways, and Rhône are completely different trips, with different countries, different food, and very different water-level risk. Here’s my honest take on what each route is actually like, who it’s for, the catch nobody mentions, and the one I’m telling clients to skip right now.
Danube River Cruise or Train Trip? The Honest Comparison
Sometimes the best river cruise I can book you is a train. Here's the conversation I have with my Danube people about packing, water levels, and getting four nights in Vienna instead of one day.
River Cruise vs. Small Ship Cruise: Which One Is Actually You?
You're over the big ships, but you don't have yacht cash. Before you default to a river cruise, meet the small ship: what it is, where it goes, which brands to know, and how I can tell which one is you.
Are You River Cruise Ready? 5 Questions to Ask Before You Book
River cruises get sold as the easy way to see Europe. Sometimes they are. Sometimes they're a week of wishing you'd booked a train. Five questions to figure out which one you are.
When to Take a River Cruise: A Season-by-Season Guide
"When should we go?" is the second question I get about river cruising. Every season gives you something and asks for something back. Here's spring, summer, fall and the holidays on the river, honestly.
Worried About River Cruise Water Levels? Look at These Four Rivers
Low water on the Danube and Rhine changed a lot of sailings in 2026, and now it’s the first thing people ask me. The Seine, Rhône, Douro and Dutch waterways work differently: dams and locks hold the water in place. Here’s where each one sails from, why it holds up, and what you give up in return.
What to Pack for a Safari in Africa (Especially If You're Taking Bush Planes)
Packing for a safari in Kenya is not the same as packing for a normal trip. And if bush planes are part of your routing — which they almost certainly will be — the rules change more than most people expect. Here's what actually matters, from someone who learned it the hard way.
4 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Booking a Safari
A lot of safari itineraries look similar on paper. In reality, they're completely different trips. Before you start saving lodges or pinning destinations, these are the four questions that actually shape where you go, when you go, and what your trip feels like when you get there.
Why the Right Safari Is Worth the Investment
One morning in Kenya, we pulled up to three male lions sleeping in the grass. No other vehicles. No one jockeying for position. Just us, our guide, and three lions close enough that you could hear them breathe. The next day in the Maasai Mara, there were five other vehicles crowded around a pride. The lions were still incredible. But it wasn't the same. That's the difference between a national park and a private conservancy — and it's a big part of why safari costs what it costs.
National Parks vs. Private Reserves vs. Conservancies: Why This Decision Shapes Your Entire Safari
When most people plan a safari, they think about the animals. What they don't think about is the land — and that's the decision that shapes everything. National parks, private reserves, and conservancies operate completely differently, and the one you choose determines more about your experience than almost anything else.
Cruise or Island-Hop the Greek Islands? A Travel Advisor's Honest Verdict
I sailed the Greek islands on a small ship to answer the question I get asked most: cruise or island-hop? Two falls, zero naps, and one honest verdict later, here's what I'd tell you over coffee.
What a Safari Guide Actually Does (And Why They Make or Break Your Trip)
I heard the elephants before I saw them. Crashing through trees, somewhere in the bush ahead of us, getting closer. My guide had already stopped the vehicle. He knew exactly where they were going and exactly where to position us. That moment didn't happen by accident. It happened because of the person sitting in the front seat.
WW2 or Ancient History: Planning the Trip for Your History Kid
History kids make the best travelers — they're the ones staring at the thing while everyone else looks for wifi. But "history" isn't one destination. Where the WW2 kid goes, where the ancient-Rome kid goes, and the lesson from my own vetoed grad trip: the answer was never no. It was "how much."
Big Cities, Small Towns, and Why the Answer Is Both
The teen wants the metro and the crowds. You want the piazza at 8am with a cappuccino and nobody around. Congratulations — you've hit the classic standoff, and it's the easiest fight I solve all year. The mistake isn't picking wrong; it's doing ALL of one. Plus: the criteria for a small town that won't bore a 17-year-old.
The Gift the Parents in Your Life Actually Want (And Will Never Ask For)
The experience gifts parents actually want — and never ask for. My honest list of trusted local pros in Mt Juliet, Hermitage, Donelson & Lebanon.
European Beaches Are Rocks: What Nobody Tells You About Water Days Abroad
Positano? Rocks. Nice? Rocks. Croatia? Gorgeous, famous, ROCKS. Pack Tevas — I'm serious, there's photographic evidence of me learning this the hard way. Plus: why hotel pools are a luxury feature in Europe, what beach clubs actually are, and the one sentence that gets your family the perfect water day.
Hotel or Apartment? (And Why Your First Night Is Never an Apartment)
Your red-eye lands at 10am. Your apartment check-in is 4pm. You are now homeless in Rome with your luggage and two jet-lagged teenagers for six hours. No lobby, no front desk, NO WAY. The first-night rule is carved in stone — plus the room math that makes apartments the sanity pick for big crews
Trains, Rental Cars, and Which Countries Want Which
Italy — train. England — train. Croatia — car. Ireland — car. This is not a preference thing; the country decides. Plus the paperwork surprise waiting at Italian rental counters, and the third option nobody tells you about: sometimes a private driver is the best money in the whole trip.
