Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast

Get ready for your summer vacation and future travel with these expert packing tips! From carry-on to checked bags, here are some things to keep in mind when packing for your next trip.

Episode Highlights:

• Use a packing list! It helps you not forget critical items. Start creating your packing list early in your Notes app
• Kim has an outfit planner that you can sign up for on Stuffed Suitcase
• Pay attention to your itine...

It is summer road trip season so it is time to recap some of our best road trip tips from preparing, planning, packing, and more. Plus, we share some of our favorite road trips.

Episode Highlights

• Before you head out on a road trip, make sure your car has been serviced recently and check the tires to make sure the pressure is correct. You may also want to top off your fluids and use the bug windshield washer fluid.
• Br...

Tamara recently took a travel agent FAM trip to Turks and Caicos and spent two nights at The Palms and two nights at The Shore Club. She also visited many other properties and today she shares her insights into each to help you decide where to stay in Turks and Caicos.

Episode Highlights

• Turks and Caicos is known for its beautiful beaches and not for all-inclusives or as a party island
• Most of the hotels have great ac...

Kim recently took a quick trip to her happy place, Disneyland, to attend a special media preview of its 70th anniversary celebration. This yearlong celebration features new entertainment from fireworks to parades, special celebratory food items, decorations throughout the park, and fun interactive activations.

There are also promotional package deals available through Kim's partner Getaway Today. Learn more here and use code 'Stuff...

If you like culinary or wine travel, you need to put the Chilean Winelands on your travel bucket list. Tamara just came back from a two-week trip to Chile including the Atacama Desert and the Winelands.

Episode Highlights:

• The wine regions are south and west of Santiago
• It is easy to drive through these regions but it is still recommended to get a driver for days when you are doing wine tasting
• Two hours south of Sant...

If Hawai'i is on your bucket list, you need to listen to this episode with Hawaii travel expert Marcie Cheung. Marcie is a family travel blogger and mom of two who's been to Hawaii more than 40 times, staying everywhere from luxury resorts to budget-friendly condos. She helps parents plan unforgettable Hawaii vacations with kids by sharing expert tips, honest reviews, and stress-free itineraries. You can learn more on her website h...

Kim just wrapped up round two of college tours and her daughter Mia has committed to UCLA's School of Engineering! We thought we would share some of our college search experience to help others that are just getting to this phase of parenting.

Episode Highlights

• It is important to visit various college campuses before you begin the college application process to help your student understand the style and size of campu...

Tamara and her husband recently took a couple's trip to Chile and this week on the podcast she shares her impressions, experiences, and tips for Santiago and Atacama Desert. In a future episode, she will talk about her week in Chile's Winelands.

Episode Highlights

• Tamara flew Avianca Airlines on a flight deal from Boston to Bogota and Bogota to Santiago. Avianca Airlines business class is more like premium economy and...

A mother-daughter trip is an incredible way to bond in ways that you can't recreate in your home environment. This week, Kim and Tamara share their tips for mother-daughter trips and provide ideas for some of their favorite mother-daughter trip destinations (these can also be used for mother-son or father-daughter/son trips too.)

Episode Highlights

• When kids are younger, it is fun to find a theme to base the trip arou...

Tamara is just back from a bucket list trip to Peru with her daughter and she shares all about her lodge-to-lodge trek with Mountain Lodges of Peru and tips for visiting Cusco and Machu Picchu.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

• Tamara “won” this trip as part of an auction that benefits the Adventure Travel Conservation Fundthat takes place each fall
• When visiting Cusco and the Sacred Valley, it is best to give yourself 3-4 days to ...

On this episode, we are joined by Susan Heinrich from Midlife Globetrotter. Susan is a Canadian writer living in Denver, Colorado. She is passionate about travel and supporting women in tourism. In 2020, she created Midlife Globetrotter, a website and platform that helps women over 40 follow their travel dreams to new places, with destination guides, practical tips and stories of her own adventures. Susan is passionate about refram...

Vacation Mavens recently celebrated nine years of podcasting!! For all of you who have been with us for this journey, we thank you for your support! For those that joined us recently, welcome and we look forward to many more years of sharing our travel experiences.

Tamara recently launched a new business as a travel advisor! You can learn more about her custom travel planning services here. Even if you aren't looking for full itine...

On this episode, we are joined by Jessica Williams. Jessica is the author of the award-winning Dachshund educational blog, YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner.com. She's been traveling, hiking, and camping with her dogs for over 20 years. She's taken her dogs on many extended road trips, covering up to 5,000 miles, and she's flown with them many times. Her two biggest dog-focused travel aspirations are living in Switzerland for a month to hik...

This week, we are wrapping up our Turkey trip recaps and Tamara fills us in on her visit to Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the lesser-known city of Izmir.

Episode Highlights

• Izmir sits on the Aegean Sea and Ephesus is a popular cruise port for cruises visiting Greece and Turkey.
• There are also a number of religious sites that attract religious travelers and pilgrimages.
• One site near Ephes...

On this episode, we are joined by Nedra McDaniel from Adventure Mom, who is passionate about having attainable adventures at every stage of life. We are sharing some of our favorite places to go for Spring Break in the USA. You can follow Nedra on her blog, and on social media as @adventuremom on Instagram, Facebook, and others.

Expedia recently shared some travel trends for 2024 showing that March is the most expensive month to fl...

In November, Kim and Tamara took a trip to Turkey for a travel writer's conference. After their time in Istanbul, they jetted off to different parts of the country to see more of Turkiye. This week, Kim shares her experience in Cappadocia and offers up tips for anyone that wants to experience this magical world of fairy chimneys and sunrise hot air balloon rides.

Episode Highlights

• Plan to stay in Cappadocia at least ...

Airplanes are not known for their comfort or service. So if you want to have the best experience that you can while cramped inside with a bunch of strangers, here is some advice on how to choose the best seats on an airplane. We share our pros and cons of the bulkhead seats and areas of the plane to avoid.

Episode Highlights

• Tamara doesn't like row 1 or the bulkhead row because you can't keep your personal item at you...

Anyone looking for a weekend getaway from Seattle, or a small-town add-on to a trip to the Pacific Northwest, Whidbey Island is a great choice. Learn all about where to stay and things to do on Whidbey Island and hear about a fun time to visit during Mystery Weekend in February!

Episode Highlights:

• Whidbey Island is one of the northern islands off of Seattle
• At the end of February each year the town of Langley hosts a...

Kim and Tamara recently visited Istanbul, Türkiye for the first time to attend the SATW (Society of American Travel Writers) Annual Conference. In this episode, they share their insights and tips for others planning a trip to Istanbul including where to stay, top sights to visit, safety, and other travel tips.

Show Highlights:

• Turkish Airlines has a lot of direct flights from the USA (including Boston and Seattle)
• Tur...