The Vacation Guy Blogs

All eyes are on this SoCal city every New Year’s Day for two of America’s most iconic annual events. Pasadena, California plays host to the back-to-back morning Rose Parade and afternoon Rose Bowl Game. The game is one of the major bowl games in college football, but the Rose Parade that precedes it is truly one-of-a-kind. The Rose Parade dates back to 1890. Pasadena...

Recent, extreme hurricanes have devastated favorite Caribbean island communities.For travel, the impact of more extreme hurricanes is double. It can take years for tourism infrastructure in island destinations to rebuild and welcome visitors again, so your favorite destinations and resorts may be unavailable. Plus some travelers avoid Caribbean island vacations (and cruises) during the Atlantic summer and fall hurricane season, especially during...

There may be more places than you think.California's legendary wine regions and famous wineries have the weather, the scenery, the lifestyle, and of course, the wines, that put them at the top of global wine travel lists.But as we are planning our first post-COVID trips, wine lovers should expand their lists of wine tour regions close to home to get...

It’s a US territory with sun-kissed Caribbean charms. Where lush jungles, land and marine parks and world-class beaches meet Old World cobblestone architecture, New World comforts, and signature Latin hospitality, culture and sultry vibe.  Puerto Rico’s capital San Juan is a major cruise port and destination in the eastern Caribbean. Thousands of cruise passengers embark and disembark every year. But...

It's no secret that river and small ship cruising is one of travel's biggest trends. What may still be an open secret is the boom in cruising on the inland waterways of North America, with new ships and new itineraries to appeal to every cruise traveler's interests.Maybe you want to try river and small ship cruising in your own backyard...

Wave goodbye to the winter blues on your way to one of these newly-opened resorts, from adults-only escapes to family-friendly and multi-generational beach vacations.This may be the year to try an all-new destination, or treat yourself to a new kind of holiday that puts a spark in your sun and sand.Adults-Only in the Bahamas: Reimagined Sandals Royal Bahamian After a...

For oenophiles (and everyday wine lovers like you and me), it's a once in a generation opportunity to celebrate the wines of a country you might not even associate with viticulture.The Fete des Vignerons (Festival of Vintners or Winegrowers) is held only every 20-25 years, taking over the town of Vevey on Lake Geneva. Yes, Switzerland. The Swiss call their wines...

When you're investing half a BILLION dollars in a fleet-wide renovation, you're entitled to call it a 'Revolution'. Celebrity Cruises is undergoing a transformation.You may have already heard about their two new, groundbreaking ships:Celebrity Edge, which, among many firsts, debuted the world's first cantilevered venue at sea, which moves up and down the side of the ship, becoming a different drinks/...

You probably already know that Jamaica is famous for its beaches.  And you may even have already come back relaxed from a beach holiday in the island country that has been voted top Caribbean destination, and one of the top 20 in the world.But the unique terrain of Jamaica has also yielded natural healing waters inland from the beach.  Here...

In 14 hundred and 92, Columbus sailed the ocean blue (as the rhyme we learned in school goes), and unwittingly unleashed a tsunami of Europeans heading west to explore the Americas.That was half a millennium ago, and now, some of the earliest European settlements in the Caribbean and Latin America are marking 500 years of European settlement.In the years since...