Is Travel Insurance Refundable? Here’s Everything You Need To Know

Hovering just off the coast of Southern California are a string of under-explored islands that offer a peaceful escape from the noise and hubbub of the mainland. If you fancy camping in serene scenery in front of epic sunsets, look no further than California's Channel Islands. 

With its beautiful cities and countryside of polders, dykes, windmills and canals connected by superb, sustainable infrastructure, the Netherlands is one of the easiest places to travel. As a visitor, you won’t find too many potential pitfalls, but there are still a few things to be aware of (starting with getting its name right!). Having written about this charming and fascinating country for almost two decades (and experienced it over a lifetime), these are my key tips for a smooth trip.

Planning a dream vacation is always exciting. But no matter how carefully you plot out the details, sometimes life throws a wrench in the works.

Whenever someone asks me about my favorite country, I answer “Austria” wholeheartedly. This small but mighty place is a bottomless treasure chest and I feel honored to have grown up here and still call it home. 

Formally the Kyrgyz Republic, to everyone but the suits in parliament, this country is called Kyrgyzstan.

Snugly landlocked in the center of Europe, Austria packs a stock of sights into its modest size.

When you crack open a list of great travel reads in an esteemed publication like this one, you usually have a pretty good idea of what you’re going to get: books that uncannily bring to life a place or an experience. There’s a very good chance you’ll get a smattering of MFK Fisher, Paul Theroux, and Bruce Chatwin; some iconic American travelogues (On the Road, Travels With Charley, Blue Highways); perhaps the odd title by Mark Twain or Ernest Hemingway. Maybe there’ll be a dutiful inclusion of A Passage to India. You’re virtually assured of getting a very good list. But this is not that kind of list.

Navigating the Netherlands is a breeze. Its compact size means there are no domestic flights and the efficient, highly integrated public transport network of trains, buses and ferries covers all corners of the country.

I have to admit that on trips to Thailand and China I was not adventurous when it came to lunch and dinner. I must have set a record for ordering vegetable pad Thai in Thailand. But with May now officially Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we should take advantage of restaurants offering these tasty cuisines in the Times Square area.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Julie Williams, 60, a semi-retired woman living in Devon, England, who has used HomeExchange more than 100 times over the last decade to travel the world. The website helps facilitate accommodation exchanges between 150,000 users in 145 countries. Williams estimates she's done about 140 exchanges since joining the site.

As Star Wars fans around the world celebrate May the Fourth, what better way to immerse yourself in the galaxy far, far away than by visiting real-life locations that served as backdrops for some of the most iconic scenes in the saga? Solos was founded in 1982 and now offers a wide range of holidays for globetrotters. From Costa Rica to Canada, Africa to America, India to Iceland, Croatia to the Caribbean, Uzbekistan to the UK, and Norway to New Zealand, Solos has divided its holidays into easy-to-select categories depending on interests. Solos is also keen to challenge the assumption that solo travel is purely for single people. Regardless of age, ability, circumstance, background, gender – there really is something for everyone – especially on these exciting trips below.

I'm a big fan of Mobile Passport Control and have been a loyal user for many years. It's my entry expediting program of choice when I return to the U.S. from overseas and want to avoid long lines at U.S. Customs and Border Protection.