Explore Outside Your Back Door, LLC

05/29/2026

For Americans traveling abroad for a summer vacation, keep these tips in mind!
✅ Make sure your passport isn’t about to expire (some countries require it to be valid for six months beyond your trip).
✅Check local laws and requirements at travel.state.gov/destination.
✅ Sign up for STEP at step.state.gov.
❌ Do NOT travel anywhere with a Level 4 Travel Advisory for any reason.
❌ Do NOT accept drinks from strangers.
❌ Do NOT break local laws.
❌ Do NOT place your phone or purse on the table or on the back of chairs at restaurants.
❌ Do NOT ignore local rip tide warnings or swim in undesignated areas.

05/25/2026

Looking for vacation ideas? Here is great list--and, yes, there are even sites listed in the USA. Two of the places on my bucket list are in here--Prague and Tanzania. What is on your bucket list?

https://thepointsguy.com/travel/best-places-to-go-2026/?utm_section=rec-
cf&utm_source=TPG+Daily+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=18256638&utm_usr=3d795d185e5862dbe72cab0e2b3e93daa7a78415f62b66823543e5e222198dec&fbclid=IwY2xjawSBgktleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEezxwZHqf9_eUPtcmHFPpybt8pEgwOPfmui9VjmZsonfditYxwy2pIPvrJikg_aem_2AjFLIJw3dDABoVoWDd2pA

These are the 17 destinations The Points Guy travel team is most excited about in 2026, along with tips for planning these trips using points and miles.

05/21/2026

If you are thinking of Alaska at all for Summer 2027 this is the time to get this trip on the books! Princess is the best cruise line for this once in a lifetime trip IMHO. Let me know how I can help!

05/21/2026

https://www.frommers.com/tips/entry-requirements-customs/7-lesser-known-reasons-your-passport-can-be-rejected-check-yours-now/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2026-04-02%20Editorial%20Mailing&utm_content=2026-04-02%20Editorial%20Mailing+CID_5a4053624f696fab98fb54f7fed7b935&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_term=7%20Lesser-Known%20Reasons%20Your%20Passport%20Can%20Be%20Rejected%20Check%20Yours%20Now

Some great information here! Just FYI.

Even if your passport hasn't expired, it can get rejected by border officials. Here's what travelers should know.

05/09/2026

Sometimes it is about more than just getting their cheaply!

Here's why The Points Guy suggests avoiding basic economy fares as they spread to business class, too.

05/05/2026

04/30/2026

A great source of info for my cruising clients!

Embarkation day sets the tone for your entire cruise. Those first few hours on board should feel like the vacation has finally started, not like you’re scrambling to catch up. Yet plenty of passengers make avoidable mistakes that leave them stressed, hungry, or stuck in a crowd before the ship eve...

04/30/2026

Great article about booking flights. A good travel agent already knows these things and are a key component in making sure you get the right flight!

You checked in on time, breezed through security, and made it to your departure gate with minutes to spare. Everything went perfectly on the first leg. Then your connecting flight left without you. Tight connections fail more often than most travelers expect, and the reasons usually have nothing to....

04/18/2026

Here’s a fun fact about Paris:

The Eiffel Tower was originally meant to be a temporary structure.

It was built for the 1889 World’s Fair to celebrate 100 years since the French Revolution, and many Parisians actually disliked it at first—some called it an eyesore and wanted it torn down after 20 years. But it ended up becoming so useful for radio transmissions (and so iconic) that it was never removed, and now it’s one of the most famous landmarks in the world.

I specialize in Paris--hit me up for an indepent trip or join me on our group river cruise on the Seine in May 2027!

04/18/2026

A helpful article for your summer vacations!

You spent good money on that new camera, those leather shoes, and your favorite outfit for the trip. Then you opened your suitcase at the hotel and found a shampoo explosion, wrinkled silk, and a cracked phone screen. Most luggage damage does not happen because of rough baggage handlers or turbulent...