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Taking the kids: And choosing exactly the right gift for moms
Don’t you love it when you’ve chosen exactly the right gift?
To me, that means giving something I love to someone I know will love it too. It’s not as hard as you might think, especially if there is a particular brand you favor and you can get gift cards. (Great for Moms and Dads Days!)
For example, m y husband and I love our homeandleisure/travel/takingthekids/s-3693498">Read more

Celebrity Travel: Go away with Florencia Cuenca
After starring as Estela Garcia in “Real Women Have Curves” at the American Repertory Theater in 2023, Florencia Cuenca made her Broadway debut in April. “I feel so honored to play this role that has been played by many outstanding Latina actresses,” Cuenca said in an interview from New York City, where she currently resides. “In this ...Read more

Rick Steves’ Europe: Hiking the Swiss Alps comes with high altitude thrills
A highlight of one of my European summers was a day I spent hiking in the Berner Oberland region of the Swiss Alps. I was with a wonderful group of traveling friends, all eager for a ramble in the high country.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be a mountain climber to see the Alps up close. The Swiss transportation system is as remarkable as ...Read more
National Charges Renter $1,357 Two Months After Returning A Car
Glenn Roberts gets a surprise bill for $1,357 two months after he returns his car to National. What is it for, and why can't he get the car rental company to refund it?
Q: I recently rented a car in Austin, Texas, through National for 40 days. Since it was for a long period, National split it into two reservations. It charged me correctly for...Read more

Taking the Kids: Family camping trends – dogs over kids – who knew?
Would you rather take your dog or your kids on vacation?
Campers prefer their dogs, it appears. More than half of campers choose to camp with their four-legged friends, outpacing the number of campers choosing to camp with other family members (21 percent), siblings (13 percent) or parents (10 percent), according to the new homeandleisure/travel/takingthekids/s-3685485">Read more

Celebrity Travel: Go away with VVS
Before VVS even made their April 2025 debut, there was already enough buzz about this international girl group that they were featured in Billboard magazine and CNN. Now, they’re ready to show the world what they can do. Their infectiously catchy single, “Tea,” is accompanied by a cinematic noir music video that includes sword fights, ...Read more

Rick Steves’ Europe: A healthy dose of history and Champagne in Reims
France's bustling, modern Reims greets travelers with cellar doors wide open. As the capital of the Champagne region, it features a lively center, a historic cathedral, and, of course, Champagne tasting. And thanks to France's slick high-speed rail, it's just 45 minutes from Paris – making it an easy day trip.
Reims (pronounced like “rance�...Read more
Travel Troubleshooter: RVshare Keeps Security Deposit After Renter Returns His Van
Q: I rented a Mercedes van for two weeks through RVshare, a rental company. It rained on the way home, and water leaked through the air conditioner vent. After I returned the van, RVshare kept my $1,500 deposit.
Here are a few facts about our rental: First, when it rained, the air conditioner vent would leak. The owner of the van lied and said ...Read more

Taking the Kids: Spa can be entré to a new culture
I’m slathered in thick black mud from head to toe – on purpose. And I’m thrilled by the experience.
That’s because I’m at the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea, which includes “the oldest naturally occurring spa” on the shores of the Dead Sea and about an hour from Amman, ...Read more

Nearly 900,000 fewer people came to the US from Canada last month
The number of people traveling to the United States from Canada plummeted in March.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said nearly 900,000 fewer people entered the U.S. from the north compared with the same period last year. That decline followed weeks of President Donald Trump insulting Canada by referring to then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau...Read more

'There's been a huge drop-off': Canadians pull back on travel to Orlando
As political tensions continue to run high, predictions that Canadian travelers would shun Central Florida are becoming a reality, with hotel bookings down and airlines scaling back flights in response to lower demand.
Sandra Pappas, who owns a Disney-focused travel agency in Canada, said she started noticing the downturn in February. That’s ...Read more

Celebrity Travel: Go away with Uwade
For musician Uwade, traveling around Norway with her two best friends was a bucket-list trip come true. “We got to see the Northern Lights, go snowmobiling and meet some very cute reindeer,” said the 25-year-old Palo Alto-based singer. “It was the middle of winter, so there was snow everywhere and basically no sunlight. It was wild and ...Read more

Rick Steves’ Europe: Modern Milan: Fashionable and Fun
They say that for every church in Rome, there’s a bank in Milan. The economic success of postwar Italy can be attributed, at least in part, to this city of bankers, publicists, and pasta power-lunchers.
Like any great city, the more you know about it, the more it entertains. On a recent trip I gained an appreciation of Milan’s “Big Canal�...Read more
Travel Troubleshooter: Booking.Com Won't Refund A Room After An On-Time Cancellation
Q: I booked a hotel in Wroclaw through Booking.com. I canceled my reservation well within the free cancellation period, but then I discovered a charge on my card for the full amount of $742.
I reached out to Booking.com, and a representative told me that I would be refunded within 10 days. This didn't happen. I called back, and this time, a ...Read more

Taking the Kids: Celebrating Earth Day and shopping more sustainably for travel gear
Ready to do your part?
Earth Day is coming up soon (April 22) and the theme this year is “Our Power, Your Planet” with a focus on the need for #renewableenergynow. The idea is to work toward the goal of tripling the global generation of clean electricity by 2030.
If you are wondering, renewable energy ...Read more

Rick Steves’ Europe: Leipzig is the German city that helped halt communism
Once trapped in communist East Germany, bustling Leipzig is now a city of business and of culture. It’s also a city of great history – Martin Luther, Goethe, Johann Sebastian Bach, Felix Mendelssohn, Richard Wagner, Angela Merkel, and many other German VIPs have spent time here.
There are many reasons for visitors to spend time here, too. ...Read more

Celebrity Travel: Go away with Peter Holsapple
For The dB’s guitarist-vocalist-songwriter Peter Holsapple, seeing the United States by train is a great way to unwind and spend time with loved ones. “Last year, my family and I took the train from Raleigh, North Carolina, to Whitefish, Montana, to visit Glacier National Park,” said Holsapple, 69. “It was long-winded, but fantastic. We ...Read more

Taking the Kids: Most iconic trips
What’s been your favorite family trip? Maybe you’ve got one, or two. But for me, that’s like asking which is my favorite child. They’re all wonderful and unique, though at times aggravating and frustrating. But as I’ve often said, the missteps make for memories – and stories to tell at holiday gatherings. They also teach kids how to ...Read more

Celebrity Travel: Go away with Five for Fighting
John Ondrasik – better known as Five for Fighting – has been touring for decades. But rather than being jaded by life on the road, he said he considers it a perk that has yet to grow old. “One of the beautiful things about being in a touring band is seeing all aspects of America,” said the California native. “My favorites are the small...Read more

Rick Steves’ Europe: York, the capital of England’s North
We have New York, but England has old York, one of the country’s top tourist destinations outside of London. The town offers a captivating tour of historic sights mixed with an easygoing pedestrian ambience – all lassoed within its formidable medieval wall.
York has a rich, long history, serving as a Roman provincial capital in AD 71, ...Read more