Destination Discovery

Good to see some Christmas spirit, even if you struggle to clap your hands! Mid week might have been a bit kinder for crowds, but what a great day out with the kids in London!

The slowest month in Miami - at least in terms of tourist numbers - is in September. September represents the time during which hurricanes are most likely to make landfall in the neighbouring Caribbean or even in Florida. I was present during Hurricane Irma! Schools are out for summer further nort

When youre in MIA, check out "Area 31" for one of the best sunset dinner views.

London is better on foot! I had a meeting last Tuesday in London, nearer to Wembley, and which finished a little earlier than expected. I managed to arrange a cheeky drink with an old friend, however headed to Waterloo - this a northwest to southeast sort of journey, basically across the city...

Everytime my wife and I visit a new city or country, we always ask the locals where do they eat. Well if you ever visit Raleigh, NC, then we highly recommend that you visit the "42nd Street Oyster Bar". The seafood is amazing! You must try the Crab and Artichoke dip appetizer, seafood bisque and Bla

What happens in Vegas no longer stays in Vegas. Once Sin City, Vegas has spent more than a decade tidying up its image to better reflect the reality of a stay on the strip. I visited Vegas for the first time during a business trip in January of 2015. It wasn't too hot, it wasn't too busy, and it w

Two visits in 2017 for myself and Holly, searching for the Ponce de Leon and his elusive fountain of youth! We didn't find it, but we did have a brilliant good time. There's a great feel of the place, classic vacation destination with all the ice cream parlors and opportunities to grab some fudge

I loved living there and I always love visiting. No matter how familiar, London always manages to find a way to show me something new. It has to be a favorite destination to finish my 30 destinations marathon! Maybe a big part of that something new comes from the way any big city changes and gr

You cannot miss Chapultepec Park on your next visit to Mexico City. Whether you're traveling solo, with family, or with your significant other, you will find pleasant activities to do there. From museums to running trails, to tasty meals... You choose! https://www.odysseantravel.com/travel-guide/M

Berlin is possibly too cool. Frustratingly hip. It's a lot of things and boring isn't one of them! I spent about half of my military career based in Germany, most of which just a stone's throw from the cool capital. It seemed each time I went I had to relearn which neighborhood was the it place to

Two words, Iberico ham. That may be all anyone needs to put Barcelona on their top of anything list. If you've never had it or don't know what it is, there really isn't a way to properly describe the experience of the ham actually melting in your mouth. A cheesy grin on a beautiful beach I had b

There are more exotic, remote areas of Costa Rica to visit, it's true. These come with their own benefits and certainly challenges in achieving your vacation goals. I didn't see any sloths when I visited the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica in 2015, for example. However, it does have a rapidly gr

There's a reason Italy is one of the most visited countries on the planet, there's a reason Italian restaurants are so popular. I'm reasonably certain the only people who've got a regret over visiting Italy is that they didn't do it in the first place or that they didn't spend long enough there - l

I'm a little bit too early to start celebrating my wedding anniversary, but I'm sure my wife won't mind that I'm thinking about it! We reminisce all the time, having spent a glorious week together in April of 2018 to celebrate the big event. It also doesn't strike me as particularly fair to wrap up

I visited Myanmar in July of 2014, it was hard then for me to put a finger on the feel of the country and what I felt about the experience. It's an understated place to visit in many respects, there just isn't as much tourism infrastructure so even the city centers can feel quite rugged when compare

Cool trivia fact for you, Big Ben is actually the name of the Great Bell, within the Elizabeth Tower of London's Houses of Parliament. Back in August of 2017 the whole tower closed for visitation and the clock tower fell silent for the next few years while extensive repairs on the historic monument

I had an offline question this week about cruising the Galapagos Islands, which cruise loop is the best and when is the best time to travel there? It's going to sound like I'm wriggling my way out of giving a straight answer, but there's so much variation it really is up to you, the traveler, and w

I stayed here earlier in June during a short visit to London, maps just don't do the proximity any justice it's so close! Bonus interest, there was a film being shot at the cathedral during my stay - although I've not yet figured out what it was.

My wife and I set sail from Miami to visit a few islands of The Bahamas with Norwegian, it was November of 2018 and although the tail end of the hurricane season in the Caribbean, we did get a bit more than a breeze. That meant we did spend a little more time onboard, losing a call to port. The cre

I think I've said this before in the 30 Destinations history here, but I could easily fill a list with great spots across Japan. It's such an amazing place to visit! Osaka's neighbor and the cultural capital of Japan, Kyoto is where travelers go to see art, experience some amazing temples, and, o

It's like DC was made for visitors - and if I paid attention to any of the guides and locals I met during my visit, it really was made to impress foreign diplomats & dignitaries. The layout of the city complements the impressive stylings of buildings and official-looking architecture. I think I alw

Nothing can compare to this! Witnessing all the action within one of the most important Catholic sanctuaries in the world will guarantee a once-in-a-lifetime experience. https://www.odysseantravel.com/travel-guide/Mexico-City/Basilica-of-Our-Lady-of-Guadalupe

Believe it or not, buzzing and crazy Mexico City has this forested, historic and calm space just 20 mins away from the city. Highly recommended for hikers, bikers, or anyone that appreciates breathing fresh air among impressive pines and oaks. https://www.odysseantravel.com/travel-guide/Mexico-Ci

The first time I visited Thailand was in August of 2009, I spent a few weeks in the beautiful and bustling beach towns of Kata in Phuket. I've since been back to Thailand maybe 5 times, you may imagine correctly that Thailand left an impression and its introduction via Phuket was just perfect. Phuk

I had to add an exclamation point, Borneo is a big destination really but it's also maybe tied with Sri Lanka as my favorite islands to visit. If you're like me and you really like wildlife, it doesn't get much more wild. Some variety of exotic kingfisher during a night walk of the jungle along the

https://www.odysseantravel.com/travel-guide/Japan/Osaka Check out my guide to Osaka, be sure to rate your visit

Truth be told, if I didn't stop myself I'd easily fill 10 of the 30 with destinations in Japan. It's such a cool place and an amazing pleasure to visit as a tourist, very well developed and getting easier and easier for nearly anyone to get around. Guitar Hero meets Pokemon meets Duck Hunt - I had

In June of 2017 I went with my wife, Holly, to meet up with friends and to discover some of the great architecture and history to be found in and around Mexico's capital. Nerding it up at the Palacio de Belles Artes in Mexico City There's of course no beach in Mexico City, it can feel a world away

To the east, it lies the bay next to the port of Sami. Antissamos is a big pebble beach with green waves that resemble the scenery around the bay, which includes green hills and mountains filled with oaks and cypresses. The azure water meets the equally green southern portion of Ithaca on the opposi