Welcome Gutsy Travelers!

How do you know if your hotel room is really clean? By Christopher Elliotts It's almost impossible to find a hotel that hasn't introduced a new sanitation program, promising its rooms are squeaky clean and coronavirus-free. But how do you know if your hotel room is...

This is what you need to know about car rentals after the pandemic By Christopher Elliott  Alex Davis didn't know what to expect when she rented a car from Alamo in Chicago recently. Agents in hazmat suits? Antibacterial car washes, maybe? Perhaps an extra cleaning...

How do you practice social distancing on a plane?  By Christopher Elliott When Robyn Wilkov boarded a recent flight from New York to Dallas, she was surprised to find a masked passenger in the middle seat next to hers. “The plane was packed, with nearly every row...

When you think of Sonoma County, images come to mind of vineyards and vine-covered hillsides, elegant tasting rooms and fabulous dinners at intimate restaurants. Beyond the famous food, wine and vineyards, Sonoma offers plenty more to discover. Go West Beyond the...

Paso Robles, mid-way between San Francisco and Los Angles, is known for wine tasting and summer concerts. Recently  my husband and I drove 3 ½ hours south of San Francisco to visit the famous wineries. An added bonus was the temporary outdoor exhibition of British...

We fed the bears marshmallows from the back seat of the family car when I was kid. Cranking down the window a few inches we’d toss leftover peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and sweets to the fat bears who waddled from car to car along the road into Old Faithful....

Think Telluride is all about powder skiing and film festivals? Thing again! This is the place where Butch Cassidy began his bank-robbing career at the San Miguel Valley Bank on June 24, 1889.  After the heist, Cassidy and two buddies mounted their steeds, shot their...

With the famous span of the Golden Gate Bridge as the backdrop, The Presidio is San Francisco’s great escape. This huge National Park is nestled along the Bay and Crissy Field extending through 262 acres of historic forests to the cliffs above the Pacific Ocean. The...

  Travel safety for woman is the number one concern for students, seniors and world adventurers. I've written chapters in my books and spoken at universities and at travel shows about "how to stay safe and travel the world". Here are ways to be prepared and avoid...

Barcelona’s sensory-rich food scene, stunning Gaudi-designed architecture and glitzy nightlife lure big crowds in the summer. Last year over 18 million tourists descended upon the Catalan metropolis of 5.5 million people. If you want Barcelona to yourself and you want...