About Marybeth, National Geographic Author, Writer

Curious Explorer. Award-winning author.

Gutsy Traveler: A woman, like travel expert Marybeth Bond, stands among purple flowers, raising her arms and smiling in front of a wooden building in bright sunlight.
Polar bear tracking and snorkeling with beluga whales in the northern Canadian Arctic.

Marybeth knows travel. She has hiked, biked, dived, danced and trekked across all seven continents – from the depths of the Flores Sea near Komodo Island to the summit of Kilimanjaro.

More recently, she tracked polar bears and snorkeled with beluga whales in the Canadian Arctic, then kayaked among icebergs in Antarctica.

Somewhere in between, four years of studying in Paris earned her two degrees – and a taste for good wine and strong cheeses.

Twelve books (three with National Geographic), countless travel articles, and numerous TV and radio appearances have built her devoted fanbase. She won the esteemed Lowell Thomas, Gold Award for the Best Travel Book of the Year from the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation.

Woman on cliff in front of a monastery in Bhutan
Yesterday’s Video below. A decade or more later. Is Marybeth still GUTSY? Here in Bhutan.
Marybeth in Antarctica with penguins, snowy mountains, and water—just the kind of moment travel expert Marybeth Bond would capture in a travel video.
Kayaking and camping near penguins in Antarctica.

Yesterday….

View from the Cruise Deck
Family travel trends indicate we’re ready for some splurging. We took the family on a Baltic Cruise; Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Finland, and more.

 The urge to splurge is driving consumer travel habits this season. 

Take to the Sky: Airlines are rolling out new fees for everything from seat selection to bringing a carry-on bag. However, despite these new charges, the majority (62%) of travelers polled plan to fly to their end destination. Conversely, 27% are hitting the road and 10% of respondents plan to travel by bus.

*We cashed in all our miles and netted four tickets to Copenhagen where we boarded the Norwegian Sun for a ten-day cruise in the Baltic Sea. It was the perfect vacation for all of us. Tired parents, kids recovering from finals and law school, and everyone in need of a culture fix.

Location, Location, Location: Travelers take many factors into account when selecting a destination, with the most popular criterion being overall interest in the destination (37%.)  Families also select a location based on whether or not activities are offered for both parents and children (26%,) how family-friendly the destination is (23%,) budget (22%) and overall distance from home (6%.) The most popular destinations among respondents included the Continental U.S. (33%,) and Europe (28%,) followed by Alaska (6%,) Asia (4%) and Hawaii (3%.)

*We chose a cruise in the Baltic Sea because we wanted to learn more about Scandinavia, Russia and even Berlin!

It Takes Two: When planning a summer vacation, the majority of respondents (42%) prefer to travel with their significant other, while 14% plan to take a multigenerational trip. Other travel companions include children living at home (14%,) extended family (9%) and grandchildren (7%.)

Urge to Splurge: As the economy rebounds, travelers are able to spend more on their summer vacation. As a result, the majority of respondents (52%) are splurging on overseas airfare or flights to multiple destinations. The travelers polled are also spending more on attractions (36%,) accommodations (32%) and dining (24%) than in the past few years.

*The cruise was a splurge but money well spent to have two weeks of R&R and a crash course in European History, Art and Architecture with our kids.

Favorite Art Location: The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

The Unknown: There are several factors to consider when purchasing a travel insurance plan this summer. Of the 81% of respondents planning to purchase travel insurance, each respondent chose several options when selecting what they look for in a travel insurance plan this summer. Their top coverage choices as were trip cancellation or interruption coverage (86%,) medical expense coverage (72%,) trip delay coverage (60%,) lost luggage coverage (45%) and a plan that covers children at no additional cost (15%.)

Poll is courtesy of  TravelGuard, provider of  travel insurance and assistance, who polled travelers to learn about their habits when planning a summer family vacation.

Marybeth Bond