Dear Reader, If you are new here, hello! I am The Nerd Traveler. Nerdy affiliate note: Some links in this email are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. It helps support The Nerd Traveler and, quite possibly, my historical-fiction habit. I love history, travel, and especially UNESCO World Heritage Sites. But I did not study history in college. In fact, I was much more focused on my social life than my academic...
12 days ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader,Last week, I shared why shoulder season can make a trip feel calmer, more comfortable, and more enjoyable. But once you choose when to travel, there is another important question: Where are you getting your travel information? AI can build an itinerary, suggest attractions, or summarize a destination in seconds. I understand why that is appealing. Personally, I do not use AI to research my own trips because I genuinely enjoy the research process. Give me an official attraction...
19 days ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader!Shoulder season might be one of the best-kept secrets in travel planning. Some of my most enjoyable trips with my mom took place in September, after the busiest summer travel period had started to wind down. We still had plenty to see and do, but the experience felt calmer, less rushed, and far more enjoyable than many summer trips. There were smaller crowds, fewer lines, and often lower prices. We could spend more time appreciating a destination instead of navigating packed...
26 days ago • 3 min read
Dear Reader, There are plenty of travel products I could recommend. But when you travel carry-on only, every single item has to earn its space. That is why I created a Travel Resources page filled with the tools, products, and travel-prep resources I genuinely use to make international trips easier. These are the items that help me navigate airports, historic European hotels, long travel days, cobblestone streets, and trips that involve moving between several destinations. 📌 Affiliate...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, Some travelers want someone to handle the bookings. Others actually enjoy booking their own trips, but would happily never compare another flight connection or decipher another European train schedule. And some want the entire trip mapped out for them, then prefer to make the final bookings themselves. That is exactly why I now offer 3 different ways to work with me as a travel advisor. You do not have to hand over your entire vacation just to get help with the part of travel...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Summer travel season is here, which means many of us are thinking about flights, hotels, museum tickets, road trips, cruises, beach bags, city breaks, and how many activities we can reasonably fit into a day without turning into a puddle. But after our France trip this past winter, I am thinking about something much less glamorous. Travel health. This past winter, our France trip got derailed in the least "joie de vivre" way possible. We all caught a virus of some sort. We never...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader,On the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, while most of America was loading up the car for their destination, I was on 2 nearly empty Louisiana highways headed to a place most people have never heard of. Poverty Point, Louisiana. A UNESCO World Heritage Site. And on that particular Friday afternoon, it was entirely mine. The ranger met me at the visitor center and pointed me toward a 15-minute film. When it was over, he took me out on a private, 1:1 golf cart tour of the site....
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Here's the thing about summer travel: the problems that impact trips almost never happen on the trip itself. They happen in the weeks before, like when you realize your passport expires in 4 months, when you forget to download the airline app, when you roll up to the gas station the Friday before a road trip and pay the highest price of the week. Summer is almost here. Let's make sure you're ready. THE CHECKLIST THAT ACTUALLY MATTERS The Points Guy put out a solid summer travel...
3 months ago • 2 min read
It’s been a long year so far, and it’s only mid-June! 😅 Do you feel that way, too? We could all use a relaxing vacation soon, and I’ve got just the thing to help you get one planned. Enter: the Get Up & Go! Summer Travel Bundle I’ve partnered with over 20 travel pros to offer you a collection of useful tools, guides, and tips to help you get up and go on an adventure (or two!) this summer. Oh, and it’s FREE and officially opened in two days. 😎 Here's what you’ll find inside the bundle: Wine...
about 1 year ago • 1 min read