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The Art of Planning a Wish-List Vacation: 8 Steps to Make Your Dream Trip a Reality

Dreaming of someday setting sail on an Antarctic cruise? Or visiting the ruins of Machu Picchu? No matter what future adventure you’re imagining, planning is key to checking destinations off your wish list. But if you’re new to organizing a trip, navigating the logistics and budget can be complicated.

Use this guide to learn how to make your dream trip a reality in eight easy steps, then take the quiz to discover your ideal, one-in-a-million vacation.

1. Brainstorm and research.

No two travel wish lists are alike, and a dream trip for some might be the wrong fit for you. Decide what’s important by surrounding yourself with inspiration. Whether it’s reading travel blogs, following Pinterest boards, joining travel-centric Facebook groups or asking your besties about their favorite destinations, use trusted sources to vet the places you want to go.

Traveling with a crew? Use Virtuoso Wanderlist to survey yourself and traveling companions to create a potential list of destinations and adventures you’ll love. Once filled with wanderlust, make a list prioritizing the places you most want to visit.

Maybe your ideal vacation is the red rock wonderland of Zion National Park or a Caribbean beach resort with your toes in the sand. Whatever your travel fantasy is, put pen to paper (or finger to touchscreen) and start building your bucket list.

2. Make a vision board.

Once you’ve listed your dream destinations, use a vision board — physical or virtual tools designed to corral your plans into a single resource — to narrow down your options and start trip planning.

Go old-school and make a poster board of vacation aspirations using magazine photos and a glue stick. Or use Pinterest to build a virtual vision board that goes with you anywhere.

If checklists are your jam, hang a scratch-off map in your home and mark where you’ve been so far and where you want to go next.

3. Prioritize your top trip pick.

Just because a destination is number one on your must-visit list doesn’t mean it’s the right time to go. Shift your dream trip target based on your budget, health and availability.

Want to cycle around Europe? Consider booking that trip when you’re in great shape. Ready for a South African safari ? Make sure you have the time off and funds for this big experience.

Another route for prioritizing trips is around airfare. Create a top-five list, and when you see a screamingly good deal for airfare, use that as your opportunity to book.

4. Create a budget and a timeline.

When you’re ready to start planning your first bucket list trip, determine when you want to go and how much it will cost. Divide that cost by the number of months before the trip to decide if you can save enough to make it happen.

If you can’t, consider traveling later, taking on extra work or choosing a more affordable destination. Create a travel-specific savings account and start saving now for future adventures. Track your savings in a budgeting app like Mint to ensure you’re on track with your timeline.

5. Hunt for travel deals.

While saving for travel matters, it doesn’t have to break the bank. Deals abound, but you must know how to find them. Even if you hate promotional emails, sign up for members-only deal digests to find weekly deals, from flights to vacation packages to experiences.

If your travel is date-specific, use Skyscanner or Google Flights to enter your travel time frame and find a bucket list option with the best flight pricing.

6. Find “app-spiration” from mobile apps.

Living in the digital age has its perks: You no longer have to scour guidebooks for vacation ideas. Instead, turn to the wide world of mobile apps for trip recommendations and tools to manage your travel bucket list from anywhere.

Using Soon or iWish , add experiences near and far to your must-do list. Soon’s buddy bucket list tracking helps find a like-minded friend for your next road trip to Ireland or beach vacay.

7. Book in advance (when necessary).

If you’re tempted to wait for a last-minute deal on a spontaneous getaway, remember that advanced planning is required to save your spot for some destinations. From total solar eclipse cruises to tours of the Galapagos Islands, for areas that restrict tourism or date-specific travel, book way in advance.

Even if you don’t need to book far in advance, getting a trip on your calendar is one way to turn vague travel ideas into concrete plans and make your dream a reality. Plus, researchers say planning a trip makes you anticipate the excitement ahead and may make you feel even happier than taking it.

8. Be flexible.

Sometimes even the best-laid plans don’t work out. Whether a hurricane heads for Florida or a ski resort closes early due to a lack of snow, you may have to change or cancel a trip. But that doesn’t mean your whole vacay is a bust!

Protect yourself from unexpected cancelations and changes by checking your hotel, tour operator and airline’s policy. If they don’t offer free cancelation, add travel insurance, or use a credit card with trip protection to guard your investment.

When big plans change or get canceled entirely, pivot to a road trip or weekend getaway. Be a tourist in your local area and see close-to-home sights you’ve always missed out on. Use Google Maps to save must-visit locations and you’ll have ideas at the ready when a spontaneous adventure calls. Now grab a pen and paper (or the Pinterest app) and start planning your next dream getaway.

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10 Tips to Help You Plan Your Dream Trip

Written By: The Planet D

Travel Planning

Updated On: February 5, 2023

Planning travel can be overwhelming. It can be difficult deciding on what destination you want to go to, what activities you want to do and what budget you want to spend.

It’s hard enough planning a trip, let alone planning your dream trip.

But we’ve put together a list of questions to ask yourselves before you decide to book your flight or buy a package.

If you follow these steps, you’ll have the tools to create the vacation of a lifetime without breaking the bank.

Table of Contents

Tips to Help You Plan Your Dream Trip

1. where do you want to go.

We have been to110 countries and we still have a hard time choosing our destination.

It’s a big world and whenever we plan our vacations, we can feel overwhelmed deciding on what destination to choose.

What do you want to do?

So instead of just picking a country out of a hat, we think about what we want to do.

• Do we want our trip to be an adventure?
• Do we want warmth and sunshine?
• Do we want a beach to walk on?
• Do we want to be in the mountains?
• Are we looking for cultural experiences?
• Do we want to relax?

When you know what you want to do, it’s easier to narrow down a destination.

New Zealand or Iceland is great for adventure.

The Caribbean and Mexico are super for fun in the sun.

The Mediterranean is a wonderful place to relax while immersing in the culture.

2. What is your budget? 

Location plays a huge part in deciding your budget and choosing a destination.

Southeast Asia is probably the most affordable destination on the planet.

South and Central America are more reasonable than North America.

Package tours to the Caribbean and Mexico can save you a lot of money.

Read Our Tips on How to Save Money For Travel Can help you find more money for your next trip.

Eastern Europe is cheaper than western Europe and the Eastern countries of Europe are less traveled and can feel like you are going off the beaten path.

If we want a luxury escape, we can stay in 5-star hotels in Southeast Asia or Central America, but there is no way we can afford five-star in Europe or the US.

3. How Far Will Your Dollar Stretch?

We also think about currency exchange.

For Canadians, the United States can be an expensive vacation, but for people making purchases on the Euro or British Pound, it can be a bargain.

We look up the exchange of the country to see how far our Canadian dollar will go.

How far will your dollar stretch? The British Pound is worth a lot more than the Mexican Peso, for example.

We’ve splurged on what felt like an ultra-luxury vacation in Mexico (for our Canadian budget) but when we talk to someone from Britain, it’s quite affordable to them.

4. What Type of Accommodation do you Prefer?

Accommodation plays a huge role in budgeting your trip. Our Apartment in Rome was spacious and cheaper than a luxury hotel

Depending on the trip we take, we sometimes want a luxury 5-star hotel, but other times a budget hotel will do just fine?

If we are staying in a place for an extended period of time, we will want to look at apartment rentals and AirBnBs .

When staying in an apartment and cooking meals at home we can save our budget for adventures like climbing mountains or going kayaking.

Think of all these questions to help decide how much your budget will get you.

5. Do I have Any Travel Rewards Points?  

You’ll see this in a lot of “ How to Plan Your Travel ” posts, And with good reason!

Avid travelers recommend rewards credit cards because they work!

If you know you are going to be traveling a year from now, sign up for a credit card that offers rewards.

Put your everyday purchases on that card to rack up the points, but make sure to pay it off monthly.

Normally credit card programs have signing bonuses where they’ll offer you enough points for a free domestic flight or several nights in a hotel.

Dave and I have put a two thousand dollars in points towards a luxury vacation with our own private pool en-suite. We couldn’t’ have afforded such a luxury room without them.

We’ve stayed all over the world, using our American Express points.

We always have several hundreds of dollars worth of points to use because we use our card to buy the everyday items that we would already need to purchase like gas, groceries, and day to day items. 

Points can add up quickly.

But remember, don’t overextend yourself. Ever.

6. Are my Travel Dates Flexible?

Is your dream trip a spur of the moment vacation where you’ll be looking for last-minute deals?

It’s possible to get great discounts if you can book at the last minute.

If you have flexible dates, you can save a bundle as well!

We use Skyscanner to search for flights and look 3-5 days on either side of our desired date.

We have saved thousands of dollars on a flight (for two people) just by moving our travel dates by a day or two.

We’ve also found business class tickets for the same (or cheaper) flight on a different date than flying coach.

7. Am I willing to Visit During Shoulder Season?

If you have flexibility in your dates, you can go anywhere.

But if you have fixed travel dates because of work, look for the destinations that are in the offseason that fit into your schedule.

Shoulder seasons are different for each part of the world.

The high season in Peru is very different from the high season in the Bahamas.

Can you travel during the shoulder season when everyone else is at work?

You can save a lot of money during the off-season and the crowds are far less.

It’s worth looking into the time of year you are traveling and then deciding on a destination that is currently just coming out of, or just about to enter the high season.

8. Should I travel on a Group Trip?

Do you want to travel with a group on a tour or do you want to plan your own itinerary?

There is nothing wrong with either way. You just need to make a choice.

Many people choose group trips to ease the stress of planning and having to make bus, train, or transfer plans. 

When you go with a group, all you have to do is select the tour and book your ticket.

This is an excellent choice for busy professionals that only have a week or two of vacation time a year.

When you have limited time, you don’t have a lot of room for error, so it is a good idea to leave the planning up to the travel professionals.

9. Should I Travel Independently?

Independent travel can also be far more affordable than a prepaid package tour, but it can also take a lot more time to plan.

It’s important to think about how much time you have before your vacation to plan your travels and how much time you have during your vacation.

Independent travel tends to be slower and there is more room for error, so you may find yourself lost or changing plans along the way.

10. Do I Have all the Right Documents?

Before you travel, make sure you look to see if you need visas.

Is your passport up to date? Many countries won’t let you enter if your passport expires within 6 months.

If you are renting a car , do you need an international driver’s license or will your home country’s license suffice?

After you’ve done everything. Make backup copies of all your documents and store them on email or in the cloud.

All of these tips will get you started on the right foot when you are planning out where you want to take your next vacation.

More Travel Planning Resources:

• How to choose the Right Travel Insurance
• How to Pack a First Aid Kit
• The Ultimate Pre-Travel Checklist

What’s your best tip for planning your travels?

Travel Planning Resources

Looking to book your next trip? Why not use these resources that are tried and tested by yours truly.

Flights: Start planning your trip by finding the best flight deals on Skyscanner

Book your Hotel: Find the best prices on hotels with these two providers. If you are located in Europe use Booking.com and if you are anywhere else use TripAdvisor

Find Apartment Rentals: You will find the cheapest prices on apartment rentals with VRBO . 

Travel Insurance: Don't leave home without it. Here is what we recommend:

• Allianz - Occasional Travelers.
• Medjet - Global air medical transport and travel security.

Need more help planning your trip? Make sure to check out our Resources Page where we highlight all the great companies that we trust when we are traveling.

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About The Planet D

Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil are the owners and founders of The Planet D. After traveling to 115 countries, on all 7 continents over the past 13 years they have become one of the foremost experts in travel. Being recognized as top travel bloggers and influencers by the likes of Forbes Magazine , the Society of American Travel Writers and USA Today has allowed them to become leaders in their field.

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28 thoughts on “10 Tips to Help You Plan Your Dream Trip”

Thanks for the reminder about getting all the right documents. I am trying to plan an anniversary trip. I think it would be lovely to stay in a nice hotel.

I loved that you mentioned choosing your location is the very first step to plan your vacation trip. My husband and I are thinking about taking our vacation time together, and we are looking for advice to plan it properly. I will let him read your article to help us plan our dreamed vacation.

Thanks for reminding me that I should learn how to keep a backup copy for all travel-related documents that can be saved either on the email or in the cloud. I’m going overseas for a conference where I’m representing our organization, and I’m sure that I won’t be able to monitor my stuff. With this, I’ll make sure to scan all documents needed for my flight and store all documents in someplace trackable and safely kept.

The flipside to this is that if you don’t plan, you might have a disastrous trip which may lead you to never run out of dinner party conversations! ;P

I think i had to plant my trip well for more fun

Thanks for this article. This is helpful especially for the tourist who is willing to travel to multiple places in a small period of time. India is well known for its scenic beauty, its rich heritage, modern art and divine temples. One should definitely consider visiting as many places as possible in India.

You shared this useful & important tips with pictures on planning a trip. It is essential for a plan a trip. I very enjoyed this post. Thanks for sharing it!

Very useful tips, I have some dream to go aboard, for enjoying the world. Step by step…

agree it often happen to me that the trip get messy cos it’s not well planned -.-

thanks for the tips

Nice tips, very helpful. Thanks for sharing. Especially, the one to have fun. Planning a trip is essential for peace of mind, I love your picture.

Dear Dave & Deb,

Just when I was planning on surprising my Husband for his birthday in a few months, you guys have saved me from the oblivious demerits of travelling unplanned. These tips are going to be useful! Especially, for a growing mother of a 5yr old… Think I better get started with the necessary requirements to surprise my husband!

Hi Sunita, So glad we could help! I’m sure your husband is going to be very excited! All the best.

i want to saythanks dave and deb , thanks from casablanca morocco, thnaks for your pictures and for your nice article

I am often too excited to go somewhere that sitting still in front of a guidebook or reading tedious visa material may get overlooked. Like you said, sometimes it’s very inconvenient. Thanks for these great guiding questions!

the first I love your picture. second i agree with your advice about trip plan.. and thank for good article..

My suggestion is to seek planning assistance and/or advice from a trusted travel professional- it’s often free and can actually save you time and money. Ask around, the good ones are usually known by word of mouth..

Most of the times we plan our trip, but there are times that we just want to go with the flow and deal with whatever will come our way, but then, mostly it will cost us a lot of money which is not that fun at all;

These are really great suggestions. Planning a trip is essential for peace of mind. The idea of traveling with a group is not something that I have considered before. I may have to look into this. The suggestion for bringing prescription medications is great. Something that I have missed in the past. Learning the local language has always been difficult for me because it would take me a long time to learn a new language; however, these apps that translate can be a help. Just remember to bring one with you.

Great recommendation on the apps Bob. I hadn’t thought of them. I am still stuck a bit in my old school way of traveling that it didnt’ cross my mind. I have always travelled and struggled with language, but I forget that there are so many more tools out there to help you communicate. Cheers!

Most of the times we plan our trip, but there are times that we just want to go with the flow and deal with whatever will come our way, but then, mostly it will cost us a lot of money which is not that fun at all haha.

Ha, that’s a great point. We have had the same situation many times. One mis step and we’ve taken some wrong turns, had to splurge too much on a hotel or ended up backtracking and spending more on transportation. That can be fun and a great adventure, but I wish we did a teensy bit more planning in the end.

Great points here guy’s.

I wish that the Australian points market would be better, we are somewhat limited in that compared with the US.

A tip for you when going on that Cruise, they often have specials on board for the speciality restaurants and the spa’s so it pays to look out for them. We always do that when on board and manage to get a better deal.

I have heard that. I hope Australia changes as well. We’re Canadian and I think that America has a much better points system than us too. But we still find points work amazing for us. We paid for most of our Greece travels last year by points and our Airline rewards do wonders for us. We found that we are loyal to just a few programs and our points rack up faster. Thanks for the tips on the restaurants and spas, I’ll look into that. Cheers!

Nice tips, very helpful. Thanks for sharing. Especially, the one to have fun. It is really one of the most important plans of any trip.

And it’s something that people forget to think about a lot. Planning travel can be stressful and people forget that it is supposed to be fun.

The flipside to this is that if you don’t plan, you might have a disastrous trip which may lead you to never run out of dinner party conversations! ;P

Great tips! There’s nothing worse than a poorly-planned trip

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Nasa, sierra space deliver dream chaser to florida for launch preparation.

Brian Newbacher

Pubic affairs specialist.

As part of NASA’s efforts to expand commercial resupply in low Earth orbit, Sierra Space’s uncrewed spaceplane arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of its first flight to the International Space Station.    The Dream Chaser spaceplane, named Tenacity, arrived at Kennedy on May 18 inside a climate-controlled transportation container from NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, and joined its companion Shooting Star cargo module, which arrived on May 11.    Before arriving at Kennedy, the spaceplane and its cargo module underwent vibration testing atop the world’s highest capacity and most powerful spacecraft shaker system inside the agency’s Space Environments Complex, exposing the stack to vibrations like those it will experience during launch and re-entry to the Earth’s atmosphere. Following vibration testing, the duo moved to NASA’s In-Space Propulsion Facility and was exposed to low ambient pressures and temperatures ranging from -150 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. 

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Upon arrival at Kennedy, teams moved Dream Chaser Tenacity to the high bay inside the Space Systems Processing Facility, where it will undergo final testing and prelaunch processing ahead of its launch scheduled for later this year. 

The spaceplane will lift off aboard a ULA (United Launch Alliance) Vulcan rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and is set to deliver 7,800 pounds of cargo to the orbiting laboratory.    The remaining pre-flight activities at Kennedy include acoustic and electromagnetic interference and compatibility testing, completion of work on the spaceplane’s thermal protection system, and final payload integration.    Dream Chaser is a lifting body design spaceplane that measures 30 feet long by 15 feet wide. The unique winged design allows it to transport cargo to and from low Earth orbit and maintain the ability to land on a runway in the style of NASA’s space shuttle. The 15-foot Shooting Star module can carry up to 7,000 pounds of cargo internally and features three unpressurized external payload mounts.    The partially reusable transportation system will perform at least seven cargo missions to the space station as part of the agency’s efforts to expand commercial resupply services in low Earth orbit. Future missions may last as long as 75 days and deliver as much as 11,500 pounds of cargo.    While the Dream Chaser spacecraft is reusable and can return up to 3,500 pounds of cargo to Earth, the Shooting Star module is designed to be jettisoned and burn up during reentry, creating the opportunity to dispose of up to 8,500 pounds of trash with each mission.    Dream Chaser Tenacity is the first in a planned fleet of Sierra Space spaceplanes to help carry out these missions.    As part of the process to certify the vehicle system for future agency resupply missions, NASA and Sierra Space will put the spaceplane through its paces once in-orbit. As Dream Chaser Tenacity approaches the space station, it will conduct a series of demonstrations to prove attitude control, translational maneuvers, and abort capabilities. After completing the maneuverability demonstration, space station astronauts will use the Canadarm2 robotic arm to grapple the spacecraft and dock it to an Earth-facing port.    After remaining at the orbiting laboratory for about 45 days, the spaceplane will be released from the station and return for a landing at Kennedy’s Launch and Landing Facility. After landing, Dream Chaser is powered down, and the Sierra Space team will transfer it back to the processing facility to perform necessary inspections, offload remaining NASA cargo, and begin the process of preparing it for its next mission.    For updates on NASA’s commercial resupply services, visit: 

https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/commercial-resupply/

Watch a family fulfill a brother and sister's dream of seeing the ocean

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21 Life-changing Trips Everyone Should Experience at Least Once

From African safaris to must-visit cities, these once-in-a-lifetime trips will make you want to plan your next great adventure.

Elizabeth Rhodes is a special projects editor at Travel + Leisure , covering everything from luxury hotels to theme parks to must-pack travel products. Originally from South Carolina, Elizabeth moved to New York City from London, where she started her career as a travel blogger and writer.

What's next on your travel list? With so many places worth traveling to, it can be hard to narrow down your top spots to visit.

Sometimes, it's the famous attractions, delicious food, and stunning hotels that draw us to a certain destination, and other times, it's the bragging rights that come with checking off every continent, country, or state. Whatever your motivation, we've rounded up 21 incredible trips, complete with once-in-a-lifetime experiences and iconic sights you won't find anywhere else in the world.

So, what makes a trip truly life-changing? That answer varies from traveler to traveler, but one thing is for sure: From African safaris to classic road trips, this list will make you want to plan your next great adventure.

Deciding between the historic cities of Rome, Venice, Naples, and Florence for the top destination to visit feels impossible, so the entire country of Italy deserves a spot on your list. Start in the Eternal City and head north through the rolling hills of Tuscany to visit Florence, followed by Milan or Venice, or go south to the beaches of the beautiful Amalfi Coast and Sicily.

New York, New York

Visiting the Statue of Liberty , standing at the top of the Empire State Building, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge: These are just a few of the things you can only do in New York City. Whether you dream of visiting all the places you've seen on screen, catching a Broadway show, or eating your way through the city's diverse neighborhoods, there's no doubt that NYC deserves a spot on your list.

Tokyo, Japan

Old and new come together in Japan's bustling capital city. Historic temples and shrines, busy shopping districts, delicious food, and some of the world's best theme parks and attractions — whatever your interests, there's something for you in Tokyo.

Paris, France

From watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle and viewing famous works of art at world-renowned museums to eating delicious French pastries, there are innumerable reasons that Paris deserves a spot on your list. Of course, other dreamy French destinations like Mont-Saint-Michel, Chamonix, and the Riviera are well worth a visit, too.

Busy medinas, intricate architecture, and a unique combination of cultural influences make Morocco unlike anywhere else on the planet. Whether you're traveling to bustling Marrakesh, pretty coastal cities, or remote desert towns (or hopefully, all three), a trip to Morocco is bound to be one to remember.

Monica Farber/Travel + Leisure

From the whitewashed homes of Santorini to the Ios party scene to the relaxing atmosphere of Milos, there's a perfect Greek Island for every type of traveler. Island hopping gives you the chance to experience more of what the country has to offer, but plan to spend a couple of days in Athens at the beginning and/or end of your trip.

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Machu Picchu

Seeing the historic ruins of the Incan Empire set among the breathtaking Andes at Machu Picchu is an undeniably life-changing experience. The stunning citadel ruins of Machu Picchu are worth the journey — and for some travelers, that trip, often taken by train or on foot as a multi-day trek , is a big part of the experience. Editor’s note: Machu Picchu is currently closed due to civil unrest in Peru. Visit the  official website  for the latest news and reopening details.

African Safari

Seeing majestic animals like lions, elephants, and rhinos in the wild is a dream best accomplished with an African safari . South Africa, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Kenya are among the most popular safari destinations — and in each of those countries, you'll find incredible lodges and tour operators who can help you spot these creatures in their natural habitat.

Whether you dream of cruising down the famed Nile River, seeing the Pyramids of Giza, or visiting the ancient Valley of the Kings, Egypt's historic wonders make the destination completely unique (and worthy of a spot on your travel list).

Unlike many of the action-packed trips on this list, the Maldives is synonymous with relaxation, luxury, and romance. A stay in an overwater bungalow set atop turquoise blue waters is the ultimate getaway that's worth the long-haul flight and oftentimes pricey accommodations.

Antarctica Cruise

Hoping to visit all seven continents? Cross Antarctica off your list with a cruise. Several major cruise lines have journeys to Antarctica, offering incredible views of the ice and wildlife from the comfort and safety of a ship. Travelers typically fly in and out of Buenos Aires en route to Ushuaia (where most cruises depart from); we recommend spending a few days in the fascinating Argentine city before your expedition.

Irjaliina Paavonpera/Travel + Leisure

Dubbed one of the natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef is a can't-miss for many wildlife lovers. Of course, Australia's gorgeous coastline, the iconic Sydney Opera House, and fuzzy creatures like kangaroos and koalas are also reasons to head to the destination. Fly into Sydney and spend a few days there before heading out to explore more of this expansive country teeming with natural beauty.

Galapagos Islands

Incredible and diverse plant and animal species make the Galapagos Islands another must-visit for nature-loving travelers. This stunning archipelago off the coast of Ecuador is best explored by cruise, so you can take in as many breathtaking landscapes and animals as possible during your trip.

Like the other countries on this list, India has countless destinations worth exploring, but one of the most famous attractions that travelers dream of seeing for themselves is the Taj Mahal. This 17th-century white marble mausoleum has drawn visitors to Agra for years. Luxury travelers might consider a train trip aboard the Maharajas' Express (with a stop at the Taj Mahal) as the ultimate experience. Travelers planning to visit the Taj Mahal or take the luxurious train ride will want to fly into Delhi, India's capital territory.

Petra, Jordan

The stunning ancient city of Petra is made up of several impressive structures carved into sandstone rock faces, including the famous Al-Khazneh. The city dates back thousands of years, making this UNESCO World Heritage site a must-visit for history buffs.

Passing through India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Bhutan, and Nepal, the Himalayas are home to some of the world's highest peaks — and that means breathtaking mountain views, too. For adventurous and active travelers, climbing Mount Everest (or at least trekking to Everest Base Camp) is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

American National Park Road Trip

The classic American road trip is a mainstay on many travelers' lists — and for good reason. The country's incredible national parks , including Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite, are best explored on road trips with stops at charming small towns and kitschy roadside attractions.

Great Wall of China

Stretching across China for thousands of miles, with sections dating back nearly 2,000 years, the Great Wall is regarded as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Visitors can hike along parts of the wall — some areas are located within driving distance of Beijing, so it's a perfect day trip from the city.

Easter Island

The hundreds of monolithic moai statues have drawn curious visitors to Easter Island for years. This remote Polynesian island is worth the lengthy trip for travelers hoping to see these impressive human figures, while also soaking in some incredible coastal views.

Northern Lights Trip

Catching a glimpse of the elusive northern lights is possible in several destinations close to the Arctic Circle, including Alaska, Iceland, Canada, Greenland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. All of these places have incredible viewpoints (and even hotels where you can see the phenomenon from your bed ), in addition to great, wintry scenery. (The lights are best viewed from late fall through early spring.)

Thailand and Vietnam

A trip through Southeast Asia is a must for any traveler, especially foodies who love street eats. While you could spend weeks in each of these countries, Thailand and Vietnam can easily be paired for an exciting trip packed with lush scenery, cultural experiences, and delicious food. Have a little extra time to spare? Add Cambodia to the mix and include a visit to expansive Angkor Wat.

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Lexington’s Sal Frelick lives out dream in…

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Lexington’s Sal Frelick lives out dream in first trip to Fenway Park as big leaguer

A three-sport standout, Frelick starred for his hometown Lexington High School and finished as one of the most decorated MIAA athletes of the last decade. He went on to play Division 1 college baseball locally at Boston College, developing into one of the nation’s top prospects before eventually being selected No. 15 overall by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2021 MLB Draft. A rapid ascent through the minors followed, and last July he realized his lifelong dream when he was called up to the majors.

Sitting in the visitor’s dugout prior to Friday night’s game at Fenway Park, Frelick reflected on his journey, which had now brought him back to his hometown ballpark for the first time as a big leaguer.

“It means everything,” Frelick said. “I think I took it for granted that it truly is the best park in baseball, but that’s the dream, to play there. Obviously I dreamed of playing in a Red Sox uniform when I was a little kid, but to be back here is unbelievable and it’s going to be a really good weekend.”

Frelick and the Brewers will be in town this weekend for a three-game series, which the Lexington native acknowledged has been circled on his calendar for a long time. He’s expecting a huge group of friends and family at the ballpark and bought a suite for the weekend in order to accommodate everyone, and Friday morning he received a hero’s welcome when upwards of 70 people from his past, including former coaches and teachers, Best Buddies and Lexington city officials feted him at the ballpark following his arrival.

“It was really emotional having all of those people here with me,” Frelick said. “Even (Thursday) when we got in on the off day, I hadn’t been in Boston in the summer in a long time. It’s just been emotional and I want to make sure I can deal with those emotions and play baseball.”

So far Frelick’s transition to the majors has gone smoothly, and coming into the weekend he was batting .250 with two home runs, 10 RBI and six stolen bases to start his first full season as a big leaguer. Friday he batted seventh and started in right field, and though he’s primarily played outfield in the majors, he grew up playing infield and originally the plan was for him to make the shift this season before injuries elsewhere forced him back.

But before that happened Frelick was fully committed to the switch, and over the offseason he even got to work with Red Sox legend Dustin Pedroia out in Arizona.

“It was awesome. When (manager Pat Murphy) called me and was like ‘hey want to come out to Arizona for a week to work with Pedey’ I got on the quickest flight I could,” Frelick said. “I was ecstatic to get out there, meet him, spend some time away from the baseball field too and pick his brain about stuff.

“It was great, he was cleats on, glove on, chirping me, I got the whole nine yards, which is what I hoped for,” he added later. “Intense, passionate, he just really cares.”

In an era where many of the best athletes specialize or take their talents to prep school, Frelick stands out as an elite talent who stayed home, played multiple sports and committed to a New England college program rather than play down south or out west. Frelick said that’s a path he committed to early in life and he takes pride in knowing he was able to stick to those values and still realize his big league dream.

It’s an approach he’s brought with him to Milwaukee, which has become his home away from home.

“I went out to the city and met a ton of the fans, did some fan fests there even before I debuted,” Frelick said. “It’s my second home right now and that’s something I want to embrace.”

Frelick isn’t the only recent Greater Boston star to make his mark in the professional ranks. Fellow Lexington native Chris Shaw and Andover’s Mike Yastrzemski both played for the San Francisco Giants and others like Methuen’s Dominic Keegan and Rowley’s Thomas White are currently working their way up through the Tampa Bay and Miami farm systems respectively. But for those still to come, Frelick hopes he can be an example of what’s possible and offered some advice that’s paid off for him.

“Don’t worry about playing year-round, play multiple sports and don’t lose the New England, the Massachusetts chip on your shoulder,” Frelick said. “That chip on your shoulder goes a long way.”

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The Nice House by the Sea is a dream vacation at the end of the world with the worst people you know

The absence of love makes monsters of us all

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It’s been nearly a year and a half since DC Comics published the jaw-dropping finale to James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno’s The Nice House on the Lake .

The 12-issue, Eisner-winning limited series followed a group of 11 people who are invited to an idyllic house in the Wisconsin countryside for a long weekend vacation by their mutual friend Walter. It’s only after arriving, however, that they discover the terrible truth: Walter is an alien, the rest of the human race has been extinguished, and none of the house guests are allowed to leave.

This July, Tynion and Bueno return with The Nice House by the Sea , a limited series follow-up to The Nice House on the Lake , this time centering on another group of guests at another luxurious house — this one patterned after an exotic Mediterranean villa — assembled by another shape-shifting extraterrestrial named Max. There’s a few crucial differences, however: Unlike Walter’s group, none of the guests are particularly friends with one another, and each of them willingly chose to survive in paradise while the rest of humanity burned in alien fire.

The Nice House on the Lake was, and remains, one of the most enthralling serialized mysteries of the past two years. Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill , by way of Michael Schur’s The Good Place , meets Stephen King’s It , the series was an impeccably well-paced, apocalyptic drama. Tynion and Bueno delved deep into the dark secrets of their cast and neatly foreshadowed the story’s ultimate conclusion along the way; a breathtaking and ominous cliffhanger that opened the door for even more fraught mysteries and revelations to come.

Polygon was given a look at the first issue of The Nice House by the Sea ahead of its publication next month, and it strikes a surprising balance between mirroring the narrative and visual structure of the original series, and contorting its apocalyptic thought-experiment of a original premise into ever more horrifying shapes. If The Nice House on the Lak e was a story about love and the ways in which it can be twisted into something awful, The Nice House by the Sea establishes itself as a story about how the absence of love makes monsters of us all.

The amount of craft and care put into the artwork and writing of The Nice House by the Sea , thankfully, in no way reflects the absence afflicting its principal characters. Bueno’s artwork is remarkable as always, contrasting the wooded rural splendor of the original series’ setting with a picturesque biome of breathtaking vistas and ostentatious architecture.

Because this group of house guests are willing participants in Max’s alien experiment, and by extension accessories in the eradication of human civilization itself, Tynion is able to play with the out-of-this-world technologies he and Bueno initially introduced in The Nice House on the Lake , but that were largely hidden from Walter’s unsuspecting guests until late in the story. From collectively deciding the weather of the day to reshaping your appearance and physique at will, how far would you go before you could no longer recognize yourself as a human being?

As far as how the series will go about addressing this question, as well as how the participants of Max’s experiment will learn and react to the aftermath of The Nice House on the Lake , we’ll have to wait until the first issue of The Nice House by the Sea is released on July 27th.

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Australians duped hundreds of thousands in travel agency scam

A Sydney woman paid $160,000 for the trip of a lifetime for her entire family. Their story is a warning to all travellers.

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For Nicole Vris and a large portion of her family, this year was going to involve the trip of a lifetime.

Ms Vris and 35 members of her family were gearing up to travel to Greece, and meet up with friends and family — until they found out that not a cent of the $160,000 they’d paid Travel World Sydney had gone towards their booked flights and accommodation.

After receiving what appeared to be flight reservations for the group, Ms Vris soon realised the documentation was a fake.

“We called Emirates directly,” Ms Vris told A Current Affair.

“They asked us for numbers that were on that itinerary. They [the numbers] just didn’t exist. We were not in the system.”

After being told of the itineraries Ms Vris had received on behalf of her large travel group were essentially fake, she quickly approached the director of Travel World Sydney for which she claims she was given empty answers before allegedly being ignored entirely.

Now, she and her family are out $160,000 with no plane or accommodation tickets for their dream holiday.

“It is a hell of a lot of money,” she said.

“Had we have not found out we would’ve shown up at the airport on this particular day … all 35 of us … to be told that we don’t have a ticket.”

Ms Vris is one of 28 complaints received by Fair Trading in relation to the Arncliffe travel agency.

In a statement sent to news.com.au, a spokesperson confirmed the official complaints received amounted to almost $235,000 — and an investigation into the travel agency had commenced.

“NSW Fair Trading has received 28 complaints about Travel World Sydney since 1 January 2023 involving consumer purchases valued at $234,534,” the statement read.

“NSW Fair Trading is investigating the business about the complaints. Complex Investigations can take months to complete, requiring interviews with relevant parties, gathering of documentation, records and seeking advice from technical experts.

“Under the Australian Consumer Law, businesses must not accept payment for products or services if they don’t intend to supply the product or service.”

The current office of the travel agency in Arncliffe is currently closed, with a note that has been posted on the window to say the landlord has regained possession.

On Wednesday, NSW Police confirmed to news.com.au that a strike force investigation had been launched into the fraud, urging anyone who had been affected by Travel World Sydney to contact St George Police.

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“St George Police Area Command have commenced an investigation under Strike Force Baile regarding alleged frauds involving a travel agency at Arncliffe,” the statement read.

“Police have been told that a number of people have come forward to report that they had made travel arrangements with the agency and those bookings had not been honoured.”

News.com.au has contacted the director of Travel World Sydney for comment.

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