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Documentation - Before you arrive at the ship for embarkation make sure you've filled out the online registration with your cruise line. If everything is taken care of it will speed up your boarding process. Most importantly - don't forget your passports!! Luggage and a Carry On Bag - When you…

After working in the travel industry 23 years my best advice is  - you need travel insurance (especially if you have a prepaid/nonrefundable vacation package)! Please note that there are many different travel insurance companies/coverages and not each policy contains each of the benefits on this list. When we work…

Union Station went through a major refurbishment in 2016 and on my most recent day trip to Denver I checked it out. If you're visiting downtown Denver, it's worth a peek and stroll inside as it's beautiful. It's like a step back in time with the elegant interior and it…

Packing for your Alaska trip requires a little more planning than throwing your swimsuits in a suitcase for a beach vacation! Even though summer is the main tourist and traveling season in Alaska, I've learned after several trips there that you need to prepare for all kinds of weather! The…

You all know that feeling when your vacation is over! The long faces as you collect your luggage and on the drive home. Returning to the real world after your time off - to work, cooking, cleaning and your regular schedule. It's hit you - the post vacation blues! 🙁…

After taking my first plane ride as a teen, I've been a fairly frequent flier my entire adult life. Over the years as plane travel has become less comfortable, I've learned some tricks to make it a little more pleasant. STAYING HEALTHY - Pack wipes and hand sanitizer! I recommend wiping…

Personal Service/Your Best Interest - When you choose to work with Travel by Kris you are guaranteed your responses will be from me! Now matter how you contact me (text, email, phone call) you can count on a timely reply. I'm working for you and I have your best travel interests in…

The apps I use for travel have evolved since purchasing my first smart phone almost 10 years ago! I've also learned some are tried and true, that I keep using year after year. The app usage also depends on my travel style for the year... am I spending time in…

Is a trip to New York City on your bucket list? The Big Apple has so much to offer on your vacation! You can experience broadway shows, history, museums, world class shopping, top rated restaurants and numerous iconic sites during your trip to New York City. With an extensive subway…

There are so many ways to travel in Europe, I'll help you find your travel style for your European vacation! After traveling to Europe many times (cruises, road trips, city visits, escorted tours and train travel!) I have the experience to guide you in the right direction for your next…

One of the most spectacular drives in Colorado (and it takes a lot for me to say that - I've lived in Colorado for 27 years!) is over Independence Pass! It's a beautiful drive during the summer as well (it closes for the winter season), but it's extra special during…

After taking my first cruise in 1995, it was love at first sailing for me! Since then I've been fortunate enough to have cruised all over the world. When I board a ship I still get that same childlike excitement!  I could easily list a gazillion reasons you should take…

After traveling through many airports around the world the past 20 years, I've put together a list of my best travel tips for a stress free airport experience. 1. Allow extra time! My #1 tip and best advice is to always arrive to the airport with more time than you…

The Residence Inn Bayfront is a new hotel (built in 2016) in downtown San Diego. While moving my daughter to start her college adventure, I stayed at this Marriott property for three nights over Labor Day weekend. I've stayed at quite a few Residence Inn's and am familiar with their…

1. Wheeled Luggage - I highly recommend using luggage (your checked bags) that has four wheels. It's much easier to get through the airport if you can wheel your largest bag beside you (I've had my red Samsonite suitcase for 12 years... it's survived numerous trips with the wheels in…

Touring the Westin Moana Surfrider Resort and Spa in Waikiki last fall was quite the treat! With it's prime location, lovely courtyard with it's gorgeous banyan trees and Westin hospitality you'll be spoiled with a stay here!

With it's beautiful red rock formations, Arches really is a must see national park! Having lived in Colorado for 27 years, I can't believe this was my first visit! Arches is easily accessed either from Moab (the entrance is 5 miles north on US 191) or I-70. On I-70 take…

With only a mountain pass between Vail and where I live, it's fun to pop over there and play tourist on occasion! As most people know, Vail is a skiing and winter hotspot - but it's also a terrific summer destination. One could easily spend days in this area, with…

1. Pack Your Patience - No matter how or where you are traveling to, trips are filled with things to test one's patience! You will encounter lines getting through airport security, waiting to ride Space Mountain at Disney, or entering Yellowstone National Park during your road trip. Use these times…

In the past 20 years I've been fortunate to cruise to Alaska several times. After visiting the Inside Passage ports quite a few times I've tried many of the shore excursions - here's the top five for you to try! 1. Flight Seeing - If you splurge on one excursion on your…

If you enjoy getting off the beaten path, then Ameland is a great spot to do that when traveling in Europe. Ameland is in the Wadden Islands off the northern coast of the Netherlands. With it's small size, abundance of nature/history, and easy access, it's the perfect place to get…

Last summer my husband and I ventured on a long weekend road trip from Colorado to visit one of the most popular summer vacation spots in the States! I hadn't been to the Black Hills since I was a kid and this area was new to my Dutch hubby! 1.…

To reach the Wheeler Lakes trail, drive west past Frisco (Colorado) on I-70 for a few miles and park on the Scenic Byway exit (there's no exit number, but it's right before the Copper Mountain exit). It's an easy hike to find and start as it's right off the highway.…

During a visit to Oahu last fall I had the opportunity to tour the iconic "Pink Palace of the Pacific". The Royal Hawaiian was one of the first hotels in Honolulu and has played host to numerous dignitaries and movie stars. The famous pink stucco facade can't be missed from…

Inhale some extra oxygen before heading up to 10,200 feet for your day in Leadville! After living in Denver for over 20 years, I had never visited Leadville until I moved up to the Colorado mountains. Now that I live 30 minutes from this historical mountain town and visit frequently,…

Rotterdam is on most travel destination hotspot lists the past couple years! About 30 minutes from Amsterdam, this cosmopolitan city is worth at least a day trip on your visit to The Netherlands! A few summers ago, my husband and I spent a day exploring Rotterdam and I'm excited to…

After surviving my first winter living at 9000 feet, spring called for a change of scenery other than snow! As my husband had always wanted to visit New Orleans, we ventured south for a long weekend. Spring is a great time to visit this beautiful city - the crowds of…

The Residence Inn in downtown New Orleans is a great location to home base during your NOLA visit.  My husband and I stayed for a few nights in the spring of 2014 and found you can walk to all the popular neighborhoods and main sites from here. Near the Warehouse/Arts…

Considering a trip to Amsterdam? Don't rule out winter for a visit to this beautiful, historic Dutch city! Two years ago my husband (he's from a village about an hour away from Amsterdam) and I stayed for two weeks and lived like locals in his sister's apartment in South Amsterdam…

While you wait for your ship to set sail, there's plenty to keep you busy in Miami! Since you'll be boarding your ship around noon on the first day of your cruise... I always highly recommend to my clients they arrive at least the night before departure. You don't want…

FOOD - After enjoying a wonderful vacation, you don't want to come home to a nasty smell or spoiled food! Run the dishwasher, take the garbage out and clean out the refrigerator of foods that may go bad.

It's that time of year... and for most of us; the arrival of snow, the temperatures dropping and preparing for all the celebrations December brings! Christmas markets are a quintessential December activity and destination! Being in the travel industry it's also something I plan my clients' trips around. People flock…

After coming across a review of hiking Ute Peak, it was added to our hiking "list" before the snow fell for the season! My husband and I couldn't believe we'd never talked to any local who had done this one before (maybe because it's not a 14'er 😉 ). We…

1. Infinity Pool The infinity pool started out third on my list, but I realized this was our favorite spot at the Sheraton! My daughter and I spent many hours here enjoying the views, talking to other guests, watching the ocean and just relaxing (it's for ages 16 and above…

After traveling between the States and Europe quite a bit the past few years (before getting his green card, my Dutch husband and I were living an ocean apart!), I've discovered what I need to survive those long travel days!

While honeymooning in South Florida my husband and I decided to take a "short" road trip to the Florida Keys for the day. Leaving our resort (read my review of the beautiful Turnberry Isle here!) with my purse, car keys and our sunglasses we were set for a day of sightseeing!…

Day 10 - Diano Marina, Italy to St. Martin D'Ardeche, France After enjoying another al fresco breakfast, it was time to cruise the Italian and French Rivieras! I wish could say in our convertible with the wind whipping through my hair, big sunglasses on... but the scenery was just as…

The Turnberry Isle Resort and Club in Aventura, Florida is a luxurious resort located between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. This 300 acre paradise is part of the Autograph Collection of Marriott properties. My husband and I enjoyed a wonderful stay here in late October of 2013. This resort is extra…

Day 9 - Ferry across the Adriatic to Chianti Classico area of Tuscany On day 9 of this epic road trip, we awoke with views of Italy again. I would like to say awoke from a good night's sleep... but that would be a bit of a stretch. We had…

When Royal Caribbean's ship the Oasis of the Seas debuted in 2009 it was the largest cruise ship afloat! At 225,000 tons and carrying 5000-6000 passengers (along with 2000 crew) it remains one of the biggest. During a preview cruise; I had 48 hours to explore, zip line, ride the…

The Villa Sant' Uberto Country Inn is a restored farm in the heart of Tuscany (about 40km from Florence and 20km from Siena). It sits on 25 acres, with panoramic views of the olive gardens and vineyards from the hilltop it resides. It's in the country, with the closest villages…

Day 6 - Caorle, Italy to Omis, Croatia As we said goodbye to Italy (read the first part of our Italian adventure here), we were so excited for our next destination - Croatia! On a cruise in 2003 I had a port stop in Dubrovnik and had raved about it…

After hiking quite a few trails in the Frisco area of Summit County, last month my husband and I decided to venture on a hike in the Breckenridge area. I had heard the Mohawk Lake trail has incredible views, so thought we'd see for ourselves! From I-70 and Frisco take…

Denver International Airport finally has an on site hotel! Last fall (November 2015) was the much anticipated opening of The Westin at DIA. After dropping off my daughter for a flight, I was able to tour the hotel as it had just opened and they were welcoming their first guests.

Since my husband and I started hiking more last year, we've listened to many rave reviews about the trails, scenery, and wildflowers around Crested Butte. So, we took a short trip to the Wildflower Capital of Colorado to check it out! Unfortunately we didn't have the ideal weather while there…

While working the other day (yes, my husband and I are fortunate to both work from home!) the sunshine and blue skies were too tempting to not take a break! So we loaded up Balto (our rescue dog) for the short drive to Lake Dillon. We had heard the flowers…

I've just returned from a short visit to Crested Butte and want to share how much I loved it! This was only my second visit there (first one during winter), even though I've lived in Colorado for many years. Crested Butte is surrounded by the Elk Mountains, about 220 miles…

The Nordic Inn is a lovely small lodge located within walking distance of the Mt. Crested Butte ski area. My husband and I stayed here for one night on a spur of the moment trip to Crested Butte in July. The location of the Nordic Inn is hard to beat -…

Day 4 - Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland to Baveno, Italy After one last gaze at that spectacular view from our room it was time to leave the picturesque Lauterbrunnen (read part 2 here) to outrun the rain. Before we got on the road, I enjoyed (ok inhaled!) the best bread I've ever had…

Day 2 - Vianden, Luxembourg to Ettenheim, Germany After staying in Vianden for the first night of our road trip (read Part 1 here), day 2 started with exploring more of Luxembourg. My husband sold his motorbike a few months prior (it didn't make the cut for his upcoming move…

The Residence Inn located in Vancouver, B.C. has the ideal location for exploring this gorgeous city! I stayed here for 4 nights last fall and easily explored many of the Vancouver neighborhoods on foot. It's only a few blocks walk to catch the small ferry to visit Granville Island and…

Last year was the first full summer I spent in Summit County, after moving here full time 3 years ago. Even though I live in a winter playground - I've discovered summer is my favorite season here! Living at 9000 feet with 8-9 months of winter, it's a welcome relief from…

I met Rob and Peter a few years ago during one of my summers in The Netherlands with my husband (Peter and Stefan are childhood friends, having met in the Boy Scouts). They are born and bred Dutchmen, but have lived, worked and traveled all over the world. Last year…

After one of our first snowfalls last fall, with the recommendation of friends my husband and I hiked to Mayflower Gulch. It was one a gorgeous sunny day in early November... with skies like this, staying inside wasn't an option (the definition of a blue bird day!)!

Like many Americans, road trips as family vacations were a big part of my youth. Consequently, for the first couple decades of my adult life I wanted to travel farther, fast and on planes! During the past few years I've come to appreciate the road trip... and during the summer…

Hotel Belle-Vue is a lovely hotel in the picturesque village of Vianden, Luxembourg. My husband and I stayed here for one night at the beginning of our epic European road trip (honeymoon part 2 🙂 ) during the summer of 2014 (read more here)! It's a very clean and well maintained…

What was the first National Park you visited? For many of us living in the States, it's one of our first vacation memories! Mine was a road trip with my Grandparents, with a stop in Yellowstone. Even though I was only about 8, the images of walking amongst the geysers…

Jeff and I grew up in the same small, rural town of Storm Lake, Iowa. We were friends in high school and have reconnected the past few years over social media and our shared passion for travel! After graduating from college Jeff spent two years with the Peace Corps in Poland.…

Being a CSU grad, I decided Fort Collins was the place to celebrate my beer loving husband's 50th birthday! Besides being a college town - Fort Collins is a thriving community with an abundance of outdoor activities, culture, shopping, and craft breweries. I won't lie, this trip was all about…

The Armstrong is a unique hotel with a fantastic location in Fort Collins! If you want to be within walking distance of Old Town (with many shops and restaurants) and the CSU campus, there's no better spot. I stayed for 1 night last fall for a quick weekend getaway to…

Jo is one of the most well traveled, interesting, and generous person that I know! We met when our girls were toddlers and have spent many hours together scrapbooking our travels and kids' memories. She's also spent a quite a few hours trying to fix my tight muscles (needling!)... as she's…

After living in Colorado for 25 years, I finally visited my state's wine country last summer (maybe it's because I'm a beer drinker 😉 )! But I have been enjoying the drip down your face juice of the famous Palisade peaches for years!

The Wine Country Inn is a charming hotel in Palisade, Colorado - in the heart of Colorado wine country! My husband and I stayed in this 80 room boutique property last summer for two nights. We had planned on staying in a bed and breakfast for our visit, but after our…

Vancouver is one of those rare cities that makes city and nature lovers happy! Surrounded by water and mountains (truly spectacular views!), it’s an outdoor lover’s paradise. The downtown area is thriving with unique neighborhoods to explore, a foodie’s dream destination, and many cultural events.

  Sally-anne Shields-Gillman I first met Sas in 1986 while she was an exchange student from Sydney...

You’ve just planned your dream vacation and would most likely prefer to be deciding on excursions or shopping for vacation clothes than deciding if you need travel insurance! Depending on the type of trip you’re taking, I will help you sort out what type of coverage you need (and if…

Even though the first selfie stick was used in 1925, the term and use didn't become widespread until 2014. Some claim it first became popular in Asia and others that the GoPro attachments gave rise to the selfie stick's popularity. Time magazine rated the selfie stick as one of the…

Full diplomatic relations were established between the U.S. and Cuba this year, making visiting Cuba a reality for Americans! If Cuba is on your bucket list, you can finally check if off! Please keep in mind that it's still not allowed to travel to Cuba solely for the purpose of…

Another passport backlog will be upon us in 2016! In 2007 the requirements changed for travel to Mexico and Canada, requiring American citizens to have passports to visit these countries. This created an influx of new applications and now those passports will start coming up for renewal in the next…

While the aspens were at their peak color in late September - it was a perfect time to explore more of Colorado and celebrate our first anniversary a month early (still living with the Atlantic between us…but that's another story!) in Steamboat Springs. After living in Colorado for over 20…

One word sums up trying to write this first blog post - intimidating! I've wanted to start writing about my travels and business for the past few years, but the mentality of something must be perfect before starting had won out. I decided I needed to get that "Just Do It" attitude…