Naples waterfront Excelsior hotel

New Seasonal Route – PHL to NAP – Flying Philadelphia to Naples, Italy

American Airlines is adding a new seasonal service from their Philadelphia hub (my hometown) to Naples, Italy giving travelers a daily direct gateway to the Amalfi Coast starting June 5th and ending in October.  Just another reason to love my hometown hub of PHL.  The beauty of this new route […]

Big Ben London

Philadelphia to London First Time Visitor Tips & Guide for Phillies Fans

  My first visit to London was a long time ago – I flew on TWA from JFK during Thanksgiving break from college.  I fell in love with the city as a teenager and have since returned a few times a year for decades.  I love helping first time visitors […]

Glass of red wine and mug of popcorn at Flat Iron Steak London

London Dining Review Flat Iron Steak Clink Street Borough Market

My friend and I got lost one night wandering the streets of Southwark, Borough Market and London Bridge in search of Flat Iron Steakhouse.  I hadn’t heard of this UK steakhouse chain but he was keen to try it after researching steakhouses in London.  His description sounded similar to my […]

Maui Hula Dancers performing on Ovation of the Seas

Review: Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas Cruise from Hawaii to Vancouver

It’s been many years since I sailed with Royal Caribbean but the cruise from Hawaii to Vancouver on Ovation of the Seas seemed to be a perfect mix of port and sea days. As I hadn’t visited Hawaii before it was the winning option for vacation.  Traveling from Philadelphia to […]

The Mirage Hotel Las Vegas

Review: The Mirage Hotel Las Vegas – First visit for Mom’s 80th birthday

Update: The Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas will close permanently on July 17, 2024.  Sad news for so many -the lovely staff of the hotel, the performers of the fabulous Cirque du Soleil “LOVE – Beatles” and for my mom who recently asked “when are we going back to Vegas”.   […]

British Airways Planes at London Heathrow Airport

Upgrading to Club Europe on British Airways – Is it worth it?

Planning our Venice, Italy Itinerary was easy enough but as a solo traveler, I was torn with the additional costs of the Venice water taxi and the whether upgrading to Club Europe on British Airways was worth it.  My niece and I were booked in coach (World Traveller) on British […]

North Star Observation Pod on Ovation of the Seas

Cruise VIP – Priority Access with The Key on Royal Caribbean

Priority access isn’t new, the “skip the line” access started at theme parks many years ago and now a cruise version – The Key on Royal Caribbean – has entered the market as a pay for access and convenience product.  Over the years, the Disney priority access model has evolved […]