I always feel bad for the travel vendor from Nepal as no one seems to visit him to talk about his country despite his good location in the first aisle across from one of the speaking venues at the Philadelphia Travel & Adventure show. It seems that his country might be a bit too much adventure for Philly folks.  He seemed a bit out of place in the sea of the Caribbean vendors and cruise lines plying travel show attendees with their glossy brochures.  As I walked the aisles at the Travel & Adventure show this weekend, I was happy to see so many people interested in taking a trip.  I was a bit confused by the travel vendor mix and a few home improvement vendors (Bathfitters?  I’d rather have a yucky bathroom and more money to travel but that’s me) and heard more than one person say “where is that country” while they happily took a freebie from the table and walked on.  I added the Nepal guy to my list before I left so I could talk to him and learn more about what there is to do in his country.

The Philadelphia Travel & Adventure Show

Attending a travel show is a wonderful way to learn about destinations that you might never type into Google to research.  The Travel & Adventure shows start in January each year and seem to end in Philly in March. From Visit Maine to Visit Montana, Bali to the Bahamas and America Samoa to Eeyo Istchee Baie-James (huh? where is that?) there were so many great options I haven’t visited yet.  Rent a yacht or a cabin with Dream Yacht Charter, ride the luxury Rovos Rail train in Africa or take a Un-Cruise Adventure. Hire a private guide in 135 countries with Tours by Locals. Argentina, Sintra (Portugal) and Trinidad/Tobango.  Lots of dream destinations to add to my list.

Maybe you are interested in the travel celebrities like Peter Greenberg of CBS Morning Show (his talk is the same as the NY Times Travel Show but I love his example of why travel agents are still relevant and should be used) or learn about traveling like a local with Samantha Brown or where to go from Patricia Schultz of 1000 Places to See Before You Die.  This show had something for everyone – there were cultural music and dance performances, a demonstration food kitchen, ride a Segway for $5 or ride a Camel (yes, the live animal was a bit hit for kids).

So armed with my press pass as well as my new Virtuoso Travel Advisor status, for Arden Road Travel, I went in search of something new and interesting for me, my readers and my clients.  These are the travel finds from the Philadelphia Travel & Adventure Show that I found interesting in my quest to find a new travel experience.

Eeyou Istchee Baie-James

When I went looking for the guy from Nepal (he was on an extended break), I saw the snowshoes at the next booth.  I couldn’t pronounce the destination name of Eeyou Istchee Baie-James and wondered “Where is that?” when I saw the banner that said “we’re 90 minutes from Montreal by plane”.  Ok, Canada I know but this is a region of Quebec that I had no clue about.  The area is home to three distinct cultures – the Cree of Easter James Bay (Ndooheenou), Inuit and Jamesian (predominately French-speaking non-aboriginal residents).  I was intrigued by this weekend getaway summer promotion for $589 CAD per person (excluding airfare) to be immersed in three cultures while enjoying Canadian wilderness with a hike or canoe adventure while dining and learning about the people.  The website is aptly named Escape Like Never Before and maybe I will.

Portugal Motorcycle Tours

I met the owner, Miguel, and learned about his Portugal Motorcycle Tours.  Portugal is a fabulous country and this is a great idea for those who enjoy seeing a country on the back of a bike.  He leads the small tours as well as private tours for you & your group.  The bikes are from BMW, Honda and Harley Davidson.  His tours are 3-Day, North, South as well as special tours for Ladies Only or Harley Tour.  If you haven’t been to Portugal yet, you must go!  If you enjoy motorcycles, this might be a great idea for you.

Nada’s Italy Tours

A great idea turns into a small tour business, Nada’s Italy.  Nada, originally from Italy, was asked by her U.S. friends and colleagues to lead them on a tour of her hometown in Italy and from there a business grew.  With small groups usually a maximum of 12 and locals in Italy leading the tours, this is a bespoke tour for those not interested in the big bus and maybe not able to afford a personalized tour for two.  With that said, it’s not cheap but often includes a cooking class or other special experience. With a wonderful mix of cities and experiences, I’m pretty impressed with the choices given my time in Italy so I will investigate this more.

Un-Cruise Adventures

Wildlife, Wilderness and the Wow factor, Un-Cruise Adventures have been on my list for a while now. Small ships (22 – 88 passengers) with adventure and river cruise itineraries. An added bonus is that they have SINGLE cabins on a few ships (expect a twin bed!).  It’s not about the entertainment options and twenty plus restaurants of the big ships.  It’s about discovering more about the world around you and yourself.  You can charter the ships for multi-generation vacations, group tours, etc.  This is for the adventure traveler who wants to enjoy being off the grid and seeing places the large ships don’t have access to.

Now that I’m able to plan and book travel, I’m excited by the new finds this weekend (If I can help you plan an adventure, let me know). Added to my NY Times Travel Show finds, my list of adventures keeps growing.  As Susan Sontag said “I haven’t been everywhere but it’s on my list”, that’s how I feel after each travel show visit.  Now where is that Nepal guy? I have a few questions….