I can’t believe we are starting a new decade with 2020! It just sounds weird, doesn’t it? I was just mentioning to my dad that we are turning the year over to 2020 and it dawned on me that he was born in 1927 and if he lives that long will turn 100 in 7 more years. I knew that, but it’s crazy to think about! I can’t imagine how he must feel about that. I’m celebrating with my family today eating black eyed peas, greens and cornbread. If you want to see us in action, I’ll be sharing it on my Instagram stories today.

I’ve got a Christmas post to share next week, but wanted to catch you up on a little bit of personal stuff today. My sister and I are taking my mom down to Florida tomorrow for the weekend to see her brother. He’s one of 3 brothers that she still has left (4 siblings out of 7 are still with us) and he’s not doing well health wise and so we want to go and see him while we can. We dearly love him and it’s just hard to watch this older generation leave the planet, but it’s just the way life is. He lost his wife 3 years ago and that was so hard too. So that’s what is happening this week in our family.

On to Fashion over 50 today! I didn’t do much dressing up over the Holidays. It seems to me that yoga pants and comfy clothes are the fashion of the Holidays and unless we were going somewhere, that’s what I had on.

The post Happy New Year! Fashion over 50 appeared first on Southern Hospitality.

Asheville is primed and ready for an exciting first weekend of the new year. As we ring in 2020, Asheville offers many new and creative experiences for you to experience while in town.

New art centers, cultural adventures, buzz-worthy restaurants, outdoor and wellness offerings are springing up all around town. Read our guide to Asheville 2020 and discover what’s new and noteworthy this year. Spend a weekend here, and you’ll quickly see why Asheville was named one of 50 best places to travel in 2020 by Travel + Leisure.

Planning your trip to

Padua is a small city in northeastern Italy that is the antidote to the crazy crowds of Venice. Of course, Padua is much smaller and less well-known than Venice, but she shouldn’t be overlooked. A visit to the city provides an authentic experience of northern Italy in a way that other, larger cities don’t. You’ll …

Read moreWhy You Should Visit Padua, Italy (And What to Do There)

The post Why You Should Visit Padua, Italy (And What to Do There) appeared first on Everything Everywhere Travel Blog.

The year is almost over and it’s always fun to look back and see what we’ve accomplished this year. I’ve been doing this almost every year since I’ve been blogging, so many projects have been completed and documented in my years of blogging in my old house and now our new house in Acworth. Home improvement projects are always fun to see and we love to look back and see what we’ve done in this house to make it better in the 2 1/2 years we’ve been here. I can’t believe how fast time has gone!

We’ve made even more progress this year and it feels so good!

The post Our House Accomplishments in 2019! appeared first on Southern Hospitality.

Posted: 12/28/19 | December 28th, 2019

Napa Valley is easily one of the most famous wine-producing regions in the world, and last year nearly four million people headed there — it is big business for Northern California!

Of course, if you plan on spending some time in Napa Valley and nearby Sonoma, you’ll most likely want to explore some of the 600 wineries in the area. A great way to do this — both to get some local, insider knowledge and so that there’s no need to drink and drive — is to take a Napa wine tour.

There are nearly as many wine tour options as there are vineyards. I’ve listed some of my favorites here, and you can decide which fits your style and, more importantly, your budget. Just remember that you’ll usually also have to pay tasting fees on top of the tour costs — these vary between $20 and $40 — though many will waive that fee if you buy some wine. Also don’t forget, especially if you’re coming from outside the United States, that you’ll need to be 21 or over to join these tours, though some allow children to tag along.

1. Napa Valley Wine Trolley

If you’re after something a bit different, then the Napa Valley Wine Trolley is a good way to go. Instead of a regular tour bus, you’ll ride on a replica of a cable car. It’s an open-air car, of course, so make sure you pick the right weather to try this.

Tours leave from the Oxbow Market in Napa; a $99 tour includes four wineries and a casual picnic-style lunch, plus unlimited bottled water and soft drinks between tastings. You can upgrade to the full-day Castle tour ($139), which includes a two-hour stop and tasting at Castello di Amorosa.

2. Napa Valley Bike Tours

Of course, being a valley full of vineyards, Napa is a really scenic place, so exploring it by bicycle is a great option. Napa Valley Bike Tours offers either guided or self-guided rides, leaving from their store in Yountville. The popular half-day guided tour is $124 per person, with two winery visits and a great guide who’ll give you the full story of the area.

The handy part about the self-guided tours is that, besides being able to visit the wineries you choose at your own pace, you still get a box lunch, and any wine you buy will be picked up for you (riding with wine in your backpack gets old really fast). Self-guided tours cost $114 per person and also include comfy bikes, helmets, and all the planning info you need.

3. Calistoga Bikeshop

Another bicycle option is Calistoga Bikeshop, a popular rental shop that also runs guided day tours for $150, including a hybrid bike, a picnic lunch, and pick-up for any wine you buy. The guides plan a unique route depending on what the group members want, starting from their shop in Calistoga.

If you have an extra day in the area and don’t need more wine, Calistoga also offers great mountain biking trips to the Palisades or along the Oat Hill Mine Trail.

4. Platypus Wine Tours

Platypus brands itself as the “anti-wine-snob wine tour,” so if you want to have a fun day learning more about wine, then this is a good choice. (The name is memorable, but you won’t actually see a platypus anywhere in Napa Valley, in case you’re wondering.)

Platypus runs small-group trips, taking in four wineries for $110 (including a picnic lunch), focusing on small and medium-sized, usually family-owned wineries. You can choose from tours centered on Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley, or North Sonoma.

5. Active Wine Adventures

As the name suggests, Active Wine Adventures offers tours that include more than just wine tasting, so it’s a great way to explore Napa Valley. For example, the Hike & Wine tours start with a two-hour hike in some of valley’s beautiful landscapes and move on to a lunch and winery tasting experience. These cost $139 plus lunch because you can choose from a high-end restaurant lunch or a vineyard picnic. They offer similar tours in the Sonoma area, too.

6. Green Dream Tours

Try some wine and help the world. Green Dream has a focus on sustainability: besides using green business practices, it also buys carbon offsets to balance its use of fuel. Their Napa Valley tours ($144, $154 on weekends) are among the few where the tasting fees at three boutique wineries are included.

Green Dream also offers a combo tour, taking in three wineries across Sonoma and Napa Valley, with lunch at the Oxbow Public Market ($139 weekdays, $149 weekends). For visitors to San Francisco, there’s a combo with a tour of Alcatraz plus two Sonoma boutique wineries, for $179.

7. Small Lot Wine Tours

If you’re coming by car to the Napa Valley region, then Small Lot can be a really budget-friendly way to enjoy a wine tour. They provide a tour guide who’ll drive your car for you for the day, and design a tour route just right for you, depending on the kind of wine you want to taste, what you want to do for lunch, and whether you’re planning on buying wine. At $50 per hour (with a four-hour minimum), if you’ve got a car full of friends, this can work out to be one of the cheapest ways to explore Napa but still have local expert advice.

8. Napa Valley Wine Country Tours

Napa Valley Wine Country Tours offer full-day trips from San Francisco, including a Golden Gate Bridge photo opportunity, to four wineries in the Napa and Sonoma regions. Tours include a picnic lunch and are usually $119 per person (sometimes there are $99 specials on the website).

For something a bit different, they also run wine tours around the Napa Valley in an open-top convertible limousine, including a castle visit, for $150.

***

There are so many options for touring the Napa Valley and experiencing all the wine culture the area has to offer, depending on your tastes and preferences. These suggestions should ensure that you have a great day out exploring one of the world’s most famous wine regions.

The post The 8 Best Napa Wine Tours appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

Posted: 12/28/2019 | December 28th, 2019

Vancouver is one of my favorite cities in the world. It’s filled with delicious food (there’s lots of amazing sushi here), spacious parks (don’t miss Stanley Park), and is close to both the mountains and the ocean. The city consistently ranks in the top five best places to live in the world — and it’s no surprise why. It’s a wonderful, wonderful city that I’ve loved ever since I first visited in 2004 with my family.

Since then, I’ve come back a handful of times to explore it on my own. I’ve seen the city change a lot of the last fifteen years — and one of the things that has changed for the benefit of us travelers is that there are a lot more hostels. Vancouver now has one of the best hostel scenes in Canada, and you won’t be disappointed with what you find here.

Below are my favorite hostels in Vancouver. They offer incredible value and have all the facilities you’ll need too!

1. Cambie Hostel Seymour

Cambie Hostel Seymour is located in Gastown, a hip area of Vancouver loaded with bars and restaurants. This hostel is pretty basic and small (dorms are two or four beds), and the hostel itself doesn’t have much ambience: expect bare rooms and bathrooms in need of a refresh. But guests don’t stay here because of the property; they stay because of its prime location and easy access to other destinations in the city and to the airport. But there is a common area and a “chill room,” which comes complete with its very own hostel cat.

If you’re cooking, the kitchen isn’t huge and seating is limited, but the hostel also makes it easy to go out and dine. They offer $5 off breakfast at the popular Cambie Bar, a part of the Gastown sister hostel a quick walk down the road (see below). Below the hostel is the popular Malone’s Social Lounge & Tap (the reason for the late-night noise) and Chihuahuas Mexican Grill, so you can eat and drink without going far. Because of its proximity to the bars, it gets loud at night. If you want a lively hostel, stay here.

Beds from $25 USD, privates from $55 USD for the night

—> Book your stay at Cambie Hostel Seymour!

2. Cambie Hostel Gastown

This Gastown hostel offers comfortable beds, a small common room to meet and mingle in, and access to Gastown’s restaurants and bars. This includes The Cambie, the hostel’s bar, which draws in crowds of locals. It can get incredibly loud, so bring some noise-cancelling headphones because basic earplugs won’t cut it. Like its sister hostel a few blocks away, there’s also housecat to keep you company (if you’re allergic to cars, bring allergy meds).

Housed in a building dating back to the late 1800s, it’s in need of a little renovation. The hostel has a small kitchen and the showers are close to the toilets, which makes it cramped. Its location is its main selling point, though, so if you’re not expecting anything special other than direct access to Gastown and all it has to offer, this is a good place for you.

Beds from $23 USD, rooms from $53 USD a night

—> Book your stay at Cambie Hostel Gastown!

3. HI Vancouver Central

Like many of the other hostels in town, HI Vancouver Central is an old building, which means the property could use a little love. Fortunately, the rooms here offer comfortable beds and every room has a ensuite bathroom. Choose from two-bed or four-bed dorms or private four-bed rooms. Located on Granville Street, it’s in the heart of the action, with many pubs and clubs around, making it noisy at night (but lively and fun too).

The hostel has a free breakfast serving bagels and other baked goods, as well as some fruit and cereal. It has a small common room and basic kitchen with only a toaster, microwave, and kettle. HI also offers tours daily, to destinations around town as well as a pub crawl.

Beds from $29 USD a night, rooms from $52 USD a night

—> Book your stay at HI Vancouver Central!

4. HI Vancouver Downtown

Tucked into a quieter part of the city, HI Vancouver Downtown is a good spot for heading out to explore popular Granville and Davie Streets, which offer plenty of cafés, restaurants, and shopping. It’s also a quick walk to the beach and ferries to Granville Island (where you’ll find lots of shopping), as well as walking distance to the beautiful Stanley Park.

The hostel itself isn’t all that impressive: the dorms don’t have enough outlets to accommodate every bed, the bathrooms are old and can be a bit musty, and the Wi-Fi doesn’t work very well. But the hostel does have a free continental breakfast, a game room with foosball and pool, a library, and a TV room. It also runs tours and has bike rentals so you can easily explore more of the city.

Beds from $29 USD, rooms from $71 USD a night

—> Book your stay at HI Vancouver Downtown!

5. Samesun Vancouver

The Samesun chain of hostels consistently rank as some of the best in the cities where they are located. Samesun Vancouver is no exception. My favorite feature of this hostel is in the six-bed dorms, which offer cozy pod beds and give you a bit more privacy than normal bunks, as well as your own light, shelf, and outlets. The bathrooms are clean, and there are plenty of them, so you’re not left waiting in line.

There’s a lot to love at this hostel. It’s has a decent free breakfast including eggs and hot cereal, a full kitchen, common areas for meeting people and relaxing, daily hikes, and even the Beaver Bar, a lounge serving food and beer with a daily happy hour.

The only real downsides of Samesun are the small rooms (it’s hard to maneuver in the four-bed dorm), the lack of elevators (so you’ve got to haul your belongings up flights of stairs), and Wi-Fi that doesn’t work well, if at all.

Its location is excellent, however: it’s in the Granville district, which is loaded with bars and restaurants, and near historic Gastown. Like most other hostels in the city, it’s located in an area where the bars are open late, so if you’re sensitive to noise, bring earplugs.

Beds from $27 USD, rooms from $75 USD a night

—> Book your stay at Samesun Vancouver!

6. Vancouver Backpacker House

The Vancouver Backpacker House is about as barebones as it can get — it has only a self-check-in so you have to contact the staff in advance, it does not accept credit cards without a huge fee, the rooms don’t have enough lockers, and its location is not in the city proper. It also has some interesting house rules, like not all of the bathrooms are open to use all of the time. The 10-bed dorm room is in the basement, and, oddly, the private rooms have interior windows. Depending on the room you book, you may have to walk to another building once you’ve checked in.

But if you’re on a tight budget and the other hostels are packed, this place works. It’s near public transit that takes you into the city in about 15 minutes.

Beds from $23 USD, rooms from $41 USD a night

—> Book your stay at Vancouver Backpacker House!

***

While the hostel scene in Vancouver may not be as extensive as other parts of the world, you’ll still find lots of suitable options here. In an expensive city like Vancouver, hostels are your best option if you’re on a budget — especially if you’re looking to enjoy the city’s rambunctious nightlife.

Just make sure you have some good earplugs or noise-canceling headphones if you’re a light sleeper. This is a lively city, after all!

The post My 6 Favorite Hostels in Vancouver appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

Posted: 12/28/2019 | December 28th, 2019

In the last few years, more and more hostels have started opening up in Los Angeles and a city that was filled with only a couple now has dozens. While most used be located in Santa Monica or West Hollywood, you’ll find hostels spread out all over the city now.

That’s great, because LA itself is super spread out and it’s a pain in the butt to get anywhere. Now, if you want to stay in a hostel, you’re no longer confined to just a few parts of town.

The city is your oyster!

With so many options to now choose from, below is a list of my favorite hostels in the city to help guide your planning. I wouldn’t stay in any other place.

1. Freehand

This hostel/hotel features designer rooms with comfortable, a rooftop pool and bar with amazing views of the city, a lobby bar, a restaurant, and even a fitness center. Over the last few years, the once barren Downtown has become cool again. DTLA is one of my favorite parts of town and, though far from the main sites, you can at least get on the metro to go wherever you want! One thing to note: while this place is super cool, it’s also big and trendy and popular with locals so you don’t get a traditional hostel vibe here. That said, it’s the cheapest place to stay downtown!

Beds from $39 USD a night

—> Book your stay at Freehand Los Angeles!

2. USA Hostels Hollywood

This is one of my favorite hostels in the city. It’s in a prime location between Hollywood Boulevard and the Sunset Strip. I love the privacy pods in the dorms, which come equipped with a shelf, outlet, and light in each. The beds and pillows are also super comfortable and all the rooms have en suite bathrooms.

The hostel offers a complimentary breakfast, plus a garden patio, lounge, weekly BBQs, and other activities like karaoke and walking tours to Runyon Canyon, the Hollywood sign, and Beverly Hills, as well as a limousine tour.

Beds from $37 USD, rooms from $123 USD a night

—> Book your stay at USA Hostels Hollywood!

3. HI Los Angeles Santa Monica

HI Los Angeles Santa Monica is located a block from the beach and near the famous Santa Monica pier. The hostel includes free Wi-Fi, a stocked kitchen, and complimentary breakfast. It also single-sex dorm rooms. While the beds aren’t super comfy, the hostel offers numerous indoor and outdoor common areas, plus daily free activities and experiences, like pub crawls, walking tours, hikes, and more.

If you’re looking for access to the California beaches and nearby Venice, this is where to stay.

Beds from $31 USD a night

—> Book your stay at HI Los Angeles — Santa Monica!

4. Samesun Venice Beach

If you want to be a part of the action on Venice Beach, Samesun Venice Beach is the place. The hostel has both dorms and private rooms, most of which include an ocean view. Dorms have four, six or eight beds (mixed or female) that have lights and shelves for each. The bunks can be a bit shaky, and the bathrooms are small, and there’s no elevator but, overall, it’s an awesome place to stay in Venice.

Your stay includes free breakfast too. They also do a lot of activities to help ya get to know the city and others in the hostel!

Beds from $36 USD a night

—> Book your stay at Samesun Venice Beach!

5. Banana Bungalow Hollywood

Housed in a former motel, the retro Banana Bungalow Hollywood has a friendly, lively vibe and views of the Hollywood sign. What sets this hostel apart from others isn’t just the free parking (which is basically unheard of in LA) but that every dorm room has a kitchen and bathroom inside the room.

The hostel also has a tiki garden with lounge chairs to soak up the sun, a sidewalk café, and tons of activities in the common room, like live music, comedy, and karaoke, plus a movie theater for when you’re not exploring everything that’s within walking distance, like the Walk of Fame and Chinese Theater.

They also coordinate group activities, such as party buses, tours, hikes, and more. There’s free Wi-Fi, complimentary breakfast and coffee daily, free BBQs and other free food nights, and movie nights. Because of all of the ways to spend time with others at the hostel, it can get loud at night and partying can go until late, so bring earplugs.

Beds from $29 USD, rooms from $99 USD a night

—> Book your stay at Banana Bungalow Hollywood!

6. Walk of Fame Hollywood Hostel

The Walk of Fame Hollywood Hostel is located in prime Hollywood location (you can actually watch the red carpet for the Academy Awards from the upper floors of this recently renovated hostel). Rooms here are clean, the beds are some of the most comfortable in town, and private rooms come a mini-fridge. There is only one bathroom per floor (even privates have shared bathrooms), so it can get a bit crowded. Not all of the dorms have AC, so in the warmer months it can get hot. The hostel has an updated kitchen and serves a complimentary continental breakfast daily.

The hostel also hosts nighttime activities and has a common room with foosball and pool tables.

Beds from $28 USD, rooms from $119 USD a night

—> Book your stay at Walk of Fame Hollywood Hostel!

***

There are not a lot of hostels in Los Angeles, but even from among those slim pickings, these are the best. They are spread out around town so you can find one in whatever part of town you’re staying in, and the prices are pretty affordable too! Check them out the next time you’re in town.

The post My 6 Favorite Hostels in Los Angeles appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

Posted: 12/28/2019 | December 28th, 2019

Travel insurance is one of the most important things you can get for your trip.

As I’ve come to learn — and as any traveler will tell you — things don’t always go as planned. You just never know what will happen.

Sure, nine times out of ten you’ll be completely fine. But every now and then you’ll stumble into an unfortunate situation.

Maybe it’s just a missed flight or a delayed connection. Maybe your wallet disappears while riding a crowded bus. Maybe, like me, you burst an eardrum while scuba diving.

Bad things, unfortunately, do happen when you travel.

And they can get really expensive if you’re injured or fall sick abroad and are not insured.

But what about if you’re taking a cruise — how does travel insurance work then?

Well, of course, you still need travel insurance if you’re on a cruise, but there are some extra things you’ll want to be aware of.

7 Things to Look for in a Cruise Travel Insurance Policy

1. Make sure that whichever travel insurance policy you choose, you double-check that it’s valid for any emergency and problem that might arise on a cruise specifically. Often, cruise coverage is an extra charge on top of your regular travel insurance.

2. Even if you’re cruising close to home, you may still run into unforeseen issues. For example, in the United States, medical insurance stops covering you when your ship is more than six hours away from a US port; in Australia, it stops as soon as your ship leaves port. For that reason, you’ll want to get a policy that covers you even if you’re in/around your home country.

3. Be aware that the treatment for less serious medical conditions — the kinds that don’t require you to leave the trip — are more expensive on a cruise ship than on land. Make sure your policy has a sufficient amount of medical coverage of at least $100,000 USD.

4. Remember, if you fall seriously ill when you’re at sea and you need to be evacuated to a hospital, it’s more expensive than if you’re already on land somewhere near a hospital. Evacuation by helicopter can be in the tens of thousands of dollars. Make sure your policy has sufficient evacuation coverage.

If it doesn’t, consider getting Medjet. They are the premier membership program that provides robust evacuation coverage.

5. Be sure to have cancellation, delay, or trip interruption coverage too. For example, if you have a flight delay that means you’ll miss the start of the cruise, it’s a lot more difficult to deal with than just arriving late for a land-based trip. Hurricanes or other severe weather events also affect cruises significantly, and you’ll want your insurance policy to take that into account.

6. Take a look at the shore activities you might participate in during the cruise and check if any need to be mentioned to your insurer, like certain adventure activities or water sports.

7. Unlike other kinds of travel, you might be more likely to take valuable jewelry and expensive clothing on a cruise, for some of the fancy dinners and events cruise ships hold. Often a regular travel insurance policy will only cover these items up to a certain value, so check that your belongings are covered against possible loss or theft.

What is the Best Cruise Travel Insurance?

With so much to consider, it can be hard to decide which cruise travel insurance to choose.

Be aware that while many cruise companies offer their own insurance, the conditions are often stricter, and you might find it hard to make a claim. For example, they often will only reimburse up to 75% of your expenses, tend to have only a short list of reasons you are able to cancel for, and rarely cover pre-existing medical conditions. You’re always better off using a third-party insurer.

Whichever policy you decide on, it’s vital that you read the policy details carefully so you know exactly what you are covered for.

The insurers below are some I recommend that have specific cruise insurance policies and offer a decent amount of coverage for a lot of potential mishaps.

Travel Guard
Travel Guard has specific cruise insurance policies, which makes it simpler than trying to find an add-on. If you’re getting a quote online, they’ll ask you to specify if you’re taking a plane, a cruise, or both. They cover any emergency travel assistance, trip interruption, delay, or cancellation.

Medical expenses and emergency evacuation are covered, but the maximum amount varies between the essential, preferred, and deluxe plans: the essential plan includes a $150,000 limit on emergency evacuation, which might not be quite enough from some parts of the world, but you can get up to a million dollars of coverage on the deluxe plan.

VisitorsCoverage/IMG
In early 2019, VisitorsCoverage and IMG partnered to launch a new insurance product specifically for cruise travelers, called SafeCruise. The SafeCruise plan includes all the extra protection you need as a cruise traveler and even has an upgrade option to include coverage of up to 75% of prepaid, nonrefundable costs if you cancel for any reason at all.

The emergency evacuation or medical repatriation coverage has a high limit of $1,000,000. Additionally, as long as you purchase insurance by the time you make your final trip payment, there’s a waiver for most pre-existing conditions, too.

Insure My Trip
Insure My Trip is an unbiased aggregator site that will look at many different insurance policies to find the one that best fits your needs.

For example, if your cruise is during hurricane season to an area that might be affected, its search algorithm takes that into account and recommends travel insurance policies with good coverage for weather problems.

***

Don’t go on a cruise without proper travel insurance. However, you need to be aware that for a cruise, you have to pay a bit more attention than usual to the conditions of the policy. Make sure that any policy you choose covers you sufficiently for medical evacuation, medical treatment onboard, and other mishaps like missed connections, stolen luggage, delays, and cancellations.

If you can’t afford to add cruise travel insurance on to the costs of your trip, you probably can’t afford to travel. It’s just not worth the risk of coming home with a bill in the tens of thousands of dollars or more if something unexpected goes wrong.

In my experience, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. The peace of mind is worth the extra cost.

The post The Best Cruise Travel Insurance appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.