See for yourself why Asheville has been named one of the "Most Festive Cities in America" as many local holiday traditions begin this weekend. Tap into twinkling lights displays, incredible gingerbread houses, and specialty holiday pop-up markets filled with handmade arts and crafts.

For a look at Asheville's many holiday celebrations this season, explore our guide to 8 ways Asheville sparkles for the holidays!

Don't miss your chance to experience this unique and festive time of year! Utilize our easy-to-use search feature to check room

Posted: 11/18/19 | November 18th, 2019

Kazakhstan is a country I’ve always wanted to visit. In fact, I’ve always wanted to go to all the “Stans”. It’s the region of the world I probably want to visit the most. After having lived in Kazakhstan for 8 years, Doug Fears knows a thing or two about the country and how to navigate it. In this guest post, Doug offers some in-depth advice about how to travel around Kazakhstan by train!

Night spilled across the Kazakh steppe. The train’s steel wheels clickety-clacked below, gently prompting me to point toward a bowl of plastic-wrapped apples. Suddenly, my drunken dining car companion began gesticulating wildly while repeating his favorite, and perhaps only, English-language phrase, “No problem!” With a shake of the head and wave of the hand, this newfound friend seemed to dismiss all other apples as second-rate. Apples originated from Kazakhstan, after all, and we had just departed the city of Almaty, “the father of apples.” I simply had to try one. (It was delicious.)

Taking the train through Kazakhstan, the world’s ninth largest country, presents a changing cultural tapestry every time. Imagine a vast land, once secretive and closed to outsiders, where travelers can now experience an eclectic blend of Silk Road culture, offbeat Soviet-era history, and wide-open spaces spiced with warm Kazakh hospitality.

I’ve shared cabins with young soldiers, border police, language professors and martial artists, just to name a few. My favorite memories are the meals and card games enjoyed with these folks, even when I didn’t have a common language.

So forget everything about the movie Borat, and climb aboard as you browse ancient bazaars, ride the rails, and trek to pristine mountain lakes.

Planning Your Route

I suggest the following itinerary: flying into the capital, Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana) (airport code TSE), heading north to nearby Lake Burabay, taking a fast train back south to Karaganda, then an overnight classic train to Almaty in the southeast, with a possible extension to Turkistan (a city and region in the south of the country).

If you want to continue on in Central Asia, you can easily extend your trip from Almaty to see the gorgeous mountain vistas of nearby Kyrgyzstan or continue by train from Turkistan south to Uzbekistan.

The best time to go is between May and October, as northern Kazakhstan is blanketed in snow from November through April, with typical temps in the minus-20 range. Those wanting to snow ski or experience the excitement of New Year’s, the country’s biggest holiday, however, should consider a wintertime trip.

Visas are no longer needed for most visitors to Kazakhstan (for 30 days) and Kyrgyzstan (for 60 days), though advance visas are required for Uzbekistan, Russia, and China.

Buying Train Tickets

There are three types of trains: the fast business-class Talgo, regular long-distance trains, and regional electrics. Budget travelers should opt for regular trains for most trips. Regional electrics are generally slow and will be of limited use.

On regular trains — highly recommended for the best cultural experience — the two main classes are kupe (a four-person closed compartment with two upper and lower bunks) and platzkar (an open rolling dormitory holding 54 travelers on two-level bunks). The kupe is quieter and more private, but single women might want to choose the somewhat safer open platzkar, as they could be in a locked cabin with three men (no gender distinctions are made when making reservations). Also realize that not all trains run daily.

The new Kazakhstan e-ticket website is not easy to use: while there is an English menu, it requires you to enter destination cities using a Russian keyboard! Some foreign bankcards won’t work for payment, and even successful ticket purchases are often blocked by spam filters. However, there is an option to chat online with an English-language consultant who can help you find and purchase tickets.

My suggestion is to use this site as a reference to find train timetables and to purchase long-distance train tickets that are more likely to be sold out. You can use the helpful site Real Russia for international train ticket purchases (especially for traveling from Moscow to Central Asia).

Then go to a train station or train ticket office in the city, as some have kiosk machines that you can try. Another option is to write your destination and date on a piece of paper and present it to a ticket agent at a station or train office for help.

Once you have your ticket, the most important things to know are the date and time of departure, and wagon number. Check the posted signs in the station to find which platform number your train is on and walk toward that wagon — the conductor will check your ID and ticket and help you board.

Kazakhstan Costs

Traveling by train is much safer and enjoyable than by bus, and an incredible value for the long distances traveled. A standard overnight train ticket from Karaganda to Almaty will be about $9 USD for platzkar and $14 for kupe. By comparison, the business-class Talgo on the same route costs $25 in a four-berth kupe, but it does reduce travel time by six hours (and has much cleaner bathrooms!). A night train provides double value, serving as both bed and transport; they are cooler and more comfortable in the summer travel season too!

Local city buses are cheap, about $0.20 per ride, regardless of distance.

Hotel rooms in the city centers of Nur-Sultan and Almaty range from $30 to $50 per night with breakfast. Full apartments ($25/night) or shared guest rooms ($10/night) can be booked on Airbnb.

Food is also reasonably priced. I suggest finding a hotel with breakfast included on booking.com, eating picnic-style meals on the train, and enjoying a streetside café for other meals (grilled shashlik skewers, bread, salad, and drink for about $4), though if you can’t peel it or cook it, it’s best to forget it. And make sure to try the local apples!

Essential Kazakhstan Travel Hacks

• Do reserve an upper bunk if you like relaxing onboard (lower bunks are shared during the daytime and used for communal meals), but you need to be reasonably fit to climb the mini-ladder.
• Do bring a comfortable change of clothes to wear onboard (track suit, shorts, and T-shirt). It’s perfectly normal to ask others to step outside while you change.
• Do bring extra food to share (tea/coffee, instant noodles, sausage, cucumbers, bread, biscuits, apples, sweets). Note: there is always a steaming samovar of hot water in each car for making tea or noodles.
• Do pack a small train kit (mug, fork/spoon/knife, toilet paper, plate, wet wipes, plastic sandals, collapsible hand fan, deck of cards, bottled water).
• Do take your street shoes off when entering a train compartment.
• Do plan your bathroom visits, as the toilets are locked about 15 minutes before and after station stops (read the timetable posted in each wagon).
• Do take some small gifts from your home country (magnets, key rings) to share.
• Don’t buy unsold seats from touts lurking around stations — I’ve been stuck sharing a four-berth kupe with six people plus a giant-screen TV!
• Don’t get scolded for lying on a bare mattress, but don’t pay extra for sheets and towels in kupe class. They are now included in the kupe ticket fare, but beware you may be awakened very early by the conductor collecting them on overnight trains!
• Don’t be bullied by transport police or immigration officials at borders — show your passport and ticket and nothing more.
• Don’t miss your stop, get stranded on the platform buying ice cream, or, above all, be forced to jump off a moving train!

Best Kazakhstan Train Routes

Because of the challenges with the ticketing website, I’ve listed the most helpful train routes for getting around. Note that all of these run daily.

While northbound trains from Nur-Sultan stop at Borovoye/Shchuchinsk, it might be easier to take a shared van or minibus for the short 2.5-hour trip. Just listen or ask for “Borovoye” at the Nur-Sultan-1 train station, where vans wait to fill up and leave throughout the day. You can do the same if heading directly south from Nur-Sultan to Karaganda, as a new tollway has opened, cutting the travel time between these two major cities to two hours, although all Nur-Sultan-to-Almaty trains also stop there. Note that both Nur-Sultan and Almaty have two train stations in different parts of the city — make sure you go to the right one!

Train #031 from Almaty to Semey in the northeast traces the historical “TurkSib” route — from here you can head east to explore the Altay Mountains or continue north into Russia to connect with the legendary Trans-Siberian route.

Note: +1 means “arriving the following day”; p = persons

What to See Along the Way

The major cities of Nur-Sultan, Karaganda, and Almaty are all on the main rail line and make both good stopovers and bases for exploring the surrounding natural and historical sites. Other off-the-beaten-track locations, such as the Baykonur rocket base and Altay Mountains, require special permission and advance planning. Here’s an overview of the major destinations:

• Nur-Sultan, formerly Astana) – one of the world’s youngest capital cities, a futuristic Tomorrowland-esqe blend of gleaming buildings, shopping centers, and sculpted monuments.
• Lake Burabay (formerly Borovoye) – a scenic, forested lake resort just 2.5 hours north of Nur-Sultan, featuring a wide range of accommodations and attractions.
• Karaganda – Kazakhstan’s “third city,” with its leafy wide boulevards, is a good base for exploring Soviet-era history, particularly the museum of political repression at nearby Dolinka, one of the largest labor camps in the Gulag system.
• Almaty – Central Asia’s most cosmopolitan city. The stunning backdrop of the Tien Shan Mountains frames this busy business center, a great base for making day trips to the nearby mountains, the skate/ski center at Medeu/Chimbulak, and the red rock Charyn Canyon.
• Turkistan – Kazakhstan’s holiest site, and the country’s best place to see Silk Road architecture and tile work.
• Baykonur Cosmodrome – the world’s most active launch site for manned space missions. Rocket enthusiasts will need to book well in advance with an agency like Nomadic Travel Kazakhstan to try and see a launch.
• The Far Northeast – Well off the beaten path, Semey, Ust-Kamenogorsk, and the pristine Altay Mountains are in a beautiful region worth the extra effort to see. Visiting the sensitive border zone or former Polygon nuclear test site will require special permits and advance planning.

***

As a child of the Cold War era, I recall hiding under my desk during drills to the sound of air-raid sirens, as we lived in genuine fear of nuclear war. I never dreamed I would visit the big blank spots on the map labeled “USSR,” especially the Siberian steppe and Central Asia.

Nowadays, with internet communication and open borders, an amazing opportunity awaits to wander across these once-forbidden zones, sharing goodwill and learning something too.

And one final tip: make sure to buy apples before you board the train! Though I only visited the train’s dining car once, I did purchase the pack of shiny apples that evening, munching on what I figured was a true local delicacy. The next morning when unpacking, though, one lazily rolled across the table, revealing a surprise sticker reading “Product of USA”!

Douglas Fears has always loved everything about trains, boats, and maps. After running a marathon on every continent and working as a computer consultant for 20 years, he moved to Kazakhstan and spent 8 years working in education and administration. He currently lives on the Black Sea and spends his time reading, mentoring young people, helping his wife teach English and writing funny travel stories for his blog Rails, Whales and Tales.

The post How to Travel Kazakhstan By Train appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

Hey there! I’m back from Nashville and I’ll do a recap of my trip before too long, but today I’m sharing a very fun project in our backyard that happened before it got cold recently. We’ve been working away in our backyard on so many projects and this one is at the top of the list in making me so happy! You all know how much I love hydrangeas and the kings of hydrangeas are Southern Living Plants. They know how to grow hydrangeas, which makes sense as hydrangeas are oh so Southern!

The post Backyard Hydrangeas: Southern Living Plants appeared first on Southern Hospitality.

Posted: 11/16/2019 | November 16th, 2019

It can be difficult to choose the best travel credit card. There are hundreds upon hundreds out there — and so many of them seem to be the same! Which one is right for you? How do you decide? Which one gives you the best points? Are the fees worth it?

For someone who isn’t deep into the travel the industry, it can be very confusing — and a bit nervewracking — to figure out which card to get.

Let me say this: the best travel credit card is the one that aligns with your travel goals.

Are you interested in loyalty to a brand, free rewards, or avoiding fees? Do you want to milk the rewards and bonus system to get free flights, or do you just want a card that won’t charge you a fee for using it at that restaurant in Brazil? Is elite status the most important perk for you? Do you want points you can use like cash for anything?

Obviously, the airline and hotel cards you’ll pick are going to be based on those you use a lot. For example, I have a Marriott card and a Delta card because those are my brands of choice.

But, for those general points credit cards, are some cards better than the rest for daily use? I think so. If you don’t have any specific goals in mind and are just looking for some you can use in your day-to-day life, here’s a list of what I think the best travel credit cards are, their features, and why and when you should have them.

Note: Once in a while I get new cards if they have a good bonus, but for the most part, I think that you shouldn’t spread yourself too thin.

MY TOP PICK: Chase Sapphire Reserve

For me, this is the gold standard of travel cards. Yes, there’s a high fee but you get a lot of perks (and cashback) that I think this card is worth the fee and it is the card I use the most. When you sign-up for the card, you get:

• 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases
• $300 in annual travel credit
• 3x points on travel and restaurants
• 1 point per $1 on everything else
• The ability to transfer to points to a dozen travel brands (I use this feature the most)
• A statement credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application
• Free Priority Pass lounge access (a super awesome perk)
• No foreign transaction fees

When you factor in that $300 credit, you’re really paying only $150 a year. You get 3x on restaurants and travel (which is most of my spending). Combined with the other perks, this is my all-around favorite card and the one I use the most for my day-to-day spending. I think this card gives you the most value for your money, especially if you are a frequent traveler.

—-> Sign up for this card by clicking here!

Chase Preferred

This card is like the “starter” version of the previous card. You don’t get as many perks, but if you’re dead-set on not paying a high yearly fee (this card only $95 a year), you can’t go wrong with this card. It’s great for the more infrequent traveler (this is the card I got my mother). When you sign for this card, you’ll get:

• 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000
• 2x points on travel and restaurants
• 1 point per $1 on everything else
• No foreign transaction fees

It’s a simple, easy to use card.
—-> Sign up for this card by clicking here!

Citi Prestige

I’m personally not a huge fan of this card and I don’t have a lot of Citi cards in general as I’m not a huge fan of their transfer partners. But, this card is great for people who stay at hotels because the fourth-night-free option (even though it’s capped) will cover the cost of this card’s fee right away. Plus, you get a $250 travel credit with this card too. Especially, when used right, you can actually make some money on this card! This card comes with a $495 yearly fee and the following perks:

• 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000
• 5x points on airfare and restaurants
• 3x points on hotels and cruises
• 1x points on everything else
• Complimentary fourth night at a hotel when booking through ThankYou.com (capped at twice per year though)
• Free Priority Pass
• $250 travel credit every year
• Points transfer to their partners, including 16 different airlines
• No foreign transaction fees

I don’t love this card because I don’t use a lot of their transfer partners but if you stay in a lot of hotels and use any of their transfer partners frequently, this is a must get card because it pays for itself and is easy to get points through their spending bonus structure!

—-> Sign up for this card by clicking here!

American Express EveryDay

I love this no-fee Amex card for the bonus points and the 2x points at supermarkets. I use it when I’m buying groceries because it’s a great way to rack up Amex points. When you sign up for this card, you’ll get:

• 20% extra points when you use your card 20 or more times each billing cycle
• 2x points at supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year)
• 1 point for every dollar spent
• Double points on every dollar of eligible travel purchases when you book through AmexTravel.com

It’s simple, it’s easy, it’s a quick way to get points.
—-> Sign up for this card by clicking here!

Capital One Venture

I used to really dislike this card but, with the recent changes they made last year and the addition of transfer partners and 10x points on hotels via hotels.com, this is now one of my favorite credit cards. I absolutely think you should get this card, especially if you’re looking for a no-fee, easy to use card. When you sign up for this card, you get:

• No fees for the first year, $95 after that
• 50,000 bonus miles once you spend $3,000 within the first three months
• Unlimited 2x miles on every dollar spent
• 10x miles on bookings via hotels.com
• Transfer miles to any of their 10+ travel partners
• Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• No foreign transaction fees

Factor in the free first year and this a card that should be in your wallet. When they relaunched it, I liked it so much I got one myself!
—-> Sign up for this card!

Chase Freedom

If you’re looking for something more in the ways of cashback and/or want to stick with Chase points over Amex points, this is the best card for it. It’s simple and easy to use and the cashback points give you more flexibility than points. For a traveler like myself, I prefer points but, for some people, like my dad who doesn’t fly a lot, he’d rather get cashback. So he actually has this card. When you sign up for this card, you’ll get:

• No annual fee
• $200 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in your first three months
• 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases

If you’re like my dad and want a no-fee card that gives you cash back, then this card is for you!

—-> Sign up for this card by clicking here!

***

One thing to remember is that there’s not one card to use for all occasions. Each card has its perks, so you want to maximize your point earning by sticking and matching your spending. I use three or four cards for all my spending. Chase for travel and restaurants, American Express for groceries, Delta for travel perks on the airline, and Marriott for my hotel stays. That way I always get the most points possible for every dollar you spend without spreading my points around too much.

So, if you’re looking for a travel credit card, pick one of the above. They are the best in my opinion.

Advertiser Disclosure: “Nomadic Matt has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Nomadic Matt and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.”

Editorial Disclosure: “Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.”

The post The Best Travel Credit Cards for 2019 appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

This week Jen Leo, Spud Hilton, Chris Christensen and I are joined by this week’s guest: Stephen Harris author of Traveling Through North Korea: Adventures in the Hermit Kingdom and bigbeaverdiaries.com Subscribe on Apple Podcasts This Week’s News Japan Airlines introduces baby seat map to allow passengers to avoid infants New 4,000-Mile Trail Will Let …

Read moreThis Week in Travel – Episode 257

The post This Week in Travel – Episode 257 appeared first on Everything Everywhere Travel Blog.

Posted: 11/16/19 | November 16th, 2019

One of the best parts about running a business is the cool business travel credit cards you get access to. These cards tend to have a lot better points-earning abilities and perks than consumer cards. I’ve been running this website for eleven years and have tried a lot of cards during that time.

I’m often asked by other bloggers, creators, and entrepenuers which business travel credit card is the best.

Well, first, let me say, there is no “best.”

Every business is different, and everyone has different needs. For example, I love the Amex Platinum card’s Delta lounge perk since I fly Delta a lot. (The Centurian Lounges are wonderful too.) Similarly, I love the Delta card because the Medallion Qualification Miles (MQM) bonus helps me maintain my status. But if you aren’t a Delta flier, then that card doesn’t make sense for you. I also use Chase Ink a lot because their Ultimate Rewards points transfer to a lot of airlines I want to fly. But maybe you like to fly other airlines.

Everyone is different. I have friends who live by American Airlines card, Citi Cards, American Express, and so forth. We’re all different.

So ask yourself, “What is my goal?”

Are you interested in loyalty to a brand, free rewards, or avoiding fees? Do you want to milk the rewards and bonus system to get free flights, or do you just want a card that won’t charge you a fee for using it at that restaurant in Brazil? Is elite status the most important perk for you? Do you want points you can use like cash for anything?

Get the card that aligns with your goals.

But, while there is no one “best” card, there are some that are better than others. Here is my list of favorite travel-related business credit cards.

MY FAVORITE: Chase Ink Business Preferred Card

This is my favorite all-around business card. I really like transferring Chase points for Star Alliance flights and Hyatt hotels, I love the 3x points on digital ad spends (we run a lot of Facebook ads), and when you throw in 3x points per dollar spent on travel and you have everything I need. Plus, with an annual fee of only $95, it’s really unbeatable value for money. When you get this card, you’ll get:

• 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases
• 3x points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent
• 1x points per dollar spent on all other purchases
• No foreign transaction fees

This card should be in every business owner’s wallet. I can’t recommend it enough.

—-> Sign up for this card by clicking here!

American Express Business Platinum Card

This is one of the best cards out there, especially if you’re a Delta flyer or make a lot of large purchases. The perks include the following:

• 50,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $10,000 (and an extra 50,000 points after you spend an additional $15,000) within the first three months
• 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels using amextravel.com
• 1.5x points per dollar on eligible purchases of $5,000 or more
• 35% of points back when you use points for booking flights
• $200 credit on fees related to your favorite airline
• Up to $200 in credit with Dell
• $100 for Global Entry
• Free Priority Pass
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
• Hilton Honors Gold status
• One year WeWork membership (this expires at the end of 2019)

Fees: $595 annually, no foreign transaction fees

While the annual fee is pretty high, it does come with a lot of travel benefits that I tend to use a lot. The welcome bonus definitely makes it a no-brainer in the first year so you can get all those points. The added statement credits and lounge access makes the card worth carrying for me.
—-> Sign up for this card by clicking here!

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

I like this card because you get two points on everything. It’s simple. So I use this for the non-bonus categories like paying vendors, restaurants, and whatever else doesn’t come with a bonus from Amex or Chase. Whatever I can’t get 3 points per dollar on them with, I use this card for. When you sign up, you get the following benefits:

• 50,000 miles when you spend $4,500 within the first three months
• 2x miles on every purchase
• No blackouts or seat restrictions
• Points transfer to any of their 10+ travel partners
• Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre?
• No foreign transaction fees
• $0 intro for the first year, $95 annually after that

—-> Sign up for this card!

American Express Business Gold Card

This is a great card to earn extra points on your biggest spending categories. You can get up to 4x points on selected categories so I will put my two largest spending categories on this card. This card comes with a $295 yearly fee and the following perks:

• 4x Membership Rewards points on two select categories where you spend the most each month
• 1x rewards on other purchases
• 25% points back after you book a flight using Pay with Points
• A $100 hotel credit to spend on qualifying dining, spa, and resort activities, and a room upgrade (when available) when you book two consecutive nights at any accommodation in The Hotel Collection
• No foreign transaction fees

—-> Sign up for this card!

Airline and Hotel Cards

What about airline and hotel cards? Well, you should get the card for the airline and/or hotel you’re loyal to because they come with free checked bags and preferred boarding and a few other perks. I tend not to use them for my everyday spending since you get better value per dollar spent with Chase or American Express.

I always get the cards for the bonus offer and then keep the cards for the perks. Most fees are only $95 a year so it’s an easy business expense.

Here are my favorite business cards for various airlines and hotels:

• CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Mastercard
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express Card
• United Explorer Business Card
• American Express Platinum Delta SkyMiles Business Card

***

There are a lot of options for business cards, so you can always find something to meet your needs. I usually split my spending between a few cards and then shift my spending if I need to hit any bonus requirements. I have a Delta card for the pay-with-points option, a Marriott card because I stay there a lot, and Chase and American Express cards for everything else.

If you don’t want this many cards and want to keep things simple, stick to a hotel or airline card for the perks and then pick whatever one other card has the most perks you need and just use those!

Advertiser Disclosure: “Nomadic Matt has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Nomadic Matt and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.”

Editorial Disclosure: “Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.”

The post The Best Business Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

HI there friends! I’m still in Nashville today, heading home tomorrow, but this week’s Home Style Saturday is full of inspiration as always. I don’t know about you, but I’ll start my Christmas decorating next week. It’s time to get going and even though I’m not quite in the mood to drag those boxes and bins out of the basement, as soon as I put on the Christmas music, I know it will all kick in and I’ll get it done. I love to be finished by Thanksgiving week, so I can enjoy the Holiday parties and festivities! 

Enjoy all that follows! 

The post Home Style Saturday Holiday Inspiration 165 appeared first on Southern Hospitality.

Walk through the most recogizable sets from Downton Abbey, see more than 50 costumes worn by the actors and discover never-before-seen artifacts and multimedia elements.

Downtown Abbey: The Exhibition is on display now at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina! The exhibition runs November 8, 2019 through April 7, 2020.

Showcased across two locations at Biltmore Estate (Amherst and Legacy), the exhibition gives you the chance to step inside the world of the global television phenomenon. The experience is highly immersive, including a