It’s the holiday season, and we have some great ideas for gifts for the travelers in your life. Whether you’re looking for luggage, gadgets, accessories, or clothing, we’ve got you covered. Luggage Avid travelers can always use high-quality gear to tote their stuff. These are our favorite options for suitcases and backpacks to accompany you […]
Author: Daniel Cassman
The Best Travel Credit Cards in 2025
It’s been a while since we looked at travel credit cards, and a lot has changed. We’ll explore the best travel credit cards available, and we’ll suggest some strategies to maximize your rewards. The bottom line: we think the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best travel card for most people. We’ll also take a look at premium card offerings from American Express, Chase, and Capital One.
Washington, D.C. Civil War History
If you’re interested in the history of the American Civil War, the area around Washington, D.C. will fascinate you. Though the war occurred across a wide swath of the country, much of the most storied fighting happened within a hundred miles of the nation’s capital. This page highlights some of our favorite Civil War historic sites within driving distance of Washington.
Our Favorite Hotels in the World
We’re wrapping up 2022 by thinking back to some of the best places we’ve ever stayed. Without further ado, here’s a list, in no particular order, of our favorite hotels in the world.
The Best Travel Gadgets
As the chaotic summer travel season gets underway, it’s more important than ever to pack efficiently and make sure you’ve got everything you need. This is our list of essential travel items, those things we always make sure we have with us when we go. Many of these items also make great gifts. Take a […]
A Disappointing Experience with Marriott
I’ve stayed in many, many Marriott hotels. The world’s largest hotel chain doesn’t always offer the most exciting lodging experiences, and its loyalty program could use some serious improvements, but it’s impossible to compete with Marriott for pure volume. The number of hotels it has in the United States and throughout the world is remarkable. […]
Grading Responses to COVID-19
As the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the globe and shut down most travel, companies that provide travel services responded in different ways. We had a number of trips planned that we had to change or cancel, and the companies we interacted with fell on a wide spectrum from pleasant and supportive to evasive, dishonest, and unhelpful. […]
Stuck in Albuquerque
A few weeks ago I traveled to Albuquerque on business. I’d never been to New Mexico, and I didn’t know what to expect. Founded in 1706 as a Spanish outpost, Albuquerque lies at about a mile of elevation in New Mexico’s high desert. It’s a sprawling urban center of almost 600,000 people. I planned to […]
The Best Travel Credit Cards
The right combination of credit cards can provide lucrative benefits, or even pay for your next trip. Our focus here isn’t deep optimization of the points and miles game; there are plenty of websites out there that’ll help you there if that’s your goal. But we can still provide some advice on how to pick the best credit cards for you.
Airline and Hotel Credit Cards
If you’ve read our article on the best travel credit cards, you know that you can usually get the best value from a points-and-miles card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the American Express Platinum. Credit cards associated with a specific airline or hotel brand—known as co-branded credit cards—generally should not be among your primary […]