Mindy on the Map

Iceland is closer to the United States than you might realize. The flight from Detroit to Reykjavik took less than 6 hours, which means planning a stopover trip on your way somewhere else in Europe or a long weekend in Iceland from the Eastern part of the U.S. isn’t unreasonable! And, while that might not give you enough time to take the Ring Road around the entire country, that is plenty of time to explore the capital city and take a few spectacular day trips. Other factors that make Iceland a great place to visit are the safety and lack of language barrier for English speakers. Iceland has been ranked as the world’s safest country year after year (since 2008), making it ideal for solo travelers, couples, or groups alike. Also, tourism is Iceland’s biggest industry, and almost everyone speaks fluent English. One of the guides I was chatting with mentioned that Icelanders are tending to use English in casual conversations among themselves more and more nowadays, so it’s well-practi...

Austria’s culture is built around classical music, cafes, and a rich, well-preserved history. There are plenty of things to do and see in Austria in each of those categories, as well as beautiful landscapes, delicious food, and exemplary public transport to get around and see it all with. In short, there’s nothing not to love about Austria! Another reason to visit Austria is that there is no bad time to go. Summers are one of the most popular times to visit, because the mild temperatures are perfect for being out and about and the sunny weather just accentuates the scenery in the Austrian countryside that looks like it’s straight off of a screensaver. In the Spring and Fall, the various palace gardens are in full bloom and you avoid some of the tourist crowds. Winter is a second high season because Austria is the winter sports capital of Europe and hosts epic Christmas markets. Finally, Austria is one of the safest places in the world to visit. While you should always be aware of y...

Big cities, like Chicago, can be overwhelming. But if you go into visiting them with a plan, you can hit the major sights all in a weekend! Here’s a list of the must-do-and-see things on your trip.

Phuket (pronounced poo-ket) Thailand, is a true paradise, with a little bit of something for everyone. There are beaches, islands, rainforests, mountains, and bustling city areas to explore, so some days can be spent relaxing while others are spent out on the town or immersed in nature.

  Traveling isn’t all sunshine and rainbows – it’s excellent once you make it to your destination, but before that, getting through the various lines at the airport can be a hassle. The good news is that you can get different accesses such as TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI or CLEAR to minimize your wait in U.S. security and customs lines and get to where you want to be faster! What is TSA PreCheck? TSA Pre-Check is a program that gets you expedited security screenings in most large U.S. airports. It often has dedicated lines at security, denoted by signs with the TSA Pre-Check logo, with extremely short wait times. Part of the reason for the short lines is that you don’t have to take off your shoes, belt, or light jacket, and you can leave your travel size liquids and laptop in your bag. Who is Eligible for TSA PreCheck? United States citizens, nationals, and lawful permanent residents are all eligible to apply for TSA PreCheck. However, your application will likel...

When COVID-19 shut down travel around the world for months in some places, and years in others, it was upsetting to anyone with a passion for exploring new countries and cultures. On the flip side, I have COVID-19 travel restrictions to thank for my trip to Albania! Albania was not a country that was on my radar previously, but when I could no longer stand being restricted to domestic travel I googled "countries that Americans can travel to without quarantine requirements" and Albania was the first country on the list. Don't make the mistake of requiring anything so extreme to plan your trip there! It was one of my favorite trips - the cities were lively and full of history, the people were friendly as could be, the food was delicious, and the natural beauty of the landscapes was stunning.  My one and only complaint is that the public transport in Albania left something to be desired. There were some buses traveling between big cities, but the best and easiest way to ge...