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This is such good news in a time when the cruise industry NEEDS good news. Carnival Cruise Lines will be adding two new ships to their fleet to set sail by 2023. I spent a few minutes chatting with my friend Vance Gulliksen to discuss the state of the cruise industry in a post-pandemic world. You can listen to the podcast, or read the transcript below. You can watch the TV episode Vance references of Beyond Your Backyard, below.
Erik: Vance, it's always good to talk to you, my friend and I haven't seen you in a while, which kind of, you know, breaks my heart a little bit.
Vance: Same here. You know, it's been a long, uh, 15, 16 months, but, uh, we're looking forward to, uh, getting back on the water soon
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5/24/2021 0 Comments National ParksI am so freaking excited to discuss this topic. I love the National Parks. I’m not even a “huge nature guy”, but I just love these parks! As we make our way through COVID-19 pandemic, you may be needing a little time away but wish to travel within the United States for now. I have a solution. Our National Parks. The National Park Service manages 420 park sites in the US and 63 of those sites are designated “National Parks”. The video we made shows every single one of those 63 parks! My personal favorites include (but are not limited to) The Great Smoky Mountains, Haleakala, Yosemite and The Grand Canyon. We’ve made videos about the National Parks and we’ve featured National Parks in episodes of Beyond Your Backyard. But remember, to be prepared whether you are flying or driving, you may be asked to mask up at certain business or public spaces with a standard face covering such as these. So, watch the video to get the inspiration cranking and take a couple of notes so you can continue your research using the list below. Each park name is a link to the official National Park Service page. That list can be found again on my website here. Happy national parking!!!! Acadia National Park, Maine
Arches National Park, Utah Badlands National Park, South Dakota Big Bend National Park, Texas Biscayne National Park, Florida Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah Canyonlands National Park, Utah Capitol Reef National Park, Utah Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico Channel Islands National Park, California Congaree National Park, South Carolina Crater Lake National Park, Oregon Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada Denali National Park, Alaska Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida Everglades National Park, Florida Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska Gateway Arch National Park, Missouri and Illinois Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska Glacier National Park, Montana Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming Great Basin National Park, Nevada Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas Haleakalā National Park, Hawaii Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana Isle Royale National Park, Michigan Joshua Tree National Park, California Katmai National Park, Alaska Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska Kings Canyon National Park, California Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska Lake Clark National Park, Alaska Lassen Volcanic National Park, California Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado Mount Rainier National Park, Washington National Park of American Samoa, American Samoa New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, West Virginia North Cascades National Park, Washington Olympic National Park, Washington Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona Pinnacles National Park, California Redwood National Park, California Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Saguaro National Park, Arizona Sequoia National Park, California Shenandoah National Park, Virginia Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota Virgin Islands National Park, Virgin Islands Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota White Sands National Park, New Mexico Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska Yellowstone National Park, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming Yosemite National Park, California Zion National Park, Utah 4/3/2021 1 Comment New CDC Travel Guidance Good news from the CDC if you want to travel within the United States! I love good news as it illustrates that perhaps we are getting closer to a more realistic, new normal. As far as I can tell it is the best travel advice to help guide you through the process. Covid-19 Travel can be complicated but we are starting to clear the air. So, as of April 2, 2020 here is what the CDC is saying.. Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19. People who are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine can travel safely within the United States. Fully vaccinated travelers do not need to get tested before or after travel unless their destination requires it. Fully vaccinated travelers do not need to self-quarantineFully vaccinated means waiting at least two weeks to travel after your final vaccine dose. But remember, being fully vaccinated is one step closer to getting through this mess. In the meantime, please be responsible and:
Don’t forget, if you are planning on traveling outside of the country, get the input from a qualified travel advisor who can guide you through health requirements of the country you are visiting and remember, as of now, even if you are fully vaccinated, you do still need a negative Covid-19 test no more than three days prior to your arrival back into the United States. Here is a link to the CDC information. And on a related note, the CDC is still recommending avoiding non-essential travel. My advice, travel responsibly when its right for you and/or your family. Happy and safe travels! 3/13/2021 2 Comments Renting A Car With A Debit Card It has become very easy to reserve a car rental online, in some cases pay for it in advance, submit the required information and pick up your car all without even interfacing with a desk agent. Talk about convenience! You can book directly with the car rental agency or through a travel advisor or with an online travel agency such as Expedia or Priceline. If you believe you’ll be renting more frequently in the coming years, then I suggest signing up for a rental car loyalty program for convenience and have access to (and earn) extra perks!
The one caveat to this whole car rental experience utopia is the use of your credit card for your rental. Using a debit card is possible but can be problematic due to the different rules and policies set forth by the rental car companies. Airport locations may have different rules and regulations than the neighborhood locations and you may have to pay an additional refundable deposit. You may be limited to the type of vehicle you can rent, mileage restrictions, age restrictions and so on. The bottom line is; car rental companies want YOU to use a major credit card when you reserve and pick up a vehicle. When you bring it back, they are more than happy to post the charges to your debit card. My suggestion is to use a credit card when you’re traveling including all airline, car rental and hotel expenses. Using your debit card while away from home increases the chances of fraud, theft, and/or your bank suspending your debit card because of unusual expenditures by you. Below I have listed most of the major car rental companies and links to their debit card policies. Happy Travels! Enterprise Debit Card Policy - https://www.enterprise.com/en/help/faqs/forms-of-payment.html Hertz Debit Card Policy - https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reservation/reviewmodifycancel/templates/rentalTerms.jsp?KEYWORD=PAYMENT&EOAG=LAX Avis Debit Card Policy - https://www.avis.com/en/help/usa-faqs/debit-card-policy Thrifty Debit Card Policy - https://www.thrifty.com/TravelCenter/TravelTools/DebitCardPolicy.aspx Budget Debit Card Policy - https://www.budget.com/en/help/usa-faqs/rent-with-debit-card Alamo Debit Card Policy - https://www.alamo.com/en/customer-support/car-rental-faqs/renting-with-debit-cards.html Dollar Debit Card Policy - https://www.dollar.com/TravelCenter/TravelTools/DebitCardPolicy.aspx National Debit Card Policy - https://www.nationalcar.com/en/support/car-rental-faqs/payment-methods.html Ace Debit Card Policy - https://www.acerentacar.com/Faq.aspx Sixt Debit Card Policy - https://www.sixt.com/faqs/payment-deposit-approvals/#/  As 2021 rolls on, you may be considering air travel within the United States or the Caribbean. Two of your carrier options are Spirit Airlines or Allegiant. Both will whisk you away to your next great escape! Today, I am comparing and discussing cheap flights on both.
I have flown on both airlines over the years and have never had an issue with either of them. My most recent trip was on Allegiant Airlines from NYC to The Great Smoky Mountains. But here are points to consider. Spirit Airlines is a larger airline than Allegiant Airlines. But they do compete for the same dollar, so that is why we are comparing the two. Let's start with the basic facts: Origin
Size of the Fleet
Destinations
Bag Fees
Before we go any further, deciding HOW you are going to get somewhere via flight can be a seemingly daunting task when it comes to price. But let’s demystify that for you. Let’s look at this idea from an airline’s perspective and then we will get to you. Revenue Management Revenue management is a big deal for airlines. What is the highest price an airline can charge for a seat? The sky's the limit! Let's use a quick analogy to answer. When you look at the produce section of a supermarket, an orange has a fast expiration date. It was picked off the tree, and now it’s ready for you to purchase. The grocer wants to charge as much as he or she can for that orange before throwing it away. Unless the commercial aviation industry radically changes the way they charge for seats, then think of every seat on every flight as a piece of rotting fruit. THAT seat on THAT day on THAT flight (or segment) is only going to exist once. If the flight takes off and a seat is empty, then it becomes a piece of fruit the airline makes no money on. Now let’s talk about you. You expressed an interest that you want a cheap flight to wherever you are going. Many factors contribute to the cost of an airline seat. These include, the specific airline, the on-board experience, the class of seat, where you are flying from and where you are going and how long it takes to get there. And finally, in some instances how far in advance you book and pay for these seats. For starters, in many cases getting the lowest or cheapest airfare has everything to do with where you live and what airport is your home airport. That’s where the word HUB comes into play or “cities of focus” or operating bases. To give you a clue, research online and check the number of gates an airline occupies at any given airport and then check to see how many flights depart from that airport or city per day. More gates and more flights equal more flexibility when things don’t go as planned. Hubs Why is it important to consider big hubs for the carrier? Because the more fights per day decreases the chances of issues on your air travel day. Issues such as missing your flight, weather delays, crew delays or airplane mechanical problems. Now let’s look at the value of your time. The longer it takes to get somewhere...the less you might pay. Airlines know through years of industry research; the flying public wants non-stop flights. That’s point A (the place you are flying from) to point B (your ultimate destination) without having to stop, or change planes. Therefore, a non-stop flight might be slightly more expensive than an itinerary with stops or connections. Also, the time of day you depart often affects the ticket price. For instance, a 6:00 a.m. departure might be cheaper than the more desirable 9:00 a.m. departure. Seating Given all that, let’s get back to Spirit vs. Allegiant. Both airlines have one class of seating with the exception of Spirit which offers “the big seat up front”. Both charge for your seat assignment. The better the seat, the higher the price. Amenities Both airlines offer snacks and soft drinks inflight. Both have entertainment options and both offer a frequent flier mileage program. Finding Deals
Playing The Game Both of these airlines want you to communicate with them on their terms. In other words, they want you to sign up for their loyalty program. They want you to book through their website and on their App. They want you to make purchases in advance (that’s where some of the cost savings come from). They want you to check in online (or through their App) and they want to communicate with you via text message or email. The more you participate, the more likely you are to have a worry-free flight experience. A Word of Caution Low cost carriers (such as these) are just that. They are NOT less-safe than a larger airline. They are regulated just as much as other carriers by the FAA and the DOT. It means they have less room to maneuver in the event of a travel disruption by them, the weather or you. In some cases, the fare may be cheap, but that's the only flight of the day. If it gets cancelled then you’re out of luck for that day. I fly on low cost carriers about once a month and rarely have worrisome incidents. But I do have my eyes WIDE open. Keep in mind, this information is for educational purposes only and contains editorial opinion by yours truly. Facts contained here may change without notice. We try to keep up with the changes, but I strongly encourage you to do your own research before making travel purchases. Happy travels!  My travel snowflakes, travel normalcy is on the horizon in 2021 and you may be considering Southwest Airlines or Alaska airlines to whisk you away to your next great escape! Today, I am comparing and discussing cheap flights on both.
I have flown on both airlines over the years and have never had an issue with either of them. My most recent trip was on Alaska Airlines from NYC to Los Angeles. But here are points to consider. Southwest Airlines is a much larger airline than Alaska Airlines. But they do compete for the same dollar, so that is why we are comparing the two. Let's start with the basic facts: Origin
Size of the Fleet
Southwest’s entire fleet consists of all Boeing jets while Alaska’s fleet is a mix of Boeing and Airbus. Bombardier Embraer jets are operated by Horizon Air. Destinations
Bag Fees
Before we go any further, deciding HOW you are going to get somewhere via flight can be a seemingly daunting task when it comes to price. But let’s demystify that for you. Let’s look at this idea from an airline’s perspective and then we will get to you. Revenue Management Revenue management is a big deal for airlines. What is the highest price an airline can charge for a seat? The sky's the limit! Let's use a quick analogy to answer. When you look at the produce section of a supermarket, an orange has a fast expiration date. It was picked off the tree, and now it’s ready for you to purchase. The grocer wants to charge as much as he or she can for that orange before throwing it away. Unless the commercial aviation industry radically changes the way they charge for seats, then think of every seat on every flight as a piece of rotting fruit. That seat on that day on that flight (or segment) is only going to exist once. If the flight takes off and a seat is empty, then it becomes a piece of fruit the airline makes no money on. Now let’s talk about you. You expressed an interest that you want a cheap flight to wherever you are going. Many factors contribute to the cost of an airline seat. These include, the specific airline, the on-board experience, the class of seat, where you are flying from and where you are going and how long it takes to get there. And finally, in some instances how far in advance you book and pay for these seats. For starters, in many cases getting the lowest or cheapest airfare has everything to do with where you live and what airport is your home airport. That’s where the word HUB comes into play or “cities of focus” or operating bases. To give you a clue, research online and check the number of gates an airline occupies at any given airport and then check to see how many flights depart from that airport or city per day. More gates and more flights equal more flexibility when things don’t go as planned. Hubs The top five hubs for Southwest include Chicago Midway, Baltimore, MD, Las Vegas, Denver, Dallas Love Field. Alaska's hubs include Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Anchorage and Los Angeles area. Why is this important? Because the more fights per day decreases the chances of issues on your air travel day. Issues such as missing your flight, weather delays, crew delays or airplane mechanical problems. Now let’s look at the value of your time. The longer it takes to get somewhere...the less you might pay. Airlines know through years of industry research; the flying public wants non-stop flights. That’s point A (the place you are flying from) to point B (your ultimate destination) without having to stop, or change planes. Therefore, a non stop flight might be slightly more expensive than an itinerary with stops or connections. Also, the time of day you depart often affects the ticket price. For instance, a 6:00 a.m. departure might be cheaper than the more desirable 9:00 a.m. departure. Seating Given all that, let’s get back to Southwest vs. Alaska. Southwest has one class of seating. Alaska has two cabin seating (First Class or Business Class and Economy). On Southwest, they have an open seating policy. Each passenger is assigned a letter and you board by letter and take any seat you wish. Alaska offers a more traditional seating arrangement whereby you select your seat, or one is assigned to you before you board. Amenities Both airlines offer snacks and soft drinks inflight. Alaska offers full meals on some longer flights and Southwest offers a larger variety of snacks on their longer flights. Both have entertainment options and both offer a frequent flier mileage program. Finding Deals
Keep in mind, this information is for educational purposes only and contains editorial opinion by yours truly. Facts contained here may change without notice. We try to keep up with the changes, but I strongly encourage you to do your own research before making travel purchases. Happy travels! Erik 12/21/2020 1 Comment Erik's 2020 Travel Year In Review My 2020 Travel Year In Review? It was a dumpster fire. It was the disappearance of the dinosaurs. It was an entire civilization wiped out by disease. It was meeting the man of your dreams and then meeting his beautiful wife. Thanks, Alanis. The entire multi-billion dollar travel business essentially went OUT of business in nine months. Why? Because we were all at home trying to figure out how to log on to our children’s online school platform(s).
11/29/2020 1 Comment Plan Now for 2021 Travel Is it in poor taste to be planning your next great vacation now? The short answer is no. The travel industry has been devastated because of this pandemic. This includes the people working in the industry. Therefore, the sooner we get back to vacationing, the faster the industry will recover.
But before we go any further, I’m certain you regard, with respect, the millions of people directly or indirectly affected by this health crisis. I, like you, am grateful for the men and women fighting on the front lines of this pandemic. But this article is looking beyond the horizon to a brighter vacation future ahead. The vaccines are here. But what percentage of the population will get vaccinated? Will you take one? When? And furthermore, will the vaccines work to stop the spread? These are the key questions in determining exactly how and when consumer confidence in travel is restored. In the meantime, let’s get planning and take advantage of deals being offered for future travel. Planning and booking a vacation these days has a couple of extra steps and a few additional considerations. Obviously, please take a vacation as soon as YOU (and your party) feel comfortable and please follow the CDC and local government guidance and travel responsibly. So where do you want to go? “Place” evaluation is important now more than ever. Start your dreaming by asking yourself what you want to see, how you want to feel and where you want to be on your next great escape. Once you have a general idea in mind, begin seeking destinations that may be a good fit. Consider how you’re going to get there, where you’re going to stay and what amenities, services and activities are available. Once you narrow down to a few options, pick up your smartphone and talk to expert residents in those places. Call Or Email The Place Wouldn’t it be great if you could simply call (or email) that place and get specific answers for free? YOU CAN! But, before you do, have some answers ready to provide whoever’s on the other end of the conversation. Have Your Information Ready Essentially, have your specifics ready to provide. These are the “5 w’s”. Here’s my short list with a few example answers...
Have Your Specific Questions Ready Obviously, every place you visit has plenty of things to see and do for most vacation goers, but I suggest you garner answers specific coronavirus questions such as the following:
How To Contact A Place Most “places” in the United States (and others) have official tourism bureaus. These are called Convention & Visitors Bureaus or Chambers of Commerce. They can be found online by typing the name of the place you’re considering plus the word official plus the letters C-V-B. They all have options for contacting them. I suggest you call them during regular business hours. Remember, they too are dealing with staffing issues during this pandemic so give them a few hours (or up to one business day) to respond. In most cases, they will honestly answer your questions based on real-time, on-the-ground knowledge. In addition, they can point you in the right direction for additional information. I have always been a big fan of these organizations and they’ve been around for a long time. They are usually funded by the taxes collected from visitors such as “hotel tax”. They may also be funded by membership by local businesses. Doing a little recon in advance will go a long way to saving you and your family time and money! Save travels and stay vacated! Erik 7/1/2020 0 Comments My First Pandemic Flight This past Monday, I took my first commercial flight since the start of this pandemic...and guess what? It was fine. Now let’s be clear. In the US, most domestic flights are six hours or shorter. My flight was 90 minutes wheels up to touchdown. It was in a non-stop flight from Newark Liberty to McGhee Tyson (Knoxville, TN) on board an Allegiant A320. In short, the flight, service, crew interaction and actual flying went even smoother than I had expected. So here’s the rundown.
 As the coronavirus pandemic continues here in the US and around the world, signs of normalcy are beginning to emerge and businesses are beginning to reopen. I believe the entire vacation ecosystem will evolve over time. However, if you are considering staying closer to home in Washington, DC but still venturing out for a little fresh air (and change of scenery), then consider a destination from this list of 13 all within a three-hour drive of Washington, DC.
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AuthorI am on a mission to get you traveling more often. As the host of the Emmy award- winning, nationally syndicated television television for PBS and the Create channel, "Beyond Your Backyard," I travel (on average) 25 weeks per year. I am very grateful for the opportunity to meet cool people, experience new places, eat delicious food and work with the best production crew in the world. Hopefully, through this blog, you will join me on my travels and be reminded just how exciting it is to be alive! CategoriesAll Airlines Car Rental Roadtrips Cruises Family Travel Inspiring Lodging Places - Caribbean Places Europe Places Mexico Places US Planning Archives
December 2021
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MEET ERIK THE TRAVEL GUY
My name is Erik Hastings, (a.k.a. Erik the Travel Guy) and I am an EMMY award-winning television personality who speaks directly to viewers who simply "get their vacations wrong". In addition to being a single dad of two amazing children, I am the host and managing editor of the internationally syndicated television series "Beyond Your Backyard" for public broadcasting stations (PBS) and other networks/VOD platforms. I am thrilled to be a part of an incredibly talented team of industry pros and the editorial driving force of my media platform. While the travel industry directly supports millions of families worldwide, I believe travel makes the world a better place. Through exploration and discovery, I have learned that travel brings cultures together. Read Erik's Full Bio.
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