October 23, 2015, BuzzFeed || If it’s your first time visiting Hawaii, you’ll probably want a bit of everything: Instagram-worthy scenery. Volcanoes. Waterfalls. Beach resorts. Maybe even whales. Maui, the second largest Hawaiian island, covers all these bases, plus more. Here are 15 reasons you should go here if you’re a Hawaii first-timer. Read more>>
Author: jmoss5
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Want to Work Abroad? 8 Places that Are Cheap, Wired, and Welcoming
October 22, 2015, Creator by WeWork || If transit delays are starting to get you down, or your cubicle walls have you feeling like an inmate on Orange is the New Black, it might be time to take your work on the road. Once you’ve figured out how to work remotely, the next step is to decide where to do it.
There are a lot of things to consider: budget, accessibility, visas, and foreign business requirements being just a few. One of the best resources for choosing a place to work is Nomad List, a site that ranks destinations based on internet speed, cost of living, friendliness towards outsiders, and more. You’ll also find guides and tips from other digital nomads.
If you’re ready to start living location-independent, here are some of the best places to set up shop around the world. Read more>>
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Booking a Flight? A Little Extra Work Gets You the Cheapest Fares
October 15, 2015, Creator by WeWork || Is Hipmunk better than Kayak? Did you just spend too much on that Expedia vacation? What the heck is ITA Matrix?
While most travelers check out multiple websites when planning a trip, if you tried to scan every airline and travel booking site to make sure you get the best deal, you’d never have time to actually take that vacation.
The truth is there’s no one “best” site for booking airline tickets; it all depends what you’re looking for.
These days, most sites have things like fare alerts, package deals, and comparisons to other sites. But every airline search engine or online travel agent has its strengths and weaknesses. You may find better deals at some sites, whereas others have features or information that will make your trip run more smoothly.
Here’s the run-down on what sets these sites apart, and which one might be the best for you. We tracked fares for the same dates from New York to Las Vegas and Boston to London, giving you the rundown on who has the cheapest fares, whether for fun or business. Read more>>
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How to Work From Almost Anywhere
October 7, 2015, Creator by WeWork || Tap a button, and you can chat with someone in Shanghai. Email someone in Milan. Tweet to someone in Vancouver. And you can do this from anywhere; from your office in New York, from a beach in Thailand, or from a mountain in the French Alps.
As the world grows more connected, more workers are disconnecting—from their office—and going mobile.
Welcome to the era of the digital nomad. Read more>>
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Urban Escapes: Best Places to See Fall Foliage without a Car
October 1, 2015, Creator by WeWork || Fall: a time for football, pumpkin-flavored everything, and, of course, fall foliage. Leaf peepers are tracking peak date predictions in hopes of timing their pilgrimage just right. But what if your job is so demanding that you don’t have the time to drive out to soak in the changing countryside?
The solution: an urban foliage adventure. Many cities offer fantastic fall colors, and all you need is a bus or bike to get there. You just need to know where to look. Whether it’s a city park that ignites into a rainbow of hues, or a trail that transforms a run into a leaf peeping expedition, here are the best places to take in an autumn landscape—no car required. Read more>>
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Why You Should Think Twice Before Quitting Your Job to Travel
September 24, 2015, Creator by WeWork || Every day there seems to be a new story about an overworked office slave who broke free and now lives an inspirational life of travel. Or someone who quit their job to travel in an RV. Or a tiny house. Or a couple whose travel blogsupports their vagabonding.
It sounds nice, doesn’t it? Save some money, then spend your days in sun-soaked Spain or meeting fellow ex-pats in South America. But blog posts and social media can be deceiving. The harsh reality is that quitting your job to travel isn’t as easy as getting a WordPress site and a selfie stick.
Just ask Chanel Cartell and Stevo Dirnberger, who quit their advertising jobs to travel, and wound up scrubbing toilets to be able to eat.
So what’s it really like to leave it all behind and live an international life of leisure? We asked some travelers who’ve made the jump to weigh in on some of the realities they’ve faced. Read more>>
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How 5 Travel Companies Rock Social Media
September 10, 2015, Creator by WeWork || Wish scrolling through those daydream-inducing travel photos on your feed could also make you better at your job?
Well, actually, it can.
Skift, a travel industry news site, announced winners of the Skifties, an annual social media contest. These brands stand out as the best in class when it comes to social media, from cutting-edge digital campaigns to trendsetting customer service.
Follow these brands and you’ll get more than vacation ideas—you’ll learn best practices and ideas that easily translate to other industries. The full list of winners is available here, but here are five of our favorite social lessons from travel brands. Read more>>
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12 Great Last-Minute Labor Day Escapes
September 3, 2015, Creator by WeWork || No plans for Labor Day? Don’t relegate yourself to a staycation.
If you didn’t book anything already, you’re in luck. Expedia found that most people book Labor Day escapes at the last minute. In fact, last year, only 20 percent of travelers had made their plans a month before the holiday.
Here are some of this year’s best last-minute Labor Day getaways around the country. Many of these can be done as day trips or longer stays, depending on your budget and schedule. Read more>>
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What to Do with 2 Days in Chicago
In August I traveled to Chicago for 2 days. While much of it was spent in meetings, I was able to eat, drink, and see some of Chicago’s finest. Here’s what I did:
How I Got There
I snagged a great Wanna Get Away fare on Southwest Airlines. Flew DCA to Midway for $98 round-trip … and only booked it two weeks in advance. (Guess that’s what a Tuesday — Friday schedule gets you!)
Where I Stayed
JW Marriott Chicago: The hotel is about a 10-minute walk from Millennium Park, and is blocks from the Willis Tower. It’s a nice upscale city hotel. There’s a large lobby with a bar and lounge area (though it didn’t stay open all that late). It’s in the Loop, so surrounded by businessy spots like Starbucks and take-out lunch restaurants. Rooms were cool, clean, and have those wonderful Marriott beds.
Day 1
The Bean: My favorite place to photograph in Chicago. I snuck a visit in before work and snapped some pics of the buildings and blue sky reflections.
Tortas Frontera: From chef Rick Bayless, this Mexican quick-lunch spot serves hand-crafted sandwiches and a salad with lime-avocado dressing that I never would have ordered had it not been recommended by a colleague. Now I can’t wait to get back and order another one of those salads…
City Winery Chicago Riverwalk: This whole Riverwalk district is brand new, with bars, restaurants, and more kayak rental shops than I’ve ever seen in a city. The winery was bursting with post-work happy hour-ers, and since you can’t take your drinks beyond a certain point, I just sat on the steps and watched the boats chug along the river a few feet away.
Parlor Pizza Bar: Pizza in Chicago means one thing: deep dish. Except not at this West Loop hotspot, where Neapolitan pies are as creatively topped as they are named (check out the Cheesus, Mary & Joseph).
RM Champagne: This West Loop champagne bar has a great outdoor patio. Twinkle lights, exposed brick, and 12 types of bubbly all help you forget the fact that you’re kind of drinking in an alley. (There’s also a large indoor space.)
Three Dots and a Dash: My colleagues and I closed out the night at this underground tiki-style bar. It’s known for its cocktails, but I’m even more of a fan of the ceramic tropical mugs that the drinks come in.
Day 2
Wrigley Rooftops: 3643 n. Sheffield: After a day of meetings we took a trolley from the Loop out to Wrigleyville for a Cubs game at the Wrigley Rooftops. New updates to Wrigley Field (a big jumbotron and more public space) has spoiled the view from some of the rooftop venues, but we could see everything but the deep outfield. The rooftops aren’t so much about the baseball, but more about the all-you-can-eat-and-drink deals. The menu included dogs, brats, and some ballpark sides, plus a good selection of wine and beer.
Cindy’s Rooftop: The rooftop bar and restaurant at the Chicago Athletic Association has a prime view overlooking the Bean, Millennium Park, and Lake Michigan. The place has an industrial-chic style and a cocktail menu called the “Potions & Elixirs” list.
Hangge Uppe: A go-to late night dance party bar, apparently any night of the week. Come here if you want to keep the party going until 4 a.m. Think college dive, not techo club.
