I've got a wonderful site to share with you today. J the Travel Authority  is written by Jeanine Barone, traveler extraordinaire. Jeanine has written for many travel magazines and sites, including National Geographic Traveler and Conde Nast Traveler. She's an excellent traveler - and writer - every time I head to her site, I start MORE travel planning! She's shared her experiences in over 30 countries, as well as food & wine, for several years now. I love her site! 

We were lucky enough to sit down with Jeanine and chat about her travel background, favorite places, and more. Here's what she had to say...

WE: Please tell us about your site, J the Travel Authority...

JB: The site provides tips and advice on what I call hidden treasure travel. I'm always looking to get off the typical tourist track. So at J The Travel Authority, readers will find out about off-the-beaten track destinations or under-the-radar sites even in the most well-trafficked venues.

Spain's Extremadura province

WE: What was the genesis of your site?

JB: I'm always offering people advice on better ways to travel, how to stay healthy on the road or on out-of-the-way but charming hotels or restaurants. And I kept hearing that I should start a blog. I didn't intend to be a blogger because I have plenty of work as a travel writer for newspapers and magazines. But during Christmas week 2008 when all my friends went away on vacation and I had plenty of free time, I decided to take the plunge.

WE: What is your travel background? What things are important for you to discover on your travels?

JB: I've been traveling all over the world since freshman year in college. I would always look for places or sites that other people weren't visiting, like the national parks in Estonia or a cod fish museum in Norway. Authenticity is key when I'm traveling. I am not interested in staying at a chain hotel or visiting a restaurant serving typical American food. If I hear that someone is making artisanal cheeses or chocolates, for example, or if there is a chef in a small hamlet producing amazing cuisine using local, seasonal ingredients, that's where I want to go. Another thing that's important to me is nature. I'm always looking for the opportunity to bicycle on a greenway or hike in a nature reserve. Even in urban environments, if there is a pristine green space, I'll find it.

Winery in the Vinho Verde region of Portugal

WE: You've got articles on your site for SO many countries - what are your favorite places?

JB: My favorite countries are the four that are my specialty: Spain, Portugal, Israel and Iceland. I visit each of these about once a year. And, for each, I try to dispel myths so that readers can come away with a new understanding of the country and its people.

For example, Israel is always associated with two things: the conflict and religious sites. Instead, I focus in on things like wine festivals, mountain biking in the desert or new boutique hotels that have opened. Many people have the view that Iceland has the worst  food in the world -- probably because we hear about fermented shark meat, which is a traditional food. But Reykjavik has some of the best chefs who receive culinary awards each year for their creative cuisine. Portugal also gets short shrift for its food because tourists are under the impression that it's all about cod. Again, not true. Lisbon has some restaurants, for example, where chefs are giving traditional dishes an inventive twist.

And for Spain, so many people focus in on Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and other major cities. But, though these are wonderful destinations, I also love to explore, e.g., the Extremadura province, which sees few visitors from North America probably because it's super hot in the summer (I love hot weather, though) and most locals don't speak English. But tourists will be rewarded with, among other things, the city of Merida with its many Roman ruins.

Cappadocia, Turkey

WE: You also talk about food and wine - what is critical for you, when finding great places to eat while traveling?

JB: I'm very partial to small restaurants where the chef is striving to do something different. It might be molecular gastronomy, which I happen to love because it can be so curiously creative, or it simply  could be a new take on a family recipe. But what's especially important for me are seasonal and local ingredients.

I do a lot of research before I go on my trip (posting on message boards, and so forth) and, once I arrive, I often ask locals who work in or own  small independent shops or inns that I'm visiting or also bartenders at interesting bars that I find.

WE: How can travelers best prepare for their journeys?

JB: As I mentioned, I do extensive research, relying on a variety of sources that include several different guide books (since relying on just one only gives one kind of perspective), as well as visiting tourist board websites, online archives of newspapers (such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, and The Guardian and the Times - London), as well as message boards and blogs associated with that particular destination. I often post a relevant question or two online as well, such as on Lonely  Planet's Thorn Tree forum or on Trip Advisor.

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

WE: How do you suggest families give back, while traveling?

JB: I'm very big on volunteering, whether I'm in my home town (New York City) or on the road. There are a number of volunteer programs that allow you and your family to travel while giving back to the community, for example
Volunteer America (http://www.voa.org/), Volunteers for Peace (http://www.vfp.org/), Habitat for Humanity (http://www.habitat.org/),
and the Global Citizens Network (http://www.globalcitizens.org/).

WE: Thanks so very much, Jeanine. We highly recommend your site to our Wandering Educators!

For more information, please see:

http://www.jthetravelauthority.com/

Feature photo: La Balagne Corsica

All photos courtesy and copyright Jeanine Barone