When it comes to tropical getaways, few destinations capture the imagination quite like Bali and Sri Lanka. Both offer stunning landscapes, warm hospitality, rich cultural traditions, and luxurious private villas that elevate any vacation. Travelers seeking privacy, comfort, and personalized experiences often find themselves choosing between these two paradise destinations. While each offers unique advantages, the ideal choice depends on the type of villa experience you are looking for.

When Emma was little, we stayed in a cottage that called itself family-friendly. There was a games room. There was a welcome pack with crayons and a coloring book. There was, unmentioned in the listing, a pull-out sofa bed with a mattress so thin you could feel the metal bar through it. Emma was up by 5:30 every morning of the trip. So was I.

In this guide, I have put together nine of our family's favorite places to travel together, with a "before you go" section inside each one. Here is what we have loved, what we have learned, and the resources that turn anticipation into preparation.

After almost two decades of publishing Wandering Educators, I greet every new travel planning tool the same way: with curiosity, and with my suitcase-tested skepticism close at hand.

The question filling my inbox this year?

Should I use AI to plan my travel?

My answer?

The era of tapping on greasy kiosks is slowly fading, making way for sophisticated conversational intelligence. Here's what is going on.

Quick Answer

A capable mountain filmmaker pairs craft with environmental fluency. Prioritizes documented work at altitude, current Parks Canada permits, redundant audio and battery systems, and a reel that shows consistent exposure across snowfields, shaded forest, and ridgeline light. Verifies cold-weather protocols, insured gear, and a written contingency plan for shifting alpine conditions before signing. A good elopement videographer earns the booking on preparation, not aesthetics alone.

On a misty grey morning at Scotland’s historic Culloden Battlefield, our daughter Lillie did not want to leave.

We had arrived early. Hours (and hours) later, a guide came to tell us the site was closing. Lillie kept going back to the same long stretch of Drummossie Moor, listening hard to the wind. She wandered to and from Leanach Cottage, meandering among clan grave markers, treading lightly and with respect. She asked questions, then went back to the marsh to think. 

Hendricks County, Indiana will once again host one of the nation’s biggest events promoting awareness and education of the American Indian culture.

Headed to Stratford, Ontario? It’s one of my favorite towns, ever! Of course, you will spend hours at the Festival Theatre. While my cup of recommendations for things to see, taste, and experience in Stratford runneth over, I have a marvelous suggestion for something you should definitely include – and a fascinating person you must meet.