Latest from Stefan Brand
20 Articles
10 South American Cities Some Tourists Say Feel Unsafe
South America draws millions of visitors every year for its mountains, coastlines, and colonial architecture, yet safety concerns keep coming up in traveler for
8 Things Hotels Now Charge for That Used to Be Free
A hotel stay used to come with a handful of unspoken assumptions: parking was included, breakfast was often thrown in, and checking out a bit late wasn't a fede
The 7 Countries Where Women Need Male Approval to File for Divorce
Ending a marriage is rarely simple anywhere in the world, but in a handful of countries the process is shaped by something far more restrictive than paperwork a
15 Quiet Signs a Hotel Is Far Better Than the Price Suggests
Most travelers assume a great hotel announces itself with marble floors, a rooftop pool, and a price tag to match. But some of the best stays in America happen
4 Secrets Travel Agents Are Told Not to Mention – Former Agents Reveal
Booking a trip through a travel agent still feels like getting a friend in the business, someone working purely on your behalf. In many ways that's true. But th
Is Mexico City Still Safe for Digital Nomads? What 2026 Crime Data Shows
Mexico City has spent the last few years riding two very different headlines at once. On one side, it keeps landing on "best places to live and work remotely" l
The Small Passport Detail That's Getting Travelers Denied at the Gate
You pack the sunscreen. You double check the hotel confirmation. You even remember the phone charger this time. Then you get to the airport, hand over your pass
14 Things Worth Asking for at Breakfast on the First Morning
Most travelers treat their first hotel breakfast like a formality: grab a plate, pile on eggs, mumble a thank-you, and shuffle off to start the day. That's exac
Ranking 6 of America’s Most Iconic Road Trips, Worst to Best
There's a particular kind of restlessness that only a long stretch of open highway can cure. America has more official scenic byways than most people could driv
Forget summer – these East Coast beach towns are better in autumn
Summer gets all the credit along the Eastern Seaboard, but anyone who has actually stuck around past Labor Day knows the real secret. The crowds thin, the light
10 Things Gate Agents Wish Travelers Knew About Flight Upgrades
Every gate agent has heard the same hopeful pitch a thousand times: a friendly smile, a mention of a honeymoon, maybe a slightly nicer outfit than usual. Most t
10 Things Experienced Flyers Always Keep in Their Personal Item
Frequent travelers develop habits that casual flyers rarely notice, and most of it comes down to what sits in that one bag tucked under the seat. While checked
4 Things Long-Distance Rail Regulars Always Bring on Board
Ask anyone who rides trains for six, ten, or even twenty hours at a stretch, and you'll notice a pattern in what ends up in their bag. It's rarely the same stuf
6 Cities Where Retirees Can Live on $1,750 a Month and Still Enjoy Great Weather
Retirement budgets and warm weather don't always seem to belong in the same sentence. Most people assume that sunshine comes with a premium price tag, whether t
6 Things Pilots Wish Passengers Knew Before a Long-Haul Flight
Long-haul flights have a way of turning ordinary travelers into amateur meteorologists, cabin engineers, and sleep scientists all at once. Somewhere over an oce
9 Things at the Airport Gate That Instantly Mark an Experienced Traveler
Airport gates are strange little theaters. Everyone is waiting for the same thing, yet the way people wait tells you almost everything about how much time they'
4 Places Where Locals Protest Tourists – and 5 That Welcome Their Money
Travel has always been a trade of sorts. Visitors bring money and curiosity, and in exchange they expect open doors, cheap flights, and a warm welcome. But that
Why I've Moved On From Cancún – Time for Something New
I used to be the person who booked Cancún without even checking other options. The direct flights, the familiar hotel zone, the reliable turquoise water on post
The world's smallest country by population – you could fit everyone into one stadium
There's a certain kind of trivia that sounds made up until you check it twice. The idea that an entire sovereign nation, complete with its own government, posta
This country has more pyramids than Egypt – and almost no one visits them
Ask most people to picture a pyramid and they'll describe Giza: the flat desert, the tour buses, the crowds jostling for a photo with a camel in the background.