The Erica James Travel Show

Today, I’m talking to William Hollingworth. He is the author of All 48: Drive Your Dreams , a true story about him and his wife, Jessica, as they navigate young parenthood, William’s deployment in the army, and into the spontaneous road trip that sparked their desire to see more of the world. In this episode, you will hear about their journey, how to plan for a road trip, how to get double the exp...

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Welcome back to another episode about Costa Rica! This time, I’ll be telling you about Planet Hollywood, the all-inclusive resort where I stayed for two whole weeks in Costa Rica. There are many reviews online about every resort and experience, and sometimes you can’t tell if they’re reliable or not, so I went to experience Planet Hollywood and Riu Palace Costa Rica so that I could give you my rec...

After the ordeal that I spoke about in the previous episode, I finally had my vacation in Costa Rica. Despite the flight cancellation that delayed my trip by one day, I still managed to spend around 21 days in Costa Rica, and it was amazing. If you ever get the opportunity to go to Costa Rica, there are a few things that you need to know, and a few experiences that you need to have in order to mak...

Welcome to 2022! I’m sure many of you are familiar with the message of “a delay is not a denial.” Today, I’m putting it into the context of travel. A delayed flight is not the end of a vacation. Even a cancelled flight doesn’t have to cancel your trip. Most of you probably know that I recently travelled to Costa Rica, and on the way there, my flight was cancelled. I could’ve cancelled my entire tr...

Did you know that in 2018 there were 768 million days of vacation that were just not taken in the US alone? 236 million of those days didn’t carry over to 2019. That’s $65.5 Billion in benefits just thrown away. This is what the No Vacation Nation looks like – just giving away vacation days, and for what? Are you expecting an award for perfect attendance? Do you live in the No Vacation Nation? Sup...

It was my birthday recently. #VirgoFTW For my birthday, I went to Atlanta with a few friends. Atlanta is where I would go twice a year for my travels, before I did any of my international trips, so going back there for my birthday was pure nostalgia. I was invited to Atlanta for a bachelorette party, and because it was my birthday, we decided to take that weekend and turn up all over Atlanta. Supp...

Let me just ask you: are you living your best life? It might seem like a straightforward question, but have you really thought about the answer? Today’s episode is going to be some more travel motivation, but you can really apply these tips to any part of your life. Whatever your best life looks like, whether it’s traveling the world, skydiving, climbing mountains, or searching for the greatest Fr...

I don’t know if any of you have noticed, but we’re in the middle of a pandemic. Destinations have restrictions on travel, and these restrictions are constantly changing. If you’re expecting a smooth travel experience, now is not the time to look for it. You can, however, take whichever situation you’re in, lower your expectations, and find happiness in the parts that are going well. Today, I have...

Like the last episode, today’s episode is about happiness. More specifically, it’s about being responsible for your own happiness. Are you taking responsibility for your happiness? When was the last time someone gave you a look that you didn’t appreciate, and did you get upset about it? If you did, you’ve given that person control over your happiness. Today, I’m going to give you the things that y...

Today, I need to talk about happiness. I just came back from a group trip, and having to adjust to different people’s personalities, moods, needs, and wants can sometimes be a bit tiring, especially when there are people with a permanent bad vibe. If you are a naturally happy, fun-loving person, you know that you don’t want those negative vibes to rub off on you. Neither do I. No one wants it. So,...

I have an amazing story about one of my clients that I have to share with you all today. She thought she couldn’t travel by herself. She was determined not to get on the plane on her own. This is the story of so many travellers who reach the gate and panic, and then decide to ditch their plans because of their fears. In the end, she went on her trip. She got on that plane and she went on her vacat...

Today’s episode is all about how to work with a travel agent. Planning a vacation can be stressful, and you shouldn’t have to try to do it on your own. Travel agents are the solution – we can ensure that you have the perfect vacation while keeping your pockets satisfied. As a travel agent myself, there are a few pointers that I can give you to ensure that the travel planning, and eventually the tr...

In today’s episode, I need to talk about vacation budgets. If you don’t know how to budget properly, it can have serious consequences on your finances. Not everyone’s money has no limits, and the thought of a more-than-average vacation could seem out of reach for many people. As a travel agent, I start things off by asking about my clients’ budgets. Why? So that I can make that budget work for the...

Today, I’m talking to Karen Gershowitz. She’s a recently-retired successful businesswoman, author, and mentor. Plus, while holding down a full-time job, she traveled to over 90 countries. If you ever need an example of what is possible, Karen’s whole life is that example. In this episode, you will get to hear about her fascinating life of travel, career, and adventure, and she will show you how yo...

Today is a bit of a different episode. We’re going to talk about the importance of taking a vacation. Yes, taking vacations are not just for having fun once a year. They’re also there for your health. Now, they’re only good for your health if you properly prepare yourself beforehand. In this episode, I have Dr Leo Flanagan, psychologist and trauma expert, and he is going to tell us exactly why vac...

Have you ever thought about renting out a villa for your vacation? It probably sounds too expensive, so you’d rather go to an all-inclusive resort, right? Well, Steve from Villas of Distinction is here today to talk about the benefits of staying at a vacation home rather than at a resort. Support the show Contact Erica James Follow me and tag me on Instagram at @EJtheTravelDiva Tweet me at @EJtheT...

Today, I get to talk to Nicole L. Davis.  Nicole’s career was on its way to her becoming an international businesswoman when she decided to make a change and become a flight attendant for a major airline.  In this episode, she will be getting into the details about her life as a flight attendant - it’s not the lifestyle that you’re imagining it is, but she does get to travel the world. She also ta...

Today, I am talking to Laura Adams, finance analyst, and insurance expert. She has been in over 2000 interviews, featured on major networks such as ABC World News, NBC, CBS, and FOX. She knows what she’s talking about. We’re going to talk about all things travel insurance. This is one of my favourite topics, and it’s also extremely important for those who want to travel. Support the show Contact E...

For this episode, I am going to be telling you about my experience staying at The Hideaway at Royalton Negril in Jamaica. The previous time I stayed in Jamaica, I spent 2 weeks at the Royalton Negril . Both the Royalton Negril and the Hideaway are on the same property, but are separate resorts - the Hideaway is the adult-only side of the property. Today, I’ll be giving you my tips, tricks, and sug...

Today, I’ll be talking to Stacey from She Travelin’. Stacey has been to over 40 countries, she has traveled solo and in groups, she has done road trips, stayed in hostels in Portugal and Singapore, and she even owns an RV. We’ll be talking about all of that and more as we get to know this incredible woman who’s making it happen for herself and others. Support the show Contact Erica James Follow me...

Today, I have Tiffany Heard on the show! Tiffany is a Ghana travel expert, author of Hues of Africa, blogger, volunteer, and world traveller. We’re going to get into all things Africa - what she has experienced in her many visits there, and what we need to know when we decide to visit Africa ourselves. This episode is definitely going to inspire you to learn more, travel more, and experience more,...

I’ve been talking about being a tourist in your hometown, so I decided to actually do it myself so that I could tell you what the experience was like. I took some time to be a tourist in my hometown of Nashville, Tennessee - yes, Music City itself, and today, I’m here to give you the ins and outs of my staycation, and the information you need to become a tourist in your own hometown as well. Suppo...

I just got back from a weekend vacation in my own hometown of Nashville. I stayed at a resort, visited some great restaurants and bars, and did some tours, just like I would if I was a tourist. If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we need to appreciate the things that we have, and if you’re a traveller like me, to enjoy the destinations that are right around us. Your own city is a to...

Today, I’m going to be talking about my hometown, Nashville, Tennessee. Joining me is Staci Flores, Tourism Sales Manager from the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, and we’re going to get into vacationing in Nashville, what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of what Nashville has to offer. Support the show Contact Erica James Follow me and tag me on Instagram at @EJtheTravelDiva...