Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast

Tamara is hosting an all-women small group trip to Portugal this fall and she would love for you to join her! Find out all the details and sign up here . In this episode, Tamara talks about her two-week German Christmas Markets road trip! If you have this magical holiday trip on your radar, make sure to give this episode a close listen and check out the following articles: German Christmas Market...

Before we say goodbye to summer and pull on our flannels and break out the pumpkin spice, Tamara and Kim are back with a recap of Tamara's European summer travels including a month spent exploring France by river and barge cruise! Tamara first spent two weeks in the United Kingdom, on a road trip through both Scotland and Wales with two other travel writers. She then took the Eurostar down to Fran...

Well it has been a minute since we had a chance to catch up and record a podcast but in this episode Tamara shares her insights and experience from her recent family trip to Japan. Kim and Tamara also share their love for Scottsdale, Arizona and some of the things they did on a girls' trip together. Read more at: Scottsdale girls weekend Reasons to visit Scottsdale in summer Best Scottsdale Arizon...

  Kim took a last minute spring break trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland with her younger daughter and this week on the podcast, she tells us all about it! She flew into Dublin and then stay at a country estate hotel in Northern Ireland before visiting Belfast, the Causeway Coast, Derry/Londonderry, and Galway before looping back to Dublin. See Kim's articles on: Ireland travel tips Ireland pack...

Spring break is almost here and on this episode Kim and Tamara share their experience on a girls' trip in Oceanside, California and then their mother-daughter trip to Disneyland with their girls.  If you want some inspiration for a SoCal getaway, be sure to listen in!

Happy New Year! We are back and apologize for taking so long to release a new episode. Moving forward, we will strive to have one episode a month to share our travels and tips, as we continue to each put more time into our respective websites. But first, Tamara has a big announcement and that is that she is hosting a women-only small group trip to Iceland in September 2023! You can get all the inf...

This episode is sponsored by Glacier Country Tourism. All opinions are our own. This week, Tamara shares what it is like to visit Glacier Country, Montana on a girls' trip and Kim shares her thoughts on this scenic part of Northwestern Montana. From Missoula to Whitefish, Kalispell to Glacier National Park -- if Montana is on your bucket list, give this episode a listen! Read more: Adventurous Wee...

We are back from our summer travel and packed a whole lot into a one episode recap! We apologize in advance for some audio difficulties on this one, especially after taking so long to get it live. Thanks for hanging in there with us! On this episode we cover Tamara's summer trips to: Nantucket (read her 3 days in Nantucket itinerary ) New Brunswick, Canada ( Road trip itinerary , places to stop on...

We are still catching up about our spring break trips and this time Kim shares the ups and downs from a Norwegian Cruise Lines voyage from New York City to the Bahamas with stops in "Orlando" and Norwegian's private island. Listen in and see if you are ready to set sail. In NYC, Kim stayed in the Hyatt Centric in Times Square for 2 nights before her cruise. The hotel was part of the American Expre...

After a long hiatus, we are back with an update! Unfortunately Tamara and Kim both came down with COVID after returning from their respective spring break trips, which has delayed getting a new episode out. But this week Tamara fills us in on her adventures (and misadventures) on spring break and shares some of the highlights and tips from her week in Paris. Paris Trip Highlights This post contain...

Travel is roaring back and before you jet off on spring break, here are a few things you need to know about flying. Tamara and Kim break down which airlines charge fees for baggage, carry on bags, seat assignments, and more. Be prepared and know what to expect before you book your next flight! Airfares are pricey this year with increased demand and increase fuel prices When booking airfare, keep i...

Wondering how to earn more points towards travel? Trying to decide which travel credit card is the best fit for your family? This week we chat with points and miles expert Jennifer Yellin about the best travel credit cards for families. Kim and Tamara also talk about the changing travel restrictions in Europe, the Caribbean, and cruises. Note that since this podcast was recorded, Italy has also dr...

Family travel adventurer Karilyn Owen, from NoBackHome.com, shares her love of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California. Find out why you should look beyond Yosemite to these lesser visited National Parks. Tamara also shares a some new attractions in New York City that you should check out if you are planning a visit soon. About Karilyn Owen Karilyn, the founder of the popular family...

This week we explore two regions of Portugal. One, the Algarve, is popular for its cliffs, beaches, and sea caves. The other, Alentejo, is lesser-known but serves as the breadbasket of Portugal and is a popular wine region. Our guest, Rachel Laidler, Head of Portugal for EPIC Travel, is an expert in both. About Rachel Laidler Rachel Laidler is the Head of Portugal for EPIC Travel, a custom travel...

It is a new year and time to start dreaming about planning an amazing family vacation to celebrate getting through the last two years. Since so many of us are in that dreaming stage right now, this week we talk to Tara Cannon, from Pint Size Pilot, to get her recommendations on some epic family vacation destinations and unique hotels for families to spark your wanderlust. About Tara Cannon Tara Ca...

Before we look ahead to 2022, we take some time to look back at 2021 and recap some of our favorite travel places and travel products. Tamara's Favorite Things for 2021 This post contains affiliate links, if you click a link and make a purchase, we may make a small commission. All opinions are our own. Products: Peak Design travel tripod https://amzn.to/3EUTXVz Yoozon self-stick and tripod with Bl...

What is green and blue and volcanic all over? This week on the podcast, Kim and Tamara are joined by Katja Gaskell from Globetotting.com to talk about their recent trip to the Azores in a continuation of our Portugal coverage. The Azores are an archipelago of nine Portuguese islands in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean and they are a unique blend of the landscapes of Hawaii, Ireland or Wales,...

Tamara and Kim recently traded the northern cold and rain for Arizona's sunny skies on a "momcation" or girlfriend getaway to Tempe, Arizona. Find out what makes this college city a great option for either a family vacation or a girls' trip. With plenty of outdoor activities and great food, there is a lot about Tempe that may surprise you! Note: This episode was created in partnership with Tempe T...

Cruising is making a comeback and this week we talk to couples travel and cruising experts Dan and Mikkel Woodruff to learn about their recent cruise experience. About Dan and Mikkel Woodruff Dan and Mikkel are a husband and wife team who write about couples travel and cruising (with a focus on small format cruises) around the world. Their adventures take them as far away as Southeast Asia, to the...

Our 200th episode kicks off a series of podcast episodes covering Kim and Tamara's recent EPIC trip to Portugal. This week we are joined by Kirsten Maxwell, from Kids Are a Trip and Multigenerational Vacations to talk about visiting Porto and the Douro Valley in Northern Portugal. Stay tuned for future episodes on the Alentejo, Algarve and Azores regions of Portugal! Disclosure: Our trip was hoste...

Is the weather starting to change where you live? Autumn has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere and this week Kim and Tamara talk about where they have visited recently for fall travel and some other fall favorites. Full Episode Transcript [00:00:00.000] - Kim Tate It's time to fall into fall travel.   [00:00:14.670] - Announcer Welcome to Vacation Mavens, a family travel podcast with ideas for yo...

You know how you always hear people talking about getting free stays at hotels or status perks? How do they do that? Find out! This week on the podcast we talk road warrior Ed Pizza from the Miles to Go podcast about the best hotel loyalty programs for families and ways to earn status and free hotel stays. About Our Sponsor: Room Steals Today's episode is sponsored by Room Steals.  Listeners may r...

This week Kim and Tamara are catching up on their respective August travels. Kim shares what it is like to cross the land border between Canada and the USA right now, plus what you need to know before you go. Meanwhile, Tamara almost made it to the Canadian border on her Western New York road trip, but not quite. She tells us about her eating adventures along the Upstate Eats Trail in Syracuse, Ro...

We all know Cancun, and maybe even the Riviera Maya, Tulum, or Playa del Carmen...but did you know there is so much more to the Yucatan Peninsula? This week we chat with Rossana Wyatt from Life is Full of Adventures to learn more about the Yucatan state of Mexico, Mérida, Mayan ruins, and other things to see on the Yucatan peninsula. ABOUT OUR SPONSOR: ROOM STEALS Today's episode is sponsored by R...

Wondering what it is like to visit Disneyland now that California is reopened? Want to hear about a fun place to stay near Disneyland that makes a great family vacation? Tune in this week while Kim shares her family's experience in Disneyland and Irvine, California. About Our Sponsor: Room Steals Today's episode is sponsored by Room Steals.  Listeners may remember Room Steals from our discussion o...