Jessie on a Journey

When traveling, I enjoy immersive experiences where you learn by doing rather than looking. While Penfold’s tasting bar in South Australia’s Barossa Valley allows you to sample wines firsthand, the Make Your Own Blend Experience allows you to experience the same process winemakers do when creating a blended wine. You’ll don a [...]

Before visiting Jordan I had never traveled to the Middle East and had no idea what to expect from my trip. While I had a few thoughts of what the destination might be like the trip completely shattered many stereotypes of the Middle East I had in my mind. To [...]

One of my favorite ways to get to know a culture is through their national and regional drinks. Here, I share some of my favorite libations from around the world, so you can bring them from abroad to your home. Caipirinha - Brazil Literally translated, caipirinha translates to “country bumpkin”, although [...]

First-timers to South America will probably find the bus system daunting in the beginning. That being said, it’s actually a fairly easy system to navigate. Use this guide to ease your worries and ensure stress-free overland travel throughout the continent. Don’t Book Early Yes, you read that right. When traveling [...]

“That’s Ishiganto,” explains Kyoko, one of the hotel staff. “There are many ghosts on Taketomi Island, and this plate tells ghosts they cannot go this way.” I sure hope ghosts can follow directions. I’m at HOSHINOYA Okinawa, a traditional yet luxurious resort, getting a tour of the property. There are [...]

Think you know a lot about the Caribbean destination of Trinidad & Tobago? Here are some lesser-known facts about the sister islands: 1. It’s where you’ll find the world’s hottest pepper While many people believe the world’s hottest pepper is the ghost pepper, within the past six months or so [...]

Aruba is a tropical island in the south Caribbean, around 20 miles north of Venezuela. It’s a territory of the Netherlands, and the official language is Dutch, though most locals speak a European- and West Africa-influenced creole called Papiamento. Travelers fly into Queen Beatrix International Airport, just to the south [...]

I’ve been lucky enough to go skiing in the Alps every year for the past six years. Although I normally go to a different resort every time as there are so many to choose from, that all changed last year when I went to Morzine with a group of 10 [...]

A trip through the provinces of France is a true treat for wine connoisseurs. Here are two excellent suggestions for meandering through some pretty vineyards and gathering inspiration and some bottles for your collection. Burgundy The Burgundy region in south eastern France is inland and famous for the remarkable castles [...]

While most people head straight to the city of Burlington when visiting Vermont, a lesser-known but worthwhile area to stay is West Townshend. This charming town is full of bed and breakfasts, outdoor recreation, farm stands, antique shops and a feeling or honest, rural living. Additionally, it’s a great homebase [...]