Our weekly travel planning guide provides destination ideas, practical tips, and timely travel news. Plus, stay up-to-date on our newest blog posts, travel videos, and podcast episodes.
Share
🌎 Summer Travel Planning, Outdoor News & Dublin in November
Published 2 months ago • 5 min read
The Places Where We Go - Travel Planning Briefing June 15, 2026
Happy National Nature Photography Day from the USA - a day for nature lovers and photographers to capture the breathtaking beauty and wonders of Earth. We're back from a week of camping at Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County. We'll share the highlights of this most recent adventure on our YouTube channel in a few weeks.
At the end of the week, we'll officially welcome Summer 2026 on the longest day of the year. That's a great day to plan a sunset watch.
The Places Where We Go contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you when you purchase using one of these Amazon links. Read our disclaimer and privacy policy for more information.
Flying through a secondary airport (example: Burbank instead of LAX) can save money and reduce hassle, especially if your schedule is flexible. Just compare the total cost—including airfare, baggage, parking, transportation, and arrival time—and consider using the smaller airport if the savings are at least $50 to $75 per person.
Novelty passport stamps may be fun souvenirs, but unofficial markings in a current passport can cause delays or extra questions at border crossings. To avoid problems, collect those stamps in a travel journal, souvenir booklet, or expired passport instead. Try the Page-A-Day Travel Journal for your memories.
A new $461 million federal grant program will help improve parks, trails, playgrounds, conservation areas, and outdoor recreation spaces across the U.S. For travelers, that means more accessible places to enjoy the outdoors—often beyond the big-name national parks—and stronger local tourism amenities along the way.
Colorado National Monument has increased fire restrictions due to dry, hazardous conditions. Visitors should avoid wood fires, use only approved grills or, where allowed, properly shielded camp stoves, follow posted rules, and take extra care to protect the park and nearby communities during fire season.
We used the Solo Stove on our recent camping adventure - and with a pellet adapter, it's cheaper to enjoy a fire as compared to the cost of firewood.
France has added six hotels to its elite “Palace” designation, bringing the 2026 total to a record 33 properties. For travelers, the label is a helpful sign of France’s most exceptional luxury stays, from Paris and the Alps to the Riviera and Champagne country.
Several major tour operators, including Intrepid Travel, G Adventures, Tauck, Trafalgar, and Exodus Adventure Travels, are preparing to resume Jordan itineraries after pausing many trips due to the ongoing Gaza war. Trips are expected to restart from June through August, with companies highlighting strong demand, high guest satisfaction, and the importance of supporting local communities connected to Jordan’s travel economy.
Dublin in November offers a cozy and authentic Irish experience as the city transitions into the festive season. We enjoyed the city with fewer tourists and experienced Ireland’s capital at a relaxed pace. It's a great time for sipping warm pints in lively pubs, to exploring its rich literary heritage under twinkling holiday lights that begin to appear around the city. Cool, crisp air and early sunsets make it the perfect time for indoor cultural experiences and intimate music sessions.
Top Things To Do:
Guinness Storehouse – Tour the world-famous brewery and enjoy panoramic views of the city from the Gravity Bar while sampling Ireland’s iconic stout.
Trinity College & The Book of Kells – Step inside Ireland’s oldest university to view the illuminated 9th-century manuscript and stroll through the stunning Long Room library.
Temple Bar TradFest Sessions – Experience authentic Irish culture in Dublin’s most famous district, where traditional music and impromptu pub performances warm up the cool November nights.
Travel Tip: Expect cool, damp weather and shorter daylight hours, so pack layers, a waterproof jacket, and comfortable shoes for walking on cobbled streets. Public transportation is reliable — use the TFI Leap Card for convenient travel on buses, trams (LUAS), and trains. After sightseeing, warm up with a hearty Irish stew or a hot whiskey in one of Dublin’s historic pubs for a true taste of local life.
We’re big on planning travel, typically six months in advance. With an eye on December 2026, here are some top things you can consider for your travel itinerary:
Solvang Julefest, California — This Danish-inspired town hosts a month-long Christmas celebration with lights, markets, and festive displays. (November 27, 2026, through January 3, 2027)
Art Basel Miami Beach, Florida — A major contemporary art fair that turns Miami into a global destination for galleries, collectors, and culture travelers in early December. (December 4-6, 2026)
St. Lucia Day, Sweden — A candlelit procession and choral tradition that fills Swedish towns with white-robed singers and winter light. (December 13)
Tallinn Christmas Market (Estonia)- Set in a stunning medieval Old Town, the market offers handcrafted gifts, a central Christmas tree, and traditional Estonian holiday foods like blood sausage and sauerkraut. (November 20, 2026, to January 6, 2027)
✈️ Don’t miss out on incredible travel savings.
Sign up for FareDrop's Limited plan and receive top flight deals straight to your inbox.
Happy travels, and we hope to see you at The Places Where We Go.
P.S. We'd appreciate it if you could share the newsletter with your friends who are also passionate about travel. Let's spread the word and inspire others to explore the world with us! - New subscriptions are free and easy with this link
The Places Where We Go - Travel Planning Briefing August 17, 2026 Happy National I Love My Feet Day from the USA. It's the perfect excuse to pamper your feet and prioritize your foot health. Did you know the average person will walk nearly 250,000 miles in a lifetime? And they're just the thing for hiking and long days of exploration during travel. Thank you, feet! This week, we took a day trip with the littles to Santa Barbara, California, where we visited MOXI, The Wolf Museum of...
The Places Where We Go - Travel Planning Briefing August 10, 2026 Happy National Lazy Day from the USA, a day that gives us permission to relax and kick back. And that suits us especially well today after logging in a 35-mile walk this weekend from Santa Barbara to Ventura, California. We completed the Mission to Mission Pilgrimage Walk for a 5th consecutive year. It is hard. Perhaps when registration opens up around April each year, the memory of the struggle has worn off, and we sign up...
The Places Where We Go - Travel Planning Briefing August 3, 2026 Happy National Watermelon Day, a day that celebrates the taste of summer. And this refreshing fruit is also packed with vitamins A and C. Woo hoo! This past week, we attended a pop-up at our local AAA office and signed up for TSA PreCheck. With a few flights scheduled in the upcoming months, we're looking for a bit of lower stress getting through airport security with this item. Plus, it's good for five years. And we got some...
