Dreaming About Your Next Trip? Start Here!


Luxury travel. A twist of adventure. Wow moments.


Hi, weโ€™re Janice and George! We created Sand In My Suitcase to help you travel smarter, better โ€“ and in style. Destination inspo, cruise reviews, cool hotels and travel tips โ€“ right this way.๐Ÿ‘‡

Explore by destination

See our Destinations hub. Whether youโ€™re craving sunny beaches, European charm or Canadaโ€™s wild beauty, start where it feels right. Or take a peek here:

Explore by travel style

Plotting a road trip, sailing cruise or hiking adventure? Our Trip Style and Tips hub will point you the right way:

Travel planning tips and essentials

These resources help make travel easier, smoother and more enjoyable:

โ€œThings to doโ€ reader favorites


๐Ÿ’กOur top travel tips and resources

โ†’ General trip planning: TripAdvisor is a helpful starting point, with loads of user reviews on hotels, restaurants and things to do.

โ†’ Hotels: Booking.com is our go-to for scoring a โ€œwowโ€ hotel โ€“ or at least a decent one โ€“ often at lower rates than the hotelโ€™s own website. (We especially like Booking.comโ€™s flexible cancellation policy!) You can also find excellent discounted rates on Expedia, especially for hotels in the U.S. and Mexico.

โ†’ Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).

โ†’ Flights: For the best flights, we search on Google Flights first. Expedia and Kayak are then perfect for snagging the cheapest tickets. (They’re often non-refundable, though, so for more flexibility, we book directly with the airline, even if it costs more.)

โ†’ Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!

โ†’ Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.

โ†’ Car rental: Renting a car can be a great way to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies for the lowest rates.

โ†’ Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.

โ†’ Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)

โ†’ Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find cool hotels and other useful trip planning info.

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About the authors

We’re Janice and George Mucalov, award-winning travel journalists whoโ€™ve explored all seven continents. We shareย destination guides,ย luxury hotel reviews,ย cultural adventures,ย cruise insights andย insider travel tipsย here on our luxury travel blog,ย Sand In My Suitcase. See About.