TRAVEL RESOURCES

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โœˆ๏ธ TRAVEL TOOLKIT

Planning a trip should be exciting , not a rabbit hole of browser tabs, conflicting reviews, and second-guessing! That’s why I’ve put together this toolkit of hand-picked travel resources, all based on first-hand experience and my work as a full-time travel advisor.

Want the best possible trip? The easiest way is to work with me directly. But, if you’d prefer to go it alone, here are the tools and platforms I trust most.

Every recommendation is based on personal experience or professional knowledge. Think of it as borrowing a little of my expertise, for free!

TOP TRAVEL RESOURCES

1. Hotels ๐Ÿ›Ž๏ธ

Booking.com is a great place to start when researching somewhere to stay. They offer flexible cancellation policies, options for every budget, and booking is easy.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Find your perfect stay on Booking.com

Expedia.com is one of the platforms I use the most in my travel planning business. I find it especially helpful for comparing flights, hotels, and package deals in one place, which makes it easier to see options quickly without jumping between multiple sites. Itโ€™s also useful when youโ€™re trying to build a trip around specific dates or want flexibility with cancellation options.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Explore deals and plan your trip with Expedia

2. Home & Apartment Rentals ๐Ÿก

Sometimes a hotel isn’t the right fit. For families, groups, and longer trips, vacation rentals offer something hotels simply can’t: space, privacy, and the feeling of a real home away from home. For whole-home rentals, VRBO is my top pick.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Find your next vacation rental on VRBO

3. Airport Transfers ๐Ÿš

After a long-haul flight, the last thing you want is to be hunting for a taxi or figuring out public transport. Having a driver waiting the moment you clear Arrivals is one of those small investments that makes a huge difference. My go-to? Welcome Pickups. Fixed pricing, flight tracking, and vetted drivers worldwide.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Book an airport transfer with Welcome Pickups

4. Car Rentals ๐Ÿš—

For finding the best deal and coverage options, I use Discover Cars.I recommend them because they compare prices from major brands to find you the best deal, saving you a ton of time. You can easily add insurance coverage based on what your needs are.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Compare car rental deals with Discover Cars

5. Trains ๐Ÿš‰

Navigating airports, trains, and local transport can be one of the most challenging parts of independent travel. If you’re traveling by train across Europe, I recommend Rail Europe to plan your routes and buy your tickets.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Find routes and compare pricing with Rail Europe

6. Tours & Activities ๐Ÿ›๏ธ

Here are the companies I trust most for quality tours and experiences:

GetYourGuide

A familiar name to most. This marketplace offers easy booking, reviews, and flexible cancellations.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Discover tours on GetYourGuide

Viator

Another marketplace offering affordable and reliable options for every type of traveler.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Find your next experience with Viator

Project Expedition

A marketplace of handpicked tours and excursions worldwide, and my daily go-to for curating unforgettable experiences for clients.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Browse tours & activities through Project Expedition

Context Travel

If you are looking for something next level and have the budget, I can’t recommend Context Travel enough. Without exception, every client I’ve sent on a Context Tour has come home absolutely raving about it. These expert-led cultural tours dive deep into history, art, and local stories.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Explore cultural tours led by world-class experts at Context Travel

7. Travel Insurance ๐Ÿงณ

I personally use, and recommend Faye Insurance, to all my clients because they make getting a quote simple and efficient. I particularly like their approach to managing real time claims in their app.

Voted #1 best travel insurance company for fast claims in 2026 by Forbes. They also have 24/7 customer support with actual humans and an excellent app.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Get covered with Faye

8. Staying Connected๐Ÿ“ฑ

I always use a digital eSIM when traveling and Airalo has never let me down. Itโ€™s much cheaper than a daily Verizon international plan! It’s quick to install, and keeps you connected in 200+ countries. Simple, straightforward and easy to top up.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Get your Airalo eSIM

9. Live Events ๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ

When Iโ€™m planning a trip, Ticketmaster is my go-to for finding the best tickets to live events. You can check whatโ€™s on and book directly below:

ESSENTIAL TRAVEL APPS

Flights

  • Airline Apps – for check-ins, boarding passes, flight updates.
  • Skyscanner – the BEST app for finding cheap flights.

Getting Around

  • Uber – Make sure you set it to the local currency!
  • Bolt – Another common ride sharing app.
  • Rail Europe – my go to for train travel across Europe

Communication

  • WhatsApp โ€“ Free messaging and calls worldwide. Not widely used in America, this go-to messaging app across Europe and the UK. Make sure to download it before you travel.
  • Google Translate โ€“ Instantly translate text, images, or speech.

Navigation

  • Google Maps โ€“ Walking, driving, public transport, and local business info. You will use it every day.
  • Citymapper โ€“ Excellent for London; shows buses, Tube, walking, and cycling routes.

Money & Payments

  • XE Currency โ€“ Live exchange rates and quick conversions.

Local Info & Convenience

  • Flush / SitOrSquat โ€“ Find public toilets quickly in London and worldwide.
Eastgate clock tower in Chester England against cloudy sky with half-timber buildings on left.

MY FAVORITE TOURS & ACTIVITIES BY LOCATION

These are the tours I book for my clients again and again. As a travel advisor and blogger, I know what makes a great experience and what doesn’t. So you can feel confident you’re making the right choice for your trip.

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง UK

England

Scotland

Northern Ireland

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช Ireland

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italy

Looking for tours in your destination?

Reach out! I can recommend quality tours & experiences based on your destination.

Start packing!

packing Essentials

What’s In My Bag?

I’m not really a shopper and I don’t believe you need a ton of new stuff to travel. Here are my basic travel essentials: