Video: Alaska Wildlife Encounters You Can't Miss
Do you ever see social media posts of magnificent wildlife photos from someone's trip to Alaska and think: This just can't be real? But it is. BestTrip.TV cruised from Vancouver to Seward (near Anchorage) on the Regent Seven Seas Mariner, hoping Nature would be kind and we'd encounter at least a couple of the animals and birds Alaska is famous for: Whales Salmon Crab Bald eagles Puffins Brown (grizzly) bears Sitka deer Sea otters Sea lions Like you, we were skeptical of shore excursion guides who jokingly promised guests 3 out...
Video Recipe: Baked Alaska by Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Before there was molecular gastronomy, there was Baked Alaska to awe and delight a table of diners. A miracle dessert of warm, caramelized meringue on the outside, still magically full of layers of frozen ice cream on the inside. A feat of culinary ingenuity in the days of unreliable refrigeration. The story goes that Baked Alaska was created in New York's famous Delmonico's restaurant in 1867 in celebration of the American acquisition of Alaska from Russia. Regardless of its origin, creating Baked...
Top Souvenirs from Alaska
Alaska's breathtaking scenery and wildlife encounters will be memories that stay with you a lifetime. But there are one-of-a-kind tangible memories you can take home as well as your photos and close-encounter stories.Lynn Elmhirst, Producer/ Host of BestTrip.TV, shares her favorite Alaskan souvenirs from her ports of call in Sitka, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Juneau on a recent Regent Seven Seas cruise to Alaska.Alaskan Kelp PicklesFood is such a fun souvenir when it's made from one-of-a-kind local ingredients. I found many...
Video: Take the Scenic Train from Alaska to Canada's Yukon
It's only 20 miles from Skagway, Alaska's deepwater port on the coast, to the border of Canada's Yukon. But what a 20 miles they are! The White Pass & Yukon Route railway ride is one of the most dramatic scenic experiences in the Alaska Panhandle. No wonder it's an all-time favorite experience for cruise travelers arriving in the preserved, Wild (North)West town of Skagway. The tracks go right onto the dock, so we stepped off the Regent Seven Seas Mariner...
Video: 7 Things you didn't know about Alaska's Hubbard Glacier
The Hubbard Glacier has quite a pedigree.And being named after Gardiner Hubbard, the man who founded or co-founded the National Geographic Society, Bell Telephone and the journal 'Science', puts a lot of pressure on a glacier. Luckily, the Hubbard Glacier is used to pressure, and guaranteed to impress, even awe. This 'river of ice' is a natural wonder of pressurized snow in that magnificent iceberg blue. A trip to the incredible wall of ice that forms the face of the...
You Need This Suitcase For Your Next Trip to Wine Country
What's the only downside of finding that perfect wine abroad? Getting it home. If your dream is traveling to vineyards and stocking your cellar with those one-of-a-kind bottles you can't get from your local wine seller, this is the suitcase for you. Unless you like wrapping wine bottles in sweaters in your luggage and hoping for the best, that is.The VinGardeValise sounds impressively French for a viticulture travel accessory but is actually developed and made by an American company. From...
Crystal Strikes a Chord with a New Rhine Class of River Cruise Ships
Instead of river cruises, they're calling them river yachts. Crystal has translated its uber-luxury sea experience to the rivers of Europe with a new, 'Rhine' class of river yachts, evoking the great music icons of the region. Four Crystal Rhine Class river yachts launch in 2017-2018. In creating a new, signature Crystal experience on the waterways of Europe, the company was inspired by some of the classical music heavy-hitters who made some of the most popular cities in its itineraries long-lasting...
Video: This Historic Hospital is now a Design Hotel
If you're looking for a room with a view in Marseille... this is it.The Hotel Dieu might be the the best piece of real estate in Marseille. Part way up the hill next to the historic harbor, occupying the best vantage point overlooking the iconic view of the old port and the church on the opposite hill, Marseille's Hopital Dieu dates back to the 1700's. As a hospital, it served the oldest neighborhood in all of France, where sailors, immigrants...
5 Adventures in Antwerp
Belgium’s unique character and two-language culture makes it a must-see destination in Northern Europe.But go beyond Brussels. One of Europe's hidden gems is Belgium's second city.Just up the estuary from the North Sea, Antwerp's historic port became its claim to fame and source of wealth as a trading capital 500 years ago. The port is still the second largest in Europe. The wealth of this great trading city financed great art and artists, the world's oldest stock exchange, and an...
Travel 'Game-Changer' for Sports Mega-Fans
How far are you willing to go to support your team and get your professional sports fix? Do you plan your free time around your team's schedule, paint your face, wear your team's jersey, or drive crazy distances to see the game live?There are a lot of ways to support your team, but we've found the ultimate mega-fan travel experience.Chicago-based Big Game Air provides same-day round-trip travel on private jets to major sporting events across the USA.Its tarmac-to-stadium transfers and...