Future trips
As possible future trips are discovered, their notes and links are recorded here for you to check out
Future trips
As possible future trips are discovered, their notes and links are recorded here for you to check out
TRAVEL LINKS
Useful links for your travel, equipment, and supply needs.
National Park Service
Visiting our national parks is a priority for us. We enjoy the scenic beauty and abundant wildlife they provide. Nature revitalizes us!
California State Parks
Just as we love our national parks, our state parks are close and provide endless opportunities to escape the urban sprawl, take a deep breath, and relax.
James Kaiser Travel Guides
These are the best travel guide books I've ever read! I'm hoping he'll continue to write additional guides for our national parks and other countries.
Skytrax
When choosing between airlines, I use the ratings and reviews on Skytrax to help determine which airline to use.
Duolingo
A friend introduced me to a free online language learning application, Duolingo. While I still research a few words and phrases on my own, this application really makes me feel like I can understand the language. You've got to remain diligent in your lessons, but the results are good.
Unit Converter Pro
I use this smartphone application to determine current currency exchange rates. It also comes in handy for measurement conversions, like kilometers to miles, feet to meters, kilograms to pounds, or ounces to liters.
Alltrails
One of the best hiking trail websites I've found. They can help you find great hikes and show you trail maps all over the world! Creating an account is free, although they do have a subscription model for additional services they provide.
Snorkeling Report
Just as AllTrails can help you find the best hiking, Snorkeling Report can help you find the best spots for snorkeling worldwide. They have detailed information, and often include photos so you can see what's in the water!
Tilley
Tilley's broad brim hats offer great protection from the sun, air ventilation, are collapsible and easy to pack, waterproof, and come with a lifetime guarantee!
Kuhl
Comfortable enough to wear anywhere, their pants are nice enough to wear to a concert and rugged enough for hiking! Some also convert into shorts, which can be used for swimming.
eBags/Samsonite
Expandable, rugged, and well designed. Some of their carry-on bags also contain backpack straps. We used the eBags Mother Lode Carry-on rolling duffel for years! The wheels traversed dirt, rocks, cobblestones, sticks, etc. without a scratch!
Osprey
Both our travel day pack (Daylite Plus Daypack) and our day hiking backpack (Talon Pro 20) are Osprey brand. Tough, durable, comfortable, compartmentalized, and water resistant!
Teva
Teva sandals are great for hiking in relatively open and dry areas, sightseeing, and most importantly wading through water with jagged surfaces like rocks, coral or seashells!
Repel
Repel plant-based insect repellant contains no Deet, which can stain clothing and harm you if ingested. Tested and approved in the primary rainforests of Costa Rica, Tanzania, and Sumatra without a bite on us!
Alba Bontanica
Their Hawaiian sunscreen is up to SPF 50, water resistant, biodegradable, and contains no oxybenzone or octinoxate which can harm coral reef environments.
REI clothes line
REI's Sea to Summit clothes line packs small and light, and has rubber beads to hold clothes in place without the use of clothes pins. And it has hooks so you can easily wrap it around anything.
Laundry bag
Some people forget that they'll have dirty clothes when they travel. This also doubles as a great laundry basket once you've washed and folded your clothes.
U.S. Global Entry
We've been members of the United States Global Entry program for over a decade! It gives us TSA Pre-check status for domestic flights, allowing expedited security checks. And it grants us the ability to bypass U.S. Customs and Immigration lines when re-entering the country.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Our health care provider uses the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website to determine any vaccines and medications we may need prior to our international travels. Their website also provides tips for staying healthy while abroad, recommended health items to pack, and any health related travel notices.