This time last year I made a spontaneous decision to travel alone to LA, one which was very much out of my comfort zone. It seems silly now to think that I was so afraid of travelling alone, especially since my cousins waited for me on the other side!
From the moment I arrived in LA, I was welcomed with open arms. My huge extended family all lived within close proximity of each other and each called by for a family dinner that first night. The beautifully balmy weather was blissful and a pleasant change from the dreary English clouds.
Having marvelled at the main tourist attractions on a family trip four years ago, I decided that I wanted to visit some more local places and really soak up the cosmopolitan, carefree and bohemian ambience of California.
Trips to Venice and Santa Monica Beach boasted lush palm trees, golden sand beaches and bustling strips full of edgy pop-up shops, divine restaurants and quaint food trucks.
The Last Bookstore in Downtown LA was a treasure trove full of literary works and adorned with profound art - perfect for culture-enthused tourists. The beautiful Grove shopping mall oozed character with its iconic tram and luxurious fountains. Here I stopped in a Mexican restaurant for a refuel, enjoying mouth-watering tacos and tamales with salsa.
Hiking on the Wonderview Trail with my cousins through the Hollywood Hills was the biggest adventure, and the perfect end to an action-packed week. The two-hour trek was tiring, but the breathtaking views of the LA skyline, valleys and infamous Hollywood sign were worth it.
Much to my surprise, families were hiking up the hills and ravines with small babies and toddlers, despite the fact that the trails had no barriers and very few markings to help walkers navigate their way to the Hollywood sign. I felt as though we were all explorers in the wilderness! It was only when we got to the halfway point, filled with people also catching their breath on the benches, that I remembered we were in a city and not lost in the wilds of California.
To my horror, when we finished our hike, I spotted a sign reading: ‘Beware of the Rattlesnakes!’ We were all convinced that we had guardian Los Angeles angels watching over us because none of us had seen a snake, let alone been bitten by one!
I left LA with more family memories to treasure and a different picture of the California metropolis - ultimately urban but with a surprisingly wild streak.
If you missed Destination New South Wales' webinars, here are six of the suppliers you could have met and some key points about their products, ranging from photography tours to one of the world's most iconic buildings.
From educational 'Dinosaur Bone Hunts' in Greater Fort Lauderdale to cooking classes in Puerto Rico, these digital experiences around the globe will prove a great way to keep all the family entertained this Easter.
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During this incredibly tough period for the travel industry, it’s important we keep communication channels open, share experiences and exchange ideas...
Julie Baxter takes in Alberta's spectacular scenery from aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, eyes peeled for a sighting of a bear, elk or even perhaps a racoon.
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Sally Parker discovers a winning combination of city and beach, nature and outdoor activities, Southern history and culture, and lots of wonderful food
As the 40th World Travel Market comes to a close, here’s a round-up of some of the top travel news from around the world, hot off the stands from the Excel.
Sasha Wood meets the inspiring ladies of Jordan’s longest-running cooperative to hear how a responsible tourism initiative offering local food and artisanal products has helped a community blossom.
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Laura Gelder talks about rekindling her love with Greece on a trip to Kefalonia and why getting away from the beach brings the biggest rewards, if you can be bothered.
Vote for your favourites in the Selling Travel Agents Choice Awards and you could be rewarded with a stay at a new five-star property, a food tour for two or some must-have travel goodies.
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Selling Travel joined agents at the Destination New South Wales Roadshow this May in Liverpool and London, hearing what Destination NSW, national carrier Qantas and 11 top suppliers had to say about the state.
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From Disney's Magic Kingdom to Universal's Wirarding World of Harry Potter, The Global Group's annual conference presented plenty of Christmas magic in Orlando
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Julie Baxter finds herself stranded in the rocky Channel Isles, closer to France than England, partly stuck in the past and captivated by the sea with its beautiful bays and history of savage shipwrecks.
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Jessica Pook attended the launch of luxury operator Kuoni's latest Worldwide Trends Report and introduces her top picks from its 2018/19 travel forecast here.
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Underneath a thick layer of dust, Laura Gelder uncovers the Egyptian capital’s gleaming treasures – including taking a privileged peek at Tutankhamun’s golden flip-flops!
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Las Vegas is, to many, a small slice of liberal heaven right in the middle of the desert. But beyond the always-open casinos and late-night bars and nightclubs, there is another side to the city.
The UK’s biggest B2B travel show has closed its doors until 2018 but don’t worry if you missed out, here’s our first quick-read news round-up from some of the destination stands we stopped at.
Selling Travel’s new Editorial Assistant, Jessica Pook, catches up with African specialist DMC Kamageo for an update on destinations and product covering Uganda, Botswana, Malawi and more.
Nina Farrimond heads south, taking in ancient Hoi An, the lively beach resort of Nha Trang, bustling 24/7 Ho Chi Minh and the meandering Mekong Delta on an Intrepid tour.
UK passport holders don’t have to pay a penny to enter Vietnam until June 2018, but that’s not the only reason to visit this fascinating country, says Nina Farrimond.In the first of two blogs, she explores Hanoi, Halong Bay and Hue.
Look behind the headlines and beyond the suited bureaucrats associated with the European capital and you’ll find a city which is surprisingly off-beat and reassuringly inclusive, says Hannah Wallis.
Enter a whimsical world of shimmering lights and mythical landscapes with Maria Martinez-Ugartechea, as she searches for Aurora Borealis amongst Iceland's waterfalls, lagoons and glaciers.
A trip to cosmopolitan Los Angeles reveals a city with a surprisingly wild side. Sheena Adesilu explores beaches, shopping malls and mountains in urban California.
Amelia Glean packs her trunk and swaps the nightclubs and neon of Bangkok for a Magical Elephant Mahout Training Course in the jungles of north Thailand.
Scaling an active volcano isn't everyone's idea of fun but Lombok’s Mount Rinjani provided James Gray with a lofty challenge as well as pause for thought on adventure tourism’s environmental impact.
Cities aren’t always the best place to be on a hot day but Ellie Smith discovers that Sydney is made for sunshine. If you're looking for some cool ideas for summery Sydney then read on.
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Ben Coren tries out Airbnb for the first time on a trip to Birmingham and discovers it's not as bad as he thought. Find out why he thinks all travel professionals should experience it - just once.
Been to Berlin? Had enough of Hamburg? Carly Hacon explores one of Germany's lesser-known cities, Dusseldorf, and shares five fun things you can do for under five Euros!
The fair city of Dublin is known for its musical pubs, heavy-drinking locals and literary legends. The Irish capital can be a tourist trap and the Pound to Euro exchange rate isn’t great at the moment but here’s how to enjoy yourself, even if your bucket list has a budget.
Ben Coren muses on the ‘hipsterisation’ of his favourite airport terminal and recalls a simpler time when you could browse for CDs and eat a normal burger before your flight.
High-rise, high-octane Tokyo and subtropical Okinawa are oceans apart in every way but Laura Gelder finds the two a perfect example of Japan’s split personality
The Palm Beaches in Florida has been a hot holiday destination since the late 1800s, but in 2017 this retro-cool vacation spot has been ramping up its offerings with some exciting new openings!
Laura Gelder examines why it’s the little things which delight when it comes to cultural exploration. Why book a city tour when you can visit the loo or supermarket for nothing?
...and those who do not travel read only a page. On the 20th anniversary of World Book Night, Laura Gelder looks at how literature can inspire and inform travellers.
As the sixth series of BBC One’s Death in Paradise comes to a close tonight, Laura Gelder muses on why murder and sunshine are a winning combination for the winter blues.
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Julie Baxter explains why getting ripped off will be the most enduring and endearing memory from her trip to the steamy jungles of Southeast Asia and how tourism is a life force for Cambodia.
Abu Dhabi's profile had risen steadily over the last few years and 2016 saw some notable achievments. We quiz Nabeel Al Zarouni from the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority on what agents can expect in 2017.
Famous for farming and being flat, Saskatchewan wasn’t the obvious first-stop for a first-timer to Canada, but Laura Gelder soon discovers there is more to the prairies than meets the eye.
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A word used all-to-often in travel marketing, what exactly does authentic mean in the context of a destination? Can you tell what is and isn’t? Does it matter?
Julie Baxter walks the medieval ramparts of this beautiful hilltop city in Languedoc, southern France, searching for the romantic knights and tortured witches of her imagination and finding much more than she bargained for.
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Travel Uni and Equator Learning have merged to create a ‘mega-platform’ for travel training with over 80 courses. Find out the benefits of training and just what's on offer.
Missed our Selling Travel Dialogue on Oman? Never fear because we summed it up here. Read on to find out what the sultanate can offer your clients and how you can harness new flight routes from Oman Air.
Fuelled by apfelstrudel, bratwurst and beer, Julie Baxter checks out the German capital’s suave and eclectic mix of historic monuments and creative spirit and traces the shadows of a turbulent past.
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Fishing can be a chilly pastime at the best of times, but what about when it's through a hole in the ice? Our intrepid editor tries his hand at ice fishing in Alaska's Mat-Su Valley near Anchorage.
Do you love James Bond films for their exotic locations as much as the action man himself? We certainly do! Here's a list of our favourite locations, ranging from iconic cities to ingenious baddie lairs.
Travel trend spotters constantly talk about authenic experiences but when it comes to Canada, how many travellers have First Nation culture on their itinerary? Find out why they should and how to find it.
