PRINTIt’s more than just advice
March 13, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
They say travel broadens a person. But the pleasures inherent to exploration also come with a healthy dose of pain. Heading away from home requires research: You have to figure out where you want to go (no small task, given the myriad wonders of our planet), figure out how you’ll get there and what in the world you will do once you arrive.
That is, unless you happen to be traveling with one of those oh-so-wonderful vacation-obsessed friends who always knows the hot destinations before they become tourist traps, always has a friend with a couch to crash on, and who always manages to submerge you in a new culture by visiting only the locals hangouts.
This week, Vox is that friend.
We want to help you get to France without the hassle of trans-Atlantic airfare, so we’ve brought you North America’s European city, Montreal. We’ve also provided a slice of real New York life in Brooklyn, the borough where most of the city’s hip, young professionals live and spend their free time. Heading to Chicago to visit the family? Step away from the pizza long enough to look at the skyline and observe the architecture of a city crafted by Frank Lloyd Wright and other world-famous architects.
A good friend always goes the extra mile, and in that spirit, the Vox travel guide is peppered with useful tips. Every story includes information about restaurants and hotels at each location. If you have yet to find a companion for your trek, we’ve found travel networking sites that will help you meet new people while you experience a new place.
My getaway to the Southwest was booked weeks before reading these stories. But I won’t lie, the story exploring Cartegena, Colombia, coupled with a Saturday morning rerun of Romancing the Stone, has me wondering if I made the right decision.
