Colorful flat-bottomed boats clustered together on a small canal. A man with a pole stands on the back of one of the boats.
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The Cost of a Fun Afternoon in Mexico City’s Xochimilco

ByKristin Smith

A ride on a trajinera through the floating gardens of Xochimilco is on everyone’s “Top Ten Things to do in Mexico City” List. But what they don’t tell you is how far Xochimilco is from downtown and how much the experience costs , especially for the solo traveler. So, you must be wondering…how much does…

A sign with KETCHIKAN in red letters spans over a street with parked cars.
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How to Spend a Day in Ketchikan Without Excursions

ByKristin Smith

So you finally booked your Alaska cruise. First stop! Ketchikan. It’s time to start figuring out how to maximize your brief time in port! Will you book an excursion? Will you figure it out on your own? There are so many options, and it’s really overwhelming to figure it all out in advance. Rest assured…

The edge of a shiny blue train on the left, looking forward to the front of the train while it curves along the tracks through the forest. There are snow-covered mountains in the background.
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Alaska Railroad Denali Star …Is Goldstar Service Worth It?

ByKristin Smith

When we were planning our trip to Alaska, there wasn’t a lot of information to definitively guide us one way or another on this issue: should we choose Goldstar Service or Adventure Class on the Alaska Railroad? Is it worth the (significant) extra money for Goldstar Service? In a word, yes. If you can afford…