Wishing you all a very safe and happy Fourth of July!

This is the first in a new monthly collaboration with Erin Bose from Scout and Cellar. Scout & Cellar Clean-Crafted Wine sources organic, biodynamic, and vegan wines from small family-owned vineyards around the world that are producing wines naturally – without the use of added chemicals or excess intervention. Erin and I are going to talk about wine, vineyards, travel, and destinations. We will have some virtual wine tastings from some of our favorite regions and talk travel with my favorite river cruise line, AMA Waterways. Have a look at some of the great wines that Scout and Cellar sources here. 

The wine country of California offers so many great options for the exploration of vineyards, luxurious stays, and fine dining.  This week we explore the area of Healdsburg, CA, in Sonoma County.   Healdsburg is about an hour's drive north of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.  This charming town in the heart of Sonoma County and offers first-class wineries and some great options for dining.  The town is also known for its thriving artist community and has many art studios and shops to find a favorite keepsake of your stay here.  

Being a travel advisor in this Covid-19 world is more important than at any other time in history.  We, like many other businesses, must pivot and change the way we do business that best benefits our clients.  Innovation, knowledge, and service will be the critical components as we move forward to serve our clients.  
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I have always been a lifetime learner and enjoy learning about new destinations, preferred suppliers, and best practices in my business.  Now, as we get closer to travel in our world, knowledge is the key to being there for our clients. There is so much information out there on change in flight schedules, travel restrictions due to Covid-19, country restrictions, and new requirements to travel to that destination. Finding the information is not always the easiest, even for the expert in travel.  Not only are the requirements and restrictions changing daily, locating the actuate information is crucial.  I have access to many resources to get the information my clients need, and sorting through all of the details is the best way I can help my clients. 
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Many people dream of a National Park vacation, and five unique parks in the United States are not as well known as the famous Grand Canyon and Zion and Bryce National Parks.  When you explore these parks, you will feel like you have traveled to another country (or planet).  

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

If you ever thought of going to a huge sand dune and exploring, here is a great option.  White Sands is the largest dune field in the world and encompasses 275 square miles in the desert.  The area is also known as the Tularosa Basin and has been attracting visitors for hundreds of years.  There is so much history in this park from the first settlers searching for shelter and explorers mining for salt and gypsum. The military also used the Basin after the bombing of Pearl Harbor for scientific research.  One fun activity to do here is sledding down the dunes. 
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​Since traveling this year may look a little different from what you thought it would have looked like last fall and winter when you were planning your summer getaways, I wanted to share with you some more wonderful resorts along the east coast that you can drive to or take a short flight.  
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