Episode 9 | My Favorite Travel Destinations

It is finally summer after a very weird year in 2020 and a summer last year that was canceled. Now that over 50% of the U.S. population is vaccinated and cases of COVID have reached record lows, everyone is back traveling.

As everyone is planning to travel, I wanted to do this podcast to share all my favorite travel destinations. I am always getting asked where the best places to travel are so I decided to put it all in one episode. I hope this will give you some ideas for your upcoming summer and fall vacations.

Show Notes:
[01:44] Flight bookings are up, flight prices are back to normal, and hotel bookings are up too.
[03:05] Toya’s favorite destination is Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and the first trip to Cabo was in the spring of 2012, and I instantly fell in love.
[04:09] If you are an avid traveler or you have found a destination that you like to go back to over and over, timeshares are actually a pretty good deal.
[04:50] Cabo has wonderful hospitality and a great nightlife scene. If you stay in Cabo San Lucas proper anywhere near the marina, you are within walking distance to all the nightlife, bars, and restaurants. If you are in Cabo/San Jose you are going to be more beachfront. You are not going to be able to walk to places so you definitely want to get an all-inclusive option.
[06:42] In Cabo, tourism is the number one thing driving their economy so because of that they make sure everything is safe. They take the hospitality and experience very seriously.
[08:54] One of the hotels offered a shuttle which was convenient for hanging out in Cabo proper and at the other beaches. If you go to Cabo, always do a sunset cruise, it is beautiful there.
[10:05] Another one of my favorite destinations right here in the U.S. is New Orleans, Louisiana. The first time I went was post-Katrina in 2007.
[11:12] Favorite thing about New Orleans is the food. They have all the best Cajun and seafood you can think of. Anywhere near the water is going to give you amazing seafood. I have had some of the best meals I have had in life in New Orleans.
[12:27] Bourbon Street is a whole experience. One of the main reasons I love Bourbon Street is the live music. You are going to have the best live music experience for free.
[14:28] There is so much culture and history in New Orleans.
[16:27] San Francisco, California is another favorite destination.
[17:56] There is so much great food in and around the San Francisco area.
[20:01] Another one of the reasons you want to go to San Francisco is because of the proximity to Napa Valley. Napa Valley is the top wine destination in America.
[20:54] Another one of her favorite travel destinations is Australia, specifically Melbourne, Australia.
[22:13] Melbourne is a very urban city. There are amazing food options and so much culture. Melbourne is a popular wine country destination.
[24:25] Sydney has so much to offer with the Sydney harbor, the opera house, and the excursions.
[24:57] Another favorite overseas destination is Italy. We went wine tasting in the Tuscan countryside, which was on my bucket list. This Italy trip included Venice, Rome, and Florence.
[26:25] One of the few places you can get designer brands at outlet prices is in Florence. There are four different outlets in the Florence and Tuscan region.
[27:27] When you go to Italy, set some money aside for shopping because it is an experience that you can’t get anywhere else.
[28:41] You get an amazing experience going to the museums in Italy.
[29:59] Where are you planning to go this summer? What are your favorite travel destinations?

Links Mentioned on the Show From Toya:
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Travel, Pray, Slay Merch
5 Traveler Trends to Watch Out for in 2021
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