Posts

Guide to Christmas at Universal Studios Japan

“NO LIMIT! Christmas” is a holiday event at Universal Studios Japan from mid-November 2025 through early January 2026. The holiday festivities include a stage show, record-setting tree, decorations in Super Nintendo World, and more. This guide shares our tips for USJ’s winter entertainment, plus our experience and photos. Dates have not yet been set for […]

Kobe Luminarie: Japan’s Wonderful Winter Illumination

Kobe Luminarie is one of the best winter light displays in Japan, and this free event will return in 2024 for the first time in 4 years. We attended Kobe Luminarie and wow is about all I can say. In this post, we’ll offer some background about the event, plus photos and thoughts from our experience at […]

Christmas Gift Guide for Travelers

Wondering what to get the travel enthusiast in your life, or what to add to your own Christmas list? Our holiday gift guide features the coolest travel gadgets, inspirational travel books, and other must-have travel accessories. From luggage to comfy “tourist pants,” we’ve got something for everyone here. On this list, we have a mix of […]

Colors of Christmas at Montage Laguna Beach

It’s Christmas season in Southern California, which means two things: palm trees covered in lights and gorgeous sunrise and sunset skies! After a week of traveling when I landed at LAX last night, I decided to check the weather and noticed conditions were predicted to be ripe today in Laguna Beach for a nice sunrise. […]

Odaiba Illumination Tips & Info

Odaiba is a manmade island on Tokyo Bay, located just outside of the city. Its year-round lighting, known as Odaiba Illumination YAKEI is a popular tourist draw, and one of the main reasons people make the trek to the outskirts of Tokyo. Winter Illuminations are popular throughout Tokyo November through December, and there are some […]

Merry Christmas from Crystal Cove!

Well, Merry belated Christmas, that is. Yesterday, we headed to Crystal Cove State Park to see some of the vintage-inspired holiday decor and enjoy a “traditional” white (sand) Christmas. I think it’s going to take years to get used to trading in the snow and evergreens of the Midwest for the beaches and palms of Southern California, […]

Things to Do in New York City at Christmas

Miracle on 34th Street. Elf. Home Alone II. New York City has been the setting of numerous memorable (well, maybe not the last one) Christmas films and television specials, and for good reason: the city comes alive during the holiday season. New York City always has a frenetic energy, but the falling temperatures and snow […]

Christmas in Paris

Christmas is beautiful in Paris. Everything you can imagine: romantic, lavishly decorated, and a bit on the cold side. On our first visit to France, Christmas celebrating was in full swing when we were in Paris in mid-November (since there’s no Thanksgiving, I don’t think anyone gets miffed by Christmas starting in November), and it […]