It’s 365 days until next St. Patrick’s Day, but if you still have some partying left in you after yesterday, get yourself to the Emerald Isle for an authentic Irish cultural experience. With so many regions worth checking out, Ireland is best explored by car, either driving yourself or, better yet, with a driver-guide. Fly into Dublin in the east or Shannon in the west -- preclearing U.S. customs at either airport on the way home -- and circumnavigate the island for an enchanting journey through the land of St. Patrick.

If you’ve never been on a cruise, you might have a lot of questions about the experience, and a lot of preconceptions that may or may not be true. The reality is, there are many different types of cruising. If you think it’s not for you, you might be surprised at what’s out there.

As a full service travel consultant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, I see and hear about every little (and big) travel adventure, mishap and mind blowing experience.  I am also asked questions that travelers know not the answer..like how to and what to pack.  With high baggage fees for checked luggage on most international and domestic flights, a common concern is how to pack so that they can carry on their luggage instead of paying the checked bag fee.

It’s more than twice the size of Texas, the next largest state, and bigger than all but 18 sovereign countries. It’s the third least populous state in the union. Alaska has a lot of land and not too many people, so it’s no wonder that the state warrants its own national parks region. Alaska boasts a total of eight national parks, second only to the nine of California. These Alaska parks are worth a look.

Traveling by air is no doubt one of the safest means of transportation.  It is an important addition to modern day living as it doesn’t simply provide safety but also provides a means of reaching your destination at incredible speed.  In fact, flying should be lauded for its ability to safely deliver passengers to their destinations in a very timely manner.