Wrap Ups From All Over

What some top travel bloggers had to say about last weekend's record-breaking Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show:

Buck Inspire:
"If you love to travel, this was the place to be. Tons of visitors felt the same as they came in record numbers."

Sightseeing Sam: 
"Like travel itself, the show is different things to different people, and that’s one of the things that makes travel so intriguing. Personally, I prefer to cruise the show floor, talking to people in kind of a daydreaming state thinking about what it would be like to be in all those places."

Nutty Nomads:
"The L.A. Travel and Adventure show that took place in Long Beach yesterday was like a crystal clear oasis in a desert of impossible travel dreams."

Vagabond3:
"Past shows have ended up leading me from Iceland to St. Paul, Minnesota because, at the end of the day when walking away with bags of brochures, the experiences and atmosphere that catch me off guard and surprise me with possibility beat out classically famous vacation spots. This year was no different, I found local and international destinations that I didn’t expect; I was won over by a country that I had never considered before, and, now voluntourim is at the top of my bucket list."

Not to mention a great segment on CBS (KCAL) with Pauline Frommer.

There's a lot more out there - I was home following vicariously through #latravelshow on Twitter. And while there's was much to do in the office getting ready for Chicago, it would've been fun to be out there among the mass of humanity in the aisles at what is now the best-attended travel show in history.

A Picture Is Worth... Well Some Are Priceless

Wanted to share a few photos and videos taken by attendees at the LA Travel & Adventure Show this past weekend.

A future Rare Earth Adventurer

And another from GAdventures

At the Fiery Foods Challenge from Nutty Nomads

Samantha Brown on eating knuckles in Taiwan from Tom's Foodie Blog






Encino Mom tackles the rock wall and bubble rollers

Andrew Zimmern from Sara Jane Turk

And of course, the gratuitous crowd shot of the exhibit hall. Yes, it was packed. But you knew that!

What's On Peter Greenberg's List for 2012? Surprises!

From Peter Greenberg's latest appearance on the CBS Morning Report - places to go for 2012...



Cuba: Savvy travelers have known about relaxed restrictions, but now just about anyone can go. As it's not all that popular with US tourists yet, the country has still got that 1950's time warp feel to it. Peter suggests making an excuse to go now before Starbucks and KFC get there.

Myanmar (Burma): the government is now issuing 14 day visas instead of just 7 days so you have an opportunity to visit more of the country. The powers that be are no fools - they recognize US tourism dollars represents desperately needed revenue, so they're promoting the country as an inviting destination.

Montenegro: "Croatia without the tourists." Did you know the country boasts 117 beaches?

Morocco: It's still exotic and now it's more affordable and even a bit more modern (without losing its character).

Chile: Fjords, Patagonia, wine country. What more could you ask for?

Portugal: They've had their economic collapse, so it's a relative bargain for US travelers.

Portland, OR: no sales tax, no food & beverage tax.

Portland, ME: edgy and hip but still New England-ey. Affordable (average dinner is $34, and that's for lobster!)