The Gilded Horizon

The term “bucket list” has been around for decades. The idea that you need to complete all the items on your list before you “kick the bucket” is a motivator for many adults past middle age. Since 2020 and the global pandemic, there’s been an even greater emphasis on travel bucket lists. Coming out of the pandemic, people were ready to make up for lost time and travel the world, take risks, and go places that they didn’t consider before. The industry affectionately coined this surge in travel, “revenge travel”.

Showing our children the world and providing them with authentic experiences is the best gift we can give them. Giving our young ones the space to explore, interact, and learn about people and places different from their own – situations that make them slightly uncomfortable – but expand their tolerance, increase their compassion, and expose them to the real-world is more important than any textbook or honors class. The earlier you can travel with your children, the better, but it can be very intimidating. Do not fear though. With the help of a trusted travel advisor, you can offload the stress of planning and managing a family vacation to us. We have the knowledge, connections, and experience to guide you down a path to joyful travel moments.

River Cruising is fast becoming one of the most popular ways to experience Europe, and more recently Asia, Africa, and South America. Commonly stereotyped as a vacation for retirees, river cruises are for people of all ages. Sure, there are specific cruise lines that cater to the baby boomers, but when you work with Sunkissed Bliss Travel, we can point you in the right direction based on your preferences. There are even options for river cruising with kids. Here are some benefits to river cruising:

A trip to California Wine Country should be anything but ordinary, and there are hundreds of wineries located throughout several valleys for your enjoyment. Arguably the most popular, the valleys of Napa, Sonoma, and the Russian River (located within Sonoma County) have unique characteristics that distinguish themselves from one another. The undiscerning traveler might assume that “wine is wine”, but you will not have the same experience in Napa as you would in Sonoma, or in the Russian River Valley. Here’s some information about each of them.

Fall is such a mystical time with the changing of the leaves, the influx of cooler air, bluer skies, and shorter days. There are dozens of places to leaf-peep around the world, but an even more unique travel experience is one rooted in lore, mystery, and even the foundation of Halloween itself. Here are some great destinations to fill your heart for Halloween.

The Greek Isles are one of the most popular destinations in Europe right now – and for good reason. Turquoise waters, craggy coastlines, rich history, exquisitely prepared fresh food, and that European island vibe make the Greek Isles impossible to hate. But there are so many of them! Here is a quick guide to help point you to the right Isle for you.

We soon discovered what thousands of people know: the eastern shores of Lake Michigan are much fairer than the western shores here in Illinois. Wide flat beaches, quaint lakeside towns, and acres of fruit orchards and vineyards spread across southwest Michigan like a patchwork quilt, and quite frankly, more accessible beaches. Our first summer in Illinois, we made the short drive to Michigan to enjoy what regulars call an “unsalted” vacation. And we visited this charming town set at the intersection of the Kalamazoo River and Lake Michigan: Saugatuck.

“Why would I use a travel advisor when I can go online and book it myself?” This is a common question I get, and while there are many reasons why enlisting the help of a travel advisor is better than being at the mercy of massive online booking platforms, I’m going to highlight 3 important ones here: