5 Popular Cocktails From New Orleans & Where to Drink Them Today

The first time I went to New Orleans, I was on a wayward road trip with a friend.

We headed straight to Bourbon Street to get lost in the madness. A few minutes in, a woman offered me a cocktail… or, more appropriately, a neon-colored shot in a test-tube-like apparatus.

She asked if I wanted one; I paused long enough to give her an opening.

Without another word, she picked up the test tube filled with neon liquid, set the closed bottom in her mouth, then put the open end in my mouth and popped onto her tippy toes. I realized what was happening too late—and there went $10 down the drain for an overly sweet shot of whatever-the-hell she put in that tube.

She took my money and then shooed me onward. Though I couldn’t afford to be loose with my money at the time, I was young enough to be more intrigued than affronted by the experience.

So began a very drunken escapade on Bourbon Street—the first of many in the years to come.

In honor of that first taste of New Orleans spirit (literally and metaphorically), I’m counting down the most popular cocktails that originated in the city, along with where to drink them today.

5 cocktails from New Orleans and where to drink them today

The Sazerac

Year invented: Around 1850
Ingredients: Cognac or rye whiskey, absinthe, Peychaud’s Bitters, and sugar
What’s it like? A very cognac or whiskey-forward that’s served straight up (sometimes chilled)
Where to drink it: The Sazerac Bar & The Sazerac House

Southern Comfort

Year invented: 1874
Ingredients: Whiskey infused with natural fruit flavors
What’s it like? Strong bourbon liqueur that includes a touch of vanilla, cherry, clove, cinnamon, lemon, and orange spices
Where to drink it: Because it’s sold in stores, you can drink Southern Comfort at your leisure. I suggest trying a Southern Comfort Old Fashioned at Revel Café & Bar.

The Gin Fizz

Year invented: Late 1800s
Ingredients: Gin, lemon or lime juice, and carbonated water
What’s it like? A tart and refreshing cocktail that sometimes includes egg white or yolk, sparkling wine, and crème de menthe
Where to drink it: The most famous NOLA gin fizz is the Ramos Gin Fizz, which you can sample at Henry’s Uptown Bar & Arnaud’s Restaurant

Hurricane

Year invented: At least 1938, possibly older
Ingredients: Rum, lemon juice, passion fruit syrup or fassionola (fruit syrup)
What’s it like? A refreshing drink poured over ice with many variations. If you like hyper-sweet rum drinks, you’ll love a Hurricane.
Where to drink it: Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, The Voodoo Lounge, & Pat O’Brien’s

Hand Grenade

Year invented: 1984
Ingredients: Vodka, gin, rum, and melon liqueur
What’s it like? A recognizable staple on Bourbon Street that is usually served in a green yard glass. It’s known for being super-sweet and extra-boozy.
Where to drink it: Hand Grenades are sold exclusively at select bars in the French Quarter, including the Tropical Isle (home of the original Hand Grenade), Little Tropical Isle, Pat O’Briens, and The Spotted Cat.

10 International Cities with Low English Proficiency

I’ve heard many travelers talk about how lucky they are to have been raised in an English-speaking country.

After all, Americans who head abroad can get around relatively easily in their native tongue. There are 390 million native English speakers—which doesn’t account for those who learn the tongue as a second language.

Even locals who don’t speak English probably know enough words or phrases to help us out.

I see things differently.

I was born and raised in the Midwest. Even when I moved to New York City, I had trouble understanding people who spoke English with an accent because I hadn’t grown up hearing many non-native speakers.

As a world traveler, this lack of language exposure has held me back in many ways. It took me years to get accustomed to listening to heavy accents. Learning the basics of even romance language grammar has been mind-bending, nonetheless more complex structures like Slavic grammar.

To offset my lack of knowledge, I always look up a few words and phrases that are common in my destination. Not only is it respectful to have the basics down, but it might also be necessary.

After all, while English is the third-most spoken language on the planet, not everyone speaks the language. If you’re heading to these international cities, make sure you have a few words and phrases scribbled down on a piece of paper or saved on your phone.

You’ll need them.

How are countries being ranked?

The rankings in this article are taken from a 2024 data study from EF English Proficiency Index. The annual report is based on test results from over 2.1 million adults in 116 countries around the world.

The study ranks both countries and capital cities for their English language proficiency. (In case you’re interested, the Netherlands scored first in 2024.)

For the purposes of this article, I’m focusing only on countries that are more often frequented by American travelers. The list is divided into low English proficiency and moderate English proficiency. It’s ranked starting with the lowest level of proficiency.

4 international cities with low English proficiency

You can expect anyone working in hospitality to have a solid, basic level of English vocabulary—so don’t worry about feeling linguistically stranded at your destination. However, keep in mind that the average local you meet on the street probably speaks a very basic level of English. In other words, they can help you find a bathroom or call for help, but don’t expect a drawn-out conversation.

Mexico City: Mexico
Bangkok, Thailand
Panama City, Panama
Tokyo, Japan

6 international cities with moderate English proficiency

As with the low proficiency capitals listed above, you don’t need to worry about any hospitality professionals: they’ll likely have a solid level of English. To make things even easier, you might be able to hold basic conversations with those you meet outside your hotel/resort/rental.

As you can see by the list, knowing a bit of introductory Spanish will set you up for success in a handful of popular destinations, from Mexico City to Rome.

Bogota, Colombia
Beijing, China
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Havana, Cuba
Hanoi, Vietnam
Rome, Italy

Overbooked Flights: Why Does it Happen & Should You Take an Offer?

We all know the experience: you arrive at your boarding gate at the airport and hear an agent announce that the flight has been overbooked—and they’re looking for volunteers to hop on a later flight in exchange for vouchers or another offer.

Every time, my gut clenches a little bit.

Even if I have no plans of giving up my seat, airlines are still allowed to ‘bump’ passengers. And while I’ve never been selected to wait for a later flight, it’s entirely legal for airlines to overbook their flights and play god with who boards the plane.

In 2025, it almost feels par for the course to hear this announcement at the gate, especially for shorter domestic flights.

The big question… how is this legal? And why does it happen?

Let’s take a closer look at why airlines overbook flights to begin with. Then, I’m counting down five signs that you might be the perfect candidate to accept the airline’s offer of a later flight, compensation, or both.

How do overbooked flights happen?

Airlines (obviously) want to sell out seats on each flight, but passengers might cancel their plans at the last minute or fail to show up at the gate.

To predict how many no-shows and/or cancellations are likely to happen for a given flight, airlines rely on data-driven algorithms. Using diverse data sets, these programs suggest that airlines overbook flights by a certain number of seats.

If the program suggests that ten passengers are likely to no-show, the airline will sell an additional ten seats. (Yes, this is fully legal. Or, as the DOT puts it, ‘is not illegal’.)

Most of the time, airlines correctly predict the number of no-shows. But when they fail to do so, passengers are bumped to later flights and are offered compensation for the rebooking.

(In some cases, airlines might be required to allow boarding for Federal Air Marshalls, which isn’t caused by overbooking.)

Bumping vs. voluntarily giving up your seat

When flights are overbooked and passengers are accounted for at the gate, agents will first ask ticket-holders to voluntarily give up their seats.

This is different than bumping; bumping is when you are denied boarding even though you really want to get on that flight.

Most often, airlines offer passengers who voluntarily give up their seats a reduced-rate ticket, a free ticket, or some type of voucher. This offer almost always includes free rebooking on a later flight or the option to wait on standby on the next flight.

But what happens when no passengers are willing to give up their seats voluntarily?

Every airline has a different approach in how it decides who gets the bump. Factors like check-in time, ticket fare/price, and frequent flyer statuses inform how gate agents make those final cuts.

But if you make it past the gate and actually board the plane, there are very few situations in which you would be removed from the aircraft.

Unfortunately, the fine print is dense when it comes to what airlines owe if you’ve been involuntarily denied boarding. The DOT requires airlines to hand you a statement about why you were bumped and what your rights are—but you’re probably not owed any financial compensation.

Should you take the offer of a later flight?

Let’s shift back toward voluntarily giving up your seat. In what cases is this a good idea?

It depends on the offer made by the gate agents. Common offers include vouchers, miles, and financial compensation. If the offer sounds good to you, then go for it.

But know this: you have the right to negotiate. And if few passengers look like they’re going to take the offer, you can and should barter your way to shinier deal.

Airline agents recommend pushing for cash compensation—and going as high as possible. Again, if you’re the only passenger willing to give up a seat, most airlines would rather pay you off than bump a passenger.

If you’ll be facing a long layover or a night at an airport hotel due to taking the offer, make sure to ask for room vouchers and meal vouchers. Most airlines have both available. Lastly, ask for additional perks like an upgrade to business class, lounge access, and changing your multi-leg journey to a direct flight.

Remember: you may have lost your seat, but the power now rests in your hands. (Well, sort of.)

Saily eSIM: How to Get Started Using eSIMs

I’m adding a third option for your eSIM needs: Saily.

Along with Airalo and Firsty, Saily is an easy-to-use eSIM that won’t trip up even the most tech-challenged travelers.

In case you’re new to the eSIM conversation, here’s a quick recap:

ESIMs are one of the most flexible and dynamic options that travelers have when it comes to using their smartphones abroad. Rather than replace a physical SIM card in your phone, you download an eSIM provider app, choose the plan that’s right for you, and then hit ‘activate’ when you land at your destination.

There are dozens of eSIM companies to choose from—and more are hitting the market every year.

I’ve been using Airalo for a few years with great success, but think that both Firsty (covered in another article, linked above) and Saily are great choices. Here’s why Saily is on my radar.

How can you get an eSIM from Saily?

To start using Saily, download the app from Google Play or Apple App Store. Or if you want to start shopping around for plans first, you can head to their website.

From there, you can select which countries you’ll travel to. Click on the country, then select which data plan you want.

This part is a little tricky. If you’re anything like me, you don’t know the difference between 1 GB and 20 GB—and how much internet use either covers.

A good way to gauge how much data you’ll need is to think about how often you want to stream videos on your smartphone, from Netflix to TikTok.

The more video streaming you want to do, the more data you need. For the average traveler like me (who wants to use Google Maps and send a few emails), 5GB is plenty for a five-day trip. That being said, I’d recommend doing a little research before finalizing your eSIM data plan.

How do you activate the eSIM once you touch down?

There’s one catch when using the Saily eSIM platform: your data plans are automatically activated over a 30-day period.

That means that your data plan(s) will automatically activate after 30 days of the purchase. So, you need to buy your Saily plan within one month of arriving at your destination.

That’s a pretty big catch—so make sure you set a note in your calendar in case your vacation plans change. That being said, what I love about Saily is that it automatically activates when you arrive at your destination.

Most other eSIM providers require you to manually change your phone’s settings and activate the eSIM—but not Saily.

What makes Saily stand out?

That automatic activation makes Saily stand out from other eSIM providers that I’ve used. But it’s not my favorite feature.

The reason I think Saily should be on your radar is its added security tools. Saily automatically routes your connection through other countries, sort of like a VPN or a virtual private network.

VPNs are one of the best ways to stay safe when using your smartphone abroad—especially when connecting to public Wi-Fi. While Saily doesn’t use an actual VPN, it lets you change your virtual location to over 30 countries.

That lets you browse more privately—and even access content that you’d normally see at home.

There’s also an ad blocker, which can help you save money by limiting the number of online trackers that suck up your precious data. On top of that, the Saily eSIM also blocks malicious sites, protecting you as you browse the web while traveling abroad.

9 Wonderfully Weird Things to Do in Nebraska

Similar to Kansas and Iowa, Nebraska is usually dubbed a fly-over state.

I hate that moniker.

Half because I’m from Missouri, which is often regarded as a flyover state, and half because I personally think the flat prairies in places like Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas are underrated. As a fan of wind, sunlight, and open spaces, I think they’re outright beautiful.

But let’s not get derailed by why endless expanses of sky and tallgrass are appealing. For now, I’m shining a light on what makes Nebraska a fascinating stop for travelers—and, no, I’m not going to suggest you aimlessly wander across a prairie.

So long as you know where to go, you’ll find that this state is speckled with pleasant surprises. To pique your interest, I’m highlighting the weirdest activities that are open to visitors.

(If you’re on the hunt for even more things to do, start with Visit Nebraska’s comprehensive list.)

9 wonderfully weird things to do in Nebraska

Carhenge (Alliance, Nebraska)

During the summer solstice back in 1987, artist Jim Reinders unveiled his large-scale replica of England’s Stonehenge. Instead of hauling massive standing stones into a circular position, Reinders carefully placed vintage American cars into position.

And he dubbed it Carhenge.

Spray-painted matte gray, they sort of resembled the megaliths. A total of 39 cars were used to recreate Stonehenge, while another three (all foreign-made) lay buried beneath the site.

Kool-Aid Days Festival (Hastings, Nebraska)

Hastings is the birthplace of Kool-Aid—oh, yeah! If you’re a big fan of this sweet drink, you can visit Hastings’ Kool-Aid Museum. However, I’d suggest planning a visit during the three-day Kool-Aid Days festival, which is held annually in August.

The festival includes live music, a parade, fireworks, and special events like a Kool-Aid drinking contest.

Toadstool Geologic Park (Oglala National Grassland)

Tucked away in the northeastern corner of the state, this geological area is technically a badlands landscape. (Told you I wouldn’t recommend any prairies!)

The barren, desolate landscape at Toadstool Geologic Park almost looks lunar, and is dotted with unique formations. Don’t forget to look out for the sod house replica on the grounds—it showcases how early European settlers survived on the Nebraska frontier.

Happy Jack Chalk Mine (Scotia, Nebraska)

View from the top of the mines (TripAdvisor)

Welcome to Nebraska’s only visitable mine. On weekends, you can take a short tour of Happy Jack Salt Mine through the abandoned caverns to learn about chalk, how it’s mined, and what it’s used for.

After, you can climb atop the mines for a bird’s eye view of the surrounding plains. Despite that very simple premise, visitors have found the tour to be interesting—someone TripAdvisor even dubbed it a ‘hidden gem in the countryside’.

Bigfoot Crossroads of America (Hastings, Nebraska)

Meet your Big Foot guide, Harriet (TripAdvisor)

Hastings doesn’t only host the Kool-Aid Days festival—it also welcomes the annual Nebraska Bigfoot Conference. And that event is hosted by the Bigfoot Crossroads of America center, which functions as both a museum and research facility.

You can learn everything there is to know about Sasquatches here, along with how today’s leading Bigfoot hunters study them. There’s even a fantasy forest to wander through.

International Quilt Museum (Lincoln, Nebraska)

I know this is going to make me sound nerdy but… quilts are cool. From the vestiges of European hand-sewing traditions and the utilitarian need for warmth, American colonists made this art their own.

As of 2025, the US is home to quilting traditions that stem from European American, African American, Native American, Amish, and Hawaiian traditions. The International Quilt Museum is one of the best places to learn about these traditions while enjoying contemporary quilting storytelling.

Ashfall Fossils Bed (Royal, Nebraska)

Didn’t catch your attention with the quilting recommendation? Let me lure you in with some fossil beds. Ashfall Fossils Bed has been called ‘the Pompeii of prehistoric animals’ by Nat Geo, which should clue you in.

This site entombs dozens of prehistoric animals, which paleontologists and archaeologists are still carefully studying after its discovery in 1987. In the Rhino Barn, you can get a closer look at rhinos that were buried in volcanic ash over 12 million years ago.

Museum of Shadows (Omaha, Nebraska)

I’m one of the first people to recommend haunted museums and ghost tours. I love a little dark tourism, along with touching on related topics like true crime. But if you’re a hardcore fan of ghosts, haunted locations, and haunted items, look no further.

The Museum of Shadows includes over 3,000 haunted artifacts from around the world. You can explore the museum at your own pace, take a guided tour, or even join ghost-hunting programs.

The Villagers (Taylor, Nebraska)

The Museum of Shadows is designed to scare guests—but The Villagers might also catch you off-guard.

To make the town appear more populated and welcoming, Taylor local Marah Sandoz put together a life-sized painting on a wooden cut-out depicting historic townspeople. Since then, she’s amassed over 100 ‘Villagers’ throughout the town.

7 Things to Do in Marin County Near San Francisco

The Golden Gate Bridge leads from San Francisco to Marin County, guiding travelers north like a grand red carpet.

Removed from the city’s foggy domain, Marin is a sunny, coastal escape with a population of around 250,000.

You may not have heard of its largest city, San Rafael—but you might know other iconic Marin spots like Muir Woods redwood forest, the houseboats of Sausalito, and San Quentin State Prison. (Any true crime fans out there?)

It’s one of the best day trip options for travelers in San Francisco. Marin is home to some of California’s most rugged, gorgeous hills and beaches. It’s also one of the wealthiest counties in the US, which means there are plenty of hidden treasures to uncover—including the famous Marin County Civic Center, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Have I caught your interest yet?

If you want to get out of San Francisco and foray into a world of pure Northern California vibes, book a rental and head into Marin. Here’s what to do when you arrive.

7 best things to do in Marin County

Lounge on Black Sand Beach

Hidden amid the Marin Headlands is one of California’s hidden black sand beaches. Sometimes shrunk by the rising tide, this quiet, peaceful beach faces Bonita Cove, letting you gaze into the sunset after a long day.

To get there, head into the Marin Headlands toward Upper Fisherman’s Lot. From there, you can hike down to Black Sands Beach. Just be warned that this is a very steep (but short) trail, so be ready for a workout.

See Alamere Falls

Alamere falls in Point Reyes National Seashore (Getty)

Alamere Falls is located on the southern edge of Wildcat Beach in Point Reyes National Seashore. You may have heard of this famous natural landmark before; it’s one of few coastal waterfalls, which descends directly onto the sand.

As with Black Sand Beach, you need to be prepared for a hike. In this case, you need to cover a 13-mile loop if you want to see the famous falls.

Shop at the Sunday Marin Farmers Market

You might be picturing a quiet plaza with a few vendors selling bright produce—but that’s not an accurate depiction of the Sunday Marin Farmers Market. This is the third-largest farmers market in California and is home to around 150 vendors who sell produce, artisanal crafts, and more. Some popular tents even have cult followings.

Walk through the largest Frank Lloyd Wright construction: the Marin County Civic Center

North America, United States of America, California, San Rafael (Getty)

The Sunday Marin Farmers Market is hosted in the lot of the Marin County Civic Center, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and completed in 1962. (Wright passed in 1959; his protégé oversaw the building’s construction.) It was his largest project, which spans various buildings, the largest of which is the Administration Building and Hall of Justice. You can take tours of the building, which has become a hotspot for visitors.

Head to Heidrun Meadery

Forget wineries, breweries, and distilleries. In Marin County, you can visit a meadery—used for making mead. Mead is a popular drink from the Middle Ages, which is made from honey instead of grapes.

Heidrun Meadery takes things even further by brewing its mead in a Champagne style, which produces a breathtakingly light and honey-infused drink. Instead of fields of grapes, you’ll find a bee forage at this Marin County destination.

Feel bougie in Sausalito

California-Sausalito-Sausalito Floating Homes

Sausalito is a coastal area that’s known for its lanes of houseboats. Though Sausalito grew rapidly as a shipbuilding center during World War II, it’s better known for its high number of quirky, wealthy artists, from Alan Watts to Shel Silverstein to Isabelle Allende.

Even if you aren’t interested in Sausalito’s famous residents, its houseboat docks are still worth checking out.

Watch a performance at Throckmorton Theater

This gorgeous community theatre first opened its doors in 1912, when it was known as The Hub Theatre. Over a century later, the theatre continues to host a range of performances, from high school orchestras to productions like Chicago.

Even if you don’t buy tickets for a show, you might want to stop in just to see the interior. Throckmorton has been preserved with many of its historic features, which makes you feel like you’re walking into Marin’s past.