TravelAwaits

Our mission is to serve the 50+ traveler who's ready to cross a few items off their bucket list.

The Tour (Platform) Guide: Comparing TripAdvisor, Airbnb, GetYourGuide, & More

The Tour (Platform) Guide: Comparing TripAdvisor, Airbnb, GetYourGuide, & More

Ah, the great debate: which platform should you book your next tour with?

As travelers, we have more options than ever before, which has only muddied the waters, in my opinion. On top of that, it’s tough to gauge which tours are actually high-quality and which ones are ethical, too.

That last note is particularly important. I live in El Born, part of Barcelona’s Ciutat Vella. The Old City is a must-see for tourists and is frequented by tours of all stripes, from haunted histories to wine tastings to historical explorations.

But when tour guides drag groups of more than ten through the city’s tiny neighborhoods, it makes the area unlivable. It also creates a more stressful experience for tourists. A lose-lose, in other words.

While going on tours is a top-notch way to get to know a city, from its culture to its history to its language, you need to be choosy about booking tours.

I’m taking a closer look at five of the most trusted platforms out there, focusing on which type of tours they excel in and what types of travelers would do best with each. As always, feel free to mix and match tours from various companies.

Best platforms for booking tours: shortcut

Best platforms for booking tours

For the sake of keeping this article applicable to as many people as possible, I’m sticking to global brands. But don’t limit yourself to this list! As we’ll see, partnering with local tour guides is an important part of the equation.

Additionally, don’t feel like you need to book with a single platform. I’ve used every platform listed here with great success.

Airbnb: Best for influencers

Influencers are stirring up the travel world. Regardless of how you feel about that fact, the proof is in the pudding—and the pudding is the number of tours that now focus on photo-worthy sites.

Not only that, but Airbnb guides have also begun to offer tours that are designed for groups to take mini-photo shoots.

If you’ve gone on a larger group tour recently, you might have noticed that some tourists are very invested in their photo shoots. No judgment here—but if you want to spend time nailing the lighting and getting your outfit just right, then stick to Airbnb and its influencer-centric tours.

You won’t hold up the group. In fact, you might even have extra eyes to help you put together the perfect shot.

TripAdvisor: Great for cultural excursions

Tripadvisor owns Viator, which means you’ll find similar types of tours offered on both platforms.

I’ve found TripAdvisor to be a little bit more geared toward cultural excursions. From walking tours to specialty museums to landmark visits, there’s a strong focus on ferrying tourists around the city’s most prominent institutions.

If you’re interested in diving deep into local culture and customs, then TripAdvisor probably has a highly niche tour available. That range is thanks to its longstanding commitment to offering tours.

That being said, make sure you keep a look out for group size—some tours offered on the platform are needlessly large.

Viator: Best for long tours and day trips

As a TripAdvisor subsidiary, the tours on Viator aren’t too different from the type of diverse cultural immersions its parent platform is known for. Still, Viator has some great longer-form tours, including day trips and out-of-city adventures.

In fact, some of its tours and experiences run for multiple days. For example, visitors in Barcelona can book a three-day skiing excursion that takes them to Andorra in the Pyrenees, or even a scuba certification on Costa Brava that runs for a single day.

GetYourGuide: Perfect for major attractions

It’s hard to beat the experience of GetYourGuide. Its tours have been reviewed by tens of thousands of happy visitors—and many have a near five-star rating despite having more than 20,000 reviews.

That’s a hearty stamp of approval if I’ve ever seen one.

GetYourGuide is great for digging a bit deeper into a city’s most popular attractions and historical buildings and monuments.

While you might not wander far off the beaten path, you probably won’t want to. It’s got a long list of tours that are pretty much universally approved by tourists.

Toursbylocals: Most ethical pick

The vast majority of tours in Barcelona aren’t hosted by locals, which is a shame. I’ve had the pleasure of going on one tour with my (local) neighbors, who have a motorcycle and a sidecar.

It was an off-the-cuff tour that took us to unexpected places and taught us a lot about how native Barcelonese see their city.

Here’s my point: While there’s no need to only go on tours from locals, the best platforms for booking tours should offer options give you a more insightful and authoritative look at the place.

Rather than being driven solely by research and limited experience, these guides are able to bake their own lived experience and insights into the equation—which creates a more memorable and meaningful tour experience, in my opinion.

They also know where all those actual hidden gems are located.

Where to Find the Best Lobster in Portland, Maine

I’ll never forget the first time I had lobster.

I was in my early twenties and living in Brooklyn. Being from Missouri, I hadn’t eaten too much exotic seafood—and those bright orange lobsters always seemed a little out of my league.

Then came Restaurant Week, a time for restaurants around New York City to offer tasting menus and fill their tables.

A friend’s family invited me to a swanky TriBeCa restaurant that served up lobster on their tasting menu. My friend’s mom joked that lobster was once considered a low-brow meal, especially for early settlers on the East Coast. I remember hearing the phrase ‘lobster is the rat of the sea’ for the first time.

I’ve since come to love those little orange rats, especially now that I live in a coastal city with an obsession with seafood. In Barcelona, lobster isn’t hard to find; it’s cooked in stews, prepared in the alla Catalana style, served alone and boiled, and much more.

Here’s an interesting little factoid for animal rights nerds: There’s a growing movement in Europe to ban live lobster boiling. Countries like Norway, Austria, and Switzerland have already banned it, declaring that lobsters must be stunned before being boiled.

But don’t let me derail us with a conversation on ethics.

We’re here to focus on savory, buttery lobster. More specifically, we’re here to talk about the best lobster in the US state that specializes in this dish: Maine.

If you’re heading to Portland with hopes of sinking your teeth into the country’s freshest and tastiest lobster, here’s where you need to go.

Best restaurants in Portland for lobster

Luke’s Lobster

Luke’s Lobster, TripAdvisor

With a great view at the end of the Portland Pier and a sterling reputation, I vote you start your lobster journey at Luke’s Lobster.

The restaurant is so experienced with lobster that it even offers a wild-caught lobster cookbook. If you’re a little unsure about going all-in on a steamed lobster, you can also start out with their highly rated lobster roll.

Alternatively, you can also order fresh lobster for delivery anywhere in the country—Luke’s delivers.

The Porthole

The Porthole, TripAdvisor

Want a casual favorite for locals? The Porthole is a prime spot to catch live music along with a fresh lobster dish.

Plus, with separate breakfast, lunch, and dessert menus, you get a little more variation with your seafood action—plus more traditional options like a two-egg breakfast.

But let’s focus on those lobster options. The Porthole is famous for its Twin Lobster Dinner, which includes meat from two massive lobsters that come served with sides like veggies, mashed potatoes, and a warm roll. Yum.

Scales

Scales, TripAdvisor

Looking for a more upscale take on lobster? Scales is a fine dining establishment that lets you shop around for the freshest seafood in the city.

There’s a long list of options for diners, including appetizers, a raw bar, and specialized dishes like steamed Maine lobster.

That would be my top choice for a date night. Not only does the restaurant offer a slightly elevated take on its seafood dishes, including its lobster dish, but the ambiance is also top-tier.

J’s Oysters

J’s Oysters, TripAdvisor

The specialty at J’s Oysters is… oysters.

But you can find one of Portland’s sneakiest and tastiest lobster dishes inside: lobster stew. Similar to lobster bisque, this hearty and creamy dish is one of the top choices on the Portland Pier.

There are other specials, too, like the lobster claw cocktail (pictured above). If you’re on the hunt for other types of seafood, you’ll have plenty to munch on here, from oysters to clams to mussels. But if you want pure, lobster fare, you can also order a seafood cocktail of lobster meat.

3 Popular Destinations Where the US Dollar Won’t Get You Far

I don’t know anyone who ranks their bucket list destinations based on currency conversions, but it’s not a bad thing to think about.

Despite the fact that the US dollar is the world’s reserve currency, it’s far from the highest-value currency out there.

And if you’re heading to a country where local currency is worth a lot more than the dollar, you’re going to be paying extra for the basics.

I’d hate to discourage you from heading to any of these countries—but I’d like to empower you to get the most out of your trip by laying out some financial expectations, and help you avoid any unwelcome surprises. (That will drain your bank account.)

Want a little shortcut on which countries you’ll need to save up to visit? These are the most popular tourist destinations where the US dollar won’t get you too far.

Before you visit, save up.

Want a closer look at countries where the US dollar will get you farther? Start here. Want a crash course in how currency values work? Head here instead.

Countries where the dollar is worth less than the local currency

What makes a country’s currency strong? Factors like low inflation, strong export demands, natural resources, and political stability help maintain a currency’s value.

All exchange rates listed below are taken from Google Finance as of January 16. And remember, I’m only listing out popular destinations for Americans, which means countries like Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Jordan aren’t featured here even though they have high-value currencies.

The UK

London (Getty)

1 British Pound = $1.22

The GBP is one of the oldest currencies in the world that’s still in use—and it’s also one of the most stable currencies. Behind all that financial power is London, one of the world’s longstanding financial and economic hubs.

If you’ve been to the UK before, you’re probably aware that costs can add up quickly—even outside major cities like London, Liverpool, and Glasgow. Given how popular the UK is for American tourists, this is a great time to remind you to budget intentionally for your trip.

Get a head start on your trip:

Cayman Islands

Grand Cayman (Getty)

1 Cayman Islands dollar = $1.20

Surprise, surprise. The KYD (that’s a Cayman dollar) is the strongest Caribbean currency. If you’re a finance buff, you probably already know why: the Caymans is an overseas British territory that acts as one of the world’s most popular tax havens.

With so much trading and a strong financial sector, the KYD is bolstered by hedge funds, investment firms, and more.

For budget travelers intent on visiting the Caribbean, I’d advise you to stick to more affordable shores. But if you’re interested in forex and tropical beaches, I can’t imagine a better place to improve your financial portfolio.

Get a head start on your trip:

Switzerland

Zurich (Getty)

1 Swiss Franc = $1.10

Was anyone else surprised to learn that the GBP is worth more than the CHF?

Given Switzerland’s well-known standing as a safe haven for financial projects of all stripes, I figured it would stand above the UK’s currency.

That being said, the Swiss Franc is more so about safety for many investors, while the UK has a more varied and less risk-averse market.

I think that translates directly to the tourist experience. In London, I was able to find affordable, budget options that suited my needs. During my time in Switzerland, by contrast, there weren’t nearly as many budget options.

Though the GBP is technically worth more, it was way harder to stay within budget when spending CHF.

Get a head start on your trip:

What about other currencies that are worth more than the dollar?

Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Gibraltar

According to Google Finance, the British Pound is the world’s fifth-most valuable currency. In reality, the Kuwaiti Dinar, Bahraini Dinar, Omani Rial, and Jordanian Dinar are the most valuable currencies on the globe, respectively.

The Gibraltar Pound is ranked just after the British Pound thanks to its longstanding role as a British overseas territory (like the Caymans).

As mentioned above, I omitted these destinations because they aren’t popular for American tourists, but it’s still worth pointing out that they’re worth more than any other currency on this list.

Don’t Forget to Pack Your Carabiner: 7 Uses for This Humble Clip

The first time someone suggested I travel with a carabiner, I rolled my eyes.

If you’ve read my travel content before, then you might know how suspicious I am of adding little gadgets like this to my packing list. While I love a handy item that simplifies the act of traveling, I’ve seen more duds than breakout products recommended over the years.

Let me tell you—I have been wrong about carabiners.

Around a year ago, I added a mini-carabiner to my packing list. Since then, I’ve used them for just about everything—and I keep discovering new use cases. From avoiding pickpockets to attaching bags together, they’re a deceptively impactful item.

Want to know how a carabiner can change your travel outlook? Here’s how I use my carabiner, along with suggestions from other travel buffs.

Before we start… which type of carabiner should you focus on?

There are three main types of carabiners that casual travelers should know about: large, small, and locked. I’ve had great luck packing one single small carabiner—it doesn’t have to get much more complicated than that when it comes to solo travel.

There are even mini-carabiners that are only slightly larger than a penny, in case you’re into micro-solutions.

However, feel free to experiment with a large carabiner, especially if you’re traveling with kids or a partner. One carabiner should do the trick for the whole crew when it comes to the functions listed below.

I don’t use a locked carabiner because it complicates things a bit. However, if you’re really concerned about security, a carabiner with a lock might be a good fit for you.

7 carabiner functions to simplify travel

Bungle pickpockets

One of the best ways to keep your purse, backpack, or day-pack secure in congested areas is with a little carabiner.

Simply clip the carabiner to your bag’s outermost zipper, then secure it to another part of your bag. For my cross-body fanny pack, I attach the carabiner to my zipper, then the strap. Sometimes, it might be easier to attach both zippers together.

Check out this introduction from Instagram’s Jeff and Lauren Show. If you’re interested, they have some solid travel hacks along with tons of suggestions for DIY projects at home.

Attach packs together

I also use my small carabiner to attach multiple bags and packs together, which simplifies transportation. Even at the airport, I secure my backpack or tote bag to my carry-on using a carabiner; it prevents stretching out those straps.

This has proved incredibly helpful for me over the last year—especially when it comes to rushing through an airport. If you’re one of those travelers who struggles to keep track of everything, consider using a carabiner to streamline the journey by securing your packs and bags together.

Hang anything, anywhere

One of the first travel products I recommend buying is a toiletry bag with hooks. Those hooks are important because—for whatever reason—sink size in bathrooms is shrinking at private rentals around the world.

I’ve been on airplanes with more sink space than the last two Airbnbs I stayed at.

In most cases, you can use a carabiner to hang up your toiletry bag in the bathroom—no sink space needed. Aside from finagling a toiletry setup, I’ve also used carabiners to hang up coats during winter stays and doggy supplies when traveling with my chihuahua, like a leash and a collapsable bowl.

Bring along a water bottle

I don’t usually bring a reusable water bottle with me when I travel—even though I hate plastic water bottles. Reusable bottles are simply heavy, hard to pack, and even harder to empty when it’s time to dump out supplies.

Having a small carabiner makes it easy to attach a reusable water bottle to backpacks, totes, duffels, and more.

Add extra storage space

Let’s build on that last idea. A carabiner lets you attach reusable water bottles to your bag easily—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Carabiners come in great handy when you’ve run out of packing space because they let you strap something straight to your backpack. While I can’t promise gate agents will let you board with a second bag attached to your main bag with a carabiner, it’s still a solid solution when it comes to other forms of transportation.

Over the last year, I’ve used a carabiner to attach my winter coat to my duffel, making it easier to lug it around with me.

Organize those cords

Small carabiners are great for organizing cords—and figuring out what to do with those cords should be a priority.

Keeping track of cords helps you get through security faster, prevents unneeded wear and tear, and makes it easy to find what you’re looking for when that Low Battery signal turns on.

Using a small carabiner, you can clip together wound cord bundles however it works best. It’s not quite as functional as cord clips, but it’s been working fine for me. Just keep in mind that large carabiners are too big to organize cords.

Secure your bags on busses, trains, & more

Ever been on one of those busy trains or busses and felt the need to keep an eye on your bags? Maybe you’re worried about someone stealing your bag—or maybe you’re worried that your wheeled carry-on will slip out of place and then go sailing down the aisle.

Regardless, a carabiner is a great way to keep your bag in place. It’ll give you some extra time to step in if a thief gets involved while also ensuring your bag doesn’t get in the way if the journey gets bumpy.

Bonus tip: Fix broken zippers, buckles, & other bag-problems

When it comes to cheap fixes while on the road, few items beat a zip tie. Zip ties are truly dynamic—and they’re disposable, which makes them convenient.

That being said, a carabiner performs many of the same functions while being sturdier, reusable, and easier to handle. In particular, I’ve found small carabiners to be really helpful when bags malfunction while on the road.

Once again, they can secure your bag to keep it closed and safe from pickpockets. But even if you’re just dealing with a broken zipper tag or buckle, a carabiner will save the day.

How to Read Hotel Reviews: Find the Perfect Room Every Trip

Want to avoid disasters when booking your next hotel?

Read the reviews. Specifically, I recommend sticking to one-star, three-star, and five-star reviews. They should give you a pretty well-rounded view of what went right and what went wrong for other guests.

But that’s a very basic tip—one that’s easily complicated when you start shopping around for hotels that have hundreds of reviews.

After all, what if two hotels have similar ratings and types of reviews?

Which reviews should you listen to?

If you want to cut through the noise and learn how to read hotel reviews reliably, I’ve got a few tried-and-true pieces of advice that’ll help you grade any spot quickly and accurately.

How to read hotel reviews like a pro

Reviews are one of the most reliable ways to gauge how good a hotel is at its job.

That being said, it’s easy to get turned off from a perfectly great stay based on one or two extreme reviews. Here’s what I’ve learned over the years about ranking hotels based on reviews.

Best practices:

  1. Ignore hyper-extreme comments—whether they’re good or bad. Of course, it’s great to read through one-star and five-star reviews, but I suggest taking overzealous reviews of any type with a grain of salt.
  2. Count managerial responses. If a guest leaves a terrible review and the hotel’s management offers a thoughtful, genuine reply, I’m a lot more forgiving. After all, mistakes happen—and companies can learn a lot about their primary demographic when they listen to those negative reviews.
  3. Timeliness is important. Don’t get hung up on reviews from five years ago… or even a year ago. Generally speaking, stick to reviews that are within the last six months. They’re going to be the most reflective of the experience you’ll have on an upcoming trip. Or if season is a big part of your trip, look for reviews from the same month as your vacation.
  4. If a review is really high-impact (for good or worse), consider digging deeper. You might even want to look at the reviewer. If it’s their only review, or if it looks like they created an account to spread negativity, the account might not be legitimate—and those reviews aren’t worth your time. You can even use an AI program to help weed through the fakes, if this is really important to you.
  5. Search strategically for issues that are close to your heart. For me, that’s noise—so I always use a filter search or a keyword search when combing through reviews. Safety is another big one for most travelers, along with family-friendly amenities.
  6. If a hotel has fewer ratings, it could swing either way. Hotels that have fewer ratings are harder to study—meaning your stay could tilt in either direction. If you’re an optimist like me, that’s not a problem. If you’re more conservative in your decision-making, stick to hotels with at least 70 reviews.
  7. What about the overall rating? Generally speaking, I suggest sticking to hotels that have an aggregate of more than 70% approval on one website. That being said, it’s normal for hotels to have different ratings on various platforms, such as TripAdvisor compared to Booking. So long as the hotel has a hearty stamp of approval somewhere, and you’ve read and approved those reviews, you don’t need to stick to 5-star stays.

Tips on getting more out of your review-trawling

I glossed over the main points of how to read hotel reviews above—but now I want to lean further into my own tactics. Maybe they’ll work for you, too.

Here are my three bonus tips:

  1. Be judgy with reviewers—some of them don’t know what they’re talking about. For example, if someone travels to Barcelona and leaves a poor review of a hotel because it didn’t have elevators or its rooms were too small, that’s not a problem with the hotel. That’s a complaint from a traveler who didn’t actually research their destination.
  2. Consider seasonality. I’ve also seen reviewers complaining about Tulum because algae deposits washed up on the shores of their beachfront hotel. Again, that’s not a problem that the hotel has any control over. In fact, a little research would have told you that sargassum seaweed is basically a guarantee from June to October.
  3. People coming back to a hotel is the biggest stamp of approval I’ve yet to find. It’s also my own stamp of approval. If guests are coming back, then that’s a golden seal in hospitality.

The Ins & Outs of Living on Cruises Full-Time

Once upon a time, I visited London and stayed in one of its largest, coolest hostels. (Hi, Clink261!)

I made friends at the local pub, went on too many Jack the Ripper tours, and got lost in a few crooked old bookshops. I also chatted it up with other hostel-goers, trading stories and tips.

During one chat, I realized not all guests were staying for a short period. In fact, I met multiple Londoners who had decided to save on rent by living full-time at the hostel.

They had all of their belongings stored in a small locker in a shared room with at least twenty strangers. Day in, day out. That was my first glimpse at alternative lifestyles related to lodging—one that piqued my curiosity.

While chatting about the full-time hostel life, someone at the hostel mentioned that it couldn’t be that much different than living full-time on a cruise ship. They had an aunt who had lived exclusively on commercial cruise ships… as a formal retirement plan, nonetheless.

Turns out, living full-time on cruises isn’t just a creative and thrilling approach to retirement. It’s a fully-fledged lifestyle for thousands around the world.

FAQs: Living full-time on cruise ships

Do travelers usually own homes/apartments, too?

First and foremost, living full-time on a cruise looks different for every person.

Some people live full-time on cruise ships designed for long-term residency (more on this below.)

For others, full-time cruising means stringing together itineraries from different cruise companies, and then jumping on and off ships according to their interests.

In both cases, full-timers might still own property in the US. From condos to large homes with plenty of land, these properties run the gamut. That being said, living full-time on cruises isn’t exactly a budget lifestyle, so some might make the decision to sell their assets to fund their life at sea.

Are there specific options designed for full-timers?

Today, there are cruises designed for long-term living—and specifically for retirees who might need extra care. But this is a relatively new concept in travel, retirement, and alternative living.

In the early 2000s, the concept began to take shape. The World by Residences at Sea first set sail in 2002 and is still one of the top choices for upscale, residential cruises.

Since then, full-time cruises have popped up from mainstream companies. Some ships sell apartments and condos for full-timers, specifically.

For example, MV Narrative from Storyline Cruises and MS Utopia from Utopia Residences will set sail this year. The MV Narrative offers one-to-four-bedroom condos that guests can buy outright or rent for up to 24 years. Uniquely, the company also focuses on sustainability.

Aside from long-term cruises designed for full-time living, you can also find world cruises that explore the globe for months on end. They’re a popular choice for full-timers—and they’re diversifying all the time.

In fact, MSC Cruises will launch a World Cruise in 2027 that runs for 121 nights.

What’s the lifestyle like—and who usually ends up living full-time on cruises?

Once again, every full-timer has their own outlook and motivation.

Many are retirees who want a more dynamic way to spend their golden years. But as digital nomadism becomes more prominent, there’s also a younger demographic that’s setting sail for the foreseeable future.

If you’ve been on cruises before, you know that every vessel and company specializes in a different type of experience.

That means the lifestyle that cruisers enjoy is pretty diverse—and they can avoid feeling stagnant simply by hopping onto a different cruise when the time is right.

Generally speaking, full-timers have access to plenty of entertainment, along with opportunities to relax. From outdoor pools on massive decks to nightly live performances, there’s rarely a dull moment.

But the cherry on top is the ability to explore new places. Every cruise docks in a different port, meaning those who cruise all year round have plenty of opportunity to continue exploring the world. 

Is it cost-effective?

Generally speaking, living full-time on cruises isn’t a way to save money like living full-time at a hostel like Clink261.

Living full-time on mainstream cruises like Carnival and Royal Caribbean will still cost upwards of a million dollars over ten years—without any assets appreciating in value.

The deal is a little bit better on certain residential cruises. While luxury residential cruises like Somnio will cost upwards of $11 million over a ten-year period, more affordable leases like those from Victoria Majestic might only cost $600,000 over ten years.

Still, it’s a pricey, complex game to play—even for retirees with ample savings.