Go somewhere worth the drive.
Practical trip planning, destination guides and packing lists for people who would rather be on vacation than researching one. Real places, with the practical part worked out before you go: what it costs, how long the drive actually takes, and the honest version of what to expect when you get there.
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Midwest
Beach Vacations
Latest guides
Cozumel Cruise Port Guide
Which pier your ship uses, taxi fares, the ferry to Playa del Carmen, and what fits into a six-hour Cozumel cruise port day.
Tulum Ruins Guide
Everything to know before visiting the Tulum ruins: the entrance fee, hours, how to get there from Cancún, and the beach below the cliff.
Costa Maya Cruise Port
What to do at the Costa Maya cruise port in Mahahual, from the terminal pool to the Chacchoben ruins and the Malecón’s beach clubs.
Is Trunk Bay Worth Visiting?
Trunk Bay’s entrance fee, its underwater snorkel trail, the free North Shore beaches nearby, and whether it’s worth the crowds.
Vieques Bioluminescent Bay
Everything you need to see Mosquito Bay, the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world: kayak tour prices, the no-swim rule, the best nights to go,…
Flamenco Beach Culebra
Flamenco Beach in Culebra pairs white sand with rusted Army tanks. Here’s the ferry fare, camping cost, and how to get to this Puerto Rico…
Magens Bay St Thomas
Everything to know before a Magens Bay day on St. Thomas: current fees and hours, taxi fares, and the best other beaches to compare it…
St. Thomas or St. John Which Is Better?
St. Thomas is cruise ships, shopping, and beaches. St. John is mostly national park, a short ferry ride away. Here’s how the two compare, and…
Punta Cana vs Puerto Plata
Punta Cana’s all-inclusive resort strip versus Puerto Plata’s north coast: beaches, cruise ports, day trips, airports, and what it takes to enter the Dominican Republic.
Best Snorkeling in Cozumel
Where to snorkel in Cozumel, what the marine park fee covers, and real tour prices from two Cozumel operators.
El Yunque National Forest
What’s open at El Yunque National Forest right now, what the entrance fee actually is, and how the closed La Mina Trail changes your plan.
Old San Juan Things to Do
A walking guide to Old San Juan’s forts, promenade, and umbrella-lined streets — what to see, what it costs, and how to get around without…
How we write these
Straight answers, not brochure copy
Guides say what a place actually costs, how long the drive really takes and what is worth skipping — including when the honest answer is that somewhere else is a better use of your weekend.
Checked on a date
Park hours, fares, rates and rules come from the park service, tourism board, airline or booking site, checked on the date shown at the top of each guide.
Pack lists that fit in a bag
Every packing list is built for the trip it belongs to and the bag you will actually carry, not a catalog of everything that could conceivably be useful.