It's the middle of August and back to school and the pool are still the main event, and we're about to tell you to start thinking about Christmas, and NEXT Christmas. Stay with us. Christmas Markets river cruises are one of the most in-demand trips we book every single year, and they are also one of the first to sell out. Prime sailing dates, balcony cabins, and the best departure windows are already filling for this December, and the good cabins for next December go fast sta

Cape Town + The Winelands + Private Safari Lodge Ask anyone who has been to South Africa what surprised them most, and the answer is almost always the same: they had no idea how different each part of the trip would feel. Cape Town does not feel like the Winelands. The Winelands do not feel like the bush. And none of it feels like anything else they have done. That range is exactly what makes this trip worth planning carefully. When the pieces connect well, you move throu

The Safari You've Been Imagining Is Actually Possible Let's talk about one of my favorite experiences, an African safari! There is a version of an African safari that exists mostly in people's imaginations. Private game drives at sunrise. A tent with a clawfoot tub and canvas walls open to the sounds of the bush. A leopard draped over a branch fifty feet away while you sip your coffee. The Great Migration stretching to the horizon. That version is real. We book it. And it sta

The Alps reset that actually sticks. There is a reason wellness travel keeps climbing to the top of every "where to go next" list, and the Swiss Alps are leading the conversation in a way that no other destination quite matches. We are not talking about a spa day bolted onto a ski trip. We are talking about a full recalibration: the kind of trip you come home from feeling like a genuinely different version of yourself. The Alps have always been extraordinary to look at. What

Vila Nova de Gaia waterfront with historic port wine lodges across the Douro River If you are planning a trip to Porto, here is the twist most first-timers do not expect: the best place to stay is not actually in Porto. It is across the river, in a town called Vila Nova de Gaia. Gaia (that is what everyone calls it, so we will too) is where the port wine world lives. It is where the historic wine lodges age their barrels, where the views of Porto's colorful skyline are honest

While some destinations give you privacy, The Seychelles gives you disappearance. This 115-island archipelago sitting in the middle of the Indian Ocean is where people who truly want to unplug actually go. Not Bali, not St. Barts. Here. We have been fielding more questions about it lately, so let me walk you through how to plan this trip. What is it? The Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands scattered across the Indian Ocean, roughly 1,000 miles off the east coast of Af

Bali keeps showing up on our clients' lists, and we understand exactly why. There is something about this island that earns its reputation not through hype alone, but through a genuine ability to deliver on the promise of feeling both alive and completely at ease at the same time. But Bali done well and Bali done hastily are two very different trips. This island rewards intention. The people who get the most from it are not the ones who cram in every region in ten days. They

Italy Beyond the First Trip LAKE COMO - LAKE GARDA - PUGLIA - CAPRI Italy is Calling, but not to Rome this time! Italy has a way of getting under your skin. You come back from Rome and the Amalfi Coast and immediately start thinking about when you can go again. That feeling is one of the most reliable signs you are a traveler, not just a tourist. The real second trip to Italy It's not about covering more ground. It is about going deeper into fewer places. The lakes. The heel

The French Riviera has a reputation — and it mostly deserves it. Superyachts. Film stars. Rosé before noon. But underneath all of that is a genuinely beautiful stretch of Mediterranean coast with interesting towns, incredible food, and a pace that rewards people who plan well and don't just wing it. Whether you've never been or you've already done Nice and Cannes and want to go deeper, here's how we're thinking about it right now. First timers to the French Riviera: Where to

The McKee Travel team is growing! We are absolutely thrilled to welcome a new travel advisor, Natalie Ring, to our family, and we think you are going to love getting to know her. The Rings in Portugal Natalie Ring joins us as someone who truly lives and breathes travel. From Caribbean cruises to the cobblestone streets of Europe to the wild remoteness of Antarctica, Natalie brings firsthand experience, genuine passion, and a heart for crafting trips that are as unique as the