Jennifer Simonson

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Key points
Flight insurance is coverage that protects the cost of your nonrefundable flight.
You can buy flight insurance through an airline or from a third-party travel insurance company.
You may not need flight insurance if you purchase a ticket that allows for free ...

“The surprise lay in the third niche of the high altar, on the side where the Gospels were kept. The stone shattered at the first blow of the pickax, and a stream of living hair the intense color of copper spilled out of the crypt.” ? Gabriel García Márquez, Of Love and Other Demons
In the deep recesses of a 400-year-old chapel a bartender standing under a slowly revolving rickety wooden ceiling fan shakes mint, rum and sugar together before pouring the liquid into a glass of ice. Not far awa...

Get Acquainted
If one were to wake up under lavender-scented crisp white sheets and step out to their veranda-draped private patio listing to birds chirp in the distance as the smell of fresh lilies wafts over the six-acre manicured gardens, they might swear they were in a villa in the south of France. That is except for the majestic volcano rising from the horizon. Luxury hotelier Relais Châteaux recently added Villa Bokéh as its second property in Guatemala and it is the ideal place for rom...

Boats begin skimming the blue waters of Lake Atitlán in Guatemala’s highlands at daybreak. The lanchas, as the 20-seat speedboats are referred to here, act as taxis picking up and transporting local villagers on their way to work, women wearing traditional Maya dress heading out to sell their handmade crafts and tourists exploring the region. Surrounding the 1,049-feet-deep lake, which fills a volcanic crater, are three perfectly cone-shaped volcanoes and 11 Maya villages. Each village is kno...

While most Americans, and frankly most Texans, do not correlate the Texas Gulf Coast with surfing, a small but mighty group of surfing enthusiasts living in oceanside towns keep the tradition of surfing alive despite the state’s less than stellar waves. Texas waves tend to be small, inconsistent and mushy. On any given day, however, with an infinite possibility of weather conditions butting up against 371 miles of coastline, the conditions can come together to produce waves as good as Souther...

The island town of Galveston on Texas's southeast coast is a treasure trove for history-loving travelers. Incorporated in 1839, it quickly became the most active U.S. port west of New Orleans. By the late 1800s Galveston was the state’s largest, wealthiest, and most sophisticated city.
Nothing, however, holds a candle to the historical importance of the spot near the Bay of Galveston where, on June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger read General Order No. 3 announcing that all enslaved Africans...

Sitting at the intersection of Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico proper, El Paso offers an exciting mishmash of cultures and influences.
What was once a wild frontier town has grown into a sophisticated city full of vibrant art galleries, world-class recreation activities, swoon-worthy restaurants, and famous shops (one of which may or may not have the trigger finger of an infamous Mexican revolutionary for sale). Here is a sampling of some top activities to do while you are in El Paso.
Go art sh...

While it doesn't get the fanfare of Sonoma and Napa Valley, the SLO Coast tucked off the famed Pacific Coast Highway is one of California’s most unique wine regions – and one well-deserving of the hype.
Wine-thirsty travelers tend to turn off the Pacific Coast Highway before hitting the SLO Coast, whether to peel towards Paso Robles to the north or Santa Barbara to the south. Those who do make it can taste high-quality wine in a totally relaxed environment and without the crowds.
In addition ...

El Paso's vibrant cultural scene is strongly influenced by its proximity to the border, its rich history as an Old West frontier town, its thriving communities of artists and creatives, and the tight-knit family roots of its people.
Each of the city’s neighborhoods makes its own unique contribution to this lively city vibe. If you're looking for the best places to explore during a trip to El Paso, we've broken down the city by neighborhood so you know exactly where to go.
Las Plazas Arts Dist...

Editorial Note: Blueprint may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured here on our site. This commission does not influence our editors' opinions or evaluations. Please view our full advertiser disclosure policy.
Key points
Business travel insurance can cover trip cancellation, interruption and delay, medical and emergency evacuation, lost baggage and stolen personal belongings.
Not all travel insurance plans cover work equipment.
Consider buying business travel insurance if yo...

After a multi-million renovation, the J.C. Newman Cigar Company in Ybor City offers visitors a museum and tours of its working factory
For nearly 50 years, a 1,500-pound bell known as “El Reloj” kept the neighborhood of Ybor City, northeast of downtown Tampa, on schedule. It was the early 1900s in the immigrant enclave, long before cell phones, and its various chimes would notify workers when it was time to leave for the factory, when families were late for church and when children needed to ...

On an otherwise quiet Monday evening, the rhythmic sound of a conga drum providing rumba’s backbone of bass can be heard down the main thoroughfare in Louisville, Kentucky.
The music floats through the open front door of a restored historic building, past the diners sipping mojitos on the building’s front porch, past the recently opened trendy specialty shops down the street, possibly reaching as far away as Muhammad Ali’s old training gym two blocks away.
The bright yellow two-story building...

El Pasoans do not have to travel far to get to the great outdoors: their city is filled with parks that provide plenty of opportunities to soak up the warm weather while enjoying time in mother nature.
For some, the sprawling view from the Franklin Mountains of two counties and three states is the peak outdoor experience, while others might prefer rock climbing in a state park with thousands of years of human history. From biking to birding to bouldering, these are the best parks in El Paso.
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Ever since Spanish explorers traveling northbound named the pass between the two mountains rising out of the desert El Paso del Norte in the late 1500s, the area has been a hub of crisscrossing cultures.
Today El Paso stretches along the Texas–Mexico border a stone’s throw from its sister city Juarez, Mexico, which together form the largest bi-national metroplex in the world. El Paso’s rich culture is a blend of Old West lore, Native American heritage, Spanish colonialism, Mexican culture, Te...

Chile runs along South America’s western edge from the dry desert in the north to a field of glaciers in the south. Rugged mountains, fertile valleys, never-ending coastline, rumbling volcanoes and scorched sand dunes all clash to provide this long, thin country with a captivating landscape. For winemakers, that landscape is more than captivating, it is a grape grower’s paradise.
The low cost of land, rare interference from vine pests and diseases, dependable dry, warm summers, and nearby mou...