Travel Guide Resources and Interesting Links

Are you ready to plan that trip abroad but you are not quite sure where to get started. On this page you’ll find travel guide resources for VISAs and passports, travel insurance, and even a great source for the serious budget traveler.

My website focuses on France but there are other tourism destinations you may want to explore. At the bottom of this page, I’ve included a list of quality websites that I believe will assist you in planning your trip. Let your destination imagination run wild with these interesting links of travel information and tourism to get your planning started.

Document Requirements

• U.S. Department of State Passport Information is a government website that provides you information on applying for, renewing and changing information on your passport as well as many other service options.

• U.S. Department of State International Travel Information for France This governmental link provides travel information including Background Notes, entry and exit requirements, safety and security.

Document Translation

If you need travel documents translated but don’t know what service to use, ConsumerAffairs has your back. They’ve created this translation services guide that helps short-term or long-term travelers to France choose the best translation service for their needs. Translation Services

Travel Insurance

So many questions arise concerning travel insurance, I have devoted a page specifically addressing the subject. Just click on the link above to read more.

Disaster Preparation

Healthy Travel After a Pandemic  is a current (May 2020) look at travel and how the COVID-19 virus will affect our travel.

How to practice responsible tourism during COVID-19 offers useful advice, resources, and other essential information to keep people safe and well-informed as they begin to plan their holidays.

Understanding ATOL Protection During COVID-19  The guide includes

• What is ATOL (short for ‘Air Travel Organiser’s Licence’) protection, and how it ensures holidaymakers are safe in the event their travel company or airline goes out of business.
• Answers ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ (FAQs) about ATOL protection, such as what happens to cancelled holidays due to COVID-19, who would be entitled to refunds, and other relevant advice for consumers.
• Links to useful COVID-19 resources and other practical tips and advice to help people understand their consumer rights during this pandemic.

Vacation Disaster Preparation Safety Guide offers a plethora of information. Just one of the issues addressed is helpful and actionable tips and advice about travel emergencies and disaster awareness while traveling or vacationing abroad and what travelers can do to prepare for and stay safe in case of an emergency.

Challenges, Guidance, and Support for International Students during COVID-19:

Information about the latest guidelines from Ofqual and the Home Office with respect to admission requirements and visa extensions; expected future changes in respect to in-person learning; response by the education sector to student mental health.

US Credit Cards with no Fees Abroad

This is an especially helpful site to get you started comparing credit cards in the US. No one wants to get stuck with sur charges when using a card abroad. Bank of America and Capitol One both offer sur-charge free cards . Plus, this comparison list gives some alternate ideas.  Call me cautious but I like a back up card just in case!

Car Seat Rules Around the World

Travelling with children enriches lives, but safety is paramount, and each country has unique vehicle seat regulations which can be hard to keep track of. I share with you this in-depth guide “A map for families: Car seat rules around the world” to help with that.

This includes a detailed, country-by-country list, along with helpful insights on different types of vehicle seats, universal type labelling, and safety tips for child restraints.

Traveling with a Medical Condition or Disability

The US Dept of Transportation  offers information for travelers who have both permanent as well as temporary disabilities.

WebMD offers information for those persons with diabetes.

The Full Guide to Flying with a Disability  offers plenty of helpful information to make travelling safer and easier for people with disabilities.

Budget Travel Guide Resources

Planning a gap-year trip or just looking for some serious ways to budget your expenses so you can get the most mileage out of your money?

Budget Travel is an interesting site that bases their advice on 5 years of nomadic living.

BetterPet.com offers a lengthy list of suggestions for camping with your dog as well as links to dog-friendly campsites in the US as well as Europe.

Gap Year – Yay or Nay

Gap Force has an informative article if you are considering a gap year experience. Employers want more than just good grades, they want employees with a broad range of experiences which a well structured gap year can provide.

Weddings Abroad

Weddings Abroad

77 Diamonds provides the complete guide to destination weddings in their article “20 of the most popular destinations to get married in and what you need to know”.

Retiring in France and Property

Additional information from non-government sites pertaining to passports, visas, retiring in France, etc, can be found in our travel guide information section. If you have visited France before and are now at the stage where you would like to purchase property there, 1st for French Property can help you realize your dream.

The World Expat Index if you are an aspiring expat, where should you be looking to move to?

Genealogy

For those of you interested in genealogy research, check out  www.familyhistoryalive.com to help further your research. Perhaps you will discover you have ancestors from France. All the more reason to visit our favorite country!

General travel guide links

Best Hiking and Treking Routes – Travellers from all across the world often cite the ___ as one of the best hiking routes to take anywhere in Europe. Do you know the answer?

Travel the World Guide is an online travel blog. It offers travel articles and information including travel tips, city guides, hotel and restaurant reviews, frequent flyer tips, photos and videos.

Romantic Vacations & Destinations for Two is NOT just about the romantic location. It is also about what to do once you get there. Spending time as a couple and sharing things you both enjoy is the ultimate goal.

Australia

Are you searching for amazing landscapes, wildlife, beaches and pleasant climate? Why not consider Australia or New Zealand. The selection of travel guides to these two countries is growing as we search for just the right Australia and New Zealand guides for you.

The Americas Travel Guide Resources

Are you planning a vacation to a North America destination? If you are considering travel to the US or Canada we are building a travel guide resource for these destinations as well.To facilitate an easy search of North America, the travel guides will be divided by Regions. You will find resources on

• Canada
• Western Region of the United States
• Midwest Region of the United States
• Northeast Region of the United States
• Southern Region of the United States
• Mexico 
• South America guides

Planning to tour America? A great way to see the U.S. is by planning a road trip. Family Vacations Hidden Gems includes travel tips as well as unique tourist attractions to make your trip memorable

Europe Travel Guide Resources

While you are in France you may want to check out Spain, Portugal or England. There are many countries that are close by like the Netherlands. We are happy to provide you with these information sites to help you broaden your international experience.

• Northern Europe

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom

• Central Europe

Austria, Czech Republic, Germany Hungary, Poland, Slovakia Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine

• Western Europe

Belgium, France, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands

• Southern Europe

Balearic Islands, Greece, Italy,Portugal, Spain

Miscellaneous Travel Guide Resources

Maybe you are interested in off-road motorcycle tours in Vietnam or visiting Japan. Our Asia travel guide section may have just what you are searching for. You can also find Africa travel guides to assist you with information about Africa vacations.

The Caribbean is always a destination for cruise ships I but prefer to spend my precious time on land. I want to be experiencing the culture, people and sites. If you feel the same, then check out the Caribbean guides.

Are you interested in food tourism?  Original Travel offers some of the best tips and advice on being a Food Tourist, the global impact and benefits of food tourism, offering eco-friendly tips for culinary vacations, and showcasing the top 10 global dishes.