Gateway Destinations

01/24/2025

Mexico City has a lot to offer as destination!

As one of the oldest cities in the Americas, Mexico City is filled to the brim with things to do, see, and eat.

Best of all, some of CDMX's best sites are free to enter or offer affordable admission prices. There's the Palacio Nacional de México (free), Chapultepec Castle ($4), Templo Mayor Museum ($5), Museo Frida Kahlo ($15), and Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe (50 cents).

At the heart of the city is the Historic Center, where you’ll find centuries-old architecture intermingling with modern skyscrapers, street markets, and museums.

Mexico City's thriving culinary scene is known around the world, but several highlights include Michelin-starred haunts Pujol and Quintonil. In the Colonia Juárez neighborhood, you’ll find Handshake Speakeasy, which was recently named the best bar in the world.

Best time to travel to avoid crowds is January; June- August.

Gateway Destinations would love help you plan your next urban travel adventure to Mexico City. We offer complimentary 20-minute consultations to get you started. Reach out us today!

🇲🇽 👨‍🍳 🍸 🕍

01/22/2025

What are some of your favorite "freebies" that traveling offers?......

One of our's is street art! Whether it be sculptures, murals, water works, the list goes on.

What a great way to get to know the people that live in the city or destinations.

You can get insight into their sense of humor, beauty, struggles, and history by doing a little research beforehand. Some cities even have free walking tours on google maps or we can find you the perfect guide that will combine a food and walking tour.

This photo was taken by our very own Christina when she was in Reykjavik last fall.

Reach out to us today to start planning your next adventure! 🤩🎨🌎

🇮🇸

01/15/2025

Polar Obsessed?!....

Let us help check a polar expedition off your bucket list!

Quark Expeditions is offering phenomenal savings on their voyages to...

Svalbard
Greenland
Canada's High Arctic
Iceland

Savings include...
$1500 flight credit
Free hotel and charter packages
Free one-year Priority Pass membership

Available on Arctic 2025 and select Antarctic 2025/2026 voyages

Reach out to Gateway Destinations today and let's start planning your next adventure!

01/13/2025

River cruising offers you the chance to dine, wander, and relax through out much of the world!

Tauck, one of our premium suppliers has competitively priced their summer and fall river cruise "Hidden Waterways of Flanders and Holland." Not only a great value but an amazing itinerary.

Beer tastings, private dinners in castles, guided village walking tours, museum visits, and architectural highlights are all part of this cruise. Not to mention the attention to detail and concierge service that Tauck is know for!

Reach out to us today if you're interested in learning more about river cruising.

01/10/2025

Your Brain Loves Travel!

From the moment you set foot in an unfamiliar place, you're flooded with new experiences. In order to process all these stimuli, you start to train your brain as if it were a muscle. Instead of dumbbells, however, you train with new sights, activities, flavors, people, languages, and more.

All the novelty that comes with traveling stimulates new connections between nerve cells, which in turn revitalizes your mind. Have you ever come back from a trip abroad and felt like you were born anew? That’s your brain growing.

Let Gateway Destinations help you with your mental workout. Reach out to us today and start planning your next adventure!

*adapted from Milda Varniene at adventure.com

01/08/2025

Who loves SPRING and TULIPS?......

If you've done tulip season in Amsterdam or liked to visit an upcoming destination, think Istanbul!

Yes, that's right, ISTANBUL!

In recent years, Istanbul has planted an astonishing 30 million tulips, including the world’s largest tulip carpet at Sultanahmet Square, which blooms each April. There’s also Emirgan Park, where millions of spring flowers are planted in patterns like the Turkish flag or a flowing river; one of the best views of the blooms is from the park’s 19th-century Ottoman pavilions, which house cafés and restaurants.

Can you imagine yourself sipping coffee in a Turkish cafe, strolling the capitol's ancient streets, and taking in all the amazing blooming colors?....

If so, reach out to Gateway Destinations today, where we can help curate your next adventure!

🌷 🇹🇷

01/03/2025

As Gateway Destinations moves into the new year of planning trips, we will be providing opportunities for our clients to leave their travel destinations a better place.

Here's just a few ways:
- Make sure your travel dollars stay in local communities.
- Resorts or Accommodations have "green" practices in place.
- Reduce waste by traveling with a reusable water bottle and refillable toiletries.
- Experiment with traveling lighter by packing easy care clothing.

This is Cala Luna Boutique Hotel located in Tamarindo, Costa Rica . A natural retreat, that offers five-star barefoot luxury that’s inclusive to all. Cala Luna also supports The Clean Wave Foundation by donating a portion of its proceeds to the organization, aiding in funding coastal cleanup efforts and initiatives to reduce ocean pollution.

If you'd like to learn more about "kind" traveling, reach out to us today!

🇨🇷

01/01/2025

Wishing you and yours' a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

12/25/2024

12/23/2024

After traveling in Iceland last fall, we have put it up there with other "must-see" destinations!

Even with shorter daylight hours, we still think it's worth traveling in the winter.

Winter is the time of slow travel. First, traveling slowly makes it easier to adjust to weather conditions. Second, with enough time, you will almost certainly encounter vivid northern lights. Third, some really unique accommodations at really good prices.

Good winter deals are especially true the further one travels from Reykjavík. Iceland has plenty of farm stays and remote villages that have embraced the ‘slow travel’ ethos.

If you'd like to learn more about traveling in Iceland, anytime of year, reach out to us today.

We offer 20-minute complimentary consultations!

🇮🇸

12/19/2024

Believe it or not......

Now is the time to start booking summer family trips. More and more families are traveling abroad during the summer months with kids of all ages.

Let us help you start curating that the perfect family trip with less stress, age appropriate itineraries, and more value for travel dollars.

Stay tuned for more family travel ideas this month.

Schedule a 20-minute complimentary consultation today!

12/17/2024

As travel experts we always love a fun read on places people have traveled.

NY Times just published a quick read with photos on where some of their travel writers have visited.

Looking for potential travel inspiration, this is a good one!

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/17/travel/52-places-visited.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20241217&instance_id=142448&nl=the-morning®i_id=173372388&segment_id=185928&user_id=04d88a8d4879516c07507cdec5b917b1

This year, of the 52 destinations on our annual list, our writers and photographers touched down in 11 to capture their essence. Here’s what they found.

12/04/2024

Who doesn't need a reason to do the Caribbean?!.....

Virgin Voyages, one of our clients' favorites, is offering 80% off 2nd sailor and $300 bar credit!

Virgin offers one of the best "adult-only" cruise lines, with stellar food and nightlife!

Balcony cabins have unique red hammock chairs to relax and watch the ocean go by.

Plus, this is an excellent cruise line to do fun group trips..... thinks girls get-away, couples week-long fun without the kids, cruising with your adult kids (19 years plus!)

Reach out to us today and hurry we've heard that most of their sailings worldwide are 70% sold out, to get you and your crew an amazing 2025 trip lined-up!

12/01/2024

Solar-eclipse-themed voyages have been en vogue for some time. (Case in point: The 1997 cruise comedy “Out to Sea” follows stars Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau on a solar eclipse sailing.)

But now, they are back on the radar in full force. From traditional ocean sailings to expeditions, there are plenty of options for clients to choose from that feature a full viewing of the next celestial event on Aug. 12, 2026.

Let Gateway Destinations help you find the best cruise that fits your wishlist and budget!

Reach out to Jan today to start planning a once in a lifetime cruise.

11/15/2024

In October, we partnered with Scottsdale Wine club for a special evening with Tenuta Torciano. A family owned winery that offers special wine and olive oil tastings, cooking classes, stays at their boutique hotel and "tower" in San Gimignano.
The winery came to impress with their vast knowledge on wine, olive oil making, and the surrounding area of Tuscany.
If you're interested in more information on Tuscany or this winery and their boutique hotel, please reach out to Jan!

We offer 20-minute complimentary consultations if you'd like to see if Gateway Destinations would be a good-fit for your travel planning needs.

🇮🇹

11/13/2024

"A picture tells a thousand stories!"

As the church bells ring in the distance......the sun begins its daily ascent over the majestic city of Split, casting long shadows across the cobbled streets of Diocletian's Palace. Built at the turn of the 4th century, the Palace serves as a timeless reminder of Split’s ancient origins, now harmoniously interwoven with a lively urban spirit. Here, on the Adriatic Coast, the crisp, salty sea air blends with the scent of fresh market produce and the inviting aroma of coffee from the bustling cafés lining the Riva Promenade.

Welcome to Split - a city where antiquity and vibrancy unite, offering a uniquely Croatian.

If Croatia has been on your bucket list, let Gateway Destinations make your travel dreams a reality, reach out to us today and let's start planning!