This Month in Travel: What SATW Members Are Covering in May

Each month, SATW features recent stories, podcasts, and videos from our members. This roundup showcases the wide range of work our talented travel communicators are producing—from uncovering spa secrets in Quebec to following the monarch migration in Mexico. Dig in!

🌍 Destination Features & Natural Wonders

Pieces that center around specific destinations, nature, or cultural discovery

🐚 “Charleston’s Untamed Beauty: Highlights of the Lowcountry”
R. C. Staab, SheBuysTravel.com
Discover coastal adventures, city parks, and rooftop bars in this outdoor guide to Charleston.

🛍️ “A Charming Michigan Town With Historic Streets Offers Friendly, Small-Town Magic And Cozy Boutiques”
Mira Temkin, Islands.com
Explore the appeal of this walkable Midwestern town filled with unique shops and nostalgic vibes.

🌼 “Belvedere’s Three Viennese Gardens”
Beverly Hurley, GardenDestinations.com
Art and horticulture converge in Vienna’s historic palace gardens.

🛥️ “5 Unforgettable Outdoor Adventures in Istanbul”
Carolyn B. Heller, Forbes Travel Guide
From biking to boating, Istanbul’s outdoor offerings are as dynamic as the city itself.

🇹🇷 “A Fairytale Dreamscape in Central Türkiye”
Michael Solender, AtlantaVue.com
Geologic wonders, historic treasures, culinary delights, and adventure welcome travelers to this enchanting region.

🍷 “Walla Walla Surprises”
Margot Bigg, AAA Oregon
Art, dining and outdoor adventure abound on a wine-lover’s weekend

🇬🇪 “What to Do in Tbilisi, Georgia”
Margot Bigg, TravelAge West
From wine tasting to sulfur baths, Tbilisi dazzles with East-meets-West charm.

🎸 “Return to the Birthplace of Rock and Roll”
Larry Bleiberg, Garden & Gun
This small building played an outsize role in music history

🏨 “Revisit Timeless Landmarks in Richmond”
Larry Bleiberg, Garden & Gun
A reimagined hotel, a historic church, and a classic overlook await

⛪ “Bethel Baptist Church: The Fearless Civil Rights Legacy of Birmingham’s Fred Shuttlesworth”
Larry Bleiberg, Civil Rights Travel
A look back at the Birmingham church bombed three times—and the pastor who never backed down.

🎨 “Take a Weird Walk Through Meow Wolf’s Expanding Universe”
Ruffin Prevost, The New York Times
Millions are flocking to the art collective’s five immersive exhibitions to duck through secret doors and explore new worlds. Coming soon: Los Angeles and New York.

🇧🇧 “Charleston and Barbados: A Fascinating and Fun Connection”
Craig Stoltz, Go World Travel Magazine
Uncover the centuries-old connection between Charleston and Barbados, where shared history and culture come to life.

🦞 “2025 Maine Travel Guide | Hotels, Dining & Attractions”
Hilary Nangle, NewEngland.com
Packed with the best eats, cozy stays, and unforgettable adventures to make the most of your next trip to Vacationland

🚣🏾‍♀️ “A Sunday afternoon on the Intracoastal Waterway, in Hollywood, Florida”
Len Kaufman, theotherHOLLYWOOD
Proof of concept YouTube video

🎭 “Hit the Road to See Colorado’s Historic Opera Houses”
Mindy Sink, AARP
Five former mining towns show off ornate buildings to highlight music and the past

🍇 “Glorious Yakima”
Kinsey Gidick, GoEscape West
Take a trip to the nation's fruit bowl

🥾 “The Pyramids You Can Climb in Mexico”
Tim Leffel, Cheapest Destinations Blog
Mexico has more ancient pyramids than a cantina has empty bottles of Victoria, but with tens of millions of foreign tourists adding to the throngs of domestic visitors each year, some of these structures can’t support the crowds.

🌴 “The best beaches on the US West Coast”
Margot Bigg, Lonely Planet
Although claiming the Pacific Coast has the best beaches in the lower 48 would be a surefire way to start an argument, most people can agree that there are some mighty fine beaches out west.

✍️ Features & First-Person Stories

Narrative-driven, experiential, or personal-voice pieces

🚗 “Hitchhiking Through Europe and Morocco in the 1970's”
Mark Orwoll, The Frommer's Travel Show
Tales of bad habits picked up, friendships made, and knowledge gained

🌀 “Resilience”
Sandra Friend, Thoughts Afoot
Visiting hurricane-damaged preserves illuminated what held against the storms.

🦋 “Where the Monarchs Soar: A Journey to 11,000 Feet”
Lindsay Nieminen, CarpeDiemOurWay.com
Explore the monarch migration deep in the Mexican highlands.

🧖🏽‍♀️ “In Canada, Taking the Plunge — and Loving the Chill — in Québec City Spa”
Terri Colby, Luxe Beat Magazine
A deep dive into Nordic spa culture in Quebec, where frigid dips meet heated serenity.

👙 “Taking the grandkids to the Wisconsin Dells: Multigeneration getaway reveals what’s changed in the ‘Waterpark Capital of the World’”
Katherine Rodeghier, The Daily Herald
Food, fun, and nostalgia meet in this multi-generational Dells trip.

🔧 Service Pieces & Guides

Practical advice, how-tos, or travel planning inspiration

🪷 “Moving Through Mourning: How Travel Can Help Those Dealing with Grief”
Kate Straw Loweth, AARP
Group trips, wellness experiences and retreats offer ways to cope with loss

🤖 “How to Spot Fake Reviews Written By AI, According to an AI Professional”
Craig Stoltz, Frommer's
Learn the telltale signs that a user-generated review might actually have been generated by artificial intelligence.

💰 “How to Haggle When There’s No Set Price”
Ruffin Prevost, The New York Times
Whether in a souk or a street fair, these tips can help you negotiate with confidence.

✈️ “I Had the Dreaded ‘SSSS’ On My Boarding Pass — Here’s What Happened Next”
Cheryl Maguire, Fodor's Travel
What it means and how to deal.

⚽ “Preparing for World Cup 2026 in Canada: A Soccer Lover's Guide to Vancouver & Toronto”
Lucas Aykroyd, Go Canada
You don’t have to wait until 2026 to feel the World Cup energy in Canada.

🏞️ “An Acadia-to-Zion Guide to Visiting National Parks in an Uncertain Summer”
Ruffin Prevost, The New York Times
Firings, buyouts and a lack of seasonal workers could mean jammed roads, closed campgrounds, limited hours and more. What you need to know before traveling to 10 popular parks.

🇬🇷 “The Best Time to Visit Greece for Every Type of Trip”
Helen Iatrou, Afar
From island-hopping in fall to sightseeing in spring, there’s plenty to see and do in Greece year-round.

📰 Industry Insight & Travel Trends

Pieces with a news peg, broader trend, or tourism impact

🐄 “Anxious about the world? Cow cuddling or bee buzzing might help ease your stress”
Mindy Sink, The Denver Post
Or you could try forest-bathing, a Japanese concept that creates a mindful connection with the natural world

🧴 “Here’s a sustainable travel hack: Shop at your local refill store”
Mindy Sink, The Denver Post
Use your own containers for shampoo, soap, toothpaste, detergent and more

🏒 “Home Ice Magic”
Lucas Aykroyd, IIHF
A closer look at Canada’s dominance in women’s hockey—and the magic of playing at home.

🐶 “Must love dogs: An American trades pet-sitting for places to stay in Europe”
Kinsey Gidick, The Washington Post
She has made lots of cute dog friends and learned valuable international lessons about canine culture in several European countries.

🏨 Hotel Stays & Resort Highlights

Stories that spotlight exceptional stays, new openings, and unique hospitality experiences

💌 “Paradise Found: A couples’ getaway”
Michael J. Solender, SouthPark Magazine
Sun, sand and tropical bliss await honeymooners — and other couples seeking romance — at this sparkling Caribbean all-inclusive resort.

💆🏼‍♀️ “How To Daycation In One Of The Country’s Most Exclusive Zip Codes”
Lois Alter Mark, Forbes
A daycation at The Inn At Rancho Santa Fe in San Diego offers a wealth of pampering, from the indulgent dishes at Lilian’s to the world class treatments at Mila Moursi Spa.

⛳ “Stay the course”
Michael J. Solender, SouthPark
These dreamy golf resorts deliver fairways to heaven and memory-making rounds.

🛏️ “Five Things We Love: Argos in Cappadocia”
Megan Padilla, Virtuoso
Epic views, subterranean wellness, and new friends at one of Turkey’s coolest cave hotels

🍽️ Food & Drink Features

Celebrating local flavors, culinary traditions, and where to taste them

🍜 “St. Lawrence Market Food Tours”
Pamela Dittmer McKuen, LongWeekends Magazine
Visit this Toronto, Ontario, destination that dishes out generous tastings and artful storytelling about the city’s rich food culture.

🥃 “I Tried Four Evan Williams Bourbons Back to Back. My Favorite Happened to Be the Most Affordable”
Brandy Hastings, Men's Journal
Just because a whiskey is expensive doesn't mean it's the best.

🍝 “Venice Evening Food Tour in Cannaregio with Sit-Down Dinner”
Debi Lander, ByLanderSea Travel Tales
Just because a whiskey is expensive doesn't mean it's the best.

🚢 Cruise Travel

Voyages that explore the world by water — from river journeys to ocean adventures

🏖️ “Sailing the Caribbean in Style”
Toby Saltzman, Vancouver Sun
Travelling aboard Sea Cloud Cruises' newest windjammer is a nautical treat

🕶️ “Cruising Through Challenging Sees”
Theresa Russell, Porthole Cruise and Travel
You can still plan a great cruise with impaired vision

Inspired by these incredible stories? Join SATW today and become part of a network of professional travel storytellers and PR professionals.