This blog post includes affiliate links for travel books – which means I earn a small commission if you use purchase through them. It doesn’t change the price on your end, but rewards me for sharing with you!

I love to read. I think it boils down to my love for travel. Both reading and travel bring me to a different place. I get to experience a different life, a different story when reading and traveling. So when I am not traveling and find a good book that combines a good story with travel, I am in my happy place. Since we can’t be traveling right now, it is the perfect time to dig into a lot of good travel books. I put together a list of seven travel books you should read, but I’d love to add more to my list. Let me know what travel books you love to read in the comments. 

Here are the best travel books to read during the COVID-19 isolation! 

Travel Book #1
The Yellow Envelope by Kim Dinan

This may be one of my favorite travel books. It’s definitely a feel-good book about the power of travel and giving. A couple decides to pack up and sell all their belongings and go travel the world. Before they leave, a neighbor gives them a yellow envelope with money inside. Their instructions are to give the money away to those they encounter on their journey. The story is about learning money isn’t always the most important thing you can give another person. The Yellow Envelope is a story about how travel stretches and pushes a person and the power of giving more than just money. It will definitely give you a different perspective on the world and those around you the next time you travel.

Travel Book #2
The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner

Ok, this is my second favorite travel book. Instead of the normal self-help and research books out there, this one is written by a journalist. Eric Weiner takes on a different perspective when searching for what makes someone happy. He travels through many different countries, that are all on different parts of the happiness scale. It’s interesting to see what makes people happy in Iceland is completely different than what makes people happy in Switzerland. Is there really a “right” answer to finding happiness? This book makes me want to go on my own journey around the world of finding out what makes each country’s people happy!

Travel Book #3
A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout & Sara Corbett

This one is darker and a heavier read than the first two I recommended. It is based on a true story of a woman’s experience being captured and held hostage in Somalia for 460 days. It is amazing to read of this woman’s true experience and what helped her get through an incredibly horrific experience.

Travel Book #4
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

You have probably heard of this book and/or seen the movie created based on the novel, Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I actually read the book and then watched the movie on the plane ride to Italy! This book is a memoir of the author’s trip to Italy, India, and Indonesia after her divorce. Travel is an incredible gift that can help anyone going through a difficult time or change in their life. Read this story to see the journey Elizabeth Gilbert goes on while searching for her own true happiness. It will also probably make you want to go visit at least one of the three countries she visits throughout the book!

Travel Book #5
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

This is another book that has been turned into a movie and another book about going on a personal journey after great loss. Wild is a memoir about Chery Strayed’s journey of losing her mother, then her marriage and family and going on a trek on the Pacific Crest Trail to heal. It’s a pretty good book filled with suspense, sorrow, and laughter and makes you feel like anything is possible. After reading this book, you will feel like you can overcome any obstacles thrown your way

Bonus! Travel Book #6
The Lost Girls by Jennifer Baggett, Holly Corbett, Amanda Pressner

I haven’t read this book yet, but I have heard so many good things about it that I had to add it to my list. This is a story about three girls coming up on their 30th birthday and decide to leave everything to travel the world for a year. They travel to four continents and push themselves out of their comfort zone in hopes of finding inspiration and direction. Traveling and exploring the world with some best friends sounds like an amazing book to me. I can’t wait to read it! 

When we can’t physically be traveling, books are a great way to be taken to a new place and a new world. What books have you read that inspires you to travel or visit a new place? I’m always looking for new books to add to my list.

Well, this one has been a doozy I don’t think any of us saw coming in 2020! Coronavirus, you may win for now, but THIS TOO SHALL PASS! Some people have chosen or been forced to reschedule or cancel their travel plans for the next few weeks. Don’t worry! In the meantime, I have put together a list of travel ideas for you to enjoy while stuck at home until you can get out there and explore again!

Here are ways to enjoy travel from home while waiting out the coronavirus.

Make Photo Books of Your Past Travels

I can’t be the only one who has all my photos of past vacations just sitting on my computer?! Now would be a great time to actually do something with those vacation photos. Find a photo book company where you can upload your travel photos and either have them automatically made into a photo book or if you are feeling a bit more creative, you can organize them yourself into a photo book. Then have them printed and in a week or two, you will have all your vacation photos physically printed out. These also make for great coffee table books. Some of my favorite photo book companies are Mixbook*, Artifact Uprising*, Chatbooks, and Blurb. 

Check Out Pinterest and Think About Where You Want to Travel Next

One of the best sources of travel planning and travel dreaming is Pinterest. You can find just about anything you need on there and it’s visually pleasing. Make your own boards and pin inspirations for the trip you want to take next. You could make a board for US destinations, a road trip around New Zeland, honeymoon dream destinations, or bucket list trips. The options are endless! I’ve gathered quite an array of travel inspiration on my Pinterest page. Click here to follow me and browse my Pinterest boards.

Prepare for Future Vacations by Purchasing Travel Insurance

I always recommend purchasing travel insurance for your vacation, but especially now. You just never know what is going to happen where you will need help protecting your vacation investment. You could have a death in the family, you could go to the ER the night before your vacation, you could lose all your luggage, or coronavirus could spread throughout the world causing mass panic and trave cancellations. 

The travel insurance I recommend to my travel clients is Allianz’s Cancel for Any Reason policy. If you have to cancel your trip for an uncovered reason (like the fear of traveling during the spread of coronavirus), you will at least get 80% of your trip investment back. From what I have been hearing, most other travel insurances aren’t covering anything for coronavirus. 

Contact me at hello@thekeystotravel.com to get a travel quote for your next vacation and to ask your travel insurance questions. I will help as best as I can!

Learn a New Language

Now is a great time to brush up on that language you learned in high school or learn a completely new language! If you have plans to travel to Mexico or Germany at the end of this year, for example, it would be a great time to learn a few key phrases to use while traveling. One of my favorite language apps is Duolingo. It is free (there is also a paid version) and makes learning a new language fun, like playing a game!

Online Shop to Prepare for Your Upcoming Trip 

If you have a trip coming up later this year, now would be a great time to (online) shop for new travel clothes and accessories! 

One of my favorite travel accessories is the travel scarf from Waypoint Goods*. These travel scarfs have a secure pocket where you can keep your phone, passport, money, and credit cards while you travel. It is a perfect accessory for destinations like Europe, so you don’t have to hang on to a purse.

*affiliate links – which means I earn a small commission if you use it. It doesn’t change the price on your end, but rewards me for sharing with you!

What are some of your favorite travel-themed clothing items and accessories you are looking to purchase for upcoming vacations?

Virtually Visit a Museum

Do you love visiting new museums? Google Arts & Culture teamed up with over 500 museums and galleries around the world to provide virtual tours and online exhibits that you can view right from your home. Some of these museums include the Guggenheim in New York City, National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, and art in The White House.  

Click here to browse through these virtual museums all over the world. Which one are you interested in seeing?

Road Trip to a National Park

Make sure to go outside and get fresh air and sunshine while waiting for all this madness to blow over! Fresh air and exercise helps you stay healthy, mentally and physically. Turn this time into an excuse to take a quick road trip to a US National Park near home. Currently, there are 62 national parks in the US. A lot of them are located in the West, so if you aren’t nearby a National Park, go find a local park to explore! 

What is your favorite National Park? I think mine is Olympic National Park in Washington. You get the best of both worlds, beach + jungle and hiking. 

What do you plan on doing while waiting out the coronavirus? Will you be looking to enjoy travel from home?

Being a travel agent who travels quite a bit, I have learned a lot about travel. I’ve learned travel hacks, the best time to visit destinations, packing tips, money-saving tips, and so much more. I thought I would break down my top 10 travel tips that I think will get you far in the traveling world. I’d love to hear what your favorite travel tips are! Comment below.

Top 10 travel tips from a travel agent.

1. Plan your trip sooner than later

My number one travel tip is to plan your trip sooner than later. There are many benefits to planning your vacation in advance. Often times resorts will have early bird pricing in hopes to book up their rooms. There are a lot more options for airfare, hotels, and excursions early on because you are looking ahead of everyone else. Also, when working with a travel agent, if you book in advance, you are able to pay in installments, instead of paying the trip all at once. It can really help financially to plan and book your vacation sooner than later.

2. Travel during shoulder or low season

Traveling during the off-season is my favorite time to visit a destination, for example, Aruba during hurricane season! 

One of the main reasons I love traveling during the low season is to save money. When you visit a destination when it isn’t peak season means hotels, flights, and activities can be less expensive. 

Click here to find out more reasons why it is the best time to travel during off-season and also see great destinations to visit during the off-season. 

3. Use a credit card with great travel rewards

If you’re not using a credit card with great travel rewards, you’re throwing money away. First, obviously don’t spend more than you have, but if you are able to use credit cards responsibly, then make sure you are taking advantage of all they have to offer.

Some benefits offered by credit cards that focus on travel are access to airport lounges, free TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, free and discounted travel, and so much more. Two of my favorite credit cards that give amazing travel rewards are Chase Sapphire Reserve and Venture.

4. Get TSA PreCheck and Global Entry

Before I got TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, I didn’t think I needed them. But now that I have both, I will never NOT have them! The convenience and time saved is worth every penny.

TSA PreCheck is used when traveling domestically in the USA and Global Entry is used when re-entering the USA from traveling internationally.

For TSA PreCheck, you get to go through an expedited TSA line where you don’t have to take off shoes or belts or take out anything from your carry on/personal luggage. If you live near a busy airport, this will save you so much time and energy! 

Global Entry is basically a fast pass lane through Customs when coming back into the USA. You don’t have to talk to a customs agent or stand in those long lines. You just walk up to a kiosk, scan your passport, answer a few questions, take a picture and you are good to go. After a long international flight, it feels so nice to just breeze through this tedious process. 

When you purchase Global Entry, you automatically get TSA PreCheck. That is the route I suggest going. Currently, it is $100 for a 5-year membership, and that included TSA PreCheck. If you purchase TSA PreCheck without Global Entry, it is $85 for a 5-year membership. If you are planning on traveling internationally once or twice in the next five years, get Global Entry. 

Another benefit to some credit cards that have great travel rewards is your Global Entry and TSA PreCheck costs are paid for! Then it really is a no brainer to get both if they are free.

5. Know what flight category you’re purchasing

With budget-friendly airlines, like Frontier, now showing up more than ever, other airlines are looking for ways to compete. Most major US Airlines are now offering Basic Economy airline tickets. There is a big difference between Basic Economy airline tickets and Economy airline tickets. Make sure you know the difference before clicking “purchase” or you could be kicking yourself down the way.

Before purchasing your next airline tickets, click here for the details on the differences between basic economy and economy airline tickets.

6. Get travel insurance

Since being a travel agent and working with many families and couples on various different types of vacations, I have learned that travel insurance is crucial. You just never know what is going to happen before or during your vacation that you will need to be covered for. 

Different travel insurances cover different things, so make sure you are purchasing exactly what you need. Travel insurance can cover anything from having to cancel a trip for unexpected health reasons, death in a family, jury duty, medical and dental issues while on the trip, lost luggage, and so so much more. When you are investing a good chunk of money on a vacation, it is a good idea to protect that investment as well as your health and belongings while traveling. 

If you have questions about travel insurance or need to purchase some for your next vacation, email me at hello@thekeystotravel.com.

7. Notify credit card company of travels

If you plan on using a specific credit card while on vacation, make sure the company knows you will be traveling. When credit card companies see charges on your card in an area you normally a not located, they will put a lock on your account. If you are traveling internationally and don’t have an easy way of approving your charges or proving you are located where you are using your credit card, you could be without money while traveling.

The good thing is that a lot of credit cards know when and where you will be traveling depending on what you purchase with your card. For example, Venture One and Chase cards will make note that you are traveling if you purchase your airline tickets with their credit card. Then when they see you are making other purchases within that time frame in the location your airline tickets are for, they won’t put a hold on your card.

It is always a good idea to double-check with your credit card company that they know you will be traveling and to expect charges on your card from that location. 

8. Share your travel itinerary with family or a friend

It is always a wise choice to share your travel itinerary with a friend or family member. You never know what could go wrong or when you will need help, and having someone know where you are in the world can come in handy.

9. Renew or get a passport early

If you are planning on traveling internationally this year, or hope you will be, renew or get your passport now. The processing time for getting passports has extended from 4 weeks to now an average of 6-8 weeks. Don’t wait longer than you have to and risk having to pay more money to expedite your passport to get it in time for your international vacation. If you are getting your passport for the first time, follow these easy steps to make the process easier.

If you already have your passport, check the expiration date. Many countries require your passport to be valid six months AFTER you return from your trip. That means, if you are going to Mexico in January, your passport must be valid through July. If it expires within the 6 months after your trip, you will not be let on the plane.

10. Contact a travel agent for help!

Travel agents are experts in travel and many specialize in specific types of travel, like honeymoons, family vacations, destination weddings, or locations, like Hawaii, Caribbean, or Europe. To save yourself time and money, talk to an expert! It is so helpful to be able to ask your travel questions to an actual human, and not just a Google search. Travel agents can answer all your travel questions, plan your vacation, book your vacation, coordinate all the travel, recommend the best excursions, and so much more. 

Some types of vacations are more worthwhile working with a travel agent than others. Click here to see when you should work with a travel agent. 

When you are ready to plan and book your next vacation, email me! I specialize in honeymoons, couples trips, and group trips, but I have also helped many families travel all over the world. Simply put, I am here to help you travel more and stress less. Email me at hello@thekeystotravel.com to get started on planning your next vacation.