Tim Leffel has more than 25 years of experience as a travel writer and has won dozens of awards for his writing. He is the author of 5 travel books and editor of multiple travel websites and blogs.
Copper Canyons, Chiapas, and Huasteca Adventures
Three adventure stories about lesser-known areas in Mexico.
Fertility and flight: No vertigo for the Voladores of Veracruz
At first, there’s not much happening – just five men in white tops and tasseled red pants clinging to a small platform high atop a single pole. One plays a metal flute and beats a pattern on a drum. Eventually the other four rise in unison and launch into the air...
Beer and Bubbles in the Czech Spa Towns Story and photos by Tim Leffel
On a trip through Pilsen and the spa towns of Marianske Lazne and Karlovy Vary, a writer experiences the region’s essence through beer, biking, and a few long soaks.
8 cost-saving tips for travelers in these trying economic times
(CNN) — Just as we were coming out of a long period of lockdowns and entry restrictions, world oil prices went through the roof.
This affected flights using jet fuel and the cost to fill up a car's tank for a road trip.
Now, interest rates are...
Freak Shows and Farces at the Ringling Circus Museum in Sarasota
With atmospheres of dark and light, pageantry and pain, the traveling circus has captivated creative writers since the first tent went up. The Ringling Circus Museum presents the stories behind the spectacles.
Unwind in Los Cabos, Where the Desert Meets the Sea
In the morning we enjoyed a lavish breakfast while looking out at the ocean and seeing the waterspouts of humpback whales as they swam by. We then played golf on one of the most challenging courses in Mexico, designed by Jack Nicklaus. As the sun dipped down, we took an ATV ride through the desert dunes and along the beach, then hit downtown Cabo San Lucas for margaritas by the marina.
The next day we could choose from dozens of other options — or just kick back on a lounge chair by the pool ...
Artsy OLV 55 Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Trendy, cool, artistic, stylish… the OLV 55 boutique hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico checks off all the boxes for an elevated adults-only stay near Condado Beach.
Located a block and a half from the waves and overlooking the lagoon, this intimate hotel is a romantic place to stay with a dramatic wow factor, amplified by the red and orange sunsets over the lagoon in the evenings if you have a room with a balcony.
How to Live in Europe as an American or Canadian Remote Worker
If you can work from anywhere, why not work from Europe? The infrastructure is good, there’s a wealth of culture, the internet is fast, and you’ll be in beautiful surroundings. These days, it’s not even that expensive. There are rules to navigate though, of course, so here’s a primer on how to live in Europe as an American who is location independent, or a digital nomad.
Yucatan Cenotes, Sisal, and Surprises Story and photos by Tim Leffel
A writer who has traveled to the Yucatan state of Mexico a dozen times finds surprises around the corners and underneath his feet on a return trip to the peninsula.
After going through the admission building and past the locker rooms, the place didn’t look like anything special. There was just a dining pavilion and a few empty hammocks, connected by gravel paths. Through the doors and down the steps though it was a different world: a gigantic cave with a body of water that would take several ...
Virgin Hotel Las Vegas: Cool and Comfortable a Bit Off the Strip
In a city that’s all about being bigger and more extreme, Virgin Hotel Las Vegas feels like a cool breath of fresh air. One of the newest hotels to open as of late 2021, it manages to pack a lot into the buildings holding its 1,500+ rooms, but it does that without feeling overwhelming. The intimate spaces scattered throughout have thoughtful design touches to make you smile.
Plus Virgin has a big, huge, massive competitive advantage in this city: No resort fees!
I’m hoping I don’t have to com...
Tampa: un destino ideal para las familias
Parejas + Familia
Con su multitud de caminos y vías fluviales, el centro de Tampa es tan amigable para las familias como las ciudades deben de ser, permitiendo a los padres y sus pequeños explorar la ciudad sin esquivar automóviles y moverse libremente con una carriola o en bicicleta. Entonces, si estás planeando una estadía en Tampa con niños, esta es su guía para hacerlos chillar de alegría, sin gastar una fortuna.
Encuentra diversiones libres de costo
El Riverwalk de dos millas (tres kilóm...
Finding Nature in Mexico Near the Mega Metropolis
Mexico City from the air looks like a never-ending floor covered with Lego blocks, but an escape from the concrete leads to adventures in the natural world and on community-owned land.
Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula
IN HOW MANY PLACES can you see wild monkeys and tropical birds on a walk from your room to the dining area? On how many hikes can you spot a sloth and a blue morpho butterfly before your first sip of water? In the wildlife-packed Osa Peninsula region of Costa Rica, the animals in a square kilometer can outnumber the tourists visiting the entire region.
Costa Rica has a well-deserved reputation as the greenest country in the Americas. Around 28 percent of the small country’s land has been desi...
8 Luggage Brands With a Lifetime Warranty
At Slickdeals, we work hard to help you find the best deals. To do this, some of the products featured here are from our partners, who may provide us with compensation. However, this doesn’t influence our opinions. Our views are our own.
How many times have you seen someone dragging a suitcase with a missing wheel? Or clothes spilling out of a bag with a busted zipper on the luggage carousel? Chances are high that that bag was from a brand that doesn’t offer a lifetime warranty.
Sure, it’s te...
The Craft Beer Scene in the Finger Lakes of New York
I tried an unfiltered cask ale from The Beerocracy, a cream ale with corn and honey from Grist Iron Brewing Company, and Slo’ Mo’ IPA from Empire Brewing my first night in the Finger Lakes and knew this was going to be a good trip.
For a few days after I drank my way across the state, trying a few flavorful beers paired with cupcakes at Felicia’s Atomic Brewhouse, then had a Congress beer based on an early 1900s recipe at a Marriott of all places, in Syracuse. In the great terroir around the ...