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Member Questions: Indagare Recommends

Indagare is built on the belief that sharing knowledge among passionate travelers is key to creating transformative journeys. That’s why we asked our community to submit their travel questions to our founder and CEO, Melissa Biggs Bradley. Here, we highlight some of the queries and Melissa’s answers.

Have a travel question of your own? Contact Indagare for all your travel needs, whether it is help planning a celebratory vacation for a large group or advice on where you should go next. 

Where should I travel with my eighteen-year-old son after his graduation and before he starts college? We want to go somewhere interesting with good food, art and luxury hotels. For a well-rounded trip, you might consider combining two European destinations. Amsterdam and Berlin both have great art scenes and lovely hotels. Venice is fun to explore but crowded in the summer, so it pairs nicely with a property in the Italian Dolomites where you can spend a few additional days hiking and rock climbing. Parts of Asia are also wonderful in the summer. Japan might be the perfect destination for you, as it combines incredible culinary offerings and world-class hotels with spectacular museums, including Naoshima Island, a must for art lovers. For something more exotic, Bali and the rest of Indonesia are lovely June through August and offer amazing beaches as well as activities like scuba diving, hiking and visits to temples.

Related: Five Reasons to Visit Amsterdam Now

What’s a good destination for a first-time trip out of the country with kids?

The answer depends on your children’s age and interests. Safe bets include many destinations in Europe, especially those taught about in school, like Rome, Greece or England. In all, we can arrange a lot of kid-friendly experiences, like pizza-making classes, gladiator school or castle visits. If you want to avoid a bustling city, we recommend many resorts that have family-friendly facilities, like apartment-style accommodations with kitchens and washer/dryers, or renting a villa in places like Tuscany or Provence.

Related: On My Mind: My Family's Travel Evolution

I’ve recently really gotten into photography and want to go someplace where I’ll be able to put my new skills to use. Thoughts on destinations?

The great thing about photography is you can practice it just about everywhere. One possibility is to revisit somewhere with special significance to you: seeing it through the lens of a camera will allow you to uncover aspects that were previously hidden.

If you want to explore a new destination, decide whether you wish to focus on landscapes, architecture, culture or wildlife. For landscapes, it’s hard to beat the vast American West, which is interesting and different in each season. For architecture, you might choose a fast-paced city like New York City, Tokyo or Shanghai. And to capture people and unique cultures, you’ll find abundant material in Myanmar and Peru. Finally, a safari combines incredible landscapes with spectacular wildlife.

Related: Capturing Extremes: An Interview with Photographer Stefan Forster

My husband and kids are adrenaline junkies and need to be active. Where should we go this New Year’s?

The winter holiday season is a great time to take a long trip somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere, where it will be summer. Favorites for adventure lovers include Chilean Patagonia and South Africa. Patagonia offers hiking excursions. In South Africa, thrill seekers can get their adrenaline fix in Cape Town with shark-cage diving, hiking the Table Mountain and bungee jumping, then enjoy excitement of a different sort by spending a few days in the bush on safari. Australia has enormously diverse environments to explore, such as the outback and the Great Barrier Reef, and if your kids are old enough, they may enjoy celebrating New Year’s in Sydney. All of these destinations require advance planning and we recommend booking one year ahead of time to ensure the best options.

Related: Adventure Travel with Kids

Can you recommend a weeklong trip for a mother and teenage daughter that combines cultural experience with volun- and eco-tourism? Nicaragua

and Costa Rica come to mind as destinations that meet your criteria. We have partnered with a few admirable organizations that do incredible work in each country. If you’re willing to go a bit farther, there are also several foundations in East Africa and parts of Southeast Asia that we recommend. Many Indagare staffers have spent significant time volunteering abroad, and we would be happy to give you first-hand accounts of our experiences and which programs might work for you and your daughter.

Related: The Importance (and Privilege) of Voluntourism

I have two weeks before I begin my new job and want to travel somewhere on my own that will be relaxing and inspiring. Where should I go?

Since you have a good amount of time and will be traveling alone, I suggest you go somewhere far-flung that will allow you to reflect and be introspective while also learning about the world. Transformative destinations we often recommend for solo travelers include India and New Zealand, which captivate visitors with their spirituality and landscapes, respectively. During the fall, winter and spring, a trip to Marrakech with time in the Atlas Mountains provides an interesting mix of culture and adventure.

On the other end of the spectrum is Nepal. Although challenging, a trek to Everest Base Camp is one of the most rewarding travel experiences. It will transform how you see the world, yourself and others, leaving you ready to open the next chapter in your life. Finally, some of our favorite spas, like Cal-a-Vie in California and Mii amo in Arizona, might appeal.

Related: Go it Alone: The Best Places for Solo Travel

For my husband’s sixtieth birthday, I want to plan a trip of a lifetime. Do you have advice on destinations?

Some destinations that consistently impress Indagare members include New Zealand, for its dramatic and breathtaking landscapes; India, for its spiritual energy and palatial properties; and South Africa and Tanzania, for the magic of witnessing animals in the wild while staying at elegant, pampering lodges. If you’re looking for a truly castaway experience, there are some spectacular resorts in the Seychelles, FijiFrench Polynesia and the Maldives  that are great blowout celebration destinations.

Related: The Travel Bucket List

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