July 6, 2025  •   View this email in your browser

Greetings from Toronto!

I hope you're having a great holiday weekend! If you're new here, this is our weekly round-up of the daily travel tips I shared throughout the week.


🇨🇦 I’m in Canada to see family and friends since my wife, Natalie, was born and raised here. I’ve probably been to Canada over 50 times and no matter whether I go to a new province (Canada has 10 provinces and three territories) or not, I always learn something new. Here are a few interesting ways Canada differs from the United States. However, I should add another point because July 1 was Canada Day and unlike in the U.S. (at least where I live in Los Angeles), the fireworks stopped at around 10:30pm. In L.A., they start shooting them off about two weeks prior and continue for a month or two later, at all hours of the night. No joke.


🌡️ Eiffel Tower was Closed Due to Heat
On June 23, we returned from Southern Europe and we got really lucky as the heat hadn't hit yet. Well, it's here now, so much so that the Eiffel Tower closed to tourists because it was too hot. It wasn't even that hot while we were there but we still saw so many people holding or wearing a neck fan (this one is currently 28% off). The first time I saw them, I thought they looked ridiculous but then I realized I was the fool for not having one as I sweated bullets. Now we all carry one of these fans ($17). My kids love the fan pictured above and I do too since it's compact, lightweight and easy to throw in your bag. These fans really are a life-saver. This 3-in-1 fan even serves as a back-up phone charger and has a handy flashlight. Available in 6 different colors. Buy here.

As always, there's a lot of travel news so scroll down for a recap of the most important stories of the week, along with my travel tips.  


🍀 Ireland *Nonstop* for $359 Roundtrip or London $139 O/W
In case you're looking to go to Ireland, Going.com just found some incredible airfares. $359 Roundtrip from Los Angeles for next month and November. Just $359 R/T from LAX, which is crazy cheap. If you don't live in L.A. then just change the departure airport on Google Flights to see if they're offering the same deal. FYI: The photo above is from our stay at Kilkea Castle. Here's my story. Going also just found a one-way deal to London for $179 for this month and August!

❓Behind the Scenes at Jeopardy! A Day as a Live Studio Audience Member
Back in early May, I wrote about taking my mother-in-law to a taping of the hit game show Jeopardy! since she's a big fan. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that tickets were not only available, but they are free. Tomorrow night and Tuesday are the air dates for the shows we watched get filmed. I'm hoping she invites friends over and doesn't tell them we were at the taping until after, so they will think, "Wow, you guys are so smart!" Here's what it's like behind the scenes.

Although it was a shortened work week, there's a surprising amount of travel news, including an executive order calling on the National Park system to charge higher entry fees for foreign visitors. Scroll down to see all the travel news, my tips and featured travel videos. 

In this issue:

• Today's Travel Outlook ✈️
• Travel Tips This Week ✅
• Travel Quote of the Day 💬
• Travel Thread of the Day 
• 12 Things to Know in Travel Today 🌎
• Travel Video of the Day 📺
• and more… 

✈️ Today's Travel Outlook 

As of 10:20am ET, there have been 28 canceled flights to, from or within the United States and 1,186 delayed. Here's a link to the up-to-date stats and a live look at the FAA's National Airspace System Status. Here's what to do during weather delays and flight cancellations.

🧭 Travel Product of the Week

Amazon Prime Day is Coming!
Amazon Prime Day starts on Tuesday but the deals have already begun! We'll be sharing the best deals for travelers all week but if you want to get a jumpstart on the sale, you can shop it here. If you're not already a Prime Member, sign up here so you can take advantage of the savings during special Prime Day events and throughout the year. 

Two of the best deals currently:


42% off: Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition Essentials Bundle including Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition, Cover and Wireless Charging Dock


50% off: Samsonite Omni 2 Hardside Expandable Luggage with Spinner Wheels, 3-Piece Set


Tide Laundry Stain Remover Spray with Oxi Comes to the Rescue
We usually travel with Tide To-Go sticks and they're handy for very small stains but fortunately, on this trip, my wife packed a bottle of this Tide Laundry Stain Remover and are we glad we had it. It saved three articles of clothing that otherwise would have been ruined. The first two times we needed it was to remove tomato sauce stains from my son's shirt and shorts. The third time was to remove an oil-based salad dressing stain from a new shirt I've only worn a handful of times. All three times, my wife soaked the stains for 2-3 minutes, then hand-washed the clothes in the sink. Each stain came out completely so we'll always have one of these in our suitcase when we travel from now on. Buy here.

✅ Apple AirTags: Snag a four-pack for $74.99 or a single one for $22.98
✅ Mini rolls of gaffer tape ($13.88)
✅ $7.14 for 10-pack lithium coin batteries
✅ 15% off ($8.49): 6-Foot Surge Protector Power Strip
✅ 38% off ($9.95) RFID blocking money belt
✅ 

🛄 Monday

American Airlines Lost Our Luggage Again … But This Time We Were Ready
Last December, I wrote a post about how upset I was with American Airlines (AA) for losing our luggage. It wasn’t the fact that they’d lost it, it was the fact that they’d wasted our time (90 minutes) and cost me a lot more money because their baggage tracking app said our bags were on the plane, as did the LAX airport ground staff. However, in reality, they’d never been loaded onto the plane in Philadelphia. I’m happy to report that AA has better technology but they still need to improve. Here's what happened when they lost one of our two bags.

🛫 Tuesday

Northeast Storms Snarl Hectic Fourth of July Travel: Thousands of Flights Delayed, Waivers in Effect for July 1
Hopefully, you’re not flying to, from or through the Northeast later today because thunderstorms are expected to wreak havoc on the system. They did last night and all three major U.S. airlines have issued a travel waiver for today. Here's what you need to know.

👀 Wednesday

💡 10 Smart Things to Do Before Leaving Your House on Vacation
Did I unplug the iron? Did I leave the hair straightener plugged in? Did I turn off the stove? Did I close the garage door? Vacation is all about unwinding and escaping routine but nothing ruins your relaxation faster than worrying about what you forgot to do before you left home. Whether you’re heading out for a weekend getaway or a month-long adventure, taking a few simple steps can protect your home, save you money and give you peace of mind.

🛂 Thursday

Serve with Honor, Travel with Ease: TSA Launches New Travel Benefits for Military Families This Summer
This Independence Day, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is rolling out a salute to America’s military families, making the travel journey a little lighter for those who carry the weight of service and sacrifice. Here's what you need to know.

✈️ Friday

Trip Report: Los Angeles to Naples, Italy via Chicago on American Airlines
I just returned from an epic trip to Europe and I have a lot of trip reports to write. So let’s start from the beginning … Los Angeles to Ischia, Italy. Here's my trip report, which is filled with tips and photos.

🏝️ Saturday

First Look: JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa 
One of the stops on our cruise aboard Sun Princess was Crete and while we were there, we got the chance to check out the brand new JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa. While we couldn’t overnight at the hotel, we were invited to spend a few hours visiting the beach and the pools, and to have lunch. Here's a first look.

📺 Travel Videos of the Week

Dad Jumps Overboard on Disney Cruise to Save Daughter Who Fell

Japan Airlines Boeing 737 Decends 26,000 Feet as Passengers Write Goodbye Notes

Airline Ramper Moons Plane Captain in Viral Video

Passenger Fight Breaks Out on Frontier Airlines Flight to Miami 

🐻 👀 Beware of Bears in Tahoe!

🌎 Top 12 Travel Stories of the Week

1 The Changes Coming to European Hand-Luggage Rules
2 Severe Heat Wave Hits Southern Europe
3 U.S. Tourism Will Lose Up To $29 Billion As Visitors Plummet Amid Trump Policies
4 Japanese Airlines Cancel Flights After Manga Predicts Disaster
5 Trump Signs Executive Order To Raise National Park Fees For Foreign Visitors
6 French Air Traffic Controller Strike Disrupts Travel Across France
7 France Bans Smoking In Parks, Beaches, And Other Public Spaces
8 Qantas Airline Hit By Cyberattack, Affecting Millions
9 US Teen Influencer Detained In Antarctica While Attempting Solo Flight To 7 Continents
10 Australia Cancels Rapper Ye's Visa Over 'Heil Hitler' Release
11 The Dollar Has Its Worst Start To A Year Since 1973
12 'Childhood Dream': Seine Reopens To Paris Swimmers After Century-Long Ban
Read it all here as well as the 84 other top travel news stories from this past week!

✅ Currency Exchange

✅ Calendar Countdown

✈️ More Featured Products

Portable Fan That's Also a Phone Charger and Has a Flashlight
This is a 3-in-1 must-have. We just returned from Europe and it was hot, hot, hot! We were so glad we remembered to pack two of these portable fans, especially for the kids to use. Compact, lightweight and easy to throw in your bag when you go exploring for the day, these fans were a real life-saver and we won't be traveling anywhere hot without them. PLUS: It serves as a back-up phone charger and has a handy flashlight. Available in 6 different colors. Buy here.


EverSnug Travel Blanket
Planes can be cold but there's no reason to suffer for your entire flight. This travel blanket is soft, cozy and warm (not to mention cleaner than airline blankets ... if you even get one), and packs up quickly and easily in its own carrying case. This is one accessory my wife and I use all the time when we fly and made us wonder what took us so long to buy travel blankets. Read why we love it here and buy here.


34% off Anker 5-in-1 hub
A hub like this is an essential when I travel. It streamlines my chargers and is an excellent travel companion. It's got a 4K HDMI port, USB-C and USB-A data ports and a 100W PD-IN port for pass-through charging. Regularly $34.99, it's currently 34% off for $22.99 for a limited time. Buy here.

Travel Umbrellas
Spring has most definitely sprung! I have written in the past about how a travel umbrella can make or break your trip and earlier this week, WIRED released their picks for the top travel umbrellas. After testing a range of options, they declared the Weatherman Travel Umbrella (pictured left) the overall winner and the Prostorm Windproof Vented Travel Umbrella (pictured right), the best budget umbrella. 


This mini pocket umbrella is also a great, compact option and is currently just $11.99 (37% off).