ENJOY A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE CHARMING AND HISTORICAL TOWNS OF LOS CABOS

The region of Los Cabos, the southernmost tip of Mexico’s  Baja Peninsula, boasts a sunny year-round climate making it a perfect destination for water sports and other outdoor activities. While the coastal town of Cabo San Lucas is famous for its bustling nightlife, luxury hotels, shopping  and recreational options, several charming towns lie between the desert and the Pacific ocean and the Sea of Cortez that are definitely worth a visit. These include the tranquil old towns of San Jose del Cabo, Todos Santos, as well as the coastal city of La Paz, gateway to Espiritu Santo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where several of its plants and animals are found nowhere else in the world.

Take a virtual tour of these cities on our recent gallery published recently on USATODAY10Best.

Joanne and Tony DiBona Take Away Two Prestigious Journalism Awards from the San Diego Press Club

Forgive us if we take a moment to brag a bit.

Tony and I have been “Two for the Road” for decades, cameras always in hand, ready to bring our photos and descriptive text to our readers. For the past 11 years, in addition to maintaining our own travel photography and this travel and lifestyle website, we’ve worked as travel photography experts as part of the USATODAY10Best contributor team.

This year, we are pleased to announce that we won first place honors for our USATODAY 10Best contributions (in both the national and international categories) in the 2021 San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism award competition. The judges lauded our work on USATODAY 10Best in producing "original descriptive photo galleries of US and International destinations and lifestyle."

This competition drew more than 1,100 entries, making it one of the largest journalism competitions in the nation. Judges for the Press Club’s entries included members of 15 journalism professional organizations from around the nation, including press clubs in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Rochester, Florida, Cleveland, Orange County, Milwaukee, Tulsa and Alaska.

Thanks for visiting our site and if we can ever be of assistance as you create your future travel itineraries, feel free to contact us!

JOANNE'S TIPS FOR BEAUTY AND BEYOND

The Gift of Glow

While we are all waiting the moment when we can socialize and travel again, now is the perfect time to pay closer attention to what you may have neglected over the years:  your face.

I must admit, the last few years of almost non-stop press travel did leave its mark on the texture of my skin.  It seemed that every time I looked into the mirror, another imperfection showed up. I knew some of my wealthier friends and relatives spend many thousands of dollars on stem cell treatments on a regular basis, but that just wasn’t in my budget.

So, when I learned about the at-home stem cell facial kit, StemCellRevive, I was intrigued. My kit arrived with detailed application instructions and a link to a step-by-step video. The entire process of mixing the stem cell serum and preparing the pen only took a couple of minutes. There was no pain involved in the application (unlike the popular, and painful, needling pens) and in 20 minutes I was done.

The kit included a month’s supply of high-grade hyaluronic essence, which should be applied every night for four weeks. Refills of the serum are available and applications are recommended every six months to keep your glow. After a month now, I see a positive difference in my skin tone, but individual results can vary. In my case, the treatment definitely toned down blemishes and imparted a healthy glow to my face.

 Most importantly, StemCell Revive is hypoallergenic, not tested on animals, and is FDA regulated.

Daily Regime

Now that my skin is glowing, it’s time to think of keeping it that way.  Because I would never put anything on my face--or body, for that matter, that isn’t derived from natural products, I welcomed the opportunity to test out Starling Skincare’s Revive anti-aging face serum. Made from organic plant-based oils, this product stands up to its promise to keep your skin beautifully moisturized and rejuvenated. Just 3-4 drops in your hand suffice to cover your entire face. It absorbs immediately and primes your skin for makeup. It’s highly concentrated, so this bottle goes a long way in keeping your skin fresh and taut.

The art of Makeup

Let’s face it, artistically applied make-up is the final step in achieving a beautiful look . The brow and liner kit The Works from the Tori Belle line is my new best friend. The gel flows on smoothly and when dry, it is water and smudge proof. I finally found an easier way to get those perfect and natural-looking brows—and keeping them looking good all day. And the cool thing is it can also be used as an eyeliner, freeing up space in my travel cosmetic bag. Aside from the brow kit, Tori Belle Cosmetics sells a line of other innovative vegan beauty products including a gloss that plumps the lips, a collagen producing gloss made with 24k gold, and magnetic lashes that eliminate the mess of glue and can be worn 20-30 times.

MASK-arade

Who ever imagined a face mask would become de rigueur in these tumultuous times? While I’ve collected my share of industrial-looking masks over this long year of quarantine, it was so very refreshing to receive a mask that is a work-of-art, and which I will wear with my favorite outfits. This beautiful mask is perfectly designed to fit over your nose and mouth and features a protective filter. It’s available at the Karma & Luck website, which not only offers these classically beautiful masks, but also fine jewelry and many exquisite gift items carefully hand-crafted by artisans around the world.

In the clear

A big concern of travel photographers who use SLRs and optical lenses is keeping your lens clean during a photo shoot. This nifty gadget, the Lens Pen, literally the size of a thick pen, does a great job of removing fingerprints and dust from your lens in seconds.  So instead of reaching into your bag for liquid cleaners and lens cloths/tissues during a shoot, a swipe over your lens in a circular motion does the trick.. The pen does not use liquid, but a carbon cleaning compound that will clean a lens perfectly during its long life of 500+ uses. 

Disclaimer:  Please note that the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own and will not receive any future compensation based on sales arising from my recommendations. My goal is to share my favorite travel tips with my followers, in an effort to improve the travel experience for us all.

Joanne's Travel Accessory Tips: How to Make Life Easier, Safer, and Healthier On the Road

The Smartest Piece of Luggage You Will Ever Know

My quest for the perfect airline carry-on bag for traveling seems to be never-ending.  Since my husband and I travel with only carry-on bags in tow, regardless of how long our trip is, finding the perfect bag can be a challenge.

When I discovered the Genius Pack 22”, I knew I had found the ultimate in carry-on spinners.

I tested it out on a recent 10-day trip, and it emphatically earned 5-Stars in my book. Made of quality materials meant to hold up well on the road, this spinner looks as good as it performs. What sets it apart from other carry-on bags is a long list of bells and whistles that can make living out of a suitcase more of a pleasure than a curse, especially on longer trips.

One of the coolest features is a removable laundry bag with a built-in compression system that neatly compacts your dirty clothes by expelling unwanted air through an integrated air valve. Your dirty laundry is stored away from your clean clothes. When your trip is done, just unzip the laundry bag and take it straight to the laundromat or cleaners. This is certainly a welcome convenience for the traveler on the go. 

Other ingenious organizing conveniences are the built-in underwear, socks and electric chargers compartments, which eliminate the need for packing cubes for these items. These are located in the top cover, leaving ample room in the body of the spinner for your bulkier clothing items.

In all, the bag comes with 17 “genius” features, which include a zippered expander that adds up to 25% more packing space; an external jacket wrap (I used it to carry my bulky raincoat as I rushed through the airport); convenient external compartments to store your water bottle, umbrella, and magazines/portfolios; and a built in add-a-bag strap, which I used to cart my camera gear.

As if the above weren’t enough, the bag also has a portable battery pack integrated in the luggage so you can recharge your device wherever your trip takes you. The ability to juice up your phone from your carry on is an amazing convenience, especially in busy airports where finding a charging station not shared by the masses is a rarity.

For those travelers who can’t live without music in their ears, another feature integrated into the luggage is a compact mini speaker so you can listen to music while you unpack, or just about anywhere your journey takes you. Both the battery pack and speaker system are sold separately.

All this smartness is contained in a bag that measures 22” x 14” x 9”, so it is compatible with current size restrictions for most airlines.

www.geniuspack.com

A UPF 50+ Protection Hat That Makes a Fashion Statement

In preparation for a recent trip to Hawaii, I knew I needed a packable hat with major UPF protection. My dilemma was to find a hat that would take me from hiking through the trails to sipping a Mai Tai on a luxury hotel veranda. I knew I had to replace my tried-and-true khaki hat which, while it did the trick to block out the rays, was hardly a fashion statement.

My online search for a stylish, packable, large-brimmed hat with maximum UPF protection led me to the Wallaroo Hat Company website, where I found my dream hat: the Savannah. I am a lover of large brimmed hats because they offer the most protection from the hot rays of the sun and, in my opinion, are also very fashionable and flattering.

This hat has lots of features I love, including the fact that it fits my larger-sized head perfectly (an internal drawstring makes it adjustable, so it is a true one size fits all). It also rolls up nicely in my carry-on and immediately pops back into shape.

It was a good feeling to know that I was receiving UPF 50+ protection, as Wallaroo hat fabrics are tested by the Australian Radiation Protection Agency and block 97.5% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

My only recommendation for improving the hat would be to add an adjustable drawstring to keep the hat from blowing away. I almost lost mine walking on the windy trails of Kauai and it was a challenge to keep it on my head. I would have been very distressed to have lost it!

www.wallaroohats.com

Wow--a Waterproof Daypack That Fits In Your Pocket

As photo journalists, my husband and I are always on the lookout for a super lightweight daypack to serve us during our travels around the world.

We were happy to discover Matador’s Freerain 24 backpack, as we realized we would need such a product on our recent 25-day, carry on only, adventure through Europe.

It was hard to believe that such a road horse packs away into a 6 X 3 inch travel bag, but it does. It actually took less room in my carry on than my travel umbrella, and weighed less, too (an unbelievable 5.5 oz).

The day bag itself is water resistant (with comfortable, breathable straps) and it protected our equipment and contents during a few light rainfalls. It has a 24-litre capacity, which means you can pack quite a bit into its folds. It is superbly constructed and its sleek grey exterior is quite classy, and serves the traveler well under any circumstance.

Together with a base layer photo protector bag, which Matador also offers, I felt confident bundling up my extra camera in the well-padded pouch on our day trips through Europe’s cities.  Filled with protective down and sturdily constructed, the camera base layer fits most DSLR cameras with common lenses. It can be used in a variety of ways to protect your equipment while on the road.

We’ll be using this bag again and again not only on our travels, but also on our local hiking excursions. You can’t beat its versatility, and it is as light as a feather and stores away in your pocket!

Check out Matador's entire line of products.

Tech Tip for the Traveler: Find Your Stuff While on the Road

Here's my tech tip for the traveler, especially if one is forgetful and misplaces everything from car keys to cell phones and even a “lost” rental car in a parking lot.

The Nonda compact triangular shaped tracker is a mere 1.5 inches per side and .25 inches thick Once you download the free app to your Android or iPhone, it performs several handy operations.

Finding your keys in a hotel room: With the device attached to your key chain a tone will emit when you are near the location.

Finding your phone: This happens to all of us, especially while traveling. It actually calls your phone. The ringtone will lead you there.

Finding your rental car: This feature is linked to Google Maps and will display a location map and arrow to direct you to your lost car.

You can also take cell phone photos with the “Camera Shutter” feature to remotely control the phone’s camera. It’s been fun running through the various features of this tiny giant. I can think of other applications (child, pet and lost luggage locator) when it would come in handy.

5 Stars to NONDA for a clever and useful travel tool. And the price is right!

Learn more about this device HERE

Protect Your Valuables While On Travel....In Your Scarf or Around Your Tummy!

Protecting your valuables, especially in big city crowds, is something you may not think about until it’s too late. During our recent trip to Europe, my husband was robbed of his wallet (carelessly placed in his zippered pant pocket) on a super crowded Parisian bus.  While he lost some cash and his credit cards, we were relieved that we did not have our passports stolen.

Why? I was carrying them (as well as my wallet, phone and Euros) in an ingenious product called Sholdit. It can be best described as a scarf that serves as a hidden purse. It has a generous zippered compartment that will keep your valuables safe, especially in heavily crowded areas, since no one (even a thief) would guess that your scarf is actually a sort of money belt.

I wore it double wrapped around my neck, so that my valuables sat in front on my chest (the safest place on your body) but were indiscernible to the casual observer. The scarf can be worn a variety of ways and can even transform into a clutch bag, if desired.

sholdit.com

Alas, it was too late to retrieve our losses from the theft, but I did put quite a bit of research after our trip in finding a money belt my husband would wear on our next adventure to parts unknown. He gave a total thumbs up to the TravelGenixx money belt, available for $14.95 on Amazon.com. It is extremely well made, especially considering its reasonable price, and boasts a sturdy, and adaptable, belt system. With his valuables safely on his tummy, no thief will get the best of him again!

There's a smaller version available for ladies, too.

Flip Out Over the Flip Belt

Speaking of keeping your items secure, especially during a hike or run, the Flip Belt is a must-have for those of you who embrace an active lifestyle.

I chose the larger, Zipper Edition of the belt. The belt fits snugly but quite comfortably around your waist or upper hip. A front zippered pocket holds your phone or passport. There are three other access points built within the belt, one of which has an internally secured key hook.

It’s a great feeling when I am walking or hiking to know that my personal items will not inadvertently fall out of my pocket onto the trail. The belt is available in a variety of sizes, depending on how you wish to wear it. 

My only suggestion would be to make the front zipper pocket an inch or so wider to accommodate the super large cell phones that are popular today. I have a Samsung Note 5 in a protective case, and while it fits (very snugly) in the zippered pocket, it is difficult to remove to answer a call. Otherwise, this product gets my thumbs up!

 flipbelt.com

Give Your Legs A Break While Traveling: Fashionable Compression Socks

I’ve written about them before, but I also wanted to mention yet again how much I depend upon RejuvaHealth stylish line of compression socks. I wore my fashionable pair of black dot knee highs on the long flight to Europe, and again realized what a difference they made in my comfort as I sat for hours in my cramped airline seat.

I also wore them on our long city walking tours. I’m convinced they made a significant difference in that I didn’t get any soreness in my calves after trekking for miles on Europe’s cobblestone streets.

rejuvahealth.com

A Refillable Water Bottle That Fits In Your Pocket

Finding the perfect water bottle for travel is not as easy as you might think. I’ve carted all sorts of shapes, sizes and configurations on my travels but never really came up with one I thought might be a winner---until now.

The Hydaway Collapsible bottle is an ingenious device which folds down easily to fit in your bag, carry-on, or even in your pocket. It's perfect if you are traveling light. The 21 oz. bottle carries around the same amount of liquid as your standard plastic water bottle.  I’d love to see an even larger version of this versatile and convenient carrier.

hydawaybottle.com

Disclaimer: Please note that the opinions expressed regarding these travel products are strictly my own. I was not compensated by the companies represented in my reviews, nor will I receive any future compensation based on sales arising from my recommendations. 

My goal is to share regular, unbiased reviews with my readers for products that make travel more comfortable and efficient.

Getting the Best Shot? Here are My Favorite Travel Photography Tips...

I am honored to be designated as USA Today/10 Best's "Travel Photography Expert." I only had 10 words to describe each tip in this list, and I hope these succinct tips can help budding travel photographers get the best shot.. I still use them myself on every shoot.

Getting the Best Shot---USA TODAY/10Best

Photographers Getting Their Best Shot, Galapagos Islands            ©Joanne DiBona

Scenic Photo Tour of the Beauty of Maine

I hope you enjoy this USA Today Travel photo tour of the glorious images of Maine. Please find more photos of this picturesque state on my MAINE PHOTO GALLERY.

Following in Darwin's Footsteps--Glorious Images of the Galapagos Islands

Ever dream about a trip to the Galapagos Islands? I have for years, and I finally was able to check it off my travel bucket list. Enjoy my photos of this enchanting archipelago as we follow in Darwin's footsteps.

USA TODAY TRAVEL

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This simple SLR Holder makes life easy for the scenic photographer

My husband Tony and I, who work together as a travel journalist team, were faced with a dilemma when we learned we would be traveling to the Galapagos Islands on a photo assignment.

It was time to make some changes.

We managed to ignore the frustration we’ve felt for years, annoyed at the “thump thump thump” of our Canon SLRs across our chests, as we hiked over rocks and crevices on our travels in search of the perfect scenic photos.  Strapping our cameras around our necks was okay for city tours, but the moment we got out into nature, we were constantly frustrated by the discomfort our SLRs caused during strenuous hikes. We were also ever fearful of damaging our equipment in the event of a slip and fall on a treacherous path.

There had to be a better way.

A short internet search later, we found the perfect SLR carrier, HoldSLR.

This ingenious holder attaches onto a belt or backpack, giving you immediate access to your camera when that perfect shot comes along. No more fumbling through your photo bag or backpack to find your SLR.  This camera holder allows you to access your SLR at a moment’s notice to capture those magical moments in photography that can truly disappear in an instant.

Our backpacks were not equipped with frontal straps, but we quickly determined that the HoldSLR worked beautifully strapped to the belts of our pants.

We can highly endorse this product! It is the perfect solution for field, landscape, wedding, adventure, and travel photographers who need to get to their camera quickly, and above all, comfortably.

Yosemite National Park: Off-Season Beauty Worth Discovering

Yosemite National Park is a destination for all seasons. Each year, millions of visitors are drawn to its magnificent granite cliffs, thundering waterfalls, giant sequoia groves, and awe-inspiring vistas. In late fall and winter, the visitor can enjoy the crisp air and spectacular scenery at a more leisurely pace than during the crowded summer months. Accommodations are more readily available and affordable. Clear blue skies, spectacular fall foliage, and snow-capped mountain peaks create postcard-perfect scenes.

View a photo slide show on USA TODAY/10Best on the wonders of Yosemite in off-season.

10 Places to Shoot Postcard Perfect Photos of San Diego

San Diego has been my home for 30 years, and I never tire of photographing the natural beauty of this sun-blessed region. My photo show on the "10 Best Paces to Shoot San Diego Photos" is currently running on the home page of 10 Best.com/USA TODAY. I welcome your comments as to YOUR favorite San Diego photo spot!

10 PLACES TO SHOOT POSTCARD PERFECT PHOTOS OF SAN DIEGO USA TODAY/10Best

 Oceanside Beach  © Joanne DiBona