Walnut Grove Cruise & Ltd Travel Blog

Supernatural and macabre films, TV series, and novels feed our gathered-round-the-fire love of a scary story. But there’s nothing like the real-life thrill of visiting in person places around the world whose histories of hauntings, bone-chilling tales and ghostly sightings get our primal senses tingling while we’re standing right there!We’ve rounded up some of our favorite spook-tacular trips:London, EnglandLondon’s long... read more

Cruises in the Great Lakes are spiking in popularity, and a proposed new National Marine Sanctuary adds to the many attractions of a Great Lakes cruise. The Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary isn’t a done deal just yet. In April of 2019, following a New York state community nomination, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) subsequently announced its intention... read more

Coinciding with news that Spain has joined the rest of the EU in removing all pandemic entry restrictions for overseas travelers – is the 25th anniversary of a Spanish landmark that transformed modern travel. Before celebrity architect Frank Gehry, not many travelers could put their finger on Bilbao, Spain on a map. Despite being the largest city in northern Spain and its... read more

Mexico has some of the best beach destinations on the continent, and four new - or completely renewed - luxury resorts may inspire you to treat yourself to being one of the first guests to experience their unique ultra-luxe lifestyle – served up with Mexican hospitality.  Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya  By spring, 2023, this storied hideaway in the heart... read more

It’s one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World. A UNESCO World Heritage Site. And the world’s largest waterfall. Africa’s Victoria Falls on the Zambezi river on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe is part of the legend and mystique of a trip to southern Africa – a must-see site that awes every visitor, with columns of its spray visible... read more

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is marking the 103rd anniversary of its founding on October 7 with the creation and presentation of a new Delftware miniature house that is a tiny replica of a Dutch building in one of the destinations where it flies. This charming tradition provides a new addition to the dozens of miniatures that have become niche collectibles... read more

This may be the smallest type of cruise possible. Luxury travel company Belmond is building another mini-river cruise ship. This one will sail just 6 guests through the legendary Champagne region of France.  Part of its French collection, Coquelicot, A Belmond Boat, Champagne, launches in spring of 2023. It joins a fleet of so-called ‘barges’ in France called Les Bateaux... read more

Peru's overwhelming claim to fame is the mystique and majesty of the ancient remains at Machu Picchu - deservedly named recently the 'South America's Leading Tourist Attraction.” But there's more to Peru than its fabled history, leading it to also earn the designation as 'South America's Leading Culinary Destination 2022' and 'Leading Cultural Destination 2022' in the region. Here are... read more

  Beginning in 2024, Avalon Waterways will be the latest river cruise line to embark on this increasingly popular route, joining Uniworld, Tauck, AmaWaterways, Scenic, Emerald Cruises and others on this western-most European river cruise route. Calling its new itinerary “a new view on the Old World,” Avalon Waterways says the new route will provide guests with “the grandest views in cruising... read more

If you're ‘sizing up’ your next cruise trip - whether you’ve never cruised before or you’re curious about what life’s like on different sized ships – this is essential travel information for you. It’s all about match-making, and one type of ship is going to be “just right” for your cruise travel lifestyle and preferences. An expert travel advisor can help... read more

Never before have more women been traveling solo! Singletons of all ages and stages in life: never-been-married, divorced, widowed… all kinds of women are deciding not to wait to be paired up or until a friend can be a travel companion to embark on dream journeys. They’re making plans to travel now. Does that sound like you? If so, you’re part... read more

If your favorite way to experience the world is from the outdoors, then adventure travel is for you. And the best news is: you don’t have to be an Olympian to enjoy adventure the Great Outdoors!  In fact, the Adventure Travel Trade Association recently released a list of this year’s hottest adventure travel activities – and we bet several sound... read more

Fantasy fans are heading back to Middle-earth with the release of the highly-anticipated TV series ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.’ Which means New Zealand’s real-life fantastical landscapes are taking center stage as the backdrop for the epic new series.  Of course, this isn’t the first time that film-makers have found that the unique and diverse geography... read more

You may think of Hawaii as a Pacific paradise. But there’s so much more than mind-boggling sunsets over endless beaches, tropical breezes and scents, hula and ukeleles, surfing and luaus, poke and shave ice. The fall months bring some of Hawaii’s most beloved events and festivals that add new focus and memories to a trip to the islands, as well as opportunities... read more

Like its famous Twin Pitons, Saint Lucia’s been recognized as having two-pronged top appeal for visitors to this Windward Island in the West Indies. Recently, Saint Lucia was recognized for the 13th time as the Caribbean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination by the World Travel Awards. And for the first time, it’s also been dubbed the region’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination. That’s... read more

Norwegian Cruise Line has made a habit of inviting global musical superstars to act as new ship godmothers. In the case of the first of Norwegian’s Prima Class ships, pop icon Katy Perry did the honors of welcoming the Norwegian Prima into service, releasing a bottle of champagne to be broken across the Prima’s bow. 'It was so much fun to... read more

Calling all design lovers and eco-wanderers! Luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas Cruises has launched two new shore excursion concepts. “Behind the Design” and “Eco-Connect” shore excursions roll out beginning in 2022, and give guests new ways to explore destinations and landmarks from unique perspectives that are right up your alley. The new shore excursions join Regent’s Go Local tours,... read more

Health- and eco-conscious, Germans have embraced bicycles for getting around urban centers every day, and on leisure time in the countryside. Visitors can take a cue from the locals and explore the country on two wheels, too. Germany has a strong cycling infrastructure, including rental, repair and other services catering to cyclists, plus a vast, nation-wide network of cycling trails... read more

“Water, water, everywhere, but not any drop to drink.” Being surrounded by seawater takes on new meaning in the British Caribbean island of Anguilla, where locals are rediscovering the luxury destination’s ‘salty’ history. Anguilla’s only 16 miles long and 3 miles at its widest; a slender length of coral and limestone fringed with green, ringed with 33 beaches. A gem of the... read more

In this BestTrip TV video, Lynn Elmhirst visits the famous Fogo Island Inn, on a remote fishing island in the North Atlantic off the shore of Newfoundland. Not only is the Inn rated one of the top luxury lodges in the world, with award-winning and breathtaking architecture and design that still reflects the culture and craftsmanship of Fogo Island and... read more