Resources to Bookmark Before Your Next International Trip

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:43:32 -0400

1. Register with STEP Before You Pack a Single Bag

The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program is a free State Department service. You enter your trip dates and destination, and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate knows you're there. If a hurricane, protest, or health crisis hits while you're abroad, STEP is how they reach you with real information instead of trying to figure out the local news in a language you don't speak.

While you're on the site, pull up the country-specific page for your destination at travel.state.gov. It covers entry requirements, local laws worth knowing, and the current safety advisory level.

2. Check the CDC's Travel Health Notices

The CDC keeps a running, destination-by-destination list of Travel Health Notices: outbreaks, recommended vaccines, food and water advisories, the works. It's worth checking before every international trip.

For each destination, it will tell you what vaccines and medicines are recommended, non-vaccine preventable diseases, how to stay healthy and safe there, a suggested packing list, and guidance for after your trip. I really like the packing list to let me know what over the counter medications may be good to bring with me.

3. Look Up the Legal Landscape

If you're LGBTQ+, this one matters more than any packing list. GayOut's Gay Travel Index ranks destinations by actual legal protections and local attitudes, not vibes from a travel brochure. It covers marriage recognition, anti-discrimination laws, and whether same-sex relationships are even legal there.

If your trip is in Europe, go one layer deeper with ILGA-Europe's Rainbow Map. It's published every year and ranks every country on the continent across specific categories: anti-discrimination law, family recognition, hate crime protections, and legal gender recognition. It's a more country-by-country breakdown than a single index score, and it's worth a look before you finalize any European itinerary.

This isn't about avoiding joy or staying home. It's about walking in with accurate information so you can make your own call on how openly you travel: hand-holding, matching rings, which neighborhoods to stay in. Knowing before you land beats finding out the hard way once you're there.

4. Don't Forget About Travel Insurance

Most people buy travel insurance for the trip cancellation coverage and forget the part that actually matters most overseas: emergency medical evacuation. A sprained ankle in a country with great hospitals is a non-event. A medical emergency somewhere remote, without evacuation coverage, can run six figures.

Let's Build This Into Your Next Trip

I build every one of these checks into the itineraries I plan for clients, so you're not doing this research alone at midnight before a flight. If you've got an international trip on your mind, book a complimentary consultation and we'll plan it with all of this already handled.

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ETA, EES & ETIAS: A Traveler's Guide to Europe's New Alphabet Soup

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:23:22 -0400

The list of travel acronyms is truly staggering, friend.

TSA, PNR, GDS, FIT. The list goes on and on and on. And don't even get us started on airport codes.

But lately, a new set of acronyms has entered the chat: ETA, EES, and ETIAS. Who decided all three needed to start with E? We may never know. But if your eyes are already glazing over at this alphabet soup and you're planning to travel soon, let's break it down.

ETA: Electronic Travel Authorization

If you're a U.S. citizen traveling to the United Kingdom for tourism, visiting family, business meetings, conferences, or short-term study (up to six months), you'll need to secure an ETA before you arrive. The application currently costs £20, and while approval is often quick, it can take a few days — so it's best to apply well before your trip.

EES: Entry/Exit System

Traveling to a country in the Schengen Area, like France, Greece, or Italy? You'll go through the EES process when you arrive. This system records your passport information along with biometric data, like your fingerprints and a facial image. There's nothing to apply for ahead of time — just know that your first border crossing may take a little longer than you're used to. As of this year, EES is up and running at Schengen borders, so this is officially part of the entry routine now, not a "someday" thing.

ETIAS: European Travel Information & Authorisation System

This one's been making headlines for what feels like forever, mostly because it keeps getting pushed back. Once it launches, travelers from visa-exempt countries — including the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K. — will need to apply for authorization before visiting many European destinations.

Here's the current state of play: ETIAS had been targeting the last quarter of 2026, but that date was recently pulled from the official EU site, and a 2027 launch now looks like the most realistic outcome. Nothing is confirmed yet, and the EU has said it will announce a firm date several months before the system actually goes live.

The upshot? You don't need to do anything about ETIAS today. But if you've got European travel on the calendar, it's worth keeping an eye on — and it's exactly the kind of detail we track for our clients so you don't have to.

Have a trip coming up and want someone to handle the fine print? That's what I'm here for. Let's start planning!