How are rising fuel prices impacting the cost of travel in 2026? On episode 169 of The Places Where We Go Podcast, we take a look at current diesel prices and the impact on travel costs.

With diesel prices reaching record highs, transportation expenses are becoming an increasingly important consideration for vacation budgets. In this episode,  we examine how high diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel prices are affecting RV travel, road trips, rental cars, motorcoach tours, passenger trains, airline tickets, and cruises.

Using current fuel price data, industry reports, and real-world travel cost examples, we explore which transportation expenses are increasing, how fuel surcharges are affecting travelers, and where the biggest financial impacts may occur. Whether you're planning a cross-country RV adventure, a family vacation, or an international getaway, discover why understanding today's transportation costs is an essential part of planning your next trip.

📖 Read Our Companion Article: 

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Planning to fly for Christmas? The timing of both your booking and your travel dates can have a big impact on airfare. In this episode, Art shares practical guidance on when to book domestic and international Christmas flights, which holiday travel days tend to be the most expensive, and why flying on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day could potentially save you money.

You’ll also hear tips for comparing nearby airports, using price alerts, considering one-way tickets, weighing nonstop flights against connections, and finding what Art calls the “cheapest acceptable itinerary” when holiday fares start climbing.

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The Places Where We Go contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. Read our disclaimer and privacy policy for more information.

In this monthly travel news recap, we explore some of the most noteworthy travel developments from August 2026 on episode 167.

Travel costs, airline rules and international travel procedures were all changing in August 2026. In this monthly travel-news recap, Art looks at rising fall prices and record August gas costs, Delta and JetBlue fare changes, Europe’s biometric Entry/Exit System, Edinburgh’s new visitor levy, higher cruise gratuities and Mexico’s growing cruise passenger fee.

There’s plenty of destination inspiration too, including 25 new UNESCO World Heritage Sites, ancient Egyptian treasures in San Francisco, the upcoming reopening of Los Angeles’ Japanese American National Museum, new attractions in Abu Dhabi and Northern Norway, major Alaska cruise plans and the extraordinary August 2027 total solar eclipse. Plus, hear what all these stories could mean for planning your next trip.

Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter at ThePlacesWhereWeGo.com to access links to all the resources mentioned in this episode. Stay informed and inspired for your travels, and join us again next time as we uncover more incredible places to explore!

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We’ll see you at the places where we go.

Julie & Art

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The Places Where We Go contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. Read our disclaimer and privacy policy for more information.

February 2027 may still be six months away, but some of the world's most interesting festivals, cultural celebrations and special events are already taking shape.

In episode 166 of The Places Where We Go, we look ahead at top events that could be worth planning an entire trip around—from the Sapporo Snow Festival, Venice Carnival and Rio Carnival to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, film festivals in Santa Barbara and Sedona, the Savannah Book Festival, Tucson's Gem Showcase and Rodeo, and the Daytona 500.

We're also looking at these experiences through a couples-travel lens. Which events make especially good trips for two? What else can you build around the main event? And what happens when one partner is much more excited about the festival, film, book, rodeo or race than the other?

Whether your ideal February getaway involves snow sculptures, samba, books, films, citrus, theater or racing, this episode might give you a reason to start planning now.

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We’ll see you at the places where we go.

Julie & Art

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Did you know that roughly 90% of U.S. adults don’t have TSA PreCheck?

In episode 165 of The Places Where We Go, we share our recent TSA PreCheck enrollment experience and break down what the program offers, how to apply, who benefits most, and who may not need it. We also compare TSA PreCheck with Global Entry, explain whether either program helps outside the United States, and discuss an important question for couples: do both travelers need their own membership?

READ OUR ARTICLE: https://theplaceswherewego.com/tsa-precheck-for-couples/

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We’ll see you at the places where we go.

Julie & Art

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The Places Where We Go contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. Read our disclaimer and privacy policy for more information.

A flight connection does not have to mean hours spent waiting at the airport. In this episode of The Places Where We Go, Art explains how an ordinary layover can sometimes be transformed into a planned stopover—and a second destination within the same journey. He also shares how a connection in Toronto led Art and Julie to realize, just a little too late, that they could have added a couple of days to visit family before continuing to London.

Learn how couples can evaluate a potential stopover, search for multi-city itineraries, compare the complete cost, and decide whether to schedule the visit on the outbound or return journey. The episode also covers baggage, entry requirements, separate airline tickets, hotel locations, airport transportation, and ways to enjoy a short visit without overloading the itinerary.

Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter at ThePlacesWhereWeGo.com to access links to all the resources mentioned in this episode. Stay informed and inspired for your travels, and join us again next time as we uncover more incredible places to explore!

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If this episode helped you stay travel-smart, please leave us a review—it helps more travelers discover the show!

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We’ll see you at the places where we go.

Julie & Art

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The Places Where We Go contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. Read our disclaimer and privacy policy for more information.

Could fall 2026 be the best—and most affordable—time to visit Hawaiʻi? In this mini travel news episode, we examine new KAYAK data showing that fall airfare to Kailua-Kona, Honolulu, and Lihue may drop by as much as 19 percent compared with summer prices. We also look at potential shoulder-season savings on hotels and rental cars, other domestic and international destinations offering lower fall fares, and why traveling in September or October may provide a more affordable, comfortable, and less crowded vacation experience.

Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter at ThePlacesWhereWeGo.com to access links to all the resources mentioned in this episode. Stay informed and inspired for your travels, and join us again next time as we uncover more incredible places to explore!

❤️ Support the Show

If this episode helped you stay travel-smart, please leave us a review—it helps more travelers discover the show!

The Places Where We Go Resources

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We’ll see you at the places where we go.

Julie & Art

AFFILIATE LINK DISCLOSURE

The Places Where We Go contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. Read our disclaimer and privacy policy for more information.

In this monthly travel news recap, Julie and Art explore some of the most noteworthy travel developments from July 2026. Episode 162 topics include:

The episode also travels overseas for stories involving Odyssey-inspired Mediterranean tours, Brighton’s independent coffee culture, the latest global passport rankings, Royal Caribbean’s extended suspension of visits to Labadee, Oceania Cruises’ new specialty sailings, and the historic arrival of the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum. 

Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter at ThePlacesWhereWeGo.com to access links to all the resources mentioned in this episode. Stay informed and inspired for your travels, and join us again next time as we uncover more incredible places to explore!

❤️ Support the Show

If this episode helped you stay travel-smart, please leave us a review—it helps more travelers discover the show!

The Places Where We Go Resources

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WEBSITE & BLOG www.theplaceswherewego.com

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We’ll see you at the places where we go.

Julie & Art

AFFILIATE LINK DISCLOSURE

The Places Where We Go contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. Read our disclaimer and privacy policy for more information.

A campground may have great photographs and excellent reviews—but will your RV, tow vehicle or tent actually fit the individual campsite? In episode 161, Julie and Art introduce The Campground Comparison Tool, a refined AI prompt that compares campsite dimensions, hookups, shade, privacy, facilities, driving time, check-in and check-out policies, reservation timing and nearby activities.

The prompt is tested using two campgrounds Julie and Art know well: Cachuma Lake Recreation Area and El Capitán State Beach in Santa Barbara County.  The complete prompt can be adapted for RV or tent camping.

GET OUR ULTIMATE CAMPGROUND COMPARISON AI PROMPT:

If this episode helped you travel smart, please leave us a review—it helps more travelers discover the show!

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We’ll see you at the places where we go.

Julie & Art

The Places Where We Go contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. Read our disclaimer and privacy policy for more information.

In episode 160 of The Places Where We Go travel podcast, we break down the biggest travel news stories from the past month—and what they mean for your next trip.

We recap the top travel news, including rising airfare, smarter airport strategies, new FAA technology, passport souvenir stamp warnings, traveler risk trends, AI-assisted trip planning, Grand Canyon heat safety, bedbug prevention tips, new national trails, outdoor recreation funding, Disneyland Halloween dates, and the limited reopening of Santa Rosa Island in Channel Islands National Park.

We also look at major world travel updates, including tour operators returning to Jordan, the upcoming London Museum opening in Smithfield, China’s growing influence on global tourism, France’s 2026 Palace hotel list, Emirates’ new travel insurance coverage, affordable European city options, Carnival’s cybersecurity breach, Princess Cruises’ expanded Europe and Singapore sailings, and JetBlue’s proposed new route to Caracas.

Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter at ThePlacesWhereWeGo.com to access links to all the resources mentioned in this episode. Stay informed and inspired for your travels, and join us again next time as we uncover more incredible places to explore!

If this episode helped you stay travel-smart, please leave us a review—it helps more travelers discover the show!

PODCAST: Released every other week in your favorite podcast app

WEBSITE & BLOG www.theplaceswherewego.com

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EMAIL: Write to us at [email protected]

GEAR WE USE: The Places Where We Go Amazon Storefront

We’ll see you at the places where we go.

Julie & Art

The Places Where We Go contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. Read our disclaimer and privacy policy for more information.