Travel Squad Podcast

We’re sharing the destinations we would go back to in a heartbeat and the ones we feel are one-and-done. From bucket list favorites like Japan, Greece, and Uganda to more debated spots like Morocco and Singapore, we’re giving our unfiltered takes.

Plus, we’re featuring Squaddie input from, sharing where YOU would and wouldn’t return, and how those opinions have even influenced our future travel plans. Tune in for honest travel reviews, surprising takes, and inspiration for planning your next trip.

Find a great flight deal with Thrifty Traveler Premium’s flight deal alerts. Use our promo code TSP to get $20 off your first year subscription.

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Connect: ⁠YouTube⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. Submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising.

Contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting Travel Squad Podcast!

We’re taking you to The Springs Resort & Spa, the most scenic and fun hot springs resort in La Fortuna. We’re giving you the details on how the day pass works, why this spot stands out with its 25 thermal pools and water slide, how to enjoy the swim-up bar and restaurants, and share the epic views of Arenal Volcano.

More Costa Rica Travel Resources

• Costa Rica 1 Week Itinerary

• Things to do in Costa Rica via our curated Viator list

• Stay at Arenal Paraíso Resort & Thermo Mineral Hot Springs

Find a great flight deal to San Jose, Costa Rica by signing up for Thrifty Traveler Premium and get flight deals sent straight to your inbox. Use our promo code TSP to get $20 off your first year subscription.

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Shop: Trip Itineraries ⁠& ⁠Amazon Storefront ⁠

Connect: ⁠YouTube⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. Submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising.

Contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting Travel Squad Podcast!

We spent 7 days in Costa Rica hiking to waterfalls, spotting wild sloths in the jungle, soaking in volcano-fed hot springs, and exploring our way through this amazing country. On this trip we flew in and out of San Jose and bookended our trip there. We spent two nights in Arenal and two nights in the Monteverde Cloud Forest.

Episode Highlights:

• Costa Rica Travel Tips
• Hiking to the best views of the Arenal Volcano
• Things to do in La Fortuna including: The Springs Resort, Sky Adventures Arenal Park & La Fortuna Waterfall
• Things to do in Monteverde including: Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Sloth Observatory, El Tigre Waterfall hike, Santa Elena Reserva Bosque Nuboso

Take this exact same trip by following our⁠⁠Costa Rica Itinerary⁠⁠ - download the PDF guide now!

Check out our⁠⁠ Costa Rica Viator Experiences⁠⁠ for all activities we recommend and even some that we wanted to do but couldn't get to.

Hotels we stayed at on this trip:

• ⁠DoubleTree by Hilton Cariari⁠⁠ - San Jose Costa Rica
• ⁠Arenal Hotel⁠⁠ - Arenal Paraíso Resort & Thermo Mineral Hot Springs
• ⁠Monteverde Hotel⁠⁠ - El Establo Mountain Hotel

If you're looking for a flight deal to Costa Rica, or anywhere else, we recommend signing up for ⁠⁠Thrifty Traveler Premium⁠⁠ to get daily flight deals (points & cash) emailed directly to you! Use our promo code TSP to get $20 off your first year subscription.

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Shop:⁠ Trip Itineraries ⁠⁠&⁠ ⁠Amazon Storefront ⁠⁠

Connect:⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠⁠, and⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. Submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising.

Contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting Travel Squad Podcast!

We’re sharing the best restaurants in San Diego—from waterfront dining and rooftop hotspots to must-visit local favorites. As locals and former residents, we break down where to eat, what to order, and which spots are perfect for date nights, happy hour, and special occasions. Plus, we cover how to maximize dining credits from cards like Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum, and Amex Gold to save money while traveling or dining out. Whether you're planning a trip or just looking for your next meal, this guide has you covered.

More resources to help your San Diego trip planning:

• ​Fun tours and things to do in San Diego via our curated Viator list
• ​1 Day San Diego Itinerary
• ​3 Day San Diego Itinerary 
• ​Recommend San Diego hotels: The Westgate Hotel downtown for its amazing rooftop pool, The Lafayette Swim Club & Bungalows in North Park for its beautiful decor, fun bar and restaurants, and amazing pool, and Pacific Terrace Hotel in Pacific Beach to be front and center on the boardwalk in Pacific Beach.
• ​Get a great flight deal to San Diego with alerts from Thrifty Traveler Premium, use our promo code TSP to get $20 off your first year subscription.

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Shop: Trip Itineraries ⁠& ⁠Amazon Storefront ⁠

Connect: ⁠YouTube⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. Submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising.

Contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting Travel Squad Podcast!

We’re sharing how to spend four full days enjoying all the best Miami Beach has to offer. We share amazing beachfront properties to stay at, great places to eat, where to get Miami Beach drinks, beautiful rooftop bars, how to enjoy the beach beds and umbrellas, and where to go out dancing for some of that iconic Miami nightlife!

We break down the differences between South Beach, Mid-Beach, and North Beach so you can choose the perfect area for your stay, plus hotel recommendations from mid-range gems to luxury oceanfront resorts.

Miami Beach hotels we recommend (and stayed at during this trip!) are the Eden Roc Hotel for a bougie oceanfront option and the conveniently located Albion South Beach Hotel for a mid-range option.

There is so much more to do in Miami, check out our Viator shop for other things to do in Miami we recommend for more inspo!

Find a great flight deal to nearby Miami with Thrifty Traveler Premium, sign up to get flight deals sent straight to your inbox. Use our promo code TSP to get $20 off your first year subscription!

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Shop: Trip Itineraries ⁠& ⁠Amazon Storefront ⁠

Connect: ⁠YouTube⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. Submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising.

Contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting Travel Squad Podcast!

On this week's Just the Tip, we give our honest opinion about the amazing experience of flying business class with Singapore Airlines. We discuss whether it's worth the price, walk you through the whole experience, and share how you can book this with points.

Download our ⁠Singapore Itinerary⁠ for the perfect plan to spend two days in this amazing island nation and keep the fun going after your business class experience.

These are the hotels, tours, and resources we recommend in Singapore:

• St. Regis Singapore
• Marina Bay Sands 
• Pan Pacific Singapore 
• Singapore activities we recommend via Viator 
• Airalo eSim

Check out our other airline reviews below, or listen to our complete⁠ ⁠Airline Reviews playlist on Spotify⁠⁠ to hear them all in one place:

• Singapore Airlines Premium Economy Review 
• ⁠KLM Business Class Review⁠
• ⁠⁠Egypt Air Business Class Review⁠ 
• ⁠⁠American Airlines Domestic Business Class Review ⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Cathay Pacific Premium Economy Review ⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠TAP Air Portugal Stopover Program ⁠⁠

If you’re looking to save on flights like this in the future, we recommend ⁠Thrifty Traveler Premium⁠, which helps you find cheap fares and points deals, and we even have a $20 off coupon for your first year subscription using promo code TSP.

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Shop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trip Itineraries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Storefront ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising.

We went to Singapore on a two-day stopover, in true TSP fashion we saw and did a lot in these 48 hours and are sharing it all in this episode. 

Highlights of Singapore in this episode:

• Hawker food halls 

• Gardens by the Bay 

• The St. Regis hotel for an ultra luxurious experience.

• Chinatown 

• Marina Bay Sands 

• The underground malls in Singapore 

• Singapore Airport and its impressive amenities.

If you want to take this exact trip, you can download our ⁠Singapore Itinerary⁠.

These are the hotels, tours, and resources we recommend in Singapore:

• ⁠St. Regis Singapore⁠

• ⁠Marina Bay Sands ⁠

• ⁠Pan Pacific Singapore ⁠

• ⁠Singapore activities we recommend via Viator ⁠

• ⁠Airalo ⁠eSim

If you're looking for a flight deal to Singapore, or anywhere else, we recommend signing up for⁠ Thrifty Traveler Premium⁠ to get daily flight deals (points & cash) emailed directly to you! Use our promo code TSP to get $20 off your first year subscription.

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Shop:⁠ Trip Itineraries ⁠⁠&⁠ ⁠Amazon Storefront ⁠⁠

Connect:⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠⁠,⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠⁠, and⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. Submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising.

We’re sharing our full experience at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay from epic roller coasters like Iron Gwazi and SheiKra to safari-style animal encounters. Get insider tips on tickets, lockers, crowds, and must-ride attractions to plan the perfect visit to one of Florida’s top theme parks.

If you are spending more time in the Tampa area, check out the Tampa Bay CityPASS

Hotels near Busch Gardens we recommend: Oasis Bay & Suites or Hampton Inn & Suites Tampa Busch Gardens Area, or you can search for more good hotel options near Busch Garden on TripAdvisor.

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Shop: Trip Itineraries ⁠& ⁠Amazon Storefront ⁠

Connect: ⁠YouTube⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. Submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising.

Contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting Travel Squad Podcast!

We’re sharing the full-day experience at Disney’s Animal Kingdom inside Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. We share tips to maximize your day at Disney to see the best and do it all. From Kilimanjaro Safaris and Expedition Everest to Na’vi River Journey and the immersive lands of Africa and Asia, we break down the must-do attractions and timing tips to help you maximize your visit.

Disney Animal Kingdom Episode Highlights:

• ​Rope drop strategy and morning planning tips
• ​Pandora ride strategy
• ​Best times for Kilimanjaro Safaris animal sightings
• ​Must do rides
• ​How to beat the heat
• ​DinoLand USA closure and future updates

Hotels near Disney World we recommend:

• ​Signia by Hilton - Includes a free shuttle to/from the park
• ​Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort - Family friendly, huge property, nice food court
• ​Caribe Royal - Great pool and price

There’s a lot more things to do in Orlando outside of Disney World, check out our curated Viator Experiences List for our best recommendations.

Find a great flight deal to Orlando by signing up for Thrifty Traveler Premium and get flight deals sent straight to your inbox. Use our promo code TSP to get $20 off your first year subscription. 

We have tons more Disney travel content! Check out our episodes on EPCOT, Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong Disney, and our comparison episode Rating all the Disney Parks Episode, 

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Shop: Trip Itineraries ⁠& ⁠Amazon Storefront ⁠

Connect: ⁠YouTube⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. Submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising.

Contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting Travel Squad Podcast!

Come with us to swim with the most adorable manatees in Crystal River, Florida with Explorida. In this episode we share what we learned in the experience including the best time to visit, what to expect, and expert tips from our unforgettable eco tour experience.

If you’re staying overnight in Crystal River, here are a few places to consider: Paddletail Waterfront Lodge, Holiday Inn Express, or Hampton Inn. You can also check out a full list of hotels in Crystal River for more options.

Get a good flight deal to Tampa, FL from Thrifty Traveler Premium (use code TSP to get $20 off!)

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Shop: Trip Itineraries ⁠& ⁠Amazon Storefront ⁠

Connect: ⁠YouTube⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, and ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠and contact us at [email protected] to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. Submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising.

Contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting Travel Squad Podcast!