Helen Hatzis, is the Chief Exploration Office and Co-Founder of Trip Jaunt.
Helen is a recipient of the Governor-General Award, has been honoured as one of Canada's Nicest People! A true xenophile at heart, she finds joy in traveling and delights in sharing her experiences through Trip Jaunt (formerly Weekend Jaunt), an online travel community and hub she established in 2010. Her aspiration is to inspire others to explore the world as she does!
Helen is an esteemed advisory member of the North American Travel Journalists Association.
There is a particular kind of island that never quite makes it onto the glossy travel posters. It doesn’t appear in the sponsored posts or the airport bookshop guides. It sits quietly in the Mediterranean, doing exactly what it has always done: existing on its own terms, largely unbothered. In this age of social media,
South Carolina doesn’t always get the same first-breath recognition as Tennessee or Louisiana when the conversation turns to great American food. New Orleans reliably dominates the headlines, Nashville gets its hot chicken moment, and the rest of the South often fills the background. Yet the numbers, the rankings, and the chefs themselves are quietly telling
Most retirement conversations start with Florida, Arizona, or the Carolina coast. The Pacific Northwest rarely gets top billing, despite quietly checking nearly every box serious retirees care about. Tucked along the shores of Puget Sound, Gig Harbor, Washington has been building a genuine case for itself, one that goes well beyond scenic water views and
Qantas Airways has confirmed the initial city pairs for its long-planned ultra-long-haul network. Nonstop flights from Sydney to London Heathrow will begin in October 2027, establishing what is expected to become the world’s longest commercial passenger route. Service to New York will follow shortly afterward. The announcement marks a key milestone in the airline’s Project
Airport lounge access has long ranked among the most valued perks attached to premium travel credit cards. For many holders of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, that access once extended easily to companions through Priority Pass membership. Recent adjustments to the program’s terms have altered that arrangement, catching some travelers off guard
After several months of sharp increases, airfares are showing modest signs of relief just as many travelers finalize summer plans. Recent data points to lower prices compared with a few weeks ago, especially on international routes for August departures. The change offers a narrow window for those who held off amid earlier surges tied to
Across the United States, supporters have filled stadiums and surrounding fan zones with striking displays of national colors and creativity. Their presence has transformed match days into lively gatherings that blend passion for soccer with visible expressions of identity. The result is an atmosphere that feels both festive and deeply personal for those attending the
Travelers flying into or out of Montreal now have a calmer alternative to the busy main gateway. Porter Airlines and regional carrier Pascan Aviation launched commercial service at the new MET-Montreal Metropolitan Airport on June 15. Located roughly 10 miles east of downtown, the facility gives passengers a quieter option without the crowds typical of
Summer is peak flying season, and airports across the country are gearing up for another punishing stretch of packed terminals, long security lines, and skyrocketing fares. Millions of Americans are planning to travel between June and August 2026, and a good number of them will make the same costly, avoidable mistakes that have tripped up
Disney World remains one of the most visited theme park resorts on the planet, drawing tens of millions of families every year. The magic is real – but so are the costs. When you combine tickets, hotels, Lightning Lane access, and food, the total cost of a typical Disney World vacation has quietly climbed by
Lake George has always had a hold on upstate New York travelers. The 32-mile stretch of water tucked into the southern Adirondacks draws millions of visitors every summer, filling its hotels, restaurants, and strip-mall-lined shoreline roads to capacity. Lake George generated $887.8 million in tourism spending in 2023 alone. Those are big numbers, and they
For decades, Wisconsin Dells was the default summer escape for families across the Midwest. Pack the car, drive north, and surrender your wallet to waterslides and resort corridors. It was routine, almost obligatory. But something has shifted in recent years, and a growing number of Illinois travelers are quietly pointing their GPS in a different