Helen Hatzis Profile Overview

Helen Hatzis

Helen Hatzis

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.
exploring the Bronx
 · 4 min read

Exploring The Bronx: A Perfect Day Trip

The Bronx, New York City’s northernmost borough, is a vibrant destination with a rich history, cultural treasures, and some of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Known as the birthplace of hip-hop, home of the Yankees, and the heart of incredible food and art, The Bronx offers a dynamic mix of experiences for visitors. If you’re

Explore Brooklyn
 · 4 min read

Exploring Brooklyn: A Perfect Day Trip

Brooklyn, New York, is a borough bursting with creativity, charm, and history. From its world-famous landmarks to its local treasures, Brooklyn offers a unique blend of culture, art, and culinary delights. If you’re looking to experience the best of this iconic borough in just one day, here’s a guide to the perfect Brooklyn day trip.

exploring queens
 · 4 min read

Exploring Queens, NYC: A Perfect Day Trip

Queens, New York, often referred to as the city’s most diverse borough, is a treasure trove of cultural experiences, global cuisine, and unique attractions. From its bustling neighbourhoods to serene parks, Queens offers something for everyone. If you’re planning a day trip to this vibrant borough, here’s your guide to a perfect Queens adventure. Morning:

audiobook
 · 5 min read

Top 5 Audiobooks To Keep You Company On The Road

As an avid traveller and reader, I’ve always packed books for the journey—whether it’s a plane ride, lounging on a lanai with an ocean view, or finding shade under a palm tree. Before embracing audiobooks, I would lug around physical books, filling my carry-on with five or more titles for long holidays. For some time

Empty two-lane highway through spruce forest toward distant mountains beneath layered grey clouds.
 · 6 min read

Top Things To Do in Fairbanks (and Nearby)

A one-week, copy-and-go list—aurora hunting, gold-rush fun, hot springs, museums, an Arctic Circle adventure, and a festive detour to North Pole’s Santa Claus House. 1) Watch the Aurora A purpose-built viewing venue just outside town with indoor warmth, hot drinks, and guides who keep an eye on the skies—transport is DIY, reservations required.Tip: Arrive late

Wooden market building with “Farmers Market” sign and Alaska Grown logos on a sunny day.
 · 5 min read

Where “Alaska Grown” Means What It Says

In a city that has a short, intense summer with long daylight and lots of colour, the Tanana Valley Farmers Market is where Fairbanks tastes its season—local food grown under long northern days, artisan work rooted in place, and a building designed to keep it all fresh without fuss. It’s the oldest established farmers market

Decorative sleigh and reindeer statue on a green lawn in North Pole, Alaska, with a sign reading “Welcome to North Pole, Alaska.”
 · 4 min read

I Met Santa Claus at the North Pole—No Joke!

A Town That Lives Christmas Every Day Just 20 minutes outside of Fairbanks lies North Pole, Alaska — not the geographic North Pole, but a small town that has fully committed to Christmas magic year-round. Driving in, I was greeted by festive street names like Santa Claus Lane, Kris Kringle Drive, Snowman Lane, Mistletoe Lane, Donner, Blitzen, Holiday

Aerial view of Alaska’s rugged tundra landscape with winding rivers, seen from a small plane window.
 · 6 min read

I Crossed the Arctic Circle—And Faced Alaska’s Wildest Road

Flying North into Alaska’s Wild Heart The day began with a breathtaking flight from Fairbanks with the Northern Alaskan Tour Company, tracing the path of the Dalton Highway and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline from above. From the air, the vast wilderness stretched endlessly—miles of spruce forest, braided rivers, and tundra. Cutting through it all were two human-made lines: a narrow

Antique auto paired with an ornate gown from the early 1900s, reflecting an elegant past.
 · 7 min read

From Birch Bowls to Bing Crosby’s Suit

A Day of Passion Projects Fairbanks often surprises me with the depth of its community spirit. My day unfolded around places built not just for business, but for love—for craft, culture, and history. From locally made wooden bowls to cultural storytelling to a museum filled with antique cars and couture, everything I visited today carried

A group of visitors stands outside the arched blue entrance of the Aurora Ice Museum at Chena Hot Springs.
 · 6 min read

Soaking, Sculptures, and Sled Dogs: A Day at Chena Hot Springs

A Warm Welcome in Alaska Fairbanks isn’t always as cold as outsiders imagine. On this early September day, the air held steady at 53°F—a comfortable contrast to the steam rising from the geothermal pools at Chena Hot Springs Resort, about 60 miles northeast of the city. The drive itself is simple: follow Chena Hot Springs

Three reindeer with impressive antlers graze on a green lawn surrounded by forest at Running Reindeer Ranch.
 · 6 min read

Yes, I Walked with Reindeer in Fairbanks—And That Was Just the Start

A Holiday in the Golden Heart Labour Day in Fairbanks felt unhurried. While elsewhere the holiday was marked by parades and barbeques, Alaska’s interior sets its own pace. The day unfolded through history at Pioneer Park, reflection at the Museum of the North, a walk with reindeer in the forest, and the quiet welcome of