The Insurance Doctor

Month: July 2020

  • 5 Reasons to Visit Northern California

    5 Reasons to Visit Northern California

    Since we are in the middle of the summer and a pandemic, it is not feasible for most people to travel overseas.  There has never been a better time to explore within the USA.  I recommend considering Northern California:

    1. Mount Shasta:  Beautiful mountain located between Redding and the Oregon border 3600 feet above sea level with hiking, museums, art galleries, and good cuisine.
    2. Sundial bridge: Built by Santiago Calatrava in 2004 this is the only sundial bridge in the USA.  It’s located in the turtle bay exploration park with a glass bottom, great trails, and a museum.  It’s a great stop if driving up to Vancouver and it’s also dog friendly.
    3. Pluto caves: These caves are not marked nor will you find them in any travel guide.  We were tipped off by a local and had an outstanding hike inside of them.
    4. Whiskeytown lake: It’s a reservoir in Shasta county and a big favorite of the locals.  Kayaking and all motorized boating are permitted.  Various levels of restaurants are available in the vicinity.
    5. In and Out Burger: My favorite burger chain.  Family-owned restaurants who unfortunately have stated they will not expand to the east coast.
  • 8 Summer Travel Tips

    8 Summer Travel Tips

    Having touched foot on 6 of the 7 continents, I have learned a lot over the years.  Many families have held off on their summer travel due to the pandemic, and rightly so, as rules have been changing.  I just returned from 2 weeks in Northern California.  Travel has undergone significant changes since my trip to Australia this past January.  Some of my tips include:

    1. Call Your Credit Card Company in Advance: Give them your full itinerary, with dates in each city.  I have had credit cards frozen after they have seen a string of out of town expenditures.
    2. When Packing Start from Feet to Head: I do this in the morning getting ready for work.  I start from feet to head and pack in piles.
    3. Pack a Change of Clothes in your Carry-on Bag if Flying: 29 million bags are lost or delayed each year.  Be ready when and if it happens to you.
    4. Buy an Off-Color Suitcase: It decreases confusion and is more easily recognizable during ground-transportation madness with people jockeying for their luggage.
    5. Sign Up for the TSA: The TSA pre-check can make the difference between making and missing a flight.  It offers better distancing and eliminates the need to remove off your shoes, expediting the process.
    6. Research AAA and Airline Vacation Packages: It is no secret that airlines and hotels have been hurt by the pandemic.  There are some sweet short-notice vacation packages available right now.  Check out AAA.com, JetBlueVacations.com, and AAvacations.com to name a few, and save big money!  If you have points with your preferred airline, start with them.
    7. Read Both Positive and Negative Hotel Reviews: Try booking.com, tripadvisor.com, and Kayak.com for domestic travel.  For same-day rooms use hoteltonight.com.  It is a money-saving, excellent FREE APP to download onto your smart-phone to save big $$$.
    8. If Driving, Get a Tune-up and Map Your Journey in Advance: A good way to avoid getting into a spat with a spouse or loved one, lol.  There is nothing worse than a car breaking down or getting lost on a road trip.  My preference is WAZE over Google Maps.  WAZE (owned by Google) downloads faster and has an information-sharing agreement with over 50 US cities.  Waze also warns you about upcoming speed traps, red-light cameras, and debris on the road.  WAZE has saved me many times over the years, and it also works overseas.  We used it last summer during the London Series, Yankees vs Red Sox our father-son trip.

    Stay Safe and Keep the Faith!