Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers to find out how often they fly, their favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.
Name: Kara Williams
Occupation: Freelance Writer & Travel Blogger
Hometown: Manchester, NH
Residence: Carbondale, CO
Websites: The Vacation Gals, Kara Williams
Twitter:@karasw
Facebook: The Vacation Gals
Pinterest: Kara Williams
YouTube: The Vacation Gals
Short Bio: As a freelance writer and travel blogger, I cover family vacation destinations, ski resorts, spas and outdoor adventure for magazines, newspapers and websites. I live in the Colorado Rockies with my husband and two school-age kids.
How often do you fly: At least monthly
How many countries have you been to: 21
How many continents have you been to: 3
Favorite American city: Boston
Favorite international city: Paris
Aisle or window: Aisle
Favorite U.S. airport: DEN, probably because I know it so well
Favorite hotel: The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs
Favorite island: Manhattan
Favorite fancy restaurant: The Penrose Room at The Broadmoor
Favorite fruit: Grapes
Favorite food: Pasta
Least favorite food: Olives
Drink of choice (In the air and on the ground): Red wine
Favorite travel movie(s): Most recently, The Descendants
Right now I am reading: Jodi Picoult’s Lone Wolf
Five things you bring on a plane: Phone, earplugs, book, energy bar, water bottle
What do you always seem to forget: Razor!
Most embarrassing/worst travel moment: Too many to count, but I’ll try: 1) When my son puked in The Broadmoor’s 5-star pool 2) When my husband set off the smoke alarm at Beaver Creek’s Westin Riverfront 3) When I dropped and broke a bottle of red nail polish on the slate floor of the bathroom at Beaver Creek’s Osprey hotel 4) When my family of four had to sleep overnight on the floor of Denver International Airport.
What’s your dream destination: Overwater bungalow in the South Pacific with my husband.
Favorite travel website(s) – besides JohnnyJet.com, of course!: TripAdvisor and Yelp; I don’t book a hotel or a restaurant reservation without reading firsthand reviews.
Best travel tip: Consider a vacation rental (check out HomeAway and VRBO) over a standard hotel room, especially when traveling with kids – or extended family or multiple couples. Having a full kitchen for storing snacks, drinks, picnic ingredients and breakfast foods can certainly help you save money over eating out three meals a day on a week’s vacation.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide, eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on orders over $12 for a minimum of one year on qualifying food purchases with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Earn 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2022. That’s 3X points in addition to the 2X points you already earn on travel.
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