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OUT OF OFFICE CURATED
Let's explore the world
one museum, and one plate at a time
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By Kristen Fung
Certified travel advisor
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Happy Fall Reader!
Raise your hand if you know what shoulder season is ✋.
This is my favorite time to travel, and it is happening right now until the third week in November. I love it because destinations are less crowded, less expensive, and temperatures are less extreme. (It isn’t too late to experience shoulder season or get in on the April to June shoulder season.)
My favorite places to travel right now:
- Eastern Canada with cities like Ottawa, Quebec City, and Montreal (Incredible food and 🍁 peeping)
- Barcelona (It is that perfect pre-fall and perhaps a little bit of summer weather)
- Tokyo (So lovely in the fall and perfect for those obsessed with Halloween.)
- Bilbao (A beautiful northern town on a river that gives Pacific Northwest vibes. It is so filled with art, nature, and amazing food.)
- Sonoma & Napa (It’s harvest season 🍷. I took a trip in July and have SO MANY recommendations.)
- Los Angeles (There is still a lot of summer left if you aren’t ready for fall. Also, it's my home base)
- Minnesota. Don't sleep on Stillwater, Duluth, and Northern Minnesota for autumn leaves and quiet. (Where I am from, so I have great recommendations.)
I’ve been to all these places. I would be the perfect person to craft a trip for you.
This issue is full of nature ideas. Continue on to hear about train travel, northern lights, and more.
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Photos Northern Lights in Ottawa, ON, Northern Minnesota lake, Gatineau Park, QC, and Bilbao, Sp. |
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🎆Just wait, did you say giveaway??!!🎆
Yes. I'm giving away my favorite travel items to Out of Office Curated subscribers! I have a post I have been working on about what I packed for a three-week trip to Europe and Canada. See—AND WIN—some of those items before I publish.
See some of the prizes close up tomorrow on @kristenfungtravels
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1st Prize ($150 value)
- Gonex compression packing cubes in a beautiful oil print theme
- My favorite eye mask from Lunya (So soft and blocks out everything!)
- The MVP of the trip, laundry sheets from Grove
- Reusable shampoo and potion bottles
- An Apple AirTag
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2nd Prize ($70 value)
- Gonex compression packing cubes in a beautiful oil print theme
- Reusable shampoo and potion bottles
- An Apple AirTag
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Due to tariffs and astronomical shipping costs, prizes are only available to residents of the United States. I tried hard to find a gift certificate that I could send outside the United States, but I struck out. I am so sad about this.
What you need to do
📝 Fill out this form. If you win prize 1 or 2, you have to opt in to sharing your address with me. I will not collect your address unless you have won. SIGN UP BEFORE OCTOBER 15TH.
📧Share this with your friends and get them to subscribe for additional entry points. Subscribe here.
https://kristenfungtravels.kit.com/43bb76f426
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Travel for those who love nature |
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Train Travel
There’s something nostalgic, cinematic, and inherently cozy about watching the world blur by on a train. There are two options I recommend (Psst…I can also book these FOR YOU!)
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Rocky Mountaineer (On the bucket list)
Known primarily for its Canadian routes, the Rocky Mountaineer has a rail journey in the American West. The two-day experience takes you from Moab to Denver, with highlights including Ruby Canyon, the Continental Divide, and Mount Garfield. Get away for the weekend, or add it to a longer exploration of the American West.
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Amtrak (Something I’ve done and want to do again)
One of the most relaxing and beautiful vacations I’ve taken is on the Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Portland. Watching through a giant picture window as you say goodbye to the city, watching the ocean waves, and experiencing places no cars can drive to is an awesome experience.
It is a true disconnect from tech and a reconnect with strangers.
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Northern Lights Viewings
Cruises promise Northern Lights viewing
As a travel advisor, I have the opportunity to meet with representatives from various properties, tour companies, and cruise lines. This is what I learned and am passing on to you.
Three cruise lines offer a Northern Lights Promise. Hurtigruten, Havila Voyages, and HX all sail ships directly through the aurora zone. And even if the aurora doesn’t show, you get a do-over—either a free cruise (Hurtigruten and Havila) or travel credit (HX) for another sailing. It’s a rare travel guarantee that takes the risk out of chasing one of nature’s most unpredictable shows.
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Don't let a bucket list item pass you by again this year.
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Last issue: Porto Ercole
Coming up next: Little towns in Tuscany
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