• Subscribe to The Travel Oracle

    So you found our site. Maybe through Facebook. Maybe it was on Instagram. Perhaps you saw a Pin on Pinterest. Or maybe we twitted. Twittered? Anyway, you may be asking yourself, “why should I subscribe to the Travel Oracle?” Here are some GREAT reasons to join us on our journey. You’ll get our latest articles right to your in-box That’s right! You won’t need to hunt for us or wonder what we’re up to. Every week we will send you the absolute latest right to your email in-box. Our subscribers get exclusive content We scour the internet for related articles we think you’ll really enjoy and we occasionally write “secret…

  • Three people standing under a metal arc that reads “The Toledo Zoo”

    Let’s Look for Mudhens at the Toledo Zoo

    This week a tragedy hit our home. Okay, so it was a MINOR tragedy and maybe “tragedy” is being used too loosely. Our son’s girlfriend, Savanna, was moving something in the basement and her commemorative shot glass from Tony Packo’s restaurant shattered. So what can do two travel junkies do to help? Why, we use this as an excuse to go on a road trip, of course! Come along and let’s look for Mudhens at the Toledo Zoo. The Logistics Okay, we know that you don’t HAVE to go to the zoo to get a new shot glass from Tony Packo’s but they are BOTH in Toledo. And in case…

  • Woman holding a book by Ernest Hemingway, smiling at the camera

    2024 Book Report: Must-Read Recommendations

    Besides a serious case of wanderlust and running ALL the miles, you may be surprised to know we LOOOOOOVE books. In fact, whenever we visit a new city, finding at least one independent bookstore is at the top of our list of things to do. We thought it might be fun to share with you all the stories we had the pleasure of reading this year. If you love books like we do, join us this week for our 2024 book report: must read recommendations. Non-Fiction Reads At least twice a week, I spend time reading non-fiction books. Since I LOVE listening to people talk about their lives, I picked…

  • Woman in a blue dress, holding a cup of ice cream looking up at a velocirapter

    The Very Best of 2024

    We SO love experiences and look for fun ways to remember everything we’ve done over the year. One of our favorites is tacking up things like theater tickets, paper wrist bands, and bar coasters on a corkboard. On New Year’s Eve, we place these mementos in an envelope and write about where we’ve been and what we’ve done. And since starting the Oracle, we take lots of pictures to share with you all. So as we wind down the year, let us share with you the very best of 2024! The Meal of the Year For my birthday, I had two big wishes. The first was to spend the morning…

  • Street lit by Christmas lights, leading to a clock tower

    It’s Like Christmas in a Time Machine

    Since way back in the aughts, there is one place I’ve always wanted to visit for my birthday. I’m sure some ladies would choose a spa weekend, or maybe somewhere glamourous with a beach. But if you know me at all, you know that I love history – thanks to my pop. I can be VERY nostalgic – thanks to my mom. And that I was born in December – thanks to both! So when the commercial for Holiday Nights at Greenfield Village came on the radio last year, I couldn’t help but say outloud, “I’ve ALWAYS wanted to do that. It’s like Christmas in a Time Machine!!” And even…

  • 4 men standing in front of a giant soccer ball, holding Mexico and Norway flags. The person in the middle is wearing a sombrero

    Top 5 Sporting Events I’ve Been a Part of or Witnessed Live

    In addition to traveling, The Travel Oracle is also pretty passionate about sports. Runner_dad has been fortunate to see some pretty epic sporting events live. Here’s a little trip down memory lane with his top five.  1 – Packers vs Lions Oct 5, 2024 – Thursday Night Football, Ford Field. Lions win 34-31  First football game for Savanna, Connor’s first Lions’ win. A heavyweight slugfest. The fourth and one gamble. Field goal by Jake Bates to win the game as time expired!! Total playoff atmosphere. This comes in at number one because I know that 30 years from now the kids will still remember this day, just as I remember…

  • Collage of travel gear, inspirational phrases and travel gear

    Cyber Monday Deals for the Travel Lover in Your Life

    In case you haven’t heard…there’s only 24 more shopping days until Christmas. If you’ve got someone on your list with a solid case of wander lust, we have some great ideas for you! Check out these Cyber Monday deals for the travel lover in your life. BOSE Noise Cancelling Headphones Make the crying child on the airplane irrelevant by donning a pair of these wonderful noise cancelling headphones! You can also use them to connect to in-flight entertainment. Pack Light with Veken Packing Cubes Keep all your clothes organized and packed into a small space with these packing cubes. We travelled from London to Paris and then to Rome and…

  • Man in a racing kit, with his arms spread wide, crossing the Willis bridge

    NYC 2024 Marathon – The Rest of the Story

    Do you remember a movie from the 80’s called “Planes, Trains and Automobiles“? Well if you haven’t seen that yet, you should really check it out. It’s really funny and it’s Thanksgiving themed. And if you haven’t read it yet, be sure to check out last week’s NYC pre-race report, where we take an Uber, to a ferry, to a bus, JUST to run 26.2 miles! And once that’s done, come back here for the rest of the NYC 2024 Marathon story. Bridge #1 – the Verrazzano Narrows Once the cannon went off my shuffle to the start line began. It wasn’t but a minute before I crossed the start…

  • Man with an orange Mohawk, holding a coffee, with running shoes around his neck - looking less than ahppy

    NYC Marathon Pre-Race Report

    Hard to believe it’s almost been two weeks since I completed my third NYC Marathon. Thought I’d share a little bit with y’all about how the day went for me. Today I’ll be sharing the journey to the start line. Join us this week for the NYC Marathon Pre-Race Report. With the marathon falling on the day we set the clocks back an hour, it means either an extra hour of sleep or an extra hour of tossing and turning. Fortunately for me I usually sleep pretty well the night before a race and tonight was no exception so I enjoyed the extra sleep. Alarm was set for five am but…

  • Bar at the SkyClub at LaGuardia airport. Their are bar stools in silver upholstery in front of a gold and silver flecked bar with a black granite counter top. There are pendulum lights hanging over the bar top and three bar tenders behind, making and pouring drinks. Behind them are floor to ceiling shelves with bottles of alcohol and two mounted TVs.

    Check Out the Newest Lounge at LaGuardia

    Hey there Friends. Having just arrived home from a trip to NYC, we would love to share with you our thoughts about this Delta Sky Club. So…grab a cup of something warm and check out the newest lounge at LaGuardia International Airport. Lots of Room for Lounging Located just past security in Terminal C, the Sky Club is one of the largest in the Delta network, boasting over 35,000 square feet and seating for more than 700 travelers. Anyone who has spent time in a crowded airport lounge will really appreciate all the space available. Status is “Perk-a-Licious” When we arrived at 7:30 am, there was a short queue waiting…

  • The secret bar in the busiest place - The Campbell in Grand Central Terminal

    The Secret Bar in The Busiest Place

    If you’re anything like me, it’s hard to pass up a good mystery. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about Jimmy Hoffa going missing in Detroit or crop circles on the Salisbury plain in the UK. And I love sharing the knowledge about these mysteries with ANYONE who will listen. So let me share with YOU the secret bar in the busiest place – The Campbell at Grand Central Terminal. The Knowing You may wonder how we came to know about this awesomely wonderful super-secret bar. Well, not only are we avid travelers, we like to read about travel. And we like to talk about travel. Also I would…