Been to Every Country, State, National Park, Major Stadium, Top 100 Golf + N & S Pole! Entrepreneur, Travel Expert, Pizza Snob, Terps, Yankees, MBA
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Articles by Lee Abbamonte
Algeria Group Trip October 11-18, 2025
After years of talking about it, I am finally launching my first Group Trips in October 2025! My first group trips will be to the beautiful and historic North African countries of Algeria and Libya. I have teamed up with my friends at Untamed Borders, who have years of experience planning trips in the region.
Cancel Anytime Travel Insurance Explained
Travel insurance can be confusing. I’ve been writing about it for a decade now working with Allianz Travel Insurance and I still get confused even with my Annual Plan. What’s covered, what’s not? What reasons are eligible for coverage and what if my reason isn’t listed? Have you ever worried about canceling a trip for a reason that’s not covered by travel insurance? Allianz Travel Insurance now offers a Cancel Anytime optional upgrade on some popular plans, OneTrip Prime and OneTrip Premier.
Why You Should Have an Annual Travel Insurance Policy
If you travel more than a couple of times a year, you should have an annual travel insurance policy. I’ve had an annual travel insurance policy with Allianz Travel Insurance for years now and it’s been fantastic. I’ve only had to file 3 claims in 10 years but I’ve always had peace of mind when I travel. Not everyone travels as much as I do of course. However, if you travel 4-5 times a year or leave the country twice a year, it makes sense for you.
Sports Tourism Increases Boosts Travel Insurance Sales
I just got back from a month-long European trip where my focus was on sports tourism. I went to 7 soccer games across 6 states in 5 leagues. It’s no secret I am a massive sports fan. I have traveled all over the globe to attend the biggest sporting events across most sports. For years people have told me I was nuts for traveling so much for sporting events even though I’ve always said that sports and travel go together.
2022 Summer Vacation Spending Close to Record $200 Billion
If you’ve traveled at all this summer, the fact that Americans are spending more on their summer vacations than ever before probably won’t shock you. Given how expensive airfare is and how packed airports and planes are this was bound to happen. But the actual dollar figure is shocking.
The 50 Best Public Golf Experiences in America
How do you narrow thousands of public golf courses to the 50 best public golf experiences in America? First, play a lot of golf all over the country! I have played the top 100 public golf courses in America and over 500 in total. Second, most of the golf lists are top 100 or a variation thereof. However, I find a lot of those lists to be watered down, scattered or political.
A Championship Weekend in Kansas City
February 7, 2022 by Lee Abbamonte I just had a championship weekend in Kansas City, Missouri full of BBQ, history, and the AFC Championship game! This was my 4th time in Kansas City and first since the 2014 World Series that featured the Kansas City Royals. This time around it was the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Cincinnati Bengals at Arrowhead Stadium…and it was awesome! The atmosphere at Arrowhead is college-like.
SmartBenefits
December 15, 2021 by Lee Abbamonte Travel is an amazing thing but travel can also be stressful. Delays happen, sadly more frequently than we’d all wish. Delays inevitably cause added expenses such as food, hotels and other unforeseen costs. Luckily, Allianz Travel Insurance offers a product called SmartBenefits. SmartBenefits are a suite of special travel-delay and baggage-delay benefits available with certain plans from Allianz Global Assistance.
Allianz Has Added Epidemic Coverage to Certain Annual Plans
September 15, 2021 by Lee Abbamonte I’ve long held travel insurance annual plans from Allianz Partners. They’ve been incredibly helpful for me in the few times I’ve needed to file a claim. They’ve recently added epidemic coverage to certain annual plans and will soon launch a campaign by top travel influencers to educate consumers about these products.
All 63 US National Parks Ranked
I’ve updated this post of every US National Park ranked; which now stands at 63. Rankings of course are all subjective and based on the voters or in this case, my experience and tastes. People will agree or disagree, some will call me a moron, scream and yell and some will simply add to their unending bucket list. But what myself and all those people have in common is we like lists even if we don’t admit it. We like rankings. People always want to know what’s best and what’s worst and debate it.
When to Travel to (Fill in the Blank) — TripIt Blog
Knowing when to travel to places in the world is even more important than where in the world to go. For instance, you don’t want to go to India in June during monsoon season. Conversely, you must remember that a trip to the opposite hemisphere means opposite weather. It seems pretty simple, but many people don’t know when to go places. So, here is my advice on the best time to visit each continent.
2020 Spring Break Travel Soars Stateside and Beyond
Americans taking US Spring Break trips increased 24% over the past year, with an 18% increase in international getaways, according to Allianz Global Assistance’s Top 10 Spring Break Destinations survey.
Does Your Valentine's Day Include a Baecation?
Valentine’s Day travel is up 22% over last year according to Allianz Global Assistance’s latest survey, which found that New York City and Cancun are the most popular domestic and international destinations for romantic holiday weekend getaways or Baecation’s.
South Florida Gears Up For Super Bowl Travelers
January 29, 2020 by Lee Abbamonte Super Bowl LIV is taking place Sunday in Miami Gardens, Florida between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs. Fans will travel from all over the country for the chance to see their team make history, which in the case of the Chiefs, would be a moment fifty years in the making. Anticipating an influx of travelers, airlines have announced additional flights from the Bay Area and Kansas City to the Miami metro area for the Super Bowl.
My Top 10 Places to Visit in 2020
My Top 10 Places to Visit in 2020 In the season of New Year’s resolutions and goal setting, now is a good time to start planning your travel for the year ahead. From sporting events abroad to tons of travel opportunities within the U.S., there’s lots I’m looking forward to in 2020. I’ll be hitting the ground running so I can pack in as much traveling as possible. For those who are still planning out 2020 trips – don’t worry, you’ve got time. Here are my top 10 destinations.
Eye Opening Iran
When I first was planning this trip I was a little wary on whether I was going to include Iran in my itinerary or not. I had always been curious about this rogue nation of sorts. After giving it a lot of thought I decided that I was going to be so close in Ashgabat that I would have to go and see it for myself. I had missed an opportunity to go there in February during my Middle East tour and was not going to miss it twice.
One Day in Mogadishu, Somalia
Mogadishu, Somalia is one of those places in the world. You’ve never heard a single good thing and you likely know nothing about it except it’s supposed to be scary. Honestly, it’s for pretty good reason. Somalia is 30 years into a brutal Civil War that has taken a huge toll on the once thriving country. In that time, Somalia has been and is a safe haven for terrorist groups; has endured regular terror attacks, suicide bombings, and assassinations.
Top 3 Tips for Exploring New York’s Best Holiday Market
December 14, 2019 by Lee Abbamonte Top 3 Tips for Exploring New York’s Best Holiday Market I believe myself to be what I would call a “true” New Yorker, which means I love New York around the holidays. From Rockefeller Center to just walking around the different neighborhoods, I love the energy. I’ll be honest – I’m not a huge shopper. But I do love the amazing winter markets around the world, which seem to somehow relieve the usual stress of the holidays and replace it with a bit of holiday magic.
One Day in Hangzhou
November 21, 2019 by Lee Abbamonte Right after one day in Xiamen, I spent one day in Hangzhou and thought it was the perfect amount of time. Hangzhou is a city that is rapidly developing and there is a lot of construction. At the time of writing, they were building a brand new airport and honestly it seemed like 10,000 new buildings. The city is massive like most Chinese cities and there isn’t a ton to do on paper.
Who’s Covered By My Travel Insurance Benefits?
Are the benefits listed in my travel insurance plan just for me? Or do they cover everyone traveling with me? Are the maximum benefit limits per person? Or for everyone insured on the same plan? What does travel insurance cover if I’m paying for everyone on a family trip? Should I put the whole family on one plan, or buy separate plans? These are some of the most common questions we get from travelers.
My Top Four Travel Milestones
My Top Four Travel Milestones Over these past two decades, I’ve been fortunate to check off many major travel accomplishments, each with their own unique stories and challenges. I’ve travelled to every country in the world, trekked to the ends of the earth, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and visited every National Park in the United States.
One Day in Xiamen
November 12, 2019 by Lee Abbamonte Just like one day in Guangzhou; one day in Xiamen is basically the perfect amount of time to see the best of what it has to offer. Obviously one day in Xiamen or any city means you have to do some hustling to see and do it all but it keeps you busy! Xiamen is not a great city by any means but it’s very pleasant and has a great skyline over the water. Here’s how I spent one day in Xiamen.
One Day in Guangzhou
November 11, 2019 by Lee Abbamonte After my one day in Zhanjiajie, I had one day in Guangzhou; which was a great introduction to a truly stunning city. I was very impressed with Guangzhou, a city I knew very little about other than it was a big airport hub. I didn’t realize how modern, clean or nice it was. It’s a special city that I would love to return to someday. Here’s how I spent one day in Guangzhou. Close-up view of the skyline of Guangzhou, China I stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Guangzhou.
One Day in Zhangjiajie
November 2, 2019 by Lee Abbamonte Zhangjiajie is the place that inspired the movie, Avatar. The scenery looks fake. It’s truly unbelievable to see in person. I loved every second of my one day in Zhangjiajie. It was a very busy day but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Here’s how I planned the trip and how I spent one day in Zhangjiajie. My Favorite Photo from One Day in Zhangjiajie First and foremost, I recommend using an English-speaking tour guide for Zhangjiajie.
Tips to Maximize Rewards for Fall & Holiday Travel
October 28, 2019 by Lee Abbamonte Hey guys! I recently did a Q&A about how to get more out of fall and holiday travel. Along with John Sellers from Bank of America and Janet Alvarez from Wise Bread, we discussed our most memorable experiences, tips to help make your upcoming trips more financially rewarding, and pointers on what to do when you’re going somewhere for the first time.
My First Travel Insurance Claim
September 23, 2019 by Lee Abbamonte After 7 years of having an annual travel insurance plan with Allianz Travel Insurance, I finally used it for the first time. Filing my first travel insurance claim was so easy to do and getting it approved and paid out was equally as easy. The whole thing was streamlined; the email communications were excellent; the steps easily laid out; and results were quick and fair. Here’s what happened and how it worked.
Day Trip to Greenland
June 5, 2012 by Lee Abbamonte Greenland is that huge block of ice that you’ve stared at on a map for all these years. You know, the big white island on the map just below the North Pole, near Iceland and Canada. I bet you thought nobody lived there or I bet that you never even thought about it. Truth is some 45,000 people live on the world’s largest island. To visit is somewhat difficult and certainly expensive.
Five Tips for Baseball Season
August 15, 2019 by Lee Abbamonte One of my favorite things to do every summer is watch America’s favorite pastime: baseball. My love for the sport recently took me to London to cheer on the New York Yankees (go team!) as they took on the Boston Red Sox in a two-game series at London Stadium. It was incredible watching my team triumph at these historic games marking the first time that Major League Baseball regular season games were played in England.
Rugby World Cup road trip
October 6, 2015 by Lee Abbamonte I love sports and I love travel. I’ve always said that sports and travel go together. One of the advantages to traveling as I have over the years is that it has exposed me to other sports and sporting cultures. I can confidently say that I know more about global football, as in soccer, than 99% of people including most European fans. I’ve also become a huge fan of Rugby.
How I Got a $900 Electronic Travel Certificate from United Airlines
July 30, 2019 by Lee Abbamonte There is a European Union (EU) law that could possibly affect you as a passenger that many Americans don’t know about. I’ve known about it for years but had never actually had an opportunity to put it to use. I guess that meant I had been lucky as I hadn’t had any cancelled or significantly delayed flights within Europe or from Europe to the United States. That changed on July 2. Here’s how I got a $900 electronic travel certificate from United Airlines.
Half of Americans Would Give Up Vacation Time for Higher Pay
July 16, 2019 by Lee Abbamonte Half (49 percent) of working Americans would accept a job with no vacation time if they were paid more, according to the 11th annual Vacation Confidence Index* released by Allianz Global Assistance. Millennials (63 percent, compared to 47 percent of Gen X’ers and 32 percent of Baby Boomers) and men (57 percent, versus 41 percent of women) are the most likely to sacrifice paid time off for higher salaries.
Seven Tips to Make Your Summer Getaway Fun and Financially Rewarding
Seven Tips to Make Your Summer Getaway Fun and Financially Rewarding Traveling the world has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I’ve been able to experience awesome new food, scenery and adventures with a combo of advanced planning, research and a little bit of creativity.
Tahoe Reno Golf Media Tour
The Reno-Tahoe region of Nevada that is often overlooked. It’s overshadowed by glitzier Las Vegas to the south and other high-end mountain resorts in nearby states. Especially as an East Coast person, you never really think to go there. This trip was my third time to the Reno-Tahoe area and by far my best. I was part of the #TahoeRenoGolf media tour and was fully hosted during the trip.
Summer Travel Spend to Hit Record of $101.7 Billion
Americans are planning to spend more on their summer vacations this year than they have in at least a decade. Allianz Global Assistance’s 11th annual Vacation Confidence Index* estimates the total spend will cross the $100 billion mark for the third consecutive year in the index’s history, amounting to $101,700,000,000.
4 Days in the Serengeti at the Four Seasons Safari Lodge
4 Days in the Serengeti at the Four Seasons Safari Lodge I’ve been on over 70 safaris across all the major parks in Africa. Plus, many private game reserves from South to East Africa. Yet I had only been to the Serengeti once back in 2006. Albeit for ten days or so camping in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. So I was thrilled to have a new experience and do 4 days in the Serengeti at the Four Seasons Safari Lodge. Honestly, it couldn’t have been a better experience.
3 Days Golfing in Coeur d’Alene Idaho
Idaho is one of those Big Sky states that you don’t know much about. You know potatoes. You know the state is shaped funny and you’ve probably heard of Boise (although you may not know it’s in Idaho)-but that’s really about it. I’d always wanted to explore Idaho because I’d heard how beautiful it is. However, it’s always been: maybe another time or it’s too far or inconvenient.
Micro-Cation: Millennials Leading the Shorter Trips Trend
The majority (57 percent) of Americans did not take a leisure trip longer than four nights in the last year, with Millennials leading this “micro-cation” trend, according to the 2019 Vacation Confidence Index* released by Allianz Global Assistance, a leading travel insurance and assistance company. A “micro-cation” is defined as a leisure trip that is fewer than five nights.
Many Americans Think Destination Weddings Are Selfish
Many Americans are planning and budgeting to attend a lineup of weddings this summer. Some may be factoring in the additional costs of flights and hotels to attend a destination wedding. Almost half of people surveyed define this as any wedding that requires a plane ride from home. These costs can really add up. Not everyone is pleased with the popularity of destination weddings, bachelor or bachelorette parties.
How to See the Gorillas in Uganda
I saw the film ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ growing up and knew wanted to see gorillas in real life someday. In 2010, I saw the Silverback Gorillas in Rwanda. But that experience had always left me a little unsatisfied. The weather was so miserable. Plus, I was unprepared in many ways for a long, wet hike. So I was always eager to return to the region. I wanted see the gorillas in Uganda because of the allure of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Danzante Bay and the Islands of Loreto
Danzante Bay and the Islands of Loreto have long been a secret. In Mexico, where tourism is big business, Loreto is relatively unknown to the masses including myself. I’ve been all over Mexico and at least know of just about everywhere even if I haven’t been. However, Loreto was an exception. Smack dab in the middle of Baja California Sur down the long peninsula is Danzante Bay and the Islands of Loreto. What a glorious place. Here are my 4 days in Danzante Bay and the Islands of Loreto.
3 Days at Reynolds Lake Oconee
I had long heard about Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia. It was supposed to be a great golf destination. It was supposed to have a great hotel. Plus, it’s a fast growing community located halfway between Atlanta and Augusta. So I was thrilled to finally get down to Reynolds Lake Oconee and check it out for myself. Here’s what I did with my 3 days at Reynolds Lake Oconee. There are several golf courses at Reynolds Lake Oconee. I was able to play 3 of them during my 3 days at Reynolds Lake Oconee.
How to Stay Fit Traveling All the Time
A lot of people ask me how I stay fit traveling all the time. I usually say the same thing in short; eat well and exercise. However, there is more to it than that of course. In this post, I’m going to outline how I stay fit traveling. Plus I’m going to give general tips on how to stay fit traveling that anyone can use for their own well-being. The more you travel the harder it is to motivate to stay fit because you’re often exhausted, jetlagged, or just not feeling great.
5 Awesome Things to do in London
London is by far one of my favorite cities in the world. It’s the first city I ever visited abroad and ranks very high on my 30 best cities in the world list. I’ve visited over 100 times since I lived there in 1998 but I’ve written very little about it over the years. Perhaps because everyone has written about it I’ve been turned off to doing so. However, I think it’s high time I do a 5 awesome things to do in London post because after all, this is my website and my opinions and thoughts.
How to Pack a Suitcase Like a Pro
Organizing your suitcase and finances before vacation Although I try to make traveling the world look easy, a lot of planning goes in to my trips. From deciding whether I’ll bring a carry-on vs. checked bag, to ordering foreign currency, packing and financial planning are both essential parts of the process I use before to plan my travel adventures.
My Perfect Long Weekend in Scottsdale, Arizona
If you’ve been following me for a while then you know I love Scottsdale, Arizona. I’ve been a hundred times and actually went to business school in the Phoenix area. I just visited again and I like to think it was my perfect long weekend in Scottsdale. I split up the hotels 2 days and 2 days. First, it was the Hermosa Inn. Honestly, I had never heard of the Hermosa Inn before it was suggested that I stay there. It looked nice online but nothing like it did in person. It was simply perfect.
Cuba Travel is on the Decline
April 1, 2019 by Lee Abbamonte Cuba is a great travel destination and was to become one of the more popular destinations when it opened for American travel a few years ago. With the change in political climate over the last few years, it’s become much more confusing to go to Cuba so it’s not a surprise that Cuba travel is on the decline and likely to continue. Although improving, Cuba lacks basic tourism infrastructure, internet and ease of credit card use among other things familiar to Americans.
My AirBnb Scam Experience
My two best friends and I recently went to Madrid for a long weekend (Thursday to Monday) where we went to watch El Clasico, a massive soccer match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. It’s a big deal to go and we were super excited. We don’t get to all hang out together that much any more because Mike lives in Europe and Jake is about to have his second baby. So we wanted to maximize time together. We decided to get a 3 bedroom AirBnb in the center of Madrid instead of 3 hotel rooms.
I Travel Because
As you all know I am a proud global ambassador for Allianz Travel Insurance and my good friends are currently running a campaign called “I travel because”. I’ve been asked to write a post about why I travel. It sounds pretty simple but it’s actually very complicated. I travel because of so many factors that have changed over the years that it’s hard to even put them into words but I’m going to try.
5 Awesome Things to do in Madrid
Madrid is a city that is hard to summarize. There isn’t one single thing you must do when you visit the Spanish capital. There’s no La Sagrada Familia or Las Ramblas like in Barcelona. I had previously been twice to Madrid; once in 1998 and then again in 2010 and neither time was I very impressed. In fact, I was extremely underwhelmed. But I have always heard from people I trust that it really is a great city so I was always open to returning.
My Top Four Warm Weather Destinations
As you probably know, New York City is one of my favorite places in the world and I’m lucky enough to call it home. Come this time of year, however, I dream about escaping the polar vortex. Depending on where you live, I’d imagine you might feel the same way. So on the coldest days of each winter, I love to plan my travel to warmer climates where I can enjoy the outdoors and swap my snow boots for sandals. There’s nothing better than kicking back, relaxing and relishing in the sunny weather.
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