JetSetSarah

Promising a Miamian the fiery spectacle of fall foliage is like tempting a Canadian with warm Caribbean waters. For someone who lives where the autumnal equinox is signaled by only the slightest drop in temperature and humidity, traipsing through a woodland carpet of amber and russet leaves is an as-seen-on-TV fantasy.
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So when I got the chance last October to join Seabourn Quest's 12-day circumnavigation of Japan - billed as a fall foliage cruise - I didn't hesitate. Our itinerary took us to eight ports in the Sea of Japan (including Tsuruga, where I am here) before ending just outside Tokyo. Each stop offered its own distinct delights, so it wasn’t until we were nearing the end of our journey that I realized I hadn’t yet glimpsed any fall color. Would our final port deliver the autumnal display I'd hoped for? Read my latest feature for Travel + Leisure (linked below) to find out.
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https://www.travelandleisure.com/japan-fall-foliage-cruise-vacation-12029536
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"Hear me out: It’s not that I don’t like animals – I can appreciate a cute kitten as much as anyone else. But I wouldn’t call myself an animal lover. And when I told friends that I was going on safari for the first time and felt decidedly neutral about the trip … Well, you’d have thought I’d said I wanted to drown said kitten!
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Although safaris top many travelers’ bucket lists, for me, animals are the least interesting thing about visiting an African country. The typical safari guest hopes to see the “Big Five” (a now-antiquated term for lions, leopards, elephants, rhinoceros and buffalo, which, back in the day, were the most dangerous to hunt on foot). But I’m much more interested in immersing myself in African culture and, most of all, meeting Africans themselves. I’ve fed giraffes at my local South Florida safari park and seen rhinos at the zoo. You’ve seen one zebra, you’ve seen them all, right?!"
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Read my cover story for Virtuoso Magazine's September issue to learn how wrong I was! My first safari - in Kenya, with the ne plus ultra of safari outfitters, Micato Safaris - has left an indelible mark on this safari sceptic. I'm SO proud to have my experience be the second cover story of my career. And I'm beyond grateful to have shared it with best safari guide EVER Peter "100 Percent" Githaka, ace photographer Korena Bolding and Micato's PR pro Emily Baldwin. To say it was the trip of a lifetime is an understatement, and all other trips will pale in comparison. Big thanks also to my editor Amy Cassell for selecting me for this assignment. I am forever changed.
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Which island did the readers of Travel + Leisure say is the best in the Caribbean? Read my latest story for the magazine (linked below) to find out. Or you could just glance at this photo and take a wild guess! 😉
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https://www.travelandleisure.com/best-caribbean-islands-11995166
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Five years ago, shell-shocked by a pandemic divorce, I took up backpacking. Turns out that despite my inexperience and decidedly “indoorsy” disposition, plodding along trails was a surprisingly effective way to process my sadness and trauma. Hiking was my introduction to the healing power of nature. And at the end of every trek, I was a better version of myself than the one who began it.
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Fast forward to last summer, when, no longer steeped in grief and feeling more like my old self, I joined a two-week hiking trip through the Austrian Alps and Italian Dolomites with the non-profit Road Scholar. But I had doubts. Would I find this hike, distracted by the company of 18 other (presumably chatty) trekkers, just as transformative? Would I still find magic in the mountains? Read my latest story for Travel + Leisure to find out.

https://www.travelandleisure.com/group-adventure-trips-road-scholar-11994948

The readers of Travel + Leisure just chose the Best 25 Caribbean Resorts for 2026. And I was honored to write about the warm-weather winners for the July issue. The lineup runs the gamut, from luxury tree houses (Dominica's Secret Bay) to family-friendly beachfront resorts (Kimpton Seafire on Grand Cayman) to timeless cloisters like Jamaica's Round Hill, where I am in the photo. Please join me in congratulating the winners, and click the link below to see the full list.

https://www.travelandleisure.com/best-caribbean-resorts-11994564

Good morning and Happy Tuesday from Antigua 👋🏾☀️ Where are you waking up? Tell me in the comments.
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DON'T HATE ME! But for the next 10 days I'll be sailing on Sea Cloud Spirit on the DREAMIEST Mediterranean itinerary. Starting in Malta, we'll cruise to Sicily; along Italy's Amalfi coast to Capri; then continue to the islands of Sardinia and Corsica before stopping in the French town of St. Tropez, and disembarking in Nice.
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It's my first cruise on this 136-passenger German tall ship, and I can't wait to see all 28 of her sails billowing majestically in the breeze as we make our way through the Med. As always, I'll be Story-ing along the way, so be sure to check my Instagram feed (www.Instagram.com/JetSetSarah) daily for the play-by-play (and, later, my SeaCloud Spirit highlight).
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Looking for romance? With its secluded palm-fringed beaches, swoon-worthy vistas, and kaleidoscopic sunsets, the Caribbean is arguably one of the world’s most romantic regions. And in my latest story for Condé Nast Traveler, I've selected six island destinations where you can write a chapter of your own love story, whether you hope to fan the flames of a new flirtation or rekindle the heat of a time-tested relationship. Find out where when you click this link:

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/the-best-places-in-the-caribbean-for-couples
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A year ago I flew to Dakar to board Swan Hellenic's Diana on an eclectic itinerary that took to me to the windswept desert of Western Sahara; black-sand beaches of Tenerife; and the forested volcanic mountains of La Palma in the Canary Islands. Today my story about the voyage - complete with beautiful images by Kate Berry - appears in the May/June issue of Virtuoso, The Magazine and live on their website (just click the link below to read it.)
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https://www.virtuoso.com/why-virtuoso/Virtuoso-Magazines/Virtuoso,-The-Magazine
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