Volunteer Vacations Blog

Puerto Rico

This City Was Just Named the No. 1 Labor Day Weekend Destination in the U.S. by Chase Travel

25 August 2025
Globe Aware
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Categories: Globe Aware news

Globe Aware volunteers know that Labor Day Weekend, officially on Sept. 1, is the perfect chance to savor one last summer escape before shifting focus to fall and winter travel plans. This year’s top trending destinations offer sun-soaked beaches, island breezes, and cultural immersion. Check today’s blog to learn more.

This City Was Just Named the No. 1 Labor Day Weekend Destination in the U.S. by Chase Travel—and It’s Famous for Its Beaches and Rainforest

From historic charm to nightlife and nature, these trending escapes offer more than just sun.

By Opheli Garcia Lawler
August 8, 2025
Travel + Leisure

Summer may be winding down, but there’s still one major holiday weekend left to savor: Labor Day Weekend. While the official holiday falls on Sept. 1, the long weekend really begins the Friday before on Aug. 29—or even Thursday, Aug. 28, if you’ve got a little PTO to spare. Now’s the time to start booking those fall getaways and mapping out your winter travel plans—but don’t pack away the swimsuits and flip-flops just yet.

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TSA Is Finally Creating Some Dedicated Family Security Lanes at Select U.S. Airports. Is That a Good Thing?

11 August 2025
Globe Aware
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Categories: Globe Aware news

Globe Aware families, a new program called “Families on the Fly” aims to make airport security easier for families and the general flying public. Learn more on today’s travel blog.

TSA Is Finally Creating Some Dedicated Family Security Lanes at Select U.S. Airports. Is That a Good Thing?

A new program called Families on the Fly aims to make airport security easier for families, as well as for the general flying public. But whether it works will depend on how it’s executed.

By Jamie Davis Smith
July 23, 2025
AFAR

A mother holding a child wearing a coat and pink backpack in an airport security lane

Would a dedicated family security lane speed up the process for families or slow them down?

Going through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening lines at the airport can be frustrating for both families and those stuck behind them. Parents with young children often have more to deal with than the average traveler. They may need extra time to fold strollers, wrangle toddlers, or wait for additional screening for bottles and baby food.

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Six spring break destinations where you can still find cheap flights

10 March 2025
Globe Aware
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Globe Aware travelers, there’s still time to plan your spring break! A volunteer vacation in Puerto Rico is one of the top budget-friendly flight options.

6 spring break destinations where you can still find cheap flights

Airfare on the whole may be up this year, but there are still pockets of hope for sunny vacations this spring.

March 6, 2025
By Natalie B. Compton
Washington Post

You deserve a vacation. Not this summer, not later this year. Something much sooner, like an honest-to-goodness spring break.

Of course, life is feeling pretty expensive. It doesn’t help that airfare on average is higher than last year, said Katy Nastro, spokesperson and travel expert at Going, a cheap-flight alert service.

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Massive Health Benefit Of Travel That We Don’t Talk About Enough

25 November 2024
Globe Aware
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Categories: Globe Aware news

If you ask Globe Aware volunteers why they travel, you’ll likely hear a wide range of answers. One lesser-known reason, however, is to help slow down biological aging. Discover how this unique benefit positively impacts the health and well-being of our older travelers.

There’s 1 Massive Health Benefit Of Travel That We Don’t Talk About Enough

If this doesn’t make you want to book a flight ASAP, we don’t know what will.

By Ashley Broadwater
Nov 4, 2024
Huffington Post

If you ask people why they travel, you’ll probably get a different answer from each person. One wants to experience another culture, one is going on a bachelorette trip, one wants to make their kids better humans and another is seeing family.

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November Flight Deals: The Cheapest Places To Travel For Less Than $500 Round-Trip

4 November 2024
Globe Aware
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Categories: Globe Aware news

November is the last month for some of the best flight deals as it is the last month of shoulder season before holiday travel kicks off. Globe Aware volunteers, find cheap flights for volunteer vacation destinations!

November Flight Deals: The Cheapest Places To Travel For Less Than $500 Round-Trip

November is the last month for some of the best flight deals as it is the last month of shoulder season before holiday travel kicks off.

Nov 1, 2024
By Mitti Hicks
Travel Noire

November is the last month for some of the best flight deals as it is the last month of shoulder season before holiday travel kicks off. There are a lot of destinations to look forward to, especially if you want to avoid crowds. There is some give and take for traveling in November. Some cheaper prices come with cooler temperatures, but it’s usually worth packing a jacket.

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September Is The Cheapest Month For Americans To Fly To These 5 Incredible Destinations

4 September 2024
Globe Aware
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Categories: Globe Aware news

As summer draws to a close, it doesn’t mean our volunteers’ travel plans have to end, too. On this list, you’ll discover at least one destination that will ignite your wanderlust, with many of them being locations where we have Globe Aware programs!

September Is The Cheapest Month For Americans To Fly To These 5 Incredible Destinations

September 1, 2024
By: Megi Canco
Travel Off Path

Just because summer’s coming to an end doesn’t mean your travel plans have to, too.

The insufferable crowds have started to dissipate, temperatures are coming back down to Earth, and best of all, airfare to some of the world’s most incredible destinations has plummeted, giving adventurous travelers on a budget the opportunity of a lifetime.

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Should You Keep Your Passport Handy No Matter Where You’re Traveling?

12 August 2024
Globe Aware
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Categories: Globe Aware news

Our seasoned Globe Aware volunteers are no strangers to unusual and rare travel situations. Here’s a recent situation that occurred on a flight from Puerto Rico to Miami, which makes us all wonder if it’s a good idea to carry our passports to any destination at all times. Let us know what you think!

Should You Keep Your Passport Handy No Matter Where You’re Traveling?

Some American Airlines travelers felt “kidnapped” after a recent flight gone wrong.

By Opheli Garcia Lawler
Aug 8, 2024
Thrillist

Every week, the internet delivers new travel content that makes me never want to leave my house again. This week, the video that has me worried about getting on an airplane comes from @ItalianKate on TikTok. In a video viewed 6.3 million times, a traveler (@griptape_ on TikTok) details how a flight from Puerto Rico to Miami became a quasi-hostage situation.

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Dallas-Based GlobeAware Organizes ‘Voluntourism’ Trips of a Lifetime

7 March 2023
Globe Aware
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Categories: Globe Aware news

March 5, 2023
By Joy Donovan
Candy’sDirt

Landmines — the explosive leftovers from the Vietnam War and other conflicts — are about the size of a toy and sometimes colorful, making them attractive to children. Two decades of war made these weapons of destruction plentiful in the forested landscape of Southeast Asia. Consequently, many children in Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam are living as amputees.

The memory of one of those injured children receiving a wheelchair is seared into Kimberly Haley-Coleman’s mind.

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Hurricane Fiona pummels Puerto Rico

19 September 2022
Globe Aware
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Categories: Globe Aware news

Hurricane Fiona made landfall in southwestern Puerto Rico last Sunday afternoon, and the entire island is reeling from the knockout of its electricity grid. Globe Aware will continue to monitor the situation in order to understand we and our volunteers can help.

Puerto Rico is without electricity as Hurricane Fiona pummels the island

September 19, 2022
Juliana Kim
NPR

Hurricane Fiona made landfall in southwestern Puerto Rico on Sunday afternoon, as the entire island continues to reel from the knockout of its electricity grid.

Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said the damage on the island is “catastrophic in many areas,” calling it a “very delicate and sad situation.” Heavy rainfall and catastrophic flooding was continuing across the island Sunday evening, according to the National Hurricane Center.

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Eight items to pack when traveling to Puerto Rico

7 April 2022
Globe Aware
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Categories: Globe Aware news

With the no-passport-required ease of traveling, and direct flights available from dozens of cities, it’s no wonder that the vacation-deprived are rushing to this island. Globe Aware volunteers headed to Puerto Rico can figure out what they need to pack with these helpful tips!

8 items to pack when traveling to Puerto Rico, according to residents

BY REGAN STEPHENS
June 13, 2021
Fortune

In late May, traveling to Puerto Rico just got a little easier. The U.S. territory loosened its requirements for domestic travelers, with vaccinated visitors now able to skip COVID-19 entry testing, and instead upload their vaccination card via a portal.

With the no-passport-required ease of traveling to the Caribbean island, and direct flights available from dozens of cities, it’s no wonder that the vacation-deprived are heading south in droves. Puerto Rico has seen an uptick in travelers since last fall, with overall hotel demand outpacing 2019 rates.

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