Sherman's Travel

There are plenty of truths to travel, but today I’ll focus on just two. First, traveling to a warm, sand-fringed island can help a bad day, week, month, or even year seem inconsequential. Second, traveling anywhere that requires a passport undoubtedly causes headaches – just how big the headache varies widely on your destination. The good news for U.S. citizens, however, is that there are plenty of islands within reach that boast an international vibe, yet don’t require a passport. Below, I’ll share a few of my favorites for those itching to burn a few vacation days without dealing with immigration lines. Read more

Situated roughly halfway between St. Thomas and the main island of Puerto Rico is the picturesque island of Culebra. Even the most seasoned of Caribbean travelers shouldn’t be ashamed if they’ve never heard of it. It remains one of the best kept secrets in the region, and particularly for Americans who don’t want to fiddle with a passport in order to reach paradise, it’s a destination worth discovering.

Accessing Culebra isn’t exactly easy, per se, but it’s hardly complicated. If you’re on the main island of Puerto Rico (that’s the one with San Juan), you’ll need to point your rental car to Fajardo. That’s on the eastern edge of Puerto Rico, and it’s the primary ferry port on the island. For intrepid travelers, you can show up at the docks and buy yourself an inexpensive (under $10) ticket for the ride, which lasts right around an hour each way. If the ferry is sold out (which was the case when our editor, Mike Barish, visited the island), you can book a quick puddle jumper flight at the airport in Fajardo and land on Culebra in about 10 minutes – though a one-way flight can start at $35 per person, so consider taking the ferry back. To make life easy, however, I’d recommend reaching out to Kayaking Puerto Rico. Read more