In honor of Women’s History Month this March, we reached out to one of the gutsiest woman travelers we know.

Marybeth Bond traveled the world solo for two years, and is the author of 50 Best Girlfriend Getaways (March 2007, National Geographic).

We sat down with her to talk about women and travel, and the five most important things a woman should remember when traveling…

Did you know that your hotel room could act as an aphrodisiac? Check out some cozy rooms that just might get your loved one in the mood.

At the Old Inn on the Green in Marlborough, Massachusetts, nearly every light is not electric, but a candle. Talk about mood lighting.

If your romance needs some space, try the Adobe Grand Villas in Sedona, Arizona. These oversized villas offer plenty of ways to escape the Arizona heat, with walk-in showers, Jacuzzis, and jetted tubs with nearby fire pits.

Then there’s the Rabbit Hill Inn in Vermont, which is so remote that most cell phone carriers won’t work — and there isn’t any Internet access or even televisions, in most rooms, either. So there’s no …

March 23, 2007

It’s impossible for airlines to be on time.

That’s a pretty bold statement. Now I’m sure you want to know the reasons why — and who is at fault.

Other than weather — and even there I have an issue — every single contributing reason for dismal on-time performance can be solved. But the airlines, and in fact, even the government, do not want to spend the money to make these simple fixes. And it all has to do with staffing, language, or unnecessary competitive practices.

When you make a reservation, the airline always asks for your phone number. But they never call you when there’s a problem. …

It used to be that a long airport layover with kids was something parents dreaded. These days, airports are actually catering to tiny travelers. Airports have finally begun to recognize that if traveling kids are happy, their parents might be, too. At San Jose International’s Kidport, kids can listen to actual air traffic controllers’ conversations with pilots.

At Philadelphia International’s Please Touch Aviation Station, young pilots-in-training control a propeller to learn the basics of aviation. McCarran International in Las Vegas offers an interactive control tower and a mock jet engine, while San Francisco boasts a color-changing plasma wall that responds to hand clapping. And then there’s Chicago O’Hare’s Kids on the Fly area, with its two-story control tower, an airplane cockpit, …

If the throngs of tourists fighting for space on the roads and beaches of the Amalfi Coast only knew what was within their reach just a bit further south: a coastal haven at least as picturesque, if not more so, far less crowded and certainly not as expensive.

Luckily, for the rest of us, Maratea remains a well-kept secret among Italian visitors and a handful of British tourists.

Two and a half hours south of Naples, Maratea’s 20-mile stretch of rocky coastline gives southern Italy’s Basilicata region its only outlet on the sea.

This community of 11 small villages seems to combine the best of Italy’s better-known playgrounds. The winding roads …

There’s a new airfare war being fought across the Atlantic. And this time, it’s all business-class.

While Eos Airlines and Maxjet already offer premium service from New York to London, two new carriers are now offering new business-class service across the Atlantic for less than you’ll probably pay for business-class on more traditional airlines.

EuroFly, a European airline is now connecting New York to Milan, while L’Avion flies between Newark and Paris’ Orly International.

Then there’s Silverjet, which flies from Newark to London’s Luton airport. Silverjet, especially, could be useful for travelers willing to pay for trans-Atlantic comfort, but want to use an ultra-low-cost carrier with a base at Luton, like RyanAir or EasyJet, to get to their next European destination. Roundtrip Silverjet …

You are on the trip of your lifetime… the vacation of your dreams.

The only thing is, you are exhausted.

Dead tired.

You can barely keep your eyes open to see the Eiffel Tower… the Pyramids… the Grand Canyon.

And you are really cranky.

What gives? Is this jet lag, you ask?

You wish. In fact, you may be the victim of a snoring travel companion.

Sleep deprivation is the worst (which probably explains its historic popularity as a torture method). When you are not rested, it’s hard to enjoy anything, and that day of wondrous exploration you planned suddenly becomes a day of schlepping around, when all you really want to do is go back to the hotel …

From the “you can’t make this stuff up department” comes this piece of frequent flyer news: A dog has just passed the million-mile mark in an airline’s loyalty program.

Nesbit, along with his owner George Kerscher, received a special Delta award for his Million Miler status recently.

What’s more, Nesbit didn’t even have to pay for his tickets.

But there is a reason why Nesbit has so many frequent flyer miles: he happens to be the guide dog for Kerscher, a senior officer for Recording For The Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D), and they have been traveling together, mostly on business, for eight years.

As part of Delta’s service to their disabled travelers, the airline accommodated Nesbit …