Three Tropical US Destinations That Don't Require a Passport

All Things Travel – Tropical US Destinations: No Passport Required

Ryan and Julie, co-owners of Wonder and Beyond Travel, share three stunning US destinations that deliver a true tropical experience — beaches, culture, and adventure — without the hassle of passports, visas, or customs.

🗺️ Ryan's Road Trip Opener Ryan kicks off the episode recapping a father-son road trip from Fort Wayne, Indiana, hitting the Ohio State Reformatory (filming location for The Shawshank Redemption), Grandpa's Cheese Barn, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, A Christmas Story house, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

🌴 Destination 1: Puerto Rico The closest thing to an international vacation without leaving the US.

• Must-dos: Old San Juan's colorful colonial streets and historic forts, El Yunque National Forest (the only tropical rainforest in the US National Forest system), Mosquito Bay bioluminescent kayaking, Flamenco Beach
• Where to stay: Dorado Beach (Ritz Carlton) for luxury, Caribe Hilton for families, Hotel El Convento for boutique
• Logistics: US dollars, no passport, cell phones work normally, affordable direct flights. Rental car recommended.

🌺 Destination 2: Hawaii A true bucket-list destination with something for every traveler.

• Maui: Road to Hana, whale watching, snorkeling at Molokini
• Oahu: Pearl Harbor, Waikiki Beach, North Shore surf culture
• Kauai: Na Pali Coast catamaran tour, helicopter rides, Waimea Canyon
• Big Island: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, black sand beaches, night swimming with manta rays
• Where to stay: Four Seasons Wailea (luxury), Aulani Disney Resort (families), Koa Kia Resort Poipu (boutique)
• Logistics: No passport, long flight from the mainland, significant time zone change, rental car strongly recommended. Budget accordingly — Hawaii is not cheap.

🐢 Destination 3: US Virgin Islands Classic Caribbean scenery with easy US logistics.

• Islands: St. Thomas (most developed), St. John (nature-focused, ferry from St. Thomas), St. Croix (relaxed, Danish colonial history)
• Must-dos: Virgin Islands National Park, Trunk Bay, snorkeling, sailing, island hopping by ferry
• Where to stay: Ritz Carlton St. Thomas (luxury), Westin St. John Resort (boutique/romantic), Buccaneer Beach & Golf Resort (relaxed)
• Logistics: US dollars accepted, driving is on the LEFT, flights often connect through Miami, Atlanta, or Charlotte. Customs inspection possible returning to mainland.

✈️ Wonder and Beyond Travel Ready to plan your next getaway? Visit wonderandbeyondtravel.com

Next episode: Must-have travel apps for your next vacation.

Transcript

Speaker 0:00

Hello and welcome to All Things Travel. Want a tropical getaway without the hassle of passports, entry requirements, or long haul flights? Well, today we'll discuss three US-based locations that have you on the beach or in the jungle, no passport required.

Speaker 2 0:16

Listen in with travel advisors Ryan and Julie. He is your travel professor teaching you everything you need to know to have a magical vacation, and I am a Disney-loving Maryland mom of three and a specialist in family travel. And together we are the co-owners of Wonder and Beyond Travel. Whether we're discussing incredible destinations, top vacation tips, or sharing personal stories, it's always all things travel.

Speaker 0:41

So Julie, a few weeks back, my dad and I decided to go on a little road trip. Yeah. It's, it was a, it was a, a several places that he's always wanted to go to, and so we kinda grouped them together into a couple days trip. And it was a lot of fun. It was places I'd never been, some of the places I've always wanted to see. And so this gave us a good time to be together and kind of experience all this stuff. So the first day we drove from Fort Wayne, which is where I live in, in northern Indiana. We drove to Mansfield, Ohio to the Ohio State Reformatory. Now you will remember, several years ago at Halloween, we did an episode about- the most haunted places in the United States, and this was on the list. That is not why we were there. We were actually there because that was where Shawshank Redemption was primarily filmed, and so that was really neat. so we did a movie tour where they showed you everything in the prison having to do with the movie, and then we did kind of a general prison tour. Very cool if you love the movie. Very creepy. And it was interesting because they had information about the paranormal tours that they do, and I remember walking past one room, and it said, "Tour stop number whatever," and you look in and there's just a wooden chair sitting in the middle of the room. Told my dad, I said, "I will give you $100 if you go sit on that chair." But no, he did not. Really neat since Shawshank Redemption is always on television. A couple days later we were sitting in the hotel room and it was actually on, and it was neat to say, "Oh, we were just in that room." Or, you know, "We learned an Easter egg about that." and then we drove up to Cleveland. That was just about an hour and a half or so away. On the way there we stopped at a place called Grandpa's Cheese Barn, and if you are in that area of Ohio, please, please, please stop at Grandpa's Cheese Barn.

Speaker 2 2:35

That's hilarious

Speaker 2:36

the next day we went to the Rock Roll Hall of Fame, which I thought was absolutely phenomenal. One of the things I really liked is he's a baby boomer, I'm a Gen X-er, and it was really fun to kind of have our own experiences with the music that we love. He, he's digging all the Eagles and I'm digging R.E.M. And there's a place where you can listen to music, a place where you can make music. It was a lot of fun. And then we went to the house used in filming for A Christmas Story.

Speaker 2 3:08

That sounds very full.

Speaker 3:11

The next day we went to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. it was a lot of fun to check out all that stuff, and highly recommend all of it. It was a really fun road trip.

Speaker 2 3:24

That's awesome. What a cool little just like look at us doing just quick little getaways.

Speaker 3:29

hey, before we get in today's topic, if you did not listen to last week's episode, we talked all about some underrated or lesser-known Walt Disney World attractions, whether it's food, shows, or rides that you're gonna wanna put on your next list. All right, Julie, so today's topic has to do with tropical vacations that don't require a passport. Now, obviously we're talking about this from a US perspective, but today we're gonna discuss several places that you can go to and not have to worry about entry requirements, changing your phone plans, all that kind of stuff. Why are these good trips? You get the sense of an international tropical vacation, but without what kind of hassles?

Speaker 2 4:17

You don't have to worry about applying for your passport. You don't need to worry about making sure that your passport is up to date and expiring. Along with that, you usually don't have, like, the visa requirements or the other entry requirements that you have to think about for a lot of those international destinations. You also don't have a customs line to go through, which is, it's just, like, an extra step usually when you're- traveling internationally.

Speaker 4:43

And I think all three of these places really give you that beach, culture, adventure, relaxation kind of combo that you're thinking of when you go to Mexico, Dominican Republic, or the Caribbean. The first one being Puerto Rico. So why is Puerto Rico the right choice? You probably get the closest thing to an international vacation while still feeling very accessible for North Americans. you get Spanish colonial history, rainforest adventures, incredible beaches, great food culture with direct flights from many US cities, and none of the international hassles. So who is this trip right for? Couples, either for a romantic trip or a honeymoon, multi-gen families, because the travel's a lot easier from the US with multiple family members and ages, maybe people who are nervous about international travel, and people who want a good balance of culture and beach relaxation time. So what are some of the must-dos if we're thinking about traveling to Puerto Rico, Julie?

Speaker 2 5:52

So I've actually been to Puerto Rico before, but- it was during spring break in college, so I think a slightly different experience than you may have had.

Speaker 6:00

Probably

Speaker 2 6:00

also a great option for spring breakers because no passport required. the big must-do is Old San Juan, and this is the historic area. There's a lot of colorful and colonial streets, and you can visit some of the historic forts like Castillo San Felipe Del Morro, and you can walk right through it. It's a very- cool area to experience, and that is definitely one of those places that you feel like you're somewhere far away from home, but you're really not. There's also a lot of great food, a lot of great nightlife in that area, and it is very, very walkable. Very easy to get to. So, you know, in Puerto Rico, you've kind of got the beaches, and then you've got this old town area, and then you've got the next one, which is really fun

Speaker 6:45

So this is El Yunque National Forest. So it's the only tropical rainforest in the United States National Forest system. We're talking waterfalls, we're talking hiking, scenic views, and excellent for nature lovers. So definitely put that on your list. So already we've got beaches, we've got culture, and we've got, wildlife here.

Speaker 2 7:07

And the rainforest, I will say from experience, very, very, very easy to walk around. I'm pretty sure as a college student we just got dropped off and we were able to explore very easily. It's not one of those things that you have to have like a tour guide or anything like that. And I doubt it's still there, but I had the best empanadas of my life on the side of that rainforest.

Speaker 7:30

And as a current dad of a college student, Julie, that experience that you just highlighted makes me a little nervous, but I get the sentiment heading to someplace like Mosquito Bay for the bioluminescence, kayaking at night through the glowing waters, that just sounds absolutely amazing. And then obviously the must-do is spending some time on the beach. So Condado is a nice convenient beach, but we also have Flamenco Beach, that has postcard-worthy scenery. So what I love about Puerto Rico here is you've got so many things that you can do on one vacation. Where should we stay if we're looking for kind of luxury or kind of a relaxed resort? Dorado Bay, which is part of the Ritz Carlton collection. Family-friendly, we've got Caribe Hilton. And then more of a boutique or culture-focused, we've got a place like Hotel El Convento, which would be a great place to stay. What are some of the logistics when we're thinking about Puerto Rico, Julie?

Speaker 2 8:34

As we mentioned earlier, there's no passport needed. There's no customs when coming and going. They do use the US dollar, so that's really helpful. Cell phones are gonna work normally. I would still let your cell phone company, your credit card company know you're traveling, but no need to worry about international plans. Flights are actually very affordable to Puerto Rico, and it's not a long flight at all. A lot of people speak English or Spanish, which that's very similar to the United States. So it's easy to navigate the area. A couple concerns though. I would recommend a rental car. Now, when I went on spring break, we just took a taxi everywhere, nice and simple. Some people may underestimate the driving times and the infrastructure. You're still on an island. It's not the same as driving around the US, and you are going from one side to the other to get from the beaches to that Old San Juan area.

Speaker 9:32

our second location where no passport is needed, and this is the biggie, Hawaii. And why is Hawaii the right choice here? It feels truly far away from any place else in the United States. You have volcanoes, you have lush mountains, you have Polynesian culture, dramatic coastlines, but it still has familiarity with the US Who is this ideal for? Everybody has a bucket list trip idea of going to Hawaii. Honeymooners, anniversaries, family trips, especially if people have connections to the military. I think, there's a strong pull to take folks to Hawaii. Adventure seekers, as we talk about the different islands. And then travelers wanting a once in a lifetime feel without connecting that to international travel. So what are some must-dos? And we'll break this down by each island. So on Maui, Julie, what are the must-dos?

Speaker 2 10:34

On Maui, the thing I include on every itinerary is Road to Hana, which is an excursion that you are gonna wanna book as, like, a guided excursion. It's just a little easier to navigate that road when you don't have to do it yourself, and I love getting there at sunrise.

Speaker 10:52

Yeah, absolutely. Whale watching when the season permits, and then also snorkeling at Molokini is a must-do when you're in Hawaii. Now, obviously for these things, you're probably going to have a rental car. On all of these islands, I would say you're probably gonna have a rental car, so that is one overall consideration. I have had folks, Julie, that have traveled to Oahu, and they did not want to deal with a rental car, and so everything was done through tours or private drivers, and it works. It's just some more considerations. On Oahu, which is where Honolulu is, you obviously have the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, which is a must-see, Waikiki Beach, and then the North Shore for surfing culture. Waikiki Beach kinda gives you that city beach surfing culture, and then North Shore is just kind of off on its own, laid back. I mean, are there a couple steps past laid back when we think of the North Shore? I think that's really what the North Shore is. But definitely, you know, the pipeline beach is there and watching people surf On Kauai, which is my favorite island, heading to the Na Pali Coast and taking a catamaran or boat tour there. You have dramatic hiking and sceneries. You'll pair that with a helicopter tour. You have Hawaii's own version of the Grand Canyon when it comes to a section of Kauai, just Stark amazing landscapes. And then what about the Big Island of Hawaii, Julie? why would we go there?

Speaker 2 12:26

So this is where Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is. And on the Big Island, the great thing about this is, you know, when we plan trips to Hawaii, you can either go and stay at multiple islands or you could just do, like, a quick day trip over to one of the islands. And the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the reason to do the day trip to the Big Island of Hawaii. But when you stay on the Big Island of Hawaii, you can also go visit the black sand beaches, all sorts of lava landscapes. Something else I've had clients love doing on the Island of Hawaii is night swimming with the stingrays. That's a super unique experience as well, and seeing a lot of the sea turtles. The great thing about all these islands and traveling to Hawaii is you can also find things for all ages. On every single island, and each island offers a very unique experience. So Hawaii is such, like, a repeatable destination.

Speaker 13:26

So where should you stay? A couple things to look into. If you want more of a luxury feel, head to Maui in Wailea and stay at the Four Seasons Resort. Family-friendly, the best place by far is Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, and we have talked about that on numerous episodes of this podcast. If you want more of a relaxed boutique feel, head on over to Poipu Beach, and go to the Koa Kia Resort. So some logistics from mainland US, obviously no passport needed. It is a long flight time, so in the introduction when I talked about long haul flights, Hawaii can definitely have that. There's also a significant time zone adjustment. I actually find this time zone adjustment, for me, is a lot harder than Europe. You probably will have inter-island flights, but they are very, very short and very, very doable and very cost-effective. They just eat up time as you're thinking about your logistics of the trip. And then, like I said before, rental cars are strongly recommended on most islands. And Julie, what is the number one thing that is important to consider when you are planning this trip?

Speaker 2 14:40

Hawaii is not gonna be, a budget vacation. It's not a cheap beach vacation. when I think of Hawaii, I think of staying at a resort that's on the beach, enjoying a lot of delicious Hawaiian food. It's probably literally my favorite type of food. And going out and doing excursions. A lot of the excursions don't have to be expensive. A lot of them you can kind of go and see on your own, but you still need to budget for your accommodations, your food, and especially your flights

Speaker 15:13

So before we talk about our last location, I wanna talk about where in the world is Wonder and Beyond Travel. And currently, when this episode comes out, I have a wonderful group that is experiencing Alaska, and they traveled with Celebrity Cruises to go see Alaska. And the reason I wanted to highlight this, Julie, is I think this is the smartest way to see Alaska, and this is with a cruise tour before or after the cruise. You see a lot on a seven-day Alaskan cruise, and I can attest to that 'cause my family did that. But adding a cruise tour just makes sense. Let me just give you a rundown of their trip. They joined a cruise tour with Celebrity. So the first day that they were in Anchorage, they went to Denali National Park, which I will say is one of the reasons that most people add on a cruise tour. They did a scenic ride of Denali. They did several days at Denali, where they got to tour everything. They did both a bus tour, then they did a glass-domed train tour. They spent time in Talkeetna, and in Talkeetna, they learned all about Alaskan Native heritage, where they went to the Alaskan Native Heritage Center. They also did a lot of wildlife viewing on this cruise tour, which was lots of fun. And then they made their way down to Seward, spent the day in Seward, and then joined the cruise. So I think it's a real fun way to extend your cruise to some of the places that you aren't gonna see on the cruise. And then they did a traditional seven-night cruise. So they cruised by the Hubbard Glacier, they went to Juneau, they went to Skagway, they went to Icy Point, Ketchikan, the Inside Passage, and then to Vancouver. So all in all, this was about a 12-day trip. Just think about coming back with those pictures, with those memories. I really, stress to people, think about taking the time to do a land tour along with your cruise.

Speaker 2 17:19

Yes, and I'm working on one of those now too, so I'm happy to hear all about that.

Speaker 17:24

All right, Julie, where are we headed for our third option when it comes to tropical vacations without a passport?

Speaker 2 17:32

Next up is the US Virgin Islands, and these are a great choice because they really do deliver that classic Caribbean scenery, but the logistics are so much easier. On most of these islands, when you think of St. Thomas and St. John, I do recommend staying in a villa type of accommodation and renting a car so it's easy for you to get around. You're not always staying right on the beach, but there are so many beaches to get to. There's gonna be crystal clear water. You can go sailing. You can go snorkeling. It's so laid back. There's restaurants all over the town that you can go and enjoy their local foods. I just really love this destination. So the three main islands, St. Thomas, this is gonna be the busiest and most developed, but also kind of the easiest to get to because of that. St. John's is a little bit more nature focused, a little more upscale. To get there, you would go to St. Thomas and take a ferry over to St. John. So easy to do, but an extra step to consider. And St. Croix, which is very local, very relaxed. So a couple of must-do activities throughout these islands is going to the Virgin Islands National Park, which is actually much of what St. John is. There's incredible beaches, incredible hiking, and Trunk Bay is the iconic area you're gonna think of. A lot of times if you're visiting, St. John or St. Thomas on a cruise, Trunk Bay is one of the excursion options we would recommend. You definitely want to take time and do some snorkeling and some sailing at any of these islands. The water is just beautiful, and the animals and the wildlife that you can see at the coral reefs and my personal favorite, the sea turtles, what an awesome experience. Island hopping is very popular. There's ferries between the islands. It's easy to go back and forth just for the day or even the afternoon. Just be aware of those ferry times. There are some very historic-type areas. So St. Croix has a Danish colonial history, so you can pepper in some of that culture along with all of your tropical vibes.

Speaker 19:42

So where should you stay? A couple places that we recommend. Remember, because this is part of the US, you're really not gonna get that all-inclusive experience. You're gonna get more of that traditional hotel experience. For luxury, we're looking at the Ritz Carlton on St. Thomas. For a more boutique or maybe romantic experience, the Westin St. John Resort and Villas. For a relaxed Caribbean feel, the Buccaneer Beach and Golf Resort would fit that vibe. Some logistics to consider. customs inspections can occur when you get back to the mainland, mostly because you're coming from an island, and honestly, that can happen with all three of these. a good advantage is the US dollar is accepted there. However, one thing, driving on the left-hand side of the road. Yes, you're in the US, but you are driving on the left-hand side of the road. That might be a fun experience And then flights often connect through US spots like Miami, Atlanta, and Charlotte. Just like Hawaii, one consideration is because you are bebopping back and forth between the islands, inter-island transportation can add some complexity, especially when coordinating ferries and luggage. But there's lots of opportunities. You just have to kind of think ahead and plan that out So Julie, as we wrap up here, I know you've been to Hawaii, you've been to Puerto Rico. Have you been to the US Virgin Islands?

Speaker 2 21:13

I haven't, but you know what, Ryan? As we talk through this and as I shared that my mother-in-law was like, "Oh, we might go in the fall," I'm about to text her and be like, "Tell me the dates you're going because we will also go."

Speaker 21:27

And she will text back and say, "Well, that's nice of you to ask, but you were not invited."

Speaker 2 21:33

No, she would never. The world is full of wonder and your next great adventure is waiting. At Wonder and Beyond Travel, we work with you to create a one-of-a-kind journey, taking the stress off your plate so you can focus on the joy of exploring and the memories that will stay with you forever. If you're ready to start planning or just want to dream a little bigger, head over to wonderandbeyondtravel.com. We'd love to help you get started.

Speaker 22:00

We look forward to talking to you next week on all things travel when we discuss some really important travel apps that you should use on your next vacation