WHICH WAS YOUR FIRST ISSUE OF Global Traveler? Mine was the November 2006 issue, with the snow-capped mountains and lakes of St. Moritz on the cover. I carry that mental image with me always. Whether you’ve been with us from the first issue in February 2004 or from the 175th in 2016, thank you for joining us on this journey around the globe. We hope you are having as much fun as we are! November 2017 marks our 195th issue. The countdown to 200 begins.

One of my favorite aspects of being part of the GT team is that we’re ever-evolving and not afraid to change. We’ve come a long way. This year we brought you an entirely new look for the magazine and an entirely new website — we’ve branched out from our monthly Friends & Family article to launch whereverfamily.com, a web publication updated daily that serves as the travel source for the modern family. Print, digital, events — we do our best to continually innovate, to have fun along the way and to continue to bring you trusted, reliable coverage on places around the world.

Stick with us as we continue to navigate the globe for the next 195 issues. Whatever comes next, we promise to deliver all the information you need to continue traveling in style!

ONE ON ONE WITH THE GT TEAM
Our special anniversary issues offer us the opportunity to bring a bit more personality to our readers. Here, we go from the interviewer to the interviewee as we answer some of the same questions we ask travel industry executives each month. Here’s some insider information about the faces and personalities that make the magazine.

CARLY ALLEN, associate publisher and executive vice president
Travel tip you can’t live without: Get everywhere early.
Favorite dining experience around the world: Din Tai Fung at the bottom of Taipei 101 — the best dim sum you will ever have, and the frenetic pace makes for such an interesting atmosphere.
Travel app you can’t live without: Any of my airline apps, and Sig Alert for when I’m driving around Los Angeles to stay ahead of the traffic.
Favorite family travel memory: Snorkeling in Oahu — my mom got seasick from just floating, but my sisters, my dad and I had a great time exploring the reefs.
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? For any aviation geeks, I recommend the Boeing Factory in Renton, Wash. The massive operation is truly a sight to see.
Describe GT in only three words: Global, fun, unique
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: Skip the tourist traps, like Venice and Hollywood Boulevard. Go to the beaches in Malibu or foodie hot spots in Silver Lake.

JEAN-CLAUDE CHAOULOFF, advertising manager
Travel tip you can’t live without: Learn common phrases of the local language.
Favorite dining experience around the world: Daniel, New York City
Travel app you can’t live without: Lonely Planet
Favorite family travel memory: Turkish Treasures Tour
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? Israel and Egypt
Describe GT in only three words: Informative, fun, current
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: Give yourself at least a week in New York City so you can get a taste of what this city has to offer.

TRACEY CULLEN, art director
Travel tip you can’t live without: Always wear comfortable shoes to the airport. You never know when you might have to sprint to make your connecting flight.
Favorite dining experience around the world: The Earl of Thomond restaurant at Dromoland Castle Hotel in Ireland was fantastic. I didn’t travel to Ireland expecting to enjoy the cuisine but found its fresh food amazing. I loved its huge selection of homemade bread and rolls so much I filled up on them and almost didn’t save enough room for the delicious duck we had for dinner!
Travel app you can’t live without: I always download the app for the airline on which I’m traveling. It’s the easiest way to stay up to date on any flight changes.
Favorite family travel memory: After visiting Blarney Castle, we saw a huge rainbow and embraced our inner child and drove through the countryside trying to find the pot of gold at the end. We never did find the pot of gold, but we enjoyed a wonderful drive through the lush, green, rolling hills of Ireland.
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? Snorkeling at Baby Beach in Aruba
Describe GT in only three words: Informative, entertaining, beautiful
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: York, Pa., is known as the “Snack Capital of the World.” Make sure you fit in time for a factory tour while visiting.

KAITLIND EYDELLOTH, account executive, Western region
Travel tip you can’t live without: Say yes! Be open to new opportunities.
Favorite dining experience around the world: Eating pasta, pizza and gelato twice a day in Italy.
Travel app you can’t live without: Waze
Favorite family travel memory: Flying to San Francisco and driving down the entire coast to San Diego and across to the Grand Canyon — at 9, I still had an appreciation for Mother Nature.
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? Spend 24 hours in Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day.
Describe GT in only three words: Refined, poised, elevated
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: Spend time outside in Los Angeles. From hiking to paddle boarding, wine tasting and beach lounging, there are endless opportunities for soaking up the sun and getting some Vitamin D.

RICHARD EVANS, senior vice president
Travel tip you can’t live without: Always allow extra time to get where you are going.
Favorite dining experience around the world: Dining around a campfire in the Masai Mara every night for a week and listening to the sounds of the bush.
Travel app you can’t live without: Waze
Favorite family travel memory: Summers on Cape Cod
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? I have two experiences I’d recommend. Everyone should see the pyramids and tombs in Egypt, and the cave paintings in the south of France. The artistic sensibility of the people who created these works of art is as sophisticated as that of the modern era. Looking at these two examples of creativity makes you realize the only difference between people today and the people who created these works of art from thousands of years ago is modern technology. These are must-see experiences.
Describe GT in only three words: Innovative, ever-evolving
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: Go out of Philadelphia to visit some excellent local museums, such as the James Michener Museum in Bucks County and the Brandywine River Museum in Chester County. Also, Philadelphia is the garden capital of the United States, so take time to visit Longwood Gardens, Chanticleer Garden and the Morris Arboretum.

FRANCIS X. GALLAGHER, publisher and CEO
Travel tip you can’t live without: Be like a local, but act like yourself!
Favorite dining experience around the world: This is challenging as I have had so many — Ashford Castle in Ireland, 1862 in Philadelphia. I love the team at Nick & Stef’s at The Garden in New York City, and I really enjoyed the Queen’s Grill on the Queen Mary 2.
Travel app you can’t live without: The app of any airline you are flying so you can check connections, luggage arrivals and lounge locations. I particularly find Delta’s and United’s apps easy and functional. I used Hawaiian Airlines’ app, too, and found it helpful.
Favorite family travel memory: We all just went to Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa and had a great time! Just going to the Outer Banks and Cape San Blas is always welcome.
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? Just go. I understand millennials plan less and will travel at the drop of a hat; we all need to do more of that. Our board travels a great deal, but they plan 18 months in advance for their annual “trip of a lifetime.” Playing golf all over the world has introduced me to individuals I would not have seen otherwise.
Describe GT in only three words: Reliable, trustworthy, exciting
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: Make sure you visit the many museums in Philadelphia and some of the lesser-known ones, such as the Rodin Museum, and check out Fairmont Park, the largest city park in the world. And the Philadelphia Zoo is the oldest zoo in the United States.

JANICE HECHT, senior editor
Travel tip you can’t live without: I seem to get extra hungry when I travel, so I always pack energy bars and a water bottle.
Favorite dining experience around the world: The restaurants in Grand Case, St. Martin, served the best Caribbean/French cuisine. I hope the people of this beautiful island can fully recover from Hurricane Irma and rebuild.
Travel app you can’t live without: TripIt, plus airport and airline apps which provide terminal maps for easier navigation to gates and facilities.
Favorite family travel memory: The summer before our oldest son went away to college, we took a wonderful family vacation to Aruba. Our teenage sons especially enjoyed the 4WD off-road exploration of the island — though we almost went off a cliff!
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? Hiking the Appalachian Trail in New England
Describe GT in only three words: Innovative, insightful, inspirational
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: I recently moved to Manchester, Conn., so I am still exploring. This is a great town for outdoor activity, with plenty of options for hiking wooded trails as well as a leg of the East Coast Greenway that runs from Maine to Florida.

KIMBERLY KROL, editor in chief
Travel tip you can’t live without: Be up for anything — sometimes the experiences or places you don’t think will capture your interest end up being the ones that leave a lasting mark on your life.
Favorite dining experience around the world: After exploring the Greek ruins in Agrigento, Italy, I sat down for lunch in the nearby gardens and enjoyed fare literally prepared with the fruits and vegetables growing around me.
Travel app you can’t live without: Waze, Currency Converter and Uber
Favorite family travel memory: I studied abroad in London during college. We traveled to different cities every weekend, and I accidentally booked my flights to Scotland on the wrong weekend and missed taking the trip with my friends. When I told my parents, my dad decided to book a flight spur of the moment and join me in Edinburgh on the right weekend. We had a great time in the city. At the end of my time abroad, my mom, dad and grandmother came to visit. I told them I had a final exam when their flight arrived, so I couldn’t meet them at the airport, and then I surprised them at Heathrow.
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? Too many to name — hiking the sand dunes of the Liwa Desert at sunrise, watching the bulls run in Pamplona, floating in the Dead Sea, the elephant experience in Thailand, a helicopter tour of the waterfalls in Kaua’i. I’m fortunate to have had so many amazing, once-ina- lifetime experiences.
Describe GT in only three words: Reliable, evolving, passionate
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: It’s busy and crowded, but I love Reading Terminal Market. It’s a great spot to sample the many flavors of Philadelphia.

ALLIE MENZIONE, assistant digital coordinator
Travel tip you can’t live without: You’ll always have a good night’s sleep somewhere new if you pack your day full of amazing experiences.
Favorite dining experience around the world: Traditional Greek souvlaki, with lots of tzatziki, in the Greek islands
Travel app you can’t live without: OneDrive to store travel photos
Favorite family travel memory: Going to Greece with my 80-year-old grandmother
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? A sunset cruise around the island of Santoríni — unforgettable
Describe GT in only three words: Exciting, adventurous, invaluable
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: Skip the tourist traps, and there’s so much more to eat in Philadelphia besides cheesesteaks.

WILLIAM PAPA, director of sales
Travel tip you can’t live without: Always pack comfortable shoes!
Favorite dining experience around the world: I’ve been to Jamaica a few times, and nothing beats freshly made salt fish and callaloo for breakfast on Negril Beach.
Travel app you can’t live without: Apple Maps — it’s a big help navigating a new area quickly.
Favorite family travel memory: I spent a week at Crow Fair in Montana, visiting family and experiencing the pow wow. Fly-fishing on the Big Horn River with my uncle and brother was the highlight of my week.
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? The museums in Amsterdam are unforgettable. I spent a whole day in the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum.
Describe GT in only three words: Fun, professional, busy
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: The food scene in Philadelphia is more than cheesesteaks and soft pretzels. Check out different neighborhoods for different cuisines — the city has it all.

ANGELIQUE PLATAS, assistant editor
Travel tip you can’t live without: Just for peace of mind, I keep everything important that I need handy in one or two places. Having my phone, passport, wallet and so on all within reach — in a jacket pocket or cross-body purse — allows me easy access.
Favorite dining experience around the world: We were walking along the road in Pettoranello del Molise, Italy, and some neighbors came out to say hello. My parents and grandparents made conversation, and they invited us to go truffle hunting with them and their dogs in the backyard. We didn’t have time, so they brought out a basket of truffles for us; we brought them back to our hotel, where the chef made us an eight-course meal using the truffles.
Travel app you can’t live without: Any map or navigation app and Skyscanner. I use my Google Maps/navigation app while walking around looking for local attractions and Skyscanner to book my flight. It compares every airline flying to and from your destination for a specific date, or the entire month.
Favorite family travel memory: A few years ago my parents, sister and I went to New Hampshire for a family wedding. We have a large family and we are close, so it was a like a big weekend party and sleepover with all of my cousins.
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? Taking a rowboat through the Blue Grotto in Capri, Italy, is an unforgettable experience.
Describe GT in only three words: Busy, engaging, informative
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: Bring cash and prepare to walk. With a few oldschool cash-only establishments, having cash is a must. The town is easily walkable from the shops, restaurants and attractions in Lambertville, N.J., to the quirky boutiques in New Hope, Pa.

NICOLE QUASTÉ, assistant editor
Travel tip you can’t live without: Always be flexible when planning a trip and traveling.
Favorite dining experience around the world: To me, nothing beats the iconic café scene in Paris. All of my favorite dining experiences include coffee and croissants.
Travel app you can’t live without: When it comes to eating, OpenTable is always a go-to; but while I’m traveling, I use GateGuru. It gives you real-time updates on your flight itinerary, estimates TSA checkpoint wait times and has terminal maps with ATMs, bathrooms, shops and restaurants with reviews. It’s especially useful in unfamiliar airports.
Favorite family travel memory: When I was a teenager, my family went to Maine, and we did a full-day hike to Borestone Mountain in the Audubon Sanctuary.
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? Next time you’re in Ireland, rent a car and do a scenic road trip from Bantry to Sheep’s Head Peninsula. There’s a small town on the peninsula called Kilcrohane. Stop in Eileen’s Pub.
Describe GT in only three words: Resourceful, fun, unique
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: Philadelphia is home to some of the most amazing fine art and street art collections in the world. The Philadelphia Art Museum is a given, but the Barnes Foundation, the Pentimenti Gallery and the Wexler Gallery are must-sees.

ASHLEY RICHARDS, account executive
Travel tip you can’t live without: Underpack! You always come back with extra luggage.
Favorite dining experience around the world: A hidden gem in Venice
Travel app you can’t live without: Skyscanner
Favorite family travel memory: When my family went snorkeling in the Caribbean and my mother jumped into the water before it was time and the boat had to circle back to get her … before the sharks did.
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? Get lost … you’ll find your way back to base.
Describe GT in only three words: Traveling in style
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: Eat the cheesesteak, extra Whiz!

ANDREW RISCH, sales coordinator
Travel tip you can’t live without: Spray a waterresistant fluid on your nice shoes when traveling to areas you have never been; you should always make sure to plan accordingly. Also, bring a pair of beat-up sneakers if you are doing any hiking or outdoorsy activities. No one likes ruining their favorite pair of shoes, but no one loves leaving home without them, either!
Favorite dining experience around the world: The first day my family and I were in France, on our European adventure when I was 12, we went to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. My parents ordered escargot, and I had no idea what it was. It turns out snails taste delicious with enough garlic and butter on them!
Travel app you can’t live without: Uber; I can honestly say I have enjoyed every ride I have taken with this app and have never had any problems. I think it’s a great way to travel, and the price cannot be beat.
Favorite family travel memory: My favorite is when my family and I were all together in Disney World. We were having dinner at some sort of German beer garden and there was an open ballroom in the middle of the floor. As we waited for our food, we all went up and danced; I honestly cannot remember a more fun or happier time.
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? Going to the Great Wall of China. This experience is amazing on its own. But there is another reason to go to the Great Wall: the bartering. I went up onto the wall and made some serious deals with the merchants; all it takes is a little talking. It was a lot of fun, and you can see the merchants having a good time, too.
Describe GT in only three words: Luxurious, fun, smart
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: Most important tip of your life: Do not get Cheese Whiz on your cheesesteak. It may sound fun and exciting, but you’re wasting that cheesesteak if you do.

KATIE SKRZEK, vice president/digital director
Travel tip you can’t live without: Avoid checking a bag whenever possible.
Favorite dining experience around the world: Restaurant hopping in New Orleans, my favorite food city
Travel app you can’t live without: Lyft
Favorite family travel memory: Visiting Los Angeles for the first time with my parents when I was in grade school
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? Exploring glaciers in Iceland
Describe GT in only three words: Dynamic, entertaining, informative
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: Philadelphia’s Midtown Village section has a large concentration of great bars and restaurants, many of which are on the city’s “best of” lists.

PATRICIA VANIKIOTIS, associate editor/copy editor
Travel tip you can’t live without: Resist the temptation to try to see “everything” at a destination; edit your sightseeing list to avoid exhaustion and overload.
Favorite dining experience around the world: Taking part in a multicourse Italian cooking class/ dinner on a friend’s terrace and outdoor kitchen in a small village in Italy.
Travel app you can’t live without: Uber
Favorite family travel memory: Five of us crammed into a taxi heading to a beach on Santoríni
What is one experience you’ve had around the world you’d recommend to others? Harvesting and crushing wine grapes followed by an alfresco lunch at an agriturismo in Italy
Describe GT in only three words: Dynamic, enlightening, appealing
Insider tip for travelers visiting your hometown: (Portland, Ore.) While the downtown core has much to offer, get out into some of the many self-contained neighborhoods which offer eclectic dining, entertainment and shopping experiences.