Beautiful house!! We had tea this morning and got a tour of the house afterwards. The food was…read moregood, if a bit heavy on the sweets. Hibiscus and English Breakfast tea was served with all the little fixings. We also got to meet Charlotte the cat, who is SUCH a little sweetheart. She's a real people lover and won't say no to a good pet. Everyone was so friendly and the tour was very interesting. I think I'll pay another visit sometime, it was so awesome :)

I attended a great community event here today thanks to the #willmoreassociation for a fantastic…read morebreakfast. The Bembridge House is a hidden gem in Long Beach if you haven't visited , it's totally worth it. The only thing is that parking is very impacted in the area, I was lucky today to secure a parking spot. I was told by a very nice lady there will be a Halloween party here this year. Put on your list for a place to visit check the website for tour info....

I can't say enough good things about Harbor breeze cruises. They are even going to be offering jet…read moreski paddle board and paddle boat rentals this summer the 45 minute cruise is such a pleasure. I'll post more pictures soon. I'm going on another one. I love the snack bar and bar. There's a bathroom on board and the crew is fun and lively. If you have a party with a bunch of people or friends, this is a great way to get everyone on a boat for less than an hour and go back to what you're doing and enjoy all the beautiful sites and scenery, and beautiful parks of San Pedro.

We came in a day early to see and enjoy LA before our cruise. We decided to take a tour of the…read moreHarbor. Very affordable and the captain gave great history about the different spots he went by. There were drinks and snacks to purchase on board. I noticed almost everyone didn't tip?!?! So just a heads up. It's always a polite thing to do to tip your crew! You don't have to go crazy but anything it's just a nice gesture. Also they also offer whale watching at an affordable price. I have always wanted to do that and will definitely book that when we are back in LA in a few months.

Whether you're a Southern California local (like me) or visiting from out of state (like my aunt…read morewho joined), the Little Saigon Food Tour led by Hai Minh is an incredible experience. It's thoughtfully organized, with the perfect blend of culture, history, storytelling, and standout bites along the way. Highly recommend if you want to experience the hidden gem of Little Saigon in Westminster!!

This food tour of Little Saigon was great. Our host took us to places that gave us a varied mix of…read moredelicious dishes that highlighted the unique flavors of Vietnamese cuisine! At each stop she explained the dish we were having and how it became an important part of the cuisine. Along the way she shared her knowledge of the history and facts about Little Saigon. This is a great way to experience what this community has to offer!

Sean and his team created an amazing once in a lifetime tour of Cuzco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu…read morefor my sister and I just a few weeks ago. The tailored, bespoked tour was created in conjunction with my sister, who had done her research on the region, but Sean recommended sites and places that we could have never found on our own. We were pretty adamant about having close encounters with llamas and alpacas, which we were told would be strolling along the streets of Cuzco- umm, not true. Thankfully, his team knew just where we could feed them up close and personal and learn more about them. Julio, our guide for the 3 days was knowledgeable, friendly and so very conscientious- at certain parts of the tour, we were traveling alone, and he'd give us super clear instructions as well as call and check in on us several times, especially knowing that we couldn't speak any Spanish. Julio, being a local from the region also knew all the little ins and outs of the places we explored, including best spots for photography. Americo, our driver for the tour did not speak English, but you wouldn't have even known that. He was so friendly, warm and again, concientious. And can we chat about his dressing? So chic and dapper! My sis and I wish he was our warm and friendly uncle we could visit in the highlands...! For a bespoked, tailored tour package, Adventures to Peru was very affordable, professional and a great value. Sean was very diligent in responding to all our queries (silly or otherwise) in a timely and respectful manner. He even met up with us the day prior to our tour to hand us tickets and go through instructions again. And his team was truly top notch. I highly recommend traveling through Peru with Adventures to Peru for the best, most detailed, interesting experience.

When my girlfriend said her budget for a 9 day trip was $1000.00, I thought it couldn't be done,…read morebut with Sean's patience and professionalism, we talked about what elements were crucial and what we could skip or minimize and he pulled the rabbit out of the hat. We had an amazing adventure starting in Lima, heading to Cuzco, exploring the Sacred Valley, a train ride to Aquas Calientes, a day at Machu Picchu, time to Explore and hike, a river raft excursion that had us laughing for two hours straight. The hotels were clean, the staff was friendly. Every guide we had was professional, courteous and on time. Every airport we visited had a smiling face to greet us holding a sign with our names on it. Trust me when you don't speak the language, it's a really nice luxury. I felt really well taken care of the entire trip. Sean even called our hotel room to touch base one evening about half way through. His insight is priceless on aspects like travel time, flight schedules, tipping guidelines, and altitude sickness possibilities. He ordered our trip so that we'd be at our best when we got to Machu Picchu. He built in down time just when we needed it. I'd never return to Peru without his insight, but I feel like a left a small piece of my heart there. Thank you so much Sean.

We used Peter to book our trip to Croatia. We were celebrating our son's graduation from college…read more Croatia was beautiful ! Wonderful vacation for us. We flew Lufthansa Airlines. They were not so wonderful. This airline is horrible! Going to Croatia and coming home our flights were screwed up. We got stuck flying to different cities both ways and had to stay the night in a hotel . They would not comp us a room. Missed the first day of vacation in Croatia. On the way home our flights were screwed up again, missed our flight in Frankfurt, Germany. We had to stay an extra night on the East coast due to Lufthansa Airline incompetence . We live in California , had to fly to Boston and stay the night. They would not comp us a room. In the morning we flew to Denver and back to California. Peter was great . My suggestion would be NOT to use Lufthansa Airlines when booking your trip .

Irena and the whole crew here are amazing. Words can not express how helpful they have been for…read moreus. Going above and beyond. Guiding helping with documents and travel. We live about an hour and a half away, but drive all the way down here because we know we're gonna get 100% attention with our service and everything always comes out smoothly. We did a lot of phone emailing and then come down in person when we have to for translations, notary and travel. Highly recommend this fabulous crew for all your needs.

A Trip of a Lifetime - Perfectly Planned and Unforgettable…read more We recently returned from the trip of a lifetime to Liverpool and Wales, and we owe it all to Across the Pond Vacations. From start to finish, the experience was absolutely seamless--more than we could have hoped for in every way. Simon was simply incredible to work with. From our very first conversation, he truly listened and engaged with us, taking the time to understand what we were looking for and what would make this trip meaningful. He was not only knowledgeable and kind, but also fun and easy to work with--a true expert who clearly loves what he does. Every little detail was thought of and perfectly executed. We especially appreciated the combination of the electronic app and the beautifully organized binder that laid out each day's itinerary. Both made it easy to stay on track while still feeling relaxed and unhurried. The experiences Simon booked for us were spot-on--above and beyond our expectations, and so perfectly suited to our tastes. It felt like every activity and destination had been selected just for us. We never had to worry about a thing, which allowed us to be fully present and soak in every unforgettable moment. If you're dreaming of a customized, thoughtfully curated vacation across the pond, look no further. We can't recommend Across the Pond Vacations--and Simon--highly enough. Truly an unforgettable journey!

I am taking this opportunity to write this way overdue review on my trip to England October…read more15-October 30, 2024, personally crafted by Across The Pond Vacations. I initially contacted Anne Marie Clarke late in October, 2019 with the intent of going to England possibly in May, 2020. Then Covid happened which put my plans on hold. I can't recall exactly when I again contacted Across The Pond but think possibly April, 2024. Having traveled a fair amount I prefer private and not large group tours. I did my research and although there are many well known companies that had good reviews and offered customized private tours I wanted to deal with a boutique firm and ATP was just that. Additionally, that they were located in the U.S., knew England very well as both Anne Marie and Simon Clarke (from England originally) lived there for many years was a plus. It took several revisions to come up with the "perfect" itinerary, and as hectic as it was at times, I had a wonderful trip. The hotels with their staff were wonderful and very accommodating. I appreciated that the hotels were ideally located and welcoming. I will be writing a separate review for each hotel in London, Bath, The Cotswalds, York and Liverpool. The private guides to include driver/guides I had were marvelous with whom I established a real connection and remain in contact with a few of them. There is a reason why these individuals deserve the title of Blue Badge Guides and were expertly selected by Across The Pond Vacations. The transport arranged - private drivers, were courteous, personable and of course on time. Although I appreciated the in depth itinerary with directions provided by Google Maps, the binder was a bit much to carry around especially since I was taking trains and carrying my own luggage. Each day I would take the appropriate page out of the binder to guide me. I believe an option to receive all digitally would be welcome for those who embrace technology as many of us are adept with using Google Maps and Apps. It would be wonderful if ATP had an app (although I recognize this can be costly to develop) to use such as Travefy or some such itinerary planner. Additionally, the use of WhatsApp could facilitate any communications necessary when travelling as there are small tour companies that set up "group chats" when a client is traveling. Overall I appreciated that my trip was designed in such a way that I would not be "overscheduled". There was adequate time to meet the guides and spend time touring and tickets for the sites had appropriately timed entrances. Although all was wonderful, a dream for me was to see Les Miserables at the Sondheim Theatre in the West End - London. I had tea at Claridges prior to the performance. When Anne Marie and Simon found out that The Blenheim Palace would be closed they arranged for me to have more time with my Cotswalds guide and I received a mini-tour of Oxford. A refund for my ticket was initiated promptly after the trip. There were so many highlights and so many pictures to show but unfortunately I am unable to add them but trust me this trip was a photographers heaven. I loved the small group tour arranged to The Yorkshire Dales and upon my return binge watched All Creatures Great and Small, got my Bridgerton fix in Bath and so many more memories. Now that I have binged 7 seasons of Outlander Scotland is on my list. If anyone reading this review has specific questions, please do message me. I do recommend Across The Pond Vacations for your Great Britain travels.

A fun factory tour if you're in the area!…read more If you are traveling through the Fountain Valley area, the free Yakult Factory Tour is a fantastic gem of a stop. We integrated a Wednesday 2:00 PM tour into our road trip from the Bay Area down to Carlsbad (Legoland), and it was a highly worthwhile 60-minute break for the whole family. While the official online policy states that children must be five years or older, we brought our three and six-year-old boys and had absolutely no issues. The one-hour tour is surprisingly engaging, even for young kids. It covers a high-level history of the brand, a look at some neat historical memorabilia, and a walk through of the active factory floor where you can see the fermentation, bottling and packaging process, though photos are unfortunately not allowed in that section. They are also incredibly generous, providing free squishy toys alongside full size samples of both the classic and low-calorie Yakult drinks. Growing up drinking Yakult when I visited my grandparents in Taiwan and getting them as treats in the bay, it was fascinating for me to learn more about its history after its founding in Japan, and both of our boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves. When you arrive (or before you leave), there are a couple of great photo opportunities outside the factory, including a life-size Yakult bottle. I also asked the staff if they plan to sell branded merchandise in the future, and they mentioned it is highly likely in the works, though not available just yet. While we wouldn't suggest making a dedicated trip just for this, it is a highly recommended, high-value stop if you are already traveling through the area. Our boys also are very excited now when we get Yakult from the local Asian grocery store and know that you should drink one bottle a day for the right amount of probiotics :)

We had so much fun on our Yakult Factory tour!…read more Our tour guide went over the history of Yakult, discussed the benefits of probiotics, and led us through the factory where Yakult is made from start to finish. We even got to sample Yakult (regular) and Yakult Light (low calorie version). At the end of our tour they handed out cute Yakult stickers as souvenirs. No gift shop :( Some notable things I learned on the tour: -Yakult is not supposed to be frozen. Freezing/thawing Yakult kills the probiotics -The L. paracasei strain Shirota has been proven to survive in stomach acid conditions so that they make it into your intestines alive -Yakult will be opening their second US factory in Georgia! And it will be way bigger! FREE tours can be booked on their website. Tours are only available on weekdays and last about an hour. Plenty of parking in their parking lot. No photography during the factory portion.

My mother and I had the best trip of our lives thanks to Kabira Safaris and our guide Arshley…read moreBrian. Our guide arrived promptly on time with a warm welcoming smile that remained with us for the duration of our journey. Arshley is the most knowledgeable guide I've encountered amongst my numerous African safari experiences. His broad knowledge of the Ugandan wildlife with an unmatchable expertise of birds and trees enhanced our experience and appreciation for the beauty Uganda has to offer. His vast awareness of wildlife along with his dynamic personality kept us entertained and engaged while traveling between national parks and forests. Arshley has an exceptionally trained eye and was able to spot a leopard in a tree that most would need binoculars to see. He continually exposed us to many new species beyond what I expected to encounter. While getting to know Arshley, I learned of his many accolades in guiding, birding, and forestry. He is the reason our experience was both educational and enjoyable. Arshley is so easy to talk to that by day two he was not just our guide, but also a close friend. He is fun and happy and this made our experience extra special. He was continuously concerned about our comfort level and general well-being as was Sharon, our program planner from Kabira, who would often check-in to ensure we were having the best possible trip. When deciding on our specific itinerary, Sharon always responded promptly and supportively. I had many questions and concerns as one does when planning an expensive overseas excursion. Sharon helped put me at ease by thoroughly walking me through each step of the process. She even took a midnight phone call from me when I needed last minute assistance with the payment process. It was such a wonderful surprise when she took the time to meet us on our final evening and presented us with a thank you gift. Our favorite day was the Gorilla Habituation Experience where we spent four hours with a magnificent mountain gorilla family. Although the cost of the permit was quite pricey, it was well worth it to encounter these creatures so up close and personal. I have fallen in love with the country, its peoples, and all the land has to offer. When I come back, there's no question that I will be using Kabira again.

It was a great choice, the costs are affordable and planning is very flexible. Our trip was short…read morebut with a very good guide, we all wished we had stayed longer. Kabira Safaris is very recommended for planning a trip.