The whole trip seemed straightforward enough, so I booked an apartment in Venice a week before my flight, and I asked absolutely ZERO questions about what would happen after getting off the plane. In fact, I should have done more research — so here are five things you should know (and I figured out on the fly) before you book a trip to Venice.

In my travels, I've certainly had the I-can't-believe-I-spent-money-on-that regret, but I've also had experiences that had me ready to turn around and buy another ticket the same day. Below are five of the experiences I'd pay to do again and again.

I grew up going to Jacksonville for family vacations. I'm sure my family had a lot of reasons for choosing it, but regardless, the JAX area became a place we returned to frequently, whether it was Ponte Vedra, Amelia Island, or good ol' Neptune Beach. As an adult, it's become a beach I'm quite fond of, beyond just the nostalgia of my childhood. So the review in short? Jacksonville Beach is worth a visit, despite how often it's overlooked.

Everyone wants to do their 30th birthday big, but for as often as I plan flights, accommodations, and other travel logistics, I am — quite frankly — terrible at making plans. So this year, I did what I do best. I booked a flight to see my best friend, reserved an Air BnB with Carolina Domes in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and spent my day doing what I don't do best: relaxing.

The story about that time I camped with someone I'd only known for a few weeks on an island I'd never visited, as someone who had only ever been camping once.

You've heard it on every travel page you've ever seen, so I can't say you heard it here first, but maybe I can say now you've heard it from someone you trust: Albania needs to be on your bucket list.