Explore the Magic of River Cruises: Sail Through France with Me and the Magic

In this episode, we’re taking a deep dive into the enchanting world of river cruises, with insights from travel experts Beci Mahnken and Grace Korba with MEI-Travel and Mouse Fan Travel. This episode’s focus is on river cruising in France, with a special announcement about the 2026 Me and the Magic group trip—a Seine River cruise with AmaWaterways.

The Allure of River Cruises

Beci describes river cruising as an experience that blends intimacy with breathtaking scenery. Unlike ocean cruises that accommodate thousands of guests, river cruises offer a more personal experience. River cruises provide the advantage of docking in small, picturesque towns right at the city center, where travelers can disembark and immerse themselves in local culture, history, and cuisine. This smaller scale allows travelers to experience the charm of Europe’s waterways and embrace the quaint settings of riverside towns without the hassle of long bus rides from distant ports.

Why Choose a Seine River Cruise in France?

One of the highlights discussed in the episode is the upcoming 2026 Me and the Magic group cruise, a Seine River cruise starting and ending in Paris, with AmaWaterways. This particular cruise offers an array of experiences that cater to history buffs, art lovers, and those with a passion for culinary delights. Whether you’re gazing at the resplendent architecture in Paris, exploring Claude Monet’s home in Giverny, or walking through the storied cobblestone streets of medieval towns like Rouen, there’s something for everyone. The cruise takes you through Normandy’s historical landscapes, offering travelers the profound experience of visiting the D-Day beaches, a site of monumental importance and reflection for many visitors.

What Sets AmaWaterways Apart?

Selecting the right cruise line is essential for an unforgettable river cruise experience. AmaWaterways stands out due to its commitment to providing exquisite culinary experiences, superior guest services, and a family-operated atmosphere where travelers feel like a part of something special. Grace highlights the regionally inspired cuisine as a standout feature, which pairs exquisitely with local wines. The fleet’s design ensures intimate yet spacious accommodations, with plenty of opportunities for private contemplation or social interactions, making AmaWaterways an attractive choice for solo travelers or group adventurers alike.

Planning Your Journey: What to Consider

While river cruises are magical experiences, there are logistics to consider. The flow and height of the river can affect itineraries, as ships may need to adjust routes due to environmental conditions. Travelers can engage in daily excursions, many of which are included in the cruise price, offering ample opportunities to explore without worrying about additional costs. Whether you’re interested in guided city tours, bicycle rides, or more leisurely explorations of villages, there’s an excursion for every pace and interest.

Booking and Embarking on Your Adventure

For those looking to embark on this journey, booking early with MEI Travel offers a reduced deposit and discount for the first few bookings, and there’s flexibility in combining pre-cruise extensions in Paris. These options enable travelers to make the most of their time, further exploring the marvels of Paris or even heading to Disneyland Paris before embarking on the river cruise. With ample downtime for catching up and connecting with fellow travelers onboard, this trip promises to blend adventure with relaxation.

Join Me and the Magic on this 2026 Group Cruise

River cruising with the Me and the Magic community is an opportunity to connect, discover, and celebrate life’s magic along one of Europe’s most storied rivers with friends. Whether it’s the historical landmarks, the cultural treasures, or the promise of new friendships, this Seine River cruise leads the way for you to explore, share, and experience the world in a uniquely intimate manner.

Don’t miss out on this enchanting journey with Me and the Magic. Whether revisiting France’s historic sites or savoring the local delicacies, this experience is sure to create memories that will last a lifetime. Pack your sense of adventure and prepare for a magical experience as you set sail in September 2026.

Click below to get the full itinerary and a quote from MEI-Travel

Empowerment through Travel: A Conversation with Doni Belau

Exploring the World with Girls’ Guide to the World

In the latest episode of the Me and the Magic podcast, host Amanda Bauner talks with Doni Belau, founder of Girls’ Guide to the World, to discuss the empowering nature of travel for women. Their conversation touches on the importance of knowledgeable guides, the benefits of small group travel, the allure of specific travel destinations, and insights on traveling solo as a woman. Here’s what you can look forward to hearing in this enlightening episode.

Empowering Women through Travel

Doni Belau emphasizes the transformative power travel holds, especially for women. Doni’s organization, Girls’ Guide to the World, curates women-only tours designed to empower participants by providing authentic travel experiences. Doni explains that travel is an investment in wellness, not just a luxury. It contributes to a sense of fulfillment, mental well-being, and even longevity. By creating a supportive platform, her organization enables women to explore the world without feeling constricted by societal expectations.

Importance of Knowledgeable Guides

A key focus for Doni is ensuring that travelers are guided by individuals with a broad worldview and extensive local knowledge. Whether exploring the bustling streets of Mexico City or the serene landscapes of Namibia, having a guide who understands and appreciates the local culture enriches the experience. This approach goes beyond mere sightseeing; it involves deep engagement with the destination, from dining with a female chef in Slovenia to learning pottery in Japan’s Kyushu Peninsula.

Authentic Travel Experiences

For Doni, authentic travel means immersing oneself in the local culture and making meaningful connections with the people. She cites trips to destinations like Oaxaca, Mexico, and Zambia, where the focus is on unique, culturally immersive experiences rather than tourist-centric activities. Authentic travel also means being mindful of one’s impact, avoiding over-tourism by visiting less crowded places and times, and showing respect for the local environment and traditions.

Upcoming Trips with Girls’ Guide to the World

Doni shares exciting details about future trips with Girls’ Guide to the World, including mindfulness retreats in Maui, Hawaii, and holiday-themed journeys to Charleston, South Carolina. Her organization also plans unique wine-tasting tours in the fertile Willamette Valley of Oregon and the famed vineyards of Sonoma and Napa. Each trip caters to a small group, typically between six and ten participants, fostering a sense of community and closer connections among travelers.

Small Group Dynamics and Personal Safety

Amanda and Doni delve into the dynamics of small group travel, noting the advantages of intimate groups that ensure no one feels left out. This approach allows participants to form lasting friendships, with many returning for future trips. Small groups also make it easier to travel in comfort, like in luxurious Mercedes Sprinter vans, and stay in unique, locally-owned accommodations.

Safety is a primary concern for solo female travelers. Doni emphasizes that her tours are designed with safety in mind, using experienced local guides and focusing on destinations where infrastructure and support are robust. Moreover, the trips are open to English-speaking women over 21, promoting an inclusive yet secure environment.

Solo Travel as a Path to Empowerment

The statistics Doni shares are telling: 85% of the women who join Girls’ Guide to the World tours travel solo, with most participants being over 45 years old. Many are motivated by recent life changes, such as divorce or widowhood, and find traveling solo to be an empowering and life-affirming experience. The trend reflects a societal shift where traveling alone is not only accepted but encouraged as a form of personal growth.

Amanda echoes this sentiment, sharing her own ambitions to visit all 50 U.S. states and highlighting her dedication to meaningful, authentic travel.

Join Me and the Magic in Alaska in 2025!

As the episode draws to a close, Amanda invites listeners to consider joining the upcoming Me and the Magic group cruise to Alaska in July 2025. Set to sail on the Celebrity Edge from Seattle, this seven-night adventure promises spectacular scenery and shared experiences, reinforcing the message that travel, especially in an empowering community, is a journey worth taking.

Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or just starting, the insights shared by Amanda Bauner and Doni Belau remind us of the beauty, diversity, and empowerment that travel can offer.

Connect with Doni Belau

Connect with Doni Belau and Girls’ Guide to the World at the official website, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Learn about what it’s like to be a digital nomad, traveling around the world, in this latest episode of Me and the Magic! Host Amanda Bauner and our inspiring guest, musician and artist Catherine Gairard, share their passion for exploring new horizons both physically and spiritually.

3 Key Takeaways for Digital Nomads

• Trust Your Instincts: Catherine emphasizes the importance of staying present, trusting your intuition, and maintaining positive energy to ensure safety while traveling solo, especially for women.
• Embrace Cultural Exchange: We delve into the interconnectedness of food, music, and dance as reflections of diverse cultures. Learning from and respecting different perspectives can enrich your understanding of the world.
• Manifest Your Dreams: Catherine opens up about how aligning with her higher self and manifesting opportunities has enabled her to live the digital nomad lifestyle, advising listeners to evaluate their skills for online work and create the life they envision.

Join us as we discuss self-growth through travel, from Cozumel’s green ray phenomenon to the historical splendor of Athens’ Parthenon. Stay inspired and keep dreaming! 

Connect with Catherine on Instagram, and check out Catherine’s YouTube channel for her music.

Come along for this review of the book “100 Disney Adventures of a Lifetime: Magical Experiences from Around the World”, and find new Disney adventures to add to your wish list!

Last year, I bought a few travel books when Barnes & Noble was having a major sale. One of those books was National Geographic’s 100 Disney Adventures of a Lifetime: Magical Experiences from Around the World, by Marcy Carriker Smothers, with a foreward by Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde. 

I only recently opened the book and started reading through it. A quote by Walt Disney in the introduction made me realize that this was something that I must share with you, because Walt was celebrating travel and adventure, and of course that touched my heart! Here’s what Walt said about travel and adventure: “Always, as you travel, assimilate the sounds and sight of the world.”  If you’re not familiar with the word “assimilate”, it means to take in and understand fully. If you know the history of Walt Disney, then you know that Walt took inspiration from all aspects of his life for Walt Disney Studios productions and of course for the Disney parks.

Walt Disney’s Adventures Around the World

Walt’s travels were a significant source of inspiration for him. Walt was a true adventurer. The book gives several examples of how Walt’s travels inspired Disney productions and the Disney parks. Here are a few:

• Walt traveled to Germany and saw the Alweg monorail, and that inspired the Disneyland-Alweg monorail system.
• Walt loved Hawaii and vacationed there many times. Those vacations inspired the Disney short Hawaiian Holiday, released in 1937.
• Maybe the most well-known inspiration is the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, it inspired Walt and imagineers when they created the Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland. 

Walt Disney set such a beautiful example of how travel inspires our creativity and brings us joy. Think about all the entertainment, park areas and attractions that Walt and other Imagineers have created over the years, inspired by their travels. Joe Rohde talked in this book’s forward about how he and other Imagineers traveled on expeditions to research creating Disney’s Animal Kingdom park. They camped in the Serengeti, went on scientific research expeditions in the Himalayas, went caving in Thailand, and more.

I truly believe that travel connects us all, and not just while we are traveling. We bring back home with us our experiences while traveling – the different cultures we immersed ourselves in, and our memories of people we met and their stories.

The five chapters of the book are discussed, with adventures selected from each chapter to highlight.

• Chapter 1: Let’s Go Fly a Kite: Adventures for All Ages
• Chapter 2: Adventure Is a Wonderful Thing: Activities for the Tame and Daring
• Chapter 3: A Whole New World: Vacations and Excursions around the Globe
• Chapter 4: Be Our Guest: From Counter Service to White Tablecloth Dining
• Chapter 5: When You Wish Upon a Star: Once-in-a-Lifetime Splurges

There is something for everyone in these magical experiences. Find what appeals to you, and go for it! Have your best Disney adventure yet!

Resources

Read the book discussed in this episode, “100 Disney Adventures of a Lifetime: Magical Experiences from Around the World” by Marcy Carriker Smothers.

Join us for our next group trip together, the Adventures by Disney Southern California and Disneyland trip, September 15-20, 2024. Read more about the details and pricing here. Also, listen to Episode 064 for a recap of this exact itinerary by Kim Buckley, and listen to Episode 104 to find out what makes an Adventures by Disney vacation so special.

Listen to Episode 065 to hear more about Walt’s – An American Restaurant at Disneyland Paris.

Today, Lindsay Dollinger, host of The Purpose and Pixie Dust Podcast, joins me to share her experiences with both group travel and solo travel in Europe and South America. Enjoy this fun discussion, including several tips for women traveling solo.

Connect with Lindsay at LindsayDollinger.com and on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest.

In this episode…

Jason Canapp, creator of Here with the Magic and host of the Soundscapes by Here with the Magic podcast, is back! Jason shares his family’s recent experience in Amsterdam and then aboard the Celebrity Apex on a 12-night Scandinavian cruise.

Resources from this episode

Learn more about the Celebrity Apex!

Check out Here with the Magic.

Enjoy the Soundscapes by Here with the Magic podcast.

Join InspirED Education, October 10-12, 2022 in Orlando, for this conference for educators! Use promo code TRAVELFORALL for $150 off your registration fee!

I recommend the Upside app for cash back on gas, groceries, and restaurant purchases. The app is so easy to use, and it’s free! Use my invite code of WFD29 for an extra 15 cents per gallon cash back on your first purchase!

Connect with Jason

Connect with Jason at Here with the Magic on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Have you dreamed of exploring France, including Paris, wineries, and the French countryside? If you’re like me, you’ve also dreamt of going to Disneyland Paris! Jaime Williams just returned from nearly a month in France, and she’s here to share all about her solo trip to Disneyland Paris. Jaime also shares more of her favorite places in France, and she shares some great international solo travel tips and recommendations.

Connect with Jaime in the Disney Travel for All community or via email at ja***********@****ch.edu.