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Dear Traveler,

Whenever and wherever you travel, let your default response be this: YES.

In 2013, I've traveled in edgy places (Egypt and Palestine) and light and cheery places (Scotland and France) and it's clear to me: wherever you park your suitcase, the vibrancy of your trip is determined by how game you are to stir up personal, authentic experiences. Skip the tourist show in the hotel ballroom, and say "yes" to grabbing the serendipities that flutter by.

If a piece of street art catches your eye, as it did for me in Bethlehem, walk out of your way to study it. (I did, snapped a photo, and later discovered it was a "Banksy" — big in the graffiti world.) If you're flying out at noon, as I did in Iceland, squeeze one more memory into your trip on the way to the airport. (I took a relaxing pre-flight dip in the geothermal Blue Lagoon spa.) If a scenic stretch of real estate has always piqued your curiosity, get up early and hop on a bus for its entire length. (It's an easy adventure from Sorrento, the springboard for Italy's Amalfi Coast.)

This month's Travel News offers inspiration for making those winding scenic rides a reality, navigating Europe's superhighways, eating on a budget in expensive cities, and how to make your hotel room feel homey on your terms (learn my personal tricks with a candid video tour of my room in Reims, France).

Right now my head is swimming from all the amazing experiences we've filmed for TV across Israel and Palestine. To stow away with us, I'm blogging daily about my adventure at Rick Steves on Facebook. And on November 21st I'll webcast a special talk about my Holy Land trip — don't miss it!

For me, 2013 has been rich with YES travel moments and memories — I hope you can say the same. Either way, another travel year is coming 'round the bend. Let's enjoy it to the fullest.

Happy travels,

Rick