Andrews Tips

Andrew Mortan looking up, surrounded by trees

Hi, I'm Andrew Morten from Little America. I was born and brought up in New Zealand and have travelled a lot through the last 45 years. After years of experience in the travel industry with my company TravelEssence, I started Little America in 2018. I wanted to arrange holidays to Canada and the United States as I always did to Australia and New Zealand: slow-paced stays in small-scale accommodations, and "off the beaten track." So that's not a 3 week trip in a camper ticking off the highlights at breakneck speed. I often travel with my wife and three small kids and along the way have learned how to and how not to travel. Here are a few points and tips.

Take it slowly

Too many people try to see too much in far too short time. Canada and the United States need almost a year to see everything. Unless you have this much time, don’t try to race from one place to the next trying to see it all. It will wreck your holiday. Select your locations carefully. Spend 2-4 nights in selected locations, experience them well, get to know them. Enjoy them!

The longer you are away, the more relaxed you need to be.

If you stay one or two nights and try to see too much, after 3 or so weeks it will start to get a bit much. Take your time and soak up the places you are visiting. You will see far more.

Make yourself at home.

It’s not realistic to eat out every night for 3 or more weeks, or take clothes for 4 or more weeks. Accommodation with kitchens and washing machines, along with a 3-5 night stay ensure you can make yourself at home. It may sound boring now but when you are there it will seem like the most sensible advice you have heard about your trip.

Ask yourself if you plan to make this a once in a lifetime trip, or whether you plan to visit again one day.

This will really affect how, what and when you travel. It’s a critical thing to think about. If you plan to come back again then select a few areas that suit the season you are travelling and see them well.

Don’t Waste Your Precious Holiday

People underestimate how long it takes to find accommodation as you travel. Instead of being able to arrive at 6 or 7 in the evening in a nice place, you are often looking for somewhere to stay at 3 in the afternoon and usually end up in a motel along the road. Hardly inspiring and a waste of money. This means you need to rush to your next destination plus it means you are wasting time searching for a decent place to stay. You can do that before you travel and get more out of your holiday time.

Spend a few nights in each place and enjoy them.

If you are travelling with 4 or 6 people then nice large houses are very cost effective and give everyone space to feel at home.

Try to travel in shoulder season

It will cost you far less as many accommodation properties offer shoulder season specials. You will also have the country side to yourselves.

Arrange Your Flights Early

They don’t get cheaper, only more expensive closer departure. Also if you need domestic flights, it's better and cheaper to get these with your international flights.

Don't travel with a campervan

If you have been thinking about travelling by a large camper, please talk to us about the pro’s and cons and options. Don’t just default to travelling by camper- its far more expensive and far less fun than you may be thinking right now. Of course we can arrange a camper for you in about 5 seconds, but we would rather spend a few hours and make sure you have the holiday of your dreams.

The tourist highlights are not always the nicest places to visit.