Best Aquarium

Chelle Koster Walton — the Local Expert for...  Read More

Chelle Koster Walton — the Local Expert for Naples, Florida and the Caribbean — has been covering the destination for 30 years. Her top-selling Sarasota, Sanibel Island, and Naples guidebook (Countryman Press) is in its sixth edition. She was contributing editor for Caribbean Travel & Life for 12 years and has written guidebooks on the Bahamas. A veteran travel writer, Chelle has published thousands of articles for Miami Herald, USA TODAY, Latitudes; has written/contributed to a dozen guidebooks, and produces travel shows for the local PBS station.

‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor...  Read More

‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, an adventure travel writer, board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and 22-year veteran of the outdoor and travel industries. While he’s lived all over the U.S. and traveled to more than 30 countries, he has the most fun when he’s exploring with his wife Sally and two daughters. An avid outdoors person, he’s happiest on a trail, on skis, or nestled into a sleeping bag. Learn more about him and his work at www.chezconnects.com.  

Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home...  Read More

Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA). In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits and activities that blow?"

Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50...  Read More

Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only. Jamie can be reached at jamiesmithwrites@gmail.com.

Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los...  Read More

Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist, editor and party columnist specializing in travel, entertainment, film, food, wine, fashion and the other good things in life. She is a founding/voting member of the Critics Choice Association, who present the Critics’ Choice Awards every January. Her favorite places to be are on the beach in Southern California playing volleyball, scuba diving with the sharks in warm tropical waters or strolling the streets and soaking in the atmosphere of one of the world's great cities (New Orleans and Florence are her favorites).

Kristen Lummis is a freelance writer based in...  Read More

Kristen Lummis is a freelance writer based in Western Colorado. The mom of two now-adult sons, Lummis broke into her writing career through snowsports, founding the website braveskimom.com in 2010 to provide family-friendly tips across a full range of winter topics. And while skiing is Lummis’ first true outdoor love, she grew up camping, hiking, biking, kayaking and traveling extensively with her family — pursuits that she continues today. She prides herself on unbiased opinions, based on activities and destinations she’s visited and experienced. Lummis is honored to be considered an “expert” for 10Best. Follow her @braveskimom on Instagram and Facebook. 

Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh...  Read More

Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh who covers family travel, lifestyle, education, and parenting. With their four kids in tow, she and her husband love to travel anywhere and everywhere — but have a soft spot for camping and outdoor adventures. In fact, her kids are well on their way to achieving their goal of visiting all 124 state parks in Pennsylvania. Meg believes travel doesn’t need to be luxurious or costly to be valuable, and aims to share that with her audience. Meg’s work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Thrillist, The Washington Post, Fodor’s, Yahoo, Good Housekeeping, Romper, and more. Follow Meg on Instagram and Twitter at @megstesprit or check out her work on https://megstesprit.com/

Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in...  Read More

Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in Manhattan, she now lives on the sunny island of Montreal and covers  the Caribbean for a variety of publications  including  USA TODAY 10Best, CaribbeanTravel.com and MarryCaribbean.com.  A journalist with a boatload of writer awards under her belt, Melanie's affection for the Caribbean started  young when her family vacationed in Puerto Rico.   An avid fan of spicy food,   Melanie enjoys the diversity of Montreal - especially during the warmer months -when she's not en route to the Caribbean. She  holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto. 

Molly O'Brien is a Los Angeles-based freelance...  Read More

Molly O'Brien is a Los Angeles-based freelance travel journalist, who writes and edits for a variety of international travel and lifestyle outlets including Fodor’s Travel, Travel + Leisure, and Business Insider among others. She's lived on both coasts from Massachusetts to California and has so far made Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Luis Obispo, Barcelona, and Los Angeles her home.  Molly earned her journalism degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast of California and since then has worked professionally in the fields of hospitality and travel PR and most recently, as a freelance travel writer and editor. Molly especially enjoys covering feature profiles about interesting people doing interesting things such as chocolate making, beekeeping, wing-walking, and interesting destinations like under-the-radar wine spots, the best brewery towns, and lesser-known ski destinations.  She also loves to write about a boutique hotel with a good story. When she's not writing, Molly enjoys spending time outdoors, exploring new coffee shops and breweries, and of course, traveling.  Her favorite city in the world (so far) is Barcelona, Spain, but she loves traveling anywhere that offers sunny weather and ample hiking opportunities. She loves spending time in the mountains, enjoys connecting with nature through camping and glamping adventures, and is always up for learning about the world through fun, immersive experiences (and then sharing those stories!).  You can connect with Molly here:  Instagram: @metropolitanmolly Twitter: @Molly_A_OBrien Facebook: @MetropolitanMolly LinkedIn: @mollyannobrien www.metropolitanmolly.com

Tamara Gane is an expert panel member for 10Best...  Read More

Tamara Gane is an expert panel member for 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. She's based in Reno/Lake Tahoe and in addition to USA Today 10Best, her work has been published in Travel & Leisure, Fodor's Travel, The Washington Post, SF Gate, Houston Chronicle, Lonely Planet, and more.

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,...  Read More

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.