🌎 A $43K Travel Giveaway, The Magic of Southern Live Oaks & How to Spend a Weekend in Jax, plus the latest travel contests, giveaways & news
Vol. 14
Welcome to The Weekly Traveller, Vol. 14!
I started this week participating in a tourism media panel here in Ontario to share some of my thoughts on how travel organizations can effectively partner with content creators.
I love what I do, not only because it offers me the opportunity to travel and learn about some incredible corners of our world, but I also help to connect travellers with meaningful local travel experiences and business owners.
In this edition ⬇️
The Magic of Southern Live Oaks ☀️🌳
Destination Spotlight for the Week: How to Spend a Weekend in Jacksonville, FL ☀️🏖️
Travel contests of the week (over $60K in value!) 🏆
Must-know travel news of the week 🗞️
The Magic of Southern Live Oaks ☀️🌳
I have always loved nature, hiking and learning about new types of plants and trees in my travels. Each part of this world is so distinct, and I remember the first time I saw a picture of a southern live oak, I was captivated.
Whether it’s the beloved bakeapple/cloudberry in sub-arctic regions like Newfoundland and Norway, purple blooming jacaranda trees in Mexico City or Baobab trees in Madagascar and Australia, there are some incredibly unique plants in different parts of our world.
The iconic Southern live oak has its home in the southeastern United States. Known for their wide, spreading canopies and leaves, they offer year-round shade, shelter and mystical wonder.
These awe-inspiring oaks can live for centuries, with winding branches often draped in Spanish moss. Although there are a few places in particular that many associate with southern live oaks—namely Savannah, GA—they can be found as far north as Virginia and in several other states.
Visiting the Oldest Southern Live Oak in Jacksonville, FL
Of course I’ve seen pictures and heard of large southern live oaks in places like Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana, but on a recent trip to Jacksonville, Florida, I had no idea that these famous oaks can be found here, too.
There are southern live oaks all over the city, most notably in older neighbourhoods like Riverside Avondale and Historic Riverside. In fact, the Cummer Museum of Arts and Gardens has a few beautiful ones in its rear gardens along the St. Johns River.
As many as there are in the city, I think it’s pretty adorable that Jacksonville’s “oldest resident” is in fact the Treaty Oak, which can be found near the city’s downtown core. It’s estimated that this oak is about 250 years old, making it older than the city of Jacksonville itself, and even older than the State of Florida, since the Florida Territory was ceded to the United States by Spain in 1821.
Treaty Oak in All Her Glory
The Treaty Oak sits inside the Jessie Ball duPont Park in Jacksonville, and has its own dedicated iron gate, framing it beautifully from the street.
The tree itself makes for a beautiful place to take photos, or just sit and be inspired by its weaving canopy of branches.
After my trip to Jacksonville it’s safe to say I have fallen in love with southern live oaks, and am already looking forward to the next chance I’ll have to see some in person.
Destination Spotlight for the Week: How to Spend a Weekend in Jacksonville, FL ☀️🏖️
I recently posted about how to spend a weekend in Jacksonville, Florida, so I figured this would be a great opportunity to share a guide to taking a weekend getaway here!
Jacksonville (often referred to by locals as “Jax”) is the largest city in the United States by geographic size, so this means it has an abundance of neighbourhoods and areas to visit.
It makes for a great place to take a weekend getaway.
There are a few different ways to think about spending a weekend in Jacksonville, so here are my top tips to consider on a weekend visit here:
Visit the Riverside Arts Market: Held every Saturday under the Fuller Warren Bridge, this market features local artists, food vendors, and live music, offering a great introduction to Jacksonville's creative and passionate communities.
Enjoy stops on a food or beverage trail: There are some great food and drink trails in Jax, which were a staple to help guide our stops during our trip. The Jax Coffee & Donuts Trail, Mayport Shrimp Trail and Jax Ale Trail are full of plenty of ideas for where you can head out while you’re in town.
Relax or go for a walk near Jacksonville Beach: With its expansive shoreline, Jacksonville Beach is perfect for a beach day. It’s also close to some nearby parks, like Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park, making it a great jumping off point for enjoying some of the city’s more nature-filled corners.
For my complete guide to taking a weekend getaway in Jacksonville, feel free to check out my full article.
Deals and Contests of the Week 🏆
Win a $43,000 dream adventure for two with G Adventures. The grand prize winner of the Love the World giveaway will win a $28,000 G Adventures travel voucher, and $15,000 in flights. Plus there are 8 weekly draws for trips for two valued at $7K each. Contest closes May 31, 2025. Open to residents of Canada (excluding: Quebec), USA, UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Finland, and Luxembourg.
Win a 4-day, 3-night luxury all-inclusive vacation for two at a Sandals or Beaches resort of your choice. Contest closes June 30, 2025. Open to residents of Canada and the USA.
Win $10,000 dream vacation with TravelPerks. You could win a vacation for your choice of cruises, tours or resorts with TravelPerks. Contest closes April 13, 2025. Open to residents of the USA only.
Travel News of the Week 🗞️
A recent article shared that Kyoto, Japan has approved a $130+ nightly tax on luxury hotel stays. The new tax will begin in March 2026, and is designed to help curb overtourism in the city.
New Zealand has extended their digital nomad program. Visitors can come to live and work in New Zealand for a foreign employer and stay to work remotely for up to nine months.
After a devastating earthquake hit Myanmar and parts of Thailand on March 28, Condé Nast Traveler shared some important travel safety updates for visitors.
And that’s it for this week! Stay tuned for next week’s edition. If you like The Weekly Traveller, don’t forget to share it with someone who’d appreciate it, and subscribe for the latest in travel stories, news, contests and giveaways.
🫶 Bri