On the Road with Lonely Planet: February Edition

Lonely Planet's boutique travel planning company, Elsewhere, specializes in crafting one-of-a-kind itineraries the world over. Elsewhere Vice President, Craig Zapatka , has the enviable task of testing out new destinations – and for his most recent research trip, he and his wife headed to Guatemala.

Our team is dedicated to traveling as much as possible – for work and for pleasure (or both in Craig's case). We hope his and the rest of our travels inspire you to get out there sooner rather than later. If you're looking for inspo, check out the best weekend getaways for couples in the US, plan a family cycling trip in France or find out how to visit Bhutan on a budget. Safe travels!

– Brekke Fletcher

Eating our way through Copenhagen

I cannot hype the city of Copenhagen in the off-season enough, it definitely has a special charm. On our food tour, we were deeply impressed with the vegetarian offerings, which can honestly be a bit of a let down while traveling. 

– Erin Lenczycki , Photo Editor

Read more: Best time to visit Copenhagen

Sunny in Puerto Rico

For New Year’s, I hopped over to one of Puerto Rico’s islands, Culebra, for lots of sunshine, relaxation and some of the best beaches in the world! There are too many great beaches to choose from but if I had to pick, I'd go with Culebrita, Flamenco, Zoni and Luis Peña—all perfect slices of paradise.

– Paula Somoza , Associate

Read more: 8 things to do in Puerto Rico

Going eco in Guatemala

My wife and I visited Antigua in Guatemala where we hiked Pacaya Volcano before traveling to Lake Atitlán. In the small town of San Juan La Laguna we participated in a Cacao Ceremony, took an art class, ate with a local Mayan family, did a three-hour hike from San Marcos to San Pedro and then hit the water. We also ate a ton of tamales, tortillas and a delicious local dish that is served only over the holidays called Pepian – all washed down with a ton of fresh Guatemalan coffee.

– Craig Zapatka , Co-Founder & COO, Elsewhere by Lonely Planet

Read more: What to know before visiting Guatemala

Relief from the heat in the rainforest

This past weekend was a scorcher in Queensland, Australia! Fortunately, my partner and I found relief from the heat in the rainforest of Lamington National Park. Sitting at an elevation of 930m (3051ft), it’s a long and winding drive to get there, but we were rewarded with a drop in temperature and epic views from the O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat infinity swimming pool, which looks out over the surrounding ranges.

– Jessica Wynne Lockhart , Senior Editor

Read more: Things to do in the Scenic Rim region

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