Tools I Recommend
Travel Tools & Resources I Actually Use
Friendly Heads Up
Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them – at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools and services we genuinely use and love. Your support helps keep The Beery Traveler running (and our beer fund topped up). Thanks for being part of our journey!
🖥️ Website & Tech Tools
Behind the scenes of The Beery Traveler, these are the tools keeping our digital home running smoothly.
GreenGeeks Web Hosting
I host The Beery Traveler with GreenGeeks, and honestly, it’s been a game-changer. Fast, reliable, and – this is the cool part – they’re eco-friendly, matching three times the energy they use with renewable energy credits.
Why we love it:
Fast load times (crucial for all those travel photos), excellent customer support when we need it, and we feel good knowing our websites are green. Plus, their pricing is actually reasonable for what you get.
“Folders” Plugin by Preemio
If you run a WordPress site with tons of media files and pages (guilty!), Folders is a lifesaver. It lets us organize everything into, well, folders – just like on your computer. Revolutionary, right?
Why we love it:
No more scrolling through hundreds of blog posts or photos to find what we need. Everything’s organized by destination, trip, or topic. It’s one of those plugins that makes you wonder how you ever lived without it.
🎒 Travel Essentials
The gear we actually pack (and use) on every trip.
Tilley Hats
We’re Canadian, so maybe we’re biased, but Tilley hats are legendary for a reason. These aren’t your average travel hats – they’re guaranteed for life, they float, and they actually look good whether you’re hiking in the Rockies or strolling through a European city.
Why we love it:
They’ve saved our bacon in everything from scorching sun in the Caribbean to unexpected rain in Ireland. They pack flat, dry quickly, and honestly, they just keep going. Bill’s had his for years and it still looks great.
Airalo eSIMS
Remember the days of hunting for SIM cards at the airport or paying ridiculous roaming fees? Yeah, we don’t miss those either. Airalo lets you buy eSIMs for countries all over the world, right from your phone, before you even leave home.
Why we love it:
We land, turn on our phones, and boom – we’ve got data. No more airport panic trying to find a SIM card booth. Perfect for finding that first brewery in a new city or navigating to our hotel. Works in tons of countries and it’s way cheaper than roaming.
🗣️ Language & Communication
Breaking down language barriers, one phrase (or translation app) at a time.
Google Translate
Let’s be real – we don’t speak every language we encounter on our travels. Google Translate has gotten us through restaurant menus, street signs, and even some surprisingly successful conversations with locals who appreciate the effort.
Why we love it:
The camera feature is pure magic – point your phone at a menu or sign and it translates in real-time. It’s free, works offline if you download languages ahead of time, and has saved us from accidentally ordering something really weird more times than we can count.
Duolingo
We’re working on being better travelers by actually learning some of the languages we encounter. Duolingo makes it fun (those streaks are addictive!) and surprisingly effective with just a few minutes a day.
Why we love it:
It’s like a game, but you’re actually learning useful phrases. Great for building basics before a trip or maintaining languages between visits. Plus, the locals really appreciate when you try to speak their language – even if your pronunciation makes them smile.
Claude AI
Full transparency: Claude is our go-to AI assistant for everything from drafting blog posts to brainstorming itineraries. It’s like having a really smart travel buddy who never gets tired of helping you polish your writing or research destinations.
Why we love it:It helps us maintain The Beery Traveler’s voice while speeding up our content creation. We use it for everything from SEO optimization to writing client proposals for Boarding Pass Travel. It’s conversational, helpful, and actually understands context.Learn About Claude
Have Questions About Any of These Tools?
We’ve used all of these extensively in our travels and for running our businesses. If you want to know more about how we use something or whether it’s right for your needs, just ask! We’re always happy to share our experiences.