#slow-travel

#slow-travel

I went to Texas A&M University. It's a big school in a small-town bubble, where friendliness and tradition rule. I built a good life in Texas. I married a local boy, raised kids, built a career, and did everything the cultural syllabus told me to do. But deep down, I always felt a little out of place, like the transfer student who arrived halfway through the semester.

"Slow travel" is trending, and from my experience, there's nothing slower-or more relaxing-than canal cruising. And it's not just because the average speed is 6 mph. Unlike river cruises, which hop in and out of bustling ports along major waterways, canal cruises are far more tranquil. They float along calmer, narrower channels, typically aboard small houseboats that only accommodate intimate groups.

When Ellis and Scotty Harry welcomed their second child, Bennett, in September 2024, they knew they wanted to celebrate by doing something memorable-and maybe just a little ambitious. They were also staring down a long Pacific Northwest winter with a toddler and a newborn, which made the idea of flying south especially tempting. "We wanted to go somewhere warm but still mountainous," says Ellis. "We love a beach vacation, but after a week, we're ready to move on. Chile gave us summer in February and the dramatic landscapes we crave."