About Me

Welcome to TravelTawk℠ ! I’m Jeanne Neylon Decker, independent travel journalist and founder and chief content creator @traveltawk.com. The last 18 months have been busy! I spent six weeks exploring Central and Northern Spain and was lucky enough to enjoy Semana Santa– Holy Week, the seven days leading to Easter Sunday, in Toledo and Salamanca.  This marked the third time I’ve been in Spain during this important celebration, each time in a different region.  You can read all about it here and in Travel World International’s Spring issue.

I also had a story on Autumn Hiking in the Dolomites in TWI‘s Fall 2023 issue.  Speaking of the Dolomites, I’ve been back to the Val Gardena for another 10 days of hiking in this glorious region– a great start to another incredible six-week European adventure.  After Italy, I headed North to Munich, after Octoberfest ended, to explore this beautiful Bavarian city and took a day trip to Augsburg- one of oldest cities in Germany. Next was Salzburg, and it was as charming as I’d imagined. It was even more special because of time spent with local friends who organized activities including a Mozart concert and a visit to Red Bull’s Hangar-7– a free museum featuring all manner of transportation from Formula One cars to airplanes.

Graz, Austria’s second largest city and one often overlooked by visitors, was the next stop. Add this Styrian city to your itinerary– important history, wonderful art, and delicious culinary traditions make this a noteworthy destination.

Vienna has been on my list for ages and I finally made it there, just in time to celebrate my birthday with a delightful stay at the historic and luxurious Hotel Imperial. Five days was not nearly long enough to see all the amazing museums and fully explore this fascinating city.  I’ll be back for sure!

The last stop on this trip was Budapest. Another first for me and again, there was so much to see and do– a tour of the Parliament Building, boat ride on the Danube, exploring Castle Hill and experiencing Hungarian Christmas Markets were a few of the highlights.

In between these European adventures I visited Alaska, another bucket list destination. The journey began at the NATJA Conference in Fairbanks where thanks to Explore Fairbanks, we met with scientists at the University of Alaska about climate change, learned about native Athabascan culture and traditions, took a river boat ride, saw sled dogs, and visited spectacular Denali National Park plus had a trip on the Alaska Railroad with Gold Star service! I followed that up with a cruise on Holland America to Glacier National Park, Skagway, Ketchikan and Juneau.

Our US travels also included time in Bend and Sunriver, Oregon–lots of hiking, biking and a wonderful family wedding in Sisters, a beautiful Central Oregon town.

My 2024 calendar has included travel to Naples, the Cilento Coast, Sicily, and a road trip around the Peloponnesian Peninsula. I just returned from Northern Italy (including the wonderful city of Torino and Lago di Garda), Slovenia and Croatia.  Check out @traveltawk on Instagram for plenty of photos and travel inspo and look for travel tips and full articles on these destinations in the coming months.

As always, we welcome you to TravelTawk℠ . Expect stories about overlooked places at interesting destinations, our ongoing quest for delicious, local food, and practical advice for better travel.  At TravelTawk℠ it’s all about the places, plates and people.  Please share your thoughts, ask questions, and join the journey– it’s more fun with friends! jeanne@traveltawk.com

Follow me on Instagram and X @traveltawk and find me on FB and TravMedia Jeanne Neylon Decker.

Member North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) and the International Food, Wine, Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).