Latest news with #Daytrip
Business Insider
31-07-2025
- Business Insider
I planned a dream vacation for me and my partner — then we broke up and canceled the trip. Years later, I took it solo.
I planned a trip to El Salvador for me and my partner, but we broke up and cancelled it. Two years later, I dug up my itinerary and just went on the trip by myself. Adjusting the plans were easy, and the experience reminded me how much I enjoy solo travel. Two years ago, I planned a trip to El Salvador for my then-boyfriend and me to celebrate both of our birthdays. I poured my heart into arranging every detail of the holiday. After all, this was one of the few destinations neither of us had visited before, which is rare because we're both well-traveled. I booked flights and hotels, reserved a rental car, and meticulously crafted an itinerary that covered Mayan archaeological sites, volcano hikes, and cultural heritage museums while giving us ample time to relax along El Salvador's volcanic black-sand coast. But two weeks before the trip, our relationship ended. I canceled the bookings and forgot about visiting El Salvador … until I decided to visit my 95th country earlier this year. At first, I wasn't sure where to go — I mostly wanted to visit a country that wouldn't be too expensive to get to from Uruguay, where I'm currently based. Once I realized I had enough travel points to cover a flight to El Salvador, I booked my ticket. It felt empowering to reimagine a couple's getaway as a solo travel adventure Ecstatic that I'd selected a destination I'd already researched, I revisited the itinerary I'd carefully arranged two years before. It felt empowering to book my "revenge vacation" as it was a destination I had once dreamed of visiting with my ex-boyfriend. Now, it would be a place I'd get to explore on my own terms. I needed to tweak the itinerary a bit now that I was traveling solo, but I was relieved that I'd already done the bulk of the planning beforehand. Throughout the trip, I found ways to troubleshoot and adjust my plans without sacrificing what I wanted. The hotels I had previously selected were now out of the question on my one-person budget, so I rented more affordable Airbnbs operated by locals. I liked being able to support the tourism economy — and, luckily, my rentals were quite nice. I no longer felt comfortable renting and driving a car, but navigating local transportation between the destinations I wanted to visit in El Salvador seemed like a headache, and Uber availability was limited. So, I booked transfers on the Daytrip app, which connects travelers with local drivers. While heading from the coast to the city, I was able to add sightseeing stops, including one at a series of natural spring water pools. I also served spots on group experiences to more easily visit the sites I wanted to see. I was worried I'd have to pay for a minimum of two guests, which I've seen many tour operators require, but I was able to find tons of single tickets on travel marketplace GetYourGuide. So, without paying fees for being solo, I joined a tour of Mayan archaeological sites and a guided hike up El Salvador's tallest volcano, Santa Ana. This trip helped me fall back in love with traveling by myself Going alone on a trip I'd initially planned as a romantic vacation helped me fall back in love with solo travel. It reminded me of my tenacity to immerse myself in a destination. I enjoyed the freedom to plan my days as I desired and make last-minute changes, such as quickly leaving a so-called "artisanal" market when I realized it was an overpriced tourist trap. I spent lazy days on the coast, reading for hours, swimming in the Pacific Ocean, and grounding myself in the pitch-black sand. Solo travel has always been my modus operandi. I'm glad a breakup didn't stop me from eventually visiting another of my dream destinations.
Forbes
24-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
This Global Car Service Turns Any Trip Into A Vacation
Daytrip lets you explore in 130 countries. @ Getting from city to city when you're traveling in Europe can be daunting. Depending on where you're going, it can be hard enough to find public transportation, let alone work around unreliable schedules while carrying all your luggage with you. Plus, while you're in the area, it feels sinful to miss visiting some of the iconic landmarks you may pass along the way. Enter Daytrip, a unique private car service that lets you customize your trip so you can make stops wherever/whenever you want as you head to your destination. Heard of a great shop you have to check out? No problem. Want to explore a specific area? Your local driver will give you an insider's view. This is such a great idea, which I only discovered when my husband and son started planning a golf trip to Ireland and realized they had to travel hours between cities to play the courses on their bucket list. The logistics, especially with two golf bags, seemed ridiculously complicated until they came across Daytrip, who helped them put together the perfect itinerary, from Shannon to Lahinch to Carne and back to Shannon. Their trip was so easy and enjoyable and they liked their driver so much, I ended up booking Daytrip myself when I needed to get from my Virgin Voyages cruise ship to the airport in Marrakesh. I wish I'd had time to make some stops to get in a little sightseeing but, honestly, I was grateful to have a ride at all in a city where it can be hard to get one. Because I'm always intrigued by anything that makes travel simpler as well as more enriching, I reached out to Daytrip CEO and Co-Founder Tomáš Turek to learn more. Daytrip's founding team (Tomas Turek on left) Daytrip Tell us a little about the origin of Daytrip. It all started with a local chauffeur company in Český Krumlov, a small town in the Czech Republic, founded by me and one of my fellow Daytrip Co-Founders. While running this company, we witnessed a growing customer interest in better city-to-city transportation, and quickly realized this had universal appeal. We decided to start fresh with a brand new platform to expand this idea globally, and that's how Daytrip was born. We are actually celebrating our 10th anniversary this year - the company was founded in September 2015. We started Daytrip on the premise that there has to be a better way to travel between cities. We wanted a service that is more convenient and traveler-friendly, where you can travel on your schedule, and previously set schedules do not overcomplicate your life. The result is a service offering private, door-to-door car transfers with professional, English-speaking drivers, and optional sightseeing stops to help travelers discover hidden gems that are typically inaccessible with public transportation. What need did you think was not being met in the market? Customizability and flexibility on long-distance city-to-city transfers. And I would even say, the enjoyment of the actual travel day. Imagine traveling between cities in a foreign country. Instead of stressing over train or bus schedules, language barriers, or how to reach that charming village that is not on any bus route, you simply get picked up at your hotel and enjoy a smooth, comfortable private ride with a friendly local driver, maybe even stopping at a few hidden gems along the way. That is the experience Daytrip offers. We realized that while local transportation networks primarily serve locals, they often fail to meet the needs of tourists, especially those seeking flexibility, comfort, and the opportunity to explore beyond major hotspots. Traditional options, such as buses, trains, and flights, are limited by fixed routes and timetables, and a single delay can disrupt your entire day. And because these services rarely cater to travelers' actual needs, the journey often feels like lost time, not an enjoyable part of the trip. By offering door-to-door transfers with optional sightseeing stops, Daytrip fills that gap, turning a stressful transfer into a seamless and memorable part of the journey. Friendly Daytrip drivers create memorable moments on family trips. Daytrip What makes Daytrip different from other car services? We provide a seamless blend of holiday logistics and local experience. With uncompromising safety and quality standards for a range of budgets, we offer a layer of experience provided by a knowledgeable, English-speaking driver, along with the opportunity to choose from our carefully curated list of sightseeing itineraries. Talk a little about the sightseeing aspect of a ride. How does that work? It's pretty simple. When booking a transfer with Daytrip, you can select a variety of offered sightseeing stops that can be done on the way, or you can even add your own. You can also adjust the duration to suit your preferences. This ensures that you have as much time as you need at the stop. Depending on the nature of the stop and your preference (it can be a castle, a winery, or an entire town), your driver is waiting for you, can help you translate, buy tickets to attractions, recommend things to see or even walk around with you - even if they technically aren't actual tour guides. While you are at the stop, you can also leave your luggage in the car while exploring, which means that you do not have to carry heavy bags around. Ultimately, our main goal is to make transfers between cities more convenient and to help travelers explore further by adding sightseeing stops. Can you order a driver/guide for a day to see the sights and get the local scoop? Yes, you can do that with our recently launched day trips. These allow travelers to explore the hidden gems as part of a trip that brings them back to their original location. This service can be used in instances where travelers disembark from a cruise but need to return to it ahead of their departure, or when they are in a city and want to visit smaller towns, castles, and other nearby attractions, but return to the city on the same day. Whether you opt for a day trip, a transfer with sightseeing, or a plain A to B transfer, our English-speaking drivers are locals, so they will happily talk with you about and share local insights and secrets while you are on your transfer. How has Daytrip evolved over the past decade? Since 2015, we have expanded our operations globally, now operating in more than 130 countries worldwide. Additionally, we rolled out day trips in March 2025, and you can already experience 1,000 unique itineraries across 300 destinations. And we are rapidly expanding to new destinations! Over the years, we have maintained a 5-star rating on Tripadvisor. Daytrip started as a B2C company, catering to the end customer. As we continued to grow, we realized the value of partnering with established key players in the travel industry. This step was crucial for expanding the B2B channel and offering our services to an even broader range of customers. Over the years, we have continually expanded the range of services we offer to our customers, with the most recent addition being the launch of day trips. We have also invested heavily in the scalability and automation of our support processes to ensure that our customers and providers always receive a fast and relevant response, 24 hours a day, year-round, and can reach a human agent whenever needed. How do you choose your drivers? We have developed a process that enables us to identify the top drivers in each country. This includes a personal interview with every one of them by our trained representative. We require our drivers to speak English as we want all our passengers to be able to communicate with their driver throughout the trip to feel comfortable and at ease. Moreover, our representatives always make sure drivers are also good storytellers, so that our customers can enjoy a long trip with them and receive a rich, locally immersive experience . Another part of this procedure involves reviewing the driver's background (e.g., traffic records) and also asking them to provide details about their vehicles to ensure customer safety and comfort. As a standard practice, we require that cars are less than ten years old and are in excellent operating condition, and are fully insured. Is Daytrip available in the US? We are running pilot operations and testing the market in California and Florida, with a possible US-wide rollout planned for the near future. The most typical use case for our US customers is in long-haul destinations in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, where they appreciate the cultural and experiential aspects of the service the most. What have been some of Daytrip's most popular routes? Our most popular destinations are Italy, France, Croatia, or Spain. Depending on the season, we see different trends. For example, during the winter, we see a higher demand for trips in Latin America, specifically in Mexico. We also keep an eye on emerging travel trends and adapt our offerings accordingly. One example is gig travel, a term widely used in the travel industry over the past year, referring to people traveling long distances to attend various concerts. Last year, for instance, was a significant year for gig travel, as Taylor Swift embarked on her world tour in Europe. There is also the set-jetting trend, where people visit their favorite movie and TV series locations. In line with this trend, we have launched day trips to allow travelers to explore the locations featured in The White Lotus , with more to come. Recently, the computer game Kingdom Come: Deliverance has made waves across the gaming industry, and we have introduced day trips for fans of the game to explore the Czech Republic, which served as inspiration for the game. Daytrip is perfect for both business and personal travel. Daytrip Any plans for future changes? We are currently working on a new idea that is being tested, and we hope to launch it across the entire brand in the near future. With AI being extensively discussed, we continually explore new ways to integrate it across our products and workflows to keep up with industry trends while ensuring that we continue to deliver a 5-star experience to our customers. We are rapidly expanding the availability of day trips, covering new destinations, various tour types, and even thematic itineraries that follow cultural trends. We are introducing new vehicle tiers to cater to various budgets across multiple destinations. We continue to view our mobile app as the primary touchpoint, both before your trip for inspiration, planning, and booking, and to enhance your experience during and after the trip. We are investing heavily in its further improvement. Anything else you'd like readers to know? If you are dreaming of or planning to travel to a new destination, be sure to check our mobile app. Even if you don't end up using Daytrip this time, it is a great tool for travel inspiration, itinerary planning, or simply browsing pictures of beautiful places around the world.
Travel Daily News
24-07-2025
- Travel Daily News
Daytrip and International Press Trips partner on a new campaign
Daytrip partners with IPTO to showcase Europe's hidden gems to U.S. travel media through private transfers and immersive storytelling journeys. NEW YORK, NY – Daytrip, the global travel platform specializing in private, door-to-door car transfers with friendly, English-speaking drivers and optional sightseeing stops, has partnered with International Press Trips (IPTO) to bring American travel media and their audiences closer to Europe's most captivating hidden gems through immersive, story-worthy journeys. Under the theme 'Discover Europe's Hidden City-Gems,' this collaboration will create engaging editorial opportunities that showcase Daytrip's seamless transfer services and IPTO's expertise in curating unique media experiences. Together, the companies aim to make Europe's lesser-known destinations more accessible than ever. Beyond Europe's famous cities lie charming villages, medieval castles, vineyards, and artisanal towns – places that are often overlooked by traditional tours or difficult to reach by public transportation. With its private transfers, Daytrip transforms these overlooked routes into unforgettable travel experiences, turning the journey itself into the highlight of the trip. Depending on their needs, travelers can either use Daytrip's transfers or day trips to explore: Transfers (one-way, return, and multi-city): For customers who are interested in a private transfer between points A and B, with the option to add one or more sightseeing stops along the way. Day trips: They allow travelers to explore the hidden gems as part of a trip that brings them back to their original location. This service could be used in instances when travelers get off a cruise but need to return to it ahead of their departure, or when they are in a city and want to see smaller towns, castles, and other nearby attractions but return to the city on the same day. 'Europe's most beautiful places aren't always found in guidebooks – they're often tucked between destinations, waiting to be discovered,' said Denisa Caldova, Head of Global Communications and PR at Daytrip. 'We're excited to welcome American travelers to explore these hidden gems with us, making every leg of their journey unforgettable.' Daytrip is already present in more than 130 countries around the world. As part of this campaign, the companies are inviting North American travel media to experience Daytrip firsthand and help share Europe's lesser-known treasures with their audiences. Featured destinations include Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Latvia, among others.
San Francisco Chronicle
01-07-2025
- San Francisco Chronicle
I miss my favorite Oakland restaurant. But the sequel is wonderful in different ways
MacKenzie Chung Fegan is on vacation, so Cesar Hernandez is filling in this week. Daytrip was my favorite restaurant in the Bay Area. I fell to my knees and cursed the heavens when it closed last December. The Oakland spot was cheeky, dizzyingly flavorful and psychedelically sexy with a fermentation kink. This burning star shined bright then evaporated — an allegory for the waning invincibility of your 20s. Last month, it was reborn as Daytrip Counter, a counter-service rotisserie chicken spot better suited to the new interests of owners Stella Dennig and Finn Stern — parents in their 30s. Daytrip 2.0 bears resemblance to beloved quick-service spots like Souvla and RT Rotisserie, known for delivering affordable quality and consistency. Mainly consisting of rotisserie chicken and salads, the menu is like if Sweet Green and El Pollo Loco had a kid that went to culinary school. The flavors are bright and zippy; the textures disparate and bountiful. It's a supreme lunch spot that I wish I could visit every day. Full disclosure: My first experience with the chicken was less than optimal. In a blind taste test of rotisserie chickens in the Bay Area, Daytrip didn't live up to my expectations. That was likely due to the testing parameters; we tried all chickens at room temperature and without any sauces. I felt compelled to give the chicken another shake in its intended state and, boy, am I glad I did. This chicken was juicy, tenderly shreddable and doused in a schmaltzy sauce, an emulsion of chicken fat and stock, landing somewhere in between chicken gravy and milky oxtail broth. To ensure succulence, the vinegar-brined birds are injected with several CCs of that fatty, emulsified liquid. I recommend scaling down its richness with a squeeze of lime or try introducing additional flavor with a rolodex of sauces. I loved the herby, tangy-sweet tomatillo vinaigrette — similar to green sauce from Cheese Board Pizza in Berkeley — and spicy, fish sauce-spiked aioli, like a creamy version of Vietnamese nước chấm. Fish sauce also lends a depth of umami to the Caesar aioli, a bright, peppery condiment accompanying the crunchy Caesar fries, spuds coated in garlicky, citrusy seasoning and finished with Parmesan cheese shavings. The original Daytrip had a reputation for a revelatory salad, and its latest foray expands upon that idea. The oregano-scented Club Med ($13.50) is a whirlwind of creaminess and acidity while the Crispy Spicy ($13) is podium for crunch and funk. Although the salads are plenty filling, I recommend adding shredded chicken ($3.50) or a jammy egg ($3.50). With the change in concept, the space got a facelift. The pink walls and murals of the past have been replaced by a fresh coat of lemon yellow paint. It could double as a monochromatic set piece from a Wes Anderson movie. The lounge area was traded for more seating and a floating island, the bussing, self-serve water and utensil station. Above it hangs a crystal disco ball, a remnant of a former life. If the former restaurant was a disco-themed dinner party, Daytrip Counter is a picnic on a sunny day. Welcome back.
San Francisco Chronicle
03-06-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Sushi handroll expert expands, and more East Bay restaurant openings
The newest restaurants to hit the East Bay offer a wide spread of flavors. The anticipated return of Daytrip as a casual, chicken-oriented restaurant and the latest from the chef behind popular sandwich shop Ok's Deli are now live. Other new arrivals include a German street food favorite and a wine bar that's heavy on the French vibes. Handroll restaurant grows Fourth generation Japanese-American chef Kyle Itani has expanded his temaki sushi restaurant, Yonsei Handrolls. The second location in Albany brings a selection of handrolls that include dungeness crab with miso butter, soy-cured tuna or seared albacore with black garlic, among others. These are available in sets of five or by the piece. Cocktail selections incorporate rare Japanese whiskeys and ingredients like yuzu cordials and miso honey. Berlin-style doner arrives Spots for shawarma and kebab aren't hard to find around the East Bay. But a new Oakland restaurant is bringing Berlin-style doner kebab into the mix. Black Forest Kitchen shaves chicken off a rotating spit onto warm flatbread, with the addition of red onions, cucumbers feta and a spicy sauce. Owner Pierre Slack, born and raised in Frankfurt, told East Bay Nosh he hopes the brick-and-mortar sets off a doner revolution in the Bay Area. 478 25th St., Oakland. Oken, the newest Oakland restaurant from chef Albert Ok of the perennially popular Ok's Deli, is now open. The former fine dining chef told the Chronicle the restaurant will combine Korean, Japanese and Southeast Asian flavors in dishes. The influences are visible in offerings like a tsukune dumpling soup, made with a chicken dashi spikes with gochugaru, and a grilled half chicken accompanied by sauces like Lao jeow som and a house hot sauce. Ok's hit Sichuan chicken, which goes into sandwiches at his deli, appears on the menu as popcorn chicken bites ready to dip into honey mustard. 6200 Claremont Ave., Oakland. Awaited seafood spot finally lands In a day that was seven years in the making, Peninsula favorite Cook's Seafood is now serving diners at its second location in Pleasanton. The Mercury News reports that the restaurant announced its first-ever expansion in 2018, but the project ran into delays and was set aside for years. The original Menlo Park restaurant has operated for nearly 100 years and is well known for its classic fish and chips made with Alaskan halibut. Nouveau vibes on Piedmont Wine bar La Loulou is now pouring glasses of French vintages and serving small bites. Step in and take in the art nouveau flair, with flowy wood details over mirrors, ornate lamps and scarlet walls. 4250 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. A Temescal favorite returns The latest from Daytrip owners Finn Stern and Stella Dennig, is now open. Daytrip Counter reanimated the same Telegraph Avenue space where diners took to dishes like a hit celery salad and funky miso-butter noodles. The new focus is a rotisserie chicken brined in a vinegar solution, coated in a flavorful rub and injected with a rich sauce made from chicken fat and stock. Sandwiches stuffed with pickled vegetables, salads and quinoa bowls will also make use of the dripping birds. Smoothie shop back on Smoothie shop Drink Thicc opened at its new location in Uptown Oakland. The shop offers smoothies with ingredients like tropical fruits, vegetables and berries. Its website claims all smoothies have a minimum of 28 grams of protein, leaving no intake gaps for customers counting macros. It previously operated inside Swan's Market in Old Oakland. 372 24th St. Oakland. Bakery and restaurant reopens Wingen Bakery owners Bryan and Aimee Wingen are preparing their sourdough loaves once again. The couple reopened at a new location, where customers can continue to pick up their favorite baked goods during cafe hours in the morning. Dinner offerings lean Italian with a selection of classic pizzas, salads and antipasti. 50 S. Livermore Ave., Livermore. Bagel empire pushes on Boichik bagels continues its march to take over the Bay Area with its crusty, chewy bagels. The Berkeley-born bakery announced its anticipated Concord location. Find bagels covered with all the hits, from salt to 'everything' seasoning, with your choice of shmear and fillings. 2980 Treat Blvd., Concord. Mexican dishes fly into the Laurel East Bay Nosh reports Golondrinas Mexican Grill has made its nest in Oakland. The restaurant offers mole made in-house along with more commonly found dishes like tacos and burritos and flan for dessert. Golondrinas is the newest tenant at the former Communite Table space. 4171 MacArthur Blvd. Oakland. A buzzy new bar Step past a secret door to sip on cocktails in a plush banquette, under sultry lights and oil portraits at Livermore's newest speakeasy. Honeycomb Cocktail Lounge, initially a private events venue, is now open to the public. True to its namesake bees are all over the menu, figuratively. House cocktails, like the Hive Mind and Royal Jelly, are fittingly made using honey. Similarly, riffs on classics include an Old Fashioned made with beeswax-washed bourbon and a whiskey sour using bee pollen and crowned with honeycomb. The hidden bar is the latest from Tom and Teresa Lawrie, owners of the adjacent Sons of Liberty Alehouse.
