We are Michael Hodgson and Therese Iknoian, the husband-and-wife team behind the HI Travel Tales curtain – and, yes, despite travel’s occasional travails, we remain happily married and always look forward to the next trip together. We are veteran travel journalists and photographers — not Instagram bikini influencers (no one wants to see Michael in a bikini anyway!)
HI Travel Tales is dedicated to inspiring meaningful travel adventures around the world with a focus on immersive travel experiences. We discover the unexpected and extraordinary even in the most common of destinations. Our award-winning writing and photography guides travelers and non-travelers alike on a journey of discovery and wonder.
We love sharing stories from other travelers, too, and have a growing slate of wonderful contributors. We are also surrogate parents to a rather large and still growing family of stuffed animals who all have names and invariably fight over who gets to go on the next trip (Michael sometimes insists two go, hiding one in Therese’s carry-on.)
Want to know what it’s like to work with your spouse – and stay married? Then listen in to two CoupleCo podcasts featuring Michael Hodgson and Therese Iknoian below.
We’ve won a number of travel writing and photography awards along the way.
We are travelers. Always have been. We engage. We explore. We immerse ourselves everywhere we go. We are both uber-curious and enthusiastic about sharing our experiences. Here are a few of our latest travel stories.
When the CDC gave the green light to fully vaccinated travelers to begin hitting the road and flying again, the announcement generated numerous questions about travel preparation, planning and COVID protection. This checklist for vaccinated travelers is how to start planning your next trip.
The Hilton Palm Springs Resort is an ideal place to stay if you want to be within walking distance of The Vineyard Shopping Center, the Palm Springs Art Museum, and downtown Palm Springs.
Every two years, Desert X coordinates an outdoor art exhibit like none other. Huge, thought-provoking art statements dot the desert and cities around Greater Palm Springs in Coachella Valley, complementing all the other outdoor art in the area.
At the BMW Performance Driving School in Thermal, California, anyone can get behind the wheel of a high-performance BMW and drive faster than ever imagined, all under the watchful eyes and guidance of a professional race car driver.
The Coastal Maine area may be only a tiny slice of a small state but the things to do in MidCoast Maine could fill a book. From getting outdoors to eating lobster or slurping ice cream, and visiting historic lighthouses, all the typical Maine activities await you.
Getting and managing money when traveling is not all that complicated or difficult, but a few universal money and safety tips do make the task easier wherever you may travel in the world.
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens in Fort Bragg is a hidden and magical destination located on the California Mendocino coast. World-class rhododendrons draw many visitors, as does birding, whale watching, and peaceful garden trails.
There is nothing quite like a Mendocino Coast road trip in Northern California. Think picturesque villages, stunning coastline, deep redwood forests, outdoor adventure galore, gourmet food, amazing wineries, lots of history and plenty of art galleries.
In the first photo competition by the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association, Therese Iknoian and Michael Hodgson garnered four awards, including a Best of Show.
My love for travel and adventure began with my mum. I still take time on her birthday, on Mother’s Day and on International Women’s Day to honor her and thank her for all the gifts she gave me. Gifts that have made me a better traveler, journalist, photographer and, I hope, a better man.
Expanses of almond orchards blooming in Modesto make for the perfect California road trip in the Central Valley. Time it just right on a February-March almond blossom cruise for a sensory overload of white and pink almond blossoms, buzzing bees, and the most intoxicating scent you can imagine.
For the third year in a row, HI Travel Tales has won multiple awards in the North American Travel Journalists Association national contest, the NATJA Travel Media Awards. For 2020, Therese Iknoian and Michael Hodgson took home five awards, all honoring outstanding travel photography.
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