Meet Travel Content Creator, Tamara Gruber

You are a writer, podcast co-host, and have two websites, all devoted to travel. Tell us more!

I started We3Travel in 2013 because I love planning trips and wanted to share my itineraries and tips with other families to make their vacation planning easier. I’m passionate about the benefits of family travel, which is why even now I serve on the board of the Family Travel Association. But as my daughter grew up, I found that I was able to take some time for myself and wanted to encourage more women to overcome mom guilt and fulfill their travel dreams, whether that be with their partner, friends, or solo; that’s the inspiration for Your Time to Fly. For eight years, I’ve also co-hosted a travel podcast called Vacation Mavens, covering destinations and travel tips, and just launched a YouTube channel. I love the podcast because we get comments all the time from listeners telling us how they feel like they are sitting down with friends when they listen to us.

What has been your favorite trip and why?

I’m going to cheat and name three. First, our trip to Spain when my daughter was eight, will always hold a special place in my heart because it was our first international trip. We did so much to prepare, from introducing foods to learning some Spanish, and even reading Don Quixote! It paid off to see the delight and joy in her eyes, especially when ordering food in Spanish, and it ignited my passion for family travel. For an outdoor adventure destination, Iceland was my clear favorite, and for city/culture, our recent visit to Japan was unmatched. We still find ourselves talking about the foods we loved and the experiences we had.

What are places in Rhode Island that give you a sense of being far away?

For a small state, we have such diversity and it doesn’t take long to get out of my suburban Cumberland bubble, whether it is watching the cows being milked at Wright’s Dairy Farm or seeing the fishing boats in Galilee. My favorite spot is Beavertail State Park; while it’s quintessentially Rhode Island, it’s also so easy to dream about places across the sea as you sit on the rocks and watch the waves. To recapture the tastes of travel, I head to Providence. Favorite places include Aleppo Sweets, a cozy tea shop with excellent Syrian food and baklava; Providence Noodle Bar, which reminds me of the small restaurants in Tokyo; I’m in love with the hand-pulled noodles and Uyghur cuisine at Jahunger; and when Kow Kow has bubble waffles with mango sticky rice flavor ice cream, I can’t get there fast enough. I also get a kick out of visiting international markets like Maruichi Japanese Market.

What advice do you have for Rhode Islanders looking to travel more?

Luckily we live within driving distance of so many states and fun destinations. Start with day trips then try some weekend getaways, and don’t let inertia or fear of the unknown stop you from trying something new. The more you open yourself up to new experiences, the more you will want to see and do. We are also lucky to have some great budget airline options flying out of TF Green that make getting away a little easier. Learn more at We3Travel.com and follow along on upcoming trips to Peru and Chile on Instagram at @yourtimetofly.