We’ve read the U.S. State Department travel warnings to Mexico and have heard about the escalating drug wars, carjackings and shootings. Mexico is a large country and although the media may want you to think visiting now is unsafe, Lonely Planet travel expert Robert Reid says otherwise.

In his article on CNN.com called, “Travel Expert: Why You Should Go to Mexico,” Reid doesn’t sugar-coat the situation but lays out the facts why visiting “Mexico is a lot safer than you may realize.”

Let’s take geography for instance. If you have friends who live in another country, don’t they send you an email of concern when devastation happens in Middle America and you live on the East Coast? We know the United States is huge and so is Mexico. (Well, not quite as big as the U.S., but it’s still big.)

As Reid points out in his article, there are 17 Mexico states not named in the April 22 updated travel warnings that are perfect for vacationing including the Yucatan Peninsula, San Miguel de Allende and Mexico City.

He says one of Mexico’s safest destinations is located an hour inland from Cancun’s beaches, Yucatan state. He relates the population of Yucatan to that of Kansas but it only “saw two drug-related deaths in 2010 while Wichita, Kansas, had six gang-related killings” that same year.

Reid quotes a Cozumel diving operator “who is ’shocked’ when people say they had been scared” to visit Mexico. He also says, “in most of central and southern Mexico, drug violence simply isn’t on the radar” of everyday life.

As we know, crime has no address and Mexico is no different. But the same crimes as pickpocketing can be found in the United States as in Mexico.

Read travel expert Robert Reid’s entire article to learn the other reasons to visit Mexico and ease concerns about planning your Mexico vacation.

Image Source: Riviera Maya Destination Marketing Office

Summer travel for passengers on Delta Air Lines should be a little tastier this season. The airline recently announced improvements to its sky dining experience. Fliers will have new selections from Delta’s EATS food-for-sale menu, upgraded adult beverages and an opportunity to donate to the American Cancer Society with their on board purchases.

“We know our customers can’t always fit mealtime into their busy travel schedules, so Delta makes it easier by offering a selection of quality food onboard,” said Joanne Smith, Delta’s senior vice president of In-Flight Service.  “We have a variety of options to please all of our customers – whether you’re looking for a light snack or a full meal.”

A sampling of new EATS menu items Delta travelers will see include:
Kids Plate – peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain bread; apple wedges; grapes; carrot and celery sticks; and ranch dressing available for $4.50 onboard, available in May 2011. (Saves you time from packing a meal for the kiddos.)

Ben and Jerry’s ice cream – Vanilla and Cherry Garcia flavored ice cream available for $2.50 on lunch or dinner flights longer than 1,800 miles beginning  June 1.

Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey – blend of classic Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey with honey liqueur best served with ginger ale or Sprite® for $7 beginning June 1. (Sounds like a cool beverage for golfers heading for a Myrtle Beach vacation.)

Margaritaville Margarita Mix – a tasty margarita flavored drink that can be mixed with tequila for $7 beginning June 1.  (Perfect when en route to a Cancun vacation.)

The EATS menu includes breakfast, lunch and dinner items, depending on the flight.

Do good while traveling to your vacation destination. With every Flight Delights snack box sold during the month of May, Delta will donate $1 to help find a cure for cancer.

Have your credit card or debit card (with a credit card logo) handy because on board, Delta is a cashless society.

Every Memorial Day Weekend, Dr. Beach releases his Top 10 Best Beaches in America list. But how does he decided which beaches make the list? This blogger had the rare opportunity to spend a couple of days on some Southwest Florida beaches with Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, aka, Dr. Beach, to learn the science behind his assessments. He’s considered to be America’s foremost beach expert.

Oh yes, although a beach vacation is fun, evaluating 650 public recreational beaches is a scientific adventure. In fact, there are 50 pieces of criteria Dr. Beach uses to rank a beach with a maximum of 250 points to be earned. Has any beach earned a perfect score? Not quite, but close with 240 points. That would be Hawaii’s Kaplua Beach in Maui.

So how does he grade beaches? He touches the sand to determine hardness, he examines sand to determine grain size and composition, he swims in the water to feel the temperature. He also reviews EPA and safety reports to ensure there are no water quality issues and water-related deaths.

He uses tools such as sifters, measuring tape and geologic hand lens. He also used a dye ball to monitor the water’s current. This was most interesting because it looked like a dry, orange sponge. When tossed into the Gulf of Mexico, it slowly dissolved into a neon-greenish-yellow color and it was obvious where the current flowed. He said he used to use red but swimmers thought it looked too much like blood.

Although there are fab beaches throughout the country, Dr. Beach is concerned with swimming beaches. If it’s too cold or too murky, chances are, it won’t make the cut. Easily accessible is another important element in determining a top 10 beach.

Throughout the year, Dr. Beach visits about 100 beaches and has contacts throughout the country who update him on the status of the beaches he’s unable to visit. Come Memorial Day, he releases his Top 10 Best Beaches in America list. Will any of our favorite beaches make the list? We’ll just have to wait and see. If not this year, there’s always next year.

Can you guess the first beach Dr. Beach ever visited? It is Myrtle Beach when he was six-years-old.