Sandy and Ira Bornstein explored the world for decades. Sadly, Ira passed away in July 2023 after a three year courageous battle with glioblastoma (terminal brain cancer). Shortly after an inoperable tumor was detected in January 2023, Sandy became Ira’s full-time care partner. Sandy chose to spend most of the remainder of the year, coping with her profound loss. She looks forward to traveling in 2024.
Since living as an expat in Bangalore, India in 2010, Sandy has been publishing travel stories on her blog, on other online sites, and in magazines and newspapers. PDF versions of her published stories are placed on the Portfolio Page of this website.
To date, her travel stories have been accepted by the following media outlets:
- AARP (online)
- Arvada Lifestyle (online and print)
- Born in the Mountains blog on the KUHL website (online)
- Boulder Jewish News (online)
- Canadian Jewish Life Magazine (print)
- Canadian Jewish News (print and online)
- Colorado Parent (print and online)
- Colorado Sun (online)
- Destinations magazine (online)
- Examiner.com (online)
- Family Circle (online)
- Fareportal–CheapOAir and One Travel (online sites)
- Getting on Travel (online)
- Golden Living (print)
- Grand Magazine (print and online)
- Granite Media: Far & Wide (online)
- Hadassah Magazine (online and print)
- Hemispheres magazine (print and online)
- Jewish Chicago (print)
- Localiiz (online)
- Mom it Forward (online)
- Real Food Traveler (online)
- Smart Healthy Women (online)
- Travel Awaits (online)
- Traveler Confidential (online)
- Travel to Wellness (online)
- Travel World International Magazine (online)
- Wandering Educators (online)
- Wander Magazine (print and online)
- Wander with Wonder (online)
- We Said go Travel (online)
Sandy is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA), the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), and International Food Wine Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA)
Sandy is the recipient of numerous travel writing awards:
- Bronze Medal 2022 (Lifestyle, Health and Wellness Travel)
- Honorable Mention 2022 (Travel Book or Guide)
- Silver Medal (cruise category)—2018 NATJA Travel Writing Competition
- Gold (culinary) and Silver Medals (culture) and an honorable mention (tips)—2019 NATJA Travel Writing Competition
- Finalist–Travel/Travel Guide category–2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
- Finalist–Travel Essay category–2013 International Book Awards,
- Finalist 2013– Travel category– National Indie Book Excellence Awards
- Honorable Mention award in the Multicultural Non-Fiction category for the 2013 Global ebook Awards
- 4-star rating from Indie Reader Discovery Awards.
WHO IS OUR AUDIENCE?
Sandy’s content appeals to people who love to explore the world, especially people over 50. In 2024, Sandy’s writing will shift to solo travels.
Followers of Sandy’s stories are interested in reliable and authentic information about domestic and international destinations. The Traveling Bornsteins’ areas of interest include:
- International and domestic outdoor adventures (skiing, kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, horseback riding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing. and mountain biking)
- Cruises
- Family travel experiences
- Food and beverage reviews with an emphasis on nutrient-dense healthy options
- Health/Wellness, and Romantic Get-Aways
- Historical sites
- Jewish culture
- Luxury boomer travel
- Places to stay
- Solo Travels
- Traveling with cancer
LET’S COLLABORATE
Media Trips
Invite me, and I will be happy to visit. I will write a story and take a plethora of images for one of my websites and/or submit one or more stories to a media partner.
Individualized trips allow The Traveling Bornsteins to maximize my coverage. I am also open to small group media trips.
Ambassadorships
As a KÜHL ambassador, Sandy wears KÜHL clothing in Colorado and while traveling. She submits stories about international and domestic adventures, including digital images wearing the KÜHL clothing brand, on the KÜHL Born in the Mountains blog.
Sandy is currently looking to affiliate with other brands.
Sandy was an Optune ambassador until her contract was terminated when Ira’s tumor recurred in January 2023. Sandy wrote stories for Novocure. Ira wore an Optune device on his head. This medical device uses TTFields to selectively target and disrupt the progression of cancer cells.
Partnerships
I am open to exploring additional partnerships with companies that represent travel-related products. Stories and digital images of the brand will be shared with multiple audiences.
DESTINATIONS WE HAVE WORKED WITH
Independently arranged media itineraries and small group media trips have offered incredible opportunities to visit places both near and far.
Since June 2017, The Traveling Bornsteins have collaborated with the following travel entities:
Arizona
- Travel Classics pre-conference media tour of Tucson and post-conference stay at Rancho de la Osa Guest Ranch.
- Civana Wellness Resort & Spa 4-night media rate for accommodations, meals, & services.
- Cochise County 5-day history, food, and outdoor adventure itinerary sponsored by the Cochise County Tourism Council.
California
- 48-hours in San Francisco with a 2-night stay at the Hilton Union Square and media passes courtesy of San Francisco Travel, Hook, Line & Thinker, and af & co., Restaurant and Hospitality Consultants.
- Introduction to Sonoma County coordinated by Wine Road, Kenwood Inn & Spa, and Sonoma County Tourism.
- Get-away to San Diego including deluxe accommodations at the US Grant and the Fairmont Grand Del Mar sponsored by the U.S. Grant Hotel and by Accor Hotels North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Colorado
- Three-night, all inclusive stay at Vista Verde Ranch near Steamboat, Colorado.
- Two-night stay at Grand Hyatt Vail plus meals.
- Four-day stay at Snowmass Limelight Hotel, 3-day lift ticket pass, and meals coordinated by Aspen Ski Company
- Three-night, all inclusive stay at Latino Ranch where we were introduced to cross country skiing and to snowshoeing, coordinated by Grand County, Colorado, and Latigo Ranch.
- Two-night stay at the YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby Colorado, meals, plus outdoor activities—dogsledding, snowmobiling, and a day of downhill skiing coordinated by Grand County, Colorado.
- 7-night road trip through Colorado sponsored by Resort Trends, Inc., Gateway Canyons Resort, Bridges Media Group, Visit Pagosa Springs, and Peak Communications, LLC.
- One-night stay with three meals at the Zapata Ranch hosted by Ranchlands.
Florida
- Two night fully comped and 2 nights partially comped at the South Seas Island Resort, Captiva Island, Florida, hosted by the resort’s marketing department.
Nebraska
- Nebraska: Westward Ho Media Trip sponsored by Geiger & Associates Public Relations and the Nebraska Tourism Commission.
New Mexico
- 3-night stay in Santa Fe coordinated by Tourism Santa Fe with a stay at the Inn on the Alameda.
- 2-night stay in Taos coordinated by The Waite Company.
South Carolina
- 5-day visit to Charleston, Hilton Head Island, and Beaufort, South Carolina coordinated by Explore Charleston, Discover South Carolina, and the Greater Beaufort-Port Royal CVB.
Utah
- 4-day visit all-inclusive visit to Red Mountain Resort near St. George, Utah.
- 3-day visit to Park City included airfare, accommodations, ski rental, lift tickets, admission to attractions, transportation to the airport, and gourmet meals coordinated by Visit Park City.
- 3-day visit to Hoodoo Moab Curio Collection by Hilton provided media rate for 2 suite accommodations for multi-generational stay.
International
- 12-day media rate for private Israel My Way tour which included stays at four luxury hotels in Israel.
- 2-night complimentary stay in a Tokyo hotel, meals, private tour and admission to attractions provided by Tobu Railway Co, Ltd.
- 7-day “Hiking in Style” and Jewish content trip to Locarno, Lenzerheide, Zurich, Lengnau and Endingen coordinated by Switzerland Tourism and local tourism boards.
- 8-day road trip through Germany with stops in Frankfurt, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and Munich, coordinated by several government tourism boards.
- Travel Classics pre-tour of Charlevoix and Montreal courtesy of DPMPR and Canadian regional and local tourism boards.
- Celebrity Cruises has provided media rates for shore excursions and complimentary specialty dining experiences on numerous Celebrity Cruises sailings worldwide. On a 2019 cruise, we were upgraded to Suite Class.
DISCLOSURE
Sandy’s published stories describe The Traveling Bornstein’s first-hand experiences and provide practical tips to people who are contemplating visiting the destination. Articles conform to the stipulated contributors’ guidelines. Sandy has the most flexibility with stories published on her websites.
Editors have the discretion to modify submitted stories and to determine the publication date. Some editors reserve the right to cancel a story after it has been accepted. It is not possible to guarantee when, or if, a story will be published. Stories may be published within weeks of a trip or more than a year later.
Whenever a destination sponsors our travels, Sandy includes disclosures in her submitted story. The editor/publisher decides whether they want to comply with the FTC guidelines. Media outlets outside the United States sometimes do not adhere to U.S. laws.
GET IN TOUCH
If you are interested in collaborating with The Traveling Bornsteins, please contact us.
Follow Us!