Travel CRM Strategist. Storyteller. Explorer at Heart.
Hello, I’m Mark Morin, the traveler behind The Happy Traveler. For over 40 years, I’ve worked as a Travel CRM strategist, helping hotels, resorts, destinations, attractions, and travel brands build meaningful and sustainable relationships with their guests and customers.
Today, I bring that same curiosity about people, places, and connection to travel writing—sharing firsthand experiences that help curious travelers explore more deeply, more comfortably, and with a better sense of what to expect.
The Happy Traveler is a travel blog for curious travelers who want to experience places more deeply, especially in Europe, Portugal, Italy, Mexico, and other destinations suited to slower, more meaningful travel. The blog focuses on authentic local experiences, mobility-aware travel, gluten-free dining, winter travel, snowbird alternatives, and what I like to call LongStayLife: the art of staying longer, slowing down, and feeling more connected to a place.
The Happy Traveler is not a travel agency. It is an independent travel blog based on personal experience, original photography, and honest observations from the places I visit.
My journey from the boardroom to the backstreets of Europe wasn’t planned—it evolved from a love of culture, food, and storytelling. Whether it’s navigating the winding alleys of Lisbon, discovering street art in Guanajuato, or seeking out the best gluten-free focaccia in Genoa, I bring a personal lens to each destination I visit.
My goal is to help you understand not just what a place looks like, but what it feels like to experience it.
Topics I Cover on The Happy Traveler
The Happy Traveler focuses on travel that is personal, practical, and experience-rich. Some of the recurring themes you’ll find across the blog include:
- Slow travel and LongStayLife — longer stays, local routines, meaningful travel, and destinations that reward a slower pace.
- Portugal in winter and spring — especially the Algarve, Lisbon, Faro, Loulé, Albufeira, Tavira, and other destinations suited to off-season travel.
- Italy travel guides — food, history, architecture, mobility realities, and the feeling of being in cities like Rome, Siena, Florence, Venice, Genoa, and Milan.
- Mexico snowbird destinations — alternatives to Florida and resort travel, including Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, and cultural travel beyond the beach.
- Mobility-aware travel — practical observations about stairs, cobblestones, slopes, crowds, walking distances, public transportation, and pacing.
- Gluten-free travel — personal restaurant experiences, local food discoveries, and practical notes for travelers who need to avoid gluten.
- Local food, wine, markets, and everyday travel experiences — the meals, cafés, markets, and small local moments that shape how a place feels.
- Travel for curious 50+ travelers — realistic, thoughtful travel for people who value culture, comfort, atmosphere, food, and authenticity.
If You Travel Like This, You’re in the Right Place
I created this blog for travelers who want to go deeper—not just check off landmarks. If you’re someone who:
- Wants to explore at your own pace
- Looks for mobility-aware travel insights
- Travels gluten-free and wants practical, honest food guidance
- Enjoys off-the-beaten-path finds just as much as famous sights
- Appreciates honest, practical advice—from camera gear to comfort food
…you’ll feel right at home here.
Real Travel, Real Stories
Every post on this blog is rooted in firsthand travel: my own experiences, my own photos, and often a little help from my wife Danielle — and occasionally our son Alex, a trained chef. I write about what stood out, what surprised me, what made a place easier or harder to enjoy, and what I wish I had known before arriving.
From cruise excursions to cobblestone climbs, every destination comes with details that matter.
Why I Write This Way
My background in Travel CRM taught me to pay attention to the details that shape an experience: the welcome, the friction points, the small moments of care, and the way people remember a place afterward. That perspective now shapes how I write about travel.
I notice the beauty, but I also notice the stairs. I notice the meal, but also whether gluten-free options were handled with confidence. I notice the landmark, but also the neighbourhood around it, the walk to get there, and whether the experience felt welcoming, rushed, crowded, or genuinely memorable.
Start Exploring
Here are a few places to begin:
Explore Portugal — winter stays, Algarve towns, Lisbon, Faro, Loulé, Albufeira, and slow travel ideas.
Discover Mexico — Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Feria San Marcos, and snowbird alternatives.
See Our Greek Island Cruise — island stops, history, food, accessibility notes, and Mediterranean scenery.
The Values That Guide This Blog
- Authenticity: I travel with curiosity, not a checklist.
- Mobility awareness: Travel should be joyful, even when stairs, cobblestones, slopes, or long walking distances require extra planning.
- Respect: I believe travel should honour local culture, history, language, and the people who call each place home.
- Practicality: I share real tips for real travelers — yes, even those of us who overpack.
Let’s Stay in Touch
I publish new travel stories, destination guides, photo essays, and practical travel notes every week or two. You can subscribe by email, follow my adventures on Instagram, or connect with me on LinkedIn.
Subscribe to receive travel tips, destination highlights, and new articles directly in your inbox.
Follow me on Instagram: @mark.morin
Connect on LinkedIn: Mark Morin
And if you’re curious about where I’m going next, keep an eye on the blog—there’s always another adventure around the corner.
Thanks for stopping by. Wishing you many happy travels!
— Mark, The Happy Traveler
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