More than six decades ago, Southern California’s island of Catalina was memorialized in the Four Preps’ song, 26 Miles, in reference to its proximity to the populous region’s coastline. And though almost everything in the nation has changed in that expanse of time, Catalina remains unchanged. It’s been years since … Read more
When you think of Half Moon Bay, a California coastal city just 25 miles south of San Francisco, it conjures up the idea of romance and walks on the beach, while perhaps being holed up at a beautiful luxury hotel with a view of the bay. How true is this … Read more
“Look at this view,” said Scott Hillock, a local guide with the Tahoe Adventure Company, as we edged to the side of the path for a hiker to pass. “And it gets better,” he assured us as we continued along the trail. With my daughter, Kathryn, we three negotiated the … Read more
Can you imagine a church-controlled town joining forces with one run by capitalists who made millions from tobacco products? That’s exactly what happened in Winston-Salem. Today the historic Brookstown Inn represents that common ground. Old Salem It all began in 1752 when 15 Moravians traveled south from Pennsylvania to North … Read more
Often compared to the Freedom Tower in New York, the London Eye, and Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the Tokyo Skytree just celebrated its tenth anniversary. Providing a dramatic change to the city’s skyline in 2012, the Tokyo Skytree also gave the city a new television tower. And, it created an exciting … Read more
“Welcome to Renaissance Esmeralda,” greets Charlie, the bellman with a smile as wide as a fairway and as warm as the temperatures, when we check-in. Upon escorting us to Room 3071, he playfully queries, “Is your last name Marriott?” He explains that our room is one of only twenty with … Read more
Beyond Arizona’s revered Grand Canyon and Phoenix’s five-star destination scene is a small-town getaway within the state’s pristine White Mountains – Pinetop-Lakeside. An area so welcoming and authentically down-home, it provides a much-needed visit to life’s simpler past. Less than four hours northeast of Phoenix and on average 25-30 degrees … Read more
Sidewalks bustle with visitors making shopping choices at owner-operated boutiques, restaurants offer alfresco tropical drinks on their patios, and hotels are booked solid. The onslaught of Modernism Week brings diehard architecture groupies to Palm Springs in mid-February each year. Modernism Week, actually a period of ten days, dives into the … Read more
I’m relaxing in a roomy Adirondack chair on the expansive lawn of Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth on coastal Maine. A few feet away is a boardwalk to the sandy crescent beach that protects the inn from an oft-wild Atlantic. It’s early evening, and a family beside me … Read more
It’s called “Climb to the Clouds,” one of the oldest auto races in America. Cars race toward the 6,300-foot peak of New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the Northeastern U.S. Nowadays you can also be challenged by a “Ski to the Clouds”—a combo ski/snowshoe and fat bike 10K. … Read more
The first town encountered while driving along Route 91 north from Massachusetts, Brattleboro serves as the gateway to Vermont. Here, evergreens usher visitors through a vernal curtain of bucolic joy. With a total area of 34 square miles, most of the approximately twelve thousand residents know each other both through … Read more
“It’s a cross between Hawaii and Prague.” So says a fellow American traveler that I meet, about the Azores, an archipelago of nine islands situated a thousand miles off the coast of Portugal, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Once considered the end of the known world, the islands … Read more
Imagine this: You’re sleeping in a luxury treehouse, high above the ground. The woods around you whisper in the wind. You’re snuggled up, cozy and warm under an organic linen comforter. Rays of sunlight spill through curtainless windows, beckoning you to rise and greet the day. As you shake off … Read more
Palm Springs brings to mind desert views with palm trees and the iconic San Jacinto Mountains backdrop, mid-century modern architecture, glamorous old Hollywood, and fabulous food and drink. But there’s more! Here are two terrific examples of Palm Springs entertainment for you to explore while visiting this Coachella Valley oasis. … Read more
I’m standing on the “Blue Bridge” over the Spokane River, taking in the waterfalls cascading below and the soaring mountain peaks in the distance. I’m in Riverfront Park, a beautiful Spokane green space. It reminds me of New York’s Central Park with its winding footpaths, fountains and gorgeous vistas. It’s … Read more