Called the “Castle in the City,” Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is appropriately crowned with a chateau-style peaked copper roof, now elaborately aged a burnished patina. Built in the 1930s as one of the country’s premier hospitality residences (a collection of iconic hotels that even today still dot the original Canadian Pacific … Read more
I spotted the iconic 660-foot front porch of the Grand Hotel from the ferry to Mackinac Island. From a distance I could see the massive white structure on a hill in stark contrast to the deep green of the surrounding trees and the rich blue waters of Lake Huron. As … Read more
Teal waters, leaping dolphins, breaching whales, a dramatic Dothraki terrain, and all with a Spanish flavor — why, it’s Cabo San Lucas. Not exactly … in twenty, thirty years maybe! For those looking for a Mexican getaway but loathing the thought of a McMexico experience, Loreto beckons with minimum fuss, … Read more
Lucerne is often called “the City of Lights.” The name goes back to a miracle which is said to have happened here. According to a legend, an angel showed the first arriving settlers with a light where to build a chapel in honor of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of … Read more
Confession: Though I’ve visited seven continents, 60 countries and 46 of the nation’s states, it wasn’t until recently that my travels included Idaho, more specifically Boise, its capital. As the saying “it’s never too late” suggests, my visit to the largest city of the country’s 43rd state may have been … Read more
“Why would anyone give you a houseboat to sail when you can’t even steer a canoe straight?” This was the question from my 11-year-old granddaughter. She had a point. On our recent canoeing trip together, I navigated straight into the banks of the river more than once. The prospect of … Read more
“A river seems a magic thing.” — Laura Gilpin The thunderous sound of Europe’s largest waterfall tumbling over a wide expanse of cliffs impeded any attempt at conversation. With our boat wobbling in the churning water, we got as close to the falls as our experienced tour guide dared go … Read more
“Are you ready to get into your time machine?” Those words spoken some years ago by a Budapest tour guide still resonate with me today. I was taking a private tour that juxtaposed the Communist years in Hungary with the present day and it was really interesting. The city was … Read more
Soaring above the landscape, a ride in a hot air balloon reveals a perspective of the ground below unlike any other. Perhaps that’s why this romantic mode of transportation enchants adventurers everywhere. It all started with a sheep, a duck and a rooster—the first passengers in a hot air balloon … Read more
As America’s Independence Day celebrations enter the home stretch, France’s Bastille Day festivities await. July 14th, 2019 marks 230 years since the Storming of the Bastille — a turning point in the French Revolution. Today, more than ever, there will be hundreds of events held in NYC to honor France’s … Read more
Known as Music City, Nashville is where the world of music meets southern comfort. This is a land where the tunes are country along with jazz, blues, and rock and where the food can be grits and gravy as well as a grilled lobster. Though it’s home to such high-profile … Read more
Have you ever thought about a summer trip to northern Michigan? Perhaps the ‘Pure Michigan’ commercials made you curious? Being an East Coaster, I was intrigued by the idea of a Midwest version of Cape Cod. Michigan has hundreds of miles of lakeshore all with nearly perfect summer temperatures. I … Read more
