Before Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy arrived, Florida’s cast of characters included manatees, alligators, reptiles, herons, egrets and the elusive Florida panther. They’re all still around, along with many other interesting species. Here are seven great places to introduce your family to Florida’s original characters … the wildlife. Blue Springs … Read more
When in Mexico it’s not hard to love tequila. I mean, who wouldn’t love sipping a couple margaritas watching a sunset in Acapulco? But for the intrepid traveler who must always venture beyond the standard beach resorts, the scenic state of Jalisco in the heart of Mexico offers a once … Read more
Outside of New York City, the jazz scene in Tokyo is better than any city on earth, with first rate clubs, hotel lounges, and local hangouts attracting up and coming as well as international acts. New acts, both Japanese and foreign, have eager and sophisticated audiences before them who sit … Read more
Looking for the perfect beach location for your family’s next vacation? With over 1,350 miles of coastline, Florida is certain to have something for everyone. From the Gulf of Mexico to the shores of the Atlantic, here are a dozen of Florida’s great family friendly beaches. Fort De Soto Park … Read more
Elephants are the big draw at Chiawa Camp – and hippos, crocodiles, Cape buffalo, baboons, even the occasional lion. Chiawa nails the African, luxury-in-the-bush, “glamping” experience to the letter. Hugging the banks of the mighty Zambezi River, Chiawa was the first safari camp to open in the Lower Zambezi National … Read more
What do former President Lyndon B. Johnson, a celebrated brewpub, and a volcano outcrop have in common? Fredericksburg, Texas. This Texas Hill Country town, located about an hour from San Antonio and 1-1/2 hours from Austin, was founded in 1846 by German immigrants. Those early citizens maintained close ties with … Read more
Several years ago, I began interviewing officers who had served in World War II for my book West Point ’41: The Class That Went to War and Shaped America. These West Point officers were among the last class to graduate the military academy before the U.S. entered WWII, and they … Read more
When the topic of Prague comes up, (and even by travel writer standards, it comes up relatively often for me, having spent four months studying abroad there) someone will inevitably make the comment that being in Prague is like walking through a quaint medieval town that’s right out of a … Read more
“Minutes from Cape Town, Miles from the World”. That’s the slogan of the Steenberg Hotel, a tagline that couldn’t be more fitting. Despite the fact that it’s a mere 20-minute drive from South Africa’s capital, you’ll feel like you’re in a completely different world as traffic disappears, cars become bicycles … Read more
Hong Kong should have seen the Spanish inquisition coming. While French, Italian, and European cuisines have been popular and served to a high standard for decades in this international city, good Iberian-influenced cuisine was scarce. The fairly new phenomenon began with a few Spanish restaurants opening up in the early … Read more
I first went to Prague ages ago, in 1977, motivated by a desire to see the birthplace of the first serious writers whose work meant the world to me as a young adult. Although Franz Kafka and Rainer Maria Rilke never wrote explicitly about Prague, the city’s literal darkness, Gothic … Read more
The Peninsula was one of the first luxury hotels to open in Beijing China and is still the epitome of class in a city that’s constantly changing. It was 1989, a year that ushered back the Western style hotel to China’s capital. This modern hotel tower rises out of a … Read more
Maine’s coast, lakes, woods, and mountains have inspired countless American artists including year-round residents like Winslow Homer and three generations of Wyeths. Even the list of artists who visited Maine or summered there reads like a Who’s Who: Frederic Church and Thomas Cole, Childe Hassam, John Singer Sargent, Edward Hopper, … Read more
When I was a child, my yearly trips to Miami with my family were always filled with stories of the glamorous Miami of the past, a place where my grandparents used to take my mother and tío when they were little children. In the tales of my beloved Grandfather I could … Read more
Before there were hot stone massages and oxygen facials, Vichy showers and seaweed wraps, there were hot springs. For centuries, cultures around the globe turned to bubbling, mineral-rich natural springs to help heal a wide array of ailments, from joint pains to skin conditions. The ancient Romans in particular cultivated … Read more