Carnival Mardi Gras’ New Orleans vibe
It is the first sea day aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s new megaship Mardi Gras and it is harder than you might think deciding where to go for brunch
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Back to the future: Carnival’s new Mardi Gras
13 ships—including the brand new flagship Carnival Mardi Gras—are sailing from 6 US ports. And that’s just four months into Carnival Cruise Line’s restart
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Visiting SUMMIT One Vanderbilt in NYC
Connected to Grand Central Terminal, the new super skyscraper Summit One Vanderbilt has fantastic views of the metropolis
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Are you ready a romantic getaway?
A romantic just-for-you dinner, a scented bubble bath for two, flower petals on your bed and someone to take care of your every need.
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Don’t jump in the pool in the Tonga Room!
The indoor 75-foot Plunge Pool was a hit with locals and celebrities alike when it was opened at the historic Fairmont San Francisco in 1929
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Biking or Hiking – Sonoma’s Got the Sites to See
Bike or hike? Sonoma Valley may have more than 100 wineries, but there are 13,000 acres of state and regional parks as well.
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Second acts: a century in the making
Frank Bartholomew, a United Press war correspondent, handed Antonia a deed for a run down 500-acre ranch in Sonoma, CA and then returned to cover World War II
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An Escape, a new country and finally, a winery
Sichel’s connection to the wine industry began long before her partners purchased Laurel Glen—even before she was born
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Eating your way through Disney World
Space-Ghetti, anyone? Maybe a Galactic Lobster Globe? All served up with bubbling or smoking atmospheric spirits and zero-proof cocktails
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Tasting wine and eating well in Sonoma County
I love Sonoma County with kids—all of the hiking, biking…the Redwood Trees…kayaking, pumpkin patches in fall, kid-friendly restaurants
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A Fleet Week Taste of San Francisco
Anyone who travels knows a perfect—or near perfect—vacation day is rare. So I count us lucky on this warm, sunny blue-sky October Day in San Francisco
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Walt Disney World turns 50 and celebrates big time
The next 18 months, there will be new experiences across Walt Disney World, including the chance to spend two nights aboard the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
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Star Wars or Marvel Superheroes?
I just returned from a preview of 2022 and this is what I discovered: Disney has you covered no matter what you like best…
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Exploring Hispanic heritage in October
The Hispanic population of the United States totals 60.6 million people, making it the largest ethnic group
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On a cruise in Greece in the pandemic
How about traveling abroad during a pandemic, and then boarding a cruise ship, perhaps for the first time?
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Memories from our first Pandemic cruise
There were a lot of perfect moments aboard the Wind Star despite all the changes the pandemic had wrought
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Halloween comes early at theme parks
Halloween is more than a month away but theme parks are already welcoming your little (and big) ghosts, ghouls and princesses.
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A Farm Dogs Trip to Downtown Boston
I got to chase rabbits around my uncle’s garden and even waded into his koi pond, though I was yelled at for doing so and felt very bad. Very very bad indeed
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17+ things for your next road trip
A first-aid kit for the time one of my kids fell into a cactus while hiking, a rain jacket in a downpour, miles from the trailhead…
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Apex- DAY 7 FAKE MEATBALLS?
This was the last day of our cruise on Celebrity’s newest ship Apex and we were trying to pack in as much time as possible
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Apex Day 6 – Don’t rain on my parade!
Even with the less than perfect weather, there was plenty to do—more than 60 activities on the Celebrity Apex
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Apex day 5 – The Pandemic Intrudes
The Captain made the announcement at cocktail hour: A vaccinated guest had tested positive for COVID-19
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Apex Day 4 – What’s for dinner?
“What’s for Dinner?” can be a complicated question aboard the new Celebrity Apex with 10 restaurants to choose from.
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Apex Day 3 – Learning the history of Rhodes
Today, the island of Rhodes, part of the Dodecanese islands, is home to over 120,000 people and pre-covid as many as four million visitors a year
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Apex day 2 – A woman following her dreams
Fragedaki is an engaging teacher as she instructs us on how to make spinach pie, tzatziki (a cucumber yogurt sauce), and stuffed tomatoes and peppers
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Apex day 1: Pandemic cruise on a big ship
The Apex, the brand new ship in the Celebrity fleet, can hold nearly 3,000 passengers. But there are 1,100 on board and 936 crew from some 60 countries
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Heading (safely) to a fall festival
If your summer vacation plans got derailed — yet again — take the kids to a fall festival a drivable distance from home
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Windstar Day 5 – What’s the best part?
Ask a group of people their favorite vacation experience—even if they have shared a ship for a week—and you will get a different answer from each person
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Windstar Day 4: Santorini without crowds
The famed Greek Isle of Santorini is actually the eastern rim of a volcano caldera that has erupted many times through the ages
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Windstar Day 3 – Food any way and all day
There’s no charge aboard the Wind Star sailing yacht for room service. But we also learn that we can have room service anywhere we like onboard.
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Windstar Day 2 – Calling all night owls
If you are a night person, ou’ll love the Greek Island of Mykonos — AKA The Party Island of Greece — which is decidedly sleepy in the morning
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Windstar Day One – Cruising through a pandemic in Greece
The Wind Star can accommodate 148 passengers in 73 staterooms and one larger suite. But it has typically been sailing with half that number since cruises resumed this summer
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An Athens Authentic At-Home Greek Dinner
Before we arrived, we’d never met the couple yet they were hosting us for dinner—a dinner we would help prepare in their small kitchen
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Mythology Made Easy in Athens
Imagine if you are a competitive Greek god or goddess of ancient mythology with a big ego, not to mention you’re immortal with many superpowers
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A tropical resort with something for everyone
We’ve just gotten off our horses on a white-sand beach after swimming with them and we’re real thirsty — yes, we were swimming with them
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A taste of Authenticity in Athens
On a first visit, Kagkas explains, tourists check off the must sees–The Acropolis, the Plaka, the museums, but they don’t experience Athens like a local
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In Athens, a hotel goes over and above
When US hotels are struggling to get enough staff—and whose staff often don’t seem to care–it is nice to find a place that genuinely cares about its guests
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Are you ready to cruise again?
The CDC has lowered its health notice on cruise travel from Level 4 – avoid – to Level 3, which encourages travelers to get fully vaccinated before traveling
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10 reasons to visit Maine
Maine is the number one producer of wild blueberries in the country, and you can certainly take your pick of how to eat them if you visit
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On the newly opened Pikes Peak Cog Railway
It’s no wonder that the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway, just reopened after a 4-year makeover, is hugely popular with families
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A brand-new way to experience art
Anyone who has tried to interest and show kids Great Art knows they may not always respond the way you’d like, or even expect.
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Returning to the (not always friendly) skies
No one — from airport shuttles to rental car companies to airlines – seems prepared, resulting in irritable employees and travelers
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A different kind of Jamaican vacation
I don’t know which is better — the food, the view, or bragging rights to the Jamaica experience very few have.
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To Denver for the 2021All-Star Game
You don’t want to miss taking a selfie when you are exactly a mile high, 5,280 feet — on the 13th step of the west side of the State Capitol Building
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Safely visiting the national parks
Rangers underscore that our national parks are not theme parks, that there are real dangers. It’s essential that you teach the kids that you must be careful
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Cruising is back soon: What’s your pick?
Princess, Carnival, and Holland America will be sailing from Seattle to Alaska starting late July without any port stops in Canada,
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Time Travel to Ancient Civilizations
The Best Part: Bragging Rights to cruising a new way on Atlas Ocean Voyages’ newly constructed expedition ship World Navigator
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Reasons to brave Arizona’s summer heat
It’s worth braving the heat for the “you can only have them here” experiences: food and fantastic deals at resorts with expansive pools, spas and restaurants
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Something For Everyone: Half Moon Resort
Mixology classes for the adults… sailing and diving classes for the kids. And plenty of sun, sand and ocean for everyone
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A Different Kind of Trail Ride
So here I am in the bay at Half Moon Resort, on the North Coast of Jamaica. I’m hanging on to Cutta’s tail as well as I can. But I’m not sure it will be enough
