The Latin-flavored bit of the USA in the Caribbean that is Puerto Rico is itself a tropical paradise of balmy, palm-fringed beaches, rain forests, and vibrant island culture and history. But when Puerto Ricans themselves want to "get away from it all", they (and a few discerning gringo visitors) escape to their own pair of smaller islands off the east coast, like unpretentious, castaway slices of the olde-tyme Caribbee. Welcome, amigos, to Vieques and Culebra.
It all began when Alex Voss moved from Florida to Hawaii in the summer of 2012 to work on a landscaping project at a new Courtyard by Marriott on Maui. Hoping to experience the island beyond the duration of his assignment, Alex applied for a distillers apprenticeship on Craigslist at Haleakalā Distillers. After following up, he was hired on the spot and worked his way up to distiller in two short years, learning rum production using indigenous molasses. Thinking back to his roots in southwest
Don Ramey Logan
Northern California offers some of the USA's loveliest road tripping, with scenic views, great beaches, beach towns and state parks as well as attractions such as the Monterey Aquarium and the Carmel Mission. One particularly appealing stretch is the 122 miles (196 kilometers) between San Francisco and the town of Carmel along coastal Highway 1. You can drive it in a little over two hours, but there's so much to see and do along here that you could easily spend a week stoppi
Lee Howard
Atlanta is the state of Georgia's premier cultural hub. and despite being a major urban hub, still has plenty of southern charm, as well as myriad attractions, sightseeing, and activities. Let us take a look at the many things that are a must on a visit. Atlanta itinerary 1 day
Sightseeing
Do not miss the world’s largest aquarium, ‘the Georgia aquarium’, the Fox Theatre Centennial Park, Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site, Piedmont Park, The High Museum of Art and the Tu
by Felice Hardy
Speaking to my fellow Europeans, if you’ve gone skiing or snowboarding on the Continent but not yet in North America, you’re in for a real treat. Welcome to an unexpected world in which everyone seems to be intent upon you having a good time.
Take ski school for example - in Europe, some still have the attitude “You are here to learn first, have fun second.” Whilst in North America it’s the other way around.
For this is a world where “standing in line” (queuing) has been
Just two blocks from the White House and within walking distance to everything the nation's capital has to offer, it's easy to see why The Willard InterContinental in Washington DC is known as the "Residence of Presidents" and has remained an anchor in a town that's undergone countless transformations over the hotel's 200-year existence.
In 1862, National Hawthorne wrote, "The Willard may be much more justly called the center of Washington and the Union than either the Cap
YubYub41
Our planet is a beautiful place, and one lifetime is barely enough to experience it. Count yourself lucky if you can visit at least three of these five places chosen by Edward Granlund, travel enthusiast, which are some of the most breathtaking and gorgeous places on Earth.
Kauai, Hawaii
One might call this a paradise, and you wouldn't be wrong in doing so. It's also one of the rainiest places on Earth, so prepare your raincoats because it's raining cats and dogs here. Palm trees
Recently my girlfriend Sue Montgomery and I were off for a girls’ getaway to Palm Springs, the Southern-California city of luxurious, boutique hotels designed to pamper and emanate old world charm from those days of past Hollywood glamour and relaxation.
Palm Springs was a city of scandal and partying of some of the most well-known stars and producers of the late 1950s, including the Rat Pack, Elvis Presley, and Marilyn Monroe. Sue and I loaded our suitcases into our car, and we were off to
The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are one of the most breathtaking sights one can ever experience. The mixture of unearthly colors display including magenta, emerald green and turquoise is so worth watching. You would be lucky enough if you get to see pink, red and purple also.
It´s not at all easy to spot the northern lights, however the best time to see them is from late September to late March. During these months the nights are longest and skies are darkest. Seeing th
The USA’s second largest city, like most of the country’s most vibrant cities, derives much of that vibrancy from its immigrants. And one of the tastiest legacies of all those generations of immigration is a spectacular array of ethnic eats that are truly globe spanning. Whenever I’m in Chicago, I always concentrate on seeking out the coolest and most exotic. Here’s just a sampling of what’s on the multicultural menu!
Welcome to the Midwest‘s Middle Kingdom! On Chi-To
There are excellent reasons northern California‘s “City by the Bay” is one of America’s most storied cities (if far from its most typical). Born as a colonial Spanish mission and fort on the tip of a peninsula, San Francisco was transformed by the gold rush of the 19th century; spectacularly flattened by the Great Earthquake in the early 20th; home of the 1960s “Summer of Love“; and in the 21st, once again reinvented as the pre-eminent world capital of high tech. This is an enterta
How do you find out about all the hidden neighborhoods and history of a city? Three of us writers had a short time in the city of Milwaukee and wanted to savor as much as we could of the ethnic neighborhoods, architecture, and history. We contacted Theresa Nemetz of Milwaukee Food and City Tours, who offered us a flavor of what one of their many tours showcased of the city.
Since our time was so limited, she suggested a brief tour of Brady Street, one of the oldest neighborhoods, original
Many if not most countries of the world, of course, set aside choice pieces of territory to protect and often showcase precious natural environments. But thanks to its size and a conservationist ethos dating back to the mid-19th century (though these days being increasingly threatened), few countries offer the number and diversity of natural parks – state and national – as the United States of America, from “sea to shining sea”, as its national anthem poetically puts it. And its 400 national p
My kinda town, New York City is - and unlike many other Manhattanites (ashemedly including myself, back in the day), I do not fetishize my home borough these days. Yet when it comes to the tourism and much else in the Big Apple, fuhgeddaboutit – Manhattan remains the proverbial “800-pound gorilla”, an attention hog with all the flashiest sights, dining, shows, and yadda yadda yadda. But the so-called “outer boroughs” (besides Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island) have really
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With lush landscapes characterized by forests, deep fjords, and numerous lakes, Washington State the most northernly state in the continental US, and boasts some of the country's most scenic parks.
(Some of the hiking in these parks is quite remote. I would highly recommend using a GPS device or a hiking watch that has GPS so you don’t get lost. If you plan on camping in the parks, keep in mind there are few if any facilities and you will need to bring in your own shelter. I would re
Orhan Cam
In an intensely grumpy, topsy-turvy election year in the United States, many politicians and citizens alike just love to inveigh against Washington and all it stands for. But as an urban experience, I can tell you as a former resident that DC can be a wonderful place to live. And certainly to visit - as many Americans do every year. And especially now, as they begin a long holiday weekend for their Independence Day on July Fourth, those who hit the road and make a week of it – especiall
恭喜發財 (That's Kung hei fat choy! to you). As hundreds of millions ring in the Year of the Monkey for Chinese New Year (aka Lunar New Year) today, I'm reminded of one of the Chinese diaspora's great gifts to travelers across the planet: funky Chinatowns where the age-old culture of the Middle Kingdom (and increasingly, other parts of Asia) meets a variety of others in sometimes fascinating ways.
The best ones are the traditional ones, which developed organically, as opposed to a recent trend
There will be even more reasons to ranch this year, properties across the U.S. West catering to the wannabe cowhand and the luxury city slicker.
Tony Daly, managing director of London-based dude ranch clearinghouse Ranch Rider, observes, “With WestJet announcing direct flights from London Gatwick to various Canadian destinations and America’s National Park Service celebrating its centenary, there will be even more reason to hit the trail this year. Canada is currently great value for Bri
We recently toured the USA's second oldest military service academy, a 338-acre campus founded in Maryland's capital in 1845, learning about its history of the academy and what life is like for those who have the honor of attending. The tour starts in the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center where there are several interesting displays. The fee is $10.50 for adults, less $9.50 for seniors and $8.50 for children. The number of visitors in each tour is limited so reservations are suggested and those 16
The USA's national parks are indeed a treasure. But we may not always be within a short drive of one. State parks, on the other hand, are more plentiful, often found within shorter distances and can provide a satisfying alternative for a decent "nature fix." A recent invitation to join a group of friends for a weekend at Turkey Run State Park in Indiana was just the ticket.
As many state parks do, Turkey Run offers a variety of lodging options - in this case, an inn, cabins, and
