Travel in 2022: My fearless forecast

By Ed Perkins
Posted on February 17, 2022

When I look back on 2021 and consider the outlook for this year, my primary focus remains “caution.” You’d think that 2022 must almost certainly be an improvement over last year, but the old aphorism comes to mind — “’Cheer up,’ they said, ‘things could be worse.’ So I cheered up. And, sure enough, things did get worse.” I’m not that pessimistic about 2022 — at ... READ MORE

The many denizens of Palm Beach, Fla.

By Glenda C. Booth
Posted on February 03, 2022

Florida’s Palm Beach and nearby communities have long been a favored destination of wealthy luminaries, industry power houses and high-profile politicos. The rich and famous are likely drawn to the area’s hidden estates cloistered behind thick hedges, carefully manicured landscapes, Mediterranean-revival mansions, championship golf courses, expensive resorts, and miles and miles of... READ MORE

What are frequent-flyer miles worth?

By Ed Perkins
Posted on January 25, 2022

A few years back, some economist with nothing better to do calculated that frequent-flyer miles were the world’s third or fourth largest currency. The total value of miles in circulation can only have increased since then. But calculating aggregate value doesn’t really help anyone: The real test is how much miles are worth to you, individually. And that’s a surprisingly complicated ... READ MORE

The friendly, beautiful towns of Provence

By Victor Block
Posted on January 20, 2022

Some places are more than a destination. Provence, nestled in the southeastern corner of France, immerses visitors in a placid, captivating lifestyle. Although the nearby Cote d’Azur and French Riviera have many advocates, visitors may encounter traffic and crowded, blanket-to-blanket beaches. By contrast, in the tiny towns and even smaller villages of Provence, a Maryland-sized... READ MORE

Tips for taming the most hostile airport

By Ed Perkins
Posted on December 23, 2021

In your day-to-day life, you seldom encounter an environment as hostile as that of a big airport. Even if your home airport is, like mine, small and friendly, you’ll likely encounter big-field hostility at your destination, connecting point, or both. Fortunately, you can help avoid some of the worst hostilities with a little forethought — and usually a few extra bucks. Parking. If ... READ MORE

Delaware’s beaches delight in wintertime

By Glenda C. Booth
Posted on December 16, 2021

A trip to the beach in winter can combine both peace and play. For the peace, sit and watch the waves roll in, gulls glide by and clouds float over the sea. In the off-season, the sun-screened partying crowd is likely gone, and youngsters are in school. But there are also playful events that can spark the holiday spirits. Lewes, Delaware, puts on an outdoor light show between December ... READ MORE

Asheville, N. Carolina: Artsy and eclectic

By Barbara Ruben
Posted on December 08, 2021

Thomas Wolfe set his autobiographical novel Look Homeward, Angel in the sprawling Victorian boarding house he grew up in a century ago in Asheville. Today, legions of tourists look toward this small western North Carolina city for its thriving farm-to-table restaurant scene, dozens of art galleries and quirky vibe. Dubbed the Paris of the South, the city of 93,000 residents surrounded ... READ MORE

Europe, anyone? What you need to know

By Ed Perkins
Posted on November 16, 2021

“Europe is Opening.” So proclaim postings from travel mavens and destination advocates, and it probably is accurate. But “opening” is kind of a loose concept — and, in the case of European travel — a moving target. Chances are that many of you may want to visit Europe over the holidays, and probably even more are thinking about visiting in spring or summer of 2022. Right... READ MORE

Reminiscences of Paris’ Champs-Élysées

By Rick Steves
Posted on November 09, 2021

As we’ve had to postpone our travels because of the pandemic, I believe a weekly dose of travel dreaming can be good medicine. Here’s one of my favorite memories from Paris — a reminder of the fun that awaits us at the other end of this crisis. I have a ritual when in Paris. I ask my cabbie to take me around the Arc de Triomphe two times, then drop me off to stroll down the... READ MORE

RiNo: Denver’s colorful, trendy arts district

By Tony Glaros
Posted on November 04, 2021

Just three minutes from downtown Denver, an industrial-warehouse-belt-turned-art-district bubbles with creativity. Nestled on the South Platte River, the part of town known as River North, or RiNo, is a rich mosaic of murals towering inside and outside trendy bars and coffee shops, in alleyways and on highway underpasses. RiNo offers a sensory romp anchored by rich shades of primary... READ MORE