For baseball fans and foodies: Ft. Myers
Short phrases help jog the mind’s recall for trips. On my first trip to Fort Myers, Florida with my husband and two elementary-age children, in the 1980s, the key phrase was “banyan tree.” For our most recent trip there, after my husband and I had been retired for a decade, the key phrase was “baseball plus food” — beyond Cracker Jacks and hot dogs, that is. While we all... READ MORE
Festivals to enjoy in Virginia during 2020
Sugary maple syrup, juicy red tomatoes, dainty pink apple blossoms, high-octane bluegrass — it’s all classic Virginia. From oysters to sand to fiddling, Virginia’s festivals showcase the singular assets of the state’s diversity and riches. Mark your 2020 calendar to attend these events: Maple Festival, Highland County, Mar. 14-22 Highland County, 3,000 feet above sea level, ... READ MORE
Don’t miss these festivals in D.C. and Maryland in 2020
D.C.’s festivals here reflect the city’s international population. While we all know about the National Cherry Blossom Festival in the spring and the Smithsonian’s Folk Life Festival in the summertime, here are some lesser known celebrations to check out in 2020: Blossom Kite Festival, Mar. 28 Professional kite flyers impress amateurs at this annual festival, formerly the... READ MORE
Off the beaten track in Northern Ireland
The story of Northern Ireland is a tale of natural beauty and convivial people bound up in a singularly dark and bloody history. For a week and a half last summer, my wife Katherine and I traveled through Ireland — from Dublin, through Game of Thrones country along the windy coast of Northern Ireland, to the Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast and back to Dublin. The trip — my... READ MORE
Puerto Rico once again enchants visitors
The sprawling 300-year-old Nispero tree — in the outdoor courtyard of the former Carmelite convent that dates back to 1651 — stretches up 50 feet, beyond the fifth floor of what is now the El Convento hotel in Old San Juan. In September 2017, Hurricane Maria’s 155-mile-per-hour winds savaged the tree, along with the rest of Puerto Rico. Hotel management called on expert arborists,... READ MORE
Tips for winter travel and nabbing deals
With the coldest months ahead, it’s a good time to take a look at important winter travel developments: 737 MAX return to service online pharmacy buy cenforce without prescription with best prices today in the USA The biggest travel question this winter is a carryover from last spring, summer and fall: When will airlines finally be able to resume flying the Boeing 737 MAX? Although... READ MORE
A tour of country music’s highlights
Country music is a uniquely American art form, with its roots in the fiddle from European immigrants and the African banjo, all the way through its explosion as a commercial art form that has reflected the social, economic and cultural changes within our country. Ken Burns took on the gargantuan task of telling the story of country music in his eight-part PBS documentary series Country... READ MORE
Do Airbnb, Uber & Lyft save you money?
The sharing economy offers two major opportunities for travelers to depart from the conventional: Airbnb rather than hotels for accommodations, and Uber or Lyft in place of taxis for local transportation. A few recent studies have looked at comparative costs in various major cities around the world, and the overall answer to the “which is best” question remains as you might expect:... READ MORE
Vancouver’s surprising sites and diversity
The city of Vancouver in Canada’s British Columbia, once a crown colony, is named for British Royal Navy Captain George Vancouver, who in the late 18th century explored much of North America’s northwestern Pacific Coast. But you can bet you won’t drink tea following rigid British protocols when you visit Vancouver. You are more likely to slurp, sniff and savor aromatic Chinese tea... READ MORE
All aboard for fall foliage trips by train
Leaf peeping is traditionally a windshield tourism activity, but lots of folks believe that a train ride is even better. Fortunately, you have lots of options. Options aboard Amtrak Amtrak’s top fall foliage trip is the New York-Montreal Adirondack, especially the segment between Albany and Montreal through the valley that separates the Adirondacks and the Green Mountains. Amtrak... READ MORE
