Don’t Drive Maui’s Road to Hana Without This One Simple Thing
I wrestle with my iPhone, trying to connect it to CarPlay as we race out of the Enterprise parking garage. Speed bumps ignored, the Jeep lurches and bounces like a bronco at a Texas rodeo. Was a 4x4 really necessary? The answer will be clear soon enough, but suffice it to say—hell, yeah! Finally, I pair successfully and set up the Shaka Guide—an app designed to expertly navigate the Road to Hana—a drive on eastern Maui known for its crazy switchbacks, towering waterfalls, and dramatic...
3 Sensational Summer Days in Stowe: A Vermont Secret No Longer
Think Stowe is only for leaf peepers and ski bums? Let me introduce you to summer—my favorite season in Stowe. Sure, it’s not even spring yet, but it’s never too early to plan for summer. Read on for inspiration—what to do, where to hike, eat, drink, and stay. Discover some off-the-beaten-path places only locals know about, like eerie covered bridges and how to sniff out the best coffee in town. Ready to take on Vermont’s not-so-best-kept secret? I round the bend, obeying the speed limit...
Why off-season is the best season in Kennebunkport, Maine
Kennebunkport, Maine, is an ideal escape in the summer, as everyone knows. But a visit to the Kennebunks in the off-season is just as rewarding. Maybe even more so, as the crowds have left and a level of calm is restored to this coastal town. Kennebunkport, Maine, has something to please every kind of traveler. Read on to discover my favorite places. Oftentimes, the best trips are the least planned, last-minute escapes. The ones that fall into your lap at just the right time. Instead...
21 amazing local things to do in Georgetown DC
What are the best things to do in Georgetown's historic neighborhood? Read on to discover the best shopping, dining, art, and more in one of the most beautiful parts of our nation's capital. I grew up in a small town in New Jersey. My earliest hometown memories include Pizza Hut, Friday night high school football games, and hanging out at Dairy Queen. I never gave much thought to my hometown as a destination; it was just where I happened to grow up. Fast-forward thirty years...
Eagles Soar At Wildflower Farms. So Will You.
Wildflower Farms, an Auberge property in New York's Hudson Valley, is the antidote to city life. Discover why it's on everyone's hot list. Ryan puts our bags in the back of the motorized cart. Our bungalow is a short walk away, but it’s drizzling, so we welcome the ride. After a few social niceties, ‘Where are you from?’ ‘Is this a girls’ trip?’ ‘Are you sisters?’ Ryan slams the brakes. “I just saw a bald eagle—want to see his nest?” My jaw drops. Does my...
Is Amangani the Best Lodge in Jackson Hole?
We were well on our way to Amangani when I saw ‘WOAH’ on a red octagonal sign that would normally read ‘STOP.’ We’d been in Jackson Hole for a total of 30 minutes. Little did we know that ‘Woah!’ would become the buzzword of this trip among the Teton mountains. Amangani, here we come. Nerves of Steel, in Jackson Hole There have been precious few trips where wildlife has played a central role in our experience. Safari in Botswana was certainly one of them, and gorilla tracking in Uganda was another....
The Most Inspirational (Non-Skiers) Guide To Stowe
I love to ski in Stowe. Ummm, let me rephrase that. I love to ski in Stowe when the sky is cloudless, cobalt blue, and the temperature is firmly north of 32 degrees. I love to ski when the slopes are blanketed in fresh powder and crowd-free. Because I despise early wake-ups, I usually don't hit the slopes until 9am. Then, I only ski until lunch because once I’ve devoured a cheeseburger and fries, I’m as active as a lioness after a kill. You can...
How To Spend 12 Hours In Georgetown (Like A Local)
I’ve lived in Washington, D.C., for nearly 14 years. Aside from my childhood home, it’s the longest I’ve lived in any one place. Our nation’s capital has been good to me. It offers all the things I love in one bite-sized city. If DC is the solar system I reside in, Georgetown is my favorite planet. When friends and family visit, they ask how I’d spend an ideal day in DC. While the city offers world-class museums, monuments, and parks, I always gravitate toward Georgetown's...
Blue Rock: A Beautiful Mini-Break in the Blue Ridge Mountains
A butterfly floats out from the greenhouse door as I walk in. Its pale amber and brown wings catch the breeze. Inside, the smell of ripe tomatoes fills the air—intoxicating in the way only farm-fresh vegetables can be. It’s early morning at Sunnyside, a farm in Washington, Virginia, just 90 minutes west of where I live in Washington DC. Earlier, I’d spent time speaking with Sunnyside’s Vegetable Production Co-Manager at the Flint Hill Latin Market. Nik Kohl had Asian pears, tomatillos, purslane, herbs, and other...
This Pendry Hotel is Baltimore’s Ultimate Community Center
Community centers are public spaces where people gather for activities, social support, and public information. The introduction of radio, TV, and the internet may have downgraded the need for community centers, but they were local lifelines at one point. “What does this have to do with Baltimore’s Sagamore Pendry Hotel?” you might be asking. Be patient—I’m getting there. Rec Pier: A Brief History The Sagamore Pendry Hotel was originally a former cargo warehouse located at the top of Recreation Pier in Baltimore’s Fells Point neighborhood....