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TAMPA – The growing downtown skyline is impressive. The growth of the Tampa food scene is what really grabbed my attention. I recently enjoyed three full days in Tampa and sampled everything from Middle Eastern cuisine to Michelin-starred Italian, and from craft cocktails to maybe the best tuna poke nachos I’ve had outside Hawaii. And that was served up at a sports bar/brewhouse on Super Bowl Sunday, when you pretty much expect a diet of Budweiser and Buffalo chicken wings. I also checked out a fine art museum, took a ride on an electric boat on a brilliant sunny day, Read more

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I was recently in Miami for several days for the Florida Huddle tourism event and got to take several excellent tours. I also had the luxury of staying in the posh Fontainebleau Hotel in North Miami Beach, a historic property with 11 swimming pools and stylish rooms. Here’s a look at some of the great things to check out next time you’re in Miami. LITTLE HAVANA FOOD TOUR Our group had the wonderful Ariel Gonzalez from Miami Culinary Tours as a guide. He’s a fun, friendly fellow who seems to know just about everything about the area. We started near Read more

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It’s funny how some places just feel like home. My wife and I stayed at the Conrad New York Downtown six or seven years ago and loved it. So, when the nice folks from Hilton provided me with a gift certificate for a Hilton property, I naturally opted for another stay at the Conrad. It has become my fave place to stay in Manhattan. I love Central Park and enjoy Midtown. I really like the area around Union Square. But I’m a California native who loves the water, so I tend to gravitate to places on a river or lake, Read more

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I had some wonderful visits in the U.S. and Canada this year, including a monumental train trip from Colorado to Utah, a wonderful six days in Prince Edward Island and great stays in Los Angeles, southwest Ontario, southern Florida and northern California. I also got to visit one of my fave islands, Molokai, and spent four nice but sobering days on Maui to see how they’re recovering from the devastating and still unfathomable wildfires. It wasn’t all pretty, but I had many a remarkable experience and more than a few great meals along the way. Thanks to everyone who helped Read more

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Detroit is the best city to visit for a National Football League game, a new study says. Michigan’s biggest city won the title thanks to the prestige of its stadium and the city’s wide array of game day activities, according to BonusFinder.com. Motor City took the top spot with a score of 81.7 out of 100, thanks to the high number of bars within walking distance, with 129 bars located within a 1-mile radius from the stadium, and the affordability of the Lions’ home stadium. Sharing first place with three other stadiums, Ford Field was among the most affordable stadiums Read more

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