Jimmy Awards for 2022: California, Florida & Hawaii + Europe, Australia & Bogota

It was a pretty good year for travel outside Canada, with numerous trips to California, a couple to Hawaii, one to Florida, a river cruise in Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, and two weeks in Western Australia and New South Wales. From Santa Monica to Sydney and Maui to Vienna, here are some of my top experiences, fave foods and hotels of 2022.

BEST ISLAND PHOTO: The Abrolhos Islands of Western Australia, as seen from my scenic flight with Geraldton Air Charter. We spotted pods of dolphins from the air. You also can take a trip that includes a nice swim and a great island hike to see birds, lizards and other wildlife.

BEST HOTEL RENOVATION: They’ve done a truly remarkable job with the Fairmont Century Plaza in West Los Angeles. Spectacular hotel, and great food at their Lumiere restaurant.

BEST CELEBRITY ENCOUNTER OVERSEAS: I was on the Avalon Waterways new ship, the Avalon View. American TV star Meredith Vieira was on the ship to christen it in Bratislava, and several journalists were able to sit down with her for a chat. A more down-to-earth celebrity I’ve never met. On the last night of the cruise, she went around to every staffer in the restaurant and said thank you. A class act.

BEST OVERSEAS STREET ART: Bogota, Colombia. It’s really quite extraordinary in the Candelaria district.

BEST MUSEUM VIST: The Getty Museum in Los Angeles. I’ve been to LA many times but this was my first-ever visit. I hope it wasn’t my last.

COOLEST CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT: I loved Chop Bar in Oakland. There’s a wall with “Oakland” written out in green and gold, the colours of the Oakland A’s baseball team. I love that sense of pride, which you also can find on “Oaklandish” t-shirts for sale in trendy shops in the city. If you go to Chop Bar, try the pasta with pork belly, garlic, parmesan cheese and chili flakes. Three thumbs up

BEST SYDNEY PHOTO: I took this at the closing party at the Australia Tourism Exchange event in Sydney in May.

MOST ENJOYABLE U.S. TOUR: My Frank Sinatra’s neighborhood tour with the Palm Springs Historical Society. Tremendous stories of old time Hollywood. I wrote about my tour for Zoomer Magazine.

BEST ART GALLERY: I love the people and the wide array of art on display at the Butterfield Garage Art Gallery in Saint Augustine, Florida.

BEST PASTA: The cacio y pepe at Penthouse, the rooftop restaurant at the Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica. It came with a small mountain of shaved truffles.

BEST AIRPLANE WINDOW PHOTO IN THE U.S: Taken over Nebraska (or maybe Colorado) during a November flight from San Francisco to Toronto with Air Canada.

BEST GOLF EXPERIENCE: The Manele golf course at the Four Seasons Lana’i is stunning from start to finish, but the ocean holes are particularly beautiful.

BEST ARCHITECTURAL DISCOVERY: Hundertwasser House in Vienna. It’s a masterful piece of architecture, and something I’d never heard of until this year. Vienna has tons of classical buildings, so this really stands out.

BEST AMUSEMENT PARK: The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has been going strong for decades, and it’s as fun as ever. The historic carousel can’t be beat.

BEST BARTENDER: This fellow on my Avalon Waterways cruise from Vienna to Budapest in April.

BEST EUROPEAN WINERY EXPERIENCE: We had a great tasting at Elesko Winery/Zoya Museum in Slovakia as part of our Avalon Waterways trip on the Danube River. The wine was excellent, and we had a fabulous lunch in the Zoya Museum, a stunning bit of modern architecture attached to the winery. Very much a surprising destination in Europe.

BEST HOTEL ROOM: Our casita at the luscious Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Spectacular.

CUTEST ANIMALS (OCEAN): Snorkelling with sea lions in Jurien Bay, Western Australia.

MOST BEAUTIFUL COCKTAILS: LSXO in Huntington Beach, California is an offshoot of Little Sister restaurant, which has outlets in several Southern California cities. It’s a small but visually stunning restaurant with beautiful artefacts from Vietnam and lovely views of the beach. The cocktails are to die for, most notably the Cool Runnings drink.

BEST CHURCH PHOTO: This was the view from my room at the charming Hotel de la Opera in Bogota, Colombia. I was there in September for the annual convention of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW).

BEST DESERT HIKE: Indian Canyons, in Palm Springs, California. Easy trails but hugely rewarding views, with ancient rock and a small creek running through. Nearby Palm Canyon also is terrific.

BEST POKE/CEVICHE COMBO: At the Sandbar lobby bar at the Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa. Magnificent poke, ceviche and poisson cru.

BEST BUDAPEST PHOTO: This one, taken as we came into the city on the last night of our Avalon Waterways cruise on the Danube River.

BEST CALIFORNIA CITY DISCOVERY: Oceanside. It’s about a half our north of San Diego. It was more of a military town than a tourist spot for years, but there are sparkling new hotels such as the Mission Pacific and Seabird Resort, with trendy rooms and rooftop pools. You can even get there by train from San Diego or L.A., and leave the car behind.

BEST BEACHFRONT DINNER: Our family had a fabulous meal at the Seahouse Restaurant at the Napili Kai Beach Resort on Maui in November. Napili Beach is my fave spot in the world, and the resort always makes it special for me.

BEST FIRST TIME ISLAND EXPERIENCE: I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, but this year marked my first visit to Angel Island. Fascinating history and beautiful scenery, plus sensational views of San Francisco and Marin County.

BEST WINERY: Vasse Felix, Margaret River, Western Australia. Spectacular wine. And equally good food.

WORST IMPERSONATION OF TOM CRUISE: A replica of the motorcycle from the original Top Gun movie is outside the Mission Pacific Hotel in Oceanside, right alongside the beach house that was featured in the film.

FAVE NIAGARA FALLS PHOTO (BOTH COUNTRIES): I snapped this on my Air Canada flight from Washington D.C. to Toronto in October. Lucky to get this kind of view!

FAVE CITY SUNSET PHOTO: This one, take in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia in early October. I love the pink sunset and the grey clouds, as well as the torches lit up along the road.

MOST COLOURFUL RESTAURANT: Andres D.C. on Calle 82 in Bogota, Colombia. Wild lights, and very cool ambience.

BEST BAR EXPERIENCE: I’ve talked about visiting the famous Tonga Room at the Fairmont San Francisco for years. This year, I finally got the chance to experience its famous tiki culture. I loved every minute of it.

MOST BEAUTIFUL RESORT I DIDN’T GET TO STAY AT: The Four Seasons Sensei on the Hawaiian island of Lana’i. The landscaping rivals Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C. I enjoyed cocktails and a fine lunch, but didn’t get to spend the night.

BEST FLORIDA MEAL: At Lena in Saint Augustine, an Asado dining experience, features food cooked over an outdoor grill, Argentina style.

BEST U.S. BOAT RIDE: Using our CityPASS, we took a ride around San Francisco Bay with the Blue and Gold Fleet.

BEST CELEBRITY ENCOUNTER, U.S.: I was staying at the Ritz-Carlton Maui Kapalua and was supposed to meet a tour guide from the Jean-Michel Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment program, which the hotel operates. When I arrived, Cousteau happened to be there. We talked for about 15 minutes before I took my coastal hike. Very special.

MOST BEAUTIFUL TREES: This grove of redwoods in Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland California. It’s only a few minutes from downtown, but it feels like another universe.

MOST PENS IN A SINGLE APRON PHOTO: My waitress (again, I forget her name) at Craft 31 restaurant and brewery in Williamsburg, Virginia was delightful. Still not sure what the story is with all the pens, but she’s the only person I know who carries more than I do.

BEST COFFEE SPOT: La La Land on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. Awesome coffee lattes and avocado toast. A sunny California patio doesn’t hurt.

BEST POSE WITH A MOVIE STAR STATUE: Outside the Palm Springs Art Museum is where you’ll now find the towering “Forever Marilyn” statue.

MOST SURPRISING CALIFORNIA HOTEL: Culver City wasn’t much to write home about when I lived in L.A. many years ago, but it’s become quite trendy. The Shay Hotel has wonderful local art and a terrific rooftop pool and restaurant.

FAVE BRATISLAVA PHOTO: This one in the main plaza, taken on our Avalon Waterways cruise.

BEST MARKET: The Sunset or Night Market in Oceanside, California has terrific, affordable food from around the world. It runs every Thursday evening, weather permitting. Which means pretty much every week.

BEST SUNRISE HIKE: It’s an easy walk from the Four Seasons Lanai to the top of Puu Pehe, known in English as Sweetheart Rock. It’s a glorious place to see the sun come up.

PRETTIEST ROOFTOP PATIO: At the Mission Pacific Hotel in Oceanside, California.

BEST MOON PHOTO: Taken at Kalbarri National Park in Western Australia on a night sky visit with D’Guy Charters. I just held my iPhone up to the lens of one of their telescopes.

BEST HIKING DISCOVERY: The Golden Gate National Recreation Area, just over the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco and a few miles west. There’s great surfing at Rodeo Beach, and the views looking north from the headlands near Tennessee Cove are spectacular.

BEST SUSHI – The sushi at the Ritz Carlton Maui Kapalua is astonishingly good. Their new club lounge is gorgeous.

BEST PHOTO WITH MY DAD: This one, taken in Pacific Grove, California early in the year. Dad used to come here as a kid, and we always enjoy driving down from the Bay Area.

BEST SILLY PHOTO: This is what happens when you let a travel writer behind the wheel of a river cruise ship. Thank you, Avalon Waterways.

BEST WAITER: Peter at the Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica. He usually works the bar, we were told, but was out on the floor and served us the nice of our visit. The hotel is a block from the beach and has lovely rooms.

BEST NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BEACH DISCOVERY: There are a series of nice beaches on San Francisco Bay near Crissy Field, between the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s Wharf. I’ve been driving past them for years without spotting them, but they’re easy to find if you take a walk on the city’s waterfront trails, which I wrote about for The Toronto Star.

BEST NEW RESTAURANT, HAWAII: Hui Hui, at the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel on Maui. Outstanding food with a Hawaiian flair. And a fabulous location steps from the beach.

BEST CASUAL BREAKFAST: Located in the heart of Main Street in Huntington Beach, California, Sugar Shack Café is an iconic dining spot that’s been serving hungry guests in the same location since 1967. They make a breakfast burrito with three eggs, which means you should be able to skip buying lunch.

BEST NATURE SETTING SUNSET PHOTO: This one, taken at Kalbarri National Park (ocean section) in Western Australia.

BEST GIRAFFE PHOTO: Taken at The Living Desert, an awesome family spot in Palm Desert, California.

BEST CITY TOUR: Adie from a tour company called “Oh, Hey, WA” gave me a wonderful food and arts tour of Perth, Australia. I loved the city, and I loved her enthusiasm. Don’t miss a tour if you’re in town some day.

MOST ENJOYABLE DINING EXPERIENCE: Sam’s Anchor Café in Tiburon, California. I don’t remember what I ate but I loved talking with the bartender and wait staff. There’s a fabulous patio out back that overlooks San Francisco Bay.

BEST BLACK HISTORY MUSEUM

The Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center in Saint Augustine, Florida is housed in an old high school in what was the city’s Black district for many years. It does a great job preserving important stories about Black residents in the oldest continuously inhabited European-founded city in the U.S.

BEST INDIGENOUS TOUR: A tie. I had a great one in Western Australia with Josh Koomal Whiteland of Koomal Dreaming. In Sydney, I had another fine tour with a gentleman from The Rocks Aboriginal Dreaming Tour.

BEST WESTERN AUSTRALIA WATERFRONT HIKE: We only walked a small section of it, but I loved the beaches and scenery on our walk near Yallingup.

BEST FLIGHT UPGRADES: It’s a huge treat to fly Signature Class with Air Canada. You’re treated to special pods with lie-flat seats, blankets, linens and tons of storage The food and wine are excellent, as well, and there’s personalized service. A tremendous way to fly.

FANCIEST SYDNEY HOTEL: The Crown Hotel Sydney has a gorgeous infinity pool, a fabulously extensive breakfast buffet, a Nobu restaurant, and much more. I felt like a schlub walking through the lobby with so many young, beautiful people all around.

BEST HOTEL MEAL: We enjoyed a tremendous meal at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco. We especially enjoyed the diver scallops. Excellent cocktails, too. It’s a beautiful building, with lovely, restful rooms.

BEST HOTEL POOL: The pools at the Four Seasons Lana’i have built beautiful, free-form pools that are surrounded by lush, tropical greenery. A more relaxing setup you may never find.

BEST SUNRISE PHOTO AUSTRALIA: I had a great room at the Crown Hotel in Sydney, with a magnificent view of the Opera House.

MOST ROMANTIC DINING SPOT: Mama’s Fish House in Paia, Maui set us up with a table perched on the edge of their marvelous garden, with views of the Pacific a few meters away. Fabulous food and tremendous cocktails, too.

CUTEST ANIMALS (LAND): The legendary Quokkas on Rottnest Island in Western Australia. They’re pretty much everywhere, and they’re adorable. It’s an easy ferry ride to Rottnest from Perth, and there are great beaches and historic sites to check out.

BEST CHOCOLATES: Bella Sophia is a killer chocolate shop at the Pacific City shopping center in Huntington Beach, California. The couple who run the place are lovely, and the chocolates are hand-painted. So beautiful.

BEST QUAD BIKE EXPERIENCE: I had an outstanding ride along the Murchison River and through the bush with the folks from Kalbarrri Quad Bike Safaris in Western Australia, bouncing over rocks and barreling through sand dunes. We spotted wallabies and other wildlife along the way. I got back to my hotel happily covered with a thick layer of brown-red dust.

BEST HOT DOG/SAUSAGE: The minute I got to central Vienna on my Avalon cruise I made a beeline for a hot dog/sausage stand I remembered from a visit several years ago. I love the way they take their sausages and stuff tem into a bun with a hole in it, then squirt the mustard inside. Less messy than the way we do it in North America.

BEST SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BEACH DISCOVERY: I’ve been to Santa Monica many times, but this was was the first time I’ve visited the Annenberg Community Beach House on Santa Monica Beach. You’ll find a fun, casual café with tables right on the sand and a swimming pool that dates back to when the land was owned by actress and philanthropist Marion Davies. You can tour Davies’ former home, a lovely, white house on the edge of the beach. There’s also an art gallery and a small playground and splash pad for the kids. A great spot in one of California’s top cities.

BEST HOTEL LOUNGE: The new club lounge at the Ritz-Carlton Maui Kapalua is sensational. Great food, lovely surroundings and killer mai tais.

BEST OVERSEAS BEACH WALK: Shelly Beach is just a few minutes walk from Manly Beach in Sydney, but much quieter. The walk takes you past pretty swimming pools, a rocky coast and nice homes and restaurants. Once you’re there, walk up the hill to the Shelly Headland Lookout for fabulous coastal views. Definitely a new favourite area of a great city.

BEST OSCARS MOMENT: At the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, you can take part in a mock Oscars ceremony and get your own virtual statue. So much fun.

NICEST AIRLINE SURPRISE: I didn’t know Qantas had free Wi-Fi on domestic flights, but I was thrilled to have it on my trips between Sydney and Perth.

BEST E-BIKE RIDE I BARELY MADE: A group of us from the Avalon Waterways cruise rode e-bikes through a pretty valley and up a steep hill to a small village/tourist area in Hungary called Dobogoko. Even with battery power I barely made it up the hill. Tiring, but we were treated to lovely views and Hungarian chimney cakes.

BEST U.S. BARBEQUE PLACE: Old City BBQ in Williamsburg, Virginia. Outstanding ribs and brisket, and good, local craft beer.

BEST CHARCUTERIE BOARD: This one at Windows Estate Winery in the Margaret River region of Western Australia. Beautiful grounds and lovely wines. I especially liked their crisp Chenin Blanc.

BEST SPA: Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa in Santa Fe, California. So pretty, and so relaxing.

BEST SUNSET CEREMONY: Some might find it cheesy, but I love the nightly torch lighting and cliff diving ceremony at the Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa. It’s a lovely hotel on fabulous Ka’anapali Beach.

BEST USA STREET ART: Santa Monica has tons of cool murals and street art. I really liked this one.

FAVE HOTEL OVERSEAS: The Ritz-Carlton Perth in Western Australia. Magnificent rooms and terrific food.