If you’re one of my American friends and are looking for a last-minute option for the Fourth of July, here are some of my fave places in the U.S., including California, New York State, Hawaii, Texas and Florida.
VERMONT – Lovely villages with brilliant white church steeples and pretty mountain scenery. Also likely to be cooler than many U.S. destinations in July. Burlington is a great city to check out.
DENVER – Not sure being a mile high will keep you cool, but there are always the nearby mountains to explore. Try an electric Tuk Tuk ride of downtown Denver for something different. Stay the night at Hotel Indigo, then check out Milk Market for great dining spots, including Italian food, Hawaiian poke, tacos, gelato and more.
Downtown Denver, Colorado. Acton Crawford/Unsplash Photo
TEXAS HILL COUNTRY – Fredericksburg has very good wineries and fun shops to explore. Nearby Luckenbach is a mecca for country music lovers.
PITTSBURGH – I really enjoy this city. The Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball play in an outstanding stadium and are home on July 4th. The nearby Andy Warhol Museum is superb. Splurge on a night at the downtown Fairmont Hotel, or try the trendy Ace Hotel.
MAUI – Local merchants need the business, and so do some hotels. So please visit Maui responsibly. Lahaina is still mostly closed from the fires, but shops and restaurants in the northern part of the city are open, including Mala Ocean Tavern.
BUFFALO – Another city I really enjoy, with super-friendly locals and a fun, unpretentious feel. There are terrific museums, including the Knox. Rent a tiki boat on the Buffalo River with your friends and enjoy a cold one (responsibly). And, yes, stop at Anchor Bar for some wings.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – It’s pretty warm right now, but you can usually find cooler temperatures by hugging the coast of Nor Cal. Try the artsy, seaside village of Mendocino, north of San Francisco. Closer to the Golden Gate, Capitola is a charming coastal town with waterfront restaurants and great shopping.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FLORIDA – A delightful small city in northeast Florida, with a short main street that’s dotted with boutiques. Try a bite to eat at one of the waterfront restaurants, and check out The Hub on Canal for wonderful art.
PUERTO RICO – Need something tropical close to the east coast of the U.S. Puerto Rico offers amazing beaches, mountainous rainforests and great surfing. Old San Juan is a delightful spot with wildly colourful buildings, cool hotels and great bars and restaurants.
WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS NORTH AMERICA
JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort and Spa in Ontario, Canada.
Nice to see 2024 World Travel Awards handed out to some of my fave hotels and destinations in North America.
The awards ceremony was held the other day, and hundreds of pieces of hardware were given out. Here’s a look at a few highlights from places Canadians (myself in particular) like to go.
NORTH AMERICA
Leading Beach Destination: Santa Monica, California
Leading Airline: Delta Airlines
Leading Beach Resort: Four Seasons O’ahu at Ko Olina (so lovely)
Leading City Destination: Miami
Leading Hotel: Hotel Beverly Hills (stunning, and so Hollywood)
Leading Green Hotel: Fairmont Royal York, Toronto
Leading Hotel Brand: Marriott
Leading In-Flight Magazine: En Route (Air Canada)
Leading New Resort: JW Marriott, Clearwater Beach, Florida (haven’t seen it yet)
Leading Tourism Board: Santa Monica Travel and Tourism
CANADA
Leading Hotel: Fairmont Banff Springs, Alberta (stunning and iconic)
Leading Luxury Hotel: Rosewood Hotel Georgia (drop dead gorgeous)
Ontario Leading Resort: JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort and Spa (so beautiful)
Ontario Leading Hotel: Four Seasons Hotel Toronto (great food/beverage options)
Alberta Leading Boutique Hotel: Hotel Germain, Calgary (love Germain and Alt hotels)
HAWAII
An aerial view of the swimming pools at the Ritz-Carlton Maui Kapalua. Photo Courtesy Ritz-Carlton Maui Kapalua
Leading Resort: Four Seasons Hualalai, Hawaii Big Island (spectacular)
Leading Hotel: Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua (glorious property and amazing food)
NEVADA
Leading Hotel: Conrad Hotel at Resorts World, Las Vegas (great new resorts complex)
FLORIDA
Leading Beach Hotel: Ritz-Carlton, Naples
Leading Resort: Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World (had a great stay a few years ago)
Leading Family Resort: Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World
CALIFORNIA
Leading Beach Hotel: Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel (never been, but Laguna is wonderful)
Leading Hotel: Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
HURRICANE BERYL – SENDING GOOD THOUGHTS
Reports suggest six or more deaths have occurred in the Caribbean and Venezuela in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl. St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the islands of Grenada (Carriacou and Petite Martinique) have been especially hard hit. I haven’t been to Grenada but I love St. Vincent and the Grenadines, so I’m thinking good thoughts and hoping for a speedy recovery.
Also sending out prayers to the lovely people of Jamaica, where Beryl could hit today (July 3). Storm models suggest the hurricane could impact the Cayman Islands on Thursday and then hit the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico.
