Early fall is a marvelous time to get out and travel in the eastern U.S. The weather is still comfortable, and the kids are back in school. So it’s much quieter, especially on weekdays. And you can probably find better deals. Here are a few of my fave spots in the eastern half of the U.S., and here are some of the top things to do on the East Coast, including the best things to see and do in Detroit, Michigan, Palm Beach, Florida, New York City and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. DETROIT, MICHIGAN I spent a few days here this past Read more
Today marks World Tourism Day around the globe. With that in mind, here are a few of my fave trips from the over the years. Here’s to more travel in the coming years! EASTER ISLAND I was attending a travel conference in Chile maybe 10 years ago, and was given the chance for a pre-trip to Easter Island, the incredibly isolated dot of rock also known as Rapa Nui and Isla de Pascua. I first saw those famous Easter Island moai statues in a magazine when I was a kid and have been fascinated by tales of Polynesian sea voyages Read more
My Dad’s house is high on a hill in the small city of San Leandro, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Every morning when I visit, I pick up the morning paper, the East Bay Times, and check out the sports section to read about the local teams. I often put the paper down to glance out the window. A few miles distant, down in the flat lands of Oakland near San Francisco Bay, I can see Oakland Arena and the Oakland Coliseum. I was born in Oakland. My parents were raised there. We moved to the suburbs when I Read more
With Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated ERAS Tour set to rock the Rogers Centre in just a few weeks’ time (November 14, 15 and 16 to be precise, and again the next week), there’s one burning question on every fan’s mind: Where will Taylor stay during her time in Toronto? Could it be the SoHo Hotel Toronto, known for its discreetly luxurious accommodations and celebrity-favourite tri-level penthouse? “While the hotel believes in discretion, it’s just steps away from the Rogers Centre, The SoHo Penthouse is the pinnacle of modern luxury living , and offers a truly exclusive experience for high-profile guests Read more
J.D. Power’s latest study of U.S. and Canadian airports is pretty harsh when it comes to Canada. If you take this study at its word, we suck. We truly suck. But I don’t know if that’s quite true. The company’s annual airport review for 2024 ranks Toronto Pearson/YYZ as the second-worst mega airport in the two countries, ahead of only poor Newark-Liberty in New Jersey. J.D.Power ranked Vancouver International 15th out of 27 large airports, which is at least middle of the pack. But Calgary was 22nd and Montreal-Trudeau next-to-last at 26th. The 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, the Read more
What are the coolest cities in the U.S. and Canada? The team at CanadaSportsBetting analyzed cities based on factors like culture, dining, social engagement, tech, and environmental sustainability and came up with a fun list. “The eight categories we used cover the many aspects of a city and what goes into creating its overall vibe. The cultural and arts scene of a place, for instance, gives a flavor of what locals can experience on their doorsteps, from live music events to museums and places of historical importance,” the group said. New York City (no surprise) came out on top, and Read more
Two Canadian hotels and 16 in the U.S. have attained the highest rating by Michelin Guide by earning “three key” status. U.S. THREE-KEY WINNERS Canyon Ranch, Tucson, Arizona (new to the list) Little Palm Island Resort and Spa, Florida (new) Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort, Hawai’i Island, Hawai’i (new) Sage Lodge, Montana (new) Amangiri, Utah (new) The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills, California Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, California Single Thread Inn, Healdsburg, California Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles, California Auberge du Soleil, Rutherford, California Meadowood Napa Valley, St. Helena, California Canyon Ranch Woodside, Woodside, California Aman New York, New York Read more
