NEAR SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO – I’m hiking through the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, less than an hour from Santa Fe. Above me are swooping, surging, curving walls that bend and bulge in wild patterns of pale sand and dusty orange. There’s a tiny sliver of robin’s-egg-blue sky slipping through an overhead crack in the canyon walls. I step through a narrow gap in the rock and stroll into a wider opening with sweet-smelling evergreens and tiny plants clinging to life in the harsh desert climate. Suddenly a small monarch butterfly slides past my ear. I look up as Read more
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ANNA MARIA ISLAND, FLORIDA – One of you wants style. The other wants space. Travellers often are forced to make tough choices when booking a holiday hotel. One of you craves modern, artful surroundings, a bright, modern restaurant, and a sexy pool. The other wants a couple of rooms so they won’t have to step over bulky suitcases on the floor or so that the kids can have their space. You won’t have that kind of issue if you bed down at the Waterline Marina Resort and Beach Club on beautiful Anna Maria Island. I recently had a couple of Read more
A large room with all the amenities you need. Easy, quick transportation to Los Angeles International Airport. And a big breakfast to keep you going on your next flight. The Holiday Inn Express and Suites LAX Hawthorne makes for a fine spot for anyone heading into or out of one of the busiest airports in the U.S. I had the opportunity to stay there last month after a long day of flying from Hawaii to Los Angeles. I had a flight the next morning from LAX to Toronto and didn’t want or need a super-luxury brand. Instead, I opted for Read more
CLEARWATER BEACH, FLORIDA – One of the best beaches in the United States. And a quiet, modern and super-convenient place to stay with tons of space. I recently had a night at the 629 Bay Hotel in Clearwater Beach, Florida, thanks to the folks at booking.com, which paid for my stay. It’s not a traditional hotel in many ways, but there are lots of nice amenities and bright, clean rooms. The initial approach is a little strange if you’re used to a traditional hotel. There’s no big lobby and not much in the way of signage at the property, which Read more
In 1968 we took our first family trip to Hawaii. I loved surfing at Waikiki Beach and hanging out with the Hare Krishna singers in front of the old International Market Place in Honolulu. And I loved body surfing at Poipu Beach and gazing at the grandeur of Waimea Canyon on Kauai. But where I really fell in love was at a crescent-shaped beach on the west coast of Maui called Napili. We stayed at a small hotel on Napili Beach called The Mauian in that summer of ’68. It was a lovely, family-friendly spot with two-storey units right on Read more
