PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND – Sometimes in this job it’s easy to over-research a story. I don’t want to invest my working time on a hotel or a destination I won’t like, so it’s important for me to check things out in advance before I take a trip on behalf of the Star. But the tourist or “normal” traveller in me doesn’t want to over-do it and analyze a million photos, many of them doubtless professional pics that make a place look better than it really is. Because if I do that I won’t be surprised or have the feeling I did Read more
restaurants.
HONOLULU – I’ve always felt this is an underappreciated destination. I feel that way more strongly now. They’ve always had Waikiki Beach, one of the most glamorous and prettiest stretches of sand on the planet, with the extinct crater of Diamond Head looming to the east and watching over things. They’ve always had Pearl Harbor. But there’s so much more to this place. First of all, it’s a major city. It’s also the centre for Hawaiian business and, in some ways, Asia-Pacific business. So it punches above its weight with fascinating restaurants and museums and shopping and culture. Not to Read more
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA – This isn’t a state known for its cultural offerings. The Musical Instrument Museum should help change that. I’d heard a bit about the museum from Scottsdale’s tourism folks, although the museum is technically over the city border in Phoenix. But I didn’t think I’d love it as much as I did. I wish it was closer to the Scottsdale’s terrific and very walkable downtown, or closer to up-and-coming downtown Phoenix, but it’s still a beauty. The exterior is a handsome and clean design with creamy stone that blends nicely with the desert surroundings. Inside, there’s tons of Read more
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA – The Four Seasons is known as a posh hotel chain. But their product in the Arizona desert outside Phoenix sneaks up on you. There’s no big stand of palm trees at the entrance of the Four Seasons Troon North . No fountains or fancy pools. Instead, as you drive along Alma School Road in the northern part of this lovely resort town, you see a simple brown sign for the hotel. Once you’re on the grounds, there’s a similar vibe. There’s no waterfall or towering banks of flowers, but a natural-looking desert environment that’s true to nature. Read more
LAS VEGAS – I remember it as if it was yesterday. I’m a huge Beatles fan, and it was my first time seeing a Cirque du Soleil show and my first time in Las Vegas. I was given tickets to see LOVE at The Mirage when I came here in 2010 (I think). And I was curious. I didn’t leave curious. I left with a grin on my face that could’ve lit up the Strip. I was gobsmacked by the flying artists and the dancing and the performers and the staging and the musical montages of Beatles tunes. So Read more
