Come for the desert. Stay for the museums, fabulous food, great hiking, luxurious hotels, sensational sports, wellness retreats, local wines and more. Arizona Tourism officials made a strategic stop in Toronto last night (March 20) to tout the benefits of Canadian visits to the Grand Canyon State. Arizona had nearly one million Canadian visitors in 2019. The figures for last year aren’t in but they’re not expecting to reach that level for anther year or so. In a one-on-one chat, Joanna Tejeda, Senior Travel Industry Marketing Manager, Arizona Office of Tourism, told me there are a number of great new Read more
restaurants.
We were only a few hours into our first day in Rome when it hit me. And we may never travel the same way again. I’m on the road maybe three months a year, but 99.9% of the time my out-of-town stays take place at a hotel. Most are terrific, with comfortable beds, nice amenities and more. But a hotel isn’t made to make you feel like a local. So, when my wife and I recently decided to stay a couple of extra days in Rome prior to a cruise on the MSC World Europa, we opted to get a Read more
TAMPA – The growing downtown skyline is impressive. The growth of the Tampa food scene is what really grabbed my attention. I recently enjoyed three full days in Tampa and sampled everything from Middle Eastern cuisine to Michelin-starred Italian, and from craft cocktails to maybe the best tuna poke nachos I’ve had outside Hawaii. And that was served up at a sports bar/brewhouse on Super Bowl Sunday, when you pretty much expect a diet of Budweiser and Buffalo chicken wings. I also checked out a fine art museum, took a ride on an electric boat on a brilliant sunny day, Read more
Nature, Art, Little Havana and The Fontainebleau Hotel: Fab Tours and a Great Place to Stay in Miami
I was recently in Miami for several days for the Florida Huddle tourism event and got to take several excellent tours. I also had the luxury of staying in the posh Fontainebleau Hotel in North Miami Beach, a historic property with 11 swimming pools and stylish rooms. Here’s a look at some of the great things to check out next time you’re in Miami. LITTLE HAVANA FOOD TOUR Our group had the wonderful Ariel Gonzalez from Miami Culinary Tours as a guide. He’s a fun, friendly fellow who seems to know just about everything about the area. We started near Read more
It’s funny how some places just feel like home. My wife and I stayed at the Conrad New York Downtown six or seven years ago and loved it. So, when the nice folks from Hilton provided me with a gift certificate for a Hilton property, I naturally opted for another stay at the Conrad. It has become my fave place to stay in Manhattan. I love Central Park and enjoy Midtown. I really like the area around Union Square. But I’m a California native who loves the water, so I tend to gravitate to places on a river or lake, Read more
