With Halloween (October 31), All Souls’ Day (November 2), and the Day of the Dead (extending from Halloween through All Saints’ day on November 1 through All Souls’ Day on November 2 or so) fast approaching, a trip to a graveyard seems particularly worthwhile if you happen to be ever-so-slightly interested in the phenomenon known as cemetery tourism….
A Must-See: The Harry Potter Exhibition in New York
Hogwarts and the History of Magic at the New-York Historical Society Fresh from a highly successful showing at the British Library (indeed, it was the most successful one ever), Harry Potter: A History of Magic has arrived in New York. Who could possibly stay away? Visitors with tickets to the New-York Historical Society’s exhibition…
Barbados Excursion: A Mount Gay Rum Tour
Ditching the Beach, Two Travelers Opt for a Mount Gay Rum Tour By the time the Celebrity Summit docks in Bridgetown, Barbados, midway through our Southern Caribbean cruise, the Brawny Sherpa and I are serenely in full-on vacation mode. No matter that it is relatively early in the morning; we quickly hop in a taxi…
Beekman Arms: A Weekend in Rhinebeck, NY
A romantic stay at the Beekman Arms Inn in Rhinebeck, N.Y. plus ghost stories in the basement
Staying Cool at Hotel Zero Degrees
A Danbury, Conn. Getaway with Something for Everyone First introduced to Hotel Zero Degrees in Danbury, Conn. courtesy of a wedding, I liked it so much that I returned recently for a stayover. Located just off Interstate 84 in Connecticut, not too far from the border of Westchester county, N.Y., the hotel offers amenities for…
What to Do in St. John’s, Antigua
Skipping the Excursions on a Southern Caribbean Cruise? Here Is What to Do Instead Although the Brawny Sherpa and I find ourselves on a Southern Caribbean cruise—aboard to celebrate a major birthday of a friend—we are not really beach people. So, while we splurge on the high-end alcohol package and also indulge in the Persian…
Things to Do in Basseterre, St. Kitts
A Self-Guided Walking Tour Full of History Provides Plenty of Things to Do in Basseterre The ease with which we slip into Caribbean cruising mode—taking it easy and not worrying too much—becomes evident on our very first disembarkation. The first stop on our Southern Caribbean cruise via the Celebrity Summit happens to be Basseterre, the…
Tips for Visiting Saint Mark’s Basilica
The Basilica di San Marco Is the Crown Jewel of Venice—and Everyone Knows It It is possible to travel to Venice without visiting Saint Mark’s Basilica—those crowds! the wait!—but why would you want to skip it (except for those crowds! the wait!)? After all, how many times in your lifetime will you actually be…
Visiting the Mendocino Coast
Getting Some Ideas from an Old 1972 Visitor Guide Visiting the Mendocino Coast for the first time, I quickly am reminded how little history of the Western United States I remember from any educational instruction on the topic. The details on Native Americans in the area, the gold rush, the timber industry supplied by redwoods,…
Finding Horace Greeley
Remembering Crazy Politics and Journalists Honored with Statues Visitors standing before the statue of Horace Greeley in Greeley Square Park at W. 32 Street between Broadway and Sixth Avenue might not know that, in addition to being the founder and editor of the New York Tribune, a Congressional representative (however briefly), a failed presidential candidate…