TALL SHIPS SAIL THE GREAT LAKES
S U M M E R 20 16
NATIONAL PARKS’
1B 00th IRTHD AY
Tiny Saba Caribbean’s hidden treasure
CLIFF CAMPING DINOSAUR DIGS CANADIAN CUISINE AQUATIC TRAILS
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Explore all Estes Park has to offer, from outdoor adventures to craft distilleries and breweries, fun for the kids, and of course, wildlife. You’ll see why it’s the base camp for Rocky Mountain National Park. Find all the adventures that await you at VisitEstesPark.com
SUMMER 2016
Living the Sublime Life in Saba Mountains ring the island’s capital, The Bottom, and stretch to the sea capturing a postcard-perfect vision of the Caribbean Alps.
THINKSTOCK
60
3
SUMMER 2016
REGIONS n NORTHEAST 80 82 88 92
Anthony Carrino’s Jersey City The Steel City Turns 100 Chasing the Perfect Lobster New Jersey Boardwalk Fun
n SOUTHEAST 100 102 110 116 124
42
n MIDWEST
UP FRONT CUBA UPDATE
12
AIRPORT AMENITIES
16
HACK THE CROWDS
18
SMART SUITCASES
22
HOTELS WITH AN ARTISTIC BENT
24
FIREWORKS BEYOND THE 4TH
28
MEET THE PRESIDENTS
34
9/11 MEMORIALS
36
ORLANDO’S NEWEST ATTRACTIONS
40
GREAT PLACES TO GOLF
42
SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM
130 132 138 142 148
n WEST 156 158 164 172
172 FEATURES PARKS TURN 100 44 NATIONAL During the centennial celebration of America’s natural spaces, visit 10 parks known for one outstanding feature.
LODGING 56 CREATIVE History and comfort meet in these fabulous national park inns.
66 Head west to see real dinosaur fossils JURASSIC WORLD
in their original context.
72 Summer theater: entertainment, ON STAGE
ON THE COVER: Coral reefs off Saba island. PHOTO BY: Stephen Frink/Getty Images
4 GO ESCAPE | SUMMER 2016
Eric Stonestreet’s Kansas City Tall Ships on the Great Lakes Read About It in Iowa City Follow the Fur Traders Dayton’s Aviation History
sometimes under the stars.
Tyler Ward’s Denver The Daddy of All Rodeos Eat Your Way Across Arizona Camping Cliffside
n PACIFIC 174 Margaret Cho’s Los Angeles 176 Pick the Right Hawaiian Island for You
180 Dirt Biking Through Death Valley 186 Oregon’s Historic Highway 192 Cocktails in Napa
DESTINATIONS 196 n EUROPE Artistic Manchester, England
200 n CANADA The Most Canadian Foods Ever Newfoundland Wilderness
210 n MEXICO Cabo From a New Perspective
214 n CARIBBEAN Creative Curaçao Visit a Conch Farm
222 n CRUISES The Best Onboard Spas
224 n ONE FOR THE ROAD Puerto Rico’s Bioluminescent Bay All prices and availability are subject to change.
VICTOR PROTASIO; DAN GAMBINO
10
Amy Robach’s Charleston, S.C. The Ultimate Driving Vacation Nashville: Shopping Destination Athens, Ga., Always Rocks Circle the Eastern U.S. by Boat
FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS
PREMIUM PUBLICATION DIRECTOR Jeanette Barrett-Stokes [email protected] CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jerald Council [email protected]
▶ DIANE BAIR If there’s a trail involved, writer Diane Bair is on it, whether it’s a charcuterie trail in the Berkshires, a pub-to-pub walking tour of Ireland, or a street food tour in Siem Reap. Her work appears regularly in The Boston Globe, Coastal Living and AAA Journeys, and she and writing partner Pamela Wright have co-authored more than two dozen travel guidebooks and apps, including Michelin New England and Frommer’s Best Hiking Trips in Hawaii. For this issue, Bair explored the best lobster shacks in Maine (page 88) and Canadian cuisine (page 200), which is underrated, for the record. @NEtraveldiva
▶ JENNIFER BRADLEY FRANKLIN Jennifer Bradley Franklin is an Atlantabased multimedia journalist, storyteller, editor and author. Her work has appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, Delta Sky, American Way, People, Food Network, Southbound, Flavors and Hospitality Design. The social justice book she co-authored, Make It Zero: The Movement to Safeguard Every Child, was released in January. For GoEscape, she writes about presidential attractions (page 28), fancy ice cream (page 42), Charleston, S.C. (page 100) and the city of Athens, Ga., (page 116). @JennBFranklin
MANAGING EDITOR Michelle Washington [email protected] EDITORS Chris Garsson Elizabeth Neus Hannah Prince Lori Santos Sara Schwartz DESIGNERS Ashleigh Carter Miranda Pellicano Gina Toole Saunders Lisa M. Zilka CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Karen Asp, Diane Bair, Heather Benit, Zach Berg, Kit Bernardi, Lisa Davis, Jim Dillon, Nancy Dunham, Allison Entrekin, Jennifer Bradley Franklin, Adrienne Jordan, Quinn Kelley, Alexis Korman, Tina Lassen, Lisa Meyers McClintick, Diana Lambdin Meyer, Flash Parker, Annette Thompson, Sarah Sekula, Kristi Valentini, Pamela Wright, Suzanne Wright, Andria Yu, Stacey Zable
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COURTESY OF THE CONTRIBUTORS; SARAH HANNA PHOTOGRAPHY
FINANCE
▶ FLASH PARKER
▶ KRISTI VALENTINI
A wilderness survival expert in the same tradition as Paul Bunyan, Flash Parker spends his days chasing blue ox through the Wyoming high country, an axe in one hand and a camera in the other. He moonlights as a writer, photographer and journalist, specializing in experiential, narrative-driven travel. Flash’s work has been published by USA TODAY, Afar, Outside, Lonely Planet, Condé Nast Traveler, Canadian Living, Food & Travel, Celebrated Living, GQ, Asian Geographic, Vacations + Travel, Reader’s Digest, American Cowboy and more. Read about Flash’s visit to the tiny Caribbean island of Saba (page 60). www.flashparker.com
It’s not every day you get to sample your way through 15 fudge stores on an island where everyone rides horses or bikes (no cars allowed!). Or see hundreds of Japanese men chanting, clapping and doing the equivalent of a sake keg stand during a religious festival. With a penchant for finding the offbeat, Kristi explores under-the-radar destinations and seeks the new and unusual at popular tourist stops. In this issue, she’ll guide you through the best national parks in the country (page 44). Her fresh takes on travel have been published by USA TODAY, Redbook, Midwest Living, AAA Journeys and more. kristivalentini.com; @kvalentini
BILLING COORDINATOR Julie Marco This is a product of
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How to spot a fake online review:
NATIONAL PARKS SPOTLIGHT
2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, and USA TODAY is celebrating with a spotlight on one park per week throughout the summer. Get tips for visiting, videos shot at the most scenic parks and more at usatoday.com/ travel. uusatoday.com/travel/ experience-america
6 GO ESCAPE | SUMMER 2016
• Check the reviewer’s record. Look first at the reviewer’s history, says Andrea Eldridge, the CEO of Nerds on Call, a technology service company. “Fake reviews are often posted by accounts with little or no additional review history,” she says. • Show and tell. Talk is cheap, but photos of a resort or restaurant are more difficult to fake. “This is proof that we really stayed in those hotels,” says Olivier Olielo, who publishes the hotel ratings site olielo.com. Think twice before trusting a detailed review with no photos. • Look for extremes. “Fake reviews seem to be polarized — extremely positive or extremely negative,” says Eduard de Boer of reputatiecoaching.nl. If you see a one-star or a five-star rating or a lot of superlatives in the description, chances are you’re looking at a fake.
MUST-SEE VIDEO AROUND THE WORLD IN NEW YORK KITCHENS
Chef Marc Murphy of Chopped fame teaches you how to cook classic Italian linguini with clams. uexperience.usatoday.com/food-and-wine/story/ meet-the-chef/2016/02/29/chef-marc-murphy-cooksitalian-linguine/81108612
BEN MUTZABAUGH/USA TODAY; ROBERT DEUTSCH/USA TODAY
FIND YOUR SUMMER ESCAPE
Take a virtual tasting tour of America and the rest of the world at USA TODAY Travel’s newest online portal. uusatoday.com/travel/usa-today-eats
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A symbol of origins. A calming reminder of just how far we’ve come. Evidence of the inquisitive human spirit that draws one to the prairie. A place where an adventurous spirit is rewarded with a full understanding of The Good Life. Wouldn’t that be nice?
Homestead National Monument of America, Beatrice
UP FRONT | GO ESCAPE
BUDA MENDES/GETTY IMAGES
I N T H E N O W, I N T H E K N O W
MAKE A SPLASH Whether the games are in Rio or in your backyard, summer is a time for recreation. Travel can take you to new places to play, from the Olympics (get tickets at cosport.com and see the French synchronized swimmers, diving in a pre-Olympics test event, above) to the beach to any of this country’s spectacular national parks (turning 100 this year!). Follow the trails of our writers; they’ll point you toward journeys you’ll remember forever.
UP FRONT | NEWS
Havana Dreams
Travelers who want to fly to Cuba are now dependent on charter flights — the country currently receives 10 to 15 flights daily from the U.S. — but the U.S. Department of Transportation hopes to allow up to 110 daily commercial flights this fall. Department officials are reviewing proposals with an eye toward benefiting the most passengers. As many as 20 scheduled flights could land in Havana every day, with up to 10 flights to nine other Cuban cities. Travelers will still have to prove their trip is for purposes other than tourism. Cuban airlines won’t fly immediately to the U.S. because of legal disputes. But airlines may sell code-share tickets with Cuban counterparts.
Cruise giant Carnival Corp. landed its first voyage from Miami in Havana on May 3, becoming the first U.S. cruise company in more than 50 years to sail to Cuba. The cruises will operate bi-weekly by the company’s new social impact-focused Fathom Travel brand, which debuted in April. The trips take place on Fathom’s 704-passenger Adonia, a former P&O Cruises vessel. The new Fathom sailings to Cuba will be seven-night trips and initially feature calls at three ports: Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba. Fathom will depart from Miami on Sundays and arrive in Havana the next morning. Fares start at $1,800 per person, excluding Cuban visas, taxes, fees and port expenses. Fares include all on-board meals and experiences and several ground activities.
— Bart Jansen
— Gene Sloan
— Nancy Trejos
Travel to Cuba slowly gets simpler for U.S. adventurers WITH THE HISTORIC normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba underway, travelers are eager to get a look at the once-isolated island. The U.S. travel industry is working to gain a foothold.
AIR TRAVEL
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CRUISES
CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES; JORGE BELTRAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES; JOE RAEDLE/GETTY IMAGES; THINKSTOCK
LODGING Booking hotel rooms in Cuba from the U.S. has not been an easy feat. Many hotels don’t have websites, or if they do, they are difficult to navigate. And demand for hotel rooms has increased, so many of the best hotels are booked months in advance. In a move that may alleviate some of those problems, Starwood Hotels and Resorts signed three hotel deals in Cuba in March, the first time a U.S. hotel company has done so in almost 60 years. The company has authorization from the U.S. Treasury Department to operate existing hotels in Cuba: u The 141-year-old Hotel Inglaterra in Havana, with 83 rooms. u The 186-room Hotel Quinta Avenida, also in Havana. The company also has signed a letter of intent to operate the 27room Hotel Santa Isabel, which overlooks the Havana harbor. Booking.com, an online travel agency, is close to being able to offer travelers the ability to instantly book hotel rooms in Cuba. Airbnb, which helps travelers rent private homes, already operates in Cuba.
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UP FRONT | GETTING AROUND
Ticket to Buy Between flights? These airports offer plenty of distractions. KILLING TIME AT the airport is a lot more pleasant with a drink in hand, a good restaurant nearby and an interesting store to keep you amused. USA TODAY 10Best readers voted earlier this year on the best places to relax while you’re waiting to board.
Whisky River, created in partnership with NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., features an extensive food menu and bar. Those with a layover should try the signature Moonshine Mule drink, made with Midnight Moon original moonshine, ginger beer and lime juice. Concourse E; 704-359-4013
BEST SITDOWN DINING Ruby’s Diner, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston Ruby’s is a 1940s-style diner serving breakfast, delicious burgers, salads, famous fries and RubyRings. The airport location also offers made-to-order shakes and malts as well as a full bar. Terminal E; 281-821-1828
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BEST GRAB-AND-GO DINING Garrett Popcorn Shops, Chicago O’Hare International Airport Travelers can pick up takeaway tins from Garrett Popcorn Shops, a popular Chicago delicacy featuring flavors such as CheeseCorn, CaramelCrisp and the signature Garrett Mix. Terminal 1, Concourse B; Terminal 3, Concourse H
BEST LOCAL/REGIONAL DINING Elway’s, Denver International Airport The airport edition of the popular Denver steakhouse, named after Denver Broncos Hall of Fame quarterback and general manager John Elway, has a menu featuring prime steaks, fresh fish, soups, appetizers and salads. Concourse B-Center Core; 303-342-7777; elways.com/dia
ILLUSTRATION: THINKSTOCK; PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE COMPANIES
BEST BAR Whisky River, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, N.C.
There is no app for this. this.
Reconnect with the ones you love on the Currituck Outer Banks, North Carolina.
Family friendly beaches, the legendary wild horses of Corolla, unique historical sites and warm coastal breezes are just a few of the reasons why now is a great time to plan your visit.
Call 877.287.7488 for a free visitor’s guide
www.VisitCurrituck.com
UP FRONT | GETTING AROUND
BEST BAR/ RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE Phil’s BBQ, San Diego International Airport A local San Diego favorite is now in the airport. Phil’s BBQ serves a menu that lives up to its original street-side location, from pulled pork breakfast burritos to chargrilled tri-tip with barbecue sauce. Terminal 2; 619-226-6333
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BEST AIRPORT FOR DINING Long Beach Airport, Long Beach, Calif.
Long Beach Airport harkens back to the golden age of flying, and the food options are a great representation of local flavors. The airport features street-side favorites like 4th Street Vine Wine & Beer Bar, McKenna’s Burger Bar, Polly’s Coffee, George’s Greek Café and others. lgb.org
BEST NEWSSTAND/ TRAVEL ESSENTIALS Air Essentials, Miami International Airport Air Essentials, a convenience store concept, offers over-the-counter medication, snacks, candy, beverages and various health and beauty aids, travel accessories and even souvenirs. Terminal D East and West (two locations)
BEST SHOPPING Miami International Airport There are plenty of duty-free options in all but one of the airport’s six terminals. Stores include Coach, Desigual and Michael Kors, and there are plenty of Cuban-themed merchants. The airport has also developed a marketplace to showcase local vendors and products. shopmiamiairport.com Airport Revenue News (ARN) worked with industry experts to vet and nominate 15 finalists in this category, and USA TODAY 10Best readers had three weeks to vote daily for their favorites.
COURTESY OF THE COMPANIES
BEST BAR/ RESTAURANT WAIT STAFF Bar Symon, Pittsburgh International Airport Bar Symon features excellent drink offerings and a food menu designed by celebrity chef and James Beard Award winner Michael Symon. Travelers will find the tap-house atmosphere comfortable and relaxing, and there are charging stations at every table. Terminal D; 412-472-5067
BEST LOCAL MERCHANDISE The Shoppes at Ocean Drive, Miami International Airport Travelers at Miami International will find lots of local flair at The Shoppes at Ocean Drive, a mini-mall named after the famous street in Miami Beach. Pick up some great local gifts, especially fresh stone crabs to go! Terminal D East; 305-961-1125
The best time to visit Miami-Dade County is anytime!
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, ZooMiami, Pérez Art Museum Miami, Miami Seaquarium, South Beach, Deering Estate at Cutler, Museum of Science, History Miami Museum, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Bayside Marketplace, Miami Children’s Museum, Jungle Island, Fruit and Spice Park and over 250 parks with activities and beaches, EcoAdventures, kite flying, golf courses, and more. Visit www.miamidade.gov and click on Visitors.
UP FRONT | GETTING AROUND
Crowd Hacks Ways to outwit the hordes everywhere BY SUZANNE WRIGHT
TIMING IS EVERYTHING Tap special membership offers. Credit card Sometimes a small shift can help you ditch the lines. Lissa Poirot, editor in chief of Family Vacation Critic, TripAdvisor. com’s family-focused travel planning site, recommends:
companies often partner with theme parks to offer VIP treatment so cardholders can sneak past admission lines through a special entrance.
Check the weather. Grab an
When visiting theme parks, destination specialist Anita Covic of TripTogether. com suggests the following strategies:
umbrella and visit outdoor attractions on days when the weather is not perfect.
Skip school vacations and holidays. Visit Walt Disney World in December — after Thanksgiving and before Christmas — when lines are shorter and the weather is still good.
SIDESTEPPING MELTDOWNS
Gretchen Mominee, a visitor use assistant at Yosemite and Joshua Tree national parks, shares tips to keep kids — and parents — smiling:
Keep ‘em busy. At national parks, check out Junior Ranger programs, which have activities to do while waiting for buses or in traffic. Many adults love them, too. Plan a “wow” moment. Pick a trail with a payoff, like a waterfall, rock art or a killer view.
Stay juiced.
When it comes to tantrums, technology is a boon. Poirot recommends travelers:
Many parents rely on electronics to occupy kids. Be sure all items are fully charged; remember to pack chargers and extra batteries.
Set a “sanity budget.” Bring
Travel writer Amanda Castleman has a foolproof plan:
16 GO ESCAPE | SUMMER 2016
funds that can be used to replace forgotten gear or to seek out less manic spots in airports, like sit-down restaurants or dayuse lounges, which can be lifesavers.
Sometimes you gotta get Zen. Thea Chassin, founder of the organization Bald Girls Do Lunch, offers tricks for staying sane in a throng:
Eyes ahead. Don’t even allow other people into your visual field. Care about yourself and the people you are with, period. Take shade. Chassin wears a big, floppy hat to block out passengers and crew. Silence is golden. Travel with small earplugs to tune out the world.
THINKSTOCK; COURTESY OF THE CONTRIBUTORS
RETREATING FROM THE MADNESS
UP FRONT | GETTING AROUND
Get Smart Put the tech in travel BY QUINN KELLEY
◀ Navigate the airport easily with the Heys Portable SmartLuggage 26-inch expandable eight-wheel spinner upright luggage. High impactresistant technology and built-in TSA locks allow for peace of mind. $169.99, bedbathandbeyond.com
▶ The Mobile Technology Carry On has pockets specifically designed to keep a laptop, tablet and other tech organized and accessible. An ABS/polycarbonate shell protects tech from impact during travel. $149.95, hammacher.com
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◀ The Barracuda’s collapsible design makes storage and travel easy. The hardside suitcase also boasts a built-in tray, USB charger, a proximity sensor and location tracking. $480, barracuda.co
COURTESY OF THE COMPANIES
PHONE OUT OF battery? Airline lost your luggage? From zipperless closures to GPS technology, these new “smart suitcases” will send your old bags packing.
UP FRONT | GETTING AROUND
▲ With the one-touch handle system on the Victorinox Spectra 2.0 29, you can choose from three different handle positions. The 100 percent pure Bayer polycarbonate bag comes in four colors. $379.99, ebags.com
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▲ Andiamo iQ smart luggage provides travelers with two of their top priorities: a removable battery and a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. Eliminate excess baggage fees with a built-in scale. Prices start at $395, andiamoluggage.com
▲ Charge your phone up to six times — and charge any other device — using the Bluesmart carry-on bag. The bag also alerts you if you ever leave it behind. $399, bluesmart.com
COURTESY OF THE COMPANIES
▲ Lojel Octa’s 29.75-inch large hardside spinner upright suitcase contains multiple compartments to keep your belongings organized, as well as a TSA lock system that keeps them secure. Hinomoto quiet-running wheels allow you to keep a low profile — but eye-popping colors draw attention. $191.95, overstock.com
▲ The Delsey Pluggage’s overload indicator helps avoid overweight bag surprises at the airport. And the suitcase will alert you once it’s safely on board the plane. Prices start at $600, delseypluggage.com
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UP FRONT | CULTURE
Art-centric Hotels BY KAREN ASP
LOVE PERUSING ART museums? Now you can practically sleep in one, thanks to the recent explosion of art-focused hotels. Book your next overnight at one of these five artsy hotels:
THE ART
FOUND:RE
DENVER
PHOENIX
Contemporary art gets a nod at the ART, one of Denver’s newest hotels, boasting more than 50 works. You’ll even find continually looping avant-garde video art in the elevators. Three standouts: Leo Villareal’s untitled 22,000-plus LED light-bulb installation outside the entrance; Edward Ruscha’s massive tapestry Industrial Strength Sleep; and Otter, a 2,500-pound cast bronze horse built from sun-bleached wood by Deborah Butterfield. Some rooms showcase the area’s natural art, with stellar views of the Rocky Mountains. 1201 Broadway; 303-5728000; thearthotel.com
Phoenix’s art scene is thriving, thanks in part to endeavors like this 104room hotel, opening this summer. Contemporary works by local artists, which will frequently rotate, will hang throughout the hotel, restaurant and guest rooms. Art-inspired experiences are also being planned. 1100 N. Central Ave.; 602-315-3162; foundre hotels.com
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throughout the property. It’s an accessible art collection; you can turn on a $1 million Tiffany lamp in the library or access four of the 11 original Audubon print books still in existence. The hotel offers daily art tours, and an artist-inresidence gives lessons. 1001 Lafayette Dr.; 866344-6957; nemacolin. com
21C MUSEUM HOTEL LEXINGTON, KY.
NEMACOLIN WOODLANDS RESORT FARMINGTON, PA.
What does a $45 millionplus art collection look like? Find out at Nemacolin, where more than 1,000 pieces are spread
21c redefined the concept of the art hotel when it launched in Louisville in 2006. This year, 21c opened its fifth location, this one in Lexington, featuring 7,000 square feet of museum exhibition and
event space. (A sixth is scheduled to open in Oklahoma City this summer.) You can view the art, which includes rotating exhibitions, seven days a week around the clock. 167 W. Main St.; 859-899-6800; 21cmuseumhotels.com
HOTEL DES ARTS SAN FRANCISCO
Plan to spend 51 nights here, because that’s how long it will take you to sleep in each of the artist-designed rooms. Local and international artists painted edgy, graffiti-inspired murals in every room, and the works in the hallways are often available for purchase. 447 Bush St.; 415-956-3232; sfhoteldesarts.com
The ART
ROUS PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF THE HOTELS
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
Found:Re
21C Museum Hotel
Hotel Des Arts
23
UP FRONT | AMERICANA
MONTREAL
Boom! 1
BOSTON
Fireworks displays to light up your summer BY ALLISON ENTREKIN
WARM EVENINGS, LARGE crowds and dazzling fireworks mean one thing: It’s summertime. But not all pyrotechnic displays pack the same punch. The very best ones offer something extra: bucket list-level concerts, a taste of local culture or elaborate multiday celebrations. Here, we discover summertime events that really bring the fireworks.
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Could anything feel more patriotic than watching Boston’s Fourth of July fireworks from the Charles River Esplanade, and listening to the sounds of the legendary Boston Pops echoing through the night? Place your hand over your ears for the orchestra’s classic rendition of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture as nearby church bells ring and real cannons fire. VISIT: july4th.org
VISIT: sixflags.com/
larondeen/linternationaldes-feux/overview
JAY CONNOR; TOURISME MONTRÉAL,/STÉPHAN POULIN; THINKSTOCK
2
During the Montreal International Fireworks Competition (official name: L’International des Feux Loto-Québec), you won’t find just one day of colorful explosions, but an entire month of fireworks fun. Held most Wednesdays and every Saturday in July, the largest fireworks festival in the world welcomes 3 million visitors a year. The best way to see a show? While riding the carousel at La Ronde, the city’s biggest amusement park.
Look closely into the mountains of North Carolina and you’ll discover a place unlike any other. Hendersonville calls out to all to seek out and explore new experiences year-round. Stroll through our downtown Main Street filled with boutiques and eateries or find a trail that will take you to new heights in DuPont State Recreational Forest. Belly up to a cold brew at Sierra Nevada Brewery or indulge in regional wine tastings — it’s all up to you!
Be moved. Because that’s what happens in Hendersonville.
1.800.828.4244
v is ithe nd e rso n vi l l e n c . o rg
UP FRONT | AMERICANA
CODY, WYO.
5
3
Up, up and away! At the Ashland Balloonfest in Ashland, Ohio, relax with your family on the launch field as glowing hot air balloons float into the night sky. This special “Balloon Glow Encounter” is just $50 for a family of four. The festival, held June 30July 3, showcases dozens of colorful hot air balloons, live music, even a cornhole tournament. Stay for the fireworks on July 4, visible throughout the town. VISIT: ashlandohio
balloonfest.com
CHARLEVOIX, MICH.
4
From July 16-23, picturesque Charlevoix, Mich., welcomes tens of thousands of visitors to its famed Venetian Festival. Compete in the Venetian Games (including horseshoes, chess and bocce ball), ride the Roll-O-Plane at the carnival and stare in wonder as hundreds of fabulously lit boats parade around the lake at night on the 23rd. Rounding out the celebration? Not one but two nights of jaw-dropping fireworks shows. VISIT: venetianfestival.com
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VISIT: yellowstonecountry.
org/event/96th-annual-codystampede LINDA GOODMAN; TIM SALMONSON; ANDY WATSON; THINKSTOCK
ASHLAND, OHIO
In a town founded by Buffalo Bill, it’s fitting that the summer’s most popular event is filled with rodeos, bull rides and spectacular fireworks. The Cody Stampede in Cody, Wyo., takes place July 1-4 and includes street dancing, barbecues and a parade with three marching bands. Don’t miss the Wild West Extravaganza, complete with live music performed in the very same spot where Buffalo Bill held auditions for his Wild West Show.
Dash into the refreshing waves. Dig a moat for your sand castle. Pick the most delicious from all the ice cream colors. There are stars to count tonight and more childhood memories tomorrow.
ER OSUMM N.ORG/G A IG H IC SWM
UP FRONT | AMERICANA
Hail to the Chief Presidential landmarks bring history to the traveler BY JENNIFER BRADLEY FRANKLIN
INDEPENDENCE HALL
MOUNT RUSHMORE NATIONAL MEMORIAL
RONALD REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION & LIBRARY
Location Philadelphia
Location Keystone, S.D.
Location Simi Valley, Calif.
Established 1753
Established 1941
Established 1991
The site where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were debated and approved, Independence Hall could be called the epicenter of liberty. History buffs will appreciate glimpsing the original inkstand used to sign the Declaration. u 520 Chestnut St.; 215-965-2305;
Though no POTUS hails from South Dakota, the state has one of the most familiar presidential memorials. The 60-foot-tall faces of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt took 14 years to carve into the Black Hills’ granite, but mastermind Gutzon Borglum died seven months before it was complete. u 13000 Highway 244; 605-574-
A 6,338-pound piece of the Berlin Wall, a retired Air Force One Boeing 707 plane that transported seven U.S. presidents (including Reagan, who traveled to 26 countries and 46 states) and more than 500,000 feet of archived motion picture film are a fitting tribute to the actor-turnedpresident’s legacy. u 40 Presidential Dr.; 805-522-2977;
2523; nps.gov/moru
ronaldreaganmemorial.com
nps.gov/inde
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THINKSTOCK; NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; SOUTH DAKOTA TOURISM; THE RONALD REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION
IN THIS ELECTION year, the news is filled with candidates vying for the country’s top political post. Fortunately, it doesn’t matter who lives at the White House next, there are plenty of opportunities to experience America’s rich presidential history up close.
sometimes fun starts with a leap of faith.
UP FRONT | AMERICANA
BY THE NUMBERS
Location Mount Vernon, Va.
Location Boulder City, Nev.
Established 1735
Established 1936
George Washington’s home from his boyhood to his death is 10 times the size of an average colonial house (at 11,028 square feet, it’s massive even by today’s sprawling standards). Situated along the Potomac River 15 miles south of Washington, D.C., it features a wine cellar used for storing Washington’s favorite wine, Madeira. Unfortunately, no secret passageways actually exist, despite what you might have seen in the movies. u 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway;
Made of 6.6 million tons of concrete and steel that span the Colorado River, this engineering marvel was built by 21,000 men during the Great Depression and still supplies hydroelectric energy to California, Nevada and Colorado. There was controversy over the name of the new structure — the Interior Department secretary referred to it as Hoover Dam after the sitting president during construction, but President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who defeated Herbert Hoover, called it Boulder Dam. Congress approved the name Hoover Dam in 1947. u 702-494-2517; usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam
703-780-2000; mountvernon.org
THE HERMITAGE
THE SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM AT DEALEY PLAZA
Location Nashville
Location Dallas
Established 1804
Established 1989
Andrew Jackson’s home, a stately Federal-style house, had to be largely rebuilt after a fire in 1834, and the estate now covers 1,120 acres. The “People’s President” is buried on the sprawling property, next to his wife, Rachel. u 4580 Rachel’s Lane; 615-889-2941;
Walk the very halls of the former Texas School Book Depository that was the “sniper’s perch” on Nov. 22, 1963, the day that President Kennedy was assassinated in Dealey Plaza below. Don’t miss exhibits that place Kennedy’s visit into the context of the era, plus images taken by former Dallas Times Herald photographer Eamon Kennedy on that day. u 411 Elm St.; 214-747-6660; jfk.org
thehermitage.com
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The number of the next president.
22
The number of states that are birthplaces of presidents.
8
The number of presidents born in Virginia, earning it the nickname of “birthplace of presidents.” (Ohio, which also produced eight presidents, likes to dispute the title.)
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The number of commanders in chief (Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms, making him the 22nd and 24th presidents).
THINKSTOCK; GEORGE WASHINGTON’S MOUNT VERNON; U.S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION; MADELINE ZIECKER; THE SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM AT DEALEY PLAZA
HOOVER DAM
MOUNT VERNON
begins. Make the most of every minute in Greater Morgantown, West Virginia /MOREgantown
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UP FRONT | AMERICANA
From Tragedy, Beauty Rises On the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, reflect and remember at the nation’s three moving memorials
1. NEW YORK CITY National September 11 Memorial & Museum
2. WASHINGTON, D.C. Pentagon Memorial
3. PENNSYLVANIA Flight 93 National Memorial
Despite being smack in the middle of Lower Manhattan, surrounded on all sides by massive skyscrapers and bleating traffic, New York’s memorial to 9/11 is stunningly quiet. Two giant reflecting pools containing the largest man-made waterfalls in North America sit on the footprints of the original twin towers; the names of the nearly 3,000 people who died that day are inscribed in panels that surround the pools. The 110,000-squarefoot museum contains artifacts from the destroyed buildings that commemorate those who died, and multimedia displays recall the events of the day. $24 for adults, $18 for seniors, veterans and college students; $15 for youth; 180 Greenwich St.; 212-266-5211; 911memorial.org
The jets taking off from nearby Reagan National Airport create an eerie soundtrack for the memorial, a 2-acre site just yards from the building along the fatal flight path. Granite-and-steel benches that resemble airplane wings bear the names of each of the 184 killed; visitors may sit and listen to the bubbling pools underneath each. Although the Pentagon was fully repaired less than one year after the attack, a single scorched stone was left in place near the impact point, visible from the memorial. Free; no onsite public parking; 1 N. Rotary Rd., Arlington, Va.; 301-740-3388; pentagonmemorial. org
Knowing that New York was under attack, realizing that their airplane was also about to be turned into a weapon, the 40 passengers and crew aboard the hijacked Flight 93 turned on their captors and caused the plane to crash in a field in rural western Pennsylvania rather than Washington, D.C. Set in rolling, windy countryside about 75 miles east of Pittsburgh, a line of engraved marble walls follows the plane’s final path; each panel bears the name of one of those 40 heroes. The impact site — which still holds many of the remains of those on the flight — is marked with a single sandstone boulder. Remembrance bells toll every Sept. 11. Free; Shanksville, Pa.; 814-893-6322; nps.gov/flni
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JIN LEE; ELIZABETH NEUS; JEFF SWENSEN/GETTY IMAGES; THINKSTOCK
BY ELIZABETH NEUS
THE OTHER THE OTHER JERSEY JERSEY SHORE SHORE N E W
J E R S E Y
FOLLOW US @VISITHUDSONNJ 800.542.7894 8 00 542 7894 WWW.VISITHUDSON.ORG Supported by a grant from New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism
BIG APPLE. BIG SALE. HERE’S YOUR CHANCE TO SAVE.
Enjoy a discounted getaway to New York City at these eight Manhattan Hilton hotels with our “New York Sale Package”. For a limited time, receive up to 20% off our Best Available Rate plus: • Buy one, get one free admission to Ripley’s Believe It or Not® Times Square. • Two tickets for the Bryant Park Carousel (“Le Caroussel”). • 20% off admission to Spirit Cruises or Bateaux New York. • $5 off Broadway Up Close Walking Tour.
Book online at www.highgate-nyc.com/sale or call 1-800-HILTONS and mention one of the 8 hotels listed here plus package code KX or KX1. Available for bookings now through 12/31/16 – with exceptional rates available this summer!
UP FRONT | RECREATION
New in Orlando The nation’s theme park haven continues to add even more just in time for summer BY STACEY ZABLE
IF YOUR IDEA of the perfect summer vacation involves roller coasters, movie characters that come alive and theme park attractions and shows that last into the night, then head to Orlando! The longtime favorites at Orlando’s theme parks are still there for you to enjoy, but new and exciting highlights are waiting to be discovered this summer.
Frozen Ever After
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Visit the kingdom of Arendelle from Disney’s immensely popular film Frozen at the Frozen Ever After attraction at Epcot in Walt Disney World. The royal sisters, Anna and Elsa, will also do meet-andgreets in Epcot.
udisneyworld. disney.go.com/ attractions/epcot/ frozen-ever-after
Legoland
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Once the sun sets, there is more to enjoy at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park in Walt Disney World. Live performances, floating lanterns, water screens and swirling animal imagery come together at the new after-dark Rivers of Light show. And the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction now includes a new nighttime adventure.
udisneyworld.disney. go.com/attractions/ animal-kingdom/ animal-kingdom-night
udisneyworld. disney.go.com/ attractions/holly wood-studios/ star-warslaunchbay
Weekends at Legoland Florida from June 18 to July 31 will be even more fun with Legoland Night Lights, an event that features extended park hours, dance parties, special Lego light displays and a new fireworks show. Legoland Water Park’s first expansion includes the Creative Cove area featuring Build-A-Boat, where kids can build and race Lego watercraft.
ulegoland.com/florida
Mako
6 Skull Island
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Star Wars Launch Bay
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For more movie characters that come alive, Universal’s Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando Resort debuts Skull Island: Reign of Kong. This King Kong-themed attraction combines 3-D, technology, ancient temples and the big ape himself.
uuniversalorlando.com
More animal-themed fun comes to SeaWorld Orlando when Mako, a 200-foot-tall hypercoaster, debuts this summer. It’s a true adrenaline rush for riders of what SeaWorld says is Orlando’s tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster, reaching speeds of 73 mph along an almost mile-long track. Mako is the centerpiece of a new 7-acre shark-themed area.
useaworldparks.com/en/ seaworld-orlando
DISNEY; LEGOLAND FLORIDA/MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS GROUP/CHIP LITHERLAND; DAVID ROARK; UNIVERSAL; SEA WORLD PARKS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Fans of the iconic movie Star Wars should head directly to the Star Wars Launch Bay at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. Meet classic hero Chewbacca and conflicted newcomer Kylo Ren, play interactive video games and check out replica props, costumes and artifacts from all seven films. Don’t miss the Star Wars live stage show or the new fireworks, laser and light show that will illuminate the skies nightly.
Remember the time we started a new collection?
Make reel memories memories. s. Make your perfect vacation memories in Mexico Beach, Florida. Discover a place to remember and request a free Visitor’s Guide at mexicobeach.com.
Situated ed on the most biodiverse estuary in the Northern N Hemisphere, Stuart, Florida is known as the Sailfish Capital of the World. Its climate, waterways, and natural environment make it a mecca for fisherman and nautical explorers, while unique shops, fine restaurants, golf courses and quiet beaches make a day ashore fun, too. Inshore or offshore, head out for an adventure and reel in the memories. discovermartin.com
Anna Maria Island, Florida 941-778-1541 www.amichamber.org
Anna Maria Island – An Island Jewel By Deborah Wing – AMI Chamber President
Nestled in the Gulf of Mexico, just south of Tampa lies a quaint island jewel, where the multi-hued, crystal-clear blue waters beckon visitors to relax and the white sandy beaches are beyond compare. This jewel is Anna Maria Island and it’s waiting for you to experience and enjoy its old world charm, laid back attitude, friendly ambiance and natural beauty. Anna Maria Island proves that size doesn’t matter when it comes to fun in paradise. With 7 miles of sugar white sandy beaches and clear turquoise waters, this stretch of island life is an ideal place to relax and get away from it all. Here, “old Florida” charm can still be found, flip flops are a way of life, and the speed limit never exceeds 35 mph. Unlike other islands, visitors won’t find any chain restaurants or high rise hotels here. Instead they will find exceptional family owned restaurants that feature casual and fine dining, coffee shops & boutiques. The island also offers a variety of accommodations, from condos to beautiful beach cottages, quaint hotels and a beachfront bed and breakfast, including luxury resort-style accommodations. The island is known as “the friendly island” because visitors come as our guests and leave as our friends…some even stay for a lifetime! In addition to all the beautiful views and great dining and shopping, Anna Maria Island has plenty of things to do with fun, family festivals throughout the year, orchestras, an Island Players Theater offering great theatrical plays year round, museums, art galleries, art walks and year round holiday festivities. If you can’t find a fun event during your vacation, you are probably not on Anna Maria Island. From eco-friendly island retreats to first class family and romantic “stay-cations”, anyone can enjoy fun in the sun and explore nature. Walk the uninterrupted island-long coastline along pristine beaches, watch the kids play in the sand, experience wildlife, observe turtles nesting and dolphins playing. Enjoy a sunrise overlooking the bay and watch a picture-perfect Florida sunset all in a day. Biking, kayaking, boating, fishing, parasailing and more are all at your fingertips. There is even a free trolley to take you to your favorite island destinations and historic shopping districts. With an island paradise like no other, it is no wonder Anna Maria Island is rated the #3 top island to visit on TripAdvisor!! What are you waiting for, “Anna Maria Awaits You.”
UP FRONT | RECREATION
Tee Off Take a swing at gorgeous golf courses
GOLFER SANDRA GAL, a German native currently playing on the LPGA Tour who has about 160,000 social media followers, recently ranked her top golf courses worldwide for USA TODAY. Put these spectacular spots on your sports vacation bucket list.
PEBBLE BEACH GOLF LINKS Pebble Beach, Calif. I’ve only gotten to play it once, for the Callaway Invitational (in 2010), but it is an eternally beautiful place. I doubt there is a much better piece of land to build a golf course on than this one. I could just walk this course without playing it and be happy soaking in the views. 1700 17-Mile Dr.; 800-877-0597; pebblebeach.com/golf
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OLD COURSE AT ST. ANDREWS St. Andrews, Scotland I was lucky enough to play the 2013 British Open and a couple of junior tournaments at this historic place. I don’t mind whether it’s raining sideways or a sunny day, I love playing this course. The history, the town and the Scottish flair make the atmosphere. No more words needed. standrews.com /play/courses/old-course
TRUMP TURNBERRY RESORT Ayrshire, Scotland I played here for the first time (last) summer for the British Open and it was love at first sight. This course is not only visually stunning, with the lighthouse and ocean in the background, but, in my opinion, a refreshingly fair test of links golf. turnberry.co.uk/ turnberry-golf-scotland
DONALD MIRALLE/GETTY IMAGES; THINKSTOCK; EZRA SHAW/GETTY IMAGES (2); DAVID CANNON/GETTY IMAGES (2)
CYPRESS POINT CLUB Pebble Beach, Calif. It is my favorite course of all time. Sitting right next to Pebble Beach, this super-private course emits an energy like no other place I’ve been. Although I’ve only played it once, I will never forget holes 16 and 17 with the ocean crashing against cliffs, where sea lions hang out and cypress trees guard the fairways. 3150 17 Mile Dr.; 831-624-2223; montereypeninsula golf.com/Cypress-Point-Club
UP FRONT | XXXXX
GOLF RESORT KARLŠTEJN Liteň, Czech Republic I played my first-ever golf tournament at the age of 14 here and won it! I definitely have an emotional attachment to this golf course. It is on top of a hill facing a medieval castle 30 minutes outside the city of Prague in the Czech Republic. Both my parents were born in Prague and so I found myself spending many vacations in the city and on this particular golf course. It is quite hilly, gets a lot of wind, but most importantly, I will not forget it,because in some ways it started my career. karlstejn-golf.cz/en/home
COURTESY OF GOLF RESORT KARLŠTEJN; DAVID CANNON/GETTY IMAGES; THINKSTOCK
GOLF CLUB HUBBELRATH Düsseldorf, Germany This is my home course in Germany, where I practiced between the ages of 14 and 19. It is a beautiful, tree-lined and, as we say in Germany, “goat’s course,” meaning that the hills on the course border on Alpine territory, and playing 36 holes definitely gives your calves more definition. I love this course though, and will always cherish the many memories. gc-hubbelrath.de
VALE DO LOBO ROYAL GOLF COURSE The Algarve, Portugal It used to be a special occasion when we played this course during our yearly Christmas vacations in Portugal. It was more expensive than the other green fees around and for good reason. It is a tough course with its famous par-3 16th with a cliff-top carryover, which you can see in any book about Algarve golf courses. As you can tell, I love ocean courses. valedolobo.com/en/golf
OLD HEAD OF KINSALE County Cork, Ireland This is an Irish beauty close to Cork. It is built on the edge of a cliff and I remember it being so windy that my putts would come straight back at me. The views of the ocean were amazing, and the linksy course was just pure fun to play.
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UP FRONT | FOOD + DRINK
Hot Scoops As the temperature rises, cool off with envelope-pushing ice cream flavors BY JENNIFER BRADLEY FRANKLIN
PLAIN OLD VANILLA may reign supreme (according to the National Ice Cream Retailers Association), but artisan ice cream makers around the country are exercising creativity with delicious, off-the-wall flavors. These anything-butplain treats will have you begging for a second scoop.
2 MAG NAME XXXXXXXXXX
ATLANTA
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QUEEN OF CREAM Organic ingredients plus milk and cream from local dairies and grass-fed cows provide the base for impossibly delicious confections by the queen herself, founder Cora Cotrim. Taste the simplicity and freshness in ever-changing flavors, including this summer’s Cardamom Rose, Blackberry Ginger, Lavender Honeycomb, Blood Orange Creamsicle and Bangkok Cream (dairy-free coconut with mango jam). On the go? Look for the shop’s mobile carts around town. 701 Highland Ave. N.E.;
404-331-0807; queenofcream.com
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COLUMBUS, OHIO
3 JENI’S
NEW YORK
2
ICE & VICE This self-described “experimental” shop is the poster child for eccentric combinations. “We wanted to break people’s perception of ice cream and introduce to them what you would see in fine dining,” says co-founder Ken Lo. Summer concoctions yet to be named will include coffee paired with champagne and another blending whiskey, ramen and flaming hot Cheetos. Even “The Basic B” — their version of vanilla — comes with a twist: a bit of black lava sea salt. 221 E. Broadway; 646-678-3687;
COURTESY OF QUEEN OF CREAM; ICE & VICE; JENI’S ART + DESIGN; GELATO FIASCO; JEFF AMADOR
iceandvice.com
Jeni Britton Bauer’s name has become synonymous with delicious, quality ice cream, thanks in part to the two beautiful dessert cookbooks she has penned. Flavors such as Churro, Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso and Wildberry Lavender are available in Jeni’s scoop shops across the country, including 10 in her hometown of Columbus, as well as Atlanta; Charleston, S.C.; Chicago; Cleveland; Los Angeles; Nashville; and St. Louis. jenis.com
PORTLAND, MAINE
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GELATO FIASCO The batches at this shop are so small and the flavors change so often that if you don’t check out a zany flavor, you might never get the chance again. Favorites include Maine Wild Blueberry Crisp and Big County Brownie Gelato. Outside Portland, look for their pints in more than 4,000 stores nationwide. 425 Fore St.; 207-699-4314; gelatofiasco.com
AUSTIN & DALLAS
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COW TIPPING CREAMERY This Texas favorite started selling its nostalgic soft-serve out of a mobile truck and will have three permanent locations by summer, two in Austin and one in Dallas. Summery flavors such as Rosemary Lemon Curd, Pistachio Rose and Matcha Green Tea are an ideal base for outlandish toppings like candied beer peanuts and Dr Pepper chocolate sauce. cowtippingcreamery.com
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JIM BENNETT
MATCH GAME
With more than 400 sites in the national park system, there's a vacation for everyone. These 10 choices showcase the amazing variety within this national treasure. BY K R I S T I VA L E N T I N I
VACAT I O N
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ON’T LIKE SLEEPING ON THE GROUND? OR HAVING TO START YOUR OWN FIRE? NO PROBLEM. National parks aren’t just for the campfire set. With affordable recreation, gorgeous scenery and comfy digs, a national park vacation has something for everyone. The National Park Service, which turns 100 this year, oversees 411 national parks, monuments, lakeshores and seashores in the United States. To find one that spells “vacation” the same way you do, check out our 10 picks, paired with popular I-love-to-do’s!
1 TROPICAL VACATION VIRGIN ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK, ST. JOHN
SEE If you’re up for the rugged 3-mile Reef Bay Trail, hike down the steep path to petroglyphs left behind by the ancient Tainos. Park rangers give guided tours that
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include a return trip by boat so you can skip the challenging ascent. DO Snorkel from shore at Waterlemon Cay and spy sea turtles, nurse sharks and colorful fish. Eye bright sponges, coral and other sea life at less-visited Hurricane Hole in the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument on the east side of the island. 1300 Cruz Bay Creek, St. John; 340-776-6201, ext. 238; nps.gov/viis
A park ranger hunts invasive and venomous lionfish while you learn about underwater wildlife during the Snorkel Safari program, Sundays at 1:30 p.m.
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THINKSTOCK
You don’t need a passport to land in paradise. The island of St. John, a U.S. territory, has whitewashed beaches, reggae and rum — and the 7,000-acre national park encompasses more than half of it.
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RUGGED ADVENTURE CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK, UTAH
KRISTI VALENTINI; THINKSTOCK
Made for modern-day adventurers, massive red rock walls jut into a deep blue sky at Capitol Reef in the southern part of the state.
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SEE Scramble over rocks and past juniper to reach Hickman Bridge, a striking 133-foot sandstone arch. It’s a relatively easy, 2-mile trek round-trip.
DO To work up a real sweat, search out slot canyons such as Sheets Gulch, a challenging 7-mile hike through an open wash to narrow canyons (sometimes barely wide enough to walk through!) and a streambed surrounded by Douglas firs. HC 70, Torrey; 435-4253791; nps.gov/care
The park service likes to say, “Take only pictures. Leave only footprints.” But at Capitol Reef, the historic Fruita pick-your-own orchards — consisting of more than 3,000 fruit- and nut-bearing trees, from apple to walnut — let you take a piece of the park home with you.
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MAJOR PHOTO OPS ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, MAINE Packed with pine and pocket lakes encompassed by granite shorelines, Acadia along the coast of Maine is begging for space on your Instagram account. SEE The Bass Harbor Head Light, a lighthouse perched above the Atlantic Ocean, provides the iconic park shot on Mount Desert Island. An equally postcard-worthy, but lesser-known, spot is Little Long Pond, surrounded by mountains and edged in water lilies. DO Take advantage of the warm, pink hues of sunrise with a morning drive down the Park Loop Road. This 27-mile stretch has pullouts where you can snap pics of cobblestone beaches, craggy shores and dense forests. Bar Harbor; 207-288-3338; nps.gov/acad
MAINE OFFICE OF TOURISM; THINKSTOCK
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Turns out the most magical hours for outdoor photography — an hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset — are also the least crowded times at the park.
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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; ELIZABETH NEUS; THINKSTOCK
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WILDLIFE WATCHING SPA RETREAT HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, ARKANSAS
Protected by an act of Congress in 1832 before the national park system existed, Hot Springs has long been a place where visitors unwind as they bask in steamy, mineral-rich water that’s piped into Victorian-era bathhouses.
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SEE Stroll Bathhouse Row, where eight spas were built between 1892 and 1923. Tour opulent Fordyce Bathhouse, which opened in 1915, to see what yesteryear’s gentility considered a great day at the spa (think no-nonsense scrubs and early exercise machines).
Fill your water bottle from the town’s natural spring fountains. Want something stronger? The Superior Bathhouse brewery (superiorbathhouse. com) uses the thermal waters to craft brews and root beer.
DO Experience a traditional treatment at Buckstaff Bathhouse (buckstaffbaths.com), the only working bathhouse at the park (it’s been in continuous operation since 1912). Take a dip in thermal waters, indulge in a Swedish massage and let an attendant loofah your arms, legs and back. For modern pampering, head to Quapaw Baths & Spa offsite (quapawbaths. com). 101 Reserve St., Hot Springs; 501-6206715; nps.gov/hosp
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, MONTANA Interested in seeing animals in their natural habitat? About 71 species of mammals — from grizzly bears (Montana has one of the largest concentrations of the creatures in the lower 48 states) and elk to the gray wolf and mountain goats — rule. SEE Like an alpine fairy tale, Lake McDonald’s crystalline blue water is lined with rocks in rainbow colors and framed by snow-capped mountains. Chalet-style Lake McDonald Lodge sits onshore. DO Quietly spy wildlife while on horseback — a
variety of trail rides are available. An all-day excursion around the stunning turquoise Cracker Lake or two hours through a forest in the Apgar Village area are good picks; the folks at Swan Mountain Outfitters can guide you (swanmountain outfitters.com). West Glacier; 406-8887800; nps.gov/glac
Check out the Swift Current area for moose, Bowman Lake for bald eagles and Logan Pass for mountain goats. The Many Glacier area is home to bears; if you happen to see one, watch from a very great distance.
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ECO ADVENTURE MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK, KENTUCKY
SEE Rangers lead tours tailored to every ability and interest. Pretend to be a 19th-century explorer and descend into the abyss with kerosene lamps on
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the three-hour Violet City Lantern tour. For avid spelunkers, the hardcore Wild Cave tour is a sixhour, shimmy-on-your-belly experience. DO Leisurely canoe down Green River through the park to see tortoises and deer along banks lined with sycamore trees (mam mothcavecanoe.com). Mammoth Cave; 270-7582180; nps.gov/maca
Bring a hoodie — the average temperature inside the cave is 54 degrees year-round. While reservations are not required for cave tours, they are highly recommended and they can’t be made on the day of the tour.
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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; DAVE TURNER/ NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; THINKSTOCK
It’s a labyrinth like no other. With 400 miles of surveyed passageways, Mammoth Cave is the longest known cave system in the world. Surveyors map more of its limestone channels every year.
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ROMANTIC ESCAPE OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, WASHINGTON Like scenes from Twilight (the books are set in the same region as the park), moss drapes ancient trees, ferns blanket the forest floor and waves crash onto driftwood-strewn shores. You’ll feel a mysterious pull to linger, just like the story’s lovestruck duo. SEE The Hoh Rain Forest gets between 12 and 14 feet (yes, feet) of rainfall a year, making it one of the wettest places in the continental U.S. Walk the Spruce Nature Trail, a 1.2-mile loop, to see the dense greenery. DO Hike Lover’s Lane Loop, a 6-mile (round-trip) journey, to take in misty Sol Duc Falls. Afterwards, take a dip in the spring-fed soaking pools at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort (olympicnationalparks.com). 600 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles; 360-565-3130; nps.gov/olym
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Bluff-top cabins with an ocean view and wood-burning stoves at Kalaloch Lodge are worth a splurge (thekalaloch lodge.com).
VACAT I O N
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8 PICTURED ROCKS NATIONAL LAKESHORE, MICHIGAN Sculpted by Mother Nature, the sandstone cliffs that rim Lake Superior are punctuated with shallow caves, arches and coves along more than 40 miles of majestic shoreline.
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SEE Follow the short trails to Miners Castle, a rock resembling a castle turret at the edge of a cliff, and Miners Falls, a 50-foot-high waterfall that’s one of seven in the park. DO Get in the water with a canoe trip in Beaver Basin Wilderness, where clear streams cut through the forest. View exposed shipwrecks and watch the sunset from Au Sable Light Station. Munising; 906-387-3700; nps.gov/piro
TIP The easiest way to see the colorful Pictured Rocks cliffs is to take a three-hour boat cruise (picturedrocks. com) — several options, including a sunset cruise, are available.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; THINKSTOCK
A GOOD TIME ON THE WATER
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PADRE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE, TEXAS Combine 70 miles of coastline — “the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world,” says the park’s website — with the Gulf of Mexico’s warm waters, and you have an excellent place to catch a wave. SEE Before you hit the water, join park rangers on scheduled early mornings June through August to watch sea turtle hatchlings being released. And since the park never closes, you can enjoy first-rate stargazing on the beach all year. DO Make the Malaquite Visitor Center and beach there your base for a day of surfing, boogie-boarding or swimming. The center has shaded picnic tables and showers. For windsurfing, check out Bird Island Basin on the Laguna Madre side of the island. Corpus Christi; 361-949-8068; nps.gov/pais
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Refuel with fish tacos at Irie’s Island Food in Port Aransas (iriesislandfood. com), a tiny joint with such delish Gulf seafood they often sell out.
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10 FAMILY FUN
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, TENNESSEE/ NORTH CAROLINA Perfect for a multigenerational trip, you can choose adventurous or low-key ways to enjoy the park’s historic buildings, valleys of wildflowers and old-growth forests. SEE The Cataloochee Valley on the North Carolina side, once home to a thriving settlement, is one of the most remote areas of the park. Follow a gravel road to find preserved
historic buildings — including homes, churches and a school — from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. DO Cades Cove, on the Tennessee side, has a variety of options to entertain your crew. Go horseback riding, rent bikes or have
TIP
a picnic. There’s also an 11-mile, one-way auto loop through the valley where wildlife — black bears (don’t get out of the car!), coyotes, turkeys and more — often creates a traffic jam. 865-436-1200; nps. gov/grsm
Do the Cades Cove Loop early in the morning when it’s less crowded. The bonus? You’ll see the mountains’ namesake smoky haze.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; SUSIE NEEL
SURFERS’ PARADISE
CELEBRATE 100 YEARS OF
N AT I O N A L PA R K S The Original Gateway City to Yellowstone National Park
AND SUPPORT THE GREAT OUTDOORS @ TA I L G AT E C L O T H I N G TA I L G AT E C L O T H I N G @ TA I L G AT E C L O T H I N
Livingston Li i t A Area Chamber Ch b off Commerce C Convention and Visitor Bureau DiscoverLivingston.com/USAtoday 406-222-0850
Our National Parks The National Mall welcomes millions every year, but what they see is hardly welcoming.
It welcomes the world to our most significant monuments and memorials. But like many national parks, the National Mall in Washington, D.C., desperately needs our help, including $350 million in federal funding for maintenance, repairs, and preservation. You can help with a simple letter. Visit NPCA.org/mall. Or call 1-800-NAT PARK.
L E G E N D A R Y
LODGES RAILROADS AND WEALTH FUNDED NATIONAL PARK GEMS THAT STILL SHINE TODAY BY LISA MEYERS MCCLINTICK
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El Tovar sits on the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, a place where visitors have taken in vistas for more than 100 years.
XANTERRA (2); FRED HARVEY
A
fter Yellowstone National Park’s best-known geyser blows its 184-foot plume of water and steam, cameras move inside to click away at a manmade wonder — the lobby of Old Faithful Inn. Lodge-pine poles shoot toward the inn’s 77-foot ceiling, and naturally gnarled limbs curve and twist up stairwells and across balconies. Robert Reamer’s lodge with its sevenstory lobby, opened in 1904, sparked a new movement of “parkitecture,” which embraced the use of local materials and sought inspiration from the surrounding landscape, says Christine Barnes, author of Great Lodges of the National Parks. “There was nothing like (Old Faithful Inn),” she says. “It really set the bar.” For the next few decades, enterprising railroad companies and other investors built showstopper lodges to entice the upper class to travel west through the U.S. rather than east to Europe, trading castles for canyons. While the Great Depression, two world wars, cars and a booming middle class forever changed how Americans traveled, many historic lodges continue to awe new generations more than a century later.
OLD FAITHFUL INN
EL TOVAR
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
With 327 rooms, Old Faithful is considered the world’s largest log hotel. Some rooms are fully updated, but none have air conditioning, radios or televisions, and some of the oldest rooms still have a shared bath.
In 1905, 14 years before the Grand Canyon became a national park, El Tovar — designed by the chief architect of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway — opened for business in its spectacular spot on the canyon’s South Rim. Visitors can take a two-hour train ride from Williams, Ariz., to reach El Tovar, which resembles a European
Open from May to October. From $115/night; 307-344-7311; yellowstonenationalpark lodges.com
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LODGES
hunting lodge complete with dark woodwork and stone fireplaces. Arts and crafts furnishings, southwestern influences and murals depicting the region’s Hopi, Apache, Mojave and Navajo tribes give the building a unique feel. Guests can choose from among 78 rooms, including suites, some of which feature balconies and views of the vast canyon. Open year-round. From $207/night; 888-297-2757; grand canyonlodges.com
CRATER LAKE LODGE
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
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Placid water shimmers far below Crater Lake Lodge as though centuries of blue skies had been captured, concentrated and distilled into a collapsed, 1,943-foot-deep volcano. This 71-room lodge, which opened in 1915, perches on the rim of the 6-mile-wide caldera that holds one of the world’s deepest and purest lakes. The lodge was closed in 1989 because it had become structurally unsound, but reopened in 1995 after it was completely rebuilt, reviving its 1920s charm with a green roof, brown siding and rock trim. The dining room with lake views serves Oregon homegrown fare including Tillamook cheddar, mushrooms, hazelnuts,
marionberry syrup for pancakes or salads, clam chowder, grass-fed beef and local beers and wines. Open from May to October. From $179.99/ night; 888-774-2728; craterlakelodges.com
MANY GLACIER HOTEL
Glacier National Park, Montana With alpine architecture and sweet scenery facing Swiftcurrent Lake and rugged Grinnell Point,
Many Glacier Hotel drops a dose of Switzerland into western Montana. The Great Northern Railway built the five-story, 215-room landmark, which opened in 1915. It’s one of three grand lodges at Glacier National Park (the others are Lake McDonald Lodge and Glacier Park Lodge). Modern travelers can still ride Amtrak’s Empire Builder train from Chicago or Seattle to the park and then grab a ride in one of the park’s vintage red buses to Many Glacier Hotel. High ceilings,
LISA MEYERS MCCLINTICK
Beautiful Crater Lake is the backdrop for the national park lodge with the same name, below.
From magnificent views to formal dinners, The Majestic Yosemite Hotel exudes elegance.
LODGING TIPS
KENNY KARST
NO ROOM? NO PROBLEM
timberwork and wood beams add elegance to both the lobby and the Ptarmigan Dining Room, where diners can savor sautéed Montana trout, seared bison tenderloin, loose-meat elk sandwiches and seared duck breast with Flathead cherry chutney. More than a week’s worth of hiking trails radiate from Many Glacier, but it’s also a popular spot for scenic boat tours and horseback riding. Considered one of the country’s mostendangered historic places two decades ago, a multiyear refurbishment continues at the hotel; parts of the lodge will be closed to visitors this year.
Open from June to September. From $191/ night; 855-733-4522; glaciernational parklodges.com
THE MAJESTIC YOSEMITE HOTEL Yosemite National Park, California
Regal, towering and built with stone that calls to mind the mountains surrounding it, Yosemite National Park’s hotel, opened in 1927 has hosted royalty and presidents. The national park system’s signature grand hotel — a 99-room, six-story lodge with turquoise shutters once known as The Ahwahnee — still charms guests with
majestic views of Half Dome, Glacier Point and Yosemite Falls. Visitors can enjoy a casual breakfast, lunch and popular Sunday brunch, but the elegant dining room has a dress code for dinner (even for the kids!). Warm lighting from chandeliers illuminates the historic furnishings, tapestries, stained glass windows and granite pillars. During the holidays, it hosts a legendary seven-course, Renaissance- and Christmas-themed Bracebridge Dinner. Lobby renovation is expected to be complete by July; open year-round. $415/night and up; 888413-8869; travelyosemite. com
Scoring a room at legendary park lodges requires planning ahead — way ahead. Old Faithful Inn and El Tovar, which take reservations 13 months in advance, can sell out in a day. Xanterra Parks and Resorts, which operates many of the lodges, offers the following tips:
• Keep checking availability online for last-minute openings. • Travel in the shoulder seasons (early spring and late fall). • Visit the lodge without staying: Plan a dinner in one of the lodge dining rooms, for example. • Look for guided historic lodge tours and find a seat in the lobby to soak up the ambience. — Lisa Meyers McClintick
FIT FOR A
KING
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WE CAME A LONG WAY TO conquer Skull Island. All the way to the Netherlands, in fact — but only sort of, to the Dutch Caribbean. Tiny Saba, only 5 square miles in size, is a vision of the sea idyll: a mountainous, rugged, windswept volcanic rock whose indomitable silhouette was the inspiration for the original movie depicting King Kong’s kingdom in 1933. This Dutch island’s marine park is the envy of the scuba universe, the diving is some of the best in the Caribbean, the climbing is divine and the hiking, especially along Mount Scenery’s volcanic spine (the highest point in the whole of the Netherlands at 2,877 feet), is breathtaking. Adventure lust drew me south, but it was Saba’s quixotic charm, luxury
ST ORY AND PHOT OGRA P HY BY F L ASH PARKER wit h Chelsea O’Ma r ra
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ST. MAARTEN IS
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trappings and tranquil magnetism that conquered my imagination. Travel partner Chelsea O’Marra came for the fabulous food, the spectacular hotels and guest houses, the jewels fit for a queen and the remarkable castaway vibe, and she was swept off her feet by Saba’s swashbuckling soul. So two people with two vastly different island experiences in mind decided to carve up the mountain in order to understand something of Saba’s spectacular split personality. The tiny plane broke the clouds and brought Saba into view, Mount Scenery towering above the sea. Skirting the Cave of Rum Bay and the Pirate Cliffs as the plane came in for a landing, rubber hit the road, and quickly we were spirited in different directions. In 20 minutes, Chelsea was on the grand pool deck at the Queen’s Gardens Resort & Spa, a signature Saban Sunrise cocktail (vodka, peach schnapps, grenadine and fruit juices) in hand and the sun on her face. Ten minutes after that, the good people of the Sea Saba Dive Center had me on the sea floor in Saba’s National Marine Park, one of the Caribbean’s crown
THE CONNECTION POINT TO GET TO SABA, EITHER BY AIR OR BY SEA
jewels. I was face to face with nurse sharks, sea turtles and titanic grouper at the bubbling hot springs; the 10-foot tall coral ridges at the labyrinth known as The Ladder; and the towering volcanic peaks of Man O’ War Shoals. The park, established in 1987 as a way to safeguard the underwater environment, is a testament to forwardthinking conservation. Back at the Queen’s Garden Resort, Chelsea passed through a white arbor accented with fuchsia bougainvillea, and felt a blanket of Old World charm
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Saba’s rugged coastal terrain opens up remarkable hiking opportunities, with great ocean views rewarding the intrepid.
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envelope her as the panoramic view of The Bottom, Saba’s capital, came into view. The resort is a 12-suite boutique charmer, an exercise in island escapism that features Saba’s premiere spa and comes complete with a cocktail impresario. Local bartender Duco knew no fewer than 11 gin-andtonic recipes (try the cranberry-thyme marvel), and there are 25 kinds of gin on hand. Tucked into the jungle the way it is, Queen’s Garden becomes the island’s best place to begin and end wilder adventures. Satisfied by its romance and serenity, Chelsea was ready to explore further afield, and step off the beaten track to join me on the Sandy Cruz Trail. But not before fueling up. Chez Bubba Bistro, part of the Queen’s Garden complex, has such an open, welcoming community vibe — that it’s impossible to sit down and not spot Saba’s who’s-who on a given night. For instance, you could see the island’s director of tourism and the uber-peacocked dancing legend of Saba’s Summer Festival. Sure, these are the same person — 14thgeneration Saban Glenn Holm — but this is a small island. Brought in to helm the namesake Queen’s Gardens Restaurant, Chef Johan de Jager’s culinary wizardry is on full display in creations including Saba lobster sliders and grilled red snapper in Creole sauce; fresh, delectable fare that fuses Caribbean ingredients with
European technical precision. The setting is all rustic island charm and casual elegance, and showcases Saba’s gastro vibe. Once we were properly fed, it was time to conquer a mountain. Sandy Cruz, along with nearly 20 other trails that crisscross the island, is the result of decades of work by eighth-generation Saban James “Crocodile” Johnson and the Saba Conservation Foundation, which is “committed to the belief that a stronger island economy will result from the sustainable use of Saba’s rich and virtually unspoiled resources,” according to its website. Crocodile James sent us out into the mountains with Jelle van der Velde, a local hiking guide, shark wrangler, lionfish strangler (they’re an invasive species) and beekeeper. Like most of Saba’s residents, Jelle wears half a dozen hats on a given day, and serves as a tremendous ambassador for his island paradise. Beginning at Upper Hell’s Gate, Jelle toured us through primary and secondary rainforests, unveiled spectacular views of Wells Bay and the volcanic goblin fingers erupting from the sea far below, showcased wild jungle orchids and pink oleander and hummingbirds that would have been impossible to spot on our own and regaled us with the unprintable legend of the island’s lone tourist-loving monkey. We crested one of Saba’s towering ridges at Troy Hill, almost 2,000 feet above sea level, before we descended to Island Flavor, a breezy, busy
Looking out over charming Windwardside at night is like looking into a European fairy tale written on a Caribbean map. The tide pools at Flat Point serve as one of Saba’s most stunning swimming holes.
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Writer and photographer Chelsea O’Marra cuts loose at one of Mark Johnson’s beautifully restored cottages. Dine in true Saban style at restaurants that serve up fresh local fish and homegrown island ingredients. Work your way through all of the Queen’s Garden’s gin and tonic recipes, and earn a few hours of respite next to the pool.
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little local outpost notable for brilliant Seagrape Grill and fueled up on “Dutch tea” — Sabans blackened mahi mahi burgers and consume more Heineken per capita than any other fresh conch stew. Kudos to the island’s people, they say — before we scrambled over Cove Bay planning division for strategically and into the tide pools at Flat Point, one of Saba’s most installing restaurants at the bottom of beautiful, and treacherous, destinations. Here, ocean nearly every great hiking trail. waves crash into ancient volcanic rock, while retreatWe zipped out to quiet Booby Hill for ing tides have carved out picturesque pools that the a peek inside Jobean Glass Art, where sun superheats to the perfect temperature, creating Jo Bean Chambers, a bubbly, boisteran escape within an escape. From a rocky perch in ous, whirling dervish of the tide pools, Saba resembles a scene an artist, crafts stunning in a Dutch snow globe, the glass blown glass marvels, conducts in Jo Bean’s studio, all picturesque Queen’s Gardens peppy workshops and and perfect. Shaken by trade winds Resort & Spa chats diving all day long. and volcanic gurgles a thousand feet queensaba.com The shop’s treasures beneath the surface, the globe reveals + are akin to pirate booty Saba’s timeless fusion of luxury and Sea Saba Dive Center and make wonderful intrepid adventure. seasaba.com souvenirs. Saba’s reputation as a thrillseeker’s + Speaking of treasure, hideaway is well deserved, but it’s Saba National Marine Park sabapark.org/marine_park no visit to Saba is during downtime that bliss reigns. + complete without a visit Standing on the porch of a sprawling Saba Conservation to the Jewel Cottage, Mark villa, one of Mark Johnson’s stunning Foundation Johnson’s love letter to 18th-century sea captain’s houses with sabapark.org Caribbean style. Johnson Old World charm to spare, visitors soak + (not to be confused with in a bucolic view of Windwardside’s Island Flavor restaurant guide extraordinaire beautiful homes, each dressed in white facebook.com/ Crocodile James), has clapboard, green shutIslandFlavorRestaurant + Saban roots that run ters, and red tiles — a JoBean Glass Art deep into the heart of the postcard-perfect vision of jobean-glass.com island. He is a storytelling Europe flung far out into + savant, a pirate poet the Caribbean. Saba’s tiny The Jewel Cottage of the highest regard villages conjure images inyourpocket.com/Saba/ and a treasure dealer of The-Jewel-Cottage_124043v of the Scottish Highlands; legendary proportions; be perhaps that’s why the + forewarned that it can be 17th-century pirates who Saba Tourism Bureau sabatourism.com tough to summit Saba’s landed on Saba decided to peaks under the weight stay. of Johnson’s shimmering Today, instead of cruise jewelry. ship ports and department It was Crocodile James who personstore shopping, Saba’s seas are dotted by ally took us on a tour of the island’s sailboats and one-man skiffs, while the arid eastern hills, out along the villages are home to unique jewelry shops and incredible Spring Bay Trail, stomping craft boutiques, where once there were rum brush at the ruins of sugar mills near runners and sugar plantations. Locals belongOld Booby Hill as frigate birds swirled ing to the eighth, 12th and even 14th genoverhead, and through overrun sugar erations are imbued with the lyrical vigor of plantations as feral goats squealed all Ireland — Crocodile James still spins myriad around us. Crocodile James kept me local legends while guiding hikers down to from chewing on deadly manchineel stunning Spring Bay — the culinary scene is tree leaves I mistook for lemongrass, infused with the gastro energy of Italy and and we skipped over periwinkle and the entire island flits on whimsy that could cactus before landing on the dark sand have been authored by Gabriel García Márquez. at Spring Bay. A more thrilling version of the Caribbean may exist, We escaped the sun at cozy but only in the imagination of an Irish pirate poet.
In Saba’s National Marine Park, one of the Caribbean's loveliest, get face time with turtles, rays, sharks and hundreds of species of fish. Saba’s resident iguana population is small but stable. Watch closely for the Saban anole, a speedy little lizard that can disappear in the blink of an eye.
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DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT — CAMARASAURUS SKULL
NATURE’S SPECIAL EFFECTS
Travel through time at the nation’s premiere dinosaur sites
DAN JOHNSON/NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
BY HEATHER BENIT
ossil hunters have been racing to the American West since the 1800s, and despite important and historic results, the contest to find new dinosaurs hasn’t always been pretty. During the 19th-century dinosaur “gold rush,” U.S. scientists Othniel Marsh and Edward Cope, fueled by paleontological curiosity and an intense rivalry, feverishly dug for dinosaur bones in a fierce and sometimes dirty competition referred to as the Bone Wars. Marsh and Cope’s battle led to the discovery of 136 new species, according to the federal Bureau of Land Management. Today, years after the Great Dinosaur Rush, major discoveries continue. Experts say it’s impossible to know the exact number of dinosaur species that existed during their time on Earth, between 245 million and 66 million years ago. Approximately 700 species have been named (and, in some cases, renamed), and University of Oslo researchers estimate that 1,936 species once roamed the planet. That means most dinosaur species are waiting to be discovered. For a calmer taste of the Bone Wars, budding paleontologists and dinosaur hunters can travel to the West for a fossil-finding field adventure of their own, from a wall of bones in Utah to hands-on digging in Montana to a prehistoric daytrip near Denver.
EARTH AND BONES The mecca of U.S. dinosaur destinations is Dinosaur National Monument, which spans the Utah-Colorado border. (Note: All of the fossils are on the Utah side.) This vast, arid site is the heart of the Morrison Formation, home to rich fossil beds and breathtaking geological formations. Dinosaur National Monument’s 210,844 acres of undeveloped desert is dotted with sagebrush and interrupted by 9,000-foot mountain peaks and deep canyons cut by the wild Green and Yampa rivers.
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The centerpiece is a spectacular 150-footlong quarry wall, with more than 1,500 dinosaur fossils embedded in a sedimentary cliff face. The bone-studded wall is housed inside the Quarry Exhibit Hall, an enclosed, window-filled observatory. Famous fossil specimens include vegetarian, spiky-tailed Stegosaurus, long-necked Diplodocus and meat-eating Allosaurus. At points, you’ll even get the chance to touch dinosaur fossils more than 149 million years old! How did the fossils of so many individual dinosaurs end up in one place? Paleon-
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Dinosaur National Monument
210,844 ACRES UTAH-COLORADO BORDER
tologists believe that when these creatures died near a Jurassic-era river, the current deposited their remains downstream, where they fossilized in the mud of what is now the quarry wall. Wandering the accessible, two-story building and studying the specimens on display will take about two hours, but rangers recommend staying at the park for at least a couple of days to drive the scenic roads, camp in the canyons, hike the trails and explore the geology and petroglyphs. ▶ nps.gov/dino
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (3); GREAT PLAINS DINOSAUR MUSEUM
SPECIAL EFFECTS
GREAT PLAINS DINOSAUR MUSEUM
MONTANA MUSEUM DIGS
DINOSAUR NATIONAL MOUMENT
Montana is home to some of the richest fossilbearing rocks on the planet. Key fossils from some of the world’s most famous dinosaurs, like the horned, frill-necked Triceratops and the notorious Tyrannosaurus rex (including one fossil thought to be of a pregnant T. rex) were found in the state. Volunteers looking to experience a real dig can pair up with paleontologists at Montana museums for a day or weeklong excavation event. Dig locations include Two Medicine Formation in northwest Montana, where North America’s first dinosaur eggs and baby dinosaurs were found — and the Hell Creek Formation in eastern Montana, known for its diversity of dinosaur, fish,
reptile and mammal fossils. Recent digs there have uncovered evidence of the duck-billed Edmontosaurus and the lethal, sprinting dakotaraptor. Cary Woodruff, director of paleontology at the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum, which is sponsoring work at the Hell Creek Formation this summer, says no matter what is unearthed, the experience is educational and inspirational. “You never know what’s in the ground until you start digging,” says Woodruff, who decided to pursue paleontology after a childhood dig experience. For elementary explorers, the museum offers Junior Paleo Experiences in both the field and the lab. Young explorers can see what it’s like to find dinosaurs in the field and then follow the fossils into the lab for cleaning, explains
Woodruff. There are also programs for adults. Woodruff encourages people interested in participating in a dig to seek out a museum program, rather than going out with a commercial company. Most museum programs charge fees to cover operation costs, but unlike some private companies, volunteers aren’t working to make other people money, he says. “(Museum programs) are much more rewarding. People on those digs are actually helping science.” A good starting point for more information is the Montana Dinosaur Trail, which links all the museums doing dinosaur work in the state, along with a key for finding museums conducting field programs open to the public. ▶ greatplainsdinosaurs.org ▶ mtdinotrail.org
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SPECIAL EFFECTS
DINOSAUR RIDGE
Just 45 minutes west of Denver International Airport — a practical launching point into western dino country — is Dinosaur Ridge, a National Natural Landmark where explorers young and old can trace hundreds of dinosaur footprints along the Dinosaur Ridge Trail. The trail’s dinosaur tracksite — a collection of more than 300 dinosaur tracks preserved in sandstone — is part of an extensive pathway known as the Dinosaur Freeway, left by herds 100 million years ago when the mountainous landscape was a soft seaway shore. Coincidentally, the prehistoric path was discovered during construction of a new road in 1937.
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Late Jurassic-era Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus and Allosaurus bones also have been excavated at Dinosaur Ridge, along with tracks from Early Cretaceous-era animals, including ancient crocodiles whose claw marks are still visible in the rocks. Fossils and footprints are visible at 15 locations at the park grounds. Take a 2-mile round-trip hike through the property or take a 45-minute bus tour with guides who interpret and point out the fossils, which can blend into the sandstone walls. Without a guide, you might miss the tracks believed to be a mother and baby dinosaur walking side-by-side up the hill. ▶ dinoridge.org
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; HEATHER BENIT (2)
ON THE PATH OF THE PREHISTORIC PAST
FOSSIL FACE TIME WHERE TO GET YOUR PREHISTORIC FIX When the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History’s Fossil Hall reopens in 2019, the “Nation’s T. rex” — one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons ever discovered — will be the star of the show. But this imposing, 12-foot-tall, 38-foot-long skeleton, 85 percent complete, won’t be alone in the spotlight. In the Smithsonian’s dramatic display, the carnivorous giant will be posed predatorily over a Triceratops. The scene will capture a moment in time and shed some light on how these prehistoric creatures interacted. The exhibit won’t debut until Fossil Hall’s $49 million renovations are complete, but don’t despair, dinosaur lovers: The Smithsonian and museums around the country continue to offer exciting encounters with Jurassic giants.
SCOTT OLSON/GETTY IMAGES
The Smithsonian is presenting temporary displays of dinosaurs and fossils throughout the construction of the new fossil hall, says press officer Ryan Lavery. He recommends Last American Dinosaurs: Discovering a Lost World, which shows off iconic dinosaurs while teaching about “the broader ecosystem and ecology that these dinosaurs lived within leading up to their extinction 66 million years ago.” And, if you can’t wait for 2019, you can watch the new hall being built at naturalhistory. si.edu/fossil-hall/camera. ▶ naturalhistory.si.edu/
fossil-hall
OTHER TOP DINOSAUR COLLECTIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY EAST The American Museum of Natural History in New York City has one of the largest and most scientifically important fossil collections in the world. The massive David H. Koch Dinosaur Wing features more than 100 specimens, 85 percent of them real fossils rather than reproductions. ▶ amnh.org MIDWEST See “SUE,” the largest T. rex skeleton in the world, above, at The Field Museum in Chicago. ▶ fieldmuseum. org/at-the-field/ exhibitions/ sue-t-rex
WEST If Dinosaur National Monument isn’t enough for you, visit the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum in nearby Vernal. It features archeological and geological displays as well as an outdoor garden with 17 life-size dinosaur sculptures. ▶ stateparks. utah.gov/parks/ utah-field-house SOUTHWEST The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque houses the majority of the Paleozoic Trackways Collection, slabs featuring fossil tracks that
were removed for safekeeping and preservation from the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument. ▶ nmnatural history.org PACIFIC The University of California Museum of Paleontology in Berkeley has the largest collection of paleontological artifacts of any university museum in the world. Although it’s not technically a public museum — its focus is research — visitors can still view fossils for free when the building is open. ▶ ucmp.berkeley. edu/about/visit. php — Heather Benit
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The live theater experience is hot at these spectacular spots BY DIANE BAIR AND PAMELA WRIGHT
B
roadway isn’t the only place to watch
a great show. As the weather warms, summer theaters across North America fling open their doors to showcase top-notch performances. Here are seven venues to catch the best shows on stage this season.
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A Lost Colony actor in the woods near the theater
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THE LOST COLONY
THINKSTOCK; PATRICK SCHNEIDER; THE LOST COLONY
Suspense, drama, elaborate lighting, pyrotechnics and epic battle scenes will keep you on the edge of your seat at this award-winning performance, held at the Waterside Theatre on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. America’s longest-running outdoor symphonic drama, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paul Green, tells the true story of the first attempt to found a permanent English colony in the New World. The sprawling outdoor theater surrounds the audience, with the stage three times larger than most Broadway stages. You’ll sit in the middle of the nearsurround-sound action as the mystery unfolds. 1409 National Park Dr., Manteo, N.C.; 252-473-2127; thelostcolony. org
Actress Linda Clark as Queen Elizabeth I
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SUMMER STAGE
Up-the-Hill Theatre
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AMERICAN PLAYERS THEATRE
“There’s nothing quite like watching a play in the moonlight,” says APT marketing associate Jessica Amend — especially when the backdrop is 110 acres of undulating Wisconsin meadows and woodlands. Theatergoers enjoy picnics on the lawn before walking the short path (shuttle buses and tram rides are also available) to the 1,140-seat outdoor Up-the-Hill Theatre, set in a natural amphitheater. For more than three decades, the APT has brought classical theater to the masses. “Every year we have patrons tell us that APT is the only place they’ve ever understood — and enjoyed — Shakespeare,” Amend says. This summer, APT offers nine shows, five in the Hill theater including The Comedy of Errors and Death of a Salesman, and four in the 201-seat, indoor Touchstone Theatre including Samuel Beckett’s Endgame and The African Company Presents Richard III. 5950 Golf Course Rd., Spring Green, Wis.; 608-588-2361; americanplayers.org
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Patrons tell us that APT is the only place they’ve ever understood — and enjoyed — Shakespeare.” JESSICA AMEND
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THE OLD GLOBE
This internationally acclaimed theater company in southern California is among the country's most renowned regional theaters; some of its world premieres have gone to Broadway. The complex boasts three theaters, including the 620-seat, outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, where you’ll hear the Bard's words under the stars. This season, Macbeth and Love’s Labour’s Lost will be performed in the outdoor theater. At the 580-seat indoor Old Globe Theatre, a new musical version of Jane Austen’s classic Sense and Sensibility will make its West Coast premiere. And the 250-seat, in-the-round theater will feature comedian/playwright Steve Martin’s newest, Meteor Shower. 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego; 619-234-5623; theoldglobe.org
Old Globe Plaza
CARISSA DIXON; COURTESY OF THE OLD GLOBE; DAVID HOU
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Shakespeare in Love
STRATFORD FESTIVAL
One of North America’s largest classical repertory theaters, set in a picturesque Victorian town in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, this Shakespeare festival attracts more than 500,000 visitors annually to its four stages. Shakespeare, musicals and new works are performed with full orchestras, and are widely recognized for their intricate costumes, sets and props. This season will feature 13 productions, including Shakespeare’s Macbeth and As You Like It; musicals A Chorus Line and A Little Night Music; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for families; and the North American premiere of Shakespeare in Love, based on the film that shot Gwyneth Paltrow to fame. Save time for a tour of the theater’s costume warehouse, one of the largest in the world. 800-567-1600; stratfordfestival.ca
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SUMMER STAGE
Crosby Theatre
5
THE SANTA FE OPERA
Love is in the air this summer at what is considered one of the world’s premiere festivals. Watch the sun set over New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo and Jemez mountains before an international cast of performers hits the boards in the striking adobe-style theater house. Five different operas are offered this season, telling some of the world’s most powerful love stories, including Puccini’s Gold Rush-era La Fanciulla del West, Samuel Barber’s Vanessa (conducted by Leonard Slatkin), and Roméo et Juliette by Charles Gounod. Arrive early for tailgating parties or to enjoy a pre-performance talk and buffet dinner at the open-air cantina on the picturesque rehearsal grounds. 301 Opera Dr., Santa Fe; 505-986-5900; santafeopera.org
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In 2012, 21 percent of U.S. adults attended an outdoor performing arts festival; 18 percent saw a musical or play; 2 percent attended the opera. NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
7
Oklahoma
MINESH BACRANIA; PHILLIP HAMER; GARY NG
6
THE MUNY
Dance in the aisles and sing along with some 11,000 fellow theatergoers at this historic venue, located on a grassy hillside in St. Louis’ beloved Forest Park. America’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theater is like a fun-loving, lawn party, showcasing popular musicals. This season’s lineup includes 42nd Street, The Music Man, Young Frankenstein, Mamma Mia!, Fiddler on the Roof, and Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida. Arrive early for preperformance activities and student concerts. There are also picnic areas and concession booths throughout the park, and a buffet dinner served in the outdoor pavilion. (Parents may want to check show guidelines on the theater’s website; not all musicals are meant for younger viewers.) 1 Theatre Dr., St. Louis; 314-3611900; muny.org
OGUNQUIT PLAYHOUSE
Going into its 84th year, this historic theater house in a seaside village in Maine has been dubbed “America’s Foremost Summer Theatre” and is known for drawing top talent. Go early to enjoy cocktails in the garden and to see the lobby exhibits with videos of past shows and photos of the stars who have performed here. This summer, it will be one of the first regional theaters in the country to produce the new musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame, using songs from the Disney movie, but a darker book. Other 2016 shows include the regional premiere of the Tony Awardwinning Priscilla Queen of the Desert, musical comedy Anything Goes and dance spectacular Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. 10 Main St., Ogunquit, Maine; 207646-5511, ogunquitplayhouse.org
Billy Elliot
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MAP: MIRANDA PELLICANO
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80 My Town: Jersey City
100 My Town: Charleston, S.C.
130 My Town: Kansas City
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82 Steel City Turns 100
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132 Tall Ships Set Sail
88 Chasing the Perfect Lobster 92 Boardwalk Fun
110 Shop Nashville
138 Book Lovers’ Festival
116 Athens, Ga., Still Rocks
142 Follow the Fur Traders' Trail
124 Aquatic Appalachian Trail
148 Dayton’s Aviation History
158 The Daddy of All Rodeos 164 Eating in Arizona 172 Cliff Camping
176 Pick Your Hawaiian Island 180 Dirt Biking in Death Valley 186 Oregon’s Historic Highway 192 Cocktails in Napa
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NORTHEAST | M Y TOW N
ANTHONY CARRINO’S
Jersey City You may have seen this Italian Jersey boy fixing up rundown kitchens and homes on HGTV (Kitchen Cousins, Cousins Undercover, America’s Most Desperate Kitchens). But when he’s not designing restaurants, rebuilding homes or riding his motorcycle, you can find Anthony Carrino entertaining guests in his beloved hometown. — ANDRIA YU
BEST PLACE TO
PHOTOS “Being situated across the river from Manhattan lends itself to some fantastic photography from the waterfront. That skyline just never gets old.” Hudson River Waterfront Walkway; hudsonriver waterfront.org
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“Talde Jersey City, of course! I had a blast designing this space, as I was really focused on making Talde a destination for the visual senses as much as your taste buds. I highly recommend you try the pretzel pork and chive dumplings ... not to be missed!” 8 Erie St.; 201-630-0077; taldejerseycity.com
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HGTV; ANTHONY CARRINO; JEN CHANYI; THINKSTOCK
BEST PLACE FOR
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NORTHEAST | PEN NSY LVA N I A
Explore the hip side of Pittsburgh
I
BY ADRIENNE JORDAN
n 200 years, Pittsburgh has developed a lot of personalities: industrial “Steel City,” bridge-and-river town, the original home of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. More recently, an influx of 20-somethings seeking an affordable cost of living has sparked artistic, trendy neighborhoods like Lawrenceville and the East End. New, chef-driven restaurants including Meat & Potatoes, Täkoˉ and Butcher and the Rye have shaken up the once-quiet downtown scene. Not to mention, Pittsburgh is now a hot Hollywood film site, where popular movies including The Fault in Our Stars and The Dark Knight Rises have made the city the backdrop for everything from heartbreaking romance to insane action scenes. Pittsburgh’s bicentennial year — it was incorpo-
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Row House Cinema 4115 Butler St.; 412904-3225 rowhouse cinema.com
MATT DAYAK
Steel Yourself
rated on March 18, 1816, at a time when it had 5,000 to 6,000 residents — marks another stage in the evolution of Pennsylvania’s second-largest city, a metropolitan area now home to 2.4 million people. The present-day city is a booming business mecca; at least 100 multibillion-dollar global companies — familiar names such as the Bank of New York Mellon, Google, Kraft Heinz Co. and, of course, U.S. Steel — are headquartered or base major parts of their operations here. Yet the emerging neighborhoods, with their hip and artsy atmosphere, are drawing the most attention. Pittsburgh has its own version of Brooklyn — the artistic enclave of Lawrenceville
TR A D E I N YOUR M OR NING
COMMUTE FOR TH IS ONE.
Start planning your escape today to the Pocono Mountains. We have over 67,000 acres of wilderness and awesomeness for you to explore. Whether you’re looking to get your heart rate up on some whitewater or chill with your loved one, we have the perfect thing for you. See all that we have to offer at PoconoMountains.com.
NORTHEAST | PEN NSY LVA N I A
Trendy and tiny, Lawrenceville appeals to foodies, creatives and families.
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(lvpgh.com), on the banks of the Allegheny River a few miles from downtown. Upon first glance, Lawrenceville looks like a sleepy town with small brick buildings and quiet storefronts. However, when walking down trendy Butler Street, modern establishments including boutique clothiers and chef-driven restaurants beckon entry. A Sweet Boutique (asweetboutique.com) creates specialty and wedding cakes sculpted to resemble sports stadiums, animals or whatever your heart desires. Antique shops such as Scavengers Antiques & Collectibles sell stained glass panels and old-fashioned beer taps. Brambler Boutique is “the first primary urban baby store in Pittsburgh,” says co-owner Andi Calcagno, who touts the shop’s sustainably sourced baby and kid’s clothing. There is a playpen in the front for kids, a nursing station and weekly mom and baby programming and storytelling. Row House Cinema (rowhousecinema.com) opened in 2014 as a single-screen theater that shows movies featuring the same
theme, a new one every week. The recent “April Showers” theme showed movies that starred rain, such as Jurassic Park and Say Anything. At the decked-out concession stand, viewers can buy popcorn with real butter, craft beer, soft pretzels and even a few vegan options. The historic and energetic Strip District (neighborsinthestrip.com), just west of Lawrenceville, is home to the new Smallman Galley (smallman galley.org), a food hall/incubator concept that trains new chefs. They learn
CHRIS SPROWLS; MATT DAYAK
In the Strip District near Lawrenceville, new chefs work out of the Smallman Galley to test their skills in running a restaurant.
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For detailed information call 800-638-2106 or visit our website www.ocmdhotels.com
Ocean City, Maryland Voted One of TripAdvisor’s Top 25 USA Beaches!
historian
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NORTHEAST | PEN NSY LVA N I A
MAKE A WEEKEND OF IT Stay at the Omni William Penn Hotel, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. There is a grand entrance with golden revolving doors, porters in vintage dress and copious red and gold fabric throughout the lobby for an early-20th-century feel. A speakeasy social lounge in the basement pays homage to the 1920s. 530 William Penn Place; 412-281-7100; omnihotels.com/ hotels/pittsburgh-william-penn Book the Muscle Melt Massage at the Health Club & Spa at Fairmont Pittsburgh, which uses a special de-stressing muscle oil and gel, with ingredients including rosemary, black pepper and ginger. After the 60- or 90-minute massage, relax in the eucalyptus steam room or dry cedar sauna. 510 Market St.; 412-773-8800; fairmont.com/pittsburgh
butcherand therye.com
business, management and cooking skills together as they formulate plans to open their own restaurants. The 6,000-square-foot space with nearly 200 seats is the scene of some delectable meals; dine there for a little Top Chef-style fun. Located in the booming East Liberty neighborhood (eastliberty.org), about 5 miles northeast of downtown, is the new Ace Hotel (acehotel.com/pittsburgh), which opened in 2015 in a century-old YMCA building, a symbol of the hotel company’s goal to incorporate every hotel’s theme and design into each of its cities. Guests can dine at the hotel’s unpretentious Whitfield restaurant.
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Downtown itself is ground zero for an emerging food scene. Don’t miss the warm and flaky (and giant) Bavarian pretzel at the Hotel Monaco (monaco-pittsburgh.com), served at its Commoner restaurant. A few steps away at Butcher and the Rye (butcherandtherye.com), guests are treated to a speakeasy-themed restaurant with creative décor, including a chandelier made of white antlers, and oil lanterns on the tables. The craft cocktail rye bar serves up mixed drinks like the Scofflaw, made with Old Grand-Dad whiskey, Dolin dry vermouth, grenadine, lemon and orange bitters. ●
The Heinz History Center is also home to the Bicentennial Bash, held on July 8, followed the next day by a celebration of Ebenezer Denny, the city’s first mayor. A parade and festival at Point State Park will include a fireworks display and a meet-and-greet with former mayors. pgh200.com
ALYSSA FLORENTINE
Butcher and the Rye 212 Sixth St.; 412391-2752
Take a break from the heat and head inside The Senator John Heinz History Center, where the exhibit Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, featuring the region’s long history in innovation, opens July 8. Highlights include a chance to interact with a virtual George Westinghouse, lifelike museum figures of Andrew Carnegie and Rosie the Riveter and engaging displays of local inventions that include the polio vaccine, the Ferris wheel, the Jeep, the Big Mac and the banana split. 1212 Smallman St.; 412-454-6000; heinzhistorycenter.org
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NORTHEAST | M A IN E
A big pot
Get Cracking! Find the best casual lobster dining in Maine BY DIANE BAIR AND PAMELA WRIGHT
B
ring on the plastic bibs and melted butter! In New England, lobster in the rough — eaten outdoors in a super-casual setting — is the ultimate taste of summertime, and nobody does it better than Maine. The lobster industry contributes more than $1 billion to the state’s economy annually — that’s about 121 million pounds of lobster last year, according to the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative — and they still do it the traditional way. Lobster harvesting is often a family affair,
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with techniques and territories passed on through the generations. “Lobsters are hand-caught in baited traps that are set on the ocean floor,” explains longtime lobsterman Sonny Beal. “Lobstermen go out on small day boats, and then return to the wharf with their catch.” If you’re a true crustacean connoisseur (or just looking for a chance to wear that lobster costume), don’t miss this year’s Maine Lobster Festival (maine lobsterfestival.com), held in Rockland from Aug. 3-7. The lobster-themed celebration includes a Maine Sea Goddess pageant, lobster crate races and the consumption of literally
tons of lobster, steamed in what organizers call the “world’s largest lobster cooker.” During the fiveday festival, more than 20,000 pounds of lobster are served, along with more than 1,700 pounds of butter! Of course, what you really want to know is this: Where are the best places to get a steamed lobster fresh off the boat, served with spectacular ocean views and fresh blueberry pie (Maine’s other claim to fame)? Here’s a look at some of our favorite lobster shacks, where you’ll find picnic tables, plastic cutlery and all of the buttery, lobster-y deliciousness you can handle.
THINKSTOCK
The lobster industry contributes more than $1 billion to Maine’s economy annually.
MISQUAMICUT | WATCH HILL | HISTORIC DOWNTOWN
Discover beautiful
WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND
For a FREE Go Westerly Magazine, call 1.401.596.7761 or visit oceanchamber.org
Summer Events 2016 Virtu Art Festival Big Screen Movies on the Beach May 28 & 29 Tuesdays July & August FREE! FREE!
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NORTHEAST | M A IN E
TOP LOBSTER SPOTS CHAUNCEY CREEK LOBSTER PIER You don’t have to go deep into Maine — or ‘way Downeast, which is actually up north — to find lobster nirvana. Chauncey Creek is located near the state’s southern border, set on a wooden pier over a tidal creek. Prepare to get messy as you dig into your 1- to 4-pound lobster, slaw and raw bar selections. It’s BYOB, but that’s easy if you like microbrews with your lobster; Tributary Brewing Co. is 3 miles away. 16 Chauncey Creek Rd., Kittery Point; 207-439-1030; www. chaunceycreek.com
LOBSTER LORE TO CHEW ON
FIVE ISLANDS LOBSTER Boiled lobster and fried clams — a perfect pair! This midcoast lobster shack does them proud. Lobsters are pulled from the cold, deep-blue waters of Sheepscot Bay at this active fishing wharf. Seafood is handbreaded, fried to perfection and enhanced with house-made sauces, including a cilantro mayo with jalapeño. Add mussels, corn on the cob, coleslaw and ice cream, and you’ve constructed a fabulous Maine feast. BYOB. 1447 Five Island Rd., Georgetown; 207-371-2990; fiveislandslobster.com
Five Islands Lobster
WHAT’S THEIR COLOR? Most lobsters are greenish-brown in the ocean, not red. “I have caught a few blue lobsters, as well as white, orange, black and leopard-spotted,” says lobsterman Sonny Beal. Cooking turns them red; the heat changes the color of the pigment in their shells.
PLENTY TO GO AROUND
The James Beard Award folks, who gave Waterman’s the America’s Classic Award in 2001, calls it a “temple to Maine’s unofficial state crustacean.” This family-owned lobster shack is tucked between a meadow and a rocky beach overlooking Mussel Ridge Channel. You couldn’t ask for a better spot to dismantle a steamed lobster and savor tasty accompaniments like slaw made with local Fiore olive oil and balsamic vinegar. BYOB. 343 Waterman’s Beach Road, South Thomaston; 207-596-7819; watermans beachlobster.com
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BARNACLE BILLY’S Set in the so-cute southern coastal town of Ogunquit, Barnacle Billy’s draws lobster lovers to the twin, indoor-outdoor restaurants overlooking Perkins Cove. Most likely, there’ll be a wait, but Billy’s signature rum punch helps that go down easy. Grab a coveted seat on the deck and enjoy views of the harbor and the tourist flow. This is a dandy spot to pick up a lobster-themed memento or maybe catch a lobster boat cruise and savor New England’s sweet, short summertime. 50-70 Perkins Cove Rd., Ogunquit; 207-646-5575; barnbilly.com
FAMILY TREE Lobsters are arthropods, closely related to shrimp and crabs.
DAVID A. FULLER; THINKSTOCK
WATERMAN’S BEACH LOBSTER
During colonial times, lobster was so plentiful that it was often used as fertilizer or served to prisoners, apprentices and slaves.
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NORTHEAST | N EW J ER SEY
The Wildwoodsw
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Atlantic City Point Pleasant Beach
Four Boardwalk Beauties Savor summer fun along the Jersey Shore
W
BY STACEY ZABLE
alking along the raised planks of New Jersey’s iconic boardwalks harkens back to a simpler time when carnival games and rides ruled. This summer, return to a place where you can walk handin-hand while eating fudge, a candy apple or ice cream, with the sun, sand and surf as your backdrop. Enjoy family attractions, live music at special events and wide, genuine smiles. New Jersey boasts 130 miles of coastline — spanning from Sandy Hook to Cape May — that is home to wide expanses of sand fronting the Atlantic Ocean. The Jersey Shore’s beach towns truly shine in the summer, calling out to families, couples, singles and just about anyone looking to curl up with a good book on a lounge chair or dive right into the waters of the Atlantic. The boardwalks that line them come alive as the temperature rises, and shops, eateries, arcades, rides and entertainment bring visitors in abundance. Each New Jersey boardwalk has its own attractions that set it apart. Visit one or all of these select few this summer.
CRDA/ATLANTIC CITY TOURISM DISTRICT; THINKSTOCK; JIM PITTALUGA; GREATER WILDWOODS TOURISM IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (GWTIDA)
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OCEAN CITY Family fun is the focus of this “dry” town (alcohol sales are banned) and its 2.5-mile boardwalk. It’s packed with amusements including the 25-plus rides and attractions at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, as well as OC Waterpark with its water slides and water-spraying playground. From July through October, the Music Pier is home to the Ocean City Pops’ summer concert series featuring the orchestra and special guests. And on Thursdays in July and August, special “Family Nights” feature live bands, face painting, karaoke and magic tricks. oceancity vacation.com/where-to-shop/ boardwalk.html
The historic boardwalk was initially built in 1870 and it’s still a major attraction today. The Steel Pier, which is currently going through a $100 million makeover, is home to rides — including a hand-painted custom carousel — as well as a food court and arcade. Other top attractions include Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum and Tropicana’s free nightly Multimedia Light & Sound show, held every 30 minutes from 7:30 to 11 p.m. at the Tropicana Casino & Resort. Summer Saturdays also feature fireworks at 10 p.m. atlanticcitynj.com/explore/ beaches-boardwalk
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POINT PLEASANT BEACH In addition to rides and games, the mile-long Jenkinson’s Boardwalk is the place to explore the wonders below the seas. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Jenkinson’s Aquarium exhibits feature sharks, penguins, seals and even a touch tank filled with sting rays and sea stars. For daring visitors, a new Adventure Lookout Ropes Course opens this summer. Sugar lovers must try the homemade fudge and candy apples at the Sweet Shop. Outside the Sinatra House, a local resident plays recorded music from the legendary singer via outdoor speakers. jenkinsons.com
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Good times! From shops to shoreline, New Jersey boardwalks have it all.
JIM PITTALUGA; GREATER WILDWOODS TOURISM IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (GWTIDA); THINKSTOCK
Along the 2.5-mile Wildwoods Boardwalk, you’ll find more than 100 rides and attractions, including the three Morey’s Piers, each with its own roller coaster. Three water parks, carnival-style games, arcades, retail shops and eateries add even more fun to the boardwalk, which dates back to the 1890s. Hop on the Sightseer Tram Cars to get you where you want to go. Fireworks on the beach take place Fridays at 10 p.m. throughout the summer. wildwoodsnj.com/wildwood-NJboardwalk.cfm
DESTINATION D DEST ESTIN INAT ATIO ATI ION
Check a few off your bucket list on your first visit.
Tap into the craft, talent and pride of America’s Craft Brew Destination in the heart of Central New York. Oneida County producers put out premier beverages, put on must-attend events and call Central New York’s best brew communities, like Utica, New York, home. Get a taste and plan your getaway at brewcentralny.com
Tourism
photo credit Mary Dougherty
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Your good time SOUTH CAROLINA
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Hardeeville is proud to be the connection to the islands and a source of hospitality for generations of vacationers. No matter what you’ll be doing on your next Lowcountry adventure, you’ll want to stay in the center of the action. A place that’s within 30 minutes of Savannah, Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, and Beaufort. A place that has some fun of its own. We are Historic Hardeeville and New River. We are southern charm. We are Hardeeville, South Carolina. Where your adventure awaits.
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SOUTHEAST | M Y TOW N
AMY ROBACH’S
Charleston, S.C. Amy Robach is a familiar face for the more than 5 million viewers who watch ABC’s Good Morning America. The anchor, 43, who lives in New York, wrote about her battle with breast cancer in her intimate memoir, Better, in 2015. “Charleston was the first place that I decided to go after college, so it was the first hometown that I chose,” she says. — JENNIFER BRADLEY FRANKLIN
BEST
SHOE SHOP
SATISFY A SWEET TOOTH Peninsula Grill. “I definitely don’t visit without getting some of the Peninsula Grill coconut cake. It’s world-famous and completely lives up to its reputation. It’s amazing.” 112 N. Market St.; 843-723-0700; peninsulagrill.com
“
I used to live on the Isle of Palms Connector and I would run along the beach. ... I remember thinking, ‘I can’t believe I get to live here.’ That stretch of beach is so beautiful and spectacular.”
843-722-2515; bobellis shoes.com
HISTORY “Fort Sumter is a big favorite for my family because of the Civil War history. My kids are at the age where they’re studying all of that.” 800-789-3678; fortsumtertours.com
BEST PLACE TO
STAY Planters Inn. “I love the location. You just walk out and you’re right there in the heart of Charleston. It’s such a beautiful historic district with a beautiful garden. I love it.” 112 N. Market St.; 843-722-2345; plantersinn.com
100 GO ESCAPE | SUMMER 2016
BEST PLACE FOR
ABC/IDA MAE ASTUTE; THINKSTOCK; PETER FRANK EDWARDS (2)
BEST PLACE TO
Bob Ellis. “It’s this great little shoe store, very boutique and high-end. They have incredible selections of shoes and handbags. It’s one of the go-to stores when you’re walking along King Street.” 332 King St.;
Go Escape To The Carolinas
™ www.walterborosc.org One hour from Charleston • Savannah • Hilton Head
SOUTHEAST | SOU T H C A ROL INA
102 GO ESCAPE | SUMMER 2016
SOUTH CAROLINA
GREENVILLE
COLUMBIA
The Ultimate Driving Vacation BMW’s school in South Carolina is a dream destination for car lovers BY KAREN ASP
DEREMER STUDIOS; MAP: MIRANDA PELLICANO; THINKSTOCK
I
’m driving a BMW 4 Series at 45 mph straight toward my golden retriever, Jessie. I get closer, but I don’t slow down. About five feet before I hit her, I stand on the brakes. I’m pressing so hard my quad burns. But it works. The car stops, and I’ve succeeded in missing Jessie by a hair. Confession: Jessie’s not really with me at the BMW Performance Driving School in Greer, S.C., near Greenville (nor would I ever put her in that much danger). But I’m going through a drill to learn panic braking, and the only way I can do it is by replacing the orange cones with a mental image of Jessie. My instructor, Jim Clark, gives me a high-five. Not only have I succeeded in stopping the car on a dime, I’ve also followed his instructions not to look at the obstacle — in this case, the cones. Instead, I’ve mapped my escape route, turned the car away from the obstacle and avoided a collision.
103
SOUTHEAST | SOU T H C A ROL INA
TURNING INTO TRACK STARS Lest you think I’m here because of excessive traffic violations, let me set the record straight: I’ve come voluntarily, and I’m not alone. As owners of a new BMW, my husband and I are in a group of about 20 others. Anyone buying a new BMW can opt to pick it up here and go through the program gratis — a night at a hotel, airport transfers and dinner for two are included — but note that you don’t drive your new car in the school. BMW also holds separate driving schools for the general public, always one of the top attractions in the Greenville area. My day starts with a classroom session where BMW’s instructors, who come with deep résumés of professional driving experience, run through techniques and tips. Correct car posture is first. Top mistake? Sitting too far from the brakes, says chief driving instructor Matt Mullins. To correct yourself, check that there’s a bend in your knee when the pedal is fully pressed. You should also be able to drape both wrists over the top of the steering wheel and steer with hands at 3 and 9 o’clock without taking your shoulders off
the seat. Finally, there should be about a hand’s width of space between your head and the roof. The most important rule that’s often forgotten? “Look where you want to go,” Mullins says. It’s human nature, after all, to look where you’re going. But if you’re heading for a ditch or the car in front of you, you’ll wind up in trouble. Instead, map your escape route and steer your car in that direction, remembering that you have side windows to assist. After class, we head to the performance track, which has about 2 miles of paved road, where we climb into BMWs. We’re then split into three groups, each group with an instructor who communicates with everyone via radio. Although I’m a solid driver, my stomach is in knots. Until, that is, I try panic braking. Although nerve-wracking as a passenger — if you have a partner, you take turns at the wheel — the drill is actually fun as a driver. The second drill challenges our handling skills. Cones are placed along the track, forcing us to maneuver around them. At the same time, we have to keep the car under control.
LEARN TO DRIVE LIKE A PRO The BMW Performance Driving School is open to anyone with a driver’s license. Choose from several different programs, all of which have one- and two-day options. For starters, there’s the Driver’s Program, where you’ll learn about dynamics and control. Feel like revving up those driving skills even more? Opt for the M School, which gives you a chance to experience BMW’s high-performance M cars. There’s even a school for teens, who can learn how to handle challenging real-life situations. bmwusa.com/standard/ content/explore/experience/ pds
Start your engines!
BRIAN ERKENS
An aerial view of the BMW Performance Center and factory
104 GO ESCAPE | SUMMER 2016
SOUTHEAST | SOU T H C A ROL INA
CAR-LOVER HEAVEN As if I haven’t had enough of an adventure, I slip behind an X5, BMW’s sport activity vehicle, and head to an off-road track. Instructors use radios again to teach us how to maneuver around sharp turns, over boulders and up steep hills, some so angled that the X5 is balancing on only two wheels. It’s the factory tour in the neighboring BMW plant, however, that entices me the most, as I love watching the cars, most of which are customdesigned, being produced. The Greer plant produces every X3, X4, X5 and X6 in the world, churning out about 1,400 vehicles per day. This year, they’ll add the X7 to the lineup, making this BMW’s largest plant. Finally, I’m treated to lunch in BMW’s cafeteria, and then my new car is pulled around and the keys handed over. My husband’s already a lifelong BMW fan, and now, because of this program, I am, too.
MAKE A TRIP OF IT The BMW Performance Driving School won’t be the only highlight of your trip. Base yourself in Greenville, S.C., 15 minutes away, and you’ll soon understand why this city has received so many accolades, including being named one of Lonely Planet’s top 10 American destinations for 2015.
Greenville prides itself on its walkability, which is why it makes sense to slumber at the Hyatt Regency. From there, enjoy being a pedestrian — or rent a bike and pedal the 21-mile Swamp Rabbit Trail, where stops at the Swamp Rabbit Café and the Swamp Rabbit Brewery are musts. Hyatt Regency: 220 N. Main St.; 864-235-1234; greenville. regency.hyatt.com Swamp Rabbit Trail: 864288-6470; greenvillerec.com/ swamprabbit Swamp Rabbit Café: 205 Cedar Lane Rd.; swamp rabbitcafe.com Swamp Rabbit Brewery: 26 S. Main St., Travelers Rest; theswamprabbitbrewery.com
Pop your head into numerous unique shops along the charming Main Street — try designer store Beija-Flor for jeans and Poppington’s Gourmet Popcorn for fun flavors such as bloody mary and maple bacon cheddar. Beija-Flor: 618 S. Main St.; 864373-9497; beijaflorjeans.com Poppington's: 30 S. Main St.; 864-349-1331; poppingtons. com
Greenville is a food lover’s paradise and the restaurant scene here is impressive. If healthy grub is your bent, don’t miss Southern Pressed
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Juicery; go for breakfast and enjoy deliciously creative energy bowls. For lunch, hit the O-Cha Tea Bar, where vegans will go nuts. Southern Pressed Juicery: 2 W. Washington St.; 864-729-8626; southernpressedjuicery.com O-Cha Tea Bar: 300 River St., Suite 122; 864-283-6702; ochateabaronline.com
At night, head to Passerelle Bistro on the edge of Falls Park, often voted one of the best city parks, where Chef Teryi Youngblood lends her creative flair to Frenchinspired dishes. Try to snag a spot at the Chef’s Bar. Nearby is Soby’s, an architectural gem and a culinary delight. Passarelle Bistro: 601 S. Main St.; 864-509-0142; passerelleinthepark.com Soby's: 207 S. Main St.; 864232-7007; sobys.com
Indulge your taste for pizza and craft beer at Barley’s, where the taps are too numerous to count, or head downstairs to The Trappe Door for Belgian-style food and beer in an ultra-cool atmosphere. Barley's: 864-232-3706; barleysgville.com Trappe Door: 23 W. Washington St.; 864-451-7490; trappedoor.com
MARK DYE/NEWSCAST; BMW
I fail the last drill, mainly because I wimp out. It’s the skid pad — part of the circular track is doused with water and the driver is tasked with flooring the car, spinning it out and then recovering. My husband does it, and my stomach goes for a spin as the car quickly fishtails. It’s a mild spin, though, compared to the famous hot lap — three instructors take to the cars with two passengers each and floor the cars through several laps. Clark, the instructor, is my driver, and he’s clearly a hotdogger, following the lead car so closely I swear we’re going to hit. “You OK?” he asks, as calmly as if he’s asking whether I want a coffee. I’m too tense to talk, so I just nod.
Our Forefathersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; aim in visiting what would become America was at first mere curiosity. But now it feels right to sacrifice for a cause as noble as the hills here are beautiful. They stopped because of abundant water and fertile soil. They stayed to build upon the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great ideals. As you visit, make sure to explore the treasures of a community that embodies service and sacrifice at every turn. Contact us to start planning your visit at 1-888-98-HEROES or VisitFayettevilleNC.com.
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SOUTHEAST | T EN N ESSEE
Two Son
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Where Style Takes Center Stage Nashville’s shopping scene adds a new verse to the city’s song
N
ashville may be tops for all things country, but Music City is gaining traction as the edgiest shopping stop in the South. Burgeoning with indie designers such as Ceri Hoover and Cavanagh Baker, Nashville might as well be called Maker City, and it’s a dream destination for fashion and design fans. “There’s a real maker movement to see here in Nashville,” says jeweler Judith Bright. “It’s a testing ground for creative ventures.” Here’s where to window-shop — or break the bank — on a three-day retail tour.
110 GO ESCAPE | SUMMER 2016
TERESA MASON; LINDSAY GRACE; THINKSTOCK
BY ALEXIS KORMAN
A RETREAT BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS AND THE RIVER IN GATLINBURG, TENNESSEE
At the foot of the stunning Great Smoky Mountains, across the street from Ripley's Aquarium, in the heart of downtown and just a short drive to all the fun of Dollywood, the Greystone Lodge on the River is the ideal location for your family's adventure. Where one step in any direction brings you closer to nature... and each other. Visit greystonelodgetn.com | 800-451-9202
ALL NEW ROOMS!
SOUTHEAST | T EN N ESSEE
WHERE TO STAY
Draper James
The historic Hermitage Hotel is a five-star splurge complete with localdesigner-stocked shop Rachel’s Boutique. 231 Sixth Ave. N.; 888-888-9414; thehermitagehotel. com
WHERE TO EAT
Frothy Monkey:
2509 12th Ave. S.; 615-292-1808; frothymonkey.com
White’s Mercantile: 2908 12th Ave. S.; 615-750-5379; whitesmercantile. com Draper James: 2608 12th Ave. S.; 615-997-3601; draperjames.com
Judith Bright:
2307 12th Ave. S.; 615-269-5600; judithbright.com
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Start by exploring this on-trend neighborhood, packed with intriguing shops, bars and restaurants along one convenient strip. Fuel your retail therapy session with house-roasted coffee or a bloody mary with a seasonal pickle from the Frothy Monkey coffeehouse. Owned by singer/songwriter Holly Williams (daughter of country legend Hank Williams Jr.), White’s Mercantile showcases Southern goods and artfully curated apparel. The genteel general store — located in a former gas station — has thoughtful items befitting the modern Nashvillian, including beard oil and white ceramic Mason jars that work as well for wine as for wildflowers. Shoppers are greeted with a glass of sweet tea at Reese Witherspoon’s welcoming temple to Southern style, Draper James. Here, ladies will find all the perfect touches for a gracious home (think linen cocktail napkins and magnolia paperweights), as well as goods with regional flair, such as an iPhone case emblazoned with “Howdy, y’all.” Observe working Nashville designer Judith Bright at her eponymous jewelry store (artisan craft baubles in what was once the sound booth of a former recording studio). She’s famous for her nest-wrapped cocktail rings, but you can also scoop up gemstone-centric pieces thought to possess metaphysical properties. For a look that’s a little bit country, a little bit rock ’n roll, head to Hero. Celebrity stylist Claudia Robertson Fowler’s store is stuffed with slouchy bohemian tops, fringed suede jackets and metallic heels, plus cool accessories like copper canteens so you can ditch that pedestrian water bottle.
Pinewood Social offers creative types a social space for Southern eats and drinks (plus a bowling alley with vintage lanes). 33 Peabody St.; 615751-8111; pinewood social.com
WHERE TO DRINK
Learn the difference between bourbon and Tennessee whiskey at Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery. Its cozy gift shop overflows with excellent spirits. 1414 Clinton St.; 615-913-8800; greenbrierdistillery.com
LESLEE MITCHELL; COURTESY OF THE HERMITAGE HOTEL; ASHLEY HYLBERT; DANIELLE ATKINS
12SOUTH 12SOUTH
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GRACELAND.COM ¡ 800 -238 -2000 Š EPE. Graceland and its marks are trademarks of EPE. All Rights Reserved.
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SOUTHEAST | T EN N ESSEE
EAST NASHVILLE GERMANTOWN Emil Erwin: 904 Buchanan St.; 615-750-2735; emilerwin.com
Peter Nappi: 1308 Adams St.; 615-248-3310; peternappi.com
Otis James:
1006 Buchanan St.; 615-638-1469; otisjames.com
Wilder:
1212 Fourth Ave. N.; 615-679-0008; wilderlife.com
Peter Nappi
EAST NASHVILLE Sisters of Nature:
GERMANTOWN Nashville’s Germantown area is another hub for designers, particularly those working with leather. On day two, visit Emil Erwin for luxe bags (made on site) in the nearby Buchanan Arts District, plus cool leather coasters that double as tabletop puzzles. Perched inside a former meat-processing plant, the industrial-chic Peter Nappi is a source for limitedproduction men’s and women’s shoes, plus sumptuous leather jackets designed in Nashville and all manufactured in Italy. Nearby, shoppers at Otis James’ brick-walled studio near Germantown get a glimpse of the designer’s creative process as he rifles through fabrics or threads a needle. Colorful bow ties with hand-stitched buttonholes, fanciful bow ties and unique caps with handpainted labels make thoughtful gifts for the gentleman in your life. Wilder, a contemporary art and design shop, features a pop-up wall occupied by U.S. makers. Among the store’s treasures: chic swimwear, ceramics and irresistible Japanese incense.
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521 Gallatin Ave. #5; 615-270-9219, sistersofnature boutique.com
End your shopping spree touring East Nashville. Today, it produces as many stylists as singer-songwriters. Sisters of Nature has a flair for fair-trade gifts, American-made women’s wear and Nashvilleborn brands such as Acorn + Archer and Jamie + the Jones. Top items include hand-dyed tops and coats plus floppy hats. You’ll find small-batch goods from American creators at the
Hey Rooster General Store (fitting since the shop is no larger than a henhouse). Grab Coop’s Nashville Hot Chicken Paste to try to re-create the city’s infamous dish. Weary from wielding shopping bags? Book a massage at O.liv Body Bar, where oils are tailored to match your mood. Don’t miss the spa’s stellar lineup of beauty products and home goods, such as Tennessee-made Paddywax Apothecary candles. Make your last stop Two Son. The 2,200-square-foot store was founded by two couples, each with two sons. Expect a minimalist aesthetic with cool denim and unique finds, such as artsy magazines and carry-on cocktail kits — ensuring you’ll stay in style on your flight home.
Hey Rooster General Store:
1106 Gallatin Ave.; www.heyrooster. com
O.liv Body Bar:
922 Main St.; 615-750-3701; olivbodybar.com
Two Son:
918 Main St.; 615-678-4953; twoson.co Sisters of Nature
ANDREA BEHRENDS; COURTESY OF PETER NAPPI; REBECCA ADLER ROTENBERG
Emil Erwin
Richmond, founded in 1798, is full of history from the pioneer settlers, to the Civil War and beyond. With such a rich history, and thriving restaurant and retail scene, Richmond has long been a magnet for visitors.
Richmond Visitor Center 345 Lancaster Avenue Richmond, Kentucky 40475 FREE GUIDE 1-800-866-3705 www.richmondkytourism.com
SOUTHEAST | GEORGI A
Party Out of Bounds Georgia’s ‘Classic City,’ Athens, corners the market on cool
ATHENS
ATLANTA
GEORGIA
I
f you’ve sung along with the B-52s’ song Love Shack — “I’m headin’ down the Atlanta Highway, lookin’ for the love getaway” — whether you know it or not, you have a connection with Athens, Ga. When the B-52s formed in 1976, they helped cement the city’s place as a music hub, but creative chefs, breweries and artists have put it on the map for more than just its 35,000 University of Georgia students and 100,000 residents. Although I graduated more than a decade ago, rolling into Athens always stirs my heart.
Classic architecture and modern acoustics make The Foundry a hot musical venue for bands, including the B-52s, above.
STYLISTIC HARMONY It’s difficult to put the music of Classic City into a neat box, because nearly every kind of sound imaginable seems to flourish here. I set out to discover why, connecting with Troy Aubrey, president of Foundry Entertainment, a booking and promotion company in town. “The cost of living here is low, and a lot of artists are driven to places more accessible than big cities,” he explains. “There’s a wide audience of music lovers who are constantly seeing shows, and the musicians are
116 GO ESCAPE | SUMMER 2016
WINGATE DOWNS; MAP: MIRANDA PELLICANO; THINKSTOCK
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118 GO ESCAPE | SUMMER 2016
supportive of each other. It all helps create a network to keep the scene thriving.” Thriving might be an understatement. After the pop/new wave B-52s hit it big in 1979 with Rock Lobster, rock bands R.E.M. and Widespread Panic followed in 1980 and 1986, with altcountry rockers Drive-By Truckers hitting the scene in 1996. There’s something for just about every taste. “You’ve got your guitar-driven indie rock, a country scene with people like Brantley Gilbert and Corey Smith, jazz, funk, electronic,
acoustic,” says Aubrey, who played in a band here in the 1990s. “You name it, you’ll be able to find it in Athens. We have more genres now than ever before.” Case in point: Athens resident Kishi Bashi (a pseudonym used by singer and violin virtuoso Kaoru Ishibashi) has gained international popularity for his classificationdefying sound. Every night of the week, it’s a veritable pickyour-pleasure buffet at the iconic 40 Watt Club, Georgia Theatre, The Foundry and the Caledonia lounge.
GOOD TASTE If Athens is known best as a music town, its reputation for food and beer comes close behind. One of the chefs responsible for thrusting the city into the spotlight is Hugh Acheson. The Top Chef judge is the culinary equivalent of a rock star. When he opened his first restaurant, 5&10, in 2000, accolades for the community-driven eatery swiftly poured in. “The food scene in Athens is burgeoning in the right way. It’s smartly priced,” says the Canadian native, whose wife is from Athens.
ELLIOTT ANDERSON; THINKSTOCK
A fire in 2009 destroyed the iconic Georgia Theatre, but it reopened in 2011.
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Hartwell/Lake Hartwell awaits to explore, fish, hike, boat, bike, ski, camp, shop and enjoy. Just 90 minutes NE of Atlanta and one hour south of Greenville, SC could be your new hometown or your best vacation yet! Contact the Hart County Chamber at 706-376-8590, email [email protected]
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SOUTHEAST | GEORGI A
MAKE A WEEKEND OF IT Georgia Theatre: This 1889 building was rebuilt after a devastating 2009 fire. You may recognize the stage from John Mayer’s live video for his single No Such Thing. 215 N. Lumpkin St.; 706-850-7670; georgia theatre.com The Foundry: The building dates back to the 1850s, but outfitted with modern acoustic equipment, it plays host to live acts nearly every night. 295 E. Dougherty St.; 706-549-7051; thefoundryathens.com
120 GO ESCAPE | SUMMER 2016
Last Resort Grill: Originally opened as a music club in 1966 (Jimmy Buffett was among the performers), this eatery serves thoughtful Southern fare. 174/184 W. Clayton St.; 706-549-0810; lastresortgrill.com Athens offers something for foodies as well as music fans.
you’ve seen an up-andcoming band, throw in a bit of cash for some terrifically authentic and affordable fare and a locally brewed beer, and you might be on your way to falling in love, too.
Creature Comforts Brewing Co.: Visit the tasting room for sips of the brewery’s signature suds (Athena, Tropicália, Reclaimed Rye). 271 W. Hancock Ave.; 706-410-1043; creaturecomfortsbeer.com Graduate Athens: This independent downtown hotel is within walking distance of many of the city’s iconic music venues. 295 E. Dougherty St.; 706-549-7020; graduateathens.com
EMILY HALL; J.P. BOND; CREATURE COMFORTS; THINKSTOCK
“It’s hitting on a number of different levels — it’s creative, comforting, smart food.” Acheson’s The National stands tall among upscale restaurants Last Resort Grill and The Branded Butcher, while hole-in-the-wall-style spots like Pulaski Heights BBQ, Tlaloc el Mexicano (Mexican and Salvadoran) and Tienda Los Amigos (tacos) are approachable and authentic. With a growing farmers market, vibrant craftcocktail culture and a trio of respected independent breweries (Terrapin Beer Co., Creature Comforts Brewing Co. and The Southern Brewing Co.), Athens practically begs for a visit. Acheson says simply, “There’s a cadence to it that I really like and respect.” As the B-52s so eloquently sung, possibly of the city itself, “Hurry up and bring your jukebox money.” After
5&10: Relocated to the historic Hawthorne House, chef Hugh Acheson’s first and flagship restaurant specializes in dishes featuring Georgia-grown ingredients with European influences. 1073 S. Milledge Ave.; 706546-7300; fiveandten.com
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SOUTHEAST
Great Loop Travel the little-known aquatic Appalachian Trail by boat
I
f you live east of the Mississippi River, technically, you live on an island. Each year, about 100 boats prove this point by completing a circumnavigation of the eastern U.S. The path, called the Great Loop, is a continuous waterway connecting lakes, rivers, sounds, canals, the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). “The very idea of seeing portions of the great country from a water perspective is so exciting,” says Robin McVey, who is setting off this fall to “do the Loop.” She and her husband will travel on their 42-foot Jefferson Sundeck. “We are on a countdown to cast off!” According to America’s Great Loop
124 GO ESCAPE | SUMMER 2016
Cruisers’ Association (greatloop.org), at any time, about 300 “Loopers” are tilting at the full circle of about 5,000 miles — or more depending on specific route choices and side trips. There are no real rules about where to start or a prescribed timeline. Most Loopers take a counterclockwise circuit, heading north in the spring, often from Norfolk, Va., where they meet for a rendezvous and seminar (the most recent was in May). Looping can be a social affair, and the rendezvous serves as a gathering point to meet other travelers. “The Loop is about the people,” says Kurt Kettelhut, who completed the Loop with his wife, Mary Ellen, last year on their 25-foot Ranger Tug, Loophole. “You meet the most interesting cast
Loopers often of characters, meet as they boaters, marina travel around the people.” eastern U.S. by From Norfolk, boat; one 2015 the cast of rendezvous took characters heads place at the Joe north through Wheeler State the Chesapeake, Park in Alabama, briefly outside above. into the Atlantic and into the Hudson River. The next leg goes through the Erie Canal and on to the Great Lakes, where many Loopers spend the summer months. In the fall, the boats flock downstream with the Illinois and Mississippi rivers and cross to Florida in November after hurricane season has passed. The Atlantic ICW completes the
LARRY HUGGINS
BY TAMMY KENNON
Festivals and fun. Grand historic homes. Birthplace of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest playwright,Tennessee Williams. Run or bike along the scenic Riverwalk, winding around and over the Tombigbee River. Shop, dine, and savor in the ultimate Southern experience.
The city that has it all... Tennessee Williams Home & Welcome Center www.visitcolumbusms.org
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The Loop is about the people. ... You meet the most interesting cast of characters, boaters, marina people.” —KURT KETTELHUT, LOOPER
“My favorite part of this first part of the Loop is the ICW between Georgetown and Myrtle Beach, S.C.,” says Philip Barbalace, who, with his wife Karen, had one-quarter of the Loop under the keel of their 2009 Mainship 40 Expedition Trawler in late April. “It looks primeval, cypress trees stick out of the water, stunningly beautiful, 10 to 20 miles long. You expect to see a pterodactyl fly by.” The array of challenges along the Great Loop includes busy ports, heavy commercial traffic, capricious weather, changing seasons, scheduled bridge/ canal openings and, inevitably, equipment failure. However, the satisfaction of conquering 5,000 miles of waterway will be surpassed only by the incomparable experience of navigating at school-zone speed through golden marshlands, lush riverside forests, vast lakes and bays, storied rivers and dazzling city centers. Ask Loopers about their favorite stretch, and you’re likely to
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get a different answer from each. Some love the small-town life on display along the Mississippi, while others relish the Florida sunshine or the majestic beauty of the Hudson River Valley. But there’s more to it than the scenery. “What I learned on the boat is that Mother Nature is in control,” says Mary Ellen Kettelhut, who went straight from a corporate job to living aboard a 25-foot trawler. “When I was working in corporate America, I was highly trained to control everything. I needed to really relax and let things come to us and be comfortable about that.” Simply setting off to traverse the Great Loop separates the dreamers from the doers. The Great Loop has been attempted in everything from a kayak to boats over 70 feet long, but there are a few critical restrictions. Some parts of the route get shallow, so a draft of 6 feet or less is necessary to stay afloat. And speaking of low points, one stretch between Chicago and the Illinois River has a fixed bridge with only 19 feet of clearance. For that reason, sailboats are not optimal Loop boats, although many sailors drop their masts and carry them onboard or ship them to be picked up down the way. Finally, the route includes long stretches with no services, so a vessel needs fuel tankage (or a collection of jerry cans) to allow traveling from 250 to 500 miles between fill-ups. There are plenty of boats that meet this criteria; for some, too many. “Don’t agonize so long about the boat choice. If you want to do the Loop, you just have to do it,” says Mary Ellen Kettelhut. “We talk to so many people, and they say, ‘I’d love to do it,’ and then agonize over details. Just buy a boat and go. All the rest will work itself out!” ●
NORFOLK
THE GREAT LOOP
GREAT LOOP AT A GLANCE u How long: About 5,000 miles, average 10 to 14 months plus optional time off between segments.
u Where: Many Loopers launch north from Norfolk, Va., in spring. u How much: As with any undertaking, there is a low range (think backpackers) and a first-class option (think five-star hotel). Boats can range from $20,000 to more than $100,000. Fuel efficiency and fuel type are major budget factors. Marinas charge by the foot, so every foot of boat length is a trade-off in dockage expense. Refitting can be costly, so cruise readiness should be considered. u Fuel: $4,000 to $40,000. uDockage: $8,000 to $28,000, average range: $1 to $2 per night/ per foot. Factors: Size of boat and your willingness to find and use free anchorages. u Total cost: The average trip is in the $50,000 to $60,000 range. The lower end is around $35,000, while a big boat with a splurging budget can run upwards of $150,000. u More info: America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association, greatloop.org
USA TODAY; MIRANDA PELLICANO
circle, a beautiful but often challenging route that runs from the Florida Keys back to Norfolk. While it’s possible to make the run from Florida to Virginia entirely in inside waters, many boaters make longer hops offshore in the Atlantic, bypassing a tight cluster of drawbridges in South Florida or the infamous tidal swings and resulting shallows in Georgia. However, there are trade-offs to consider.
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ERIC STONESTREET’S
Kansas City Actor Eric Stonestreet, known for his Emmy-winning role as Cameron Tucker in ABC’s Modern Family, comes home often to Kansas City for barbeque, baseball and fun — and to raise money for Children’s Mercy Hospital, a favorite charity.
“ BEST
BARBECUE Kansas City has more than 100 barbecue joints on both sides of the Kansas-Missouri state line. When Stonestreet brings friends from California to town, he promises them a “meat-cation.” “Wyandot BBQ is my favorite and I grew up eating a lot of Rosedale’s, but you can’t beat the nostalgic taste of Gates. I love ‘em all, really.” Wyandot BBQ: 8441 State Ave., Kansas City, Kan.; 913-788-7554; wyandotbbq.com Rosedale Bar-B-Q: 600 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Kan.; 913-2620343; rosedalebarbeque.com Gates Bar-B-Q: six locations in Kansas and Missouri; gatesbbq.com
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The tailgating and the atmosphere at the Truman Sports Complex (home to the MLB Royals and NFL Chiefs) is second to none.”
BEST PLACE TO
BEST PLACE FOR
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When Stonestreet was a kid, a day at Worlds of Fun (an amusement park) and Oceans of Fun (a water park) was a dream come true. “It’s ... such a great place for families. I still like to go, because it has such good memories for me.”
For his parents’ 50th anniversary, Stonestreet hired the Kansas State University marching band. Then the gang went to Jasper’s Italian restaurant for dinner. “It’s Mom’s favorite place, and Jasper always treats us well.” 1201 W.
4545 Worlds of Fun Ave., Kansas City, Mo.; worldsoffun.com
103rd St., Kansas City, Mo.; 816-941-6600; jasperskc.com
jcsca.org
BEST
BASEBALL TEAM Stonestreet was 14 years old when the Kansas City Royals won their first World Series in 1985. He tries to make as many home games as possible. “Kauffman Stadium is the most beautiful stadium, with all of the fountains and that (2015) World Championship flag in the outfield.” One Royal Way, Kansas City, Mo.; 816-504-4040; kansascity.royals.mlb.com
ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY IMAGES; ROBERT DEUTSCH/USA TODAY SPORTS; WESLEY HITT/GETTY IMAGES; THINKSTOCK
— DIANA LAMBDIN MEYER
MIDWEST | GR E AT L A K ES
Parade of Sail ships fall into line at a Tall Ships Challenge race, one of many with port festivals to celebrate U.S. maritime heritage and traditions.
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Tall Ships Ahoy TALL SHIPS AMERICA; THINKSTOCK
Historic vessels will race across the Great Lakes, fill ports with fans
I
BY JIM DILLON
n Green Bay, Wis., a city best known for its pro football team, majestic ships bearing immense sails on towering masts will dock at the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s port this August and kick off a festival like no other. Actual and armchair sailors, history buffs and others will fill the port and walk among the wind-powered vessels that once dominated world shipping and travel.
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MIDWEST | GR E AT L A K ES
THE REST OF THE FLEET Other noteworthy ships participating in the Tall Ships Challenge include:
The schooner Bowdain
“It’s a big deal for us. It’s a lot of work, but also a lot of fun,” says Terry Charles, spokesman for Green Bay’s festival. “We’re expecting about 50,000 people, and that translates into an economic impact of about $3.6 million.” The city will be one of eight along the five Great Lakes — Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario and Superior — that will serve as official host ports as 18 sailing ships race across the lakes in the Tall Ships Challenge Great Lakes from July 1 to Sept. 18. During Labor Day weekend (Sept. 3-5), the ships will make port calls at Put-in-Bay in Lake Erie, just north of Sandusky, Ohio, and in the Detroit area, according to Tall Ships America (sailtraining. org/tallships), the nonprofit group that organized the Challenge. Tall ships — large, traditionally rigged sailing craft — ruled the water for centuries. Today, there
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are fewer of them, but they still ply the world’s waterways as cruise ships, training vessels and racers. Events such as the Challenge bring the ships together so people can see several vessels at each port, take short trips on them, talk with the crews and enjoy food and entertainment, Charles says. The participating ships may look old, but many were built or refurbished in recent years. Others are modern replicas of historic ships. Two such ships are the Draken Harald Hårfagre, a Viking longship — the largest built in modern times — launched in 2012; and the El Galeón Andalucia, a 16th-century Spanish galleon replica launched in 2010. Here’s a rundown of the ports and activities planned. Check festival websites for updates, ticket prices, ship lineups and racing schedules.
▲ Pride of Baltimore II: This ship is a reconstruction of an early 19th-century Baltimore Clipper; it replaced the original Pride of Baltimore, built in 1977, which sunk in a storm in 1986. The ship has sailed 200,000 miles and visited more than 200 ports in 40 countries.
▲ When and If: U.S. Army Gen. George S. Patton commissioned the ship in 1939. He planned to sail around the world with his wife on the ship after World War II, but he died in late 1945. Owner Doug Hazlitt bought and restored the vessel in 2012. Denis Sullivan: The world’s only replica of a Great Lakes schooner operates as a floating classroom and goodwill ambassador for the state of Wisconsin.
TALL SHIPS AMERICA; NORBERT STAGER; TALL SHIPS AMERICA
Tall ships — large, traditionally rigged sailing craft — ruled the water for centuries. They still ply the world’s waterways as cruise ships, training vessels and racers.
UPtravel.com
Choose your path
MIDWEST | GR E AT L A K ES
Duluth, Minn.
Brockville, Ontario Green Bay, Wis.
Bay City, Mich.
Toronto
Erie, Pa.
TORONTO July 1-3 Canada’s largest city, with 2.8 million residents, will host the Redpath Waterfront Festival along the Lake Ontario shore. Events include the Waterfront Artisan Market, a stunt dog show, live music, dance demonstrations and Canada Day fireworks. Two Royal Canadian Navy ships will be in port as well. ▶ towaterfrontfest.com FAIRPORT HARBOR, OHIO July 8-10 This small village 30 miles northeast of Cleveland on Lake Erie is home to two historic lighthouses. Events at Tall Ships Fairport Harbor will include ship tours, day sails,
educational programming, and food and entertainment. A Parade of Sail — in which the tall ships sail to a designated post and other boats can join in and sail along — precedes the festival, on July 7. ▶ tallshipsfairport harbor.com BAY CITY, MICH. July 14-17 This city near the base of Saginaw Bay along Lake Huron enjoys a rich shipping and industrial history. The Tall Ship Celebration will include the International Maritime Music Festival, a celebration of the music of the sea and the “chanteys” that helped crews work in unison; and a Ring of
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Fairport Harbor, Ohio
Steel Theater, where visitors can participate in pirate-themed games and crafts. ▶ tallshipcelebration. com CHICAGO’S NAVY PIER July 27-31 The Pepsi Tall Ships Chicago 2016 festival starts with a Parade of Sail on July 27. Visitors will be able to tour the ships or sail out onto Lake Michigan, among other activities. The popular Navy Pier celebrates its centennial in 2016. ▶ navypier.com/ tall-ships-chicago-2016 GREEN BAY, WIS. Aug. 5-7 The ships will travel to Green Bay, Wisconsin’s oldest city, to star in
the Tall Ship Festival presented by Baylake Bank. The festival will feature a Parade of Sail, food, entertainment, fireworks and trips aboard the ships. ▶ tallshipgreenbay. com DULUTH, MINN. Aug. 18-21 Duluth is the only port on Lake Superior — the largest and northernmost of the Great Lakes — to host the ships. Tall Ships Duluth will offer day and night trips aboard the vessels, including food, entertainment — and the world’s largest rubber duck! ▶ tallshipsduluth.com ERIE, PA. Sept. 8-11 The home port of the
U.S. Brig Niagara, a replica of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s flagship that helped win the Battle of Lake Erie in 1812, will host Tall Ships Erie 2016. Visitors to the festival can experience on-board tours and sailouts, children’s events, a marketplace and a beer garden. ▶ tallshipserie.org BROCKVILLE, ONTARIO Sept. 16-18 Tall Ships Brockville will offer musical entertainment, re-enactments, a military encampment, a Parade of Sail, and a refreshment garden. Royal Canadian Navy vessels will also visit. ▶ tallshipsbrockville. com
MAP: ASHLEIGH CORRIN; THINKSTOCK
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Book lovers, meet Iowa City, a worldclass city of literature BY ZACH BERG
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draws dozens of authors and thousands of literature lovers to the town of 70,000 (this year’s festival will be held Oct. 4-9). John Kenyon, executive director of the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature organization, plans the festival each year knowing expectations are high. “Iowa City is known nationally, and internationally, as a literary center, so people expect something that really celebrates the book,” Kenyon says of the festival. Iowa City is also home to the University of Iowa’s Writers’ Workshop, a creative writing program that has featured professors such as Slaughterhouse-
The Iowa City Book Festival, a source of pride for the literary city, attracts book lovers of all ages. Helena BrownRodriguez, 12, of Iowa City, reads a portion of Don Quixote aloud as part of a public reading at the 2015 festival.
Five author Kurt Vonnegut and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marilynne Robinson, who was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Obama in 2012. Famous alumni include critically adored writers such as Raymond Carver and best-selling authors such as John Irving. Beyond the workshop, stories of literary giants are part of the city’s
DAVID SCRIVNER / IOWA CITY PRESS-CITIZEN
A Real PageTurner
U
nlike any other town in the United States, Iowa City, Iowa, carries a title that sets it apart: City of Literature. Iowa City is one of 20 cities in the world — and only two in the Americas — with the designation, handed down by UNESCO to cities whose influence on the written word is unrivaled. Iowa City carries the title with pride, with statues of books — instead of politicians or historic figures — along its streets. And every year, the city celebrates its literary heavyweight title with the Iowa City Book Festival, an annual celebration of books that
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Iowa author Marilynne Robinson, shown with President Obama, is among the alumni of the Iowa Writers' Workshop.
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Pullman Bar & Diner: Opened in 2015, this restaurant promises “classic Midwest diner fare” with an updated twist. Local ingredients — not hard to come by in a farm-centric state — are an integral part of the menu, which includes Iowa fried chicken and Tiny But Mighty flavored popcorn from Shellsburg. 17 S.
Bronze books adorn North Linn Street as part of Iowa City's Literary Walk, one of the attractions of the annual festival.
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Devotay: Local ingredients go global in tapas, pintxos and montaditos, paella and other Spanish-influenced dishes. But the menu also includes a Midwestern classic: Great Lakes walleye with red pepper powder and butternut squash. 117 N. Linn St.; 319-354-1001; devotay.net
bookfestival.org
history. Jack Kerouac’s On The Road features Iowa City and rumor has it notorious gonzo-journalist Hunter S. Thompson, another Writers’ Workshop alum, once fired a gun inside an Iowa City bar. When the town got the City of Literature title in 2008, city leaders knew they had to celebrate. The first Iowa City Book Festival, hosted in 2009, was their way of celebrating. It was small the first year — just one day featuring booksellers, music, food, a few readings and some literary discussions. With an increase in scope, however, attendance grew, from hundreds in the first year to roughly 3,000 attendees in 2014. The 2014 book festival, in fact, was a big step forward for the organization, Kenyon says. James Ellroy, the author
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of some of America’s most celebrated works of crime fiction, including The Black Dahlia and L.A. Confidential, read and spoke, and Jane Smiley, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author with degrees from the University of Iowa, returned for the festival. In 2015, an appearance by former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, who discussed his book Saving Capitalism, was a highlight. During the 2015 festival, Iowa City radiated literature from every corner. Downtown movie theater FilmScene showed literary movies such as The End of the Tour, based on a book tour by the late author David Foster Wallace. In addition to discussions on books and the art of writing, the local Iowa Writers’ House hosted a panel to help budding authors learn how to publish their work. Employees and customers
319-337-2681; prairielights.com
of The Haunted Bookshop, a used-book store, dressed as characters from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. In front of the old Capitol Building (Iowa City was the state’s first capital before Des Moines in 1857), University of Iowa book lovers read aloud Don Quixote in its entirety. The 2016 festival is expected to host about 35 authors discussing their works, and more than 100 literary events are scheduled over six days in October, Kenyon says. While plans are being finalized, one of the big names on the schedule is Rick Riordan, author of the best-selling Percy Jackson book series. “It’s nice that an organization like UNESCO has deemed us to have one of the greatest literary cultures in the world,” Kenyon says. “Because now we take that vibrant literary culture and try to reflect that in a festival.” ●
RODNEY WHITE/THE DES MOINES REGISTER; BENJAMIN ROBERTS/IOWA CITY PRESS-CITIZEN
The 2016 Iowa City Book Festival takes place Oct. 4-9 in and around downtown Iowa City. iowacity
Prairie Lights: If you can’t find the book you want at the festival, chances are it’s at the Prairie Lights bookstore, three-and-a-half (the half is a coffee house) stories’ worth of reading material. The renowned Live from Prairie Lights series featuring authors reading their works is regularly live-streamed by the University of Iowa. 15 S. Dubuque St.;
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Voyageurs National Park
Relive fur-trade history and explore the Boundary Waters wilderness BY LISA MEYERS MCCLINTICK
T
he argument started like any brawl. Barbed insults and slurred words built to a spittle-flying shouting match as a man portraying a worker at historic Fort William in Thunder Bay, Ontario, told off his high-hatted
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superiors, also actors. A constable hauled the instigator to a windowless jail, threatening to snag the visiting smart aleck kids who were grinning among modern gawkers. Living history lessons from 1815 and 1816 such as this unfurl throughout the day at Fort William Historical Park, a
PHOTO: LISA MEYERS MCCLINTICK; ILLUSTRATION: ASHLEIGH CORRIN
Paddle into the Past
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VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK International Falls, Minn.
QUETICO PROVINCIAL PARK Atikokan, Ontario
FORT WILLIAM HISTORICAL PARK Thunder Bay, Ontario
GRAND PORTAGE NATIONAL MONUMENT Grand Portage, Minn.
BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA WILDERNESS Minnesota
top Canadian attraction just 45 minutes north of the Minnesota border in western Ontario. Its 250acre site includes a re-creation of the historic North West Company headquarters, which got its start on Minnesota’s northeastern-most tip at a spot that has become the Grand Portage National Monument. The fur trade that brought together native and European cultures in the 1700s and early 1800s — and ran through those sections of Minnesota and Ontario — vividly comes to life on this 300-mile voyageur-themed road trip. (“Voyageurs” is French for
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“traveler,” and is used to refer to the French-Canadian fur transporters). “We want people to understand how important this little place was,” says Pam Neil, chief of interpretation at Grand Portage, explaining that even Londoners and Parisians knew about Grand Portage, where North West had headquarters from 1784 to 1803 before moving to Fort William. “(North West Company) was like Microsoft and Apple today.” In Grand Portage’s Great Hall, we ran our hands across silky, dense mink, marten and otter pelts. At Fort William, an Ojibwe woman invited us into her cozy
camp, French-Canadians pulled visitors into lively dance lessons and an assistant at the potion- and powder-lined apothecary dared us to touch a dubious-looking medical device. The shock delivered by the device — plus the earlier jail threat — had a way of ensuring the history lessons stick.
STRADDLING THE BORDERS Both locations hummed with global commerce for decades as voyageurs who paddled 14-hour days arrived from Montreal in oversized canoes packed with
PHOTOS 1, 3, 4: LISA MEYERS MCCLINTICK; PHOTO 2: THINKSTOCK; PHOTO 5: TOM KAFFINE; MAP: ASHLEIGH CORRIN;
MIDWEST | MIN N ESOTA
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IF YOU GO: Grand Portage National Monument Grand Portage, Minn.; 218475-0123; nps.gov/grpo Fort William Historical Park Thunder Bay, Ontario; 807-473-2344; fwhp.ca Quetico Provincial Park Atikokan, Ontario; 807-597-2735; ontarioparks.com/park/ quetico Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness 218-626-4300; recreation.gov Voyageurs National Park International Falls, Minn.; 218-283-6600; nps.gov/ voya
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Dawson Trail Campground has a glorious view of French Lake. LISA MEYERS MCCLINTICK
kettles, axes, calico cloth, the international wilderness Actors create living history lessons wool blankets, glass beads area. Travelers who continue for tourists at Fort and more for traders to west on Canada’s Highway 11 Williams Historical take inland, says Neil. They and cross back into the U.S. at Park in Ontario, exchanged their goods for the Fort Frances-International just north of the Native Americans’ maple Falls border can also loop Minnesota border. sugar, wild rice and the valueast to the 218,000-acre The park was able furs that included mink, Voyageurs National Park near once the site of a marten, otters and the beaver International Falls, Minn., prominent fur-trading pelts prized to make felt hats that’s dominated by water and company in the for Europe’s elite class. islands. 1700s and 1800s. Beyond the forts, wilderMotorized boats, houseboats ness beckons. Ontarios’s and a tour boat take visitors Quetico Provincial Park and the Boundary to Voyageurs’ historic places and remote Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern campsites, but the best way to experience Minnesota together comprise more than 2 its history is still by canoe with a park million acres of internationally renowned ranger or on your own, dipping a paddle paddling destination, a place to digitally into tannin-darkened waters and quietly detox, escape the motorized world, travel drifting past eagles’ nests, loons, boreal an ancient water “highway” and camp forest and islands formed by some of the among more than 3,000 lakes and rivers oldest exposed rocks on the planet. with guaranteed solitude. “It’s a prime (wilderness) experience,” says Bill Clayton, who has explored and CAMPING FOR EVERYONE worked in the Boundary Waters for years Anyone not ready for that level of and is now the park archaeologist at adventure can ease into camping at Grand Portage. People don’t always realize Dawson Trail Campground on the Quetico the ancient route they’re on, he adds, “but side of the border, with a few cabins and we’re still paddling it thousands of years yurts and the only drive-in campsites in later.” ●
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New hangar adds more to see and do at Air Force museum BY JIM DILLON
A
s the Vietnam War began to come to a frenetic close in early 1973, a huge U.S. Air Force C-141 cargo plane landed at Gia Lam Airport in Hanoi in what was then North Vietnam to evacuate the first group of American prisoners of war. The plane, nicknamed the Hanoi Taxi, would evacuate 154 ex-prisoners of war from Southeast Asia, then log more than 40,000 flight hours over the next 30 years, often on humanitarian missions.
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The Missile Gallery displays former nuclear weapons, including the Peacekeeper, lower right.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE
Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Want to Fly Away
MIDWEST | OHIO
The World War II Gallery houses dozens of aircraft and exhibits from both sides of the conflict.
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force's new fourth building, right
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National Museum of the U.S. Air Force 937-255-3286; nationalmuseum. af.mil Hours: Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day Admission and parking: Free. Adults may be asked to show picture ID.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE
Sky high!
The plane is making news again this summer as it joins more than 70 historic aircraft inside a new $40.8 million, 224,000-square-foot hangar at the world’s largest military aircraft museum — the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. Private funds paid for the new hangar’s construction, which took nearly two years. Other planes that call the new hangar home include a Boeing 707 that served as Air Force One during President Kennedy’s term and carried his body back to Washington, D.C. (it was Air Force One for seven presidents after that); the 96-ton Titan IVB space launch vehicle and satellite booster rocket; a space shuttle training module; and the last surviving faster-than-sound XB-70 nuclear strike bomber. Museum visitors can walk through the presidential plane, the Hanoi Taxi and the shuttle trainer, among other aircraft. The museum attracts on average more
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MIDWEST | OHIO
u
OTHER NATIONAL AVIATION HERITAGE AREA SITES INCLUDE:
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Hawthorn Hill, the mansion in suburban Dayton where Orville Wright lived until his death in 1948. u The Armstrong Air & Space Museum (arm strongmuseum. org) in Wapakoneta honors native son Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE (2); DAN PATTERSON; DAYTONHISTORY.ORG
u
than 1 million visitors annually and houses more than 360 significant U.S. and foreign military aircraft from the early 1900s to today. Other features include more than 130,000 artifacts, educational displays, a gift shop and an IMAX theater. Space shuttle training Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Jack module, top; Boeing Hudson, the museum’s director, says P-32A Peashooter the new hangar “gives us tremendous used mostly in the new capability. It’s going to be a big, 1930s, below. blooming summer for us.” On Oct. 1 and 2, as part of the ongoing commemoration of the 100th anniversary of World War I, the museum will host the free Dawn Patrol Rendezvous. World War I-era replica aircraft will fly overhead, and visitors can also check out radiocontrolled aircraft, re-enactors, autos and collections of that era. The museum is one of 15 sites and attractions that comprise the National Aviation Heritage Area (nps.gov/avia), an eight-county area in west central Ohio that highlights the Dayton area’s aviation pioneers and rich flight history. Chief among those pioneers are Wilbur and Orville Wright, two brothers from Dayton who invented the world’s first successful airplane and launched the age of powered flight in 1903.
Carillon Historical Park, where an authentic 1905 Wright Flyer III airplane is on display. u Huffman Prairie Flying Field, where the Wright Brothers practiced flying after Kitty Hawk.
Share Curiosity. Read Together. w w w. r e a d . g o v
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TYLER WARD’S
Denver Denver native and resident Tyler Ward is among the most successful independent Internet musicians in the world, uploading his work to YouTube. The guitarist attended the U.S. Air Force Academy before transferring to the University of Northern Colorado. Ward has deep roots in the Mile High City; these are his favorite haunts. — SUZANNE WRIGHT
BEST PLACE TO
TAKE A WALK
BEST PLACE FOR
MUSIC "If you’d like to catch local, live music up-and-comers, there are two clubs downtown that are near and dear to my music soul. First, the Bluebird Theater. The sound, the stage, the vibes — it makes you feel like you’re watching a massive show — but at the same time feels extremely intimate. And a small 200-person club called the Larimer Lounge. I love these places.” Bluebird Theater: 3317 E. Colfax Ave.; 303-377-1666; bluebird theater.net Larimer Lounge: 2721 Larimer St.; 303-291-1007; larimerlounge.com
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16thstreetmalldenver.com
Rooney Rd., Lakewood; 303-697-6159; lakewood.org/ haydenpark
BEST PLACE TO
SIP A COCKTAIL “Unless you feel like taking I-25 up to Fort Collins and plopping down at Lucky Joe’s, then the Parkway Bar And Grill in Aurora may be your best bet. ... It's walking distance from my house and it’s super cheap.” 22775 E. Aurora Parkway C7; 303-693-6200; parkwaybarandgrill.com
BEST PLACE TO
GRAB A COFFEE “For all your chill hipster coffee needs, the Crema Coffee House is the place to be.” 2862 Larimer St.; 720-284-9648; cremacoffeehouse.net
JOSHUA BLANCHARD/GETTY IMAGES; THINKSTOCK; CREMA COFFEE HOUSE; JEFFREY DAVIS
“
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WEST | W YOMING
Horsing Around History meets the Wild West at the 120th Cheyenne Frontier Days
O
ne sure way to generate some unwanted attention at a rodeo is to cheer for the cows. Seriously, who doesn’t love the clueless antics of baby cows
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when pitted against the highly skilled ropers and riders who make up America’s professional rodeo circuit? The cowboys may be cute, but the cows won my heart. That was my counterintuitive entry into the world of profes-
sional rodeo, at the so-called Daddy of ’em All: Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming, the largest outdoor rodeo in North America. And this year, the big Daddy stages its 120th annual event. The festival evolved from
CHEYENNE FRONTIER DAYS
BY DIANA LAMBDIN MEYER
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www.visitloganutah.com
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WEST | W YOMING
INSIDE TIP
feature pictures informal comTwo dancers from of the participatpetitions among the Little Sun Drum and Dance Group ing cowboys and Wyoming’s cowperform the men's livestock. Fans may boys, who in their Fancy Feather dance. then text what off-hours liked to cowboy they want see who could stay to ride what bull, or on a bucking bronco whatever else is proposed. the longest for bragging rights. Today, the festival, which takes But Cheyenne Frontier Days place from July 22-31, promises has also become more than $1 million in cash and prizes to just ropin’ and ridin’. More than professional cowpokes. 250,000 people caught up in this Some 1,500 contestants from western celebration descend on the top eight rodeos in North the state capital for a number of America participate in five parades, concerts, chuckwagon events: bareback riding, bronc suppers, lots of barbeque, art riding, bull riding, barrel racing shows and sales and my favorite and steer wrestling. — the Indian Village. Social-media-savvy attendees That’s where I escaped to on may take part, as well. Two a recent visit, to that western big screens in the grandstand world brought to life, after I
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Thousands of expert rodeo riders compete during Cheyenne Frontier Days, attended each year by more than 250,000 people.
CHEYENNE FRONTIER DAYS
For the best seats in the grandstand, purchase tickets on the east side/ lower level, preferably between sections 69 and 134. These are just above the bucking chutes and make a great location for photos — as well as a scarier look at what the cowboys are up against.
Trinidad Loves Company
Landing November 2016
at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery
Photo: Carol Waller
Pterosaur illustrations ŠAMNH 2014
www.historictrinidad.com hi t i t i id d hist
JOIN US IN HAILEY, IDAHO THIS SUMMER for festivals and celebrations to please any age! Rodeos, festivals, studio tours, outdoors and more. Just a two hour drive from Boise; non-stop ďŹ&#x201A;ights also available from Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Denver.
www.haileyidaho.com
IT HAPPENS IN HAILEY
www.prehistoricair.com Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (www.amnh.org)
WEST | W YOMING
MAKE A TRIP OF IT
— JASMINE PICKNERBELL, CROW CREEK DAKOTA SIOUX
realized that my cheers for the cows during the cutting and roping competitions were not appreciated by those seated around me. During the festivities, members of the Northern Arapahoe, Eastern Shoshone and Dakota Sioux tribes erect ancestral structures on the grounds and live on the site, much as they did in 1915 when members of the Arapahoe tribe first came to the rodeo. During their stay, they create beautiful handmade pottery, jewelry, drums and more. You can talk to members of the tribe and learn the historical significance of each color, fiber and symbol in their work. Throughout the day, these Native Americans, as well as guests from other tribes, share stories, music and dance in an intimate outdoor circle, a tradition passed down amongst the tribes for centuries. I was most intrigued by the Little Sun Drum and Dance Group, based out of the Wind River Reservation in central Wyoming. Even the smallest of toddlers wearing colorful tribal dress moved in harmony
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with the drum and their elders in a ceremony that, although unfamiliar to me, still created a spiritual and emotional connection. Most amazing of all the dancers was Jasmine PicknerBell, a Crow Creek Dakota Sioux and one of the few female hoop dancers in the world. Wearing a leather dress weighted with more than 10 pounds of beads and bells, and with her husband providing the heartbeat rhythm on a drum, Pickner-Bell dances while creating the most incredible designs out of a collection of hoops, each reflecting a core aspect of life as defined by her people. “Hoop dancing is part of the storytelling in my culture, which is one reason I do it,” says Pickner-Bell. “But I also love the physical challenge and the ability to show that women can tell this story.” Watching her dance, and talking to her for a few minutes after the show, was the highlight of my days at the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo. That, and a few cows outsmarting the cowboys. ●
▲ The Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo takes place from July 22-31. Many activities, such as the Indian Village, are free to the public. To see the entire schedule and find guidance on transportation and parking, visit cfdrodeo. com. If you want to go beyond the Wild West, try these tips: Open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., the historic Luxury Diner provides hearty breakfasts and great coffee in a building that was converted from an old train car. 1401 W. Lincolnway; 307-638-8971; facebook.com/ luxurydiner The Plains Hotel, a National Historic Landmark opened in 1911, is almost as old as the rodeo itself. Spectacular architecture and a Mission-style art-panel ceiling in the lobby add to the ambiance. Its 131 guest rooms feature Western artwork from Wyoming artists. 1600 Central Ave.; 307-638-3311; theplainshotel.com
The rodeo also hosts major musical artists for all tastes, from up-and-comers like Grammy-nominated country singer Sam Hunt and Maddie & Tae of Girl in a Country Song fame, to rockers Fall Out Boy and Kiss, to country headliners Kenny Chesney and Florida Georgia Line. The tickets are reasonable — the most expensive seats are $69 — and can be purchased on the festival’s website. cfdrodeo.com/tickets
DIANA LAMBDIN MEYER; CHEYENNE FRONTIER DAYS; RICK DIAMOND/GETTY IMAGES
Hoop dancing is part of the storytelling in my culture, which is one reason I do it.”
WOOLAROC MUSEUM & WILDLIFE PRESERVE
VisitBartlesville.com 800-364-8708 AT&SF NO 940 LOCOMOTIVE
PHILLIPS PETROLEUM MUSEUM
OKLAHOMA INDIAN SUMMER FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S PRICE TOWER
FRANK PHILLIPS HOME
Visit Miami, OK! “My-am-uh”
8 Hotels 13 Area Casinos 15 Area Attractions Rt 66 Collectibles Mickey Mantle Tour Coleman Theatre Concerts & Events Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau 918-542-4435 | VisitMiamiOK.com Request a visitors guide! 1-800-991-6717
Free Visitor Guide
WEST | A R IZONA
Dining in the Desert Arizona’s thriving culinary culture can capture newcomers BY LISA DAVIS
B
ig saguaro cactus, baseball spring training, luxury resorts and sunny, hot and dry days are big tourism draws for Arizona. But so are oranges, olives, wheat and wine. Tucson, named a UNESCO World City of Gastronomy in 2015, the first U.S. city to earn this honor, is now on foodies’ watch lists. “It’s an exciting time to experience Arizona’s food culture,” says Stephanie Dowling, deputy director of the Arizona Office of Tourism. Around the state, communities are finding ways to woo visitors to their food culture, with agritourism tours, farm-totable dining and wine and beer trails. Here’s a tipsheet on where to go.
24810 S. Rittenhouse Rd., Queen Creek; 480-987-3100; schnepffarms.com
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VISIT MESA
Schnepf Farms
MESA Hayden Flour Mills 22100 S. Sossaman Rd., Queen Creek; 480-557-0031; haydenflourmills.com
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Located about 20 miles east of Phoenix, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a patchwork of farms that for generations have been sharing Arizonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tastes with the world, such as durum wheat sent to Italy to make pasta. Enjoy a year-round bounty of food, including handpicked citrus at the Orange Patch. You can sample peaches at nearby Schnepf Farms or press olives into olive oil at the Queen Creek Olive Mill. There is heirloom wheat used in breads, craft brews and grain-based oils to be tasted at Hayden Flour Mills (appointment only).
And by all means stop by Agritopia, a 160-acre urban organic farming neighborhood with a coffeehouse and farm-to-table restaurant. This fall, it will be home to a new site called Barnone, featuring a microwinery, a medicinal garden serving as a modern-day apothecary and a hearthstone bakery. Orange Patch: 2600 E. Lehi Rd.; 480-962-4490; orangepatch.com Queen Creek Olive Mill: 25062 S. Meridian Rd., Queen Creek; 480-888-9290; queencreekolivemill.com Agritopia: Higley and Ray Roads, Gilbert; agritopia.com
VISIT MESA
WEST | A R IZONA
Come Visit Us in Summer 2016!
sunrise and close 30 minutes after sunset. Daily and annual passes are available for (281) 424-9198.
Singh Farms 8900 E. Thomas Rd.; 480-225-7199; facebook.com/ singhfarms
SCOTTSDALE
YUMA
Start a weekend getaway at Singh Farms’ Saturday farmers market. Peacocks, chickens, roosters, wild horses and ducks are part of the charm. And there are yoga classes, a pressed juice bar and wood-grilled pizzas to boot. Scottsdale is also home to The Simple Farm Life, a three-acre suburban garden that opens its FarmShop to the public Thursday mornings, selling homemade caramels, local honey, breads and goat cheese. The Simple Farm Life: 9080 E. Cactus Rd.; 480-206-7821; thesimplefarmlife.net
Arizona boasts that about 90 percent of all the leafy vegetables grown in the U.S. between November and March are grown in or near Yuma. And at the height of production, Yuma processes more than 2 million pounds of lettuce per day. Do a hands-on tour of the lettuce and vegetable growing areas, or come in February for the annual Lettuce Days festival with cooking demonstrations and food and beer tastings. Agritourism tours: visityuma.com/agritourism.html
WILLCOX In the southeastern part of Arizona, about 50 miles from the border of New Mexico, you will find Apple Annie’s orchards, known for pick-your-own peaches, apples and pumpkins. Yep, you do the work. Visitors can also sample roasted sweet corn sold during the farm’s annual Sweet Corn Festival when it reopens for the season in July. Apple Annie’s: 2081 W. Hardy Rd.; 520-384-2084; appleannies.com
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Yuma Lettuce Days: University of Arizona Yuma Agricultural Center, 6425 W. 8th St.; 800-293-0071; yumalettucedays.com
JOHN SAMORA/THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC
WEST | A R IZONA
FAR FROM ORDINARY. CLOSE TO PERFECT.
Welcome to The Woodlands. A masterfully planned community of shopping, dining, hospitality, concerts under the stars and most of all, living. We invite you to come experience your own picture perfect moments and to register to win a free weekend getaway at VisitTheWoodlands.com.
ld Town Coppell is a vibrant, walkable community where you can dine, shop, live and do business. Home to restaurants, retail shops, parklands, historical structures and a community center, it also hosts a thriving farmers market and live music venues. To learn more visit coppelltx.gov/OldTown.
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CULINARY TRAILS The Flagstaff-Grand Canyon Ale Trail is a self-guided beer tasting tour with microbrewery stops in Flagstaff, Williams and Sedona. flagstaff aletrail.com
For listings of breweries across the state, check out the Arizona Beer Trail. craftbeeraz.com/ arizona-beer-trail-road-map
For wine, travel along Arizona’s three wine trails, including the Verde Valley Wine Trail in the north, the Sonoita/Elgin Wine Trail in the south and the Willcox Wine Trail in the southeast. arizonawine.org/ winetrail.html
And there is wine. About 45 minutes southeast of Tucson you will find Dos Cabezas WineWorks, which offers tastings of its wines from its two estate vineyards, Pronghorn Vineyard in Elgin and Cimarron Vineyard in the Kansas Settlement.
Dos Cabezas 3248 Highway 82; 520-455-5141; doscabezas.com
SPAS AND INNS
For food inspiration and spa treatment, try an aromatherapy massage at the Boulders Resort & Spa in Carefree, which uses seasonal herbs from its organic garden to customize massages. Try lemon verbena, peppermint and lavender. You can also take part in an organic cooking
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demonstration and have a sumptuous garden-to-table dinner while pondering the area’s 12-million-year-old boulder formations. 34631 N. Tom Darlington Dr.; 480-488-9099; theboulders.com
At the Hermosa Inn in Paradise Valley, head chef Jeremy Pacheco
com/lifestyles/fresh-foodie
and his team grow their own. Pacheco uses wheat from his family farm to make pasta and the kitchen cooks with basil, rosemary, thyme, lettuce, fennel, onions, squash and heirloom tomatoes grown in the inn’s garden. 5532 North Palo Christi Rd.; 602-955-8614; hermosainn.com
DOS CABEZAS WINEWORKS; THINKSTOCK
SONOITA
The Fresh Foodie Trail takes food enthusiasts through Mesa and the regional towns of Gilbert and Queen Creek and includes 11 stops at places such as The Orange Patch and Queen Creek Olive Mill. visitmesa.
Brownfield Chamber & Visitor Center 221 Lubbock Rd • Brownfield, TX 79316
Stay with us on your way to New Mexico
APRIL Quilt Show
AUGUST Vineyard Festival
OCTOBER Harvest Festival
Quilt Trail • Quanah Parker Trail • Terry County Heritage Museum
GET LOST IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. Lakeside charm with downtown flair.
ESCAPE TO MARBLEFALLS.ORG
Summertime
Fun Things to Do!
Museums Sam Houston Statue Cultural Events & Festivals Historic Downtown & Shopping Huntsville State Park And More!
Shop Historic Downtown! For more Huntsville information:
800.289.0389
For overnight accommodations, events and activities visit huntsvilletexas.com
Combat Rock
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DAN GAMBINO
WEST | COLOR A DO
On the Edge What’s it like to spend the night on a ledge? One word: intense.
DAN GAMBINO
S
BY SARAH SEKULA
taying rational as he Together, they roped up, trekked up rappelled his way down the slightly gentler side of Cathedral the cliff was tough. After Rock, leaped over a crevasse and worked hiking, scrambling and their way down to the portaledges, climbing his way up Deville which had been installed the day before. 3, his legs were shaking. Yes, it was physically demanding, but Temperatures were dropping. Nightfall well within Thompson’s limits. It was was descending. And the craziest part the mental side that was really messing was yet to come. He lowered himself with him. He’d never had any qualms onto a portaledge, a nylon cot jutting with heights, but he was showing all the out from the wall, and settled in for the signs of acrophobia. And after a long day night, 18 stories in the air of physicality, he should on a space not much larger have been snoozing by now. than a sleeping bag. But no such luck. Jonathan Thompson “I did not sleep one single had signed up for this. As wink,” Thompson says. “My TIPS a chronic adventurer, it body kept me very much wasn’t out of character. in fight-or-flight mode the u Take an audio After all, wing walking, entire night.” book or podcasts to Olympic-style ski jumping But the view at sunrise listen to and a spare and camping in Antarctica was worth it. As the golden battery pack for your were all things he’d tackled light washed over the phone. fearlessly in the past. Sleepnatural wonders below, he u Layer up. You ing on the side of a cliff in says he felt so insignificant don’t want to be Estes Park, Colo., however, next to the size, grandeur bulky clothes-wise, was the scariest and most and force of nature from but you do want to rewarding yet. a vantage point like that. be warm. First, consider the setting. And that’s only part of the u You will have the You get to look at the chisappeal. choice to either eled good looks of nearby “It was a truly euphoric climb up or rappel Rocky Mountain National kind of feeling afterwards, a down to the shelf. Park, which means jagged sense of conquering someThe latter is arguably peaks, glacier valleys and thing major both physically easier, plus you get pine forests. It’s everything in terms of the cliff face, the views from the top of the cliff. nature intended it to be, but also psychologically in and from your tiny porterms of facing down the taledge suspended above fear within,” he recalls. “I the ground you get a pretty spectacular dropped to my knees and pretty much view. First, though, you’ve got to work French-kissed the soil when I finally for it. touched the ground again the next For Thompson, it all began on a sunny morning.” August morning in 2015 when he met This begs the question: Is it good to be up with Harry Kent, the mastermind scared every once in awhile? Kent sums behind what Kent calls cliff camping, it up well, saying: “One of my teachers something pro-mountaineers have done once said to me, ‘Welcome fear, Harry. since the 1980s but most average Joes It’s the only opportunity you’ll get to have not. Until now. exercise your courage.’” ●
Deville 3
HOW TO HANG Portaledge camping has been a common part of the climbing experience for decades. But for those who are more interested in the camping than the climbing, the chance to try sleeping in midair has been rare. Kent Mountain Adventure Center in Estes Park, Colo. (kmaconline.com), offers cliff camping to non-climbers from May through September. It costs $1,200 for one person, or $800 per person if you have two people in your party. Not ready for the overnighter? The cliff camping "Just Lunch or Dinner” program gives you the chance to picnic on a portaledge that’s only 40 feet in the air. Prices for that start at $295 for one person.
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MARGARET CHO’S
Los Angeles Comedian/entertainer/activist Margaret Cho grew up in San Francisco but moved to L.A. in the 1990s. When she’s not on tour, guest starring on TV shows or fighting for social justice, she enjoys some of the city’s best. — NANCY DUNHAM
BEST HIDDEN
GEM
RELAX “Olympic Spa, an old school Korean jimjilbang, or bathhouse. Ladies only. Clothing optional. Get a scrub and a massage and a great Korean meal. ... Don’t take eggs into the pool area! There’s a sign telling you not to.” 3915 W. Olympic Blvd.; 323-8570666; olympicspala.com
BEST PLACE TO
GO SHOPPING “Santee Alley, (150 stores with) insanely cheap clothing and accessories and things you didn’t even know you couldn’t live without.” thesanteealley.com
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“
Santa Monica Pier has rides and games that thrill and delight kids and adults alike. Just don’t forget the sunblock, because the sun’s glare off the ocean is brutal!” 200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica; 310-4588901; santamonicapier.org
Blvd.; 310-855-0350; largo-la.com
BEST PLACE TO
TAKE OUTOF-TOWN VISITORS “Bottega Louie ... It’s my other office! It’s absolutely stunning, you get lots of good star sightings and the food and desserts are to write home about.” 700 S. Grand Ave.; 213-802-1470; bottegalouie.com
BEST PLACE TO
GRAB A BITE “Faith & Flower in downtown L.A. It has beautiful, imaginative, delicious food. It’s my office when I’m home in L.A. I sit and write and gorge on oysters like a seal!” 705 W. 9th St.; 213-239-0642; faithandflowerla. com
DUSTI CUNNINGHAM; LOS ANGELES TOURISM AND CONVENTION BOARD (2); THINKSTOCK
BEST PLACE TO
“Largo at the Coronet. It’s not so hidden, really, as it can be impossible to get tickets if you aren’t on their mailing list. Buy them early and enjoy first-rate performances by the best entertainers in the world. I open shows for my good friend (singer) Jon Brion when I’m in town, and during his sets you’ll see AMAZING stars sitting in.” 366 N. La Cienega
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PACIFIC | H AWA II
Scenic view from the Road to Hana
Which Hawaiian island is right for you? BY SARAH SEKULA
I
’m not a repeat-destination kind of girl, but Hawaii’s primordial landscape beckons me back continually. For first-timers, choosing one island to visit is tough. Don’t worry, though, I’ve done the legwork. Good news is: You can’t go wrong.
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The west side of the Valley Isle has five-star spas, a killer foodie scene and shopping. The east side is all about waterfalls, ponds and empty beaches; locals still practice throw-net fishing and the aloha spirit abounds. Visit both.
To-do list: ▶ Follow the famous Road to Hana (roadtohana. com), a world-famous scenic drive, for dreamy vistas of rainforests, waterfalls and beaches. ▶ Watch an awe-inspiring sunrise at the top of the 10,023-foot Haleakala volcano (nps.gov/hale). ▶ Cool off with an outrigger canoe ride and snorkel session off the shores of Makena Beach (mauiinformationguide.com/makena.php) while bug-eyed turtles swim alongside. ▶ Pick fresh veggies at O’o Farm (oofarm.com), where the chef will whip up a dazzling feast. ▶ Lounge on Hookipa Beach (co.maui.hi.us) while world-class windsurfers skim across the water. ▶ Bring a big appetite to the Old Lahaina Luau (oldlahainaluau.com) for legendary music and hula.
THINKSTOCK
Choose Your Own Adventure
MAUI HIKING, KITESURFING, BAMBOO FORESTS
Lava glowing in a volcanic crater
HAWAII, THE BIG ISLAND MOONBOWS, LAVA, RAINFORESTS This is the largest of the Hawaiian islands, which means it’s a massive canvas for natural wonders: snow-capped mountains, a green-sand beach and epic waterfalls, just to name a few.
To-do list:
MICHAEL SZOENYI; ED SHIINOKI/NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; THINKSTOCK
Thurston Lava Tube (Nahuku)
KAUAI HIKING & SOLITUDE This rural island is the oldest of the major islands and the most isolated. Be prepared: Squawking chickens will be your alarm clock.
To-do list: ▶ Grab fresh poke from a fish market, rent a surfboard and go beach camping. It’s easy to find a spot all to yourself. ▶ Waimea Canyon (dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/ parks/kauai/waimea-
▶ Explore the lava-rock terrain in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (nps.gov/havo) via bicycle. ▶ Come nighttime, snag a crystal clear view of the Milky Way with the glow of lava in the distance caused by the Kilauea volcano (nps.gov/havo). ▶ Don snorkel gear with Kona Diving (konadivingcompany.com) and make friends with manta rays (some with 14-foot wing spans) in the calm waters off the Kona Coast. ▶ Chow down on malasadas — sugardusted, pudding-filled pastries — at Tex Drive-In (texdriveinhawaii.com). ▶ Paddle across Kealakekua Bay. Keep your eyes peeled for a sighting of spinner dolphins.
canyon-state-park), a mini-version of the Grand Canyon, is a must. Hike to the bottom, lounge on boulders and swim in the cool waters. ▶ Trek along the canyon rim of the Waipoo Falls
Trail, which ends with an 800-foot waterfall. Be on the lookout for wild goats, streams lined with ginger plants and the occasional rainbow. (kauai.com/ waipoo-falls-trail)
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MOLOKAI WILDERNESS, CULTURE, ADVENTURE Molokai is as Hawaiian as it gets, with ancient fish ponds and untouched beaches. With no Starbucks and limited transportation, it flies underneath the usual tourist radar, but that is what makes it so special.
To-do list: ▶ Check out Papohaku Beach (co.maui.hi.us/ facilities/facility/details/193), possibly the most gorgeous beach in Hawaii. ▶ Pick enough blooms at Molokai Plumerias (molokaiplumerias.com) to create your own lei. ▶ Hike to the 250-foot Moaula Falls at the head of magical Halawa Valley (gohawaii.com/ en/molokai/regions-neighborhoods/east-end/ halawa-valley-molokai). ▶ There’s nothing like descending the world’s tallest sea cliffs (1,700 feet) via mule to Kalaupapa (nps.gov/kala) and checking out the stunning cliffs from sea level.
Cliffs at Kalaupapa
OAHU SHOPPING, FOOD, SURFING Oahu, the capital island, is where more than three-quarters of the state’s residents live. Famous places like Honolulu and Waikiki are crowded, but there are plenty of hideaways for R&R.
To-do list: ▶ Hike iconic Diamond Head (dlnr.hawaii.gov/ dsp/parks/oahu/diamondhead-state-monument) for killer views. ▶ Listen to live music at The Waikiki Shell
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(blaisdellcenter.com/ venues/waikiki-shell), a historic outdoor venue where musician and Oahu resident Jack Johnson sometimes performs. ▶ Grab local, organic eats at Ward Market on Saturdays. Tip: Try the breadfruit hummus. ▶ Snap pics of greenery, ocean and mountains from Pali Highway, aka Hawaii Route 61. ▶ Ride big waves on the North Shore (gohawaii.com/en/oahu/ regions-neighborhoods/ north-shore), or just watch them roll in.
LANAI GARDENS, VIEWS, BEACHES This privately owned island makes for a quiet getaway. There are no traffic lights and no malls, but plenty of natural beauty.
To-do list: ▶ Stop and smell the roses at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai gardens (fourseasons.com/lanai). ▶ Take in the Seussical rock formations at Garden of the Gods (gohawaii.com/en/lanai/regions-neighborhoods/north-lanai/ keahiakawelo). It’s worth the rough and rugged drive. ▶ At Hulopoe Bay (gohawaii.com/en/lanai/regions-neighborhoods/ south-lanai/hulopoe-bay-lanai), walk to the clifftop perch known as Sweetheart Rock and look for frolicking dolphins.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; DARRYL OUMI /GETTY IMAGES; BARBARA KRAFT
Waimea Bay
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Dirt Devils
Riding motorcycles through Death Valley is not for the faint of heart BY ANDRIA YU
P
Jimmy Lewis Off-Road Riding School jimmylewis offroad.com
SCOTT HOFFMAN/DIRTBIKETEST.COM
ahrump, Nev., which sits about 63 miles west of Las Vegas, is home to a few casinos and several motels that line the main drag. The town seems almost desolate compared to its glitzy big-city cousin, but it’s the perfect jumpingoff point for an adventure I never thought I’d have — dirt biking through Death Valley. I’ve been riding motorcycles on the street for about 15 years, but this was the first
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time I would be riding in the dirt. A friend had told me about riding through Death Valley National Park in California. It was a challenging dirt ride through the mountains and canyons, with a ghost town along the way and amazing views at nearly every turn. It’s a ride that would challenge my skills, he said, but not too hard for a beginner. I love a good challenge, and I love adventure, so I just had to try Death Valley. But because I had never ridden dirt before (my boyfriend, Marcin Wasicki, had been on dirt bikes as a kid), we figured classes would be smart. So last December, Marcin and I checked into a Best Western in Pahrump, parking our borrowed dual-sport — ANDRIA YU motorcycles in our room, and prepared for our first day in the dirt. In the morning, it was 36 degrees, so we layered on as much gear as we could. Our dirt bike boots were stiff and hard to walk in, making me feel like a Star Wars stormtrooper as we headed to the lobby for breakfast. I saw an older gentleman, also wearing motorcycling gear, and we nodded at each other,
(I) conquered my Death Valley challenge, and I wanted to do it again.”
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comrades in clothing choice, if nothing else. After we ate, Marcin and I rode our dirt bikes the 6 or so miles to the Jimmy Lewis Off-Road Riding School. It was December, so the sky was still dim at 7:30 a.m. Riding at 40 mph, the cold desert air stung; my hands were frozen into claws from gripping John Klunk came the handlebars by the time we for the lessons; wife got there. We warmed up by a Jane rides along as fire pit with a few other students, a passenger. including the comrade from breakfast. John Klunk, 65, a police officer turned attorney from Chicago, came with his wife, Jane, who didn’t take the class but often rides with her husband as a passenger (she did that during some of the drills as well). “I think that John feels very accomplished with managing to do this (class) without injury to either of us!” says Jane, 64, a special education teacher. “John feels that riding keeps him in shape and agile.” Being in shape doesn’t hurt when you’re riding dirt.
ANDRIA YU; COURTESY OF THE KLUNK FAMILY
Riders come from all over the country to learn the techniques of dirt biking, one way to see Death Valley.
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
CALIF.
NEV. RHYOLITE
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
LAS VEGAS
BADWATER BASIN
ANDRIA YU; MAP: MIRANDA PELLICANO
DANTE'S VIEW
The grueling, two-day program took us over dirt trails, gravel, sand and hills. We practiced panic stops, one-handed turns, counterbalancing the bike with our bodies and a slew of other techniques. The air warmed up throughout the day and by afternoon, many of us stripped off layers. Cold in the morning, hot in the afternoon, cold at night. Welcome to the desert. At 38, I was one of the youngest in the class, but I was still sore the next day. But, apparently, so was everyone else, judging from the big bottle of ibuprofen that was passed around. The class size was fairly small — 12 riders total — so we all got to know one
another during lunch and dinner. Diane and Jim Bartell flew in from Massapequa, N.Y. Jim, a 59-year-old crane operator, rode dirt motorcycles when he was younger and wanted to relearn the technique. He also wanted his wife, a 56-year-old retired operating engineer, to take the class; she hadn’t ridden a motorcycle for 25 years. The Bartells had been going to Death Valley “at least once a year for six or seven years,” Jim says. They like to stay at the Furnace Creek Inn because of the natural spring-fed pool, which maintains a balmy 86 degrees. Diane would take laps in the pool “and I would jump on the bike
and do Titus Canyon.” With confidence gained from the classes, Marcin and I rode Titus Canyon Road. Death Valley It’s a 27-mile dirt-and-gravel trail that National Park leads up into the mountains and down nps.gov/deva into a rock canyon. There were definitely scary moments; some of the roads up the mountain were narrow and guardrail-free. Because of this, the trail, which only goes east to west, takes more than two hours to complete. From the end of Titus Canyon Road, we took a paved road back to tiny Beatty, Nev., where we stayed while riding Death Valley. If you’re not staying in the park, Beatty is the closest town (about 10 miles to the edge of the park) and the Motel 6 there was more economical than the park resorts. As we neared town, four wild burros stood off the side of the road, watching us as warily as I watched them. The next day, we made a quick stop at Rhyolite, Nev., before heading into the park. Rhyolite is an actual ghost town, though most of the structures are gone. It was founded in 1904 and boomed during the gold prospecting rush, even getting electricity by 1907. But when the financial panic hit in the summer of that year, Rhyolite’s decline began. Investors pulled money, mines shut down and people left in droves. By 1916, power was shut off to the town.
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After we took our requisite photos, we headed to Badwater Basin, a salt flat that covers nearly 200 square miles. At 282 feet below sea level, it is the lowest point in North America. At first glance, it looked like the area was covered in snow, but it was crystalized sodium chloride, or table salt. “I wonder … ” I say, as I picked up a tiny bit and stuck my tongue out to taste. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Marcin says. Too late. Yes, it was salty. No, I didn’t get sick. From the basin, we took Badwater Road to
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Dante’s View
Artist’s Drive, which led us to a beautiful vista on the Black Mountains known as Artist’s Palette. The oxidation of different metals found in the mountain (iron, manganese and mica) produced gorgeous shades of pinks, greens and yellows. We also wanted to see Death Valley at a higher vantage point — Dante’s View — 5,500 feet above sea level. From there, we got a breathtaking panoramic view of the valley: Badwater Basin, the Panamint Range, Owlshead Mountains and the Great Basin ranges.
(Pop culture moment: Dante's View was featured in 1977's Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope, as the spot on Tatooine The Inn at where Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Furnace Creek Skywalker look over the spaceport Mos furnacecreek Eisley. Unlike the fictional characters, we resort.com saw no scum or villainy.) There were so many other areas to visit in Death Valley, but we only had two days. We returned the dirt bikes and drove the two hours to Las Vegas, where Marcin and I booked a room at the Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa, a five-star resort/casino at around $80 for the night. It wasn’t on the Strip, but we weren’t interested in sightseeing or gambling — I just wanted a hot bath and a comfortable bed. Although my body was sore, I had conquered my Death Valley challenge, and I wanted to do it again. During our flight home to Baltimore, Marcin and I talked about returning next year to see the places we missed. “Maybe we should sell one of our street motorcycles and buy a couple of dirt bikes,” he suggested. “Well, I could use the practice,” I replied.
COURTESY OF ANDRIA YU; ANDRIA YU
The author, Andria Yu, and her boyfriend, Marcin
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Time Travel Take a spin along the nation’s first scenic highway, celebrating its centennial year
PORTLAND HISTORIC COLUMBIA RIVER HIGHWAY SCENIC BYWAY
OREGON
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I
t was an audacious idea, really. Just a few years after the first Model Ts rolled off Henry Ford’s assembly line, enterprising executive Samuel Hill set out to build the nation’s first scenic highway. Hill and Samuel C. Lancaster, an engineer and landscape architect, envisioned a 73mile route that would guide visitors through the wild
beauty of Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge, clinging to sheer bluffs, traversing rushing rivers and tunneling through hammer-hard basalt rock. Built between 1913 and 1922, the Historic Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway turns 100 this year. It remains a marvel of engineering and craftsmanship, with handcut stone bridges, elegant masonry and grand overlooks. And because of ongoing
THINKSTOCK; MAP: MIRANDA PELLICANO
BY TINA LASSEN
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In 1916, a group of New York tourists was among the earliest travelers on the Columbia River Highway, the first scenic roadway in the United States.
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restoration work, segments once eclipsed by more modern roads are reopening. While the rest of the world now rushes through the gorge on Interstate 84, the historic scenic byway encourages drivers to amble along, enjoying every vista presented by this “King of Roads.” The Historic Columbia River Highway begins just east of Portland, where Interstate 84 crosses the Sandy River and enters Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. From exit 17 in Troutdale, the historic highway (also designated U.S. 30) winds uphill to a cliff-top perch at the Portland Women’s Forum State Scenic Overlook. Hundreds of feet below, the Columbia River slaloms through grand basalt cliffs, a gorge cre-
ated by ice-age floods scouring through ancient For a map lava flows. of the route, The Columbia, go to: which begins oregonstate as a trickle of parks.org/ snowmelt high ckFiles/ in the Canadian files/HCRH_ Rockies, swells to BikeMaps.pdf more than a mile wide here, absorbing a tremendous web of river systems on its 1,200-mile run to the Pacific. The view east also takes in the octagonal Vista House atop Crown Point, the highest spot reached by the highway. Completed in 1918 as an observatory and the route’s first comfort station, Vista House still lures travelers to marvel at the unparalleled views up and down the gorge. Inside, the rotunda
THINKSTOCK; BAIN NEWS SERVICE/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Vista House
sitka.org â&#x20AC;¢ 800-557-4852
300 Days of Sunshine #TheDalles
TRAVELGRANTSPASS.COM
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displays features about the highway’s construction. From Crown Point, the highway drifts down the mountain into a deeply shaded, ferny oasis. For the next seven miles, one waterfall after another tumbles from gorge rim to roadside: Latourell, Shepperd’s Dell, Bridal Veil, Wahkeena and, the granddaddy of them all, the stunning 628-foot Multnomah. Viewing areas and bridges (handcrafted by those early highway crews) allow visitors to venture close enough to feel the mist and thunder. Continuing east, well-marked trails lead to additional falls hidden deeper in the forest. At Oneonta Gorge, hikers
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can link three waterfalls on a 3-mile trail, or wade right up Oneonta Creek to a 20-foot-wide chasm. As popular as the scenic highway was in its time, in just a few decades, more direct and more modern roads rendered it obsolete. Today, the historic road largely parallels I-84, although the interstate obliterated some stretches. Recent restoration work has reopened long abandoned sections of the original route, including some exclusively for bicycles and pedestrians. From the John B. Yeon State Park to Cascade Locks, cyclists can spin serenely for 6.5 miles through the forest, past
MAKE A TRIP OF IT Hood River County Chamber of Commerce 541-386-2000; hoodriver.org
Columbia Cliff Villas: Suite and condo-style lodging with stunning cliff-top views. 3880 Westcliff Dr.; 866-912-8366; columbiacliffvillas. com
Hampton Inn & Suites Hood River: New riverfront hotel within easy walking distance to downtown. 1 Nichols Parkway; 541-436-1600; hamptoninn3. hilton.com
Solstice Wood Fire Café: Fabulous pizza is just the beginning at this riverfront favorite. 501 Portway Ave.; 541-436-0800; solsticewoodfirecafe. com
Brian’s Pourhouse: Longstanding classic with diverse menu on downtown’s Oak Street. 606 Oak St.; 541-387-4344; brianspourhouse. com
NATALIE BEHRING/GETTY IMAGES
Multnomah Waterfalls
moss-covered masonry and hand-laid stone walls, savoring the gorge scenery at the pace of a Model T. Restoration work continues on the next section — the last puzzle piece to reconnect the entire historic route — so travelers need to hop on I-84 for 10 miles to Hood River. This appealing outdoorsy town makes a great lunch spot or overnight stop. At the east end of town, cyclists and pedestrians can enjoy another car-free stretch of the historic highway. The 5-mile segment known as the Twin Tunnels tucks tight along a sheer bluff and passes through two long tunnels before arriving in the community of Mosier, where the historic road is once again open to cars. The lightly traveled route continues east through orchards and vineyards, climbing gradually to the rocky promontory of the Rowena Crest Viewpoint. The ferns and fir forest of the Cascades end abruptly here, replaced with a dramatic semi-arid plateau of sage and ponderosa pine. Trails lead into the Tom McCall Preserve, a bounty of wildflowers and plants found nowhere else in the world. On its final eight miles to The Dalles, the highway arcs down from Rowena Crest in a series of horseshoe curves, a spectacular snaking descent that’s been featured in several car commercials. Like so much of this historic route, the Rowena Loops showcase remarkable road building — and the enduring appeal of an audacious idea. ●
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Wine Country Cocktails Head to Northern California for drinks that don’t always come from the grape
Meadowood
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V
isitors may come for the legendary vino, but California wine country harbors a hidden secret: a blossoming craft cocktail scene. Influenced by beautiful vineyards and the region’s rich agricultural bounty, ingredient-driven bars in Napa and Sonoma serve stellar sips you’ll want to write home about. Here’s where to get your fill.
STEVEN ROTHFELD
BY ALEXIS KORMAN
STEVEN ROTHFELD; SHEA EVANS; WENDI GREEN
Scott Beattie
MEADOWOOD
FARMSTEAD AT LONG MEADOW RANCH
In addition to the luxe accommodations at this pristine Napa Valley estate, guests can take a group cocktail class led by Scott Beattie, beverage director for the resort’s Estate Events program. It covers essentials for the home bartender and — if you’re feeling adventurous — advanced drink techniques like stenciling bitters on egg-white foam. Got a designated driver? Don’t miss a dreamy drink from the bar at The Restaurant at Meadowood. “We aim to showcase the beautiful herbs and fruit from our garden, and let local craft spirits carry the flavor,” says manager Sam Levy. While the cocktail menu is vast and ever-changing, imbibers can generally count on Levy’s playful Whiskey for Breakfast. With brown butter bourbon, aged balsamic vinegar and a hint of oaked maple syrup, it’s deliciously reminiscent of spiked French toast in a glass. 900 Meadowood Lane, St. Helena; 877-963-3646; meadowood.com
Enjoy a drink with your lunch at this restaurant housed in a former nursery barn. Menu highlights include grass-fed beef, organic produce and estate-grown wine sourced from the restaurant’s own sustainable, off-site properties. Bonus: The bar program follows a farm-to-flute mantra. The Agua Fresca incorporates Farmstead’s own cucumbers, lemon verbena, strawberries and lemon. Plus, all of the bar’s infused liquors are homemade; don’t skip the chai-infused rum or lavender-laced vodka. 738 Main St., St. Helena; 707-963-4555; longmeadowranch.com
PRESS ST. HELENA
Summer Smoke
Make a dinner reservation at this elegant St. Helena restaurant, but come early to explore the eatery’s inventive mixed drinks. “Our bar program uses ingredients that connect us to the surrounding wine country,” says head bartender Nathan Sundquist. The mezcal-based Summer Smoke, for example, is rimmed with salt smoked with wood from chardonnay barrels. 587 St. Helena Highway, St. Helena; 707-967-0550; pressnapavalley. com
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THE GIRL & THE FIG It doesn’t get more hyper-local than this. In Sonoma, classic cocktails come with a contemporary twist at this French-inflected restaurant, which sources many ingredients from its own staff's gardens (including produce from owner Sondra Bernstein’s farm). The Bee’s Knees is a must-order this summer; it combines Meyer lemon-infused gin, honey, lemon juice and dried lavender for a taste that leaves you feeling both refreshed and refined. 110 W. Spain St., Sonoma; 707-9383634; thegirlandthefig.com
French Margarita
HARVEST TABLE For a nightcap in Napa, think outside the wine bottle and head to chef Charlie Palmer’s breezy restaurant, connected to the Harvest Inn. Imbibers can opt for a French margarita or any of the other creative, California wine-based cocktails on the alfresco patio. Fun fact: The wine-centric libations were created by lead bartender Joel Pfeifle as the restaurant — which opened a year ago — awaited its hard liquor license. Try the DIY Garden Mimosa Kit; perfect for day drinkers or guests of the hotel, it includes a bottle of Domaine Chandon Brut Library Dosage sparkling wine and three house-made juices. The kit can be delivered to your room in a repurposed, Pinterestperfect box. 1 Main St., St. Helena; 707-967-4695; harvesttablenapa.com
Bee’s Knees
La Adelita
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What’s a trip to California without paying homage to some south-of-the-border sips? Make a stop at this edgy Guerneville drinking den in Sonoma County, inspired by owner Crista Luedtke’s passion for Mexico. In addition to mezcal tasting flights and bar snacks including Mexican deviled eggs, sultry tequila cocktails like the La Adelita are go-to drinks for nearby vintners, proving there’s more to love near these vineyards than wine. 16230 Main St., Guerneville; 707-604-7601; elbarriobar.com
Mojito
PAIGE GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY; GIRL & THE FIG; KELLY PULIEO
EL BARRIO
FEED YOUR SOUL AMERICA’S FARM-TO-FORK CAPITAL At dawn, a farmer carefully selects the ripest pears from her orchard and hops into her truck. After a few laughs and a handshake, a chef gets to work. Later that day, a couple smiles as they share a pear tart. Life is sweeter in Sacramento.
Start Your Experience at visitsacramento.com/usatoday
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Manchester Craft and Design Centre This exhibition space features local artists and a café. craftanddesign. com
Industrial Strength Manchester is England’s emerging arts and culture hub
JYNARRA BRINSON
T
BY ADRIENNE JORDAN
he manufacturing hub of Manchester, known as England’s “Capital of the North,” suffered massive economic downturns after World War II and into the 1980s, but in recent decades has experienced a cultural boom that has made the city a vibrant cosmopolitan attraction for tourists from around the world. The local Mancunians are proud of their city, Chicago to London’s New York — a center of the Industrial Revolution
filled with fabulous art galleries, beautiful Victorian buildings and a newly thriving art culture. Start your visit with a walking tour to get a feel for the city’s personality. “One of Manchester’s virtues for tourists is the fact that it is a complex city and not an obvious one,” says Jonathan Schofield, the guide for my walking tour, which begins at Albert Square in the city’s heart. This particular tour, titled A Manchester Walking Tour: Radicals, Pioneers and Rabbit Holes, explored the biennial
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Manchester International Festival features new works from artists of all genres at the next edition in 2017. mif.co.uk
UNITED KINGDOM
ENGLAND MANCHESTER LONDON
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take a 15-minute ride from the city center to The Quays in the neighborhood of Salford Quays, a borough within the Greater Manchester metropolitan area. It’s home to a thriving waterfront destination known as MediaCityUK, a creative digital and media hub with uber-modern museums and office buildings gracing the skyline. I take advantage of free admission to the IWM North, which is part of the national Imperial War Museum network. The avant-garde structure was built on a site that was bombed in World War II. International architect Daniel Libeskind designed it to reflect the museum’s mission of portraying the stories of lives shaped by war and conflict. The permanent exhibition The Big Picture Show was the most moving: Surround-sound and projected images of war on 27-foot-high walls created an unsettling sensory experience.
A CITY PROUD OF LOCAL ART Across the way sits The Lowry arts center, home to the U.K.’s largest collection of paintings by Mancunian artist LS Lowry, more than 400 in all. The artist’s stunning works include poignant mill scenes and industrial landscapes; I marvel at how he accomplished this with a palette that included very few colors — flake white,
JYNARRA BRINSON; MAP, MIRANDA PELLICANO
Art fair
Manchester International Festival (mif.co.uk). The festival — during which the square is renamed “Festival Square” — is a 10-day lineup of performing and visual arts, pop culture and more. In 2015, the festival featured singers FKA Twigs and Björk, physicist Brian Cox (the United Kingdom’s equivalent of Neil DeGrasse Tyson) plus contemporary plays and ballets. The next one happens in 2017. Schofield’s MIF tour — one of more than 20 creatively themed tours he conducts around the city — lasts 90 minutes and touches on Manchester’s popular attractions and hidden places. I learn that Manchester was known as the least-aristocratic town in the U.K. during the 19th century because of its large working class. I also spot an unexpected sight in Lincoln Square — a statue of Abraham Lincoln, a commemoration of Manchester’s strong support of the Union during the Civil War via an economically devastating boycott of cotton picked by slaves. After the tour ends, I hop in a taxi and
ivory, black, vermilion, Prussian blue and yellow ochre. The Lowry also boasts two theaters where you can catch drama, ballet, opera, comedy, music and family shows.
MUSIC, FOOD AND MORE After exploring the attractions along the pier — which range from gift shops to galleries — I decide to have lunch at Damson MediaCityUK, the first independent restaurant to arrive at The Quays. The Damson’s stunning elevator transports you to the dining area for floor-to-ceiling views of the pier. The grilled cod supreme, charred sprouting broccoli, and mussel and cockle chowder entrée fulfills my desire for expertly crafted British fare. Being an arts and culture fanatic, I move on to the Manchester Art Gallery. The Gallery of Costume is particularly impressive, holding top-end couture pieces from Schiaparelli and Chanel, as well as British designers Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood. I stop by several halls to take in the fine art from 19th-century British artists as well as craft and design dating from
1,100 B.C. The Northern Quarter is Manchester’s new hipster neighborhood. After a post-World War I decline in commerce, it has recently become a bohemian hive of activity with the conversion of mills and warehouses into retail space, restaurants and clubs. I venture to the Manchester Craft and Design Centre, an exhibition space of leading national and international designers. The Linzi Ramsden Ceramics studio within the Centre showcases avant-garde wall pieces, and the Tracey Birchwood collection features beaded jewelry of semiprecious stones. If I had more space in my luggage, I would take home a painting from the Northern Scapes collection by Jessica Owen. I end my day at Gorilla, a theaterturned-restaurant and live music venue, and savor an all-meat burger minced and formed in-house. I stay for the live music, which takes place from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. The infectious sounds of young indie band Sundara Karma create a perfect soundtrack for a reflection on the dynamic culture, art and music of Manchester.
Manchester Punk Festival
IF YOU GO: Jonathan Schofield Tours jonathanschofieldtours.com
Imperial War Museums iwm.org.uk
Lowry Arts Centre thelowry.com
Damson MediaCityUK mediacity.damsonrestaurant.co.uk
Manchester Art Gallery manchesterartgallery.org
Manchester Craft and Design Centre craftanddesign.com
Gorilla thisisgorilla.com
OTHER SITES TO SEE:
OLI SCARFF/AFP/GETTY IMAGES; JYNARRA BRINSON (2)
THE WHITWORTH ART GALLERY
PROPER TEA
Proper Tea offers a contemporary take on the traditional British tearoom, serving fine loose-leaf teas alongside handmade treats. Try the Jasmine Fairies Performing Flower Tea, where an actual jasmine flower unravels within the clear pot before your eyes. properteadeveloper.com
The Whitworth reopened recently after a multimillion-dollar renovation. Current exhibits include a retrospective of British textile designer Tibor Reich and Visions of the Front 1916-18, marking the World War I centenary. manchester.ac.uk/whitworth MACDONALD MANCHESTER HOTEL & SPA
Macdonald Manchester Hotel & Spa is the city’s largest four-star hotel with an on-site restaurant (Scottish Steakhouse), the Harmony & Serenity Spa and free Wi-Fi. macdonaldhotels.co.uk/manchester
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A tasty treat Butter tarts have inspired festivals and even a driving tour.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
DONAIR As a late-night party snack, the donair covers all the bases: it’s sweet and savory, tasty, portable and goes down well with adult beverages. Similar to a gyro or kebab sandwich, this five-napkin nosh is filled with spiced ground beef that’s shaped into a large loaf, spitroasted, and then shaved and seared. The meat is layered on a pita with tomatoes and onions, then topped with a sauce made of evaporated milk, vinegar, garlic powder and sugar. uTRY IT HERE Do like the Haligonians do and get your donair fix at the famous downtown Pizza Corner at the junction of Blowers and Grafton streets.
Throughout Quebec
TOURTIÈRE
Beyond Poutine ONTARIO TOURISM; THINKSTOCK
Eat your way across Canada, in 9 easy dishes
S
BY DIANE BAIR AND PAMELA WRIGHT
urely you’ve heard of poutine, that delightfully indulgent combo of French fries, cheese curds and gravy that’s a Quebec favorite. But have you experienced the messy joys of a donair, the sugar rush of a schmoo torte or the savory pleasures of tourtière? These are among the culinary treats that await visitors to our friendly neighbor to the north.
Stuff a double crust with minced pork, beef, veal or wild game, plus onions, parsley, celery, carrots and a sprinkle of nutmeg — among other ingredients — and you’ve got a hearty dish that graces many a holiday table in the province. Follow it with a dessert of maple syrup pie, another local favorite, and you’ve got a pie two-fer! Nothing wrong with that, eh? uTRY IT HERE At Aux Anciens Canadiens in Quebec City. 34 Rue Saint Louis; 418-692-1627; auxancienscanadiens.qc.ca
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CANADA
Nanaimo bar
Montreal, Quebec
Throughout Ontario
BAGELS
BUTTER TART
Cut the carbs later. Montreal bagels are light, egg-y, slightly sweet and chewy. These toothsome, hand-rolled orbs are poached in honey-sweetened water before they’re baked in a wood-fired oven. Montreal’s oldest bagel bakeries have been doing this since 1919, so they know their stuff.
This quintessentially Canadian dessert, traced back to pioneer times, is so beloved that it has spawned festivals and a driving tour. The tiny tarts are a simple combination of butter, sugar, syrup and egg baked into a pastry until semi-solid, with a crunchy top.
Two of the oldest bagel shops around, Fairmount Bagel and St-Viateur Bagel.17 Fairmount West; 514-2720667; fairmountbagel.com; 263 St-Viateur West; 514-276-8044; stviateurbagel.com. Or head to Beautys Luncheonette for a Beautys Special bagel sandwich. 93 Mont-Royal West; 514-849-8883; beautys.ca uTRY IT HERE
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uTRY IT HERE Sample all the buttery deliciousness you can handle along the self-guided Butter Tart Trail. 866-848-3620; simplyexplore.ca/the-buttertart-trail.html
Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, Quebec
FRESH CHEDDAR CHEESE CURD How to snack like a local as you admire the gorgeous Saguenay fjord: Treat yourself to a bag of fresh, still-warm cheddar cheese curd. (Curd = cheese minus the whey.) Eat it quickly or the curds lose their characteristic “squeak.” uTRY IT HERE Find small bags of fresh cheese curd at corner stores called dépanneurs. La Fromagerie Boivin is a popular brand; you can tour the factory. 2152 Chemin St-Joseph, La Baie; 418-544-2622; fromagerieboivin.com
ST-VIATEUR BAGEL; DESTINATION BC; THINKSTOCK
St-Viateur Bagel
Whitefish
Canadian cuisine runs the gamut from the breakfast and lunch delight that is a Montreal bagel to the delicious treat of a Nanaimo bar to a healthy dinner of whitefish.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
SCHMOO TORTE If you like the sound of angel food cake layered with whipped cream, pecans and caramel sauce, this one’s a schmoo-in. This tasty dessert has roots in the Jewish community and is a staple of bar/bat mitzvahs. uTRY IT HERE Don’t want to crash a bar mitzvah? Try Baked Expectations.161 Osborne St.; 204-452-5176; bakedexpectations.ca
Throughout Alberta
WILD GAME
Northwest Territories
Vancouver, British Columbia
WHITEFISH
NANAIMO BAR
What’s white on the inside, silver on the outside and the pride of the Northwest Territories? You got it — whitefish, fresh from the frigid lakes. You can sample the salmon cousin with a sweet, delicate taste either deep-fried or grilled, but pan-fried is the way to go, for either dinner or a shore lunch.
Named for its origin city on Vancouver Island, this no-bake treat consists of a wafer-crumb layer topped with custardflavored icing and covered in melted chocolate. Bakers make many variations, but nothing beats the original.
J.F. BERGERON/NWTT; THINKSTOCK
uTRY IT HERE At
Bullocks' Bistro, a legendary fish shack in Yellowknife. 3534 Weaver Dr.; 867-873-3474; facebook.com/pages/BullocksBistro/132929486735798
uTRY IT HERE At
one, or all, of the stops along the self-guided Nanaimo Trail, where the options include Nanaimo cocktails, lattes, spring rolls and ice cream sandwiches. nanaimo.ca/assets/Business/ PDFs/NanaimoBarTrail.pdf
Venison, bison, caribou and elk are star players in Canadian Rocky Mountain cuisine. Top chefs add a modern spin to the meats that were a staple for indigenous people in the region. (Wild boar ribs with blueberry ancho chili sauce, anyone?) uTRY IT HERE Normand’s in Edmonton, known for its selection of exotic game (including the aforementioned wild boar ribs). 11639 Jasper Ave.; 780-4822600; normands.com
Yukon Territory
BIRCH SYRUP Move over, maple! The syrup of the birch tree has a darker, stronger, richer flavor than its familiar cousin. It takes twice as much sap to make birch syrup as it does to make maple. uTRY IT HERE Look
for a brand called Uncle Berwyn’s.yukonbirch.ca
203
CANADA
Road Tripping on The Rock Three drives through Newfoundland’s remote wilderness, coastal fishing villages and historic sites
CANADA NEWFOUNDLAND ST. JOHN’S
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT BERNARDI
L
ike a wizard casting a magic spell, fishing guide Peter Michael’s fluid arm movement makes the line loop back, unfurl ahead, suspend over the rushing water and land softly in the Humber River on Newfoundland’s Great
204 GO ESCAPE | SUMMER 2016
Northern Peninsula. The river is swollen and fast, but Atlantic salmon are still jumping Big Falls in Sir Richard Squires Memorial Provincial Park. It’s my turn. My squiggly cast makes it look like I’m flinging silly string. Shadows of towering fir trees grow taller in the sinking sun’s slanted orange light.
Michael says, “We’ve seen ‘em risin’. None bitin’. But anything can happen now in the witching hour.” I’ve waded into a Newfoundlander’s wild world ruled by fickle fish, weather’s whim and nature’s rhythm. While I never caught a salmon, these three drives got me hooked on the friendly people of this far-flung North Atlantic island.
“This is as beautiful as the Pacific Coast Highway, but without traffic,” says my friend, Annette Thompson. We’re on a girls’ road trip in August, yet few cars or RVs share Route 430 in Gros Morne National Park on the northern peninsula’s west coast along the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Newfoundland is affectionately called “The Rock,” and Gros Morne’s geological formations show why. The park, a 697-square-mile UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its stark Tablelands display proof that supercontinent Pangaea once
MAP: MIRANDA PELLICANO
ROCK MEETS SEA IN GROS MORNE
CANADA
Watch the sun set in Gros Morne National Park from the Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse, on a rocky point overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
existed and colliding plate tectonics heaved chunks of the Earth’s mantle to the surface. Take Route 431 there, and continue to beachfront fishing hamlet Trout River’s wharf of brightly painted fishing boats and stacked lobster traps. Visitor centers and ranger-led hikes explain Gros Morne’s geology, wildlife, indigenous Inuit peoples and European settlements. The 1897 Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse museum showcases seafaring people’s lives, dependent upon subsistence farming and fishing to survive in Newfoundland’s harsh environment. Exhibits explain islanders’ traditions, artisan crafts, faerie folklore and foods such as salted cod, seal flipper pies and
bakeapple jam. On a walk to Western Brook Pond, we stopped to join a local family picking bakeapple, wild berries commonly known also as cloudberry, in a squishy peat bog. The boardwalk also passes through tangled tuckamore forests of stunted, gale-wind-twisted evergreens. At the dock, we board the popular fjord cruise through 2,000-foothigh granite cliffs awash in waterfalls. A bull moose swims past our bow, his massive spiky antlers held high, and a bald eagle flies overhead. There’s a theater performance in the town of Cow Head, but we’ve seen nature’s show today. We stay at our wooded campsite at Shallow Bay around a crackling campfire.
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BONAVISTA PENINSULA’S SEAFARING HISTORY
This little red shed is a prime site for what Newfoundlanders call “shed parties,” where locals and visitors alike gather for good times, live music and drink.
When a Newfoundlander says fish, he means Atlantic cod. Historic sites on the Bonavista Peninsula tell the island’s fish tale. Turn off the Trans-Canada Highway and follow Route 230 north, stopping at outports, the local word for fishing villages. An 1843 striped lighthouse crowns a rocky cape pummeled by big surf. Here in 1497, explorer John Cabot made landfall discovering Newfoundland. But Cabot’s most famous discovery was cod in coastal waters, thus sparking a five-century fishing frenzy. Tour quiet Bonavista’s once-bustling fishery merchant’s complex, now the Ryan Premises National Historic Site. Elliston on Route 238 is known as “The Root Cellar Capital of the World,” boasting elfin, sod-roofed huts burrowed into rocky headlands where pudgy puffins nest. The Home from the Sea sealers interpretation centre thoughtfully explains Newfoundland’s sealing history and perils. Trinity is a bayside village of restored 1800s buildings housing museums, artisans and the acclaimed Rising Tide Theatre. Cliff-clinging Route 239 twists to fogbound New Bonaventure, filming location of the 2001 Kevin Spacey movie The Shipping News.
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CANADA
Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism 800-563-6353; newfoundland labrador.com
Reserve camp sites at Parks Canada 877-737-3783; pc.gc.ca
The Lighthouse at Ferryland Head
WILDERNESS AND SETTLEMENT ON THE AVALON PENINSULA
In Salmonier Nature Park, wooden boardwalks thread through boreal forest past spacious enclosures harboring rehabilitating owls.
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We pitched our tent at the Irish Loop Resort 40 minutes south of St. John’s, Newfoundland’s capital and the largest city in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Karin Power, a weekend resident of this RV community, says, “We’re just far enough away here where the stars shine bright and real life happens.” At the resort’s dance (called a scuff), Power orchestrated a “Screech In” ceremony, making us honorary Newfoundlanders. Dressed like fishermen in sou’wester floppy yellow hats and rain coats, we kissed a cod’s slimy lips, nibbled hardtack and bologna, swigged Jamaican rum (a local high-alcohol version known as “Screech”) and learned Newfoundlander phrases. The next day we drove the 194-mile Irish
Loop, a coastal road composed of Routes 90 and 10 ringing the Avalon Peninsula. We stopped at Salmonier Nature Park — a wildlife rehabilitation center — and the early 17th century Colony of Avalon archaeological site, artifacts museum and lighthouse in Ferryland. Witless Bay Ecological Preserve cruises get close to frolicking humpback and minke whales as well as North America’s largest Atlantic puffin colony. Icebergs silently float past on the frigid sea that swallowed the RMS Titanic in 1912 about 300 miles off the Newfoundland coast. The Cape Race wireless station, at the peninsula's southern end, transmitted the ship’s SOS. Caribou herds graze in the Avalon Wilderness Preserve’s lichen-coated barrens laced with streams and littered by boulders glaciers left behind. Whales feed in deep seas just beyond sprawling St. Vincent’s Beach. Here, I stack a cairn tower of smooth oval stones marking my place on The Rock, a faraway island of newfound friends. ●
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MEXICO
Las Ventanas al Paraiso
Paradise Found One woman’s search for an authentic Los Cabos experience
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LOS CABOS
MEXICO MEXICO CITY
can do it. With all the grace of a newborn deer, I rise to my feet. And then I break surfing’s cardinal rule: I look down. In seconds, I’m gulping salt water and
watching my board flail in the spray. So much for fitting in. My goal for this trip is to be an explorer, not a tourist. There are already plenty of tourists here, most of them American. In fact, some complain Los Cabos is more like Southern California than Baja California. But there is authentic culture here if you look for it, a local community that works and plays and passes along its heritage, and I want to at least begin to understand it. Don’t get me wrong: I like sitting in a lounge chair and sipping standardorder tequila as much as the next overstressed girl. But on this trip, I’d like to experience some things I can’t replicate north of the border.
BLAKE MARVIN; MAP: MIRANDA PELLICANO
H
ere comes the wave. I am lying prostrate on a longboard in the Sea of Cortez, toes pointed toward the approaching crest. The water around me is speckled with surfers — some expats, some natives. I am in Los Cabos on vacation, trying to fit in with the locals. I have never surfed in my life. The wave curling toward me is mine for the taking, and all eyes are on me. As I paddle, I feel the momentum behind me. The board is now moving on its own. I need to stand, but I am terrified. So I kneel. “¡Puedes hacerlo!” a surfer shouts. You
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MEXICO
Huic
ho
l
d "Hwee-CHO nce AL ou " n o r p
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At Las Ventanas al Paraiso, visitors can create versions of native Huichol art with the help of Matziwa, above, who teaches his people's techniques.
ceremony in his youth, when the gods declared he would one day be a shaman, a medicine man possessing special spiritual powers. “Is he a shaman now?” I ask. No, I’m told. Huichol shamans must abstain from breakfast, salt and sex, and Matziwa wasn’t willing to give those up. Can’t say I blame him. For the next two hours, Matziwa and I chat through a translator as we transform a small wooden turtle’s waxed shell into a colorful flower, carefully placing hundreds of beads onto the wax with the tip of a wooden needle. Once you get into it, it’s surprisingly enjoyable work. I order a margarita to sip as I sort beads and Matziwa grins, exposing a few silver teeth. He can appreciate the taste of a little salt. My last day in Cabo, I wake up and decide I’ll forgo dinner at a restaurant that night in favor of a traditional Mexican barbacoa that will be held in Las Ventanas’ herb garden. At noon, I walk to the garden and meet executive chef Fabrice Guisset, a Frenchman who has lived in Mexico nearly 20 years. He holds a steel basket filled with the meat of a locally raised lamb; it’s blanketed with giant maguey leaves to
THINKSTOCK; ALLISON ENTREKIN
My resort, Las Ventanas al Paraiso, is eager to help me. Besides arranging surf lessons at Nine Palms (a break favored by locals), they’ve also suggested another way to have an authentic experience: Create Huichol art. The Huichol people (pronounced Hwee-CHOAL) are Aztec descendants who hail from several Mexican states just across the gulf from tranquil San Jose del Cabo. For centuries, they’ve created crafts with beaded designs that reflect their spiritual visions. Las Ventanas employs a Huichol man named Matziwa, and he’s promised to teach me the basics of his people’s art. I find him in a courtyard at the resort wearing a brightly embroidered muslin Las Ventanas al shirt. He’s sitting Paraiso offers behind a display of a number of wooden skulls and once-in-a-lifeanimals decorated time Los Cabos experiences with beads that form for its guests. stars, flowers and rosewoodhotels. circles. Through a com/lasventanas translator, Matziwa asks me which of the bead designs I prefer. The flower one, I tell him. He smiles. The flower, he says, represents a hallucinogenic plant he ate during a
ALLISON ENTREKIN; ROSEWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS; ALLISON ENTREKIN
Mexican barbacoa made with lamb is a traditional treat; eating it in a gorgeous outdoor setting adds to the experience. keep it moist. Nearby, a large underground charcoal pit emits air so hot it shimmers. “I don’t like big sheep,” Guisset tells me as he hooks the basket onto cables above the pit and cranks a handle to lower it. “Eating sheep for barbacoa is traditional, but I go with a young lamb because it’s more tender.” Guisset covers the pit with a metal lid, then buries it beneath sand and blankets so the flavor is trapped inside. He tells me to leave for a few hours while the meat cooks. When I return that evening, he uncovers the pit and raises the basket to the surface. The air is thick with gamey scent, and when he peels away the leaves, many of the lamb’s bones lie exposed — the meat has literally glided off them. I sit at a table in the garden with several other resort guests, drizzle lime juice on my lamb and savor its smoky taste as candles flicker and tequila is poured. Of all the things I thought I’d eat in Los Cabos, lamb wasn’t on the list. I smile at being a part of something that feels unexpected. On this trip, I’ve experienced a touch of authentic Los Cabos — and I still got to drink plenty of tequila.
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Colorful Curaçao Beyond its gorgeous beaches, this Caribbean island boasts an unexpected art scene worthy of exploration BY ALEXIS KORMAN
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C
uraçao’s name is thought to reference the Portuguese word for “heart” — and it’s easier to fall in love with the island than ever before. Undergoing a cultural renaissance that encompasses expanded gastronomic offerings, an abundance of live music festivals and an
outstanding arts scene, Curaçao has wide appeal for visitors in 2016. The modern Avila Beach Hotel in Willemstad is a fine base for soaking up the island’s culture. Peppered with bronze sculptures and in-room art created by local painters, it plays host to numerous musicians for onsite classical concerts. Stop by its Blues Bar & Restaurant — a
wood-paneled structure decorated with vintage album cover prints — for jazz on a raised stage Thursday nights. Within walking distance of the hotel is the up-and-coming Pietermaai District, a neighborhood chock-full of whimsical street paintings, music venues including the Miles Jazz Café (after Miles Davis) and eclectic restaurants.
CURAÇAO TOURISM BOARD
CARIBBEAN
MAP: MIRANDA PELLICANO
Handelskade waterfront in Willemstad
Visit the funky, Cubaninspired Mundo Bizarro; its plates are as artfully decorated as its dining rooms. And aim to sit under the mural of Che Guevara on the upstairs balcony to catch a breeze and live tunes. All visitors to the island should budget a full day to explore Willemstad on foot; its historic areas, inner city and harbor were added to UNESCO’s World
Heritage List in 1997. Rich in history and cultural influences derived from its Dutch colonization and trade with Spain and Portugal, the cityscape is a riot of color and personality. Accented by pastel buildings dating back to the 17th century and surrounded by turquoise waters, Willemstad offers photo opps at every turn. Don’t miss the floating market for shots of
CURAÇAO
WILLEMSTAD
CARIBBEAN ISLANDS
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CARIBBEAN
Avila Beach Hotel
IF YOU GO: Avila Beach Hotel Penstraat 130, Willemstad; avilahotel.com
Den Paradera Seru Grandi 105 A, Banda Ariba; dinahveeris.com (in Dutch)
Gallery Alma Blou Frater Radulphusweg 4, Willemstad; galleryalmablou. com
Miles Jazz Café Nieuwestraat 42, Willemstad; facebook.com/milescuracao
My art is absolutely inspired by the island's landscape, colors and textures, like coral.”
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▲ Mundo Bizarro Nieuwestraat 12, Willemstad; mundobizarrocuracao.com
Nena Sanchez Windstraat 15, Willemstad; nenasanchez.com
NOT-TO-MISS FESTIVALS: CURAÇAO INTERNATIONAL CULINARY FESTIVAL
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BERBER VAN BEEK; CURAÇAO TOURISM BOARD
landhuis, or plantation house, and offers a rustic wooden ships that sail from nearby selection of local and Caribbean pieces). Venezuela; vendors hawk tropical fruits “We have an eclectic art scene here,” and handmade crafts. says Spijkstra. “Curaçao has only 150,000 The capital city may be a hub for inhabitants, but visitors are usually galleries, but art in Curaçao manages to surprised when they find spill out onto the streets. out how many good visual Nena Sanchez’s work, for exartists we have in all fields, ample, can’t be contained to including painting, bronze, her store: Her bird and leaf ceramics, graffiti, sculpting, motifs climb the walls of the textile, jewelry, collages and nearby public 7 square, and even trash art.” her iconic, oversized Chichi Add healing arts to that doll sculptures — which growing list. In between symbolize the love and care gallery-hopping, soaking up of an older sister — stand tunes and hitting the island’s watch on sidewalks sparkling white sand beaches, Visitors catch glimpses of visitors shouldn’t miss a stop the island’s inventiveness at Den Paradera. Travelers can in unexpected places, too, such as the walls around stroll through the sculptureparking lots, where Garrick filled gardens — run by Marchena paints realistic celebrated herbalist (and local — ELLEN SPIJKSTRA murals with an urban twist. TV star) Dinah Veeris — learn Curaçao’s cultural melting about the healing properties pot and naturally vibrant vistas seem to of the island’s herbs and even pick up a attract creative types to live, work and “love potion” or two. On these beautiful play. “My art is absolutely inspired by the grounds, workers can be heard singing island’s landscape, colors and textures, ancient folk songs thought to encourage like coral,” says local artist Ellen Spijkstra, plants to grow. whose photography can be seen at Gallery With any luck after a trip to Curaçao, Alma Blou, said to be the island’s oldest your appreciation for the island’s culture gallery (it’s located inside a stately former will grow a bit, too. ●
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CARIBBEAN
Conched Out Explore the taste and culture of the British West Indies on a Turks & Caicos conch tour
Visit the conch farms and take a tour, top right, to see how this tasty food with its pretty shell is grown.Conchs are similar to scallops.
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W
ho ever heard of trained sea snails? If you visit the Caicos Conch Farm, you will. Jerry and Sally will come out of their distinctive pink football-size shells to hang with visitors at what once was the world’s only commercial conch farm and research facility. The pink shack by the sea still welcomes you to meet the colorful duo and to learn about the farming and research of conchs, a major food source in the islands. Unusual name aside, conchs — pronounced “konks” — are the symbol of the Caribbean. While you might find conchs from Key West to Brazil, the Turks & Caicos
JERALD COUNCIL
BY ANNETTE THOMPSON
CARIBBEAN ISLANDS
TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS
CAICOS CONCH FARM
FARMING PRESERVES
95%
JERALD COUNCIL; ANNETTE THOMPSON: MAP; MIRANDA PELLICANO
OF CONCHS FOR HARVEST
islands are ground zero for the gastropod. Even the locals describe themselves as “conchs,” and islanders mark tees with conch shells at the Provo Golf Club. On the Caicos Conch Farm tour, you’ll learn how the nearendangered queen conch with its bright pink shell can be cultivated
to remove pressure from the fisheries. Using seaside pens, the farm raises conchs from eggs. “We collect the eggs and bring them to the hatchery,” says Denver, one of the guides on my tour. “In the wild, hatchlings float like a butterfly on the sea and up to 99 percent get eaten (leaving only 1 percent available to be fished). Here we save 95 percent. No predators in our hatchery.” This isn’t a tidy tour — expect fish farm smells and wet feet while walking between tanks, and there is still some damage from previous storms. But be sure to bring your camera along for Jerry and Sally’s photo op.
POST-FARM TASTING Next, head over to Da Conch Shack, a toes-in-the-sand eatery. You can cool off under swaying coconut palm trees and load up on chowder and conch fritters while sipping the infamous rum punch. Conch meat is mild and sweet, with a texture similar to scallops. “We keep everything as fresh as possible,” says chef Mark Clayton. “We have two pens offshore where we gather our conch every morning.” They also dish up local lobster and fish, and serve Johnny Fries, topped with black bean and pepper gravy and seasoned with salt harvested on the island. Displays of intricately carved shellfish hooks and jewelry as well as polished conchs entice you from your table to bring a trinket home. And while Da Shack’s rum punch may be infamous — you’ll have to order a pitcher and ask your server for the story — their T-shirts are simply famous. Keith Richards has been spotted in one, and they’ve been seen in the pages of Glamour magazine.
219
CARIBBEAN
FOLLOW THE CONCH Caicos Conch Farm Educational tours featuring the iconic conch plus newer fisheries for warm-water fish. u 649-946-5330; caicosconchfarm. net Provo Golf Club One of the Caribbean’s top 10 golf courses is also home to a wealth of native birds. u 877-699-3539; provogolfclub. com
The sugary sands of Grace Bay make a good landing spot at the end of a conch-filled day. The Ocean Club Resorts offer suites from studio-size to three-bedroom expanses; the larger suites promise pool, garden and ocean views. While the accommodations are divine — especially the screened porches that catch trade winds for napping (so you can sleep off the rum punch) — the dining rooms turn the conch
into world-class meals. Don’t miss the ceviche, which tosses conch with sweet peppers, tomato and red onion in a spicy citrus sauce; the salad, which douses marinated conch with a lime sauce over fiery red and green Scotch bonnet peppers; or the home-style cracked conch that adds local peas and rice.
TOOTING YOUR OWN CONCH Another way to end an afternoon in the conch capital is to snorkel into the sea and pull up
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your own sea shell snail — and maybe enjoy a little fresh ceviche at sunset. Sail on Atabeyra, a 70-foot trading schooner, by yourself or with groups of up to 50. When the sun sinks into the turquoise sea, you can toot your own horn. Saw the knob off the end of a conch to make a mouthpiece. The sounding of the conch horn traditionally announces fish and lobster for sale. For you, it’s the announcement of making friends with the conch.
After a busy day of shopping for conch-related items and dining on meals ranging from ceviche to salad, take a break poolside.
Ocean Club Resorts Less than a 15-minute walk from the beach, this resort complex is a great place to relax. u800-457-8787; oceanclubresorts. com Atabeyra sailing charters Public sailing trips, private charters and more ways to hit the water on an elegant ship. u649-231-0624; sailatabeyra.com
ANNETTTE THOMPSON; OCEAN CLUB RESORT; THIKSTOCK
POST-CONCH COMFORT
Da Conch Shack “Classic,” “sexiest,” (read the website!) celebrity-laden — and there’s great food, too. u649-946-8877; daconchshack. com
FIGHTING THE NEVER-ENDING BATTLE FOR HASSLE-FREE TRAVEL! Read USA TODAY columnist Christopher Elliott for all the advice and tips you need to navigate the zany world of travel.
usatoday.com/christopherelliott NEWS
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Smarter. Faster. More Colorful.
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OPINION
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CRUISES
Costa Cruises' relaxing spa
Relax at Sea Cruise ships provide a luxury spa experience
I
n the early days of cruise ships, the spa was often no more than a dark, cramped room off the beauty parlor, with a massage as the only option. Even the famed Golden Door spa aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2 in the 1980s was just a windowless space in the middle of the ship, says cruise journalist/historian Peter Knego. But soon, shipboard spas began to rise through the ranks, and by the mid-1990s, an upscale spa was an expected amenity. Celebrity Cruises’ Century-class ships and their expansive spas, for example, helped make the words “thalassotherapy pool” part of the cruise lexicon — particularly once the 115,000-gallon saltwater pools were outfitted with bubbling jets. Today, spa fans will discover a delightful world where cruise ship spas rival their land-based cousins with the added benefit, in many cases, of ocean views. Steiner Leisure, a spa-service provider, operates
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spas on more than 150 cruise ships and 18 cruise lines, while the famous Canyon Ranch spa network runs SpaClubs at Sea for the Queen Mary 2, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas and Celebrity Cruises. On the newest and largest ships, you’ll find dozens of spa treatment rooms, relaxation lounges and changing areas that include sauna and steam rooms. “Thermal suites” are in vogue — oases of calm that contain a variety of environments so that you can relax in desert-style heat or lush, tropical warmth. Spa menus often feature a wealth of relaxing body and skin care treatments. Costa Cruises‘ The menu at the Canyon Asian-themed Ranch Spa & Salon on the spas include a Queen Mary 2, for instance, tepidarium, above, has more than 80 services a relaxing warm available, from facials for room used after a both men and women thermal bath.
COSTA CRUISES; THINKSTOCK
BY FRAN GOLDEN
LOC AT ION | REGION
Queen Mary 2 hydrotherapy pool
ONBOARD SPAS The Onboard Spa by Steiner
Costa Cruises’ Samsara suites
steinerleisure. com
costacruise.com
Canyon Ranch SpaClubs at Sea canyonranchdes tinations.com/ sea to skin detoxifiers. Some massages at Aurea Spas on MSC Cruises incorporate seashells. Viking Ocean’s Viking Star features the Snow Grotto, based on a Scandinavian tradition of mixing exposure to hot and cold temperatures to invigorate yourself. On one of the newest Princess Cruises ships, the Regal Princess, the massive Lotus Spa is centrally located near the restaurants and dining areas and includes hot stone therapy, ocean wraps and acupuncture treatments. Some cruise lines make the spa the destination. Book a Samsara cabin or suite on a Costa Cruises ship and get unlimited access to the spa facilities, plus special spa-related amenities in the rooms. Many of Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships offer suites designed
CUNARD LINE; THINKSTOCK
What to Know
Before you take to the waters, keep these tips and etiquette pointers in mind.
for easy access to the spa facilities, which include salt therapy chambers. Celebrity Cruise’s AquaClass staterooms not only have access to the spa’s Persian Garden thermal suite, but guarantee a seat at the ship’s exclusive restaurant, Blu. For those willing to spend quite a few dollars, luxury line Regent Seven Seas’ Seven Seas Explorer will provide what the company calls "the most luxurious cruise suite ever" when it launches later this year: the $10,000-per-night, 3,875-square-foot Regent Suite with two bedrooms, a sprawling living room and its own private spa retreat with personal sauna, steam room and treatment area.
Reservations Cruise lines prefer that passengers book spa treatments before boarding. But check out the spa and make sure the vibe is right. Do that first, so you’ll have time to make reservations.
Aurea Spas on MSC Cruises msccruisesusa. com/en-us/ cruise-informa tion/on-board. aspx
Viking Star vikingcruises. com/oceans/ ships/viking-star/ index.html
Princess Cruises’ Lotus Spa princess.com/ learn/onboard/ activities/ lotus_spa_fitness
Norwegian Cruise Line’s spa suites ncl.com/whycruise-nor wegian/cruiseaccommodations
Regent Seven Seas’ Regent Suite rssc.com/ships/ seven_seas_ explorer
Queen Mary 2 cunard.com
Celebrity Cruises’ AquaClass staterooms celebritycruises. com/onboardcelebrity/ staterooms-aquaclass-stateroom
— Contributing: Gene Sloan
Locker rooms Spas should have locker rooms where you can store items. You are typically given a robe. Many spas ask that you be naked for massages, but you can ask for disposable underwear.
Service During the massage, some therapists will speak in low tones or not at all, but others can be quite chatty. If this distracts from your experience, it’s perfectly OK to ask for silence.
Sales pitch In many spas, therapists are also salespeople. They may recommend expensive take-home products. Buy the products if you want, but saying no is also OK.
Gratuities An automatic 15 percent gratuity may be added. If a tip is not included, therapists do expect one in cash or added to your shipboard account — it’s part of their salary.
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ONE FOR THE ROAD
T
echnically, Mosquito Bay in Vieques, a tiny island a short ferry ride from Puerto Rico’s east coast, is populated by microscopic dinoflagellates, creatures that produce chemicals that when mixed with oxygen and then touched, cause a reaction that results in a 10-second flash of light. In reality, it’s magic. Dip your oar into Mosquito Bay on a nighttime kayak excursion, and the contact creates a ripple of sparks like Broadway turning on its marquees for the night. Spread your fingers and glide them through the water, and you’re Cinderella’s fairy godmother casting a spell, blue stars flying from your wand. It’s a rare confluence of natural events. Only a handful of places in the world have the correct combination of water depth and temperature, of climate and tides, and of nutrients to keep the microscopic organisms alive. The rare confluence leads to a rare experience. Your kayak skims across the bay, lightning in the distance, creating a wake of shimmering cerulean blue, a special effect no CGI program can match. Magic.
A Lasting Vacation Glow
GETTY IMAGES/STOCKTREK
— Elizabeth Neus
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