Why Lisbon should be on your bucket list
Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city, is often passed by for Paris, Barcelona and other touristy counterparts. Yet with its historic castles, public squares and amazing cuisine, the charming riverfront city is perfect for a short jaunt. I recently had the opportunity to enjoy my second visit to Lisbon, this time with a group of six friends. Our gang of curious travelers discovered quite a... READ MORE
Recharge, learn and play at Chautauqua
Last summer, I plunked myself in a classroom with 50 other adults and learned that bats’ wing bones are human-like fingers. The next day, I was immersed in a talk titled “Middle East Chaos.” The Chautauqua Institution in southwestern New York is like college without essays or exams — a week of screen-free indulgence in academics, arts, nature, recreation, meditation and... READ MORE
Whale watching up close is big in Baja
The large gray whale drew close to our boat. Crusty barnacles on its skin stood out like dense clusters of thread woven into an abstract tapestry. Several people scrambled to the side to lean over and touch the majestic beast as it sidled alongside. I could have either joined them or sit back and take photos. I opted for the latter, and I’m not sure I made the right choice. Whales of... READ MORE
This year is a good one to visit Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island’s capital city, aims to live up to its moniker as “The Creative Capital,” with an exceptional March — and year — planned for its visitors. The city’s Providence Culinary Collective, a four-day food and wine festival, returns March 26 to 29, celebrating the chefs, restaurants and makers shaping the city’s dining scene. Providence is positioning... READ MORE
SoCal’s Catalina Island has a magical vibe
Twenty-six miles across the sea, Santa Catalina is a-waiting for me. In 1957, the Four Preps crooned about an “island of romance” off the coast of southern California. Back then, the song caught the imagination of this anxious, tortured, barely pubescent 14-year-old with visions of swaying palm trees, balmy breezes and California blondes. Now, 70 years later, an older, wizened... READ MORE
Ride the new Maya Train through Mexico
A new rail line spanning the circumference of Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula now offers easy access from Cancún to many of the lovely, less-visited towns of the region. Called Tren Maya, the rail line was completed in December 2024 at a cost of $20 billion. Among its 24 stations are Cancún International Airport; Izamal, with its Mayan pyramids; and Valladolid, a Spanish colonial city... READ MORE
Why Chesapeake Beach is my go-to escape
Sometimes you just need a getaway that doesn’t require a plane ticket, a strategy or more than a small suitcase. For me, that place is Chesapeake Beach, Maryland — a town where I can breathe, write and remember what peace feels like. I discovered Chesapeake Beach about four years ago, when a friend invited me down for the day. As we drove south from Baltimore, the scenery turned... READ MORE
In winter, the beach is a peaceful retreat
Winter at 40-ish degrees had arrived, and I inched toward the ocean through two traffic jams to escape Washington, D.C. Clutching the steering wheel on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, I plowed on through the Maryland countryside in a steady, dreary rain. At my Ocean City hotel check-in, the clerk chirped, “You have a great view of the ocean, and your room is all warmed up.” This was a... READ MORE
Escape the winter in the Cayman Islands
When Mother Nature is battering us with winter’s chill, some of us dream of a Caribbean getaway. I recently visited the Cayman Islands and found that, along with typical sun, sand and surf attractions, these three islands have a wide choice of enticing things to see and do. Their name comes from the Arawak-Taíno people, who visited the islands and called them “Caiman” (crocodile)... READ MORE
We missed the olive harvest but loved Greece
Less than an hour after my wife, Mary, and I arrived in Athens, we hit the road again, jet lag aside. We hopped aboard a bus for a twisty, three-hour ride to Kalamata. For my wife, seeing the renowned olive-growing region in the southern Peloponnese, between the Gulf of Messenia and the foothills of the Taygetos Mountains, had been on her bucket list for years. Her late mother,... READ MORE
