The many denizens of Palm Beach, Fla.
Florida’s Palm Beach and nearby communities have long been a favored destination of wealthy luminaries, industry power houses and high-profile politicos. The rich and famous are likely drawn to the area’s hidden estates cloistered behind thick hedges, carefully manicured landscapes, Mediterranean-revival mansions, championship golf courses, expensive resorts, and miles and miles of... READ MORE
What are frequent-flyer miles worth?
A few years back, some economist with nothing better to do calculated that frequent-flyer miles were the world’s third or fourth largest currency. The total value of miles in circulation can only have increased since then. But calculating aggregate value doesn’t really help anyone: The real test is how much miles are worth to you, individually. And that’s a surprisingly complicated ... READ MORE
The friendly, beautiful towns of Provence
Some places are more than a destination. Provence, nestled in the southeastern corner of France, immerses visitors in a placid, captivating lifestyle. Although the nearby Cote d’Azur and French Riviera have many advocates, visitors may encounter traffic and crowded, blanket-to-blanket beaches. By contrast, in the tiny towns and even smaller villages of Provence, a Maryland-sized... READ MORE
Tips for taming the most hostile airport
In your day-to-day life, you seldom encounter an environment as hostile as that of a big airport. Even if your home airport is, like mine, small and friendly, you’ll likely encounter big-field hostility at your destination, connecting point, or both. Fortunately, you can help avoid some of the worst hostilities with a little forethought — and usually a few extra bucks. Parking. If ... READ MORE
Delaware’s beaches delight in wintertime
A trip to the beach in winter can combine both peace and play. For the peace, sit and watch the waves roll in, gulls glide by and clouds float over the sea. In the off-season, the sun-screened partying crowd is likely gone, and youngsters are in school. But there are also playful events that can spark the holiday spirits. Lewes, Delaware, puts on an outdoor light show between December ... READ MORE
Asheville, N. Carolina: Artsy and eclectic
Thomas Wolfe set his autobiographical novel Look Homeward, Angel in the sprawling Victorian boarding house he grew up in a century ago in Asheville. Today, legions of tourists look toward this small western North Carolina city for its thriving farm-to-table restaurant scene, dozens of art galleries and quirky vibe. Dubbed the Paris of the South, the city of 93,000 residents surrounded ... READ MORE
Europe, anyone? What you need to know
“Europe is Opening.” So proclaim postings from travel mavens and destination advocates, and it probably is accurate. But “opening” is kind of a loose concept — and, in the case of European travel — a moving target. Chances are that many of you may want to visit Europe over the holidays, and probably even more are thinking about visiting in spring or summer of 2022. Right... READ MORE
Reminiscences of Paris’ Champs-Élysées
As we’ve had to postpone our travels because of the pandemic, I believe a weekly dose of travel dreaming can be good medicine. Here’s one of my favorite memories from Paris — a reminder of the fun that awaits us at the other end of this crisis. I have a ritual when in Paris. I ask my cabbie to take me around the Arc de Triomphe two times, then drop me off to stroll down the... READ MORE
RiNo: Denver’s colorful, trendy arts district
Just three minutes from downtown Denver, an industrial-warehouse-belt-turned-art-district bubbles with creativity. Nestled on the South Platte River, the part of town known as River North, or RiNo, is a rich mosaic of murals towering inside and outside trendy bars and coffee shops, in alleyways and on highway underpasses. RiNo offers a sensory romp anchored by rich shades of primary... READ MORE
Havre de Grace: a charming historic town
Before it was a capital city contender (it lost by one vote to what would become Washington, D.C. at the First United States Congress), Havre de Grace, Maryland, was called Harmer’s Town. But when a visiting Marquis de Lafayette mentioned that the town reminded him of a charming French seaport called Le Havre-de-Grace, residents honored the Revolutionary War hero by incorporating... READ MORE
