Deep in bluegrass country where horse-studded pastures alternate with woodsy hillsides and the only rest stop for miles around is at Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home, there lies a string of historic bourbon distilleries open for tours. Last weekend, when I was in the region, I stopped in at two of them: Maker’s Mark and Woodford Reserve.

Despite the alcohol in the name, you don’t go to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail to get tipsy. First, there is a lot of driving involved on winding country lanes so a big bourbon buzz is a big no-no. Second, I know it’s a shocker (at least it was to me), but not all the distilleries give tastings. Third, a clear head is needed to navigate the rustic (and largely unmarked) backroads. But that’s part of the fun. Just when my friends and I thought we’d reached the middle of a beautiful nowhere, a sign popped up to show the way to the spirits.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member MilwVon.

The setting at both Maker’s and Woodford is straight from a picture book of American idyll. Both have little streams and happy trees, green rolling hills, buildings that are over 100 years old, and well-placed rocking chairs or benches so that you can take it all in. At Woodford, I almost expected Bambi to bounce on over and beg for some booze. And at Maker’s, they even have cutesy (or cheesy, depending on how you look at it) details like little bourbon-bottle cut-outs on the shutters.

On each tour, I learned an incredible amount about a uniquely American drink and its heritage. I found out what separates a bourbon from a whisky, and how much of the process is still hand-crafted and focused on small, premium batches. I got to see the assembly lines, the label makers, vats that bubbled and fermented right before my eyes, and barrel upon barrel promising sip after sip with a silky smooth finish.

Tips: Right now, it’s pretty hot along the trail, so I recommend bringing water. Wear comfortable shoes—you’ll do a fair amount of walking and will have to climb some steps. Turn off your cellphones so as not to interrupt the tour guide. And note that we were told that the amount of alcohol in the air can make for a volatile atmosphere, so it's wisest not to smoke.

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Posted in Culinary Travel, Educational & Historic, Scenic Drives
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It's kind of hard for me to come up with reasons why the end of summer is a good thing. I mean even though it's been a looong time since summer meant no homework, extra ice cream and extra long days with friends -- I still cherish my summers. Maybe it's because it means longer weekends, more visits with friends and family, and the summer vacation. But for me summer also means crowded business travel times, swelling and sweltering planes and lots and lots of delays. This summer travel has been no picnic.

So I guess this year as summer begins to wind down and I look toward Labor Day and the start of the Fall travel season in earnest I'm a little excited. For one thing, I'm starting to see prices come down -- at least on domestic travel. (And that could mean really good news for all of us leisure travelers when it comes to holiday ticket buying.) But it also means as so many families return to schools the jetways will be less crowded, the airports will be calmer, the skies will hopefully have fewer storms and traveling will be, in a word, easier.

Ahhh, the end of summer. Sometimes it is a good thing.

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For 28 years of my life, I never thought twice about Hawaii. When you grow up in Florida in a town like Panama City whose official motto is “The World’s Most Beautiful Beaches,” you don’t find yourself pining for a trip to the Aloha State. But a year ago, I moved to the Bay Area and I began to wonder if I had been missing out on one of life’s most essential experiences, like reading a book or, I don’t know, breathing air. You see, you’re not truly a San Franciscan until you 1) have a bay window 2) learn to rhapsodize about In-N-Out and 3) fall head over heels for Hawaii and talk about it exclusively in hyperbole.

Finally, this June I got the opportunity to visit Maui. As I boarded the plane I wondered, can Hawaii possibly live up to all of the hype? And how. Our 50th state will blow your mind.

After all, how often do you get to bike down a volcano? Yes, a volcano. We started at the top of Haleakala Crater (which, as you’ll see in the picture accompanying this piece, looks like Mars) and then biked downhill for three hours, passing cows enjoying their million-dollar view and villages that looked like the Old West.

We also snorkeled at a turtle “car wash.” Green sea turtles congregate there every year so that the tropical fish will eat the gunk off their shells. At one point, a very self-satisfied turtle popped up next to me and took a giant gasp of air and then lazily dove back down to tell his friends that they missed a spot.

Now that I’m back I find myself begging people who’ve never been to Hawaii to go. I join in the chorus: It’s life changing! It’s the prettiest place in the world! It truly is paradise!

All I need now to make it official is a bay window.

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Posted in Beaches, Hawaii, Ski & Sport
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Having lived in eight different countries before reaching double digits, and with family now spread out across the globe, I've taken my fair share of international flights. They're long and they're boring, but they don't have to be unbearable. Here's a few things I've found that help:

* While business and first class usually give you an amenity kit for the flight, good old coach doesn't do it anymore---and if you're like me, you'll likely be flying coach. No matter! Just pack your own amenity kit; I usually just find an old toiletry bag and fill it with an eye mask, a pair of earplugs, some Evian spray, a lip balm, antibacterial hand cleaner, a few Advils, some Wet Ones for freshening your face after a sub-par sleep, and a moisturizer. That way, you've got everything you could possibly need for your comfort all in one place, and don't have to go rooting around in your bag for that Chapstick every few hours.

* Check out a site like SeatGuru.com before you fly, and take note of the "good" and "bad" seats--the former will usually be near the emergency exits, giving you more leg room; the latter will be near the toilets. Generally, the further toward the front of the plane you can sit, the better--you'll be closer to the exits when it's time to disembark, which means you'll be able to make it to Immigration a little quicker. And you know what that means? Less time standing in line.

* If you want a specific seat--the aisle is nice for those who want to stretch their legs on long flights, but you can't beat the window seat for sleeping--make sure you ask as soon as you check in, if you haven't already been able to reserve it online. If you're not having any luck, ask again at the gate, and then ask again when you get on the plane--if a passenger doesn't show up, there may be a spare seat or two going.

* Get up and walk around the plane every hour, if you can. Many airlines now also have in-flight videos with exercises you can do from your seat to reduce your chances of developing a blood clot. I usually go to the very back of the plane and do a few stretches--even a few yoga moves, if no-one's looking--to break up the journey.

* Water, water, water! Drink as much as you can. The cabin crew on long-haul flights are usually very good about coming around with plenty of H20, but you can always make your way back to the galley and ask for a glass; they're usually happy to oblige. However, pressing your passenger call button and following it up with anything other than "help, I think I'm dying!" when the flight attendant arrives is usually not the best idea.

* Don't forget your socks! Airline cabins are notoriously Arctic, and while that might be bearable for an hour-long flight, it's quite another story when you're flying from Los Angeles to Hong Kong and risk losing a toe to frostbite after sitting shivering for 14 hours. A pashmina also makes an excellent cover-up, and doubles as a blanket too--I always bring about five different layers!

Those are my insights, gleaned from years of long-distance travel. Any tips of your own for surviving international flights?

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Posted in Air Travel, Health & Wellness, International Travel, Packing & Baggage
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I was smitten, and all it took was a single glance down Deadwood, South Dakota’s Main Street. Paved with brick and lined with turn-of-the-century street lamps, the street curves its way through gently refurbished saloons, hotels and general stores that date back to the Gold Rush days of the late 1800s.

Surrounded by the Black Hills, the entire town of Deadwood is a National Historic Landmark and is probably as close to a Wild West town as you’ll get these days.

Photo Courtesy of Deadwood Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.

If you can ignore the sounds of slot machines as you meander through the town, you can almost imagine what it was like more than a century ago. Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane were among the most infamous Deadwood characters, and visitors can still grab a beer and play a game of poker at Saloon #10, where Wild Bill was gunned down by an outlaw.

I wasn’t expecting the charm of Deadwood to blow me away like it did. After all, it wasn’t by choice that I found myself in South Dakota. It was simply chance (or luck or maybe something else) that joined my best friend and her husband, a Mount Rushmore State native. When she first told me that they were getting married in his home state, my reaction was somewhat mechanical: I guess there’s another state I can check off my list. But after visiting Deadwood and some of the best kept secrets in the state, I quickly realized that there’s much more to South Dakota than just Mount Rushmore.

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Posted in Casinos & Gambling, Educational & Historic, South Dakota
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This past Saturday afternoon, as I stood in the sunlight soaking wet from a flume ride and nibbling on a pickle on a stick, a bearded man asked me in all earnestness if I wanted to learn about lye soap. Bluegrass music emanated from a nearby rock. To my right, bald eagles rested on a branch. To my left, a woman in period dress stood in line to buy a pork rind while the man paying in front of her was holding onto a kid on a leash and wearing a t-shirt that read “get high on Jesus.”

This was my first visit to Dollywood, which is part amusement park, part celebration of Smoky Mountain culture, and part rollicking country fair. It was day three of a whirlwind road trip through the region, and my friends and I would be staying that night in the Tennessee town of Pigeon Forge, where it quickly became clear that the backwoods are back in style and it’s hot to be a hillbilly.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Alan63.

Once a Cherokee hunting ground, Pigeon Forge sits in the Smokies near the entrance to the national park and even nearer to Dollywood. No doubt about it, with its neon signs, outlet malls, and terrible traffic, this is a tourist trap if there ever was one, but this is tempered by the mountain-country setting, and families will be hard-pressed to find a place that’s more family oriented, or more playful. Nightlife options range from the Black Bear Jamboree and the Dixie Stampede to laser-tag, go-karting, and more than one venue where it's Christmas every single day of the year. There is not a single bar in town, but multiple night-lit mini-golf courses abound.

Kitsch aficionados, take note: you will be overwhelmed by your options. My friends and I completely lost track of time in a store called Hillbilly Village Souvenirs, where we got to check out some redneck-humored welcome mats, intricately carved squirrel feeders, and coon-skin caps worthy of Davy Crockett. Plus, in the back of the store, there’s an old log cabin and a few old moonshine stills on display.

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Posted in Family & Kids, Nature & Outdoors, Shopping, Theme Parks
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Growing up in New York City, I’m fully aware of its reputation for excess, including choking traffic and A/C-dependent office buildings. More and more in my travels, I’ve taken notice of some companies going green by, say, switching to wind power. It is especially nice to know—particularly for a beer nut like me—that the first NYC company to do so was a brewery. Located in Williamsburg, the Brooklyn Brewery prides itself on its sustainable energy source almost as much as it does its delicious craft brews.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member shaunandtrish.

One small company in the hardy landscape of Greenland has taken adaptation to new levels. Over the last year, as the icecaps continued to melt, Greenland Brewhouse has tapped into them, providing crystal clear, millennia-old, naturally filtered water for their ales. While the beer has gotten great reviews, let’s hope their source re-freezes on them soon.

Next time I’m in Cleveland—which will also be the first time—I’ll make it a point to head over to the ever-environmentally conscious Great Lakes Brewing Co. for a pint of their Burning River Pale Ale. There’s nothing quite like indulging your palate on a clear conscience.

Craft beer is an epicurean delight, and often those small breweries take the extra step to stay environmentally sound. However, we can’t always find those specialty brews and sometimes what we want are the pervasive, tried and true favorites. Anheuser-Busch created the world’s largest wetland conservation area, is the world’s largest recycler of aluminum beverage cans, and have devoted themselves to helping protect what we’ve got left. Wherever you are, crack one open, enjoy it—responsibly, of course—and make sure you recycle that can.

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Posted in Culinary Travel, Green Travel
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Now, personally, I'm not the type of girl to spend $250 on a hotel room when I go on vacation. No siree---not when I could be spending that sort of money on food or souvenirs or (in the case of my recent three-month jaunt around Southeast Asia) two months worth of local beer. (And we're talking several a day. Every day. Honestly, in Beijing, it was only a quarter!)

But if you are looking to drop the mad cash when you travel abroad, you might like to know that the Peninsula Bangkok has been voted the world's best hotel for USD$250 or less in a reader survey conducted by Travel + Leisure magazine.

I can't, of course, vouch for its excellence, as I stayed in an $8-a-night flophouse with a shared bathroom in the backpacker mecca of Khao San Road the last time I was in Bangkok. But since the Peninsula beat out the prestigious Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge in Gold Beach, Oregon and the Post Hotel & Spa in Lake Louise, Alberta--which came in at second and third place respectively--we'll just have to go ahead and assume that it's pretty darn fancy.

After all, I'm fairly sure you get your own toilet there. Which is more than I can say for where I stayed.

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Posted in Asia, Hotel Travel, Travel News
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Ah, the Great Outdoors. There’s nothing like lying in a tent at night listening to the final crackles of the fire, the occasional owl hoot, and the far-off coyote call. Even better is letting the songbirds wake you up in the morning, the rustle of the chipmunks in the trees, and, umm. What is that annoying tapping sound?

I’m talking about the sound of the gal in the tent next door. The gal who is furiously tapping on her keyboard thanks to the glory of wi-fi access, which according to the Associated Press, is becoming more and more common in campgrounds each year.

Remember when camping meant truly roughing it? It meant tying your sleeping bag to your back and hauling all your supplies into the middle of nowhere and then struggling to pitch a tent in the fading light and burning the beans on the fire and laughing about it over s’mores. Nobody knew where you were. No one could reach you. And it was fabulous.

I don’t mean to channel Andy Rooney. I’m all for the latest gizmo gadget. I know GPS has guided thousands of lost wanderers and cellphones have saved many in a pinch. But I think there are some boundaries worth keeping, and I think the fewer computers make their way into the campground, the better.

The increase in the amount of campgrounds with wi-fi shows that I’m in the minority, though. These are days when there are even bloggers on Everest, so where to go to truly escape?

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Posted in Budget Travel, Nature & Outdoors
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USA Today features an article today about the dissappearing sands of some small Micronesian Islands.

This depresses me. And not just because I've not yet been to visit the islands and atolls. It makes me think of the same scenario happening on Fire Island, one of my favorite places in all the world, as well as Nantucket and barrier islands around the world. It all brings home this issue that I've been wrestling with lately which is -- if you accept that globabl warming is occuring (which I do), then you must accept that there are things each of us can do. And we can't wait for someone else to get started. Each one of us has to try and stop how fast global warming happens.

And this usually means lessening your carbon footprint and offsetting your footprint. But as an avid traveler does it mean I have to stop flying around the world to see the places and people that make me feel connected to the world at large? Does it mean I have to stop enjoying my vacations the way I do now?

I don't have the answer.

What I know is that I can't deny the connection and I'm thinking about it. In the meantime I'm visiting sites like Lime.com and I subscribe to Ideal Bite so that each and every day I am reminded that there are things I can do. At work I was really involved in our Travel for Good program which was established to appeal to other travelers like me. I was behind the creation of the Eco-Bunnies project -- if you haven't seen it or you want to learn more about what I'm talking about it's a great place to start. Beyond that, I drive a hybrid car. I try and look for green hotels, eat locally produced items wherever I go and support the local economy. It's not enough but at least it's a start.

What do you do?

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Posted in Beaches, Green Travel
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I’m torn. Austin or San Francisco?

Travel+Leisure magazine asks travelers to rank America’s favorite cities in a poll that features 25 of the countries best destinations. Some of my personal favorites made the ballot – Charleston, New Orleans, New York, Austin and San Francisco – but my vote for number one came down to two inspiring cities that are actually very similar to one another.

Both Austin and San Francisco have a hip and funky vibe, but the similarities that stand out to me are their live music hot spots, love of food and outdoor pursuits. Growing up in Texas, Austin has always been one of my favorite weekend getaways. It’s a haven for music junkies and bar flies with blocks and blocks of local pubs, Mexican food joints and live music dives. Similarly, SF (my new home) boasts a bar on every block, worldly cuisine and iconic music venues.

With these two cities on the list, I’m struggling to cast my vote (maybe I’ll just cheat and vote for both!). What’s your favorite American city?

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Posted in Austin, Polls & Studies, San Francisco
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Of all the things that, ahem, stink about air travel, the bathrooms are surely one of the worst. Little more than glorified closets, they're tiny, smelly, likely to encourage claustrophobia, and usually--at least by the end of the flight--sporting suspicious-looking sprinklings on both floor and seat. It's enough to make a passenger cross her legs and hope for the best.

But British airline Silverjet--which offers low-fare all-business-class flights between London and New York--is attempting to take the potty problem into its own hands, by introducing the first ever women-only loos on board its fleet. (The rather racy video it used to spread the message was an instant smash hit on the Internet and is certainly worth checking out.)

This isn't to say, of course, that it's men who are responsible for the rather abysmal state of airplane bathrooms--though I'm sure unexpected turbulence doesn't exactly help when it comes to taking aim--but rather that women now have a choice about where to, um, powder their noses when the need arises.

Whether you find it sexist or sensible, I have to say that personally, given the choice, I'd take the ladies-only bathroom over the unisex one every time. Perhaps it's a case of better the devil you know and all that, or perhaps it's just that I rather suspect that the hand soap and moisturizer may be nicer in the little girls' room.

Or maybe it's just the lure of knowing I'll have a near-100% chance that the person before me hasn't left the seat up.

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Posted in Air Travel, Budget Travel, Travel News
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Guess who’s having the best week ever? You are, if, like me, you’re a Harry Potter fan. The fifth Potter movie opens today, and my pre-ordered copy of the final book will arrive on July 21.

I don’t care as much for the witches and warlocks as I do the backdrops: the sky-high Gothic halls of Hogwarts School, the haunting (sometimes talking) landscapes, the oh-so-British town of Hogsmeade (specifically, the butterbeer served there). And like any determined traveler, I won’t let the fact that these places are fictional stop me from visiting them.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Glamazon22.

I’ve already sat under Hogwarts’ Sorting Hat at the Warner Bros. Museum in Los Angeles, mostly because my friend works on the studio’s lot and I’ve had some time to kill there (alas, Brad Pitt wasn’t filming those days). Harry Potter-related travel goes way beyond wax figures from the movies, though--it’s big business in Britain, with the number of Harry pilgrims peaking around the release dates of the books and movies.

The most popular book locations, and their movie stand-ins, are places even a Muggle could love. It might take a J.K. Rowling devotee to appreciate Harry’s honorary platform at London’s King’s Cross Station, but a campus crawl of film locale Oxford University would impress anyone, super-fan or not. For a more comprehensive itinerary, the British Tourist Authority locates Potter sites for Potter-ites on its Storybook England map. Or, for a quick layover (or on-the-sly) tour, simply hail a Harry taxi.

If Rowling’s fictional world really is your thing, then soon you’ll really be able to see it come to life: Universal Orlando Resort will unveil its Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in late 2009. Finally, we’ll be able to whiz through the air like the Hogwarts kids. The only question is whether it will be via Harry’s broomstick or that flying Ford. And if we exhaust the Potter tourism possibilities between now and then, well, we can always follow Frodo to Middle Earth.

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Posted in Celebrities, Entertainment, Family & Kids, Theme Parks
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Like a crushed beauty queen, the Statue of Liberty was relegated to the runner’s-up lounge to weep with the Easter Island statues after the “new” seven wonders of the world were revealed over the weekend. Read the winner’s list, though, and you’ll see she had some tough competition. Edged out by the likes of the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, Petra in Jordan, and Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer, she really has nothing to be ashamed of.

Although I’ve been to a lot of wondrous places, I’ve been to only three that made the list: the Roman Coliseum, Chichén Itzá, and, most recently, Machu Picchu.

When I was 17 and participating in a cultural exchange in Mexico, I scrambled up the very steep and very teensy Chichén Itzá pyramid steps without once looking down. At the top, I almost lost my footing--an entire Mayan world was laid out before me, dizzying at the height, staggeringly preserved, and surrounded by miles of untouched Yucatan jungle. I squinted and tried to see all the tourists below as the ancient villagers, and for a second (maybe the vertigo) it actually worked.

Years later, in the crushing heat of a Rome July, I dodged the Vespas to enter the Coliseum. Amid the stands, I thought about what it might have been like during the gladiator days (this was before the Russell Crowe movie) to be swept up in the crowd’s thirst for blood. As someone who won’t even swat a fly, it’s hard to imagine, but context is everything.

When I arrived at Machu Picchu in the Peruvian Andes, I’d been sick and feeling weak in the thin air. No matter. The mist on the mountains and the precariously perched architecture were exhilarating. I wandered in and out of stone structures where echoes of a once-thriving Incan civilization whispered on the wind of what once was (and no, I don't think that was just my stomach growling).

I’m curious about public reaction to the world’s new list of wonders. Do you agree with the winner's list, or are there other places you’d like to have seen make the cut?

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Posted in Educational & Historic, International Travel, Travel News
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Welcome to the Window Seat Podcast!
In this episode host Amy Ziff takes you to Las Vegas. You'll find out what makes Sin City one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world.

Listen to the whole show: [23:47]

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Posted in Entertainment, Hotel Travel, Las Vegas, Podcasts
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It’s hard to say those three little words. You may have been friends for years, or perhaps you’ve only just met. You might be constant companions, eating meals together, going to parties together, and spending rainy Sunday afternoons side by side. You may have even met each other’s families or shared a holiday together. But it’s those three little words that truly put your friendship to the test: “Let’s travel together.”

Watch one episode of The Amazing Race, and you’ll see how interpersonal dynamics can affect a trip. Of course, most of my trips don’t involve racing other travelers to shovel two pounds of caviar into my mouth or corral a herd of unruly cattle, but I’ve weathered my fair share of travel drama.

As a traveler who arrives at the airport with just enough time to check in and board, I’m a nightmare companion for anyone who actually abides by their airline’s timing recommendations. And as someone who prefers to identify what I’d like to see and do in a destination, then just see or do it when the inspiration strikes, I can’t think of anything that kills a trip more swiftly than traveling with a compulsive scheduler. Make that more than one compulsive scheduler, and I’ll be inclined to “accidentally” miss my flight altogether—which brings us to the ultimate in traveling-with-friends challenge: traveling with (gasp!) a group.

If you’re like me, group travel strikes fear into your wanderlusting heart, especially if some are first-time travel companions. How to avoid heartache and make the most of travel in numbers? First, agree on some ground rules. What kind of accommodations will work best, and who will handle the arrangements? If a car rental is required, who will drive? And once you’ve arrived, how will the group interact? Will everyone have the freedom to see and do things independently, or will you go with an all-or-nothing approach?

Finally, get in the mindset. Let your companions know how you like to travel, but be flexible about accommodating others’ preferences. After all, opening up to new experiences—and new perspectives—is a core part of travel, and who knows what new interests you might discover? I never would have taken a bird-watching tour in the Caribbean, gone to an opera in Prague, or paid $2 to see an up-and-coming punk band in a warehouse in Santa Fe on my own, but all three are among my favorite travel memories. Tell us about your group travel experiences or how you got to know a new side of someone through traveling together. And, if you haven’t yet, say those three little words to someone special in your life.

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If awards were handed out for the most pretentious phrases ever uttered, I would surely win for this little gem, which--to my horror--I found myself saying the other day: "We tried a lot of food when we were traveling, but Khmer food was our favorite."

There's so much to work with there--the "when we were traveling" refrain beloved of boring backpackers who corner you at a party and start telling you about their adventures, the reference to a fairly obscure cuisine from a country fraught with political turmoil, the ghastly use of "we" rather than "I"--but the bottom line is that it's entirely true. Cambodian food, quite frankly, rocks.

The country's national dish, Amok, is a coconut milk-based curry traditionally made with fish (but widely available with chicken) that's steamed in a banana leaf and varies hugely from restaurant to restaurant--my favorite take on it came from the Khmer Kitchen in Siem Reap, a tiny jewel box of a restaurant once patronized by none other than Mick Jagger. A combination of Thai, Vietnamese, and even Indian influences means Cambodian menus are peppered with spring rolls, zingy salads, clay pot curries, and meat stir-fried with anything from cashews to basil to lemongrass.

Though you're likely to find a Chinese, Thai, or even a Vietnamese restaurant on any Main Street USA these days, Khmer restaurants don't seem to have made it into the big-time yet , so here's my advice: if you see one, go. San Francisco, thankfully, has Angkor Borei, which I've been meaning to visit for ages.

And finally, full disclosure: although I ate my way through ten days in Cambodia, I never tried one of the deep-fried spiders so beloved by natives. In the interest of walking the walk--rather than just talking the talk--I may well attempt that as my next challenge when I'm back in Cambodia at Christmas. You'll be the first to know if I do.

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Posted in Culinary Travel
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As far as holidays are concerned, the Fourth of July ranks up there with Halloween and my birthday. (Basically, I like anything that involves parties or presents.) So today is a big day for me, especially since it’s my first year to spend the 4th in my new hometown of San Francisco. Heck, I even bought a new outfit!

For San Franciscans, the Fourth can be either the best celebration on earth or a complete and total flop, depending on whether or not the fog rolls in to block your view of the fireworks. I’ll be spending my night at a party in Fort Mason, watching a few bands and celebrating the 4th in style. (And by that, I mean that I got a really cute outfit!) With a view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the East Bay, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a clear night and a good view.

When the rockets red glare this July 4, where will you be celebrating?

Photo Courtesy of IgoUgo member mtemail.

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Posted in Holiday & Seasonal, San Francisco
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Growing up “inside the beltway” made me a shameless Fourth of July snob. I thought nothing in the U.S.A. could possibly compare to the Nation’s Capital celebration, and each year, I’d put on my best red, white, and blue outfit for the occasion. Over picnic punch and popsicles, I’d commune with the D.C. monuments on the Mall waiting for the moment when that first star would rise above the “big pencil” to usher in the mother ship of Independence Day fireworks shows.

And then, one Independence Day I found myself in a car on the Big Island of Hawaii, my dad at the wheel. We were racing to a fireworks show by the beach and were too late to make it—I could hear that telltale rumble-pop. So my dad pulled over, and we discovered that if we went about mid-way through an adjacent pineapple field, we could see the show. Although it wasn’t what we had planned, it was absolutely perfect, and I realized it was indeed possible to get my patriotic pulse a’racing outside The District.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member BawBaw.

When I moved to San Francisco, the Fourth of July became a game of chicken with the weather. Invariably, the humbug that is the city’s summer fog harrumphed through the Golden Gate Bridge to settle over the bay, and the barges would dispatch thousands of dollars of fireworks into the soup. Then, one year the sky cleared, and from a rooftop I watched the fireworks reflect in the water, with bridges in the background, and Berkeley twinkling from the other side of the bay. It was magnificent, and if the forecast holds, I might have the opportunity again this year.

One of the strangest places I’ve enjoyed Fourth of July fireworks, however, was on the L.A. freeway. Yes, the freeway. Some friends and I were driving inland from Manhattan Beach and there’s a point approaching downtown where the road is raised. From this vantage point, we could see fireworks in just about every direction, each neighborhood giving its own show.

I’d love to hear of other fun, or surprising, places to watch Fourth of July fireworks, so please feel free to share your stories here.

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Posted in Festivals & Events, Holiday & Seasonal
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Over the past several years dining has gone from something travelers do on vacation to something they vacation to do. The travel industry is expanding programs and offerings catered specifically to these consumers, such as culinary tours through Spain, Italy, Mexico and Napa Valley. Resorts around the globe also have created culinary-friendly options for guests and locals through on-site cooking schools offering half-day and full-day cooking classes. From gourmet tequila tasting classes in Mexico to drive-by tastings on the Vermont Cheese Trail, consumers traveling to please their bellies in 2007 have a wide variety of options.

The biggest and most obvious sign of this food trend is the explosion of farmers markets. Today it is difficult to visit any city, town or region that does not have a version of a regular market. In rural settings, farmers markets are often held weekly or twice weekly and recently began expanding their season into ‘winter farmers markets.

In an age of globalization, food truly defines a culture and it gives you a sense of place, because of the uniqueness of the land. Although some foods don’t travel well, you can travel to them. For summer travelers looking for a unique vacation and educational experience this year, I recommend the following Farmers Markets:
• The Union Square Greenmarket (New York, New York) has become an essential part of the New York shopping experience.
• Ferry Plaza Farmers Market (San Francisco, California) has quickly become one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions.
• Pike’s Place Market (Seattle, Washington) continues to grow with more than 200 permanent year-round businesses, including fresh seafood restaurants and more than 400 booths for craftspeople and farmers.
• The Reading Terminal Market (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is one of the oldest and for over a century has given thousands of daily visitors easy access to the freshest products of Pennsylvania Dutch Country.
• Santa Fe, Dallas, Boulder, Fresno and even Hawaii have strong markets, and in almost every case, you will find some local or regional delight you haven’t seen before.

Foodie Trails and Agro-Tourism
• Scotland’s Whisky Trail – From Inverness to Edinburgh, ‘Whiskey Travelers’ have been following this trail of the world’s most acclaimed Scotch-Whiskey distilleries for years.
• Vermont Cheese Trail - Here, in the small Green Mountain State, this self-guided tour will allow you to visit up to two dozen craft cheese makers, many of whom have won prestigious international awards, and none of whom would ever consider using chemical shortcuts or hormone filled milk.
• Farm Stay – Agro-tourism has long been popular throughout the UK, Switzerland and Scandinavia. Now they are growing in popularity in the U.S., from BBQ cook-outs at dude ranches in Montana to cow milking lessons and ‘farm stays’ at family farms throughout Pennsylvania.

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Posted in Culinary Travel
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