Adam and I drove into Seaside with a mission: to surf and sample the fried arts at Beach Bites. We'd stopped here on our way to Portland. Just 90 miles away, it was close enough …
August 4, 2011
Travel Stories
Detour in Seaside, Oregon
Florida Keys: Dry Tortugas National Park
The best months to visit Florida are September and October, when rates are lowest and you avoid the crowds. 70 miles west of Key West, you’ll find Dry Tortugas National Park, North America's most inaccessible …
August 2, 2011
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Couer d'Alene, Idaho, is a destination perfect for taking in fresh mountain air, clear, starry skies, and scenic wonders that us city folk can only imagine. Its glacier-fed lake, Lake Couer d'Alene, is a popular …
Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand
If you're feeling a bit hardened by modern life and sense a need to reconnect with the natural world – and even, perhaps, your own heart – try feeding an elephant that's been blinded by …
Napa: Prager Winery and Portworks
As I drive south out of Napa Valley after a weeklong housesit, I stop at Prager Winery and Portworks in quaint St. Helena on the recommendation of a friend. The tasting room is in a …
July 31, 2011
Stopover in Manila, Philippines
You might find yourself in Manila on a stopover on your way to some of the country’s most pristine beaches – or on the way home from Thailand. Whatever your reason, Manila does have some …
July 28, 2011
A World Away on Catalina Island
I’m always surprised at the number of Southern California residents who have never been to Catalina Island. My family spent quite a few summers on the island, and it’s the perfect opportunity to get away …
July 28, 2011
Doing Europe: Croatia
After living in Prague for over a year, my Czech girlfriend, Katka, and I wanted to get out of the city and go on a summer holiday. At the time, in 2000, it was relatively …
July 26, 2011
Badwater Salt Flats in Death Valley, California
Death Valley is just that – a low-lying valley cradled between three monstrous mountain ranges. And frankly, there isn’t another way to describe it other than to assure you that it is bloody majestic! The …
July 21, 2011
Buzzing on Starbucks in Rio
Warning: the following may make you feel the full weight of the modern guy/gal's addiction to well-produced, low-cost goods consumed en masse. (Yes, Starbucks.) Our last night of holiday travel, we were in Ipanema and …
July 21, 2011
Mexico's Awe-Inspiring Copper Canyon
The Copper Canyon region is 25,000 square miles across almost one-third of the state of Chihuahua in northern Mexico. The Chihuahua al Pacifico train route from Los Mochis passes through the farmland of Sinaloa and …
July 21, 2011