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After a $90 million expansion that unveiled five new lodges and raised the facility’s total number of rooms to 590, Canyon Lodge & Cabins, in Canyon Village near the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, has more accommodations than any other hotel in the park. The new LEED-certified structures were modularly built with sustainability in mind, incorporating countertops constructed of recycled glass and fly ash (a by-product of coal burning) and trim made with beetle-damaged wood from blue-colored pine bark, which would have otherwise gone to waste. The new lodges also feature two bedroom suites (king/queen) that include a sitting room with sofa bed; some have walk-out patios and decks. Budget-minded visitors who don’t want to sacrifice canyon views opt for the nearby cabins, which are modest yet comfortable. There’s also a $6 million refresh of the lodge’s food service on tap, with new cafés and restaurants offering updated menus and Mad Men–era Mission 66-inspired design.

There’s no need to fly all the way to Italy to try the pie that earned first place at the 2007 World Pizza Cup. Just head to North Beach and Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, where chef-owner Tony Gemignani was the first American to win the title. Gemignani serves only 73 of the prize-winning Margherita pizzas a day, but the seven ovens in the kitchen make a broad selection of styles, including Sicilian, Roman, New York, St. Louis, and even a Detroit-style pie—a square pizza made with Wisconsin brick mozzarella cheese. To find Tony’s, either follow the scent of baking crust or look for the line of eager customers awaiting entry to the no-reservations corner eatery.

Why we love it: A food-focused retreat in the scenic Willowemoc Valley

The Highlights:

• 600 acres of private land for hiking, fishing, and more
• A nine-course dinner included with each stay
• Cozy common spaces for soaking up the peace and quiet

The Review:
Set on a ledge overlooking the Willowemoc Valley and its namesake river, The DeBruce brings a touch of sophistication to an otherwise quiet corner of the Catskills. Here, in a restored inn from the 1880s, guests find 14 modest rooms spread over three floors. Designed to create a sense of calm, all feature down duvets, Sferra linens, and tile-and-marble bathrooms stocked with Malin & Goetz toiletries, while some also include clawfoot tubs and expansive views of the surrounding scenery. Guests spend little time in their rooms, however, as The DeBruce is home to several cozy common spaces, including the Great Room (filled with antique couches and wingback chairs), the Conservatory (with an original fieldstone fireplace and comfy reading chair), and a serene pool (surrounded by lounge chairs, a firepit, and manicured gardens). The property also sits on nearly 600 acres of private land, which spans two mountains, a river, and several ponds. Simply walk over the private bridge for access to trails for hiking, birding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, as well as a half-mile of river for fly fishing.

At the center of all of this is the restaurant—a glass-walled dining room overlooking the valley, where guests enjoy the a la carte breakfasts and multiple-course dinners included in their stay (one night is always a nine-course tasting menu). Chef Aksel Theilkuhl, formerly of BLT Steak Group in New York City, draws from a bounty of local, seasonal products for every meal, impressing with dishes like smoked trout and mushroom three ways. Should guests prefer something more casual, there’s also the Club Room in the basement, where Theilkuhl serves bar classics and small plates in an intimate setting. For more insight into The DeBruce’s culinary program, sign up for sessions with Theilkuhl and help with kitchen prep, sample new dishes, or forage the hotel grounds for ramps and more. Other activities like Pilates and yoga classes, exploratory nature walks, and fly-fishing lessons are also on offer, giving guests plenty of ways to while away their days in the Catskills.

Overall:
Housed in a restored 19th-century inn, the 14-room DeBruce is a warren of cozy common spaces that invite travelers to linger in wingback chairs next to stone fireplaces or chat on porch swings hung from the verandah. Guests may take a dip in the outdoor pool or join a fly-fishing or foraging excursion, but the main event is dinner. Chef Aksel Theilkuhl, formerly of BLT Steak Group in New York City, serves a nightly tasting menu in a 32-seat dining room facing the lodge’s ponds and rolling hills.

Even with all the noted thinkers, artists, politicians, and powerful families who’ve called Florence home, Leonardo da Vinci is arguably the city’s most famous son. This homage focuses less on his artwork and more on Da Vinci’s forward-thinking inventions and theories. The exhibits are separated into five themes, with each including models based on Da Vinci’s instructions. The Earth section includes pieces like printing machines and an oil press; Water has hydraulic saws and water floats; Fire boasts military artillery inspired by the Atlantic Codex; Air has Da Vinci’s parachute, flying machine, and “winged man” paragliding prototype; and Mechanisms includes items based on Da Vinci’s codexes, to demonstrate their principles. Most items are hands-off, but kids will have fun learning how to operate the rotating crane and other models. Most of the pieces are made of wood, so you really get a feel for their bones—and for Da Vinci’s genius.

Hemingways is a new hotel in Karen, which is sort of the equivalent of Atlanta’s Buckhead in Nairobi. It is near the Wilson airport, where so many of the domestic Kenya flights fly out. Traffic is a huge issue in Nairobi and cars creep both by day and night, so being in this area puts you near many of the best restaurants and shops like Anna Trzebinski’ s studio. The Giraffe Manor and the Sheddrick orphanage, where one can adopt a baby elephant, are also nearby.


If you arrange your trip to Kenya with Betty Jo, she can arrange upgrades at Hemingway’s, private visits to the elephant orphanage and Trzbenski’s studio, as well as private local drivers and drinks with a local Kenyan personality. “I can basically do whatever anyone wants,” says Betty Jo. “All bespoke.” Contact her at [email protected].

The largest of Tanzania’s state-administrated national parks, Ruaha is home to the Great Ruaha River, imposing baobab trees, and one of the greatest populations of elephants in any African park. It has few lodges and therefore few tourists. It is also wilder than its close neighbor, the Selous Game Reserve, and boasts a truly authentic safari experience. Night driving is not permitted, nor are walking safaris, generally, due to the large number of elephants here. But hidden away on the Jongomero River in the remote southern area of the park is the Jongomero Camp, which is both fantastically luxurious as well as truly one with its surroundings. It is possibly the best camp in the whole of Tanzania, and its guides are second to none. In addition to the breathtaking campsite itself, it offers “fly-camping” trips on which the adventurous traveler can spend the night under the stars.

Fuxing Park has quite the history. It was a Ming Dynasty private garden until the French took it over in 1909. Then came the Japanese occupation of Shanghai during World War II until the early 1950s, after which the park again became Chinese. Today, the park is a vibrant gathering spot, wide open to the public. No matter the season, it’s full of locals playing mah-jong, practicing tai chi, writing calligraphy, and flying kites amid the sycamore trees. Come early on a weekday morning to see the dancers, then walk over to the Mattress flower beds.

Selecting the perfect Turkish carpet or kilim can be like finding the perfect partner—there are plenty to choose from, and patience is often required. With this in mind, you need a carpet seller who will listen to your needs, appreciate your tastes, and avoid pressuring you to choose the wrong one. Noah’s Ark Carpets in Sultanahmet are the sellers I trust. Yusuf and Hamza make the whole buying experience hassle-free and fun and because of this, I’ve bought three carpets from them for myself and for friends in Australia. Noah’s Ark can also arrange door to door international post if you’re concerned about the weight of your luggage. The store is recommended by National Geographic Traveler and Vogue (so don’t just take my word for it). Drop in and see the guys and enjoy a glass of çay while browsing their beautiful collection of carpets and kilims from Turkey and surrounding countries. Before leaving, ask to see their magic flying carpet—it will impress.

“Ready!” I grip the bar tightly and lean forward. “Set!” I bend my knees and my heart starts racing. “HUP!” Before I have time for doubts, I take a deep breath, and jump off the platform. The next 40 seconds are a pure adrenaline rush as I soar through the air on a flying trapeze—a thrilling introduction to my first class at the satellite Trapeze School N.Y. in the Navy Yard district of Washington, D.C. I try to stay calm and oriented as my teacher yells instructions to swing my legs and lift my knees up to hang from the bar. This simple move is the foundation for many tricks that we six beginners in the class get to practice many times. By the end of the two-hour class, I’m already doing flips into the net and performing basic catches with one of the instructors. I start to wonder if my childhood dreams of joining the circus are possible after all. Class is over, I’m tired and my legs already ache from the climbs up the ridiculously long trapeze ladder (for me, the scariest part of the class). The school’s motto was right: “Forget about fear. Worry about addiction.” The school offers a variety of trapeze, aerial, trampoline, and acrobatics classes for adults and children.

Local Costa Ricans taking some time out from the perfect surf on Playa Guiones. This beach near Nosara is the most relaxing, perfect surf break we have visited. The town is small enough to be peaceful with just the right amount of great restaurants and hotels to make it easy. Fly into Liberia, CR and you are a four hour drive to Nosara. If you are in the area, Casa Romanitica is the perfect hideaway hotel walking distance to the surf and small town. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be romantic to stay there. Just wanting an authentic, chilled experience in this part of CR.

Staying at the elegant old Estancia Candelaria del Monte is like stepping back in time. The ranch dates from the 1830s, and it feels like it - it’s incredibly quiet here, seemingly disconnected from the modern world. Towering sycamore trees cast shade over the sprawling grounds and a picturesque swimming pool that looks like it belongs in an English period piece; inside the house, four-poster beds and afternoon tea call to mind gentler times. Hop up on one of the estancia’s rugged Criollo horses for a guided ride across the property - you can even help the ranchhands herd cows if you’re really in the mood. A beautiful park, from the 1830´s, jealousy guards the intimacy of the house and the swimming pool, with centenary Sycamores, Ginkgo Bilobas, Elms and a large variety of Pines that fragrance the air. And in the distance, rustic and timeless, it opens up the endless plain landscape of “The Pampas” where the green tone of the land and the deep blue of the sky combine with scattered sights of cows and native horses, together with the isolated flocks flying high up.

Without any roads for at least 100 miles in any direction, Iniakuk Lake Wilderness Lodge is so remote that getting to Fairbanks is only the start of it. Reaching the fly-in-only property, which has three bedrooms and one suite, involves two more flights, the last leg a floatplane to serene Iniakuk Lake, some 60 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Not secluded enough? Guests can opt for two even more far-flung cabins—both situated deep in Gates of the Arctic National Park, and both involving yet another flight. Whichever option you choose, jaw-droppingly-gorgeous nature awaits, from sand- and gravel-lined beaches for tranquil strolls to vast open tundra for watching hundreds of migrating caribou, all with the immense peaks of the Brooks Range as a majestic backdrop. All-inclusive tours also include personalized guided adventure excursions that may range from dogsledding through winding river valleys to overhead flight-fishing (which is as amazing as it sounds) for arctic char.

The first thing guests notice as they approach the 600-acre Rio Perdido ecolodge is a large wood-and-steel rotunda that, from a distance, resembles a flying saucer, an award-winning design that houses the resort’s open-air restaurant, bar, and spa. The bungalows are just as stylish: 30 prefabricated cubes are suspended on seven pylons (no trees were cleared during the building process) and feature an airy, modern aesthetic, with twin rolling beds, brass fixtures, and terraces with hammocks sited for gentle breezes. Larger suites are moodier and more romantic, with walls of singed wood and volcanic-stone floor tiles. Soak in the property’s natural springs, which are heated by the activity of nearby Miravalles Volcano, then choose your own adventure. If you’ve worked up an appetite hiking, tubing, or canyoneering, the restaurant serves satisfying Costa Rican casados (rice dishes) and ceviches, which guests can arrange to enjoy from a platform that sits 160 feet above the river that gives the property its name.

The Little Nell exudes understated mountain-town luxury. This five-star property has Aspen’s most coveted location, set at the base of Aspen Mountain, just steps from the Silver Queen Gondola. Interior designer Holly Hunt refreshed the rooms with a stylish yet cozy new look in 2012. The Nell is all about options and offers a range of accommodations, including residences. All come with gas log fireplaces, and most have private balconies. The service is what sets the Nell apart. A team of ski concierges can help with everything from boot warming to tune-ups; in summer, the team connects guests with top guides for fly-fishing, mountain biking, and hiking. Ajax Tavern is the place to be for après-ski, and it’s the ultimate spot to people watch during the annual Aspen Food & Wine Classic. Even pets get VIP service and amenities such as puppy jet-lag kits and epicurean dog treats.

As you speed through the desert on I-10 between Tucson and Phoenix, consider getting off at Exit 219, especially if you have kids in the backseat... ...and even if you don’t have kids in the backseat, feeding ostriches and lorikeets is FUN! This is a classic road-trip must-stop thing to do. Stretch your legs and take a break from dodging eighteen-wheelers while communing with a bit of feathered nature at the foot of Picacho Peak. There are deer and goats to feed as well, and ostrich feather dusters for purchase, along with gigantic eggshells and related desert avian kitsch. The ‘rainbow lorikeet forest’ is a delight--these Australian parrots fly free in this tree-filled enclosure and will happily land on you to feed from the cups of nectar you’ll be offering... I’d passed by this area for years before finally stopping, always curious but skeptical. I can honestly say it’s not a rip-off and you’ll probably end up spending more time than you thought you would...unless you have a phobia of birds. (Keep in mind--mid-summer mid-day temps can be brutal here, and there are occasional dust-storms in this area. Plan accordingly.)