Search results for

San Antonio’s Rivercenter Mall has all the hallmarks of a normal American shopping mall: a food court, a Victoria’s Secret, a Gap, a movie theater and a collection of department stores. It also happens to be built around a century old church and along the city’s famous River Walk, making it a convenient and unique place to pick up souvenirs.

In the heart of D.C.'s Penn Quarter, Zaytinya serves up a variety of tapas inspired by traditional dishes from Greece, Lebanon, and Turkey. It also has a selection of wines from such Eastern Mediterranean countries and seasonally serves a hot tea with a blooming jasmine flower. Falafel, hummus, and roasted cauliflower are among my favorite menu items. Try the Turkish coffee at weekend brunch.

No need to jet to France for French bistro fare—holding court a stone’s throw from the famed 9th street Italian market, French husband-and-wife duo Charlotte and Pierre Calmels (formerly of Le Bec Fin fame) regale locals at Bibou with a masterful, market-driven menu that changes at the chef’s whim. A must on any visit to the City of Brotherly Love!

When one hears about Karachi, Pakistan, thoughts of chaos, violence and fear comes to mind. However, those who know the city and it’s habitants know well the resilience both inhabit. After every setback, the city gets up and remains colorful and illuminated for its brave residents. This photo was taken on my last visit to Karachi in summer.

Bernal Heights is one of my favorite neighborhoods in San Francisco. It’s a little off the beaten path, but on a clear day the park at the top of the hill offers an amazing view of the city and the bay. On a foggy day, the park feels like the setting of The Hound of the Baskervilles. Did I mention dogs are allowed off-leash?

The beef is local and grass-fed, the french fries and french toast are good, the people are nice, and it’s got views of a little bay. We ate one meal here, then another, and another. Sometimes when you find a good thing, you stick with it. Especially when you’re traveling with a 5-year-old.

The Liberty Bell, long associated with the American Revolution, actually predates the conflict. It arrived in Philadelphia in 1752 at Independence Hall, then known as the Pennsylvania State House. The bell was inscribed with a Bible verse: “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof.” An initial crack in the bell was attributed to a test ring that occurred right after it came to the city. But popular legend has it that the bell was still rung in 1776 to officially proclaim American independence. In 1846, the Liberty Bell was cracked for good after being repaired so it could be sounded on George Washington’s birthday; it hasn’t rung since. No tickets are required to view the bell, but visitors must pass through a security screening. Photo tip: For a classic shot, snap a photo of the icon with Independence Hall in the background.

Six out of what was once at least 16 Native American burial mounds remain preserved atop the bluffs overlooking St. Paul and the Mississippi River. These sites, 1,500–2,000 years old, are thought to have been built by the Hopewellians and then added to by the Dakotas. Upon excavation, archaeologists discovered a variety of offerings, such as mussel shells, arrowheads, copper ornaments, and bear teeth, as well as an unprecedented clay death mask with the imprint of the original face fully intact in the mold.

Soaking tubs big enough for two and double walk-in showers provide a clue that this beachfront all-inclusive, located less than 20 minutes from the airport on a peninsula just to the southwest of St. John’s Harbour, encourages families to look elsewhere. And while only the Premium Beachfront Suites have those particular romance-inducing amenities, there are other features, such as hideaway tropical dining, that will convince honeymooners and other couples that they have stepped into their own Gauguin landscape. Hence, the most secluded rooms, each with its own plunge pool, are called the Gauguin Cottages. Even among Antigua’s 365 beaches, Galley Bay’s is a visual standout that is longer and less crowded than most. The ocean here can get too rough for swimming, but the beach seldom fails to please for sunsets. Guests with limitless energy can choose from complimentary activities such as tennis, sailing, and stand-up paddleboarding. Or they can save their energy for honeymooning.

Duffy’s calls itself a “bar that serves great food.” Its brand of fruity tropical cocktails (some served in ceramic skulls) and casual fare seems somehow perfect for a relaxing Caribbean vacation. The restaurant claims to have hosted “pirates, debutantes, nerds, and rock stars.” From the outside, Duffy’s looks unassuming, but inside the colorful tiki bar decor features standard elements, such as bamboo-pole siding, spruced up with maritime mementos from around the Caribbean.

Sucré opened a couple of years after Katrina swept through a bustling stretch of Magazine Street not far from the Garden District. It quickly established itself as the city’s premier destination for chocolates, macarons, gelato, and, well… basically anything with sugar. The original shop is bright and modern rather than cluttered and fussy, and the intricately decorated confections are neatly housed in chilled cases, like jewels in a vitrine. But there’s nothing precious about the tastes here—it’s all big, bold flavors. If you’re here around Mardi Gras season, ask about the seasonal king cake, all lustrous and gilded. Sucré also recently opened a French Quarter outpost with an upstairs tearoom.

This unusual contemporary art museum is located in a series of dimly lit caverns and tunnels built into the side of a cliff in Berriedale, a Hobart suburb. Inside, mind-bending installations include a stinky model of the human digestive system that poops daily at 2 p.m. Founder David Walsh, a professional gambler turned art maverick, displays more than 400 edgy works from his private collection. The new Pharos wing that debuted in late 2017 is heavy on light spaces by James Turrell. MONA also stages two standout annual festivals: Mona Foma (which stands for Festival of Music and Art, sometimes further shortened to Mofo) in January, curated by Brian Ritchie of the rock band Violent Femmes, and Dark Mofo, the disturbing winter version held in June.

Named after the legendary sorceress Morgan le Fay who appears in the tales of King Arthur and his court, Fata Morgana is a common mirage that can be seen on hot summer days on the Strait of Messina. When rays of light bend as they pass through air layers of different temperatures, combined with the curvature of the earth, the result is an optical illusion that includes three or more distorted images of the same distant object, stacked vertically in the sky. These mirages which can appear like distant castles on the horizon have been the subject of tales and legends for centuries.

Hike around the ruins of Morne Fortune (“good luck hill”), a former military outpost overlooking the harbor it was meant to protect. The site was hardly good luck during the 18th century: Several bloody battles between the French and the British took place here. The remaining structures on Morne include guard cells and a powder magazine, the building used to store gunpowder and ammunition, as well as French and British burial grounds. At the top of the hill, near a memorial to the British infantry regiment that captured Morne Fortune in 1796, you’ll find a great spot for a panoramic view over Castries and its harbor.

One of the perks of staying at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort is the opportunity to test your skills at the Royal St. Kitts Golf Club, an 18-hole, par 71 course laid out along the island’s Caribbean coast. If you’re not a Marriott guest, however, head to the Irie Fields Golf Course at Kittitian Hill, where organic farms fringe the fairways. Designed by World Golf Hall of Famer Ian Woosnam, the course is maintained without pesticides or chemicals—if you see a herd of sheep grazing on the back nine, let them play through.