Search results for

You’re planning a visit to Sonoma. Where will you stay? An inn? Typical hotel room? B & B? I have a recent find in Sonoma wine country that you might not have considered: Graton Hotel Resort & Casino. Even if your adrenaline isn’t primarily sparked by gaming, here are some reasons to stay that will open your eyes. And you just might want to play a hand of Black Jack while you are there. First it is right in Sonoma. It’s classy, clean, new and has 200 spacious, bright, stylish hotel rooms and suites. The hotel part of the resort is completely separate from the casino section with valet service and a serene waterfall feature to welcome you. The expansive lobby, beautifully decorated with wood and stone, original artwork and bright custom-loomed carpets, rivals any luxury resort hotel. The materials and color palette were specifically chosen by the Tribal Chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, Mr. Greg Sarris.“ I wanted it to be opulent, but to reflect the colors of wine country.” he says. The property is near the wonderful little Santa Rosa Airport and transport from the property can be arranged, or is an easy cab ride away, or by car from SFO in 40 minutes. The first-class Spa & Salon At Graton would be enough reason for me to stay here. This full service oasis is staffed by caring professionals and caters to both men and women. The Privai Hydra Facial which combines cleansing, exfoliation and hydration is a non-laser skin resurfacing treatment. I can attest to the exceptional results. The salon has a Walkabout Foot Love service that leaves you with soft feet and beautiful toes either with or without polish. Dining options here either come from existing local hot spots or are concepts created exclusively for Graton Resort & Casino. An Italian restaurant, by San Francisco favorite Tony’s of North Beach serves delicious artisan pizza and Italian classics. Boathouse Asian Eatery serves favorites like sushi, sashimi, Steamed Whole Fish, Chinese Duck Noodle Soup, and Beef Chow Fun made with tenderloin steak and wide flat Fun noodles. For a modern take on Asian-fusion the Jalapeno Poppers with spicy crab, cream cheese, sriracha and unagi sauce are divine. The ubiquitous casino steak house has been re-imagined here as the casually elegant 630 Park Steakhouse. Go “all in” and start with the Seafood Jumbo Jackpot a multi-tiered offering of Maine lobster, shrimp, oysters, Dungeness Crab, and crab claws. Double-down with any of their tender, aged steak cuts or the Ahi Tuna Steak, just seared on the outside and sliced for you. Don’t miss the sides like Creamed Corn (this one is special) Classic Tater Tots or creamed Spinach. There is a ballrooom and event center in a separate building with state of the art sound and lighting in a space that can be configured for a small or large event. Come for a show featuring top talent like Patti LaBelle, Art Garfunkel or Kathy Griffin. The pool area is gorgeous, reminiscent of Miami with its sun lounges and private cabanas upholstered in an eye-popping orange. “Cabo lounges” sit right in the pool so all you have to do is lie down, soak up the sun and trail your hands or feet in the water. And yes there is a full-service pool bar which also makes for a romantic spot at night when the glowing fire pits are lit up under the Sonoma stars.

Located deep in the heart of the Iwokrama Rainforest Preserve, Atta Rainforest Lodge is operated by Wilderness Explorers. It offers accommodation in eight simple, but still comfortable, rooms in a long brick building. Each is equipped with mosquito netting over the beds, and has an attached al fresco toilet and cold water shower (don’t worry, it’s so steamy outside you won’t miss the hot water -- plus showering under the stars at night is a bucket-list worthy experience). Meals are served family style and focus on local staples including fresh fish and meat -- BBQ nights are the best. Everything tastes fresh and delicious and we love how friendly the staff is. At night there is little to do (again no cell signal, limited Wi-Fi, and no TV), so our group amused ourselves drinking rum in the bar and playing charades. The guides will also take you for night walks where you can see cool bugs like the Whip Spider. The real highlight here, however, is doing the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway. Although some canopies were destroyed recently, the remaining ones form a series of suspension bridges and platforms 100 feet above the rain forest floor. Walking across the rickety (but safe) bridge is an adrenaline experience in its own right, but make sure to stop and look around, as the views are magnificent, and you’ll likely hear and see howler monkeys and other indigenous fauna. Note the walk to the platforms is intense and straight uphill -- wear proper shoes and bring water.

This pub was made famous in Jeannie Gunn’s book We of the Never Never and a 1980 film of the same name. Gunn’s husband, Aeneas, is buried in the local cemetery, and the town has completely embraced the slogan “Capital of the Never Never,” even starting a Never Never Festival in honor of the story that put Mataranka on the map. The mock-up of the homestead used in filming is next to the bar’s car park. After you’ve explored the town and swam in one of its many thermal pools, cool down with a frosty beer in one of the outback’s most famous rooms.

Mazatlán is going through a renaissance. “The Pearl of the Pacific” saw its original heyday along with Acapulco during the glamorous 50s and 60s, when Hollywood stars mixed with Mexico’s elite for sun and fun and cocktails. By the 90s, however, Mazatlán was worn around the edges and run down, a forgotten tourist relic while the Caribbean coast’s Cancún rose to world fame. Well, Mazatlán is back, baby-- back to its former glory and more. If your hotel is in the touristy souvenir-filled “Zona Dorada” (Golden Zone), be sure to spend your days in the Pueblo Viejo (Old Town) and its charming, fully renovated historic center steps away from the beach. The cultural scene here is vibrant--live theater and dance performances, tasty eateries, unique boutiques, and several interesting museums. Of course, getting out in the sea and sun will also be a priority. Surfing, sportfishing and horseback riding are all popular here, but the real don’t-miss activity is a whale or dolphin-watching expedition. Onca Explorations (www.oncaexplorations.com) offers popular daily ecotours to observe marine mammals. At the end of the day, a drink at a beachside bar is in order. As you people watch and enjoy the dramatic Pacific sunset, you can ponder whether you’re in the mood for watching a concert at the Teatro Angela Peralta or dancing the night away at one of Mazatlán’s many Zona Dorada nightclubs.

Benjamin Matthews, formerly known as “The Pizza Man” at various Darwin markets now runs an outdoor pop-up Italian restaurant called Cucina Sotto Le Stelle at the Nightcliff Foreshore. Follow the smell of wood-fired pizza mingling with tropical sea air to find in-the-know locals and travelers gathered at checkered communal tables eating squid-ink pasta and chewy pizzas topped with prawns and local veggies as well as salty muscles and other Northern Territory specialties. It’s the best thing that’s happened in this part of Darwin since the Mindil Beach Markets began. Cucina Sotto Le Stelle pops up every Wednesday and Friday at 5pm, but check the Facebook page for updates.

You’ll leave this mountain town more rested and more balanced than when you arrived.

Weekend mornings are typically sleepy in Amsterdam. The town barely wakes up by noon, and many stores and restaurants are closed Sunday morning. Which leaves few options beyond local bakeries and venues serving touristy “English Breakfasts” to satisfy the urge for hearty morning fare. Enter G’s West, possibly the coziest spot in Amsterdam West for weekend brunch. Open Friday–Sunday, the former “bruin café” sits on a quiet street in Amsterdam’s Jordaan. Self-described as “an eclectic hot mess of love, lust, hunger & thirst,” the interior features whitewashed wood, funky furnishings, tablecloths printed with old comic strips, and a bar stocked with antique apothecary bottles and Bloody Mary fixin’s. Order from a sassy menu shaped like an old LP, featuring Foreplay, The Main Act, Happy Endings and Tipsy. Start with oysters on the half-shell or G’s Brunch Dip on Crack, washed down with a Bloody Bacon, Passion in the Morning or Morning Wood cocktail. The Main Act stars classic Eggs Benedict, Challah French Toast and other breakfast dishes, as well as a Chicken Waffle Burger featuring fried chicken sandwiched between sugar waffles. The same fare is offered on a Brunch Cruise that sails every Saturday and Sunday, with pick-up and drop-off at the Homomonument on Keizersgracht. As one of the only spots that serves weekend brunch in Amsterdam, G’s lives up to its URL: http://reallyniceplace.com/. Both the Jordaan venue are available for private parties and corporate events.

Explore Michelin-starred restaurants, local and seasonal delicacies, and more in Reykjavik, Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Copenhagen.

Journey the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands on a trip that helps preserve and protect the island through epic train journeys, sustainable dining, urban adventure, and the expansive outdoors.

Go beyond the highlights with archaeologist-led tours and time with Bedouin families.

Explore Utah’s great outdoors and enjoy locally inspired mountain cuisine.

Get in touch with your inner Viking when you sail on a Viking ship and check out archeological objects on this itinerary including an overnight in an 800-year-old castle.

From stargazing in dark sky parks to chasing meteor showers, these travel ideas will excite any astronomy fan.