Search results for

When it comes to beach bars, it doesn’t get much better than this open-air spot on picturesque Cockleshell Bay. During the day, guests can take advantage of lounge chairs, beach volleyball nets, and snorkeling gear rentals. Friday nights bring bonfire dinners, while Sunday afternoons feature live bands and dancing. The menu is heavy on seafood prepared in the traditional Caribbean way, with popular dishes ranging from corn chowder to coconut shrimp and conch fritters.

Portland’s only southern Thai fried chicken restaurant also happens to be the city’s best fried chicken restaurant, full stop. It helps to have one of Portland’s ambassadors of Thai cuisine, Earl Ninsom—of impossible-to-reserve Langbaan and takeout staple PaaDee—behind the counter-service concept in the cheery, narrow space where diners rub elbows with the cooks. The unique style of preparing the birds, which are rubbed with cumin, white pepper, coriander, and fresh garlic before they’re breaded with rice flour, fried, and served with fresh shallots, results in a crispy, spicy, just-light-enough flavor profile. Pair with the housemade curry and roti, mixing and matching and dipping as you go, for maximum enjoyment.

St. Kitts’ water taxis—basically anyone with a boat willing to make the crossing to Nevis—will drop you right on this beautiful stretch of sand, making Oualie Beach the perfect day trip. Once on land, head to the Oualie Beach Resort, where you can hang with guests and locals at the on-site restaurant and bar. If you’re feeling adventurous, ask the bartender for a sample of one of the house-infused rums, made with a variety of local plants and herbs. Afterward, walk down to the beach, where you’ll find watersport vendors and even a small spa for some additional relaxation.

Looking to take home a piece of Portland? Your new best fronds are here to help. Solabee Flowers & Botanicals is your source for succulents, staghorn ferns, stately palms, and just about anything else you can imagine from the world of houseplants, ceramics and pottery, crystals, and palo santo, the popular South American incense sticks. All those plants make for a sunny bi-level shop that’s an olfactory heaven. The helpful staff of plant experts are happy to consult with you and troubleshoot any issues you may have with your cacti. This very Portland store even boasts a corgi mascot that’s often featured on Solabee’s Instagram feed.

From an unassuming strip mall on Portland’s far east side, Rose VL Deli dishes out two types of pho daily. The rich, complex, aromatic broth is transcendent whether it’s made for a simple bowl of bun bo Hue or a flavor-palooza like the Vietnamese turmeric noodles. (The shop’s smaller, original location, Ha VL, also serves banh mi sandwiches.) Fans include local Asian food ambassador Andy Ricker, of Pok Pok, and other chefs around town who fancy themselves connoisseurs of Vietnamese cuisine. Slurp loudly, enjoy the soap operas playing on the TV, and plan on a nap afterward.

Wish that your one-stop shopping and dining location had high-concept ice cream, ramen, and New York–style pizza? Look no further than Pine Street Market, Portland’s first modern food hall. Home to some of the city’s best-loved restaurateurs, it counts among its popular food stands Wiz Bang Bar (featuring the nation’s only high-concept soft serve from the folks at Salt & Straw), Bless Your Heart Burger (done Carolina-style, from Toro Bravo’s John Gorham), and OP Wurst (from local wurst-meisters Olympia Provisions). The 10,000-square-foot space in the renovated 1886 Carriage & Baggage Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was the site of the Old Spaghetti Factory until 1981.

Golf enthusiasts will find plenty to love at Pompano Beach Club—the family-owned resort is practically next door to the world-famous links of Port Royal. But the former fishing club is also a haven for anglers of every stripe: You can grab a complimentary rod from the hotel staff and wade out nearly 400 yards on the nearby sandbar to cast for bonefish and—what else?—pompano, or charter a vessel to catch yellowfin tuna and mahi-mahi on a deep-sea voyage. Back on land, the 75 guest rooms provide laid-back ambience thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows perfect for enjoying panoramic ocean views. Better still, retire, rum swizzle in hand, to the terrace of the appropriately named Sunset Lounge to take in the postcard-worthy vistas.

On the corner of a rather scrofulous downtown block and across the street from the Ace Hotel’s event space, Wildfang is a self-described “home for badass women.” Whether it’s street style with a feminist message—even in Portland, it’s not every day that one finds a “Slay the Patriarchy” baseball cap—or high-fashion clothing that works on all sorts of body types, Wildfang packs it all in. For hangers-on who aren’t as interested in shopping or fashion, the bar inside the store provides liquid relief, including beers designed in collaboration with 10 Barrel that were created by women brewmasters.

Cape Porpoise is quite the charming small village in the Town of Kennebunkport. The harbor is a safe haven for the many lobster boats & dingy’s that call this place their home & office. The islands can be a great escape for camping or exploration. Goat Island, one of the many islands that make up the neighboring islands of the harbor offers visitors a working lighthouse & gate keepers house for exploration. There’s a few good local restaurants specializing in Maine fare that are a great find too. An outing in Cape Porpoise really can’t be missed while visiting Kennebunkport. There’s always something going on & you can find a story threw the lens or chat with a local to find more about this charming spot.

All those Willamette Valley pinot noirs you’ve heard about? This is the wine shop in Portland where you’ll find many of them. Fresh off a move in 2016 to a former brasserie, Park Avenue Wines now covers 8,500 square feet of space and includes a wine bar called Bardot, storage for your wine (wine lockers!), and plenty of room for evening tasting events. Northwest wine aficionados will want to join one of the wine clubs, one of which focuses solely on wines from the region. As a place to start an education about the wines from the Willamette Valley and environs, it’s hard to beat.

Just a short walk from Auckland‘s Eden Park, home of big rugby games in the city, the funky and bohemian Kingsland neighborhood is also developing a reputation as an eating and drinking destination. Some of the city’s best coffee is served at Atomic—try the Vietnamese iced coffee with coconut milk—and the savory pies at the Fridge are world-famous across Auckland. Packed with vintage furniture, the Portland Public House is a raffish live-music venue, and Citizen Park’s combination of Mexican food and robust cocktails has a strong following. Travelers seeking unique gifts should head to the Royal Jewellery Studio, with work by local artists including Maori designs crafted from pounamu (greenstone).

Enormously popular, the Cliff Restaurant indeed sits right over the sea in Saint James Parish, and all of the tables on its two levels afford fine views. Many of the seafood dishes, such as curry mussels and chargrilled swordfish, are Asian influenced. At night, the outdoor seating area is illuminated by torchlight, revealing the stingrays swimming below.

This three-mile stretch of white sand is the only public beach at the gated Puntacana Resort & Club. Even so, non-guests can only reach the beach after dining at the resort’s oceanfront Playa Blanca Restaurant. It’s worth it, though, as the calm turquoise water is ideal for swimming, kayaking, and catamaran sailing. A mesh barrier keeps seaweed out of the swimming and beach areas, ensuring pristine water and sand as far as the eye can see.

One of Seattle‘s most postcard-friendly areas, Pioneer Square is a beautiful, historical neighborhood with plenty to do. The galleries come alive for First Thursday art walks, not to mention the delicious lunch spots, quirky boutiques, and vibrant nightlife. Every Tuesday, a different food truck parks at the First & King Loading Dock (505 1st Ave S.), so there’s always something new to try. By night, the bars, pubs, and clubs fill up with tourists and locals looking for fun. The Seattle Underground Tour and Smith Tower attractions can be found here, as well as the Seattle Metropolitan Police Museum and its collection of vintage police cars. But there’s plenty to see if you just amble around and explore, too.

Nassau’s Christ Church Cathedral sits near the site of the first church built in the Bahamas. The original church, built in 1670, was called the Parish of Christ Church, and it was destroyed by the Spanish just 14 years later. After a few iterations, the stone church that stands there today went up in 1841, and it still holds services more than 170 years later. Visitors can explore this historical landmark, located on George Street in downtown Nassau, or even join one of the daily services, prayer sessions, or Holy Communions.