Search results for

Few places in North America are anchored in a heritage like the Pueblo of Taos. This is the longest inhabited living arrangement in the US. The Pueblo still has ten families of around 150 native people working to maintain the culture and the adobe architecture for generations to come. A living artifact, the past and present form a delicate harmony to produce a unique travel experience. The environment says a lot about the sustainability of this community. Tucked up against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, with the Rio flowing through the center of the Pueblo, the inhabitants have maintained their lifestyle through wars, disease, cultural genocide and environmental impact to survive. From the efficiency of their adobe walls to provide comfort against extreme heat and cold, to the guiding wisdom of elders to keep the Pueblo vibrant, the way of life preserved within these walls is a testament to the strength and vision of native people, connected to this land with over a thousand years of tradition.

Koh Tang Island is among the region’s best for scuba divers, with two wrecks to explore as well as a wealth of marine life: barracuda, eagle rays, sting rays, leopard sharks, and whale sharks, and seven reef systems. Stop in Scuba Nation or the Dive Shop in Sihanoukville to arrange a trip to the completely undeveloped island. Please note that Koh Tang is recommended only for experienced divers, however, the snorkeling is quite appealing here, too. The season between December to April provides the clearest views below the water’s surface.

While it’s not in Mexico City proper, the sacred pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan is close enough–about 30 miles– for an easy day trip if you’re interested in architecture, archaeology, and indigenous history. The site’s primary structures, the Temple of Quetzalcoatl and the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, have been designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, and it is possible to explore the pyramids–and even climb them–either independently or with a guide. After ascending nearly 250 steps on the Pyramid of the Sun, you’ll have a greater appreciation for these ancient structures and the civilization responsible for having built them. In addition to the pyramids, an on-site museum documents the history of the so-called “City of the Gods,” and displays archaeological finds, including pottery, bones, and other important objects.

The tiny Flaming Buoy Filet Co. is located down a residential street (walk or come by cab—you won’t find parking), so it feels removed from the crowds along Duval Street. From the simple menu, popular items include the appetizer trio plate (small servings of lobster macaroni and cheese, grilled shrimp with spicy lime chutney, and a caprese salad) and any of the fish specials. A lot of regulars choose the lobster macaroni and cheese as an entrée, too. Dine outside on a porch strung with twinkling lights, or opt for inside the mellow and air-conditioned dining room or at the bar. Reservations are strongly recommended, even in the off-season.

Although the Smoking Goat is credited with pioneering a culinary renaissance in a once-sleepy corner of North Park, nothing else about chef Fred Piehl’s flagship restaurant screams “culinary vanguard”—and that’s precisely what devotees love about the place. Regulars come here for the reliably exquisite staples: French onion soup with what’s essentially an open-face grilled cheese sandwich afloat in rich veal broth; duck fat truffle fries with pecorino romano and mustard aioli; beef cheeks à la Bourguignonne with carrots, cioppolini onions, cherry tomatoes, mashed potatoes, and braising jus; and other creations that blend traditional French tastes with sustainable, organic San Diego–sourced ingredients. While dinner at this rustic, romantic spot is hardly the time to eat lightly, if you want to go vegetarian, opt for the indulgent raclette au gratin with fingerling potatoes, cornichons, and toast, along with a salad of poached and raw pears with mixed greens, pistachio pesto, and champagne vinaigrette. And as befits the restaurant’s caprine theme, the goat cheese cheesecake with poached peach and whipped cream is a favorite dessert.

Until Toronto hosted the 2015 Pan Am Games, City Hall—two curved modernist office towers that look like a pair of parentheses surrounding a period—lacked tourist allure. But enter a photogenic, rainbow-hued, eye-catching TORONTO sign, and voilà! A star was born. Found in the square directly in front of City Hall, the illuminated sign, originally meant to be a temporary attraction, has become one of the city’s most photographed structures, along with the CN Tower. The sign’s O’s, in particular, are popular with canoodling couples.

One of the most striking sights along the channel can be found in the shape of the so-called Glacier Alley. Described in detail by Charles Darwin during his five-year voyage on the HMS Beagle, the series of five glaciers—which are named Holanda, Italia, Francia, Alemania and Romanche (the latter located within Chile’s Alberto de Agostini National Park)—are nothing short of spectacular, summoning an aura of grace and quietude as well as reminding one of the majestic force of nature.

Hop aboard the ferry at Pier 41 in San Francisco, or from the town of Tiburon, and spend a day on the largest and most beautiful island in the bay—Angel Island State Park. You can bring your own bike, or rent one when you arrive, and ride the paved perimeter trail around the 760-acre island. There are open-air tram tours, too, with guides recalling the island’s rich history, as well as guided hikes. Of course, you are free to roam the trails on your own, one of the best of which is the hike up to the top of 788-foot Mount Livermore, where 360-degree views take in the San Francisco skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge. Whatever your plan, know you’ll be immersing yourself in local history in a place that has been a fishing and hunting site for Coast Miwok Indians, a haven for Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala, and a U.S. Army post starting with the Civil War. From 1910 to 1940, hundreds of thousands of immigrants were processed here, and during World War II, Japanese and German POWs were held on the island. Several buildings and other relics remain as a reminder of the island’s varied history, including the United States Immigration Station museum (open March–October).

Perhaps the most famous artwork in the archipelago is God, our Father, on the Rainbow, by Sweden’s most popular sculptor, Carl Milles (1875–1955). It depicts God standing on top of a 23-meter-tall (75-foot-tall) water spout. The work was designed in the 1940s and intended to stand in New York outside the United Nations. That plan was not realized, but in 1995 this version was installed at Nacka, just outside central Stockholm. Milles’s home and studio can be found on the nearby island of Lidingö and is a fascinating place to visit on a sunny day when you can wander through its sculpture garden.

Located less than a half-mile from the gondola, Mountain Lodge offers ski-in, ski-out access, gorgeous mountain views, and top-notch amenities like an outdoor heated pool that stays open year-round. Also on-site is the View Bar & Grill, which features a giant stone fireplace and 30-foot windows for taking in the scenery as well as comforting pub fare and a daily happy hour that coincides nicely with après-ski. Most accommodations are apartment-style, ranging from junior suites to luxurious four-bedroom cabins with full kitchens, fireplaces, and private balconies. Budget travelers might book a lodge room, which is smaller—there’s no sitting area or balcony—but still offers access to all the lodge’s services, like grocery shopping, equipment rentals, and shuttles to the gondola. A resort fee covers Internet but not parking, however, the $20 valet charge can be a bargain in peak season when public spaces are hard to find.

First opened as the Remington Hotel in the Post Oak business park in 1982, this 12-floor Galleria-area property became the St. Regis in 2000. And it’s everything you’d expect from the St. Regis—“a place where exception is the rule”—with a side of Southern hospitality. The reception desk and concierge are available any time of day or night, as is the hotel’s longstanding signature butler service.

From the lush landscaping in the circular driveway to plush leather furniture, spectacular chandeliers, and gleaming marble floors throughout the hotel, it feels rich and regal. Guest rooms are equally fit for royalty with floor‐to‐ceiling windows, LG flat‐screen HD televisions, DVD players, audio sound and entertainment systems—and generous, Texas-size real estate. Everything is bigger at the St. Regis, which is known for having some of the largest hotel rooms (at least 500 square feet) in the city.

Québec City has an abundance of elegant restaurants, both contemporary and classic, where you could easily imagine you are dining in Paris or New York. Bistro St-Malo, on the other hand, is a no-pretense, casual favorite, albeit one that still serves excellent renditions of French and Québecois dishes. Steak frites, duck confit, and boudin (blood sausage) are among the classic bistro options served here. The setting is as memorable as the cooking—the stone walls, hung with oil paintings and knickknacks, gives the restaurant a feeling similar to that of the many antique shops that sit near it on Rue Saint-Paul. In the summer, alfresco dining on the street, which runs along the waterfront of Lower Town, adds to the cafe’s popularity.

A good start to your visit to Québec City is a stop at the Observatoire de la Capitale, just past the Parliament Building. The observation deck on the 31st floor of the Marie-Guyart Building stands 725 feet high and offers 360-degree views of the city. From here, the highest building in the city, you can get a sense of the lay of the land—Old Québec jutting out into the St. Lawrence River, Cap Diamant to its south, the Louise Basin marina and St. Charles River to its north. New signage added in 2016 provides cultural, economic, and historical background on the sights below. After you have surveyed the city, descend and explore it on foot.

Hop on a lightweight bicycle and learn about the history of the Philippines on a guided bike tour around Manila’s old walled city of Intramuros. The bikes are handmade in the Philippines from bamboo, a natural vibration dampener, and fibers from the abaca plant (similar to a banana); Bambike Revolution Cycles won a Manila FAME Katha Award for Eco-Design in 2015. This is a unique alternative to a walking or bus tour, and takes you inside a walled city that is not normally accessible to bigger groups. Intramuros almost doesn’t feel like Manila: The Spanish influence is evident in the architecture, which includes some of the oldest baroque churches in the Philippines. Fort Santiago still houses underground dungeons as well as a tiny underground chapel, hidden at the end of a tunnel. At the Rizal Shrine you will learn about the life of José Rizal, the country’s national hero who played an instrumental role in the Philippine rebellion against Spanish colonial rule, and follow in the footsteps he made as he took his last walk in the fort from his cell to his execution.

Most of the year, Punta Cana’s white, sandy stretches of sand are blessed with gently lapping surf, which means that night swimming isn’t as dangerous or daunting an exercise as it can be on other Caribbean islands. Slip into the water near the Westin’s covered pier, and have the ocean all to yourself. Under the bright light of a full moon, you might even catch a glimpse of a sea turtle inching its way along the beach.