Search results for

Drive down a country road in County Donegal toward the sea, and you’re likely to find miles of unspoiled golden beach – and if there are waves, the water might be filled with surfers. Pounded by the big swells of the Atlantic Ocean, the northwest of Ireland is one of the best surfing spots in Europe and surfers take to the waves year round, with the biggest swells during winter. The unofficial surf capital is Bundoran in south Donegal. Tullan Strand is a popular beginner spot – you can rent boards or take lessons from one of the town’s four surf schools – while the reef break at The Peak is for more advanced waveriders. The 3km beach at Rossnowlagh, 20km up the coast, is reliable for regular waves and home to one of the country’s first surf clubs. Further north in the county, there are more challenging surf spots at Dungloe, Dunfanaghy, Inishowen and Fanad Head. The Bridge Bar in Bundoran town is the ideal post-surfing recovery spot for bowls of creamy seafood chowder, pints of Guinness and a surf cam so you don’t miss any of the action on The Peak, or walk up the cliff road from Rossnowlagh beach to the Smuggler’s Inn for reviving post-surf refreshments.

Ontario has another wine destination, Prince Edward County, affectionately named “The County.” This cluster of towns, about 2.5 hours east of Toronto, is home to some of Ontario’s best wineries. But never was there a great place to stay until summer 2015 when Jeff Stober, the hotelier behind Toronto’s stylish Drake Hotel, opened a rural clone, the Drake Devonshire. It’s the ideal retreat for travelers wanting their Drake by Lake Ontario. Once a 19^th-century foundry, the building is now a contemporary farmhouse-cottage, decked out with 11 individually-designed hotel rooms and two suites in the quaint town of Wellington. The property offers coziness all year round in the communal living room and out back over a lakeside fire pit and s’mores. Guests can hang in the barnlike Pavilion for musical performances, sommelier seminars, seasonal events, or just to gawk at the floor-to-ceiling mural by Brooklyn artist FAILE. It doesn’t hurt that Sandbanks Provincial Park—known for its 60-foot sand dunes—is practically the backyard of the Drake Dev.

The historic Crazy Mountain Inn is a great place to stop while cruising through Montana, especially if you arrive with a growling stomach. The Inn’s legendary chicken-fried steak will set you right (and put you in the mood for a 10-mile trek, or a fireside nap, depending on your constitution). The Sour Cream Lemon Pie is qually famed, though lighter breakfasts, lunches, and dinners do come out of the kitchen from time to time.

The final mile of the drive from the resort town of Malindi to the secluded beachfront hotel Che Shale winds through lush vegetation and coconut-studded palms—a preview of the laid-back vacation that awaits you. The property itself is simple and stylish: guests sleep in thatched bandas made with locally sourced materials and dine with sand between their toes on soft-shell crustaceans from the hotel’s organic crab farm. There are hidden nooks up wooden ladders to read or snooze in, but the party is down on the beach, a snorkeler’s delight thanks to warm Indian Ocean waters teeming with tropical fish. This stretch of coastline also gets great waves, and kitesurfers flock here, though the staff can arrange lessons for novices. There’s also an on-site boutique filled with swimwear, beach bags, straw hats, and more should you decide to extend your stay.

When you need to get out, but you are not sure where to go, that is the precise moment to remember that it’s not about the destination, it’s about the drive. Visions of rambling hills, populated with quaint, artful farmhouses like this one are an integral part of the southern landscape of Skåne, southern Sweden. I know this isn’t Heidi country, but somehow these farmhouses remind me of a peaceful, storybook lifestyle, where you eat good, dark bread, fresh goat cheese, breathe in the brisk, fresh air, and your cheeks immediately turn rosy.

As a child, William Butler Yeats spent his summer holidays in County Sligo, and the lakes and hills inspired many of his most famous poems, such as The Lake Isle of Innisfree. Take a leisurely day and follow the Yeats Trail around the locations in the area that he loved, taking in Glencar Lough, the Isle of Innisfree, Rosses Point, Benbulben, Lissadell House, and finally the churchyard at Drumcliffe Parish Church, where Yeats is buried.

Cape Flattery is the northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States. It is in Clallam County, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula, where the Strait of Juan de Fuca joins the Pacific Ocean. It is also part of the Makah Reservation, and is the northern boundary of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Cape Flattery can be reached from a short hike, most of which is board walked.

Come to this neighborhood corner establishment for the seafood, but don’t overlook the beef tartare, complemented by radish, nori, and ranch (and don’t be ashamed to order two if you’re with a party of three or more). Pricing is akin to the Ordinary, without that big brother’s fancy full experience, but it’s worth a visit for treats like tempura blowfish tails—bone-in adult lollypops of crispy, savory flavor, with lemon and spicy mayo on the side. Unconventional entrees like the smoked fish curry (amberjack one week, mackerel the next) with pumpkin and peanuts and hints of citrus, make each bite a pleasant and surprising adventure of textures and tastes. The tiny dining room gets packed quickly on weekends, and the residential setting means they still haven’t acquired a liquor license a year in, but the flavor is worth any sacrifice. The small but excellent wine list includes creative sparkling varietals, and the restaurant is one of a few places in town to serve Life Raft Treats desserts—don’t leave without a waffle-flavored ice cream in the shape of a small chicken leg, coated in toasted corn flakes, wrapping a frozen cream-filled chocolate wafer.

Kenya’s Mathioya, Tana, and Athi rivers offer some excellent white-water rafting opportunities. Rafting the Athi is considered one of the top 10 river trips in the world and includes steep rapids, giant waterfalls, and stunning views of wildlife along the route. Savage Wilderness, a company in the Sagana region, offers exhilarating and well-guided white-water excursions (as well as rock climbing, archery, and more) and is an easy day trip from Nairobi. At some points of the year, the rivers around Sagana can be too low to raft on, but a range of other activities, from swimming to attempting to kayak through a 50-foot waterfall, are available.

Set at the end of Duval Street, near Sunset Pier and Mallory Square, Pier House takes advantage of its waterfront address with three tiers of balconies and a pocket-sized stretch of private beach. Its location means guests are within walking distance of all of Old Town’s highlights, from the Clinton Square Market to the Harry S. Truman Little White House. Many come to follow in the footsteps of the mayor of Margaritaville himself, Jimmy Buffet, who played his first gig in town in the hotel’s now infamous Chart Room Bar. Order a rum runner, then head to the heated outdoor pool; though it’s on the small side, it has sweet views to Key West Bight. After an adventure-packed day, the rooms and suites offer low-key comfort, decorated with traditional furniture and local art and overlooking the ocean or tropical gardens and koi ponds. Equally serene is the full-service spa, one of the few on Key West.

For its much-anticipated first outpost outside London, the hip Hoxton boutique hotel brand—named for the trendy hipster neighborhood of its first hotel—chose five 17th- and 18th-century townhouses (including a former mayoral residence) on the canals of the Dutch capital. The brand has a formula that works, but rather than impose its signature style on another city—colonial-style, if you will—the designers have done it the other way around, imposing the buildings’ architectural styles and the city’s aesthetic on the brand. Original parquet floors, beamed ceilings, and wood paneling infuse the midcentury leather furnishings, geometric mirrors, and creatively patterned subway-tiled bathrooms with a Dutch feel, while the turquoise of the canal outside is reflected in the paint. Two rooms have original ceiling frescoes, and five have (non-working) fireplaces. In the ways that count, The Hoxton is true to its brand, such as bespoke toiletries, a scenester restaurant, a trendy bar, and its signature daily breakfast bag with a banana, granola, and orange juice.

If you’re a fan of history and/or photography, be sure to spend time at Charles Fort in County Cork. This National Monument of Ireland is the bastion on the water’s edge near Kinsale, and is open year round. The fort was built on the site of an earlier stronghold known as Ringcurran Castle, that was featured prominently during the Siege of Kinsale in 1601. The fort you see today was built in the 1670s and 1680s to a star fortification design - a layout specifically designed to resist attack by cannon.

This is not your everyday burger joint. From the outside, Burger Bar looks like a typical fast food dive, with a neon sign above a door leading into a narrow, brightly lit interior. Outside tables are likely to be packed with Amsterdammers and there might be a wait for a stool at the bar or one of a few tiny side tables. There’s no ambiance whatsoever, but when your order arrives, you’ll know why you came. For simple, quality food, from juicy burgers to chicken and portobello mushroom sandwiches, Burger Bar does not disappoint. Especially if you’re looking for a quick snack or meal at 4am. With three outlets in Amsterdam, this local favorite offers gourmet burgers in 200- or 270- gram sizes. For a few euros more than a Bic Mac, bite into a juicy patty made with 100% freshly ground Irish, prime aged U.S. Black Angus or Wagyu beef—pure Kobe deliciousness on a locally-baked sesame seed bun. Burgers are grilled as you watch and served with fresh lettuce, tomato, pickle and creamy sauce. Optional toppings include bacon, cheese, grilled onions or mushrooms, avocado, fried egg and/or jalapenos. A side of Belgian fries—crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, delectable with mayo, samurai sauce, blue cheese or other gooey toppings—completes your meal. The outlet on Reguliersbreestraat is a great spot to grab a meal before a movie at the Tuschinsky, around the corner. Others on Kolksteeg and Warmoesstraat fit the bill after the bars and everything else in town has closed.

Sun Moon Lake is Taiwan‘s largest fresh water lake. When I lived in Nantou County, central Taiwan, I would often ride my scooter to Sun Moon Lake for a bit of fresh air and reflection. One day I drove to the lake and traveled up a hill to the Ci-en Pagoda. Parking my bike, I climbed to the top of the pagoda and gazed out at the misty lake, which seemed magical in that moment. Many legends surround Sun Moon Lake, including the one which says the lake was once inhabited by two dragons. These dragons used the sun and moon as toys, causing the world to fall into darkness. Eventually a young couple came and defeated the dragons, brining light back into the world. Sun Moon Lake is one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever visited.

The hot-air balloon captains of the Masai Mara see themselves more as sailors than pilots. Despite the fact that they are flying, they guide the balloon through the air, adjusting the pulleys and controlling blasts of hot air like sailors harnessing the wind with canvas. The anticipation of takeoff is exhilarating: Guests arrive to an open field in the darkness and lie down on the grass to be hoisted up into the basket, with the roar of the flames overhead. The ride itself is tranquil and relaxing, drifting through the sky, admiring the balloon’s shadow on the golden ground as the sun rises. Rides can be booked in advance while staying at Angama Mara, one of Kenya’s most luxurious lodges.