Search results for

Playa Madera is one of San Juan del Sur’s best surfing beaches. It’s only a short 20 minute ride out of town and is popular with both travelers and locals. If you aren’t a surfer and are looking for a snack or if you need a pick me up after your time on the water, Taco Locos is the perfect place for a cold beer and, well, tacos. They are known for their fish tacos but the chicken tacos are also top notch. And while tacos are not traditionally Nicaraguan, the flavors are fresh and compliment the relaxed vibe of this beach. The restaurant is tiny - only a small palapa on the beach with not more than 10 tables.

We strolled into town from our hotel (La Casa Que Canta) by walking down the hill and along Paseo Pescador, which connects Playa Madera and Playa Principal. There is no shortage of restauranteurs offering you the “best” fish tacos and “coldest” beers in town. Prices range around the same and you probably can’t make a mistake if you stick with beverages. Continue walking along the Paseo and you’ll encounter creative community service announcements, a copper sculpture vaguely reminiscent of the mermaid in Copenhagen, and this fisherman’s grove. Shaded in coconut palms, the colors, sounds, and smells of this unexpected stumble upon keep wanting to bring me back. If you find yourself in Zihua, this is a stroll worth doing.

A two hour hike off the main road on the southwestern slopes of Maderas Volcano on Ometepe Island brings you to the gorgeous moss-covered San Ramon waterfall (Cascada de San Ramon). The trail first leads you through sun-exposed farm fields that are fed by water from San Ramon. It then winds through a lush jungle with bluejays, butterflies and howler monkeys, and dead-ends at the sheer cliff-face of the falls. Wade through the water to cool off under its natural shower or simply sit on a rock and stare up to take in the vertical panorama. There is a $3 entrance fee. Recommendation 1: Bring a towel if you plan to get wet so that you can comfortably get back into your clothes. Recommendation 2: Arrive by motorbike and park at a second parking lot further up the trail to shave off about 30 minutes of hiking.

A short hike north of Playa Maderas lead to some less crowded beaches that were more swim friendly and less crowded.

Tucson is surrounded by mountains. As you look south, however, the highest and most distinctive peak is Mt. Wrightson (9,453ft/2,881m) in the Santa Rita range. Hike to the top and you’ll be rewarded with a 360-degree view from the highest point between Tucson and Mexico. In fact, on a clear day, looking south from the top of the mountain, you’ll see all the way into Mexico. On the way, you’ll drive and hike up through forested Madera Canyon — one of the best spots in the U.S. for birdwatching. Around 250 different species (including 15 different varieties of hummingbirds) of birds, have been spotted, some of which are normally only seen in tropical ecosystems. You’re also likely to encounter deer and wild turkey as you drive up from the high desert grasslands south of Tucson. This is a challenging hike: about 11 miles round-trip, with a four-thousand foot elevation gain. You’ll be hiking mostly in forest, but at the top there’s no shade and the winds can be formidable. Nonetheless—the views! City, wilderness, grasslands, mines, forested slopes, and endless mountain ranges...worth it!

In a few years, there will probably be a guidebook to the various beaches along the Pacific coast of Nicaragua near San Juan del Sur. They each have different characteristics—some big, some small, some better for surfing, etc. We didn’t have time to do a comprehensive survey. But we can give a thumbs-up to taking a sailboat trip out from San Juan’s harbor and going north to Playa Costa Blanca. The boat belonged to our hotel, the Pelican Eyes, but you don’t have to be a guest there to join a trip. The ride along the coast was smooth and steady, and gave us a view of the coastline and some of the other beaches. When we got to Costa Blanca, we anchored offshore, then jumped in and swam to the beach. The water was cold, but the swim was short. Then the seven of us on the boat had the beach to ourselves. We walked in the soft sand and found crabs in the tidepools, and when we were ready, swam back to the boat, where fresh ceviche and drinks were waiting. We watched the sun set as we sailed back to San Juan. And the captain let my 6-year-old son steer the boat. I’m not even really a boat guy, but I can’t imagine a more relaxing way to spend an afternoon.

Finish off a day in Havana Vieja at this new, hangar-style brewery in the city’s revitalized port. Massive and with an excellent patio, Cerveceria Antiguo Almacen de la Madera y El Tabaco is the perfect place for beer drinkers who want to explore beyond Cuba’s two national beers, Cristal and Bucanero. You have your pick of three: a light ale, an amber, and a dark (which looks a tastes more like an amber than a port). You also have your pick of glassware: A modest pint glass or a towering beer dispenser that could easily serve eight. Light bites and regular live music add to the ambience.

In a city that takes itself so seriously—running the United States is an intense business, after all—the Hotel Madera is a breath of fresh air. Just a couple of leafy blocks from always-lively Dupont Circle, the Kimpton-run boutique hotel looks like a 1960s apartment building on the outside, belying interiors adorned in colorful, batik-inspired fabrics and perks like in-room yoga mats and an evening wine hour. In other words, the Madera is the kind of place where you relax. The laid-back and trendy restaurant takes its design cues from a fairy-tale forest, and pets are as catered to as children and bachelorette groups. It’s hard to beat the Dupont Circle location, too, which puts the White House, the Kennedy Center, and trendy neighborhoods like Logan Circle and U Street all within throwing distance. No, it’s not the fanciest stay in town, but D.C. doesn’t need another fussy hotel to attract visiting dignitaries—and you’ll have more fun at the Madera, anyway.