Search results for 'costa rica'

We all are watching our budgets and trying to stretch those dollars as much as we can, given the current economic environment that we all have been enduring!   Don’t despair, boomer patrol is but a click away and here I will share with you the secrets for unlocking that treasure chest where you will find great deals on air travel, despite all the fees the carriers keep” packing” on day after day!

Last year was the 150th Anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War. If you want your understanding broadened, your senses dazzled, and your collector gene completely awed, The Civil War Museum in Bardstown, Kentucky is a must see. It has one of the largest collections of rare and authentic artifacts of any Civil War Museum in the country. Prominent Civil War magazine, The North and South, named it the 4th best in the U.S. out of 500. This is quite a surprise for this great small Central Kentucky town.

For many years, I took groups of people on charter flights to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. Oh, those were the days - unfortunately, the charter flights stopped, economies took a hit, 2 hurricanes came through, and the number of tourists dropped. The good news is that things are looking up and people are returning to visit this friendly and fun island. There are some changes from my trips from the past and now most of the activity centers around Lucaya where the magnificent Grand Lucayan Hotel sits overlooking the turquoise waters of the ocean. You have a choice of 3 types of views – the Marina, The Island and the Ocean – obviously, the price goes up for an ocean view, but it is so breathtaking, you may want to spend the extra cash.

The Red Lion Inn has been taking care of travelers of all ages (a lot of boomers visit) for over 200 years! It is the oldest Inn in the United States and New England still running. This is a place you want to have the magical luxury of visiting at least one time in your life. I have visited at least 50 times!!!! It will take you back to a different time in history. As you sit in the rocking chairs on the long porch you will glance down the street and feel as though Norman Rockwell is sitting right next to you. He lived right down the street. This town is all about history and the inn is a charter member of Historic Hotels of America.

With its cocaine days in the past, the Colombian seaport of Cartagena has emerged as the belle of the ball. Cartagena, a fairy tale city of romance, legends, and sheer beauty, is a captivating place that can be hard to escape. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Cartagena draws legions of tourists and thus, inevitably, aggressive touts and money changers. This is the place to drop all sightseeing routines. Instead, just stroll through Cartagena's maze of cobbled alleys, where enormous balconies are hidden and massive churches cast their shadows across leafy plazas. 

If you love to travel, chances are you have been to Amsterdam, the city of canals, windmills, museums and friendly people. I never tire of taking a Canal Boat sightseeing tour when I visit because it seems I spy something unique each time I go.

We had a wonderful camping experience at Campfire Lodgings, just north of downtown Asheville, NC. This privately owned campground is located at the top of Goldview Knob, and is worth the steep climb to get there. The owners have thoughtfully provided encouraging signs along the way to keep you moving, like “Just a little further” and “Ya made it!” But do take the time to unhook your towed vehicle before you ascend their gravel road.

If you're up for adventure with a hint of relaxation, Costa Rica is the place for you. This is the country in Central America whose catch phrase is “Pura Vida”, which translates to mean pure or good life, and that is what you will experience in this country of “Ticos”, the term they use to refer to themselves. They are outgoing and friendly and most people speak English.

I’m no an adrenalin junky, take me anywhere near a bungee jump and I’ll run a mile. But I do enjoy skiing and should you fancy a change from Colorado, and if maybe you’ve ticked off America’s five best resorts like Jackson Hole in Wyoming and Snowbird and Alta in Utah, then Europe has so much to offer.

A couple of years back, I headed for Switzerland, the beautiful, landlocked country boarding France and Italy formed from 26 regions known as cantons. My base for the week was the scenic, yet little-known mountain-top town of Nendaz in the Canton of Valais.

Nendaz lies at the heart of a popular ski region which markets itself as The Four Valleys, and from here you can access 95 lifts, over 100 pistes and two snow parks designed specifically for burgeoning snowboarders.  

What’s even better is that skiing from Nendaz, compared to the de rigueur neighbouring resorts of Verbier and Lausanne, will come in at a fraction of the cost.

It was raining in the streets of Tiburon, as my family started out to enjoy dinner out. We peeked into this sweet American traditional, very inviting restaurant that seemed  welcoming and proceeded to enjoy dining for the next few hours. It was a single dining area, large windows all along the left side and the front, hardwood floors and darling blue and white checkered tablecloths (that’s the boomer in me, remembering those tablecloths from back when….). A long, beautiful mirror and fresh flowers were also a focus of the restaurant.

America's East Coast Riviera, that's how locals feel about the Hamptons.Then again, there are locals, and locals.  The real locals are the people of Long Island who live in the Hamptons year around.  The other "locals" are rich owners and renters who inhabit from May till September.  New Yorkers, for some strange reason, have come to regard summer as that time between Memorial Day (third Monday in May), and Labor Day, first Monday in September.  So, every piece of action is crammed into three oh so short, super-revved up months of summer.

In August of 1950, two curious teenagers were hunting for Native American artifacts after they had finished their chores and noticed cold air rushing out of a tiny opening, which was causing leaves to rustle on a tree 15 feet away.  They dug their way in and discovered a magical world within, what is now Cub Run Cave.

Few places in the world are as romantic and private as Bellagio, a resort nestled in the hills of Lake Como.  Often referred to as “Pearl of the Lake,” Bellagio has world class hotels and restaurants that offer the perfect environment to relax and enjoy the stunning panoramic views – especially the Italian Alps.

When we decided to go on our first trip to Europe, Italy was the destination. Being a coin collector, I wanted to look at examples from the large cities we were going to visit- Rome, Florence, and Venice. I asked a fellow collector I had met the previous summer while taking classes at the American Numismatic Association’s Summer Seminar (another story) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, if he had any suggestions. He told me about the Il Mio Hobby Coin Shop in Venice. As a total rookie in world travel, I found it hard to believe I could really find that spot in a land that seemed so far away.  

SBM rules and reigns supreme in Monaco.  In addition to the grande hotels of bygone years, they own the two major Beach Hotels.  The famed Monte Carlo Beach Club, with its world famous concert facility the Sporting Club.  And the new SBM shuttle buses take you between these destinations during your stay at the SBM hotels.

In the heart of Old Louisville overlooking Central Park is the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum, known as Louisville’s Castle. In the 1890’s, Theophile Conrad commissioned local architect Arthur Loomis of Clarke & Loomis to design this stone masterpiece. It is one of the finest examples of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture in the world.  

For a brief and beautiful time, around the turn of the last century, utopian societies were in full swing. The shining jewel of these enterprises is Shaker Village in Pleasant Hill, Kentucky. 

We are always “On Patrol” looking for a place to take our kids and grand kids. It must be family friendly, which for us means there is something of interest for all ages. The Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History in Frankfort, Kentucky fits the bill. The permanent exhibit titled “A Kentucky Journey” is a great walk through our early history up until the present day. The exhibits are interactive and at eye level for children seven or eight years and older. It is filled with rare and authentic artifacts that reflect the strengths and talents of our ancestors. Many of the objects are in drawers so you have easy access for viewing.

An hour’s drive north of the wonderfully historic city of Barcelona you begin to climb into the foothills of the fiercely independent and stunningly beautiful region of Catalunya. Its northernmost coastal area, called the Costa Brava, boasts a rugged 40-mile stretch of sandy beaches that sweep from the Spanish capital up to the border with France. But, if you aren’t interested in the beaches, fear not, as here you will discover the world’s top-rated restaurant and the best golf course Spain has to offer.

Last summer we arrived at Yellowstone National Park from the Grand Tetons via the picturesque South Gate. The approach from the south is an easy and enjoyable ride. This well-maintained road winds through a thick forest of slender Lodge Pole Pines, occasionally offering a view of lively streams and crystalline lakes.

Any time you are traveling in or around Nashville, TN, a visit to Andrew Jackson’s home, The Hermitage, is well worth it.  His home is a great window into Jackson’s tumultuous life and presidency.  The house tour is one of the best we’ve experienced.  Our tour guides were in period clothing and were excellent storytellers.  The house is filled with original family artifacts, giving a real idea of what day to day life was like for the wealthy in the 1830’s.  The French landscape wallpaper in the curved center atrium was hand painted in dark shades of blue indigo dating to the period. 

The next time you’re picking between sipping rose on the beach, trekking up a lush mountainside and journeying through wine-country – stop. Don’t pick at all. Travel to Cape Town and get a taste of all three. Nestled between the Table Mountain and the Table Bay, this South African city is bursting with beautiful people. It boasts a plethora of different cultures, architectural styles and neighborhoods to keep you well satiated through your visit.  Whether you stay at Sol Kerzner’s unapologetically opulent One & Only, the majestic Mount Nelson Hotel or the quirky Hemingway House, warmth and charming hospitality await you. 

Situated about 2 hours by car from Los Angeles is the fun-filled desert town of Palm Springs, the former playground of the Rat Pack, Elvis Presley and currently, the majority of stars in Hollywood. Talk about a great place to spend a week, or if you are visiting L.A., a long weekend away from the City.

This town has it all – great restaurants, a lively night life, fantastic shopping, fabulous tours and some of the hippest hotels in the world. 

This summer we crossed the Plains through Nebraska, following the famed pioneer trail along the Platte River. We traveled west from St. Louis, skirted around Kansas City, and passed through a small slice of Iowa, where sunflowers grow wild in the fence rows and the dirt is black as coffee grounds.