February 26, 2016 on Fodors.com || The best way to get to know Washington, D.C. is to take a bipartisan approach. At the city’s downtown core are grand tributes to American history and government that create an aura of power and diplomacy. But don’t forget that this is a city where people live, work, and play—and there’s a side of D.C. that thrives beyond the marble columns and museum galleries, so don’t delegate all your time to one aspect of the city. Add these top experiences to your list and you’ll cross the aisle between essential visitor sights and hotspots that locals love.
Tag: travel guide
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How to Plan a Trip to Machu Picchu Before It’s Too Late
February 3, 2016 on U.S. News Travel || Machu Picchu is the granddaddy of archeological sites. Set in the Andes Mountains, the site was once an estate for the Inca emperor, as well as a place of worship and education. When the Spanish conquered Peru, Machu Picchu was abandoned, and the colonists never learned of its existence. The site remained hidden in the Andes, shrouded by green mountains and clouds of mist, completely unknown to the outside world.
It wasn’t until Hiram Bingham III, a Yale historian and explorer (and the inspiration for the famous character Indiana Jones) uncovered the ancient site in 1911 that the world took notice.
And what notice it was. Machu Picchu’s visitor numbers grew quickly, as did its aura. It soon became Peru’s largest driver of tourism. Movies were made, books were written. Artifacts were taken, then returned. Machu Picchu was even recognized as one of the new seven wonders of the world, an honor that all but solidifies its place on the bucket lists of intrepid travelers around the world.
But all this popularity has taken a toll.
With 2,500 visitors per day wandering around the sacred stones, the temples are starting to topple. Structures that held for more than 500 years through earthquakes and landslides are coming apart. The site is under UNESCO protection, and in 2011 the Peruvian government limited the number of visitors allowed each day. Some have called for stricter rules, such as making areas off limits or requiring all visitors to stay with a guide. The future is unknown but one thing seems inevitable; it may not always be possible to visit the ancient city the way you can today. Here’s what you need to know to before visiting Machu Picchu.
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10 Things NOT to Do in Washington, D.C.
February 3, 2016 on Fodors.com || Washington D.C. is one of the country’s most visitor-friendly cities. It’s easy to get around, the major sights are concentrated in a wonderfully walkable area, and the city has an enviable mix of history and new offerings. But to do the nation’s capital properly, there are a few no-nos that you should avoid. For example, don’t buy one of those 3-for-$10 FBI T-shirts. And don’t try to pick the cherry blossoms. Most important of all, don’t do any of these 10 things. See full slideshow>>
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Urban Escapes: Best Places to See Fall Foliage without a Car
October 1, 2015, Creator by WeWork || Fall: a time for football, pumpkin-flavored everything, and, of course, fall foliage. Leaf peepers are tracking peak date predictions in hopes of timing their pilgrimage just right. But what if your job is so demanding that you don’t have the time to drive out to soak in the changing countryside?
The solution: an urban foliage adventure. Many cities offer fantastic fall colors, and all you need is a bus or bike to get there. You just need to know where to look. Whether it’s a city park that ignites into a rainbow of hues, or a trail that transforms a run into a leaf peeping expedition, here are the best places to take in an autumn landscape—no car required. Read more>>
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What to do on a 12-hour Paris Layover
What to do on a long layover in Paris? It can be tricky to leave the airport, even if you have 5 hours. But if you have a really long layover — like my 12-hour gap between flights this August — you can actually squeeze in a lot.
In 12 hours I was able to hop around to seven of Paris’s top sights, plus scarf down some French food (and vin, of course!), while making it back to CDG with plenty of time to check in for my flight. Here’s how I did it:
First, travel light. I checked my bags at CDG (about 28 euros for 12 hours) near the train depot. Then I bought a 1-day transport pass for RER trains (including the airport) and hopped on the train into the city.
Stop 1: Sacre Coeur
I got to this hilltop church around sunrise. It was freezing and the church itself wasn’t open yet, but there were very few people around and it was very peaceful. A wonderful view of the city here. I then wandered around the Montmartre streets surrounding the church — most were empty, but some were starting to show signs of life at cafes. Then walked down to stop 2: Moulin Rouge.
#parislayover stop 1: sunrise at Sacre Coeur (though it was cloudy)
Stop 2: Moulin Rouge
This was a total fan-nut stop, as I saw the Baz Luhrmann movie like seven times in the theater. It was still super early, nothing was open, but I stood across the street and pretended Ewan McGregor was serenading me.
#parislayover stop 2: Moulin Rouge, in honor of my favorite movie ever (sadly @mcgregor_ewan was MIA)
Stop 3: Arc de Triomphe
This was my third trip to Paris, but the first time I’d actually gone to the top of the Arc. That was a mistake. The views from Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower are awesome. But the 360-degree view from the Arc, with 12 streets radiating from its base like spokes, feels more connected to the city and is now my favorite Parisian panorama.
#parislayover stop 3: top of l’Arc. I’d never been up here but it’s now my fave view of the city #travelpics
Stop 4: Bastille
I metroed from the Arc to the Bastille stop and parked myself at one of the standard cafes around the square.
#parislayover stop 4: lunch at the Bastille – I got cheese, meats, wine and a bit of attitude for sucking at French
Stop 5: Canal St-Martin
After gorging on cheese I walked through Bastille up to Canal St-Martin. I had heard Canal St-Martin was the hip “new” Paris hood to visit. It was quiet along the canal; shady trees and bridges crossing over the green water. People were taking walks, but it was early afternoon on a Monday, so things were relatively quiet. I stopped in a supermarket and bought a 5-euro bottle of (not chilled) rose to drink along the water. It wasn’t worth the 5 euros…
#parislayover stop 5: rose along Canal St-Martin. The canal was awesome. The wine was not. #travelpics
Stop 6: Notre Dame
This is my favorite spot in Paris; it just feels like the center of the world. I didn’t think I’d have time to make it down here from Canal St-Martin on my way back to the airport, but I actually had plenty of time to metro down to the cathedral and wander around Ile de la Cite.
#parislayover stop 6: I never can miss Notre Dame, even with only a few hrs in Paris #travelpics
Stop 7: Seine
Before taking the RER back to CDG, I took a walk along the Seine and watched the boats. Hopped on a 3:30 train back to the airport, picked up my bags, and had plenty of time to check in for my 6:50 pm flight.
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Long Weekend in Puerto Rico
In March I took a last minute trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico for 3 days (3 nights). Here’s what I did there:
How I Got There
JetBlue flight from JFK: so much legroom, plus with in-flight TV I got to watch March Madness on the plane.
Where I Stayed
Quality Inn El Portal: I booked the trip about 4 days before my departure date, during high spring break season, so most budget hotels and Airbnbs (and all hostels) were booked. This place was clean, the staff was friendly, there was a (very basic) continental breakfast and it was a 5 minute walk from Condado beach. About $150/night; $25 cab from the airport.
Thursday
Bodega Chic: I met my friend Liz after her dinner here. She raved about the French-Caribbean food. Staff was full of recommendations for bars, restaurants and things to do.
La Factoria: Liz’s reaction to this place: “It feels like a Mumford and Sons concert in here.” Turns out there are hipsters in San Juan, and this converted factory-turned cocktail den is where they hang out.
La Taberna Lúpulo: Craft beer is just starting to become cool in PR but there still aren’t many places to get it. This is one of the best beer bars on the island, with 50 brews on tap.
Cafetin Marrero: A quieter neighborhood bar with a retro New York juke box and bathrooms outside in the back. When we were here the bartender was giving an old man a haircut.
El Batey: Feels like it should be in Brooklyn (the MetroCards hanging from a lamp help), there isn’t an inch of wall in this bar that hasn’t been scribbled on.
Oddly enough, about a week after I got back, Conde Nast Traveler published this story that traced a lot of my San Juan steps.
Old San Juan at Night 
La Factoria 
La Factoria 
Cafetin Marrero 
El Batey 
El Batey Friday
Latin Star Cafe: Not recommended. It looked quick and was on the way to the beach. Cold food and slow service.
Condado Beach: Your average hotel-fronted Caribbean beach. But there’s warm water, a few palm trees and ample sand… and when it’s 35 degrees on the East Coast, those things are sometimes all I care about.
Castillo San Felipe del Morro: Came here for sunset, but the fort itself closes at 6 so didn’t make it inside. Beautiful sunset gathering spot though, overlooking the bay.
Barrachina: Home of the original pina colada. It was the best pina colada I’ve ever had, so I was shocked when the women next to me asked for a wine list.
Cafe Puerto Rico: This place was busy, but there was a public square with a dance and drum performance across the street during the wait. Great mofongo here – worth the wait.
Old Harbor Brewery: Another beer spot in San Juan, though this one brews its own. Try the Coqui beer, a light lager, but for a better selection, Lupulo is your spot.
Condado 
Condado 
Castillo San Felipe del Morro 
Sunset 
Barrachina 
Barrachina Saturday
El Yunque: Rented a car in Condado and drove out about an hour to El Yunque. The rainforest was good for a few hikes and a view from the Yokahu Tower. If you’re brave (I wasn’t), take a dip in the freezing water at La Mina Falls. Spent about 3 hours here.
Luquillo and the Kiosks: Circled through Luquillo town, which was sketchy and abandoned, then backtracked to the “kioskos” a mile or so east. The food kiosks start to all look the same, but the offerings were cheap and delicious. There are also bar and shopping vendors here. Walk through the kiosks onto Luquillo Beach. On Saturday it blows up into a local party spot, with music blasting from trucks that had subwoofers the size of a car. Red lifeguard shacks, yellow sand, blue sky, and green palms makes for a colorful photo op.
Fajardo and the Bioluminescent Bay: Lesson learned – plan ahead if you want to go on a bio tour. I only got on one due to a cancellation. Another tip – opt for a boat tour vs a kayak. You’ll stay dry and can use your camera. The bio bay tours leave from a little port village with a few touristy (but quality) vendors and beach bars.
Note: Saturday night traffic in Condado is terrible, and there aren’t many gas stations. Fill up your car before getting back into the heart of San Juan, or be prepared to spend 2 hours in traffic.
El Yunque 
El Yunque 
Luquillo Beach 
Luquillo Beach 
Fajardo Bio Bay 
Farjado Bio Bay Sunday
Time to go home!
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How I Met Your Mother: A Legendary New York Tour
Published March 27, 2014 on AOL Travel || After nine seasons, the How I Met Your Mother finale airs on CBS Monday, March 31 at 8 p.m. EST. Because fans are soon going to need another way to fill their Monday nights, we set out to create a legendary HIMYM tour of New York City, the sixth character in Ted, Robin, Barney, Marshall and Lily’s gang.
Could we find the real-life equivalents of our favorite places featured in the show? Challenge accepted!
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San Diego Spring Break Crawl: Vacation Ideas Beyond the San Diego Zoo
Published March 4, 2014 on AOL Travel || March weather in San Diego — sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s — makes it a popular spring break hub. While the college crowds may swarm the beaches (or head south over the border), there are things to do all over the city to channel spring break. Read more…
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New York City Spring Break Crawl: Cheap Eats and Tropical Drinks in NYC
Published February 28, 2014 on AOL Travel || Spring weather in New York may still be a month or two away, but after a winter this rough it’s time to infuse some warm-weather fun into city life. Here are our favorite “spring break” experiences in NYC — that you can even enjoy during another snow day. Read more…
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Downtown Los Angeles Travel Guide
In February 2014 I traveled to Los Angeles for a conference. I had one extra day to explore Downtown L.A. Here’s what I did:
Bradbury Building: A quick stop in the lobby is all you need to appreciate the elaborate ironwork and elegant architecture of this 19th century building.
Walt Disney Concert Hall: You don’t even have to go inside; the best part about this building is the photogenic undulating metallic exterior. The Los Angeles Philharmonic plays here.
Los Angeles Central Library: Take a walk through and marvel at the beautiful interiors — especially the mosaic room with a large globe hanging from the ceiling.
Grand Central Market: Every city needs a gourmet market hub, like Reading Terminal and Pike Place. Grand Central is L.A.’s answer and, at nearly 100 years old, it does not disappoint.
Museum of Contemporary Art, L.A.: The Broad hadn’t opened yet, but this nearby one had an interesting collection of large-scale contemporary works.
The Varnish: A speakeasy behind Cole’s bar, this spot serves awesome Prohibition-style craft cocktails.
Spring St. Bar: Craft beers and industrial decor in Downtown L.A.
Ace Hotel: Downtown L.A.’s version of the hipster hotel chain. The bar here is small, and the
Angel City Brewery: Super laidback and spacious brewery that’s well-lit and well-entertained, with games and music (and craft beers, of course).
Villains Tavern: Weird and wonderfully eclectic, this vintage bar feels out of place among the empty lots that surround it. But it’s a hipster haven, with live bands, awesome cocktails, and L.A.’s equivalent of the fedora crowd.
