A hot dog throwdown? Why would this humble–and often maligned–sausage need to be compared? Especially since everyone knows the best hot dogs come from Chicago. Most of the world agrees, right? Okay, maybe not. And certainly not the good...
Mornings in NOLA: Watching New Orleans Wake Up
Not everyone who goes to New Orleans wakes up with a hangover. That can be a very good thing, especially if you like to observe how a city works. Mornings in NOLA are worth getting up for. Despite its...
Huntsville, Alabama: See the Rockets…and MORE!
Sure, go to Huntsville, Alabama for the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. Everyone does, for good reason. It’s a fabulous museum, showing off Huntsville as the birthplace of America’s space program. SO much cooler than being the “Watercress Capital...
Unclaimed Baggage Center: Where Lost Luggage Goes…
Unclaimed Baggage Center lives in the small town of Scottsboro, Alabama. Located 30 miles south of the Tennessee border and 45 miles east of Huntsville, Scottsboro’s population is about 15,000. Ordinarily, you’d drive through town without much thought. Trip...
Amtrak: Is Train Travel Still Fun? Yay and Nay…
Amtrak. America’s very own passenger train system. Is it still a thrill to hop onboard a train and listen to the clickety-clack of the rails? To watch the towns and farms go by? To sleep in a private compartment...
Airbnb: Growing Up and Scaring Hotels
Airbnb: A fairy tale come true. The only investment they could afford: Air mattresses! Once upon a time, in 2007, there were two broke guys in San Francisco. They had moved from New York, forgetting to get jobs first....
Pasties: Delicious “Yooper” Tradition
Pasties: Before we go further, let’s make sure to get the pronunciation correct. PASS-tee, the delicious “miner’s pie” of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Never, ever say PASTE-ee; that’s the sparkly stick-on used to cover the jiggly parts of a stripper....
Travel Show Tips: 7 Steps to a Fabulous Day
It’s that time of year! Travel shows are popping up all over the country, ready to tempt–and educate–us, as we wander the aisles of huge convention centers. Do we really need travel show tips? Isn’t it enough to pick...
Where to Go in 2018: 7 Places to Consider
Where to go in 2018? What’s the hot destination? What’s off the beaten path? Where does your dollar go the farthest? Is this the year for a bucket list trip? I gave you a list in 2017: Paris, Montréal, the...
The City at Christmas: Delight Your Inner Child
The city at Christmas…maybe the best way to capture holiday spirit. Not everyone will agree with me. Some of you prefer a cozy country setting or small town friendliness. But my vote goes to at least one day of...