Skip to main content

Posts

Earth, Sun, Water and Art on the Southern Tip of Baja California

With summer a fond memory and colder weather approaching, now is a good time to think about a trip to warmer climes. While some might happily settle for the familiarity of Hawaii, Florida or Puerto Rico, Mexico is a great destination with its vast, natural beauty, rich cultural history, amazing archaeological sites and wonderfully flavorful cuisine. Mexico's well-publicized difficulties with crime have caused travelers to steer clear of the DMZ border regions. Tragically, it was those regions that were once the perfect places to experience the melding of two great cultures and peoples.  Luckily there are safe places to visit in Mexico far from the border, a fact that Peter has chronicled in many posts. A recent trip to the southern-most tip of Baja California showed me what warm-weather fun awaits in Mexico. Mitsubishi  invited several dozen travel and automotive writers to visit Cabo San Lucas so we could test drive two of their new vehicles

Day-Tripping in Amsterdam

Moving into the colder months, be sure to carry an umbrella or rain coat when you visit Amsterdam. Don't let the rain stop you from renting a bicycle. It's still the best way to see Amsterdam. A city on a uniquely human-scale, there's so much to see in Amsterdam, focusing day trips in a single area will help you enjoy the city at a leisurely pace.    MUSEUMPLEIN AND DE PIJP Amsterdam is home to dozens of great museums, not the least of which are the  Amsterdam Historical Museum  (Kalverstraat 92) , the inspiring  Dutch Resistance Museum  (Plantage Kerklaan 61), the  Filmmuseum  (Vondelpark 3), the  Foam-Fotografiemuseum  (Keizersgracht 609), the Royal Palace (Dam), and the remarkable  Hermitage Amsterdam  (Amstel 51).  For a day trip, three of Amsterdam's best museums are conveniently within a block of one another in the  Museum Plaza  (Museumplein) just south of the city center.   Ongoing renovation

Hotels Pursue the Female Business Traveler

Women are traveling more than ever and we're not talking about Thelma and Louise road trips. Business not pleasure is getting women to pack their bags and travel to distant cities.  Web sites like Traveling Mom ,  The Woman Road Warrior  and Blue Suit Mom address a group seeking to balance work and family while being on the road. Hotels recognize the trend. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts reports that 35 percent of their business clients are women. Trisha Clayton at the Mandarin Oriental notes that the mix at their San Francisco property is even higher, with women accounting for 40% of their business travelers.  Their just launched "Perfect Pair" program offers a two-room combo where a woman can have a separate bedroom and office space or, if the kids have joined her on the trip, a second bedroom. Their bath butler service, featuring bath salts, creams, hot oils and body washes, offers "Romance in the Clouds" and "Escape to the Pacific," necessary