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Take Your Romance from Book to the Beach: This Resort Chain’s Partnered with a Romance Novel Publisher

lynn.elmhirst@gmail.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

This chain of couples-only Caribbean resorts is serious about helping guests ‘get in the groove’ while on vacation. To celebrate its 40^th anniversary, Sandals Resorts has launched an ‘Institute of Romance’ to research trends in couples’ relationships with a goal of helping keep the sparks a’ flying.

The new trend-house delves into data about modern love, relationships and intimacy… And how they relate to holidays.

Through global surveys of paired-up travelers and its past guests, Sandals’ Institute of Romance’s findings will help the resort chain develop activities and experiences in its resorts, and even relationship guidance for couples before, during and after their all-inclusive beach resort vacation.

One of their most stand-out discoveries: More than half (55%) of North American women wish their relationships mirrored the couples of their favorite romance novels.

Sandals is so serious about love, it has a ‘Director of Romance,’ who explains: “With 49% of women preferring to read on vacation – from the initial plane ride to beachside – and romance novel sales skyrocketing over the last two years, this felt like a natural place for us to lend our 40 years of expertise in the romance space.'

So Sandals decided the perfect next step: to partner with romance novel publisher, Avon Books.

Sandals Resorts is creating a 'romance library' of titles curated by the experts at Avon Books for guests to borrow while on vacation. Beginning at the Sandals resort in Grenada (pictured), the initial library will include a selection from the 'Michelangelo of dirty talk,' Tessa Bailey, as well as popular titles from Julia Quinn's “Bridgerton” series and authors Talia Hibbert, Olivia Dade and more.

Sandals’ Director of Romance says, 'With this partnership, we are helping bring to life the sometimes swoonworthy, but nearly always attainable relationships our guests read about in their favorite books, creating a meaningful and lasting connection on and off vacation.'

Do any of these stats that Sandals has discovered through its first survey of 1500 North American women sound like you?

· 81% say they read romance novels and

· 45% say they've increased their consumption of the genre over the last two years, citing the comfort of happily ever after (44%), the flirty banter (36%) and steamy scenes (30%) as the primary reasons!

They’ve even been able to narrow down the elements in romances between the pages of novels that are missing from many women’s relationships in real life, including:

· better communication (55%),

· spontaneous romantic gestures (54%), and

· and more satisfying sex life (34%).

Do any of those complaints sound familiar? Take ‘heart,’ Sandals is taking those cues and translating them into even better romantic beach getaways.

The resort company will be developing ways to prompt spontaneous romantic moments of connection throughout guests' stays – such as reminders to hold hands, ask a meaningful question or share a compliment.

Getting Steamy

Fantasy. Connection. Fulfillment. Romance novels and couples’ aspirations for their vacations have some things in common. The survey found that:

· Over a third (36%) of Sandals’ survey respondents shared that they fantasize about fictional characters more than their significant others,

· 55% say reading romance novels makes them more likely to want to connect with their partner and

· 38% say reading romance novels have made them feel more fulfilled in their relationships.

Nearly half (49%) of women surveyed say they've learned something from reading a romance novel that they've brought to their real-life relationships, with

· 53% engaging in more meaningful communication,

· 48% spicing up their love life and

· 35% setting time aside for romantic getaways.

Sharing a fictional fantasy can help make romance a reality.

'There's something inherently attractive when a partner takes an interest in something you're excited about – whether it be reading a new book from one of your favorite authors or trying a new activity together,” says Sandals’ Director of Romance.

“It's why we encourage couples to experience adventures together on vacation – from learning to scuba dive to taking in a round of golf. We always tell couples to be intentional about the time they share with each other; make it meaningful.”

Start your Romantic Beach Trip!

Another Record Broken: Biggest Ship at Sea

lynn.elmhirst@gmail.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

If you’re a mega-ship fan, you have another entry to add to your cruise travel bucket list. The largest ship at sea has just launched in a feat of engineering, design, and imagination.

Royal Caribbean has debuted Wonder of the Seas in Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale. The newest ship in the fleet clocks in at 1118 feet long and 210 feet wide. There are 18 decks for nearly 7000 guests plus 2300 crew members.

That makes it the world’s largest cruise ship. Wonder of the Seas is the fifth Oasis-class ship for Royal Caribbean, and together, they hold the top five spots for largest cruise ships in the world.

What’s New?

As you might expect in the biggest ship in the world, with four previous Oasis-class ships setting a standard each successive ship in the class has topped, Wonder of the Seas has out-scaled, round the clock hospitality, entertainment, activities, and thrills. There are more than 20 restaurants, bars and lounges.

Plus, Wonder of the Seas is debuting all-new features, beginning with an entirely new ‘neighborhood.’

Suite Neighborhood – The new, eighth neighborhood is for Royal Suite Class guests. Now, in addition to an exclusive restaurant, Coastal Kitchen, the Suite Lounge and the grandest Ultimate Family Suite yet for a family of 10, Royal Suite Class guests will have a private Suite Sun Deck in a new location, which features a plunge pool and bar.

Caribbean Pool Deck – At the center of the ship’s Caribbean vibes is the pool deck, where a new cantilevered Vue Bar joins the lineup of poolside hotspots, including the popular Lime & Coconut, live music; The Perfect Storm, a trio of high-speed waterslides; kids aqua park Splashaway Bay; and the adults-only Solarium.

Wonder Playscape – There’s a whole new outdoor adventure for families with kids on Wonder of the Seas. Underwater-themed play area Wonder Playscape is open day and night, with climbing walls, games, interactive activities that come alive by touch, imaginative puzzles and light shows engage young travelers in more ways than one. It’s just around the corner from Royal Caribbean’s signature mini golf course, Wonder Dunes, that has a whole new look.

The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar – Royal Caribbean’s hospitality now has Southern flair. On the comfort food menu are staples from the U.S. South, plus new twists on classics. The new restaurant debuts an official ‘brunch’ venue, and is of course also open for dinner, and late at night, where the good times are accompanied by live country music, farmhouse-style decor, a robust collection of 19 American whiskeys and other Southern libations.

What’s Returning?

Oasis-class fan favorites are back, too.

· Thrill-seekers can chase the waves on the FlowRider surf simulator, race down the tallest slide at sea, The Ultimate Abyss; brave the 10-story-high zip line; scale twin rock climbing walls;

· Guests can explore any one of the eight neighborhoods, like Central Park and its 20,000-plus real plants; or

· Enjoy original entertainment on four dramatic “stages:” theater, air, ice, water, including inTENse, which features high-diving feats, slacklining, aerial acrobatics and more performed by the first all-female cast in the AquaTheater, the one-of-a-kind amphitheater.

Where’s Wonder of the Seas Cruising?

During its inaugural season, Wonder of the Seas is sailing 7-night Caribbean cruises through April 2022. Its Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises include visits to Royal Caribbean’s private island/ beach resort destinations, Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas and Labadee, Haiti, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico; Roatan, Honduras; and Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico.

Then, in time for summer holidays, Wonder of the Seas repositions to the Mediterranean.

From Barcelona and Rome, Wonder of the Seas sails 7-night Western Mediterranean cruises to destinations like Naples and Florence, Italy; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; and Provence, France.

And after completing an inaugural Europe season, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship will return to homeport in Cape Canaveral, Florida, to sail year-round Caribbean adventures.

Start Your Family Cruise Trip!

European River Cruise Season Begins! AmaWaterways' Co-Founder Shares Trends and Tips for 2022

lynn.elmhirst@gmail.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

One of the first signs of spring for travel and cruise lovers like me… isn’t the first tulip or robin. It’s the return of river cruising in Europe.

This year especially celebrates a fresh new season, after two pandemic years when many people weren’t traveling to Europe and can’t wait now to return to their favorite European memories and make new ones.

Just before the start of the season, I had the chance to meet with one of the founders of the family-owned river cruise line, AmaWaterways.

Kristin Karst (pictured top, second from left) is the co-founder and executive vice president of the company, and her top-level, insider insights are invaluable to travelers thinking about Europe, especially this year.

By: Lynn Elmhirst, cruise expert and producer/ host of BestTrip TV

2022 River Cruise Trends That May Surprise You

Who’s New to River Cruise: Kristin says AmaWaterways is seeing a lot of guests who have ocean cruised but not river cruised. Although partly driven by a quest for new travel experiences, she says in the post-pandemic travel world she sees ocean cruise guests looking to river ships for the advantages of “smaller ship experiences.”

That might not surprise you – but this might. AmaWaterways is also seeing an influx of river cruise bookings coming from travelers who previously traveled independently or by coach tours. She cites the “less stressful” experience of river cruising where everything is taken care of for guests by river cruises as a draw for independent travelers, and “more personalized” experiences getting into the heart of a destination for guests who have previously traveled by busy roads on crowded streets.

Longer cruises: Many people haven’t traveled for a couple of years, and that means they are making up for lost time and are unwilling to delay bucket list trips, says Kristin. That’s why they’re seeing people opting to travel longer. And in terms of river cruises, that means back-to-back cruises on different rivers or river segments.

To meet that demand, the company a few months ago introduced ‘7-River Cruises’ that take the same group of guests together on weeks-long journeys from one river to another. It’s a river cruise innovation that feels a lot like extended ocean cruise Grand Voyages.

Two other big trends for river cruise travel the company is focusing on are also about bringing people together: food and wine experiences, and also solo travel.

Tips for River Cruise Travelers in 2022

Kristin advises travelers with cruise credits burning a hole in their pockets to use them now to lock in travel. It doesn’t have to be this year, it could be for travel in 2023. But then you’ll know you have a spot booked.

Why? River cruising appetites are at an all time high. 2022 is already a very busy year for AmaWaterways, and 2023 is booking up fast. If you have a special itinerary, specific date or other specific river cruise wishes, you need to lock that in quickly with your travel advisor to avoid disappointment.

We discussed the return to travel and river cruising, and how every person has a different comfort level to accompany their personal choice to travel.

Some guests are still intimidated by new travel protocols, and Kristin made a couple of excellent points:

· One of the benefits of working with a travel advisor and a river cruise company is that travelers aren’t on their own before or during their trip trying to figure out how to navigate new processes they maybe aren’t familiar with yet.

· Plus, as people are choosing longer trips (see trends above), travelers who want to minimize the different protocols can opt for back-to-back cruises in a single country. There are river cruises on a number of rivers in France for example, and guests can easily go from one to another by the country’s high speed train system. And once you’re in France, you don’t have to worry about any new protocols.

Hottest River Cruise Trips in 2022

I asked Kristin which AmaWaterways river cruise itineraries are the hottest tickets this year. Here’s where travelers are looking at wait lists for 2022 – and where they should get booked now to make sure they get there in 2023.

Douro River, Portugal: AmaWaterways has two ships on the Douro river in Portugal, it’s in such high demand. Many seasoned river cruise travelers are looking for something ‘new’ and the sunny, wine destination is proving a big hit, especially with cruise extensions in Spain.

The Nile in Egypt: AmaWaterways is now sailing in Egypt, with a new, 72-guest ship, the AmaDahlia. The 7-night cruise along the Nile through Egypt’s ancient history is enhanced by 4 nights in Cairo so guests get to experience this fascinating destination, the last remaining ancient World Wonder of the Great Pyramids and Sphinx, and modern Egyptian hospitality.

Christmas Market Cruises: Europe’s Christmas markets perfectly capture the spirit of the season every year, but Kristin says AmaWaterways is especially seeing multi-generation family groups booking river cruises this year to make up for time not spent together over the past two years.

Floriade, the Netherlands: Once every decade, the world’s biggest horticultural festival (dubbed the ‘World’s Fair of Flowers’) makes the Netherlands an even more ‘can’t miss’ destination – and it’s happening in 2022. A number of AmaWaterways itineraries include Floriade, which runs nearly the entire spring-to-fall river cruise season. This is one you can’t put off til 2023, so if Floriade is on your travel bucket list, Kristin recommends you don’t wait to talk to your travel advisor about availability.

Start your River Cruise Trip!

Images courtesy of AmaWaterways

Overnight Cruises: Where to Go, What to See

cvincent@travelsavers.com (Christine Vincent)

Overnight cruises are a fun way to fully experience the best a destination has to offer. You can take your time exploring your favorite ports and discovering the vibrant nightlife of a city.

Whether you’re hoping to see the sunset in the Mediterranean, have dinner in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Asia, or dance all night in the Caribbean, here’s everything you need to know about cruises with overnight stays.

What’s it like being on overnight cruises?

On a cruise with an overnight stay, you’ll feel as if you’re spending the night in a floating hotel, since you can come and go as you please throughout the evening. At your overnight port stops, you can go sightseeing during the day, come back to the ship to change, and then head back out and enjoy the city’s restaurants and nightlife.

What cruises stay in port overnight?

Cruises with overnight stays are available in over 40 ports of call on Celebrity Cruises in each major destination Celebrity cruises to. Sometimes, overnights will occur during the middle of a cruise. Other times, overnight stays are offered at a cruise’s embarkation port just after you board, or at a ship’s last port before you disembark the following day.

Here are some of the overnight cruises you can experience on Celebrity Cruises:

Overnight Cruise Ports in the Caribbean

On a Celebrity Caribbean cruise, experience a unique overnight stay in Aruba’s Oranjestad or Curaçao’s Willemstad.

After spending the day lounging on one of Aruba’s white-sand beaches, cap off the day by boarding a catamaran and sipping a cocktail as you enjoy a breathtaking view of the sunset.

In Curaçao, make the most of your extra day by strolling along its picturesque waterfront and through the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the evening, make sure to try the island’s famous blue Curaçao.

Overnight Cruise Ports in Europe

On a cruise to Europe, you’ll have the opportunity to stay overnight in Lisbon or Porto, Portugal; Venice, Italy; Reykjavik or Akureyri, Iceland; Barcelona or Bilbao, Spain; Bordeaux, France; Cork, Ireland; Jerusalem, Israel; Istanbul, Turkey; and more!

At an overnight stop in Lisbon, Portugal, board a funicular to the top of Bairro Alto, where you’ll enjoy unparalleled views of the city’s landmarks and enjoy traditional Fado music. With an overnight stay in Porto, sample local port wine at your leisure and discover the sprawling Douro Valley. While in Italy, couples will want to make sure to take a romantic gondola ride on a cruise with an overnight stay in Venice.

Take advantage of your two days in Iceland, either in Reykjavik and Akureyri, and explore the country’s stunning natural wonders, including Godafoss waterfall, the famous Blue Lagoon, and the lava fields of Dimmuborgir.

Make your way through one of the world’s largest and most prestigious wine-producing regions with an overnight in Bordeaux. In Spain, you’ll get an extra day in either Barcelona or Bilbao, where you can experience even more tapas, culture, and breathtaking architecture.

Explore the magnificent sites of Jerusalem over two days on a cruise to Israel. Some cruise itineraries to Turkey and the Greek Islands include a night in Istanbul, where you can tour famous landmarks like the Blue Mosque and shop for local goods at its famous Grand Bazaar.

There are more overnight cruise ports that Celebrity Cruises offers. To start planning your dream cruise that includes an overnight in port, contact your travel advisor to book your next cruise with an overnight stay and reserve your evening shore excursions.

3 Caribbean Luxury Golf Resorts Where you can Up Your Game this Winter

lynn.elmhirst@gmail.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

Is it time to change winter blues for island “greens?” The ideal outdoor, distanced, leisure activity, golfing got a shot in the arm over the last couple of years.

Even less committed golfers dusted off the clubs during the pandemic, rediscovering the delights to be found on the greens. And now that people are travelling again, the clubs are coming along for the ride.

Here are three Caribbean island golf resorts with a unique twist to freshen up your game in tropical, seaside breezes. Plus, their luxury resort game is as strong as their golf experience.

Which ones have you golfed?

Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic

It’s been called the Mecca of golf in the Caribbean. A one-of-a-kind resort with 63 holes over three legendary golf courses designed by Pete Dye.

The golf architect calls Casa de Campo’s Teeth of the Dog (above and top) his best work. It remains the only Caribbean course that consistently makes the list of top 100 in the world – usually the top 50. Hand-cleared from wild scrub way back in 1971, it pioneered the dramatic, seaside island golf course. In addition to the breathtaking ‘Heaven 7’ oceanfront holes framed by the sea and dramatic coral shoreline, the course has been described as ‘labyrinthine’ – it remains a challenge this many years later.

There are two other courses on the resort. The Links, which is thought to be even more challenging, and Dye Fore. Golfers will find 7 holes run along 300-foot cliff tops, and navigate diverse terrain including lagoons, jungle, and a path down to the resort marina.

The Resort

The three courses are all part of the 7000 acre Casa de Campo. Described as the Caribbean version of the Hamptons, it has a resort and nearly 2000 private luxury villas, a modern marina, dozens of restaurants, acclaimed facilities that give non-golfers plenty to do at the shooting club, tennis club, polo and equestrian club, and even a cliffside replica historic European village that includes a 5000-seat amphitheatre that hosts global entertainers.

Four Seasons Resort Nevis

The tiny island of Nevis – half of the twin-island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis - punches above its weight in golfing. Its legendary and groundbreaking Four Seasons Resort put Nevis on the map for luxury island resort lifestyles. Part of that is its 18-hole Robert Trent Jones II-designed golf course.

It’s considered the best in the Eastern Caribbean. Boasting four tee locations at each hole (and one black tee), this par 71 course offers breathtaking scenery on every green and fairway.

Nevis’ standout feature is Mount Nevis, an old, extinct volcanic peak soaring into the clouds. The resort hugs the beach and Mount Nevis rises steeply behind the Four Seasons. The golf course cuts through a former coconut plantation, tropical rainforest and steep ravines over 450 feet of elevation change with scenic views high over the sea. The 15^th hole plummets off Mount Nevis itself! To top it off, the island’s famous green vervet monkeys have been known to join golfers along the way.

In addition to private lessons and weekly clinics, the golf program at the Four Seasons Nevis has fun with the game that can sometimes be taken too seriously.

'Foot Golf' games - similar to golf but played with a soccer ball instead, have players working toward a 21-inch 'cup' in place of the usual golf hole. The player who finishes the course with the fewest shots wins!

And with 'Eco-Bio Golf', players are actually encouraged to hit a golf ball or two into the sea. The balls turn into fish food within 72 hours after hitting the ocean floor. Guests can have beach-side golf competition while feeding the ecosystem. The entire family will get to enjoy practicing their swing on a mini beach driving range.

The Resort

The resort is a favorite for jetsetters in the know. Nevis is only reachable by water by private yacht, small cruise ship, or water taxi from St. Kitts. It was completely re-imagined just before the pandemic, and the breezy, elegant, tropical design, ocean-facing infinity pool, beachside cabanas where guests can go fishing for local lobster with the chef and then have them barbecued for a luxury seafood meal on the beach – is the stuff island vacations are made of.

Sandy Lane, Barbados

Both the resort of Sandy Lane on Barbados’ platinum coast, and its golf club have received award after award after award.

The three resort golf courses have some of the best golf in the world. Golfing guests can choose between the charming Old Nine course, the resort-style 18-hole Tom Fazio designed Country Club course, with its spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea. For a real ‘wow’ destination golf challenge, golfers can't miss The Green Monkey, another Tom Fazio-designed 18-hole course, carved out of an old limestone quarry that retains towering stone walls. There’s even a green monkey silhouette carved into turf in honor of the equally green monkeys that invite themselves to join golfers on the course. It’s reserved exclusively for resort guests.

The Resort

This is where Tiger Woods got married. That says as much about the resort as the golf. British-style tropical hospitality in classical Palladian-style buildings reigns at Sandy Lane. Lush gardens surround an immense pool with a cascading waterfall, with the Pool Bar just the beginning of dining experiences. On one of the best beaches on the island, shaded by mature mahogany trees, with attendants with cold towels, sunglass cleaning, Evian misting and other luxurious touches, the beach is the best 19^th hole!

Start Your Golf Resort Trip!

Images courtesy of their respective resorts.

The Best City to 'Go Parking' on a Romantic Vacation

lynn.elmhirst@gmail.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

In honor of Valentine’s Day, we thought we’d resurrect that retro, ‘50’s dating cliché with a travel twist. Instead of poodle skirts and romance in a souped up convertible in Lover’s Lane, American Graffiti-style, we suggest a romantic trip to Miami. Well, maybe rent the convertible.

Steamy Miami may be made for a vacation version of ‘Date Night.’ A dynamic, seaside lifestyle extends up from the beach to hotels and urban resorts with famous round-the-clock cocktails, dining, and party scenes. Not to mention the show-stopping design. Many hotels have Art Deco or Mid-century design pedigrees, and make you feel like a jet-setting celebrity from those glamorous eras. You might even run into one of the modern-day celebs who flock there for their own, uplifting dose of Miami’s trend-setting lifestyle.

Picture yourself cruising across one of the city’s coastal causeways in that convertible… en route to a gallery, the newest, chic restaurant, pastel-colored landmark Deco hotel, or of course the beach.

In Miami, every part of your journey can be peak chic. Even parking your car. The city is so stylish, even the parking garages are designer! Miami has a growing collection of ‘park’-itecture: parking structures designed by some of the world's leading architects – or 'star-chitects'.

We’re not actually suggesting you ‘go parking’ in any of these car culture destinations. With modern security systems, that might be embarrassing. Get a room, will you? (We can suggest some good ones!)

Ballet Valet Parking Garage

210 Seventh St. at Collins, Miami Beach

Nicknamed the 'Chia Garage' for its lush green walls, the Ballet Valet Parking Garage was in the vanguard of South Beach's renaissance in the mid-90's and was Miami's first statement 'park-itecture'.

Like the chia pet it resembles, the 'vertical green zone' wrap of the building grows in the tropical climate. It even requires occasional trimming. When filled out, the breezes from the sea only a block away rustle through the greens like a wave, simulating the ocean surf. Watch for it flying into town; it's in the flight path to MIA airport.

1111 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach

Designed by celebrity architect firm Herzon & deMeuron, this edgy, minimalist-design-lover's dream really put Miami parkitecture on the world style map. Since its acclaimed debut in 2010, 1111 Lincoln Rd has been dubbed 'the world's most beautiful parking garage'.

With slanting angles and exaggerated ceiling heights, 1111 Lincoln Rd is parking garage, event space, a residential penthouse for the developer, semi-secret retail space in a glass box perched at the edge, and a restaurant.

Wangle an invitation to an event here if you can to have the pleasure of sipping a cocktail while enjoying the spectacular views of Miami and Miami Beach, Fisher Island, the bay and the ocean from the top floors.

Pennsylvania Avenue Garage at New World Symphony

500 17th St., Miami Beach

The City of Miami Beach and the New World Symphony brought on celebrity architect Frank Gehry to build the parking structure for the NWS Orchestral Academy. Less dramatic at first glance than other Gehry designs, it's wrapped in metal mesh that is illuminated with an LED light show by night.

(Photo by Craig Hall)

For the best view, head to 17^th street – or if you're in town on business or bleisure (business + leisure), there's a great view from the convention center.

City View Garage

59 NE 38th St., Miami

Split-personality City View Garage stands out as you drive into Miami on the elevated I-95. It's a billboard for Miami's new Design District. Each of 4 facades was given to a different designer. The perforated gold metal panels on the southwest side are famous for catching Miami's spectacular sunsets in an explosion of brilliance.

(Photo by Ra-Haus)

The garage gives you a stylish place to park as you shop among luxury boutiques in the neighborhood.

Museum Garage

1 NE 1st St., Miami

2018's Museum Garage livens up Miami's Design District even more, doubling down on the eclectic design with a mash-up of 6 eclectic, eye-popping facades.

Different designers were given free rein without knowing what the others were creating. The playful, standout designs range from psychedelic candy cane stripes, to black and white comic graphics, to gold and silver 3-dimensional car installations whose lights go on at night…

Museum Garage cements parkitecture in Miami as an attraction of its own; you'll want to make sure you walk around and appreciate it from all sides to appreciate the full creativity of the designers, and get a chuckle from the next design that pops up at you.

Wynwood Garage

321 NW 26th St, Miami

The Wynwood Garage is Miami's Wynwood Arts District’s first public parking garage. It pays homage to the creativity of the district. Visitors come from all over the world to admire the curated, world-class street art on its Wynwood Walls, visit art galleries and studios and draw energy from the creative community.

The Wynwood Garage takes inspiration from this neighborhood of painted building walls, with a unique façade of abstract shapes that become a 3-d canvas for urban design. Sections of the graphics can change appearance – swapping out 'skins' with different pieces of curated art.

Parked cars share the structure with ground floor retail, and office space on upper floors. It's a traffic-stopping street corner; The Wynwood Garage is next door to the dramatic, black and white striped Wynwood Building.

Start your (Parking) Trip!

A New, Underwater "Ocean Highway" for Galapagos

lynn.elmhirst@gmail.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

At 2021’s Climate summit in Glasgow, something pretty extraordinary for one of the natural world’s greatest treasures happened. Neighboring countries Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama got together and agreed to create an ‘ocean highway’ to allow threatened marine species in and around the richly and uniquely biodiverse Galapagos Islands to safely travel to the territories they need to survive.

The Galapagos Islands famously inspired the pivotal works about evolution of species by Charles Darwin. The Islands are part of Ecuador, and that country has now got the ambitious project underway. Not with ‘shovels in the earth’ like a launch ceremony for a human transportation route.

Rather, Ecuador has expanded the Galapagos marine reserve. It’s already one of the largest in the world at over 53-thousand square miles. Its expansion by another 23-thousand square miles will bring it up to over 75-thousand square miles of conservation – an area three times the size of Belize! protected from industrial fishing and other harmful human activities.

The new reserve has the fitting name of Hermandad or 'Brotherhood.'

'There are places that have made a mark on the history of humanity, and today, we have the honor of being in one of those places,' Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso said at the official signing. 'These islands that welcome us have taught us many things about ourselves. So, instead of acting as the absolute masters of these lands and seas, shouldn't we act as their protectors?'

Environmentalists say the reserve will help protect at least five of the region’s most threatened marine species, including hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, millions of sea turtles and rays and other species that migrate between the Galapagos and Costa Rica’s Pacific Cocos Island.

That’s just the first step down this underwater ‘road.’ The ultimate goal is to connect the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites via a protected ‘ocean highway.’

The Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, running through Ecuadorian, Colombian, Panamanian and Costa Rican waters will exclude harmful human activity to permit sea creatures the safe spaces and distances they need to thrive, anchored at both ends by already-protected island territories.

Humans will still be allowed entry to the growing ‘underwater highway’ marine zone between Galapagos and Costa Rica’s Cocos Island.

There’s more interest than ever in travel to the Galapagos Islands, as post-pandemic pent-up travel appetites are inspiring people to book their bucket list trips. This natural wonder of the world, famous for pristine land-and seascapes, and close encounters with one-of-a-kind creatures like giant tortoises, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and more, ranks high on the list of once-in-a-lifetime, transformational trips.

Responsible tourism through respected and local operators will help maintain critical awareness and financial incentives for the continued protection of one of the most audacious – and hopeful – marine conservation projects of our time.

Start Your Bucket List Trip!

Travel Company Leaders Dish on their Most Romantic Trips

lynn.elmhirst@gmail.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

Step away from the chocolates. Move over, diamonds. The most romantic gift is time together with your best-beloved, and shared experiences that ignite – or reignite – the flames.

If it’s time to shake up your romance routine and create new memories of a lifetime on vacation, we have your back.

The travel industry’s top executives are intimately familiar with the newest travel experiences and what makes them so special.

We tapped that top level, insider expertise and asked a number of travel company leaders to pick one of their most life-changing, romantic trips, and share why they personally recommend it to couples looking for love in a new destination.

Which of these trips makes your heart beat a little faster?

Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica

“When I think of romance, Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica immediately comes to mind,” Carolina Bellina, Senior Director of Canadian Sales at AMR Collection tells us. “At Secrets Papagayo, you can bond with a partner or spouse by trying a new activity like paddle boarding or you can enjoy the most breathtaking sunsets while walking on the beach. It’s a perfect setting to enjoy unspoiled beauty while being enveloped in luxury.”

This adults-only luxury resort is nestled in Costa Rica’s Gulf of Papagayo and has striking views of native flora and fauna and unspoiled Pacific Coast beaches.

The resort inclusions allow guests to experience Costa Rican beachside paradise exactly as you dream, with included dining, 24-hour room service, pool and beach wait service, drinks, and entertainment. To help cultivate romance, guests can decompress and wash away the cares of everyday life through the spa’s hydrotherapy, Swiss shower, sauna, steam room and outdoor treatment rooms.

AmaWaterways’ ‘Stars of South Africa’ River Cruise and Wildlife Safari

Kristin Karst, co-founder and executive vice president of AmaWaterways tells us, “I may be a bit biased as Rudi and I spent our honey moon in South Africa where we first discovered the Zambezi Queen on the Chobe River. We were so enamored with the experience (and of course each other!) that we just had to make it part of AmaWaterways river cruise program for our guests to enjoy.

“Champagne cocktails on the deck of Zambezi Queen watching the setting sun light up the sky while elephants frolic on the banks of the river and a private dinner in the wine room during the luxurious wildlife safari at the Tintswalo Safari Lodge were just two of the unforgettable moments we shared.

“The crew onboard our ships love to help create special romantic moments for our guests. Our cruise managers see themselves as “romance coordinators,” bringing in our pastry chefs and stateroom stewards to add little personalized touches that surprise and delight couples celebrating a special occasion. Our cruise managers also know the ports of call so well and are happy to recommend perfect little getaways for a quiet walk in a vineyard or late night drinks at romantic rooftop bars.”

Seabourn Expedition Cruise to View the Northern Lights

Luxury cruise line Seabourn is launching new expedition ships: Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, to travel to remote, secluded corners of the earth – tailor-made for couples to focus on each other. The ships continue Seabourn sailing traditions with an intimate atmosphere, small crowds, and relaxing days that can be spent together watching some of the best sunsets anywhere with a special someone.

“The Northern Lights are one of nature's most breathtaking, captivating displays. Imagine sailing away from Ilulissat, Greenland, and out of Disko Bay, home to massive icebergs and the famous Jakobshavn glacier. It’s a clear night, the stars are out, and the Northern Lights appear and reflect and dance off the ocean and the giant icebergs,” describes Steve Smotrys, Seabourn’s vice president of global sales & trade relations.

“Sharing this with someone special would be incredibly romantic, and to experience this on one of our Seabourn expedition ships would make for a very unique, unforgettable and romantic trip.”

“On a Seabourn ship, we pride ourselves on true definition of luxury service, where our onboard team strives make sure guests are well-cared for, sometimes before they even expect it.”

Trafalgar Tours’ Jordan Experience

Jordan is primarily associated with the magical Rose City of Petra – an enchanting and romantic destination, evocative of Nabateans and other ancient civilizations. Yet, Jordan and the hospitality of Jordanians have much more than a beautiful mosaic of past and present to offer.

The mysterious and sophisticated Greco-Roman city of Jerash, stories of Moses at Mount Nebo, early Greek Christianity with amazing Madaba Mosaic Map, and enchanting, shrouded in Bedouin and Lawrence of Arabia lore, Wadi Rum. Petra captivates travelers’ senses in the most inspiring and imaginative way. And then, there is the modern and sophisticated city of Amman, built on the remains of the beautiful cities precededing it.

“Chance is a mother of romance; and/or romantic feelings. Lady Luck had it, that instead of an Egypt and Israel guided tour, which was our first choice, my wife and I got an opportunity to travel to Jordan instead. So, our mindset had to adjust to a different level of aesthetic,” Wolf Paunic, President of Trafalgar Canada tells us.

“The immersion into beautiful Jordan reached its climax when we entered Petra – no words nor images can capture that moment. Petra is pure emotion, a heartbeat, a pulse, best experienced in the company of one’s most significant other.”

Sandals Grenada

“Sandals Grenada is one of our most romantic resorts. It’s an exotic, unspoiled hideaway that offers an authentic Caribbean experience, captivating guests from the moment they arrive with soothing scents of the “Spice Isle” gently greeting them,” says Marsha-Ann Donaldson-Brown, Sandals Resorts’ Director of Romance, a title which just goes to show you how seriously the luxury, all-inclusive resort company takes couples’ need take special time for each other.

“And it has a number of ‘Sandals Firsts’ including two that are very romantic: Tranquility Soaking Tubs and the stunning, architectural marvel of the SkyPool Suites with infinity-edge plunge pools set out on the balcony. The king-size bed has direct access to a cantilevered, plunge pool with infinity edge where couples can admire the ocean while floating in the sky…..literally and figuratively. Guests at Sandals Grenada loved these so much so that they were eventually introduced at other Sandals Resorts across the Caribbean.

Set on Grenada’s exclusive Pink Gin Beach, Sandals Grenada features three freshwater pools, including the iconic Pink Gin Village pool, which transforms from day to night. By day, couples enjoy picture-perfect views of the infinity-edged pool that flows into the horizon. By night, the firepit lounge directly in the middle of the pool (PICTURED, TOP) comes alive and becomes “the hot spot” for couples to enjoy an after-dinner drink.

Avalon Waterways’ Active & Discovery River Cruise on the Seine from Paris

Call it the ‘City of Lights’ or the ‘City of Love’ – Paris is at the top of many couples’ list of romantic getaways. An Active & Discovery River Cruise is a unique way to experience not just Paris, but an entire region. The route along the Seine river runs between Paris and Le Havre on the Channel coast.

On this sail through France, couples can stir-up the romance choosing from included excursions that involve outdoor exploration or cultural discovery. Imagine tasting savory crepes or local liquors. Warming-up with a guided sightseeing walk or chilling-out during a wine-tasting. Wandering the halls of history or hiking the ruins of an ancient castle. Paddling through scenery or pedaling around cityscapes. Plus, this cruise offers guests the option to add an extension to stunning Mont St. Michel for a hotel stay that includes lovely views of the Abbey and village.

“A sail on the Seine river through postcard-perfect France aboard our ship with beds that face the views – is romantic on its own. But the fact that this unique Active & Discovery itinerary starts or ends in Paris adds romantic icing to the cake,” says Pam Hoffee, managing director of Avalon Waterways. “And if each partner chooses a different daytime excursion, they can meet-up each evening, over a romantic dinner, to tell one another about their exciting explorations.”

To add some spice to this vacation, couples can choose a Storyteller Series departure that’s hosted by the original “Carrie Bradshaw” – Sex & the City’s Candace Bushnell.”

Luxury Gold’s Elegance of the Nile Tour

“While many may consider Italy, France or Spain the destinations with immediate and obvious claim to romance, Egypt will forever stand out as a destination that lives in my own heart for the larger-than-life adventures that are certain to set romantic hearts racing,” explains Brad Ford, President of Luxury Gold Canada.

“Egypt, you see, is not just inspiration for star-crossed lovers, but appeals to every modern romantic, warm and welcoming locals, fabled Pharaohs and Queens, sacred mummies, colossal pyramids, rediscovered golden treasures, the call of the mysterious Sahara Desert, and the life-giving River Nile pen unique and personal love poems for every traveller.”

Travelers find romance in the 5000-year old mystique of Egypt on this tour. And discover the hospitality of today’s Egyptians who will welcome guests as family, into their lives and homes.

Travellers enjoy an afternoon in Cairo before joining an Egyptologist for an exclusive visit to the Pyramids of Giza, where you’ll walk inside one of its caverns and see the Sphinx. Revel in the highly anticipated opening of the Grand Egyptian museum which is slated for November 2022, where you will gaze upon priceless treasures from the tomb of perhaps the country’s most famous pharaoh, Tutankhamun. See the Temple of Luxor during a VIP, after-hours visit, exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site free from other tour groups - and the Valley of the Kings, where the mummy of Tutankhamun is buried.

Sailing the Nile together on a felucca, a traditional wooden boat, is one of the most romantic ways of seeing Egypt. Or travel back in time while sipping tea at the Cataract Hotel, which served as inspiration for Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile. This tour of Egypt may be the ultimate experience of the romance of travel.

Start Your Next Romantic Trip!

Images courtesy of their respective travel companies.

Check Out These Resort Openings - You Can Still Plan a Tropical Escape this Winter

lynn.elmhirst@gmail.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

Wave goodbye to the winter blues on your way to one of these newly-opened resorts, from adults-only escapes to family-friendly and multi-generational beach vacations.

This may be the year to try an all-new destination, or treat yourself to a new kind of holiday that puts a spark in your sun and sand.

Adults-Only in the Bahamas: Reimagined Sandals Royal Bahamian

After a $55 million renovation, the 400-room, all-inclusive, adults-only Sandals Royal Bahamian has re-launched celebrating the spirit of the Bahamas, with flamingo pink hues and vibes of the islands traditional celebration Junkanoo.

An Island Village features stand-alone villas in relaxed beachfront style with pastels, striped awnings, shiplap and private pools and soaking tubs. Guests in beachfront butler suites with soothing neutral colors and wood furnishings enjoy a new, infinity swim-up pool that ends where the sand begins.

All guests can choose to dine in over a dozen restaurants offering a range of dining experiences and flavors - from pan-Caribbean, fast a la carte, steak and seafood, modern French, British, Italian, sushi… even food trucks in the new, chic beachfront lounge surrounded by live music.

A Private Island Hideaway featuring quiet shores featuring a pool bar with swings, an infinity-edge Jacuzzi and secluded dining.

And the grand re-opening included an award from the company’s philanthropic arm to the national organization that works to restore over two million acres of land and sea in the Bahamas, that will develop a primary level environmental curriculum for Bahamian schools.

Family-Friendly in Cancun: New Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun

The new all-inclusive, 400+ room, family-friendly resort is near the famous Cancun hotel zone, between the Caribbean and the area’s lagoon.

It’s a paradise surrounded by lush jungle and sparkling waters and a dramatic ambiance. There’s water fun for every age and level of activity between nine pools and an expansive water park with tall slides and a kid’s pool.

Similarly, there’s dining for every taste and age between 17, globally-inspired, and locally authentic restaurants, bars and lounges.

Rooms boast spa-like bathrooms with rainfall showers, hot tubs, high-tech entertainment and complimentary minibars.

And parents can leave hectic schedules behind at the state of the art fitness center and two-story spa inspired by pre-Hispanic Mayan culture with indoor and outdoor treatment rooms that reflect the breathtaking, natural scenery.

Urban Resort Luxury in Fort Lauderdale: New Four Seasons Hotel

The new luxury hotel in Fort Lauderdale joins other Four Seasons hotels or resorts in Florida: The Surf Club, Palm Beach and Miami, as well as another Four Seasons Resort at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.

The 190-suite/residence Four Seasons Hotel in Fort Lauderdale boasts a prime beachfront address, just moments away from the city's best shops, restaurants, marinas and entertainment, bringing style to one of the world’s top yachting destinations.

The building's curved silhouette, white materials and contemporary lines are reminiscent of the sleek lines of a luxury yacht, and a modern urban aesthetic. Interior design marries a Riviera lifestyle with the freshness and elegance of mid-century modernist design, with a polished palette of blues, whites and woods along with rounded detailing to create a sophisticated, fresh nautical feeling.

The outdoor spaces include sculptural green gardens that line the paths from the Hotel to the beachfront boulevard. Elevated on the third-floor Ocean Terrace, varietals of tropical palms and greenery frame the Hotel's ocean vistas while also creating a sense of privacy. The terrace overlooks panoramic Atlantic Ocean views from two horizon-edge pools – one serene and one more playful.

There are spa and wellness offerings, Kids For All Seasons, oceanfront coastal / Mediterranean dining, and an all-day café and champagne lounge named after JFK’s presidential yacht.

Guests enjoy a dedicated beach area, too. Before heading out, guests can create their own picnic, stop by the beach toys station, and let the Beach Concierge plan the perfect day, including local water sports.

Family Friendly Meets Adults-Only at Finest, Punta Cana

The Excellence Collection has opened its first family-friendly all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana. Finest Punta Cana (also pictured, top) lies on the same stretch of beach as the company’s two adults-only Excellence Resorts properties in the Dominican Republic.

With different areas of the 455-suite resort dedicated to families or adults, all ages and multi-generational family groups can enjoy their ideal style of beach vacation. Accommodation options include rooftop terrace suites, swim-up suites, family suites, and more.

They include Finest Suites with infinite Excellence amenities; Finest Club for families, with in-suite amenities, complimentary hydrotherapy, and access to members-only lounges, beach area, pools, and restaurants; and Excellence Club for adults only, with additional in-suite amenities, complimentary hydrotherapy, and access to exclusive lounges, private beach, pools, and restaurants. Excellence Club areas are set on their own side of the resort for an adults-only environment.

The resort features seven pools with areas for families or adults, 10 international dining options, 15 bars, the Imagine Kids Club, Imagine Lounge for mealtime childcare, spa with hydrotherapy, as well as fitness facilities as well as daytime and night time activities keep guests entertained.

First Delta All-Inclusive in Riviera Nayarit

Delta Hotels by Marriott, Riviera Nayarit, an All-Inclusive Resort, has opened on a hillside in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Riviera Nayarit. It’s Delta Hotels' first property in Mexico and the first Delta Hotels' All-Inclusive Resort.

Nestled between the Sierra Madre Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, the resort is near area attractions such as the famed Local Handcraft Market with fresh seafood and Mexican handcraft traditions, and the Flamingo's Golf Club.

The family-friendly resort features 117 rooms, including multi-room suites, with private balconies and exceptional mountain and greenery views. Two pools and a beach club are central to the resort experience, as well as a spa and fitness center.

Dining options include two restaurants and four pop-up venues. The signature Delta Pantry, exclusively for Elite members, offers on-the-go breakfast, in addition to convenient and healthy premium snacks and beverages. Tailored food and beverage experiences will be offered for the entire family to enjoy. Ice cream socials, as well as fast-casual menus with an emphasis on simple, fresh ingredients – are all designed to leave guests feeling relaxed and happy.

Rosewood Re-imagines French Island Luxury in St. Barth

The renowned Le Guanahani resort in the iconic, exclusive French luxury island of St. Barth has reopened after a four-year reimagination as Rosewood Le Guanahani St. Barth.

Envisioned to reflect the distinctive history, heritage and style of the French Caribbean, the intimate resort’s new design embraces the property’s commitment to sustainability and a welcoming environment with a modern, effortlessly sophisticated residential feel for guests.

The fewer than 60 rooms and suites showcase modern and refined décor with stone or natural wood floors, and French windows and doors. Most are centered around their ocean views and private outdoor areas with a variety of sculpted private gardens, sundecks and pools.

Three hues are heavily featured throughout the property: turquoise, inspired by the Caribbean water; yellow, reflecting the tropical sun; and lavender, a nod to the South of France. Travel-inspired furniture commissioned exclusively for the resort includes luggage-inspired private bars in select rooms.

The resort’s Beach House St. Barth is the social hub and elegant main dining venue, an indoor-outdoor gathering space, with pool and sun deck focused on the ocean. A lively bar accents the pool and beach space by day and is indoors at night.

Rosewood’s signature A Sense of Place philosophy seeks to immerse guests in the unique nuances of the destination. The spa incorporates natural surroundings in both design and treatment offerings. And the indoor-outdoor children’s Explorer’s Club provides immersive activities about local culture.

Start Your Trip!

Images courtesy of their respective hotel/ resort companies

Now You Can Get Married in Antarctica

lynn.elmhirst@gmail.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

February has been an even more romantic month than usual this year. Not only did countless couples celebrate their love in dream destinations on Valentine’s Day – one couple became the first to be united in matrimony on the White Continent.

On an Atlas Ocean Voyage to Antarctica – that even departed on February 14,^,2022 – Valentine’s Day! Bride Courtnie Dodson and Groom Brody Vermillion exchanged vows on Danko Island during a 15-minute ceremony, officiated by British Antarctic Territory-registered Marriage Officer Bryan Clark.

The ceremony was witnessed by eight additional cruise guests – plus some curious penguins who appeared to follow the tuxedo dress code for the wedding!

In fact, that first-ever wedding on the 7^th continent was one of four extraordinary weddings and three vow renewal ceremonies during the nine-night cruise to the Antarctic on the luxury expedition cruise line’s first ship World Navigator.

Atlas Ocean Voyages bills its destination wedding program “Happy Ever Atlas.” It was complimentary for guests who registered for the wedding or vow renewal program in advance.

The weddings weren’t just ceremonial – they were the first legal weddings on the continent. Each couple received an official U.K. wedding license, which is also recognized in many other countries, including the U.S.

World Navigator hosted a ship-wide wedding reception, as well as held separate bachelorette and bachelor group-parties, for an unforgettable wedding week for the couples. The cruise destination wedding program also included a wedding cake, photos, gift bag, custom wedding announcements and Thank You cards.

Now the ‘ice is broken’ so to speak, we’re sure many other couples will start thinking about the ultimate destination wedding.

A small, luxury expedition cruise might be tailor made for a one-of-a-kind destination wedding. The World Navigator’s size – only 98 suites, solo suites and staterooms – makes for an intimate luxe-adventure. Especially the adventure of starting your new life together!

World Navigator will cruise the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and Iceland, Greenland and The Arctic in summer 2022; Central and South America in the autumn; and return to Antarctica for her winter 2022-23 season.

The ship’s small size allows it to reach smaller, authentic and exclusive locales where larger ships cannot sail. A second, sister ship to the World Navigator, World Traveller, launches in November 2022. Three additional sister ships, World Seeker, World Adventurer and World Discoverer, join the fleet through 2024.

Giving couples looking for the most unique, out-of-the-way or exotic wedding or vow renewal destination a world of options.

Congratulations to the first Antarctic newlyweds!

Start Your Milestone Trip!

Images courtesy Atlas Ocean Voyages

Masking Up for Fun: the World's Top Carnivals

lynn.elmhirst@gmail.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

“Carnival” and “Mardi Gras” evoke some of the world’s most legendary, annual, pre-Easter parties. The two events are related, with a shared origin and even some of the same cultural traditions.

Carnival is a whole season, but Mardi Gras is one special day. They are celebrated in countries with strong, historic Catholic traditions.

The calendar tells all. Pre-Easter, devout Catholics observe Lent, a time of solemn prayer and self-denial. Lent begins on the Wednesday 40 days before Easter.

Mardi Gras means ‘Fat Tuesday.’ The Tuesday before Lent begins, people would use up all the sweets, treats, and rich foods in a last, big indulgence before putting the brakes on fun for Lent.

In many places, the idea of a big festival of indulgence before Lent lasts longer than a “Fat Tuesday.” That’s where “Carnival” comes in. The word “Carnival” comes from the Latin words meaning “to leave off meat.”

Now, “Carnival” is synonymous with an extended period of revelry, ending on Mardi Gras.

Beginning in Europe, the festivities spread to the New World, too, where they took on a festive life of their own. Now, two of the biggest pre-Lenten celebrations are in the Americas.

Which is next on your travel bucket list?

CARNIVAL OF VENICE

Venice is the showpiece of European Carnival celebrations, with three million visitors coming to Venice every year to take part. It lasts for about two weeks, ending in “Martedi Grasso,” (Fat Tuesday). The date of Easter changes every year, so Carnival’s dates do too.

The Carnival of Venice dates back over a thousand years, and its hallmark for centuries has been its fantastical masks.

From the 1300’s, between December 26^th, the day after Christmas, until Fat Tuesday, Venetians were permitted to dress as they like, with rigid class rules for consumption suspended, and disguise themselves behind masks. The anonymity allowed upper and lower classes to mingle, as extravagant parties and balls were held throughout the wealthy trading city full of artisans who provided luxury products to high society.

Maskmakers had high status, traditionally creating leather, porcelain or famously, Venetian glass. The distinctive styles with different names, often for people of different occupations, are still used today, including masks with long, creepy beaks, cat-eye, half-masks held to the face with a baton, or white porcelain masks worn with a tricorn hat and cloak.

Masks are still central to the Carnival of Venice experience today. Visitors can buy masks at souvenir or high art prices year round throughout the city. Nowadays most Italian masks are made of lighter materials, often hand-painted with gold leaf and decorated with feathers and artificial or even real gems.

One of the central events in a modern Venice Carnival is the contest for most beautiful mask, as well as masked balls that put epic Italian style and hospitality on full display.

NEW ORLEANS’ MARDI GRAS

You can thank Louisiana’s French history for its modern-day reputation as having the most famous pre-Easter party in North America. Records show the first Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, was celebrated on the continent in Louisiana in 1703, fostered by governors from France. In those early days, staples of modern-day Mardi Gras were established, including masked societies, elegant society balls, and processions.

Other traditions followed, including torches, or ‘flambeaux’ to light evening festivities with an air of romance, elaborate floats, Rex, the King of Carnival, and the establishment of purple, green and gold as the official colors of the local version of Carnival. In 1875, Mardi Gras was designated a legal holiday in Louisiana, and it remains one today.

New Orleans’ celebrations last much longer than that single Fat Tuesday. Here, they begin on the 12^th day of Christmas, January 6^th. That’s the Epiphany, the day the biblical three kings arrived to meet the infant Jesus. It’s the origin of NOLA’s Mardi Gras tradition of king cake, with a tiny figurine representing a baby, cooked inside for one lucky person to find in their slice.

Today’s Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans incorporate other uniquely local elements too, including of course jazz music, and strings of beads caught from passing parade floats.

NOLA’s Mardi Gras is the largest masked party on the continent. Carrying on the Old World tradition of masks providing anonymity and equality between classes, they remain mandatory on parade floats, and practically universal among revellers on Mardi Gras itself.

RIO CARNIVAL

The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is the biggest in the world, with two million people daily celebrating in the streets of Brazil’s famous, beachside city.

Rio’s Carnival dates back hundreds of years, to Portuguese colonists in the 1600’s. By the 1800’s, celebrations incorporated masked balls. In the early 1900’s, Africans in Brazil transformed Carnival with the introduction of samba music – the beginning of the uniquely Brazilian version of Carnival we know today.

Rio’s Carnival begins on the Friday before the start of Lent and wraps up on Fat Tuesday. Today, about 200 samba ‘schools’ or neighborhood societies build extravagant themed floats and costumes for the parade in the ‘Sambadrome’ with grandstands and private boxes for excellent viewing.

While the parade is taking place in the Sambadrome, the streets outside and throughout the city, as well as its most elegant ballrooms are alive with more party-goers. While the Sambadrome and the ballroom of the Copacabana hotel are ticketed, the street carnival –with hundreds of ‘bandas’ taking place any any point during Carnival, is open to everyone.

Start your Carnival Trip!

Science Says These Are the Most Beautiful Places in the World - Are They Already on Your Travel List?

lynn@influenceproductions.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they say, but can you rank places that practically every traveler finds beautiful?

One travel company in the U.K. wanted to answer that question, so they brought in some science and technology to help. They presented volunteers with dozens of images of famous natural destinations. Eye-tracking software recorded data about which images the volunteers looked at, and for how long. The more longing glances and lingering stares determined which destinations were the most eye-catching.

Of course, the most stunning photo can’t beat the real thing. If you haven’t already, here are what science has determined are the most beautiful natural wonders in the world to add to your bucket list this year.

The good news: a third of the top 15 most eye-catching natural destinations are close to home in North America, including number one.

That’s Peyto Lake, in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, near the Icefields Parkway. The glacier-fed lake’s calling card is its almost surreal turquoise hue – achieved without filters, simply through the effect of the glacier water source! Hikers as well as driving visitors can get breathtaking views and photos of the lake, with the money shot coming from a vantage point hundreds of feet above the water.

Water-adjacent sites make up 2^nd and 3^rd place, although they are on opposite sides of the world. Meeru Island in the tropical paradise of the Maldives, and the 95-mile, fossil- and atmosphere-rich Jurassic Coast in England are ranked 2 and 3, respectively.

The top U.S. result is one of its National Parks, too, and with so many wondrous ones to choose from, would you have guessed Yosemite would be ranked the most beautiful American natural destination and number 4 in the world? The park in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, three-quarters of a million acres in size, is renowned for its dramatic waterfalls off granite cliffs, giant sequoia trees, thriving wildlife, and winding roads and trails between vista after vista.

Speaking of drama, yes, the Grand Canyon is on the list too, coming perhaps surprisingly in 15^th place.

Grand Canyon Ribbon Falls idyllic waterfall Kaibab Trail panorama

Another mainland North American natural wonder also makes the top 15. And although Niagara Falls (number 6) is part of an urban setting that grew up around it, the Falls that mark the border between the U.S. and Canada are no doubt a natural wonder. They remain not only one of the top tourist destinations on the continent, but also a record-breaking volume of water spilling over its edge, which has been harnessed to supply electrical power for the region.

Iguazu Falls, that form the border between Brazil and Argentina and make up the largest waterfall system in the world, come in at number 12, and other water-world wonders that ranked among the most beautiful include another vividly-colored Lake Tekapo, New Zealand at number 5; and its Lake Matheson at number 13; the otherworldly Puerto Princesa Underground River in the Philippines (number 8); and Phang Nga Bay, Thailand at number 14.

Cave entrance to the Puerto Princesa Underground River

One mountain, Snowden, in Wales, makes the list at number 7, Chile’s Marble Caves come in at 9^th place, tropical El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico (pictured, top) was ranked the 10^th most beautiful place in the world… and one entry, ranked 11^th most beautiful, isn’t even earthly. The aurora borealis – Northern Lights – over Iceland round out a list of what science determined are the most beautiful natural wonders in the world… and we can’t argue.

They’re all on our list of life-changing places to explore. What’s on your list?

Start Your Trip!

4 Exciting Hotel Openings in Cities You'll Want to Travel to in 2022

lynn@influenceproductions.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

These newly-opened hotels aren't just a home-away-from-home, they're gateways to a city's sites, local urban culture, cuisine, and social scene. Start planning your next city adventure today!

New York, New York

Hotel: Park Lane Hotel, Preferred Hotels & Resorts

What Makes it Special:

This classic, 47-story NYC Central Park South hotel has been re-imagined and re-opened as a sophisticated, playful, and inclusive hotel in a very exclusive part the city. Celebrated design agency Yabu Pushelberg restored the existing architectural details of the historic, post-war building with bold colors and eclectic textures redefining its mid-century luxury aesthetic. Nearly half of the over 600 rooms have park-facing views, with the other half featuring vistas of the Manhattan skyline. Whimsical murals in guest rooms and public spaces shatter any impression of stuffy luxury. Guests have three unique in-house dining options, which include the Parisian-style lobby bar Rose Lane, reimagined Harry’s New York Bar and Central Park South’s only rooftop lounge “secret garden” cocktail bar.

Why Visit:

Located on “Billionaires’ Row” on Central Park South between 5^th and 6^th Avenues, the hotel is ideally located directly across the southeast corner of the park and within immediate walking distance to some of NYC’s most famous attractions, such as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, 5^th Avenue shopping, and the Museum of Modern Art. Of course, everything in New York is within easy reach, from its famous restaurants to rooftop bars with views of the skyline, to icons of American architecture and culture like the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. The anniversary of era-defining, NYC-based TV series Friends, and the reboot of Sex and the City, have re-inspired some fans to relive beloved scenes and revisit famous neighborhoods of our favorite fictional characters.

Halifax, Canada

Hotel: Muir, Autograph Collection

What makes it special:

Muir is the first hotel in the Canadian Atlantic coastal province of Nova Scotia to join Marriott Bonvoy’s Autograph Collection. From a picturesque location in the heart of this famous port city’s waterfront lifestyle scene, carefully appointed rooms with thoughtful amenities, to Nova Scotian art, design and dining, Muir establishes an authentic “Sense of Place” that invites guests to forge a meaningful connection with contemporary Nova Scotia and its people. Muir projects a contemporary marine, wharf-like design using local materials, including salt-and-pepper granite and sandstone, as well as Muntz metal, a copper alloy prominently used in shipbuilding.

Why visit:

Muir is part of the Queen’s Marque district of Halifax, a cultural and community destination for locals and visitors to Atlantic Canada. The bustling district encompasses vibrant restaurants, shops, nightlife, offices and luxury residences, all set against a striking harbor backdrop. Halifax is the capital city of the province that fosters Scottish heritage more than nearly anywhere else in the world outside of Scotland, where you can find your inner Scot at a Gathering of the Clans or musical Tattoo. Halifax also cradles a Canadian Atlantic lifestyle that features whale watching, dining on lobster, sailing, coastal exploration, famous lighthouses and more.

Mexico City, Mexico

Hotel: Ritz-Carlton Mexico City

What makes it special:

This hotel is the third Ritz-Carlton in the country, but the first urban Ritz-Carlton. It has transformed Mexico city’s skyline with its 58-story tower along the iconic Paseo de Reforma and showcases sweeping, uninterrupted views of the famed Chapultepec Park. Its location and views are maximized by a double glass façade and open-air terraces, inviting guests in its 153 guest rooms and suites to discover a new perspective on the city. The hotel’s design pays homage to Mexico city’s profound role in the surrealist art movement, and how Mexican artists like Frida Kahlo celebrated their indigenous roots. Its design makes use of metals, mirrors and glass to reflect the exterior into the interior, creating a surrealist experience by playing with perspective and distorting the surrounding, traditional architecture. A calm neutral color palette with shades of smokey ash, deep blues, and metallic fibers woven throughout the hotel are a nod to Mexican storytelling and folklore, and local ingredients and botanicals, as well as healing and spiritual traditions of Mexico City’s Aztec culture, in addition to local flavors in its dining offering, add to the hotel’s uniquely local experience.

Why visit:

The personalized guest experience at the Ritz-Carlton Mexico City goes beyond its doors into the vibrant city that’s known for its art and culture scene. A hotel tour with a local historian allows guests to be immersed into the Mexican rituals and celebrations that inspired the hotel design, and hotel staff curate days of exploration for cultural discovery and epicurean adventures in the city. Part of the hotel’s vision is to be a “literal and figurative gateway along the Paseo de Reforma, welcoming and encouraging guests to learn about the colorful history, dynamic present and bright future of Mexico City,” say hotel officials.

Melbourne, Australia

Hotel: Melbourne Marriott Hotel Docklands

What makes it special:

The first Marriott Hotels property to open in Australia in 20 years is a 189-room center of hospitality whose design takes inspiration from the yachts in the city’s harbor, and its façade offers multiple views over the water, city skyline, and the Bolte Bridge. The hotel’s lobby holds fluted glass windows with art installations to welcome guests, as well as brass golden chains suspended over the area to mimic a cinched sailcloth. But its centrepiece is a 92-foot, wet edge rooftop infinity pool, with an adjoining Sunset House bar, one of the only bars in town with views of sunsets illuminating the city skyline. Melbourne Marriott Hotel Docklands also welcomes the first exclusive, 24-hour M Club executive lounge in Australia.

Why visit:

The hotelier says it aims to offer “an all-encompassing experience” of Australia’s second city. Located within the retail, leisure, and entertainment precinct, The District Docklands on Waterfront Way in Melbourne’s city center, the Melbourne Marriott Hotel Docklands doesn’t just offer views across Melbourne’s harbour, city skyline, Bolte Bridge, and into sunsets in the west. Melbourne's Docklands is one of Australia’s largest urban renewal projects, reconnecting central Melbourne with its historic waterfront on the Yarra River. Melbourne is the gateway to the state of Victoria’s treasures, including Great Ocean Road and the vineyards of the Yarra Valley.

START YOUR URBAN ADVENTURE!

Images courtesy of their respective hotels.

Sun, Sand, and a Side of History: 7 Historic Sites You Must Visit in the Caribbean

lynn@influenceproductions.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

If you love sun and sand… with a side of history, here are seven Caribbean islands whose history lives on today through preserved and protected UNESCO World Heritage historic sites.

Which history-rich destinations top your list for an upcoming beach holiday with a twist?

ANTIGUA: “Nelson’s Dockyard”

Known for its famous inhabitant, British Admiral Lord Nelson, who lived in Antigua’s Royal Navy Dockyard for three years in the 1780’s, Nelson’s Dockyard is part of a National Park UNESCO site that is comprised of Georgian naval buildings and a walled enclosure. (Pictured, top, courtesy Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority)

Historically, for Britain’s Royal Navy far from home in the West Indies, Antigua’s coast and English Harbour were a perfect bolt hole from enemies and the elements. Deep, narrow bays protected by mountains provided an ideal location to repair ships and regroup safe from hurricanes.

(Image courtesy www.visitantiguabarbuda.com)

In the late 1700’s, the Dockyard was built, using enslaved Africans, as a strategic, Eastern Caribbean stronghold to protect English sugarcane plantations from other European powers trying to expand their Caribbean presence.

Nelson’s Dockyard isn’t just an historic site. Today, Nelson’s Dockyard is still Antigua’s main port, where cruise visitors to Antigua embark and disembark, as well as hosting the country’s famous sailing and yachting events.

BARBADOS: Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison

The distinction of biggest British colonial garrison in the 17- and 1800’s belonged to Barbados. Combined with the capital of Barbados, Bridgetown, one of the finest remaining examples of British colonial settlements of the period, it’s a UNESCO site.

Bridgetown’s name comes from the bridge constructed in the area by earlier Amerindian inhabitants, before being settled by the British beginning in the 1600’s. Other Dutch and Spanish settlements were laid out in a grid, but Bridgetown follows a ‘serpentine’ city layout. Bridgetown’s harbor was a key maritime hub and frequent first port of call for ships arriving from a trans-Atlantic crossing.

The Barbados Garrison began at the turn of the 1700’s with construction of a fort, barracks, parade ground and other supporting buildings, including its famous red towered guardhouse. It protected the island from attacks by competing colonial powers like Spain, Holland and France.

Bridgetown and its Garrison are still central to life on Barbados. Cruises call at Bridgetown’s port, and some lines embark on Caribbean itineraries from Bridgetown, which has a host of land and sea-based activities for visitors.

CURACAO: Historic Willemstad and its Harbor

Willemstad (in English: William Town) is the modern-day capital of the Dutch island Curacao. Until 2010, it was also the capital of what had been the Netherlands / Dutch Antilles, which included the ‘ABC’ islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, as well as the ‘SSS’ islands of Dutch St. Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius.

Its candy-colored, unmistakable harborfront skyline combines Dutch with Spanish and Portuguese architectural styles of the 1600’s. It’s one of the most distinctive and best-preserved historic cities in the Caribbean. Willemstad is home to the oldest surviving synagogue in the New World.

Today, Curacao, in the southern Caribbean, is a must-see destination for travelers who have already immersed themselves in the more abundant examples of British and Spanish Caribbean history. The ABC islands are famous for their dry, desert climates, and world-class diving, as well as iconic examples of 400-year-old Dutch history.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Colonial City of Santo Domingo

The capital of the Dominican Republic was the first seat of Spanish colonial rule in the Americas. This ‘cradle’ of the New World was founded in 1496 soon after the arrival of Christopher Columbus. It’s the oldest, continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas.

Santo Domingo’s Colonial City is much more than a single building, which is sometimes all that remains of historic settlements. It’s home to the first cathedral, first hospital, first customs house, first fortress, first monastery, first castle, and first university in the Americas. In addition to the historic landmarks, Santo Domingo’s early form of urban planning created a city laid out in a grid pattern, establishing the model that would be used throughout Latin America as Spanish and Portuguese influence spread.

Although most famous as an all-inclusive beach resort vacation destination, and many visitors to the Dominican Republic stay in their beach resort communities, expanding your visit to Santo Domingo’s UNESCO World Heritage Colonial City is an eye-opening, intriguing insight into the entire region’s history.

JAMAICA: Blue and John Crow Mountains

The mountains that cover a fifth of the island are Jamaica’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and also the Caribbean's first World Heritage Mixed Site for both natural and cultural riches.

In addition to being a global biodiversity ‘hotspot’ with 1357 flowering plants, a quarter of which are only found in Jamaica, and 87 that can only be found in the park, the steep slopes of the rare, ‘tropical mountain’ environment are the only known home for rare butterflies, birds, boa and other creatures.

History lives here, too. This is where indigenous Tainos and former enslaved persons fled to escape colonial power. The thickly forested mountains provided the isolation and natural resources for the Maroons' survival and fight for freedom. They developed a profound knowledge of and spiritual connection to the mountains, creating a cultural legacy that survives in modern Jamaica.

Tangible history of the Maroons' life and resistance in the mountains also remains today. The Nanny Town Heritage Route includes settlements, trails, viewpoints, and hiding places.

The Blue and John Crow Mountains sustained Maroons and hid them as they struggled to survive and achieve recognition and liberation. Their struggle and successes influenced other slave resistance in the region, and is a powerful story of humanity for all people of the world.

PUERTO RICO: La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site

If you’ve ever been on a cruise ship arriving into port in San Juan at sunrise, you’ll have seen one of the most beautiful approaches by sea in the Islands. San Juan’s fortified harbor projects on rocky shores out into the sea, with emerald greenery setting off the stones and the waves.

The series of defensive structures that are now a UNESCO World Heritage site on this U.S. territory were built beginning in the 1500’s, and one quick look at a map will tell you why. Puerto Rico occupies a very strategic position in the Caribbean Sea, and this fortified harbor stood guard over the bay and city.

The U.S. National Park Service manages the Old San Juan site that includes a citadel, Castillo San Felipe del Morro, built from the 15- 1700’s and named after Spanish King Philip II, as well as bastions, powder houses, and almost all of the impressive old city wall.

La Fortaleza or El Palacio de Santa Catalina, is the name given to the vivid, wedding-cake style governor’s mansion in Old San Juan. Built in 1533, it has been the official governor’s residence for centuries and is the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the New World.

ST. KITTS & NEVIS: Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park

The UNESCO World Heritage historic site in the twin-island country is the fortress – one of the best preserved historical fortifications in the New World - perched on the steep slopes of St. Kitts’ Brimstone Hill. Like Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua, and Bridgetown, Barbados’ historic core and garrison, Brimstone Hill’s fort is a British military construction. It was built in the 17^th and 18^th centuries by enslaved Africans.

But the historic site everyone’s talking about these days is on next-door Nevis, where a stone house originally built in the late 1600’s merges Nevisian and American history. The recent, wild success of the Broadway musical Hamilton has shone a spotlight on the Nevisian birthplace of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, who, among many accomplishments during a pivotal time in history, was instrumental in having the international slave trade made illegal.

(Image courtesy Four Seasons Nevis)

In the heart of Nevis’ small main town of Charlestown, Hamilton House and other historic buildings are still very much part of local life. The first floor is a museum, and the second floor is the meeting room for the island’s House of assembly.

The landmark resort on the island, the Four Seasons Resort Nevis, has even created a special Hamilton experience to bring his legacy to life for guests, involving a visit with a local storyteller, on-resort experiences and even a Hamilton-inspired playlist.

START YOUR HISTORIC ISLAND TRIP!

By: Lynn Elmhirst, Producer/ Host, BestTrip TV

Hike Europe's Most Famous Ancient Trail During This Jubilee Year

lynn@influenceproductions.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

Only once or maybe twice a decade, the Camino de Santiago becomes an even more remarkable hiking journey through Spain.

Pilgrims and tourists have been hiking the “Way of St. James,” as it translates, since the 9^th century. It’s a 500-mile (800 km) route across northern Spain to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, the spiritual home of the apostle James who preached in Spain, became its patron saint, and whose remains were returned here and enshrined.

The route of St. James’ final, return journey to Spain became a pilgrimage, one that continues to this day.

Spiritual and religious devotees walking the route today are joined by those taking the “Way of St. James” as a journey of self-discovery, to achieve a personal challenge, or to explore this unique cultural experience and northern Spanish countryside actively on foot or by bicycle.

Jubilee Years on the Camino de Santiago

And if your trip coincides with a Jacobean (from “James”) Holy Year, the experience will be all the more exceptional. The “Xacobeo Holy Year” occurs when the festival of St. James, which takes place annually on July 25^th, falls on a Sunday. That means the special celebrations of Jubilee Year happen once or twice a decade.

Due to the pandemic, the Holy Year 2021 was extended for the first time over two years. Already, special festivities have begun for its second half. “Light up the Xacobeo” is an initiative where more than a hundred monuments and landmark buildings throughout Spain are illuminated to honor the special pilgrimage year. Half of those are along the actual Camino de Santiago.

(Illuminations at the terminus, at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, courtesy of the Tourist Board of Spain)

They include a wayfinding arrow, pointing the way to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the terminus of the Way and a long pilgrimage. They mirror the wayfinding signs that are used to mark the actual route still today.

This year’s Xacobeo Holy Year has gone global. Recognizing how communities and the world have come together even more during pandemic times, “Light up the Xacobeo” illuminations and wayfinding have spread beyond Spain’s borders.

Here, for example, is Notre-Dame Cathedral in Ottawa, Canada, illuminated for the Holy Year Jubilee – wayfinding arrow guiding pilgrims and seekers towards Spain.

(Photo courtesy of the Tourist Board of Spain in Canada)

In addition to special, wayfinding illuminations, the Way of St. James in Spain this Jubilee year will be celebrated by events including concerts, art exhibitions, films, conferences and educational activities for all ages.

Centuries-Old Traditions

That’s in addition to all the traditions of the Way of St. James, not just wayfinding markers that range from the humble to the spectacular illuminations of the Jubilee year.

Scallops are the symbol of the Camino de Santiago. The shellfish is plentiful on the beaches of the region, and originally the shells may have been practical for pilgrims to scoop shared food and water, as well as become a souvenir of the life-changing journey.

Pilgrims still wear a shell to show they are on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. And scallop shell markers, including brass shells inlaid in cobblestone paths, or stylized sideways shells, often gold on a blue background on signposts or buildings still mark the path through towns and countryside.

Most pilgrims then and now buy and carry the credencial. In days of yore, it provided access free accommodations and support for pilgrims along the Way. It’s also like a passport, an official record of your journey. You get an official St. James stamp in each town you eat, or official stay along the way, and presented at the Pilgrim's Office once you reach Santiago, proves that you have completed the official route and qualify for a 'compostela' – a certificate of completion.

A Pilgrim's Mass is held in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela twice daily, and pilgrims who received their compostela the day before have their countries and where they started their journeys announced during Mass.

Pilgrimages had trickled down to only a few hundred travelers along the Camino de Santiago by the 1980's. Then, in 1987, it was declared the first European Cultural Route and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Modern pilgrims and secular active travelers re-discovered the appeal of the historic route.

These days, 300,000 or more people make the trip every year on foot, by bicycle or horseback, and in escorted tours by vehicle that stop at highlights along the way. During Jubilee years, that number swells.

The trip on foot from the Spanish border nowadays takes about a month. Not everyone who walks on the Camino receives a compostela, but you can still earn one without a month-long commitment.

To qualify, you must make the pilgrimage for religious or spiritual reasons, even if they are your own spirituality and inner quest, do the last 100 km (approx 60 miles) on foot or horseback, or the last 200 km (approx 120 miles) by bicycle, AND you still need to collect a certain number of stamps in your credencial which you present at the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago de Compostela.

The next Jubilee Year for the Camino de Santiago isn't until 2027, so don’t wait to experience this uplifting, unique experience.

As the Tourist Board of Spain says: Just walk. Buen Camino.

START YOUR TRIP!

Top image courtesy of the Tourist Board of Spain.

Unless noted, other images: Getty

Travel During Year of the Tiger: Where to See Tigers in the Wild

lynn.elmhirst@gmail.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

Welcome to the Year of the Tiger! Once every dozen years, the Lunar New Year celebrates the largest of all cats, one that Asian astrologers describe as uplifting, brave, and independent. All excellent qualities for the year ahead.

Over 1.5 billion people around the world celebrate Lunar New Year. Festivities continue in some cultures for about two weeks, but the influence of the Tiger lasts the year.

Year of the Tiger may inspire many of us to take a new interest in these magnificent striped creatures, even to see them in real life.

Responsible travel should be any big cat-lover’s top priority.

Many of us are very conflicted about zoos, where species survival and educational programs at excellent facilities is weighed against keeping wildlife in captivity and conditions at poor facilities.

Attractions with captive tigers are condemned by experts and conservationists.

Seeing tigers in the wild is a life-changing experience. Once, tiger species ranged widely across Asia. Tiger species with names like Siberian and Sumatran and Royal Bengal illustrate just how far tigers once roamed.

Just in the last century, tigers have lost 95% of their habitat, and experts estimate that fewer than 4000 tigers remain in the wild. Like many famous megafauna, it’s thought that responsible photo-safari tourism can help create an economic motive to help ensure the survival of these majestic creatures and their habitat.

Where to Travel:

Tiger reserves exist in a number of Asian destinations including Siberia, Russia, as well as Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Today, about 70% of the world’s wild tigers live in India, which has dozens of tiger reserves. Travellers can book vetted, professional guided tours that both maximize their chances of seeing a tiger and protect these rare, magnificent creatures.

Central India’s Madhya Pradesh is known as the country’s ‘Tiger State.’ It is said to be the setting of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, and has some of the country’s most accessible and reputable reserves, often former private hunting reserves for local maharajas.

Kanha Tiger Reserve has famously picturesque dense forest as well as wide-open grasslands and lakes. The National Park is a protected, 750-square mile eco-system that’s home to apex predator tigers and also nurtures lots of other wildlife, including local deer, sloth bears, leopards and other species from monkeys to mongoose.

Pench Tiger Reserve is a National Park partially in Madhya Pradesh and is named for the river running through its hundreds of square miles. It’s famous for regular sightings of tiger mothers and their cubs. The most famous, Collarwali, nicknamed “the great mother,” gave birth to a remarkable 29 cubs in her long, 17-year life before she died of natural causes in January, 2022, the longest-living tigress in the park. Loving park wardens draped her remains with wreaths of flowers, prayers were said, and a traditional funeral pyre honored the passing of one of conservation’s great creatures.

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan is the cradle of tiger tourism in India, and has been home to some of its most famous and beloved tigers. A robust population and great many lakeside and waterhole adjacent vantage points make this one of the best places in India to view tigers. The reserve also contains ancient Mughal fort ruins on the edge of a lake; seeing tigers against a backdrop like that reminds travellers how much these noble great cats are creatures of legend in their natural homelands.

When to Travel:

Tigers can be seen year round in India’s reserves. July through September is monsoon and breeding season, and most tiger reserves are closed. In the hot, pre-monsoon months of April and May, water-loving tigers spend lots of time around the waterholes with their cubs, which gives the best opportunities for sightings.

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Where in the World to Drink Ice Wine

lynn@influenceproductions.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

Don’t let winter stop you from enjoying a wine harvest season! There are two ways - and many places - to celebrate a wine harvest in the New Year.

You could travel to the southern hemisphere, where standard vineyard harvests take place during the northern hemisphere’s spring.

Or you can embrace winter – and the one, very special wine it creates.

Ice wine is a case of making lemonade when life gives you lemons. When winter conditions are just right, grapes freeze on the vine, giving vintners the opportunity to make ice wine.

What makes ice wine special? When grapes are still on the vine as the temperatures turn to freezing, it’s only the water content in the grapes that freezes – not the sugar or other solids. So the small amount of juice extracted from the frozen grapes is very concentrated.

For natural ice wine, grapes must fully ripen on the vine, then undergo a hard freeze (−8 °C (17 °F) or colder). It's risky business. Grapes can be lost before harvest, and then the moment it freezes, pickers have to work at night harvesting all the grapes in a few hours before the sun warms them up again at dawn.

The wine made from that freezing process is very sweet wine with a balanced acidity - and can only be produced in small quantities. And it's priced accordingly.

If you want to taste ice wine at its source - and see the unique way it's made, your geographic choices are limited. Ice wine can only be produced in wine regions where it gets sufficiently – and reliably – cold.

Old World

Like many culinary innovations, ice wine may have been a happy accident that came about as a result of an unexpectedly harsh winter in the Nuremburg region of Germany around 1800. Vintners pressed their frozen grapes anyway… and voila!

It may have helped that sweet, late harvest Rhine wines were already the most highly valued wines in Germany at the time. Although the process is different, sweet late harvest wines may have smoothed the way for sweet ice wines to be appreciated and attempted in the rare, subsequent years when weather conditions presented the opportunity to make ‘Eiswein.’

Technology, like electric lights to facilitate night time picking, helped permit more frequent Eiswein vintages in the second half of the 20^th century. Austria and a number of other, mostly Central European countries make small quantities, too.

We recommend: combining an Eiswein tasting trip with an alpine winter ski trip to Europe.

New World

While its wine culture is much more recent, Canada’s Niagara wine region consistently achieves ice wine levels of freezing every year.

Not long after some Central European winemakers at Niagara wineries began experimenting with ice wine, Niagara was producing the rare wine in commercially-viable quantities. In 1991, a Niagara ice wine won the Grand Prix d'Honneur at Europe’s Vinexpo, putting Canadian ice wine on the international wine map.

Now, Canada is the world's ice wine superstar and largest producer, making more ice wine than all other countries combined. Niagara (pictured above) remains the biggest ice wine region in Canada, although it’s produced in wineries across the country.

Across the border and the Great Lakes, American vineyards have been getting into the ice wine act, too, particularly Michigan, although other wineries in neighboring Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania also produce the wine that celebrates the winter cold.

We recommend: Get in on the spirit of ice wine at a local ice wine festival. Sometimes you can even be part of the midnight grape picking, which is more fun than it sounds.

START YOUR WINE TRIP!

By: Lynn Elmhirst, BestTrip TV

Better Sleep is the Travel Trend We Need Right Now

lynn@influenceproductions.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

Is your New Year’s resolution to get more rest – and travel more? The good news is that there are travel experiences that let you do both.

Lynn Elmhirst, Producer and Host of BestTrip TV, runs down a few of her favorites.

Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland – Sleep Retreat

The breathtaking Fogo Island Inn, perched on stilts like the fishing huts on the island on the edge of the North Atlantic ocean, has been rated one of the top luxury lodges in the world.

Any trip to the Fogo Island Inn is a retreat into a unique island environment enriched with visiting artists, local artisans and crafters, and centuries-old living off the land and the sea, which curated, hands-on guest experiences bring to life.

Don’t take my word for it! WATCH THIS BESTTRIP TV VIDEO OF THE FOGO ISLAND INN. Designer Karen Sealy highlights some of its breathtaking design.

The hospitality of the island and the Inn is now legendary. In its 29 unique rooms, beds covered in locally hand-made, colorful quilts face floor-to-ceiling windows onto the sea or the dramatic landscape. Every morning, a wooden box draped with cheerful linens is dropped off at the door of your room, with a carafe of coffee or tea, and a selection of freshly baked treats that inspire you to go right back to bed to enjoy them while gazing out at the view and enjoying the crackling of your room’s wood-burning stove.

In addition to an acclaimed dining experience in its restaurant, bar, lounge and Tea Room, the Inn’s Heritage Library, Reading Room, roof-top wood saunas and hot tubs help contribute to a guest’s relaxation and well-being – not to mention the benefits of feeling cut off from the hustle and bustle in this remote edge of the world.

What’s more, the Fogo Island Inn is also a community asset, with all of the operating surpluses reinvested into the local community to help secure a sustainable future for Fogo Island.

If that doesn’t already make you sleep better, the Inn also hosts a sleep retreat in March 2022. The director of Ryerson University in Toronto’s sleep and depression lab will lead “The Secrets of Sleep” that teaches guests sleep science, including daily workshops, morning yoga, evening meditation, time outdoors in the fresh sea air of the island, and more.

Between the inherently relaxing qualities of a stay at the Inn, and the science-based sleep teachings of the retreat, guests can look forward to restorative sleep during their stay, “and the benefits will endure long after you’ve left our shores,” says the hotel.

Rosewood Hotels’ “The Alchemy of Sleep” Retreats

Inspiring guests to improve their state of rest in the New Year, 20 luxury Rosewood Hotels have launched holistic escapes to encourage movement, mindfulness, nutrition and tranquillity leading to more restorative sleep.

In addition to the restful features and amenities of their rooms and hotel spas, Alchemy of Sleep is Rosewood’s global collection of new and immersive retreats from January to March 2022, designed to promote rest through sleep-inducing treatments, movement-driven activities and special amenities that create long-lasting benefits to travelers. Dedicated to those setting intentions for profound change in the New Year, the thoughtfully crafted programs support renewal of the body and practices to take home and incorporate into busy, everyday life.

Guests can opt for a one-night 'Dreamscape' or extend from two to five nights for a 'Sleep Transformation,' providing an even more immersive stay. As a supplement to these offerings, Curated Sleep Boxes feature products that re-balance such as essential oil blends, tea blends, aromatherapy linen mists and silk eye masks.

Image: Rosewood Hotel Georgia

Rosewood's “A Sense of Place” philosophy means the Alchemy of Sleep retreats reflect local wellness customs and embrace the unique natural surroundings. Here are a selection of Alchemy of Sleep programs at hotels and in destinations that inspire:

In Paris, Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel welcomes guests with an in-room Sleeping Beauty set, featuring all the essentials for ensuring a good night's sleep. Guests continue their stay with personalized messages and centering meditation sessions, concluding the journey with a Sleep Naturopathy consultation to establish long-term patterns for attaining the best sleep possible back home.
In St. Barth, the newly-debuted Rosewood Le Guanahani St. Barth offers an ideal setting for finding serenity. In addition to nutrient-rich dishes and scenic meditation, restorative treatments, such as Healing Sound Bath Therapy, activate the brain waves for a dreamlike state. Each room is enhanced with oil diffusers and mists, silk pillowcases and eye masks, books with sleep tips, as well as access to meditation TV apps.
In the British Virgin Islands, Rosewood Little Dix Bay is a tranquil haven that also offers aromatherapy and reflexology treatments releasing tension from the body, supplemented with outdoor activities such as hikes through 'The Baths' National Park. For the deepest possible state of relaxation in full consciousness, guests can partake in Yoga Nindra, also known as 'Yogic Sleep,' offered under the stars just before bedtime.
In Mexico's Riviera Maya, Rosewood Mayakoba guests can engage in personal consultations with the resort's wellbeing experts to develop clear actions for improving sleep cycles, while keeping the body moving with Float Fit sessions and Restorative Yoga at the resort's private cenote (natural pool). Guests will also have access to a Sleep Aromatherapy Support Kit featuring a remedy made from a blend of organic oils, as well as a master class on sleep.
In California, with the Alchemy of Sleep retreat launch comes the debut of Bryte Sleep Suites at Montecito's Rosewood Miramar Beach and Menlo Park's Rosewood Sand Hill. The suites feature 'The Restorative Bed by Bryte,' which allow for individual heating and cooling personalized to each sleep partner's profile with Circadian Climate technology directly impacting the sleeper's core body temperature. To further reduce stress, guests can choose from a selection of calm-inducing treatments that incorporate ingredients like CBD and lavender, as well as partake in meditations that take advantage of the resorts' breathtaking natural settings and landscaped gardens.
Rosewood San Miguel De Allende's retreat hones in on nutrition's impact on the sleep cycle, offering menus specially created by the hotel's Executive Chef Vincent Wallez, who thoughtfully selected soothing ingredients. Throughout the stay, guests will enjoy treatments that encourage deep rest, as well as meditation, yoga and breathing workshops that take advantage of the property's scenic surroundings.

Alchemy of Sleep retreats are also available at other Rosewood hotels around the world including Baha Mar, The Bahamas, Phuket, Thailand, London, England, Italy, the Middle East, and other destinations in Asia.

SLEEP by Princess Cruises

Some of my best sleeps ever have been on cruise ships, where the gentle motion lulls you to sleep.

Princess Cruises has built on the natural advantages of the rocking motion of ships by consulting with a board-certified sleep expert to optimize staterooms for a sleep-friendly experience via all five of your senses.

“SLEEP” is not a specific retreat, but a way of cruising, with added touches for a wonderful, restorative rest on board, from the bedding to wellness treatments at the spa, even SLEEP-friendly evening meals on board. The cruise lines’ sleep expert explains, 'Sleep is a sensory experience. In fact, all five of your senses must be prepared for slumber in order for sleep to come easily and last all night long.'

Images above and top: Princess Cruises

Other resorts, hotels, cruise ships and spas offer enhancements to your sleep practices – from pillow menus to sleep concierges to activities, amenities and therapies. Whatever your travel tastes or needs for better rest, there are practices available at hotels, resorts and ships in dream destinations to help you achieve restorative rest while traveling, and even when you return home.

Ask your expert travel advisor about the perfect, restful travel experience for you.

START YOUR (RESTFUL) TRIP!

Why Taking an Alaska Cruise is 'For the Birds'

lynn@influenceproductions.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

Bears and whales and other marine mammals are high on everyone’s list for wildlife sightings in Alaska. But we think any trip to America’s Last Frontier is, well, ‘for the birds.’

With more coastline than the rest of the United States combined, as well as parks bigger than some countries, Alaska’s natural treasures include abundant populations of some of the continent’s most interesting, colorful, and majestic birds.

You may think, in northern climes, the bird population doesn’t stack up against tropical feathered friends. But in fact, there are birds in Alaska in every color of the rainbow, including vivid blues, reds, oranges and greens.

And in every size, from a flame-colored hummingbird only a couple of inches long… to a regal eagle with a nearly seven-foot wingspan!

Pack your binoculars on your next trip to Alaska and watch for these avian residents of Alaska.

Bald Eagle

If you were asked to name a bird in Alaska, your answer would likely be ‘Bald Eagle,’ a bird that symbolizes not only America, but the wilderness frontiers Alaska is famous for. More bald eagles – an estimated 30,000 - live in Alaska than the rest of the U.S. combined.

WATCH THIS VIDEO to see bald eagles in action in Alaska.

America’s national bird is unmistakeable. It’s an immense and heavy raptor: 3 feet long with a wingspan that can reach 7.5 feet! Its dark body, with white head, sharp, hooked yellow beak and matching legs is dramatic, and distinguishes it from other birds of prey.

It’s easy to spot bald eagles in Alaska. They’re found all along the coast, where they hunt for fish and sometimes small mammals. They have an eery screeching cry, so you can often hear them before you see them. And bald eagles mate for life, building large, treetop stick nests to raise their young.

Rufous Hummingbird

At the absolute other end of the size scale, a bird that hovers around three inches long, and barely tips the scales at under 2-tenths of an ounce. Where bald eagles soar and dive and strike, Rufous Hummingbirds dart and hover with great speed and manoeuvrability.

The Rufous Hummingbird’s name gives its plumage away, since the word means ‘reddish’. But that name undersells these tiny birds, which are brilliant orange on their backs and bellies, with red throats and black wings, a combination that makes bird watchers describe rufous hummingbirds as “glowing like a bed of coals.”

Do you think hummingbirds stick to purely warmer climes? These hummingbirds take annual, record-breaking migrations. While they fly vast distances to Florida, Mexico or even Panama to winter, the longest hummingbird migration on record, Rufous Hummingbirds live in southern Alaska during the prime tourist season. Small flying insects and nectar from flowers that bloom in Alaska’s short season, like its famous ‘fireweed,’ sustain these unique tiny birds in the north.

Willow Ptarmigan

The state bird of Alaska isn’t the showy bald eagle. It’s the modest, chicken-like willow ptarmigan, part of the pheasant family, and they’re called grouse in the British Isles. Like grouse in the U.K., they are a game bird, with the widest range in Alaska.

As do their cousins the chickens, willow ptarmigans forage on the ground, eating on tree buds and insects in forests and moorlands in northern climes.

These large ground birds are the largest of three ‘Arctic’ grouse in Alaska. Willow ptarmigan are fully white when young, and darker, mottled browns when older, with a dashing red brow and distinctive feathered feet which help it travel along frozen ground.

Murre

Common murres are abundant in the Gulf of Alaska. They look like penguins, with tuxedo coloring and upright stance, but of course, penguins are only found at the South Pole, not in the north.

Murres, unlike penguins, can fly – up to 125 miles from their nests high on cliffs of rocky shorelines to find food for their chicks. They can also dive up to 600 feet for small fish. Remarkably, when chicks are ready to fledge, their father swims below them at the base of the cliff and calls to them. Chicks hurl themselves 800-1000 feet off the cliff and swim to their father, who stays with his chicks, caring for and feeding them for a month or two.

After breeding season, murres are seen in large groups called a ‘bazaar’ or a ‘fragrance’ on top or flying across open ocean.

WATCH THIS VIDEO to see murres on cliffs in sea caves in southern Alaska.

Tufted Puffin

Who can resist a smile when you spot a tufted puffin? Nicknamed ‘sea parrots’, their black bodies and white faces with yellow plumes set off their most eye-catching feature: an oversized red and orange bill.

These stocky, awkward seabirds are almost comical in appearance, easily spotted in flocks flapping short wings and flying just above the water line. Their wings are adapted best to swimming underwater, where they catch fish and often snag multiple fish cross-wise in their beaks.

WATCH THIS VIDEO to see puffins on the sea in Alaska.

Puffins are abundant in Alaska, and favorite image for souvenirs from America’s 49^th state.

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By: Lynn Elmhirst, Producer/ Host, BestTrip TV

PaRx: Canadians Can Get Prescriptions to Visit National Parks

lynn.elmhirst@gmail.com (Lynn Elmhirst)

How good is active outdoor travel for your health and wellbeing? It’s so essential that doctors in Canada can now prescribe a ‘dose’ of nature to their patients.

“PaRx” is Canada’s first, national nature prescription program. It started in 2020 and has since won over a lot of supporters, including an award from the Canadian Medical Association, and over 1000 registered prescribers.

Doctors, nurses, and other licensed health care professionals can help their patients improve their health by prescribing time in Canada’s great outdoors.

Now, thanks to a new partnership with Parks Canada, PaRx lets Canadians ‘fill a prescription’ to get moving in natural outdoor spaces from coast to coast to coast.

PaRx-registered health care professionals can now prescribe a Parks Canada Discovery Pass that provides patients access to hundreds of national parks, historic sites and national marine conservation areas.

You know how good you feel when you travel – near or far – to spend time in Nature? It’s not your imagination. The benefits are real, and PaRx says “nature is a powerful way to improve your health.”

According to the organization, plenty of evidence attributes connecting with Nature with significantly better health and wellbeing.

· It helps patients with diabetes, heart disease, and pain reduction

· It gives people increased energy, reduced stress, anxiety and depression, better mood, and longer lives. Plus

· Kids who play in green spaces have better focus, move more, and have better motor skills

“This exciting collaboration with PaRx is a breakthrough for how we treat mental and physical health challenges, and couldn’t come at a better time as we continue to grapple with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our daily lives,” said Canada’s minister responsible for Parks Canada.

“I am confident this program will quickly show its enormous value to the well-being of patients as it continues to expand throughout the country.”

Canada isn’t the only place where the healing power of nature is just what the doctor ordered.

According to the Global Wellness Summit, nature ‘prescriptions’ were one of the top wellness trends in 2019 and the pandemic has only accelerated peoples’ appreciation of getting out into – and preserving – Nature.

As one prescribing physician says, “I like to think that every time one of my colleagues writes a nature prescription, we’re making the planet healthier too.”

Trips to the Great Outdoors have no single formula. Rustic or luxurious? Intensively athletic for the super fit, or accessible to those who just want to enjoy the fresh air, glorious scenery and moving? They can involve equipment like kayaks or snowshoes, expert guides, or simply sensible shoes and a signed trail.

Your travel advisor can’t prescribe you a dose of Nature. But they can help you design and plan the perfect outdoor vacation - in Canada or another natural destination on your travel bucket list.