Results matching “"Plan My Trip"” from Intelligent Travel Blog

Thanks to all those of you who offered up suggestions for my Labor Day trip down to Charleston, South Carolina. Here are some of the highlights from my visit:

Cruising through Charleston with the dog in the front seat. That's me in the mirror, taking the picture.

There is perhaps no better way to see Charleston then from the seat of a maroon 1974 Buick LeSabre convertible. That's how I got my first glimpse of the city, thanks to my friend Abby, whose fine ride was passed down to her by her grandmother (and, thanks to the new engine she installed a few years ago, will probably outlive us all). I didn't have big plans for my Labor Day weekend, but I did manage to take some of your tips and, more importantly, relax. Because things move slower in the South, and there wouldn't really be any other way to do it.

Ok gang, it's time again for another round of Plan My Trip. I'm doing the drive down to Charleston, South Carolina this weekend to see family, and it's my first time visiting the fine city.

Now, I have to admit I've been briefed by Andrew Nelson, our contributing writer, who wrote the Insider's Charleston piece for the magazine a few years ago. And I've got some great suggestions thanks to the help of reader Currie, who submitted her I Heart My City entry for the city. (She also gave one of my favorite responses to our "What celebrity would your city be?" question: "It'd be Andie MacDowell, well-mannered and sophisticated, as well as Southern and sultry.")

But I'm positive there's more. Tell me, as I have a long drive ahead of me, and plenty of time to get excited.

Read More: Readers tell the editors where to go in past Plan My Trip! entries.

Photo: Bob Sacha for National Geographic Traveler

In just a few weeks I'm heading off to Victoria, B.C. for a much-needed weekend of R&R. It's been over 10 years since I've been to Vancouver Island, and well over 15 since I've toured the elegant Butchart Gardens and ever-popular Royal British Columbia Museum. With hardly 36 hours in the city, I want to know from you--what are the must-dos? The quirky, off-the-beaten-path attractions? Do I take tea at the Empress, or do you know of a better place to dine like the Queen? Leave your suggestions for great restaurants, local attractions, drives, and sites in the comments below, and stay tuned to find out what I did on my trip!

Read More: Readers tell the editors where to go in past Plan My Trip! entries.

Photo: cleverdame107 via Flickr

The allure of discount airfare, coupled with a reunion with high school friends, means I'm heading out this weekend on a jaunt to Puerto Rico, and I'm of course ready and willing to hear your tips. I'm looking forward to visiting the UNESCO site of Old San Juan, but am sure that you have suggestions for great restaurants, beaches, drives, and sites. I'm taking suggestions, and tour guides are always welcome. As always, I'm looking forward to hearing your advice!

Read More: Readers tell the editors where to go in past Plan My Trip! entries.

Photo: Jose Kevo via the Intelligent Travel Flickr pool

Friend of IT Ally Burguieres is taking a road trip in Ireland this week, just as the country gears up for St. Patrick's Day. She's got a car, and wants to know where to go.

In Traveler's October issue, John Rosenthal asked the question, "Do You Really Want to Drive?" about the risks of driving abroad. Since his article was in the Smart Traveler section, I had to hope that one could answer "Yes" to the question and still be smart.  Rosenthal presented some pretty sobering statistics. Yet Ireland's a small island, and there's nothing better than a car for getting to all the out-of-the way nooks and crannies.

Tomorrow, I'll pick up my friend from the airport and we'll get into our rental car: a small stick shift that neither of us will know how to drive well. We've got ten days of the open road ahead of us, and nothing but sheep-traffic-jams and tea breaks to slow us down. The whole island is up for grabs: the North, the South, and the coastlines. Do we really have to see the Blarney Stone? Is there a castle that's hidden behind a farm somewhere near County Wexford? Do you know of a pub that's perfect for two fine ladies on vacation?

What suggestions do you have for Ally? What are the must-see places and little-known spaces of Ireland? Where should she go to see the best St. Patrick's Day celebrations? Let us know in the comments below!

Photo: h_roach via the Intelligent Travel Flickr pool

This has been a big year for our little blog. We got a fancy new home, kicked up our production levels quite a bit, and have found thousands of new readers - whom we of course adore. So in looking back through the places we've been and the posts that we've written over the past year, we had to single out some of our favorites. So here's a quick countdown for those of you who may have missed them first time around.

10. Amazing Race for Regular People - Fans of the TV show went berserk for this idea, and we can't help but think that they're on to something.

9. Up Close to the Proximity Hotel - One of our first forays into video reporting, it's a fun insider tour of this incredibly green hotel.

8. Carl Hoffman on Mumbai - Having visited Mumbai just a few days before the terrible bombing, our contributing editor reflects on the destruction that befell the popular restaurant Leopold's which is a hub for international travelers.

7. Jenss Family Travels - We've loved following along with Rainer Jenss and his family as they've worked their way around the world.

6. Plan My Trip! West Seattle with Pam - IT Editor Janelle turned the tables and went to you, our readers, for advice on what to do on her West Coast trip this summer. Here, she met up with fellow travel blogger Pam Mandel for a tour of her funky Seattle town.

The tanking international economy has led to a tourism downturn throughout the world, with the notable exception of Kenya, where safari operators are reporting brisk bookings following the November election of Barack Obama, whose father hailed from the town of Kogelo in the western part of the country.

"We've seen a 12 percent increase since November over the same period last year and our Web traffic is up 17 percent," says Dennis Pinto of Micato Safaris. "Given the prevailing economic conditions, we can only attribute this to the Obama factor." The Kenya Tourist Board also reports large increases in recent arrivals numbers.

It has been a while since I last left town, but this weekend has me moving a bit around the country. So since I've loved having you steer me around this summer, I'm again taking suggestions on where I should visit while I'm on the road. I'm traveling to Minneapolis for a wedding on Friday, and I'm looking forward to following a few of Andrew Nelson's tips for the Twin Cities on Saturday. What other Minnesota highlights should make it on my list?

Come Sunday, I'll be heading to Santa Barbara, California for a conference. Our past articles have called the area sensuous and akin to the American Riviera, but I'm eager to hear your recommendations on what I shouldn't miss.

And remember, I'm always up for meeting our readers, so please let me know if you'd like to play host (as Pam did so well back in Seattle). Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Photo: A close up view of the Spoonbridge and Cherry, a local favorite in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. By GasBo79 via the Intelligent Travel Flickr pool.

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As Labor Day weekend approaches, Traveler staffers are fanning across the country for their end-of-summer getaways. IT editor Janelle Nanos has Georgia on her mind.

I'm meeting up with my extended family in Georgia this weekend, splitting my time between Savannah and Tybee Island, so I'm looking for suggestions on what not to miss. What are the best ways to savor the waning summer days down south? Where are the top dining, shopping, or attractions that stand out? (You know I love your restaurant recommendations.) As always, I'll be bringing my video camera and notebook, and I'm always up for meeting readers, so feel free to email me with your suggestions or leave them in the comments below.

Photo: Walter Bibikow/Getty Images for National Geographic Geographical Information: Georgia

Now that the Democratic Convention is in full swing, Denver, the mile-high city, is in the spotlight. So we're going back through our archives to offer up the city's best bets. In our July/August issue of Traveler, contributing writer Andrew Nelson offered a selection of local picks in each of the convention cities. But since many of you may not have brought your old issues with you to the convention, we re-purpose his list here, free of charge. Check back next week for more tips on Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Square Meal Deal
Pick up political gossip and tamales at La Casita. The Mexican restaurant is owned by local mover and shaker Paul Sandoval. “People hold political meetings here to strategize on who should run for what,” says Rocky Mountain News political reporter Lynn Bartels. “The food’s great, and it’s got a New Mexico flair, with more emphasis on chilis and less on cheese.”

Dome Alone
Colorado’s State Capitol is one of five in the country that allow visitors to go into its dome. The rest of the building can be seen on a free 45-minute tour. Two-week advance reservations recommended.

Endorsing a Party
LoDo, short for Lower Downtown Historic District, is the spot for fun. Filled with “everything from fancy restaurants to beer joints,” says Bartels, the 23-square-block neighborhood is the home of urban professionals and hip shopping. Landmarks include Union Station and Coors Baseball Field.

The People’s House
Like some candidates, Molly Brown proved “unsinkable.” A survivor of the Titanic, Brown had a sumptuous Victorian mansion in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Today, it’s a museum devoted to her life.

Art Now
The Denver Art Museum is known for its Native American art collection. An edgy addition opened in 2006. Says Bartels of the Daniel Libeskind–designed annex: “It looks like a tornado hit it and they glued the pieces back together.” The museum is next to Civic Center Park, which may be the focal point for protesters during the convention.

Mayor’s Choice
“The Cruise Room is where Denverites celebrated the end of Prohibition and is said to be modeled after one of the lounges on the Queen Mary, so it’s got this amazing vibe,” says Mayor John W. Hickenlooper. “And it’s the perfect spot for a pre- or post-game toast to the Colorado Rockies team.”

Read More: For more advice on navigating Denver, check out our Destination Guide. And for reader picks on what to do in Denver (and in nearby Boulder) look to a recent IT "Plan My Trip!" post. IT editor Janelle Nanos followed reader's advice and checked out one fantastic Denver restaurant, and writes about it here.

Photo: Joanna B. Pinneo

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IT Editor Janelle Nanos is still putting the finishing touches on her posts from her West Coast trip (more SF tips await!), but she's getting ready to go on the road again. This time, she's off to Colorado and looking for your suggestions for what to do this weekend.

I have to admit that I've only just finally unpacked my bags from my West Coast adventure (I'm terrible about that) but I'm getting ready to lug them back to the airport this weekend to check out Colorado. This will be my first time visiting the area, and I'm looking forward to making the most of the hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities that Denver and Boulder are known for. But since I'm a Colorado newbie, I'd love to get some reader suggestions on where I should go.

Here's my plan: I'll be flying into Denver and spending the evening in the city, then heading down to Boulder for the rest of the weekend. This smaller city about 30 miles outside of Denver has been called the smartest and the thinnest city in America, the best place for runners and singles, and the number one green and clean and “dream” city in United States. You're tempted to wonder: what is this perfect place? I'm looking forward to finding out (and getting your help).

So please give me your suggestions for your favorite restaurants, hikes, and things to do in the comments, and if you're up for showing me around (as Pam did so well in West Seattle) let me know there as well. Thanks!

Photo: A boot display at Rockmount Ranch Wear in downtown Denver, by Joanna B. Pinneo

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IT Editor Janelle Nanos is blogging from the West Coast this week and taking suggestions from readers on where to head next.

Greetings from San Francisco! I lived in this fair city for the summer four years ago, and I'm having a hard time believing it's taken me this long to return. As I'm sitting here typing, I'm listening to the sound of the trolley and am taking in a view of Coit Tower, the Transamerica pyramid, and the ridiculously curvy Lombard Street. But after arriving in town yesterday, all I really wanted to see was the icon that I missed the most: the Golden Gate Bridge.

I'm staying with a friend in North Beach, which is only a few blocks from the hubbub of Fisherman's Wharf, so I decided to revel in the full-fledged tourist experience for a change and join the hordes of bikers who pedal along the Embarcadero. I snagged a bike and map from Bike and Roll and set off to explore the water's edge. Dodging tourists and hawkers along the wharf, I traveled on the bike path past Fort Mason and the tall ships that are currently in town, getting a glimpse of Alcatraz and a bevy of sailboats in the throes of a regatta.

As I approached that art deco wonder that spans the Bay, the fog had rolled in, wrapping its two arches like a shawl. So it was perfect time to snap a few photos and take advantage of small cafe and gift store on the shore, for as I overheard one tourist say, "You can't really resist a place called the Warming Hut." I'm not going to lie, I was expecting to be gouged on food and exposed to a large quantity of Golden Gate keychains, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the gift shop and cafe both shared an overtly green theme, and that all of the proceeds from store purchases go towards supporting the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.

IT Editor Janelle Nanos is on the West Coast this week, blogging about her trip and taking advice from readers on where to head next. After gathering some suggestions, she met up with one IT reader for a tour of her favorite neighborhood. She'll be heading to San Francisco next and is still looking for suggestions, so please feel free to leave them in the comments below...

After a few stops in Tacoma, Washington, I arrived safely in Seattle this past weekend and was very lucky to meet up with Nerd's Eye View blogger and friend of IT Pam Mandel, who took some time out of her busy afternoon to show me the old amusement park grounds at Alki Point, which was once known as the Coney Island of the West.

I'd never heard of (or honestly, even conceived of) Seattle's little beach town, but with its amazing view of downtown and a hefty heaping of kitsch, I was instantly smitten. The Point was the place where first settlers arrived in Seattle, and its current iteration, Alki, is a mix of old and new: Stacks of old-brick condos mingle with newer glass developments along the waterfront, and old fishfry shacks cozy up to coffee shops with Wi-Fi. There's a long, winding bike path that snakes along the Sound, and volleyball players—and yes, even a few swimmers—were taking advantage of the beach (the great old photographs in Spud Fish and Chips show hundreds of swimmers in their full-piece bathing suits playing in the waves—causing us to wonder whether the enthusiasm waned or whether our tolerance for cold has slackened over time).

IT Editor Janelle Nanos is traveling from Seattle to San Francisco this week, and she's sending her dispatches from the road. Help her plan her trip by leaving comments below...

On my way out of Tacoma, my friends and I were hankering for ice cream when we stumbled upon the fabulous establishment that is Don's Ruston Market and Deli (5102 North Winnifred St., tel. +1 253 759 8151). Tucked in the tiny town of Ruston, which is completely surrounded by Tacoma (and the only such town to be so surrounded in the country, claims Don) the soda and sandwich shop is right above Commencement Bay, a harbor that eventually stretches out to the Puget Sound.

Don Torbet and his wife Beth have been in the soda-shop business for 25 years next month, and he says he took over the store, which was originally built in 1917, thanks in part to his love for the Green River ice cream soda. The lime green beverage was once among the most popular sodas in the country but fell out of favor, and eventually was only produced in Seattle. Don keeps a few bottles on ice for diehard fans, but has to drive up to the factory for the syrup to make ice cream sodas. Let me tell you, it's worth the gas money—the bright green, lime flavor mixed with vanilla ice cream was fantastic. As was Don, who is more than happy to regale you with local stories and discuss the idiosyncratic history of regional fountain drinks (he claims to have been introduced to the egg cream only when some East Coast visitors stumbled through). His menu features a wide variety of shakes, ice cream sodas, burgers and sandwiches, and continues to serve as the local grocery in the community, just as it had for the three generations of owners who ran the shop before Don.

After grabbing a Green River, head down to Point Defiance Park to get a great view  of the Puget Sound and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The city park has a spectacular rose garden and living history museum at its fort, and Don and Beth operate a kayak rental shop out of Owen Beach. It's a lovely way to spend an afternoon, and the perfect way to work off your ice cream soda.

Photo: Don Torbet and his Green River soda, by Janelle Nanos

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Hello from the West Coast! I've arrived safe and sound in Seattle and have been eager to take advantage of your suggestions. I'll be sending dispatches from my trip over the next few days—and please feel free to continue to help me plan my trip!

Within minutes from arriving in Sea-Tac airport, I worked my way to downtown Tacoma, a smaller city a bit south of Seattle where Dale Chihuly, the glass sculptor whose blown-glass flowers grace the ceiling of the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas, is originally from. The Museum of Glass (pictured, left) was completed in 2002 in part to celebrate Chihuly's role in the studio glass movement, and it helped to revitalize the city and redevelop the waterway downtown. Today, the gleaming silver building sits on the edge of the harbor, looking a bit like a blimp set down sideways in the center of the city.

Ok readers, here comes a challenge. We at Traveler make a living telling people where to go and what to do when visiting new places. But we also know that the real essence of great travel is having knowledgeable locals tell you where to go. So I'm turning the tables a bit and asking you, our readers, to help me plan my upcoming trip to Seattle and San Francisco. What are the local haunts that a typical tourist would miss? The favorite neighborhood joints, the outstanding yet overlooked museums, the things that locals do on a Saturday instead of checking out the sites? I want to know.

This will be a reader-generated trip. You guys get to decide where I'll go and here's the deal: I want you to show me. I'm going to be in Seattle the weekend of July 18th, and in San Francisco the weekend of the 25th, and I'll be blogging while I'm gone. I'll have my video camera too, and I'd love not only meet our readers, but introduce them to the rest of you. So leave your suggestions for favorite places in the comments below, and if you're up for being a tour guide, email me so you can show me a slice of your town.

Photos: Seattle by Rich Frishman; San Francisco, by Charles O'Rear/Corbis

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