Cox Bay.
Tofino, BC is perched on the southwestern edge of Vancouver Island. When we first visited nearly 10 years ago, it was a sleepy surf town just beyond Pacific Rim…
16
Travel
20
26
17
13
21
21
Resort vacations hold a certain allure with quick access to restaurants and poolside drinks and two towel refreshes a day, but if you’re traveling with more than two people or for an extended period of time, a vacation rental just might be the way to go. In major cities, a well situated apartment can give you a good home base for seeing the sites; at the beach, it can you give the peace and quiet, and privacy you just won’t get at a hotel. And, you can cook for yourself.
On the one hand, some would say, “It’s vacation – why would you want to cook?” Well, if say, you’re entertaining the idea of a trip to the north shore of Kauai, a vacation rental with a kitchen gives you the flexibility to really enjoy farmers markets and eat local on your own. Depending on your budget, it can help save a few bucks as well.14
I blew through New York City a couple of weeks ago, rolling in on a Red Eye Tuesday morning, and jetting out on Wednesday evening. Road warriors, I do not envy you. The red eye is a killer. Even with my short legs and an open row --3 seats worth of luxurious space -- the shuteye I got was somewhere just north of dozing. I checked into the hotel, flipped on the TV, and after a shower, I looked down onto the street below at what I can only describe as an oasis. Green letters emblazoned at street-level. In my best Homer Simpson voice, I said (it even may have been out loud), “Mmmmm. Coffeeeeee.”11
If you've heard of Walla Walla, Washington, the first thing you think of is sweet onions. But over the the years, wine and grapes have been muscling in on that territory. It's in Eastern Washington, about a four hour drive from Seattle. A couple of weekends ago, we got in the car, crossed the Snoqualmie Pass and drove out for Nocking Point Wines’ spring release party. The pet project of ‘Arrow’ star Stephen Amell and his buddy Drew, Nocking Point is a small label with wines created by a few different winemakers. The party, held at sports bar in Walla Walla, gave us an opportunity to head out east and see some of Washington, at least I, hadn’t seen before.29