Natalie Grant
My Profile
Natalie Grant
Writer, musician, and film festival fanatic who gets herself around the world somehow. Recent travels include Mozambique, South Africa, Bolivia, Peru, Egypt, Morocco, Poland, Latvia, Greece, and Malta. Likes street performers, jalapenos, and believing the world is not at all like politicians say it is.
USA
My Viator Contributions
Natalie Grant's reviews and photos on Viator.com
Have you got a recommendation?
Have a travel tip to share? Simply click the "Add New Recommendation" button above to start sharing your travel expertise and travel photos on Viator!
May212012
5 Great Walking Tours in Boston
Travel Recommendation
Location: Boston
My Recommendation Tip:
With New England-style boulevards, historical parks, and a thriving student population, it’s no wonder Boston is so often thought of as one of the nation’s most walkable cities. Also, since many of the original Boston blocks were constructed at a time when walking was the primary means of transportation, it makes sense that one should walk around town in the first place. But a walking tour isn’t just a meandering, day-long stroll; tours can also involve the other senses and the arts – these integrated memories can make the time you spend in a city much more personal. Here are a few selections from Boston’s wide variety of special walking tours that will do just that.
May152012
Top Things to Do and See in Central Park
Travel Recommendation
Location: New York City
My Recommendation Tip:
At 843 acres, New York‘s Central Park is more than just a rectangular piece of paradise in which you can escape when the urban chaos becomes a little too much to handle. Natural landscapes, streams, and bridges take you to attractions like carousels, athletic fields and, of course, the Central Park Zoo. Here are a few suggestions to get you hyped up for your Central Park visit.
Apr122012
Calistoga Mud Baths
Travel Recommendation
Location: California
My Recommendation Tip:
More than just a blip on the radar in northern Napa county, Calistoga has all the required assets of a delightful escape from the busy hustle and bustle of bigger ‘burbs. Famous for its hot-springs, its petrified forest and its rolling hills, the beautiful backdrop of California’s grassy Calistoga has made a name for itself as a font of wellness and relaxation, and since the late 1800s people have been coming here to soak up its healing waters – and mud.
Mar232012
Cherry Blossom Festival
Travel Recommendation
Location: Vancouver
My Recommendation Tip:
It's more than just the trees, of course. The famous Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is a union of different art-forms and perspectives, and consequently it is a fantastic time to be in town....
Mar222012
The Blue Man Group
Travel Recommendation
Location: Orlando
My Recommendation Tip:
What exactly is the famous Blue Man Group? Well, it’s a trio that performs a mishmash of art, music, color, and fun that will stimulate all your senses and take you to a strange world of rhythm and design.
Mar082012
Pointe-à-Callière Museum
Travel Recommendation
Location: Montreal
My Recommendation Tip:
Sometimes the most fascinating view is found not by looking up at the stars or across a cityscape but straight beneath you – in this case, at layers of history stacked atop one another in Montreal‘s Pointe-à-Callière Museum. With First Nations’ artifacts, British Regime structures, and a really old sewer pipe (gross but, hey, impressive civil engineering for 1838), the place is a veritable tiered cake of cultural remnants.
Feb292012
Library of Congress
Travel Recommendation
Location: Washington DC
My Recommendation Tip:
“Libraries are the one American institution you shouldn't rip off.” -Barbara Kingsolver Can't argue with that – especially because Washington DC's Library of Congress, which is the largest library in the world as far as book count, is free! It also happens to be the U.S.'s oldest federal cultural institution, and that means it has so much more than books. But speaking of books, it has the world's largest law library, originally established in 1832, and even a copyright office that helps sustain the nation's system of copyrighting.
Feb272012
Mount Gay Rum of Barbados
Travel Recommendation
Location: Caribbean
My Recommendation Tip:
Jack Sparrow may be a womanizing narcissist, but when it comes to quenching his thirst, he knew what he was talking about. Mount Gay Rum is currently the oldest rum brand in the world and it’s still going strong. The Eclipse Silver Rum (with hints of banana and peppermint) won the Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition last year. The primary country of export for Mount Gay Rum is the U.S., but it’s sold in over five dozen countries around the world as well.
Feb272012
The Urban Hideaway
Travel Recommendation
Location: Vancouver
My Recommendation Tip:
Guesthouses sometimes seem to hold a zero-sum battle between location and atmosphere. Staying in the heart of any city is going to be more convenient – a shorter journey home at night, more people and activities around for you to get the flavor of an area… but it can be too loud, impersonal, and expensive for someone who just wants to take a peek. On the other hand, staying in a secluded bed and breakfast offers quiet time, friendly greetings (from people who might even remember your name!), and a healthier home base, especially after a long day of sightseeing… but it may wind up being so far away as to warrant thoughts of a car rental, or worse, that glance at the watch that says, “Well, we better start heading back if we’re going to make it home at a reasonable hour.”
Feb272012
'Scene'ic Toronto
Travel Recommendation
Location: Toronto
My Recommendation Tip:
Shooting films in Toronto is a win for filmmakers and audiences both. It's cheap, pleasant, and accessible for crew (at least compared to other on-site locations they might have had to deal with), and it passes off as almost any major U.S. city in the minds of moviegoers – especially American audiences that aren't too familiar with Toronto's downtown area. Here are four iconic scenes from four different cities... that all happen to be Toronto.
Feb232012
Top Miami Pools (Part II)
Travel Recommendation
Location: Miami
My Recommendation Tip:
At the end of the day, the main reason we all love to swim is because it feels good on the body – whether it’s to exercise, to regulate temperature by cooling off, to have unorganized games of chicken fighting with your friends, or to de-stress and just float. So whatever your reason (heck, even if you don’t have one), get yourself and your new bathing suit to one of these heavenly chunks of blue.
Feb222012
Tour de Caribbean: Cycling Across the Seas
Travel Recommendation
Location: Caribbean
My Recommendation Tip:
Yes, you read that correctly. From May 11-14, 2012, this unique event will combine athleticism with spectacle, luxury, nature, and good times all around. After one race in Fort Lauderdale and another in Nassau, Tour de Caribbean becomes a pretty original way to please all members of the cyclist’s family while he or she gets bicycle wheels spinning.
Feb142012
More on TIFF – Top Attractions
Travel Recommendation
Location: Toronto
My Recommendation Tip:
The Toronto International Film Festival is definitely an event that is worthy of altering the dates of your Toronto visit, so below are some of the top events and attractions of the festival that will help you plan your trip accordingly!
Feb102012
Top Miami Pools (Part I)
Travel Recommendation
Location: Miami
My Recommendation Tip:
Miami‘s iconic hotels have more than their share of luxurious, fun, and unusual swimming pools. Here are a few that are especially worth visiting, whether it’s to cool off, lounge around, or just soak up the Florida rays.
Feb092012
The New Mount Obama
Travel Recommendation
Location: Antigua and Barbuda
My Recommendation Tip:
Boggy Peak used to be the name of a 1,300-foot hill for hikers and mango farmers in the Caribbean. On President Obama’s 48th birthday (2009), the peak was renamed “Mount Obama” to honor his achievement in becoming the first Black President of the U.S. Visitors to Antigua and Barbuda can have a lovely hike and get lost in the Macaw Palm Trees, Milk Trees, and Maiden Ferns (ah yes, and the Mount Obama White Lonchocarpus) in what is now known as Mount Obama National Park.
Feb082012
Think Pink – It’s Cherry Blossom Time!
Travel Recommendation
Location: Washington DC
My Recommendation Tip:
In 1912, the U.S. was given over 3,000 cherry blossom trees as a gift from Japan to celebrate international friendship. What began as an annual ceremony honoring the exchange has now become “the nation’s greatest springtime celebration.”
Feb062012
Top 3 Places to Eat Chocolate in Montreal
Travel Recommendation
Location: Montreal
My Recommendation Tip:
Craving chocolate in Quebec? Here are our top picks for chocolatiers in Montreal!
Feb022012
NYC: KGB Bar
Travel Recommendation
Location: New York City
My Recommendation Tip:
The infamous “KGB” stands for Komitet (Committee) Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti (State Security). You won't find any spies upstairs at the KGB Bar in the East Village in New York City (at least we hope not), but you might take one look at the interior and expect the lovechild of Jack Kerouac and Lenin to walk in the door and join you for a vodka. Candles, curtains, dim lighting, poetry readings, a chill-out vibe... and of course, propaganda posters and loads of kitsch.
Feb022012
Boston: Fenway is the Only Way
Travel Recommendation
Location: Boston
My Recommendation Tip:
It's common to hear Bostonians boast about Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox and arguably one of the coolest baseball stadiums in the country. But what exactly makes it so great? Firstly, it's the oldest MLB stadium being used today; it opened in 1912 – that's a long history of lawn-mowing, ball-catching, sobbing and cheering. If seats could talk....
Feb012012
Toronto International Film Festival
Travel Recommendation
Location: Toronto
My Recommendation Tip:
The Toronto International Film Festival (or TIFF) began exactly as what its original name, “The Festival of Festivals,” implies – it gathered the most buzz-worthy flicks from around the world and revealed them to an eager public. It quickly became the most prestigious film festival in North America and is now arguably one of the industry's most important fests in the world. Well done, Toronto.
Feb012012
Vancouver: Dine on Cloud 9
Travel Recommendation
Location: Vancouver
My Recommendation Tip:
Revolving, with a 360-degree view? Check. Windows twenty feet high? Check. Yummy? Double-check. The Cloud 9 Revolving Restaurant and Lounge sits on the 42nd floor of one of the city's tallest hotels, the Empire Landmark. With views of the harbor, trees and glimmering skyscrapers, this place provides scenery at its tastiest.
Jan302012
Turks and Caicos: 5 Interesting Facts
Travel Recommendation
Location: Caribbean
My Recommendation Tip:
1. Where the name comes from: “Turks” refers to the Turk’s Cap Cactus (yes, that’s a green cactus that looks like it’s wearing a red fez). “Caicos” comes from the phrase “caya hico,” which means “a string of islands” in the language of the Lucayan natives, who inhabited the island until shortly after the time Christopher’s ships showed up. 2. Interesting Industry: T and C is home to the only commercial conch farm in the world....
Jan252012
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Travel Recommendation
Location: Washington DC
My Recommendation Tip:
Open since 1993 and designed by a Holocaust survivor, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. has welcomed millions of visitors from all nationalities, political leanings, ethnicities and religions. It's more than a collection of photos and pamphlets; the museum also supports ongoing research, preserves evidence and artwork, runs educational programs, collaborates with foreign offices, holds commemorations... and even has free podcasts through iTunes.
Jan242012
A Sight to See in St. Maarten
Travel Recommendation
Location: St Maarten
My Recommendation Tip:
On the Dutch side of St. Maarten (St. Martin), there is a beach. On the beach, there is a runway. On the runway, there are planes landing that just flew over the heads of swimmers and sunbathers – people who were either taking photos and feeling the adrenaline rush of having a plane pass by a few yards above you… or who were fighting the urge to run for their lives.
Jan232012
Vancouver: It’s Anthropological
Travel Recommendation
Location: Vancouver
My Recommendation Tip:
The University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver is home to, among other things, one of the most famous museums in Canada – a museum that just doubled in size in 2008 and has more opportunities for discovery than you can fit in a day.
Jan182012
Gatorland
Travel Recommendation
Location: Orlando
My Recommendation Tip:
Afraid of alligators? The only mouth that’s going to eat you here is the giant one you have to walk through at the front entrance. It may not be as loud as Universal Studios, but Gatorland in Orlando can certainly be as fun. The “Alligator Capital of the World,” as it’s often called, has thousands of little (and not so little) gators and crocodiles.
Jan172012
Jules’ Undersea Lodge
Travel Recommendation
Location: Miami
My Recommendation Tip:
If you or anyone in your family is a fanatic of mermaids, the Titanic, or Spongebob and is just itching to spend an entire night underwater, look no further (or deeper) than Jules’ Undersea Lodge. The place is not only super cool but, according to Forbes, one of the World’s Most Remote Hotels, and the only hotel in the U.S. where you can catch your zzz‘s underseas.
Jan172012
Bata Shoe Museum
Travel Recommendation
Location: Toronto
My Recommendation Tip:
You think you have a hard time fitting all your boots, sneakers, and sandals in the small space at the bottom of your closet? The Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto has over 10,000 pairs of shoes – and the four-story building itself resembles a shoe box. Already you’re excited.
Jan122012
Dominica: The Boiling Lake
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dominica
My Recommendation Tip:
Double, double, toil and trouble. Dominica travel, volcanic bubble.
Dec302011
Flamingos of the Bahamas
Travel Recommendation
Location: Bahamas
My Recommendation Tip:
When you hear that a species is or was endangered, you may think of sea turtles, leopards, or something crawling around the rocks in the Galapagos. Few people think of the flamingo, and certainly not in the Bahamas...
Dec202011
Miami Fruit and Spice Park
Travel Recommendation
Location: Miami
My Recommendation Tip:
Forget what you think you know of botanical gardens – Miami‘s Fruit and Spice Park is literally one-of-a-kind in the country. Veggies, herbs, nuts, and, of course, fruits and spices – 500 of them in total – are spread over 37 acres. 150 different types of mangoes? ‘Nuff said.
Dec162011
Santo Domingo - A City of Firsts
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dominican Republic
My Recommendation Tip:
The oldest cathedral in the Americas – and the oldest church in the West Indes – the Catedral de Santa Maria le Menor is one of the oldest landmarks in the Ciudad Colonial (Colombus’ first settlement in the New World) of Santo Domingo, itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Dec142011
Bok Tower Gardens
Travel Recommendation
Location: Orlando
My Recommendation Tip:
Netherlands-born Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edward Bok – who, incidentally, was also an environmental activist and philanthropist who edited the first magazine in the world to have one million subscribers – was inspired, while taking walks to the top of Iron Mountain in 1921, to create a bird sanctuary and garden. Now the space, called Bok Tower Gardens, is home to over a hundred species of birds and is enjoyed by visitors year-round as one of Florida‘s top places for a pensive meander.
Dec012011
Old Ironsides in Boston
Travel Recommendation
Location: Boston
My Recommendation Tip:
George Washington himself gave this wooden frigate, which first launched in 1797 and is now the oldest remaining commissioned naval vessel in the world, its legendary name: the USS Constitution. It was built in Boston and is famous for defeating and capturing British warships during the war of 1812.
Nov182011
The Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Factory Tour in Vancouver
Travel Recommendation
Location: Vancouver
My Recommendation Tip:
Step inside the world’s largest building and take a tour of the planes of the future! The Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Factory Tour is in Snohomish County, only two hours away from Vancouver. It sure is a nice change from your traditional museum.
Nov172011
Manhattan Bridge
Travel Recommendation
Location: New York City
My Recommendation Tip:
The Brooklyn Bridge is an iconic and historic symbol of New York City – but the Manhattan Bridge, often overlooked by visitors and overshadowed by its more famous neighbor down the river, has its own unique history and offers a one-of-a-kind view of the city at night.
Nov162011
Kennedy Space Center
Travel Recommendation
Location: Orlando
My Recommendation Tip:
If you ever launched a toy rocket in your backyard as a kid – or have ever watched your own kids do so – a trip to the Kennedy Space Center near Orlando is an opportunity to see, in person, the visions from your and their imaginations come to life.
Nov112011
Hato Caves in Curacao
Travel Recommendation
Location: Curacao
My Recommendation Tip:
Just north of Willemstad on Curacao, you’ll find a cave system with 1500-year-old Arawak petroglyphs that was also used as a hiding place for runaway slaves.
Nov102011
Take a Hike in Middlesex Fells
Travel Recommendation
Location: Boston
My Recommendation Tip:
City chaos too much for you? A few miles north of Boston is a 2,500-acre reservation called Middlesex Fells, which brushes against the smaller towns of Malden, Stoneham, Melrose, Medford, and Winchester. There are almost a dozen available hikes of different lengths and difficulties – more than 100 miles of trails!
Nov082011
Toronto Hockey Hall of Fame
Travel Recommendation
Location: Toronto
My Recommendation Tip:
The HHOF (the Hockey Hall of Fame) in Toronto is a unique museum located in what was formerly the Bank of Montreal. It not only contains the largest selection of hockey memorabilia in the world, but it’s also home to the Stanley Cup – the oldest professional competitive trophy in North America – as well as player exhibits, equipment, and memorabilia.
Nov012011
Vancouver’s Classical Chinese Garden
Travel Recommendation
Location: Vancouver
My Recommendation Tip:
In China‘s Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), elite scholars would spend most of the day in their intricately designed gardens, using these spaces for both work and contemplation. The philosophy behind these classical gardens revolves around a collaboration between rock, water, plant, and architecture – the typical Taoist belief that opposites can create harmony together when in balance.
Oct312011
Montreal: Bagel, Anyone?
Travel Recommendation
Location: Montreal
My Recommendation Tip:
Of all the places famous for a warm, yummy bagel, Montreal may not pop up in your head as a typical place to go. Yet few know that Montreal actually has its own variety of bagel, which is different to the ever-popular “New York bagel” in that it’s wood-fired, made with egg and honey or malt, chewy, dense, saltless, and usually smaller with a bigger hole in the middle. They also normally have either poppy seeds or sesame seeds on top.
Oct282011
Boston: The Wine Cellar
Travel Recommendation
Location: Boston
My Recommendation Tip:
OpenTable called it “the most romantic restaurant in Boston.” When you go to The Wine Cellar, be careful not to get too bogged down with the wine list (you have hundreds to choose from), otherwise you might not get around to ordering the meal – and that would be a shame.
Oct262011
NYC: Seeing The Colbert Report Live
Travel Recommendation
Location: New York City
My Recommendation Tip:
Three Emmy nominations, an invitation to perform at the White House, named one of Time‘s 100 Most Influential People… no one can say Stephen Colbert, despite being an actor/comedian first and foremost, has not contributed in a serious and tangible way to the world of political commentary, social media, and news coverage.
Oct252011
Aruba's Ostrich Farm
Travel Recommendation
Location: Aruba
My Recommendation Tip:
You can visit them on the Aruba Ostrich Farm, which houses around eighty ostriches and emus. Tours guide you around the farm and teach visitors about their unique survival instincts and behavior.
Oct182011
Washington D.C.: Frederick Douglass
Travel Recommendation
Location: Washington DC
My Recommendation Tip:
Frederick Douglass tends to be one of those figures that most Americans recognize but about whom no one can elaborate, except maybe to say he wrote a thing or two. Just outside of Washington DC, you can visit Cedar Hill, Douglass’ home from 1877 to 1895, and learn just why he is such an important figure in American history.
Oct172011
James Bond's Jamaica
Travel Recommendation
Location: Jamaica
My Recommendation Tip:
To some, Goldeneye is the secret satellite created by the Russians and used by Alec Trevelyn in a threat against civilization in the film of the same name starring Pierce Brosnan; but few know that Ian Fleming actually had a villa in Oracabessa, Jamaica, where he would escape the British winters and work on his now-iconic series called Goldeneye.
Oct132011
Jackpot! The Best Casinos in Nassau
Travel Recommendation
Location: Nassau
My Recommendation Tip:
The Bahamas are an infamous spot for off-shore bank accounts – in fact, it’s one of the leading countries in the world for it. Need something to put in your account? Try your hand at some gambling. Go on, you’re on vacation…
Oct062011
Miami: A Zoo Like No Other
Travel Recommendation
Location: Miami
My Recommendation Tip:
Whatever you may dislike about your average zoo – restrictive pens, species being kept in unnatural environments – you won’t find much of at Zoo Miami. Miami boasts one of the best zoos in Florida and in the country, and it’s easy to see why. Not only is Zoo Miami the only tropical zoo in the continental U.S., but zookeepers have made sure their own resident creatures are kept company with plants and animals from their home ecosystems.
Oct052011
Catch a Show at the Aquarium
Travel Recommendation
Location: Vancouver
My Recommendation Tip:
Critter mealtime, acrobatics, wet lab – there’s more to the Vancouver Aquarium than your average tanks of fish! British Colombia’s only “4-D” theatre is always showing films around 15 minutes long (twice daily) that will blow your senses. It’s not just the lighting; you also get blasted with scents, mist, and even wind!
Oct042011
Honest Abe
Travel Recommendation
Location: Washington DC
My Recommendation Tip: He sported one of the most recognizable beards in American history, but there’s more to Abraham Lincoln than the famous “Four score and seven years ago.” Not only was he the tallest President (6’4”), but his mother is supposedly a distant relative of Tom Hanks – who’d a thunk?
Oct042011
Dominican Republic: Batter Up!
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dominican Republic
My Recommendation Tip:
The Dominican Republic‘s first baseball league was founded in 1890, and although it wasn’t until 1956 that the first Dominican played in Major League Baseball (Osvaldo/Ozzie Virgil Sr. with the New York Giants, for sports fans), over four hundred players in MLB have come from the country since then. The Dominican Summer League, a Rookie Academy for MLB, has often come under criticism for exploiting teenage Dominican players, but this has in no way quelled the nation’s passion for the sport – if anything it has made it stronger, since every MLB team has representation in the Dominican to keep an eye out for future stars.
Oct032011
The Saint Lawrence River in Montreal
Travel Recommendation
Location: Montreal
My Recommendation Tip:
The city of Montreal sees the nearby meeting of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers, and the city’s port sits on the river gateway that travels from the Great Lakes and opens up into the Atlantic Ocean – specifically, through the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, which is one of the world’s largest estuaries. The Saint Lawrence River is 744 miles long and now marks a small portion of the international boundary between Canada and the U.S., but what role has it played in the continent’s history?
Oct032011
Are You A Boston Poet Who Doesn’t Know It?
Travel Recommendation
Location: Boston
My Recommendation Tip:
Shady Apple. Concrete Handbag. Yes, some of it may not make literal sense (at least not to the ‘artless masses’), but whether you’re after an alternative spot for a cocktail, a venture into the voices of sexually-curious and postmodern members of the underground, or just a chance to try your hand at something as nerve-wracking as it is liberating, Poetry Slams are a much overlooked and under-appreciated option for a night out on the town in Boston.
Sep282011
The Ringling Museum of Orlando
Travel Recommendation
Location: Orlando
My Recommendation Tip:
It’s not the big attraction Orlando is known for, but after a visit to the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, with its historic waterfront mansion, circus museums, theater, and jaw-dropping fine art collections, you’ll wonder if the Mouse shouldn’t be bumped down to second place instead.
Sep282011
Ulysses: New York's Favorite Bar
Travel Recommendation
Location: New York City
My Recommendation Tip:
In New York, the competition for being thought of as ‘a great bar’ is fierce. So what does it take to stand out in a two-dozen square mile island filled with some of the most fashionable, reputable, and trendsetting entrepreneurs in the world? Here’s a start: friendly pint-pourers and cocktail superheroes to keep you quenched, a proudly unique and upbeat atmosphere, reasonably priced drunk food, and late closing hours. If you’re anywhere near Wall Street (and, to be honest, even if you aren’t), you mustn’t pass up a visit to Ulysses’, which ticks all these boxes as well as all the rest!
Sep272011
Brunch is Served!
Travel Recommendation
Location: Toronto
My Recommendation Tip:
Big night out Saturday? Long drive home Sunday? Whatever your plans, nothing beats a hearty and relaxed Sunday brunch in Toronto. Here are three ideas for where to fill your tummy, down a Bloody Mary, or fall back in love with maple syrup from Canada.
Sep232011
Dominican Republic: Get There Quickly
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dominican Republic
My Recommendation Tip:
The Dominican Republic is, according to its consulate, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean, especially for Americans. Why? It has white beaches that are actually white, and it’s near enough to prevent jet-lag or bad hair from the flight over. Unfortunately, there’s no shortage of five-star resorts and international cocktail bars to make you feel like you’re just one of many to repeat the same experiences.
Sep222011
Night Tennis in Miami
Travel Recommendation
Location: Miami
My Recommendation Tip:
It’s hard to think about the need to exercise while on vacation, but finding something that is both fun and healthy means you can take advantage of a guilt-free activity – and what better way to tone those arms, work on your teamwork skills, and enjoy the Miami weather than play tennis? At the Crandon Tennis Center in Miami, you’ll find twenty-six courts – seven of which are lit for nighttime.
Sep192011
Surf’s Up at the Makka Pro in Jamaica
Travel Recommendation
Location: Jamaica
My Recommendation Tip:
Waimea Bay. Bali. Australia’s Gold Coast. South Africa. Brazil. Malibu, Santa Cruz, Maverick’s. Legendary surf spots around the world get big waves and big attention when annual surf contests come around, like the World Qualifying Series, the ASP World Tour, and the Triple Crown in Hawaii. Whether you want to catch a wave or just catch a tan while you watch others try and catch a wave, don’t overlook Jamaica!
Sep192011
Jardin Botanique - Montreal's Botanical Gardens
Travel Recommendation
Location: Montreal
My Recommendation Tip:
When visiting Montreal, it is worth a trip to the city’s Botanical Gardens. With ten greenhouses, thirty gardens, and more than 22,000 plant species, the Jardin Botanique is one of the largest of its kind in the world. It also makes a great escape from the hustle and bustle of one of Canada‘s most popular cities.
Sep162011
Searching for Vinyl in Boston
Travel Recommendation
Location: Boston
My Recommendation Tip:
“Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?” So says record store owner John Cusack in High Fidelity, between rambling about musical top-five lists and helping useless customers feel their way blindly through musical history. But it doesn’t have to be that difficult for you – especially in Boston, where a small handful of record stores are still treading water despite the rapid shift to online corporate sellers.
Sep152011
Bahamas: Pineapples on Parade
Travel Recommendation
Location: Bahamas
My Recommendation Tip:
Although Costa Rica and the Philippines now dominate the pineapple industry, it wasn’t always that way. The fruit originated in South America, but historians believe that the first country to produce pineapple for commerce was, in fact, the Bahamas. It began in the mid-19th century, peaked fifty years later, and died out almost completely in the 1920′s when a determined man named James Drummond Dole (yes, Dole) kick-started the industry in the Aloha State.
Sep142011
Island Life in Toronto
Travel Recommendation
Location: Toronto
My Recommendation Tip:
People who have never visited Toronto are often unaware that there is actually a chain of small islands in Lake Ontario just offshore from downtown that are called, fittingly, the Toronto Islands. You can get there by taking a ferry from the (again, aptly-named) Ferrydocks. Sediments flowing from the Niagara River caused the chain, originally a sand spit, to form, and after a massive storm flood in the mid 19th century, the geography was made relatively permanent. Although the City of Toronto owns the land, Canada’s feds have acknowledged the ownership rights of the Mississauga (aboriginal) people, to whom the islands are sacred.
Sep132011
Shark Diving at the Long Island Aquarium
Travel Recommendation
Location: New York City
My Recommendation Tip:
Formerly called Atlantis Marine World, the Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center offers families the opportunity to snorkel, play with penguins, dive with sharks, and do all manner of things one wouldn’t think possible just an hour outside Manhattan.
Sep082011
World Erotic Art Museum offers a risqué experience in Miami
Travel Recommendation
Location: Miami
My Recommendation Tip:
Before you read on, this museum is only for 18-and-overs! The second-largest erotic art collection in the world and the largest in the U.S. by far, Miami’s World Erotic Art Museum has plenty of history, culture, and nakedness to keep your eyebrows raised all day long. From stone to cloth, oil to ink, you can follow raunchy-yet-classy interpretations of the human body through over 12,000 square feet.
Sep072011
VANCOUVER: The Laughing Bridge
Travel Recommendation
Location: Vancouver
My Recommendation Tip:
If you’re not a fan of heights, fast-moving rivers, or swaying bridges, this may not be the right attraction for you! What began in the late 1880′s as a cedar plank held up by hemp rope – built by a Scotsman who had a cabin on one side of the river – has now been replaced by wire cables, concrete encasement, and some much-needed extra safety precautions. The bridge is actually just a few years younger than the city of Vancouver herself.
Sep062011
Washington D.C.'s Arlington Cemetery
Travel Recommendation
Location: Washington DC
My Recommendation Tip:
Where can you find astronauts, doctors, pilots, civil-rights activists, and President John F. Kennedy? Just a metro-ride away from downtown Washington D.C. Depending on the reason for your visit, Arlington National Cemetery can provide a beautiful stroll for contemplation, a harrowing reminder of national and international violence, or a poignant place to pay tribute to our country’s tumultuous history. Over 300,000 people are buried here, including soldiers from the first of America’s wars to the last – that is, from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars to Afghanistan and Iraq. Population-wise, it is the second-largest national cemetery, next to Calverton in New York. And there’s still room for 100,000 more.
Aug312011
DeLeon Springs
Travel Recommendation
Location: Orlando
My Recommendation Tip:
You may not find the Fountain of Youth here, as was once promised to European explorers, but the DeLeon Springs are a great place to bring the family for a sunny day out. Named after Spanish treasure-seeker Ponce DeLeon, the waters are home to a mill with a 100-ft waterwheel that was originally used to crush sugar cane somewhere around two-hundred years ago; later, it fed confederate troops during the Civil War by grinding corn.
Aug312011
Cockpit Country
Travel Recommendation
Location: Jamaica
My Recommendation Tip:
In the center of the island of Jamaica, a virtually inaccessible 372-mile forest remains under the protection of the Forestry Department – not just because there are over a dozen trees that grow nowhere else in the world, and not just because it's the country's largest remaining contiguous rainforest, but because it's really, really, really old.
Aug242011
Sins of the City
Travel Recommendation
Location: Vancouver
My Recommendation Tip:
Although in 1932 you’d find a Coroner’s Courtroom, morgue and autopsy facility here on Cordova Street (Errol Flynn was once picked apart on the top floor), nowadays it’s the much more child-friendly Vancouver Police Museum – although the place is still considered a heritage building. Not only is it a great way in which to learn about the scientific methods and cultural role of policemen, but it’s also a unique look into the Vancouver police department specifically – through thousands (20,000+) of objects and photos depicting the evolution of their job and highlighting historical events. The museum also offers occasional forensic workshops in summertime for kids, such as fingerprinting and ballistics. Check up on the next forensic workshops for adults (like Blood Spatter and Coroner’s Court)… just be sure and leave the kids at home for those ones.
Aug232011
What Do You Know about the White House?
Travel Recommendation
Location: Washington DC
My Recommendation Tip:
The President lives there. People like to protest in front of it when he does something wrong (or does anything, really). It’s a favorite tourist destination for eighth-graders all over the country. It gets blown up in Roland Emmerich movies. But what do you really know about the White House in Washington D.C.?
Aug222011
MONTREAL: Parlez-Vous Francais?
Travel Recommendation
Location: Montreal
My Recommendation Tip:
If you've never visited Quebec or France, you may not even be aware there's a difference in the language spoken. Interestingly enough, the dialects have evolved much like English has throughout countries of the Commonwealth such as Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. Remember that French varieties occur even within countries or cities – such as joual, the so-called “working class” dialect in Montreal.
Aug192011
The Legacy of Columbus
Travel Recommendation
Location: Dominican Republic
My Recommendation Tip:
In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue… Along with cheesy rhymes and anachronistic cartoons, many children these days are also taught false information – some of which is hard to replace. As with any country, knowing a bit of (true) history makes a visit much more resonant, not to mention respectful.
Aug192011
World’s Oldest Marathon
Travel Recommendation
Location: Boston
My Recommendation Tip:
The 26-mile Boston Marathon held in Boston is the oldest annual marathon in the world, beginning in 1897 with only a handful of participants. It now gathers over 20,000 of them (with half a million live spectators) on the third Monday in April every year – known to people in Massachusetts, Maine, and Wisconsin as “Patriot’s Day,” as it celebrates the first battle of the Revolutionary War.
Aug182011
Toronto’s Fantasy Fair
Travel Recommendation
Location: Toronto
My Recommendation Tip:
Bright colors, fun music, happy people – not to mention Bumper Boats, Spinners, an Express Train, Antique Carousel, Smash and Dash, AirForce flight, Ferris Wheel, and Dreamer’s Play Village. Since its opening in 1985, the Fantasy Fair has become Ontario’s largest indoor amusement park, with a three-story play complex, nine family-friendly rides, arcade games, and specialty puppet and magic shows all within an area of just over an acre.
Aug172011
NYC: If You See Something...
Travel Recommendation
Location: New York City
My Recommendation Tip:
The impacts of September 11th were felt (and are still being felt) all over the world, but nowhere more emotionally than in New York City itself. Yet arguments about the TSA's new body-scanners, Middle East exit strategies, and blue-and-red party politics really don't matter much when you're on the subway headed home and you spot a brown bag under the seat beside you. What do you do? It's probably nothing, and you don't want to make a fuss over what's most likely a forgotten turkey sandwich. But what if you're wrong? In the summer of 2010, the Department of Homeland Security launched a campaign called “If You See Something, Say Something.” New Yorkers will recognize the slogan from MTA (metro) posters and bus stops, but the slogan was licensed to the DHS recently for their public awareness campaign.
Aug112011
Skateboarding on the Beach
Travel Recommendation
Location: San Juan
My Recommendation Tip:
Visiting San Juan, Puerto Rico? Like to skateboard? Like to watch people skateboard? On Sunday, August 28th (2011), the Adrenalina Skateboard Marathon will promote fitness and good times by bringing its international skateboard-lovin’ – as well as dangling a $15,000 prize for the winner – to old San Juan.
Aug112011
Miami’s Old Speakeasy
Travel Recommendation
Location: Miami
My Recommendation Tip:
The legendary Tobacco Road (or “The Road” if you want to blend in with the locals) has existed in downtown Miami since 1912. With finger-lickin’ specials and prices that are suspiciously reasonable, it’s hard to imagine the long history the bar and music venue has had this past century.
Aug102011
Vancouver's Top Attraction: Grouse Mountain
Travel Recommendation
Location: Vancouver
My Recommendation Tip:
Named after the Blue Grouse birds hunted by hikers over a hundred years ago, Grouse Mountain is Vancouver's most popular attraction, with over a million visitors annually. It also hosts North America's largest aerial tram system, the SkyRide (opened 1966), which takes you up to a summit altitude of just under 4,000 feet, giving you a panoramic view of the city, ocean, islands, and surrounding mountains. The summit is also home to a five-acre conservation and research center called the Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, where you'll find a couple of orphaned Grizzly Bears, Grinder and Coola. A smaller Timber Wolf habitat – for retired wolf movie stars, no less – is at the base. Visitors are welcome to listen to an educational chat by a wildlife expert to learn about these animals and why it's important to protect them.
Aug092011
If I Told You, I’d Have to Kill You
Travel Recommendation
Location: Washington DC
My Recommendation Tip:
The only public museum in the world devoted solely to espionage, the International Spy Museum in Washington D.C. opened in July of 2002. Its mission is to provide the public with an objective education about the important political, social, and historical function of espionage. Most spies – even those who have significantly impacted international events in the 20th century – remain unknown, even after their deaths. Their stories and strategies have often played priceless roles in both peace and wartime, and a visit to this museum allows one to delve deeper into this mysterious world of intelligence, deceit, and wit.
Aug082011
Dr. Jones is in Town
Travel Recommendation
Location: Montreal
My Recommendation Tip:
Who among us hasn't fantasized about replacing a golden idol with a bag of sand; deftly avoiding native booby traps; using a whip to escape from Nazis; traipsing around places like the Amazon, Venice, Nepal, and Jerusalem; rescuing our partners from spitting Cobras; and holding the Holy Grail in our hands while a 700-year-old Knight says, “You have chosen... wisely”? From April 28th to September 18th, family-friendly “Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology” will take place at the Montreal Science Centre in Old Montreal as part of a traveling worldwide exhibition.
Aug052011
The Perfect Dive
Travel Recommendation
Location: Bahamas
My Recommendation Tip:
If exploring underwater reefs with no tourists for miles is your idea of a diving adventure, or if you’d rather have a tour with a certified guide and some new friends along to share the experience, the Bahamas is up there with some of the absolute best diving the world has to offer – not only because it offers safe and memorable opportunities for both the scenarios above, but because the marine life there seems limitless. From spinner dolphins and lionfish to scales with every color of the rainbow, there are no dull moments off these sandy beaches.
Aug032011
A Healthy Dose of Vitamin C
Travel Recommendation
Location: Florida
My Recommendation Tip:
If you're an orange-juice-for-breakfast person, then you're most likely used to tasting a bit of Florida. Most people know that Florida is the largest producer of oranges in the country, but they don't know that it is second only to Brazil as the largest orange-producer in the world. What's more, Florida oranges are usually heavier than other kinds, since they tend to be juicier and have thinner peels. And while California oranges are usually the ones you eat, Florida oranges tend to be the ones you drink. Next to tourism – ahem, Mr. Mouse – the citrus industry is the second largest industry in the state.
Aug032011
A Clockwork Orange Cocktail
Travel Recommendation
Location: New York City
My Recommendation Tip:
Ever craved a bit of vellocet? How about synthemesc or drencrom? What about a nice, cold glass of milk? In 1962, an English critic and musician named John Burgess Wilson wrote a little novel called A Clockwork Orange under the pen-name Anthony Burgess, with characters – primarily a narrator (slightly frustrating for first-time readers) – who speak in a slang language he created that mixes Russian roots and Cockney patterns. It was later adapted into the cult-classic 1971 Stanley Kubrick film of the same name.
Aug022011
Safety First
Travel Recommendation
Location: Toronto
My Recommendation Tip:
People may poke fun at Canadians’ stereotypically placid demeanors, but the facts speak for themselves. The city of Toronto is one of the safest – if not the safest – metropolitan cities to visit with your family for a North American vacation.
Aug022011
Rihanna in Concert
Travel Recommendation
Location: Barbados
My Recommendation Tip:
On February 20, 1988, Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born in Saint Michael, Barbados. After working in a street stall and training as an army cadet, she dropped out of school to pursue a music career, leaving behind a substance-abusing father and schoolyard bullies.
Jul282011
Antique Shopping in Miami
Travel Recommendation
Location: Miami
My Recommendation Tip:
As sensational as flag keychains, witty magnets and “I got this here” t-shirts are, sometimes it’s nice to bring a real souvenir home – a keepsake that’s spontaneous, one-of-a-kind, and truly captures a place you’ve visited… or a place you’d like to.
Jul272011
Summer Sunsets, Outdoor Films
Travel Recommendation
Location: Washington DC
My Recommendation Tip:
Often referred to as “The Nation's River,” the Potomac, which divides Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C., was once an integral part of both the Civil War and Native American culture. Its name has been speculated to originate from a variety of languages and meanings, and the water – home to pike, bass, and even bull sharks – is withdrawn at quantities of just under 500 million gallons a day, and that's just in the Washington D.C. area alone.
Jul272011
Dining Delights in Aruba
Travel Recommendation
Location: Aruba
My Recommendation Tip:
What kind of dishes should you try on your visit to the island of Aruba? Forget the mains – bring on the desserts! If cake tickles your fancy, keep an eye out for keywords like coconut, pistachio, chocolate, rum, and bolo pretu, a darkish fruitcake eaten on special celebrations. One of the most traditional cakes is bolo di cashupete (cashew cake). Also prominent are nibbles like cocada, which are bits of coconut candy with lime juice; soenchi, made from egg whites; vanilla sugar cookies called pan lefi; and, if you like prunes, tert di prium.
Jul252011
Just For Laughs
Travel Recommendation
Location: Montreal
My Recommendation Tip:
Dane Cook, Jon Stewart, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Jerry Seinfeld... as well as being funny and awesome, these stars have also previously appeared at Montreal's “Just for Laughs” International Comedy Festival (in French, Juste Pour Rire), an annual summer event founded almost thirty years ago – now one of the world's biggest comedy shindigs, with over 2 million attendees, 2,000 artists and countless viewers all over the world.
Jul222011
Artsy Sundays at the Market
Travel Recommendation
Location: Boston
My Recommendation Tip:
Enjoy shopping for indie-made crafts and antiques? Need a fresh loaf of bread or stalk of celery? Get all of it done at once at the SoWa Open Market, happening every Sunday from May 1st to October 30th (10am to 4pm). Now in its 8th year, the market features music, art, food, and fun times to last all through summer. SoWa – a nickname for the area south of Washington Street in Boston – is also home to the SoWa Artists Guild, a nonprofit haven for dozens of studio artists in the district. On Sundays you'll see local photographers, sculptors, designers, and bakers showing off and sharing their best talents.
Jul212011
Thursdays Just Got Tastier
Travel Recommendation
Location: Toronto
My Recommendation Tip:
“Lunch break” – whether you’re passing through Toronto on a family holiday or dragging yourself to another business meeting, those two words should perk you up in no time. From July 14th to September 1st, Nathan Phillips Square (100 Queen St. W) is the best place to take a breather, munch on some delectable international culinary selections, catch some free live music, and, of course, soak up some summer sun.
Jul212011
Helping Out the Wildlife
Travel Recommendation
Location: Orlando
My Recommendation Tip:
Ambassadors have played a priceless role in the communication and upkeep of good sentiments between nations and parties for centuries. You may be picturing a serious bespectacled man or a straight-skirted librarian type, but you're probably not picturing anyone with four legs and fur.
Jul202011
Downtown Boathouse, New York City
Travel Recommendation
Location: New York City
My Recommendation Tip:
Solely volunteer-run and totally nonprofit, the New York City Downtown Boathouse organization allows the public to escape the concrete jungle and go for a short-but-sweet kayak ride along the harbor and nearby waters.
Jun292011
Bike Sharing - It's the Only Way to Travel
Travel Recommendation
Location: Miami
My Recommendation Tip:
Ride, Dock, Repeat. It’s no secret that bicycling is not only a much more environmentally friendly way to see a city, but also healthier, cheaper, more enjoyable, and – in some cases – much easier...
Jun292011
Into the Mind of Jack Kerouac
Travel Recommendation
Location: Orlando
My Recommendation Tip:
There are cities aplenty that have inspired the works of literary greats. One can picture Hemmingway sipping a cocktail in an outdoor café in Paris, Dickens mulling over his prose by candlelight in London, Lermontov imagining Moscow while he wrote his romantic poetry… but Orlando, Florida doesn’t pop up in most people’s minds as a particularly bookish location in comparison...
Jun242011
Pink Martini Performs
Travel Recommendation
Location: Montreal
My Recommendation Tip:
You may not know their name, but you’ve definitely heard their music. Cultured, classic, and reminiscent of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Pink Martini has struck an emotional chord with fans in countries across the world...
Jun242011
Taking a STRAND Against Corporate Bookstores
Travel Recommendation
Location: New York City
My Recommendation Tip:
18 miles of books, wrapped up into one beloved bookshop. New Yorkers know that Broadway and 12th Street is the best place to find the perfect literary gift, distraction, or obsession. Since 1927, the Strand Book Store has been one of the most valued independent and family-owned businesses in Manhattan. Now with hundreds of employees – most with helpful, friendly, and uniquely un-New York dispositions – and over two and a half million books (used, new, and rare), the corner shop hosts exactly the sort of bestselling author events that make lit nerds and book worms drool equally with anticipation...
Jun172011
Bard on the Beach
Travel Recommendation
Location: Vancouver
My Recommendation Tip:
In the twinkling of an eye… All that glitters is not gold… Too much of a good thing… Love is blind, and lovers cannot see… Forever and a day… If you don’t know where these sayings come from, then you need to brush up on your Shakespeare! If you’re in Vancouver between June 2nd and September 24th there’s no better way to do so than by catching a live performance at the Shakespeare Festival in Vanier Park, near the waterfront downtown...
Jun172011
Gay Pride Week
Travel Recommendation
Location: Toronto
My Recommendation Tip:
From June 24th to July 3rd this year in Toronto, over a million people will flood the streets for Pride Week. This year’s theme is “Dream Big.” You can fund-raise while rocking out at the launch party on June 23rd at the Phoenix Concert Theatre, play golf at Angus Glen during Women’s Golf Day (proceeds go to Pride Toronto’s Dyke Program) or attend Libido, the Dyke March fundraiser at the Gladstone Ballroom, both on June 30th...
Jun142011
And the Winner Is...
Travel Recommendation
Location: Orlando
My Recommendation Tip:
Oscar’s, Grammy’s, Emmy’s, Razzie’s… THEA Awards? The nonprofit Themed Entertainment Association honors “outstanding achievements in the creation of compelling experiences” for theme parks, museums, casinos, restaurants, zoos, and the like. In other words, if you give visitors the chills and make them believe they have truly entered their own imagination, you might soon be up for a THEA nod...
Jun102011
Hurricane Season Begins
Travel Recommendation
Location: Miami
My Recommendation Tip:
It’s been almost six years since Hurricane Wilma, the Atlantic Basin’s most intense storm on record. Ensuing damage was estimated to be over twenty billion dollars. Ten tornadoes were eventually spawned from Wilma alone, and approximately six million people lost power. Of the dozens of deaths resulting from the storm, almost all of them occurred somewhere in Florida...
Jun072011
Washington D.C.: The Streets of History
Travel Recommendation
Location: Washington DC
My Recommendation Tip:
Unlike the streets of Manhattan, which are laid out in a grid with consecutive numbers, the streets of Washington D.C. at times confuse even those who are used to them...
May252011
Tour Boston's Movie Mile
Travel Recommendation
Location: Boston
My Recommendation Tip:
Now known as the bank robbery capital of the U.S. thanks to the recent blockbuster The Town, Boston has hosted more than its fair share of silver-screen shootouts and brawls. A stroll along the "Boston Movie Mile" in the Beacon Hill area will make you want to pop in your favorite DVD and revisit your favorite Boston-based climactic moments...
May242011
Tea Time at Alice's
Travel Recommendation
Location: New York City
My Recommendation Tip:
If you ever had imaginary tea parties in your backyard as a child, having a mid-afternoon snack at Alice´s Tea Cup is quite literally a dream come true. Opened in 2001 by sisters Haley and Lauren Fox, this whimsical cafe offers a selection of hundreds of teas, many of which have been shipped from places like Sri Lanka, Cameroon, and Mauritius just for those lucky New Yorkers who are in the know...
Feb152011
A Place to get Inspired
Travel Recommendation
Location: Edinburgh
My Recommendation Tip:
Whether you're a writer, artist, historian, filmmaker, or crazy bespectacled inventor, Scotland's medieval capital has relentless waves of creativity flowing down every cobblestone alley. Sherlock Holmes, Jekyll and Hyde, anaesthetics and penicillin -- even decimal points originated there. The city is not only home to the biggest international arts festival (The Fringe) but is also one of the most haunted places on the planet (seriously) and has a thousand years of war, torture, bagpipes, and legends in the form of Edinburgh Castle, which is right down the street from the first Presbyterian Church in the world. Edinburgh is big enough to find fun things to do but small enough to walk around and explore on foot. Just a few minutes outside of town brings fresh countryside, highland coos, and the best cure for a cold you'll ever find in a shot glass. Note: there's no "e" in Whisky if it's Scottish -- and it's not called Scotch, either!
