Discovering Tasmania

Discovering Tasmania

Tasmania is remote and wild in the most delicious ways. The small island state off the south coast of mainland Australia faces Antarctica to its south and is home to vast areas of undeveloped lands protected as nature preserves. A big part of its beauty is it’s not on everyone’s radar—yet. Buzz about “Tassie” has been building since the opening of the outrageously daring MONA museum courtesy of an eccentric Tasmanian billionaire. The thriving culinary scene entices food and wine lovers and the great outdoors beckon hikers and campers. While it does get its fair share of visitors these days, Tasmania’s hidden gem quality remains 100% intact. Between the wildness and its smaller population size (just over half a million), Tasmania feels like its own little country or planet. There’s zero sense of hustle and bustle; even the biggest cities of Hobart and Launceston with the largest population concentrations feel quite chilled out. My six-day introduction to Tasmania included four nights on the rural east coast and two nights in Hobart.  

Hotel San Cristobal

Hotel San Cristobal

Looking for a laid back, un-crowded alternative to Cabo? Hotel San Cristobal just outside of Todos Santos is the answer. The only traffic in Punta Lobos comes in the form of fishermen heading out to sea every morning and bringing their haul back in. The super chill 32-room beachfront property is surrounded by undeveloped land and feels removed from civilization. Yet it’s a very civilized place to spend a few days or unplug for a whole week—and even better, it doesn’t feel like you’re in a resort bubble, separated from the real local culture. Many efforts have been made to connect you to the community, be it through surf lessons with a local entrepreneur, cactus-lined bike paths leading into town or one of the many guided tours that can be booked through the convivial concierge who personally hand-picked every partner they work with.

Four Points Adventures in Death Valley

Four Points Adventures in Death Valley

This spring, I made my maiden voyage to Death Valley National Park with Four Points Adventures, a boutique outdoor tour company that specializes in camping excursions with an off-roading bent. The trip was led by owner/guide Todd Rogers, a search-and-rescue trained professional photographer and lifetime outdoorsman who made us glampers feel like we were in very safe, knowledgeable hands.

Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara

Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara

One of the perks of being in the travel industry is getting to experience phenomenal hotels. A couple weeks ago, I checked into a hotel I’d always dreamed of being a guest at: the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara. “The Biltmore,” as locals call it, is an iconic property in the drop dead gorgeous city of Santa Barbara, where I lived for a decade in my twenties and visited often throughout my childhood (and still do!). I’d been on property for countless brunches, lunches, drinks, dinners and events over the years, but I’d never stayed the night...until now.

Nowhere Like New Orleans

Nowhere Like New Orleans

New Orleans is unlike any other city in America. The history, the music, the culture, the food, the booze, the Mississippi, the cemeteries, the architecture, the streetcars…New Orleans is a sultry, soulful place with serious strength of character. It’s the contagious energy and friendly hospitality of the people that really makes New Orleans stand out. I can’t think of another place in the U.S. where the locals have such a pronounced and consistently high level of passion for where they live. Whether born and raised there or deliberately transplanted, all of the Uber drivers, bartenders, shopkeepers, bellmen, writers and strangers I encountered on a recent visit talked about their city with such great reverence and affection. Those who were raised in New Orleans and had moved away, be it for college or Katrina, said they simply couldn’t stay away. The transplants who followed the sirens' song were completely enamored with their adopted hometown and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. I think it’s safe to say tourists agree with New Orleans’ addictive quality—this was my fourth visit and I’ll no doubt be back for another fix sooner than later.