After exploring the Seattle Aquarium and looking out at Elliott Bay in Seattle, Washington, I was immediately starting to crave fish for dinner. I strolled down Alaskan Highway, a strip of shops, restaurants, and attractions along downtown’s edge that abuts the bay and the multiple piers that jut into it, to Ivar’s Acres of Clams, not only for some wonderful seafood but also for a wonderfully odd, colorful, and fascinating history. Read more about it >
Author Archives: stephentravels
Appreciating Alabama’s Architectural Heritage
In between outdriving projected tornado paths through central Alabama and enduring a fierce electrical storm that knocked out power in my hotel in Montgomery, I had ample time to explore many of the state’s highlights, from a massive battleship to a lazy cruise on the Alabama River to key civil rights sites. Through it all, I kept admiring some remarkable structures, many of historical and architectural significance that have become national landmarks over the years. Read more about the top five buildings in Alabama >
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The Perfect Place for Your Afterlife to Begin (and Your Current Life to Be Enriched)
Before picnicking here was banned, it was the second most-visited tourist attraction in New York State, luring 500,000 people every year in the 1860s, a number rivaled solely by Niagara Falls. In the heart of Brooklyn, folks would gather to enjoy the pastoral setting of the lush 478 acres, flush with countless varieties of trees and flowering shrubs, ponds, valleys, winding lanes, and open vistas from the highest natural point in Brooklyn of the surrounding communities and as far away as Manhattan. A few of these people might have even been there to acknowledge this place’s primary objective: a chance to visit their deceased friends and relatives buried within its grounds. Now, 181 years after it was founded, Green-Wood Cemetery remains one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world, and tourists still come to visit, whether or not they have ancestors resting here in peace. Read more >
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Revel in the Culinary and Cultural Traditions of Jama Michalika in Krakow, Poland
Fine autumnal weather and abundant outdoor seating perfect for people-watching at nearly every restaurant in Krakow, Poland, kept me dining al fresco for several days. But one restaurant in particular demanded that I grab a table inside. The very popular Jama Michalika serves up a fantastic interior with an engaging history, and you’ll end up coming here for the décor as much as the food. Read about it >
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Edinburgh’s Ecclesiastical Highlights
Edinburgh, Scotland, was built to last. I’ve never seen a sturdier-looking city, as if nothing could ever destroy it (even though the Vikings, English, and Germans have all tried). Woven into its architectural fabric, I found a tremendous collection of some of the most beautiful bank buildings in Scotland as well as many stunning churches. These houses of worship date back centuries, and many of their towers and spires still serve as both a call to worship and a helpful visual orientation to this city’s wonderful skyline, in both New Town and Old Town. Read about the top five churches in Edinburgh >
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Delicious Dining at Circe in Providence, Rhode Island
On my way to dinner in downtown Providence, Rhode Island, I ducked into The Arcade, the oldest indoor mall in the United States (1828). When I emerged from the opposite end, I spotted my destination only a block away. The inviting Circe is housed in an old bank building from 1856, and, as attractive as that is, it’s not the main reason you’ll be dining here. The menu speaks for itself, in a most eloquent voice. Read more >
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Indulge at One of the World’s Most Famous Hotels, The Victoria Falls Hotel in Zimbabwe
Originally conceived as accommodations for workers constructing a railway through Africa, The Victoria Falls Hotel today could never be imagined for such a humble beginning. Indeed, this five-star, luxurious hotel now hosts monarchs, presidents, and the über-wealthy, boasting everything you would expect from one of The Leading Hotels of the World: flawless service, beautiful grounds, great views, and superb dining, all mixed with a remarkable history and fine architecture. Read more >
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Aus, Namibia: Outstanding Food in an Out-of-the-Way Locale That Translates to “Out”
On the recommendation of our travel agent at &Beyond, my brother, sister-in-law, and I broke up our drive through southern Namibia with a stop for lunch in the little town of Aus, with a population of less than 800. It seemed an odd place to find sustenance: hot and arid (but with the coldest winters ever recorded in the country), lonely and quiet. Even the name could be a deterrent: In German, aus means “out”; in the local Khoekhoe language, it means “place of the snakes.” Despite all that, we found the terrifically charming Bahnhof Hotel and its fantastic restaurant to be both welcoming and memorable. Read more >
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Big or Small, Amsterdam’s Museums Are Among the World’s Finest
When I found myself finally able to turn away from Amsterdam’s irresistible canals and canal houses, gorgeous churches, inviting parks, and romantic bridges, or when I was simply faced with a rainy Dutch day, I turned my attention to the city’s museums. About 75 museums scattered around the capital of the Netherlands appeal to a very broad audience, no matter what your interest. From major art and history museums to those with a very specialized focus (say, for instance, diamonds, Heineken, or hash, marijuana, and hemp), these cultural institutions should play a major role in your visit here, but with so many choices, you’ll have to select carefully. Read about the top five museums in Amsterdam >
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Big Flavors at Big Water Grille
My family was celebrating both the pending nuptials of my brother, and my aunt and uncle’s 50th wedding anniversary. So seven of us converged on Big Water Grille, a fantastic restaurant that has been tucked into the mountains in Incline Village, Nevada, for more than 20 years. Overlooking Lake Tahoe from the northeast, the views vie with the menu, and you’ll love both equally as you celebrate a special occasion, or no particular occasion at all. Read about Big Water Grille >
Stephen Travels 