When I parked my rental car in front of The Sanders Bed & Breakfast in Helena, Montana, I knew I wouldn’t be returning to it for a few days. I had arrived in a handsome, leafy, residential district in the state’s capital — an area that demands to be explored by foot, inviting you on long walks past impressive homes, historic sites, and some noteworthy restaurants. And when you’re ready to call it a day, The Sanders, more than 100 years old, welcomes you back with snacks, pleasant conversation, and marvelous accommodations from a bygone era. Read more >
Tag Archives: B&B
A Night in a Barn in Scottsbluff, Nebraska
Occasionally in my youth, if I ever happened to leave a door open, my parents would ask me if I lived in a barn. I never understood that commonly employed expression: Do people in barns leave the doors open? Wouldn’t the horses and cows and pigs get out? Was it just something that city dwellers said to disparage rural folk? I never found out. But now that I have stayed overnight at Barn Anew, a terrifically unique bed and breakfast in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, I can say for the first time that, yes, I have lived in a barn. Read more >
Share my story:
Staying in the Cradle of New Zealand Tourism at Robertson House
Every day in Rotorua, the birthplace of New Zealand tourism, I explored and was continually awed by the region’s gorgeous natural features — the Waimangu Volcanic Valley, the Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, the giant redwoods in Whakarewarewa Forest. I took in the Maori village of Whakarewarewa, fell in love with the wonderful buildings of the Rotorua Museum, and relaxed in the meticulously maintained Government Gardens. And every night I returned to the Robertson House, a comfortable bed and breakfast in a quiet neighborhood about a 10-minute walk from the city center. This lovely establishment had all the requisites of a desirable B&B: a charming property, a convenient location, an excellent host, and a very satisfying first meal of the day. As an added bonus, it had the laziest, most adorable dog imaginable. Read more >
Share my story:
Vicksburg’s Baer House Inn: Refinement and Comfort — and an Irresistible History
My interest in the past is always piqued whenever I travel in the Deep South, where everything seems to drip with history like Spanish moss off a Southern live oak tree. So when I chose to stay at the Baer House Inn in Vicksburg, Mississippi, I knew I would be lodged in refined and comfortable accommodations in the heart of a city brimming with all kinds of references to yore, from its rough-and-tumble era with rampant gambling and prostitution that would ultimately give birth to the term “kangaroo court” to its pivotal role in the Civil War. What I didn’t expect, however, was the utterly engrossing story of the Baer House itself and how one very spirited daughter of Jewish immigrants got her ultimate revenge on her wealthy, controlling mother. Read more >
Share my story:
A Peaceful B&B Between the Lakes in Madison, Wisconsin
Consistently ranked as one of the most livable small cities in the United States, Madison, Wisconsin, has much to admire, including a grand capitol, dozens of parks, the sprawling campus of the University of Wisconsin, and an enviable setting between lakes Mendota and Monona. The Mendota Lake House B&B takes full advantage of this wonderful isthmus locale and emerges as one of the best bed and breakfasts in the capital of the Badger State. Read more >
Share my story:
Steep Your Dreams in History
One of the largest and best urban historic districts in the United States, Heritage Hill in Grand Rapids, Michigan, exudes a friendly charm. Streets lined with grand homes from the 19th and early 20th century encourage you to spend hours exploring all of the district’s 3,500 acres. And once you’ve been seduced by the neighborhood’s elegance, you can call it a night right in the midst of it all at the Brayton House. Read more >
Stephen Travels 