Category Archives: D.O.T.W.

things to do, see, and experience in cities we love

I Heart Mystic, Connecticut in One Day

Tucked off Interstate 95, between New York City and Boston, is an old whaling village where time seems slow and the hustle and bustle of city life gives way to laid-back New England charm.

Split between the towns of Groton and Stonington, Mystic, Connecticut is a magical place full of art, history and food. Named one of America’s most charming small towns by Country Living and the next Hamptons by The New York Post, Mystic is easy to get around, comes with heaps of quaint and enough quirkiness to make it easy to fall in love with in a single day.

Historic Mystic Seaport in Connecticut, just seconds after sunset

Start your day at the newly opened French bakery Sift Bake Shop. The adorable spot on Water Street offers a selection of artisanal baked goods including breads, pastries and even macarons. Snag a spot at a booth and watch as the bakers prepare for the rest of the day through the glass windowed kitchen.

pink macarons
Image via Pixabay

After a breakfast of people-watching, visit one of the larger area attractions for which Mystic is famous. History and nautical buffs will want to check out the Mystic Seaport, the nation’s largest maritime museum, home to the country’s last remaining whaling vessel. If you have little ones, opt for the Mystic Aquarium where the penguins are always ready for visitors, the sea lions put on a show and you can touch the stingrays. Art lovers should see what’s new at the Mystic Museum of Art or, better yet, take a class there.

0151 Beluga Whale
‘Beluga Whale. Mystic Aquarium (CT)’ from Jason Farrar on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

mystic seaport
© Leesniderphotoimages | Dreamstime.com – Mystic, CT: Chemist Shop At Mystic Seaport Museum Photo

Head back to the center of the village and browse the menus of the many restaurants that line Main, Water and Holmes Streets — Engine Room for classic American fare in a hipster space, S&P Oyster for upscale seafood with views of the river; the area is truly your oyster. After lunch, borrow a bike from the bike share and visit the vineyards in the area; or go to Stonington Borough, home to the state’s last commercial fishing fleet and a number of antique shops. Or stay on Main Street, duck in and out of the stores, pick up a new work of art, or American-made clothing at Hope & Stetson. Then grab an ice cream from Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream and sit in the park watching the boats go by as one of the last working drawbridges in the country raises and falls.

S&P Oyster Company
‘S&P Oyster Company’ from N8ster on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream
‘Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream’ from stevengosch on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

For dinner, the Oyster Club is the ultimate farm to table spot, rated one of the best oyster bars in the country by Travel & Leisure. Every morning, the chef calls around to a handful of local farms, creating a menu from what’s available for a dinner that you’ve never had before and will likely never have again. Conclude your day in Mystic by taking in live music at the park during the warmer months or at one of the many bars.

With a train station right in the village, plenty of shops, restaurants and bars, Mystic is an easy way for city dwellers to get away from their hectic lives for a bit.

Sunrise Trekking at Mount Batur, Bali

If you’re in Bali and feeling adventurous, seeing Mount Batur is a definite must do. Mount Batur is an active volcano and you can trek to the summit to catch a beautiful sunrise.

Most hotels will offer a Mount Batur trekking tour and will arrange your whole day for around 300,000 IDR, or about 25 USD. This will include a mini van to and from the volcano, a guide and breakfast at the summit. You can also find tours that will take you to a coffee plantation, waterfall and rice paddies after the trek. They’re all beautiful spots worth seeing but keep in mind, you’ll probably be exhausted after the hike.

You’ll be picked up from your hotel in the middle of the night; times vary depending on how far from the volcano you’re staying, but plan for a pick up between 1 and 2 AM. Definitely try to get some sleep before hand.

The trek itself takes about two hours to get to the top. It’s a moderately difficult hike, but if you’re in decent shape it should be no problem. You’ll be climbing in the dark so it’s a good idea to bring a headlamp if you have one, otherwise your guide will provide flashlights.

mount batur bali
Bali, sunrise at Mount Batur, from -__-; on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

The trail starts at a low incline and gets increasingly steeper and more difficult as you near the top. It will take around two hours to reach the summit, with lots of rock climbing and views of the dimly lit town beneath. The last 30 minutes of the hike are spent climbing up slippery sand on a steep incline so be prepared to get lots of sand in your shoes!

Once you reach the top, you can find a spot to sit and watch the sunrise. Your guide will offer tea and coffee and breakfast and you can relish in a very welcome break. You’ll be hot and sweaty during the hike, but it’s a good idea to take a jacket and scarf with you, as it gets pretty cold at the top.

mt batur bali
Sunrise at Mt. Batur | Photo: Alexa Albanese

Then, if you’re lucky, you’ll see one of the most beautiful sunrises of your life. Don’t forget your camera! Be on the lookout as there are also some monkeys that hang out at the top.

mt batur bali
Sunrise view from the top of Mt. Batur | Photo: Alexa Albanese

After sunrise and breakfast, you’ll start to make your way back down. You can either go back down the same way you came up, or you can ask your guide to take you around the ridge of the volcano and down the other side of the mountain. This is recommended for some seriously stunning views!

breakfast at mount batur
After climbing up to the top of Mount Batur. Cooking eggs in the volcano steam was our reward, from Isabel Sommerfeld on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

If you take the alternate route down, be warned that the hike down is almost (if not more) challenging than the hike up. It’s steep, slippery and flanked by cliffs on either sides. If you’re afraid of heights, it will definitely be a challenge, but the views are so, so worth it.

mt batur bali
View from the alternate route down | Photo: Alexa Albanese

On the way down, you’ll encounter hot steam from the inside of the volcano where you can cook some eggs and enjoy a second breakfast. This is a fun experience and a great way to get some protein in on a long, sweaty hike.

By the time you reach the bottom, it will probably be around 9am and you can then decide whether you have the energy to continue to the waterfall, rice paddies and the coffee plantation. If you do, be warned that there are 300 steps you need to climb to reach the waterfall!

If you’re after a rush of adrenaline, an amazing sense of accomplishment and some stunning views, the sunrise trek up Mount Batur is bound to be one of the best things you do in Bali. Although a challenging hike, it’s fine for kids and grandparents as well. Enjoy the adventure!

Find your Southern California Oasis in Joshua Tree National Park

Swaddled in the San Bernardino Mountains southeast of Los Angeles, more than 1,200 square miles of arresting geologic anomalies and humdingers settle placidly. The convergence of the Mojave and Colorado deserts emphasizes millions of years of Earth’s erosion and evolution. Joshua Tree National Park is both humbling and enigmatic with its leggy, spiky yucca trees silhouetted at sunset and implausibly large scrambling boulders.

Sunset
Photo: Christina Suttles

It’s not surprising the name “Joshua Tree” is awe-inspired, reminding 19th-century Mormon settlers of biblical figure Joshua lifting his arms in prayer. The desert can be unforgiving, however, especially for a midwestern visitor with limited perspective and experience such as myself.

Here are some hard-learned tips for anyone planning a camping trip in Joshua Tree this season, and a spotlight on the most rewarding hikes the park offers.

Limiting Sun Exposure

Consider the time of year; summer temperatures in the high desert usually spill over into triple digits during the day, while fall and spring temperatures are more moderate, but cooler at night. Bring a variety of clothing as, regardless of the year, desert temperatures can be unpredictable. Besides essentials such as a sun-protected tent and other necessary camping gear, remember to bring a bandana or hat for sun protection and high SPF sunscreen.

hiking death valley
Image via Pixabay under license CC0

This will limit both skin damage and heat exhaustion. Be sure to educate yourself and your companions on dehydration and heat exhaustion symptoms. Wear light, loose clothing that covers sensitive areas and include a pop-up shelter to prevent an emergency. Proper footwear is non-negotiable; besides withstanding long, rigorous hikes, it can aerate your feet and protect them from cacti and wildlife. Plan early morning hikes when temperatures are cooler and always carry a park map or equivalent because your cell phone will most likely be inoperable.

Food and Water

If you’re flying into LAX or Palm Springs, you’ll need to make a pit stop at a nearby grocery store to pick up some essential items, like food and water. While some campsites have water spigots, bring several gallons of water for personal use. Water is especially important during desert hikes due to dry heat that often evaporates sweat so quickly you may not know you’re dehydrating. Even if you’re not thirsty, make sure you’re hydrating every 15-20 minutes.

palm springs, ca
Image via Pixabay under license CC0

Each hiker should be drinking a minimum of a gallon of water a day, so wear a comfortable backpack. Salty, protein-packed snacks such as nuts and trail mixes are ideal hiking food, replacing minerals lost during perspiration. Pack more food than you’ll need.

 

Campground Tips and Suggestions

Joshua Tree offers three campgrounds with water on site: Black Rock, Cottonwood and Indian Cove. These sites are great for beginners and families. Each of the nine campgrounds provide different amenities for various experience levels, so call ahead to confirm. For astronomy buffs, keep in mind that campgrounds bordering the park, such as Black Rock, may not offer the same stargazing opportunities as deeper ones. General rules for desert camping include keeping your tent completely zipped at all times to keep out wildlife (think snakes, scorpions and spiders), leave no trace of food for the same reason and bring a tent pad for comfort — you’ll thank me after a long day of hiking.

Campground
Photo: Christina Suttles

Featured Hikes and Attractions

49 Palms Oasis

This moderately strenuous three-mile-round-trip hike winds along a ridgeline of barrel cacti and boulders, rendering stunning views of the valley as you begin a 300-foot elevation gain. Descending into the narrow canyon below, you’ll be greeted with dozens of prolific fan palms and plenty of shade. Massive boulders provide the perfect haven for a long rest and salty lunch.

49 Palms
49 Palms | Photo: Christina Suttles

Ryan Mountain

Don’t be fooled by its size — this three-mile hike is much more strenuous than it lets on. Reaching the 5,500 foot peak requires exclusively ascending a series of steps carved into the ridgeline, which can wreak havoc on your calves if you’re unprepared. The summit rewards your effort with views of the Lost Horse, Queen, and Pleasant Valley summits.

Ryan mountain
Ryan Mountain | Photo: Christina Suttles
Ryan mountain summit
Ryan Mountain Summit | Photo: Christina Suttles

Lost Palms Oasis

While officially listed as moderately strenuous, this hike is a burly 7.2 miles roundtrip in the relentless desert heat, so bring plenty of extra water and take your time. This will probably be your only hike for the day, but you won’t be disappointed by the captivating display of fan palms ahead.

Lost Palms
Lost Palms | Photo: Christina Suttles

Skull Rock

Adjacent to Jumbo Rocks, Skull Rock is a scrambler’s paradise. A result of granite erosion, this spectacle allows visitors to climb into the skull’s “eye socket” for photos. Massive, narrow rocks provide exemplary conditions for bouldering. There’s also a 1.7-mile nature trail for those with a fear of heights.

Skull Rock
Skull Rock | Photo: Christina Suttles

Cholla Cactus Garden

Pronounced “Choya,” and often referred to as the “teddy bear” cactus, Cholla cacti are extremely sensitive to touch and release spines easily as a defensive mechanism. This short trail is home to a dense concentration of the spiny guys, so make sure to wear protective shoes as the trail is littered with needles.

Cholla trees
Cholla Cactus | Photo: Christina Suttles

Nature at its Finest: 7 Must-See National Parks

“There is a delight in the hardy life of the open. There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy and its charm,” wrote Teddy Roosevelt famously. He was speaking to the pressing need for land conservation.

Between outings with John Muir, camping trips to Yellowstone National Park, and even some regular presidential duties, Roosevelt spent some of his time while at the helm of the United States during the late 1800s designating five new national parks, 18 national monuments, 51 federal bird sanctuaries, four national game refuges, and roughly 100 million acres of national forest.

Teddy’s gift to the world is this legacy of public land conservation. Almost 150 years later, any one of us can still throw some camping gear in our car, hop a short plane ride, or even take a bus to an expanse of public land that has never been subdivided, developed, or parceled.

In a world that undoubtedly is subdivided, these open spaces have the ability to save us from ourselves.

 

Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park
Stanton and Vaught Reflections 4.23.16, from Glacier National Park on Flickr, NPS photo by Jacob W. Frank

Presenting jagged mountains, snow-capped peaks, and crystal-blue lakes, IRL. Glacier National Park, located in northern Montana, Idaho, and southern Canada, was designated in 1910. However, archaeological evidence suggests human activity in the area dates back 10,000 years, with most recent Native American residencies by the Blackfeet, Salish, and Kootenai Tribes.

glacier national park
Pastel Sunrise over Howe Ridge. from Glacier National Park on Flickr, NPS photo by Jacob W. Frank

Today, the park is known for its incredible views, wildlife, and of course, glaciers. Unfortunately, time may be running out for the latter. Drive, camp, fish, boat…a good time to visit Glacier is spring or fall.

 

Denali National Park and Preserve

caribou in denali national park
Caribou, from Denali National Park and Preserve on Flickr, NPS Photo by Jay Elhard

To those of you who envision snow and eternal darkness: the beauty of Alaska is varied, colorful, and very real. Within its six million acres, everything in Denali seems exaggerated: the size of the mountains, the depth of the lakes, the taste of the berries, the extent of the sunlight hours in early summer.

northern lights denali national park
Northern Lights dance across the sky in early April, from Denali National Park and Preserve on Flickr, NPS Photo by Katie Thoresen

Relative inaccessibility is what makes Denali and the rest of Alaska so desirable. Car travel is restricted within the park — which means wildlife is less desensitized to human activity than elsewhere — and hardcore mountaineers and dog sledders continually challenge each other within the park boundaries and surrounding areas. Visit in summer for endless light.

 

Arches National Park

arches national park
Primitive Park Avenue, from Arches National Park on Flickr, NPS Photo by Kait Thomas

There’s something similarly spiritual and other-worldly about the red rock of the Southwest, which Arches National Park boasts in spades. Nothing makes you feel quite so small as a deep blue desert sky stretched across red rock, sand, and hardy, scrub-like desert plants — save for the gravity-defying sandstone figurines of Arches National Park.

Arches national park
Reflection near Courthouse Towers, from Arches National Park on Flickr (CC BY 2.0), NPS Photo by Casey Hodnett

Visit Arches in early spring in a pair of hiking shoes, or trade them out for some climbing gear. Rock climbing is accepted — nay, encouraged — in this part of the country. Visit as early as possible in the spring, before it gets hot.

 

Yosemite National Park

yosemite national park
Lake Tenaya, Yosemite National Park, from Su—May on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

What is it about this place? It’s green, yet the cool-toned granite formations rise nearly to the clouds. The redwood Sequoias are world-famous for their size and unique color. It feels almost esoteric.

Lake Tenaya, Yosemite National Park, California
Lake Tenaya, Yosemite National Park, California

Aside from its long history of use by Native American tribes, the park was designated as a protected public land in 1890, a victory of efforts credited to John Muir and his attempt to prevent continued exploitation.

yosemite falls national park
Prism at Yosemite Falls, from NRG_Crisis on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Recreation in Yosemite focuses around touring, hiking, and wildlife observation, while boasting a host of vendors eager to facilitate more sporting adventures along the lines of climbing, fishing, biking, horseback riding, and more. Visit year-round.

 

Acadia National Park

acadia national park bridge
Cobblestone Bridge, Acadia National Park, from Andy Smith on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

There’s beauty in the Eastern United States, too — in abundance. The first Eastern National Park, Acadia, was designated exactly 100 years ago in 1916. Located on Maine’s Atlantic coast, this park is all about the ocean. Its history is East-Coast length — that is to say, dating back thousands of years until it was discovered in the early 1600s by a French explorer, Samuel De Champlain.

acadia national park
Schoodic Peninsula, from Criana on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Plan a tour, hop a boat, ride a bike, or enjoy the amenities of Bar Harbor — but summer is the time to go.

 

Big Bend National Park

big bend national park
Sunset over the Rio Grande, from Alison I. on Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)

Oh, Tejas. The paired-down splendor of Big Bend’s rock formations, stubby plants, and dramatic sunsets brings to mind old Westerns; but its portrayal in American literature is unfortunately too limited by the 150-year-old knowledge of the park available to English speakers to capture the area’s true complexity. Predominantly Native Americans — and later, Spanish looking for gold — are the most acquainted with the Big Bend, historically speaking. But today, the park serves as 118 miles of the US-Mexico border.

big bend national park
Trail through the canyon
(Santa Elena Canyon @ Big Bend National Park, Texas), from Daveynin on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Visit in spring; wear hiking shoes and light colors.

 

Everglades National Park

everglades national park
From Daniel Hartwig on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Swamps, crocodiles, and…subtropical wilderness? The predominate reputation extending from Everglades National Park doesn’t do its complex ecosystem justice. Its intricate network of ponds, sloughs, and marshes is symptomatic of a large sheet of slow-moving water, one whose fertility was systematically taken advantage of for agricultural purposes until 1947, when it was designated a protected land.

everglades national park
Everglades National Park Nine Mile Pond Canoe Trail, from Miguel Vieira on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Birding is a huge draw to the Everglades, as is the opportunity for a plethora of typical recreational pastimes such as a boating, hiking, and camping. Visit during the dry period, roughly December through April.

Travel This Summer to These Top American Ballparks

The crack of the bat, the smell of popcorn in the air, an organ playing outdoors on a bright and sunny day – this is America in the summertime at the great ballparks of the USA.

Classic American ballparks are destinations all to themselves; but when combined with classic American cities, they make for ideal summer travel destinations. Combining a ballgame with seeing the sights of a city provides a rewarding experience for everyone from families to couples to fun-seeking singles.

Nearly every major city has a major league stadium, but some are better destinations than others. This article focuses on five places – two of the most historic venues in the sport, and three others where there’s a lively combination of baseball and social activities.

 

WRIGLEY FIELD (CHICAGO CUBS)

wrigley field

Going to Wrigley Field is more than going to see a game. It’s an experience. 

That’s because Wrigley Field is America’s second-oldest ballpark, one of the few originals remaining from when stadiums were built around existing neighborhoods, rather than tearing down everything around it, as is the modern American approach to sports venue construction. This means it has history and tradition that simply can’t be matched by its modern counterparts.

As a result, Wrigley Field is a part of the community, like the friendly old lady down the street who always gives out the best candy to the kids at Halloween. Here, you don’t just show up, walk through the gate and go to your seats. You have to do the Wrigley “routine.”

First, you take the “L” train to the ballpark. Then you go to Murphy’s Bleachers, one of the many bars in the surrounding neighborhood of Wrigleyville. It is here that you meet and mingle with true Cubs fans. Tell them this is your first time to Wrigley Field and they will quickly engage you in conversation and tell stories about their experiences at the ballpark.

Old Style, the official beer of the Cubs | Photo: via Morguefile under the Morguefile License
Old Style, the official beer of the Cubs | Photo: dharder via Morguefile under the Morguefile License

Then you go into the stadium, which is like stepping back in time. This is what baseball must have been like in the 1920s. If you’re down low, the players are so close, you can practically reach out and touch them. An oompha band walks through the aisles playing music. Vendors cruise around selling Chicago’s own Old Style beer.

The outfield wall is covered in ivy and it’s not uncommon for a ball to get stuck in it; it’s rather comical to see the outfielder trying to pry the ball out of the green leaves. If the wind is blowing out, then you’re in for a real treat – lots of home runs will be hit and a final score of 24-22 is not unprecedented at Wrigley. If the other team hits a home run and it lands in the bleachers, the fans will throw the ball back into the outfield in a top Wrigley Field tradition.

After the game, the experience continues at more bars around Wrigleyville. The Cubby Bear is the traditional post-game watering hole.

There’s one modern thing to keep in mind before going to Wrigley Field: plan ahead.

The Cubs are actually good this year so tickets are difficult to find, especially on game days. (If you decide to go on a whim, start your ticket search at Murphy’s Bleachers.) The fans are also a bit more serious about the outcome of the games than throughout much of the team’s history. It seems ironic, but Wrigley Field is actually more fun when the team is the lovable Cubbies rather than a World Series contender. You can’t really blame them, though; the Cubs haven’t been to the Fall Classic since 1945 and haven’t won one since 1908.

Wrigley Field and the whole experience is at its best for sunny Saturday day games.

 

FENWAY PARK (BOSTON RED SOX)

fenway park
Fenway Park | Image via Pixabay under license CC0

Fenway Park is even older than Wrigley Field; in fact, it’s the oldest ballpark in America. It opened in 1912, just four years after Jack Norworth wrote “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” To put that in perspective, when Fenway was built, there were only eight teams in the American League. Today, there are 15.

The old red brick building is highlighted by a huge 37-foot tall wall in left field known as the “Green Monster.”  Along the rightfield line is “Pesky’s Pole,” named for former player, manager and Red Sox legend Johnny Pesky. Metal beams that block the views from some seats and support the upper deck make you realize you’re in the same place where the greatest Red Sox legends played: Ted Williams, Jimmie Foxx, Jim Lonborg, Fred Lynn, Yaz, David Ortiz… even Bill “Spaceman” Lee.

Like Wrigley Field, you just don’t show up to Fenway Park in time to catch the first pitch. Here, the scene is outside the stadium on Yawkey Way. There’s an old-time band, a guy on stilts playing catch with kids and dozens of vendors grilling up sausages, dogs, cheesesteaks and even Cuban sandwiches, a Fenway tradition served up by former pinwheeling pitcher Luis Taint, who is from Cuba. I recommend, however, the Italian sausages.

fenway park
Courtesy of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau Convention & Visitors Bureau

The only catch is that a few years ago, the Red Sox made Yawkey Way an actual part of Fenway Park, so you need a ticket to get to it, and there’s no in-and-out privileges, which is kind of a bummer.

As for bars before the game, there’s the Cask ‘n Flagon. After the game, it’s back to the Clask ‘n Flagon and/or Jillian’s, a huge billiards lounge.

Inside Fenway, it’s all about soaking up the scene and the history. Walk around the old concourses, check out different vantage points and perhaps even have some “chow-da.”

You’ll also be surrounded by Red Sox fans, which is an experience all unto itself. Things have changed a bit since the team has won the World Series a couple of times lately; but the fans – while being quite knowledgeable about the game, their players and even the other team’s players – have an inherited sense of impending doom about them, so listening to their clever criticisms is one of the highlights of going to Fenway. Part of this is perhaps understandable – Fenway was opened the same week the Titanic crashed into the iceberg.

You can easily get to Fenway Park from downtown by using the Green Line of the “T”, the Metro subway. Trains B, C and D go to Fenway; just follow the crowds to get to the stadium. Doing this with other Red Sox fans will really help get you in the mood for the entire Fenway experience.

Fenway Park
Fenway Park – the 94-year-old park is home to the 2004 World Series Champions, the Boston Red Sox | Courtesy of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau Convention & Visitors Bureau

It is interesting to note, by the way, that a 16-ounce beer at Fenway and Wrigley will set you back about 8 bucks, which is the most expensive ballpark beer in baseball. There’s a price – in beer, anyway – to pay for all that history.

 

AT&T PARK (SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS)

att park san francisco
AT&T Park Baseball Stadium in San Francisco. Home of the San Francisco Giants professional baseball team.

San Francisco’s AT&T Park does not have the tradition of Wrigley or Fenway, but the city does have an interesting history with its baseball stadiums. At the old Candlestick Park – which was located on a very breezy part of the bay – a pitcher was once literally blown off the mound in gusty winds during an All-Star game.

The current ballpark is also located on the water, but in a much calmer location. It’s also more convenient, just a streetcar ride from the Ferry Building.

And it’s brick, giving it the appearance of an old-fashioned ballpark. You can do something here that traces back to the early days of baseball, something that’s not even available at Wrigley or Fenway, and that is to watch part of the game without having a ticket. In a nod back to when boys would peek through a hole in the outfield fence, you can stand behind the rightfield wall and look through a gate. (Just don’t linger.) While you’re quite a distance from home plate, and also at ground level, you can’t really see much of the action, but you are close enough to the opposing rightfielder to tease him in the good ol’ baseball tradition of heckling.

Another interesting activity that’s certainly unique to San Francisco is to rent a kayak and join the dozen or so others who sit in the bay just outside the stadium in hopes that a home run ball will drop in the water around them. When that does happen, it’s a mad scramble of people paddling to get to the ball. This area is known as McCovey Cove, named after the big-swinging first baseman of the 1970s, Willie McCovey.

mccovey cove san francisco giants
McCovey Cove by AT&T park in San Francisco during the Home Run Derby filled with rafters hopeful to grab a homerun ball July 9, 2007

You should also be familiar with Willie Mays, the franchise’s greatest player. He finished his career with a whopping 660 home runs, a lofty accomplishment to say the least, considering he played most of his games in windy Candlestick Park. There is a statue of him in front of the stadium, and the stadium’s address is Mays’ name and number: 24 Willie Mays Plaza.

To get the full San Francisco Giants game-day experience, you need first to go to MoMo’s, the upscale-ish restaurant and bar across the street. Most people hang out and socialize on the patio, and some of those people are actually going to the game. (San Franciscans, at least the single ones, like to go to bars around events where they can mingle.)

Inside AT&T Park, it’s like being in a new and clean, old-fashioned ballpark. Its signature symbols are a giant coke bottle that lights up when the Giants hit a home run and a huge old-fashioned baseball glove in left-center field.

san francisco giants att park
Rangers players taking balls in the outfield during batting practice game 2 of the 2010 World Series game between Giants and Rangers Oct. 28, 2010 AT&T Park San Francisco, CA.

San Francisco used to have a dancing crab as a mascot (yes, a dancing crab!) that was so hated fans pelted it with peanuts and whatever else they could get their hands on when it came out between innings. Now, they use their hands to clap a lot because their beloved Giants have won the World Series three times since 2010, most recently in 2014.

 

PETCO PARK (SAN DIEGO PADRES)

petco park
Image via Pixabay under license CC0

In San Diego, the team is so bad fans don’t have to bother themselves with the pesky problem of worrying about winning games, so they just go to Petco Park and enjoy a good time.

They’ve got the place to do it before games, too, in the sensational Gaslamp Quarter.

gaslamp quarter san diego

All you really have to do is walk around and stop in a place that looks inviting, but here’s a few suggestions. Barleymash is the most popular casual bar in the Gaslamp; but careful here: you may get so comfortable you’ll forget about the game! The Tin Fish has people relaxing out on a good-sized patio having pre-game food and beers; this is a very shorts-casual spot. The Tilted Kilt features eye-popping bartenders and waitresses. Bubs At The Ballpark is your beer-drinking bar by the stadium.

If you want to watch the game from the ultimate luxury box – for free admission – then go to the Altitude Sky Lounge on the rooftop of the Marriott. Actually, you’re so high up and far away it’s more like peeking inside the stadium and you can’t really see what’s happening, but it’s a pretty cool perspective from this lounge-style bar.

The stadium itself is a beauty and is as relaxed as the people in San Diego. There’s a grassy area beyond the outfield where you can sit down and have a picnic while occasionally peeking in at whatever might be happening on the field.

petco park san diego

Heck, forget the game; here, it’s fun just to walk around inside the stadium. There are outside bars and food places where you can look down on San Diego Bay. There’s a huge model of an aircraft carrier, the USS Midway; the real thing sits just beyond Petco Park and is open for tours. Another hallway provides a history of baseball in San Diego. For those who arrive early enough, you can take in batting practice at a place called “The Beach.”

And then win or lose, it’s back to the Gaslamp where the real game begins for the single people.

 

BUSCH STADIUM (ST. LOUIS CARDINALS)

st louis busch stadium
Image via Pixabay under license CC0

This is the place to go to be around people who are passionate about baseball. Cardinals fans appreciate the history of the game, the slow beauty of it and have great respect for its traditions.

You can immediately earn acceptance of the fans – and quite possibly a beer – by saying you’ve always been a big fan of Stan Musial. It was Musial who was the greatest, most popular player in Cardinals history. A few other names to know are Ozzie Smith (perhaps the game’s greatest defensive shortstop), Bob Gibson and Albert Pujols, but only when he was with the Cardinals, of course. (He’s now with the Anaheim Angels.)

The Cardinals play in Busch Stadium, one of the best venues in baseball. Because of this, you’ll want to spend much of your time in it, rather than seeking out a lengthy pre-game scene, as is the case with the other stadiums featured in this article.  Try and get a ticket behind home plate – from here you get a spectacular view of the St. Louis skyline and the famous Gateway Arch.

St Louis, architecture, Ballpark Village Missouri,USA.
View along Clark Avenue Saint Louis Ballpark Village adjacent to Busch Stadium, home to St. Louis Cardinals in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

However, you must carve out pre-game time at Ballpark Village, which has several restaurants and bars, among them Cardinal Nation, which houses the Cardinals Hall of Fame (a must) and rooftop seating with views inside the stadium.

After the game, head to the Soulard section of St. Louis. This is home of the St. Louis blues, and you can hear live bands in several small bars. The Great Grizzly Bear is where locals like to take visitors. Venice Café is a funky hang-out joint with a big outdoor patio and music inside; this is best for the younger and singles set. If you want go-to places within walking distance of Busch Stadium, there are several bars along the river at Laclede’s Landing.

While in St. Louis, be sure and have its signature food dish, toasted ravioli. This is ravioli that – according to legend – was dropped into oil instead of water at a place called Mama’s On The Hill back in the 40s. The restaurant still exists and The Hill is the place to get the best Italian food in St. Louis.

Leiden: Travel Off the Beaten Cobblestone Path in the Netherlands

Among the list of European cities that inspire nostalgic sighs and sparkling eyes, Amsterdam ranks high. The Dutch capital is a pristine picture of most travelers’ hyperbolically beautiful notions of a European city trip that combines culture and cocktails, cycling along perfect canals under blue skies and churning windmills on the way to the risqué thrills of the Red Light District.

rapenburg bike
Photo: Jakob Gibbons

 

Except that this isn’t Amsterdam.

It’s Leiden, a smallish student city located no more than a 35-minute train ride from Amsterdam or any of the three other most populous and important cities of the Netherlands. Hidden in plain sight, Leiden goes mostly unnoticed by travelers transiting through its Central Station on their way from Amsterdam to the Hague and Rotterdam.

ouderijn
Photo: Jakob Gibbons

 

The city is smaller than it feels. Despite having a population density similar to that of New York City, the official population of this medieval man-made island and the connected neighborhoods outside the moat that surrounds it is comparable to New Haven, Connecticut, and its land area is no more expansive than that of a spacious American university campus.

haven
Photo: Jakob Gibbons

But it’s no Amsterdam: in fact, a strong part of Leiden’s local culture and history is that it’s not its posh, powerful, and more popular older sibling on the other side of the imaginary line between the provinces of North and South Holland. The city has a singular atmosphere, its own traditions, and even a trademark accent distinct from those of each of the four urban pillars that together form the densely-populated Randstad area—the Dutch equivalent of a Boston-Washington corridor—in which Leiden finds itself in the near-exact geographic middle.

Many of the discreet local cultures that comprise the mosaic of the present-day Randstad emerged during the Eighty Years War. Leiden’s own story of singularity begins dramatically on October 3rd, 1574, when the Leidenaren of the sixteenth century ousted their Spanish Habsburg imperial rulers.

hooglandsekerk
Photo: Jakob Gibbons

 

For contemporary Leidenaren this meant a valiant victory and political and cultural autonomy. For residents of and visitors to Leiden today, it means one of the best festivals on the Dutch calendar.

breestraat
Photo: Jakob Gibbons

 

Every year on the second day of October, the city’s businesses close up early; and that night, the cobblestone roads along and between the canals erupt into a city-wide festival that’s somehow both one of the country’s biggest and best and at the same time mostly unknown outside a two- or three-town radius around Leiden: Leids Ontzet, or the Relief of Leiden.

For two nights, the sacred cultural norm of “just be normal” goes out the window. The second day of Leids Ontzet features more day-drinking, more city streets packed with stands selling beer and raw herring and fries with mayonaise, and the kermis, the giant fair that sprouts up overnight next to the Central Station and for two days devours the entire northwest corner of town.

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Photo by ChrissyJ via Flickr Creative Commons under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

As a reward for the valiant defense of Leiden that gave us the modern-day Leids Ontzet celebrations, in 1575 William of Orange, the founding father of what would become the modern Kingdom of the Netherlands, endowed Leiden with the very first university of the Netherlands.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Leiden University was an international center of philosophy and science; and in the 21st, it’s not only one of the most prestigious universities of the continent and the university where all future kings and queens of the Netherlands are educated, but also one of the biggest drivers of cosmopolitanism and the international community of Leiden.

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Photo by kattebelletje via Flickr under CC BY-NC 2.0

Together the many international students and the equally plentiful expats form a key part of Leiden’s local culture—you’ll never take a stroll through the Wednesday and Saturday street market or through the alleys along the Rapenburg Canal without hearing the sounds of English and half a dozen other languages in the space of a few minutes. At times Leiden, with its not-quite 150,000 residents, feels more intensely international than Amsterdam or the Hague.

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Photo: Jakob Gibbons

And this makes a difference for travelers. The thriving expat scene is constantly organizing events for newcomers and passers-through to dip their feet into Dutch culture and dive head-first into local culture.

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Photo: Jakob Gibbons

 

The International Student Network hosts the odd roadtrip and a traditional local hutspot dinner during Leids Ontzet, but those looking for less hand-holding or a bit of distance from the student scene normally turn to the lively local Couchsurfing scene.

Also a handy hospitality network for travelers visiting the city, Couchsurfing is a cultural exchange community, and in Leiden it’s best known for its weekly Wednesday “Language Lab” at Café de Keyzer—known lovingly by locals and internationals alike by its Dutch diminutive, t Keizertjeas well as hosting theme parties and events for everything from the Dutch Sinterklaas to an annual Halloween party that’s become a staple of the annual expat social calendar.

nieuwerijn
Photo: Jakob Gibbons

Modern Leiden is a multicultural amalgamation of its own local identity and the globalism that’s always been a fundamental part of that identity, from offering asylum to the English refugees who would later become the American pilgrims of Plymouth Rock to carving out a position as an international center of art, science, and scholarship during the Dutch Golden Age. In Leiden today, you can see that global identity literally written on the walls of the city.

arabic
Photo: Jakob Gibbons

Leiden launched its Muurgedichten or “wall poems” project in 1992, sponsoring the painting of over 100 poems in nearly as many different languages on the walls of buildings of every sort throughout the city. The result is a city whose physical bricks and mortar are covered in the many languages of global society, painting a picture as diverse as the residents who see a sliver of home when they walk past a poem in Polish, Arabic, Japanese, or English.

spaansemuurgedicht
Photo: Jakob Gibbons

Travelers looking for a seedy coffee shop full of joint-smoking tourists or a wild night of electronica-fueled partying may wish to step off their flight in Schiphol airport and directly onto the next Amsterdam-bound train. But those looking to spend a few days in a city with its own unique local culture that’s somehow both authentically Dutch and patently international should instead take the train fifteen minutes in the opposite direction, right into the heart of the Netherlands.

Use Your Income Tax Return for Affordable Weekend Travel

Many Americans consider spring to be an ideal time to take a temporary sabbatical celebrating the quietus of those long, arduous winter nights. As luck would have it, Spring Fever coincides harmoniously with peak tax season.  As the air thickens and the terra firma thaws, those who have the privilege of filing for a tax refund visit their local H&R Block with bright eyes, usually receiving some sort of bonus by late May. The IRS estimates the average American’s refund is $3,000, but if you’re anything like me, you’ve already mentally spent about half of that on more practical endeavors such as credit card bills, car repairs, or home improvements in an exhausting effort to act more responsibly. In honor of tax season, here’s a list of U.S. destinations that’ll cost less than $1,000 to explore during a long weekend from anywhere in America. Whether you’re looking for nightlife or the Milky Way, reasonably indulge your inner wayfarer for less.

 

Outer Banks, NC

Sunrise at fishing pier on the Outer Banks, North Carolina
Sunrise at fishing pier on the Outer Banks, North Carolina

Average Flight Cost: $200 – $500

Average Hotel Costs / 2 nights: $200

Rental Car Cost / 3 days:  $80

Public Transportation: Shuttle, Bus.

Best Season To Go: Summer.

Nearby Attractions: Carova Beach, Springer’s Point Preserve, Jockey’s Ridge State Park, dozens of lighthouses and historic landmarks.

outer banks north carolina
Beach house on the Outer Banks, NC

El Paso, TX

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Long range binoculars for tourists and panoramic view of skyline and downtown of El Paso Texas looking toward Juarez, Mexico | © Americanspirit | Dreamstime.com – View Of Skyline And Downtown Of El Paso, Texas

Average Flight Cost: $150 – $450

Average Hotel Costs / 2 nights:  $150

Rental Car Cost / 3 days:  $120

Public Transportation: Bus, Paratransit.

Best Season To Go:  Late Spring, Early Summer

Nearby Attractions: White Sands National Monument (1.5 hour drive), Chamizal National Memorial, Organ Mountains (1 hour drive), Guadalupe Mountains National Park (1.5 hour drive), Thousand Steps Trail, Western Playland Amusement Park, El Paso Museums of History, Archeology, and Art.

el paso texas
EL PASO, TEXAS – MAY 29. The 25th annual KLAQ International Balloonfest was held at Grace Gardens with over 30 hot air balloons launched on the morning of May 29, 2010 at El Paso, Texas | © J.schultes | Dreamstime.com – Hot Air Balloons Photo

Las Vegas, NV

las vegas
The iconic Las Vegas sign

Average Flight Cost: $80 – $450

Average Hotel Costs / 2 nights:  $160

Rental Car Cost / 3 days: $130

Public Transportation:  Monorail, Bus, Shuttle, Tram, Cab.

Best Season To Go: Late Fall, Early Spring.

Nearby Attractions: The Strip, various museums, casinos and shopping opportunities, Valley of Fire State Park (1 hour drive), Death Valley National Park (1.5 hour drive), Lake Mead National Recreation Area (1.5 hour drive), Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (30 minute drive). Find more attractions in Las Vegas here.

Bellagio Fountains
Fountains at Bellagio in Las Vegas, NV

Fort Lauderdale, FL

fort lauderdale beach
Beach in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Average Flight Cost: $70 – $400

Average Hotel Costs / 2 nights:  $170

Rental Car Cost / 3 days: $140

Public Transportation: Bus, Cab.

Best Season To Go: Year Round.

Nearby Attractions: Fort Lauderdale Beach, Intercoastal Waterway, Big Cypress National Preserve (2 hour drive), Everglades National Park (2 hour drive), Las Olas Blvd.

lily pads in the everglades
Lily pads in the Everglades

Memphis, TN

beale street memphis tennessee
Beale Street in Memphis, TN

Average Flight Cost: $100 – $430

Average Hotel Costs / 2 nights:  $200

Rental Car Cost / 3 days: $80

Public Transportation: Bus, Trolley.

Best Season To Go: Spring.

Nearby Attractions: Beale Street Historic District, Memphis House of Blues, Graceland, National Civil Rights Museum, Sun Studio, Holly Springs National Forest (1 hour drive).

memphis tennessee
Graceland – Memphis, TN

Ocean City, MD

ocean city maryland
Ocean City, USA – August 4, 2014: Crowded boardwalk in Ocean City, MD on August 4, 2014. National Geographic named it one of the top 10 boardwalks in USA and The Travel Channel called it America’s best.

Average Flight Cost: $150 – $420

Average Hotel Costs / 2 nights: $180

Rental Car Cost / 3 days:  $70

Public Transportation:  Boardwalk Tram, Bus, Trolley.

Best Season To Go: Late Summer.

Nearby Attractions: Ocean City Boardwalk, Ocean City Beach, Trimper’s Rides and Amusement Park, Assateague Island National Seashore, an array of dining, nightlife and shopping opportunities.

ocean city maryland
Beach in Ocean City, Maryland

 

Los Angeles, CA

los angeles beach
Image via Pixabay under license CC0

Average Flight Cost: $80 – $450

Average Hotel Costs / 2 nights: $220

Rental Car Cost / 3 days:  $180

Public Transportation:  Metro Rail, Bus, Shuttle.

Best Season To Go: Spring, Fall, Winter.

Nearby Attractions:  Santa Monica Pier (20 minute drive), Sunset Blvd., Runyon Canyon Park, Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Garden,  The Broad art gallery, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Griffith Park and Observatory, The Hollywood Sign. Find more attractions in Los Angeles here.

standard downtown la
The Standard, Downtown LA | Image via Pixabay under license CC0

 

Cleveland, OH

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States.

Average Flight Cost: $80 – $450

Average Hotel Costs / 2 nights: $150

Rental Car Cost / 3 days: $75

Public Transportation: Bus, Train, Cab, Shuttle.

Best Season To Go: Spring, Summer, Fall.

Nearby Attractions: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Great Lakes Science Center, Cuyahoga Valley National Park (30 minute drive), Great Lakes Brewery, Edgewater Park, Gordon Park, Westside Market, Tremont Historic District, A Christmas Story House, Lakeview Cemetery.

cleveland ohio
Image via Pixabay under license CC0

Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh, PA
Boats drop anchor on the Allegheny River outside PNC Park in Pittsburgh to watch a Pirates baseball game.

Average Flight Cost: $200 – $470

Average Hotel Costs / 2 nights:  $160

Rental Car Cost / 3 days: $100

Public Transportation:  Bus, Light Rail, Inclines.

Best Season To Go: Spring, Summer.

Nearby Attractions:  The Andy Warhol Museum, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Mount Washington, The Strip District, Mattress Factory, Market Square.

pittsburgh skyine
Pittsburgh skyline

Denver, CO

denver, co
Denver, CO Skyline

Average Flight Cost: $80 – $480.

Average Hotel Costs / 2 nights:  $190

Rental Car Cost / 3 days: $70

Public Transportation: Bus, Rail, Shuttle, Metro, B-Cycle.

Best Season To Go: Late Summer for hiking, Early Winter for skiing.

Nearby Attractions: Dinosaur Ridge, Denver Zoo, Denver Botanic Gardens, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Cherry Creek, Chamberlin Observatory, Rocky Mountain National Park, (1 hour drive), Arapaho National Forest (1 hour drive), Pike’s Peak and Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs (2 hour drive.) Find more about Denver here.

Location Independence and Eternal Spring: Why Digital Nomads are Migrating to Medellín

Around mid-2014, they started taking the Internet by storm; and two years, later they’ve succeeded in spreading across the globe, quietly revolutionizing the worlds of both work and travel as they go: digital nomads.

 

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A coworking space in Berlin, Germany, a popular digital nomad hub. Photo by Karine via Flickr under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

They’ve actually already been skulking around the web and the world for a decade or more, hidden through most of the 2000s in geek-friendly shadows of the Internet where what were then mostly programmers and web developers became the first front of “vagabond hackers.”

Since the dark days of dial-up, these location-independent professionals have begun venturing out into the world en masse, expanding their ranks to include everything from creative professionals to day traders. They first began congregating years ago in Southeast Asian coffee shops and coworking spaces, and by 2016 they’ve spread to form a loose professional network that covers the remainder of the cheap and well-connected world.

And now, to increasingly greater notoriety in the digital nomad community, they’ve established yet another up-and-coming outpost in the developing world, this time in Medellín, Colombia.

How Medellín is Luring Location-Independent Professionals to the Other Side of the World

For most of the foreign faces who make up Medellín’s digital nomad community, this South American city is quite literally on the opposite face of the planet.

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The Hotel Nutibara overlooking Medellín’s historic center. Photo by Jakob Gibbons.

Latin America as a region doesn’t seem like the logical first choice for most digital nomads: Wifi connectivity often ranges from erratic to useless, and you’re much more likely to have a knife pointed at you in Rio or Panama City than you are in Bangkok or Siem Reap.

Yet the nomads keep pouring into Medellín.

One factor tugging location-independent professionals toward Colombia’s second city is the annual average temperature of 72 F (22 C) that has earned it the nickname of La Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera, the City of Eternal Spring. Another pull is without question the unrivaled warmth and friendliness of paisas, as the people of Medellín are known in Colombia, toward the foreign visitors with whom they share their city.

For many, these things are enough to get them in the door, but sunny days and smiling local faces do not a digital nomad hotspot make. Medellín’s more than just a pretty face.

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A bright, sunny day over Medellín’s Estadio neighborhood. Photo by Jakob Gibbons.

From world murder capital in 1991 to world innovation capital in 2012, Medellín has followed the example of neighboring Bogotá, transforming into a center of social urbanism that promotes the wellbeing of all its citizens and, as a pleasant side effect, draws in the tourism dollars.

Medellín today is home to cafes and coworkings to rival any digital nomad hub. Epicentro and Atom House are staple coworking spaces in the expat-dense Poblado neighborhood on the south side of town, the traditional heart of the Medellín’s digital nomad community, where expats rent out fully furnished flats on Airbnb for anywhere from $400 to $1400, to twice that for those with the disposable income and the taste for it.

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Views of the city from the posh Poblado neighborhood. Photo by Serge via Flickr under CC BY-SA 2.0.

 

World-class coffee from the hours-away Eje Cafetero region is finally creeping its way into shops and cafes in Medellín after having been reserved primarily for export until recent years. But if you want a cup of the really good stuff, you’ll need to cough up a whopping 3,000-4,000 Colombian pesos, or a US dollar and some change.

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Locally-grown and roasted coffee at Cafe Ondas. Photo courtesy of Cafe Ondas.

 

You could splurge and drop $3-4 dollars on a two-course lunch with a glass of fresh-squeezed juice from an everyday neighborhood restaurant like Miiroku

miiroku
A typical plate of food at a restaurant like Miiroku, in La Floresta. Along with the soup and juice that came with it, this cost $11,000 COP, or just under $4 dollars. Photo by Jakob Gibbons.

…or, for the nomad suspended between sporadic paychecks, $25 will buy you enough groceries to weather a brief nuclear winter.

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$80,000 COP (or about $25 US dollars) worth of groceries from the supermarket in Laureles (including a kilo or two of meat hidden behind the bell peppers). Photo by Jakob Gibbons.

 

The easiest answer to why so many web developers and content writers and graphic designers are choosing to live in Medellín and trade their labor for dollars and euros online is twofold: The cost of living in Medellín still hasn’t caught up to the rapid increases in quality of life, and, perhaps just as importantly, the exchange rate for those earning in US dollars or euros has never been better.

Kit Glover, originally from Australia, arrived just in time in the quiet but cozy Floresta neighborhood on the west side of Medellín. More nomad than digital, Kit had backpacked through the Middle East and Mexico by the time all the rave reviews from other travelers caught up to him and sent him off towards Medellín in late 2014.

Just as he’d hoped to, Kit managed to jump through the bureaucratic hoops of starting up a small business as an expat in Colombia, leasing the three-story space where he opened Café Ondas.

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The rooftop terrace at Ondas. Photo by Jakob Gibbons.

 

When Kit turned the second floor of Ondas into Ondas Coworking last year, he says he just gave it the standard social media share and kept his expectations low. But just a few days after officially opening his shared workspace for digital nomads, two enthusiastic faces showed up hoping to make use of it. Both still spend most of their digital working hours at Ondas.

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One of the rooms in Onda’s coworking space. All the murals were created by local artists in Medellín. Photo by Jakob Gibbons.

 

Shaun Taberer, English copywriter and content marketing specialist, is one of the two who showed up at Ondas that day. Shaun, who today is the face of Digital Nomads Medellín and the instigator behind most of the community’s meetups and workshops, was just another backpacker with a laptop before arriving in Medellín.

Shaun’s been in Medellín for about two years now, and he literally wrote the guide to the place for digital nomads. “You go to Lima, Quito, wherever, and there are expats and digital nomads there, but the community in Medellín is so concentrated and active,” he says, explaining what led him to put down his backpack and plug in for a while.

herman sean
Shaun and Herman, two well-known faces in Medellín’s nomad community, working away in Ondas. Photo courtesy of Cafe Ondas.

 

Still others are coming to Medellín just to see why so many are coming to Medellín, like Tomas Gurvičius, a Lithuanian student studying International Development at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands.

Tomas, a sort of meta-nomad himself, is traveling and researching how digital nomad communities impact their host cities, in an effort to flesh out our understanding of “lifestyle mobilities and North-to-South migration,” he says, referring to patterns of migration from the wealthy “Global North” to the poorer and less developed “Global South.”

He says he came to Medellín, of course, for the great weather and low-cost life like everyone else, but that the biggest thing that drew him was the utility of learning the Spanish language, pointing out that it “isn’t really that practical” to learn the local languages in some other nomad hotspots. “I knew I wanted to be in South America, and Medellín seemed like the perfect base.”

Even Medellín’s Nomads (Mostly) Move On 

By definition, nomads are always moving.

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A cruise departing from the harbor in Cartagena, where many digital nomads will be departing from Colombia to embark on their next journey this summer. Photo by Peter Barker via Flickr under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

 

In May, many of Medellín’s nomads will say hasta luego to the mini-lives they built in Colombia as they set off on the Nomad Cruise, a week-long “workation” and networking event that will carry its passengers from Cartagena to Lisbon. There, some will put down shallow roots in that city’s own bustling nomad community, and others will plane, train, or automobile on to their next planned destination or the next place that has that something special.

Herman Ritzema was the second coworker who showed up at Ondas when it opened its doors to Medellín’s digital nomads. A Dutch web developer and nomad turned semi-nomad since meeting his paisa wife-to-be while backpacking in Peru five years ago, Herman will be joining the cruise, but his plans will bring him back to Medellín with his wife and one-year-old son, who will be accompanying him on the trip.

“It’s my home base now,” he says, using the typically nomadic terminology to refer to what others might just call “home,” echoing the sentiment of the growing number of nomads who are putting down slightly more solid roots in the City of Eternal Spring.

Los Angeles Travel: The South Bay Beach Cities

When a traveler thinks of Los Angeles, visions of Hollywood, the Walk of Fame, celebrities and red carpets usually come immediately to mind.

Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach are sort of untapped treasures for many travelers. Part of the reason is they don’t even know these areas exist. Tourists tend to spend their time in Hollywood, along the Sunset Strip and at the Santa Monica Pier. The thought that there’s a whole different Los Angeles world beyond these places often never occurs to them.

But it does exist, and it is here that you will find that true California Dreamin’ lifestyle.

So turn on the Beach Boys because we’re going to have “Fun Fun Fun” ‘till daddy takes the computer (or tablet or smartphone) away.

The South Bay

The South Bay – it’s called this because it’s located in the southern part of Santa Monica Bay, which stretches from Palos Verdes to Malibu – is a place of bikinis and board shorts, of surfers and muscled and tanned people playing volleyball on the sand. It’s where people get around not in cars, but on bicycles slowly being pedaled along the beachfront sidewalk known as The Strand. In the South Bay, flip flops are the standard footwear and people actually call other people “dude.”

This is mostly a residential area, so if you’re used to beaches in say, Florida, then you’re in for a surprise. Instead of beachfront high-rise hotels and condos are houses. The rented houses are the run-down ones while the owners live in the plush, modern multi-million dollar ones. In fact, there are just two hotels on the beach in all the South Bay, the high-end Beach House, and the aging Sea Sprite motel, both at the Hermosa Beach Pier. There are a few hotels along Harbor Drive in neighboring Redondo Beach: the Portofino on the water, the Crowne Plaza, the Redondo Beach Hotel and, opening in late summer 2016, the high-end Shade Hotel, which has a sister location in downtown Manhattan Beach.

Manhattan Beach Pier day
Manhattan Beach Pier | Photo: KC Witherspoon

As you travel along this Pacific paradise, the first thing you’ll want to do is rent a bicycle. You can do this at Hermosa Cyclery at the Hermosa Beach Pier or Marina Bike Rentals along Harbor Drive in Redondo Beach. The bike path goes from north Manhattan Beach – locals refer this area as “El Porto” and it is THE spot to go in the mornings and late afternoons to watch surfers – all the way to the Redondo Beach Pier. This is a distance of approximately six miles. The bike path actually extends all the way from Palos Verdes to Santa Monica, a distance of more than 20 miles, but for now, stick to the South Bay.

Beach Cities Bike Tours
Beach Cities Bike Tours | Photo: KC Witherspoon

There is a tour company that provides guided tours, Beach Cities Bike Tours (310-990-4020); a two-hour tour is $50 for a group of four.  It’s a casual ride on a bicycle that points out TV and movie film locations, top surf spots, the culture of beach volleyball, as well as recommendations of top restaurants, nightlife and Happy Hours.

Manhattan Beach Pier, sunset
Manhattan Beach Pier at sunset | Photo: KC Witherspoon

From your perch on the bike, you’ll want to stop at the Manhattan Beach Pier and check out the Walk of Fame of beach volleyball champions. Each summer, the “Wimbledon of Beach Volleyball”  takes place here; the 2016 dates are July 14-17.

While there, you’ll want to quench your afternoon thirst with a beer in the venerable Shellback Tavern, a beach watering hole just up from the pier. Or if you prefer, the higher-end Strand House is the place for sophisticated drinkers or for those who are dining on an expense account. The nice Italian restaurant Mangiamo is the place to have a glass of wine at sunset from its “fishbowl” window; Happy Hour is Monday-Friday until 6:30, with house wines for $5.

If it’s Wednesday, you’ll be doing yourself a disservice by not going into Ercoles for what well might be the best burgers in the entire U.S. On Wednesday evenings, they are 2-for-1, as long as you order two drinks with it. And that’s not an issue as you’ll likely order a lot more than two drinks, as is the culture here.

In fact, it’s drinks that really make the South Bay thrive. Locals, no matter their age, have the mentality of a college student when it comes to cocktailing. For this reason, the South Bay has L.A.’s best nightlife. There are small, casual bars and nice restaurants where people go just for drinks. All in their casual beach attire, of course.

The big playground for nightlife is the Hermosa Beach Pier. And king of this beach is Sharkeez, where locals go for one drink and wind up staying until last call, thus earning it the nickname “The Black Hole”; but it’s just one of several places surrounding the pedestrian-only Pier Plaza. Another good spot is The Mermaid, right on The Strand, which has lovely girls mixing up the best-made drinks in the South Bay. As a bonus, Happy Hour is seven days a week, 3-7 p.m., and again from 10-midnight. The rotating “Drink of the Week” ($5) is highly recommended.

Riviera Village, Redondo Beach
Riviera Village, Redondo Beach | Photo: KC Witherspoon

One of these days – or decades – Redondo Beach will spiff up its pier; and when that happens, it will be one of the top coastal destinations in all of California. For now, though, you have to settle for its quirky spots. Naja’s is a run-down bar that serves 77 beers on tap and has “the more you drink, the better they sound” bands on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Just down from it, The Slip Bar & Eatery is a small and friendly locals’ hangout, often with live music.

Tony's On The Pier, Redondo Beach
Tony’s On The Pier, Redondo Beach | Photo: KC Witherspoon

But the “can’t miss” spot is Old Tony’s. This is a restaurant that’s been clinging onto the pier for nearly 60 years. Enter on its ground floor and as you take the small staircase upstairs to the “Crow’s Nest” bar, check out all the faded autographed photos of faded Hollywood celebrities. When you reach the Crow’s Nest, you will feel as if you just stepped into an old episode of the original “Hawaii Five-O” TV show. Bartenders wear aloha shirts, booth-like chairs surround small round tables and the décor is borderline cheesy Hawaiian.

You’ll love the place immediately and even more so when you have its signature drink, the Fire Chief. Don’t ask what’s in it, but it’s a red, rum-based drink that puts a Mai Tai to shame. And you get to keep the glass.

Here are some other South Bay food & drink highlights: Best Clam Chowder – FishBar in Manhattan Beach; Best Taco Tuesday (it’s very social with locals) – OB’s in Manhattan Beach; Most Romantic Bar/Restaurant – BALEENKitchen in Redondo Beach; and Best Wine Tasting View – The Bottle Inn in Hermosa Beach ($10, Thursdays, 6-7:30 p.m.).

So no, the South Bay is not L.A. It’s not anything like L.A. But it sure is worth a visit when you’re in L.A.

How Tourism Is Helping to Revive West Virginia’s Coal-Based Economy

Put West Virginia on your list of places to visit. Maybe not this year, maybe not even next year but within the next five years West Virginia will be the new hot destination. The Mountain state is in the throes of a renaissance and a small army of artists, musicians, farmers and outdoor adventure types are working to revive the state’s coal based economy.

“We’re so much more than coal or natural gas,” said Joseph Carlucci with the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority in Beckley, WV.

The extraction industry—think coal—carried the West Virginia economy, for better or worse, since it was discovered in the 1700s. In 2010, the coal industry employed 30,000 of the state’s residents resulting in $2 billion in wages and $3.5 billion economic impact. Coal is what people do – or at least did.

“My dad worked in the mines until he couldn’t pass a physical no more, and I always thought I’d do the same,” Michael Estep told The Washington Post in 2014.

Declining reserves, increased environmental regulations and cheaper alternative energy have slowly been phasing the coal industry out of West Virginia. In 2013, coal exports were down 40 percent a loss of $2.9 billion in sales. By 2015 the state had lost more than 10,000 coal-mining jobs and was the only state to have lost a significant number of jobs in the past year.

nrg preserve w virginia
Photo: Bridget Shirvell

At a crossroads some in the state are betting on tourism. The state tourism department has a current budget of around $7 million, a triple increase from last year thanks to the legislature, although it still lags behind the US state average of $14.9 million. Partly behind the increase was research from Longwoods International, revealing a $5.1 billion industry in a state of 1.8 million people, of whom 46,000 are dependent on the industry.

It’s an understatement to say there’s some work to do before the tourism numbers are big enough to help fill the employment and revenue gaps the failing coal extraction industry is leaving behind. Amy Goodwin, who took over the state’s tourism in June 2014, is leading that charge, and at the heart of it is rafting in New River Gorge, farm-to-table dining and a growing arts scene.

“For the first time this year, the white water rafting industry is up,” Goodwin said.

Gauley in the fall west virginia
Photo: Bridget Shirvell

ACE Adventure Resort, which employs more than 500 people in Fayette County, saw business grow nearly 10 percent in 2015 and is optimistic that the state’s efforts will mean more jobs for more people.

Gauley white water rafting west virginia
Photo: Bridget Shirvell

Goodwin’s department is capitalizing on that by building a larger digital presence to promote the state where the focus is on experiences, not things.

music in west virginia
Photo: Bridget Shirvell

 

 

 

 

ACE Mtn Top Stage
Photo: Bridget Shirvell

 

 

“This is a cool place to hear great, live music, have a handcrafted meal and shop for local handcrafts,” Adam Harris, executive producer of Mountain Stage Radio Show out of Charleston, WV, said “People today are looking for a well-rounded experience that they discover themselves. Coming to town to raft is just one part of their trip.”

rock climbing west virginia
Photo: Bridget Shirvell

The creative economy from open studio weekends to the small but emerging agritourism is intrinsic to the tourism infrastructure West Virginia is hoping to build.

farm west virginia agritourism
Photo: Bridget Shirvell

The state has the highest per capita population of farms in the United States, about 21,300 according to the state department of agriculture. Yet, the average net income for farms is only $2,500.

“We need to provide opportunities to make farming sustainable,” Cindy Martel, marketing specialist for the department of agriculture said. “Agritourism is a way to do that.”

Demand for local food isn’t the hurdle, supply is. The state, according to Martel, consumes more than $7 billion in food but produces less than $1 billion. An explosion in the number of greenhouse-like structures that allow for off-season production and winter markets and a focus on attracting young and new farmers is helping to build the industry.

Outdoor adventures, a developing farm-to-table movement, shopping and 26 live music events hosted by Mountain Stage Radio Show alone each year are making West Virginia a dream spot for anyone that loves experiences and the eat, shop local movement.