The ferry from San Pedro takes exactly one hour. Sixty minutes where the smog thins, the Pacific turns from slate to sapphire, and the mainland shrinks into something you stop thinking about. I stood at the rail watching Catalina grow on the horizon — a craggy silhouette rising from the channel — and felt that … Read more
There’s a specific moment when a cabin weekend clicks into place. For me, it happens on the first evening — cooler full of food, fire going, porch chair creaking underneath me, and the kind of silence you forget exists when you live in a city. But getting to that moment? That requires gear. And not … Read more
I almost didn’t write this article. Not because the Catskills didn’t deserve it — but because I was halfway hoping nobody else would discover what I found during ten days last June, driving through Greene and Ulster Counties with no plan beyond “find water and follow it.” What I found was a mountain region two … Read more
I almost didn’t go. A friend mentioned Block Island offhandedly at a barbecue last summer — something about “the Hamptons without the attitude” — and I filed it away under “places I’ll eventually forget.” But a cancelled ferry to Martha’s Vineyard in late June left me stranded at the dock in Point Judith with a … Read more
Every year it’s the same panic. Father’s Day rolls around and suddenly you’re staring at a wall of novelty mugs and grill tool sets wondering when “World’s Best Dad” became synonymous with “settled for last-minute.” This year, I decided to break the cycle. Dad deserves better than another necktie he’ll never wear, and frankly, so … Read more
I showed up to New River Gorge with zero expectations. A friend had mentioned it offhand — something about a bridge and whitewater — and I figured I’d spend a long weekend poking around before heading somewhere more “destination-worthy.” That was three summers ago, and I’ve been back every year since. West Virginia’s newest national … Read more
Nobody goes to Spokane on purpose. That’s what a friend told me before I booked my ticket last July, and honestly, I almost listened to her. Seattle gets the glory, Portland gets the quirks, and Spokane gets… overlooked. Which is exactly why you should go. I spent five days in Washington’s second-largest city last summer … Read more
I rolled into Eureka Springs on a Tuesday afternoon in late May, windows down, winding through the Ozark hills on Highway 62, and by the time I pulled into town I was already recalculating my entire itinerary. I’d given myself two days. I needed five. Maybe a week. This little Victorian village tucked into the … Read more
I’ve been to Chicago more times than I can count, and every single visit teaches me something new about this city. But nothing has me more excited than what’s happening right now. On June 19, 2026 — Juneteenth — the Obama Presidential Center officially opens its doors to the public in Hyde Park, and it’s … Read more
I’ve chased swimming holes across more states than I care to count, and I’ll tell you this: nothing — and I mean nothing — beats the feeling of finding that perfect natural pool on a scorching July afternoon when the asphalt is soft and your car’s A/C gave up two hours ago. Hotel pools are … Read more