Interior of The Grove by Jessica Gioglio
It probably won’t come as a surprise to the more frequent readers of this blog, but I adore charming little restaurants and boutiques. When traveling, I purposefully seek out places like San Francisco’s Fillmore Street that contain a mix of both. Delightful, yet not overly posh, this street is situated in the city’s beautiful Pacific Heights neighborhood, and is perfect for a lunch and shopping jaunt.
A Pathway in Regent's Park, London by Jessica Gioglio
Excuse me while I indulge in a serious case of Wanderlust. A regret of mine in 2010 was hoarding my vacation time for a trip that I didn’t end up taking. Though it’s not a huge sob story, as a twist of fate had me landing a great new job, I learned a valuable lesson: There’s no time like the present to travel.
Interestingly, as I was plotting my escape (er….getaway), I was delighted to learn that my roommates had also been bitten by the travel bug. We’re not planning to travel together, or during the same timeframe even, but our vacation goals are pretty similar: leisure time in a locale worth exploring, combined with good friends and plenty of fresh air.
Sounds pretty simple, right? Call me crazy, but vacations don’t need to be so complicated. Nor do they need to revolve around having a travel companion. If you’re anything like me, you have a running list of places that you’ve been wanting to go to. So, what’s holding you back?
Before I get accused of sounding overly idealistic, let it be known that I’ve made every excuse in the book not to travel – money, work demands, nobody to vacation with. It’s almost too easy to find a reason not to travel and stay home. Perhaps it’s that I keep inching closer to 30, or that life keeps asking more of me, but I finally realized that the busier I get, the less that I should listen to those excuses and just go.
Carving out time for yourself may not always be easy, but you can do it. So far this year I’ve embraced my wanderlust with a quick jaunt to San Francisco following a business trip, and am looking forward to adventures in London, New York City and Punta Cana over the next three months. Not too shabby for someone who only hopped on a plane once last year!
Next up is London….and I can’t think of a better way to carve out some ‘me’ time.
Are you traveling to anywhere fun this year? Leave a comment below about where you’re going and what motivated you to go. Perhaps it will inspire others!
Scenic Vistas at the Ferrari-Carano Winery by Jessica Gioglio
A charming small town in Northern California wine country, Healdsburg’s gorgeous vineyards, gourmet cuisine and cute boutiques make it an ideal locale for a relaxing weekend away. During a recent jaunt to the West Coast for a wedding, I was fortunate enough to spend a few days drinking in all that Healdsburg has to offer. And yes, wine was involved.
Approximately two hours north of San Francisco, Healdsburg is an easy drive from the city. In my opinion, the place to stay in Healdsburg is at a hotel or inn within walking distance of the town center. Filled with a variety of tasting rooms, boutiques, restaurants and cafes, it offers a fantastic home base.
Full of good old-fashioned Yankee houses and fresh lobsters the size of a lap dog, there are few more appropriate places to close out the New England summer than Maine.
Most New England beach towns are aflutter with tourist traps over the summer, but there are still hidden gems and treasures off the beaten path for you to explore. Here’s a look at York Beach, a sun-bleached beach-side summer town, and Kennebunkport, a bustling (by Maine standards) historic city.
Across from the York Harbor Inn, what looks like a park or war memorial is actually the entrance to a oceanside boardwalk. The trail is a mix of Newport cliff walk and hiking trail, with views of turquoise pools and pristine rock beaches. Parts of the walk are steep, so bring appropriate footwear and make sure to pack your camera. The foliage is almost as stunning as the crystal clear water.
On the other end of York Beach, Sohier Park is home to a historic lighthouse. A ski-lift style gondola dangles invitingly, waiting to escort you to the lighthouse island, but you’ll have to sweet talk a coast guard to get a ride. No matter; the sweeping views down the coast are worth the visit.
Skip the crowded, over-priced tourist joints in town and head to Captain Hook’s, over the bridge and just out of downtown. Grab a seat at the picnic-style outdoor tables and place your order. Most fish and fried things are ordered inside, but for lobster, you go out back and pick out your lunch in person.
If you are into architecture, history, or just pretty things, the Carriage Rides are a real treat. They depart from the edge of the town’s residential area at 25 Ocean Street. Watch where you park your car though – a sign on a nearby house warns visitors: “Don’t park here. We’ll crunch your car while you shop and dine.”
In Kennebunkport, you can get 40% of the Nonantum Resort ($144-214, 1-800-552-5651) or 30% off at the Kennebunkport Inn ($199, 1-800-248-2621). Just ask for the “Inn Crowd” rate.
Gabi Logan is a jetsetting food and travel writer. In addition to being a fabulous contributor to The SavvyBostonian, Gabi inspires people with her menus, recipes and cooking tips for delicious home-cooked gourmet food in a flash at The 30 Minute Dinner Party. For more of Gabi’s guest posts on The SavvyBostonian, please click here.
Rose in Elizabeth Park by yourFAVORITEmartian Flickr
Vibrantly green with the oldest municipally operated rose garden in the country, Elizabeth Park in West Hartford, Connecticut is a fragrant oasis tucked between Boston and New York. One of twenty-two public All America Test Gardens in the country, Elizabeth Park is home to more than 800 varieties of roses and evaluates new types of the gorgeous flower before they are available to the public.
Elizabeth Park, West Hartford by Jessica Gioglio
Offering free parking and admission, pay no attention to the clock as you enjoy a leisurely stroll in the garden. Be sure to pack a camera and make frequent stops to pose for photos among the colorful blooms and well-manicured shrubbery. Don’t be surprised if you see a wedding taking place, as the garden’s romantic rose-covered arches and artfully landscaped pathways make this a prime wedding venue.
After working up an appetite, visit the Pond House Café, which is open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner on Sunday for brunch. With both indoor and outdoor seating, it’s a great spot to relax. Menu items range from wraps, salads and burgers for lunch, to chicken, salmon and pork tenderloin for dinner and brunch classics like omelets, crepes and french toast on Sundays. Though the cafe does not serve alcohol, patrons are welcome to bring their own beer or wine for a nominal corking fee – $5 for wine or $1.50 for beer.
For more information about Elizabeth Park, please visit www.elizabethpark.org and www.pondhousecafe.com for The Pond House Café.