Mountain City's Travel Blog

Whether or not you loved studying Shakespeare in school, chances are, to this day you regularly hear - and use – lines from his 154 sonnets and 39 plays that are still continuously being staged in theaters around the world, more than any other playwright in any language. That’s not a bad linguistic legacy for someone who was born nearly 500...

 It’s not just the first national park in the U.S. It’s the first national park in the world. In March, 1872, American president Ulysses S. Grant signed into law the establishment of Yellowstone National Park to preserve and protect some of the country’s most emblematic scenery and wildlife for future generations. That first national park represented the start of the...

 Kenya may already be on your travel bucket list for a once-in-a-lifetime epic wildlife safari through its sweeping African landscapes. But visitors can now easily connect to its culture and lifestyle in more ways, thanks to a new program by Kenya’s tourism board. The Magical Kenya Signature Experiences Collection is a growing selection of authentic and unique activities, accommodations, and...

Ancient Hawaiian culture meets the astro-tourism trend in this new experience in Lana’i. If you are one of the many people who’ve found a new fascination with the night skies, the new observatory debuting in the Four Seasons Resort Lanai will be keeping you ‘up at nights’ thinking about this trip. Four Seasons Resort Lanai has debuted the Lāna'i Observatory, offering...

How good is active outdoor travel for your health and wellbeing? It’s so essential that doctors in Canada can now prescribe a ‘dose’ of nature to their patients.“PaRx” is Canada’s first, national nature prescription program. It started in 2020 and has since won over a lot of supporters, including an award from the Canadian Medical Association, and over 1000 registered...

What’s the best part of celebrating the day named after Ireland’s patron saint? Is it the ‘wearin’ o’ the green?’ The irresistible beat of Irish music that makes every listener’s toes tap? Your hilarious attempts at an Irish jig or your own version of Riverdance? Or the famous Irish beverages that fuel the festivities in the Emerald Isle and around the...

One of the first signs of spring for travel and cruise lovers like me… isn’t the first tulip or robin. It’s the return of river cruising in Europe. This year especially celebrates a fresh new season, after two pandemic years when many people weren’t traveling to Europe and can’t wait now to return to their favorite European memories and make...

This chain of couples-only Caribbean resorts is serious about helping guests ‘get in the groove’ while on vacation. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Sandals Resorts has launched an ‘Institute of Romance’ to research trends in couples’ relationships with a goal of helping keep the sparks a’ flying. The new trend-house delves into data about modern love, relationships and intimacy… And how...

“Carnival” and “Mardi Gras” evoke some of the world’s most legendary, annual, pre-Easter parties. The two events are related, with a shared origin and even some of the same cultural traditions. Carnival is a whole season, but Mardi Gras is one special day. They are celebrated in countries with strong, historic Catholic traditions.The calendar tells all. Pre-Easter, devout Catholics observe Lent, a time...

At 2021’s Climate summit in Glasgow, something pretty extraordinary for one of the natural world’s greatest treasures happened. Neighboring countries Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama got together and agreed to create an ‘ocean highway’ to allow threatened marine species in and around the richly and uniquely biodiverse Galapagos Islands to safely travel to the territories they need to survive....

February has been an even more romantic month than usual this year. Not only did countless couples celebrate their love in dream destinations on Valentine’s Day – one couple became the first to be united in matrimony on the White Continent. On an Atlas Ocean Voyage to Antarctica – that even departed on February 14,, 2022 – Valentine’s Day! Bride...

Is it time to change winter blues for island “greens?” The ideal outdoor, distanced, leisure activity, golfing got a shot in the arm over the last couple of years. Even less committed golfers dusted off the clubs during the pandemic, rediscovering the delights to be found on the greens. And now that people are travelling again, the clubs are coming along...

A Mountain Chic Boutique Hotel

Welcome to the Year of the Tiger! Once every dozen years, the Lunar New Year celebrates the largest of all cats, one that Asian astrologers describe as uplifting, brave, and independent. All excellent qualities for the year ahead. Over 1.5 billion people around the world celebrate Lunar New Year. Festivities continue in some cultures for about two weeks, but the influence of...

In honor of Valentine’s Day, we thought we’d resurrect that retro, ‘50’s dating cliché with a travel twist. Instead of poodle skirts and romance in a souped up convertible in Lover’s Lane, American Graffiti-style, we suggest a romantic trip to Miami. Well, maybe rent the convertible. Steamy Miami may be made for a vacation version of ‘Date Night.’ A dynamic, seaside...

Step away from the chocolates. Move over, diamonds. The most romantic gift is time together with your best-beloved, and shared experiences that ignite – or reignite – the flames.If it’s time to shake up your romance routine and create new memories of a lifetime on vacation, we have your back.The travel industry’s top executives are intimately familiar with the newest...

Wave goodbye to the winter blues on your way to one of these newly-opened resorts, from adults-only escapes to family-friendly and multi-generational beach vacations. This may be the year to try an all-new destination, or treat yourself to a new kind of holiday that puts a spark in your sun and sand.Adults-Only in the Bahamas: Reimagined Sandals Royal Bahamian After...

It’s been quite a couple of years!Are you in need of a healthy, restorative reboot? Do you crave a slower pace?A digital detox? Are you yearning to travel?For solo ‘me-time, or to share a healthy reset with like-minded friends and family, Wellness Travel by G Adventures has you covered.Wellness Travel can help reclaim your mindful spirit and quench your thirst...

Bears and whales and other marine mammals are high on everyone’s list for wildlife sightings in Alaska. But we think any trip to America’s Last Frontier is, well, ‘for the birds.’ With more coastline than the rest of the United States combined, as well as parks bigger than some countries, Alaska’s natural treasures include abundant populations of some of the...

Don’t let winter stop you from enjoying a wine harvest season! There are two ways - and many places - to celebrate a wine harvest in the New Year. You could travel to the southern hemisphere, where standard vineyard harvests take place during the northern hemisphere’s spring. Or you can embrace winter – and the one, very special wine it...