I go head to head with my Philly-based colleague to help you decide which city is best to visit: Boston vs Philadelphia. When I first moved to Boston, I thought I had landed in the smartest place on the planet.…
The Best Things to Do in Salem
Salem, Mass – Halloween is coming! In honor of the spooky season, we have a new article about the best things to do in Salem. “It was 1692 – a dark time indeed – when the residents of Salem village…
Freedom Trail
This article about the Freedom Trail is adapted from Lonely Planet’s new Pocket Boston guide, forthcoming in January 2025. One of Boston’s most popular attractions, the 2.5-mile Freedom Trail comprises 16 colonial and revolutionary historical sites. It connects the locations of the…
Comerica Park vs Fenway Park
Boston, Mass and Detroit, Mich – This summer we had the good fortune to watch back-to-back baseball games, one weekend at Comerica Park in Detroit and the next weekend at Fenway Park in Boston. Good times with good friends and…
The Best Places to Travel in your 20s
Lonely Planet writers compiled a list of the best places to travel in your 20s. Not surprisingly, Costa Rica is on the list! (At least I am not surprised, because I nominated it and I wrote the entry.) Indeed, I…
Long Trail, Vermont
Lincoln, Vermont – Last summer, the twins spent a week hiking and camping in New Hampshire with an Appalachian Mountain Club teen camp. It was a good experience for them, despite the rain, and I thought they would do it…
Paris vs Lyon
Lyon, France – We came to Lyon because Daddio was attending a conference, but then I noticed that travel writers (ahem) have been touting Lyon as an offbeat, affordable alternative to Paris–and also the culinary capital of France! I asked…
Traboules of Vieux Lyon
Lyon, France – I took myself on a tour of the traboules of Vieux Lyon. They are “secret” covered passageways that connect streets, buildings and courtyards, often on different levels. I read they were built as far back as the…
Frescoes in Lyon
Lyon, France – Here’s a cool thing in Lyon: a series of public murals that depict various elements of Lyonnais history and culture. Several of these are painted as trompe-l’oeil, so it’s hard to tell where the painting stops and…
Lake Annecy Loop
Annecy, France – I didn’t get to cycle around the parks of Versailles or along the banks of the Seine, but I did get to cycle around the Lake Annecy loop. It’s hard to imagine a prettier place for a…