Get Out of Town

November 26, 2025

An Old West Town in Wine Country

Having only ever gone to Santa Ynez for a meal and maybe a brief stroll, I dragooned my husband into spending a night there. The 24-hour trip felt like much longer, in the best possible way. 2

November 19, 2025

The Glorious Isolation of Santa Barbara Island

On the smallest of the eight Channel Islands, you really do feel like you're in the middle of the ocean. 4

November 2, 2025

Hiking From Hotel to Hotel in the Dolomites

The Italian mountain range is a prime example of how certain destinations appear to become wildly popular overnight. But don't let that discourage you: our self-guided hiking trip was one of the best trips we've ever taken. Plus: Milan for the first time, and testing out an all-business-class airline. 5

October 8, 2025

A Ramble Through the English Countryside

All I knew about rural England is what I’ve gleaned from Merchant Ivory films, and yet the Cotswolds and Somerset still didn't disappoint. Plus: A couple of days in London. 2

August 3, 2025

Notes From Up North

Highs and lows on a visit to Healdsburg, Mendocino, and San Francisco—including being dwarfed by redwoods, wandering on the edge of bluffs, cosplaying Jessica Fletcher, riding in robotaxis, and eating very well. 1

July 27, 2025

Sleeping in Style at Ojai’s New Hotel El Roblar

The town finally has a cool hotel—one that manages to feel both completely fresh and like it's been there forever. 17

June 18, 2025

There’s More to Peru Than Machu Picchu

While the Incan ruins are understandably a highlight of any visit to the country, you'd do well to expand your horizons—not just to Lima, but also the Colca Canyon, Sacred Valley, and the stunning city of Arequipa. 2

May 4, 2025

On a Backroads Tour of New Zealand’s South Island

Most of our time on the South Island was spent on a Backroads tour, and it's easy to see why so many people love the company—they make traveling so easy. But there are trade-offs. Plus: The exquisite Blanket Bay lodge. 6

April 23, 2025

Navigating the North Island of New Zealand

We spent nearly a month exploring New Zealand—doing the North Island on our own and the South Island mainly with the Backroads active tour company. 6

March 19, 2025

Don’t Be So Quick to Write Off Phoenix

With five million people living in the Phoenix metropolitan area, there has to be something interesting to do—besides play golf or lie by a pool—for a few days, right? 7