Winter dreams can make for a great road trip season

by Chris Owen on

Road trip season is more the stuff of winter dreams than reality this time of year. Snow, ice, frozen windshields and bad weather are not good reasons to get us in the car and out on the road. Broke after the holidays, cabin-fever starting to set in, it seems only natural to daydream about being someplace else. Psychologists say that’s perfectly normal and might even be helpful to planning future travels.

“Daydreaming is characterized by a shift of attention away from focusing on a physical or mental task to a series of thoughts derived from long-term memory (often taking a narrative form)” Psychologists Scott Barry Kaufman and Jerome L. Singer say in Scientific American.

Maybe now is the time to pull up those photos from the last road trip, vacation or travel of any kind and re-live those memories. Apparently, we might already be thinking of them anyway.Daydreaming, or mind-wandering “may serve multiple adaptive functions, such as future planning, sorting out current concerns, cycling through different information streams, distributed learning (vs. cramming), and creativity” note Kaufman and Singer.

In other words, when we daydream we may appear to be doing nothing but in reality, things are going on behind the scenes, much like a computer might perform routine maintenance tasks that are also not displayed.

This video tells more about how daydreaming can result in some of the best, most creative travel plans. Pay attention. Really.




Flickr photo by strudelt

Lack of snow brings rare opportunities in Yosemite National Park

by Kraig Becker on

The calendar may say that its winter in the U.S., but you wouldn’t know it based on the weather. Large portions of the country have experienced warmer than normal temperatures, and snowfall across the western states has been practically non-existent in many areas. This hasn’t been especially good news to areas that depend on skiers to help bolster their local economy, but it has presented some rare opportunities to visit certain destinations that would normally be sealed off to travelers this time of year.

A perfect example of this is in Yosemite National Park in California, which is well known for receiving large amounts of snow each year. In fact, certain sections of the park, especially at higher altitude, are often inaccessible starting in November and lasting well into April and beyond. That hasn’t been the case this winter however, and as a result, the park remains open, offering unprecedented winter access to some of the its more remote regions.

Take for example the Tioga Pass Road, which is considered one of the most scenic drives in all of the National Parks. The narrow, twisty highway winds its way past Tenaya Lake and Tuolumne Meadows, home to dozens of Giant Sequoias, while the Sierra Nevada Mountains tower over head. It is a breathtaking and beautiful ride any time of the year, but by mid-January, the road has usually been closed for the winter. It is not uncommon to have ten or more feet of snow blocking the route and preventing passage, but not so this year, as the road is currently wide open for travelers.

Better yet, the lack of snow has meant that most of Yosemite’s 800-miles of trail remain open, which has given hikers an extremely rare opportunity to see some of the park’s famous waterfalls and lakes in a frozen state. Much like the Tioga Pass Road, many of these attractions are often buried under snow by this time of year, but for now at least, visitors can take a day hike and see Yosemite as it is rarely seen – frozen over. For a shorter hike, I’d recommend the Gaylor Lakes trail, which is just 3 miles in length but can offer plenty of exploration into the surrounding area. Those with a bit more time on their hands may want to take in the Cathedral Lakes or Glen Aulin Trails, which wanders past several mountain lakes and waterfalls. As usual on any winter hike be, sure to dress appropriately and bring a few emergency supplies, just in case.

This weekend is the perfect time to visit Yosemite and take in these rare sights for yourself. Not only is the entry fee waved for today and tomorrow, but you also know it is only a matter of time before winter does arrive and spoils the fun. The snow will come eventually, and when it does, it’ll probably be heavy enough to close off access until spring. Take advantage of this rare opportunity and experience Yosemite as you’ve never seen it before.

Norfolk, Virginia: Thanks to PETA, it’s the next best destination for vegetarians

by Libby Zay on

It seems likely that the site of the world’s largest Naval would be a place where meat monopolizes the menu. But in Norfolk, Virginia that’s simply not the case. The small city has truly embraced vegetarianism (and veganism as well), with nearly all of the restaurants featuring an ample list of veg-friendly options-plus plenty of places that cater solely to the meat-free crowd.

Obviously, larger cities like New York, San Francisco, and Toronto or towns that attract more eclectic inhabitants such as Portland, Bloomington, and Austin have plenty of demand for vegetarian eateries. In Norfolk, however, something else seems to be at work. The big influencer is actually the world’s largest animal rights organization, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which is based there. For many positions at the organization, it’s actually a requirement that the employee is vegan-and it’s a bit of a no-brainer that the office culture probably dictates most employees stray from meat.

As the sailors filter in and out of the city, the PETA employees stay. As a result, there are plenty of places for vegetarians to eat morning, noon, and night. In the funky neighborhood of Ghent alone, there is a laundry list of over two-dozen restaurants that cater to vegetarians-and all seem to have mastered clearly marking menus for easy perusal.

Just a few of the favored pit-stops for vegetarians around Norfolk include Machismo Burrito Bar for Tex-Mex covered with nondairy sour cream and cheese, Rajput for Indian cuisine like veggie samosas and tofu palak, and Azar’s Market & Cafe for over 40 meat-free Mediterranean options. The menu at The Ten Top is dominated by veggies, and at Dragon City you can get cheap Chinese takeout that is assuredly vegan. Bella Pizzeria serves up pizza with soy cheese, and Yorgo’s Bageldashery goes above and beyond tofu cream cheese by serving a tempeh BLT wrap and “egg” salad. Even a local greasy spoon, the Donut Dinette, serves soy sausage with breakfast and vegan chicken salad for lunch.


Of course, the food isn’t the only draw to this seaport. There’s wine, too. Each year in May, the city’s waterfront becomes home to the Spring Town Point Virginia Wine Festival, when visitors pack the downtown area to sample Virginia’s finest vino and listen to live music.

But seriously: Besides food and wine, Norfolk has historical and cultural attractions that draw visitors year-round. History buffs will want to explore the naval museum Nauticus, where you can walk the decks of the impressive USS Battleship Wisconsin, a retired ship that’s storied history launched during World War II and continues through firing the first four missiles in Operation Desert Storm. Art lovers, on the other hand, should head to the Chrysler Museum of Art to peruse the expansive collection of 62 galleries or partake in a glass blowing workshop at the museum’s brand new studio. It’s also a good idea to weave through the local artist studios at d’ART Center, or possibly even plan a visit around the Stockley Gardens Arts Festival, a free event that brings 25,000 people to a local park (and just so happens to coincide with the Wine Festival in May).

No matter why you choose to come to Norfolk, it’s a city that is sure to surprise you once you arrive. My advice is to come for the food and wine, and stay for the great festivals and museums.

[Photos by Libby Zay]

Eat while traveling on cuisine-focused adventures

by Chris Owen on

What we eat while traveling has always been a big part of a memorable trip. A recent survey by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism says 71% of Americans participated in at least one culinary activity while on an out-of-town trip and that activity was one of the most significant travel experiences of the vacation. Now, cuisine-focused adventures offered by travel agencies are making menus much more than a souvenir.

“With interest in local cuisines growing thanks to the success of popular television shows like the Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, gastronomic adventures are overtaking itineraries among gourmets and casual diners alike,” said travel service company Amadeus in a recent newsletter.

Noting trending travel requests and getting the information out to travel agencies who want to be prepared with their offerings, Amadeus sent along information about a variety of food-oriented travel packages.

Taste-full tours
Travel agencies are creating itineraries that include tours of wineries, food and wine events, festivals, cooking classes, cruises with guest chefs and more so travelers can experience the unique flavor of a particular geographic region or city.

Learn to cook on a cruise
On cruise lines, dining has always been a big part of the experience. Now, many lines have gone beyond buffets to offer culinary-themed voyages. Holland America’s Culinary Arts Center and Oceania Cruises’ Bon Appetit Culinary Center are floating cooking schools where passengers get up-close and personal instruction from chefs on the ship.
A side order of history
“Culinary tourism offers foodies a taste of history with experiences such as the Tasting Tour of the French Quarter in which the rich New Orleans food culture comes alive,”adds Amadeus. “After experiencing a historical walking tour, travelers visit the city’s famous eateries such as Antoine’s and Tujague’s, both established in the 1800s.”

Chocoholics unite
Die-hard chocolate addicts will want to experience the Swiss Chocolate Train and visit the Cailler-Nestle factory and tasting room at Broc, Switzerland. In the U.S., life doesn’t get much sweeter than the town of Hershey, Pa., or the Ghiradelli Chocolate Factory in San Francisco.

Cooking on all burners
Culinary travelers want to take home practical knowledge of how to prepare the foods they’ve discovered and can sign up for cooking classes, such as the weeklong Culinary and Art Adventure in Provence with Chef Philippe Gion. Participants go home with a personalized cookbook of dishes they’ve learned during the week.

Trips and tours with special, focused themes like the food-oriented travel options listed here won’t be found on a click-to-buy website. A qualified travel agency, specializing in food-oriented travel packages is the place to look for these and other themed travel options.


Flickr photo by Jeff Kubina

New York hotel suite up for auction for an entire year

by Jessica Festa on

This year, Affinia Manhattan plans to make Sunday nights special for one lucky winner. From January 19-Feruary 2, 2012, the hotel will be auctioning off an entire year’s worth of Sunday night stays in a newly revamped one-bedroom suite. The package is worth $20,000 and is perfect for business travelers and those in the outer boroughs or nearby suburbs who come into the city often.

Along with the suite itself, the winner will also get added perks, such as:

  • A virtual closet to store clothing and belongings
  • Late check out at 5PM
  • Free high-speed internet access
  • Sunday “tips” like free parking and free comedy shows

And to make the event even better, a portion of the proceeds will go to help The New York Restoration Project.

Interested in bidding? Visit charitybuzz from January 19-February 2.