Washington National Cathedral Gargoyle

Walking down the streets of older American cities, where spired, turreted Gothic Revival buildings tower overhead, have you ever felt the presence of someone watching you?

Well, they are.

Look up.

You’ll be amazed at what’s looking down at you! 

Continue Reading »

Walk on the unusual side – take a tour of a historic cemetery, graveyard or burying ground. Macabre, moving, or appealing, these silent cities have fascinating stories to tell.  Beneath fieldstone, granite, marble and bronze, lie superstition and belief, tragedy and triumph, romance and scandal, humor and sadness, politics and war.

Continue Reading »

The WWII Victory Garden is making a comeback! Everywhere, in big cities and small towns, people are talking about planting their own gardens. The reason, of course, is natural: escalating food prices, produce recalls, and the primeval need to dig in the dirt when faced with overwhelming threats all around.  So, where does this subject fit into travel?

This summer and fall, as you travel about the US, include a visit to a city market, community garden, greenmarket, farmers’ markets, tailgate market, and seek out restaurants whose menus feature fresh, regionally grown vegetables and sustainable cuisine.  You’ll love this new tourism twist! Continue Reading »

Planning to visit San Francisco? You can see it on one of the many San Francisco Tours – from a San Francisco cable car, by ferry, on a bike, by Segway, on foot — or, you can start going to step class now because one of the most unique ways to see the City By the Bay is by walking along some of its 600 magical stairways. Experience just one, and you’re hooked!

Continue Reading »

As our collective “green” consciousness develops, it’s great to see what individuals, institutions and companies are doing to make a difference in the greening of America.  In San Francisco, a Victorian-era museum gets it!  It’s going green with a project that will blow your mind!  Continue Reading »

Clear your schedule, pack a cooler and strap yourself in on October 19th at 9pm when the Travel Channel presents Most Haunted Live at the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California, just south of San Francisco.

A Seven (yes, I said seven) Hour marathon of paranormal investigation and things that go bump in the night. I’m exhausted already. How will they maintain such an event before the channel changes? I do not know. Guess we’ll have to watch and see…er…wait a minute. No doubt, it’s gonna be a hootenanny.

The Winchester Mystery House was creepy when I visited during the day. I can only imagine how it will be at night. Interestingly you can interact with the investigation team online offering suggestions for room searches, etc. Great way to lead up to Halloween my Friends. Just don’t call me for seven hours on October 19th. (Whew!)

Say “Alcatraz” and most people know what you mean. This prison in the bay of San Francisco, California is well-known. Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly and the Birdman were guests. They say no one ever escaped. I was lucky enough to take the evening tour.

The boat was eager with anticipation as we approached The Rock. After debarking, we took a narrated walk with a Ranger to the top of the island to explore.

The audio headset tour was excellent and included the sights and sounds of this historic prison. We had plenty of time to explore and the evening light made it even more creepy. This place is filled with history and atmosphere. A visit to Alcatraz is exciting and thankfully you can escape at the end.

I love to eat and drink. It is a passion with me. Taking the Local Tastes of North Beach Tour in San Francisco, California was a must. I was impressed.

North Beach is the “Little Italy” of the City. On this walking tour we tasted espresso that was freshly roasted and bread right out of the oven, after visiting the kitchen to watch them make it. Next were fresh deli meats, olive oil and cheeses from local artisans followed by chocolate from one of the top ten chocolatiers in America. We visited the church where Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe were married and the Purple Onion café where Bill Cosby and Phyllis Diller got their start.

The journey was wonderful and filled with San Francisco insider information. You felt like a native on this tour. Tom was very helpful and friendly, offering sightseeing and restaurant suggestions throughout the tour. Eating your way through North Beach is fantastic and he also does a Chinatown tour. Mmmmmmmmmm. Feed me.

I’m told that larger trees exist. Hard to imagine.

I didn’t know what to expect as we traveled by bus on the Muir Woods- Sausalito tour in San Francisco, California. We arrived at a plain parking lot with a simple entrance to the Muir Woods National Monument. The driver told us to return in about 90 minutes for the trip to Sausalito. I almost missed the bus.

Once you walk down the path and leave the crowds behind you are transported to a primitive world of light and shadow. The Redwoods jut up out of the black soil and compete with each other for sunlight. Every now and then, a human, standing and staring at the majesty of this forest. Massive, splendid and rare.

A small creek dances down the middle of the paths and plays background music for us. Lush ferns carpet the ground while chipmunks scamper in and out. Light filters through thick branches to show the way. I almost missed the bus.

All the way to Sausalito my mind kept returning to Muir Woods. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. That night I dreamed of sacred places and spiritual journeys. That night I slept in Muir Woods.

It’s fun when the owner/operator does the tour. I’m sure I just got lucky, but I really enjoyed the local perspective of a third generation San Franciscan. That is what Mr. Toads Tours offers in San Francisco, California. Local knowledge.

The reproduction 1918 Packard vehicle seats about 8 people and is very fun to ride in as we honked at passersby! They have a small fleet of these vintage cars that run on propane. A big part of the charm is that we could see areas that larger vehicles couldn’t explore. We went behind Coit tower, up into Russian Hill and really explored the neighborhoods. It’s great for small groups. It was personal and geared to the audience’s interests instead of a canned presentation on a pre-planned route. It’s the type of tour you can take more than once. I really enjoyed it. Ribbit…