With its incredible beaches, stunning views and lush green mountains, Hawaii is a sensory paradise. But the spectacular scenery is just one part of the journey.  Some of the best discoveries come as you taste your way through Hawaii – from the plentiful fresh produce in season year-round to full-bodied, aromatic coffee and poke practically straight from the ocean.

Renowned chef Jean-Charles Métayer, Consultant Chef of Grace Hotel Santorini, in an interview on the Greek gastronomic scene.

“I don’t buy coffee,” Jesús Salazar, founder and CEO of El Cafeologo in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, once said. What Salazar does is far more involved. He works directly with small coffee farmers in the southern state of Chiapas to develop their coffee production, teaching picking techniques and processing methods, then helps with roasting and cupping. In 2010, Salazar worked with just four farmers. Our coffee shop El Molino proudly buys premium, fair-trade, organic beans from Salazar, and thanks to partners like us, Salazar has increased his network to 35 “micro-producers.”

Hiking through Kalāhuipua‘a Historic Park, we stopped along the trail to appreciate the variety of petroglyphs that depict primitive life symbols and provide a view into Hawaiʻi’s rich and ancient history. The area also offers around 40 natural caves composed of lava tubes and partially collapsed lava bubbles that are perfect for exploring, and we were in search of one cave in particular – the mythical “spirit cave”. A short hike from our retreat at Mauna Lani, I was tipped off about the park’s unusual cave during a discussion with Uncle Danny, the resort’s resident expert in Hawaiian history and culture. 

As a 31+ year local, I’m frequently asked about Aspen Snowmass’s best-kept winter secret. Well, I'm here to let the "snowcat" out of the bag. With over 1,500 acres of ungroomed terrain exclusively for the use of up to 36 people per day, it's the Aspen Mountain Powder Tours. If you're an intermediate skier/rider or better, there's nothing more fun than skiing or boarding "hero snow" all day long with your own private guides and snowcat. Try it—you'll thank me! 

From the very beginning, I knew I wanted a special destination to propose to my (then) girlfriend. It had to be out of the ordinary, with unforgettable views, and also be a great place to hide away together for a week or two after we got engaged. In short, I wasn’t going to settle for anything less than utterly romantic. Santorini fit the bill perfectly.

My husband and I are driving the backcountry roads that wind through the Texas Hill Country, heading to Fredericksburg. An hour and a half west of Austin, the country drive takes us past Texas Longhorn cattle with three-feet-long horns, and enticing mom-and-pop antique shops that will have to wait for another time. On these last days of summer vacation, we are on a mission to eat the peaches that Fredericksburg is famous for. That rose-gold fruit has always represented summer to me - the long, slow days of youth that stretch out forever - and I’m nostalgic for the floral fruit.

Walking these halls each day, I’m always taken in by the attention to authentic historical detail that greets me at every turn – from the incredible Mediterranean-style architecture and design to artful décor and landscaping that all pay homage to the estate’s rich past and the vision of its original owner, Edgar Howard “Commodore” Perry.

“The tortillas! They have to be fresh, homemade tortillas!” laughs Connie Martinez, owner of La Cocina de Consuelo. Born Consuelo Arroyo Martinez in Zacatecas State, Mexico, Connie immigrated to the US in the early 1960s, and her journey to owning a restaurant began as a church fundraiser in 1983. Connie led the women’s group and sold enchiladas to fellow parishioners, co-workers, friends, and family. Those people soon became regular customers and, in the early ‘90s, her delicious enchiladas became well known throughout Austin, Texas, as “Connie’s Enchiladas.” Before long, Connie was catering parties, weddings, and other special events. She even catered to First Lady Laura Bush, Governor of Texas Anne Richards, and artist Amado Pena, among others.

This Thanksgiving, we’re thankful for the many guests who’ve become a part of the Hotel Jerome family through the years. We’re also thankful for reaching a very special milestone: 130 years since the hotel’s namesake owner Jerome B. Wheeler first opened our doors on Thanksgiving Eve 1889.

Growing up in Poland, my grandparents often looked after me, and they taught me much of what I know about plants and herbs today. As I work in my position as the Spa Manager at The Lodge at Blue Sky, I still cultivate what I learned from them those days and use it daily.

Like many unexpected discoveries that can happen during an adventure in the Napa Valley, I stumbled upon one walking through the lobby of the Solage Resort. It was the striking colors that first caught my eye followed by the light fragrance that seemed like a combination of delicate roses and lemons. Abundant blooms of fresh flowers – fluffy, fully bloomed camellias and ranunculus; multi-colored tulips, delicate, sweet-perfumed jasmine and honeysuckle and bright, sunny daffodils – filled a cart that also contained beautiful recycled glass bottles of varying sizes, all for creating personal, handcrafted bouquets.

Discover our new tequila terrace where the motto is “Yes way, agave!” Settle back on one of our pink-striped pillows, and discover that tequila can come in another hue besides clear or golden—it can also come in pink. We’ve created a selection of cocktails featuring Código 1530 Rosé Tequila, a blush-colored tequila with a delicious floral finish.

As we descend down a set of wooden stairs to a secluded beach, we see the flickering glow of tiki torches. As we get closer, we can smell the fire burning amongst the tables. My husband and I are on this beach to experience the raw culinary experience.

Telluride really is an angler’s paradise, with some of the finest trout streams in the Rocky Mountains along with countless high country lakes, ponds and alpine creeks that make for stellar fly fishing year-round—even in winter. Here’s a guide to the best spots for fly fishing Telluride, CO and its environs any time of year. 

We’re delighted by the sugary scent of velvety soft serve every morning we open our ice cream shop on Aquidneck Island. As the third generation of caretakers of Frosty Freez, we take pride in running one of Newport’s tried-and-true institutions, a convivial outpost in Middletown that’s served the community with sweet treats—from delectable ice cream sandwiches to frozen yogurt in cups or wafer cones—since the dawn of the 1950s.

Like clockwork, I hit a point each October where I can’t quite shake the stress that’s built up over the year. When I turn the calendar and see the holidays are closing in, I know it’s time for a major reset—a retreat from the world to soothe my mind and soul. I returned to Napa, a place I’ve long adored in the spring for its lively mood. Late autumn/winter is something entirely different. Though the wineries are open, the crowds are gone. Days are mild; evenings crisp. Cloaked in post-harvest hues of russet and gold, the valley evinces a quiet allure. It’s a time for rest and renewal.

With its lively buzz and Old West vibe, the legendary J-Bar isn’t just Aspen’s social hub. It’s also a reminder—and bustling relic—of the town’s rich history. Cowboys and miners once rode their horses through J-Bar’s doors during Aspen’s silver boom, and drinks are still slung over the original century-plus-year-old maple bar. When Prohibition struck in 1920, J-Bar went the way of a host of other bars across America: it became a soda fountain. “Necessity is the mother of invention,” as they say, and the Aspen Crud was soon born.

Hotel Jerome has a rich history, one that parallels with the history of Aspen itself. During its silver boom years in the late 19th century—when fortunes rose dramatically and all anyone could see was up—department store magnate Jerome B. Wheeler envisioned a rival to the grande dame hotels of Europe. Hotel Jerome was born.

From hiking a scenic forest once home to an industrial-era iron-making complex to learning the art of selecting the juiciest, most supple apples from the orchard, here are our top not-to-miss adventures in Litchfield Hills.