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.

As our open-air Jeep headed for the turn off to Last Dollar Road, right outside of Telluride, I snuggled under thick wool blankets and breathed in the cool morning mountain air that makes summer in Colorado so amazing. Our family adventure would take us along the former mining route, an unpaved and often bumpy road that winds through valleys up into high mountain passes. Extreme heights always have me a little faint of heart, but I was eager to get going since Last Dollar Road so I could capture photos of some beautiful Colorado vistas to enjoy back home.

“What’s with the snake?” It’s a question I’m often asked at TnT, and for good reason. One of my favorite spirits, and one that’s displayed prominently on the counter of our open-air beachside taco bar, is Coyame Sotol, which has a whole rattlesnake curled up inside along with several scorpions. They’re said to give special healing powers. Here at TnT, we view “Caroline the Rattlesnake” as a cure-all, and bestower of good energy.

As Grace Hotel’s Head Chef, I’m blessed to be around so many distinctive, superbly refreshing white wines. They are the products of the island’s rich, centuries-old winemaking tradition. Crisp, minerally and bone-dry, these white wines pair wonderfully with local dishes, from the whole range of mezze spreads and refreshing salads tossed with feta or goat cheese, to lemon-accented fish and seafood dishes. Made primarily from the assyrtiko grape, which is grown on 65 percent of the ungrafted vines on the island, these wines beautifully represent their unique terroir.

Hawaiians have honed their relationship to the sea over many centuries. Daring to ride the biggest waves, sail outrigger canoes across Earth’s largest ocean, and dive into the sea’s salty depths, Hawaiian watermen and women have shown the rest of the world what is possible. Drawing upon this ancient expertise, guests are invited to paddle, pedal and perform by way of Kainalu Sports.

Fat silver fish turn figure eights beneath the surface of Lāhuipua‘a fishpond. Every now and then I catch the flash of an eel’s tail disappearing into the shadows. A slender rock wall encircles the five-acre coastal pond. It’s one of seven ancient fishponds at Mauna Lani—waters once cherished by Hawaiian kings and fishermen alike. Watching ripples spread across the surface of Lāhuipua‘a, I imagine the hands that built its wall eight hundred years ago.

When we checked-in to Hacienda AltaGracia, we knew the surprise for our kids was given away when the desk clerk confirmed our itinerary for the week. We hadn’t shared much with them about our trip, but for years they have been asking to see whales after seeing them on a nature television show.

Danny Akaka, the resort’s resident expert in Hawaiian history and culture, is in high demand. No matter how many people file into the Hale I‘ike cultural center, each one of them receives the full benefit of his beaming smile and gracious attention. Akaka is the embodiment of aloha: generous, unhurried, and brimming with love for Hawai‘i and her people. Diplomacy runs in Akaka’s genes. His father was a respected U.S. Senator, his uncle coined the phrase “aloha spirit,” and his grandmother couldn’t let a tired taro farmer pass by her house without offering refreshment and a shady place to rest.

As a Colorado native who grew up in San Diego, my need to be around and in the water is very intense. When I moved back to the mountains, becoming a certified instructor through the Professional Stand Up Paddling Association (PSUPA) was the perfect way to satiate that desire and to keep active. It’s also one of my favorite ways to spend time with my family in nature. There are so many local rivers and lakes that you can explore with a paddleboard, but it’s the pristine, snow-fed waters of the North Star Nature Preserve, just five minutes from downtown Aspen, that I love best.

To watch a first-of-a-kind moment in the life of a child is a treasured memory. On vacation with my preschool-aged grandchildren, I was vaguely aware of the vineyard located just beyond the swimming pool, but the chicken coop with actively laying hens inside surprised me and added a serendipitous educational experience for all of us.