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.

As I slipped my feet into the whiskey, salt, and sage foot bath, I am given a shot of whiskey. If this is how all massages started, I would get them weekly. I hadn’t intended to get a massage as I rarely get them back home. However, my friends and I had been out horseback riding in the mountains the day before, and we were going hiking later in the day, so I wanted something relaxing. Going to The Lodge at Blue Sky was a reunion for my college buddies. While we have kept in touch, it has been since the last wedding that we have all gotten together with just us guys. 

When the railroad snaked its way towards Utah from both coasts, it brought people along who helped to build it and those who hoped for a new future. Three distinct cultures were present in Utah during the railroad era which helped to shape the cuisine of our region: The Chinese, the Irish and the Spanish.

Just over 30 years ago, golf was practically unheard of in Los Cabos. That all changed in 1987, when the 20-mile, sun-kissed stretch between the two towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo got its first golf course, the 9-hole Punta Sur, now known as the Course at Vidanta Los Cabos. While partially flat with modest views, it foreshadowed the future: a boom in Los Cabos golf resorts and the region’s emergence as a premier destination for golf, with more than a dozen championship courses and even more on the way.

Imagine flying above the Costa Rican jungle getting an eagle eye view. This is exactly what I experienced when on a helicopter tour over Chirripo National Park during my stay at Hacienda AltaGracia. It is hard to understand the majesty of the landscape from the ground and this gives you a wonderful opportunity to soar like a bird.

Every year I take a tropical vacation to dip my feet in the sand and search of the best beach. Once I arrived at Malliouhana, I set out to find the best beach on Anguilla.  The staff told me there are 33 beaches on the Island of Anguilla so I was ready to explore. You can go on a tour of 7 Anguilla beaches but I chose to spend a longer time at a few.

I still remember the first snap pea I picked off of its curling vine. The delicate yet bold freshness of this vegetable took on a whole new excitement because my Italian grandmother and I had nurtured these vines. We planted the barren looking seed into the sandy soil, watered it daily, and watched as the first real leaves grow into a four-foot vine filled with edible pods of sugary, crunchy peas. I was hooked.

We sat on the edge of the pool, flutes of sparkling wine in-hand and water tickling our feet. I was surrounded by my favorite group of gal pals as I turned 40 at the secluded, yet chic Solage. Our trip had been planned by my friends and I, and at 9:30pm, the exact moment of my birth hour, we toasted my 40 years and took a celebratory dip in the geothermal mineral pool while gazing up beyond the palm trees to a star-spangled sky. Once inside our poolside cabana and cozy in our spa robes, my friends serenaded me with the Happy Birthday song as I unwrapped my gifts.

My new husband and I came to Malliouhana for many reasons, but the main one was that we could go cay hopping on a traditional West Indian sailboat. Having met on a sailboat, we knew we wanted to recreate that experience on our honeymoon.

Every year we take a family summer vacation to explore somewhere new.  I was beyond excited when mom told me we were headed to Utah to ride horses and play with farm animals. 

When magenta azaleas, yellow tulips, and fragrant lilacs are in full bloom, I love to hit the trails in the verdant countryside of Washington to enjoy our local flora and its most vibrant. With more than 60 trails covering 518 miles, there is plenty of spectacular scenery to enjoy, whether hiking to the stone tower in Mount Tom State Park or enjoying a picturesque view of Lake Waramaug at the peak of Macricostas Pinnacle, one of the finest overlooks in the state. 

Some of my friends say their best dreams are of when they fly in the sky, bouncing among the clouds. My favorite dreams are of walking on the water, staying just above the surface but never slipping through. Well, guess what? My dreams came true on my family’s recent vacation in Los Cabos. We did a lot of super fun things, like riding camels along the beach and taking a kids’ cooking class. But the absolute coolest part of the stay was when I got to walk on water. 

A favorite among Cabo San Lucas hotels on the beach, Chileno Bay Resort & Residences sits along one of Cabo’s most swimmable beaches, a half-mile stretch of golden sand that leads to some of the calmest, most tranquil waters in the region. The Blue Flag-certified beach is also home to one of Los Cabo’s best snorkeling reefs, where you’ll discover a hidden underwater world brimming with colorful sea life. “You’ll feel like you’re swimming in an aquarium,” says one recent fan.

With college graduation in my rearview mirror and a specialized full-time job ahead, my mother suggested she and I spend some quality time together on a road trip to Calistoga. We were primed to create some fun memories.

I love skiing the slopes just as much as any local. But I’ll admit it: Summer might be even better than winter for enjoying elevated adventures at Madeline. Not only is playtime on the peaks infinitely more varied in the warmer months—because of the temperate weather, it’s also the best time of year to play above the peaks. As the days get longer, there’s more time than ever to try these adventures. Here are my top five favorite ways to enjoy the “high” life in Telluride. Why don’t you try one (or all five) this summer?

They say there’s a first time for everything. For me, it was discovering bocce ball, an ancient sport played since the days of the Roman Empire, and a game I learned to play during a family vacation at Solage. We arrived to the outdoor patio under a brilliant scarlet sunset at Solbar, where we ordered a few small bites and cocktails while our sons Jake and Luke expressed their desire for a bit more activity. Fortunately, beyond the rectangular fire pit past the outdoor seating, we noticed two beautifully groomed bocce ball courts.

I’ve practiced yoga all over the world, including in India and Nicaragua for hundreds of hours of yoga training. But one of the most magical is right here in Santorini, especially at my favorite spot, on a promontory rock in front of Grace Hotel that juts out into the Aegean Sea. Here, taking in splendid views of the Caldera, I feel connected to Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing; Epione, the goddess of soothing; and their daughters, goddesses of health and recuperation. I feel their ancient powers flow through with each breath and yoga pose.

Every summer for the last 18 years, I meet my friends and family at Cardines Field at 20 America's Cup Avenue to hear the first crack of the bat during the opening game of the Newport Gulls, a summer collegiate baseball team based in our hometown of Newport, Rhode Island. Founded in Cranston in 1998, we take pride in saying we’re one of the NECBL's most successful teams, winning six Fay Vincent, Sr. Cups to date.