Between a national halt to hospitality in 2018 and now coronavirus, Nicaragua has faced a one-two punch to local tourism. But with miles of secluded coastline, intimate boutique hotels, and remote island retreats, this off-the-grid destination is the ideal future escape. With several hotel offering credits on future stays, its a great option for dreaming now and traveling when its safe.NICARAGUA — How can I be the only person here? I

Hermosa InnScottsdale, AZCowboy Chic, $$ (From $379)What was born in the 1930s as the hacienda and studio of famed cowboy artist Alonzo Lon Megargee is today an intimate hideaway in Arizonas Paradise Valley. The property opened as Hermosa Inn in 1941, with the original structures handbuilt by the artist in a traditional Southwestern style from adobe bricks, wood beams, and hand-painted tiles transformed into two restaurants, meeting areas,

In an excerpt from his book Underground Worlds: A Guide to Spectacular Subterranean Places, David Farley explores the 12th-century Vardazia Cave Monastery in Georgia.GEORGIA — Vardzia was a massive complex: six thousand apartments. Thirteen floors. Twenty-five wine cellars. A meeting room, a reception center, and a pharmacy. There was even a throne room and a church. This isnt an eccentric urban apartment building. Its more like a hum

Oakland-based poet Arisa Whites new, slender memoir, Whos Your Daddy (Augury Books, March 2021), recalls fragments of imagery, memory, and place as the author embarks on a journey to Guyana to reunite with her father. Readers are transported via vivid descriptions of landscape, music, culture, and proverbs. In the excerpt below, White visits one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world, Kaieteur Falls, buried deep in the Guyana reg

In Kolkata, India, Shibasish Saha uses drone photography to capture mesmerizing aerial views of nature and people at work — fishermen and fisherwomen casting ghostly nets in unison, famers harvesting water lilies in neat rows — and often totes a Nikon around to take colorful, joy-filled portraits of people in West Bengal and beyond. His work is being recognized all over the world. He sheds some light on his work and process.Tell

Where do Mexico City dwellers go to unwind? Two hours west in the forested hills of the colonial town Valle de Bravo. New Yorker Laura House and her family go see what its all about.VALLE DE BRAVO, Mexico — We longed for sunshine. We craved unlimited tacos stuffed near-to-bursting. Nature was a must-have. Beach crowds were to be avoided.To tick all the boxes on our winter-escape-from-New-York wish list, my husband, our

Field Guide LodgeStowe, VermontMountain chic, $ (From $139)Theres a common rule of thumb in a ski town: Come for the winter, stay for the summer. When the snow melts, the mountains reveal fields of wildflowers, hidden waterfalls, swimming holes, and off-the-beat trails with vast views of pine tree valleys. While most nature lovers flock to Stowe for its snow-covered slopes, true explorers know its all about the summer and fall months where

Were rolling out excerpts from our new book Travel North America (And Avoid Being a Tourist) all summer long. Chapter six, Bright Lights, Big Cities, has a section called Cities We Love and the People Who Love Them. What makes a city special? Because no one knows that answer better than the creative spirits who help define them, we asked a few people we admire to share the best of their hometowns.Heres Kelly Krause, a writer, community buil

In Fathoms book Travel North America (And Avoid Being a Tourist), there is a whole chapter dedicated to taking it nice and easy. Its called The Joy of Slowing Down, and its a method, a mantra, and a movement. You can get a taste for it in the excerpt below.Botanical landscapes are best when dreamed up by poets, artists, and eccentrics.LongHouse Reserve, East Hampton,New YorkTucked away on a 16-acre (6-hectare) reserve at the end ofLong Isla

Croatias popular destinations have seen an influx of tourists in recent years. But theres so much more to the Mediterranean country than Dubrovnik, Split, and Hvar, beautiful as they may be. And no one knows this better than Alan Mandić, founder of the travel advisory Secret Dalmatia. Here are a few of his favorite spots you dont already know. For me, traveling to Croatia was always about finding those special, unique places and t

Kerri Allen discovers the hidden gem of the Midwest.ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin — The indigenous Potawatomi once referred to it as the chosen spot, a serene crystalline lake surrounded by towering cedar trees. Today, Elkhart Lake is the name of not only a stunning body of water in central Wisconsin but also the quirky little town of 900 residents that surrounds it. Just 20 miles west of the shores of Lake Michigan, this village is chockab

When we get the itch for Japan, we scratch it — by buying very Japanese products, surrounding ourselves with Kusama dots, and bookmarking cool spots for future trips — including alllll of the places mentioned in this hit-list from InsideJapan Tours, an operator offering tailor-made small group tours. The below snapshots were taken by InsideJapan Tour guides over the course of a year without visitors. Nakayama-dera Plum Blos

A few years ago, we named the Dolomite Mountains in northern Italy one of the best places to travel in 2019. And while so much has changed in the last three years, the appeal of the Dolomites has not waned, especially for outdoor pursuits all year long. Contributing editor Jane Larkworthy reports on the action.DOLOMITES, Italy – The Dolomite Mountains have been on a roll. Long a favorite of skiers, this range in northeastern Italy became a

New York is resilient in countless ways. We turned our asphalt into pedestrian zones, dining huts, dance floors, parade routes, and cycling lanes. Hudson Valley expanded its farmers markets so that more people could grocery shop in the fresh air. North Fork movie theaters reimagined their drive-ins for nightly screenings under the stars. The Hamptons took its art — and wine — outside for sculpture exhibitions and vineyard tastin

This weekend, after a magnificent restoration, visitors will get to experience the legendary TWA Flight Center at JFK airport during Open House New York. Maggie Morris got a look around.NEW YORK CITY — There was a time when commercial flying was a modern and glamorous event. So au courant that passengers dressed to the nines for a flight. So chic that even non-passengers would head to the airport for the atmosphere: stylish loung

Baguette versus bagel, macaron versus cupcake, Amelie versus Carrie.What are the real differences between the City of Lights from the Big Apple? Graphic designer and native Parisian Vahram Muratyan tackles the subject in his whimsical and beautifully designed new book Paris Versus New York: A Tally of Two Cities.The side-by-side illustrations, based on Varhams blog of the same name, engage readers in knowing visual matches. Quasimodo had No

New Orleans is one big, beautiful rag-tag gang of party people. Its the one place in America where its always time to eat a great meal, join a band, booze on the street, start a parade, and wear a feather boa. (Incidentally, its also the one place in America where you can do all of those things at the same time.)GOOD FOODTheres no mistaking this town for a health food hub. I advise you eat light the week before you arrive; then give in whol

PARIS – Im on a TGV from Paris to Cannes for the Cannes Lions advertising awards, flipping through the SCNF travel magazine and reflecting on the fact that I dont think Ive ever been inspired to book a trip after looking at a photograph. That was until Verenne Ferrari, an executive producer friend in Paris, sent me photographs of her visit to Anish Kapoors Leviathan at the Grand Palais. I cashed in an arm-and-a-legs worth of Amex miles to get my ass to Paris befo

Many people know Abu Dhabi for its soaring skyscrapers, like the warped Investment Authority tower, the leaning Capital Gate, and the cluster of Eithad Towers, which reflect the Gulf of Oman and resemble colossal blades of sea grass lording over the end of posh Corniche Road. The massive Sheikh Zayed mega mosque — with its sprawling carpet and bulbous Swarovski chandeliers — beams from a man-made hill just ou

A look at Studio Harcourt, birthplace of the Hollywood glow, where icons are made one flash at a time.PARIS - Tourists go to the Champs-Elysées, culture hounds to exhibits at the Grand Palais, and luxury devotees to boutique-lined Avenue Montaigne. Wedged in between these three perpetually bustling points, in the 8th arrondissement, hides a staggeringly quiet neighborhood, a sanctuary where the citys richest live. But theres something