Story & Photos by Barbara Beckley Wow! My view is amazing. From high on a bluff gazing across the vast Pacific Ocean – and entirety of beautiful San Luis Obispo Bay, curving along California’s Central Coast, with rocky coves, sandy beaches and magical coastal towns of Pismo Beach, Avila Beach, and tiny Port San …
If your bucket list includes viewing an incredible display of Alaska’s Northern Lights, Gondwana Ecotours might be exactly what you have been seeking with its new eight-day “Alaska Northern Lights Adventure.” The custom crafted tours are designed to gift guests a dose of local culture by day, then photograph the Aurora Borealis under the massive …
By Barbara Beckley We’re talkin’ totally terrific tiki! Don your Hawaiian shirts, leis and Betty Page garb and hightail it to San Diego for Tiki Oasis, the world’s original and largest Tiki event, July 31 – August 4, 2024, at the Town and Country Resort. This year’s theme is “Way Out West” – and you …
Story & Photos by Barbara Beckley No, really. WHO? KNEW? A hip, cozy find. With just the right amount of quirky chic – in the middle of, like, nowhere. And once you experience it. You want to return again and again! “There it is!” The mid-century neon sign had a cheery look. Welcoming me to …
Story & Photos by Barbara Beckley Looking for health and wellness with your next vacay? Head to the Azure Sky Hotel in Palm Springs! General manager Angie Bettinelli has realized her deep devotion to personal wellbeing paired with ultra-stylish mid-century modern architecture. A true oasis of personal pampering. Designed for relaxing, recharging, improving our mind, …
Handel’s Ice Cream and Visit Oceanside have teamed up to offer three delicious ice cream flavors inspired by the beloved Southern California beach destination. The limited-edition partnership launched June 1, 2024 at the Handel’s Oceanside location, just in time for the summer heat. The cooling artisan series includes unique flavor profiles fit for every customer’s …
By Barbara Beckley Ultra chic. With curved architecture and glass walls opening to views of championship greens and beautiful desert mountains. The perfect backdrop for every social occasion. Sip shaken-not-stirred martinis or French champagne, with delicious nibbles and meals at the second floor VUE Grille & Bar. Golfers call it “the 19th Hole.” Arrange …
Story & Photos by Barbara Beckley Chic. Artistic. Serene. A stay at the Casa Velas boutique hotel is everything that makes Puerto Vallarta the toast of the travel world. A refined hideaway like those built shortly after Liz joined Richard during his filming of the 1964 movie “Night of the Iguana,” and catapulted this coastal …
Monterey County on California’s Central Coast beckons visitors to find their own paths to adventure. With a breadth of different adventures and escapes, no matter the path – wellness, family, outdoor and epicurean – it all leads to the same place—an inspirational and memorable experience. The Wellness Path: Connect Within and Find Your Center Combining …
There’s no place like SoCal’s San Diego for the winter holidays, where guests can warm up to sunshiny days, uncrowded beaches, and inviting laid-back vibes. Evan Hotels’ Bahia Resort Hotel and Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa on Mission Bay and The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla are the perfect coastal retreats to soak …
Story and photos by Barbara Beckley Ahh…relaxing under a palapa, cerveza in hand, watching the surf wash onto the golden beach. Paradise? I think so. I was in Sayulita, a fishing village-turned bohemian art colony and world recognized surf break – on a jungle-clad bay along the Riviera Nayarit on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, an …
By Barbara Beckley Wine tasting. Hot air ballooning. Tasty cuisine. Stylish accommodations. Now you can add “Wine-Bottle Art” and “blend-your-own-wine” to the list of reasons to visit Southern California’s award-winning wine region, Temecula. Sitting under a grape vine-covered arbor, I thought “outside the lines;” wielding my paintbrush with care to create wisteria blossoms circling …