Most Christmas trees are cleared out by New Year’s Day, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that Sarasota’s Ca D’Zan, the mansion where America’s most famous circus family lived, was still decked out for the holidays this week. And why not? The 36,000-sq-foot Venetian palace, which sits on the Sarasota Bay as if it [...]

The mansions are what make Newport, RI, such a special vacation destination. I don’t mean the huge homes on Ocean Drive, although staying in one of those would certainly make for a memorable getaway. I’m talking about the Newport Mansions, 10 magnificent “cottages” held in public trust by The Preservation Society of Newport County. These [...]

My first sightseeing stop in Newport, RI, where I spent last week, was the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. There’s a lot to see and do in Newport (which is why I chose it for our week-long getaway with the baby) and it can be difficult to decide where to start. But this [...]

I love flowers. I love museums. So when I heard that Sarasota’s Ringling Museum of Art having a special four-day exhibit (“Ringling in Bloom”, Feb. 3—6) showcasing 24 floral arrangements inspired by the masterpieces, I was instantly intrigued. The results blew me away — the effect was amazing, as it felt like the art had [...]

There are lots of reasons to visit Scone Palace in Perth, Scotland. The original home of the Stone of Destiny (which went to live at Edinburgh Castle after England finally returned it), Scone Palace is famous for its coronations — from Robert the Bruce in 1306 through Charles II in 1651. But do not go [...]

(Photo of a Lycian Tomb Near Kekova by Neil Roach) Turquoise water. Ottoman architecture. Lycian tombs. Roman ruins. Amanda Lobell and Neil Roach found all that and more when they traveled along the gorgeous Turkish coast. Following a week in Istanbul and Cappadocia, they flew to Izmir to visit the incredible ruins of Ephesus (which [...]

The Imperial War Museum North has the kind of name that makes you think that perhaps it won’t be all rainbows and unicorns inside. But despite its intimidating moniker and Daniel Libeskind’s imposing architectural creation, Manchester’s Imperial War Museum North makes one of the world’s most frightening topics surprisingly accessible (and not just because it’s [...]

Harry Potter (specifically the lure of seeing the castle that starred as Hogwarts) was enough to get us to take a detour to Alnwick Castle in Northeast England on our drive from Manchester to Edinburgh. But when we arrived we learned that there’s a lot more to Alnwick Castle than being the location where they [...]

By name, England's Alnwick Castle isn't that well known. But by sight? That's Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry you're looking at. Well, in real life it's the entrance to the state rooms at Alnwick Castle, a still-inhabited Medieval castle in Northumberland. But to Harry Potter fans, it's the ultimate destination as the castle's exterior [...]

I saw 1,000 naked people at The Lowry (pictured above) in Manchester on Sunday. Well, I saw photos of them at least. In honor of the tenth anniversary of The Lowry, New York-based photographer Spencer Tunick came over to Manchester and convinced 1,000 locals to pose in the buff. The "Everyday People" exhibit runs through [...]