Background: The Virgin River Valley is 80 miles north of Las Vegas. Nestled there, in the Mojave Desert, is the small city of Mesquite, NV (population 17,000+). First named Mesquite Flats by Mormon pioneers in 1880, its settlers farmed cash crops; cotton and grapes. Today, it is a fast-growing destination for tourists, retirees and those[…]
The Sierra Nevada range runs 400 miles north-to-south and 70 miles east-to-west in California and Nevada. The history of the area leaps out at you when you see signs signaling the Donner and Carson Passes and Emigrant Gap, along with vista stops and markers that tell the story of the early explorers and settlers. Wonderful[…]
As if there’s not enough to do in August in San Diego, here are two to add to your “must do” list. The ¡Latin Food Fest! is one of my favorite events in San Diego. This fourth annual spectacular culinary celebration will be at the Embarcadero Marina Park North in San Diego, August 12 –[…]
There are times when a travel story meshes perfectly with a favorite pastime. So it was on a recent trip to Reno, Nevada, the “Biggest Little City in the World.”The visit included stays at the Atlantis, Peppermill, Eldorado and Grand Sierra Resorts; all four star, full-service properties. Best of all, I played in each poker[…]
Our grandson, Sam, was turning ten. My wife and I decided that a good way to entice him away from home was to tell him we were going to take him to Circus, Circus in Reno. It worked! We picked him up in Chico, CA and headed north for a scenic three hour drive going[…]
It was that time of the year for a family reunion. Given my background as a travel writer, my duties have always been in the “Where should we go, what can we do and where can we eat?” categories. For this trip, I passed on the food assignment. Why? It’s become a nightmare. I yearn[…]
It’s a scenic flight from San Diego to Reno, with ocean views to the western horizon on the port side. Once north of LA, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe and the southern tip of the Sierras glide by 30,000 feet below. […]
Excellence & Finest – Aptly Named Descending into Cancun is always a treat; the sea is a blue color, as beautiful as anywhere in the northern hemisphere. Within the almost 2 million square kilometers of Mexico, I discovered two spectacular resort gems named Excellence and Finest. The Excellence Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa was my[…]
Temecula – Wine Country and More Temecula, California has over 40 wineries, only an hour or so away from San Diego, Orange County, LA and Palm Springs. I recently visited two, each with their own resort. South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, www.southcoastwinery.com, is situated in the middle of a 38 acre vineyard. We[…]
San Diego, California – This year’s San Diego Restaurant Week includes over 200 participating dining establishments, focusing on locally grown and distributed products from farmers, wineries, breweries, fisheries, etc. Here are three lunch recommendations. Located at the Pier South Resort in Imperial Beach, Sea180˚ Coastal Tavern is part of the Cohen Group’s fine dining restaurants.[…]