Touring the lobbies of historic and iconic hotels in San Francisco may not be on a visitor’s itinerary, but I accidentally discovered this is fun and free and makes for a memorable morning. On a recent trip to San Francisco, we stayed at the Hilton on Union Square and enjoyed this sunrise view of the…
Touring Alcatraz should be top of your list of what to do in San Francisco, even though it may seem strange to plan a visit to a former maximum security prison. You will find The Rock a fascinating place to explore, and the tour comes complete with a boat ride on the bay. Here’s an…
A visit to Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle in France takes you back to the 1100s and all the layers of history between then and now. The castle stands as a fortress in the hills of Alsace, near the border of Germany. It’s been occupied by the French and the Germans through the years, and was once destroyed…
It’s such a moving experience to visit the D-Day beaches anywhere along the World War II invasion area on the channel coast of France. Here’s a map that clearly shows the layout of the five Allied sectors. Map © Paul Hewitt, Battlefield Design – www.battlefield-design.co.uk Visiting Sword, Juno, and Gold Beaches For the first time,…
Strasbourg, a fairy tale French city in Alsace, offers the beauty that comes from combining Latin and Germanic cultures. You will find quaint architecture, winding cobbled lanes dating back to Roman times, and an imposing cathedral with its single steeple towering over the town. The entire center island of Strasbourg, known as the Grand Ile,…
Apple Days in Julian present a festive, fun experience. Julian, a small mountain town in Southern California, sprang to life when gold was discovered here in the 1860s. Known for its pioneer storefronts, wooden sidewalks, and historic sites, Julian has an old West frontier feel. If you’re in search of a fun day trip from…
Honfleur, a charming French town, sits where the Seine River flows into the English Channel, in the northern part of Normandy. Founded by Vikings in the 800s, Honfleur has served for centuries as a port for trade and travel. At its heyday in the 1600s, Honfleur enjoyed a brisk business with Canada (Eh? This surprised…
Utah Beach today is a windswept, wide swath of beach bordered by grassy dunes that wave in the breeze. It’s hard to believe this was the site of a major battle of World War II. D-Day involved five beaches. Their code names: Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno, and Sword. If you can, visit all of the…
Bayeux is an ancient town near the channel coast of Normandy, and it’s just a 2.5-hour train ride from Paris. You can zip here for a couple of days for a change from big city life. It’s the unlikely home of a UNESCO artwork. And it’s the perfect base for a tour of the D-Day…
Omaha Beach today is well known to those in the U.S. (especially). If you have only one day in Normandy, you may want to head right here. Do keep in mind, though, that D-Day involved five beaches. Their code names: Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno, and Sword. If you can, visit all of the beaches for…