Moving to a New Beat in Lausanne By Carol Sorgen NABBW’s Travel Associate at whim Chocolate, cheese and Heidi? If that’s what comes to mind when you think of Switzerland, it’s time to revisit this beautiful Alpine country…as I did on a recent trip to Lausanne—a cosmopolitan city with a small-town feel. Situated on the shores of Lake Geneva (known as Lac Leman in French), Lausanne is just 41 miles northeast of Geneva. Since Lausanne doesn’t have an airport of its own, most visitors fly to Cointrin Airport in Geneva. After an easy, overnight nonstop flight on Swiss International... Read More

Walking Vacations By Carol Sorgen NABBW’s Travel Expert When Matthew and Ellie Fink of Chevy Chase planned their vacation last summer, they wanted to get away from phones and faxes, do something completely different, go somewhere completely new to them, indulge their interest in history–and get a little exercise. They came up with the ideal solution–an 8-day walking trip to the borderlands of Scotland. “Our primary criterion,” Mrs. Fink laughs, “was, \’It can\’t be too difficult.\’ We\’re way out of shape.” Both in their early 50s... Read More

Travel to A Fairy-Tale Chateau in the French Countryside By Carol Sorgen, NABBW’s Travel Expert Who hasn’t had thoughts that in a previous life she was, if not a princess, perhaps a countess, a duchess, at the very least a mere lady of the manor? So when my friend, Nan, and I drove up the long approachway to the fairytale-like Chateau d’Esclimont outside the pocket-size French village of Saint Symphorien-le-Chateau, is it any wonder I thought, “I am home!” (Nan, by the way, harbors no such illusions herself; I, on the other hand, am a semi-permanent resident of “Fantasy... Read More

Who hasn\’t had thoughts that in a previous life she was, if not a princess, perhaps a countess, a duchess, at the very least a mere lady of the manor? So when my friend, Nan, and I drove up the long approachway to the fairytale-like Chateau d\’Esclimont outside the pocket-size French village of Saint Symphorien-le-Chateau, is it any wonder I thought, “I am home!” (Nan, by the way, harbors no such illusions herself; I, on the other hand, am a semi-permanent resident of “Fantasy Island.”) Tucked away in the midst of a 150-acre park just 60 kilometers from Paris is the 16th century... Read More

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is justifiably famous for its picturesque countryside, its Amish farms, its Pennsylvania Dutch cooking, and more. But this quaint—yet growing—small city is turning into a thriving arts center, which is drawing both tourists and new residents alike who want to be part of the scene. On a recent trip to Lancaster, which coincided with the American Quilt Society’s national quilt show (held in the recently unveiled Lancaster County Convention Center, attached to the new Lancaster Marriott), I took the opportunity to stroll along Lancaster’s aptly named Gallery Row.... Read More

“Respect the site; do not impose your will on it.” –From The Winterthur Garden: Henry Francis du Pont\’s Romance with the Land, by Denise Magnani Visit the Winterthur Garden in the heart of the picturesque Brandywine Valley and the artistic vision of its creator cannot fail to impress—and inspire. Scion of Delaware\’s industrialist du Pont family, Henry Francis du Pont enjoyed a lifelong passion for horticulture and the principles of garden design, reflected throughout the 60-acre garden, with its year-round succession of blooms that enhance the natural setting of the family\’s... Read More

New York has its South Street Seaport. Baltimore has its Inner Harbor. Philadelphia its Penn\’s Landing. San Francisco its Ghirardelli Square. And now the nation\’s capital region has its own waterfront destination, the National Harbor. I loved it on my first trip there and you will too. Billed as a “lifestyle destination,” the National Harbor (actually located in National Harbor, Maryland, not the District of Columbia, per se) is a well-thought-out blend of hotels, restaurants, shopping, office space, a convention center, and upscale residences. Its prime location on the scenic... Read More

It should come as no surprise that a family vacation to Hershey, Pennsylvania, will meet with an enthusiastic thumbs up from the entire clan. What you may not realize is that you can have a fantastic time sans kids as well, as I did on a recent girlfriend getaway to the home of the chocolate bar. My former college roommate and I were sorely in need of a little R&R. A stressful couple of years involving injuries and illnesses for both of us had left us a bit worn out. Our “prize,” we promised ourselves, would be a few days of pampering when we were both completely back on our feet. That... Read More

Whether you’re attending the springtime Food and Wine Festival, the annual “Christmas in St. Michaels” celebration, or simply looking for a relaxing getaway, Maryland’s Eastern Shore is a year-round picture-postcard destination. The pocket-sized Chesapeake Bay village of St. Michaels makes a good home base for your visit, with its abundance of unique accommodations, restaurants, shops, attractions, and proximity to towns like Easton and Oxford, well worth a day trip—or even overnight stay–themselves. On my most recent visit to St. Michaels, I tried something different in terms... Read More

“Stylish, brutally frank, and sometimes, frankly brutal.” That\’s how LUXE City Guides describes their accordion-pleated travel guides that are just the right size to pop into a pocket or purse. LUXE City Guides, headquartered in Hong Kong, first came out in 2002 with a series on-not surprisingly, Asian cities. Now there are 19 in the series featuring such tourist-friendly locations as Hong Kong, Melbourne, Phuket, Shanghai, Sydney, and most recently Istanbul, Madrid, and Paris. The recommendations for each city guide are gathered from 25 residents of that particular city, and... Read More