Stories about the finest hotels and travel experiences. Travel, hotels, and interesting stories.
Hi! I’m Bev. An Illinois native, growing up across the Mighty Mississippi from St. Louis.
As a child, every year, my parents would pack my sister and I into the family van (which doubled as our “hotel” room at a campground) and head off to multiple destinations. The mountains, the desert, the beach, Graceland (no joke, been there more times than I can count. Can you say Elvis Fan?).
A Local Village Farmers Market, Two Beaches in Kekaha Kai State Park, and Poke I awoke at what seemed an ungodly time, our first morning on the Big Island of Hawaii. The 5-hour time difference had my internal time clock off kilter. Not long after, I heard my travel companions start to rustle—my sister, Barb, and cousins, Sue and Beth, also sisters. As we ate our breakfast and drank coffee on our lanai, a Hawaiian word for a covered patio, Beth and Sue had the travel books in hand, planning our day. A farmers market for some local fruits and …
Part 1—The Intro As I sat on the couch one evening last year with my husband, my legs draped over his lap in our usual fashion, winding down after a full day, my phone beeped—a text message. My cousin Beth lives up North in South Bend, IN, about 6 hours from St. Louis. It was her. It simply said, “How about Hawaii? This is where we’re thinking of staying,” with a link to a condo rental on the Big Island. I showed the text to my husband. I said, “You know I have to go.” He rolled his eyes. You …
How my love affair with Weller bourbon has fueled my search for hotels that keep a well-stocked bourbon collection and how this led to my discovery of Weller Single Barrel, the Orange Label. Ahhh…bourbon. I have a love affair with bourbon. This affair started with migraines. I had migraines and began gravitating to bourbon whiskey because it didn’t contribute to them. I do not confess to being a bourbon expert. However, I am an expert on what I like. One thing rings true—I love Weller, any Weller. W.L. Weller is part of the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky. Think Blantons …
How a Few Extra Hours on a Business Trip Led to Viewing the Famous Redwood Trees in California Near San Francisco How often can I go to San Francisco and not visit Muir Woods National Park? Apparently, plenty. At least five is my best count. A colleague on a recent business trip informed me that these coastal redwoods were nearby and that we should see them if we could. Over time, I have heard plenty about these great redwood trees, but I had yet to learn they were so close to the city. After finishing work, we headed to Muir …
A Review of a Very Unique Hotel in the Heart of the Indianapolis Bottleworks District. THE OVERVIEWThe Bottleworks Hotel is located in a building rich in history — Coca-Cola history, that is. The Coca-Cola Bottling Company lived here in the ‘20s until 1964 when the bottling company was purchased and moved. In 2016, the building was purchased by a developer who helped turn the area into the Bottleworks District, a hub for history, arts, and entertainment. The hotel has an art deco style, designed by Robush & Hunter in the 1920s. The new developers sought to restore and preserve as …
An Article in a Travel Magazine Leads to a New Adventure While on a Business Trip I found myself this past summer in Fort Collins at the Armstrong Hotel. I was on a business trip, just completing a visit with a customer in Black Hawk. “Fort Collins isn’t anywhere near Black Hawk,” I can hear those of you who know the area saying to me. Well, that is accurate. I found myself here for two reasons. I saw an article in my Travel & Leisure magazine about how cool Fort Collins has become, which included a blurb on this hotel, …
How a stay at a haunted hotel turned into a new sort of adventure…with ghosts. I was getting ready to check into the Stanely Hotel; my then twelve-year-old son and I were excited to stay at a haunted hotel. As we pulled into the parking lot, my son asked, “Why don’t we see if we can stay on the haunted floor?” I replied that I wasn’t interested in staying on the haunted floor. You see, I was up for an adventure but only up to a certain point. I didn’t want to encounter ghosts, but I wanted to get close …
A Business Trip That Allowed Me Freedom to Explore American History in Boston. The Freedom Trail is one of those things I just needed to do while I was in Boston for a conference. When I travel for business, I like to venture out and see or do something unrelated to my business and do something for myself. It makes the trip much more exciting, fun and pleasurable. The Freedom Trail, Pt 2 is my take on the trail and what I learned about American history on my walking journey. Faneuil Hall Faneuil Hall – Boston National Historical Park (U.S. …
A Business Trip That Allowed Me Freedom to Explore American History in Boston. I visited Boston years ago in my early days of work travel. I was with a colleague, and although we made time to eat well, we didn’t make time to explore. Fast forward to now, a museum expo I was attending was in Boston. I was excited to return to see my museum clients and explore American history. I knew I wished to walk the Freedom Trail. I hadn’t accomplished that on my previous visits. So, after a morning breakfast networking event, I headed out. Walking the …
Bev’s Favorite Hotels Right Now and Why