For the past 30-some years, minstrels-in training, ladies, lasses and squires, beggars, wenches, knaves and even kings have been conveying on a 27 acre bit of forested land in Crownsville, Maryland each fall. No, it's not a time machine. It's the Maryland Renaissance Festival! Here, people come to step back in time, to
A few weeks ago, I had a hankering for my mom's famous peach pound cake. Baking it was no problem -- I've been making it annually for the past few years -- but I had a dilemma. I needed peaches. It's the peak of summer and ordinary grocery store peaches just
Today, I'm unveiling a new feature on Packed Suitcase: My "IT" List-- a snappy roundup of my absolute favorite things about places I've been. First to get the "IT" List treatment... Dewey Beach, Delaware! [caption id="attachment_4798" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Photo Credit: Dewey Beach Vacation Rental[/caption] This tiny .3 square mile stretch along Delaware's Route
After my time with the bears in Katmai National Park, I wasn't sure how anything else could possibly come close to topping that experience. But Alaska kept showing me her best, and the second half of my trip was filled with stunning scenery, diverse wildlife and amazing experiences. A real highlight was
Every July, the largest sockeye salmon migration in the entire world occurs on the Brooks River in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve. The guarantee of a bountiful food source draws many of the park's 2,300 brown bears-- which are like grizzlies, but 100-150 pounds heavier!-- and around 10,000 tourists
In just a few days, I embark on a week-long trip to Ontario, Canada. I've got ambitious plans for such a quick trip, with stops in both Toronto and Ottawa on the agenda. Ontario's slogan is "Yours to Discover" and I have no doubt that I will be discovering a ton
I’ve just returned home after a food-and-music-fueled weekend away in New Orleans. This was not my first visit to the Big Easy, but this trip marked my first time at one of this city's biggest draws: the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Jazz Fest, as it’s colloquially called, has been
As a devout reader of the Washingtonian’s annual “100 Very Best Restaurants” edition, it’s safe to say that I’m a bit of a foodie-in-training. After 10+ years of living, working and playing in DC, I’ve eaten at my fair share of notable places. Rather than compile a list of my top
I've done some crazy things over the course of my life. I've jumped out of a tiny pink plane at 15,000 feet in New Zealand. I've climbed to the top of Mayan pyramids and (inadvertently) swam with a shark. But, sometimes life is all about knowing your limits... and recently, my
Most African Tourists Like Elephants.* No, this isn’t the latest travel trend. Rather it’s a mnemonic device for Africa’s northernmost countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. I work at the National Geographic Channel, part of one of the smartest and most worldly organizations on the planet. I take a lot of
I've noticed a dramatic transformation all around my hometown of Washington, DC. Trees and buildings are decorated with twinkly lights, cheery music is playing out of every speaker and everyone is walking around with a little more bounce in their step. It can only mean one thing... yes, the holidays
Southern Delaware offers a number of cultural and gourmand experiences... you just need to know where to look! Luckily, as part of my "digging deeper" exploration of the region, I searched for the best lesser known experiences to share. And the best part about it was that I didn't have
