https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad daily 0.75 2026-01-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1603954640558-5NI55ONKXDLYDYDB5QOE/tpb+stamp-white-new.png https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/the-14-hour-flight-from-hell-4r822 monthly 0.5 2024-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/03654e25-0416-4f78-8745-333765c5bf0c/Frontier+ORD-ATL_1.jpeg Notes from the Road - A near miss at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport - Make it stand out Ba-bye ORD! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/0545aff0-a08f-4b0c-bebe-3fde3453b43c/Ran+Terminal+5+from+M1-M40.png Notes from the Road - A near miss at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/10th-anniversary-the-usa-50/50-challenge monthly 0.5 2024-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1692311596514-W213GIM9OF8UAFFELEPY/10th+anni+trip+banner.png Notes from the Road - Announcing a new trip to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of The&nbsp;USA&nbsp;50/50&nbsp;Challenge! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/245ef01d-7caf-4c20-b517-6482db80bdc4/50-50-10th-anniv-map.png Notes from the Road - Announcing a new trip to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of The&nbsp;USA&nbsp;50/50&nbsp;Challenge! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583201069581-XBR8HLA1VZS6EZ21GB8P/Seattle-1.png Notes from the Road - Announcing a new trip to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of The&nbsp;USA&nbsp;50/50&nbsp;Challenge! - Seattle, Washington This metropolis in the Pacific Northwest is at once bustling and mellow, which is no mean feat. A young city that appreciates nature. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/db7c853b-1e3a-4062-92d6-92cdb40d192e/friday+harbor-1.png Notes from the Road - Announcing a new trip to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of The&nbsp;USA&nbsp;50/50&nbsp;Challenge! - Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington This laid-back town takes tourists in its stride and then watches them leave on ferries, knowing they’ll be back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/83ecf577-8340-4c16-908e-7f2d2350f257/sheboygan.png Notes from the Road - Announcing a new trip to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of The&nbsp;USA&nbsp;50/50&nbsp;Challenge! - Sheboygan & Door County, Wisconsin I really loved Sheboygan, a lovely coastal town with European heritage, and have dreamed of returning for ten years! Door County is the secret destinations beloved of those in the know in Wisconsin and Illinois. It’s a little piece of paradise on the Lake Michigan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/7c638b1e-1692-4542-92d8-81fc83186224/atlanta.jpg Notes from the Road - Announcing a new trip to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of The&nbsp;USA&nbsp;50/50&nbsp;Challenge! - New: Atlanta, Georgia I was scheduled to visit here in February 2020, but we all know what happened then! So, it had to be on my list for this trip to visit somewhere I missed during The USA 50/50 Challenge in 2013. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4dde90c3-7b3a-4cf6-9ab8-e62e62600f8e/laurel.jpg Notes from the Road - Announcing a new trip to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of The&nbsp;USA&nbsp;50/50&nbsp;Challenge! - New: Laurel, Mississippi Having watched the transformation of this small town on HGTV’s Home Town during the pandemic, it had to be on my list of next places to visit, especially as I can take Amtrak’s Crescent Line and stopover between Atlanta and New Orleans. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583200873777-HDEA1PA6CXTHOJ681J2N/NOLA-1.png Notes from the Road - Announcing a new trip to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of The&nbsp;USA&nbsp;50/50&nbsp;Challenge! - New Orleans, Lousiana The most European city in the United States. It’s like visiting Paris without needing a passport. Here they’ll feed you, entertain you and get you dancing with hardly any effort on their part. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/54013256-2267-4e50-8d92-248acef5478d/portland+and+freeport.jpg Notes from the Road - Announcing a new trip to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of The&nbsp;USA&nbsp;50/50&nbsp;Challenge! - Freeport, Maine Freeport caught my heart on The USA 50/50 Challenge and a pilgrimage to LL Bean’s flagship store is always a great idea! I’ve been back too many times to count… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/9ce70f09-997d-4f9a-b533-61c7b9cdeaf5/boston.png Notes from the Road - Announcing a new trip to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of The&nbsp;USA&nbsp;50/50&nbsp;Challenge! - Boston, Massachusetts Can’t get enough of this city, it’s like a second home to me. So much to see and do, it’s ever changing and ever the same! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/adb0defd-ece2-4109-b645-e2b88049091e/lower+manhattan.png Notes from the Road - Announcing a new trip to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of The&nbsp;USA&nbsp;50/50&nbsp;Challenge! - Lower Manhattan, New York It’s the best part of Manhattan, as far as I’m concerned. It’s where New York started its life and it still has the charm of its origins, with winding streets and historic buildings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/52b01e96-6d1e-406f-ac49-a99ab14d66b4/Greetings+from+OC.jpg Notes from the Road - Announcing a new trip to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of The&nbsp;USA&nbsp;50/50&nbsp;Challenge! - Santa Ana, California California is one of my top ten states and Orange County is the heart of Southern California. Inside this heart lies Santa Ana, one of the oldest cities in the state, with a Spanish mission established in 1776. It’s the best central location to explore all that SoCal has to offer, away from the craziness of LA. https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/rome-15-helpful-hints-and-tips monthly 0.5 2024-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/a9b3c5ba-d4d9-4be2-95d2-bf816f109de9/CIMG1731.jpg Notes from the Road - Rome, Italy: 15 helpful hints and tips - The River Tiber, Rome, Italy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/e45d758f-e409-4c88-b210-c6990999a283/sampietrini-cobblestones-in-rome.png Notes from the Road - Rome, Italy: 15 helpful hints and tips - Sanpietrini will have you wishing you wore comfortable, well-soled shoes! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b9f564fb-a181-4c82-bd1e-36d111aabc91/nasone.jpg Notes from the Road - Rome, Italy: 15 helpful hints and tips - Nasones, free fresh water from the source Using these to drink from or fill your bottle gives you instant street cred! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b18cb14b-2575-44c4-bef2-6f6c98d25b16/rome_metro.png Notes from the Road - Rome, Italy: 15 helpful hints and tips - Metro/Subway sign overlayed onto map Not the Italian version of the MacDonald’s sign! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/f6012d11-41de-4433-9b15-a57cd5166da3/mouthoftruth2-2443226331.jpg Notes from the Road - Rome, Italy: 15 helpful hints and tips - Audrey Hepburn tests her honesty while Gregory Peck looks on in Roman Holiday. https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/first-time-driving-in-england monthly 0.5 2023-08-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/2d25c331-a151-45bd-91eb-09ed259ed831/drivinginengland.png Notes from the Road - First time driving in England https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/f962b86d-8bc8-437e-b543-ed868b610784/speed-sign-3832642554.jpg Notes from the Road - First time driving in England - Can you guess what this sign means? It a symbol for the UK national speed limit, which depends on the type of road and the type of vehicle being driven. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/69bf7953-5848-410f-ab48-658a980b1530/010-01400-32_7-894272022.jpg Notes from the Road - First time driving in England - Make friends with you GPS or it can turn on you! https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/hotel-rooms-what-do-you-really-get-for-your-money monthly 0.5 2024-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/8ab9ca4c-8164-4fd3-8d10-f0cead563a6b/Haraseeket+Thos+Moser.jpg Notes from the Road - Hotel rooms… what do you really get for your money? - The Thos. Moser Suite Harraseeket Inn, Freeport, Maine, USA https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/when-did-we-lose-the-wonder-of-flight monthly 0.5 2024-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1651708611291-4E2GUUB967D1TBP648E0/United_737_Max9.png Notes from the Road - When did we lose the wonder of flight? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/a-guide-to-afternoon-tea monthly 0.5 2023-11-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1591074564900-4ZDL8WJ1RQYPIJDIK5UE/IMG_6382-2.jpg Notes from the Road - The Definitive Guide to Afternoon Tea Enjoying afternoon tea at The Savoy Hotel, London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1591074446569-KA3G1VCGCPS3M7MF3C01/IMG_6372-2.jpg Notes from the Road - The Definitive Guide to Afternoon Tea The Thames Foyer at The Savoy London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1591076486024-OTTWREE4R62MMODNA19J/hightea.jpg Notes from the Road - The Definitive Guide to Afternoon Tea A working class family sitting down to High Tea https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1591074835909-88L6AQTX7I8HQ6XL1ERN/Serving-Cup-Of-Tea-With-Milk.jpg Notes from the Road - The Definitive Guide to Afternoon Tea Milk last, please. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1591075667780-29482OL4IK2OI0LBND6H/devonshire-tea.jpg Notes from the Road - The Definitive Guide to Afternoon Tea Cream tea: two scones, jam and cream https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1591075932282-CDVHWCAACS516F2MZBHU/scones.jpg Notes from the Road - The Definitive Guide to Afternoon Tea British scones https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1591075962123-2QPEGJYW9SZ4TNKOKMEQ/Cherry-Vanilla-Scones.jpg Notes from the Road - The Definitive Guide to Afternoon Tea American scones https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/covid-19-puts-the-kibosh-on-this-years-travel-plans monthly 0.5 2020-10-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1585208177494-TLJTHVR34NIRBLU43D80/earth-is-closed.png Notes from the Road - COVID-19 puts the kibosh on this year’s fabulous travel plans! https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/product-review-gotoob-flexible-travel-tubes monthly 0.5 2023-11-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583595664951-DJBH0L18YQ27WYZ7TNJ4/GoToobs%2B.jpg Notes from the Road - Product Review: GoToob Flexible Travel Tubes https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/the-usa-5050-challenge monthly 0.5 2026-01-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/80055b94-3489-4882-8ca7-593bce9e63cd/The+USA+50-50+Challenge+Book+Cover.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583265277920-1RDSVD5FQCJY5XBO1FB1/Packed+Bag+USA+Map-final.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266262462-6XU9FINGAQIAH6VEKQQ1/01+Arizona-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Arizona https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266262090-57IO68SQX298IBYDZ95E/02+New+Mexico-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - New Mexico https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266262655-4FDIUZDNCG2DTF04EQKA/03+Oklahoma-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Oklahoma https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266263041-LWRVLZHFZBUOWSWB835T/04+Texas-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Texas https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266263091-KOJKZHGW885ZT7WF75Z0/05+Arkansas-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Arkansas https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266263503-IYYJBGVDCXE6OA87EZKU/06+Tennessee-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Tennessee https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266263545-4D313WQJ9HAWCHCXMXTN/07+Mississippi-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Mississippi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266264008-K3GGUV3CSXBYC1XBMMO1/08+Louisiana-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Louisiana https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266264008-XKEM80PJD1RBVX6C7E7D/09+Alabama-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Alabama https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266264515-KV27FNETINCCPV0E5ALA/10+Florida-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Florida https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266264630-Z13CMY3BL9KR7X309KZC/11+Georgia-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Georgia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1769505330252-IEXD248LVONWW45HKXOE/12-South+Carolina.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - South Carolina https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266264897-4TN83416SLQZYJ065NCL/13+North+Carolina-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - North Carolina https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266265175-IIFICJ6KU46MI0Z50EMU/14+Virginia-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Virginia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266265962-9X525I26N3ADTUGSE365/15-1+Washington+DC-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Washington D.C https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266265785-OXK99471ZRMQA19WM46S/15-2+West+Virginia-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - West Virginia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266267570-W0XYCAE2KPDNXSZE9WVX/16+Maryland-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Maryland https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266293743-YWX2TDKXO45CPD9EJ3VY/17+Delaware.JPG Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Delaware https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266268566-DYONRRKJFBD0KMT7OACN/18+Pennsylvania-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Pennsylvania https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266269660-86IQ7L59L4B8NH561AVX/19+New+Jersey-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - New Jersey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266271721-O3GWZ6O12FQUNO6WLXQQ/20-1+SoCal-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - California https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266272704-C04YVU4FUETL9QCQB86P/21+Alaska-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Alaska https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266273795-22BK5LMCTV4OXH36I7RR/22+Washington-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Washington https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266275220-2VQ4G4L50UUJ34U8P2PV/23+Nevada-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Nevada https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266276421-BLJBTUE6SQBMDGJV4F9M/24+Utah-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Utah https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266277150-JSPLTEBV126XRA2GC6J4/25+Idaho-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Idaho https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266285312-YKMGH3O8WT8GNTFNJI3M/26+Montana-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Montana https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266285806-7EDE89W044FZP9VZY96T/27+Wyoming-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Wyoming https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266286336-OLGKHCCK3Y391E9EXSGU/28+Colorado-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Colorado https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266287130-RPV3E1YHL0HM2LD4XZOM/29+Nebraska-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Nebraska https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266287716-Z90UREB62IPP54VNN3EK/30+Kansas-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Kansas https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266289198-RJVD8HXKAV1Y9G6J46P5/31+Iowa-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Iowa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266290096-8NKLFJ2E4LO3FDFZXIED/32+Missouri-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Missouri https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266291167-DOVEIWFI5QBTO4VGP7OC/33+South+Dakota-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - South Dakota https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266297686-SU1JFSJ745Q7F2BP1VGN/34+North+Dakota-2.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - North Dakota https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266295237-NEF53YYONI3WKYXW2ICA/35+Minnesota-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Minnesota https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266296093-W0QE48V10C6TRGIQNEJL/36+Wisconsin-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Wisconsin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266297279-N27VLRU2G2QQAB9XAZSJ/37+Michigan-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Michigan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266297827-WKGB1P0QBECAP10N6EED/38+Ohio-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Ohio https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266298601-C1KTUOFCM5WCL35LASVH/39+Kentucky-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Kentucky https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266298560-WMQKBAZ1ABAEBI0PTJ64/40+Indiana-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Indiana https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266299232-4B2PYTEYWG5TQRIZAY4D/41+Illinois-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Illinois https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266299135-2K2L6OY4GHCDMQV15ZX4/42+Maine-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Maine https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266299777-NW56PEGHBS0S6L9LY9PZ/43+New+Hampshire-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - New Hampshire https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266299954-BLM462IQ74KN9RVESUVP/44+Vermont-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Vermont https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266300570-0G94ALI5UEEQXKI9BT8U/45+Massachussetts-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Massachusetts https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266301453-ZBGMI513DXISVZVWQSYH/46+Rhode+Island-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Rhode Island https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266301606-N6JBU6X6WTSD3OEIHJNA/47+Connecticut-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Connecticut https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266302102-I0V499MKEI9YZS4X3U6P/48+New+York-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - New York https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266302185-8FOIUGHJ5GXR6R812QQH/49+Oregon-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Oregon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583266302454-W7MP7FGSDJFJEKP957AG/50+Hawai%27i-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge book is now available! - Hawaii https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/the-usa-50-50-challenge-top-ten-states monthly 0.5 2024-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/d8b9a90c-a298-462d-8157-67472da56122/Top+Ten+States+tag.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten States https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583720834996-EVC03SOW9AA3STSTMKBG/California-web.jpg Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten States - California All of the USA can be found in this one state: mountains, ocean, rainforest, high desert; you name it, it’s got it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583720922613-69ON5C1UDUIVA53Z9R0Y/Idaho-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten States - Idaho This state possesses the most stunning scenery, the most eco-friendly capitol city and the inhabitants live for the great outdoors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583720970291-R94OKALGWY7LFSBNIBSX/Louisiana-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten States - Louisiana It holds the most European city in the USA, has great culture in Cajun Country and knows how to party like no-one else. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583721171943-Q7XX6SHNKMMOHYPYBHNV/Maine-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten States - Maine The northernmost state with an amazing coastline, dotted with thousands of islands and peopled with unique characters. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583721188154-FRE1CQJG053KKBPPXVOA/Minnesota-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten States - Minnesota Many are cold, but few are frozen. Minnesota was diverse, surprising and just fabulous. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583721201049-VF1MXKMK6NEAJ74A2Y8Y/North+Carolina-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten States - North Carolina A warm, generous and welcoming state where food is love and they love big. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583721215021-Y54PUPVGOW8FGWK3GNXF/Oklahoma-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten States - Oklahoma Some of the nicest, friendliest, most unflappable people you’ll ever meet. OKC made the top ten cities and Tulsa has its own charm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583721231162-L2WBOVHVF8BHB3F44CIV/Tennessee-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten States - Tennessee Lawn Chair Theater, Leiper’s Fork https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583721245517-Q4PIS5R8E6UCRR6I6ACN/Utah-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten States - Utah Salt Lake City from the Antelope Island causeway https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583721299551-AH0OWU3PPHWL5DF4Z1VB/Virginia-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten States - Virginia Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/the-usa-50-50-challenge-top-ten-cities monthly 0.5 2024-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/fff76764-99d1-45b5-8ff7-12247af3c28c/Top+Ten+Cities+tags.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Cities https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/d79e50b9-e22f-4766-8c3d-27d7cfb7f38e/boise-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Cities - Boise, Idaho This eco-friendly town has a geo-thermally heated capitol, white-water rafting in the middle of town and a very healthy and active population who buy locally grown food and are always outdoors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583200750669-9D3N6H8LM6R0BR2VGLLG/Chicago-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Cities - Chicago, Illinois Home to Ferris Bueller, fabulous architecture and a canal system that lets you see it by cruise; deep-dish pizzas and their own way with a hot dog, plus plenty of attitude. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583200782977-FDCTDA79QG9KQ30WWV8T/Cincinatti-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Cities - Cincinnati, Ohio This lovely city on the banks of the Ohio River captured me with its history and the Over The Rhine neighbourhood – in the process of being gentrified – while proudly maintaining is cultural roots. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583200816937-6F5FVF62P6222QXYKWZS/FortWorth-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Cities - Fort Worth, Texas The smaller brother of the much flashier Dallas that quietly gets on with its many cultural programs celebrating cowboy culture and history. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583200847043-0ITRMQ8J4MIPH4OK1COV/KCMO-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Cities - Kansas City, Missouri Or as I like to call it ‘Gotham West’ for its amazing Art Deco architecture and the mile long main street which runs through historical periods and cultural districts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583200873777-HDEA1PA6CXTHOJ681J2N/NOLA-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Cities - New Orleans, Louisiana The most European city in the United States. It’s like visiting Paris without needing a passport. Here they’ll feed you, entertain you and get you dancing with hardly any effort on their part. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583200904431-Z633KTQQLLN4V1KGKU7Q/OKC-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Cities - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Home to the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Their MidWest hearts are as wide open as the landscape and they will show you a fine old time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583200932547-NRK63VLV9P0QEL0U1QAX/PHPA-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Cities - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania City of Brotherly Love, cheesesteaks and many museums. They like to eat, drink, party and cheer on their sporting teams. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583200962970-TOF5EX6WSFNUHF78TUT2/Savannah-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Cities - Savannah, Georgia Gracious lady of the South, a charming town with twenty-two lush squares that invite you to sit a spell and watch the world go by. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583201069581-XBR8HLA1VZS6EZ21GB8P/Seattle-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Cities - Seattle, Washington This metropolis in the Pacific Northwest is at once bustling and mellow, which is no mean feat. A young city that appreciates nature. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583201208732-W0CG3AR15KX7QT78FNUY/Washington-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Cities - Bonus City: Washington, DC The District of Columbia is not a state – so it technically didn’t qualify in the Challenge – but I had to visit this culturally rich city, stealing time from my week in West Virginia. Thankfully, it lived up to the hype! https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/the-usa-50-50-challenge-top-ten-towns monthly 0.5 2024-05-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/c532ba77-beae-49ae-b146-7213e4a0550f/Top+Ten+towns+tag.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Towns https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583198900807-6LCGPOEX8DKCMB0E342T/annapolis-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Towns - Annapolis, Maryland Compact and lovely, it’s home to the US Naval Academy and more history than one small town should hold. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583198931039-4BY9EOS2YKREHVJDFTN0/beaufort-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Towns - Beaufort, North Carolina Home to the dread pirate Blackbeard and wild island living, sea swimming horses plus it was ‘America's Coolest Small Town.’ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583199012319-NBBXCTLXU2HWOL9M2068/cape+may-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Towns - Cape May, New Jersey A true landmark village, it was the country’s first seaside resort and has more Victorian buildings than any other town in America. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583199070436-VNN3VNQR1H0KRWLN3D36/franklin-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Towns - Franklin, Tennessee The quintessential small town USA: a busy main street, sweet cafes and charming shops. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/d037ee3f-c2d5-44b1-8d27-c3a510c43ef5/friday+harbor-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Towns - Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington This laidback town takes tourists in its stride and then watches them leave on ferries, knowing they’ll be back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583199169188-0AIAR0JW4SIN1ZY8B0SY/Georgetown-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Towns - Georgetown, South Carolina True Southern hospitality in its purest form. This is where the wealthy Charlestonites escaped to live a simpler life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583199223589-2GR0NN3OSHMFO8TYMYYB/newport-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Towns - Newport, Rhode Island Two completely separate personalities to the one town: trophy winning sailing and the ‘cottages’ of the super wealthy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583199263756-1ZM3X289UHXZ466UIFUJ/portsmouth-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Towns - Portsmouth, New Hampshire A colonial town that never lost its colonial ways. History, maritime tradition and great seafood. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583199338377-CSCXJO28TCEU7L28G5P3/st+charles-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Towns - St Charles, Missouri Brick paved streets, colonial taverns, Daniel Boone and the starting point for the Westward Expedition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583199382567-6RXZ5C7V7HKR4E7D1DV1/Wichita-1.png Notes from the Road - The USA 50/50 Challenge: Top Ten Towns - Wichita, Kansas Famous for the classic song, Wichita Lineman, which introduced the name to the rest of the world and for living up to my expectations based on that song. https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/the-14-hour-flight-from-hell-4r822-f7aj3 monthly 0.5 2024-08-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1bd34c8a-0e48-432a-8068-0e33f8c45941/Antigua%2C+Guatemala+10Mar18_8.jpg Notes from the Road - I Lost My 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https://www.thepackedbag.com/notesfromtheroad/tag/Ohio monthly 0.5 https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides daily 0.75 2026-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/202884a5-ef1e-4690-a77b-9be8a7f9a6ec/Know%26Go+logo+2026.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1603954640558-5NI55ONKXDLYDYDB5QOE/tpb+stamp-white-new.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1585533165634-MFPI9NILPVYXPTEZNZPG/traveltote+logo.png https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides/santa-ana-orange-county-california monthly 0.5 2025-06-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/0db6e935-dfbe-4143-89be-1d65c9a40f7a/santa+ana+name.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Santa Ana, Orange County, California Elfreth's Alley, the oldest residential street in the USA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/cb135286-b31f-4ea7-be7f-c917ae0b3bcb/USA-Gold-California.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Santa Ana, Orange County, California - Pennsylvania is the https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/dbe02bb9-ab52-4853-95e6-865e415aa8e8/IMG_6300.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Santa Ana, Orange County, California - Downtown Santa Ana Art Walking Tour Walking with a local legend! Alicia Rojas is famous in Santa Ana and walking down the street with her you’d think you were with a movie star. She is one Travel Santa Ana’s signature artists and Director of the Santa Ana Community Artist Coalition. I was very lucky to have a private tour with her, to see the community murals and what an explosion of colour and vibrancy they were on a dull, grey day. As the blurb from Travel Santa Ana says: “Like a living, city-sized art museum, Santa Ana proudly displays one of Southern California's most extensive collections of murals. Starting with the Chicano movement of the 1960s, artists began painting massive images that commemorate the city’s colorful, multicultural heritage. Pay attention as you explore; it's not uncommon to find them in alleys, on the sides of buildings, doorways, electrical utility boxes and even entire city blocks.” All this and more was true of my visit. Bookings essential. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/9da958a0-b952-4636-8d2b-a96cca2210cc/Bowers+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Santa Ana, Orange County, California - Bowers Museum Expansive and impressive collections Opening in 1936, it was devoted solely to the history of Orange County. After a six-times expansion in 1992, it’s been voted ‘Best Museum’ in Orange County for the past 30 years. Another expansion in 2007 added 2787m2 (30,000 sqft) allowing for nine permanent collection exhibitions and rotating exhibition spaces, thus becoming the largest museum in the OC. I had a truly edifying time walking through, finding a Han Dynasty Tomb Warrior, South Pacific headhunters masks, a beautifully preserved coffered ceiling from a long-gone Spanish Mission and superb paintings depicting the county’s bounty. There’s much more to see, all beautifully laid out inside this vast Mission Revival compound. It’s also an event space, where celebrations and weddings are a common sight. Open Tue-Sun 10am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/ac239326-227f-4fce-992d-0b82144c35e6/Walking+tour+social2.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Santa Ana, Orange County, California - Historic Architecture Walking Tour Learning made fun! I had a brilliant time learning about the historic architecture of Downtown Santa Ana from bon vivant and raconteur Tim Rush, founding board member of Preserve Orange County and the current Chair of the Historic Resources Commission of the City of Santa Ana. We spotted many different architectural styles starting at the Richardsonion Romanesque Courthouse (centre), then down Main Street to its Zigzag Moderne old City Hall (top left) and the glorious Churrigueresque Santora Building (top right). Further along we spied the Beaux Arts old West End Theatre (centre bottom) and spotted a laid-back dude forever fishing off the roof (bottom left image) on top of an Art Deco building. Spying a clock tower in the distance, I discovered it was the Spurgeon Building (bottom right), the city’s first skyscraper, built in 1913 and named for the founder of Santa Ana itself. Bookings essential. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b16360b9-dc19-4719-be1f-3f41a8e64feb/IMG_4425.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Santa Ana, Orange County, California - Santa Ana Artists Village Varied and eclectic art of all kind from all kinds This pedestrial mall on W 2nd Street, with its fountain and Santora Building on the corner, is ground zero for the Downtown Santa Ana First Saturday Art Walk. It’s surrounded on all sides with galleries and art spaces. You’ll find every kind of art here from sculptures to photography, textiles to performance art. Here is a link to the arts in Santa Ana. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/fe53722e-ae64-46e9-bcce-5b33b66b07ee/santora+bldg_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Santa Ana, Orange County, California - Santora Building Gloriously ornate building with history and a new life Opened in 1929, this California Churrigueresque* style building is a standout on Main Street. Santora – a portmanteau of Santa Ana and Orange – was designed by Frank Lansdowne, one of the premier architects of the region. Its grand lobby leads to three floors of shops and from 1934-1944, the second floor held the historic Daninger's Tea Room where “Hollywood’s young and beautiful (Lucille Ball, William Holden, Rosalind Russell, Jack Benny, etc) stuffed themselves with ‘the best food in Orange County.’” As with the way of all old buildings, it sat unloved for a period until the late 1990s when local legend and theatre designer, Joseph Musil, moved in and opened his exhibit, Studio of the Theaters. While that’s no longer there, artists have been calling it home ever since. *The Churrigueresque style dates back to the 1660s and the Churriguera family from Salamanca, Spain https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/77337dae-b3c0-43fc-a5aa-daa743c830a4/Chapter+one+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Santa Ana, Orange County, California - Chapter One: the modern local Multi-cultural meal in a cozy pub This place has a nice pub vibe, with dark wood and book-lined walls, and a separate dining area from the bar, where they serve local craft beers on tap. While you can sit near the bar and watch the many sports on large screens, they are silent and music is playing all the while. Here is where the locals hangout and that’s always a good sign. Executive chef, Tony Castaneda, fuses traditional and exotic foods to perfection. I had a superb multi-ethnic dinner here: delicious Filippino lumpia (pork egg rolls), sublime American Mac’n’Cheese, delicate Italian Margherita flatbread and divine Southern Bourbon Pecan Praline – hand-churned-in-house – ice cream. It was Santa Ana on a plate! Open Mon-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri 11am-12am, Sat 10am-12am, Sun 10am-8pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/dc7b6471-d4e6-41b5-82b6-c5f815bfb36b/Alta+Baja+Market_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Santa Ana, Orange County, California - Alta Baja Market Cultural market with every kind of delicacy and craft Located inside the 4th Street Market, Alta Baja Market is “a specialty grocery store, cafe and community space dedicated to celebrating the foods and crafts of California, Mexico and the American Southwest.” Owner Delilah Snell (image bottom right at left) is a proud Santañera who promotes her home town and local artists and artisans, giving them a space to perform and sell their wares. I’m glad the Art Walking Tour led by Alicia Roja’s (image bottom right at right) started here otherwise I might have missed it. This is the kind of place you could browse for hours, grab a meal and a Michelada (beer cocktail), then browse some more. You’re guaranteed to find something unusual/fun that you can’t believe you’ve lived without! Open daily 10am-4pm (kitchen closes at 3PM). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/2096b0b4-f36f-455a-8205-f08366a7cce9/Courtyard+Santa+Ana+Orange+County_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Santa Ana, Orange County, California - Courtyard Santa Ana Orange County Comfortable hotel in heart of Orange County I only stayed one night here, but it was eventful. After dropping my bags in my room, I returned later in the day and discovered what sounded like the local gymnastics team had moved in upstairs. The thumps were truly impressive and I’m sure I would have held up a ‘7.0 for difficulty’ paddle had I been witness to them. Thankfully, Lisa at the front desk was a star and moved me above the athletes to the top floor to avoid this happening again. My new room was more spacious and she treated me to a free breakfast to make up for the fuss. That’s some fine customer service right there! The room was California large and the king bed was very comfortable. I took advantage of the on-demand movies had a blissfully quiet night. Breakfast was served in takeaway containers but was delicious, none the less, when enjoyed in my room. I would happily have stayed longer and used the rest of the facilities had time permitted. https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides/lower-manhattan-new-york monthly 0.5 2024-07-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/3d9d5792-23e7-4328-b5e1-aa2858620cea/lower+manhattan+name.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Lower Manhattan, New York, USA Elfreth's Alley, the oldest residential street in the USA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/7c0d4975-4900-4ec5-9a4f-8f703eea2e0a/USA-Gold-NY.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Lower Manhattan, New York, USA - Pennsylvania is the https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/ff7911c2-6ebf-4267-8be8-b77fdde15973/One+World+social+post.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Lower Manhattan, New York, USA - One World Observatory On a clear day, you can see forever… well 16km/10mi This striking building stands like a middle finger salute to those terrorists who destroyed its predecessors, the Twin Towers, in 2001. It measures 1776 feet (541 metres) from base to the tip of the spire, making it the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. That number is in homage to the year America declared its independence from Britain… yet another salute. This building is all about defiance, including gravity and engineering. The views from the top are spectacular… on a clear day. I was originally scheduled to go up on a cloudy day with 0 miles visibility — as seen on the screens at the entrance (see above) – so pick well, if you can, or they may allow you to change your booking, as they did for me. Thankfully the next day dawned beautifully clear and the views from the top were unparalleled and seriously worth the effort. Fittingly, the artwork near the entrance (image bottom right) are ‘XO World’ and ‘XO Play,’ part of the XO WORLD Project promoting “equality, unity, peace and love.” Another, albeit more benign, salute! Open daily 9am-9pm (with seasonal changes). Entry fee – standard to VIP inclusions – and Late Night Saver (after 8pm) available. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/98670ea0-e7bd-4f66-beb7-0469322793a3/PAC+NYC+26Sep23_social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Lower Manhattan, New York, USA - Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) A world of wonder inside a beautiful cube This shiny, new “cultural beacon” is a little architectural gem – designed by the architecture firm REX – and the last piece of the World Trade Center campus to open. The monolithic cube – 49 x 49 metre (160 x 160 foot) – stands 36 metres (117 feet) tall and is covered in 5,000 panels of 12mm (0.5 in) thick veined Portuguese marble, through which light glows at night. (Bringing to mind the Beinecke Library at Yale University.) Each piece, laminated on both sides with thermal glass, was strategically ‘book matched’ to give a biaxially symmetric pattern – lozenge shape to you and me – which repeats on all four sides of the building. The state-of-the-art building has three flexible performance spaces with automated walls and seating systems, enabling a wide-range of artistic programs. The Metropolis by Marcus Samuelsson restaurant/bar (image top right corner) is a busy work/social hub for locals. Open Tue-Sun 11am-10pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/446f7e35-3224-4d79-88e1-d5d1aa876ee6/ADNY_Connection-Map_June-2023.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Lower Manhattan, New York, USA - Downtown Connection Bus Hop on board these red buses and explore more While there are subway stations bringing you down the bottom of the island, once here it’s mostly foot power that will propel you around the district. While I loved getting my walk on, sometimes it can be nice to jump onboard an air-conditioned vehicle with a friendly driver who will drop you off somewhere nice. Luckily, this free little red bus will pick you up and take you to 36 stops around the perimeter of Lower Manhattan. The route gives you the chance to hop to Brookfield Place, The Tin Building and the Staten Island Ferry to name but a few. No guarantees you won’t get stuck in traffic during peak hours, but at least you’re off your feet and moving… albeit slowly! Daily service starts at 10 am and ends with a final run at 7.30pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b9e2fb26-b2c1-4bbd-a27c-a8eaf7c0d96d/9%3A11+Museum+27Sep23_social+static.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Lower Manhattan, New York, USA - National September 11 Memorial & Museum Moving and impressive monuments to a terrible event The Memorial covers 3.2 hectares (8 acres) and encompasses the footprints of the Twin Towers, destroyed on that day in 2001. The twin waterfall pools, called Reflecting Absence, are surrounded by bronze parapets – listing the names of the victims of the 9/11 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing – and more than 400 swamp white oak trees. Known colloquially as the Ground Zero fountain, it’s incredibly peaceful and serene. The Museum is a subterranean exploration of artefacts and memories. It has a cathedral-like quality and visitors walk quietly through listening to their audio guides, as the enormity of the loss and devastation are brought to a human level. It’s a stark reminder and an emotional punch but also a place of hope, due to all those who came to the rescue! The outdoor Memorial is free and open daily, 8am-8pm with Audio Guide available for rent or purchase on the App Store. The 9/11 Museum is open Wed-Mon & select Tue, 9am-7pm. Entry fee. Free Admission Monday (5.30pm-7pm) tickets are available on the website each Monday beginning at 7am ET and are first come, first serve. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/aeeef3ca-82ec-4696-86af-82a83162f312/The+Tin+Building+26Sep23+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Lower Manhattan, New York, USA - The Tin Building by Jean-Georges Fabulous new food hall at South Street Seaport This vast edifice is a true survivor: built in 1907, it served out its days as The Fulton Fish Market and managed to make it through the tumultuous 20th century only to close in 2005. It sat idle for a decade until it underwent a massive eight year transformation to capture the zeitgeist of the 1920 & 30s, recalling its heyday. The brainchild of renowned Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, it’s a love letter to “the city that made him,” and today it sits neatly on the waterfront and lures you in with a dazzling array of food, flower and gift vendors inside the 5,000 m2 (54,000 ft2) Central Market. The 12 varied dining establishments and four bars are scattered over two floors: from vegan to Mexican, brunch to sushi and everything in between. Open Sun-Thu 8am-10pm, Fri & Sat 8am-10.30pm https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/9474f1de-37f1-46be-b27c-c2475315aaae/Hall+des+Lumieres+26Sep23_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Lower Manhattan, New York, USA - Hall des Lumières Immersive digital arts experience This attraction, near City Hall, turns a beautiful Beaux-Arts bank building – the city’s first skyscraper in that style (built 1909-1912) and saved from desecration in 1978 – into a cutting-edge walk inside the works and mind of an artist and/or culture. Created by Culturespaces, “France’s leading private manager of museums and cultural heritage sites,“ this sister site to Atelier Des Lumières in Paris uses 130 video projectors, 54 speakers, 22 subwoofers – within 2800 sq m (30,000 sq feet) over two levels – and cutting-edge mapping technology to immerse you in paintings and historical situations. With changing exhibitions and public events, this is a fantastic new addition to Lower Manhattan and an exciting re-use of a stunning old building. Bookings essential. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/8fa99a47-e982-4185-b860-37ef64e5d0bf/Liberty+Bistro+lunch+27Sep23_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Lower Manhattan, New York, USA - Liberty Bistro & Bar, Le District, Brookfield Place Dine with a view of the Hudson River This bistro – tucked away inside Le District – is a quiet oasis of calm inside what is the massive Brookfield Place complex in Battery Park City. With the plethora of dining choices this vast city holds, it’s nice to find a place where you can hear yourself think and your companion talk, while fine food is in the offing. Being a French restaurant and lunch time, I chose the Croque Monsieur and the Crème Brûlée, the latter my litmus test for quality. Both were delicious. We sat in The Dining Room but, if you can, choose a seat to watch the water traffic on the Hudson River while dining. Next time, I’ll have Sunday brunch on The Patio and really take advantage of the views. Open daily 11am-10pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/cbb98b17-f301-4d2f-854f-babaccaf9ee2/Le+District_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Lower Manhattan, New York, USA - Le District Stylish taste of Paris in Lower Manhattan This food district located on the ground (first) floor of Brookfield Place is testament to the love of French food and lifestyle enjoyed by New Yorkers. It’s always full, from morning to night, with locals walking around the market stations selecting crêpes, sharing charcuterie boards at the bar and perusing the patisserie's finest offerings. Open daily 7.30am-10pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/a6f31512-0a99-4ecc-9f97-32087bea0a17/Hudson+Eats_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Lower Manhattan, New York, USA - Hudson Eats, Brookfield Place Stylish food court with NYC staples and chef-driven offerings Located above Le District, with marble tables and views over the Hudson River to Jersey City, this is a pretty special foot court. I always visit Mighty Quinn’s BBQ, but there are many and varied choices from 12 other stands: pizza to cupcakes, bagels to sushi and soups to sandwiches. Open Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 12-6pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/a8e94fae-b57b-468e-8177-70bb2333bebb/The+Dead+Rabbit+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Lower Manhattan, New York, USA - The Dead Rabbit All day breakfast in an Irish pub One of my favourite three-word expressions: all day breakfast *sigh*; and this one is a real treat. I discovered this place one quiet Sunday morning in 2016 and it remains a favourite, thanks to the great atmosphere and delicious Irish Breakfast (vegetarian version also available). Residing on Water Street inside an historic five story townhouse, it was named for an Irish neighbourhood gang from the 1800s. It opened in 2013 and is still going strong… a rarity in NYC. Along the way it’s expanded and won many awards, including World’s Best Bar and World’s Best Cocktail Menu twice. Open The Taproom 11am–2am, The Parlor 5pm–1am. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/d5ee0188-14b1-4d24-94b0-b0c889909713/The+Mighty+Quinns+Hudson+Eats+26Sep23_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Lower Manhattan, New York, USA - Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue Addicted to the ‘dirty fries’ This chain is scattered all over Manhattan island and, if I see one, I’ll make a bee-line to it. Like my addiction to In-N-Out in California, I cannot come to New York City without visiting one of these culinary purveyors of the best burnt-ends outside of Georgia. I visited the one in Brookfield Place this time and got my serve of dirty fries – fried smothered with burnt ends, chile-lime sauce, red onion and scallions (spicy) – to go. While they’re not good for the waistline, they are a fabulous treat and they even reheat well, as I never finish the full serve in one go. Open Mon-Sat 11 am-9 pm, Sun 11am-7pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/d721b74b-8ae3-4844-bd65-244096bab03d/ResidenceInnWTC%23506_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Lower Manhattan, New York, USA - Residence Inn New York Downtown Manhattan/World Trade Center Area One central location to discover it all I first stayed here in 2015 when the design you see above was new. This time, I visited during a period of transition to a more sedate design and will have to return to see its new incarnation fully realised. Being a ‘residence inn’ means that you have all the comforts of home – including a well stocked kitchenette, where the only thing missing was an electric kettle for us tea drinkers – without the need to do any cleaning yourself, although there is a dishwasher to take care of your immediate needs. My room had a stylish walk-in shower, however, you can request rooms with baths. Located near the corner of Maiden Lane and Broadway, the location couldn’t be more ideal. It’s a straight two block walk to the World Trade Center, zag to the the right and you’re at the Oculus Transportation Hub, another left gets you to Brookfield Place. Out the doors and left down Broadway leads you towards the tip of the island and all that it holds. Turn right and 7/8ths of the island awaits you either on foot or via Subway from the Fulton Street interchange one block away. In fact, I arrived at the hotel - from the Metro North train – and departed for JFK airport via the subway. Of all the places I’ve stayed in NYC, this was the most convenient hotel from which to arrive or depart. I felt really safe and at home here and, if I were to take up residence in Manhattan, I would rent this King Suite – and live like a king(!) in more space than the average rental apartment – instead of diving into the morass that is the New York real estate market. I will be back. https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides/new-orleans-lousiana monthly 0.5 2024-06-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/5a8f2561-9499-4297-8e7e-f4469699616a/nola+name.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Elfreth's Alley, the oldest residential street in the USA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/565a386a-13e3-45c1-81d1-a21f43805567/USA-Gold-Louisiana.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Pennsylvania is the https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/d3607676-aede-45d1-af20-901b4ddc9854/Audubon+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Audubon Insectarium Flutterbys, scarabs & bees, oh my! Part of the Audubon Nature Institute: Audubon Zoo, Audubon Park, Audubon Aquarium and Audubon Insectarium; the latter two share a vast building on the riverside near the Canal Street ferry terminal. While I walked quite quickly through the aquarium, seeing the usual suspects, I found the Insectarium absolutely fascinating. I guarantee that you will learn things, be ‘ooked out’ by too many legs and leave with a healthy appreciation for these much misunderstood and undervalued creatures. After all, “they are most diverse group of animals on the planet and make up more than half of all known species,” outnumber us 200 million to one and are vital to the health of the planet, while we are welcome to leave any time soon before we destroy it completely. Also, predictions say we will be eating an insect heavy diet in the not-to-distant future. In light of that, I tried a snicker doodle aptly rename Beetle Doodle and it was crunchy but delicious! Open daily 10am-5pm. Entry fee with combined tickets available. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/43f7d9df-a57c-4e62-8c53-051f25ada3c1/Sazerac+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - The Sazerac House Where it’s always cocktail time! A young Haitian pharmacist, Antoine Peychaud, arrived in New Orleans and opened an apothecary shop on Royal Street in 1834. He concocted a medicinal bitters to treat all sorts of ailments – the now iconic Peychaud Bitters – and in 1850 was inspired to mix them with his favorite imported French tipple, Sazerac-de-Forge Cognac also known for its *cough* medicinal qualities… et voilà the original Sazerac Cocktail was born. While it’s free to enter, you would be advised to book a self-guided tour that takes you through three floors: the distillery; ‘Art of Our Craft’ allows you to create your own virtual cocktail and taste some IRL; and the heritage exhibit shows you the history of the cocktail and you’ll learn how prohibition failed in NOLA! You’ll learn and taste this and more as you tour this impressive building. Open daily 11am-6pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/0ff5bb52-99c4-462a-87c8-417e41b22358/St+Charles+Streetcar_6.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - The Streetcars of New Orleans Ride the “oldest continuously operating street railway system in the world” More than just a great way to get around, New Orleans’ distinctive streetcars (trams/trolleys) add fun to your visit. For the bargain price of $1.25 (exact change or buy a Jazzy Pass) you can ride this mobile national monument – a distinction shared with San Francisco’s cable cars. There are four lines: Canal Street, Riverfront, Rampart/Loyola and St Charles. Canal Street, which forms the border between the Central Business District and the French Quarter – and is one of the widest street in the nation at 52 metres (171 feet) – the red streetcars travel between the riverfront and the cemeteries or City Park (read the front window signs to avoid getting on the wrong one). Riverfront starts at Union Passenger Terminal (UPT [Amtrak]) runs to and down Canal Street to the Aquarium then alongside the Mississippi River to the French Market. Rampart/Loyola starts at UPT travels above the French Quarter and ends in the Marigny neighbourhood. St Charles is the most historic line, dating from 1835, with its striking dark green Perley Thomas cars that date from 1923. It’s also the longest ride taking forty minutes to travel 20 km (13 miles) one way between Uptown (Carondelet Avenue) and the Central Business District (Canal Street). Fun Fact: The Desire line, immortalized in Tennessee Williams’ play, A Streetcar Named Desire, ran through the French Quarter to its namesake street, in the Bywater district, until 1948. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/790f85b6-af72-4360-94b1-077e0baa14da/City+Park+bandstand.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - City Park Massive green space housing cultural treasures This massive 5.3 km square (1,300 acre) public park was founded in 1854 and established as the City Park in 1891. Knowing how American’s love comparing everything to the size of New York’s Central Park – in the way Europeans compare country size to Belgium, which has always baffled me – this one is approximately 50% larger! The park’s existing infrastructure was created by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s. Inside the park you’ll find many, many things to do, with attractions including the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA), the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, New Orleans Botanical Garden and a Café du Monde outpost along with the “world's largest collection of mature live oak trees,” some older than 600 years. Fun Fact: Back in the 1800s, when such things were fashionable, this was the city’s primary dueling ground. Duels were a way in which (mostly wealthy) men would settle disagreements and insults with swords or pistols. I bet those trees have some stories! Open daily 5am-10pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/3b108e8a-620b-4677-a515-b6e4910d72c7/NOLA+gardens+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - New Orleans Botanical Garden Lovely gardens in City Park This 4 hectare (10 acre) garden is easily walkable and worth the effort if you are visiting the other attractions in City Park. It began life as the Rose Garden, built by the WPA in 1935-36, and the Art Deco touches are everywhere, “influenced by three renowned talents of the era: architect Richard Koch, landscape architect William Wiedorn and sculptor Enrique Alférez.” The latter is represented by the largest collection of his outdoor sculptures is the world, scattered through the garden. Open Tue-Thur & Sun 10am–4.30pm, Friday & Saturday 10am–4pm. Entry fee. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/8a52a548-8113-44d4-8913-6f08fba7c9fd/Two+Chicks+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Two C hicks Walking Tours Comprehensive tour of the famed Garden District This walking tour was led by local scion DeAnna DuPont, who knows everything about the GD. While it felt like we walked all over the world, we actually covered just a small portion of the vast Garden District. She showed us St Louis #1 Cemetery, pointed out the oldest house in the district, those with famous owners and told us the sad yet heartwarming story of the Sunflower Girl statue, among many other fabulous stories. Tours 10.30am and/or 2pm. Bookings essential. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/7a0bbe59-baaa-4f39-bc19-ddf93a4c214c/Carousel+Bar_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - The Carousel Bar & Lounge, Hotel Monteleone Ride the carousel or sit still and enjoy the music The Carousel Bar opened in 1949 and was frequented by Tennessee Williams, William Faulkner, Truman Capote (who claimed [erroneously] to have been born in the hotel) and Ernest Hemmingway, among many others, back in the day. It literally is a carousel and you can drink your cocktails while rotating slowly, if you can get a seat. (Whether you’re still rotating once you leave relates to your level of consumption.) The lounge is a more relaxed option with stationary seats, a good selection of nibbles and a vast cocktail menu accompanied by live music on Wednesday-Saturday evenings. Open daily 11am-12am. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/5a8e7b95-a828-46af-b3a4-f8445434fa74/Vue+Orleans+social+static.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Vue Orleans A new way to see New Orleans, with amazing cutting edge touch-free interactive exhibits This amazing attraction sits on the top floor of the tower at the top of Canal Street. While it bills itself as an observation deck – and the 360º views are fabulous – it’s the interactive cultural experience that really captured me. It starts when you step onto the elevator that shows a virtual reality representation of the history of the city, that can make your head spin, as you move up. Once at the top, you can delve into the history of New Orleans by choosing avatars of important characters, who’ve influenced the city, to tell you their story; watch a beautifully animated film about the Mississippi River; learn recipes from famous local chefs in The Story Café; compose your own jazz masterpiece; or create a virtual Mardis Gras costume; to name but a few. After that go out onto the deck and see the city IRL. Open daily 10am-6pm. Entry fee. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/a052930c-b70c-4f57-b999-90675353929b/Red+Sash+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Red Sash St. Louis Cemetery #3 Tour: Angels and Architecture So many angels! This walking tour with the learned Sally Asher was excellent. She’s a great storehouse of knowledge about these distinctive burial grounds. This cemetery, established in 1854, is younger than its predecessors, 1 and 2, but is twice their combined size and is a very active burial site. Over 90 minutes, we learned about the different types of tombs, what it means if an angel is carrying flowers pointing downwards and heard many stories including a sea tragedy and all about the famous ‘spite’ tomb, which looks like a four-year-old’s idea of a castle. Tours available daily 10am and/or 1.30pm. Bookings essential. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4d4bffce-2d33-4933-b7f3-e5a80872bdc2/Sculpture+garden+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - NOMA Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Little pocket of happiness This free attraction is nestled in City Park, between NOMA and the Botanical Garden. As you stroll along the paths, strange and wonderful things appear and disappear. With over 90 pieces on display in the 4.5 hectare (11 acre) garden, you could wander for hours trying to see them all. The website allows you to learn more about the pieces, once you’ve found your favourites. Open Apr-Sep 10am-6pm, Oct-Mar 10am-5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/5df3ee3a-4c47-4f5e-be69-0a60b1c4454c/French+Quarter+Walking+Tour+15Sep23_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - French Quarter Walking Tour with NOLA Historic Tours Walking with a local historian I love a good walking tour, they give you a sense of place and you learn about things you would otherwise walk past. I took the Twilight tour and ours was a congenial group, lead by the exuberant David Higgins. Daily at 10.30am and 5pm. Bookings essential. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/83016712-dc55-4846-8210-26c00a813bf9/NOMA+16Sep23_social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) 40,000 objects spanning 5,000 years of art It all started in 1910 when wealthy sugar baron, Isaac Delgado, gave the city $150,000 (nearly $5M today) to building an art museum. The resulting Beaux Art building held just nine works of art when it opened in 1911... so things have improved since then! It holds a truly impressive and eclectic collection of which I was particularly taken with Vigée LeBrun’s portrait of Marie Antoinette. It was purchased in 1985 for $500,000 to commemorate the museum’s 75th anniversary. That’s a damn fine birthday present! Open Tue–Sun 10am–5pm; Wed 12–7 pm. Entry fee. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/eaffdd8b-3d34-4804-9caa-4f2b75e113ec/Creole+Queen+Cruise+17Sep23+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Creole Queen Dinner Jazz Cruise Nighttime cruise along the Mississippi Let me say upfront: I’m not a fan of such cruises and, as I’ve said before, your expectations affect your experience. Having said that, in all my travels and the many of these that I’ve done, some have pleasantly surprised me… unfortunately, this wasn’t one of them. But, hey, that’s just my opinion. There were probably people on board having a grand time. I did enjoy the mesmeric and rhythmic swish of the paddles propelling us along the majestic Mississippi River and seeing the crescent moon over the Crescent City as the sun went down. I wish I had done the daytime Historical River Cruise, which is much more my speed and gets rave reviews online. Open 6:45-9pm. Bookings essential. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/fed4312c-c6f4-4d5a-86c8-8d14280238fa/Ruby+slipper+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Ruby Slipper Living #ThatBrunchLife It doesn’t matter what time you got to bed last night, this is a great place to start the new day. They do brunch big here and I do mean big. I shared plates with my tourism host and we only managed to make a small dent in the huge portions of The Trifecta – a sampler of their signature Benedicts – and Bananas Foster French toast. We ate at the Decatur location, one of six around the city with more scattered throughout the South. You can’t go wrong choosing a Ruby Slipper for brunch, just bring your appetite or three friends. Open Mon-Fri 7am-2pm, Sat-Sun 7am-3pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/3671fe39-648b-4880-93c9-911434ed1401/Dinner+%40+Dickie+Brennan%27s+Tableau+15Sep23_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Dickie Brennan’s Tableau Traditional restaurant in the French Quarter This popular restaurant just off Jackson Square boasts a courtyard, main dining room, Drawing Room lounge and apparently the “best balcony for dining and drinking” in town. My tourism host and I sat in the main dining room and shared the Maison salad, fried oyster pan roast, shrimp & grits, ending with a classic crème brûlee. Open Brunch Wed-Sun 11am-3pm, Dinner Wed-Sun 3-9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/12c593df-3852-4caa-8ce6-17a3561b9935/Commander%27s+Palace+social+static+17Sep23.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Commander’s Palace The place to celebrate milestones in NOLA I had heard about this venerable venue in the Garden District, opened in 1893, but this was my first time under its famed striped awnings for the Sunday Jazz Brunch. Owned and run since 1969 by the prolific Brennan Family – owners of 22 establishments in New Orleans alone – who are responsible for the distinctive ‘Commander's Blue’ exterior, originated in 1974. With a strolling band, revellers conga-lining through from the upstairs dining rooms and balloons on every table, this is the ultimate party palace where the great and good of New Orleans celebrate every possible milestone and anniversary. I had the most fabulous time with amazing food stretching over three hours! Starting with the famous (and notoriously difficult to to make) Ramos Gin Fizz, we had course after course, including but not limited to Shrimp Remoulade, Chicken Skins with Shrimp & Tasso, Pork Tenderloin and that most traditional of Southern desserts, Banana Pudding. Every trip to New Orleans demands a visit here. Open Lunch Thu-Fri 11.30am-the last seating varies on the season, Dinner Mon-Wed 5,30pm, Thu-Fri 6pm-the last seating varies on the season. Jazz Brunch Sat 11am-2.30pm, Sun 10am-2.30pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b2d0804a-e8b5-447c-897f-a7c68c81b563/Saint+John+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Saint John Fabulous food at the Chef’s Table This was a fun dinner with my amazing tourism host, Diana of New Orleans & Company. We watched our dishes being created and enjoyed Oyster Three Ways: poached in double cream, crispy fried and oyster dressing in vol-au-vent; and massive, perfectly cooked brown-butter seared scallops with cracked corn grits in a very convivial atmosphere. Open Mon & Wed-Thu 3-9pm, Fri 3-10pm, Sat brunch & dinner 11am-10pm, Sun Drag brunch & dinner 11am-9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/bace60cc-bdf9-463c-b941-28cab8c39579/Molly%27s+at+the+Market_+16Sep23_social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Molly’s at the Market Postprandial frozen Irish Coffee anyone? Yes, please! Strolling here after the magnificent dinner at Saint John, we had the perfect nightcap of frozen Irish coffee at Molly’s – a tiny dive bar that straddles the French Quarter/French Market border – a famous haunt of media types since the 1970s. Open Mon-Wed 10am-3am, Thu-Sun 10am-6am. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/394b1e57-8302-4891-9a37-4bf7755f0a4d/PJ%27s+coffee_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans Indulgent drinks and sweet treats PJ’s have been serving the community since 1978. I stopped into the Magazine Street Garden District location – one of many in the city – as it was the starting point for the Two Chicks Walking Tour, which I travelled to via the St Charles streetcar. Naturally, I had to partake of a libation while waiting and I chose a cold Caramel Velvet Cream which tasted as good as it sounds. While it was being made, I chatted with a few locals who raved about their food. Open 6am-7pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/6b2b2ad3-fc61-410f-8e7d-63fea07ca4d0/Johnny%27s+Po+Boys+15Sep23_social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Johnny’s Po’Boy Oldest family-owned restaurant in the city, serving good, unpretentious food This is the kind of place that most people would walk past, however, I had a local with me and, after stating that my go to food in New Orleans is a shrimp po’boy, we turned up here. This local hangout is the oldest family-owned restaurant in town. The half sandwich & gumbo special fueled more walking and shopping in The French Quarter. It’s cash only and looks like it hasn’t changed in about 40 years. For all that, the food is good, local approved and hits the spot. Open Thu-Sun 8am-3.30pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/57e0fd27-04b6-4470-8d0e-8d8808bf09ea/1-8+Pat+O%27Brien%27s+15Sep23_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Pat O'Brien's Courtyard Iconic Bourbon Street bar, birthplace of The Hurricane There are elements of Harry Potter to this place. You enter via a very narrow carriageway and it opens up like it’s had an Undetectable Extension Charm placed upon it with room after room appearing and, at the centre of the vast patio, you find the Flaming Fountain, resembling the Goblet of Fire! This deceptively vast institution holds three venues: the main bar - where 500 beer steins hang from the ceiling; the patio - a 371 sqm (4,000 sq ft) expanse; and piano bar – home to The Original Dueling Piano Show. Pat O’Brien’s began as a speakeasy on Peters Street and opened as a legit bar in 1933, after prohibition was repealed. In the 1940s, when American hard liquor was difficult to come by, Caribbean rum was plentiful and the famous Hurricane cocktail was born. Can you say you’ve been to New Orleans if you haven’t been here? Open Wed-Thu & Sunday 12pm-12am, Fri-Sat 12pm-2am https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b0e78f9d-bb56-4632-a4fc-dfa13fc59cfa/CdM+17Sep23+social+static.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Café du Monde, Jackson Square A sacred ritual No visit to New Orleans is complete without sitting at a table under the famous and green and white striped awnings of this bastion to fried goodness. The Jackson Square location is open 24/7 and don’t be fooled by the long lines, that’s for people getting takeaway. Bring cash, walk in, sit down at a free table and order the classic: beignets & cafe au lait. Then, if you’re interested, you can walk behind the building to see the beignets being made (see above). Open 24/7. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/6ff00898-5d3c-4ab5-9cd4-f5ba10dba38f/Lunch+%40+Cafe+Degas+16Sep23_social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Cafe Degas Little piece of Paris near City Park It took 15 hot minutes to walk here from City Park on a glorious late summer’s day but it was worth it to get to this French bistro plucked from one of Degas’ paintings. My delicious lunch of Ravioli d'Ecrevisse (ravioli stuffed with Louisiana crawfish) and their famous Ile Flottante was magnifique! Open Brunch: Sat & Sun 10.30am-3pm, Lunch: Wed-Fri 11am-3pm, Dinner: Tue-Thu & Sun 5pm-9.30pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/8fab8227-5bcf-4d7e-b83e-02496056595a/Cafe+de+Monde+City+Park_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Café du Monde, City Park Stop and sit a while City Park is a huge edifice with many attractions, so it makes sense to stop and refresh yourself with New Orleans’ signature pastry. There are quite a few locations around the city and surrounds, including one at the airport, which I naturally had to visit as my last stop before my flight out. Open Sun-Thu 8am-10pm, Fri-Sat 8am-11pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/2805edc8-b07c-45c5-819c-8cfa469498df/Fleurty+Girl_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Fleurty Girl Fabulous ‘little bit of everything’ store in the French Quarter I love this store. It’s full of whimsy and fabulous products. I come here each time I’m in town. My first purchase, ten years ago, was a super soft printed T-shirt, one of their original designs and the product that launched the whole enterprise. It was so nice that it went missing from my hotel room in Miami less than two weeks later! They have nine locations throughout the city and surrounds plus an outlet at Louis Armstrong International Airport, for those last minute purchases. Open Chartres Street Mon-Thu 10am-7pm, Fri-Sun 9am-7pm, MSY airport daily 5am-7pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/f12bbe7a-3c6d-4b8f-aace-94aded744c87/Bourbon+French+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Bourbon French Parfums Perfuming the French Quarter for 170 years I’ve mentioned my love of the Sweet Olive tree, which is dotted around the Quarter, and when I told this to my tourism host, she directed me here to purchase a fragrance upon which it is based. They’ve been at this since 1843, so I figured I was in safe hands. Travelling carry-on only meant I had to restrict myself, so the travel roll-on was the perfect purchase and I’m wearing it as I type. Open Thu-Mon 10am-5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/8232ccbc-3d05-44f8-b432-11837e2e4859/Hotel+Monteleone+social+static.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA - Hotel Monteleone Living the high life on Royal Street This classic and elegant fifth-generation family-owned hotel, with its red neon sign shining high above the streets of New Orleans, has been a mainstay for the great and the good since 1886. Most people know it for its famous Carousel Bar (post above), but its been connected to so many literary greats – for having them stay and for being featured in their works – that it is lauded as one of only three Literary Landmarks in the USA. I stayed on the 12th floor in the Iberville Tower in a Superior King with views over the city. My room was total luxury and it pained me to leave it as often as I did on this very frenetic visit to the Crescent City. While I didn’t dine in Criollo, the hotel’s restaurant, I did swim in the rooftop pool and have a drink in the Carousel Lounge. The friendly doormen greet you day & night and give great directions, because its ideal location means that you can walk everywhere within the French Quarter or jump on the Canal Street streetcar, just two blocks away, to go further afield. https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides/laurel-mississippi-usa monthly 0.5 2024-06-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/26c7f3b8-c61f-4b3b-a865-2d58f7f39926/laurel+name.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA Elfreth's Alley, the oldest residential street in the USA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/245a95cb-b724-470a-9e39-79c9f96a2072/USA-Gold-Mississippi.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Pennsylvania is the https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/d435d672-448c-4345-83c4-008019a0ef82/Lauren+Rogers+Museum+of+Art-social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Lauren Rogers Museum of Art Stately museum with eclectic collection Opened in 1923, and the first art museum in Mississippi, it’s on the site of the newlywed home being built for its namesake, Lauren Eastman Rogers. He was the golden boy – only son and only grandson of two of the town's founding families – when he tragically died at 23 from appendicitis, shortly after his wedding in 1921. The family pivoted and created this museum and library to memorialise him. Inside, it’s a gorgeous building that holds many surprises: Georgian silver, Japanese woodblock prints and an amazing Native American art collection, to name a few. I particularly loved the lobby, with its quarter-sawn golden oak paneling, cork floors and ornamentation everywhere. The museum shop was another cracker, well stocked with unique finds. The fabulous George Bassi – Museum Director and bon vivant – hosts free Historic District Walking Tours on Fridays throughout the year. Free entry. Open Tue-Sat 10am-4.45pm, Sun 1-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/315db146-32aa-40a4-81fb-ad2d781681e0/Puttin%27Around+social+static.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Puttin’ Around Rentals Best thing on four wheels! I had such a blast driving all over Laurel in my snazzy electric golf cart. I normally like to walk everywhere, but this really elevated my experience as I was able to go as far afield as I wanted and still stop when and where I wanted with no fuss. Can’t recommend them enough! Open Tue–Fri & Sun 12-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/c166d676-4a70-47b9-b3d0-e752a5ec5c5a/Laurel+Socials_6.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - The Murals of Laurel Take a self-guided tour of these artworks Laurel is famous for it’s many murals, some designed by Erin Napier from Home Town. The Jones County Guide interactive widget gives you on-the-go designed itineraries or you can set up your own. I, with my trusty golf cart, visited as many as viable during my visit using the Mural Tour. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/f897eab5-48ee-460b-8d4b-9ef5c4cacabf/DJ+Bolton+Hometown+Tour_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Bolton Hometown Tour Fun filled tour of The City Beautiful The charming DJ Bolton has you right where he wants you: in the back of his stretch golf cart careening around the streets of Laurel, showing you some of the 100+ “Home Town” renovations, getting friendly with the locals (including Zeus the Great Dane above) and showing off his home town. I had a ball and highly recommend you come on this tour when you first arrive in Laurel to get the lay of the land and great recommendations. They also have an ‘Evening Sip & Ride’ tour every Thursday, which is a safe way to tour the town’s drinking establishments where your only concern is not falling off the golf cart. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/0049a2cc-2354-4115-afa5-4d06325213f2/Laurel+Jones+County+Black+History+Museum+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Laurel Jones County Black History Museum This museum celebrates a rich cultural heritage This new museum is a personal passion project spearheaded by the vivacious Marian Allen, showcasing her collection of artwork and historical artefacts. While I was there, I learned about many an unsung local hero. The most famous person who hails from Laurel has to be opera superstar, Leontyne Price – born here in 1927 and still going strong – who has her own mural in town. The building already houses an arts & crafts room and the hope that it will become a place for local children to feel welcome and included. Check website for opening times. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/0acc83e6-0c65-4f22-a36b-8b64197eab59/Scotsman+Woodshop+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Scotsman Woodshop Watch some Home Town treasures being made! Dependent on the filming schedule, you could gather inside the Scotsman General Store and watch Ben Napier and his friends making fixtures and fittings for the properties on Home Town through sound proof glass. It’s akin to watching animals in the zoo but they’re used to it and it’s a major draw for visitors to Laurel. Open Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 1-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1aa9985b-6cb5-4c01-b775-d41d4acb7743/Grits+%26+Some+Social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Grits & Some Down home, stick to your ribs fare This is the kind of place you want to find in the South. No muss, no fuss, just a good, hearty breakfast. I sampled the grits, biscuit & (white) gravy with a side of their famous sweet and spicy bacon, which was awesomely tasty! Open Mon-Fri 8am-12pm, Sat-Sun 8am-1pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/713015c7-ce2a-4669-953d-33c7312f34f2/The+Knight+Butcher_3social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - The Knight Butcher Carnivore heaven This bastion of meat is in the heart of downtown Laurel. While primarily a butcher shop, they also serve sandwiches and burgers cooked on their outside smoker/grill. I chose the special of the day, a rib eye burger, perfectly smokey and charred. The place is decorated with an eye to the theme, check out the toilet roll holders when you pop in. Open Tue-Sat 10am-6pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/ecac939e-0628-4c5e-9cbb-23cf5b0073e2/Laurel+Socials_1.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Laurel Creamery Delicious flavours with colour changing spoons! It was a hot and sunny day when I pulled my trusty steed up to this eatery that carries one of Laurel’s famous murals. Inside it was blissfully cool and I chose the Peachy Peach flavour, which was delicious. However, the cherry on top was the colour changing spoons… they just tickled me pink to purple. Open Tue-Thu 1-8pm, Fri-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 1-9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/ea17b462-5532-483a-a821-4bd1af2e3833/Buzzard%27s+Roost_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Buzzard’s Roost Bar & Inn Cocktail bar under newly renovated B&B Located just across the road from the train station, this building featured on Home Town when they renovated an old furniture warehouse into a stylish bed & breakfast. While I sadly didn’t stay there, I had to have a peek through the front door and decided to get a quick dinner in the bar on my first night. I chose the Buzzard’s Fries, with pulled pork and Buzzard’s Dip. They pull all sorts of meat in the South, so you have to have it at least once. This was tasty and filling comfort food, just what I needed after a very long day. Open Mon-Thur 4-10pm, Fri 4pm-Midnight, Sat 11am-Midnight, Sun 11am-8pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/576fc9e9-4576-4377-bc78-7e673df4237d/Laurel+Socials_3.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Laurel Mercantile Everything you love about Home Town in one beautiful store If you love the interiors showcased on the show, then this is the place to shop to give your home a little Home Town love. This is a home decorators dream store. Beautiful curated with lots of locally made products, you could really warm your home up. (Here I did purchase some small things: a Home Town T-shirt to proudly wear around the world; and a USA shaped cookie cutter.) Open Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 11am-6pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/5d627b75-f72c-4676-9bd1-52ff22f9e53a/Scent+Library+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Laurel Mercantile Co. Scent Library A luscious and lovely idea made real Inside a disused building – lovingly restored by the 'Home Town' team – this gorgeous retail space feels like a small town library from the 1930s, however, instead of books you have scents to entice you to the shelves. I loved being in there and had to tear myself away. If only candles weren’t so heavy I would bought about five of them. (They do ship nationwide, but I had nowhere in the US I could send them to collect before I went home.) Open Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 1-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/93f58279-b480-4bf4-b703-754404c393a6/Scotsman+General+Store+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Scotsman General Store Store and woodshop made famous in Home Town This was another time when travelling carry-on only meant I had curtail my shopping urges. I could have done some damage here with handmade wooden objects, Southern saying signs and coffee… oh, the coffee. I highly recommend ‘Ben’s Blend’ – which I discovered at Laurel Cottages – it’s just delicious. Note: I only buy ground coffee in the USA – as you can get many flavoured varieties – and make it myself in a small French press. They can keep their weak-as-dishwater-sludgy-percolator coffee served in restaurants all over this vast land, I’ll take the good stuff. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat-Sun 9am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/08a8197a-8261-4829-a526-53e374e93063/Rusty+Chandelier_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - The Rusty Chandelier Huge barn-like shop full of vintage treasures This is the place where everything ever owned finds its way onto the shelves. Unlike some shops where they hover over you, here you are left to wander lonely as a cloud until you holler for help. Fabulous picking territory, guaranteed to remind your of your childhood. Open Thu-Sat 10am-5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4578461d-011a-45c2-a8b6-a6dd0874aded/The+Cotton+Boll_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - The Cotton Boll Super stylish ‘unique’ boutique I spent a happy half hour browsing this lovely shop. The variety was impressive and it was all beautifully displayed. Open Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/3ce55cff-25f4-4058-995c-861a3b89fe80/Southern+Sisters_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Southern Sisters of Laurel Charming gift shop This is one of many, many decoration, gift and tchotchke shops in an around Laurel’s downtown. It’s a nice place to spend some time and money. Open Mon-Sat 9am-5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/91cce491-b7bc-449a-aece-681e2a3ac917/HAND%2BMade_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - HAND+made An “Integrated Retail and DIY Studio experience” I love a place that lets you try your hand at new things. This combo shop hosts DIY events, sells take home kits and locally produced hand made products. Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 1-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b70677fd-2fa3-474f-a582-491f671308d5/Southern+Antique+Gift+Mall+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Southern Antique Gift Mall Vast store selling everything from antiques to baby clothes A popular store in the heart of downtown where your inner Southern mama will go crazy with the credit card. Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/88a3d666-cdb1-45d2-9b34-b0806bd1aac1/Laurel+Cottages+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Laurel Cottages Your chance to live the Home Town dream Owned by the utterly charming Ms Mallorie (Rasberry) known to viewers of the show, this gorgeous apartment in their backyard, is everything you hope it will be. I was thrilled to stay here on my first night in Laurel. Generously stocked with everything you could need, I had my first taste of ‘Ben’s Blend’ coffee, which took me to the General Store to buy my own. It was hard to leave after only one night, so next time I’ll make it a longer stay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/278dbc0c-13e2-47b8-9c3b-c7c54423f817/Grandiflora+B%26B+Social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Laurel, Mississippi, USA - Grandiflora B&B Luxury bed and breakfast inside a stately mansion This is how the other half live. I stayed in the master suite – The Stancill – with a canopied four-poster bed and private balcony. It was so grand, I could have hosted a party with 50 of my closest friends in the bathroom alone. The rest of the house is just lovely, with a parlour, den, cosy library and grand living room. The buffet breakfast in the kitchen, at a shared table, was enjoyable and convivial. https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides/altanta-georgia-usa monthly 0.5 2024-06-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/c529c96b-891c-4be2-8649-55dceac5b617/atlanta+name.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA Elfreth's Alley, the oldest residential street in the USA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1236f37a-6940-4053-b90d-51c8ea4939a5/USA-Gold-Georgia.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - Pennsylvania is the https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/7a55e0b3-0a23-437f-9b1a-b7154139a38f/CFBHOF+social+static.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - College Football Hall of Fame Southerners Extremely Crazy! Unless you’ve experienced the American south during college football season, you have no idea what I’m talking about, but the above is what I called the SEC or SouthEastern Conference. Their devotion and fervour make the NFL Super Bowl crowd look like weenies. With your ticket you are given a smart tag – which lets you operate the many interactive exhibits – and the 775 school helmet wall lights up your nominated team. (Mine was the Oklahoma Sooners, as they were the team I came in contact with first during The USA 50/50 Challenge.) You can interact with large smart screens that show highlights of your choice and quotes from famous coaches and players. I had the most fun at the Peach Bowl Field where I threw a ‘perfect’ ball first time (see above). If you have an interest in sports or even if you don’t, this is a fascinating place showing how much love, devotion and money is invested in college football in this country. Open Thur-Mon 10am-5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/a9ec4e48-e250-4d1f-afe6-1decf8d486ce/National+Civil+Rights+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - National Center for Civil and Human Rights Humanity in all its colours, good and bad This is a very peaceful and zen-like building, it’s even shaped like a hug. The content is confronting and sobering, however, it’s presented with such a calm sense that you are moved in many different ways, while the overwhelming feeling is of hope for humanity. Open Tue–Fri & Sun 12-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/771eebb7-5667-4683-9baf-b87ad52d3a14/ATL+Cruzer+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - ATL-Cruzers Electric Car & Segway Tours Excellent electric car tour of Atlanta This 90 minute tour was a fabulous way to see more of the city in an eco-friendly manner, with insights and information from a knowledgeable guide. I was shown the extensive mural system that exists throughout the neighbourhoods, the all embracing ‘Happy House,’ and how the Atlanta Beltline defines the city among many other highlights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/ccc19f0a-4c3b-420a-9b5c-948ed7c3478a/Georgia+Aquarium+social+static.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - Georgia Aquarium “Beware the splash zone,” they said! I was warned about the volume of water the dolphins were going to erupt from their pool (see above) but I still sat in row 8 inside the splash zone… and I’m happy I did. The dolphin show was wonderful and just having that sort of interaction made the lengthy wait worthwhile. It was the largest aquarium in the world when it opened in 2005, until S.E.A Aquarium in Singapore knocked it off its perch in 2012. It’s centrally located inside Pemberton Place with other attractions, so you can knock out a few in one day as I did. However, this one is open late, so I would suggest leaving it to the latter half of the day if you have time constraints, to explore all the exhibits thoroughly. Unfortunately, the food options were limited and expensive. Open Mon-Fri 10am-9m, Sat-Sun 9am-9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/93be3baa-fc18-4fd7-868d-086a0dc37ec7/World+of+Coca-Cola_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - World of Coca-Cola Missed opportunity to be an outstanding attraction The most famous soft drink on the planet makes a lot of money, but none of that was on show here. I wish it were so much better than it is, which is just disappointing. Two of the exhibits were good: Scent Discovery when the Scent Challenge quiz was running; and the Taste It room, at the end of the tour, where you can taste all of the international varieties of their products; these were understandably the most popular while I was there, due to their interactive nature. The rest of it is mostly static exhibits showing the many phases of the logo & bottle and the truly stupendous amount of derivatives and copies that appeared in its early years. In this day and age, interactivity and involvement are givens with the most successful attractions. Open Mon-Thu & Sun 10am-6pm, Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-7pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/09109b74-1bb5-4984-a9b3-19035856f25f/Atlanta+Beltline+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - Atlanta BeltLine “A transformative project that connects people, parks, and places across the city.” I encountered the BeltLine while visiting Ponce City Market, as the Eastside Trail runs beside it. Running a large 35 km/22 mile loop around Atlanta this green and open space uses the old rail loop and was created to bring the neighbourhoods together and promote health and fitness. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/6e67afb4-0d0b-434d-a750-50177d317778/South+City+social+post.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - South City Kitchen, Midtown “Southern classics with a sophisticated spin” This was the restaurant I walked the length of Peachtree Street to get to and let me tell you, it was worth the effort. The food here was fabulous. I chose share plates so that my host and I could enjoy more than a one plate meal delivers. We had all the classics: pimento cheese, fried green tomatoes and fried chicken, finishing with the most iconic Southern dessert, banana pudding. While these are all standard Southern dishes, every one was elevated and beyond delicious. Open: Lunch Thu-Fri 11am-2pm; Dinner Tue-Thu 5-9pm, Fri-Sat 5-10pm; Brunch Sat-Sun 10am-2pm. Closed Mondays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/16e17b67-ba61-4045-95ac-9ae74c91424c/Glenns+kitchen+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - Glenn’s Kitchen “American comfort food with southern flair” I had breakfast in this restaurant, located in the lobby of the Glenn Hotel, every morning of my three night stay. The generous breakfasts set me up for busy days and the service was always friendly and professional. Open daily for Breakfast 6-11am and Lunch 11am-3pm; Dinner Sun-Thur 3-9pm, Fri-Sat 3-10pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/074a005c-a29d-4219-8e92-4a5e577ea6c4/Rock%27s+Chicken+%26+Fries+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - Rock's Chicken & Fries Most amazing chicken tenders After visiting the Georgia Aquarium I wandered around looking for somewhere open for lunch on a Sunday and this place appeared like a mirage before me. I was lured inside the scrupulously clean restaurant with a free sample of the most luscious chicken tender ever. I ordered the Chicken (Tender) and Waffle special and sat down to enjoy it. I know the origin of chicken and waffles (early morning dinner/breakfast in Harlem for jazz bands back in the day) but I’m still on the fence about both in the same mouthful, so I just eat the waffle separately as dessert. Both were delicious and the BBQ buttermilk ranch dipping was the perfect complement to the chicken. Open daily 11am-8.30pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/79da4d11-9a8a-4328-ac42-f2c54f41c019/PCM+food+hall+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - Ponce City Market Amazing food hall with too many choices The variety of offer is enormous. There are rooftop bars, outdoor restaurants and a food hall offering many and varied culinary treats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/d831b149-e277-4f2c-aab1-9d5f87ebe788/Five+Daughters+Bakery+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - Five Daughter’s Bakery Tucked away in the ‘dessert corner’ of Ponce City Market taste-bud heaven awaits I first encountered this bakery in its home town of Franklin, Tennessee, where I lined up on a Sunday morning with about fifty new friends at The Factory at Franklin to get some of these tasty treats. This was ten years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday. So, when I saw them here at the Ponce, I pounced (*ahem*). They only have two locations outside of Tennessee and both are in ATL. They make the best donuts and cronuts any side of the Mississippi! Open Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat-Sun 9am-6pm (or until sold out). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/7956978e-6a86-4d3b-b930-88691dbfb2e0/PCM+social+static.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - Ponce City Market Vast complex offering shopping and dining in the Old Fourth Ward I love it when an old edifice is repurposed instead of destroyed and this one takes the biscuit. This former Sears catalogue facility houses national and local retailers, restaurants, a food hall, boutiques, offices and residential units. Located on the BeltLine, it offers free work spaces all over and bike parking underneath. All of which were being utilised and it felt like a really loved community space. If I lived in Atlanta, I’d hang out here a lot and even live in the building if I could. Open Mon-Sat 10am-9om, Sun 11am-6pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/646c0104-581b-4e9d-9e6c-ba06374c981a/Glad%26Young+social+static.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - Glad & Young Studio Women owned leather goods and accessories I didn’t get much time to shop for goodies on this trip as it was so quick, but I had to pop into this inviting shop while I was in Ponce City Market. You can take classes and have things custom made if what’s on the shelves doesn’t meet your needs. I decided to commission a key tag, which was made in front of my eyes, to commemorate my first visit the ATL. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat-Sun 9am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/82442df4-230c-473e-bf73-ecf8a59c486c/Glenn+social+alt.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Atlanta, Georgia, USA - Glenn Hotel, Autograph Collection Super stylish hotel inside a 1920s Neoclassical Revival building in an historic location Designed by the George Fuller Company who also created the Flatiron Building in New York, this beauty is a rare survivor and a standout in its setting. They’ve lovingly created the interior to take full advantage of the building’s bones and it’s suitably grand. You’ll find 39 lions adorning the roof line and a couple inside the elevators as well. I stayed for three nights and it was a joy to enter the gorgeous lobby, where I was always greeted warmly by name, and head up to my comfortable corner suite for some downtime, especially in the lovely bathroom. The lobby of the hotel houses a stylish bar and the rooftop holds the Skylounge, which offers great views over the city, along with your cocktails. https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides/doorcounty-wisconsin-usa monthly 0.5 2024-04-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1ca60d96-d655-4a01-9557-f01a546f7661/door+county+name.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA Elfreth's Alley, the oldest residential street in the USA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/ac7459fa-43a6-4878-8643-b32154b7eb55/USA-Gold-Widsconsin.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Pennsylvania is the https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/2c441a19-1ce5-4f65-97b4-cc8953280f7a/Pelletier%27s+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Pelletier’s Fish Creek Has to be done at least once, but you’ll be back. This along with supper clubs is a mid-century Wisconsin tradition that thrives well into the 21st century. Open daily Summer only. Breakfast & Lunch 7.30am-2.00pm, Fish Boil 5pm-close. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/d6d2d812-650d-4d5a-8b3d-7f7a4058b37e/Northern+Sky+Theater_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Northern Sky Theater Outdoor entertainment among the pines This open air theater is located inside Peninsula State Park in Fish Creek. If you enter within one hour of the performance and park in the the correct parking lot, you don’t have to purchase a park pass. Just driving into the park to find that lot is quite the adventure, following the signs and hoping for the best. The performances throughout the year are varied and I thoroughly enjoyed the one I attended. Open Tue, Wed, Fri: 10am-5pm, Thu: 10am-8pm, Sat and Sun 10am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4dc8aea8-a413-4dc2-bf3e-7687cf635413/Eagle+tower+social+post.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Eagle Tower, Peninsula State Park Fully-accessible tower with expansive views Positioned upon Eagle Bluff above the Niagara Escarpment on Peninsula Park's northeast shore stands this tower with views over Green Bay and the Upper Michigan shoreline. Designed to allow all access to the views, this 60 foot high tower with 100 steps straight up or a longer, level winding route through the trees – with benches along the way to rest – to the observation deck. Either way, it's worth the effort. Open May 1 to October 31, weather permitting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/e8a7150d-e751-4512-b428-bad0a65eeff3/Door+County+Trolley+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Door County Trolley 90 minutes of local knowledge I always recommend a walking tour as a great way to get to know a destination, however, in Door County taking a vintage-style trolley tour is the way to go. They have many from which to choose, whether it’s a wine, ghost or lighthouse tour, they’ve got you covered. I did the Scenic tour and we were driven around the peninsula with the driver pointing out sites and stopping for a photo-op. It’s a good way to get your bearings and earmark places to visit after the tour. As a plus, the trolley depot has a good gift shop where you can shop before or after the tour. Open Mon-Sat 9am-1.30pm, Sat 8.30am-3pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b0de1058-704b-4a7e-a2b9-72789a08a1d0/Door+County+Maritime+Museum_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Door County Maritime Museum Discover Door County’s maritime roots The 10-story Lighthouse Tower is how you find this museum located on the waterfront in Sturgeon Bay. Within this tower are interactive exhibits on all floors. You start at the top and work your way down. You’ll discover that the route of the St Lawrence River into The Great Lakes has been a major trade corridor for centuries and that the rock upon which Door County sits – the Niagara Escarpment, which extends into Canada and give us the famous falls – was formed more than 400 million years ago when the Silurian Sea covered the area. Come prepared to learn more. Open Jan–Apr 10am–4pm, May–Oct 9am–5pm, Nov–Dec 10am–5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/95cf3180-2375-4b7c-9e1f-cda70b2586f5/Door+County+Historical+Museum_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Door County Historical Museum Quaint museum filled with nostalgia Nestled inside a 1939 building, this museum was named one of the Chicago Tribune’s "Best Small Museums in the Midwest." With a nature diorama, vintage fire station – stocked with trucks and equipment from earlier times – and nostalgic store fronts filled with local products of yesteryear. Open daily May 1 - October 31 10am-4.30pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/a54349e7-8fd0-4132-89df-66e448f48ce5/Sip.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Sip Stylish venue with imaginative menu This surprising restaurant has been decorated with verve, drawing on the design store sharing the building, Spot Home, the owners also own the funky gift shop Space in Sister Bay. Their raison d'etre is colour which includes the decor, dishes and food, with gluten free, vegetarian & vegan alterations available. Open daily 7am-8pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/387ba8b0-0b5b-4bc1-8b8e-63d5825e6bcb/Wild+Tomato.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Wild Tomato Cheese curds to die for/from This popular pizza place on main street was full to bursting when I popped in, so I plumped for takeaway cheese curds. Those little taste bombs of squeaky goodness that should be enjoyed very occasionally. Open Mon-Fri 4-8pm, Sat-Sun 11am-8pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/04e97b44-08c4-4c87-b529-3dcd019fae95/IMG_2375.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Renard’s Melt Bistro In-store bistro with an impressive menu Located inside the Renard’s Cheese store it’s located on a county road 10 minutes south of Sturgeon Bay city, this bistro offers everything from soup to smoothies with lots of carb loading in between. I chose ‘Mom's Mac,’ an explosion of multiple cheeses, soft pasta and perfectly crunchy panko topping, enjoyed with a Blueberry Lavender Lemonade and I took a Mixed Berry Smoothie to go. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat-Sun 9am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/a00c0aa2-abd3-4c9b-99e6-e6b94271c96e/Kitty+O%27Reilly%27s+Irish+Pub_social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Kitty O’Reilly’s Irish Pub Good craic and food With a lovely beer garden this traditional Irish pub serves the locals good food and a good time every day. Open Sun 9am-9pm, Mon-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri 11am-10pm, Sat 9am-10pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/12062390-4c46-4074-8c69-63f41bc33398/Skall+social+post.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Skål Scandinavian gift store with goats on the roof This charming store on the main street is part of the family run Al Johnson complex, which includes a Stabbur – traditional, handcrafted log storehouse common to farmsteads in rural Norway – and Swedish restaurant. The goats, first put on the grass roof as a joke, now roam and munch most summer days between 9am and 3pm. I went into this shop four times, in the two days I was in Sister Bay, and found something I just had to have each time. There’s everything from Icelandic wool socks to Swedish änglaspel (rotary candle votive) to Goat Poop Candy (I said yes to the first two, no to the second) and everything in between with a friendly staff ready to help. Open 7 days, 9am-5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/03657876-005c-4d01-8011-fb9ffb4f25c7/Space+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Space Funky gift shop in Sister Bay Sister shop to Spot Home in Ephraim and located below Spot Clothing on the main street, this shop has fun and funky things you didn’t know you wanted or needed. Open daily 10am-5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/2cd18615-0d00-40f1-9868-5470604d5a28/Door+Artisan+social+post.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Door Artisan Cheese Cheese caves in Egg Harbor I was given a tour of the ‘caves,’ and while they’re not natural – like you would find in Cheddar Gorge – these climate controlled rooms keep the product at optimum temperatures and clinically clean to turn out award winning cheese. BTW the slice of Top Hat Bandaged Cheddar I purchased survived posting it to California to wait for me to undertake the long haul flight home to Sydney and was enjoyed on my sunny balcony down under. Open Fri-Sun 10am-3pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4b365be5-cffe-4bf0-bf99-7dc93ca227e9/Wood+Orchard+Market+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Wood Orchard Market Produce fresh from their orchard Located across the road from Door Artisan Cheese and just up the road from Door County Trolley, this family run market sells produce from their own orchard, so you know its going to be fresh, along groceries and baked goods. I popped in hoping to get a sandwich or the like for my trolley tour, but alas, that’s the one thing they don’t have here. However, if a large apple pie is your idea of lunch, go for it. Open daily 9am-5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/513f86fa-3997-4909-9d08-926241d1080f/Renard%27s+social+post+static.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Renard’s Artisan Cheese Cheeky cheese shop in Sturgeon Bay This family-owned cheese-making dynasty was established in 1961 and is now run by the fourth generation of Renards. Located on a county road 10 minutes south of Sturgeon Bay city, the selections are extensive and I suggest you save space in your luggage for your many purchases. Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat-Sun 9am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4ceabd42-f02f-42fd-9b00-d2a73753651b/Bliss+Marketplace+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Bliss Marketplace Everything to decorate your home under one roof Housed inside The Marketplace, Bliss is the mainstay vendor with a vast collection of decorating items. The other stands sell jewellery, paintings and every type of craft imaginable. Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm-ish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/59252d9f-b733-4b3f-b5ba-6539c4497e19/Sherry%27s+Hallmark+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Sherry’s Hallmark Shop Epically stocked gift store Walking in here, you’d better be prepared for sensory overload and to spend several hours over multiple visits just to see it all. I made space in my precious luggage to take some goodies home, so you know it’s worth it. Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-3pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/2ee2d393-889d-4810-af7e-d077126f8c0c/Wilkins+%26+Olander+social.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Wilkins & Olander Fab clothing store with amazing gift selection With a name that conjures up Diagon Alley in Harry Potter, this vast store holds treasures and has been serving the locals for more than 30 years. They have fashion for all, cute as a button gear for kids, home decor and well-curated gifts, I love the rocking chairs out front, presumably to park your husband while you shop. Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/a2408534-54ce-429f-9bb6-42326afc84d7/Roots+Inn+%26+Kitchen+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Roots Inn & Kitchen Charming B&B with amazing & inventive breakfasts. Name for the strong family roots the owners have in Sister Bay, this beautifully restored 1902 building houses The Inn and Roots Kitchen, “a quaint pub with outdoor dining, open to the public Saturday-Tuesday for lunch 11.30am-2.30pm.” A short walk from the main street, it's in a quiet and lovely location. There are six varied rooms all with private baths, including the smallest room – The Backpacker – where I stayed, which was cozy, compact and decorated with photos from the owners’ international travels. The highlight of my stay were the amazing breakfasts. They were definitely healthy, absurdly delicious and possibly vegan… this is the kind of food that could convert me to the cause. Open Summer only. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b010f69b-ec76-48fd-ac25-33a034de6939/Door+County+Dragonfly+B%26B+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Door County, Wisconsin, USA - Door County Dragonfly Victorian B&B, bursting with charm Opened by a young, local couple in May 2021 this charming b&b makes the most of a 1900 William Reynolds designed family home, with turn-of-the-century American Queen Anne style (aka Victorian) and Arts & Crafts elements. It’s nestled in a wildflower garden on the corner in a quiet neighbourhood, within easy walking distance to downtown. After a comfortable stay, I left before dawn so I sadly wasn’t able to partake of their freshly baked breakfast treats, but I did get to enjoy happy hour, noshing on local cheese and chatting with the innkeepers. Open April-November, Thursday-Tuesday. https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides/sheboygan-wisconsin-usa monthly 0.5 2024-03-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/517192c2-912e-4ba1-a3f3-25d3de595bba/sheboygan+page.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA Elfreth's Alley, the oldest residential street in the USA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/ac7459fa-43a6-4878-8643-b32154b7eb55/USA-Gold-Widsconsin.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Pennsylvania is the https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/c37acb88-90bb-47d0-8f7d-41c4b96248a0/Blue+Harbor+Resort_11.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Blue Harbor Resort Palatial resort on Lake Michigan While I highly recommend you stay here, you can still enjoy this resort as a day tripper. Bringing to mind that other epic wooden edifice, the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, the sheer scale of this place is amazing. With a spa, restaurants, boutiques, its own water park, fun zone and mini golf you’ll be spoilt for choice. The resort is bound by water: Lake Michigan at the back, with a beach for swimming and surfing; and the Sheboygan River in front, perfect for walks along the waterway and dining in the marina’s restaurants. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/f3e53a4c-0083-4aba-85ab-0cd6d32994d3/Kohler%27s+Art+Preserve+social+static.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Art Preserve of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center This striking museum contains something quite unique: artist-built environments saved by a very dedicated patron of the arts, Ruth DeYoung Kohler II. Essentially, if an artist turned their house into an artwork over many years, this is the place where they have been transported to and preserved as they were. This makes walking through this architecturally striking building a strange and confronting experience as the inner workings of these artists’ minds are alternately scary, beautiful and downright strange. a strange and confronting experience as the inner workings of these artists’ minds are alternately scary, beautiful and downright strange. DeYoung Kohler spent considerable time and money finding all of these endangered legacies and bringing them here to this purpose built museum. Open Tue, Wed, Fri: 10am-5pm, Thu: 10am-8pm, Sat and Sun: 10am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b64d964e-090b-4d26-b4cd-bea3e390e899/EOS+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - EOS Surf & Outdoors Whether you want to surf in summer or deep winter (yes, that’s a thing here ), skateboard or snowboard, this is the place to come for your all you equipment needs. Run by the charming Andrew Jakus (above), this shop is stocked with all the goodies plus you can book lessons in all the disciplines: I was taken for a surfing lesson on Lake Michigan with the super fit and gentle, Mary Addy and I had a great time. Open Winter hours: Tue-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 10am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/a064d978-3e46-4e69-899b-c4142118e639/kohler+bathrooms.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - John Michael Kohler Arts Center Tour the toilets they said… When I first visited Sheboygan, this was the first stop of my town tour… to see the public restrooms... I’m serious. The restrooms are extreme examples of the tile makers art. We had a guided tour of both: the men’s has empowering and inspiring phrases around the mirrors and above the urinals; whereas the women’s was strewn with dresses and lingerie, but I think a few empowering phrases would have gone a long way there, too. It’s such a fun idea that they are an attraction within an attraction. Rest assured there is ‘regular’ art here as well, inside and out. Open Tue, Wed, Fri: 10am-5pm, Thu: 10am-8pm, Sat and Sun: 10am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/f89609c8-a8d4-4c46-a766-70f11504c4b7/kohler+design+center.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Kohler Design Center I don’t normally recommend a bathroom display center as an attraction, but this one has to be seen. This building started life as a community centre for the town of Kohler, but was turned into a three level display complex with something to suit everyone from Marie Antoinette (or Elton John) to a Zen Monk. When you enter you are greeted by an impressive art installation of toilets and tubs stacked high against the wall. While Kohler is now known for stylish bathrooms suites, the company was founded in 1873 by Austrian immigrant, John Michael Kohler, who made cast iron and steel farm implements. In 1883, he applied enamel to a cast iron horse trough, thereby creating the company’s first bathtub and the rest is history. Open Monday-Friday: 9am–5pm, Saturday & Sunday: 10am–4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/be92164e-1120-4e7a-b9f9-454eab0a1416/2013-5050-WI-Sheboygan-BHR-Breaker1.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Breaker Bay Waterpark Unleash your inner five-year-old! I must admit that I was taken by surprise to discover that one end of the elegant Blue Harbor Resort was given over to this incongruous party palace. Along with the Fun Zone and Mini Golf, you can send your children here for the whole day and get on with the serious work of enjoying everything else this resort has to offer… or spend every day here yourself! Open daily during Spring Break and Summer, with weekends only all other times. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/c7276884-2fc8-42e5-a6ef-143253d0fda3/Farm+Wisconsin+Discovery+Center+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center Big things happening down on the farm! If you want to learn about farming, food cultivation, animal husbandry and everything in between, then this is the place to come. If you’re lucky, you could even watch a calf being born in the birthing barn. It’s definitely worth the price of admission. From ‘Field to Fork’ to ‘Common Ground’ and ‘The Cutting Edge,’ there’s so much to see and do here, come prepared to spend several hours expanding your knowledge of this most import industry, without which we would starve! I’m so grateful to all the farmers who work 24/7 in all weathers to provide our staples. If it was left to me, we’d be in trouble! Located in Manitowoc – a 30 minute drive north of Sheboygan – it’s open Thursday-Saturday 9am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/5057acf1-c2f7-44e5-b936-1b5c3ba8b568/Driftwood+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Driftwood South Pier A lazy Sunday brunch over the water? Count me in! After taking a red-eye flight from Seattle to Chicago, waiting in line for an hour to get a rental car, then driving two hours north to Sheboygan, I was more than ready to sit down and eat! Located on the Sheboygan river, across the road from the Blue Harbor Resort, Driftwood was a welcome sight and Jackie, the lovely owner, had me seated and fed with efficiency. I managed to stay awake long enough to enjoy my unusual yet fabulous Scallop Eggs Benedict. Not a combination I had ever considered, but it worked a treat and I'll be on the lookout for said combination again on my travels. The service was friendly and quick with every table filled with happy brunchers and lunchers. Open Wed-Thurs 11am-8pm, Fri-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 10am-3pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/753f26ee-5bb7-4820-a41f-e9c44b4c4d7d/2013-5050-WI-Sheboygan-Linos.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Lino Ristorante Italiano The taste of the Amalfi Coast in Wisconsin Legendary restaurateur, Lino Autiero, hails from Positano, Italy – one of my favourite places – and his food is so authentic that I could have been in Positano. Okay, you think, it’s Italian food, it’s the same everywhere. I say, no, absolutely not, as the further away from the home country it gets, the more diluted it becomes. The great food and relaxing ambiance was so convivial that my hosts and I ate and talked, with Lino joining in, for three hours. Open Tue-Sat 5-9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1a31b9f9-a6fe-401b-ad4b-316318e5c1df/Harry%27s+diner+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Harry's Diner at Interstate The roadside diner is a purely American creation and this one captures the zeitgeist. With curated kitsch decorations and poodle-skirted waitresses, this diner, while not an original 1950s edifice, has all the swagger of one and a sense of humour to boot. The food is an elevated diner offering, with a full bar serving those lo-cal mimosa’s (see above). One of two diners – the other being the original Harry’s Diner, closer to town – and Harry's Prohibition Bistro near the Blue Harbor Resort (below), owned and run by a local restaurant dynasty, it’s a fun place to eat all day long. Open Tue-Sun 7am-2pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/65a391d0-25a7-4b20-bd2e-ea6f5536bf2b/Il+Ritrovo+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Il Ritrovo Wood Fired Pizzeria Verified Italian pizza on main street This restaurant, Trattoria Stefano, Field to Fork and the Slo Food Market (below) are all run by local entrepreneur, chef and James Beard Award winner, Stefano Vigliette and his wife Whitney. Only the 5th American pizzeria to receive the “Vera Pizza Napolentana” certification. For me, the Fonduta al Forno was the star of the show. Coffee & Wine Bar Mon-Sat 8am-Close; Kitchen Mon-Fri 11am-2pm & 5pm-9pm, Sat 11am-9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/086ad26a-31a2-4be9-8831-36c33e8ea35b/Harry%27s+bistro+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Harry's Prohibition Bistro Speakeasy vibes on the Sheboygan River This relatively new restaurant, from the family behind Harry’s Diner, is on the river behind Blue Harbor Resort. The vibe is old school with pressed tin ceilings and a Capone vibe. There were queues for takeaway pizza when I arrived, relatively early in the evening. Always a good sign, and while the pizza was good, the pasta was amazing: Balsamic with shrimp. Open Tue-Sat 5-9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/e7a55d16-74f8-4a72-9597-fea815ba9719/Blast+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Blast Softserve Feel like a local and line up for a cold treat in summer. Summer only businesses have just three months to make their income for the whole year. Going by the queues, this one is bound to have met its quota and then some. They have two important things going for them: the product is delicious and they keep the prices reasonable, resulting in their customers making multiple purchases. I had to have a banana split with dole whip and, rather than eat it on the lawn, I drove it very carefully back to my room at the Blue Harbor! Open Summer only: Sunday-Thursday 11am-8pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-9pm https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4d1f94e6-97a4-4a71-9244-19509431ba63/Olivu%CC%88+426+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Olivü 426 Born from a personal tragedy, these products are now making everyone’s skin sing from happiness. These all natural beauty products are so good they featured in the Golden Globe Awards goodie bags. The name is a play on olive oil – their super hero ingredient – and it sounds like ‘I love you.’ The young founder and creator of these products, Caitlin Brotz, is a passionate advocate of all things natural and “each item in the store is hand-poured daily or weekly by our staff to assure a fresh, high quality product.” Open Monday-Friday 10:30am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm with everything available on their website at all times. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/bed43156-991a-496c-8440-08c2dd3066d5/Victoria+Chocolate+Shoppe_2.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Victorian Chocolate Shoppe Nostalgic chocolates in an historic building Housed inside the Old Interurban Station – which was built in 1925 and was one of the busiest the streetcar terminals in the city – this shop has been making the locals candy coated dreams come true since 1996. Open 7 days, 10am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/f1fdc061-1cb2-4ef1-9e46-7e90eb457cdd/Slo+Food+Market+social.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Stefano’s Slo Food Market A one-stop-shop of quality produce and products This fabulous market, supporting local producers and sustainable agriculture, is the kind of place you wish was in your neighbourhood. They’ve got amazing, locally made products for home & kitchen and everything you could possibly want in fresh and local food. Open Mon-Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 9am-3pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/fb15ee47-5795-465e-b817-472007a1d04f/BHR+comp.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA - Blue Harbor Resort I was lucky to stay here during The USA 50/50 Challenge and was chuffed to revisit this palatial lakeside resort. I arrived on Sunday of the Labor Day Weekend, the last official days of the American summer season, when the temperatures were over 90F and one thousand people were in house. I checked in for my three night stay and joined in the holiday fun, with a swim in the pool and a visit to the in-house water park, which was heaving with young and old alike on that day and the next. My massive king suite was lake facing and had a balcony on which to enjoy the view and overlook the s’mores being made on the fire pit on the lawn each night. It was a very jolly and happy long weekend, with kids running everywhere and the restaurants and bars full the bursting with everyone having a great time. However, by Tuesday morning all had changed. I was awoken by the cleaners vacuuming the balcony next door, discovered that breakfast was not available, as The Beacon Restaurant was closed, and that there were now only thirty-seven people left in house. It was also cold and raining. As I left to start my last day in Sheboygan, I walked out to discover my rental car marooned on an island of asphalt, with the parking lot in the process of being ripped up to be resurfaced, and the workers waiting for me to get the heck out of Dodge. Word of warning: the USA takes the end of the summer season very seriously. It brought to mind the post credits scene from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, “You’re still here. It’s over. Go home. Go!” https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides/fridayharbor-washington-usa monthly 0.5 2024-02-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/0a78a457-043d-4ded-a841-a6ecc57dfa11/Friday+Harbor2.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA Elfreth's Alley, the oldest residential street in the USA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/3440b2bc-35a8-40c1-80d0-6841961bab28/USA-Gold-washington.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - Pennsylvania is the https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/f2b88e29-1903-4079-83c6-8596df85e397/SJI+Ferry+2013+crop.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - Anacortes-Friday Harbor Ferry This ferry trip takes sixty-five peaceful minutes, passing many uninhabited, pine clad islands before getting to the big three: Orcas, Lopez and San Juan Island. Arriving via the ferry is a great way to wind down and prepare yourself for the pace here. With 250 days of sunshine a year, it’s a definite departure from Seattle’s usual gloom. The ferries leave from and return to the port town of Anacortes and there are several ways to get to the port, see the Getting here drop-down above for more details. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/bdfb244e-ff4f-472b-85ef-330e93aed270/IMG_1350.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - San Juan Safaris I'm not a good sailor and tend to avoid small boat activities. In fact, I had been scheduled to take this exact trip ten years ago, during The USA 50/50 Challenge, and I bailed on them – however, I'm glad I went this time. The water was calm, we found a family of orcas and I caught a spy hop* with my camera. The experts on board (Olivia and Becca) gave us informative and interesting talks. They told us what to look for (rock sausages, anyone?) and when we found the killer whales they kept us informed of what was going on. Even if we hadn't seen anything it was still a nice cruise around the islands. I especially liked the fact that the captain kept us at a safe distance and respected the wildlife’s space. After all the whales don't know we're there to look at them and it's not their job to entertain us. It was a good learning experience. *Where whales and dolphins pop their heads vertically out of the water in order to visually inspect the environment above the water line. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/78450212-a7ba-4386-9fc5-5d8c3cb4dc3f/SJIMA_0.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - The San Juan Islands Museum of Art This is the embodiment of the saying “good things come in small packages.” This fabulous small art gallery/museum has been beautifully designed and curated by Peter Lane, who kindly took me through even though it was closed. The paintings shone from the walls and I stayed much longer than I should have. It’s worth a good hour of your time to stop and appreciate the artists on display and to purchase the lovely/quirky things in the gift shop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/7322eb24-5af1-44e5-88d4-e846f0991c1e/Whale+Museum_3.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - The Whale Museum The people here are passionate about educating humans on these wonderful creatures – the Salish Sea is home to orca, minke and humpback whales – and what can be done to protect them. However, the museum itself looks like it's from 1992 with very little interactivity and, in this day and age, that's expected. I hope they receive funding to update, as this is the perfect spot to learn about whales and then go out and see them in their natural habitat. On the plus side, the gift shop was good with a nice range of products. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/0e96270d-df81-4351-8022-bd6b9fc1f774/Pelindaba_18.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - Pelindaba Lavender Farm I drove to the centre of the island, looking for this farm, and arrived in the south of France. Fields of lavender were laid out under blue skies, in flower and smelling divine. They cultivate all their flowers in these organically certified fields and extract the essential oils in their on-site distillery. The wide range of products cover botanical, culinary, personal care, therapeutic, household and pet care. Created by Stephen Robins – a South African who gave it the Zulu word for ‘place of great gatherings’ – it’s a beautiful oasis of purple and green with a free cutting garden. They do everything from hosting weddings to making lavender ice-cream. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/46021edc-dfc5-4fa9-9f98-c958bdaa9a48/2013-5050-WA-Krystal+Acres.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - The Farm at Krystal Acres Nestled in the island interior lies this family-run enterprise. I visited ten years ago when it was Krystal Acres Alpaca Farm – which started after the unexpected win of a charity bid on alpacas at an auction in the early 2000s. It’s now 40 acres of gently sloping sunny pastures covered in an ever growing herd of more than seventy alpacas – fluffy, inquisitive creatures – frolicking the late summer day away or taking shade under the massive, one-hundred-year-old oaks. At the gift shop you can purchase products – clothing, accessories, yarn and toys – made from their fleece. It’s a great activity for families and to introduce children to these gently creatures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/cb653422-5c28-43f8-83eb-fd67a3ab8b5c/IMG_1342.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - Salty Fox Coffee As you leave the ferry, this cafe is directly in front of you and it’s a perfect first stop in Friday Harbor. Even though I arrived in late summer, it was a cold, drizzly day so I decided on a warming hot chocolate and it hit the spot. Open daily from 7am-2pm, with seating outside and scrumptious goodies within, you’ll be suitably fortified for strolling around this lovely town. Word of warning: in all of Washington state – being the home of real coffee stateside – when you order a regular sized espresso-based coffee you will be getting two shots of the good stuff, unlike the rest of the world where one will do! I learned this the hard way and from then on asked for one shot/weak. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/c03a022c-393a-430e-a1b9-76216e6f2853/The+Bait+Shop_0.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - The Bait Shop I looked all over Friday Harbor for dinner on an end of summer Wednesday evening and found this place. I ordered a cup of PNW chowder and a basket of fries to take back to my room. The service was quick and friendly. The chowder was good, the fries were excellent! Open daily from 11:30am-7pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/411a5417-be82-4ab7-8365-b3884bd13efd/Rocky+Bay+Cafe_1.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - Rocky Bay Cafe Looking like frontier town saloon, this cafe is open daily from 7am-2pm. The interior has colourfully ‘muralled’ walls, while international flags adorn the ceiling. The menu is quite extensive, with pages crammed with many and varied breakfast options plus burger, salad and wrap options available for lunch. It’s a popular spot and the wait time can be impressive, but don’t be in a hurry and you’ll enjoy your meal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/cadf564d-ed21-40cb-8f18-02118119fe3d/Van+Go%27s+Pizza_1.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - Van Go’s Pizza This quirky restaurant was full to bursting with happy diners when I stopped in. I didn’t stay, as the wait would have been epic, however, it was so popular and serves such delicious looking food (I spied on tables as I walked through) that it deserves a mention here. The owner/chef is from Amsterdam – thus the destinations signs seen above – and he lovingly creates pizzas, salads and desserts Tuesday-Saturday from 4pm-7.30pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4849a36f-7fa4-4813-bde5-9c9ddaefcece/Sandpebble-collage.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - Pebble This is the kind of gift shop you wish was in your neighbourhood! Operating since 1977 inside an 1890s building and originally called Sand Pebble, it recently rebranded as Pebble. I walked in and was met with the most fabulous scent which, it turns out, is an amalgam of all the products. I tell you, if they could make a candle out of it, I would buy it in bulk! I could have happily spent at least two hours just looking at everything – and what they don’t have isn’t worth mentioning – and the shopping would have been epic, but I was travelling carry-on only and I’m still sad that I couldn’t buy what I found. Open daily 10am-6pm. BTW their online shop has everything the real thing has – without the atmosphere and that scent – so, if you live in the USA, click the link above and shop to your heart’s content! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/a9e6b3c2-2aeb-466e-9be9-153ff3fb3c4a/Serendipity+Books.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - Serendipity Books For those of us who love a good used bookstore, this place is a gold mine. A fairy tale cottage crammed with over 40,000 titles – with a computerized inventory… that’s nearly unheard of for a used bookstore… it’s a unicorn! I spent a happy time here ten years ago and I’m thrilled it’s still in operation. Sadly, it wasn’t open when I was visited this time, but I still have my happy memories. Open 7 days, 10am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/9e0f3430-1599-41cf-8863-9073aa7b8e2d/kings.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - Kings Market & Deli Groceries, souvenir or picnic fixins’? You’ll find it here. This family-owned downtown store has been serving the community and visitors since 1929. It’s deceptively large inside and you’re sure to find everything you could possibly want. They even offer free deliveries back to the dock, if you sail over from another island. Open daily 7.30am-9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4b16bebd-5d1f-4045-9a4f-dcdcb0630241/The+Island+Inn+at+123_13.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, Washington, USA - The Island Inn at 123 West I stayed here on my first/last visit to Friday Harbor ten years ago during The USA 50/50 Challenge and I so enjoyed it that I was thrilled to stay here again. I’m so happy that they are still here and thriving with their sense of humour, found through the little touches in the hotel, holding strong. It was like coming home. Of course, the hotel has been through a major renovation in the ensuing time and is even more fabulous than it was. Below is what I wrote about it then in my book: “My hotel, the Island Inn, was just across the road from the dock and the ferry ride prepared me for their slogan, “ready, set, slow.” This is a place with a sense of fun and my beautifully decorated room, Sweet 1, had huge, harbour-facing windows to watch the floating traffic. The vast bathroom had lush Malin+Goetz toiletries and a temperature-controlled floor. It was stylish, comfortable and considerately furnished with mason jars of their custom muesli and ground coffee plus an actual electric kettle for boiling water – so important for a true tea drinker as it is impossible to boil water for tea in a coffee maker... believe me, I’ve tried and regret it to this day.” Today, check-in is online with texts from the concierge to facilitate your access, and they provide you with everything you need for a comfortable stay (this time in Sweet 2) including the above mentioned goodies. It was another wonderful stay that has me wanting to return again soon, so I bought a T-shirt with their slogan to remind me. https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides/seattle-washington-usa monthly 0.5 2024-03-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/23f08fe7-df30-44b6-b3d2-d320f54daf8b/Seattle.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA Seattle skyline from the Bainbridge Island Ferry https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/3440b2bc-35a8-40c1-80d0-6841961bab28/USA-Gold-washington.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/e87d58d2-645b-476b-9847-04a0b9f74586/Pike+Market_2.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Pike Place Market Pike Place Market started with a few farmer’s stalls on Pike Place in August 1907. It quickly grew and, by November that year, it had proven so popular that they were given a market hall. In 1922, the huge market complex – for the most part as we see it today – was rebuilt and opened. Later, in 1937, the famous clock sign was installed. The fish market opened in 1930, but it took 50 years for the famous fish throwing to appear. What started out of expediency quickly became the much loved event/meme we see today. While it is now Seattle’s top attraction – with vendors from all over Washington state selling their wares daily from 9am to 5pm – it narrowly avoided destruction in 1963, when plans were made for skyscrapers to take its place. Seattlelites were outraged and did everything they could to keep the market. After their success, it was designated an historic district, thus retaining its status as one of the longest continually operating farmers’ markets in country. (BTW it’s always Pike, never Pike’s.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/41394901-989a-49cf-8b69-42e3cefac765/Eat+Seattle+iom.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Eat Seattle Tours This woman-owned, local company was started by a graduate of Cordon Bleu Paris. They offer four scheduled food walking tours that are always led by chefs who know the vendors – whom they use in their restaurants – and have inside knowledge of their areas. I took the Pike Place Market Tour with Chef Scott (picture a snarky Tom Hanks) and had a ball. It was a great way to get to know this massive and historic market and sample some tasty treats! They also offer private tours and bookings: to do one with family and/or friends for a wedding or reunion is a fabulous idea. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/7612115e-c54d-4d89-8f88-096fbb85f1bd/Waterfront+Park_2.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Waterfront Park Lining the shore on Puget Sound is Waterfront Park with piers full of attractions and restaurants, there’s enough here to fill a whole day. From here you can take an Argosy Cruise with narration around the harbour; catch the ferry to Bainbridge Island; see aquatic acrobatics at the Seattle Aquarium; listen to live music; enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner; souvenir shop and much more. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/e3f7f049-1ff4-4384-8fe0-2245c77331c8/Seattle+Aquarium_16.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Seattle Aquarium Located in Waterfront Park, this aquarium sits on its own pier over the waters of Puget Sound. This is definitely a child’s playground and they were everywhere having a great time when I visited. With indoor and outdoor exhibits, it’s not huge but will keep the kids happy for a few hours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/14d570b1-d093-4fbe-84ad-05855e001bc2/argosy.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Argosy Cruises A one hour, narrated harbour cruise can be a great way to rest your weary legs and enjoy Seattle from a different vantage point. This company has been cruising Puget Sound for over 70 years, starting life as a water taxi service. The narration was pretty standard, but we did learn was that, in 1964, The Beatles stayed at the Edgewater Hotel – which sits on its own pier – and irreverently fished out of their second floor window, instantly creating a tradition observed today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/bce7be3b-a1f9-49e0-9679-0c4ae905bad7/Space+Needle+from+harbour.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Space Needle This is probably the thing for which Seattle is most famous. The Space Needle was created as the central focus of the Seattle World’s Fair in 1962, aka the Century 21 Exposition, the theme of which was “The Age of Space.” The tower was designed to represent “humanity’s Space Age aspirations.” It’s one of only ten remaining structures built specifically for World’s Fairs. The most famous being the Eiffel Tower, built in 1889 fair in Paris and famously intended for demolition afterwards. However, the Space Needle was built to stay, having undergone multi-million dollar revitalisation projects in 2000 and again in 2018. The views are spectacular and not to be missed. A definite Seattle Must Do! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/7e1390ad-5b4a-4fae-b7d3-53686c92d6f8/Monorail+2013.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Seattle Center Monorail This is something you must do at least once while in Seattle, preferably on the way to the Space Needle – and all that the Seattle Center has to offer – its reason for existing. Built in Germany by Alweg Rapid Transit Systems – who also made Disneyland’s Monorail and many others working in Europe today – to take visitors to the 1962 World’s Fair, this is the only original Alweg line in the world still in operation. The trip is just 1.4 km (<1 mile) and runs non-stop along 5th Avenue between downtown Seattle (Westlake Center) and the Seattle Center (Space Needle, Chihuly Garden & Glass and MoPop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/46d622bd-344a-487f-a363-b6f9baf19d93/Chihuly+Garden+%26+Glass_15.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Chihuly Garden and Glass This is an alien landscape and art gallery in one. The mind of Dale Chihuly must be a colourful place. Just wandering through the eight galleries, glasshouse and outside into the gardens, I was marvelling at how all of that glass came to be and then was suspended above and gathered around us. He's a unique talent and I've seen his work in countless hotels and museums all over the country. Coming here, to his passion project in his home state, is well worth it. I combined the visit with the Space Needle which looms overhead. A definite Seattle Must Do! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/93ef723d-8349-43ef-9088-d09efc4370e2/EMP+2013+via+Monorail.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Museum of Pop Culture What's your jam? SciFi, Fantasy, Music, Horror, all of the above? Then the MoPop is the place for you. Everything from The Terminator to Jimi Hendrix lives here. Allocate at least two hours to see and interacting with all of the exhibits. This is a Seattle Must Do. Add to the experience by taking the Monorail, which goes through the building (see above) and combine it with the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass to make a day of it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/395ed129-1b4d-44a1-b9e9-e5bb73fb2e93/Seattle+Public+Library_2.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Seattle Public Library This building is just cool. Designed by Rem Koolhaas, it's a real rabbit warren to walk through. Start from the top and work your way down and you have to see the red floor (4), it's like a set from a Stanley Kubrick movie. Well worth a quiet walk through. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/a4b8422c-1fee-47ee-973a-0ec157ff38e7/Amazon+Spheres_5.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - The (Amazon) Spheres Can you say you’ve been to Seattle if you haven’t made the pilgrimage to this startling structure, home to the ubiquitous online store? If you happen to know an Amazon employee you can visit with them anytime, while the rest of us can get a reservation for the first or third Saturday of the month, to visit between 10am and 6pm. What pleased me most was to learn was that the first resident plant was an Australian tree fern. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/388aaf8b-26f4-4abb-b1f8-a571725166f3/Watson+Kennedy_5.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Watson Kennedy Fine Home If your trip isn’t complete without a bit of retail therapy, then this is the place for you! Celebrating 25 years in business this year and featured in all of the great design publications, this gorgeous home wares and gift store was a welcome break while climbing the hills from the waterfront. I could have spent way too much time and money in here if I hadn’t been on a tight schedule and travelling carry-on only! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/26f80a97-aacf-4098-a717-45f65df95669/IMG_1900.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - REI Flagship Store To really live the PNW life, you need to invest heavily in all things REI (Recreational Equipment Inc), which started life in Seattle in 1938. This store sits inside its own little forest, complete with waterfall, just north of downtown Seattle. Sprawling over several floors selling everything you need, didn’t know you needed and probably don’t need! This is a retail experience unlike any other. Worth a trip just to see the building, but you’ll buy something for sure! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/de6a912e-4a70-45e3-ab49-71a22f0340ac/Pioneer+Square_1.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Pioneer Square Underground Tour Pioneer Square is where Seattle was born and this is the original and best tour, running since 1965. The originator, Bill Spiedel, was behind the saving of the square and its designation as an historic district, then onto the National Register of Historic Places. You can read a detailed history here. The tour takes you underground through a network of passageways and basements which, after the streets were elevated, fell into disuse and were preserved through neglect. You have to be prepared to climb down into small spaces and up into alleyways to do this tour, but if you are, it’s a fun time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/bddb38b0-d4c7-489c-972a-cf7dde4ed82a/Smith-Tower.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Smith Tower This building near Pioneer Square was the first skyscraper in Seattle. When it opened in 1914, and it remained the tallest building on the West Coast until the Space Needle appeared in 1962. It was a marvel of its time – with its distinctive pyramid top and white terracotta cladding – and still stands proud amongst its much taller and grander siblings. The interior has been beautifully maintained – with the original Otis elevators still running smoothly – and you can purchase a tour with your ticket and learn about its intriguing past. On the 35th floor, along with some of the best views in town, is the Observatory Bar and there you’ll find the Wishing Chair, given to Mr Smith in 1908 by the Dowager Empress of China. Legend has it, if you’re single and don’t want to be, sit in it and you won’t be for long! The building also boasts Seattle’s tallest summer rooftop bar, The Lookout. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/e73ccfb1-7262-4279-961d-0034786dd7d5/Alki+Beach_5.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Alki Beach, West Seattle This West Seattle suburb is a funky and alternative area, with one of the few beaches on Puget Sound. Everyone knows the beloved movie Sleepless in Seattle and Alki Beach was where Tom Hank’s character takes his son kite flying. Grab some fish & chips from Spuds and enjoy the great views of the city skyline and beyond. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4bc04242-3520-41fe-8a30-dcb3ac79c3cb/Museum+of+Flight_9.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - The Museum of Flight Halfway between Sea-Tac airport and downtown Seattle lies the Museum of Flight. This fabulous place – “the largest independent, non-profit air and space museum in the world” – is crammed with aeronautic and aerospace displays. Upon arrival you are presented with several choices: the Red Barn, the original Boeing factory; the Personal Courage wing; a walk across the Memorial Bridge to the Space Gallery; or the Great Gallery, which was where I joined a short tour discussing the origins of airmail, commercial flights and the combination of both. We take it for granted now, but taking passengers was a radical and death-defying step back in the day. Outside is the Aviation Pavilion housing the first Boeing 747, a Concorde and the first jet Air Force One, among others waiting to be explored. There is so much to see here you could geek out for several days! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/236a9228-1f2d-438f-87a6-a242604523b9/bi+ferry+approaching.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Bainbridge Island Ferry Puget Sound’s many islands are serviced by the largest ferry fleet in the country. If you have a beautiful, clear day – not a given as this is the rainy PNW – then I recommend you hop on this ferry and see Seattle from the water. The skyline will reward you with fabulous photos. It's a lovely ride and, at less than $10 return, a pretty cheap day out. I had no intention of getting off at Bainbridge Island – very much like riding the Staten Island Ferry in New York – but, as we had to disembark anyway, I figured it would be a waste of a trip not to spend the hour between ferries having a wander round. Riding this ferry across the Puget Sound is a Seattle Must Do! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4f55a8af-6ba7-492b-82fe-20482ad9a2a8/Bainbridge+Island+MoA_1.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Bainbridge Island Museum of Art I was only going to take the ferry from Seattle and back again, but it was a beautiful day so I decided to not waste the trip and spend the hour between ferries wandering around Bainbridge Island. My first stop, after walking up from the ferry, was this place. It's perfectly located to catch your attention, then having free/donation entry meant that frugal me had to pop in and have a look. I'm glad I did. It's an eclectic mix in a beautiful building and the gift shop is worth a browse. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/8f712456-271a-42c9-b03b-6b5351131de9/Dinner+%40+Cortina_10.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Cortina This stylish restaurant, by local star chef Ethan Stowell, is located in Union Square and open weekdays, so you can feast on delicious Italian food for lunch and dinner. Alongside the dining tables under the window, they have a tremendously long bar (I counted 30 seats) plus a cosy dining room. I shared the Baby Beets and Buffalo Mozarella starters, then greedily kept the Creste di Gallo to myself and it was just phenomenal… pray that it’s on the menu when you visit! Great service in a stylish setting. Open Monday-Friday 11am-9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/878fc73a-411b-4811-8512-1589032c383c/IMG_1636.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - The Fig & The Judge Restaurant Located on the second floor (first for non-Americans) inside the Renaissance Seattle Hotel, this restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch. Hotel restaurant buffets don’t usually impress, but this one did. The options were fresh, extensive and varied. You can also order from the a la carte menu via a QR code at your table. The table service was fast and efficient and the restaurant was busy both mornings I was in house. Open daily for breakfast 6.30-10am and lunch 11.30am-1.30pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/873719cb-e43b-4e50-96ae-3f05091c7de8/Alaskan+Sourdough+Bakery_5.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Alaskan Sourdough Bakery If you are strolling along Waterfront Park and need a good, filling lunch for not much money, then stop here for the best sourdough in the world! I first/last visited here ten years ago and I am not exaggerating when I say I’ve dreamed of this bread ever since, it’s so good. Ten years ago, I bought a small round loaf (boule), got some butter and ate just that for dinner… heaven! This time I plumped for half a Golden Staircase sandwich with a small clam chowder (combo) and not only were they both fantastic, it only cost me $11 + tax! ...and, of course, I bought a boule to take with me . Open daily 10am-5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/fefd1225-ec91-4f19-8a51-cf43ea32f46f/alki-gull.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Spud Fish & Chips This restaurant on Alki Beach, in West Seattle, was the city’s first fast food restaurant, opening in 1935 and it’s been serving fried goodies ever since. I ordered cod and chips – all in ecologically friendly, compostable containers – found a lovely spot to sit on the sea wall and started eating. Word to the wise: choose your spot carefully… I now know how Tippi Hedren felt in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. As soon as I sat down, the beach’s resident alpha male herring gull – the size of a small dog – and his *cough* wing-man (see above) started pushing me around. They were very aggressive and when any other bird came near it was given short shrift. I hung in there for as long as I could, but the aggression was giving me indigestion. So I gave up and ran for the safety of my car, throwing chips behind me to slow them down. Open daily 11am-9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/56c92c5c-026e-4a77-aea2-d1b0a55050b3/Lobby.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Renaissance Seattle Hotel I stayed here for two nights and loved every minute. The lobby has a literary design in a nod to their neighbour across the street – the architecturally stunning Seattle Public Library – with lovely spots to settle and work or chat. It’s the perfect base for exploring downtown Seattle on foot. Positioned high above the harbour, the sleek and functional rooms are a great base for days spend walking up and down the many hills of this city. There is also Club Level accommodation that comes with access to the Lounge that has lovely decor and great views over the city. It’s a popular event hotel and the many public spaces make it a gathering space for locals. Like the 515 bar, where the resident mixologists perform a bar ritual every night at 5.15pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/9c6fcd88-473d-4f12-a75e-26db66cd51bd/Hilton+Seattle+Aiprort_1.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Seattle, Washington, USA - Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center This property near SeaTac Airport is a sprawling expanse of hotel and convention centre. While standard Hilton fare it was clean, well-appointed and the bed was very comfortable. If you have light luggage you can walk here from the airport using the Skybridge, just ask for directions to the light rail station. You then walk beyond it to the stairs that lead down to the street. about one block up from the hotel. It saves waiting for the airport shuttle, which drives the long way, and you can also take the light rail, the Link, into downtown Seattle very easily. https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides/salem-massachusetts-usa monthly 0.5 2024-01-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4ac1f5ee-ad66-45ba-a5cc-c11cf80d49f3/salem2.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA Lovely lane behind the Salem Town Hall, made famous by the film Hocus Pocus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/59dd0a32-e362-4f16-b48f-620e6ebe307d/Massachusetts.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581470399603-S1J2Y3JMVBIHCF23SZ5W/Samantha+Stevens+Bewitched+Statue Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Bewitched by Salem Being an Australian, my first exposure to Salem was through the 1960s-70s cult TV series, Bewitched. Don’t groan, I’m not alone. There is a #selfieready statue of Samantha Stevens in downtown Salem, put there by the TV Land cable channel in 2005. Locals felt that it was insensitive to the witch trials victims but, love it or loathe it – and tourists love it – there it stands. The real reason it’s there is that when the production company brought the show here in 1970 – to film an eight-part story arc which saw Samantha, Darrin and Endora travel to Salem for the centennial Witches Convocation – it brought renewed interest to the town and a tourism boom followed. Case in point: the Salem Witch Museum opened in 1972 to capitalise on the attention. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/729923f6-fd87-4dd1-8223-9d0caff552c9/Salem_9.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Peabody Essex Museum Founded in 1799 – when the East India Marine Society created a “cabinet of natural and artificial curiosities” – this is the country’s oldest continually operated museum. The current name comes from their mid-19th century benefactor, George Peabody, and an association with the Essex Institute whose focus was the history of the county. (By the way, it’s pronounced peebadee. Try it and you’ll sound like a local.) The newer part was designed by starchitect Moshe Safdie and last year it was further expanded. The 1.8 million artefacts include over two centuries of international sailing trade mementos – like the 1950s scale model of the QEII – and a transplanted 200-year-old rural Chinese home, the only complete Qing Dynasty home outside of China. The original East India Marine Hall houses an animated digital projection called Figurehead 2.0, by Charles Sandison, using text and images from 18th century ships logs until January 1, 2022. Open Tuesday–Sunday, year ‘round with some holiday closings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1582322664182-2V37KX7HN1NVTXC67DGG/House+of+the+Seven+Gables Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - The House of the Seven Gables Dating from 1668, this is New England’s oldest wooden mansion. Officially known as the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion, it inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne – a relation of the Ingersolls – to set his book here and, in turn, it has been shaped by the international fame of the book. A tour is included with admission and you’ll learn much about the family and how the house has evolved. The property also holds six transplanted historical buildings and my favourite was the 1655 Retire Beckett House – the oldest standing building in Salem – which holds the cozy Museum Store stuffed to the gills with great products. Ticket sales for this non-profit museum benefit the community, with school and immigrant education programs. Open year ‘round (except the first two weeks of January and holidays). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/c2468273-1e60-4928-a080-361c34cf93df/McIntire+District Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - The Chestnut Street District This beautiful historic district north of downtown was formerly named the McIntire District for Salem-born Samuel McIntire one of the country’s earliest and most influential architects – but now renamed for its most famous street. McIntire designed houses that blended European style with New England aesthetic for some of Salem’s wealthiest merchant families. It was and still is the wealthiest area of town with house prices in the millions. While the whole district is beautiful, Chestnut Street is the standout as it allegedly holds "the greatest concentration of notable pre-1900 domestic structures” in the country, ranging from 1640-1940, with numerous notable Federal Era townhouses owned by merchants and maritime traders from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was the first planned street in the area, being straight and double-wide to accommodate a turning carriage. It was referred to as “Surely one of the most beautiful streets in America,” by author PD James in 1985 and it is pretty spectacular. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581470684017-YXXFDLPD7DNXMEC08X7C/Fame+of+Salem+Schooner Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Fame of Salem Schooner Sailing in Salem Sound aboard a yacht is a pretty nice way to spend an afternoon. When you do it aboard the replica of an 1812 privateer schooner, famed for taking over twenty prizes with only two small cannons and lots of moxie, it takes it to another level. Tall tales are told while you sip their famous Dark 'N' Stormy cocktails. She sails up to four times a day from mid-May through late October. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/ae35f194-bcf5-45e2-9b5e-2861f437d210/Phillips+House+Museum Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Phillips House Museum This is the only historic house museum on Chestnut Street. The core of the building is four rooms from an earlier house, which was transported by sled to this spot after a nasty divorce saw the house literally divided! In 1821, a Federal-style mansion was constructed around it for a sea captain. Almost a century later, Anna Phillips bought the house and had it renovated into the current Colonial Revival style. Today it looks like a comfortable family home, decorated with five generations of international travel souvenirs. Open May–October. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/90a168d4-0fb9-455d-9005-da7a80eaaaf2/Salem_14.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Salem Food Tours I always recommend that your first activity when arriving in a new place must be a walking tour, any kind, to get the lay of the land and gain perspective. I took my own advice and, though it was out of season, embarked on the ‘AM Coffee Walk’ with this fun company. Their full food tour includes many restaurants in town and takes several hours, but the shorter tour was a perfect taster for this lovely town and I learned a lot about the geography and history of Salem. Tours run year ‘round, except major national holidays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/f31e8024-118e-400b-be3d-62799e03861f/Salem_1.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Salem Witch Museum This is the place to get the lowdown on what actually happened during the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. Salem’s most popular museum presents the trials in a theatrical yet factual and enlightening way. The current popularity of discovering your ancestry has prompted their very popular, ‘Descendant Packets,’ that detail the lives and trials of all the victims. Open year ‘round with extended hours in October. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1582566516945-03HFZYPXX5B2NJDRC8L0/Witch+City+Walking+Tours Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Witch City Walking Tours Witch City Walking Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/fd0601f3-722f-4d81-87eb-2c42d72c26f1/2020-USA-MA-Salem-SNT3-web.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Salem Night Tour For those interested in the spooky and haunted, this 90-minute tour will take you to the places with the most resonance and chill you with stories from the Salem Witch Trials. The tour sets out from the store ‘Remember Salem’ which is a great place to indulge in all things Harry Potter! They also give day tours for the less gothically inclined. Tours run rain or shine, year ‘round. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1ed89508-a96a-46cb-b7fc-ca00ddf10d89/Salem_16.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Ledger Restaurant & Bar You’ll find this restaurant inside the former Salem Savings Bank building, the second oldest savings bank in the country (C 1818) and they’ve incorporated the bank’s old fixtures: like the wall of safety deposit box fronts that separates the bar from diners; and sommeliers serving wine from the old vault. Open for dinner Tuesday–Sunday and weekend brunch, the culinary team under Chef Daniel Gursha make as much in-house as possible, including all of the treats on their famous charcuterie board, right down to the pickles. The Wild Mushroom Campanelle pasta is the edible equivalent of a warm hug and the inventive house-made Ritz Cracker ice cream defies definition. Salem is richer with this restaurant in the heart of town. Open Wednesday-Thursday 5-9pm, Friday-Saturday 5-10pm, Sunday brunch 10am-2 pm and dinner 4.30-8.30pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1582341484535-NXOL7V0ABEN1AVNCRX64/Finz+Seafood+%26+Grill Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Finz Seafood & Grill Having moved to its newer, bigger and more fabulous location on the water in late 2018, this well-established, award winning restaurant takes seafood to the next level. Chef Serie Keezer has the most inventive and delicate touch with flavours. Their Buffalo Calamari – yes, you read that correctly – will convert you from wings with one taste, while the Street Corn Shrimp is transcendent and don’t get me started on the heavenly Crème Brûlée. Plus, their sushi chef, Jae, is ready to treat you to the real deal. Divine dining, indeed! Open Sunday-Thursday 11.30am-12am, Friday-Saturday 11.30m-1am. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581470992599-ZXM1R9FFVSZQQ974AV1D/Nathaniel%27s Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Nathaniel’s (inside the Hawthorne Hotel) This charming restaurant serves lavish breakfasts in a 1920s glamour environment. Their famous Seafood Benedict has been drawing the crowds for years and in the evening, the venue transforms into a music lounge with live piano or music from a gramophone. Open for breakfast: Monday-Friday 7.30-11am, Saturday 8am-12pm, Sunday 8am-1pm. Late night lounge 9pm-12am. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/78de428d-f514-4416-9dbc-707bb801cf0b/Kakawa.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Kakawa Chocolate House Kakawa is an Olmec word, meaning cacao or chocolate. This specialty chocolate company is here to introduce us to and educate us on authentic Pre-Columbian, Mesoamerican, Mayan and Aztec drinking chocolates, that have been gently adapted to our modern palettes. This lovely café on Essex Street is a great place to bring the family during a day of sightseeing, with kids loving the milkshakes and house-made ice cream. You can even watch through the window as the artisans create uniquely flavoured chocolates and truffles – some with Hatch chiles from New Mexico, home to the original Kakawa. This is a delicious addition to Salem’s downtown. Open Thursday-Monday 11am-6pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/47b91b46-0d12-4557-b5c9-cb46ed1cfe23/Salem_17.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Ugly Mug Diner I love a place with a sense of humour. Theirs starts outside with their signs – “Waffles are just pancakes with abs” – and inside with the menu including ‘sammiches’ and the ‘Benedict Batch.’ All of the tables are supplied with ‘ugly mugs’ donated by patrons and you’re invited to bring one in or buy any that take your fancy. The service is friendly and the portions large, so brings friends or be prepared for leftovers. With an extensive menu, they are open daily from 7am–3pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/8dd34ea2-d84b-415b-bd00-896fc53335e3/Red%27s_1.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Red’s Sandwich Shop Red's Sandwich Shop has been proudly serving Salemites since 1945. Located in the historic London Coffee House (circa 1698) where the Patriots would meet to foment support for the American Revolution. Now instead of weak ale and big talk, you can get a fabulous breakfast or filling lunch in these historic surroundings. Open from 7am - 1pm Monday to Saturday, 7am-3pm Sunday. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1582564540887-EAGL0CBGM3P3XYJ1I2ET/The+Cheese+Shop+Salem Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - The Cheese Shop of Salem Opened in late 2016, this shop on Lafayette Street has quickly become a local favourite. As soon as you enter, the smell of cheese – and on ‘Saturdays only’ the gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches – draws you forward to the main counter where Peter, the ‘big cheese,’ can tell you chapter and verse about the goodies therein. Out of their impressive selection – from cow, goat and sheep – it turns out that their biggest selling cheese is…drum roll, please…an Australian soft blend of goat and sheep milk called ‘Aussie Magic.’ Being an Aussie myself, I’ve never heard of it, but having tried it I can see why it’s a bestseller. New to blue cheese? Try the Cambozola Black Label, a gateway cheese to get you hooked. They also have a charcuterie bar and a wide selection of gourmet goodies, including select wines chosen for their “organic, biodynamic and natural winemaking.” You can attend their free wine tastings on Friday and Saturday afternoons or one of many events hosted throughout the year, in partnership with other local vendors. Open Tuesday–Friday 11am-6pm, Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 12-5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1582384318288-L2AYMXMJA6UF52JFEJLC/Salemdipity Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Salemdipity This fun and witty shop is in the Wharf District and stocks unexpected treasures for souvenirs or gifts. You’ll find everything from witty stickers to Wizard of Oz-themed t-shirts and silver charms. This is the kind of shop you enter and the hours disappear while you discover more and more great things. It’s a pretty good bet that you’ll come away with something unique. Open Monday-Thursday 11am-7pm, Friday-Sunday 10.30am-9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1582427124371-QQF1YBSY179EOYVQR47C/YOP+collage.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie They’ve been making candy here since 1806, when an English window was shipwrecked and washed up on Salem’s shore. She used her candy making skills to start a new life and produced the first commercially made candy in America, the Salem Gibralter (sic) – a rock candy, geddit? – which proved very popular with sailors as it was long-lasting. The next proprietor added Black Jacks, a molasses stick candy, to the repertoire. Both of these were invented here and can only be bought here, along with enough chocolates, fudges and candies to satisfy any sweet-tooth… and when Oprah states that the chocolate turtles are her favourites, that's a true seal of approval! Open daily from 10am-5pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1582383796116-VTFYK9L30TSS55XQG5TA/IMG_2637-web.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Salem Spice Shop Salem has been importing spice directly since 1797. Then the first load of black pepper arrived from Sumatra in the East Indies (now Indonesia) after a local captain decided to forge a new path, avoiding the English trading monopoly, and sailed all the way to Asia to establish an amicable trade with the locals. It was so lucrative that more and more ships followed. Salem held the exclusive rights to import pepper and they took advantage of this, reportedly marking the price up by 700% before selling it on, making the many merchants in town the richest in the country. To this day, the official seal of Salem contains a Sumatran native and a latin motto, Divitis Indiae usque ad ultimum sinum (Indies wealth until the last pocket). Appropriately enough, the shop is located on Pickering Wharf and they sell over 100 natural spices, with a wide variety of blends for your every culinary need. Open Monday-Wednesday 10am-5pm, Thursday-Sunday 10am-6pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/d3def860-1289-44c4-b3eb-13af8e47fee9/2020-USA-MA-Salem-SWH14.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Salem Waterfront Hotel and Suites This friendly, maritime-themed hotel with superb staff and lovely rooms It’s docked on Pickering Wharf and the man at the tiller, Ryan the GM, steers it true. It’s a very popular wedding and events venue and the onsite Regatta Pub serves great food. The rooms are large and comfortable with nautical decor and excellent beds. If you drove into town, take advantage of their large parking lot and discover this lovely town on foot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1582343127235-L5NQX26PAHX1L6UNR5GO/IMG_2961-strip.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Hawthorne Hotel This is the grandest of the old school hotels in Salem. Built in 1925, it has been a fixture of the social scene ever since, hosting weddings and events of the who’s who. Past guests include the great and the good, including Elizabeth Montgomery who stayed here whilst Bewitched was based in Salem for several months in 1970, making this a major stop for fans. The rooms have old-world style with all the mod-cons. There are two onsite restaurants: Nathaniel’s (above) for breakfast and evening cocktails; and The Tavern a old-school club with oak-panelled walls, wood-burning fireplace and cozy chairs where you can enjoy lunch and dinner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/7f355290-e618-4c65-9ea0-193b2a106b17/IMG_3719.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - The Daniels House Inn This is one of the country’s oldest bed & breakfast’s inside one of New England’s oldest homes, C 1667. The passionate new owners found this treasure online and it quickly became a labour of love, as they gently modernised it while maintaining its historical integrity and charm. The guest rooms are distinctly different and all have very comfortable, Salem-made Gardner Mattresses. Breakfast is served in the cozy antique parlour. Sleep in the past, wake in the present. You can see their fabulous new property, Silsbee’s (below), the grey building to the left and behind the main building. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/9600ac52-e786-49a9-b463-f696055a545f/IMG_3706.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Silbee’s Inn by Daniels House This fantastic ‘new’ old property has been lovingly and respectfully renovated. Located just behind The Daniels House Inn, where you take breakfast, Silsbee’s is a luxurious addition to Salem’s accommodation offerings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/945eab5c-596a-4ec6-a8a6-5d70e4323e65/Hampton+Inn+Salem_1.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Salem, Massachusetts, USA - Hampton Inn Salem Opened during the pandemic, this hotel has 113 rooms, onsite valet parking, restaurants and retail. It’s the only branded property in Salem – all other accommodations are boutique and/or privately-owned – and they’re very excited to be part of the community. https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides/boston-massachusetts-usa monthly 0.5 2024-04-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/d399c1a3-fcdd-42b8-8d76-2c16d93421ec/BOSTON2.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA Back Bay and Longfellow Bridge from View Boston observation deck https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/59dd0a32-e362-4f16-b48f-620e6ebe307d/Massachusetts.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/9a9b61e8-783b-4ae3-83aa-72cb5fa818ab/T+Red+Line.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Take the ‘T’ Buy a Charlie Card and use the the nation’s first subway line, running since 1897. When preparing for your trip to Boston, plan to walk and take public transport, particularly the under/overground train known as the ‘T,’ especially from the airport to save you $$. You can purchase a free refillable Charlie Card at Boston Logan Airport and fill it with value as needed. At time of publication, it’s $2.40/one way subway trip. A 7-Day Pass is $22.50 and includes subway, local bus and Silver Line bus routes. You’ll only need a car if you leave the city. Having said that, you can take efficient Commuter Line to the North of Boston Region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b06aa2f7-dce1-4b95-a8ad-62661512599d/Faneuil+Market.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Faneuil Hall (Marketplace) In 1742, this hallowed hall was called, “The Cradle of Liberty,” by the nation’s fathers. Peter Faneuil was one of Boston’s wealthiest merchants – albeit mostly from the slave trade. He built the hall as a gift to the city, to serve as a meeting place and marketplace, and it’s still providing that service to this day. With over 80 retailers occupying the 200,000+ square feet of commercial space (including Quincy, North & South Markets behind the original hall), I’m not sure what he’d make of it. However, it’s an historic place to wander through and marvel at. Whether you settle for an overpriced meal/souvenir is up to you! Open daily 10am-7pm, late closing Friday-Saturday 9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/620c3d87-0868-4f3f-9b91-8ced0d56ec96/2013-5050-MA-Boston-Skywalk5.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - View Boston After you've seen everything at ground level, this is a great way to end any clear day in Boston to catch a gorgeous sunset with 360 degree views over Greater Boston and beyond. Located on the 51st floor of the Prudential Tower and you can see for up to 160 km (100 miles) when it’s clear. Purchase tickets at the kiosk in Prudential Arcade or buy online and save $5. If the budget stretches, you could dine at the restaurant one floor up and get the views included in the price of your meal. It's included on both the Boston CityPass and Go City. Open every day 10.00am–10.00pm (last admission at 9.30pm.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b0814a06-1f0e-41ee-94cb-3eba1c4f27ce/2013-5050-MA-Boston-NEA42.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - New England Aquarium This brutalist concrete building, opened in 1969, hides multitudes of wonder and delight. It’s home to a rookery of penguins, a frenzy of sharks, schools of fish and the queen of the aquarium, Myrtle the Turtle, a ninety-plus-years-old, 226 kg (500 lb) green sea turtle (above). She lives in the 757,082 litre (200,000 gallon) Giant Ocean Tank – in residence since June 1970 – and eats huge quantities of squid, lettuce, cabbage and brussels sprouts (now I know where to send my life’s share of the latter!). Discover the Amazon Rainforest to Washington’s Olympic Coast to the Gulf of Maine and everything in between. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/765c5fa0-2e18-4307-ab62-99264ea5260f/BPL_1.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Boston Public Library This massive edifice to knowledge is worth a wander inside to see the superb interior and courtyard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583878191921-T2RVIBYTJT17T6O23KL7/UAT.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - The Urban AdvenTours Boston City View Bicycle Tour This tour is a great way to get to know Boston on ground level. Cycle through the city streets from the eerily utopian Christian Science Plaza (above) to the banks of the Charles River and everything in between. It’s 2.5–3 hours long and covers 16–19km (10–12 miles). Daily at 10am (& 2pm summer only). Cost: $60/person includes a bike, helmet, water and a friendly, knowledgeable guide. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/5698479d-530f-4445-a9de-78b11cef0d98/2013-5050-MA-Boston-MBE1.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Mary Baker Eddy Library & Mapparium This is one of those lesser known attractions that shouldn't be. Created in 1935, it's a three-story, stained-glass globe allows you to walk inside the world. It was built for The Monitor newspaper in response to the globe in the lobby of the New York Daily News. There's an audio/light show but just standing inside it is wonderful, seeing the world as it was in the 1930s. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/06602176-269e-454b-bf95-6fbb8198ab18/IMG_9661-2.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Discover the South End While a lot of noise is made about the North End – home to the historic Paul Revere House, Old North Church and a strong Italian culture with many of the city’s best restaurants found here – very little is made of the South End district… I think the locals want to keep it to themselves. South End has more of a hipster/Brooklyn feel, large turn-of-the-century apartment blocks, wide avenues, art galleries and markets, while North End is older with more historic buildings and cobbled, higgledy piggledy streets. I walked through both this visit, however, it was my first time in South End and I was charmed it. It didn’t hurt that I discovered Blackbird Doughnuts (see the Eat section), and many cute cafés and restaurants. Just strolling the wide avenues, looking at the shops and parks, picking a café like Southend Buttery (see the Eat section) to sit and while away a sunny day, is a lovely way to spend a couple of hours. I recommend a day like this when you are travelling to reset yourself and recharge your batteries for more sightseeing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/7c8387a2-2c2c-427a-aa46-89d778c6aa8d/2013-5050-MA-Boston-MFA1.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Museum of Fine Arts, Boston This major museum was established in 1870, with the main Neoclassical building constructed in 1909. Further additions happened up until the West Wing, designed by IM Pei, opened in 1981. I was lucky to catch a temporary exhibition on John Singer Sargent watercolours. He was the leading portrait artist of his time and I have always admired those ‘Gilded Age’ works. He also painted the frescoes that adorn the rotunda and colonnades inside the museum’s entrance. These and the ones at the Boston Public Library and Harvard’s Widener Library are his only public building works. It’s a vast space with all the usual suspects found in a world-class art museum. I left via the back entrance to see the installation Night and Day, two massive bronze baby heads, created by Spanish artist Antonio Lopez Garcia. They polarise people and “creepy” or “cute” are the usual responses. Open daily 10am-5pm, late closing Thursday-Friday 10pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/51b6deb0-bfc3-4143-9b1e-85f130d86c0a/Isabella+Stewart+Gardner+Museum-3.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum This is the eclectic and very personal collection of a remarkable woman – Isabella Stewart Gardner – American art collector, philanthropist and foremost patrons of the arts. Gardner was the daughter of a wealthy linen-merchant who married into Boston society. After travelling the world with her husband, she furthered her knowledge and indulged her passion for art. Becoming an art collector, patron and philanthropist, she befriended the leading lights of the artistic community and was considered a bit too unconventional for Boston society of the late 19th/early 20th century. Buying the land in 1898 after her husband's death, she had a Renaissance Venetian palazzo built, filled it with her collection – more than 7500 paintings, including works by Michelangelo, Titian, Rembrandt, Botticelli, Degas and Sargent; sculptures; furniture; textiles; ceramics; rare books; and archival objects from ancient Rome, Medieval Europe, Renaissance Italy, Asia and the Islamic world – and opened it to the public on 1903. Infamously, it’s more famous for being the victim of an audacious theft, when in 1990 thieves dressed as policeman stole thirteen works, worth upwards of $500 million. It became the “greatest known property theft in history.” It remains unsolved and the works have never resurfaced. Come see what’s left for yourself, everyday 11am-5pm, Thursdays til 9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/5258e23c-ad77-447e-87fb-5248412f90ad/2013-5050-MA-Boston-JFKL1.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum This excellent attraction is slightly outside of the city proper, but it’s worth the trip. The striking building was designed by I.M.Pei, who was selected by Jackie Kennedy back in 1964, as she spotted his burgeoning talent. At the time of he demurred, saying he as only young and hadn’t done anything monumental. Nevertheless, she never wouldn’t be swayed and commissioned him there and then. The initial design was to include a “truncated glass pyramid symbolizing President Kennedy’s abrubtly cut-off life," however, issues with the original site led to delays and it was finally completed on its waterfront site in 1979. Showcasing the Kennedy’s life from start to finish, with Jackie and in office. It’s one of the best presidential libraries and personal museums to which I’ve been. Open daily 10am–5pm (except New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/80278e63-c9d7-48e1-9dad-0eef2f55bae1/Harvard+Tour_5.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Harvard Walking Tour These student-led tours are a great way to see this historic campus. I'm a big fan of walking tours, they're like a reconnaissance mission and should be done early in your trip. Once you know how to walk through the campus you can confidently stride around Harvard. Nothing worse than getting lost amongst superior teenagers! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/ae188bc6-b510-4122-b282-8aa9ea16c1a3/MIT+Museum-2.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - MIT Museum This small, bare bones museum is fun for imaginative kids of all sizes. Most exhibits are past and present student projects, proving that MIT does produce all forms of genius. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/dd0764e7-c899-4dd7-9f23-a5c133e4dbe3/Harvard+Art+Museums-2.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Harvard Art Museums Three museums - Fogg, Busch-Reisinger and Arthur M. Sackler - have been brought together under one stunning Renzo Piano Building Workshop designed roof. It's right next to Harvard campus so you can do them all in one visit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/7f4984f0-4354-44b6-8703-7038e1dbbe1a/2013-5050-MA-Boston-Palm.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - The Palm The original Palm was established in New York in 1926 and the story goes that it was supposed to be called The Parma. However, when the owners – Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi fresh off the boat from Italy – applied for their restaurant license, the registrar interpreted the name as The Palm and they ran with it. By 1931, the Palmʼs reputation as a steakhouse began to take hold, thanks to their willingness to cater to their clientele of local journalists from publications and companies such as the New York Daily Mirror, Hearst Corporation and United Press International. The cartoonists of the publications started drawing things on the walls and the tradition, which continues across the now twenty-five restaurants, was born. I was treated to a lunch (image above) of superior lobster bisque – ceremoniously poured from a silver jug into my bowl; their signature Chicken Parmigiana; and the most incredible seven-layer chocolate cake… and I don’t even like chocolate. Positively decadent. Open Tuesday-Friday 11.30am-9pm, Saturday 5-10pm, Sunday-Monday 4-8pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581463009885-NETWGNNXYLOY8YEPU07B/IMG_8050.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Blackbird Doughnuts The flagship store, located in South End, is a small, beautifully decorated French-style bakery, complete with chandelier. Through the internal glass wall you can watch the bakers making the treats… and treats they are, with inventive flavourings – ten flavour changes each month – both raised (yeast) and cake versions. The cold-brewed coffee and coconut raised doughnut (above right) was damn near close to nirvana. The dough itself is so tasty that every time I took a bite I thought it couldn’t have been that good, but it was. Open weekdays 7am-4pm, weekends 8am-4pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/06602176-269e-454b-bf95-6fbb8198ab18/IMG_9661-2.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - South End Buttery Opening in 2005, this excellent cafe has turned around the fortunes of the South End with its offering of fresh, simple food all day. Sitting on the corner of Shawmut Street, this cafe sits beautifully inside its heritage building in a neighbourhood that rivals Beacon Hill for lovely, old buildings, charming boulevards and diverse restaurant offerings. The outside seating is delightful in the sun and you could easily while away an hour or two here. Open Sunday-Wednesday 6.30am-9pm, Thursday-Saturday 6.30am-9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581462795626-AQTIUEMOV9UNAW5B7MHK/IMG_9764-2.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - The Paramount This popular Charles Street diner in Beacon Hill serves all day breakfast - one of my favourite three-word expressions. I chose the Breakfast Special: two eggs, cajun home fries, toast and coffee for $8* (+tax & tipping). The service is friendly & quick and, unless there's a line out the door which is common, you are welcome to linger and enjoy the free coffee refills. Open daily 8am-9pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581462917801-US9X2PU0FKHHNK39WVE5/IMG_8079-2.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Al's Café There are four locations for Al's Cafe and you’ll find them by the huge queues pouring out the doors at lunch time. In expensive Boston, their famous bag lunch – sub, chips and a bottled drink – comes in two sizes: small (10") $12/large (18”) $14.25 - is very good value. They pile their sandwiches high and, if it's busy, stand back and watch how it all works, because the service is a well-oiled machine and moves pretty fast. Don't be the cog that jams the machinery! All locations open weekdays 10am-3pm, except Tech Square 9am-3pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/bddf811a-f9fa-4b3f-8ecb-9a08194e714e/IMG_8033-2.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Empire Garden Boston's Chinatown is a large one and there is a plethora of places to eat. I was craving some dim sum (or yum cha) and did a quick search on Google Maps. I plumped for this one because it was in an old theatre. I was one of few non-Asian patrons and that's always a good sign. Some dim sum places don't have the carts (table service only), so check before choosing if that's your preference, but this one does. I had two steamers of hot translucent shrimp dumplings (har gow) and was full. The check was only $9 (inc tax) and, with the tip, I had a good, filling meal for a small price. Open daily 8.30am-9.30pm, late closing Friday-Saturday 10.30pm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/dee9df0c-b1df-4223-b834-a27081d99e6f/2013-5050-MA-Boston-RHBC41.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Revere Hotel Boston Common On my first visit to Boston I stayed at the here and it was the most fabulous entrée to Boston. The only hotel with balconies in the city – every room has one – inside it's a stunning property, with a signature lobby scent that drains the days cares from you the moment you step inside and breathe deeply. (They sell candles with their scent so you can take the feeling home.) The central location in the Theatre District and near Boston Common, means you can walk or take the subway to any attraction or restaurant in Boston. You can even walk to all the locations mentioned from here. I’ve since returned, but it sells out fast! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/99741261-dc3c-4ea0-a3ce-cf45e3852fba/Godfrey+Hotel+Boston.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - The Godfrey Hotel This sleek and stylish hotel opened in 2016, in the heart of the shopping district, with easy access to the theatre and historic districts. The rooms are spacious and slick, with nice touches like portable Bose speakers so you can listen to your music while you enjoy the large walk-in shower. I’ve stayed here three times and each was a pleasure. When I take the train between Manhattan and Maine I’m forced to transfer between South and North Stations. While this transfer is easily achieved by subway or taxi, depending on your luggage, I use this as a great excuse to spend at least one night in Boston. This hotel is perfectly located: just one stop from South Station and only three to North Station on the T. I’ve stayed three times and can’t wait to return. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/bcd2060f-2d22-4adc-b3cc-b7531a07969b/IMG_3862.JPG Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Boston, Massachusetts, USA - DoubleTree by Hilton Boston Bayside If downtown Boston’s hotels are a tad out of your price range, then consider this one slightly south of downtown. It’s a quiet location near the water and a short walk from an actual beach in Boston! They have a free airport shuttle and it’s a short walk to the JFK/UMass T station to take you to the hustle and bustle. If you’re feeling energetic, the JFK Presidential Library is just a 20 minute walk away. https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides/taupo-north-island-new-zealand monthly 0.5 2024-01-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/e0065ced-d68f-462a-8ebb-70b2199f9f7d/k%26gtag+laketaupo.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Great Lake Taupo, Taupo, North Island Great Lake Taupo from the shore https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581465314446-2L3LPOCTG0W8IQ4L0VTF/blog-desination-sign-Taupo.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Great Lake Taupo, Taupo, North Island https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581465401985-41MGQZ0M9Y6S208L3CHW/IMG_2667-web.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Great Lake Taupo, Taupo, North Island - Huka Falls River Cruise The base of Huka Falls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581465592087-2130EWVJT5VP4K4GMP4Y/www+collage.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Great Lake Taupo, Taupo, North Island - Whitewater World Whitewater World collage https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581465494293-92SC9CJZPYXOHRMWQFEO/IMG_2689-web.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Great Lake Taupo, Taupo, North Island - Huka Prawn Park Huka Prawn Park from the river https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581465685154-GTI3C19B4LTX07U12YXS/Huka+Prawn+collage.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Great Lake Taupo, Taupo, North Island - Huka Prawn Park Huka Prawn Park collage https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581465760804-7PSULUP5ND5CCGZPMMBQ/accent-on-taupo_%281%29.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Great Lake Taupo, Taupo, North Island - Accent on Taupo (Hotel supplied photo) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581465828456-S874YEKZE25F7XJ7Z9R8/IMG_2732-web.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Great Lake Taupo, Taupo, North Island - Great Lake Taupo at sunset Great Lake Taupo at sunset https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides/queenstown-wanaka-otago-south-island-new-zealand monthly 0.5 2024-01-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/afeee0d3-bf8c-471b-b5d4-e24e2eb8eec4/queenstown2.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Queenstown &amp; Wanaka, Otago, South Island, New Zealand - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581467685175-5GHMWS0FA67CR9U546LH/blog-desination-sign-Queenstown.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Queenstown &amp; Wanaka, Otago, South Island, New Zealand https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581467743846-K8XPMWHB72TZ9TUMPZGL/IMG_1901-web.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Queenstown &amp; Wanaka, Otago, South Island, New Zealand - Queenstown Queenstown with a jetboat heading out https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/c311f791-15fe-4536-8b14-11747fc8e217/Glenorchy-Jetty-02-web.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Queenstown &amp; Wanaka, Otago, South Island, New Zealand - Glenorchy Glenorchy Jetty https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/3b8bf31e-40cd-42c6-97ad-7dc873743428/IMG_1925-web.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Queenstown &amp; Wanaka, Otago, South Island, New Zealand - Wanaka Lake Wanaka with Alpine Resort in foreground https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581468021181-4G6WZJNCQJBQ5N3HL1Q8/IMG_1812-web.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Queenstown &amp; Wanaka, Otago, South Island, New Zealand - Skyline Gondola View from inside the Skyline gondola https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581468086386-C15ZF46YAEEKT7PQC1TL/IMG_3715-web.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Queenstown &amp; Wanaka, Otago, South Island, New Zealand - Skyline Luge Skyline luge track https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581468144963-E2QH6IVQ1UXN5DDI5MQI/droppedImage.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Queenstown &amp; Wanaka, Otago, South Island, New Zealand - Ziptrek EcoTour Queenstown Ziptrek experience collage https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581468194507-ZKZW72NRYE7QV606R36R/droppedImage_2.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Queenstown &amp; Wanaka, Otago, South Island, New Zealand - Fergburger Fergtown is coming! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581468274068-YCTR84E193X5N7M0JNT0/1753019_91_z.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Queenstown &amp; Wanaka, Otago, South Island, New Zealand - Alpine Resort Wanaka (Hotel supplied photo) https://www.thepackedbag.com/know-and-go-guides/southland-south-island-new-zealand monthly 0.5 2024-01-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/da1ca60c-96f2-40e3-8a26-8a32ce824144/southland2.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Southland, South Island, New Zealand - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/05589acf-209d-474f-ae48-6de30fc42822/blog-desination-sign-Southland.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Southland, South Island, New Zealand https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583880886293-P5SAA321EHK6A7DRHN0O/Papatowai+Beach+02.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Southland, South Island, New Zealand - The Catlins Beach in The Catlins https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583880940472-UAJKLMN2HDK6O8KBCNFZ/invercargill.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Southland, South Island, New Zealand - Invercargill Southland's only city is not known for its beauty (it evoked groans from Kiwis when mentioned and I had to take this image from the official website as none I took could convey it). Being the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand and one of the southernmost cities in the world, it does feel like the end of the world. The only other countries that appears in this low latitude (46°S) are the very tips of Chile and Argentina. Being constantly battered by very strong southern ocean winds it seems to be cowering in wait for the next onslaught. This impression is reinforced by the fact that all new buildings have a strict 10 metres (32 foot) height limit, with the Grand Hotel (1913) the tallest in town at three stories. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583881979334-MCCZ3NDHM2SCQHENRE7Z/image-asset.jpeg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Southland, South Island, New Zealand - Bluff Bluff is the southern-most mainland town in New Zealand – with only a few islands between it and Antartica – and is colloquially used to refer to the southern extremity of the country. In the same way that a Briton would use "Land's End to John o'Groats" to denote the diagonal the length of Great Britain, southwest to northeast; Kiwis say “Cape Reinga to The Bluff." Said to be one of the earliest areas of European settlement, the first ship arrived in 1813 with settlers following in the early 1820s. Bluff Maritime Museum is a good place to discover this early history. It’s the gateway to Stewart Island the country’s third largest island, only 30 km (19 miles) across the Foveaux Strait and reachable by ferry. The Māoris call it Rakiura, meaning ‘the land of glowing skies’ referring to the Aurora Australis which often appears here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1581469333511-EKK9FCW66WJAHOBZD8LP/Doubtful+Sound Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Southland, South Island, New Zealand - Fiordland Rainbow in Doubtful Sound https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583883496446-4IZBJV1GEUF22C3IKL7J/southland+collage.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Southland, South Island, New Zealand - Southland Museum and Art Gallery As museums go this is a nice one, with varied exhibits, including a permanent one on local hero, Burt Munro, who restored a 1920 Indian motorcycle and went onto set numerous world speed records. Anthony Hopkins portrayed his life in the movie, The World's Fastest Indian. However, the overwhelming drawcard is the ancient, pre-historic and pre-dinosaur tuatara. This reptile, which flourished around 200 million years ago and is endemic to New Zealand, is now only found in the wild on the Cook Strait islands and off the North Island's east coast. The name tuatara means "peaks on the back" in Māori. The museum's world-renowned, highly successful breeding program currently boasts over 80 animals and is a key contributor to the survival of New Zealand's unique 'living fossil.' I was the lucky recipient of a special behind the scenes tour and was even allowed to hold one. Heavy and cold they are fearsome creatures and watching them feed was like Jurassic Park in miniature. The alpha male and true star of the show is Henry (bottom left), reported to be nearly 120 years old. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b6abadf1-7555-48bf-9c54-a8f2f8bb2ef1/doubtful+sound.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Southland, South Island, New Zealand - Fiordland Cruise, Hike, Fly Fish or Cycle A cruise on one of the Sounds – Milford or Doubtful – are a highlight of visiting this region. I chose Doubtful Sound (10 times larger and 3 times longer) and even though it rained most of the time (note the rainbow), it was pretty spectacular. If you are after a more active experience then you can choose from three ‘great walks’ in the World Heritage Site, Fiordland National Park: Milford, Kepler and Routeburn Tracks. The Milford Track is arguably New Zealand’s most famous walk at 53 kilometres it winds through mountains, lakes and valleys and includes Sutherland Falls, the tallest waterfall in New Zealand. Southland is also famous for its fly fishing, once more reminding visitors or the Scottish Highlands. Fly-Fishing Season is October 1 to May 31, with the best months October to March. Mountain biking, long distance cycling and all kinds of two-wheeled activities abound in this region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583882764523-XGA3P0QBQLY2Q7M6D9N9/Bluff+sign.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Southland, South Island, New Zealand - The Bluff signpost at Stirling Point This is a tourist pilgrimage site. They've been coming here for decades to have their picture taken in front of the signpost at the end of the world. It shows distances to all over the world, like the one on M*A*S*H. Most people get the picture and leave, spending a total of about ten minutes in Bluff, but I suggest you also head up to the Bluff Lookout, a short drive from away and up, which offers fabulous 360º views over southern New Zealand. After that pop into one of the pubs, buy a local sailor a beer and learn what it's like to live at the end of the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583884005803-S4Y65JSFKV97KVK705M9/batch+collage.png Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Southland, South Island, New Zealand - The Batch Café This well-deserved award-winning cafe is a good reason to visit Invercargill. Ranked #1 on TripAdvisor, this beautifully decorated establishment creates fabulous food, served in a pleasing ambience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1583884084227-1QAWZ651ZTPDU8FY8L5F/CIMG8218-1.jpg Know&Go Guides - Know&amp;Go Guide: Southland, South Island, New Zealand - Safari Lodge Safari Lodge is a five-star bed & breakfast within a meticulously restored, elegant Victorian/Edwardian mansion. The owners, Trish and Ray, are lovely, welcoming hosts who have a passion for Africa where they lived for many years. The rooms all carry an African animal theme, but fear not, it's subtle and refined. My room - Elephant - boasted a four-poster bed, a lovely rain-shower and work desk. All of which saw activity from me. There is a conservatory with sauna and jacuzzi if you have the time, which I did not. 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https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/7db06edc-2fdf-4353-b7f1-0f7f9e3acbe9/trip+stats-updated.png Challenges - The USA 50/50 Challenge - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1769507055363-EHO8AOXTAE2NQX8GIZ6G/01+Arizona-web.jpg Challenges - The USA 50/50 Challenge - Arizona https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1769507055404-2H9AXWUC1E1110OM2Q1K/02+New+Mexico-web.jpg Challenges - The USA 50/50 Challenge - New Mexico https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1769507056471-TKVFPYMB0HEUVFWQW1X7/03+Oklahoma-web.jpg Challenges - The USA 50/50 Challenge - Oklahoma https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1769507056605-2DD4R3B2AVPJKBKQ4B8G/04+Texas-web.jpg Challenges - The USA 50/50 Challenge - Texas https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1769507057642-QFIJ4RZ5T7C2Y6F3MONX/05+Arkansas-web.jpg Challenges - The USA 50/50 Challenge - Arkansas https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1769507058154-X7VPIRLBIY44KS7PWZJ4/06+Tennessee-web.jpg Challenges - The USA 50/50 Challenge - Tennessee https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1769507058836-2O6TCPLEQKXKI12XE82X/07+Mississippi-web.jpg Challenges - The USA 50/50 Challenge - Mississippi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1769507059463-Y14098JFUN8F62K36BXX/08+Louisiana-web.jpg Challenges - The USA 50/50 Challenge - Louisana https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1769507060017-FS0MA8006IZFZ69IHBAN/09+Alabama-web.jpg Challenges - The USA 50/50 Challenge - Alabama 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https://www.thepackedbag.com/challenges/tag/Alaska monthly 0.5 https://www.thepackedbag.com/challenges/tag/50+states monthly 0.5 https://www.thepackedbag.com/challenges/tag/Westport monthly 0.5 https://www.thepackedbag.com/challenges/tag/New+York monthly 0.5 https://www.thepackedbag.com/challenges/tag/Rhode+Island monthly 0.5 https://www.thepackedbag.com/challenges/tag/South+Dakota monthly 0.5 https://www.thepackedbag.com/challenges/tag/Minnesota monthly 0.5 https://www.thepackedbag.com/challenges/tag/Greymouth monthly 0.5 https://www.thepackedbag.com/challenges/tag/New+Jersey monthly 0.5 https://www.thepackedbag.com/challenges/tag/Orange+County monthly 0.5 https://www.thepackedbag.com/challenges/tag/10th+Anniversary monthly 0.5 https://www.thepackedbag.com/challenges/tag/New+Hampshire monthly 0.5 https://www.thepackedbag.com/challenges/tag/Ohio monthly 0.5 https://www.thepackedbag.com/home daily 1.0 2026-03-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/d5e83a8a-ad31-4825-a005-b737462b8dc9/Postale+260321+Stockholm.png Home Stockholm, Sweden 21Mar26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/dad4ee13-39b9-4fff-b5cc-b26db975f48c/Postale+260316+Oslo.png Home Oslo, Norway 16Mar26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/e62485ee-0282-4b4e-be01-a18d4f1178f7/Postale+260313+Bergen.png Home Bergen, Norway 13Mar26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/6478aef3-15e0-4d45-bd5c-5c79951ec006/Postale+260305+London.png Home London 05Mar26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/76febacd-945e-4ca0-8241-ec5566d39b44/Postale+260107+Australia.png Home Australia 07Jan26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/04825c6e-756e-4a39-ab7d-76810af1c63f/Postale+250828+Richmond.png Home Richmond, England 28Aug25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/e6fe1d0a-8271-4010-99a2-09bf5dac6353/Postale+250824+Rotterdam.png Home Rotterdam, The Netherlands 24Aug25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/f7f3c43b-b025-4da1-b7e7-59331d005f08/Postale+250822+Antwerp.png Home Antwerp, Belgium 22Aug25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/e291b6c2-fee4-430b-835b-6a0039128b91/Postale+250816+Ghent+and+Bruges.png Home Ghent and Bruges 16Aug25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/e0ba53da-473a-44d2-93fb-9f0917f5dae2/Postale+250812+Brussels.png Home Brussels, Belgium 12Aug25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b5c98945-6dc8-4fab-a2ba-53a0c72ced21/Postale+250808+Lille.png Home Lille, France 08Aug25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/a1b46a81-3a9d-4c3c-a189-39f1f47212ee/Postale+250801+Bordeaux.png Home Bordeaux, France 01Aug25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/db4a3f65-723c-4f76-b860-7042116c33ed/Postale+250728+Villa+d%27Este.png Home Villa d’Este, Lake Como, Italy 25Jul25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/36714fb5-0b30-4c3a-b81e-7e502a716e72/Postale+250722+Piazza+San+Marco+Venice.png Home Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy 25Jul25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/bd2442c0-f158-4a0f-80d5-3687e6fb8e2c/Postale+250718+Duomo+di+Milano.png Home Milan, Italy 18Jul25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/fcb364cd-31cd-4b33-8905-029904a7c2c7/Postale+250715+%C3%8Ele+Saint-Louis.png Home Île Saint-Louis, Paris, France 15Jul25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/f62654e6-d0fc-47d6-ae82-28ca8971a793/Postale+250712+Trafalgar+Square.png Home London, England 12Jul25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/8311e5bc-c1c6-4d0a-91c2-463a42c2358a/Postale+250606+North+Sydney.png Home Sydney, Australia 06Jun25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/ff58c2ba-cbc0-45c4-ae5d-1a5b4c1edf98/Postale+250528+Batu+Caves.png Home Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 20May25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/30dd6933-b40f-41ec-8a64-d64c5b1e0756/Postale+250410+George+Town.png Home George Town, Penang, Malaysia 10Apr25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/05611d4f-eae2-4cad-bfbc-8b96946fc6d4/Postale+250402+KL.png Home Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 02Apr25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/383de11e-5fd1-430a-ab42-a3baef0adf1f/Postale+250320+Perth.png Home Sydney>Perth>Kuala Lumpur 20Mar25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/0bee72a8-596a-410f-9ed8-e200b0826180/Postale+231004+NYC.JPG Home Lower Manhattan, New York, USA 04Oct23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/ba503578-5f3a-474c-9d2c-95be632a77fa/Postale+230929+Boston.JPG Home Boston, Massachusetts, USA 18Sep23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b5e37e3e-c0cc-4147-8253-c9bca8d323f8/Postale+230918+New+Orleans.JPG Home New Orleans, Louisiana, USA 18Sep23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/ef107f43-c006-4be4-b736-1c8ccda4c4ec/Postale+230914+Laurel.JPG Home Laurel, Mississippi, USA 14Sep23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/a1410397-b863-4ccf-8340-4bfb84eb5577/Postale+230912+Atlanta.JPG Home Atlanta, Georgia, USA 12Sep23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/dfe0753b-4ad7-4c71-a8f8-7174643e7c9a/Postale+230904+Wisconsin.JPG Home Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA 04Sep23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/40c953ba-c061-47a2-85b1-bcb1b860aca5/Postale+230902+Seattle.JPG Home Seattle, Washington, USA 02Sep23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/c95b948e-5d2a-4320-b1c7-568053afef21/Postale+230830+PNW.JPG Home San Juan Islands, Washington, USA 30Aug23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/84b88272-5f00-4509-89ef-3312186f716e/Postale+230824+SYD+Airport.JPG Home Sydney>Los Angeles 24Aug23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/26d2a1fe-37bf-49d6-a42c-221b79d36ad6/Postale+210616+Katoomba.JPG Home Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia 16Jun21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/91ebbb6b-731d-42c9-8e88-195cedafce31/Postale+210208+SYD+Birthday.JPG Home Sydney, NSW, Australia 08Feb21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/5a233a71-c148-45e7-919a-9f95a11a129e/Postale+200617+Sydney+COVID.jpg Home Sydney, NSW, Australia 17Jun20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/1a391cd2-7dcd-4eba-901a-3bcc0bc5df7e/Postale+200324+Sydney+COVID-19.JPG Home Philadelphia>Los Angeles>Sydney 18-20Mar20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/5ee7b454-c1a8-4fe0-8f53-ed1e3be845f2/Postale+200228+Philadelphia.jpg Home Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 28Feb20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/70001681-acec-437f-a006-77113426f9f0/Postale+200222+Salem.JPG Home Salem, Massachusetts, USA 22Feb20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/34a7f144-cb4c-4461-a130-c1c8389b209e/Postale+200207+Freeport.JPG Home Freeport, Maine, USA 07Feb20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/6aee6b0e-1f7b-42be-b243-4d26787e8f11/Postale+191221+Manhattan.JPG Home Bryant Park, Manhattan, New York, USA 21Dec19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/51d1df46-5990-4ef6-ab94-b30f58db7a4b/Postale+191211+Portugal.JPG Home Porto & Lisbon, Portugal 11Dec19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/2ee896ee-a54f-4700-b8ce-4110d42cc436/Postale+191112+London.JPG Home Mayfair, London, England 12Nov19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/26124b53-99a1-406f-8ce5-4ea8cd6f3d30/Postale+181118+Tokyo.JPG Home Tokyo, Japan 18Nov18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/da9f6c6a-417d-4665-825e-477e78977471/Postale+181114+Kyoto.JPG Home Kyoto, Japan 14Nov18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/d7bab5ca-7b64-4df2-a229-21a60b34ff1a/Postale+181110+Osaka.JPG Home Osaka, Japan 10Nov18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/ae2c3292-b198-42c7-a039-771fae79bb15/Postale+181103+Seoul.JPG Home Seoul, Korea 03Nov18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/9608c8f3-093f-44c6-9383-dd563bc29aa2/Postale+181026+Taipei.JPG Home Taipei, Taiwan 26Oct18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/70655c86-6807-4f3a-9863-b2eb0b829f85/Postale+181025+Viet+Nam.JPG Home Ha’Long Bay, VietNam 25Oct18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/dcb02a3a-dc95-4874-9510-0f8ad900d3f6/Postale+181018+Bangkok.JPG Home Bangkok, Thailand 18Oct18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/60138940-5598-47d7-9bc1-36fd6087e4fa/Postale+181011+Kuala+Lumpur.JPG Home Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 11Oct18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/9d08becf-0bd3-4d7c-842b-bbacf3df761d/Postale+180312+Mexico.JPG Home Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 12Mar18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4652f271-8868-4f56-92d8-730017f5eb6a/Postale+171018+London.JPG Home Harrod’s, London, England 18Oct17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/7a3279c6-d28e-44d8-b2be-e518e1ec191d/Postale+170905+Corfu.JPG Home Corfu, Greece 05Sep17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b25d3f6d-ce68-47fc-bc46-87e40dcb7875/Postale+170716+Bergen.JPG Home Bergen, Norway 16Jul17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/e74a0331-1f79-4e6b-b02b-da3928d55527/Postale+170701+London.JPG Home London, England 01Jul17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/980787a6-88b6-42c7-881c-07c9db04ed2a/Postale+170619+Bath.JPG Home Bath, England 19Jun17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/b7f8e72a-a9f1-4a18-927e-97b4a5ef9c82/Postale+170423+Tennessee.png Home Tennesee/Georgia, USA 23Apr17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/a8db0221-9e88-4724-8f85-4865e0cd88b2/Postale+170405+Texarkana.JPG Home Texarkana, Texas/Arkansas, USA 05Apr17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/c304df62-9796-40b6-833b-53551be7c485/Postale+161112+Paris.JPG Home Paris, France 12Nov16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/e19ee271-d3a6-4b21-af63-868db275fc02/Postale+161028+Vienna.JPG Home Vienna, Austria 28Oct16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4b020287-a10a-4429-a272-9aa937de11e3/Postale+161001+Santorini.JPG Home Santorini, Greece 01Oct16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/41e1d149-437e-4fd8-b9a3-e69cb1ffe7e8/Postale+160902+Lower+Manhattan.JPG Home Lower Manhattan, New York, USA 02Sep16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/03297266-97e2-43ef-bfbf-d8719b8988b2/Postale+160810+Niagra+Falls.JPG Home Niagara Falls, Canada 10Aug16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/f878b378-78d5-4dee-87a7-1ac1c3e04877/Postale+160711+Camden.JPG Home Camden, Maine, USA 11Jul16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/ab07a0ca-89b1-43a3-a170-9f3a3a130dce/Postale+160605+Salem.JPG Home Salem, Massachusetts, USA 05May16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/cd3285b4-5d5c-4d43-803c-5c2096fc6a94/Postale+160501+Cenral+Park+Manhattan.JPG Home Central Park, Manhattan, New York, USA 01May16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3dd14c256e5a71b00fc66f/4fc5c8ff-174c-451a-9ad4-c5d8f7f8eb97/Postale+160417+Union+Square+Manhattan.JPG Home Union Square, Manhattan, New York, USA 17Apr16 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