Quick Escape to Nashville
Live music, fantastic dining, and an easy city to roam has helped pushed Nashville to the top of the wish list for many of our ActiveTravels members. Drop your bags off at the classic Hermitage or more modern Thompson Nashville, soon to be joined by a new Four Seasons come April, and then make your way to Country Music Hall of Fame or the National Museum of African American Music. Also plan a tour at the historic RCA Studio B or Hatch Show Print, where you can see decades’ worth of woodblock print posters for bands and performers.
We’re excited to check out Drusie & Darr at the Hermitage, opened by celebrated chef and restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten last month. Also new is Bringle’s Smoking Oasis, a serious BBQ joint by legendary pitmaster Carey Bringle. Walk off your meal at one of Nashville’s famed entertainment districts, where neon lights and music spill into the streets. Lower Broadway, SoBro and Printer’s Alley are brimming with bars like the Listening Room Café, where you can enjoy free live music. Round out your trip with an evening show at one of the iconic venues like the Grand Ole Opry House, the celebrated Ryman Auditorium, and the Bluebird Café, the launching pad for many Nashville musical greats.
From the sky, Ghana is a bundle of green on the west coast of Africa, bordered by golden beaches and the warm blue of the Atlantic. Then you reach the ground and one of the most welcoming people on the continent, the reason it’s often referred to as Africa for beginners. “Akwaaba!” (welcome) is the word you’ll hear most in the country, exemplifying the warmth and hospitality of the Ghanaian people. In a country the size of the UK, the variety of sights on a weeklong trip is remarkable. First see the lions and antelope at Mole National Park, the elephants and buffalo in the tropical rain forest of Kakum National Park. Then check out the 700 or so monkeys at Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary. Find out about Ghana’s place in the slave trade in the historic town of Elmina. Learn about West African drumming and music in lively Kumasi. Relax on the long stretch of beach near Keta, known for its exemplary snorkeling and dance parties on the beach. Then check out Accra, one of the fastest growing cities on the continent and highly regarded for its food and live music scene. In the Osu neighborhood, sushi bars and clubs belt out the latest Afrobeat sounds from Sarkodie and Guru. 
On the northern frontier of Kenya, the parched desert landscape is home to one of the most cherished stops on an African safari tour, the Samburu National Reserve. Mention Samburu to any avid African traveler, like I recently did at dinner with Rob Barbour, Director of East African Travels for 
The Panama Canal turns 100 in 2014. That alone will garner the country much press. But we like the fact that Copa Airlines, the wonderful Panamanian airline, is now offering direct flights to Panama City from Boston. At this point, there is no direct service to any other Central American country from Logan, including Costa Rica and Belize. What you’ll find is the same rainforest, exquisite coastline, eco-resorts, macaws, and howlers you’ll find in Costa Rica with far less traffic. Upscale lodgings like the Waldorf Astoria are also starting to pop up on the Panamanian map. Go there now before it becomes overbuilt. 
Pick a passion, any passion, and there’s a locale in New England perfectly suited to your desire. Whether you crave award-winning, locally made IPAs, a former industrial complex converted to the largest center of contemporary art in the US, or miles of bike trails that lead to Nantucket beaches, we have a weekend planned for you. One of these 
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