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Beaune, Burgundy, Oenophiles Take Note

While we’re on the subject of France, I met a wine distributor this weekend whose specialty is wines from Burgundy. He spends more than half his year in the region. I asked him what his favorite town in Burgundy was and without hesitation, he blurted, “Beaune, by far the best.” In the middle of the Côte d’Or, Beaune is the capital of the wine region. Wine, food, and boutique stores line the cobblestone streets. To sample the region’s best wine, visit the Marché aux Vins. The “dégustation des vins” takes place in a historic church, with its stone pillars and arches forming the perfect backdrop. For 10 Euros you can taste the famous wines of the region–18 in all, with the best reds coming at the end. While in town, also check out third-generation cheese maker, Alain Hess and the chocolates and cakes at Bouché. 

 

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Top 5 Wildlife Viewing Experiences, Sitka, Alaska

Unlike Juneau and Ketchikan, where cruise ship passengers are quickly immersed in streets filled with jewelry, T-shirts, and other souvenir shops, Sitka has more of an authentic feel. Stroll through the totem poles found at Sitka National Historic Park to the Alaska Raptor Center. Every year, 100 to 200 birds of prey, including bald eagles, peregrine falcons, red-tail hawks and owls are brought to this large aviary hospital to rehabilitate. After your fill of town, splurge for the 3-hour Sea Otter & Wildlife Quest.  Not only will you view exquisite scenery like volcanic Mt. Edgecomb and the snowcapped peaks that rise dramatically from the shores of Redoubt Bay, but the abundance of marine life is astounding. Within moments of leaving the docks at Sitka, humpbacks raise their tales, followed by harbor seals, bald eagles standing in the tall spruces, a colony of more than 50 sea otters lounging in the kelp, puffins with their orange beaks, and sea lions.

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Adventure in Quebec’s Charlevoix Region

The train from Quebec City northeast to the Charlevoix region not only leaves day-trippers at the ski resort, Le Massif. You can continue on to Baie-Saint-Paul, where the outfitter, Katabatik, will take you on a 3-hour snowshoeing trek along the St. Lawrence Seaway in winter, and sea kayaking the calm Gouffre River in summer. Yet, if you arrive here in the warm weather months, it would be best if you can spend at least two nights in the region. That way, you can continue northeast along the St. Lawrence Seaway past La Malbaie to the magnificent Baie-des-Rochers municipal park. It is here in summer that you have the rare opportunity to sea kayak next to beluga and humpback whales. The playful belugas often swim right next to the kayaks offering a thrilling experience. Katabatik offers sea kayaking jaunts all along the St. Lawrence in Charlevoix, so ask about an outing that would suit your experience. 
 
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Natchez to Celebrate its 300th Birthday in 2016

Head south on Highway 61 through the rolling green farmland of the Delta and you’ll find the zig-zag shaped trenches Union and Confederate troops dug during the Civil War’s bloody Siege of Vicksburg, now a National Military Park. Another hour of driving and you’ll reach that gem on the Mississippi River, Natchez. During its heyday prior to the Civil War, when cotton was king, Natchez had more millionaires per capita than any other city in the country. They built palatial estates that were largely spared during the Civil War due to its proximity to Vicksburg. The Union soldiers that survived that battle and made it to Natchez burned the cotton fields but left the homes intact. More than 150 of these structures still stand, including many that are still in private hands.

 
To celebrate its 300th birthday, Natchez is throwing a yearlong party in 2016. One of the best ways to see this queen of antebellum architecture is during the Spring Pilgrimage, held March 5 to April 5. Guides dressed in period costume bring visitors on morning and afternoon tours of these historic homes. Be sure to visit Longwood, a six-story octagonal-shaped house that was never finished due to the Civil War. Many of the original furnishings are on display including crates sent to the owner’s wife, Julia Nutt.  
 
If you spend the night at the Monmouth Plantation, you won’t have to dress in costume to feel like the regal owner of a southern plantation. Mint juleps are served in a frosty silver cup promptly at 6:30 in the Quitman Study. Then everyone retires to the dining room, an ornate parlor adorned with long chandeliers and portraits of General John Quitman, who called Monmouth home in the 1820s. The distinctly southern menu features crawfish chowder with just a hint of Tabasco, and lump crab cakes, also spiced, this time with a jalapeno hollandaise dip. Entrees include a mustard-crusted rack of lamb in a tangy tomato-based demi glace. The highlight of this sybaritic retreat, however, are the meticulously landscaped grounds, shaded by centuries-old oaks and their thick dress of Spanish moss, and bursting with the colorful azaleas that come to life in the spring. Monmouth is a peaceful oasis to whisk away an afternoon or two in the Old South with a good long book like Gone With the Wind.
 
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September Newsletter Now Available at ActiveTravels.com

Calling all tortoise lovers, especially those of you who love mega-sized tortoises in the 100 year-old range! In our September newsletter, we describe our recent trip to the Galapagos, where we encounter many of these big boys. We also divulge our favorite all-inclusive resorts in America, including another summer outing to Vermont’s Basin Harbor Club; a new B&B in Provincetown, Salt House Inn, ideally suited for a quick getaway in September and October; and the outfitter, Tropic, that we used for our Ecuador trip to the Galapagos and the Amazon and who we highly recommend. 

 
All of our newsletters will soon be itemized, so you can quickly find a story on South Africa, Turkey, Nova Scotia, Oregon, and hundreds of other locales if you’re thinking of planning a trip there. That service will only be available to members who join ActiveTravels.com. Other benefits of our yearly membership include easy access to a travel writer who’s been to more than 80 countries and can answer all questions saving you hours of research on the web, a full-service travel agency that can book all vacations and can usually get VIP service and complimentary upgrades and meals through our connections, and most importantly, someone to call when something goes wrong, which is inevitable. Good luck calling customer service at Orbitz, Expedia, or Travelocity when your flight is canceled or your luggage goes missing. We’re here to help make your vacation memorable! 
 
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Destinations to Visit in 2015—India

India recently reported a 17% increase in international travelers this summer compared to last. This despite a steady trickle of Indian rape stories that appear in the newspaper. With a population of 1.2 billion people, there’s no way to avoid crime. But these egregious acts are few and far between, certainly not enough to miss out on this magical and memorable mix of locales that will no doubt overwhelm all 5 senses. The country features some of the most sybaritic resorts in the world, perfect after a day of wandering the often chaotic streets or taking in majestic sights. India also offers a top-notch tourism infrastructure that can help you navigate through the swarming population. For example, we work with an excellent travel firm in New Delhi that provides transport and guides to the Taj Mahal and Jaipur, among other routes. We recently had them escort one of our clients to the Great Stupa at Sanchi, north of Bhopal, and the city of Lucknow, well off-the-beaten-track. So if there’s a will, there’s a way. 

 
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Warsaw Rebuilds And Reclaims Its Former Glory

“Before World War II, Warsaw was more beautiful than Prague, than Budapest,” said Joanna Maria Olejek, a translator living in the heart of the city. But then, of course, the Nazis came in and destroyed 85 percent of the city, pinpointing the most important cultural attractions. Stalin swiftly followed Hitler to clean up the mess and give the city a nice communist sheen. Look at the expanse of multistoried apartments, sprinkled with high-rise hotels, and you yearn for a more compelling skyline.

 
Seeing the city with my brother, Jim, last April after he had screened his latest movie at a film festival, I quickly learned the vitality of this city is best found at street level. Classy restaurants and bars beckon the growing number of international visitors who come to the city to make a buck. Property development looms everywhere, as evidenced by the number of cranes perching above high-rise condos and office buildings, some designed by world-class architects like Norman Foster and Daniel Libeskind. Best of all, Poland still uses the local currency, the zloty, and won’t change over to the euro anytime soon. So Warsaw remains far more affordable for Americans than Paris and other cities in the Eurozone.
 
To read my latest story for Global Traveler, please click here. 
 

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