How to plan a delightfully romantic honeymoon

The coming of spring is pretty well celebrated in our family, and I suspect in many households across the world. We’re ready to throw open the windows, pack away the skis and snowshoes, and enjoy some fresh mountain air. We’ve got to make it through April in Vermont of course, which is pretty fickle, but we’re well on our way to blue skies, tank tops, bug spray, and wildflowers. Wildflower hikes might just be my favorite way to enjoy spring — they’re usually more like meanders and often include a picnic blanket, field guide, and a camera. With the memory of winter still hanging in the air, a field full of wildflowers takes on a near-mystical quality.  Are you ready to dust off your hiking boots and find the colors of spring? These are some of the best wildflower hikes in the lower 48. Blue Lake Trail, Brainard Lake Recreation Area: Ward, Colorado A field of wildflowers in Colorado. Photo credit: Shannon Dizmang Length: 5.1 miles round trip Diffic...

Hitting the wall: St. Regis Beijing hosted a once-in-a-lifetime lunch on the Great Wall of China at Virtuoso’s 2011 Chairman’s Event. By Elaine Srnka Editorial Director, Virtuoso Life Some climbed a few steps, others took in the view from their seats, and an ambitious few even laced up their sneakers for the ultimate run. Regardless of their vantage, all attendees at Virtuoso’s annual Chairman’s Event, held in China last week, will agree: Lunch on the Great Wall ranks as one of the top travel experiences of a lifetime. Actually, the entire week, which began in Beijing and ended in Shanghai, was punctuated with many “wow” moments, with stunning hotels, decadent meals, entertaining cultural performances, and incredible venues. The event was Virtuoso’s seventh annual recognition trip, honoring its top travel agency owners and managers from 65 agencies and their guests. Virtuoso on-sites Imperial Tours and Abercrombie & Kent Asia collaborated with numerous Virtuoso p...

Jordan is the kind of place you go to see the sights but end up coming home and talking about the people. That’s not to say the sights of Jordan aren’t spectacular. You’ll be forever changed after seeing and learning abut Petra and you’ll compare every starry night to your nights in the deserts of Wadi Rum. It’s the “Welcome to Jordan” that so many locals exclaim when they see a Westerner that will ring in your ears forever. Here is the ideal Jordan itinerary for a first time visitor: Explore Jordan. My heart settled on visiting Jordan despite the conflicts in the Middle East dominating the headlines. I didn’t know much about Jordan’s involvement or how safe it was considered. I was going to go by myself, perhaps as part of a tour. I’d been told as a single woman, traveling in the Middle East would best be done as part of a group. I called my mom one day after work because I know she pays attention to foreign news and would have more knowledge about how risky it was. I said, “I think...