Written Trips
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Absorbing Colorful Street Art in Clarion Alley in San Francisco
The graffiti and street art strewn on the walls of Clarion Alley, deep in the Mission District of San Francisco, calls out with its vibrant colors, eccentric iconography, and socially conscious messages. Stroll the…
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Admiring a Mayan Goddess Along the Sea in Cozumel, Mexico
From afar, she resembles the Greek gorgon Medusa, with her strands of serpents twisting in the air. But this statue, within a circular pool on the main drag of Cozumel's international port, is actually…
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Admiring Poipu Beach from Shallow Rock Pools in Kauai, Hawaii
Poipu Beach, on the sunny south shore of Kauai, is an ideal family beach: there's a shallow cove at one end, sheltered by rocks, near Poipu Beach Park—perfect for wading and beginning snorkeling. Beach…
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Attaining Bibliophilic Bliss at Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon
Heaven for literature lovers, Powell's Books claims to be the world's largest independent new and used bookstore. You may faint from ecstasy after you walk into Powell's for the first time: It occupies an…
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Basking in a Bathing Ritual at a Posh Inn in Sonoma, California
Cozy in your fluffy white robe—draped over your bathing suit—you enter the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn's bathhouse. The first step of the bathing ritual is an exfoliating shower to prep your body for its…
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Becoming an Anime Character at Hotel Tomo in San Francisco, CA
The nondescript facade of Hotel Tomo disguises its playful IKEA-meets-anime interior—you wouldn't know from the street that this Japantown hotel is a cheerful, colorful place. The lobby's bright yellow ceiling has graphics of birds…
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Becoming Oxonian With Each Sip of Ale at Turf Tavern in Oxford, UK
You wander the ancient grounds of Oxford, the cobblestones gently massaging the bottoms of your feet, and the breeze carrying distant conversations of exams and lectures your way. You pass the Bridge of Sighs,…
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Braking for Coatis on the Main Road to La Fortuna in Costa Rica
La Fortuna, the gateway to Arenal Volcano, is a cozy town nestled in the lush, thick rainforests of the Northern Lowlands of Costa Rica. One major road weaves east and west—past the world-famous hot…
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Braving the Desert Heat at an Eerie Ghost Town in Rhyolite, Nevada
With signs marked with "Danger" and "No Enter" and rattlesnake warnings scattered about, the deathly quiet ghost town of Rhyolite, Nevada—located in the Bullfrog Hills about 120 miles northwest of Vegas—is sure to spook…
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Browsing Colorful Street Art Near Harajuku Station in Tokyo
Hop off the Yamanote Line at Tokyo's Harajuku Station and your senses are immediately stimulated: cosplay girls in crazy costumes posing for photos on one corner, Japanese teenagers crowding around a trendy shop in…
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Brunching in True Brooklyn Fashion at Cheryl's in Prospect Heights
The blocks of Prospect Heights near the Brooklyn Museum are unassuming yet charming. Kids jump rope in the middle of the street while teens blast radios and claim their stoops, and you feel a…
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Brunching Beautifully in a Cramped Space in San Francisco, CA
Two things you must know before setting off for brunch at Red Door Cafe in San Francisco: One, you will definitely wait for a table, as there are only a few inside (and out…