Taking a shuttle ride from our cruise ship dock to Pelican Bay Hotel where my grandson Logan and I will be spending two nights on Grand Bahama Island, driver Barbara told us Pelican Bay is known as “The Happy Hotel.”

After checking in and seeing our room, I can definitely see why Pelican Bay has gained that reputation. Check-in is usually the first impression guests get of a hotel and Pelican Bay does it politely and quickly. Read more...

When he was a child, Edroy Brown would watch his neighbor make conch salad. The neighbor would finely dice conch, tomatoes, bell peppers and onions.

Then he would sprinkle some salt and pepper and squeeze a lime and an orange over the mix. For those who like spicy, he would add some hot peppers. Read more...

Several teens sitting in the audience began to chuckle when the film narrator said, “Imagine there was a time in America when there was no rock and roll.”

For these youngsters, there never was such a time.

Rock and roll has always been a part of their lives. So the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum must have been a real eye opener for them. After the short film ended, I saw the young people avidly reading information in the exhibits and commenting on how much music has changed. Read more...

American Cruise Lines is heading to California and inviting cruisers to come along. Beginning in 2023, the country’s largest small ship cruise line will offer a brand new eight-day San Francisco Bay cruise.

American Cruise Lines’ first-ever California cruise will explore the City on the Bay, Napa Valley and the San Joaquin Valley. Read more...

The message greeting me as I walked into the white terra-cotta Bottleworks Hotel was an accurate description. “This must be the place,” were the words printed in welcome on the entry carpet.

Yes, this is definitely the place. Formerly the largest Coca-Cola bottling plant in the world, the historic structure might have been demolished years ago when the glass bottling business went flat. Read more...

When Justin Gillespie saw the dilapidated canal worker house, he wasn’t sure the structure could be saved. However, Justin valued the history of his Hoosier hometown and decided to undertake the massive renovation project.

“I grew up here in Lagro and didn’t want to see these historic buildings destroyed,” he says. “A lot of blood, sweat and tears have gone into this but I’m proud of how we saved something that could have been bulldozed down and forgotten about.” Read more...

Visitors and riverboat passengers are going to get an extra treat at the free July 4^th concert in Nashville’s riverfront. “Let Freedom Sing!” also will include the largest fireworks show in the city’s history synchronized to a live performance from the GRAMMY-winning Nashville Symphony. Read more...

The beautiful island of Mallorca in the Balearic Islands of Spain will now be easier to reach, thanks to United Airlines adding a new seasonal flight.

Starting June 2, travelers will be able to fly from New York/Newark directly to the beach destination. United will offer three flights a week in a Boeing 767-300ER through September 23. Read more...

With a smooth swish, chef Loren Leflore spreads mile-high whipped egg whites on coconut cream pie. Then she invites a class member to use a culinary torch to brown the meringue. “You’re doing great,” she encourages the tentative torcher.

Next, Loren demonstrates how to make parmesan-crusted catfish and Delta hot tamales. All the while, we are snacking on fried dill pickle slices while awaiting the meal our instructor is preparing in the famous Viking Cooking School in Greenwood, Mississippi. Taste buds are delighted to be educated here. Read more...

The familiar whistled theme song floats through the air. A well-worn wooden chair where Sheriff Taylor sat waits by his desk. His typewriter, vintage phone, jail cell keys are neatly arranged nearby. And a continuous loop of “The Andy Griffith Show” plays on an old TV. Read more...