MERCURYNEWS.COM: July 5, 2013
I was sipping a zin in a cozy coastal wine bar when the call went out. “Does anyone speak German?” asked Beth Lemke, the owner of A Grape in the Fog in Pacifica.
“I do,” I said, like a savvy world traveler. Four years of German four decades ago didn’t make me fluent, but it was enough to help two foreign tourists order red wine and beer. Continue reading
MERCURYNEWS.COM: June 21, 2013
As we prepare to celebrate summer, let’s pay homage to the sultan of splash, Herbert Sellner. This Minnesota inventor came up with the water slide in 1923, the most exciting way ever to enter the H2O. Continue reading
MERCURYNEWS.COM: June 7, 2013
Some of the most appealing Bay Area destinations have their forefathers to thank. Take the city of Saratoga — population 30,000.
In the mid-1950s, locals saw something that alarmed them. Sprawling growth from nearby San Jose was threatening to wash over the mostly agricultural community. “Keep it rural” was the battle cry for incorporation that helped preserve the rural charm we see today. Continue reading
MERCURYNEWS.COM: May 31, 2013
One hundred and fifty years ago, this place was a hellhole. Screaming 200-pound shells packed with incendiary explosives were raining down on the quiet streets of this gracious southern town. Charleston was in the cross hairs of Union troops who were determined to take her captive. Continue reading
OAKLANDTRIBUNE.COM: May 10, 2013
In the push to compete for your tourist dollars, Monterey has always been known for its outreach. But some of its best ambassadors have not one arm, but eight, to embrace you.
The giant Pacific octopus is one of the biggest draws to an area that attracts some four million tourists a year. With its reddish brown body and huge bulbous head, this crafty creature gets plenty of attention at the Monterey Bay Aquarium — especially at feeding time. Continue reading
HILLS NEWSPAPERS: April 12, 2013
I flew to McAllen, Texas, last month with one goal in mind. I wanted to see a Vermilion Flycatcher. A folded-up photo I’d cut from a bird book was packed inside my bag, next to binoculars, a hat and a five-pocket vest.
McAllen, to birders, is like the Serengeti to safari lovers. It’s a bucket-list destination with nine World Birding Centers in a major migration corridor in the Texas Rio Grande Valley. Continue reading
CONTRACOSTATIMES.COM: March 15, 2013
Spring is busting out all over San Francisco’s Presidio. From March through the end of July, this amazing urban national park sees more airborne activity than SFO. That’s what 991 acres of open space in extraordinary coastal habitat will do for you — spawn a nesting season that rivals the top birding destinations. Continue reading
SpacePort America takes on an eerie glow at dusk. – Photo By Ginny Prior
MERCURYNEWS.COM: MARCH 1, 2013:
Who amongst us can claim to have had an “out-of-this-world” vacation? Soon, we’ll be able to say it and mean it.
For just 200,000 bucks, travelers can channel Buck Rogers with a trip to Earth’s last frontier — space. Agencies like Alpine Travel in Saratoga are authorized sellers of SpaceShipTwo packages, projected to launch sometime in 2014. I had a chance to visit the launch site for Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, recently. It’s called SpacePort America, in southern New Mexico. Continue reading
HILLS NEWSPAPERS: February 15, 2013
President’s Weekend is to ski resorts what Christmas is to churches. The faithful amass as if called by some shiny gold trumpet in the sky.
INSIDEBAYAREA.COM: February 1, 2013
If you’ve ever shared an elevator with a potbellied pig, you know they can be delightful travel companions. And in this age when the hotel industry is fawning over pet owners and their business — a swine sighting is not out of the question. Some inns take virtually any animal that meets their weight limits. Continue reading
Ginny Prior 