Autumn Adventures in Scottsdale

A wrangler from Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch stops to rest along the scenic Lower Salt River. (Ginny Prior for Bay Area News Group)
A wrangler from Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch stops to rest along the scenic Lower Salt River. (Ginny Prior for Bay Area News Group) 

EASTBAYTIMES.COM: Sept. 9, 2025

Sun-soaked days and cool autumn evenings: Fall is the perfect time to visit Scottsdale, Arizona. From desert-chic boutiques to five-star resorts and dining, visitors come to this upscale enclave to be pampered. They also come for the thrills.

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Carson City: The Romance of the Wild West

 

Built in the 1870s, the V&T Railway, above, runs a 24-mile trip from Carson City to Virginia City and back.
photo courtesy of Kevin Clifford

MERCURYNEWS.COM: June 12, 2025

Wild horses graze on the banks of Washoe Lake, Nevada, outside Carson City — their dark manes glistening in the cloudless sky. As a visitor, you might see three or four of these magnificent animals in a pack — maybe even more if the herd has a strong stallion. When they gallop across the dusty landscape, it’s enough to make your heart pound.

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Coastal Cruising: Luxury on a Budget

EASTBAYTIMES.COM: March, 10, 2025

Budget travel and luxury — the two realities don’t often intersect, but when they do it’s something to celebrate.

Holland America has found the formula with its Pacific Coast cruises at a base price of $389. Cruise fans know that Holland America ships, especially their Pinnacle class of vessels, are architecturally stunning — from the gleaming mahogany accents to the sparkling chandeliers.

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Best things to do in Lapland for a magical winter holiday

NEWZEALANDHERALD: December, 2024

Lapland may have more reindeer than people, but it also boasts the best winter adventures in Europe for a magical, snow-covered holiday, writes Ginny Prior

Not only does Santa Claus make his home in Lapland, herds of arctic animals feed in the snow-covered forests while sled dogs pull fur-hooded mushers across the frozen landscape.

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Exploring California’s Blue Zones

DIABLO MAGAZINE: Oct. 2024

Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan. If making it to 100 years old is your goal, these are three locales where people have extraordinarily long, happy lives. But you don’t have to move to another continent to take advantage of the principles practiced in so-called “Blue Zones” (regions with the healthiest, longest-lived populations). Almost 80 cities, counties, and communities in North America are participating in the Blue Zones Project, a global wellness initiative encouraging neighbors and visitors to eat wisely, connect with others, move naturally, discover their purpose, and live joyfully. In fact, Sacramento County received a $1.7 million state grant to transform its county into a Blue Zones community.

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One Fine Weekend in Morro Bay

Morro Rock Beach is home to a distinctive volcanic peak.Visit Morro Bay

DIABLO MAGAZINE: Aug/Sept, 2024

In Spanish it means “the snout,” but to the Chumash and Salinan tribes, it’s Lisamu’ or Lesa’mo’—a sacred site. The nearly 600-foot volcanic outcropping that frames Morro Bay is the most visible landmark in town, but Morro Rock barely scratches the surface of things to see (and do) in this Central Coast city that is often overlooked by travelers along Highway 101.

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Happy Wanderer: Sipping & Shopping in Yountville

Bay Area NewsGroup, June 2024

A couple from Dallas found their slice of wine country paradise recently.

Far from the crush of Napa Valley tourists, Roby and Connie shared a bottle of Chianti in Yountville’s lovely little Van De Leur Park. Laced with flowers, including an ancient pink climbing rose, the park is one of several “secret” spots in this tucked-away town in the heart of Napa Valley.

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