California

A sentimental and rejuvenating road trip in Northern California

First Flight: Traveling with a Five-Year-Old

April 16, 2016

An early morning wake-up call couldn’t dim our enthusiasm for taking my five-year-old great-nephew Elijah (we call him Eli) on his first plane trip. I’m not sure who was the most excited — Eli or us.

California, Destinations, Europe, France, USA

A Taste of Burgundy in California Wine Country

Catherine Sweeney

April 15, 2015

24 Comments

A Taste of Burgundy in California Wine Country

Sometimes the recipe for a special evening is created in a surprising and exceptional way. French flavors, California wine, charming hosts, new friends, and a remarkable venue provided the ingredients for our lovely evening in Santa Rosa, California hosted by Fallot Mustard and DeLoach Vineyards.

Accommodations, California, Destinations, USA

Wining, Dining, and Mining in El Dorado County

Catherine Sweeney

January 26, 2015

25 Comments

Wining, Dining, and Mining in El Dorado County

El Dorado County is just a two hour drive from my house and yet I had no idea that it was a gold mine of a getaway.

Accommodations, California, Cruise Travel, Nevada, USA

South Lake Tahoe: Sail, Spa, and Spin(ners)

Catherine Sweeney

January 14, 2015

14 Comments

South Lake Tahoe: Sail, Spa, and Spin(ners)

By Mr. TWS — Sweeney and I love to go to Lake Tahoe, usually to ski or enjoy a summer break. Since it’s only a bit more than three hours’ drive from our home in the San Francisco Bay Area, we’ve been there many times. This time, there were a few firsts that we enjoyed.

Arizona, California, Destinations, Sweeney in Arizona, USA

By the Time I Got to Phoenix

Catherine Sweeney

November 14, 2014

19 Comments

By the time I got to Phoenix, the car was covered in dust from blowing desert sands and highway construction. I was a bit dusty myself. I was also hungry — traveling always whets my appetite. And I was happy. Road trips make me smile, and arriving at a place where I’ll be visiting loved ones makes me smile, too.

California, Destinations, Guest Posts, USA

24 Hours in Calistoga

Catherine Sweeney

August 18, 2014

14 Comments

Guest post by Penny Sadler — Late summer is a great time to visit Calistoga in California’s famous Napa Valley wine country. The weather is perfect, the vineyards are green, and there are plenty of outdoor events and festivals to keep you busy.

Attractions, California, Canada, Destinations, Museums, Memorials & Landmarks, New York, Ontario, USA, Wisconsin

From Shoes to Sex: 14 Intriguing Museums in North America

Catherine Sweeney

August 14, 2014

38 Comments

From Shoes to Sex: 14 Intriguing Museums in North America

While I enjoy visiting large institutions like the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago or the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to peruse their enormous collections, I have a special fondness for the smaller, and in some cases unusual or under-the-radar museums that I come across.

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Traveling with Sweeney

Inspiration and information for the best in luxury, cultural, and active travel

I Left My Heart in Northern California

First Flight: Traveling with a Five-Year-Old

A Taste of Burgundy in California Wine Country

Wining, Dining, and Mining in El Dorado County

South Lake Tahoe: Sail, Spa, and Spin(ners)

By the Time I Got to Phoenix

24 Hours in Calistoga

From Shoes to Sex: 14 Intriguing Museums in North America