2018

Explore the best travel experiences with Enjoy Travel Life’s curated topic list. You’ll find inspiration, tips, and guides for your next adventure.

Travel New Brunswick St Andrews Cory Cottage 7 | Enjoy Travel Life

Road Trip to Nova Scotia: 5 Great Places to Stay (and Eat)

My mother Georgi and I packed our bags for a ten-day road trip we’d planned to Nova Scotia in Canada. The trip was a reunion of sorts.

My parents spent summers on Canada’s Northumberland Strait to escape the heat and stay connected to my father’s family heritage. Scenes filled with country life and ocean views spoke of a simpler time.

In this article, you’ll learn about some of the best places to stay along the way. They make a road trip to Nova Scota all the more enjoyable!

Editor’s Note: We updated this article in June 2022 to add new content and keep it up to date.

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Travel Visit The Huntington Los Angeles California United States Cactus Garden 3 | Enjoy Travel Life

3 Spectacular Botanical Gardens I Love at The Huntington Museum

I grew up in New England, a fickle region for gardening. The summers are short and unpredictable; the winters involve a deep freeze and frost heaves; springtime—if we have one at all—is wet and fleeting. Despite these tricky conditions, I am an avid gardener. My visit to the spectacular Botanical Gardens at The Huntington Museum was a highlight of my trip to Greater Los Angeles. My daughter and I explored three of sixteen themed gardens: The Desert Garden, The Rose Garden, and The Japanese Garden. Each was spectacular in its own way.

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Travel California Los Angeles Bradbury Building Atrium | Enjoy Travel Life

Hollywood’s Unsung Hero: The Bradbury Building – Architectural Landmark

If you’re looking for a free attraction in downtown Los Angeles, you won’t want to miss Hollywood’s unsung hero: The Bradbury Building. Built in 1893, this Hollywood superstar and architectural landmark is on the National Register of Historic Places. In fact, it’s one of the most filmed buildings in L.A., having starred in hundreds of movies, TV Shows, and works of fiction.

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Travel Rhode Island Newport Mansions Holiday Events The Breakers Great Hall | Enjoy Travel Life

5 Festive Holiday Events at the Newport Mansions

Each year, the Newport Mansions put on a festive celebration to usher in the holiday season. Christmas trees and lavish decorations festoon the mansions, once homes to prominent families of Newport, Rhode Island. You’ll find Nutcracker performances, dinner parties, and music events that lead right up to New Year’s Eve.

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Preview: Treated Like Royalty at “The Deacon” Bed & Breakfast

Note: The Deacon has since closed.

You’ll find the Deacon Timothy Pratt Bed & Breakfast located just off the heart of Old Saybrook, Connecticut, a waterfront community poised for romantic getaways, couples retreats, and destination weddings. Locally, this charming inn is referred to as simply, “The Deacon.”

To say I received a warm welcome to the Deacon Timothy Pratt Bed & Breakfast and the Old Saybrook community is an understatement. I was truly treated like royalty!

But right now, my story is in progress. I wanted to share this preview with you to pique your interest. If you would like to receive notification when I post the story, complete the sign-up form below and you’ll be among the first to know!

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travel rhode island newport mansions the breakers music room tree scaled | Enjoy Travel Life

Luxury Lifestyle: The Newport Mansions Decorated for Christmas

The Newport Mansions at Christmas

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more information. As an affiliate, I earn a small commission every time you make a qualifying purchase through one of my affiliate links (if applicable) at no additional cost to you.

Scenes from the Gilded Age

A visit to Newport, Rhode Island is incomplete without seeing the Newport Mansions at Christmas.  There are ten incredible estates that The Preservation Society of Newport County maintains year-round. Guests may explore independently or follow guided tours by a headset.

Of course, the mansions are a “must-see” at any time of year, and especially nice as part of a romantic getaway to Rhode Island.

Through the holiday season, though, four mansions are open daily to visitors: The Breakers, Rosecliff, The Elms, and Marble House. Each was once a private residence for the well-to-do, including famous families like the Vanderbilts, who retreated to the mansions’ grandeur along the cool shores of Rhode Island for summer months.

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A Visit to Bethel Maine

Winter Scenes from the Mountain Village of Bethel Maine

Bethel, Maine is a charming New England town I visit each year to meet friends who ski in the area. The quaint mountain village lies between some of the highest mountains in Maine. Winter in Bethel Maine offers ample opportunity for outdoor sports, including alpine skiing and snowboarding, Nordic and cross-country skiing, snowmobile trails, snowshoeing, and more.

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California's Largest Used and New Book and Record Store

California’s Largest Used and New Book and Record Store [Photo Tour]

In the heart of downtown Los Angeles, I discovered a reservoir of quietude. It’s a peaceful refuge for Creatives and others longing to escape from the city’s frenzied pace, if only for a moment.

I joined the dreamers and writers, book lovers and music enthusiasts, artists and eclectics, and curious travelers who passed through the oversized door on 5th Street.

This oasis was The Last Book Store. Turns out, it’s California’s largest used and new book and record store. It’s also one of the largest independent bookstores in the world.

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Travel Massachusetts Cape Cod Chatham Tides Woman on Beach Path | Enjoy Travel Life

My Weekend Stay at the Chatham Tides Inn (Hotel Review)

In a tranquil Cape Cod neighborhood steps from the Atlantic Ocean, you’ll find a casual beach resort with comforts of home. Here, a footpath perfumed by beach roses and gentle seagrass invites you to a private beach. Adirondack and lounge chairs wait beside the fixings for a campfire on the beach. You’ll take in panoramic views of Nantucket Sound and Monomoy National Wildlife Preserve. Sound good? Welcome to Chatham Tides where I spent a restorative waterfront weekend in Chatham, Massachusetts.

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best views of downtown Los Angeles - OUE Skyspace Los Angeles

High Above “The City of Angels” at Skyspace Los Angeles

The Best Views of Downtown Los Angeles

My daughter, Alison, showed me around L.A. while I visited for her college graduation. Following our excursion to The Last Book Store, we checked out one of the best views of downtown Los Angeles at The OUE Skyspace Los Angeles. It was the perfect pinnacle from which to get a bird’s-eye view of Los Angeles’ expansive cityscape.

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How to visit Dreamy Destinations

When is the Best Time to Travel?

When to Visit Dreamy Destinations

When you enjoy traveling as much I do, it’s hard to choose your next destination from a Bucket List, let alone figure out when to go. Knowing exactly when to visit dreamy destinations can help narrow things down.

There is a window of travel opportunity I look for between the peak season and low season that minimizes my costs and maximizes my experience. It’s known as “shoulder season.”

This sweet spot offers better travel rates and fewer crowds with the benefit of pleasant weather. Doesn’t that sound perfect?

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travel bahamas cat island beach paradise scaled | Enjoy Travel Life

A Beach Lover’s Winter Getaway to Cat Island, Bahamas

I celebrated a certain “big” birthday in the Caribbean. Cat Island, Bahamas is a dreamy place. It’s one of the six Bahamas Out Islands, which also include The Abacos, Acklins, Andros, The Berry Islands, and Bimini. It truly is my island paradise.

There are no high-rise hotels, five-star restaurants, shopping malls or casinos here. If that’s what you’re looking for, I recommend you opt for more popular Bahamas destinations, like Nassau or Grand Bahama.

Cat Island was right up my alley: Long stretches of powdery pink sand to myself, al fresco dining along the tranquil, aqua sea, unsurpassed Bahamian hospitality, and one incredible sunset after another. 

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