I stepped from my casita and looked up into a night sky exploding with stars. They swirled and throbbed, so bright that I needed no flashlight to find my way. On the western horizon, Orion’s bow pointed me toward the open-air restaurant at Rancho Pescadero, while the Big Dipper hung low in the eastern sky. Even shy little Pleiades came out to gaze upon this amazing new resort near Todos Santos in Baja California, Mexico.

As a hosted guest of Rancho Pescadero Resort during a press trip, I expected the resort management to make every effort to welcome and impress me, but I did not expect to become a part of their family. From the moment I arrived everyone – from resort managers, Josh and Christine; to Danny the bartender; to Carla in the front office; to the night watchman, Angel; right down to the owner, Lisa Harper and her partner, George Lilinoe – adopted me. While I’d like to think that had something to do with my charming personality and wit, I must confess that during my stay, every guest received the same care and attention and this may be why, with only four months under their belt, the resort is already receiving repeat guests.

Pool with floating beds

Miles and miles of wide, pristine beach, backed with beach beds, lounge chairs and fire pits

If a caring staff is not enough to entice you to visit Rancho Pescadero, the facilities will win you over. From the central reception and open-air restaurant, guests descend to suites, which arc toward a pommeling ocean in a sweeping semi-circle that enfolds a poolside bar, whirlpool spa, and gorgeous pool with floating beds. By day, sand paths lead over a low dune past tall cactus to miles of pristine, windswept beach, where long walks, fishing, or surfing are the order of the day. Not into physical activity? Luxuriate in one of the resort’s dunetop beach beds, roofed wood frames with a mattress and curtains that can be drawn if the sun gets too intense, or make an appointment for a treatment at the oceanfront spa cottage. After dark, barrel chairs surrounding a firepit encourage flame gazing or more star gazing. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s a high school girl’s worst nightmare, discovering that her phone number has been scrawled on the boy’s room wall. Those five words: “for a good time call….” speak shameful volumes about a girl who has given in to temptation, in search of elusive popularity, love, excitement.

Not so long ago, virginal Cabo San Lucas was a sleepy village of sand streets and gaily painted wooden fishing launches, where excitement meant the sight of migrating whales or a fiery sunrise bursting through the rocky arch at Land’s End. Although sportsmen discovered Cabo’s legendary marlin fishing in the 1950′s and 60′s, it was the construction of a trans-peninsular highway in 1973 and completion of Los Cabos International Airport in the ’80′s that finally launched Cabo as a tourist mecca. During the ensuing development, lady Cabo not only spread her skirts across the broad coastal plain, she lifted them.

Boats jockey for position around Land's End

Medano Beach, just another string of upscale Americanized resorts

Cabo San Lucas was not one the places I planned to see on this trip but as with all long-term travel, my plans were fluid. For two nights I had been a hosted guest of the spectacular new Rancho Pescadero Resort, located about 45 miles north of Cabo, and the owner invited me to stay another two days. Since Rancho Pescadero is one of the most stunning properties I have ever visited, I Read the rest of this entry »

With all the time I spend in the Florida Keys, I’ve become somewhat of a travel expert on these tiny islands, so when Addison Schonland of IAGblogPodcasts asked if I would be willing to share some of the least touristy but most worthwhile attractions and beaches in the Keys with his blog audience, I jumped at the chance.

As any reader who has spent time on Hole In The Donut knows, for years I had a love-hate relationship with Key West. I loved the island, but after a couple of days, I hated the drunken tourists, the crowds, and the round-the-clock noisy revelry of DuVal Street. It was only recently that I finally started to discover the Keys – almost as if I had to pay my dues in order to be let into the secret places that no one tells you about. And that’s what Addison wanted me to reveal to his listeners. The podcast is 22 minutes long, but worth a listen:

IAGblogPodcast: Barbara Weibel on the Florida Keys

American Airlines has just announced a sale on beaches! Purchase tickets by June 16, 2009 for outbound travel through October 29, 2009. Travel must be complete by October 31, 2009. The following are just a small example of the sale prices:

• Miami to/from Nassau, Bahamas Starting at $49*
• Miami to/from Freeport, Bahamas Starting at $59*
• Dallas/Ft. Worth to/from Cancun, Mexico Starting at $67*
• Boston to/from Cozumel, Mexico Starting at $74*
• Miami to/from Oranjestad, Aruba Starting at $129*
• Boston to/from Los Cabos, Mexico Starting at $150*
• Miami to/from Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Starting at $157*
• Miami to/from St. Maarten Starting at $179*
• New York to/from St. Kitts Starting at $192*

This is a limited time offer, and the low prices quoted above will likely rise or disappear as available seats are snapped up, so if you’re up for an exotic beach vacation, take advantage of this American Airlines special offer as soon as possible.

* Fares are each way, based on round-trip Economy class purchase. Reservations are required. Tickets must be purchased on AA.com within 1 day of making reservations or by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on June 16, 2009, whichever comes first. Sale fares are valid Monday through Thursday; other days are subject to higher fares. A 2-night minimum stay is required, and a 30-day maximum stay is allowed.

As an inveterate beach bum, I have been to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches. Until last week, had someone asked me to list the top three beaches in the world, I probably would have included West Bay Beach in Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras; Nungwi Beach on the northern tip of Zanzibar, and Koh Phi Phi in Thailand. But last week I spent the day at Florida’s Bahia Honda State Park in Big Pine Key and my world was turned upside down.

Caloosa Beach at Bahia Honda State Park, Big Pine Key, Florida

Bahia Honda contains three separate beaches, each of which is completely different from the others. Caloosa Beach is tucked into a gentle cove at the foot of the old Overseas Railway trestle at the southern end of the park. A portion of the old bridge has been maintained as an elevated walkway that offers spectacular views of the beach and inlet. Caloosa is popular with families because restrooms, a snack bar, Read the rest of this entry »

There are things I love about Key West. The weather is awesome – my skin absolutely glows in the tropics. It is a small, eminently walkable island (only seven miles around). Key West is one of the safest places I have ever visited; I can walk home alone at any hour of the night without worry. Vegetarian food is abundant; in fact one of the best vegetarian restaurants I have ever been to – The Cafe – is located in Key West. The beaches are lovely and within walking distance. A strong arts culture ensures there is always some event going on, whether it be a gallery showing, an arts film, or a display of sculpture in the public parks.

The beach at Fort Zachary Taylor is my favorite - a lovely sheltered cove, pure white sand, and no tourists

But for all this, Key West unsettles me. After being here a few days I start to feel uncomfortable in my skin. I know that it is a real place with real people who live here year round; the problem is that the real people are overshadowed by the Read the rest of this entry »

Most days, people begin leaving the beach when daylight fades. But on Saturdays at Siesta Key Beach, things are just getting underway as the sun sinks toward the horizon. At first, the gathering is small. People trickle in from the parking lot and, kicking their shoes off in the sugar-fine white sand, head toward the sound of drumming.

Every Saturday evening, just before sunset, hundreds of spectators flock to Siesta Key Beach to witness the drumming ritual

A short distance down the beach, half a dozen rag-tag hippie musicians beat out a rhythm on a collection of percussion instruments. Some are hand held tambourines; others are carried underarm and played with one hand; still others are squeezed between the musician’s knees and played like a bongo. One young man has even hauled a traditional drum set down to the beach, complete with bass and cymbals. Read the rest of this entry »

Moon Fiji by David Stanley

Most people who travel a lot – especially budget travelers – have at one time or another invested in a guide book. Lonely Planet and Rough Guides are well known names in the genre; less well known are the Moon guide books. In fact, I had never before read a Moon guide until a copy of Moon Fiji came my way, courtesy of author David Stanley.

I have never actually read a travel guide. It usually gets stuck it in my backpack and pulled out for reference when I’m looking for an affordable place to stay, a decent meal, or to figure out which sights are must sees. Moon Fiji, however, is a different kind of guide book. That may be partly due to its author, who has crossed six continents overland and visited 193 of the planet’s 245 countries. For his first trip across the Pacific in 1978, Stanley bought the longest ticket ever issued in Canada by Pan American Airways. Though Stanley has traveled widely and become a specialist on many parts of the world, he keeps returning to his favorite area, the South Pacific.

I read this guide book from cover to cover and I highly recommend purchasing Moon Fiji if you are South Pacific bound. This compact guidebook does everything right. Take, for example, the following examples of what I found within: Read the rest of this entry »

Interesting old building in Cuba. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/rudiheim/65098327.

For years I have dreamed of traveling to Cuba. My desire may have originated with the movie Havana, which starred Robert Redford, but since then I have become even more intrigued upon seeing photos of streets filled with 1950′s and 1960′s era cars and hearing stories of the wonderful music that emanates from bars and cafes on every street.

I have seriously considered entering Cuba via Mexico, the Bahamas, or Canada, as Americans have been doing for years, but just never pulled that together. Three years ago, I even booked a tour through a firm that had obtained legal permission to travel to Cuba under the auspices of a “cultural exchange program” but then had to cancel that trip for personal reasons. So when I read that the rules regarding Cuba travel had been eased, I was excited. Read the rest of this entry »