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The best luxury forest accomodations

For generations, Americans have ventured into the vast, ancient forests of the United States seeking spiritual, emotional, and physical rejuvenation, indelibly blending the concepts of restoration and peace with being in the woods. That notion of forest wellness still persists to this day, but instead of decamping into the woods to sleep in a tent or going off the grid, the idea of a forest retreat has evolved to include all plush perks we now associate with wellness: extravagant dwellings, stone hot tubs, fine dining, and even air-conditioning. Luxury forest retreats across the United States are rapidly becoming the best way to discover the charms of the forest, combining relaxation with only the best amenities that money can buy. From glamping tents to upscale treehouses to elegant Western-style cabins, these are the top luxury forest getaways in the US.

1. The Resort at Paws Up — Greenough, Montana

Photo: The Resort at Paws Up/Facebook

Set on a 37,000-acre working cattle ranch in western Montana, where mountains and pristine forests give way to vast plains under endless skies, the Resort at Paws Up has long had a reputation for high-end backcountry retreats with its deluxe cabins and equestrian-themed activities. But the best way to experience the Montana wilderness is by staying in its fancy glamping tents.

Set in a variety of locations around the huge ranch — from the middle of the forest to woodsy creek-side overlooks — the safari-style but Wild West-themed tents (which range in size from 500 to over 1,000 square feet) come outfitted with features like freestanding bathtubs, plush king beds, indoor air-conditioned seating areas, and large front decks with Adirondack chairs. The camps come with their own chefs who prepare “refined rustic ranch” meals, but you can also check out the resort’s many restaurants and culinary activities. During the day, guests can take part in resort activities like horseback riding and fly fishing, or take short drives to explore the nearby national forests or Glacier National Park.

2. Blackberry Mountain — Walland, Tennessee

Photo: Blackberry Mountain

Opened earlier this year to great acclaim, Blackberry Mountain is the sister property of the beloved Blackberry Farm, famed for its farm-to-table cuisine and backcountry Tennessee charm. But this bucolic 5,200-acre resort — surrounded by virgin forests in the heart of Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains — takes the concept one step further by wholly embracing the wilderness’s role in rejuvenation and wellness through rugged daily outdoor activities like hikes, mountain biking, rock climbing, and canoeing. There are also less strenuous activities like chef-led hikes where gourmet meals are prepared trail-side.

At the end of the day, guests return, weary but content, to the lodge for wholesome, farm-fresh meals at the two restaurants, specialty treatments in the underground spa, and soaking up the top-of-the-world views from the outdoor infinity pool, before retiring for the night to either a grand Watchman Cabin or an elegantly rustic Stone Cottage. And if you’re too tired to walk from the main lodge to your cabin, don’t worry; just have one of the on-site Lexus cars take you.

3. Mohonk Mountain House — New Paltz, New York

Photo: Mohonk Mountain House/Facebook

For generations, upstate New York has been the last word in combining summer fun like hiking and water sports with only the best in lodgings, cuisine, and amenities. And one of the absolute finest places to retreat from the hustle and bustle of the world is at the Mohonk Mountain House in the Hudson Valley, just 90 miles north of NYC. The European-style resort, which overlooks Lake Mohonk, was first built in 1869 and has over the years been vastly expanded to the castle-like wonder it is today, with 259 plush, Victorian-styled rooms; farm-to-table dining; a spa; indoor pool; and outdoorsy activities like hikes through the nearby 40,000-acre woodlands, boating, fishing, and kayaking.

4. Twin Farms — Barnard, Vermont

Photo: Twin Farms/Facebook

Surrounded by the peaceful silence and tranquil views of 300 acres of pristine Vermont woodland, the five-star, all-inclusive Twin Farms resort is well worth its hefty price tag. The main resort is housed in a historic farmhouse from the late 1700s but sumptuously upgraded, with additional cabins, cottages, and suites located nearby. The aesthetic themes vary from room to room, with some harkening back to the resort’s historic New England roots while others go for a more refined, ultra-modern feel, and each space has its own unique amenities like stone hot tubs and large, forest-view windows. At the main lodge, guests partake in decadent meals prepared with local ingredients and can relax at the spa or take part in daytime activities like a tour of the resort’s bee farm or going cycling with a gourmet picnic.

5. Post Ranch Inn — Big Sur, California

Photo: Post Ranch Inn/Facebook

While the Post Ranch Inn made its name with its artsy contemporary bungalows, suites, and guesthouses perched 1,200 feet above California’s scenic Big Sur coastline, the wooded interior of the 100-acre property also houses several luxury treehouses. Elevated nine feet above the forest floor, the treehouses allow for complete forest immersion with stargazing skylights over the beds, private mountain-viewing decks, and large windows looking out on the surrounding woods. Similar to the other dwellings on the property, the staircase-accessible treehouses feature a sleek, contemporary design and other cushy amenities like a wood-burning fireplace, gourmet meals, restorative activities like hiking and yoga, and access to all of the resort’s features like the cliffside infinity pool.

6. ROAM Beyond — Washington State

Photo: ROAM Beyond/Facebook

Often, gaining access to the most remote wilderness locations requires roughing it and then spending the night in an uncomfortable tent. But ROAM Beyond, a new Seattle-based glamping company, thinks that being able to escape to the woods shouldn’t mean having to sacrifice comfort and style, and has launched a network of off-the-grid glamping sites around Washington where guests stay in wooden boutique campers. All of the amenities for a high-end camping experience are provided and guests only need to bring personal items, desired food, and their sense of adventure. Each camper comes equipped with a queen bed, kitchenette area, a bathroom, and hot water, as well as camping essentials like cooking tools. Best of all, the campers — the outsides of which are beautifully paneled in dark wood and topped with gleaming steel — are sustainable, with solar power systems and composting toilets. Currently, there are only two sites open — on the Olympic Peninsula in Kalaloch, Washington, and North Bend, Washington — but there are plans to open more soon in places like Joshua Tree and Yellowstone National Park.

7. Under Canvas — Glacier National Park, Montana

Photo: Under Canvas Glacier/Facebook

Ditching the standard safari-tent model for more whimsical designs, Under Canvas is earning quite the reputation for its glamping destinations around the US, but its site near Glacier National Park is one of the best. Hidden inside of a pine forest just a short drive from the park, its deluxe tents are especially suited for vacationing families or large groups, as the spacious tents feature en-suite bathrooms and multiple beds. A large front porch with leaning chairs offers relaxing views of the surroundings, and wood-burning stoves keep the tents nice and warm at night. While it’s easy to get out and explore Glacier on your own, Under Canvas also has its own activities like llama trekking and rafting.

8. Dunton River Camp — Dunton, Colorado

Photo: Jack Richmond/Dunton Destinations

There is no shortage of opulent cabins and forest escapes in Colorado. But the Dunton River Camp still manages to stand out from the pack. Housed on a 500-acre former cattle ranch, Dunton’s eight luxurious, safari-esque tents allow guests all of the comforts and amenities of a high-end resort but in the middle of the San Juan Mountains’ immaculate nature. Guests can choose between staying in the Mountain or River tents (the Mountain ones are tucked away inside of the forest and offer mountain views) and come with a spacious front deck, king bed, en-suite bathroom, and contemporary Western decor. The resort is just a short drive from charming mountain towns like Telluride and tons of outdoorsy activities like hiking in summer and skiing in winter, but the resort does offer its own excursions as well, like horseback riding and fly fishing.


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The post The top luxury forest getaways in the US appeared first on Matador Network.

Cheap one-way RV rentals

The great American RV road trip is a little like having a wedding. In theory, it seems very romantic, but once you start figuring out how much it’s going to cost, hopping on a plane to Vegas sounds like a much better idea. Between paying daily rates over $100, 59 cents a mile, and getting 10 miles to the gallon, it adds up to a very expensive getaway.

And while nobody’s yet come up with a website where you can throw a wedding for $1 plus the cost of gas, you can at least now do it on an RV road trip.

Imoova, an Australian company that’s been running this deal across the large swaths of its home country and New Zealand, is introducing its concept to America where you can “rent” a one-way RV for a whopping dollar a day.

Sound like one of those shady schemes from the other side of the ocean? You’re deservedly skeptical. But Imoova works with car- and RV-rental companies whose customers make one-way trips, and then need people to move their vehicles back where they started. Typically, those companies have to pay professional drivers to do the moving. But if they’re willing to let amateurs like you drive, Imoova allows the companies to do it for a lot less.

“It’s really mutually beneficial for car rental companies and travelers,” said Imoova CEO William Brice. “Our service offers an efficient solution to these rental companies by renting out cars that need to be relocated to vacationers looking for a low-cost spontaneous vacation. It’s a win-win.”

“Spontaneous?” you ask. “How spontaneous do I need to be? I’ve got plants to water, I can’t just up and leave.” Well, that depends.

To make this incomprehensibly cheap RV travel dream a reality, you have to go onto Imoova’s site and see which routes need moved. Trips start anywhere between the next day and a few months out, so you’ll need to scan the list for routes you’d want to travel, and available dates.

If it all lines up, you give them your information, agree to the terms, shell out a dollar a day, and you’re sorted.

You’ll have an assigned start date and a latest-possible delivery date, though there’s no penalty for getting there early. Some even throw in a gas credit to incentivize the trip, so this whole package can almost be done for free.

Like any great deal in travel, the more flexible you are the more you’ll save.

Photo: welcomia/Shutterstock

“All we really had to worry about was the cost of gas and RV camps,” said Stephanie Steelman, who took a three-day RV trip up the California coast from LA to San Francisco earlier this year. “If you’re able to go on a last-minute trip, it’s really awesome and unique.”

If you’d rather road trip through Canada, that’s an option too. Imoova is north of the border as well, and, at the time of publication, has trips from Vancouver to Halifax and pretty much everywhere in between available. Plus, all the routes it has been running in Australia and New Zealand for years.

Sound too good to be true? Well, there is, of course, a catch. You can’t just plug in routes and look for what’s available. The program is pretty new in America, and most of the trips are up and down the West Coast, and to Las Vegas and Arizona. The East Coast, for now, doesn’t have much to offer. Though if you’ve ever wanted to see the west from an RV, you can certainly fly out and do it.

Imoova also has a waitlist feature, where you can choose your departure and drop-off cities, and wait for an opportunity to come up. But don’t hold your breath.

Photo: B Brown/Shutterstock

If RVs are a little bulky for you, Imoova has also recently moved into the luxury car moving-sphere, partnering with Audi to move its cars around the country. Though at the time of publication, no Audis are up for moving.

So RV travel doesn’t have to be the financially crippling life experience it has been in the past. If you’ve got a little flexibility — or a group of spontaneous friends — you can almost do the whole thing for free. You might not get to pick where you’re going or when, but at least once you’re done you can drop the RV off and never see it again. The same cannot be said for weddings.


More like this: 6 unexpected destinations for your American RV adventure

The post This company will let you go on an RV road trip for almost-free appeared first on Matador Network.

Flour or corn tortillas

Fifteen years ago, Ruben Leal left his home in Hermosillo, Sonora, the northernmost state in Mexico, for college in Arizona. When school ended, he moved to Texas and then Lawrence, Kansas. Though he had made his home in the United States, he felt a void in his life that the food he grew up eating in Sonora once occupied. Sure, there’s a Mexican restaurant in every town in America, but Leal craved a specific dish from home that Americans never seem to be able to get right: Sonora’s signature flour tortilla.

With his trips home becoming less and less frequent, Leal resolved to bring a little piece of Sonora to Kansas. He started making flour tortillas in his kitchen, but wanted to spread the gospel of Sonoran cuisine further. So two years ago, he founded Caramelo Tortillas, one of the only companies in the US entirely dedicated to producing Sonoran-style flour tortillas.

In the US, prevailing culinary wisdom looks down on the flour tortilla. It’s seen as the processed, Americanized, white-washed version of Mexican food. Flour tortillas are Taco Bell and clear plastic bags stacked with bland, thick, doughy tortillas.

Yet in Sonora, the flour tortilla is a key piece of the region’s cuisine, alongside carne asada and spicy, wild-grown red chili peppers like the chiltepin. Gustavo Arellano, a Mexican food historian who has written extensively about the Sonoran-style flour tortilla, told me these staple ingredients are Sonora’s “holy trinity.” Local dishes are served with flour tortillas, like gallina pinta (a soup made with maize, chiltepin, and beef) and tacos de cabeza (breakfast tacos made with cow’s head meat).

Photo: CARAMELO/Facebook

The flour tortilla is an aberration in Mexico, where corn forms the basis for a large part of the country’s diet. For more than 2,500 years, corn has provided life-saving sustenance throughout Mexican society; the Aztecs considered maize a sacred crop. Leal joked that the dishes made with corn in Mexico are “unlimited.” It is the beating heart of Mexican cuisine.

Yet flour has its place in the Mexican culinary lexicon — and America’s interpretation of it. Arellano pointed out that northern Mexican cuisine was the first Mexican food Americans in the US encountered, especially in the Southwest. It was only once Mexican people from outside of Sonora began settling throughout the US that the corn tortilla became ubiquitous. The recipes and cooking traditions they brought with them are responsible for creating the corn tortilla’s outsized reputation, but so is America’s myopic vision of Mexico — both its history and its food. Labeling the corn tortilla as somehow more “authentic” than flour misunderstands the complexities of Mexican cuisine.

“Tortillas live a very interesting double life in both America and Mexico,” said Arellano.

While corn has a clear-cut history in Mexico, the genesis of flour in Sonora remains a mystery.

“No one really has a definitive answer,” Arellano explained. “Some people say flour tortillas are really unleavened bread, so it’s because Jews visited in the 16th or 17th century. Some people say it was Musilms. It’s all apocryphal. The reality is that northern Mexico is a wheat-growing region.”

The most widely accepted story is that the Spanish first introduced flour to Sonora in the early 16th century. Leal echoed these stories: He’s heard legends that say the Spanish couldn’t eat corn, while others claim the Spanish planted flour in Sonora because they wanted to make their own bread.

“The Sonora flour tortilla is a marriage of the corn tortilla and flour brought by the Spanish,” said Charles Thieriot. His family bought Llano Seco Ranch in 1861 when it existed entirely on Mexican territory (today it’s in Chico, California). “It was the original Spanish-indigenous fusion food. You see fry bread in Native American cuisine and it’s similar to that.”

Photo: VG Foto/Shutterstock

No matter its origin, wheat easily took root in Sonora’s desert climate. Sonoran wheat made its way to the Southwestern US over time, where it was planted widely and exported throughout the country. John Bidwell, the founder of the city of Chico, “was a big proponent of Sonora wheat as a sort of an economic driver for the region,” Thieriot explained. During the American Civil War, Sonoran wheat fed troops fighting on both sides of the conflict.

Nowadays, though, most Americans are probably totally unfamiliar with how a true Mexican flour tortilla should taste. Leal thinks the variety sold in plastic bags at the grocery store “taste like cardboard,” and that they’re too thick.

“[Sonoran-style flour tortillas] have to be thin, almost translucent, so that you can literally see your hand on the other side of it, and there should be a fattiness to it,” Arellano explained. “Some people use lard to make them, so they’re a little bit chewy. And you can stretch it, but it won’t rip.”

The most well-known version of the Sonora’s flour tortilla is the sobaquera. (Sobaco is a slang term for armpit, and the nickname stems from a tortilla that’s so large it can stretch the length of the arm up to the armpit.) Formally, it’s called tortilla de aqua because it’s made using water instead of lard.

Flour tortillas are used to make burros (a Sonoran-style burrito), chimichangas, and tacos. They’re also sometimes ripped up and used as a vessel to hold other foods. Leal said he prefers to eat quesadillas made with flour tortillas, as well as bean, steak, and breakfast tacos. Fish tacos, on the other hand, are better with a corn tortilla. And they make a good snack too; Leal confessd that he can sometimes eat four or five in one sitting.

Photo: VG Foto/Shutterstock

Today, the tortilla is changing — and not exactly for the better. Arellano recalled that 30 years ago, it was the norm throughout Mexico for people to buy their own masa, which they used to prepare batches of tortillas in their own kitchens. The tradition of homemade tortillas, though not disappeared entirely, is going out of style.

“That’s actually a complaint by Mexicans, that tortillas don’t taste the way they used to anymore. That’s just a side effect of mass production. If you use a really crappy strain of corn then of course your tortillas will taste bad,” said Arellano. “What’s really changed in Mexico is the near-monopoly of a company called Gruma, which mass produces tortillas using dehydrated masa. The quality is terrible.”

The same goes for flour tortillas, of course. “What it’s all going to boil down to is quality. The quality of the tortilla depends on the flour that you use,” Arellano added.

That is perhaps one reason why Caramelo Tortillas is so important. Though Leal called out Sonoratown in Los Angeles for “doing a great job of putting Sonora’s cuisine on the map,” he is somewhat lonely in his mission to prove that flour tortillas deserve love too. Batches of Sonoran-style tortillas can be purchased on Etsy (if you dare) but Caramelo is the lone commercial producer.

Leal’s customers come to him stunned by the flavor and texture of his tortillas. After years of being brainwashed into believing that the flour tortilla should be avoided by anyone with respect for Mexican cuisine, customers are astonished by how flavorful it can be when done right. He’s even created a version made with avocado oil for vegans.

Americans are slowly catching on, thanks in part to advocates like Arellano and Leal, to what has always been common knowledge in Mexico: Flour tortillas — so long as they’re made in the Sonoran style and not pulled off a grocery store shelf — are just as genuine as their corn counterparts.


More like this: 11 pre-Hispanic dishes that show Oaxaca is the cradle of Mexican food

The post It’s time for the flour tortilla to get the respect it deserves appeared first on Matador Network.

Whale sightings in NYC increase

It might sound like a good thing that the number of whale sightings have increased around New York City and northern New Jersey, but it’s actually a huge safety concern for both the animals and humans.

The result of warmer and cleaner waters in the area, the population of Atlantic menhaden, humpback whales’ major food source, has grown and is now attracting the marine mammal. Gotham Whale reported that whales sightings have rocketed, from five in 2011 to 272 in 2018, with many sightings occurring less than two miles from the shore.

The problem is, NYC and northern New Jersey are busy maritime zones and more whales means that the risk of dangerous interactions between them and humans has risen.

“I’ve spotted whales with hooks and lines wrapped around them as well as scars from vessel collisions,” said Danielle Brown, a doctoral student in ecology and evolution at Rutgers, and lead humpback whale researcher for Gotham Whale. “It is important for [boats] to be aware of the guidelines for watching them safely,” Brown said.

She advised that boats should move parallel to them and never cut them off from the direction they are moving, as well as to never chase them. The National Marine Fisheries Service recommends a distance of at least 100 yards from the animal.

So, next time you’re around the Statue of Liberty, George Washington Bridge, Raritan Bay, or Arthur Kill strait, keep your eyes peeled for whales — they are around.


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The post 500 percent increase in whale sightings around NYC isn’t really a good thing appeared first on Matador Network.

How to travel across the HZM Bridge

On October 23, 2018, the world’s longest sea bridge opened in east Asia, connecting the autonomous cities of Hong Kong and Macao with the adjacent Chinese city of Zhuhai. The aptly titled Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, or HZM Bridge for short, cut what was before a three-hour trip between Zhuhai and Hong Kong down to about 45 minutes and gave both residents and travelers a quicker and more efficient way to move between the cities. For travelers, the journey is kind of like flying, though not nearly as rigid — just be prepared for multiple trips through customs. Here’s what to know and what to expect.

The HZM Bridge is an engineering masterpiece.

Photo: Hitman H/Shutterstock

Construction on what was to become the world’s largest sea-highway began in 2009. It took nine years to complete and was designed to be in operation for at least 125 years. Travelers and commuters can now get between the three cities, two of which operate as autonomous city-states, in less than an hour, meaning that if you plan ahead and get your in-and-out Chinese visa in advance, you add some serious credibility to your passport in the span of a single morning. It should be noted that in the sometimes-frustrating tradition of modernization, neither Macao or Hong Kong actually stamp your passport — customs agents at both terminals merely scan the photo page and hand you a printed slip to attach to your passport to document admittance.

Three main parts make up the 34-mile bridge: the main bridge, spanning 18.3 miles; the 7.4-mile Hong Kong Link Road; and the 8.3-mile Zhuhai Link Road. Three cable-stayed bridges make up the primary structure that crosses the South China Sea, but the most impressive part is that the bridge actually travels underneath the sea for over four miles, ducking underwater seemingly out of nowhere out in the middle of the sea. The bridge, terminals, and underwater portion look immaculate now, but the construction process was far from smooth. There were multiple delays and according to the Hong Kong-based Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims, 10 workers died building the bridge and more than 600 were injured.

You can’t just drive across the HZM Bridge.

Photo: Nick Poon/Shutterstock

The point that has drawn the most criticism of the new bridge is that you can’t simply hop in your rental car in Hong Kong and drive to Macao for the day. While this would be super convenient, it’s also quite far-fetched. As each city is self-governed, each has its own vehicle registration and licensing process, and patrolling all three at once on the open sea would be a logistical nightmare. There’s also the issue of visas. US, UK, and Canadian residents do not need to obtain a visa in advance to visit Hong Kong or Macao, but unless you’re arriving at one of a specific set of mainland Chinese airports, a visa is required to visit China. This factor also plays out in reverse — Chinese residents need a visa to visit both Hong Kong and Macao in most cases, largely due to issues with those cities becoming overcrowded with Chinese tourists. You can imagine the traffic-driven chaos that might ensue.

So the solution was to shuttle people across in public buses dubbed the Cross Border Coach. Hong Kong, Macao, and Zhuhai each financed and built their own bus terminal to accommodate six-figure daily traffic numbers, and together worked out an impressively efficient process of moving people between the cities. You can also hire a private taxi, should an upscale public bus not be your thing, but the general transport service is easy, fast, and far cheaper.

Ticketing and customs

Photo: Wang Sing/Shutterstock

The ticketing and boarding process is similar to what you’d find at a busy bus terminal just about anywhere. Each terminal is laid out like a small airport. You enter, buy a ticket from the ticketing counter, and then proceed to customs. There are two bus lines on the Cross Border Coach service — the Hong Kong Pearl Line, which covers all three terminals, and the Hong Kong Macao Line, which only shuttles between those two cities. Both operate on bright-yellow buses. Commuter bus service is available 24/7 and buses run every five minutes during peak times, switching to every 10 to 15 minutes during slower times. A ticket on either line runs the same — $65 Hong Kong dollars (about $8.30 USD) during the day and HK$70 (about $9) between midnight and 6:00 AM. As long as you’re not embarking on a red-eye journey, expect to pay the lower fare. The agent will sell you the appropriate ticket based on your one-way destination.

Next up is customs. Here they will scan your passport, ask the typical questions about where you’re going and why, and send you on your way through security. The process here is quick — if you have a backpack on, you’ll likely walk right through, but if you have suitcases to check you’ll have to send them through a security checkpoint.

Once through customs and security, you then head outside and enter a queuing area to wait for the next bus. After the ride, you’ll pass through customs on the other side. This process appears quite the ordeal for a 40-minute bus ride, but considering that you’re passing through two, possibly three, autonomously governed areas, it’s actually quite streamlined. Barring a delay, a one-way trip shouldn’t take more than 90 minutes from when you enter one station to when you exit the next. Keep your passport at the ready, if only for convenience. I had mine scanned four times during a round-trip bus ride from Macao to Hong Kong and back.

How to get the best view on your trip

Photo: HelloRF Zcool/Shutterstock

Plan to wait in the queue for anywhere from two to 10 minutes. Once the line has reached the required number to fill a bus, one will pull up, passengers board, and you’re on your way. Should the line be longer than what one bus can hold, another will pull up five minutes later. The buses tend to be packed with both day-trip commuters and tourists heading between the cities. If you’re on the Pearl Line, you might get lucky and be assigned a double-decker bus. I rode the Hong Kong Macao Line both directions and both trips were on a single-layer bus, though each was decked out in the manner of a long-distance coach bus. Comfortable seats, seatback trays, and a small storage pouch. There is a restroom in the rear of the bus.

Try to snag a window seat on the right side of the bus as it appears looking forward through the windshield. This provides the best views no matter which direction you’re heading. Inbound toward Hong Kong you’ll watch the tourist and shipping boats pass by tiny seaside villages, the sprawling islands and hills that surround the city in the background. Heading the other direction, the seemingly endless skyline of Macao and Zhuhai tower over the small, turtle-like hills poking out of the water. The views in both directions are stunning — though unfortunately, the tinted bus windows are a severe impediment to taking quality photos.


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The post This epic sea bridge connects Hong Kong, Macao, and mainland China. Here’s how to travel across it. appeared first on Matador Network.

Everything to know cannabis edibles

It’s never been a better time to be a fan of weed edibles. Companies in states that allow recreational cannabis use have pushed the envelope in terms of taste, quality, and dosage. Thanks to these improvements (especially on the dosage front), edibles are an increasingly common way to consume marijuana, whether you’re in one of the best cities for cannabis tourists or a small town in a recreational cannabis state.

“While flower products have been the primary driver of cannabis consumption, people’s consumption habits are rapidly changing,” Maikel van de Mortel, the executive vice president of marketing at Cannabiniers, said. “With this change, we are seeing that edibles and drinkables are quickly becoming the primary choice for a new cannabis audience.”

“Edibles” is a general term that covers any food or beverage that’s infused with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). An edible is not, however, just marijuana flower that you eat. The plant has THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid), which doesn’t get you high. THCA is converted to THC through heating it directly with a flame (smoking) or by a slow heating process called decarboxylation. The latter is used to make edibles.

But you don’t need to know all the science to enjoy the effects of edibles for the first time. These are the things to know to ensure you have a good time the first (and second, and third, etc.) time you try edibles.

How long does it take for edibles to kick in?

Photo: Zootology/Facebook

It takes longer to feel the effects of edibles than if you were to smoke a joint, bong, or vape pen. There’s also no cut and dry timeline with edibles. Factors like the strength of the edible, what you’ve eaten prior, and how your body digests all can impact how long it takes for edibles to kick in. On the short side, it could take 30 minutes, but it can take as long as two hours.

“Start slow and adjust as needed,” said John Gorst, CEO of Ionic Brands, which owns the edibles company Zoots. “Also remember to give the edible time to take effect. Don’t rush the process, everybody is different so give yourself time and enjoy!”

Edibles take longer because the THC has to pass through your liver and digestive system, whereas inhaling smoke creates a near instantaneous high from THC entering the bloodstream through millions of small air sacs in your lungs called alveoli.

While it’s hardly a satisfying answer, you know an edible is starting to work when you feel it.

How strong of an edible should I take?

Photo: Wana Brands

“Taking into account that 10 milligrams is considered a single serving for an adult, both people who aren’t a regular cannabis consumer and a regular cannabis consumer who hasn’t tried edibles yet should try a lesser dosage,” Gorst said, adding, “2.5 milligrams to 5 milligrams is a reasonable first-time starting dose.”

Your body’s reaction to the amount you take largely depends on your tolerance and weight. On the low side, 2.5 milligrams will generally make you feel calm and mild euphoria. After registering how much the low dose affects you, work your way up to a full serving of 10 milligrams, which is a typical recreational dose. This goes for regular smokers or vapers as well as people who only consume occasionally.

In dispensaries, you’ll find brands making edibles with 2.5 milligrams of THC or less. There are also options with higher CBD ratios, like Wana Brands, which makes 10 milligram CBD to 1 milligram THC gummies. “New consumers might want to start with a higher CBD and lower THC mix as many people find that CBD lowers anxiety levels and helps mitigate the impact of THC’s psychoactivity,” said Wana Brands CEO and founder Nancy Whiteman.

“For first times, it is always recommended to take half or a piece, to fully gauge how the body will react,” Gorst said. “Additionally as a first-time user it is important to keep track of how much THC you are consuming. Choosing an edible that is store bought with a label rather than homemade is a safer and more enjoyable option.”

Careful dosing is one of the biggest edible advancements since states started legalizing recreational cannabis. The strength should be clear on the packaging, and budtenders at dispensaries can help you understand more about the potency of individual products. If you’re unsure, ask about micro-dosed products that come in small amounts. “After all,” van de Mortel said, “when was the last time anyone consumed only half a gummy in real life?”

What type of edible should I try first?

A trip to the dispensary can be overwhelming. Even trying to narrow it down to just edibles is a lot to take in. There are brownies and cookies, hard butterscotch candies, all shapes of gummies, and suckers. Then there are the things that you consume orally without technically eating, like tinctures (concentrated oil you drop underneath your tongue) and THC pills. Recently, there’s been an influx of cannabis-infused juices, ciders, and non-alcohol beer, like Cannabiniers’ Two Roots. All come in different flavors and potencies, and pretty much all taste great.

“The type of edible is up to the consumer, there are no advantages from one type to the other besides the dosage amount,” said Gorst. “For a first-time user, a gummy might be the best option because it is familiar. A lot of people are used to taking gummy vitamins or supplements in their daily routine.”

As mentioned before, edibles will hit different people differently every time.

“Bottom line, it’s more important to be totally clear on how many milligrams of THC are in a serving size of the edible, rather than its delivery platform,” Whiteman said. “Purchasing your edibles from a licensed dispensary will guarantee you are consuming what you paid for and what you are expecting.”

Can I overdose on edibles?

“Do not panic if you feel the effects too intensely,” Gorst advised. “The feeling should only last a couple hours, so in that time it is important to keep yourself distracted and drink plenty of fluids. It is always a good idea to have a dose of pure CBD with you in case you need to use it to counteract the THC, as well.”

You can’t overdose from marijuana in the same way you can with something like alcohol. In the worst-case scenario, you’ll get nervous and then end up sleeping — and sleeping a lot. Still, it’s best to start low and slow until you know how your body reacts. No one wants to end up like New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, who went into her first recreational edible experience without checking the dosage and ended up melting into an hours-long paranoia.

How much do edibles cost?

Photo: Two Roots Brewing Co./Facebook

Prices vary depending on the state you’re in and the dispensary you’re at, but expect to pay between $20 and $40 for 100 milligrams of THC (most edibles are in packs broken up into 10 single-serving doses of 10 milligrams). To buy just a single-serve dose — whether it’s a candy, brownie, or drink — it’ll typically cost between $5 and $10.

Can I fly with edibles?

Federal authorities have authority as soon as you pass security, and cannabis is federally illegal no matter which state you’re in. Each legal recreational state handles cannabis in airports and on planes differently, but it’s illegal to fly with edibles.

Why are cannabis edibles stronger than smoking marijuana?

Around 60 percent of the THC in cannabis flower is lost when you heat it to smoke a joint, pipe, or bong.

When you eat an edible, the THC is metabolized in the liver to make a more potent compound called 11-hydroxy-THC. A study found the effects of 11-hydroxy-THC to be more intense and longer-lasting.


More like this: The best recreational cannabis dispensaries in America

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Frontier Airlines free flights

It’s not often you get to earn free stuff just by dropping your name, but Frontier Airlines is making that dream a reality. To celebrate Green Week, which highlights the airline’s commitment to fuel efficiency and focus on sustainability, Frontier is offering free flights — but not to just anyone. If you’re lucky enough to have the last name “Green” or “Greene,” you’ll be able to travel for free on August 13. Well, “free” actually means “up to $400.”

Flights can be one-way or round-trip, but it must be domestic. Book online through the Frontier website and you will be issued a refund for your flight up to $400 by September 15. According to the official terms, “Individuals who are eligible for this promotion will be refunded for round trip flights if both segments of travel are purchased on one Passenger Name Record, the first segment departs between 12:00AM and 11:59PM on August 13, 2019, and the return segment arrives by 11:59PM on August 20, 2019. Eligible participants will receive a full refund, up to $400.”

Unfortunately, immediate family is not eligible for the promotion, so spouses, children, uncles, and sisters-in-law won’t be able to fly for free unless their last name is also Green or Greene.


More like this: How frequent flyers can offset their flight emissions

The post appeared first on Matador Network.

Rome Spanish Steps tourist fine

Wandering around Rome can be exhausting, especially in the heat of summer. But there’s no rest for the wicked in the Italian capital — especially if that break is taken on the 18th-century Spanish Steps.

Although it looks like an inviting spot to sit and rest your legs, parking your butt on the historic monument can lend you a $280 fine and a good dose of embarrassment. Municipal employees in charge of implementing the new rule are known to loudly blow their whistles at tourists caught sitting.

The rule is one of many new municipal regulations. As of June 2019, bathing in Rome’s fountains or “throw objects, spill liquids or substances, immerse animals, damage them, climb and lie down on them” is strictly forbidden and can lead offenders to be prohibited from entering the area for 48 hours. Anti-graffiti and anti-littering sanctions have also been reinforced.

Rome, being an incredibly popular travel destination, has been the victim of poor tourist behavior in the past, which may explain the strict new rules put into place to preserve the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site.


More like this: 7 underrated churches in Rome that you need to check out

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White people complaining slavery

Plantation tours are meant to educate visitors on American history — and that obviously includes the United States’ greatest shame: slavery. Surprisingly, however, people have wild notions about what a plantation tour should be, and are disappointed reality doesn’t meet those expectations. Whether through misinformation or flat-out ignorance, some visitors expect the experience to be presented through a rosy lens, glossing over the brutal aspects of plantation life. They think that slavery should take a backseat on tours, and are perturbed when guides focus on the inhumanity of the practice. Negatively reviewing a plantation tour because of an overemphasis on slavery might sound like a joke, but as the internet has proven, it’s an unfortunate reality.

Twitter user sairasameerarao posted a screenshot of one negative review left for a plantation in Louisiana. “My husband and I were extremely disappointed in this tour,” the two-star review reads. “We didn’t come to hear a lecture on how the white people treated slaves, we came to get this history of a southern plantation and get a tour of the house and grounds. The tour guide was so radical about slave treatment we felt we were being lectured and bashed about the slavery.”

This is how decent white people who tell the truth about slavery on plantations are reviewed by white people. pic.twitter.com/xiomBzPpWl

— saira rao (@sairasameerarao) 7 août 2019

Another Twitter user, posted similar screenshots of various reviews, with one reading, “[we] were subjected to a lecture aimed to instill guilt. An odd approach. House was completely empty and void of any period furnishings and grounds were equally disappointing. A rip off!”

Another, almost comically, said, “I was depressed by the time I left and questioned why anyone would want to live in South Carolina. There are too many beautiful plantations you can visit without starting out on a bummer.”

I went down the rabbit hole of reading reviews from folks that visit plantations expecting history, but wrapped in sunshine and rainbows. pic.twitter.com/rnPfrUnXbt

— Andrien

Rainy cities to visit

Unless you planned to spend your whole time away from home lounging on the beach in your bikini, rain isn’t always the trip-ruiner it’s made out to be — some of the world’s most beautiful cities are drenched by rain for as many as 200 days a year. Far from spoiling your trip, rain can actually lend something special to a city’s atmosphere, like the famously gloomy Edinburgh or the damp Norwegian city of Bergen. Obsessively checking your weather app for rain might come second nature when planning a vacation, but this obsessive behavior might lead you to pass on some amazing destinations. Here are a few of the world’s wettest cities that you should visit despite the weather — just pack a solid raincoat and you’re good to go.

1. Bergen, Norway

Photo: Byelikova Oksana/Shutterstock

Due to its location on the southwestern coast of Norway, Bergen experiences some of the warmest temperatures in the country. There is a catch, however — you don’t get away with having a warm, mild climate in Scandinavia without some drawbacks. Bergen is called the “City of Rain” for good reason — the average annual rainfall is 88.58 inches. But the city fully embraces this identity, proudly selling apparel and souvenirs bearing the nickname.

Despite the rain, however, Bergen is still one of the coolest spots to visit in Europe. The small city is a gateway to Norway’s western fjord region, and has the charm of a small town but enough energy to keep you entertained. Mount Fløyen or Mount Ulriken are conveniently nearby, and you can either hike or take a funicular for amazing views of the city, fjord, and ocean.

You seriously won’t mind the rain when you’re strolling through the narrow alleyways along the historic Bryggen wharf, where much of the architecture, some of it very colorful, has been preserved since the Middle Ages.

2. Hilo, Hawaii

Photo: weicool/Shutterstock

The rain in Hilo is no joke. The city on the east side of the Big Island averages about 130 inches of rain every year. The good news, however, is that most of that rain comes at night, and shouldn’t interfere with your daily plans. And with trade winds that make the climate relatively temperate, Hilo is neither too hot nor too cold.

Even with the occasional heavy rainfall, Hilo needs to be on your list of Hawaiian destinations. Just a few miles north of the city you’ll find Akaka Falls, an impressive 422-foot waterfall that is among the most famous on the Big Island. If you don’t want to venture too far from the city, Rainbow Falls is located within Hilo itself, flowing over a lava cave that is said to be the home of Hawaiian goddess Hina. For a truly relaxing Hawaiian experience that doesn’t require any hiking, you can check out Coconut Island in Hilo Bay, which is perfect for swimming, picnics, or just lounging for the afternoon (until the evening rain comes, that is).

3. Cologne, Germany

Photo: S.Borisov/Shutterstock

Cologne is one of those cities with an aesthetic that is made even more dramatic and memorable with a bit of rain. Home to the largest Gothic church in northern Europe, the city sees an average of 200 days of rain per year, but the gloomy weather won’t put a damper on your vacation. Regardless of the weather, you can still visit the Chocolate Museum to learn everything you need to know about cacao and — your real reason for visiting — indulge in some free samples and check out the chocolate fountain. The Museum of Applied Arts is another great rainy day activity. Here you can stroll through collections of jewelry, furniture, weaponry, and architecture from the Middle Ages to the present, and truly forget about any inclement weather outside.

If you’re blessed with a sunny day, take the cable car across the Rhine River. In addition to providing you with great views, the six-minute ride will also bring you to the Rheinpark, one of the city’s most beautiful parks. You can also check out the Stadtgarten (or “city garden”), a multi-purpose indoor and outdoor venue with restaurants and cafes. It’s also home to a concert venue where you can catch local musicians.

If you happen to be visiting Cologne during the holiday season, you’ll be able to enjoy one of the best Christmas markets in the world. Starting in early December, Christmas arts and crafts, music, and decorations will grace the area around Cologne’s famous cathedral, as well as the heart of its Old Town. Just don’t visit if you’re on a diet, because the temptation of German Christmas chocolates will probably be too much for you to resist.

4. Portland, Oregon

Photo: Josemaria Toscano/Shutterstock

Seattle owns the reputation of one of the rainiest cities in the United States, but Portland, its southern neighbor, isn’t exactly the sunshine capital of the Pacific Northwest. It rains approximately 156 days per year there, which, if it were any other city, might be reason enough to skip it. Luckily, Portland packs a powerful punch when it comes to activities and attractions that make the rain a nonfactor.

Notorious for being a hipster haven, Portland isn’t just all about breweries. There’s also Distillery Row, featuring 12 local distilleries located in Southeast and Northwest Portland, in neighborhoods defined by their small warehouses and industrial buildings. Spend a rainy day buzzing on your favorite spirits and trying out new ones, and learn all there is to know about Portland’s thriving booze scene.

If you’re traveling with children, the Oaks Amusement Park is the perfect way to spend the day, rain or shine. The 44-acre park located just over three miles south of downtown is one of the oldest continuously operating amusement parks in the country, and includes classic carnival games, over 20 rides, picnic grounds, and an indoor skating rink. On sunny days — or if you enjoy a stroll in the rain — you can also check out Washington Park with its Japanese Garden, arboretum, picnic areas, tennis courts, and a forest for hiking.

And it wouldn’t be Portland if you didn’t partake in at least one trendy activity. In addition to grabbing drinks on one of the city’s many outdoor patios, like Radio Room, Aalto Lounge, and Rambler, you can easily pass a rainy day inside the quirky Powell’s Books in the Pearl District. Claiming to be the largest independent bookstore in the world, this Portland icon is truly a shrine to the written word, with over 68,000 square feet of floor space, nine color-coded rooms, and an attached coffee shop.

5. Rotterdam, Netherlands

Photo: gnoparus/Shutterstock

You might not beat the rain in Rotterdam, but you’ll certainly beat the crowds. Europe’s largest port, Rotterdam is a great alternative to the overcrowded Amsterdam, even if it does get an average of 33 inches of rain per year. But you won’t mind the gray skies once you immerse yourself in the city’s lively culture, maritime past, and unique architecture.

The target of German aerial bombings during World War II, Rotterdam’s buildings sustained heavy damage, and many had to be completely rebuilt. For that reason, Rotterdam feels more modern than Amsterdam, blending old and contemporary architectural styles to create a unique aesthetic.

The Markthal should probably be your first stop. Built in 2009, this eccentric marketplace has a semi-circular gray facade and a large windowed section that faces a massive courtyard. The interior features colorful artwork on the ceiling, depicting fruits, plants, insects, and flowers. The perfect rainy day activity, the Markthal houses many shops, restaurants, and bars. If you’re looking for traditional Dutch food and drink, this is the place to get it.

If you didn’t get quite enough food at the Markthal, visit the Fenix Food Factory. There, you have the opportunity to participate in workshops, tastings, and open markets, where you’ll be exposed to some of Rotterdam’s freshest local produce, as well as homebrewed beer and coffee.

6. Edinburgh, Scotland

Photo: f11photo/Shutterstock

When the sun comes out in Edinburgh, people tear off their shirts, grab a towel, and flock to Princes Street Gardens for an afternoon of sunbathing. It doesn’t matter if it’s 40 degrees or 70. Since the sun is so scarce in Edinburgh, people take advantage of the few nice days they can get their hands on, temperature be damned.

Edinburgh may feel like a city with a perpetual cloud hanging over it — it averages 191 rainy days a year — but there’s no city better equipped for its less-than-ideal weather situation. With architecture ranging from Gothic to Medieval to Georgian, Edinburgh fully leans into its gloomy aesthetic. The Old Town is pretty much entirely comprised of dour stone buildings, and the foreboding Edinburgh Castle is seemingly level with the clouds on its plateaued perch. If strolling through the old city streets in the rain doesn’t sound particularly magical, that’s only because you haven’t tried it.

Rain or shine, the best view of Edinburgh can be had from Calton Hill, just over the bridge in the New Town. You’ll have a perfect view of both the New Town and Old Town, Edinburgh Castle, and Arthur’s Seat — an 823-foot extinct volcano in Holyrood Park. For a bit of exercise you can hike to the top of Arthur’s Seat. There are multiple routes up the plateau, some more difficult than others, but climbing to the top is a rite of passage for anyone visiting Edinburgh. Once you reach the top, you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of the North Sea.

Once you’ve made it back down to street level, you can do what’s likely been on your mind since the plane touched down — drink. You’ll find no shortage of watering holes, as seemingly every door in the Old Town leads to a small, dark pub. To get away from crowds, check out The Devil’s Advocate, tucked away in an alley off the Royal Mile. For a livelier atmosphere, hit up Biddy Mulligans in the Grassmarket district, which sits in the shadow of the castle.

7. New Orleans, Louisiana

Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

With an average annual rainfall of 64 inches, and a well-known flooding problem, there’s no doubt that New Orleans is a wet city. It gets the third-highest amount of total rainfall in the US, with 59 rainy days each year. But despite its weather woes, New Orleans has proven to be one of vacationers’ favorite travel destinations — and not just around Mardi Gras.

Of course, the French Quarter is a must-see for New Orleans newbies. Beyond the debauchery of Bourbon Street at night, the neighborhood is home to a unique cultural scene, with old streets, galleries, restaurants, and music clubs.

Make sure to check out St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. Since the ground in New Orleans is often saturated with water, the dead aren’t buried underground, but kept in mausoleums that house coffins. This eerie cemetery is unlike any other resting place, with massive stone mausoleums lined up like little houses in a spooky ghost town.

If the cemetery is too macabre for your taste, visit the neighborhood of Bywater for a dose of color. Even if it’s raining, the street murals around every corner will keep you in a sunny mood. And if that doesn’t do it, Bacchanal Wine — with live music, food, and fine wines — definitely will.


More like this: 8 easy trips for those who are not ready for summer to end

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