Matador Network's Blog, page 427

You Can Stay at the Maker’s Mark Founder’s House for the Ultimate Bourbon Trail Experience

The Samuels family of Kentucky, creators of Maker’s Mark bourbon, has spent decades crafting a spirit that’s meant to be sipped straight. But in their latest venture — renting out The Samuels House, their 200-year-old family home to Bourbon Trail visitors and whiskey aficionados — they’ve mixed up the perfect cocktail of history and modern luxury.

For between $850 and $1,250 a night, guests get to stay in the house, located in Samuels, Kentucky, where the idea for Maker’s Mark first came to fruition. This is no typical hotel experience: you and your travel partner(s) will have the house completely to yourself. And within those 3,000 square feet, there are so many layers of whiskey history to explore.

If you’re a bourbon nerd, the Samuels House will be an intriguing experience. The walls are bursting with history: photos and memorabilia tracking the evolution of one of the most widely known bourbon brands in the world, and thousands of dollars’ worth of old whisky bottles.

Photo: Samuels House

The parlor downstairs — where guests are welcome to settle in for a glass of bourbon — includes plush brown leather couches and a vibe straight out of a Prohibition-era speakeasy. Two glass cases boast dozens of whiskey bottles: one exclusively for historical and special-edition Maker’s Mark bottles, and another filled with old, mini shooter bottles. In that section, plenty of non-Maker’s Mark brands make an appearance, and it’s fun to examine how the bottles have evolved over the decades.

Even if you’re not much of a bourbon drinker, the layers of history in this house will likely interest American history buffs, too. A Civil War-era gun, for example, which the Samuels family says was surrendered to the Union army in the front yard of the house in the 1860s, hangs in a case by the front door.

The Samuels family also had ties to the notorious outlaw, Jesse James. As the story goes, two of the Samuels women married Bud and Donnie Pence, who (allegedly) helped Jesse and his gang carry out bank robberies across the South. In the upper level of the Samuels House, they cut out an escape hatch, in case the authorities arrived unexpectedly and they had to crawl out and shimmy down a tree.

That flirtation with illegality makes more appearances throughout the house. The downstairs bedroom is dedicated to Dixie Sherman Demuth, the last member of the Samuels family to be born in the house. Demuth helped get a 1700s Kentucky law declared overturned in 1972—officially allowing women to serve liquor at bars.

What its like inside the Samuels House

Photo: Samuels House

You might think a house of this age (built around 1820) would be creaky and lacking modern updates. But the Samuels family seamlessly combines historical authenticity with luxuries of today’s time.

There are three bedrooms (two king-sized beds and one queen). If you’re traveling with a group, there’s plenty of privacy among the three: separate staircases lead to the two upstairs bedrooms, and the downstairs one is tucked at the edge of the house.

The upstairs bathrooms come equipped with beautiful rain showers, with the one off the biggest bedroom including an enormous standalone bathtub, where you can sip bourbon, neat, from a bubble bath.

The kitchen features the original fireplace where pre-electricity cooking took place. These days, it’s complemented by updated appliances, sleek glassware, and, of course, your own bottle of Maker’s Mark. Even better, that kitchen comes stocked when you arrive — local eggs, sausage, beer, and, my favorite, fudge made by Trappist monks in nearby New Haven.

Photo: Samuels House

A house this massive and old might feel a little eerie for a solo traveler — but it’s a dream for couples or groups (up to 8). Nowhere is that more obvious than the outdoor gathering areas.

When the weather’s nice, take your meals out to the big kitchen table on the back covered porch for fresh-air dining. The rest of the massive backyard is highlighted by a sprawling stone patio, plush outdoor sectional, and fire pit—perfect for curling up with an evening Old Fashioned and watching the yard sparkle with fireflies.

What guests can do at Samuels House

Markers Mark distillery grounds. Photo: Maker’s Mark

Book a VIP Maker’s Mark distillery tour: As a native Kentuckian, I’m practically contractually obligated to check out as many distilleries as possible. Maker’s Mark is widely considered one of the best distillery experiences in the state. It’s easy to see how it’s earned that reputation.

Overnight guests have the chance to book either a daytime ($1,850) or nighttime ($2,500) private distillery tour, with special bonuses like a cocktail-making workshop and a progressive tasting throughout the grounds (the whole compound is roughly 1,000 acres).

Even if you stick with the regular tour available to the general public, walking through the Maker’s Mark grounds is a full sensory experience; the smell of the warehouses filled with thousands of aging bourbon barrels is especially intoxicating.

Visitors will also be met by the cool air of the cave-like whiskey cellar, where Maker’s 46 and Private Select are aged in a temperature-controlled environment, the sounds of glass clanking from the assembly-line bottling facility, and the sparkle of Chiluly blown-glass artwork in the hallway on the way to the gift shop — where you can hand-dip your own bottle and feel the heat from Maker’s Mark signature red wax.

Even your sense of taste gets a few fun bonuses here. One hallmark of Maker’s Mark is that you can feel its warmth slowly descend all the way down your chest after taking a sip: a smoother, longer-lasting feeling than many other bourbons. This cozy sensation is what they call the “Kentucky hug” — and you’ll get a few of them in the tasting room after your tour. If you’ve paid for the private VIP tour, you’ll get those Kentucky hugs paired with food, crafted by local chef Newman Miller.

Have a drink with Bill Samuels, Jr.: For $750, Samuels House guests can book a “Sipping & Storytelling” experience with Bill Jr., the Chairman Emeritus of Maker’s Mark. As you chat, you’ll pour a glass of Maker’s 46, the unique selection that Bill spent years creating.

Enjoy a private dinner from a local chef: Guests can also book an in-house dinner cooked by Chef Newman Miller: $125/guest for welcome bites, a three-course meal, and (obviously) three bourbon cocktails/pours.

What else to do in Samuels, Kentucky

If you reach your limit on Maker’s Mark tastings during your stay, you’re in the perfect area to extend your Bourbon Trail experience. Jim Beam and Heaven Hill’s distilleries, for example, are both within 15 minutes of the house, and many others are within an hour’s drive.

For dining options, you can cook your own meals in the expansive, fully-equipped Samuels House kitchen. You can head back up the road half an hour to Louisville, an underrated culinary hotspot. Or, Bardstown is only about 10 minutes away. The town has been named the Most Beautiful Small Town in America, and it’s filled with great restaurants — including the Harrison-Smith House. The tiny city is chock-full of things to do, including a Women’s Civil War Museum, haunted tours (lots of ghosts frequent this region), and, of course, more bourbon-themed activities.

How to get to Samuels House

Photo: Samuels House

Muhammad Ali Airport in Louisville is the closest airport, about a 30-minute drive away. The Bluegrass Airport in Lexington is also an hour away.

Be sure to rent a car, as public transportation isn’t an option in the rural neighborhood of the Samuels House. The drive from either of the airports is beautiful, and you’ll get the quintessential rolling-hills-of-Kentucky view out your window on the way in.

From the house, it’s also about a 40-minute drive to the Maker’s Mark distillery. So keep in mind it’s a good idea for someone in your group to take it easy in the tasting room.

Note that the Maker’s Mark distillery has its annual shutdown scheduled from Aug. 15 – Sept. 15.

More like thisSpirits + CocktailsThe Ultimate American Whiskey Road Trip, Mapped

The Best Places To Go Snorkeling in Fort Lauderdale

There are many great snorkeling spots around the world: the Virgin Islands, Maldives, Australia, Fort Lauderdale…wait, what?

Okay, okay — while not exactly on a par with Maldives, Fort Lauderdale is an often-overlooked location to snorkel with a bevy of ocean life, including eels, sea turtles, and even sharks. And it’s a heck of a lot more convenient for most people than flying to the Indian Ocean.

A series of reefs stretch north and south off the eastern coast of Florida, protecting the beach and buildings from erosion, offering a habitat for marine life, and providing consistent game for anglers. The Florida Reef Tract, which hugs the state’s Atlantic coast from the Dry Tortugas near Key West to the St. Lucie inlet in Central Florida, is the third-largest barrier reef ecosystem in the world, spanning nearly 360 linear miles. Just about 24 miles of that reef system are in Broward County, where three lines of barrier reefs run parallel to the shore. The closest is about 300 yards out and is a maximum of 20 or 30 feet deep, making it the best option for snorkeling.

Anglin’s Fishing Pier

Photo: Kevin Ruck/Shutterstock

Just past the sherbet-hued umbrellas on the boardwalk in Lauderdale by the Sea is Anglin’s Fishing Pier. It offers easy access to the water for exploring the aptly named Anglin’s Pier Reef. Just steer clear of the pier, which is actively used by anglers.

But you can expect to see the same fish they’re there to catch: cobia, mackerel, snapper, and snook. Swim south of the pier to explore the artificial reef known as the Shipwreck Snorkel Trail, a site built by the Marine Archaeological Council complete with an anchor, five concrete cannons, and a ballast pile.

SS Copenhagen

Photo: Daniel Wernz/Shutterstock

The SS Copenhagen is a 19th-century British steamship that struck a reef less than a mile offshore in May 1900. The crew survived but could not rescue the vessel, which was used by US Navy pilots for target practice during World War II. The wreck was designated by the State of Florida as an underwater archaeological preserve in 1994 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

Now home to large schools of baitfish, the SS Copenhagen is popular with scuba divers and receives an average of 10,000 visitors annually. To help identify parts of the ship while submerged, pick up a copy of a waterproof shipwreck map at Lauderdale by the Sea at the Town Hall.

The Nursery

Photo: Kevin Ruck/Shutterstock

A 15-minute boat ride from shore, this spot off the coast of Pompano Beach was named for the nurse sharks that call it home. You’ll usually find members of the docile species hanging out on the ocean floor under rocky ledges. Nurse sharks are nocturnal, so don’t worry if they’re not moving much, and definitely don’t interact with them. If you’re seeking a more adrenaline-fueled shark experience, the waters off Jupiter — an hour’s drive north — are where you should head to snorkel with bull and tiger sharks.

Twin Ledges

Photo: Angela N Perryman/Shutterstock

Fort Lauderdale is known as the “Venice of America,” and if you’d like to gawk at the mega-mansions on Millionaire’s Row en route to a snorkeling spot, opt for a boat tour from Port Everglades. Once you reach Twin Ledges, jump into the warm water to swim with pufferfish, angelfish, and the elusive rainbow parrotfish. The eastern ledge is deeper, so stick close to the west for the best views.

Vista Park

Photo: Angela N Perryman/Shutterstock

Vista Park is another Fort Lauderdale spot where you can swim to the site from the beach. With not much in the way of vendors, and there’s a small parking fee, Vista Park is rarely crowded, making it popular with locals. The beach is narrow, so it’s only a short walk from your parking spot to the water’s edge. Swim about 1,000 feet out from shore and you’ll reach the reef.

Wahoo Bay

Photo: Kevin Ruck/Shutterstock

Wahoo Bay is a human-built conservation project that got the green light in February of 2022. The facility will be a marine park in the shallow, protected waters of the Pompano Beach Inlet. Upon completion, Wahoo Bay will be a place to educate children about oceans and reef life. It will also be a testing ground for the SEAHIVE Shoreline Protection System, a concrete-and-mangrove structure designed to combat the rising sea levels.

Tips for snorkeling in Fort LauderdaleEarly morning is the best time to snorkel: Underwater visibility is best at high tide, and many creatures hide in rocky crevices or retreat into deeper waters once the tourist crowds start splashing. Just after sunrise is your best chance for spotting significant marine life, like stingrays, eels, and sea turtles.Do the “stingray shuffle:” When entering the water from the beach, Floridians do the “stingray shuffle” to avoid stingray stings. Shuffle your feet along the ocean floor rather than picking your feet up to take normal steps. The vibrations will alert any nearby stingrays to your presence and they’ll peacefully swim away.Look below you: Keep your eye on the ocean floor, to catch a glimpse of the diverse marine life that might camouflage well with the natural environment, including flounders, spotted scorpionfish, and stingrays.Lobster season is from late July to March: If catching your own lobster interests you, visit during the spiny lobster sport season in late July or the regular lobster season from early August until early March. You’ll need to apply for a Florida saltwater fishing license with a lobster permit.Refrain from touching coral: Coral may look pretty, but it takes hundreds of years to grow and can be extremely sharp, or even poisonous. Don’t touch it. If the current is rough, avoid snorkeling in shallow areas where you could accidentally collide with the reef. And leave shells where you find them; they could be homes for crabs or eventually become the sand that protects the coast from erosion.Don’t tamper with turtles or eggs: From March through June, female leatherback, loggerhead, and green sea turtles make their way onto the beach at night to lay eggs in the sand. Six to eight weeks later, hatchlings journey to the water’s edge. No matter how cute they are, it’s illegal to touch or tamper with the turtles or eggs.Wear reef-friendly sunscreen: Especially on the back of your body, which will be exposed to sunlight. Don’t forget the back of your arms and legs.Never snorkel alone: And if you plan to snorkel from a boat or past buoys marking a shallow swim area, you must bring a dive flag. More like thisNewsYou Can Become a Certified Mermaid Freediver in Florida Springs

14 Everyday English Sayings You Might Be Getting Wrong

English may not be the hardest language to learn, but it has subtleties that can throw off even the most well-read native English speaker. One of the main difficulties for people learning the language is the diverse slang used by English speakers around the world, whether that be in Ireland, Australia, Scotland, or Nigeria, to name a few. Another thing that makes English difficult is eggcorns.

What is an Eggcorn?

An eggcorn, a term that comes from the mispronunciation of acorn, is defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “a word or phrase that sounds like and is mistakenly used in a seemingly logical or plausible way for another word or phrase either on its own or as part of a set expression.”

Eggcorns are a common blunder, but that doesn’t make it any less embarrassing to be called on them. Below is a list of popular eggcorns you should know about and avoid at all costs.

All the definitions listed below are taken from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Collins Dictionary.

1. Saying to “nip something in the butt” instead of “nip something in the bud”

“Butt” is the short for buttocks; “bud” is the immature growth on the stem of a plant that will develop into a flower. There’s no reason why anything would need to be nipped in anybody’s butt, unless that person is undergoing colorectal surgery.

Nipping something in the bud: “To stop (something) immediately so that it does not become a worse problem.”

2. Saying “to pass mustard” instead of “to pass muster”

“Mustard” is a spicy condiment; “muster” is an inspection or examination. You pass the mustard at a dinner table, and your work passes muster if it meets certain standards.

To pass muster: “To gain approval or acceptance.”

3. Saying “soaping wet” instead of “soaking wet”

“Soaping” is the action of applying soap; “soaking” is a verb that means that something becomes saturated with fluid after being immersed. You can be wet while rubbing soap on something or someone, but that’s a totally different situation.

Soaking wet: “Very wet.”

4. Saying “to all intensive purposes” instead of “to all intents and purposes”

“Intensive” is an adjective that expresses high physical or emotional strength; “intent” is a planned action and is the synonym of purpose. While using “intensive” in this popular phrase works in some contexts, it won’t convey the original definition of the phrase and could potentially lead to misunderstandings.

To all intents and purposes: “In almost every respect.” It is also used more abstractly to mean “essentially” or “in effect.”

5. Saying a “mute point” instead of a “moot point”

“Mute” is an adjective that indicates a lack of speech; “moot” refers to a claim or logic that is questionable and uncertain. Confusing both terms can make sense if we consider that a “mute point” is an argument that is so irrelevant that it’s akin to its speaker having said nothing at all.

Moot point: “A question about which there is debate or doubt.”

6. Saying “biting your time” instead of “biding your time”

“Biting” is to grip with your teeth; “biding” is to wait for something. While both verbs sound very similar, interchanging both terms in this phrase does not make a lot of sense unless you grind your teeth with impatience while waiting for something to happen.

Biding your time: “Wait for a good opportunity before doing something.”

7. Saying “dull as dishwater” instead of “dull as ditch water”

Both dishwater and ditchwater are dull and therefore could work in this phrase, but ditch water seems a lot grimier, adding a layer of unpleasantness to whoever or whatever you’re referring to.

Dull as ditchwater: “Extremely dull; boring.”

8. Saying an “old wise tale” instead of an “old wives’ tale”

While the phrase “old wives’ tale” expresses doubt, “old wise tale” suggests seriousness, experience, and even truth. Therefore, they are not to be confused if the meaning of the phrase is to remain the same.

Old wives’ tale: “An often traditional belief that is not based on fact”

9. Saying “wheelbarrel” instead of “wheelbarrow”

While the body of a wheelbarrow is kind of shaped like half a barrel, using the term “wheelbarrel” is incorrect.

Wheelbarrow: “A small, usually single-wheeled vehicle that is used for carrying small loads and is fitted with handles at the rear by which it can be pushed and guided.”

10. Saying “nerve wrecking” instead of “nerve-racking”

This is an eggcorn that is easy to forgive. “Wreck” means to damage or destroy, and it’s very easy these days to find a situation that damages your nervous system. Unfortunately for this stellar logic, the correct phrase is “nerve-racking,” with “racking” meaning “to cause to suffer torture, pain, anguish, or ruin.” The meanings of “wreck” and “rack” overlap, but only one is correct in this phrase.

Nerve-racking: “A nerve-racking situation or experience makes you feel very tense and worried.”

11. Saying “illicit a response” instead of “elicit a response”

“Illicit” is an adjective that’s synonymous with “illegal.” “Elicit” is the action to make someone act by saying or doing something.

To elicit a response: “To do or say something which makes other people respond or react.”

12. Saying “expresso” instead of “espresso”

Espressos are traditionally served standing up at the café’s counter and drunk quickly in a couple of gulps, and that may be the reason why people keep thinking they are called “expressos.” That, or because the beverage sends one extremely quickly to the bathroom. No matter the reason, the correct term is “espresso.”

Espresso: “Coffee brewed by forcing hot water through finely ground darkly roasted coffee beans.”

13. Saying “damp squid” instead of “damp squib”

Like most eggcorns, this often confused British expression is the result of confusing two similar-sounding words: “squid,” a type of ocean-living mollusk, and “quib,” a small firecracker. By confusing the two words, the meaning of the idioms changes. A squid is meant to be damp, a squib certainly isn’t.

Damp squib: “Something that is disappointing because it is not as exciting or effective as expected.”

14. Saying “on tender hooks” instead of “on tenterhooks”

“Tenterhooks” are a type of hooked nails, whereas “tender” is an adjective that conveys an idea of softness, delicacy, and sensitivity. The meaning of the this common British idiom changes dramatically when the terms are confused.

On tenterhooks: “In a state of uneasiness, strain, or suspense.”

More like thisLanguages20 of the Funniest Idioms for People Learning English

Dining in Dallas: A Neighborhood Guide To the City’s Best Food

You’ll be about one meal in when you realize the food scene in Dallas is just as vibrant as the city itself. Its culinary offerings stretch far beyond the drool-worthy barbecue Texas is famous for (of course, there are some great options for that too). In each pocket of the city are food finds worthy of any guidebook — from golden-fried seafood piled high in a simple takeout container to fire-grilled wagyu steak plated like a work of modern art. Let your taste buds guide your journey, and you’ll leave more than satisfied.

No matter which area of the city you find yourself in, here’s how to properly taste some of the best of Dallas.

Uptown, Knox/Henderson

Photo: Kathy Tran/Malai Thai-Vietnamese Kitchen

Known for its energetic, youthful vibe, these trendy areas north of Downtown are densely packed with destinations for shopping and nightlife — along with many of the city’s hottest restaurants.

Malai Kitchen

Head to Malai Kitchen for modern interpretations of Thai-Vietnamese cuisine, house-brewed beer, and carefully crafted cocktails. The Dallas brunch scene is top-notch, and this inviting restaurant stands out with unique, flavorful options like Thai Eggs Benedict. You’ll be thinking about those made-from-scratch coconut biscuits topped with shrimp, poached eggs, and chili hollandaise long after you’ve returned home.

S&D Oyster Company

Open since 1976, S&D Oyster Company is a beloved local institution serving up a taste of New Orleans with classic Gulf Coast options like seafood gumbo and broiled snapper with homemade hush puppies. Of course, there’s no better way to start your meal than with a platter of their large raw oysters on the half shell.

Sixty Vines

If hearing the words “wine on tap” makes you swoon, Sixty Vines needs to be your dinner stop after you’re done visiting the nearby Dallas Museum of Art or Nasher Sculpture Center. At this stylish restaurant, you can enjoy a glass (or two, or three…) from their superb wine selection alongside New American cuisine like crispy zucchini chips and fig and prosciutto pizza.

Downtown, The Arts District, Klyde Warren Park

Photo: The Joule

With its museums, parks, and performance venues, there’s always something interesting to see, do, and eat in the heart of Dallas.

CBD Provisions

Found inside luxury hotel The Joule, CBD Provisions celebrates local produce and meat as refined Southern cuisine. Their crispy pig’s head carnitas is the star of the menu (just make sure you reserve it 24 hours in advance), and their specialty cocktails like the Bourbon & Beer Old Fashioned are an excellent tonic after a long day spent wandering around the West End Historic District.

Tei-An

A posh spot to eat before a show at the Winspear Opera House or Meyerson Symphony Center, Tei-An is famous for its soba noodles, which you can order hot or cold. If you’re really in the mood for a lavish dining experience, opt for the omakase (chef’s extended sushi dinner) and let Chef Teiichi Sakurai and his team take you on a memorable multi-course experience.

Dakota’s Steakhouse

For over 37 years, Dakota’s Steakhouse has been serving up some of Dallas’ best steak cuts and cocktails from its romantic subterranean courtyard. Yep, that’s right — the restaurant is underground. Guests take an elevator 18 feet down, only to step out into a New Orleans-inspired space with a five-tiered water wall, lava-rock fire pit, and other mood-setting decor. The menu boasts luxurious options like a signature seafood platter with oysters, lobster, and scallop ceviche, and aged cowboy bone-in ribeye.

South Dallas, Bishop Arts, The Cedars

Photo: Caydie McCumber/Four Corners Brewing Co.

In this part of the city, there’s a more artsy, independent spirit in the air, and that creativity extends to the local dining options.

Eno’s Pizza Tavern

With its welcoming, neighborhood-favorite feel, Eno’s Pizza Tavern is the spot to satisfy your pizza cravings. They make theirs with a thin, cracker-like crust, which gives it a satisfying crunch, and use farm-to-table ingredients. There’s nothing better than The Pig Smiley — which has pepperoni, sausage, country ham, and honey — paired with a pint of craft beer. Well, maybe adding an order of the truffle cheese bread, too.

Lockhart Smokehouse

Lockhart Smokehouse brings the iconic smoky deliciousness of the Barbecue Capital of Texas (which is, yes, Lockhart) to the big city. Have your fill of classics like brisket and jalapeño sausage, served right on the butcher paper as it should be. Don’t overlook the sides, either — those brisket deviled eggs are calling your name.

Paradiso

It’s all style inside Paradiso, a fashionable restaurant with a gorgeous interior of pastel colors and bespoke furniture along with a lush garden courtyard. The European-inspired menu features items like fried artichokes, wood-fired pizza, and steak frites. Don’t forget to save space for dessert — we recommend the caramel cheesecake and pineapple Madeleines.

Four Corners Brewing

Dallas is lucky to have a ton of quality craft breweries, and one of the favorites is Four Corners Brewing Co. Located in an early-1900s carriage house, it has everything you need for a successful Saturday: a spacious patio area, plenty of specialty beers on tap, and a food menu with exactly the kinds of things you’d want while drinking (fried enchilada balls and churro donuts, anyone?).

East Dallas, White Rock Lake

Photo: Smoky Rose

Slow down and smell the flowers in this greener stretch of Dallas — it also goes by the name of the Lake and Garden District.

HG Sply Co.

Walking the lively Greenville Avenue will introduce you to plenty of bars and restaurants, including HG Sply Co. With an emphasis on minimally processed paleo food, it’s a dream for those with special diets as all dishes can be made gluten- and dairy-free. Even someone who eats everything won’t feel like they’re missing out when devouring flavorful creations like the yellow curry bowl with quinoa “meatballs” and the spicy vegan queso.

Goodfriend Beer Garden & Burger House

Post-hangout at White Rock Lake, head over to Goodfriend Beer Garden & Burger House for some hearty fare. Order something filling like the classic Bourdain Burger (featuring two double smashed patties) and waffle fries to keep your stomach full as you taste from their wide selection of beers. If the weather is nice and there’s a spot free, keep the fun in the sun going with a seat on the generous dog-friendly patio.

Smoky Rose

Smoky Rose serves up high-quality barbecue and summertime-friendly drinks (think frozen cocktails) in a buzzing backyard setting. Smoked meats are their focus and you’ll see a variety of mouthwatering options on the menu, from a Texas-style Philly cheesesteak to chicken-fried prime brisket. Sync your visit with their live music calendar for an entertaining evening.

West Dallas, Trinity Groves

Photo: Adriana Herrera/Beto&Son

Just south of the Trinity River, this district has made a dramatic transformation into a foodie destination, thanks in part to a 15-acre restaurant incubator project.

Carmen’s Mexican Cafe

Carmen’s has an easygoing, family restaurant atmosphere, and its Tex-Mex food will make you feel right at home. Available on the weekends, their menudo is the kind of thing that’ll soothe your soul. Keep in mind they close at 2 or 2:30pm, but they do open at 6am so you can start your day off right with some huevos rancheros.

Beto & Son

Part of the Trinity Groves complex and run by a father-and-son duo, Beto & Son is a Mexican restaurant with winning dishes like sizzling fajita skillets, 12-hour barbacoa tacos, and guacamole made tableside. If you’re drinking, don’t leave without trying their award-winning liquid nitrogen margarita — and snapping a pic for the ‘gram.

Whiskers Fish and Burgers

Who needs plates when you have flavors as good as Whiskers Fish and Burgers? While you’ll find some other items on the menu, the thing to order at this joint is perfectly fried catfish served hot in a styrofoam container with fries, bread, pickles, and tartar sauce. No frills, just good food.

ArtPark

Spend an idyllic day or evening at ArtPark, a colorful beer garden with ample outdoor space decorated by local graffiti artists. Order a frozen drink and food like spaghetti-o fritters or a crispy chicken sandwich at the upcycled shipping container, and unwind with one of the lawn games. Check out their social media to see if there’s a DJ or special performance that evening and head out!

Dallas is a city full of celebration, hospitality, and diversity, and there’s no better way to experience the energy than through its delicious slate of food and drink.

10 Unmissable Waterfalls in Jamaica You Won’t Find in Tourist Guides

Though Jamaica is now the land of reggae, colorful coastal towns, and laid-back beach vibes, it was early Indigenous peoples who first inhabited Jamaica. They’re known as the “Arawaks,” or sometimes “Tainos,” and named the island “Jamaica” from an Indigenous word meaning “land of wood and water.”

That name is quite fitting today because there are nearly 100 rivers and at least 50 waterfalls in Jamaica scattered across the Caribbean island’s mountainous interior.

However, most tourists stick to visiting well-known Dunn’s River Falls. It’s beautiful, but hundreds of tourists climb it daily, and it always feels a bit crowded. Fortunately, travelers can beat the crowds at these lesser-visited but equally unmissable waterfalls in Jamaica. Some are easy to find, while others will take travelers deep into the lush greenery and humble villages of the island’s interior. And pack accordingly in terms of water and snacks: there are very few concession stands at these stunning waterfalls.

Note that the hiking distances below are estimates, as there can be multiple trails to different areas of each waterfall, and the exact route may chance seasonally.

Penfield Falls

Photo: Rochelle Knight

Map: Penfield FallsSwimmable? YesHike to falls: .4 miles

Penfield Waterfall is in Gordon Town, a semi-rural district at the foot of the Blue Mountains near Kingston. This waterfall is three cascades that create three neat swimming pools. There’s a rope swing for jumping into the second pool, usually occupied by local children with no fear as they make impressive jumps into the water. An afternoon swim in the cold refreshing water at Penfield Falls is the perfect way to escape the heat of the city, especially as it’s only about half an hour from Kingston.

From the trailhead, take the trail to the left, which crosses two footbridges over the course of about a 15-minute walk.

Benta Falls

Photo: Rochelle Knight

Map: Benta FallsSwimmable? YesHike to falls: None

Benta Falls is on the verdant outskirts of the resort town of Negril. It’s where you’ll find not just one of the best waterfalls in Jamaica, but seven. All seven cascades flow under a canopy of tall bamboo stalks, ferns, coconut trees, and other tropical plants.

Visitors can swim and jump into the falls or take a nature walk winding along the river to admire the greenery and surroundings. Very little has been done to modify Benta Falls, and the few surrounding buildings and staircases are eco-friendly. That said, it’s still $20 per person to visit.

Falling Edge Falls

Photo: Rochelle Knight

Map: Falling Edge FallsSwimmable? YesHike to falls: .6 miles

In the semi-rural community of Stony Hill, Falling Edge Falls is another one of the waterfalls in Jamaica still somewhat unknown to most tourists. It’s on the outskirts of Kingston but in the opposite direction of Penfield Waterfall.

Falling Edge Falls is accessible via a short, gentle hike through a lush rainforest of ferns and other tropical plants. This area of Jamaica experiences a high level of annual rainfall, which means it can have a lot of mosquitos. Make sure you pack the repellent.

The hike starts off Airy Castle Road just behind the Bowden Hill Primary School. There’s usually a fee of around $5 to visit, which goes toward trail maintenance. Oh, and it’s also called “Bowden Hill Falls,” depending on who you ask.

Fish Done Falls

Photo: Rochelle Knight

Map: Fish Done FallsSwimmable? YesHike to falls: None

Fish Done Falls is next to the B1 road in the Blue Mountains. It’s the scenic, winding main road connecting the major towns of Kingston and Port Antonio, but it’s primarily one of Jamaica’s main cycling roads.

Fish Done is one of the prettiest waterfalls in Jamaica and is sometimes spelled as Fish Dunn Falls – and yes, there are some harmless fish scuttling around here and there in the deep blue water. You can swim here, but the water is a bit cold, and the falls can be strong, so use caution if you swim near or under the cascade. While there’s no hiking to get to the falls, there are lush surrounds that will remind you you’re deep into the island’s interior.

Mayfield Falls

Photo: Rochelle Knight

Map: Mayfield FallsSwimmable? YesHike to falls: Roughly 1 mile through the river

Another waterfall on the outskirts of Negril is Mayfield Falls. Mayfield Falls consists of 21 cascades on the Mayfield River, a tributary of the larger Cabarita River. Visitors need to cross a rustic bamboo footbridge to reach the falls, creating a beautiful photo backdrop.

Mayfield Falls is one of the few waterfalls in Jamaica on this list that does have a few amenities, including lockers, a small info stand where you can rent water shoes or hire a guide, and occasionally someone selling fresh fruit drinks. There’s also an entrance fee of $20 US.

This waterfall is both climbable and swimmable, and  if you hire a guide, you may even get treated to a complimentary foot massage or scrub with clay from the river banks. Mayfield Falls deserves a place in your next Jamaica itinerary if you’re anywhere remotely close.

Noisy River Falls

Photo: Rochelle Knight

Map: Noisy River FallsSwimmable? YesHike to falls: None

Noisy River Falls is in Manchester, one of Jamaica’s south-central parishes. Tourists seldom visit southern Jamaica, but these parishes are teeming with history, quaint towns, and secret swimming holes.

This waterfall is next to the B10 road in the remote district of Oxford. It gets crowded with locals on the weekend, and there are occasionally street parties taking place on the river on public holidays. While in the area, look at the old Oxford Bridge, built in 1869.

Nonsuch Falls

Photo: Rochelle Knight

Map: Nonsuch FallsSwimmable? YesHike to falls: 5 miles (to bottom)

Okay, this is one of the few waterfalls in Jamaica you may find listed here and there in guidebooks, but for good reason: Nonsuch Falls is Jamaica’s tallest waterfall at 290 feet high.

It’s an adventurous hike to reach the falls as it’s in the thick Portland jungle near Jamaica’s north coast. A shorter trail leads to the top, but you can only appreciate the full grandeur of this waterfall from its base.

On the hike, travelers will usually spot endemic Jamaican birds, and if you go with a guide, expect to learn about the area’s rich Maroon and natural history. The Maroon people are proud descendants of runaway enslaved Africans who have lived in the rugged mountains for more than 300 years. Going to the bottom of the falls is only possible on a guided tour, which costs about $45 per person and should be booked online in advance.

Reach Falls

Photo: Rochelle Knight

Map: Reach FallsSwimmable? YesHike to falls: None

Reach Falls is in the montane forest of the Blue and John Crow Mountains in east Portland. It’s fed by the nearby Drivers River and is wider than it is tall. There are numerous swimming spots and underwater caverns at this waterfall, including a popular spot upstream known as the Rabbit Hole. You can also stand behind or under the main waterfall as it’s not too powerful.

There’s no hike to get to Reach Falls – only a staircase from the parking lot to the falls, winding through lush vegetation (and a $10 entrance fee). While there, it’s sometimes possible to spot wild boars charging through the hills if you’re lucky. Related: it’s said that this is also where Jamaica’s jerk style of cooking, often made with pork, originated.

Milbank Falls

Photo: Rochelle Knight

Map: Millbank FallsSwimmable? YesHike to falls: 3 miles

The falls in Millbank are the most remote waterfalls on this list and possibly in all of Jamaica.

Millbank is one of the secluded Maroon villages deep in the Upper Rio Grande Valley near Portland. This section of the Rio Grande river has twelve waterfalls, many of which are at least an hour’s hike apart and visited almost exclusively by Millbank residents and, occasionally, very adventurous tourists. You’ll probably want to find a guide online in advance since the hike is rather uphill and not always well marked. (I’ve used On the Edge Adventure Tours.)

Millbank is a great spot for birdwatching and you’ll likely pass places to try new tropical fruits (such as Otaheite apples) that grow wild on this side of Jamaica. Millbank is a beautiful part of the island, containing one of Jamaica’s last remaining untouched rainforests.

Cascade Falls

Photo: Rochelle Knight

Map: Cascade FallsSwimmable? NoHike to falls: .8 miles

There’s no false advertising with the name of this community. The village of Cascade is home to numerous waterfalls, several of which are visible from the B1 road. The largest waterfall, also known as One Drop Waterfall, is 100 feet tall and accessible via a 20-minute hike from the main road. 

Alternatively, you can also reach Cascade Falls via the nature trail from the nearby Holywell mountain park. And if you get hungry, no problem: you’ll find temperate fruits such as peaches and strawberries growing wild at this higher altitude.

More like thisFood + DrinkJamaica’s Jerk and Festival Bread Is the Ultimate Caribbean Pairing

This Detailed Look at Every Button in a Plane’s Cockpit Will Make You Appreciate Pilots Even More

If you’re a frequent flyer, you may have caught a glance at the cockpit as you board or deplane. The whole thing looks intimidating, with so many lights, buttons, levers, and knobs. It’s no wonder that it takes 1,500 hours of flying to become an airline pilot. Animagraffs, a Youtube creator that makes explainer videos, did a deep dive into every detail of a flight deck.

The flight deck seats have a five-strap harness, and the seat and armrests move in several different directions. From the outside armrest, pilots have their sidestick, which looks like the gearshift on a car, that has autopilot and intercom controls for the pilot to make announcements over the loudspeaker. For steering, pilots use tablets, overhead displays, a tiller, and rudder pedals to navigate and keep the plane in the upright position and brake.

The control panels are made up of the left inboard module, right inboard module, and lights overhead module, which have warning lights kind of like when your check engine light is on — except, in this case, the plane is equipped with tools to fix itself, like fire extinguishers in case of a fire. The glare shield gives the pilot ample information about what’s going on, like the status of fuel systems, radars, and terrain information. It has a nonverbal way of communicating with air traffic controllers. The landing gear level has automated braking systems that can be overridden if necessary.

It’s a lot of information to take in, to say the least. But with America in the middle of a severe pilot shortage, people know know how to operate a commercial plane are needed now more than ever.

More like thisNews‘Pilot Fatigue’ Is Plaguing the Airline Industry. Here’s How That Impacts You.

These 12 Hotels Make Their Own Alcohol, and It’s Better Than Anything Else at the Hotel Bar

The allure of finding something you won’t back home — whether it’s a place, food, or experience — is one of the biggest draws of travel. And as the world of craft spirits, beers, and wine has exploded over the past decade, finding a drink with a sense of place has become as much a part of a trip as a signature hike or delicious meal. Hotels understand this, and many have started producing their own beverages that are as distinct as the restaurants and décor.

From tropical beers in the Caribbean to gin off the coast of Cape Cod, here’s a dozen hotels making alcohol you won’t find anywhere else.

Esmé Miami Beach Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida

You may be a little confused when you belly up to the El Salon bar at Miami Beach’s Esme hotel. Instead of the usual collection of spirits you know and love, you’ll instead see a collection of El Salon-labeled bottles of uniform shape and size. That’s because El Salon blends all its own spirits, from vodka to Scotch to gin. You’ll find three varieties of each – Traditional, Versatile, and Extraordinary – with tasting notes to guide you along the way. You can also take a spirit blending class from head bartender Dave Simmons, who’ll explain how you, too, can have your own private label bar at home.

Corazon Cabo in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Photo: Rooftop 360

Los Cabos has a growing food and drink scene. The region might not have many micro breweries, but the one it does have has one of the most stunning views (and delicious beers) in the world. Baja Brewing, set atop the Corazon Cabo Resort and Spa, has a panoramic view over the iconic coast of Cabo and serves up a collection of beers like the Cabotella blonde ale and Peyote IPA. The pizza pairing is superb as well, as Baja Brewing’s pizza crusts are made with spent barley, yeast, and beer.

RiverWalk Resort at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, New Hampshire

There’s nothing quite like stepping off a long day on the slopes and relaxing with a flight of made-on-site wines. You might expect this kind of experience in places like Lake Tahoe or the Chilean Andes, but it’s actually in New Hampshire at the base of Loon Mountain at the RiverWalk Resort. Seven Birches Winery makes all its wine just off the main lobby, where guests can stop in for an apres ski wine tasting or try their hand at making wine themselves with private tours and classes with the winemaker.

Lovango Resort in St. John, USVI

Photo: Nicole Canegata

While building the Lovango Resort, the hotel’s owners crossed paths with Mutiny Island Vodka founder Todd Manely, who showed them how to make spirits from the breadfruit tree. They became enamored with the concept, and the result is the USVI’s only resort-specific liquors from Lovango’s Little Gems Spirits. The distillery goes beyond simply making vodka from the breadfruit tree, though, and visitors can enjoy its exclusive Caribbean Spice Whiskey and Sweet Tamarind Rum alongside the flagship Sorrel Lime Vodka.

Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Funner, California

The town of Funner, California, lives up to its name at the Harrah’s resort. In addition to a 400-foot lazy river, the property has SoCal’s only tribal-owned craft brewery, Rincon Reservation Road. The Rincon tribe’s beer maker offers seven different creations, including the Pikwla ‘Berry’ raspberry saison, and the Tropical Oasis — a 4.2 percent blonde ale packed with peach, passionfruit, strawberry, and orange that’s especially refreshing after a couple hours on the lazy river.

Carmel Valley Ranch in Carmel Valley, California

Photo: Carmel Valley Ranch

The dry, warm microclimate of the Carmel Valley makes it one of the best grape growing regions in California. The Carmel Valley Ranch takes full advantage of its fortunate location with a 3.5-acre vineyard onsite that feeds the hotel’s Swing Wine brand. The hotel teamed with San Francisco Chronicle 2018 Winemaker of the Year Ian Brand to create a special line of wines available only on property, with options ranging from pinot noir to sauvignon blanc to rosé.

Pinehurst Hotel and Resort in Pinehurst, North Carolina

Everyone loves a good restored steam plant brought back to life as a full service craft brewery. Even better when it’s attached to a grand golf resort in the hills of North Carolina. That’s the scene at Pinehurst, where the 1895 steam plant that once powered the village was transformed into Pinehurst Brewing. The old boiler room’s charred brick walls remain standing and old valves now serve as table legs, where you can relax with a signature 1895 lager or Hop Cluster Hazy IPA after a long day on the links.

Chatham Bars Inn in Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Photo: Chatham Bars Inn

Typically, one wouldn’t think the salty water off Cape Cod would make for an appetizing alcohol ingredient. But the Chatham Bars Inn teamed up with Estancia Gin to scour the beaches near the hotel for fresh sea salt, then use it to dilute the gin off the still. Combined with local botanicals, juniper, and Italian citrus, the gin has a slight salinity to it that lends itself well to a dirty martini. The Inn Gin also pairs well with Chatham oysters, giving the spirit a unique sense of place.

Four Seasons Orlando in Orlando, Florida

Four Seasons Orlando’s Executive Chef Fabrizio Shenardi isn’t satisfied to simply master the menus at the hotel’s onsite restaurant, Ravello. In his spare time, he also crafts traditional Italian limoncello, made with fresh lemons, Everclear, sugar, and imported Italian water. The chef has an entire storage room devoted to crafting this and other liqueurs, including strawberry-infused fragolino, basil liqueur, chocolatey bicerin, and a milk-and-lemon crema di limoncello.

Alaia Beliza in San Pedro, Belize

Photo: Alaia Belize

The first Marriott in Belize is not a simple spot for an airport stopover. This Autograph Collection property also houses the coolest hotel bar in the country, where head bartender Subhash Sankar puts on a full mixology show filled with glass towers, liquid nitrogen, and drinks that change color. A big part of the draw is also the collections of spirits he makes himself, taking ingredients from Alaia’s onsite greenhouse and distilling bitters, syrups, and liqueurs that replace the traditional Amaretto and Bailey’s.

Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet in St. Lucia

In addition to the jaw-dropping views of the Pitons from its three-walled rooms, Jade Mountain also offers beer made with volcanic spring water. The hotel, along with its sister property Anse Chastanet, partnered with the Antillia Brewing Company to install onsite brewing equipment. The result is Emerald Estate brewers, which makes beers using ingredients native to St. Lucia. Ultimately, the brewers are trying to replace European-sourced malts with tropical fruits to create a beer made with all-Caribbean ingredients. But for now the first offerings are the Soursop Ale made with fruit from the island, and the Bois Bande Stout brewed with the bark of a local tree rumored to be an aphrodisiac.

JW Marriott Grand Rapids in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Not to besmirch the whiskey-making prowess of the great state of Michigan, but when the JW Marriott’s Women and Whiskey program decided to make its own blend for the hotel, they knew it had to come from Kentucky. So they traveled to the Maker’s Mark distillery to make a complex proprietary blend, then aged it in a special barrel onsite. The result is a whiskey with notes of black cherry cola that you can find in cocktails at the hotel’s restaurant Margaux. The barrel itself is also part of the hotel’s décor, proudly on display for your selfie-taking enjoyment.

These 12 Hotels Make Their Own Alcohol, and Its Better Than Anything Else at the Hotel Bar

The allure of finding something you won’t back home — whether it’s a place, food, or experience — is one of the biggest draws of travel. And as the world of craft spirits, beers, and wine has exploded over the past decade, finding a drink with a sense of place has become as much a part of a trip as a signature hike or delicious meal. Hotels understand this, and many have started producing their own beverages that are as distinct as the restaurants and décor.

From tropical beers in the Caribbean to gin off the coast of Cape Cod, here’s a dozen hotels making alcohol you won’t find anywhere else.

Esmé Miami Beach Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida

You may be a little confused when you belly up to the El Salon bar at Miami Beach’s Esme hotel. Instead of the usual collection of spirits you know and love, you’ll instead see a collection of El Salon-labeled bottles of uniform shape and size. That’s because El Salon blends all its own spirits, from vodka to Scotch to gin. You’ll find three varieties of each – Traditional, Versatile, and Extraordinary – with tasting notes to guide you along the way. You can also take a spirit blending class from head bartender Dave Simmons, who’ll explain how you, too, can have your own private label bar at home.

Corazon Cabo in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Photo: Rooftop 360

Los Cabos has a growing food and drink scene. The region might not have many micro breweries, but the one it does have has one of the most stunning views (and delicious beers) in the world. Baja Brewing, set atop the Corazon Cabo Resort and Spa, has a panoramic view over the iconic coast of Cabo and serves up a collection of beers like the Cabotella blonde ale and Peyote IPA. The pizza pairing is superb as well, as Baja Brewing’s pizza crusts are made with spent barley, yeast, and beer.

RiverWalk Resort at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, New Hampshire

There’s nothing quite like stepping off a long day on the slopes and relaxing with a flight of made-on-site wines. You might expect this kind of experience in places like Lake Tahoe or the Chilean Andes, but it’s actually in New Hampshire at the base of Loon Mountain at the RiverWalk Resort. Seven Birches Winery makes all its wine just off the main lobby, where guests can stop in for an apres ski wine tasting or try their hand at making wine themselves with private tours and classes with the winemaker.

Lovango Resort in St. John, USVI

Photo: Nicole Canegata

While building the Lovango Resort, the hotel’s owners crossed paths with Mutiny Island Vodka founder Todd Manely, who showed them how to make spirits from the breadfruit tree. They became enamored with the concept, and the result is the USVI’s only resort-specific liquors from Lovango’s Little Gems Spirits. The distillery goes beyond simply making vodka from the breadfruit tree, though, and visitors can enjoy its exclusive Caribbean Spice Whiskey and Sweet Tamarind Rum alongside the flagship Sorrel Lime Vodka.

Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Funner, California

The town of Funner, California, lives up to its name at the Harrah’s resort. In addition to a 400-foot lazy river, the property has SoCal’s only tribal-owned craft brewery, Rincon Reservation Road. The Rincon tribe’s beer maker offers seven different creations, including the Pikwla ‘Berry’ raspberry saison, and the Tropical Oasis — a 4.2 percent blonde ale packed with peach, passionfruit, strawberry, and orange that’s especially refreshing after a couple hours on the lazy river.

Carmel Valley Ranch in Carmel Valley, California

Photo: Carmel Valley Ranch

The dry, warm microclimate of the Carmel Valley makes it one of the best grape growing regions in California. The Carmel Valley Ranch takes full advantage of its fortunate location with a 3.5-acre vineyard onsite that feeds the hotel’s Swing Wine brand. The hotel teamed with San Francisco Chronicle 2018 Winemaker of the Year Ian Brand to create a special line of wines available only on property, with options ranging from pinot noir to sauvignon blanc to rosé.

Pinehurst Hotel and Resort in Pinehurst, North Carolina

Everyone loves a good restored steam plant brought back to life as a full service craft brewery. Even better when it’s attached to a grand golf resort in the hills of North Carolina. That’s the scene at Pinehurst, where the 1895 steam plant that once powered the village was transformed into Pinehurst Brewing. The old boiler room’s charred brick walls remain standing and old valves now serve as table legs, where you can relax with a signature 1895 lager or Hop Cluster Hazy IPA after a long day on the links.

Chatham Bars Inn in Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Photo: Chatham Bars Inn

Typically, one wouldn’t think the salty water off Cape Cod would make for an appetizing alcohol ingredient. But the Chatham Bars Inn teamed up with Estancia Gin to scour the beaches near the hotel for fresh sea salt, then use it to dilute the gin off the still. Combined with local botanicals, juniper, and Italian citrus, the gin has a slight salinity to it that lends itself well to a dirty martini. The Inn Gin also pairs well with Chatham oysters, giving the spirit a unique sense of place.

Four Seasons Orlando in Orlando, Florida

Four Seasons Orlando’s Executive Chef Fabrizio Shenardi isn’t satisfied to simply master the menus at the hotel’s onsite restaurant, Ravello. In his spare time, he also crafts traditional Italian limoncello, made with fresh lemons, Everclear, sugar, and imported Italian water. The chef has an entire storage room devoted to crafting this and other liqueurs, including strawberry-infused fragolino, basil liqueur, chocolatey bicerin, and a milk-and-lemon crema di limoncello.

Alaia Beliza in San Pedro, Belize

Photo: Alaia Belize

The first Marriott in Belize is not a simple spot for an airport stopover. This Autograph Collection property also houses the coolest hotel bar in the country, where head bartender Subhash Sankar puts on a full mixology show filled with glass towers, liquid nitrogen, and drinks that change color. A big part of the draw is also the collections of spirits he makes himself, taking ingredients from Alaia’s onsite greenhouse and distilling bitters, syrups, and liqueurs that replace the traditional Amaretto and Bailey’s.

Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet in St. Lucia

In addition to the jaw-dropping views of the Pitons from its three-walled rooms, Jade Mountain also offers beer made with volcanic spring water. The hotel, along with its sister property Anse Chastanet, partnered with the Antillia Brewing Company to install onsite brewing equipment. The result is Emerald Estate brewers, which makes beers using ingredients native to St. Lucia. Ultimately, the brewers are trying to replace European-sourced malts with tropical fruits to create a beer made with all-Caribbean ingredients. But for now the first offerings are the Soursop Ale made with fruit from the island, and the Bois Bande Stout brewed with the bark of a local tree rumored to be an aphrodisiac.

JW Marriott Grand Rapids in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Not to besmirch the whiskey-making prowess of the great state of Michigan, but when the JW Marriott’s Women and Whiskey program decided to make its own blend for the hotel, they knew it had to come from Kentucky. So they traveled to the Maker’s Mark distillery to make a complex proprietary blend, then aged it in a special barrel onsite. The result is a whiskey with notes of black cherry cola that you can find in cocktails at the hotel’s restaurant Margaux. The barrel itself is also part of the hotel’s décor, proudly on display for your selfie-taking enjoyment.

The 7 Best Places in the World To Go Sandboarding

I’ve always wanted to surf, but my immense fear of drowning has been enough to keep me from taking the plunge.

So the next best thing, it seems, is sandboarding. It replaces towering waves with imposing sand dunes, wetsuits with shorts and t-shirts, and surfboards with sandboards. Sandboarding requires a great deal of practice, and like with surfing, you should expect to take a more than a few tumbles while you’re learning (and may get some nasty sand-burn on your knees and elbows). Still, it’s better than running into a great white shark.

Even if you fall (multiple times), it’s worth the adrenaline rush of tearing down a steep sand slope surrounded by miles of desert. The trick, however, is finding the right dune. From Colorado to Australia, these are the seven best places in the world to go sandboarding.

Great Sea of Sand, Siwa, Egypt

Photo: sutadi anang yahya/Shutterstock

When it comes to sandboarding, you should probably have pretty high expectations of a place called the “Great Sand Sea.” Luckily, you wouldn’t be let down. The Great Sand Sea is a 28,000-square-mile desert between western Egypt and eastern Libya, and unsurprisingly, has some of the best sandboarding in the world. Many of the dunes around Siwa exceed 500 feet in height with angles of at least 70 degrees.

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

Photo: Andrew Repp/Shutterstock

Colorado’s southerly sand dunes are often overlooked in favor of the state’s more famous national park attraction: the Rocky Mountains. But to forget Great Sand Dunes National Park is to forget one of Colorado’s most beautiful landscapes — and best places for sandboarding.

Home to the tallest sand dunes in North America, the park is about a four-hour drive from Denver and has terrain perfect for riders of all experience levels. The “Star Dune,” for example, is 750 feet high and offers one of the most thrilling rides you can imagine. There’s also an outdoor swimming pool in the nearby town of Hooper where you can take a much-needed dip after a long sandboarding sesh.

Swakopmund, Namibia

Photo: Piet05/Shutterstock

The desert surrounding the coastal city of Swakopmund has some of the best sandboarding in the world. There are several different tour companies offering transport from local hotels to the desert; tours come with all the equipment you’ll need and instruction for sandboarding in the often-extreme heat.

If you’re going it alone, start small and work your way up to the taller, steeper slopes. Seek out “Little Nellie,” then “Birgit Run,” and conclude with “Lizze” – a dune you can sandboard at speeds of 40 miles per hour.

Huacachina, Peru

Photo: MarinaTP/Shutterstock

Peru’s Inca Desert is the Sahara of South America. Home to some of the tallest sand dunes in the world, the desert is perfect for off-roading, night-sky viewing, camping, and, of course, sandboarding.

The small village of Huacachina, centered around a lagoon, is the perfect base for your sandboarding excursion as it sits at the base of some of the desert’s steepest dunes. From the top of the dunes, you’ll have a perfect view of the lagoon, which makes for a particularly stunning sight around sunset. Huacachina has hosted the  Sandboard World Cup multiple times, so time your visit with the event if you want to be inspired by the pros.

Kangaroo Island, Australia

Photo: sasimoto/Shutterstock

Kangaroo Island in Australia is covered in dunes, but the most popular for sandboarding is known as “Little Sahara.” it covers 500 acres, so you can probably guess that that includes quite a few epic dunes. The highest spot in the sand dune system is 230 feet, and at the top, you’ll have sweeping views of the island’s nature reserves. The Kangaroo Island dunes have been a heritage site in Australia since the 1970s, meaning they’re incredibly well preserved. There’s also an abundance of wildlife on the island you might be lucky enough to glimpse, including sea lions, koalas, and a wide range of bird species.

Giant Sand Dunes in the Te Paki Recreation Reserve, New Zealand

Photo: Thomas Hagenau/Shutterstock

New Zealand truly has some of the most diverse geography on the planet, so no surprise that it has fabulous sand dunes. Five hours north of Auckland on the North Island, Te Paki Recreation Reserve is full of hiking trails, picnic areas, campgrounds, bird watching opportunities, and sand dunes, some of which are 460 feet above sea level. Te Paki used to be an entirely separate landmass from the rest of New Zealand, and it shows, with the landscape becoming more rugged, dramatic, and primal once you enter the reserve. You can rent boards near the entrance to the dunes, but they’ll be a bit cheaper if you rent them in the nearby town of Waitiki Landing, instead.

Atacama Desert, Chile

Photo: Publio Furbino/Shutterstock

The Atacama Desert is a place of superlatives. It’s the driest desert on Earth and home to some of the best sandboarding in the world. Death Valley, just a few miles from San Pedro de Atacama, might sound frightening, but you’ll never feel more alive than when you’re sandboarding down its 400-foot-tall dunes while taking in the desert views.

Death Valley is also known as the “Valley of Mars” due to its otherworldly red rock formations. To see them, check out the “Valley of the Moon” trail, which goes by many of the most impressive rock features. Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) and Valle de la Muerta (Valley of Death) are only a short drive from one another, so it’s easy to check out all the wild geological formations in one trip.

More like thisOutdoorWomen in Extreme Sports Discuss the Challenges of Working in a Male-Dominated Industry

This Scenic and Quiet Hippy Surf Town Is the Perfect Getaway From San Francisco

Less than an hour from San Francisco, California, lies a four-mile long sliver of coastline sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the coastal mountains. Stinson Beach has a lengthy, soft sand beach and a low-key town center with little more than the essentials: a post office, grocery, two restaurants, and a handful of stores. At low tide, the Bolinas Lagoon at the town’s far end welcomes hundreds of harbor seals and thousands of birds. The friendly village vibe, abundant wildlife, trail-filled foothills, and vast, dune-backed beach feel a world away — making a weekend at Stinson Beach a refreshing break from urban living.

Where is Stinson Beach and how to get there from San Francisco?

As you cross the Golden Gate Bridge north of San Francisco, you’ll see the Marin Headlands, where the North Coast Range begins. You’ll exit to 101 North at the Mill Valley/Stinson Beach exit and follow signs that will take you up and over these mountains. Whether you take the road along the coast or through the interior, the path involves lots of winding turns that scare car sickness-prone people away from even visiting Stinson. (Just keep your eyes on the road and you’ll be fine). You’ll arrive in Stinson about thirty minutes after you’ve exited the 101 North — unless you’ve left late on a sunny weekend. Depart San Francisco before 10:00 AM to avoid bad traffic. While arriving by car is much easier, the Marin Transit bus does provide service from Sausalito or Mill Valley into Stinson Beach and Bolinas.

Stinson Beach weather

Stinson Beach is often socked in, a result of hot air inland pulling up cold air from the chilly Pacific Ocean. But the blanket of fog and the beach’s grassy dunes lend a meditative air to the place. The nicest days are often in spring and fall, when inland temperatures are lower and hence don’t tug up the cold fog from the ocean. June is usually sunny, but climate change may alter that in favor of fog. Pleasant weather can last even into November, depending on the year; a Thanksgiving weekend could call for down jackets or for surfing. If it’s foggy in the summer, sometimes both the north end of the beach and Bolinas across the channel are sunnier, due to the topography.

What to do in Stinson BeachHiking the Coast Range Mountains

Photo: Jasdeep Gill/Shutterstock

The mountains that keep Stinson Beach feeling so remote are full of evergreens that disguise several spectacular trails. On the forest drive into Stinson, several trails depart from the Bootjack and Pantoll campground parking areas. One of these is the Old Stage Road that takes you up to the West Point Inn, an off-the-grid lodge at 1,800 feet with spectacular SF Bay and city views. Keep going and you’ll eventually arrive at the 2,570-foot peak of Mount Tamalpais.

You can also access plenty of trails from town. The Steep Ravine Trail starts behind the fire station, taking you uphill a mile and half — maneuvering a wooden ladder at one point — to the Pantoll Ridge. You could head right back down, or descend instead on Old Mine Trail and then take the Dipsea Trail into town. The entirety of the Dipsea Trail runs 7.5 miles from Stinson to Mill Valley, so stay on the Stinson side and enjoy the ocean views. In fact, “The Dipsea” is an annual race where runners edge past each other on steep, narrow, root-rutted paths. The century-old race is perilous, so be happy you’re just hiking it.

To avoid a poison oak rash, hike with long pants and socks. If not, wash your legs afterwards with cold water and dish soap or Tecnu, both of which can remove the poison oak oils before they get into your pores.

Visiting a great National Park Service

Photo: topseller/Shutterstock

On the way to Stinson Beach, you’ll pass signs to Muir Woods National Monument, a magical forest of varied trees and stunning old growth redwoods whose size you have to see to grasp. Some of the redwoods, which are well over 200 feet in height, are more than a thousand years old — and they have another thousand years to grow. When you arrive, ask about guided ranger tours, which are held often. The park is open every day, and reservations are always required. On your way back to Stinson after visiting Muir Woods, grab a beverage at the Pelican Inn, an Old World pub that looks like it was transported straight from the British Isles.

Thirty minutes north of Stinson Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore is another great spot for hiking and wildlife-watching. Tule elk and snowy plovers are among the resident animal species. Elephant seals often relax on the beach, while whales migrate just offshore. The park contains 80 miles of coastline, with memorable locations like Alamere Falls, which gushes straight into the sand, four large beaches, and the Point Reyes Lighthouse — the latter of which is only reached via a narrow staircase down a very long ridge. If you head to Point Reyes for some hiking or beaching, pick up savory sandwiches at the Inverness Park Market on your way in.

Going to the beach

Photo: Jchannell/Shutterstock

Naturally, the main draw is the 3.5-mile-long Stinson Beach itself, which you access via a parking lot by the town center. You can only reach the opposite end of the beach, next to the channel into the Bolinas Lagoon, by walking the three-plus miles to get there — unless you own a home, or know someone who does, in the gated Seadrift area. On the beach, you can look out at distant San Francisco and the Farallon Islands across the water, weather permitting.

Surfing at Stinson Beach

Surfing is big here, even if the waves in Stinson are rarely epic, and the Live Water Surf Shop will fill any surfboard and wetsuit rental needs. You can sign up for lessons via Live Water as well. Summertime swells tend to be weak all along the coast, but they improve in the fall, when you can find clean, longboard-friendly left-handers at The Patch surf break in Bolinas. Rent gear or arrange lessons at the Bolinas 2 Mile Surf Shop.

Shopping at local shops

If your perfect weekend includes shopping, you’ll find a couple of options in Stinson Beach, starting with the aforementioned Live Water Surf Shop. Sweatshirts with Live Water’s catchy No Sharks logo make great gifts, as do the beaded bracelets and other beachy accessories. Destination Stinson is the place for beach cover ups and framed photographs. Pick up a book at the Stinson Beach Bookshop or, sign up for a Marin Library card and borrow books from the Stinson Beach Public Library. You’ll find upscale gifts like handmade ceramics and elegantly jarred jams at Parkside Cafe Marketplace.

Perusing art galleries

Stinson is better suited for admiring the beauty outdoors, but the Claudia Chapline Art Gallery does have some amusing sculptures made with found objects. Over in Bolinas, the Bolinas Gallery is much more extensive, showcasing several lesser and better-known local artists. Its garden passage out back is a pleasant place to sit.

Restaurants at Stinson BeachParkside Cafe

The Parkside Cafe is really three restaurants side by side. A tiny kiosk in the middle serves coffee and baked goods and is the go-to for your morning java. To its right, the Parkside Snack Bar looks like your typical beach burger and fries vendor serving teens and kids at a standup window. The huge difference is that the burgers are made with grass-fed beef, the fish tacos come with freshly made salsa and avocados, and the home churned soft serve ice cream is all-natural.

On the left side is the Parkside Cafe restaurant, which has a cozy indoor dining room with a fireplace and an inviting outdoor area where the wooden tables are shaded by umbrellas or warmed by heat lamps. The market fish of the day, often a locally caught halibut, is plated with perfectly sauteed veggies, homemade pesto, and black roe. It’s a terrific dish. The fish and chips and the vegetarian quinoa also hit the spot. Skip the fish tacos, though, which are tastier at the Parkside Snack Bar.

Address: 43 Arenal Avenue, Bolinas, CA 94924

Breakers Cafe

The Breakers Cafe has a pleasant outdoor area and a rather long food menu with all kinds of tacos, wraps, sandwiches, and burgers. Stick with something basic and you’ll be satisfied. Since the Sandpiper Bar burned down (the building is being replaced), Breakers is currently the only bar in Stinson Beach, serving such thirst-quenchers as micheladas, margaritas, and “Adult Slurpees.”

Address: 3465 Shoreline Hwy, Stinson Beach CA 94970

Coast Cafe

This Bolinas restaurant serves every meal of the day and brunch on weekends. The huevos rancheros are a great morning choice. Since the fishermen who ply these waters keep their boats moored in Bolinas, don’t hesitate to order the Fresh Catch tacos or fish n’ chips. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, the Coast Cafe also has you covered, with a baked tofu or fresh pesto tagliatelle. The wine list is astounding.

Address: 46 Wharf Road, Bolinas, CA 94924

The Bolinas People’s Store

Bolinas grew up in the 1970s as an artists colony and hippie haven. While monied SFers buying property in Bolinas are coming in, the old hippies fortunately remain. The organic, vegetarian, and cooperatively run People’s Market grocer is emblematic of this. Every afternoon, you can buy freshly made tamales or soups at the market and enjoy them out in the courtyard.

Address: 14 Wharf Road, Bolinas, CA 94924

Eleven

This great little restaurant housed in an old house in Bolinas is only open Thursday through Sunday most months, but call ahead to be sure and to make a reservation. The dining area is split across the first floor’s separate rooms, so your table will be in a cozy little nook. The menu changes weekly, but always features a creative and tasty salad, crispy fries, and artisanal, thin-crust pizzas. Add in super service and a great selection of wines and you have a delightful dining experience.

Address: 11 Wharf Road, Bolinas, CA 94924

Grocery shopping at Stinson Beach

If you decide to cook at your cottage or rental, stop at Good Earth Natural Market on your way into town for excellent produce and meats. The quality is tiptop, but so are the prices, so you could also stop at the Safeway or Whole Foods in Mill Valley. The Stinson Beach Market has nice local cheeses and meats, as well as bread from the Parkside Bakery, but the produce there is seriously limited. You could always drive to Bolinas and pick up crisp lettuce, just-laid eggs, and other goodies at the farmstand there.

Stinson Beach hotels and rentals

We hope you love the spaces we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay.

Smiley’s Saloon

Photo: Booking.com

Photo: Booking.com

Photo: Booking.com

Photo: Booking.com

We would have listed Smiley’s as a place for a drink, but we don’t want you to drive the dark road back to Stinson afterwards. The problem would be solved if you just stayed in Bolinas, and even at Smiley’s itself. It’s best to choose one of the six guestrooms behind Smiley’s iconic wooden two-floor building, which resembles an actual 1800s saloon. You could stay in the suite above the saloon, but if it’s a Friday or Saturday you’d need to close down the bar before crawling upstairs — as weekend revelers can be noisy.

Address: 41 Wharf Road, Bolinas, CA 94924

Sandpiper Lodge

The Sandpiper Lodge offers queen rooms and kitchenette rooms, as well as studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom cottages. Although it’s a short walk to the shore, you won’t have ocean views as you’ll be behind the sand dunes that keep the beach looking healthy and natural. The rooms are simple and refined, with white walls and, in the cottage, white wooden ceilings. The petit hotel fills up quickly, so book ahead.

Address: 1 Marine Way, Stinson Beach CA 94970

Eleven Wharf Road

Photo: Airbnb

Photo: Airbnb

On the upper floors of the same converted house of the Eleven restaurant are two simple but lovely rooms you can stay in. They are rented out through Airbnb in a listing for room one and another for room two.

Address: 11 Wharf Road, Bolinas, CA 94924

More like thisCyclingBrews, Beaches, and Coasts: 11 Bike Tours To See Best of the Bay Area